NX2™ Training - Part 8 (Creating Effects)

NX2™ training focuses on building lighting effects in Onyx by using two integrated tools: the built-in Effects Generator (for intensity, color, and movement-style effects) and the Dilos Pixel Mapper (reserved for the next segment). The core workflow is to start from a clean fixture selection, set a base intensity, then use the Effects timing and parameter controls to shape how an effect behaves across multiple lights—either in synchronized waves or in chasing steps.

For intensity effects, the Effects section provides four key controls: swing, speed, mode, and multiplier, plus timing behavior. Swing determines how far the effect moves away from the base point—starting at 100% swing makes an intensity rise smoothly to full and fall back to zero when the base intensity is set at 50%. Speed controls how fast the effect animates, while mode changes the waveform shape and whether it adds to or subtracts from the base (for example, a sine mode both adds and subtracts, while another mode can be purely additive). Multiplier acts as a speed-related control tied to BPM, allowing faster or more energetic motion.

Timing is where the effect’s spatial pattern becomes clear. In Wave mode, a value like 12 spreads the effect evenly across 12 fixtures so the animation restarts in sync across the array; using a value that divides cleanly changes how the lights group together. If Wave is turned off and Step mode is used instead, each fixture completes the effect before the next begins—creating a chasing look. A step value of 3, for instance, produces three separate chasing groups. The practical takeaway is that Wave yields smooth, evenly distributed motion, while Step yields sequential chasing.

Once an effect looks right, it’s recorded onto an override fader. Overrides matter because they scale what was captured: recorded effect parameters (like speed and size) and the base intensity all scale together as the override fader moves. That means pulling the fader down makes the effect slower and more subtle, while pushing it up restores the full recorded behavior. The training then repeats the same override strategy for color effects using Effects Macros—pre-built effects designed to apply to a single fixture, but still usable across large selections. Timing is added after selecting the macro, and the result can be recorded to an override for consistent control.

Movement effects combine pan/tilt controls with effect timing. A key concept introduced is Effects Link, used to keep pan/tilt behavior coordinated when applying movement effects. The “figure” parameter determines how pan and tilt relate (with figure-eight-style options changing the relationship), and timing values are chosen to avoid clean division for asymmetry.

Finally, the segment emphasizes mixing multiple effect overrides—intensity, color, and pan/tilt—under a submaster to shape overall show intensity while selectively enabling or scaling each effect. With only three effect faders, the workflow can generate many distinct looks, enabling live switching between speeds, settling patterns, and color changes. The session ends by teeing up Dilos Pixel Mapper as the next step for effects beyond what standard effects can achieve.