This section is dedicated to Stephen C. Ferguson’s great collection of fractal generators. For many years (since the beginning, actually), they have been my favorites. I have created many —if not most— of my pictures with several of his programs, such as Tiera-Zon, Sterling-ware, Iterations and Flarium24. I still use some of them on Windows 11, and they’re running smoothly. Yet, since they are approaching three decades old and technology has changed a lot in the meantime, I must say this: Warning: use at your own risk. Some time ago, Ferguson charged a modest fee to access a restricted download area to get his software, but as of right now they are freely available from his various websites.
Atriatix ~ v0.010
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Atriatix plots interesting fractals from the Gumowski/Mira particle simulation formula. The resulting image represents the particles’ trajectories. Source code available. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 7 May 2000.
Colarity ~ v2.0.2
OS: Win/Mac+Java
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Colarity is likely the most recent of Ferguson’s generators (based on its revision date). It generates Iterated Function System (IFS) and flame fractals. As he describes it, it’s inspired by Apophysis, though I haven’t verified whether they are compatible or not. Users can modify a variety of parameters from the main window, generate coefficients and variations randomly, and adjust transformation points for fine-tuning as other flame fractal generators do. Changes are previewed in real time. Although it is described as cross-platform (using Java), I was able to run it on Windows but unable to do so on a Mac.
Last revision: 07 February 2007.
Cold_IFS ~ v0.002
OS: Win9x/Me/NT
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Cold_IFS plots orbit trajectories using an IFS based formula. The images it produces are usually associated with flame fractals in other fractal generating programs. Pictures can be saved in several different formats, but parameters cannot be saved in any way. Ferguson stopped working on this application (this was the second and final preview), but incorporated most of its functions in Atriatix (see avobe). The Draw button works as a random image generator. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 19 July 1999.
Emberj ~ v0.005 ~ JAVA
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Emberj is a cross-platform fractal generator that can draw mainly Mandelbrot set and Lyapunov images. Compared to other Ferguson applications, this one is simple because it doesn’t include the full-range of options all of his other projects have, but it’s as fast as any of them, and works the same way (for those who are familiar with his software). Although it doesn’t save the parameters, images can be saved as PPM files. Will work in any system that has the Java Development Kit (JDK) installed. Open source. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 31 January 2000.
Flarium24 ~ v8.9
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: http://tierazon.com
Flarium24 draws fractal images using some 160 equations and 60 filters in three different methods: M-Set, N-Set, and F-Set. As other Ferguson’s programs, it also lets you input your own formulas. Can also draw strange attractors. Source code available. From my point of view, images created with this fractal generator may look “dated” compared to other Ferguson applications, but that’s not a bid deal. Available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 9 March 1998.
GrafZViZion ~ v4.2
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
GrafZViZion can save images in various formats (including jpg, tif, PNG and BMP), and has some special post-processing tools. Includes point-and-click zooming. Can be slow. Source code available. Available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 3 February 1999.
InkBlot Kaos ~ v2.9
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
InkBlot Kaos is one of the fastest generators in doing calculations. Notwithstanding its size (less than 200K), it is capable of generating stunning and beautiful images. One of my favorites. Source code available. I don’t know what happened to version 2.9, but only 2.8 is available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 26 January 1999.
Iterations ~ v29
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Besides creating a myriad of fractal pictures, Iterations is also capable of generating fractal movies by zooming and panning in and around the image. The movies can be saved as .avi files. Source code available. Available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 25 May 1998.
Ktaza ~ v4.2
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Ktaza combines Sterling-ware-like 40-plus fractal types with Atriatix’s strange attractors and Martin – Gumowski Mira fractals. It opens two image views at the same time, one for each method. Not so easy for beginners. Source code available. Version 0.10 is available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 18 December 2000.
Qtrnion ~ v0.03
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
QTrnion uses Open-GL to plot Mandelbrot-based quaternion fractals and surface maps. Images can be saved as BMP files only. Zip file includes source code. I never used it extensively, so I can’t comment on how it works in detail. Though it executes and opens in Win11, trying any option will cause the program to close down. I haven’t tried it in any of Windows compatibility modes to see if it runs that way. Available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 7 September 1999.
Quaternia ~ v1.0
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Quaternia is a small program to generate quaternion fractals. It is based on Frode Gill’s Quaternion Generator. Images can only be saved as BMP files. The 238 kb zipped archive includes the source code. It is no longer available from Ferguson’s website, so probably it was incorporated into another program.
Last revision: 10 June 2001.
Root-IFS ~ v0.006
OS: Win9x/Me/NT
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
In the same fashion as Cold_IFS, Root-IFS plots orbit trajectories using an IFS based formula. The images it produces are usually associated with flame fractals in other fractal generating programs. Pictures can be saved in several different formats; unlike its predecessor it saves parameter values to a file, which is a nice addition. It also features a button to generate pictures randomly. Compressed (ZIP) file includes source code. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 6 May 2000.
Sterling-ware ~ v1.7
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Sterling-ware is a fractal generator with point-and-click zooming at an incredible speed. The latest version includes sine trap functions, Lyapunov exponents, orbit counting, the Triangle Inequality Variation by Damien M. Jones, and “LDerivatives.” Version 1.7 adds some extra new formulas. For those of you curious enough, all past versions of Sterling-ware are available with source code from Iterations et Flarium 24 web site. Source code available. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section), but only the latest one is working fine on Win 11.
Last revision: 11 October 1999.
The Talis Project ~ v3.6
OS: DOS
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
This is a simple fractal generating program for DOS, but can be use in other MS Windows up to Vista with no problem; it won’t run in more recent versions, and certainly not in Windows 10/11 natively. It works very similar to other Ferguson’s generators in terms of formulas, color schemes and such. I liked it very much, but I have to admit I’ve forgotten how it works (using DOS/keyboard commands). Available at the vchira website (software section). If you want to try it —for the “retro novelty”— you need a DOS emulator. Screenshot captured with DOSBox.
Last revision: 16 November 1997.
Tiera-Zon ~ v2.9
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Tiera-Zon combines great features with speed. Highly recommended for computers with slow processors. Important: The latest version comes with coloring methods different to the ones used in previous releases, so keep the oldies handy in case you need to reproduce earlier images as intended: older parameter files will render with no problem —they are compatible— but will have a totally different, and not necessarily better, color interpretation. Tends to crash sometimes if users change parameters too fast. I love this fractal generator, period. Source code also available. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 22 November 2002.
Tiera Zon 2 ~ v0.6
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Tiera Zon 2 works similar to Tiera-Zon, but its formulas and filters are accessible from a secondary window instead of the menu bar. Additional formulas and parameters are also available. This one is slower than its unnumbered sibling, and it’s not exactly a upgrade to the old one. Source code available. Several versions are still available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 2 January 2000.
Vchira ~ v0.5
OS: Win
author: Stephen C. Ferguson
url: https://vchira.com
Another great fractal generator from Stephen Ferguson’s genius, Vchira was one of the first free fractal generator to introduce layers and alpha channels from within the same program. And it works as good as all of the other software in Ferguson’s outstanding collection. Source code available. Available at the vchira website (software section).
Last revision: 11 August 2002.