inserting intermediate keyframes along the parameter splines

[huminado]

I looked for some discussion on this subject - it isn't described in the Mandelbulber manual (https://sites.google.com/site/mandelbulber/getting-started) so here goes.  


I'll describe one method of random animation for some context.  Feel free to jump to the end.


Core Sampling Animation Method

I use this method when I can't spend a lot of time "steering" the camera for keyframes.

1) Pick whatever fractal you like, and select an x,y,z of 0,0,0.  Set the zoom such that the whole fractal is visible - a setting that looks good.  Also adjust the alpha/beta/gamma to your liking.  Make this the first keyframe.

2) Set the zoom to 0, and alpha/beta/game to any new values you like.  At zoom=0, chances are there's not much to look at if you render the frame.  That's fine.  Make this the 2nd keyframe.

3) Select a frames/key in the animation tab to something like 200, and image size to a small size.  Let the animation run (Render From Key-frames).

Whenever that finishes you'll have a "core sample" animation which zooms through the whole fractal on a single path.  The animation might contain occasional nice views, intermingled with the camera stuck inside of the cheese.

So how to extract the keyframes for the nice views?



Intermediate Keyframes

1) Delete one of the "nice view" frames of the animation, and click "render from key-frames" again.  Mandelbulber will re-render that frame.

2) In the timeline this can be "insert after" as an intermediate keyframe.  Repeat step 1 for every intermediate keyframe you need.


Also notice that you can use this method for smoothing animations that "rush" through high zoom areas.  For example, when the zoom value is a big number, moving a small distance might look smooth versus when the zoom value is tiny (flying over some surface) which appears to cover way more ground.  Intermediate keys can smooth that zoomed area with more frames.