Demo: New View on Plasma Fractals -- From the High Point of Array Languages

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel iterative expansion method for plasma fractals, enabling more flexible and higher-quality texture generation by leveraging array languages and declarative image transformations.

Contribution

It presents a new approach based on iterative expansion for plasma fractals, extending traditional recursive methods and utilizing array languages for declarative image processing.

Findings

Includes the standard square-diamond algorithm as a special case

Offers various extensions for improved visual quality

Demonstrates implementation as an embedded DSL in OCaml

Abstract

Plasma fractals is a technique to generate random and realistic clouds, textures and terrains~-- traditionally using recursive subdivision. We demonstrate a new approach, based on iterative expansion. It gives a family of algorithms that includes the standard square-diamond algorithm and offers various interesting ways of extending it, and hence generating nicer pictures. The approach came about from exploring plasma fractals from the point of view of an array language (which we implemented as an embedded DSL in OCaml)~-- that is, from the perspective of declaring whole image transformations rather than fiddling with individual pixels.