Saber Forum

My new saber font “HARDWIRED” is now available for download!

As was the case with "Son of Darkness", this is not just a collection of sounds, but a complete collection of synchronized LED effect files as well. The full collection includes 175 sound files in both WAV and LSU formats, 66 UltraSabers Launcher Effect files in both RGBW and RGBA formats and 1 complete, full font file in both RGBW and RGBA formats.

You can download everything at the following link:

http://darkpath.media/hardwired (http://darkpath.media/hardwired)

I have also put together an overview and tutorial video for this font collection; primarily because being a music-based font, "Hardwired" works a little different than a conventional saber font does. The video goes through every single sound and accompanying LED effect via a split window display showing the UltraSabers Launcher software on one side and a saber displaying the effects in real time on the other.

Since the video is on the longer side, I have included a chapter index in the video description and in the first reply below.

The video is embedded below for your convenience, and a direct link to the same video on YouTube is listed below it for those who cannot view embedded videos within this forum:


(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3Yreha4uw#)

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have, or let me know if you have any trouble with the download. Sometimes, users experience issues with different browsers, settings, etc. Should you experience problems like that, I'll do everything I can to get the files to you.

Direct YouTube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3Yreha4uw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq3Yreha4uw)

"Hardwired" Overview and Tutorial
Video Chapter Index:

00:00    Introduction
00:45    Content Overview
01:35    Reference: Son of Darkness Tutorial
01:58    Gratuitous Butcher Showcase
02:27    "Hardwired" Sound Font Video
03:14    Spectre Quick Look Video
03:43    Music-Based vs Conventional Sound Font
05:19    Methodology of Sound Categorization
06:15    Downloading the Files
07:20    Reference: Son of Darkness Tutorial
08:26    Saber Hookup to Computer & UltraSabers Launcher Software
09:03    Loading "Hardwired" onto Your Saber
10:00    Effects Showcase (Default Font Files) Split View, Software & Saber
16:23    Effects Showcase (Additional Effect Files) Split View, Software & Saber
31:00    Effects Showcase Comments & Wrap-Up
32:00    Hardwired Font in Action on UltraSabers Diamond Spectre
33:30    Closing Statements & Thank You

Video Link (Son of Darkness Overview and Tutorial):
https://youtu.be/_2Al_T2m_SU

Video Link (Hardwired Sound Font Video):
https://youtu.be/QyvLo0CXiaY

Video Link (Spectre Quick Look Video):
https://youtu.be/tl32obb9ei0

This is Amazing! Well deserved point coming your way!

However, just like with Son of Darkness, it is not letting me download... :-[

Thank you BatMike90 :)

For Son of Darkness, I believe the straight link worked for you. Here is the straight DropBox link for Hardwired:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kipi8sxppvd0ef7/AACllAlyxfn3vVC1zOPRNKiLa?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kipi8sxppvd0ef7/AACllAlyxfn3vVC1zOPRNKiLa?dl=0)

I actually had an issue with the link all of a sudden. It lasted for about a day; right around the same time I started having issues logging into this forum. It's fine now, go figure.

Thank You again! I look forward to the rest of this Anthology!!

Thanks, DPM!  Have a point for yet another bada** font!

Gave you another point, DPM! Having a lot of fun with this font!

Thank you very much kind sir  :)

2 points!? BatMike90, you are a generous man; thank you :)

You already have it downloaded and installed on a saber, huh? That’s awesome. Thank you for giving it a try; I’m very pleased to hear that you’re having fun with it! That is the single point purpose for making it.

I finally had a chance to explore this awesomeness and try it on a saber.  Thanks to you DPM, my Chosen One is now 200% more metal.  So far I absolutely love the font; you did an amazing job with the light effects and of course the riffage is tremendous.  I foresee to a lot of fun subbing various effects in and out since you made it so very easy to do with the self contained effect files.  Extremely well deserved point to you sir!  I very much look forward to the future releases in this series.  Thanks for sharing!

200% is more than I could have hoped for :)

Thank you very much ktulu1347, I'm glad you are enjoying it!

That was the motivation to offer the additional effect files to go along with the extra sounds. There were far more sounds developed than could be fit into a single font on a saber. I picked my favorites to fit into the default font file, but that was a difficult task to say the least; and who's to say that my favorites represent someone else's favorites? Beyond that, variety is a cool thing about having the additional sounds & effects. I will have this font loaded on all of my current sabers eventually, and I'll be able to have 6 unique versions of it.

Thank you very much for the point ktulu1347 :) The album bearing the song that is your namesake is next!

Archiving all "Hardwired" development files for safe keeping for potential future expansion.

Here are the cover art design files, labels and photos...

(http://darkpathmedia.com/images/saber_forum_hardwired_archive_cover.jpg)

(http://darkpathmedia.com/images/saber_forum_hardwired_archive_disks.jpg)

(http://darkpathmedia.com/images/saber_forum_hardwired_archive_photo_cover.jpg)

(http://darkpathmedia.com/images/saber_forum_hardwired_archive_photo_disks.jpg)

Oh man! You have the Mcfarlane Metallica figures!!! AND the pop figures!!! You get a point for that alone. Not to mention offering professional quality fonts for the community for free. +1 

Yes indeed Lord Silenoz! The Metallica Pop vinyls are fairly new of course, but I've had the Mcfarlane figures forever. Long, long ago when they were originally released, I bought the whole pack with the stage, drums, etc. I haven't seen anything but the figures you see in the photos for what seems like 20 years. I have no idea what happened to that stuff :'(


Thank you very much :) By means of your generosity, by darkness grows stronger!


It's my pleasure. As long as you guys like to check them out, I'll keep making 'em.

The cover art and the disc art both look like they were printed for sale.  Great work there, DPM!

Thanks Infinit01 :)

I'm paranoid about file backups, so I still write to physical media because the discs still seem the least susceptible to failure. I can't tell you how many times I've backed up to an external HD, went looking to utilize the files a handful of years later and found that either the drive failed or the files had become corrupted. I put as much stuff as I can in the cloud, but with video project files; there just isn't enough storage space.

Understood. I work off of an external drive which I replaced it yearly with another so I understand

Good point. I need to back up all my music on discs. Thanks for reminding me.

I'm currently working on the next Met-font in the Full Arsenal collection, which is "Lightning". I'm close to wrapping up all the audio work, then I'll test everything and move onto the LED effects.

Can't wait to fight fire with fire.  Looking forward to the next metal masterpiece of a font!

Another one I have to check out when I get home, thanks DPM!

Thank you for sharing this! I've really been enjoying this font. I thought my fonts were really good. I'm very humbled now and got a lot of inspiration to improve my color mixing!
  I really hope Master of Puppets is on your to do list. I can see it now...flash on clash " Master, Master".
Kind of like the drum roll on hardwired.  Great work, and looking forward to more.

@Dark Path Media,  
    Thank you again for sharing  Hardwired!!!

You're welcome KaiserSosay :) I'm so glad that you are enjoying this font! It's unconventional, but always seems to get a genuine reaction when I show it to people loaded on a saber with the synced lights, etc. I totally missed a great opportunity to show it to 300 people last night... My Metallica tribute headlined a big show last night, and it didn't occur to me until afterwards that I could have showed it off on stage Lol. I'll definitely do that next time.

Where can I check out some of your fonts?

For sure, a Master of Puppets font is absolutely on my to do list. Actually, I plan to make a font of all the studio releases... eventually. Master of Puppets will definitely make the list sooner than later. Right now however, I'm nearly done with Ride the Lightning :)

You're welcome Edon! Let me know what you think once you get a chance to check it out :)

@ Dark Path Media,

   Sorry my fonts are not posted. For many reasons. First I said my fonts. They aren't really. I've used other forum members fonts, tweaked them, added small things and then mixed colors for the diamond controller.  Like a Vader font, idle has his breathing. The saber blade and illuminated button dim and brighten with the breaths. Nothing "NEW".
  The real problem for me posting my Tweaked fonts is  all the music!
Every font has music. Vader font has imperial March for a lock up.
 Luke font has Star Wars main theme.
MAUL has Dual of fates.
You get the idea? Not short clips but like a full minutes worth.
Scarface font has the Geto Boys song "ScarFace" as a lockup.
Halloween font has the Misfits song "Halloween" as a force move.
My Slightly Stoopid font has the song "Jedi" as a force move.
 I hope you see the problem.
I would love to share to help out people new to the diamond controller, but forum rules about the music prevent it.
 My Obi Wan font though will get edited  and posted soon. I'm editing out the cantina music lock up, then posting it.  It is the "classic" font with some add ins. Ob saying "Hello there" then saber ignites.  Ob saying " I've got a bad feeling about this" then saber goes off. Same boot fonts already on the forum. I just mixed idle hum into the background and then added saber on/off.   Oh, and of course   "I've got the high ground".
  It's all great and interesting for new people, but for forum members that have been around awhile it's same old, same old.
  I have my saber this way because my four year old son loves the music. He has not and will not be hearing Scarface though!

  He (my son) thanks you for the Hardwired font as well.  We both love it!
Also my color mixing suuuuucks ...compared to yours.

The scarface lock up color mixing took me forever. All I was trying to do was have the saber flash blue then off. White then off. Red the off. White then off then back to blue. I was trying to make it look like police lights but have it switch colors with the bass line. Sounds  simple enough right?
  Not for me. It took more hours then I care to mention. It should look a lot better then it does considering the time I spent.
 Like I said before, you have  inspired me to improve almost everything. Thank you again.

Hmmm... I'm embarrassed to admit I am not aware of that forum rule. Guess I better go back and re-read the rules! Is this unique to Star Wars-related pieces of music? After all, this thread is about a font based entirely in music, so it's either okay, or I'm violating the rules; BIG TIME Lol.


I am very glad to hear that, you are welcome :)

I'm glad to have provided inspiration :)

I have to admit, facilitating the LED sequences with the sounds is not easy; especially with music. It's exponentially more difficult attempting to match music, beats, etc than it is traditional lightsaber sounds. The UltraSabers Launcher software is very intuitive, so that's not an issue at all. It just takes more time than you would think to hammer through it and get everything the way you want.

Trust me - there have been plenty of times where I have worked on an LED sequence for a single sound, wasn't getting what I wanted after hours of trying, and just had to walk away from it for awhile. Since there's a creative element to it, it's just like any other similar endeavor; sometimes it comes easy, and other times you can't even beat it into submission with all of your might. In those cases, I just walk away for a couple hours, a day... whatever it takes to gain a fresh perspective.

I will say though, the process has given me a better appreciation for what I realized is the uniqueness of the Diamond Controller and the capabilities it offers. From a purely visual standpoint, there's currently nothing more immediately impressive than a neopixel blade, BUT... you can't do any of this automated LED light sequencing with those blades, or more specifically; boards from "The Other Guys". In the end, that means that a music-based font such as "Hardwired" is substantially less entertaining, impressive, etc. without having the ability to sync lights with the music.

So, bravo to UltraSabers and the Diamond Controller tech for that :)

FYI - The preview video for "Lightning"; the second entry in the "Full Arsenal" collection has been posted...

http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=40569.0 (http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=40569.0)