This Flash-based fractal generator was my attempt to implement the typical fractal generator purely in Flash. Probably the biggest challenge that accompanies implementing a fractal generator in Flash is the fact that it takes so long to actual calculate the image. Flash isn't exactly the optimal environment to create fractals - why not just create it in Java (or even better, C++) and be done with it?

Well the point of this little project was to see exactly what could be done in Flash, and it is pretty apparent that the speed is too slow for any good use. But that doesn't take away anything from the program, as I see it is at least a functional implementation, and I haven't yet seen any others on the internet like this in Flash (although that may simply be due to that fact that others though the speed to be just too slow).

Regardless, it was an interesting experiment, and I think that Flash has a great deal to offer in this genre of design, albeit not for particularly complex and time-consuming mathematics. I plan to consider expanding in this area and hopefully will have other projects to post concerning the intricate intersection of chaos, mathematics, and cool design.

Even though this is probably the most I'll ever do for the flash version of this program, it would still be nice to implement the proper zooming controls (i.e. - selecting the exact rectangle to zoom into).

If you'd like to see the fractal from the image on the project listing, use the following parameters:

• Zoom:1
• Iterations:37
• Convergence:Test3

Soon to come: update in AS3. Should be much faster...

References

• Computers, Pattern, Chaos, and Beauty by Clifford A. Pickover

  The algorithm used above is based on the chaotic dusty curls algorithm (see Pseudocode 9.2). This algorithm is simply an implementation of a basic Julia Set (see section 8.1).

  Additionally, some information on the convergence tests comes from section 9.2.4.