Digital Chaotics

05/15/2024

SupercomputerSpeak

My definition of a "supercomputer" is pretty simple. If a computer can complete a task faster than I can think of another task, then it's a supercomputer - for that specific task. It's a very broad definition, since it's also saying we've had word-processing supercomputers since the 1970s. "Faster than I can think of another task".

My problem is that the tasks I can think of are far, far beyond what most mere mortal computers can handle. My current system is pretty much the fastest non-exotic desktop. Top-end CPU, GPU, 128 GB of RAM, 8TB of SSD. The extreme end of my budget, too.

It's still not fast enough. Not even close.

Part of my problem is that I keep thinking of bigger and bigger tasks. My bad. Beautiful art takes a lot of math, y'know?

Still waiting for my desktop supercomputer... :::sigh:::

04/24/2024

"Life is a lot shorter than you think it is."

Hans Zimmer

03/28/2024

GraphicsProgrammerSpeak

The most appalling feature of the animation system I've built is this: every frame is constructed completely from scratch, based upon the current time. Nothing is saved between frames.

Here's the thing: if I want to re-use information from the last frame, then I need to know when I *can't* re-use it. For example, if a mesh is morphing over time, then I probably can't re-use that mesh. The same applies to virtually every other parameter I use to control things. If I wanted to re-use results from the previous frame, then I'd have to ask "does this change the result over time?" If it has, then I can't re-use it. For every parameter. Exhausting, and frankly, of questionable utility: for the really cool animations, *everything* is morphing. Re-use is not possible.

So rather than spend 50% of my code/time trying to figure out ways to re-use things, I simply toss out the previous results and start from scratch.

Every frame.

I have a very busy, very warm computer. :D

03/11/2024

TechArtistSpeak

My art is created within the boundaries imposed by my hardware and my algorithms. The algorithms aren't the problem. In fact, the algorithms *cause* it.

My art is based upon carefully arranging points in space and then moving them around. The motion of those points, combined with the visible "thing" I attach to them, is what makes the pretty pictures.

The algorithms are capable of producing patterns that can easily reach towards infinity. The hardware can't even come close to that. The hardware imposes the upper bound on the complexity of the patterns. Dammit.

I recently upgraded my system to the latest and greatest CPU/GPU combination. Overall my new system is about 4 times faster than my old system. So that means I can do things that are 4 times as complex, right?

Currently rendering: avg 252 billion polygons per frame @ 1 frame every 10 seconds.

:::enya music:::

04/06/2020

Still beautiful after all these years.

12/18/2019

Anything can dance.

Anything Can Dance Especially to this... Music: H.U.V.A. Network ( http://www.ultimae.com/en/composers/huva-network/index.html ) Visual Music: Chaotic ( http...

10/23/2019

A driveby arting by Me

. . Best in HD. Music: Asura ( http://www.ultimae.com ) Visual Music: Chaotic ( http://www.digitalchaotics.com )

11/26/2018

Olden. Golden.

Anything Can Dance Especially to this... Music: H.U.V.A. Network ( http://www.ultimae.com/en/composers/huva-network/index.html ) Visual Music: Chaotic ( http...