Fractal Lab lets you create 3D WebGL fractals that you can explore

Fractal Lab lets you create 3D WebGL fractals that you can explore

via Download Squad by Sebastian Anthony on 3/8/11

Fractal Lab might be coolest demonstration of WebGL and JavaScript that we've ever seen here in the Download Squad bunker. If you've ever studied Mandelbrot sets -- either willingly, or for Computer Science at high school -- Fractal Lab will change your perception of iterative, recursive maths for ever.

At first glance, Fractal Lab isn't immediately exciting -- in fact, when you close the Help dialog, all you get is a blank checkerboard. It's only when you start hitting some buttons that you realize just how awesomely powerful this demonstration is. If you haven't opened the site up yet, do so now. Then hit '3D,' and wait while your CPU renders your fractal design. What you will eventually see before you is drawn using WebGL and the GLSL shading language.

If that wasn't cool enough, you can move around the rendered object! Scroll in and out with the mouse wheel, move around with W and S, A and D. If you have a powerful computer, un-tick 'Preview mode' at the bottom; it'll make everything look rather beautiful.

Then, when you're bored of that, start moving through the tabs: Constants, Fractal, Camera, Colour and Shading. Each and every one will radically change the rendered object, or how it's displayed in your browser. Pick some new numbers (change the 'Fractal type' on the Constants tab!), then hit Recompile.

And yes, if you weren't excited enough about seeing an actual, real-world application of WebGL, you can even save your fractals using HTML5's localStorage feature!

Fractal Lab is a small piece of genius, and hopefully a good sign that more awesome things will soon gush from the HTML5 and Open Web pipeline.

Fractal Lab Introduction from subBlue on Vimeo.

Create Fractals on the Move on Android phones

Found this neat Android application which lets you generate factals on the move.
It is called Fractoid and is available on the Android market place.



The multi-touch zooming works well on my HTC Desire.

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Context Free Software

Context Free is a program that generates images from written instructions called a grammar. The program follows the instructions in a few seconds to create images that can contain millions of shapes.

CFDG is a simple language for generating stunning images. With only a few lines you can describe abstract art, beautiful organic scenery, and many kinds of fractals. It's highly addictive!

http://www.contextfreeart.org/

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JAME Java fractal program

JAME 6.0 is a Java real-time multi-thread fractal graphics platform which supports images and animations. The core of JAME is the graphics engine which supports layers, filters, effects and alpha composition. JAME creates Mandelbrot and Julia fractals and supports zoom, rotation and colours shift. JAME has a lot of formulas and provides sophisticated colouring algorithms; you can also chain the colouring formulas and customize the palettes.

http://jame.sourceforge.net/

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Endlos, free fractal program

Endlos is written in Java so it works on any platform which has a Java runtime.

A fractal generator with the following features:

• Platform independend: runs on any Java virtual machine (1.5 or later; 1.6 up to twice as fast!)
  
• Multithreaded: uses any amount of threads for faster calculation on computers with multiple cores/CPUs.
  
• Unlimited precision: use any amount of decimal digits for endless zooms (optimized 64 bit precision).
  
• Coloring: smooth interpolation; random color maps; color functions; over 1600 color maps available.
  
• Draw modes: choose between draw modes to see pixel, line, block or only full image result.
  
• Fast zooming: get an instant preview of the location you're zooming into.
  
• Multi Fractals: calculate as many fractals as you like at the same time.
  
• Usage slider: set percentage of processor usage for fine grained system load (0% = pause).
  
• XML Fractal Settings: save & load your fractal settings.
  
• Flexible Formulas: change parameters of formulas to create totaly new images.
  
• Image formats: any file format supported by the Java virtual machine (PNG, JPG, BMP, etc.).
  
• Post processing: add effects to the final image (blur, emboss, spin, etc.).
  
• Printing: print your image directly from endlos.
  
• MIDI songs: yup, endlos plays MIDI files! E.g. these: Video Game Music Archive.
  
• Open Source: GNU General Public License (GPL).
  

http://endlos.sourceforge.net/

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Ultra Fractal 4

Looks like a good program

http://www.ultrafractal.com/

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(c) Alastair Montgomery