| Full animation support |
|
Create your own fractal animations with the new
animation features in Ultra Fractal 4 (Animation
Edition only). Every fractal is potentially
an animation, and every parameter can be animated
individually. Animations can be as long as you
want and use any desired frame rate. Editing animations
is easy with the new powerful Timeline
tool window. You can render animations to image
sequences or to AVI movies with optional motion
blur.
You will quickly learn how to create animations
with the new Creating animations tutorial
that is included in the help file.
|
| Explore feature |
|
Choosing parameter values is a breeze with the
new Explore feature. Experiment with new parameter
values by moving the mouse cursor over a coordinate
grid in the Explore window, while the Fractal
Mode tool window shows a real-time preview of
the result. Explore works with integer, floating-point,
and complex parameters.
|
| Eyedropper previews |
| The eyedropper feature has been
extended to work with integer and floating-point
parameters as well as with complex parameters. In
addition, the Fractal Mode tool window shows a real-time
preview while you move the mouse cursor over a fractal
window, just like with the Explore feature. |
| New render features |
|
When rendering your fractals to disk, you can
now easily split them into tiles to make sure
the rendered images will not become too large.
Also, there is an option to force the Linear drawing
method when rendering for maximum quality.
|
| Improved support for flame
fractals |
| In Ultra Fractal 4, you can render
flame fractals to disk efficiently. Computers with
multiple processors or processors that support HyperThreading
work better with flame fractals, too. |
| Improved formula compiler
and calculation engine |
| The formula compiler has been
improved to work much faster with complex formulas,
and the compiled formulas also run about 10% faster.
Working with complex fractals with many layers is
easier and faster, thanks to the improved calculation
engine. Network calculations (Animation
Edition only) are more efficient, too, with
reduced communication overhead. |
| Automatic context-sensitive
help |
|
The Fractal Mode tool window now automatically
shows short help texts related to the control
currently under the mouse cursor. This also works
for formula parameter hints. In addition, some
of these help texts contain links to the help
file for more information, which you can follow
by pressing the F1 key.
|
| Improved parameter headings |
|
The headings that separate different sections
of formula parameters in the Layer Properties
tool window can now be collapsed and expanded
as desired. This reduces clutter and makes it
easier to work with the parameters that you are
interested in. In addition, headings can now also
optionally contain a longer text with general
directions.
|
| New formula editor |
|
Formula authors will be excited to hear that
the formula editor has been completely rewritten
and now features syntax highlighting, unlimited
undo and redo, easy navigation between formula
sections, line numbering, smart Tab and Home keys,
a Go to Line command, better printing, and better
support for large formula files.
|
| Friendly folder names |
| Everywhere in Ultra Fractal 4,
folders are displayed and accepted with friendly
names such as 'Desktop' and 'My Documents' instead
of tedious 'C:\Documents and Settings\...' paths. |
| Themes support |
|
Ultra Fractal 4 is designed for Windows Vista and Windows XP and fully supports the Windows Vista Aero interface and the visual theme
styles in Windows XP.
|
