How I use Apophysis

[Sassenach]

OK.. I use Apo for fun and relaxation.. My thanks to T for his posting of settings.. My thanks also to ClassyLady and Ron for their starter flames and grads. :-) Now this is what I do... I don't usually mess around with saving any of my parameters.. like I said, this is just for fun for me.. so instead of rendering to disk, I enlarge the preview screen, open PSP7 (File/Import/Screen Capture/Start), and take a screen shot of the flame from the preview window..once its in PSP I can edit it or save as is to any format that PSP uses. I actually rendered something last night with T's settings for rendering, with the image set at 1240 x 1240 and man! that took 8 hours! To me there is no difference in quality with rendering or taking a screen shot of the preview window. Or am I wrong? :spacecraf

[tdierikx]

To render or not to render... hmmm...

I'd say that it would be a matter of personal choice.

If your images are looking great to you using a fullscreen capture - then that is probably the most timesaving and effective method for you.

If your images are a little "dusty" and you'd like more definition in that area, then rendering may be an option to try to decrease the "dust" or speckled effect.

The time taken to render an image can vary greatly, depending on a number of factors... zooming in to a specific area of a flame and then rendering can really make the render time take longer... then there are the different variations - the math involved for some variations can increase rendering time also... the oversample rate can also increase rendering time... also the number of transforms, resolution, etc...

Most of my standard images will take between 15 and 30 minutes ro render with my settings - zoomed images will take up to around 2 hours each.

I am doing my rendering on a PC with the following specs... Intel P4 2.8 GHz CPU and 1 Gb RAM - the faster the CPU and the more RAM you have can be a timesaving factor when rendering also. Rendering something complex or at a large resolution will significantly increase rendering time - especially on a slower PC.

As for saving parameters - I save all of the ones that I render - I can go back and play with them later that way... Oh - and I batch render - so I have to save the parameters in order to do that... lol!

T.

[classylady]

mmmm never heard of it being done that way if your doing a render to disk , then why the screen capture I'm a bit confused on that one. when rendering to disk at that size depending on what settings you are using will take that long, using different settings would probably cut your time to about an hour or so at tops. . I have tried a few just with a capture but I do fine myself at least when actually rendering to disk you do get a better quality , you get more details and it does get rid of some possible graininess... that maybe lurking some where.

I render all my work at 1024x768 high Quality 200 over sample 2 the normal settings then I enhance it in psp... normally takes about 5 to 9 min. depending on the depth of the fractal I have some that are at least 4 megs in size but the longest any have been is close to 30 minutes tops.

Frankly I think we all have our own choices and likes and dislikes onhow we want the end result to look. Now Tracey has the best set up being able to render on another computer so she can continue either making more creations or simply working on another program. now that to me is one awesome way to get around tieing up your main computer but my second unit is way to small for Apophysis......... so I bare with it.

By the way Apophysis the new one is not out yet . :( soon as it is I'll post it here or Tracey will list a link to her site for downloading


take care
Carolyn :hug:

[Q.R.]

I'll have to try the screen capture for flames and see if i notice a whole lot of difference. I am one who never (or rarely) saves parameter files for any program...just start from scratch every time. Hmm, maybe that's why I do so few???? *giggles* I like the challenge of starting fresh each time I open a program, no matter which one it is. I do sometimes save WIPs in Poser, but again, usually start fresh. You learn a lot that way (and get really, really fast! ROFL!!!)

[classylady]

wow you really don't save your flame files. gosh why not...... you would be surprised on how many times I use the same flame I just keep on click till I get something entirely different plus I also use them for starter flame sets
actually if they are rendered you have them in your renders.flame in the main folder of Apo so you can always go back and use them again.


As for doing captures verses an actual render for me I do notice a difference but I also think it is a personal choice. Just like flame 3 is. I frankly do not care for it yet others love it. So again it is all on how you want the finished flame to look like, again another personal preferences I think


laterssssss gotta run for now. :juggle:

[tdierikx]

actually if they are rendered you have them in your renders.flame in the main folder of Apo
... only if you have the "save parameters" box checked...

I don't render single flames very often - I do mine in batches of 20 using the batch render script - so I save all of my parameters to .flame files containing 20 flames each - then send them over to my other machine to batch render there...

T.

[bigH]

I all ways do a screen capture - the render to disk is the same as a screen capture for me - I start with 15 Q then do a 100 Q when I ready to take a pic . It ready doesn't make any diff. unless you want to do some thing bigger than your screen . I do not do any prints - its just for FUN .

I also do not save very many flame files . I might save a batch so I can go back and see what up .some are better then others . Its fun to start with a new one .


H

[classylady]

... only if you have the "save parameters" box checked...

I don't render single flames very often - I do mine in batches of 20 using the batch render script - so I save all of my parameters to .flame files containing 20 flames each - then send them over to my other machine to batch render there...

T.

I don't have mine checked I just save them individually but I think that is just my old fashion way of doing things. Each of us have our own ways of accomplishing the same end results. I do mine a certain way, just like T does it her way and just like the rest of you here, we each have our own ways of doing things. Whatever works best for you is the way you should do it.

Okay this thread is now reopened for awhile.

OOPs Mine is checked I thought you were referring to the one off of file yet I still do save them indidually. I really can't see why people don't but as I said before it is a personal choice.