I thought this might interest some, since there is some awesome rendering.

www.skytopia.com/project/fractal/mandelbulb.html

Gorgeous images!

Excellent
Thanks

I love Mandelbrot Sets!!! This is awesome!

WOW, fantastic!
Have to go and try some myself.
I only can get "3D" fractals is when using Apophysis 3d Hack.

CORRIE

Something just struck me....where's the software for this?

I think this can be done in any fractal program?

CORRIE

Really fascinating!!

Thanks for posting that link!

Hubert

Quote - Something just struck me....where's the software for this?

I read the text on that link and the guy wrote the ray tracer!!!!

He talks about how he couldnt find any off the shelf package to do what he wanted so he wrote a raytracer!!! :)

I've programmed before and I can tell you , I just cant whip up a raytracer out of a hat because I needed one. :)

There are some very talented people out there.

I read it also.  I think it uses a custom ray tracer that he wrote.  Some of the early (flat) images shown were without the shadows and shading added by the ray tracer.

The math boggles my mind.

Quote - I read it also.  I think it uses a custom ray tracer that he wrote.  Some of the early (flat) images shown were without the shadows and shading added by the ray tracer.

The math boggles my mind.

It boggles my mind, that he needs a custom raytracer and so he writes one.

OMG!

Ok, I gave it a little try.
Doesn't come close to the Mandelbulb, but I think I got a 3D effect.

Have a look here:
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1978710

CORRIE

Analog-X64 I’ve been reading this thread with much interest and I find it just fascinating. Pursuing the link you provided has led me to further follow other links which the author provides (Twinbee). Although the article at its face seems devoid and sanitized of the mathematical complexities involved, and offers a synaptic overview of how it developed, it should come as no surprise that he didn’t just whip up a raytracer out of a hat. 

If you link here you’ll get a fuller appreciation for the development of the process. The link seems to be a who’s who of fractal geeks in collaboration trying to work out the intricacies of the mathematics involved in trying render their fractals in 3D.

These images are just downright awsome.

Thank you for that link ,Quest. 
After reading about 20 pages into that forum, I began to hope they are on our side.  I mean the human race.  It is very humbling for me to see those guys (or gals) thought process.

Thanks for the link Quest, I wasnt trying to imply that they whipped up a Raytracer in an afternoon, but that they needed one so they wrote one.

If I need a raytracer I buy it.  :)  I wouldnt attempt to write one.

Yes, Analog I do understand the levity of your understatement and I agree completely.  I do know that generic renderers are available online in one form or another for public consumption but it amazes me when I read:  “…for me fractals are just fodder for my first love, rendering systems.” Lycium explaining to Twinbee how he rendered the fractal image using his renderer based on MLT algorithm.  Then I go on to learn that the MLT stands for Metropolis Light Transport method…a rendering algorithm based on the Monte Carlo simulation method both being methods of computational physics used in rendering systems. Fascinating stuff offered up in that Fractalforums link including but not limited to:

http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/metro/metro.pdf  ...interesting paper on MLT from Stanford University...yes, it has pictures...and plenty of formulas... ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_method ...explanation of Monte Carlo simulation.

http://www.cgafaq.info/wiki/Bias_in_rendering ...rendering algorithms consistent  and unbiased.

http://www.maxwellrender.com/ …probable MLT renderer ($) as per the forum.

http://www.winosi.onlinehome.de/…Open source freeware renderer using GI (global illumination) method...see the FAQ.

Happy hunting!