3D Flythroughs

Applies to:FA 5

Fractal Architect’s True 3D Camera

Fractal Architect 5 provides a natural extension to the limited Apophysis 3D Hack camera model. Fractal Architect has a True camera capability (here true refers to a fully functional 3D camera - similar to 3D games/3D modeling apps).

Backwards Compatible with Apophysis 3D Hack

By restricting the camera parameters X, Y, Z to 0 (that puts the camera at the fractal world center) and turning of the Clip camera parameter, Fractal Architect 5 can reproduce Apophysis 3D Hack camera behavior. That means your Apophysis 3D Hack fractals can be rendered perfectly on Fractal Architect 5.

Spherical Coordinates

The main camera viewing parameters are the camera’s pitch, yaw, and roll. These are used to orient the viewing camera in the 3D fractal world.

The camera parameters: X, Y, and Z set the position of the camera in the fractal world. When set at the fractal world center(x = y = z = 0), this matches the camera position used in Apophysis 3D Hack.

The camera Clip camera parameter enforces forward view frustum clipping, an essential component of 3D animation fly-throughs. You can choose to turn this clipping off, so the rendering behavior matches Apophysis 3D Hack.

The camera Ortho/Perspective boolean parameter (fully compatible with Apophysis 3D Hack) sets camera viewing behavior to either full Orthographic projective or full Perspective projective. For 3D animation fly-throughs, you always want this set to Perspective projection.

With Apophysis 3D Hack, the camera is always at the fractal world center and sees both forwards and backwards at the same time. (It does not clip to the forward view frustum.)

With Fractal Architect 5, the camera can be positioned anywhere in the fractal world. You can also choose to clip to just the forward view frustum. When used with full Perspective mode, this provides an excellent basis for general 3D camera positioning/rotational orientation. It can be used to create 3D animation fly-throughs.

Preview Window - the 3D Camera Modes

You have a choice of two modes of control:

Orbital Camera Mode: The camera orbits the fractal world center and always looks at the fractal world center. You can control the orbit’s radius using W, S, Up, Down key presses.; Mouse drags the camera around the fractal world center, the camera always looking at the center of the fractal. The mouse affects orbital pitch and orbital yaw; You can use key presses to adjust the camera’s orbital position around the fractal world center: orbital pitch/yaw/radius.
Fly-Through Camera Mode: Fly-Through mode is a lot like a 3D game where you move camera’s “eyepoint” through 3D space.

Orbital Camera Mode

The Orbital camera mode lets you adjust the camera position relative to the fractal world center. The camera will always be looking from its “eyepoint” toward the fractal world center.

New Mouse and keyboard control behavior

keys: (can be either upper or lower case letters)

Adjust Orbital Radius

W, w, ↑ Up Arrow: Move camera toward the center of the fractal (radial direction)
S, s, ↓ Down Arrow: Move camera away from the center of the fractal (radial direction)

Adjust Orbital Pitch

Z, z: Move the camera’s latitude position to the north about the fractal world center. Increase pitch.
C, c: Move the camera’s latitude position to the south about the fractal world center. Decrease pitch.
MouseDrag: Drag the mouse up/down to change the orbital pitch.

Adjust Orbital Yaw

A, a, → Left Arrow: Move the camera’s longitude position to the west about the fractal world center. Increase yaw.
D, d, ← Right Arrow: Move the camera’s longitude position to the east about the fractal world center. Decrease yaw.
MouseDrag: Drag the mouse left/right to change the orbital yaw.

Adjust Camera Roll

Q, q: Increase the camera roll.
E, e: Decrease the camera roll.

Fly-Through Camera

The Fly-Through camera mode lets you move the camera position relative around the fractal world and use the mouse to orient the camera (just like 3D games).

Change Camera Look-At Orientation

Click and drag mouse: Click and drag with the mouse to change what the camera looks at. This changes the camera pitch and yaw settings.

Move Camera Forward/Back

W, w, ↑ Up Arrow: Move camera forward. Camera’s look at orientation does not change.
S, s, ↓ Down Arrow: Move camera back. Camera’s look at orientation does not change.

Move Camera Upwards/Downwards

Z, z: Move the camera up. Camera’s look at orientation does not change.
C, c: Move the camera down. Camera’s look at orientation does not change.

Move Camera Left/Right

A, a, → Left Arrow: Move the camera left. Camera’s look at orientation does not change.
D, d, ← Right Arrow: Move the camera right. Camera’s look at orientation does not change.

Adjust Camera Roll

Q, q: Increase the camera roll.
E, e: Decrease the camera roll.

Walk Speed and Rotate Speed

These app preference items determine how much the key strokes adjust the camera’s position/orientation respectively.

They are set on the Preferences window (Preview tab).