Archive for March, 2007

A new release is available here: RenderFlam3

---

Approaching to the 1.2 Final.

Render Flam3 – Step v.1.2.beta6
Download here: RenderFlam3_Step_1.2.b6 (Right click – Save As)

Released under GPL License – http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

v. 1.2.b6
Minor bug fix regarding paths and file-names with “space” char (Thanks to Piotr Borys  for pointing me to this one)
Check for at least two Flames in current/loaded file
Updated Flame’s Descriptor (Thanks to Erik Reckase for pointing me to this one)

Usage and Options can be found here: Render Flam3 – Step v.1.1
I’ll write updated documentation as soon as possible.

I’d have a lot to talk about this design so I’ll shut up.
Everyone can find his/her own deepest feelings and meanings in it.

Maybe we’ll talk about it in another age, in another dimension, in heaven… one day!

A new release is available here: RenderFlam3

---

This new version should address quite all major and minor bugs/problems as far as I can see.
I’ve done some other but more complex tests and it’s running as smooth as I can expect.
If there’s any bug, problem, inconsistency please let me know.
I’ll reply as soon as possible but I’ll face them as soon as I’ll have some spare time during the next days.

Render Flam3 – Step v.1.2.beta5
Download here: RenderFlam3_Step_1.2.b5 (Right click – Save As)

Released under GPL License – http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

v. 1.2.b5
One major bug fix in raw-save regarding FinalXForm (forgot to swap some coefs… sorry)
A minor bug fix in Flam3 Motion Blur tags creation

Usage and Options can be found here: Render Flam3 – Step v.1.1
I’ll write updated documentation as soon as possible.

A new Generator-J design.
The first one is available here: Generator-J

A new release is available here: RenderFlam3

---

Another new version.
Some minor bug fixes in raw-save when Animation Loop option is active.
Support for Flam3 Filter Shapes.

Render Flam3 – Step v.1.2.beta4
Download here: RenderFlam3_Step_1.2.b4 (Right click – Save As)

Released under GPL License – http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

v. 1.2.b4
Some minor bug fixes in raw-save when Animation Loop option is active
Support for Flam3 Filter Shapes
Usage and Options can be found here: Render Flam3 – Step v.1.1
I’ll write updated documentation as soon as possible.

A new release is available here: RenderFlam3

---

I’ve finally complete the new “RenderFlam3 Step” script version.
I release it as beta3 cos I’ve got very limited time to test all the new stuff and the code needs some optimization I’ll resolve later.
The script has no problems, as far as I can test, and it opens to complete Flam3 potentials usage (some minor things have to be implemented yet).

Render Flam3 – Step v.1.2.beta3
Download here: RenderFlam3_Step_1.2.b3 (Right click – Save As)

Released under GPL License – http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

v. 1.2.b3
Raw-save Flame: supports Apo 2.05 beta2
Supports all varatiations and variations’ variables
Supports PostXForm
Supports FinalXForm
Advanced Flam3 2.7.x options
Linear/Spline frame Intepolation
Temporal Sample Motion Blur
Standard Motion Blur for Flam3 2.7.x
Density Estimator
Gamma Threshold

Usage and Options can be found here: Render Flam3 – Step v.1.1
I’ll write updated documentation as soon as possible.

Second Fluency’s set desing.

Just a couple of notes and explanations about Render Flam3 – Step v.1.1

The actual version has some limititations in using Flam3’s Motion Blur:
Apophysis Flame class doesn’t implement most of Flam3 specific tags: it’s not possible to directly save them using the embedded Save function.
The Motion Blur is actually saved using the Flam3 specific “batches” tag (this tag as nothing to do with Apophysis batch concept).

This is good for Flam3 up to 2.7.b8 cos it still uses the batch technique.

Flam3 2.7final (and upper versions) has changed the way MotionBlur is computed adding the TemporalSample technique, the “batches” tag is no more supported and was replaced by “passes” one but using passes tag still activates the old MotionBlur technique.
The solution is quite simple: open the Flame file using a text editor and use the Find-Repalce function to change batches to passes.

Using the new MotionBlur mode or advanced Flam3 option require some more by-hand editing into the Flame file.
If someone is interested then I’ll expose more about by-hand editing, just let me know!

TODO:
I’ll work on a solution when I’ll have enough spare time… as soon as possible.
I’ve already done some preliminary testing on a raw-save Flame technique; it works and it should be, as far as I know, the unique solution (a lot of coding needed).

Last version is available on my Scripts page.

---

I decided to update the script after recent talking with some other Apo users involved in animation.
I normally do most of the things by hand using a text-editor but I’m more than aware that a quite good script can facilitate most users.

Render Flam3 – Step v.1.1
Download here: RenderFlam3_Step_1.1 (Right click – Save As)

Released under GPL License – http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html

v. 1.1
Saving scheme updated
It’s now completely resolution indipendent.
Use “Maintain Aspect Ratio” for perfect matching or Apo’s free scale: may have no perfect matching (depending on flames) but let you scale in no-proportional way.
“Maintain Aspect Ratio” added
“Animation Loop” added
“Copy first flame’s MasterScale/Zoom to each others” added
This is an hard-coded testing option (no user-request displayed)
Change the “szcopy” variable value.
Verbose messages in Scripts window.

Usage:
First you will have to install flam3, and it’s best to place it in a folder called c:\flam3.
Then create a folder c:\flam3\anims. The .flame and .bat and renders will all end up here.
You can change all of this of course, but this makes it easy.

After you run the script, you will have a .flame and a .bat file in c:\flam3\anims.
Simply doubleclick the .bat file and the rendering will begin.

You wont have an animation at the end; you’ll have all the frames.
Both Apophysis and Flam3 cannot directly compile an avi or mpeg but they can save only still images.
When you have all the frames you can create the final avi/mpeg using an external program; a good free one is the famous VirtualDub, you can find it here: http://www.virtualdub.org/

If you render a preview using the Step option then you also need an utility to rename the frames.
Example using Step=3
test_0000.jpg, test_0003.jpg, test_0006.jpg and so on
have to be renamed to
test_0000.jpg, test_0001.jpg, test_0002.jpg and so on.

Maintain Aspect Ratio
Resolution indipendent rendering using Flam3’s proprotional scale function
resolving some Apophysis scripting scale problems.
ACTIVE by default.

“Copy first flame’s MasterScale/Zoom to each others”
All flames will have the same MasterScale and Zoom value;
the value is grabbed from the first flame and copied to each others.
Hard-coded testing option: change the “szcopy” variable value.

STEP usage
Frame Step parameter
Let you step the frame rendering; useful for preview if you not need to render all frames.
Using “Progessive Steps” you can also automaticly progressively complete the whole animation.
This way you can have a preview and then render the complete sequence.

Progessive Steps parameter
Automatic Step refinement: flam3-animate will be automaticly exectuted as many times as need
to render the complete animation.
Example
Frame Step = 3
execute flam3-animate 3 times (one after the other) to complete the whole animation

Animation Loop
Add the first Flame at the sequence’s end to create a complete loop.
Example using 3 flames: 0 -> 1 -> 2 -> 0

I’m going a backward step this time.

This is the “origin” setup for the already exposed Directional Flow design; I had the time to refine a couple of very small details that left this one out of my personal “exposing-queue”.

I’ve updated the rendering script to v. 1.2.1 : removed a silly rendering-bug.
It now uses the prompted output directory instead of the default one.
Prompted output dir doesn’t needs the leading “\” char.

Download here: Cycle_Colors_render_1.2.1 (Right click, Save As)

More infos about Color Cycle here:
Color Cycle 1.2 Apophysis script
and
Color Cycle 1.2 Mpeg preview

Everything changes.
A “state” is tansfromed to another so… the life flows.

Another swirls/whirls design.

Just a simple tile design; the inner pattern reminds me the denim-fiber so here it comes the name.

Most of this design was done using Final-XForm.