Virtual Fireworks Simulation as a New Tool for Pyrotechnic Manufacturing and Choreography

Visual Show Director”is a computer software program intended for scripting and simulation of fireworks displays and pyrotechnic effects in real time. The software allows the user to capture and record time cues to create a script where the effects descriptions are inserted. It consists of a time dynamic database consisting of row records of cues expressed in Hours-Minutes-Seconds and Frames and effect descriptions that are displayed and highlighted at the corresponding music or sound score time. The effects can be visually displayed in Real Time animation over a twodimensional or three-dimensional background in a viewing screen. The effects are designed and created in a visual particle animation environment that translate the user inputs into a native scripting language that is used and interpreted by the engine. The background consists of a two-dimensional image or three-dimensional complex models with textures. It contains multiple positions inserted with the 3-D Position editor. These positions are stored in a native file format and used by the engine to set the starting XYZ coordinate points for the effects particle animations. A Pyro Player postproduction application is used to display the simulation with autonomy from the original scripting software. The software enables the user to transfer files with the time cues, switch addresses, pre fire time, and caliber to a memory in an external Computerized Firing panel. The software was developed using C++ and Visual Basic programming languages while Microsoft DirectX and OpenGL were used for the relative rendering. The engine is based on a Particle System, where each particle has a full set of properties that allow the software manage it.