Fractal Architect 5 Help Index
Fractal Architect X
Applies to:FA X
Introducing Fractal Architect X
Fractal Architect X is a FREE app inspired by the Windows Apophysis app. It uses the CPU for rendering and can render all of the fractals created by Fractal Architect 5.
It has a traditional Apophysis style workflow, but it is not an Apophysis clone. It is intended to be an Apophysis like replacement app for Mac OS.
You will find that many parts of the app are different from Apophysis, but the workflow should be familiar to Apophysis users.
It comes with support for about 20 major new fractal features, that Apophysis does not support.
The FA X app imposes no maximum image size restrictions.
If you have no interest in fractal animation, don’t need to use the powerful FA 5 fractal scripting/creation tools, and are satisfied with the performance of FA X’s CPU render engine, then this free app will serve you well.
Plus you wont have to use Apophysis with Wine ever again on Mac OS.
Fractal Architect X is eXtensible
FA X’s sister app, FA 5, has the best flame fractal creation tools in the business.
The optional FA X Silver Subscription adds all of the great features in FA 5 to FA X.
The optional FA X Gold Subscription, adds GPU Rendering and the powerful Animation Sequencer to all of the features provided by the Silver subscription.
Subscription Free Trial Period
If you are tempted to see what the optional subscriptions offer, you can start a subscription and use it for free during the initial trial period.
But please remember, the trial period is for a limited time, and you must cancel the subscription before the trial period is over (or you will be charged for the first paid subscription period). (See the app’s Store for pricing, subscription options, free trial duration, and full details.)
Still Image Render Guarantee
The Free FA X base app can render all your saved still image fractals created by tools provided by the optional subscriptions. It uses the CPU render engine to do so.
So, if you decide to cancel your subscription, you do not lose access to your saved fractals !!
Video Animation Rendering Service
We can render video animations by request at an agreed upon price. Details of this new service are still being worked out. For now, please contact us by email at support@fractalarchitect.net if you are interested in using this service.
This service does not require an active Gold subscription (but you will need that to create the fractal animations using the Sequencer).
Decisions, Decisions: FA X vs FA 5
Feature wise:
* Free base FA X app is missing the best tools and ease of use provided by non-free FA 5.
* FA X + Silver Subscription is the same as the base FA 5 app with no subscription.
* FA X + Gold Subscription is the same as FA 5 + Subscription.
For both FA 5 and FA X, GPU Rendering support and the Animation Sequencer feature is only available by subscription.
FA 6 Early Access
- FA 5 will not include upcoming FA 6 features, but FA X will.
- There will never be a major new release of FA X. But it will have many new features added in the years ahead through periodic free updates.
- Exception: New Sequencer features will added to both the FA 5 and FA X products through periodic updates (as the Sequencer is only available via subscription in both apps)
- At some future date, after the release of FA 6, the FA 5 Sequencer feature may stop being updated. You would have to purchase FA 6 to get the latest Sequencer updates.
(FA X Gold subscribers would not be affected by this.)
FA 5 Advantages
No Subscription needed for access to FA 5 features.
Exception: GPU Rendering + Sequencer
FA 5 Disadvantages
- Unlike the base FA X app, FA 5 is not a free app and must be purchased.
- It will never have the future FA 6 core fractal features.
FA X Silver Subscription vs FA 5 Cost
2 years of the yearly FA Silver subscription rate is roughly the same cost as the FA 5 purchase price.
There really is no cost disadvantage to subscribing vs purchasing.
So Why is FA 5 being Released ?
Many Mac users are angered by the trend toward app subscriptions in the Mac world.
Apple has never supported reduced Upgrade pricing for future releases of apps on the Mac App Store. Subscriptions is Apple’s alternative to reduced Upgrade pricing.
Please don’t blame us for being forced into a subscription pricing model.
Fractal Architect is a 3X larger app than the first release of Photoshop. We don’t have Photoshop’s huge user and sales base. The size and complexity of the Fractal Architect app puts it into the same league as Photoshop, but with only a tiny user community.
We are hoping the flame fractal community will continue to grow making it possible to support such a powerful and full featured app like Fractal Architect.
Feature Matrix of Apophysis vs FA X vs FA 5
| Apophysis | FA X | FA X + Silver Subscription | FA X + Gold Subscription | FA 5 | FA 5 + Subscription | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Difficulty for Beginners | Hard | Easy | |||||
| Fractal Output Productivity | Low | High | |||||
| Platform | Windows | Mac | |||||
| Executable Type | 32/64 Bit | 64 Bit | |||||
| Apophysis Compatible | Yes | ||||||
| Transform Editor Parameter Popovers | No | Yes | |||||
| Color Gradient Editor | No | Yes | |||||
| Transform Editor RGB Color Curves | No | Yes | |||||
| Anti-Aliased Output | No | Yes | |||||
| Full Xaos Support | Yes | Yes. Variation group chains are much easier than linking transforms using Xaos | |||||
| Multiple Final Transforms | Limited to 1 | Multiple | |||||
| Multiple Variation Groups Per Transform | Limited to 1 | Multiple | |||||
| Pre/Post Variations | Limited pre/post variation types | Any variation type can be pre/post | |||||
| Parallel / Serial Transform Shape Combinations | Parallel only, Serial using special pre/post variations | Variation Group Changes are a revolutionary way to get total control over both parallel and serial shape combinations. 100% backwards compatible with Apophysis. | |||||
| Matrix Variation Types | No | Both 2D and 3D matrix variations | |||||
| Apophysis | FA X | FA X + Silver Subscription | FA X + Gold Subscription | FA 5 | FA 5 + Subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finder Thumbnails + Quicklook | No | Yes | ||||
| View Fractal Info | No | Yes | ||||
| Quicklook Renders | No | Yes | ||||
| Fractal Versioning | No | Yes | ||||
| CPU/GPU Rendering | CPU Only | CPU Only | CPU/GPU | CPU Only | CPU/GPU | |
| Free GPU Rendering Trial | No | Yes | ||||
| True 3D Support | Pseudo 3D | True 3D | ||||
| True 3D Camera | Limited 3D Camera | True 3D Camera | ||||
| Random Fractal Creation | Very limited | Extensive | ||||
| Scripted Random Fractals | 32 bit - Yes 64 bit - No |
No | Yes | |||
| Variant Tweak Scripts | No | Yes | ||||
| Create Custom Variation Types | Requires Visual Studio | Create entirely in app | ||||
| Custom Variations & GPU Rendering | No | Yes | ||||
| Apophysis | FA X | FA X Subscription | FA X + Gold Subscription | FA 5 | FA 5 + Subscription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fractal Stash | No | Yes | ||||
| Multiple Keyframes per File | Yes | |||||
| Composited Renders over Background Images/Colors | No | Yes | ||||
| Transparent Render with Alpha Gamma | No | Yes | ||||
| Layerz Support | No | Render + Create | ||||
| Morphed/Spliced Fractal Support | No | Render | Render + Create | |||
| Cross-Breeder | No | Yes | ||||
| Variants & Super-Variants | No | Yes | ||||
| Lua Scripting | No | Yes | ||||
| Basic Video Animations | No | Yes | ||||
| Make Videos | No | Yes | ||||
| Sequencer | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| GPU Rendering | No | Yes | No | Yes | ||