EDIT: As I suspected, someone else posted a suggestion for this (a couple years ago, it seems - Stride "Change" Warning Tool) and I just read it. I figured I'd leave this on here for now, but I apologize for such a long post when this was something already brought up by another person.
We are currently able to check the paths of the performers from set to set by selecting the Push Tool and looking for the red-highlighted path and in the console window for the "Largest step size:" indicator.
As I write, on occasion I'll write a drill move or a sequence of drill moves that combine very large steps in one direction with the next move being one of very large steps in the opposite direction. Obviously I try my best to catch that as I go, but I have missed it once or twice... or in last night's case, a bunch of times.
As I was checking direction changes through a sequence of moves that I thought was ready to wrap, I noticed one person had a ridiculous direction change and it boggled me how easily I missed it. Then I went through to check everyone, just to be sure and there were about 7 people who had this kind of "impossible" direction change. I have since modified the drill to work and it all came out great, but while I was doing this, an idea sprung.
What if there was a way that you could select any form - arc/line/whole band, select the Push Tool, and in the same (sort of) way that the push tool shows the paths and the red-highlighted path for the largest step size - maybe there could be a way that the person with the "Hardest direction change" would be highlighted in maybe yellow or something? (maybe highlighted similar to the Spotlight Tool) and it would indicate that person's direction change difference. Where would this go? There seems to be room for it on the console window, just under the "Largest step size" indicator.
I don't know how "smart" the program would have to be to put into account the step size the performers are taking on the previous move when that transition (page tabs) are not selected, but that's why I'm throwing it out there. Not sure what the technology is or will eventually evolve into, but I'm thinking this would be something worth looking into messing with. I know it would be a GREAT minor addition for me, as it might be for some others as well.
I would guess that it would work for ALL sets no matter what, just like the largest step size works. Even if the performer with the "hardest direction change" is taking the same step size and in the same direction as the previous set, it'll still show that person highlighted with the numbers in the console. (perhaps the step size before/after or taking the stride size of the set before and getting the difference with the next move by using the pyware grid as a X-Y Graph, where anything going up and right will calculate positive (+) and anything down and left will calculate negative (-). The step size change/direction change is calculated that way and that is how the number is created - being a "difference" of those two numbers, the lower the number the easier the direction change.
I suppose it would also turn out that if it was a person taking a 22.5" forward to 22.5" backwards, the number would be +0.0". If they were going 22.5" forward changing to 36" backwards, it would show a positive number, +13.5", if that person was the one with the largest direction change. If the group selected has everyone taking 22.5" steps and they all continue in the same direction, changing to 15.5", then it would indicate a negative number, -7.0".
Does that work? Or should it show +15.5"? Hmmm... I think it should only show the step size of the current move minus the size of the previous move. current is X"... previous is Y". Calculation is: X"-Y"=___.___" when you go in the same direction.
But then it would be Y"-X"=___.___" for moves that change direction. ?? .... Oy... help?!
Of course, this idea isn't really meant to "fix" problems... but just an added indicator to be aware of as you go. I think in most cases something like this may be ignored or overlooked for the casual designer, but in some cases when you write the jazz-run 4 to 5 and have a direction change coming up, this calculation would be very beneficial to see exactly HOW MUCH difference it is - preferably a negative (-) number. And it's not that I don't notice or look for this as I write... sometimes we miss them for a few individuals, as I did last night, and it might help flag those people for us so we can take care of those dots and fix the transition.
Obviously it's not as simple as forward to backwards change or forwards to smaller forwards... modern drill doesn't work like that at all. I think I need to consult some old geometry/algebra books to figure out and remember what those equations are. Where I get stuck is when it's a person moving on a forward-left diag and changes directions to go backwards-left (opposite diag - 90-degrees, for ex), perhaps that's something a little less "simple" than what I used as an example of forward to backwards, or vice versa to determine that direction change calculation. Even if the step size is the same, because one foot is behind you on previous angle and has to switch/swing over to count 1 of the next angle, it's not exactly the same kind of calculation. (or maybe we don't have to worry about that and just calculate it by difference in inches as I indicated earlier).
okay... my brain is officially fried.
Boy, does any of that make ANY sense?
I really need to go back and dig up my old math books because I can't remember how all that works anymore. Someone out there who reads this, please save me because I don't know if I'm right in all of this.Anyway - if someone else brought this idea to the table earlier, I apologize for failing to notice it. But if not, if anyone has any additional info I may have missed or botched regarding the math and calculations, feel free to add it. I did really well in math in HS and college, from what I remember, but it was one of those things I didn't care if I forgot because I kept saying "I'm a musician. why do I need to know these theorems".
oh well. This one is probably more like sine/cosine/tangent! Where's my TI-85?? 