bloody fantastic

--
Expecting the unexpected makes the unexpected expected. Meeting someone is fate. Being their friend, a choice. Falling in love is always unexpected but only if the expected is unexpected which makes the expected unexpected.

thanks!

that's indeed fantastic

btw, that depth of field effect, it's done via photoshop or xeno?

Via photoshop, until i buy xd2. I think it could be done via earlier versions of xenodream (z clipping, built in blur and layer tools, etc) but it's easier and faster with ps, though probably less realistic.

i'm amazed that you're willing to spend that amount of money on a fractal generating system!

if you could tell me what the most important features of xd are and how you use them (i.e. what is your typical workflow), i could probably produce something really similar in no time at all. i already have a renderer which works using the same algorithm ("lyxion" = *lyc + *Aexion), and have been contemplating making a much faster and much more powerful version.

sorry for the late answer!

i think that it is a fair price, compared to many specialized programs like terrain generators etc.

Here's how i use xd: there are 3 important types of object. i start with the first type which define the general shape and fractal structure, then i add 2-3 of the the second type, the primitives (torus, sphere, box etc). These primitives are repeated along the fractal structure. after some tweaking and experiencing, i add unlinked shapes and primtives, which aren't repeated.

each object is shown as a box in the left view of the main window (the other view is the preview). they can be moved rotated, resized etc. when you create a new object, by default it is a 'clone' of the whole and repeated like a primitive (it must be smaller than the whole or it expands infinitely).

the fractal structure is created by adjusting 2 or more object of the first type's relative positions, orientation and size. each object can be deformed (ie you can apply a spiral or wave deformation to a primitive, or to the whole fractal structure).

you can apply plain color, pattern or texture to the object(s), adjust opacity, density (affects rendering priority) and lighting regions. the view can be adjusted too, you can rotate, zoom, move, clip etc.

one cool thing about the render windows is that you can interrupt the rendering process, and resume later. xd first renders a 'flat' image, like a depthmap on which you apply one or more lighting presets. the lighting can be adjusted and previewed in realtime. the only thing you can't change is the shadow(s) angle(s). you can even start a render, apply modifications to the depthmap, then resume, etc. there are some built in filters too.

you can export to .obj 3d files, or bmp, tga, and psd files with layers. the main problem with xenodream is the user interface, which is very unintuitive. and you can't import meshes from 3d programs. another problem (for me at least) is the slow render: some of my pictures take 1 day to render in 2560*1280, and rendering very complex fractals is impossible in large resolutions above 5128*3840 ie (the rendering process 'ends' before enough details are rendered). this is theorically possible, but it would take weeks... last but not least, there is no dual or quad core compatibility.

sorry i know my english is rather limited, but you can find the full list of features on xd's homepage. i saw Aexion's images, they are very similar to what xd produces! if i can help you in any way please let me know, if you manage to produce somting as good as xd with better speed and interface, i'll adopt it for sure!

oops! see reply below

first of all, your english is just fine

thanks for your detailed answers, they are very useful for me in determining how to make a useful rendering system. most of what you described is already in place in my own and in *Aexion's programs, it's the editing process that we both need to develop and refine.

all the technical issues (to do with performance and quality) you mentioned are very easily resolved with good programming (i believe xd is very poorly programmed). with my rendering system i regularly rendered (in 2006) at resolutions of 10800x7200 with 2x2 super sampling, using 2gb of memory. that's the power of highly optimised code, together with multi-core and 64bit expoitation. rendering times were also quite long, on the order of a day, but the quality is incomparably higher than what xd produces. that was in 2006, these days i can do much better because i am more familiar with the process

since you are the best xd artist i have seen so far, i will be sure to let you know about any developments i have in fractal rendering, and will closely watch your progress too