Hi, I've just stumbled across the fractal gallery, and I'm completely hooked! I'm into 3ds max and other 3d stuff but I wanna get into fractals. Whats the best package out there and whats the easiest to learn? I've heard the name Ultra fractal mentioned and seen some great stuff done with it? As I'm a newbie, where can I get this from and how much would I be looking to spend? Any dvice greatly welcome

http://www.ultrafractal.com/ Its 59.00 and a very good investment. :) Heres the link to the Frac community page with a listing of and links to some of the best programs:http://www.renderosity.com/subcom.ez?ID=21 I personally recommend Apophysis 2.

I'd have to add my recommendation for Apophysis 2 as well. Ultrafractal is a good program, but if you want a good free program, I recommend Tierazon. You can find a download link for it and several other fractal programs here: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/architecture/Fractal_2.htm

I would also like to recommend Sterlingware and Vchira. Both programs are free and easy to learn, just to get you started! I also agree Tierazon is great too! I would suggest the link Dorbledog gave for most of these programs. Good luck to you and happy fractaling! I look forward to seeing you post in the fractal gallery! Vicky(Mrs.paragon5)

Fractal Explorer is a GREAT program for beginners, because it's loaded with lots of formulas and is very easy to use. Unfortunately you can't do layers there. Still, it's a great learning tool, and it's FREE.

http://www.eclectasy.com/Fractal-Explorer/

There's also a user group that's great.

That's where I started. Apophysis 2 IS a wonderful program, and now that there are tutorials that helps as well.

The Apophysis link is

http://www.apophysis.org/

It's another free-ware program. You can download Version 1 there, but to get the Version 2 beta you have to join the mailing list, also listed on the same page, near the bottom.

Good luck and enjoy!! Just be warned, fractaling is ADDICTIVE!! ^_^

thanx guys for all your responses. I now have Tierazon, fractal explorer and the evaluation of ultra factal. I must say, each programme is superb, only trouble is as seadreamer quotes,, I'm now totally addicted ;)

LOL...it doesn't take long! Guess we'll know where to find you for the next few days at least...I've been playing in Tierazon this week so far. Don't forget to try out apophysis...it's free and you'll love the flames. ;o)

Yeah, thats something else I've just discovered, apophysis. Where do, /how do I find the flames in apophysis? That sounds dead cool ;)

Attached Link: http://www.apophysis.org/tutorials/

Darn...I posted a message to this twice and it disappeared! Each time you open apophysis it will render a random batch...but if you click on the file open button you should see a file or two that has starter flames in them. They'll end with .flame Check the drop down file extensions also for .apo and .fla files. Those are the file extensions for older flame files. I tried to attach some in my last two posts so maybe that's why they didn't take...:o(

thanx valcali :)

I would echo everything Seadreamer said. Check out the user group for FE; you'll get all the help you need. If you really want to do 3d fractals, you'll need something like XenoDream or one of the quaternion packages, like QuaSZ. Neither is free, and you should probably cut your teeth on a 2D program first. XenoDream costs $69 US. Their website is www.xenodream.com QuaSZ costs $30 US if purchased separately, but is available packaged with other programs by the same author. See my gallery here for examples of both programs. Dennis

Hi everyone! Can anyone please tell me where I can find Sterlingware? Everywhere I look it tells me its free, but when I follow the links I come to a membership page that costs $25 to join. Is the program no longer free? Thanks so much

There's a link to Sterlingware from Paul N Lee's page at http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/Fractal_Software.html I didn't follow it farther than the first page, just to make sure the link was good. Give that a try. Dennis

Thanks Dennis, but unless I'm being a ditz, Sterlingware isn't on that page. Vchira, Ktaza and Quarternia are listed there, but not Sterlingware. There's a link for software downloads but it brings you to the $25 membership page. Thanks so much for trying for me!!

I assume you are ending up at this page: http://software.z-java.com/ I followed the links from Paul's page and ended up there. It looks like Sterlingware is no longer free. Sorry. Dennis

Attached Link: http://www.fractalsgalore.co.uk/resources.htm

This is where I got it...;o)

Woooot! Thanks so much Valcali!

You're welcome...man am I having fun with it too! I think I'll be playing in this one for awhile now. LOL ;o)