Hi
I will try to answer your questions
1) Random seed is only a initial value for random number generator. I want to make some palette (gradient) editor but I need much time for this. Please be patient. Now only way is to render image and next try with some seed values and every time click "Apply changes" (it will update image with new colours). You can also change "Color speed". Smaller values give smother colours.
2) I decided to save every image because program is still not enough stable. In next version I will add some switch to disable auto-saving. I have also plan to add other image formats like PNG or TIFF but I have to learn how to use proper libraries (of course multi-platform).
3) It is good idea to make possibility to indicate focus distance by mouse click. I will try to add this in one of next versions. Now there is only manual focus. You have to use this like in real camera. First render image in low resolution and change "focus" value in high steps (from low values to high) and when you observe some changes of overall sharpness, try to feel in which direction you have to change it.
I will try to do continuous improvement of my program. Your suggestions are very important for me. But please be patient because I don't have to much free time (work, family, sport, etc...)
No problem Buddhi - thanks for the reply. I love your program, I'd just like it to be a little more user friendly! ; )
1) Okay, I wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong with this or not - thanks for the clarification. I have experimented with the random numbers and with the color speed, I just wasn't sure if there was any logical order to the choices (other than color speed, which I am familiar with from other programs...)
2) Oh, okay - I was wondering why it saved after every render... Other image formats would be nice in the future - I look forward to seeing them.
3) There's a trade-off here between rendering low quality for speed or high quality for clarity. Even at 800 x 800, a render with a high DoF can take a few minutes on my dual core. I do think that being able to click on the image to define the focal length for maximum clarity at the place chosen would be a huge step, then all you would have to do is adjust the blur radius. I don't know how hard that would be to program or how effective it would be, but I think that it could be a cool feature, and one that I haven't seen yet in a 3D fractal program.
I have only been playing with Mandelbulber for a few weeks now, and I know that in a few more months (and LOTS of trial-and-error) I will have a more intuitive grasp of the program, so take all of my comments and suggestions as coming from a newbie...lol.. Thanks, Buddhi!