I wrote:
Hi,
Jemima Bond wrote:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/oaktree/jcb/applets/polymorphapplet.html
You will have to play around with the various sliders, combo boxes etc to get a feel of how the thing works.
My 0.02$ : the above is already an issue with current (rounded) stars. While it gives results that are pleasant to look at and demonstrate, it is quite difficult to use as a tool - I mean, to use as an instrument to achieve a specific result one may have in mind. The possibility of spectacular results should not hide the need for proper controllers.
Kaleidoscopes are lovely, and the ineffable way the image reacts to user motion in a kaleidoscope makes them quite fascinating. But while tempting, to just fit sliders to parameters of the shaping algorithm is being overly lazy on the UI design side, imo.
What sort of control points we would want for that sort of figure, that's a topic for study and/or experimenting. Maybe what's needed is (to think of) ways to allow the user to stipulate herself (the behavior of) useful control points according to her varying needs.
Not to say that the applet doesn't go any step in that direction. Bringing the "symmetry" parameter down to its minimum of 1, does much to make the applet's (choice of) controls and essential function more intelligible. Nevertheless, I would argue that things would be just perfect if Inkscape had a architecture that allowed to plug in (and thus also retract) variations of such a thing with controls that can (in that context) be a bit arbitrary or experimental, while in the case of "core integration" more thought should be given to a right choice/system of controls.
Cheers, BB