Using others' parameters??

[juliaseth]

Hello, newbie here.  I just wanted to know what the general guidelines are when it comes to using others' parameters (Mandelbulb) to find your own fractals.  I have seen other people do this and then post the resulting fractals as though they were their own.  Can someone shed some more light on this...thanks in advance.

[Sockratease]

Hello, newbie here.  I just wanted to know what the general guidelines are when it comes to using others' parameters (Mandelbulb) to find your own fractals.  I have seen other people do this and then post the resulting fractals as though they were their own.  Can someone shed some more light on this...thanks in advance.

Hello and welcome to the forums   

Using other's parameters as a guide or starting point is fine.  That's why Jesse encloses example parameters!

It's nice to credit the original source, but at what point does changing things alter the original enough to claim it as your own find?  That's a complicated question   

I mean, do we need to credit Benoit Mandelbrot every time we use anything derived from his formula?

It's not an easy thing - EXCEPT using parameters that are barely changed and claiming it's original.  That is ...  naughty.

But every time I post parameters, I do so knowing full well they may be stolen.  I don't care.  Anybody dishonorable enough to do that wont be stopped by my posting a "gimme credit" comment along with them.

I just hope for the best.

If you ever see anything I did, and want parameters if I didn't post them - just ask!

Hope that helps clarify a little, but be assured others may well have different opinions.  There are many who refuse to share parameters even privately!  And others who post them with nearly every image.

 

[juliaseth]

Hey, thanks so much for the reply. 

"EXCEPT using parameters that are barely changed and claiming it's original.  That is ...  naughty."

Well, I suppose that is my question...what constitutes "barely changed"??  I just started using Mandelbulb so I'm no expert on the program but I want to make sure that I'm not stealing from anyone else if I find a nice image using someone else's parameters.  What are some specifics as far as changing it enough?  Thanks again.

[Sockratease]

It's very hard to tell when it's been changed enough.  It's easier to tell when it's not changed enough!

I have seen changes as simple as altering the lights.  I thought that was unethical to claim as either original or a tweak.

Some folks have simply changed the camera angle.  Same thing.

At the very least it should bear very little, if any, resemblance to the original.

I would say  (and this is just my opinion)  that changing things in the numerical values for many things and resetting the camera to find your own locations as well should be the bare minimum if you want to claim it as your own.

As always, stating something like "thanks to Big Nose for the starting parameters" never hurts.  Big Nose likes seeing what people come up with from his parameters or he wouldn't have posted them.  That goes for other members too.

Actually...  I don't think there is a member named Big Nose - but you get the idea, I think.

[lkmitch]

In general (not just with respect to Mandelbulb), I think Sockratease is right on.  Many court cases have been fought over whether two items are "too close," so we can't give definitive guidance here.  My heuristics are these:  Does the new image feel like "my" image, even though it may have started out as someone else's?  And, would a random viewer who did not know the pedigree of your image think that your image was derived from the original?  Strive to make it your own work and credit the original source and you'll generally be okay.

[juliaseth]

Hey, thanks for the responses.  I was thinking along these lines anyway but I am new to fractal art so I wanted some input.  Take care.

[Fracturbator]

I think that taking someone else's parameters and using them for your creation is part of the "tradition" of the fractal art community and I have traced back the lineage of some parameters on dA back 10 generations or so !! The etiquette seems to be that it's ok to tweak someone else's Params as long as you give credit.

Also, if you tweak someone else's Params, it's nice to give something back by publishing your Params along with your picture.

Happy rendering,