Release 4.0

3D OpenGL - Parameter Window - Light

For beginners one of the most difficult tasks in 3D modelling programs is how to correctly position the objects. Computer programs often only work with numbers, so you have to position a camera at (x,y,z), an object at (a,b,c) with width=s and height=t. That's not user friendly, but 3D experts know how to "imagine" the real world by these numbers.

Because ChaosPro is used mostly by non 3D-experts (perhaps fractal experts?) I decided to provide another way in order to assist in positioning camera and light sources:

This window offers a more intuitive way of adjusting some parameters:

First of all, there are four views: Front, Right, Top and Perspective, and they display the scene according to the name...

Now what do you see? You can see and identify ...

• ... your own position marked by the green sphere.
• ... your top vector marked by a small white sphere connected with the green sphere. The perspective view in the image above displays it clearly. The white sphere tells you where "up" is...
• ... your view point on which you look at: The top view in the image above lets you see it: It's the small black point.
• ... your view vector, which is a line from the current observer position (the green sphere) ranging towards the view point.
• ... the different light sources. The image above contains only a single light source.
• ... the object itself, centered around 0.

Almost each element mentioned above can be dragged by using the mouse.

The two small buttons containing a "+" and a "-" sign allow you to zoom in or out.

The perspective view can be rotated: Hold down the SHIFT-key on your keyboard and the left mouse button and move the mouse left-right and/or up-down to rotate the perspective view.

And if you think that the fractal object is somewhat hiding too much, hide it by using the "Toggle" command from the context menu: Hold down the right mouse button in the perspective view and choose "Toggle Object".