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Title: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on January 22, 2019, 11:31:11 PM (https://i.postimg.cc/zfPrMLPQ/friktal.jpg)
Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Hello TIG friends. I'm ready begin showing the world a very special project we have been working on for the last couple years. I invite you to join us on this journey into infinity. What is Friktal? The dry, short answer -- Friktal is a game which invites players to explore and interact with 3D fractal worlds as they beat, morph, and flow to the user's music. (https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/4585d13d-3841-4336-9735-143c81b3f5ff/aeb59cde-dd5b-497f-8c53-abb22536b81a.png) The not so dry answer -- Friktal is a portal to other dimensions. It is a small part of the answer to the question -- what is the nature of reality. Friktal is a key to unlock parts of your imagination which lay long dormant. Perhaps it is even a teacher to help open eyes to greater understanding of self and perceptions both internal and external. Friktal is seeing dragons in clouds and letting your mind move through those clouds in search of it's lair. Friktal is a toy, a tool, and a glimpse into the sheer freaking beauty of the universal language -- mathematics. (https://i.redd.it/5dzcix37qs611.gif)note:gifs suck to show this. see youtube videos@4k/60 Who am I? I'm Friken... a game developer, a dancer, an artist, a father, a burner, a hippie, and just another monkey spinning through space and time on this rock of ours. (https://media.indiedb.com/cache/images/games/1/28/27385/thumb_620x2000/Frik-Bridge.6.jpg) Who are we? We are a family -- literally. SonOfaFrik, and NoidFrik are my real-world sons. I am a lucky man to have talented kids who have been involved in my game creation addiction their whole lives. Both are amazing musicians, have artistic eyes, and are vital to the direction, testing, audio, and engineering of this dream. They teach me something new daily. (https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/4585d13d-3841-4336-9735-143c81b3f5ff/7b95e7c0-8175-42e3-a80e-f5e37469f34f.JPG) The Journey of Friktal through Star Diving It all started with StarDiver, a scifi game project (stardiver.com (http://stardiver.com)) -- my MASSIVE undertaking and lifelong dream to bring StarFlight-like and StarControl-like gameplay of yesteryear to the modern generation of gaming. That project started some years before and is currently awaiting Friktal's completion so we can get back to it and finish the beast (seeing the struggle StarDock has with it's StarControl reboot.... imo the world still needs StarDiver!). It is relevant here as Friktal was birthed through the need for a bad-ass hyperspace travel effect. I wanted something really trans-dimensional feeling. 3d fractal effects seemed like a place to start. And This was the breakthrough video I posted when I first started playing with raymarched fractals. As soon as I saw the potential, I had to see what the math would do being driven by music... a the birth of a cymatic simulator took heart in what is now Friktal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=floor97VSpE And the Geeky Techy Tidbits? Friktal uses a genius technique of rendering called raymarching. I'm DEFINITELY NOT the inventor of the technique, thanks to many who have blazed that path before me. What Friktal has brought is realtime exploration and manipulation of raymarched fractal worlds, controlling both movement within and morphing of the worlds in realtime. To further the experience, realtime audio data is sliced and diced in very unique ways to directly flow, beat, and morph the fractal mathmatics. I hope the world agrees that the audio code and mapping into the fractal math has created something really special. (https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/4585d13d-3841-4336-9735-143c81b3f5ff/8dae08b4-741e-422c-ae6d-536b59bfa843.JPG) Raymarching is a completely different way of thinking about 3d rendering than triangle geometry we all know and kinda-love for 3d games. Here is a great primer about raymarching, thanks adrian: http://flafla2.github.io/2016/10/01/raymarching.html (https://i.redd.it/arccc31caz611.gif)note:gifs suck to show this. see youtube videos@4k/60 Current Project Status (updated 1/22/2019) Friktal is estimated to be three to four months away from release via Steam Early Access for both Windows Desktop and Virtual Reality (Oculus and Vive). We will be launching a crowd funding campaign between now and then to raise awareness and funding for the project. We have so many plans for this and really appreciate the community support. (http://funkyimg.com/i/2Qsou.jpg) Features Completed (updated 1/22/2019)
(http://funkyimg.com/i/2Qsop.jpg) Features Targeted for Initial Early Access Release
(http://funkyimg.com/i/2QsoJ.jpg) Features Targeted before 1.0 Release
(http://funkyimg.com/i/2QsoM.jpg) Where else is Friktal going?
(http://funkyimg.com/i/2QsFK.jpg) What Early Testers Say About Friktal "It's like being in the psychedelic larynx of a cosmic opera singer" "At times it really feels like a window into alternate dimensions and perceptions of reality. Like I'm a human voyeur watching an inter-dimensional orgy. " "This is proof humanity has hit AI singularity and our new god is talking to me through the music-driven fractal math" "What the @%$#$ did I just see.... I'm in awe while feeling a little uncomfortable... maybe I just saw something my reality isn't ready for" "My brain just level up'd" "Well done. You found a way to record my brain on drugs and let me go explore my poor life decisions in gorgeous detail." "I enjoy seeing a dragon in the randomness of a cloud but in Friktal the dragon is dancing while auroras pulse from the reflections the sun makes on his scales." "Realtalk. Weed's legal in some places now. It's time for a new genre of games for us stoners. Long live Friktal." "I'm a crusty old techie. I never in my wildest dreams thought it would be possible, in my lifetime, to visually explore fractal math in such a visceral and breathtakingly beautiful way. And in realtime -- controller in hand -- to go where I will through a gateway to far off realms is if to directly explain what infinity is all about." "I've played a lot of VR games and had kind of written it off until resolutions and FOV are a couple generations improved. I gladly dusted off my Oculus to try Friktal. Wow. It is BY FAR the most surreal, goosebump enducing, vr experience to date. Well Done!" (http://funkyimg.com/i/2QsFo.jpg) Videos of Friktal in Action ** please note that Friktal is a worst use case for online video compression as nearly every pixel of a 4k image changes value in every frame. This means video compression really takes a bite out of it. The live gameplay is even more crisp than the still images while running at silky smooth framerates and motion. Friktal Demo of newest modes and features (Jan/23/2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJQ1FqL8OHc DevStream of newest features added: Youtube video underlay and Matrix / ASCII art realtime rendering of the fractal: https://youtu.be/kKQTnLS6OB0?t=453 Cymatics sim as frequency waves flow through the fractal math: https://youtu.be/dcXnMIM2N0c?t=343 Boom Boom Thump Thump: https://youtu.be/OR6UJiQQuT8?t=16 Rings of Saturn: https://youtu.be/9u8-E5CHwxs?t=11 Cybertron's Mind: https://youtu.be/9u8-E5CHwxs?t=318 Widow's Web Of Lies: https://youtu.be/j2xhpWSWgBs?t=4 Flashback: https://youtu.be/j2xhpWSWgBs?t=1162 Pods Stuck in Timne: https://youtu.be/j2xhpWSWgBs?t=2574 (http://funkyimg.com/i/2QsG5.jpg) Want to Get Involved? Join us on discord at: https://discord.gg/gCjTAFR *We will be posting preview builds there Thanks for taking a look! (https://media.indiedb.com/images/games/1/67/66201/SS4.JPG) Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on January 23, 2019, 08:04:40 PM I just finished a livestream Demoing All the current Friktal modes and talk about the project a bit:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/368823700 Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on January 24, 2019, 11:51:14 AM I uploaded the livestream from twitch to youtube for inline view:
Friktal Demo of newest modes and features (Jan/23/2018) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJQ1FqL8OHc Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 01, 2019, 01:16:18 PM I implemented ingame screenshot captures of higher-than-screenrez. Single hotkey snaps a 1:1 rendered 8k,4k,2k,and 1080p screenshot. Not just a scaled game output image, but renders a frame at that full res. 8k screenshots are mouth watering :)
link to full 8k resolution. zoom into 1:1 and pan around. Unless you have an 8k monitor... in which case I'm hella-jealous: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/540772429643907073/Friktal-8K-8192x4608_8b.jpg (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/540772429643907073/Friktal-8K-8192x4608_8b.jpg) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/540772429643907073/Friktal-8K-8192x4608_8b.jpg) Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: Yodak on February 01, 2019, 04:52:43 PM LOOKS REALLY COOL! KEEP IT UP! :tiger:
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 02, 2019, 12:14:23 AM LOOKS REALLY COOL! KEEP IT UP! :tiger: Thanks. I'm excited. Just ordered a 3 panel canvas print of 8k screenshots. Now to wait on shipping :/ here's the preview image and the screenshots I sent for print (4) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541088374484762644/unknown.png) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541088829742907412/WindowsWebOfLies-compressed.jpg) 8k original: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541088829742907412/WindowsWebOfLies-compressed.jpg (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541089965463830558/TemplesInTime-compressed.jpg) 8k original: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541089965463830558/TemplesInTime-compressed.jpg (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541089850217201675/RingsOfSaturen-compressed.jpg) 8k original: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/541089850217201675/RingsOfSaturen-compressed.jpg (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/388065214525865994/541169337747111936/8192x4608-Friktal_compressed.jpg) 8k original: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/388065214525865994/541169337747111936/8192x4608-Friktal_compressed.jpg Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: peterh on February 02, 2019, 04:15:55 AM Love it! :D
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 03, 2019, 01:50:40 AM feel like I won a months long battle w youtube compression. I ditched OBS in favor of shadowplay -- whatever it uses for compression youtube doesn't munch as much.
watch in 4k: https://youtu.be/0FeNHRrfCEU Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 04, 2019, 01:59:36 PM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6SZvxMr3gQ
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 04, 2019, 02:00:14 PM https://youtu.be/SrDbMqbPxyA
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 04, 2019, 02:00:49 PM https://youtu.be/fUOBfTcoQKY
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 04, 2019, 02:01:14 PM https://youtu.be/gRbNjUAXURs
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 06, 2019, 01:07:42 AM https://youtu.be/4NUXGc_fbKs
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 06, 2019, 01:08:22 AM This one is a hard core 4k video codec test. man youtube.... you need some better compression options for 4k lol
https://youtu.be/SxcNfV3zPcI Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on February 08, 2019, 12:20:53 PM I'm super excited and proud. Fedex just dropped off canvas prints of Friktal screenshots. WOW :) My living room will never be the same. I'd say "our game studio" but... well.. I'm an indie making this thing at home like most other indies. It is a surreal feeling to see these screenshots in print. I paused for a minute and honestly shed a tear knowing that over two years of my life has gone into making this thing -- Days I didn't think I was smart enough to overcome this challenge or that challenge -- Days where one bug or another made me want to give up -- Days when I felt isolated not really having anything to show for all my time put in -- AND NOW I CAN SAY IT WAS WORTH EVERY SECOND! :)
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/543519600088842308/IMG_20190208_123019_8.jpg) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/543519636734607367/IMG_20190206_155152_344.jpg) Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: da_neel on February 09, 2019, 11:54:26 PM Amazing. Can we get a playable build?
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity. A Surreal Soundscape Experience. Post by: friken on March 06, 2019, 12:09:55 PM Amazing. Can we get a playable build? Development preview now available :) http://gravityride.com/friktal/Friktal_Demo_v0.369b.zip Join us on discord as well: https://discord.gg/qMceKZc Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: ghost_main_ on March 06, 2019, 01:00:41 PM Incredible! I've started a project with a similar vision to yours. Very motivating to see this!
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on June 24, 2019, 06:41:12 PM Been a while since last update here.... We are inching close to a Steam early access release. We have added youtube video integration and much more refined cymatic feeding of audio data from video/music source into the fractal math. Here is the animation "drink" fed through Friktal: Exploring Infinity: https://youtu.be/rkbqGaQN44Y
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on June 24, 2019, 06:42:14 PM And..... something the machine elves put together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Bqj0Dl55U&t=2s
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on October 08, 2019, 11:24:11 AM Havent updated this is a while... I've still been cranking away at Friktal.
Since last update... added so damn much not sure what all to share... so I'll just go w the newest. I've been deep diving into the raymarcher engine we created to see what all I can figure out... happy to say all the hair pulling time has paid off. Friktal now has: Textured raymarched surfaces including 3d surfacing, full PBR materials... I know.. yeah unity's standard shader does that stuff but a raymarcher cant use any of that. All roll your own here to make this work. Detail mapping and normals, emission mapping including shadow/dark emission that fades when light hits the surface. realtime shadows... self-shadows of fractal geometry. shader driven lighting/lenz flaring. God rays... and few other snazzy visual features. The audio processing engine that drives Friktal's fractal worlds has been overhauled several times and the cymatic effects are pretty spot on now. Inch closer to release. screenshots of 3d surfacing/lighting/shadows/etc. (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/631045082971111444/unknown.png) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630537631960137745/unknown.png) detail mapping w blended normals (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630537966342635530/unknown.png) Edge/Rim highlighting of both base fractal surface and/or texture normals. great for hologram-matrix mode effects (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630294461951246336/unknown.png) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630295080992768019/unknown.png) Kaleidoscopic mirroring -- realtime divide from top-bottom all the way to 32 divisions (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630291380480114688/unknown.png) (https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/385144267506712578/626222423695425536/Friktal-8k_23.jpg?width=1418&height=798) Godrays light smearing of over-glow specular areas: (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630291511485005843/unknown.png) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/630286797582237706/unknown.png) Texture tile hiding/masking... implementation from a super clever white paper I read: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUKTWD5kSRM&feature=youtu.be In-game single key GIF capture: (https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/385144267506712578/620016292618960896/UltimateGifTool_016.gif?width=386&height=300) (https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/385144267506712578/620026121165078529/UltimateGifTool_022.gif?width=386&height=300) Realtime volumetric clouds that flow billow and flow to the music: https://youtu.be/AwTc8LveN64 https://youtu.be/eO8bmEw34YM Fairly recent dev stream playing w the 3d surfacing.. see how the worlds morph and move: https://youtu.be/buo_lKVZ_0U?t=2501 misc: (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/623968125003628579/Friktal-8k_181.jpg) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/623961725556883476/unknown.png) Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: Schrompf on October 08, 2019, 10:04:14 PM This looks amazing in still pictures, but I loose all interest as soon as it moves. I want to explore these strange yet charming worlds. I do not want a flashy beat on top. Hm. I'll still have a look when it's released.
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on April 19, 2020, 08:46:29 PM Still working on Friktal.... all these months (years) later :) Added realtime video and webcam support for the virus lockdown... getting bored and need to dance it out:
https://youtu.be/OjfFHJVqT_U Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: goocy on January 09, 2021, 02:29:09 PM Hey man, I really appreciate your progress, but I've also been excited to see it in action for the last two years.
Couldn't you just start releasing already? I don't have any problem paying for it. Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on January 09, 2021, 02:58:40 PM Makes two of us! I have to admit this last year has kicked me in the teeth life and project wise. Luckily, things are working out and I have every intention of getting back on this full time and seeing it to completion. Thanks for the interest. You can join our discord server: https://discord.gg/VWdVyPr . I need to put up a new link to the free demo (but old but still fun). You can also get more current development builds to play with by supporting my patreon. I appreciate the interest. I need to update this blog too.
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: friken on December 29, 2022, 06:54:58 PM Back at work on friktal after a long break on a different game proj...
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/1058200724313481257/Friktal-trees.gif) (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/385144267506712578/1058198441844559902/image.png) Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: Schrompf on January 02, 2023, 02:38:23 AM I like. Looks Myst-style weird, which is a good thing. Although the lensflares have an amateurish vibe to me.
Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: mobilelast on January 06, 2023, 01:04:33 AM Have you offered this for art museums as an exhibition? It could be a cool experience to be in a room with animations like these projected on every wall. And as it is already interactive, it could react to the movements of the visitors etc.
Looking at things like this with VR would probably cause nausea… Title: Re: Friktal: Exploring Infinity Post by: JobLeonard on January 17, 2023, 09:14:07 AM Hey, weren't you the guy who worked on StarDiver? What happened to that game btw? I was really looking forward to it :)
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