Lev4k

A 4 kilobyte intro framework based on Leviathan 2.0 but with added/tweaked features, original is here, you should probably use it instead, it's great: https://github.com/armak/Leviathan-2.0

Warning: this tool is not stable but made to be hacked around while making each intro. It has been used for all my 4k intros, but this is a fresh start so you will find:

• Default sample with basic raymarching + postprocess + shader sound (main branch)
• 4klang branch
• Oidos branch
• LastFrameBuffer branch: give you access to last frame so you can do feedback effects
• exe_gfx branch: compute one image in a few seconds then present it to you
• bonzo_compute branch: bonzomatic compute style, with 3 integer buffers you can read/write wherever you want

And some of my intros, each in a separate branch:

• Primordial Awakening (Revision 2023) https://demozoo.org/productions/322371/
• Drifting Shore (Revision 2024) https://demozoo.org/productions/342196/

Added Features

• Audio: shader based music synth, with option for a postprocess pass (reverb, delays) and an experimental "real time" mode with midi input capabilities
• Audio: 4klang song can be paused/seeked in editor mode without needing to made a .wav
• Audio: Oidos song can be used
• Shader: multipasses from same shader file (using hacky defines), music and visuals can share code
• Export: audio to .wav for rendering a video
  • define RECORD_SFX to 1
• Export: frame-by-frame in png or jpg for rendering a video
  • define RECORD_IMG to 1
  • define RECORD_IMG_LENGTH to the length of recording in seconds
  • do it separate from audio exporting
• Particle simulation & rendering: in the Primordial Awakening branch
• Camera location: can be used in editor for debug or finding cool camera spots
• executable graphics rendering: in the exe_gfx branch, with a "progressive" mode to see the image being rendered

Compatibility

Current version intended to be used with Visual Studio 2017 to 2022. Make sure you have a version with the latest Windows SDK installed (at least version 10.0.17134.0), or use version 8.1. With some extra configuration 2015 and 2013 should work as well. Some people had a struct_packing issue while compiling in snapshot/release, changing "Struct Member Alignment" in the project settings to "default" fixed it.

Quick start with Shader Audio

• open fragment.frag file
• change "m1" function for your main rendering
• change "m2" function for your post-process pass
• change "m3" function for your music
• change your intro duration in Shaudio.h SONG_DURATION, SHAUDIO_YRES must be adjusted accordingly so MAX_SAMPLES is inferior to SHAUDIO_XRES * SHAUDIO_YRES
• compile in "editor" config and press f5 to see the result
• when ready compile in "snapshot" or "release" (longer compilation time), you will find your final exe in out directory

To use 4klang

• make sure you switch to branch "4klang"
• export your music from your DAW as a file named 4klang.inc
• place the 4klang.inc file you exported from you DAW into folder src/4klang
• launch make_music.bat so it generate the corresponding .obj
• compile in visual

To use Oidos

• make sure you switch to branch "oidos"
• export your music from renoise as a file named music.xrns
• place file music.xrns into folder src/Oidos
• launch build_music_from_xrns.bat so it generate the corresponding .obj
• compile in visual

To make an Executable Graphics

• make sure you switch to branch "exe_gfx"
• specify the duration of you computing (beware, it's assuming 60fps so it can take longer in real time) in EXE_GFX_PROGRESSIVE
• compile in visual

Shortcuts in editor mode

• alt+arrow left/right: seek in time backward/forward (+shift to go faster)
• alt+up pause, alt+down play
• alt+space play from start
• crtl-s reload the shaders and re-render the music (can change SHAUDIO_UPDATEONSAVE if it become too slow)

Configurations

This section describes the different build configurations available from Visual Studio IDE

Editor

Creates a big exe, but with keyboard controls for pausing and seeking around temporally and hot reloading of shaders

Snapshot

Use for regular testing of your intro. Only minimal crinklering but nothing extra included. Useful still for keeping track of relative size changes. This configuration overwrites Release configuration binaries, but doesn't generate and overwrite crinkler report.

Release

The real deal. No-nonsense max crinklering with minimum extra. Use this for occasional testing and your final releases (the compression WILL take a while).

Acknowledgements

• Original Leviathan 2.0: https://github.com/armak/Leviathan-2.0
• Shader Minifier: https://github.com/laurentlb/Shader_Minifier
• Crinkler: https://github.com/runestubbe/Crinkler
• 4klang: https://github.com/hzdgopher/4klang
• dr_wav: https://github.com/mackron/dr_libs/blob/master/dr_wav.h
• stb_image_write: https://github.com/nothings/stb/blob/master/stb_image_write.h