[feat] Let's do "fugue machine" #3: Ping-pong playback mode

[tildebyte]

Third of some ideas to give us a UX a little more like FM.

UX thought: Use the "reverse" button - first tap reverses, second ping-pongs, third goes back to forward.

[tildebyte]

@millxing; Now that #4 has been addressed and merged, I'd like to think about this issue.

I don't think it will be difficult to implement; the real question here is UX.

My initial thought had been a 3-state on the current 'reverse', i.e. default: forward; press -> reverse; press again -> pingpong; press again, back to forward... but I've not convinced myself that that's a good idea.

Do you have any ideas as to how to present this to the user?

[tildebyte]

@millxing; Incoming PR tomorrow, assuming testing goes well :)

[ben-alkov]

@millxing, @justmat; PTAL @0f0bf0c - This works quite nicely, better than I expected; the three-state to change playback modes is actually pretty intuitive.

WDYT?

[millxing]

Ben, I'm confused about how to try this out. Are you going to make a PR to the millxing/quence repo? Thanks, Rob

[tildebyte]

@millxing; Yes, I was planning to, but I wanted to get some feedback before that.

If you want to try running it from my branch, do

# add my fork as an additional remote source
git remote add tildebyte https://github.com/tildebyte/QUENCE.git
# Sync all remote sources. This lets git know what branches are available.
git fetch --all
# Checkout my topic branch locally
git checkout ping-pong
# Don't forget; when you're done, `git checkout` back to whichever branch you were on before so you're not working in the wrong branch ;p

[justmat]

@tildebyte, just had a short play with your ping-pong branch. Seems like everything is working to me! I do sort of wish there was an indicator/icon for playback mode on the screen, but it's pretty intuitive as is.

[tildebyte]

@justmat; Thanks! Yeah, I debated about this, and I'm loathe to change the button layout at all; I love the symmetry and really inspired use of negative space which @millxing originally came up with.

I've been toying with the idea of a SUBTLE change to the play_mode button - maybe solid for forward (as-is)/slow, gentle reverse "downward" pulse for reverse/slow, gentle triangle pulse for pingpong - but that's mere ideation at this point :)

[justmat]

The button pulsing is a great idea!

[millxing]

I'm digging it!

I'm not sure I've got a handle on the logic of this function. It seems like when I'm in PP mode and moving to the right, if I hit the reverse led then it switches to reverse mode. If in PP mode and moving to the left, if I hit the reverse led then it switches to forward mode. Is that correct?

I guess I was expecting that if it was in PP mode and I hit the reverse button, then it would move to forward mode (w/o PP), regardless which direction it ws currently moving. There's probably a reason you did it the way you did that I'm not seeing.

I do think some way of identifying PP mode is needed and I love the idea of a pulsing LED when in PP mode.

[tildebyte]

Nice! I’m glad you like it!

First: “reverse” button should really be “play_mode” now.

So, yeah, it’s a 0-1-2 cycle thing:

• 0 - forward
  • press “play_mode” -> reverse direction
• 1 - reverse
  • press “play_mode” -> ping-pong BUT! immediately first switches to forward direction. Yeah, it’s a little weird, and could probably be changed to only switch once it hits the “end” of it’s current play.
• 2 - ping-pong
  • press “play_mode” -> back to forward, regardless of current direction
• 0 - forward… etc.

I think the switch from reverse play direction to forward play direction when pressing “play_mode” from reverse mode is an artifact of my, er, design “process” (i.e. throw code until something works 😁). I think you’re right; intuitively and symmetrically, the reverse->ping-pong transition should complete its current play in its current (reverse) direction.

Also, already pondering pulsing LEDs :)

[tildebyte]

@millxing, @justmat; OK, just now the UX counterexample popped into my head...

As a user, if I'm playing a sequence in reverse and I press the play_mode button, I have no immediate indication that ping-pong mode has engaged IF I have to wait until the sequence finishes it's current play.

Now I'm not sure what to do :(

[justmat]

I have no immediate indication that ping-pong mode has engaged

Wouldn't the solid/reverse ramp/pulsing LED clarify what mode the user is in?

[millxing]

Wouldn't the solid/reverse ramp/pulsing LED clarify what mode the user is in?

That was my reaction also