OMG this is very exciting!  Thank you for adding this and getting it implemented.  I’ll definitely try out the beta when it comes out.  I tried to manually fade the lights with multiple lines reducing the brightness and when I ran it…. Might lights blew up on the Finale 3D simulation LOL.  I closed my computer and this is the first time I’ve started looking at it since.  I thought I’d try to troubleshoot it but I think I’ll wait for the beta.  I’m too old to figure out new tricks Thanks again! Lynda

Hola soy Cesar Claudio, soy de México, vengo de una familia pirotecnica, nuestra especialidad son los efectos de humo de color, soy el primero en mi familia en dedicarse al diseño y detonacion de espectaculos de fuegos artificiales, nuestra pequeña empresa se llama Toshiro Fireworks

Hey Pyro_37400000   We’re so close to having an awesome answer to this question that I initially hesitated on a reply. But, it’s now looking like we still have a few weeks to go, so I don’t want to leave you hanging any longer.   At the moment, it’s not possible to create a dimming effect. The fundamental limitation is that a dimming effect requires changing a DMX channel value over a time interval. This is called a “ramp,” and Finale 3D hasn’t supported ramps, until now!   For the last six months, we’ve been working on some major DMX improvements — one of which is adding support for ramps. Additionally, we’ve upgraded the DMX fixture definitions and standard effect libraries for all supported fixtures. The new libraries for lights make fades and color blends possible, and ramps are now also employed for all moving head fixtures to produce accurate and precise movements.   The final stage of the project is to upgrade the script generation process for the DMX-capable firing systems, and that’s what we’re working on right now. If all goes as planned, a new beta release of Finale 3D, including these improvements and more, will be published in mid to late December. Stay tuned!

This forum helped me with a lot of questions, nice.

What would be nice is ‘Add to new FDB file’ option for show specific items.  I’ve probably created 50 or more show specific files after days of filtering and finding or creating product for shows to make life easier when scripting  

On Finale3D, who would be interested in a Virtual Reality feature with a headset ? Choose a camera point (location) and watch your sequences from that point on map ? Or move around inside the show while it’s playing or not…?

Does anyone know how to add a dimming effect using the COBRA PAR-36 lights in finale 3D?

Drew – Can you work on adding other shell manufacturers – like Lynch Imports or shells from Wizard, Vulcan, Yung Feng, Crown Pyro, Guandu

Years ago – I had won a Hobbyist subscription to Finale for a year at Cobra Con – but hadn’t played too much with it and let it lapse. Last year, I decided to sign up again in the LITE version … mainly so I could learn the software but its obviously quite limited.   I’m not sure if these features are in the other versions – but since I am not scripting shows for paying clients – its hard to justify the $350+ Hobbyist version and definitely not the Pro version.   1st Problem is – After I create a Pyromusical – I can’t export a video of it to others in the community or share on my YouTube channel to get feedback of what I could have done better. This seems like a marketing tool of itself – that users could create pyromusicals and share the videos – getting others more interested in the software.   2nd Problem – And I think I saw a few others comments about this – Being able to put parameters on a position would be helpful.  I don’t want to shoot 5 inch or 8 inch shells from the front comet position… Another way to do this would be to group a line into a Position filter – and then hide those positions – to make it easier to PLACE a shell in a back position vs in the close prox position- especially when two layer positions are aligned – one behind the other.   3rd – there’s no way – that i can tell to group things together in this version – I hit G and nothing happened. I also don’t see a way to automatically line up positions or spread evenly across a horizontal or vertical line …. again – these MAY be in the other versions but not being in the lite version is frustrating – since I’m just trying to learn….   4th – there’s no way to export an event and then import into another show… a parabolic comet run for instance…  It would be nice to not have to recreate 20 comets in an assortment of angles with each show.   5th – i think someone said it – I get that the advanced racking features, labels, etc do bring value – but seems like a high barrier of entry to buy the hobbyist version for maybe one or two shows a year… seems like having an event based subscription with more features would be a welcome change. For example – you can create as many shows as you want – but you can only export scripts for up to 3 shows per year with the ability to add a 4th or 5th show for $xx if needed.   Before I started helping a 1.3 display company set up shows – i  – like many – only put on 2 shows per year – one for New Years and one for July 4th. I don’t NEED the unlimited exports – obviously would only be the same show with some various degree of change – like – once you change the music – it resets it as a different show.   Just my two cents – take it for what you will.        

There’s always a cost. That’s how they get you! The cost of Finale DB is that you have to spread the word about Finale DB!