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May 2026: MCP 2.8 and Three New Projects

Math Chaos Patterns (MCP) version 2.8 introduces several improvements designed to enhance performance, usability, and creative control:

  1. Faster rendering for a smoother workflow

  2. Improved menu and user interface for clearer navigation

  3. New tutorials to help users explore advanced techniques

  4. Extended manual with expanded explanations and examples

  5. New RandomSeed parameter that enables users to recreate specific outputs or generate fully random results. Details are provided in the updated manual.


Eye-level view of a computer screen displaying MCP 2.8 interface with new features highlighted
MCP 2.8 interface showcasing new features

Important hints and tips


  1. Updating your MCP 2.7.* project for MCP 2.8. If you created a project using MCP 2.7.*, you will need to make a few small updates to your Parameters.xml file so the project loads correctly in MCP 2.8. Required changes:

(i) Anywhere before </ProcessParameters> add the line:

<randomSeed>42</randomSeed>

(ii) Change every instance of:

<deltaFileName />

to:

<isFileUsed>false</isFileUsed>

If your project still does not load correctly in MCP 2.8, contact us at D1BLLC@MathChaosPatterns.com

  1. For each project—large or small—it is practical to create a separate work folder, since multiple parameters are represented as images (canvas, vector fields, control files such as Speed.png and Transparency.png, other files like brush neighborhood, palette, and background).

  2. When rendering a high‑resolution image, you can save time by increasing the number of steps between screen updates. You can also minimize MCP and check its progress by hovering your mouse over its icon on the Windows taskbar.

  3. Ensure that the Video folder inside your work folder does not contain any files you may regret losing; all files in the Video folder will be deleted before rendering.

  4. Before rendering with a large number of brushes, it is recommended to test your parameters with a smaller number of brushes to save time.

  5. If you encounter unexpected results that you would like to debug, the rendering mode [Animate brushes] often helps identify the issue.

  6. It is also a good idea to make a copy of the Parameters.xml after achieving an interesting result. You may want to recreate or modify the result later.

  7. To view MCP performance statistics and other process information, click [Log…] in the MCP menu. Information is always appended to the end of the log file log.txt. If you want to start a new log, rename or remove log.txt and MCP will create a new file automatically. When log.txt grows larger than 10 MB, MCP deletes it for performance reasons and starts a new log. The log file is located in Documents\D1B LLC\MCP.

  8. In case of any issues with MCP (bugs, crashes, etc.), please, email the relevant portion of the log along with screenshots (if available) to: D1BLLC@MathChaosPatterns.com. Please do not attach screenshots as separate files. Instead, insert them directly into the body of your email.


How to quickly create a video from MCP output?


If you have a set of images in various sizes and want to turn them into a video, the MCP Video Glue utility makes the process effortless. Its clean, minimal interface includes only the essential controls — video width and height, frame rate, bit rate, looping options, and more. It is especially useful when working with generative art software such as MCP. Get it for free on the Microsoft Store.


Introducing Three New Projects


Alongside MCP 2.8, three new projects have been released that are not part of the Tutorials. Each project offers unique features and creative possibilities:


1. Spring Medley


Project SpringMedley was created using extensive variability in MCP parameters: brush thickness, brush speed, brush transparency, chained palettes, a weak central gravity source, and an absolute neighborhood. Same project, but dramatically different outputs driven by random seeds (used 13, 17, 37, and 43 for images below).



The project is available to all MCP members here:


2. Project Matrix Watchers


Project MatrixWatchers focuses on the use of a user defined vector field.



The project is available to all MCP members here:


3. Project Grid


Project Grid demonstrates what you can accomplish using just one brush with the standard grayscale palette by adjusting its thickness and bristles, then selecting the optimal initial position and direction with an appropriate random seed.



The project is available to all MCP members here:



Want to know more?


To see posts on the use of MCP, visit:


SIGGRAPH 2020 presentation:


SIGGRAPH 2020 paper:


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