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

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.