E534 — Duncan Fewkes reel analysis digest

E534 — Duncan Fewkes reel analysis digest

Source video: `../reels/E534-DUleGWZisrH.mp4` (symlink to `[home-path]`)
Caption: `../reels/E534-DUleGWZisrH.txt`

This file aggregates every playbook chunk section that cites E534. Sections are de-duplicated by heading.

Source

_From `lume-duncan-playbook-chunk-DV-DU.md`_

• 20 reels ingested at `[home]/.openclaw/browser/reels-ingest/{DU,DV}*/`
• Episodes covered: E485 (Pt2 Jason Derulo World Tour), E525-E536, E543-E549, E556-E557, E560, E567-E568, E570
• 5 Gemini visual analyses: DU-52fcinww (E544 Blocky Pinscreen), DUleGWZisrH (E534 Fluid Presets), DV6A04wislr (E568 SuperHot Cubes), DUSui7PioUD (E527 Holovis branded), DUgoDHlipPu (E532 Depth Cubes vs Fluid Presets) — rest rate-limited
• All on HDRP + VFX Graph + Shader Graph (confirmed every caption)

---

NEW — FluidSim preset taxonomy (E534 + E529-E532)

_From `lume-duncan-playbook-chunk-DV-DU.md`_

Verbatim from his caption (E534) — these are the actual preset names in his FluidSim slot:

LUME mapping: ship these exact 6 named FluidSim presets in `LumeFluidSimPresets.cs`. Naming is a clean borrowed taxonomy — no reason to invent our own.

---

NEW — VFX Editor extra fields (from E532, E534, E568 visual analyses)

_From `lume-duncan-playbook-chunk-DV-DU.md`_

Augments the prior playbook's VFX Editor data model:

• Depth: <preset> — new field. Observed values: `HolePunch` (renders silhouette on top of all particles, no z-test, hurts depth cues but never lose track of yourself), `GhostChromatic`. Add to `LumeVfxEditor.cs`.
• Painting: <preset> — new field. Observed: `SpotsLeftRightWithFill`, `Bounce_Frosted`, `Bounce, Plastic`. Probably the surface-shader / material slot.
• Background: <preset> — already had it. New observed values: `Gallery2`, plus the prior `StudioBG_Grey`.
• FX: <preset> — observed values: `Clones Snapshot Red`, `Clones Snapshot Red Plexus` (= same effect with plexus links between particle pairs).
• BodySim: <preset> — observed in E532. Same value set as FluidSim (Default / Default_Smooth / LongThrow / MidThrow / ShortThrow). This implies a separate sim slot specifically for body-driven motion, distinct from the global fluid sim.
• HUD overlay: the FX name itself is rendered on screen in the lower-left area as text. "only the last one (shows as 'Clones Red' in screen text on the lower left) is audio-reactive" — operator sees the active preset live.

---

NEW — Plexus links brightness gotcha (E534)

_From `lume-duncan-playbook-chunk-DV-DU.md`_

> "Plexus links almost invisible so I need to figure out how to match brightness with the source/linked particles."

If LUME does plexus (lines between near-particle pairs), the line emissive must be derived from average of endpoints' emissive, not flat. Otherwise lines disappear under bloom. Cheap fix: in the line shader, sample both endpoint colors and lerp 0.5.

---

Self-critique quotes worth borrowing as LUME design principles

_From `lume-duncan-playbook-chunk-DV-DU.md`_

• E534: "Plexus links almost invisible so I need to figure out how to match brightness with the source/linked particles." → emissive consistency between primitives is its own bug class
• E535: "Not very noticeable so needs more definite/large change in motion, but without it going crazy and losing coherence." → audio-transient response: needs to read clearly without losing form coherence
• E548: "Pretty huge fail when I finally check some footage of real kelp and realise mine looks bugger all like an actual kelp forest. I think I must have had some kind of Spongebob cartoony swishy stuff in mind." → reference-check before lookdev
• E556: "Otherwise it would feedback and he'd go apeshit." → coupled sim systems: pick one direction
• E567/E568: "Probably easiest to expose in settings and debug menu to allow for tweak values for each install individually." → ship per-install settings as first-class architecture, not afterthought

---

Complete VFX Editor data model (v2 — supersedes v1)

_From `lume-duncan-playbook.md`_

The v1 model had ~7 slots with placeholder names. v2 has 9 slots with verbatim preset names from his UI overlays (E516, E521, E532, E534, E568):

VFX Editor
├── Auto Cycle VFX [checkbox]    # BPM/16-bar phrase auto-transition
│
├── Depth: <preset>              # surface treatment of human silhouette
│   options: GhostChromatic2, GlassThin, GlassThick, GlassScan1/2/3, DepthCubes, HolePunch, None
│
├── VFX 01: <preset>             # additional particle layer
│   options: ClonesAudioDropBright, ParticleClone, ParticleClonesAudio,
│            SwirlyParticles, KaleidoscopeRing16, Multiparticle_Spine_FX, None
│
├── VFX 02: <preset>             # second layer (compositional)
│   options: ParticleSystem_Spine_Trail, ClonesSnapshotRed, ClonesSnapshotRedPlexus, None
│
├── Painting: <preset>           # surface-shader / material slot
│   options: SpotsLeftRightWithFill, Bounce_Frosted, Bounce_Plastic, None
│
├── Lighting: <preset>           # named lighting rigs
│   options: FogSpotLeftRight1, FogSpotLeftRight2, FogSpotRight, FogSpotOverhead,
│            FogPointOrbitPulse, BrightRoom, SpotsLeftRightWithFill, EmissiveOnly, None
│
├── LightingProfile: <enum>      # NEW from E473 — perf vs cinematic toggle
│   options: EmissiveOnly (160-170 fps, no shadows), SpotShadows (70-110 fps, 7x cast)
│
├── Environment: <preset>        # 3D scene around the figure
│   options: Studio_Sky_Sphere, Sunset, BolivianSaltFlats, TestRoomDark, None
│
├── Background: <preset>         # 2D backdrop layer
│   options: StudioBG_Grey, Gallery2, TestRoomDark, None
│
├── Logo: <preset>               # brand overlay slot — also acts as VFX volume
│   options: HOLOVIS_Letters_AudioBlendshape, KOATJI/LUME_equivalent, Off
│
├── FluidSim: <preset>           # 6 verbatim names from E534
│   options: Default, Default_Smooth, LongThrow, MidThrow, ShortThrow, InvertedObstacle
│
├── BodySim: <preset>            # NEW from E532 — separate sim slot for body-driven motion
│   options: same value set as FluidSim
│
├── FX: <preset>                 # additional one-shot effects
│   options: ClonesSnapshotRed, ClonesSnapshotRedPlexus, None
│
├── SpawnTopology: <enum>        # NEW from E509 floor-spawn discovery
│   options: FloorPlane, BodyVolume, CeilingPlane, WallPlanes, MidPlane
│
├── NoiseAxisMode: <enum>        # NEW from E514
│   options: XZ_Twist_Contained, Y_Lift_With_LowFreqBulges
│
├── Auto Load Default Scene [button]
├── Update Settings Default Scene [button]
│
├── Camera Settings: FOV slider + Sensitivity slider
├── VFX Settings: Intensity, Density, Count, Gravity, InitialVelocity, Lifetime, SpawnRate
├── Render Settings: Exposure, Gamma, AmbientOcclusion, Bloom
├── VFX Color: RGB sliders + hex + color picker
└── FX LiveOnColorClear [checkbox]

Critical UX rule (E516 verbatim)

> Cycling through test lighting presets and the last is always 'None' (same for the script for cycling through depth visuals, VFX, backgrounds etc — always allow for 'Off' to be an option).

Every preset enum's last entry MUST be `None`. The negative-space look that emerges from `Lighting=None + emissive depth particles` is its own aesthetic, not a bug. From E516: "looked interesting without any realtime lights because the emissive particles and live 3D depth projection makes it look like solid shadow/negative space punch through."

Depth ≠ VFX: 4×4=16 combos for free

Prior assumption (v1): "depth particles" was one thing. v2 reveals they are two independent slots — `Depth:` (surface treatment of the silhouette) + `VFX:` (the additional particle layer on top). They cycle independently.

Depth: Ghost / Glass / Cubes / Off    (~4-6 surface treatments)
VFX:   Clones / Particles / Swirl / Off  (~4-6 particle layers)

= 16+ distinct combinations before lighting/colour/background variation. Operator gets massive variety from a small preset library.

Performance HUD (top-right, persistent in every reel)

avg min max
38  39  60   16.6ms
FPS: 60

Build `LumePerfHud.cs` with same layout. F8 toggle. Useful both for dev and operator confidence the install is healthy.

---

Self-critiques worth borrowing as LUME design principles

_From `lume-duncan-playbook.md`_

• E534: "Plexus links almost invisible so I need to figure out how to match brightness with the source/linked particles." → emissive consistency between primitives is its own bug class
• E535: "Not very noticeable so needs more definite/large change in motion, but without it going crazy and losing coherence." → audio-transient response: read clearly without losing form coherence
• E548: "Pretty huge fail when I finally check some footage of real kelp and realise mine looks bugger all like an actual kelp forest. I think I must have had some kind of Spongebob cartoony swishy stuff in mind." → reference-check before lookdev
• E556: "Otherwise it would feedback and he'd go apeshit." → coupled sim systems: pick one direction
• E567/E568: "Probably easiest to expose in settings and debug menu to allow for tweak values for each install individually." → ship per-install settings as first-class architecture, not afterthought
• E516: "Always allow for 'Off' to be an option." → every preset enum ends with `None`
• E488: "Another lesson to myself to push past the disappointing failures and keep digging to see if there's anything there." → don't quit at first disappointing test
• E521 / E479 evolution arc: Duncan transitioned from bespoke per-reel demos to a swappable preset matrix (Depth × VFX × Lighting × Background). LUME should target this pattern from Wave 2 onwards. Earlier work was bespoke; later work is a control surface.
• #normalizefailure — he tags failures and shows them. Authenticity move worth borrowing for LUME devlog culture.

---