In the bowels of a Power 4 Mandelbulb.



Let me explain how that "inside" effect is generated. My Optix raytracer implementation always starts the raymarching against the fractal from the intersection point of the camera rays with a bounding sphere around the fractal at a fixed radius. Then it marches inwards to the surface to find an intersection point with the ray. By moving the camera inside the fractal you therefore get a pseudo-inside view of the surface - yet the rays are still shot at the sphere from the outside.

Essentially this technique turns the Mandelbulb inside out and puts you on the inside. So one can experience a 360 degree surround view of the fractal. When inside the mandelbulb I usually increase the field of view to some wide angle shot and I have to fight the mouse controls, which now suddenly act inversed. But the views are nothing short of stunning.

Apparently the "shoot rays from the outside" method has its flaws when truly being inside, but the effect is nevertheless very intense. It feels like being in a cathedral, especially in the higher power fractals with its "gothic" like structures.

Remind me to program a stereoscopic version for 3D goggles. This should be mindblowing.

Christian

One more, this time with reflections. "Chocolate tunnel"



Christian