The Official JWildfire Blog

Just released JWildfire V5.60 as another major update.

This time, adding support for NVidia’s OptiX denoiser as a powerful tool to cut down render times and improve image quality.

The OptiX denoiser, developed by NVidia, is included in most of the common 3D rendering software like Arnold, Blender, Lightwave.
I was enjoying it for a longer time, but did not really think about an integration into JWildfire, because such an integrationg (GPU rendering and Java programs) is always somewhat weak or unstable.

But then, user [Phaser Rave] at the JWildfire forum, introduced us to the a command-line version of the denoiser, made by Declan Russell. I was immediately hooked and created some "dirty" integration of the tool into the render-flow to play around. I was really excited and the results where amazing, so I kept stuck to the idea and improved the  implementation.

Now, it is loosely coupled and can not crash your JWildfire process. You will only see the options, when your system can run it. So, it will not confuse users who can not make use of it, either. All others will love it ;-) 
And, by using the way of utilizing a command-line-tool you are even able to denoise your already rendered images!

Please consult the comprehensive documentation inside the software ("Help -> OptiX denoiser") for more information.

There also a lot of other useful additons, contributed by Rick Sidwell, Jesus Sosa, Whittaker Courtney and others – most in the form of new variations – thanks a lot for your efforts!

Complete list of changes:

– support for NVidia’s NVidia’s OptiX denoiser as a powerful tool to cut down render times and improve image quality.
Please consult the comprehensive documentation inside the software (“Help -> OptiX denoiser”) for more information.
– new commandline-tool to create and render random flames.
Example: java -cp j-wildfire-5.60/lib/j-wildfire.jar org.jwildfire.cli.CreateRandomFlame -w 1200 -h 675 -q 80
– new variations:
-julia_outside by Whittaker Courtney
-polarplot3d_wf by Rick Sidwell
-polarplot2d_wf (Like yplot2d_wf, but uses polar coordinates. Fifteen presets of common polar curves) by Rick Sidwell
-combimirror by Thomas Michels and Brad Stefanov
-gingerbread_man,
-hopalong,
-gumowski_mira,
-threeply,
-triangle,
-crop_box, post_crop_box,
-crop_polygon, post_crop_polygon,
-crop_cross, post_crop_cross,
-crop_rhombus, post_crop_rhombus,
-crop_stars,post_crop_stars,
-crop_trapezoid,post_crop_trapezoid,
-crop_triangle, post_crop_triangle,
-crop_vesica,post_crop_vesica,
-crop_x,post_crop_x,
-pre_zsymmetry,
-post_zsymetry,
-pre_c_var,
-post_c_var, all created by Jesus Sosa
– new jitter-option for weighting-fields: Adds noise after transforms, so it works well with blurs as well as normal transforms, by Rick Sidwell
– some new presets to yplot2d_wf variation, by Rick Sidwell
– FIXED: added missing parameter colormap_filename for metaballs3d_f variation, by Rick Sidwell
– FIXED: a bug regarding colormaps in isosfplot_wf, by Rick Sidwell
– FIXED: a bug in the mask variation, by Rick Sidwell
– FIXED: made js.glsl classes serializable, fixing a bug where dancing flame projects could not be saved, by Rick Sidwell
– updated variation credits, by Rick Sidwell

Now, just click the “Random flames” button (or new “Random”-button at the gradient-tab ) to start playing around and have fun  🙂

Just released JWildfire V5.50 as another major update.

This time, introducing a new color-editing-function that makes it easier to control the final result: the color-curve-editor. It allows a very interactive editing of the gradient and the flame at the same time. Additionally, it allows more direct control over modifying the colors of a gradient, making it much easier to create “dramatic” effects.

(Internally, each gradient now consist both of the “classic” part of the gradient and three new curves: hue, saturation and luminosity. Those curves belong to the flames, and are also stored within the flame-files.)

A BIG thanks to Jesus, Rick, Brad and Michael (in no particular order) for their valuable contributions!

Complete list of changes:

- New "Curve Editor" for gradients at the gradient tab. This gives much more control over the final result because it allows a very interactive editing
  of the gradient and the flame at the same time. Additionally, it allows more direct control over modifying the colors of a gradient,
  making it much easier to create "dramatic" effects.

  Internally, each gradient now consist both of the "classic" part of the gradient and three new curves: hue, saturation and luminosity.
  Those curves belong to the flames, and are also stored within the flame-files.

  When loading an old flame without those curves, or assigning a "classic" gradient to a flame, the color curves are approximated.
  This usually is only a very raw approximation, but this is absolutely intended. To reach a very accurate approximation, it would require
  to have a lot of curve-points, which would make the curve very hard to edit.

  So, there is no exact synchronisation between the gradient and the colors curves, in order to not break existing flames and concepts.
  Instead, it is meant as powerful additional tool, whioch is useful in very many cases, but might not be useful in each case.

  Only when you start to edit one of the curves, the gradient is synchronized to shape of the curves. When you save and re-load a flame
  you can continue the editing of the curves.

  Each curve has a toolbar with little buttons to help with editing:
    - open a modal dialog for editing an enlarged version of a particular curve
    - create ramp-shaped curve
    - create line-shaped curve at the bottom (constant zero intensity)
    - create line-shaped curve at the middle (constant halve intensity)
    - mirror the curve at the vertical axis
    - mirror the curve at the horizontal axis (e.g., to turn a constant line of zero intensity into a line with maximum intensity)

  Two new random-gradient-generators directly support the concept of color-curves. I. e., they create random color-curves instead of random gradients.
  All existing random-gradient-generators works as before. I.e., they create only random gradients, while the color-curves are approximated from
  the gradients.

- new "Uneven curves"-random-gradient-generator, which generated both a color-curve and a gradient (derived from this color-curve)

- new "Uniform curves"-random-gradient-generator, which generated both a color-curve and a gradient (derived from this color-curve)

- made "Uneven curves" the new default random-gradient-generator

- New coloring type (by Rick Sidwell):
   CYCLIC shifts the gradient index right by the amount specified by Speed,
   wrapping as needed to cycle through gradient colors. It doesn't converge
   to a color when iterated, so some other transform needs to use DIFFUSION
   to get a stable color that CYCLIC can use as a starting point.
   CYCLIC is especially useful for coloring tilings.

- function to create a simular gradient (using the currently loaded gradient as reference)

- new "EDisc"-random-flame-generator

- new "Save Gradient"-button at the gradient-tab

- new "Random Gradient"-button direct at the gradient-tab

- new variations (no particular order):
   - octapol (by xyrus02)
   - sinusgrid (by xyrus02)
   - csin (by zephyrtronium)
   by Jesus Sosa
   - cut_tileillusion
   - dc_fractcolor
   - cut_fractal
   - cut_zigzag
   - cut_x
   - cut_spiral
   - cut_spiralcb
   - joukowski
   - jac_elk
   - c_symmetry
   - cut_celtic
   - cut_triskel
   - cut_vasarely
   - cut_web
   - cut_spots
   - cut_btruchet
   - cut_c
   - c_var
   - cut_magfield
   - cut_btree
   - cut_2ewangtile
   - cut_alientext
   - cut_apollonian
   - cut_booleans
   - cut_bricks
   - cut_cirdes
   - cut_fingerprint
   - cut_fun
   - cut_glypho
   - cut_hexdots
   - cut_hextruchetflow
   - cut_jigsaw
   - cut_kaleido
   - cut_metaballs
   - cut_pattern
   - cut_randomtile
   - cut_rgrid
   - cut_shapes
   - cut_sincos
   - cut_snowflake
   - cut_sqcir
   - cut_sqsplits
   - cut_swarp
   - cut_triantess
   - cut_truchet
   - cut_truchetweaving
   - cut_tstruchet
   - cut_wood
   - cut_yuebing
   - dc_booleans
   - dc_butterflies
   - dc_spacefold
   - f_complex
   - msTruchet
   by Brad Stefanov
   - exp_multi (by Whittaker Courtney)
   - parallel
   - shredded (by Brad Stefanov and Rick Sidwell)
   - post_crosscrop (by Whittaker Courtney)

- added "Lumiere Scripts" by Michael Bourne (a collection of 22 scripts) as built-in scripts
- added "The Yugen Scripts" by Michael Bourne (a collection of 17 scripts) as built-in scripts
- added "Keep 'Em Separated and Framed Script" by Brad Stefanov as built-in scripts
- added "Minkowscope Painting Script" by Brad Stefanov as built-in scripts

- fixed a nasty bug which could cause the final image to contain black stripes

- Making a variaton a pre or post now works as intended

- added standard shortcuts to Undo/Redo (<Strg>+Z/Y)

- slighlty increased variation cost threshold to increase diversity in random flames

- small optimization of the space at WField-tab

- new README-file with hints for Linux-users

- Additional presets added to isosfplot3d_wf variation

- Two modes added to jubiQ variation

- New option to specify color for DiminishZ; this is useful when using DiminishZ with a colored background

- New coloring types descriptions in the Fractal Flames: Help window

- New Density option for layers (by Rick Sidwell).
  Layer density allows fading some layers with respect to others to better
  balance the overall flame. It is complimentary to Weight, which controls
  the intensity of the layer to balance its brightness, but can only make
  it darker, not less dense.

- New layer Extract button extracts the selected layer to a new flame in the editor

- New ZBuffer controls (by Rick Sidwell)
  - ZBuffer bias makes the background appear closer. This is sometimes needed when using the ZBuffer
    for 3D photos in Facebook, which creates white splotches if the background is too far away.
  - ZBuffer filename option to select between traditional zbuf_name and name_depth (what Facebook requires).

- New Camera tab Bank control to rotate flame around the Y axis. This rotation is normally called Roll, 
  but that name is already used; Bank is a synonym. It works in conjunction with Pitch (rotate around X
  axis) and Yaw (rotate around Z axis).

- New FastNoiseCreator in Image Processing to create images containing various types of noise

- Change Easy movie maker FADE function to better fade between flames. A compatibility option allows using the old method.

- Tooltips added to many controls

- Rick Sidwell: Various fixes, including one that prevented the Mesh generator from working.
    1. Added some null pointer checks to AnimationService.java
    2. Removed print statement from Variation.java (only noticable if
    started from the command line for debugging)
    3. Fixed BokehOptionsBuggon tooltip text
    4. Corrected class for PerlinNoiseCreator so Transformation expression
    can be edited
    5. Camera distance field now allows negative distances.
    6. Motion curve for Fade to white now works.
    7. Edit gradient now puts focus on gradient so cursor keys work.
    8. Make a copy of a thumbnail flame before appending it as a layer to avoid confusing situations when editing one flame changes another.

Now, just click the “Random flames” button (or new “Random”-button at the gradient-tab ) to start playing around and have fun  🙂