Controlling an Attraction Ride with Data Tracks

This guide covers using Exaplay 3 as the media and automation backbone of an attraction ride — a dark ride, simulator, or themed experience where video, audio, lighting, and motion effects must all play back in precise synchronisation, triggered by a ride-control system.

Typical Attraction Architecture

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Part 1 — Timecode Synchronisation

The ride PLC must be the master clock. Exaplay 3 runs as a slave, locking its playhead to the incoming timecode.

Option A — OSC Timecode

1. Exaplay listens for OSC on UDP port 8000 by default — nothing to enable. The port is set under Menu → Settings → Communication → OSC Listen.
2. Open Menu → Settings → Timecode and set Timecode Mode to OSC Timecode (slave).
3. The show control system sends /timecode/hh/mm/ss/ff messages.

Option B — LTC (Linear Timecode)

1. Connect the LTC audio signal to an input on the ASIO audio interface.
2. Open Menu → Settings → Audio → Timecode Input.
3. Select the channel, set the frame rate (24/25/30), confirm lock.

Safety note: For a live attraction, always use Slave mode (not Jam Sync). If the PLC pauses or stops timecode, Exaplay 3 must pause or stop too — it should never run ahead of the ride system.

Set Timecode Mode → Slave in Menu → Settings → Timecode.

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Part 2 — Building the Show Timeline

With timecode sync active, build the full ride experience as a single composition with all elements locked to the ride's timecode:

Timecode    00:00:00:00 ──────────────────────── 00:05:00:00

Track 1 (Video)    [Pre-show intro] [Main ride sequence] [Ending]
Track 2 (Audio)    [Soundtrack + dialogue                        ]
Track 3 (Data)     [DMX dimmer keyframes                         ]
Track 4 (Data)     [Moving head position                         ]
Track 5 (Data)     [Fog trigger                                  ]
Track 6 (Data)     [Motion platform keyframes                    ]

Setting Frame Rate

Make sure the project frame rate matches the ride's timecode:

1. Open Menu → Settings → Timecode → Framerate.
2. Set to 30 fps (typical for rides with SMPTE timecode) or 25 fps (PAL systems).

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Part 3 — DMX Lighting Control via Data Tracks

Each lighting channel becomes one Data Track targeting an ArtNet universe and channel.

Example: Ride Scene Lighting

Scene:  "Cave 1" entrance (0:30 → 0:45)
Goal:   Dimmer fades from 0 to 80%, strobe flashes, then fades out

Data Track "Cave1_Dimmer":   Universe 0, Channel 1
  keyframes:  0:30:00 → value 0
              0:35:00 → value 80
              0:40:00 → value 80
              0:45:00 → value 0

Data Track "Cave1_Strobe":   Universe 0, Channel 2
  step interpolation (immediate jumps):
  keyframes:  0:38:00 → value 255  (strobe on)
              0:38:15 → value 0    (off)
              0:38:22 → value 255
              0:38:30 → value 0

Step-by-step

1. In the Sub-header, click the Data panel.
2. Click + Data Track.
3. Set:
   • Name: Cave1_Dimmer
   • Output Type: ArtNet
   • Universe: 0
   • Channel: 1
   • Destination IP: 192.168.1.50 (your ArtNet node / dimmer)
4. Click on the Data Track ruler at 0:30:00 to add the first keyframe. Set value to 0.
5. Add more keyframes at each timecode where the value changes.
6. Repeat for each DMX channel.

See ArtNet & DMX Output for packet format and multi-universe details.

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Part 4 — OSC Control for Practical Effects

For effects that don't use DMX — fog machines, pneumatics, water effects — use OSC output Data Tracks to trigger the effect controller.

Example: Fog Machine at 01:10:00

Data Track "FogMachine":   Output Type: OSC
  OSC Address:  /fog/trigger
  Destination:  192.168.1.60:9000

  keyframes (step interpolation):
  01:10:00 → value 1   (trigger ON message)
  01:10:05 → value 0   (trigger OFF message)

The effect controller receives /fog/trigger 1 at exactly 01:10:00 in the timecode stream, and /fog/trigger 0 five seconds later.

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Part 5 — UDP to Motion Platform

Some motion platforms accept a simple UDP packet containing a float value for each axis. Use a UDP Data Track per motion axis:

Data Track "MotionPitch":  Output Type: UDP
  Destination:  192.168.1.70:9500

  keyframes:
  00:30:00 → value 0.0
  00:31:00 → value 0.8   (nose up)
  00:32:00 → value -0.3  (nose down)
  00:33:00 → value 0.0   (level)

The UDP datagram contains the value as a 4-byte big-endian float. Check your motion platform's documentation for the expected packet format.

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Part 6 — Emergency Stop and Safety Interlocks

In a live attraction, the ride PLC is responsible for safety. Exaplay 3 must respond correctly to emergency events:

PLC Stops Timecode → Exaplay Freezes

In Slave timecode mode, if the incoming timecode stops, Exaplay's playhead also stops. Media freezes on the last frame. When timecode resumes, playback continues from the correct point.

E-Stop Cue

Add a dedicated cue called E-STOP:

• Action: Stop all playback immediately (hotkey: Escape)
• Visual: Fires a Fade to black composition

Assign this cue as a hot key (Escape or a dedicated button on the operator's control hardware).

In a real installation, the PLC should also be able to trigger the E-STOP cue via OSC:

# PLC sends:
POST http://192.168.1.5:8123/cue/trigger
{"name": "E-STOP"}

Over OSC, /cue accepts the cue's index or its name within one composition (addressed by ID or by name); the HTTP endpoint above is the one that searches all compositions for a cue name:

/exaplay/comp1/cue "E-STOP"
/exaplay/Main_Show/cue "E-STOP"

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Part 7 — Operator Monitoring

During ride operation, the technical operator watches the Monitor tab and Diagnostics Panel:

What to watch	Where
Timecode lock status	Transport bar (green TC: Locked indicator)
Engine FPS (must stay at project frame rate ±1)	Diagnostics Panel
Data Track transmission events	Monitor → Event Log
ArtNet output confirmation	Monitor → Event Log (ArtNet packets listed)
OSC output confirmation	Monitor → Event Log (OSC messages listed)

If ArtNet packets appear in the Event Log but the fixture doesn't respond, the issue is in the DMX cabling or fixture configuration — not Exaplay.

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Part 8 — Robustness for Daily Operation

Attraction rides typically run 10–14 hours per day, 7 days a week. Configure Exaplay for maximum resilience:

Auto-Heal

Enable Auto-Heal (Menu → Settings → Autoheal). The state is saved every 2 seconds; if the engine crashes between ride cycles, it restores the correct position and resumes.

Ride Cycle Scheduler

Use the Scheduler to reset the show to timecode 00:00:00:00 between ride cycles if the PLC does not send a hard reset:

1. Add a Scheduler event: every ride cycle end time → Cue: Reset.
2. The Reset cue jumps the timeline to the beginning and pauses, waiting for the next timecode sync (OSC/LTC) from the PLC.

Nightly Restart

Add a Scheduler event at 03:00 → System: Restart. This clears any accumulated memory fragmentation from a full day of operation.

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Summary Checklist

• [ ] Timecode mode set to Slave; TC lock verified in Transport bar
• [ ] Project frame rate matches the ride's timecode standard
• [ ] Video and audio tracks built and synced to timecode
• [ ] Data Track created per DMX channel (ArtNet universe/channel configured)
• [ ] OSC Data Tracks created for practical effects
• [ ] UDP Data Tracks created for motion platform axes (if applicable)
• [ ] E-STOP cue created and accessible via Escape key and remote control command
• [ ] Auto-Heal enabled; Watchdog enabled
• [ ] Nightly restart scheduled
• [ ] Operator monitoring: TC lock, FPS, Event Log confirmed healthy