Three-dimensional Images

Xmfract can restore images in "3D". Important: we use quotation marks
because it does not create images of 3D fractal objects (there are such,
but we're not there yet.) Instead, it restores .gif images as a 3D
projection or stereo image pair. The iteration values you've come to know
and love, the ones that determine pixel colors, are translated into
"height" so that your saved screen becomes a landscape viewed in
perspective. You can even wrap the landscape onto a sphere for realistic-
looking planets and moons that never existed outside your computer!

We suggest starting with a saved plasma-cloud screen. Hit <3> in main
command mode to begin the process. Next, select the file to be
transformed.

After hitting <3>, you'll be bombarded with a long series of options.

Not to worry: all of them have defaults chosen to yield an acceptable
starting image, so the first time out just pump your way through with
the <Done> button. When you enter a different value for any option,
that becomes the default value the next time you hit <3>, so you can
change one option at a time until you get what you want.

Once you're familiar with the effects of the 3D option values you have a
variety of options on how to specify them. You can specify them all on the
command line (there ARE a lot of them so they may not all fit within the
command line limits), with an xmfract.ini file, or with a parameter (.par)
file entry.

Note that the image created by 3D transformation is treated as if it were
a plasma cloud - We have NO idea how to retain the ability to zoom and pan
around a 3D image that has been twisted, stretched, perspective-ized, and
water-leveled. Actually, we do, but it involves the kind of hardware that
Industrial Light & Magic, Pixar et al. use for feature films. So if you'd
like to send us a check equivalent to George Lucas' net from the "Star
Wars" series...

One of the neat things that this WILL do for us is spherical projection.
Here are the steps to take to create a realistic-looking Class-M planet:

Select the 'plasma' fractal type from the "Fractals" menu.

On the parameters screen, accept the default values by pressing
the 'Done' button. (Come back to this screen later and change the
'Graininess' and/or 'Algorithm' parameters on subsequent images to
get the feel for what these parameters do...)

Press the 'd' key (or select 'Create Image' from the "Draw" menu) to
create the plasma cloud. If you selected the 'New' algorithm from the
parameters screen, you will be able to see what the final plasma image
will look like before the image is completed. Not that it matters much,
because neither algorithm is faster and this fractal type is not
interruptable anyway...

This very colorful miasma is going to become our planet.

Save this image by pressing the 's' key (or select 'Save image to file...'
from the "File" menu. Save the image as whatever name you wish, with
a '.gif' extension after the name. You do not need to specify the
extension, however. If you do not supply one, the program will tack
an extension of '.gif' on to whatever you supply as a file name.

If a file of the same name exists in the specified directory, you will
be asked if you want to overwrite the file. If you do, press the 'Ok'
button. If not, press the 'Cancel' button, then start the save process
again and select a different name or directory.

As the program is saving the image, color bars will appear on the sides
of the window indicating the progress of the save. When it is complete,
the program will notify you with an info dialog. Tell the program that
it has done a totally awesome job by pressing the 'Ok' button.

Select '3d transfrom from file...' from the "File" menu (or press the '3' key).

Select the file you just created when the file selection dialog appears.
You will not be overwriting or changing this file, it is used as input
to the parameters of the spherical projection.

On the next screen (Three Dimensional Options), toggle the 'Spherical
Projection' radio buttons to 'Yes' by pressing the 'Yes' button with
the left mouse button. Leave everything else as it is and press the
'Done' button.

On the next screen (Three-D Fill Mode), leave everything as it is and
press the 'Done' button.

On this screen (Check Color Map File), erase the asterisk that is in
the text box and type in "topo.map" (without the quotation marks),
then press the 'Done' button.

On this rather busy screen (Three-D Sphere Parameters), change the
'Surface Roughness scaling factor in pct' to zero (0) and change
the 'Water Level' to forty-seven (47). The 47 value is determined
by the color map "topo.map" that we loaded previously. Leave everything
else as it is and press the 'Done' button.

Now sit back and watch the fun...

The planet is on its side, with the north pole facing the right...
Experiment with other images and parameters, and have fun!