Explore a universe of fractals with Mandelbulb3D.
The images above are all made with Mandelbulb3D, a versatile free 3D fractal explorer/renderer, which is updated frequently. The program has its own user interface, which can be confusing, but it is quite user friendly. The hardest part is finding great spots in your fractals. There are plenty spots online to give you a start.
Download and install
- Download Mandelbulb3D from FractalForums.com. Get the latest version.
- Make a folder 'Mandelbulb3d' or whatever and extract the files.
Run...
- Start Mandelbulb3D.exe. You'll see something this:
Render 3D
- Click Calculate3D, this renders a 3D fractal.
By default it's the Mandelbulb fractal, a 3D representation of the famous Mandelbrot set.
From the Wiki:
The Mandelbulb is a three-dimensional analogue of the Mandelbrot set, constructed by Daniel White and Paul Nylander using spherical coordinates.
More about the Mandelbulb fractal and some pictures on its homepage.
Mandelbulb
Import & render a custom 3D fractal
- Go to Google Image Search and look for
mandelbulb3dv16{ or
mandelbulb3dv17{ or
Mandelbulb3Dv18{ ...
- You will find images made with Mandelbulb3D. Pick one you like.
- On its page you'll probably find some code like this:
Mandelbulb3Dv18{
g....UZ....K0..../....2...k/u6VkOdJ5.HMZ4V8GMv2E7dwBbW8hjzHwGbq8VpttzsLI1uEeCLzD
................................VI.Q7jjdUz1........Y./.........E........y.2...wD
...Uz6/...UG.....w.0/.....Um/...a1....E5.....c/PtYOM.krD/wEk8xOE...m/dkpXm1.....
zEEnAnYD12../.............................................U0.....y1...sD...../..
.w1...sD/NPuEEEwsxXt9hwGZiwEzm6SuwgTsXqjwC/7RCxv3x9YWgWPJQQSzgFoA0ZJgIqj1IhLWowq
cxn2qW0FzrINzklnjxVtrOrDU..../oo....L.........kD.2....sD..G...........zD........
.............oAnAt1...sD....zw1...................................Ek8xOEP.....2.
.....Ksulz1.....0.kz.YNaN0.U..6......64...EB.........Y3...U2....Zzzzz9nv....wJ5I
dk4..cTvFbdWRiPa....N0....6.1c..7tIH..kMvzRXg2.k6Eot8VlJqy9...........E.8.klLS4.
.QLniVLOtz1.2RiGMQZhz...........//U0.sXTL0..SQcDqMitzu/BQKxV62zD..........E.lc..
zzzz.............0...................2U.8.kzzzD............8....................
/6U0.wzzz1...................................wzzz1UudbiuQykDCC1.6kU/Ao05zbTR.IqM
5JqgbEjI2.Eh/WKhZ614H.0..xHE/tADwjDs.6IEx62J7xzzz1UW8ecWTaoVHXD.TgWAmEdMxYYH.w1E
/3YjnpWAa/EOfNcV...NO33LeeGn7qmY/mYcLK6aC4rOjtrP................................
E....2..F2E.....2....A....EEh3aSdtqNU6oPs/UQ..........................k/9.......
...................yz0........yD........kz1........wz..........E................
........................t.2.....................................................
........................}
The code above is the amazing Mandelbox or Amazing Box, a very special 3D fractal:
Mandelbox / Amazing Box
- Copy the entire block from Mandelblub3Dv18{......} to clipboard
- Go to Mandelbulb3D
- Click on the third File/Map Open icon with 'txt' on it, the formula+settings are now loaded
- Click Calculate 3D. You now have the same image and may explore the fractal in 3D.
Saving
- Click on the 'save' tab
- Click on the first disk icon, this will save your image and all parameters to a file
- Click on the Save Image tab to save a JPG
Real time 3D navigator
- If you didn't already, copy the Mandelbulb3Dv18 code above and load it with the 'open txt' icon
- Click reset position and zoom on the right
- Click the 3D Nav button (upper left)
- You'll see something like this:
- This is the real-time 3D navigator to find nice spots to render.
- Click on the small arrow on the lower right to see all 3D nav settings.
- Click in the screen and slightly move your mouse, this is how to change your direction
- Now scroll your mouse wheel a bit up and down. This is how you "move".
Note: Mandelbulb3D land is actually 4D or even higher. When you are moving you are actually zooming. If you get to a great spot where zooming further trashes the view, tick 'fixed zoom and steps'. This will lock your zoom level and your object becomes an actual 3D object to navigate in. Un-tick it to go back to zoom mode.
- Zoom further in on the cube and get your mouse pointer back (click once)
- Click view to main, this sends your 3D Nav position to the render screen
- On the render screen, click Calculate 3D. There you go.
Colors, light, fog effects
- When the rendering is ready, click Lighting, this gives tools to change color and fog effects. You don't need to Calculate 3D over and over, changes are immediately visible, except for certain changes in light and shadow.
- Click Save Light to save a preset
- In the main window, click on Post process. Here are several render settings to play with.
Formulas, settings
- On the main window, click on 'formulas'. This is where 3D fractals are constructed from one or more formulas. Complex stuff, but if you're curious just play with some parameters of a loaded fractal and see what the result is. The fractal in this example is the Amazing Box formula with settings
Scale -1.5, MinR 0.5, Fold 1
- In the main window are also several settings to experiment with. For example, the DE Stop parameter changes some level of detail.
Remember to send changes forth and back
- Whenever you change something in the main window, and go back to the 3D navigator, you'll need to load it here. This is done with buttons on the right: parameter, formula and light.
Some basic troubleshooting
- When you are stuck at a zoom level like 99999.99-32E you may:
- look for a direction with open space to escape to
- try clicking on the navigator arrows
- try ticking 'fixed zoom and steps'
- Set 'min distance' to i.e. 0.1
- Go to the main window and click reset position and zoom
- ... or load a saved position
- When you zoom in and a black background comes up
- increase the figure in 'Far plane'
- When you're going too fast
- lower the figure at 'Sliding and Walking steps'
- When you see noise as if the fractal is sliced
- Change 'Min Distance' from 0 to i.e. 0.1
There are more tutorials online, and probably better. This is just a quick start, written in 2011. Have fun.