We're going to use the "text_fx.ndbx" example: NodeBox2, meet Fieldįirst, let's download the beta of NodeBox from here. This can only mean one thing - it really is time to get Field's hooks into NodeBox and start tracking their beta releases. Let's assume that that NodeBox's spline code remains as well developed, tested and documented as it has been even as their team goes through this complete rewrite. Thankfully, we didn't bother figuring any of this out, because the latest beta version of NodeBox has taken a very interesting and unexpected twist - it's now a Java/Jython project (just like Field) with an all new, even more hybrid (and even more interesting) interface. It was going to be pretty tedious, because while Python-based, NodeBox was very much "non-pure" Python - much of it was a wrapper around Quartz (Apple's native drawing code). We like our API's but we don't think they are the last word on 2d drawing by any means. But NodeBox's 2d spline code has always been well developed, well tested and well documented - so much so that we'd been thinking about ways of hacking into it to let Field users use that API as well as "ours". Field's 2d drawing tools we're started before we heard of NodeBox, but our image filtering extensions we're directly provoked and inspired by that project. Not only is it a hybrid visual programming environment for making 2d vector & bitmapped images, but it uses Python as its programming language. The NodeBox has a document window which consists of the Viewer Pane which shows the composition the user is working on, the Parameters Pane which allows users to adjust the parameter values of a node, the Network Pane which shows all nodes and their connections and the Source Pane which contains the source code of the currently selected node.For as long as the Field project has been going we've been keeping an eye on NodeBox. NodeBox has a large set of external libraries such as the SVG library for importing SVG paths, the Bezier editor for drawing right inside of the application, and Core Image for doing Photoshop-like image manipulations like layers with blending modes, color changes and filters using the OS X Core Image library, which is hardware accelerated. NodeBox also supports images and text with line wrapping and users can specify fill and stroke colors using RGB, HSB or CMYK, all with alpha transparency. NodeBox not only supports simple forms such as rectangles, ovals, stars, and arrows, but also Bezier paths in general. Nodebox lets users code in Python instead of Java where Nodebox comes with a lot of built-in tools such as flocking, particle systems and graphs and an easy access to all the tools available in Python. NodeBox offers features such as Python programming code, export as a PDF or a QuickTime movie, create static, animated or interactive compositions using simple primitives such as rectangles and ovals, import images and vector files from Photoshop and Illustrator, play around with text paths, supports Core Image, create layered images using transformations, blend modes, alpha masks and filters and all hardware-accelerated. NodeBox is an easy-to-use, efficient, and fast node-based software application which makes it easy to do data visualizations, generative design and complex production challenges.
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Wireless security cameras are gaining popularity because they do not require a wired connection to the recorder. Some cameras have varifocal lenses that you can adjust from the recorder or a mobile device to get the perfect viewing angle. Other options include 8mm, 12mm, 50mm or 100mm for observing a narrow field of view over great distances. 2.8mm is our widest lens, and produces a 110-degree view ideal for covering large areas. Find a more comprehensive guide to buying security cameras based on lens size on our lens comparison page.Ī 3.6mm lens is standard and produces a 90-degree field of view. You get more coverage out of every individual camera by selecting a wider angle lens, but objects of focus will appear further away. The size of the camera lens determines the viewing angle. One model doubles as a functional fire alarm.Some models include heaters & blower fans.Our on-staff security experts can help guide you in buying the best security cameras for a custom-grade system. You can even mix and match cameras of different types on the same surveillance network, as long as they are all compatible with the recorder. Just about all cameras we offer feature infrared night vision and can be used indoors and outdoors. Network Video Recorders (NVR) are compatible with network IP cameras.Įach camera style has different benefits and capabilities.Digital Video Recorders (DVR) are compatible with analog & HD-CVI cameras.You can do this from anywhere, at any time, and at no monthly cost. You’re free to set your cameras to record 24/7, on a schedule, or by recorded motion. There, you can view live and recorded footage, as well as control your camera. When buying a security camera system, follow the selection guide to ensure your recorder is compatible with the type of cameras you purchase.Īll recorders by CCTV Security Pros can be remotely accessed through your computer, smartphone or tablet. This is where footage is recorded and stored. IP systems are easy to set up with power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities.Ī DVR or NVR is the brains of a security system. They are the newest system type and are capable of supporting video with 4K resolution (above 1080p). Network IP Systems operate over standard CAT5/6 Ethernet cable.Also called HD over coax, they are considered the industry standard for modern HD surveillance. HD-CVI Systems operate over coaxial combo cable with BNC connections.They are the most cost-effective type, but have a limited zoom resolution. Traditional Analog CCTV Systems operate over combo RG59 / siamese cable.See our dedicated page on choosing the right system for more details. Each operates over a separate type of cable and supports different types of camera technologies. There Are 3 Types of Security Cameras & Systems Continue through our security camera buying guide to see all of our HD options. The best thing about HD cameras is that you can digitally zoom while keeping the quality largely intact, rather than looking a bit blurry or pixelated. The higher the megapixel count of the camera, the sharper the image. An 8MP camera produces up to 4K ultra HD video. 2MP resolution is equivalent to full HD 1080P. With modern technology, HD cameras and recorders are even cost comparative with traditional analog models.ġ megapixel (MP) resolution and above is considered high definition and is 720p. HD cameras offer at least 3-5 times better clarity than the standard analog cameras. High definition cameras deliver the video resolution you need to make out fine details like license plates and faces in your surveillance footage. If you are considering a new system or upgrading an old one, our comprehensive security camera system buying guide can show you what’s out there and where to start. Security cameras are an essential investment in protecting your business, place of work, or personal property. Growing up in Dorchester during the 1970s, the author witnessed his close-knit, insulated neighborhood undergoing some radical changes, sometimes violently, while still retaining its core values.Īs a child, Lehane was an avid reader. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHYĭennis Lehane, the youngest son of Irish immigrants, was born August 4, 1965, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, a working-class neighborhood of Boston. Sean Penn won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Jimmy Marcus, and Tim Robbins won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dave Boyle. Clint Eastwood directed the acclaimed film version of the novel, which was shot in Boston. Critics also gave it generally good reviews. Mystic River was popular with readers, spending several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. This close-knit environment serves as the backdrop for a story that spotlights how one incident acts as a thread that can be woven into so many lives. Mystic River explores the nature of the tightly knit neighborhoods and families of Boston, and their response to outsiders. Sean is the state trooper investigating the crime, while Dave becomes a lead suspect. Twenty-five years later, the three are thrown together again when Jimmy's nineteen-year-old daughter Katie is murdered. Dave's subsequent molestation scars him deeply and leaves the other two boys with conflicting feelings over how close they came to being victimized. In Mystic River, three young boys-Dave Boyle, Sean Devine, and Jimmy Marcus-are linked for life after Dave is kidnapped while Sean and Jimmy watch. He spent nearly ten years thinking about Mystic River before actually writing it. His background also afforded him insight into how the working class of Boston's neighborhoods really thought and lived. Lehane's familiarity with the area allowed him to create authentic dialogue and speech inflections. Like most of Lehane's novels, Mystic River is set in Boston, the city he grew up in and eventually returned to as an adult. Lehane had previously written a successful series of novels centered around two detectives named Angie Gennaro and Patrick Kenzie Mystic River was his first stand-alone novel. Geological Survey data release, .Ĭlick on this link to obtain general information on the Mystic River Basin application, as well as specific sources and computation methods for basin characteristics.Mystic River (2001) established Dennis Lehane as more than a mystery writer. Spaetzel, A.B., Steeves, P.A., Sturtevant, L.P., and Schifman, L.A., 2022, Basin characteristics data for the StreamStats application in the Mystic River Basin, Massachusetts: U.S.Spaetzel, A.B., Steeves, P.A., Sturtevant, L.P., and Hayes, L., 2022, Digital elevation model and derivative datasets to support the integration of stormwater drainage into the StreamStats application for the Mystic River Watershed, Massachusetts: U.S.Related data and metadata may be found in two associated data releases: In the Mystic River Basin application, users can view the network of stormwater pipes and inlets, delineate drainage areas derived from lidar topography and stormwater infrastructure, and compute land-use/land-cover basin characteristics. The available land-use/land-cover basin characteristics were developed to represent aggregated land uses for which pollutant load export rates are defined in the 2016 Massachusetts Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) General Permit. The Mystic River Basin stormwater functionality was developed by incorporating 1-meter resolution lidar-derived elevation data and municipal storm drain data to accurately represent urban topography and stormwater flow (that is, subsurface piped flow). In Massachusetts, a watershed-scale application for the Mystic River Basin was developed to support stakeholder efforts to address stormwater challenges in this highly urbanized basin. For anyone born after then, this is a slang term for a vibrator. The song’s mentioning of an “electrical banana” gives it away to anyone born before 1960. In fact, Donovan claims to have heard the rumour only three weeks before ‘Mellow Yellow’ was released as a single.ĭonovan has since cleared away the forest of rumours sourcing the song’s provenance. According to the liner notes for Donovan’s Greatest Hits, the rumour asserting the banana’s medicinal properties was espoused by Country Joe McDonald in 1966. Of course, that theory has since been debunked, so don’t be getting any ideas. This rumour sounds so ridiculous, even today. Initially, the song was rumoured to be about smoking dried banana skins, which were rumoured to have psychedelic properties in the ’60s. In fact, ‘Mellow Yellow’ was steeped in myth almost instantly after release. However, Donovan has dispelled this myth. It was also rumoured to have been McCartney whispering the slightly creepy “quite rightly” in the chorus. It is also alleged that McCartney played bass in parts of the album Mellow Yellow but was uncredited. The Beatles bassist lends his hand to the song with a clap and the cheer at the end. Showing that Donovan’s illustrious list of friends did not end there, his quintessential song features an uncredited Paul McCartney. It was arranged by none other than John Paul Jones, the only member of the future Led Zeppelin we have not mentioned till this point. The title track and solo single from Mellow Yellow, the song is a psychedelic trip in of itself. One of the hits that culminated in Donovan’s ubiquity was 1966’s ‘Mellow Yellow’. Guybrush’s adventure begins in earnest when LeChuck kidnaps the Governor, whom Guybrush has since fallen for as well, and whisks her away to Monkey Island. Though the pirate trials are a significant challenge in their own right, they actually represent only the first of four chapters in the game. A twist of fate brought them back as ghosts, and LeChuck remains determined to win (or take) Elaine’s hand in marriage. To impress her, he decided to discover the secret of Monkey Island, but before he could do so his ship sank and all hands died. It seems that when LeChuck was alive, he fell in love with Governor Elaine Marley, but she rejected his advances. Guybrush also learns the reason the Scumm Bar is so crowded: the pirates are reluctant to set sail for fear of encountering the dreaded Ghost Pirate LeChuck. They assign him three trials: defeat the Sword Master in battle, steal the Idol of Many Hands from the Governor’s mansion, and locate the Legendary Lost Treasure of Mêlée Island. Upon arriving on Mêlée Island, he finds his way to the most popular pirate hangout, the Scumm Bar (newbie fact: SCUMM is the name of the programming engine Monkey Island and several other LucasArts adventures of the time were built on), and asks the Pirate Leaders how he can become a full-fledged scallywag. In case you’re just joining us, this is the story of a young man named Guybrush Threepwood, and his dream to become a mighty pirate. Don’t like the idea of tinkering with a classic? The original VGA version of the game, with its still-charming graphics and MIDI soundtrack, is fully included as part of the Special Edition as well, so players can have their grog and drink it too. For me, the original Secret of Monkey Island was already the yardstick against which all other adventure games are measured, and with a brand new Special Edition recently released, it now has the chance to convert a whole new generation of gamers, this time with high-definition graphics, full voice acting, gamepad support, a multi-tiered hint system, and even a re-mastered orchestral music score. There’s a reason that, nearly 20 years after its introduction, Monkey Island is arguably still the best known franchise in the adventure genre. Ahoy there, fancy pants! If it’s adventure ye be looking for, ye came to the right place. This damage can be dangerous in the short term, but the increase in regeneration can be very helpful in the long term. The Chalice is upgraded by using the 'prick' command, which deals damage to the Hero in exchange for an upgrade. Chalice is the only artifact that doesn't have any active effects and energy. A +10 chalice allows regenerating 1 HP per turn. The effect works as long as the Hero is not starving. The chalice of blood passively increases natural health regeneration it does that by reducing the amount of turns between the times Hero regains 1 HP naturally. You can feel the chalice pouring life energy back into you. +10: The chalice is filled to the brim with your life essence. A cursed toolkit will prevent you from interacting with alchemy pots.Ĭhalice of Blood Replaces Ring of Mending.The cursed toolkit has bound itself to your side, and refuses to let you use alchemy. Energy used will pay for itself after gaining 5 levels worth of XP. To upgrade the toolkit, 6 alchemical energy is required. Energy generated by the toolkit can't be used to upgrade it.Įnergy gained per level's worth of experienceĪrtifact recharging generates 0.25 alchemical energy each turn. This artifact doesn't really have charge, it instead generates alchemical energy as the Hero gathers experience. At level +10, the toolkit can be used immediately upon equip. It takes 100 turns for +0 toolkit to warm up, but upgrading reduces the duration by level^2. When equipped, the toolkit won't be able to be used until it warms up, this makes juggling the toolkit with other miscellaneous items slightly more difficult. This doesn't cost any additional resources. Using the toolkit opens alchemy GUI allowing the Hero to do alchemy everywhere. It looks like the mixture in the vial could be enhanced by adding energy crystals to it. Ready: The equipped toolkit is slowly generating alchemical energy as you gain experience. |