Problem with Z-shaped cakes

FWsim Help & Discussion
1

Hi,

I have recently been trying to make z shaped cakes like FWSIM explained in an instructional video, but I always have the first and last shot fire double and it looks a bit off. Any advise on how to improve this? I tried to build the same cake as in that video from FWSIM, like 25 shots, 5 sweeps.

Correction. I meant S-Shaped cake of course.

Thanks

2

Hi,

thanks for your message. Could you send me the link to the video?

We have changed how cakes work some time ago. The first and last shot is repeated, just like in a real cake. This is to make it more realistic.

However, there are workarounds available if you don’t want that:
Simply insert an empty shot into the list, and set the interval (for that one shot) to 0ms. That way, the double shot will simply be skipped.

Let me know if you need a more detailed explanation on how to do this.

Best Regards,
Lukas

3

I must say I have never heard of this before. The first and last shot is always repeated? I think that is only true for a couple of cakes I have made (all recreations).

4

Hi,

Thanks for the input with the empty shot. That should work.
Here is the link.

Best regards,
Sven

5

It is my impression that the first and last shot in a Z shape will usually be repeated, because of the way the cake is built. You have several rows of shots. When one row finishes firing, the next row starts, and it starts at the same angle that the previous row finished at. Of course, the cake doesn’t need to be manufactured like this, but according to the information I got, this is the most common case.

I could be mistaken about this, as I’m not an expert on Cakes.

Here’s some examples of cakes where you can see this: (you may have to change the playback speed on the video to see it)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSIHznOZMX0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_n4ZRHSlsg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA0u3svMNNg

Do you have examples of Z-shaped cakes where it does not repeat?

6

If you are talking specifically about a Z-shape with only a single repeated effect (as in your examples), then it would be the same (because every shot is the same). But I have seen many F-shaped cakes where it alternates between three or more different effects, and the first and last shot is only the same if it happens to line up. Although usually not in zipper cakes. They will be a single repeated effect. It might also change depending on whether we are talking about professional or commercial fireworks.

Is this done to get the extra shot in at the farthest angles? It has been some months since I used FWsim (the last few updates have made it a little diffuse and cumbersome to use). I seem to remember that it only fired one shot at the farthest angles, when technically it should be two (end of the first row, and the beginning of the second row). That never really bothered me.

Here are a couple of examples (although they may be hard to see):

7

Thanks guys. But I was talking about S-Shape cakes. I added a note in the first post that I said Z-Shape by mistake. And yes, I also think in a Z shape cake the first and last shot is repeated, but I dont’t think in S shaped cakes.

8

Yes, this used to be the behaviour in the past (only one shot at the farthest angles). We changed it in one of the updates this year, so that now you get two shots at the farthest angles.

That’s valuable feedback. I will send you a private message, as I would like to hear more about your experience and how we can make it more efficient to use.

Thanks for the clarification. The way I understand it (and I could be wrong!), a S-shape cake is the same as a Z-shape, just the pauses are different. In the Z shape, there is a short pause between each row. In the S shape there is no pause.

However, that terminology might not be used in the same way by everyone.

FWsim does not have an S shape: You simply use the Z shape for everything, and then adjust the pauses however you want.

I looked up some S-shape cakes on YouTube, and it seems that there are two shots at the farthest angles, just like with a Z-shape cake. Examples:
[1]
[2]
[3]

@Sven, are you able to build the kind of shape you want now? Or do you have trouble building a specific effect in FWsim?

9

OK, thanks for clarification.

@Lukas. I am still not able to build a cake that has no pause and doesn’t shoot the most outer angle twice.

Could you provide some detailed information how to build such a cake and what entries have to go into the cake list?

Best regards