perf: disable AA when switching fractals

CLAUDE.md

@@ -129,7 +129,16 @@ pixel is a handful of `f32` complex multiplies.
   exact delta). `fprime(z)` is the derivative used for distance-estimation
   (DE) shading; exact for holomorphic kinds, an approximation (`~2Z`) for the
   abs-based ones. A `KIND_*` constant (from `common.wgsl`) must match the
-  matching `FractalKind` variant's discriminant exactly.
+  matching `FractalKind` variant's discriminant exactly. The per-kind bodies
+  are `advance_delta_kind`/`fprime_kind`; `advance_delta`/`fprime` wrap them
+  to blend two kinds during the kind-switch morph (`u.morph_from`,
+  `u.morph_w`: each step is `(1-w)·f_kind + w·f_from`, mirrored on the CPU by
+  the `morph` argument of `compute_reference`, in both its f64 and `FBig`
+  paths). The blend only exists in pipelines built with the `MORPH` override
+  (part of `PipelineKey`, on while `morph_w > 0`); those also skip periodicity
+  detection and the cardioid bypass. App side: `KindMorph` in
+  `app.rs`; the uniforms use the morph the *current reference* was built with
+  (`ref_morph`), not the live one, so orbit and delta formula never disagree.
 - `src/fractal/renderer.rs` — `FractalRenderer` (wgpu pipelines, uniform +
   storage buffers, bind groups), `Uniforms` (repr(C) layout that must match
   the WGSL `Uniforms` struct field-for-field, including padding; it includes

src/app.rs

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use crate::view::parse_half_height_spec;
 use crate::view::parse_re_im_spec;
 use crate::view::{
     Big, DEFAULT_HALF_HEIGHT, ViewState, big_from_decimal_str, big_from_f64, big_to_decimal_str,
-    parse_view_spec, precision_for,
+    interpolate_view, parse_view_spec, precision_for,
 };
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 use clap::Parser;
@@ -161,6 +161,35 @@ struct RequestKey {
     kind: FractalKind,
     power: u32,
     complex_power: (f64, f64),
+    /// Kind-switch morph `(from_kind, weight)`, if one is running.
+    morph: Option<(FractalKind, f32)>,
+}
+
+/// An in-progress kind-switch animation: the iteration formula is blended per
+/// step from `from` to the current kind, `(1 - w)·f_kind + w·f_from`, while the
+/// camera glides from `from_view` to the new kind's default view.
+struct KindMorph {
+    from: FractalKind,
+    /// Linear progress in [0, 1]; eased with smoothstep.
+    progress: f32,
+    from_view: ViewState,
+    to_view: ViewState,
+    /// Whether the morph still drives the camera. Cleared as soon as the user
+    /// pans/zooms, so they can take over mid-morph.
+    camera: bool,
+}
+
+impl KindMorph {
+    /// Smoothstep-eased progress.
+    fn eased(&self) -> f32 {
+        let p = self.progress.clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+        p * p * (3.0 - 2.0 * p)
+    }
+
+    /// Weight of the old kind's formula: 1 at the start, 0 at the end.
+    fn weight(&self) -> f32 {
+        1.0 - self.eased()
+    }
 }
 
 /// Shared state for an in-progress PNG export. The worker (a background thread
@@ -213,6 +242,12 @@ struct AnimState {
     /// e-folds per second; positive zooms in, negative zooms out.
     zoom_speed: f32,
 
+    /// Morph the iteration formula (and camera) when switching fractal kinds,
+    /// instead of cutting straight to the new kind.
+    kind_morph: bool,
+    /// Kind-switch morph duration, in seconds.
+    kind_morph_duration: f32,
+
     /// Linear 2D <-> 3D transition progress in [0, 1], advanced at a constant
     /// rate; `camera_state` is its smoothstep-eased value.
     camera_progress: f32,
@@ -242,6 +277,8 @@ impl Default for AnimState {
             lambda_angle: 0.0,
             zoom: false,
             zoom_speed: 0.5,
+            kind_morph: true,
+            kind_morph_duration: 1.5,
             camera_progress: 0.,
             camera_state: 0.,
         }
@@ -309,6 +346,8 @@ pub struct FractalApp {
     help_open: bool,
     /// Time-based animation of colours / Julia c / Phoenix p / zoom.
     anim: AnimState,
+    /// Kind-switch morph in progress, if any.
+    morph: Option<KindMorph>,
 
     /// Smoothed frames-per-second, recomputed each ~0.5 s window. Only advances
     /// while the app is actually repainting (interaction / animation / export);
@@ -327,6 +366,14 @@ pub struct FractalApp {
     ref_center_re: Big,
     ref_center_im: Big,
     ref_half_height: f64,
+    /// Kind and kind-switch morph the current `reference` was computed with.
+    /// The shader iterates with these (not the live kind/morph) so its delta
+    /// formula always matches the orbit, even while the worker lags a frame
+    /// behind — otherwise a kind switch flashes the new kind, unblended, for
+    /// the frame(s) before the morphed reference arrives. `None` until the
+    /// first reference lands.
+    ref_kind: Option<FractalKind>,
+    ref_morph: Option<(FractalKind, f32)>,
     /// Parameters of the most recent reference request (drift baseline / dedupe).
     last_request: Option<RequestKey>,
 
@@ -466,6 +513,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
             info_open: false,
             help_open: false,
             anim: AnimState::default(),
+            morph: None,
             fps: 0.0,
             fps_frames: 0,
             fps_window_start: 0.0,
@@ -474,6 +522,8 @@ impl FractalApp {
             ref_center_re,
             ref_center_im,
             ref_half_height,
+            ref_kind: None,
+            ref_morph: None,
             last_request: None,
             #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
             worker: crate::worker::RefWorker::spawn(),
@@ -667,6 +717,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
         ) {
             self.mode = FractalMode::Mandelbrot;
             self.view = ViewState::with_center(cre, cim, half_height);
+            self.morph = None;
             // Presets carry a hand-tuned count; don't let the auto-scaler clobber it.
             self.auto_iterations = false;
             self.max_iterations = iterations.clamp(32, MAX_REF_POINTS as u32 - 1);
@@ -706,6 +757,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
 
     /// Restore a shared state into this app.
     fn apply_share(&mut self, s: &ShareState) {
+        self.morph = None;
         self.mode = if s.julia {
             FractalMode::Julia
         } else {
@@ -778,6 +830,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
             kind: self.kind,
             power: self.power,
             complex_power: self.complex_power,
+            morph: self.morph.as_ref().map(|m| (m.from, m.weight())),
         }
     }
 
@@ -809,11 +862,17 @@ impl FractalApp {
             || key.kind != self.kind
             || key.power != self.power
             || key.complex_power != self.complex_power
+            || key.morph != self.morph.as_ref().map(|m| (m.from, m.weight()))
         {
             return true;
         }
-        // Lambda in Set mode is a static fractal; don't trigger recompute on center drift.
-        if self.kind == FractalKind::Lambda && matches!(self.mode, FractalMode::Mandelbrot) {
+        // Lambda in Set mode is a static fractal; don't trigger recompute on
+        // center drift. (Not while morphing: the other kind's formula does
+        // depend on the center.)
+        if self.kind == FractalKind::Lambda
+            && matches!(self.mode, FractalMode::Mandelbrot)
+            && self.morph.is_none()
+        {
             // But still recompute on significant zoom changes for precision
             let ratio = self.view.half_height / key.half_height;
             return !(0.5..=2.0).contains(&ratio);
@@ -833,8 +892,18 @@ impl FractalApp {
         [dre, dim]
     }
 
-    fn apply_reference(&mut self, points: Vec<[f32; 2]>, cre: Big, cim: Big, hh: f64) {
+    fn apply_reference(
+        &mut self,
+        points: Vec<[f32; 2]>,
+        cre: Big,
+        cim: Big,
+        hh: f64,
+        kind: FractalKind,
+        morph: Option<(FractalKind, f32)>,
+    ) {
         self.reference = Arc::new(points);
+        self.ref_kind = Some(kind);
+        self.ref_morph = morph;
         self.ref_center_re = cre;
         self.ref_center_im = cim;
         self.ref_half_height = hh;
@@ -865,7 +934,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
             let max_iter = key.iter.min(MAX_REF_POINTS as u32 - 1);
 
             // Lambda in Set mode has a static fractal centered at origin.
-            if key.kind == FractalKind::Lambda && !key.julia {
+            if key.kind == FractalKind::Lambda && !key.julia && key.morph.is_none() {
                 key.center_re = big_from_f64(0.0, precision);
                 key.center_im = big_from_f64(0.0, precision);
             }
@@ -885,6 +954,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
                     phoenix_p: key.phoenix_p,
                     lambda_l: key.lambda_l,
                     complex_power: key.complex_power,
+                    morph: key.morph,
                 });
                 self.pending = true;
             }
@@ -905,6 +975,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
                         key.phoenix_p,
                         key.lambda_l,
                         key.complex_power,
+                        key.morph.map(|(k, w)| (k, w as f64)),
                     )
                 } else {
                     compute_set_reference(
@@ -917,6 +988,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
                         key.phoenix_p,
                         key.lambda_l,
                         key.complex_power,
+                        key.morph.map(|(k, w)| (k, w as f64)),
                     )
                 };
                 self.apply_reference(
@@ -924,6 +996,8 @@ impl FractalApp {
                     key.center_re.clone(),
                     key.center_im.clone(),
                     key.half_height,
+                    key.kind,
+                    key.morph,
                 );
             }
 
@@ -932,7 +1006,14 @@ impl FractalApp {
 
         #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
         if let Some(res) = self.worker.try_take_latest() {
-            self.apply_reference(res.points, res.center_re, res.center_im, res.half_height);
+            self.apply_reference(
+                res.points,
+                res.center_re,
+                res.center_im,
+                res.half_height,
+                res.kind,
+                res.morph,
+            );
             self.pending = false;
         }
     }
@@ -954,7 +1035,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
         let max_iter = key.iter;
 
         // Lambda in Set mode has a static fractal centered at origin.
-        if key.kind == FractalKind::Lambda && !key.julia {
+        if key.kind == FractalKind::Lambda && !key.julia && key.morph.is_none() {
             key.center_re = big_from_f64(0.0, precision);
             key.center_im = big_from_f64(0.0, precision);
         }
@@ -974,6 +1055,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
                 key.phoenix_p,
                 key.lambda_l,
                 key.complex_power,
+                key.morph.map(|(k, w)| (k, w as f64)),
             )
         } else {
             compute_set_reference(
@@ -986,6 +1068,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
                 key.phoenix_p,
                 key.lambda_l,
                 key.complex_power,
+                key.morph.map(|(k, w)| (k, w as f64)),
             )
         };
         self.apply_reference(
@@ -993,6 +1076,8 @@ impl FractalApp {
             key.center_re.clone(),
             key.center_im.clone(),
             key.half_height,
+            key.kind,
+            key.morph,
         );
         self.last_request = Some(key);
     }
@@ -1050,8 +1135,9 @@ impl FractalApp {
             palette_id: self.palette,
             shadow_palette_id: self.shadow_palette,
             aa_level: if self.antialias { 2 } else { 1 },
-            kind: self.kind as u32,
+            kind: self.ref_kind.unwrap_or(self.kind) as u32,
             power: self.power,
+            morph_from: self.ref_morph.map_or(0, |(k, _)| k as u32),
             dc_offset: self.dc_offset(),
             phoenix_p: [self.phoenix_p.0 as f32, self.phoenix_p.1 as f32],
             lambda_l: [self.lambda_l.0 as f32, self.lambda_l.1 as f32],
@@ -1059,6 +1145,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
             de_coloring: (self.de_coloring || mode > 0) as u32,
             rendering_mode: mode,
             camera_direction: self.camera.direction(self.anim.camera_state).to_array(),
+            morph_w: self.ref_morph.map_or(0.0, |(_, w)| w),
             camera_inv_proj: self
                 .camera
                 .orthographic(self.anim.camera_state)
@@ -1067,7 +1154,6 @@ impl FractalApp {
             screen_dim: self.screen_dim,
             light_count: gpu_lights(&self.lights).1,
             cm_coef: complex_binomials(self.complex_power),
-            _pad: [0; _],
             _pad3: [0; _],
         }
     }
@@ -1586,6 +1672,22 @@ impl FractalApp {
         let p = self.anim.camera_progress;
         self.anim.camera_state = p * p * (3.0 - 2.0 * p);
 
+        // Kind-switch morph: advance the per-iteration formula blend, and glide
+        // the camera to the new kind's default view unless the user took over.
+        if let Some(m) = &mut self.morph {
+            m.progress += dt as f32 / self.anim.kind_morph_duration.max(0.05);
+            if m.camera {
+                self.view = interpolate_view(&m.from_view, &m.to_view, m.eased() as f64);
+            }
+            if m.progress >= 1.0 {
+                if m.camera {
+                    self.view = m.to_view.clone();
+                }
+                self.morph = None;
+            }
+            ui.ctx().request_repaint();
+        }
+
         if !(self.anim.color || self.anim.zoom || julia_on || phoenix_on || lambda_on) {
             return;
         }
@@ -1701,9 +1803,23 @@ impl FractalApp {
             });
         }
         if self.kind != prev_kind {
-            self.view = Self::default_view_for(self.mode, self.kind);
+            let to_view = Self::default_view_for(self.mode, self.kind);
+            // Buddhabrot has its own pipeline without the blended formula, so
+            // it keeps the instant switch.
+            self.morph =
+                (self.anim.kind_morph && self.mode != FractalMode::Buddhabrot).then(|| KindMorph {
+                    from: prev_kind,
+                    progress: 0.0,
+                    from_view: self.view.clone(),
+                    to_view: to_view.clone(),
+                    camera: true,
+                });
+            if self.morph.is_none() {
+                self.view = to_view;
+            }
         }
 
+        let prev_mode = self.mode;
         ui.horizontal(|ui| {
             ui.radio_value(&mut self.mode, FractalMode::Mandelbrot, "Set");
             ui.radio_value(&mut self.mode, FractalMode::Julia, "Julia");
@@ -1714,6 +1830,9 @@ impl FractalApp {
                  progressively sharpens while the view stays still.",
                 );
         });
+        if self.mode != prev_mode {
+            self.morph = None;
+        }
 
         if self.mode == FractalMode::Buddhabrot {
             self.buddhabrot_ui(ui);
@@ -1722,6 +1841,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
             ui.add_space(4.);
             if ui.button("Reset view").clicked() {
                 self.view = Self::default_view_for(self.mode, self.kind);
+                self.morph = None;
             }
             ui.add_space(8.0);
             ui.small("Drag to pan · scroll to zoom toward the cursor");
@@ -1880,6 +2000,19 @@ impl FractalApp {
                 );
             }
 
+            ui.checkbox(&mut self.anim.kind_morph, "Morph kind switch")
+                .on_hover_text(
+                    "When picking another fractal, blend the old and new formulas \
+                     at every iteration step and glide to the new default view.",
+                );
+            if self.anim.kind_morph {
+                ui.add(
+                    egui::Slider::new(&mut self.anim.kind_morph_duration, 0.2..=10.0)
+                        .text("morph s")
+                        .logarithmic(true),
+                );
+            }
+
             // Julia c only affects Julia mode; Phoenix p only the Phoenix kind.
             if self.mode == FractalMode::Julia {
                 if ui.checkbox(&mut self.anim.julia, "Morph c").changed() && self.anim.julia {
@@ -2064,6 +2197,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
         ui.add_space(4.);
         if ui.button("Reset view").clicked() {
             self.view = Self::default_view_for(self.mode, self.kind);
+            self.morph = None;
         }
         ui.add_space(8.0);
         ui.small("Drag to pan · scroll to zoom toward the cursor");
@@ -2302,6 +2436,7 @@ impl FractalApp {
 
             if ui.input(|i| i.key_pressed(egui::Key::R)) {
                 self.view = Self::default_view_for(self.mode, self.kind);
+                self.morph = None;
                 self.camera = Camera::new();
                 interacted = true;
             }
@@ -2379,6 +2514,11 @@ impl FractalApp {
         let now = ui.input(|i| i.time);
         if interacted {
             self.last_interact_time = now;
+            // The user is steering the camera: stop the kind-switch morph from
+            // overriding it (the formula blend itself carries on).
+            if let Some(m) = &mut self.morph {
+                m.camera = false;
+            }
         }
         let interacting = now - self.last_interact_time < INTERACT_SETTLE;
         if interacting {
@@ -2404,8 +2544,12 @@ impl FractalApp {
         self.screen_dim = [rect.width(), rect.height()];
         self.camera.set_aspect_ratio(aspect as f32);
         let mut uniforms = self.make_uniforms(aspect);
-        if interacting {
-            uniforms.aa_level = 1; // supersampling is wasted on the low-res pass
+        // Supersampling is wasted on the low-res pass, and on a kind-switch
+        // morph (every frame re-iterates, and the blend moves on next frame).
+        // `ref_morph` too: the last morphed reference outlives `morph` by a
+        // frame or so, until the worker delivers the plain one.
+        if interacting || self.morph.is_some() || self.ref_morph.is_some() {
+            uniforms.aa_level = 1;
         }
         ui.painter().add(egui_wgpu::Callback::new_paint_callback(
             rect,

src/fractal/reference.rs

@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@
 //! The `(z0, c)` form serves both set types:
 //! * Mandelbrot-set: `z0 = 0`, `c = view center` (the c-plane point per pixel).
 //! * Julia-set:      `z0 = view center`, `c = fractal constant` (fixed per view).
+//!
+//! While switching fractal kinds, the formula is morphed *per iteration*:
+//! `Z_{n+1} = (1 - w)·f_kind(Z_n) + w·f_from(Z_n)` (see `morph` below). The
+//! map is linear in the two outputs, so the GPU delta is the same blend of
+//! the two kinds' deltas and perturbation/rebasing keep working unchanged.
 
 use super::kind::FractalKind;
 use crate::view::{Big, big_from_f64};
@@ -37,6 +42,9 @@ const F64_MAX_PRECISION: usize = 80;
 /// Compute the reference orbit `Z_0..Z_{len-1}` where `Z_0 = z0` and
 /// `Z_{n+1} = f(Z_n, c)` for the given `kind` (and `power`, for Multibrot), up
 /// to `max_iter` steps at `precision` bits. Each entry is `[re, im]` in f32.
+///
+/// `morph = Some((from, w))` blends in a second kind's formula at every step:
+/// `(1 - w)·f_kind + w·f_from` (used by the kind-switch animation).
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 pub fn compute_reference(
     z0_re: &Big,
@@ -50,20 +58,9 @@ pub fn compute_reference(
     phoenix_p: (f64, f64),
     lambda_l: (f64, f64),
     complex_power: (f64, f64),
+    morph: Option<(FractalKind, f64)>,
 ) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
-    if precision <= F64_MAX_PRECISION {
-        return compute_reference_f64(
-            (z0_re.to_f64().value(), z0_im.to_f64().value()),
-            (c_re.to_f64().value(), c_im.to_f64().value()),
-            max_iter,
-            kind,
-            power,
-            phoenix_p,
-            lambda_l,
-            complex_power,
-        );
-    }
-    compute_reference_big(
+    compute_reference_inner(
         z0_re,
         z0_im,
         c_re,
@@ -75,28 +72,86 @@ pub fn compute_reference(
         phoenix_p,
         lambda_l,
         complex_power,
+        morph,
+        false,
     )
 }
 
-/// [`compute_reference`]'s fast path for shallow views (see
-/// [`F64_MAX_PRECISION`]): the same per-kind formulas in plain `f64`.
+/// [`compute_reference`] plus `set_plane` (see [`StepConsts::set_plane`]):
+/// picks the `f64` fast path or the `FBig` path by precision.
 #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-fn compute_reference_f64(
-    z0: (f64, f64),
-    c: (f64, f64),
+fn compute_reference_inner(
+    z0_re: &Big,
+    z0_im: &Big,
+    c_re: &Big,
+    c_im: &Big,
     max_iter: u32,
+    precision: usize,
     kind: FractalKind,
     power: u32,
     phoenix_p: (f64, f64),
     lambda_l: (f64, f64),
     complex_power: (f64, f64),
+    morph: Option<(FractalKind, f64)>,
+    set_plane: bool,
+) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
+    // A zero-weight morph is just the plain kind; skip the second formula.
+    let morph = morph.filter(|&(_, w)| w != 0.0);
+    if precision <= F64_MAX_PRECISION {
+        let k = StepConstsF64 {
+            c: (c_re.to_f64().value(), c_im.to_f64().value()),
+            p: phoenix_p,
+            l: lambda_l,
+            cpow: complex_power,
+            power,
+            set_plane,
+        };
+        return compute_reference_f64(
+            (z0_re.to_f64().value(), z0_im.to_f64().value()),
+            max_iter,
+            kind,
+            &k,
+            morph,
+        );
+    }
+    let k = StepConsts {
+        cr: c_re.clone().with_precision(precision).value(),
+        ci: c_im.clone().with_precision(precision).value(),
+        pr: big_from_f64(phoenix_p.0, precision),
+        pi: big_from_f64(phoenix_p.1, precision),
+        lr: big_from_f64(lambda_l.0, precision),
+        li: big_from_f64(lambda_l.1, precision),
+        cpow_re: big_from_f64(complex_power.0, precision),
+        cpow_im: big_from_f64(complex_power.1, precision),
+        power,
+        precision,
+        set_plane,
+    };
+    compute_reference_big(z0_re, z0_im, max_iter, kind, &k, morph)
+}
+
+/// `f64` twin of [`StepConsts`].
+struct StepConstsF64 {
+    c: (f64, f64),
+    p: (f64, f64),
+    l: (f64, f64),
+    cpow: (f64, f64),
+    power: u32,
+    set_plane: bool,
+}
+
+/// [`compute_reference`]'s fast path for shallow views (see
+/// [`F64_MAX_PRECISION`]): the same per-kind formulas in plain `f64`.
+fn compute_reference_f64(
+    z0: (f64, f64),
+    max_iter: u32,
+    kind: FractalKind,
+    k: &StepConstsF64,
+    morph: Option<(FractalKind, f64)>,
 ) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
-    let (cr, ci) = c;
     let (mut zr, mut zi) = z0;
     // Previous iterate, for the Phoenix two-term recurrence (Y_{-1} = 0).
-    let (mut zr_prev, mut zi_prev) = (0.0f64, 0.0f64);
-    let (pr, pi) = phoenix_p;
-    let (lr, li) = lambda_l;
+    let mut prev = (0.0f64, 0.0f64);
 
     let mut points: Vec<[f32; 2]> = Vec::with_capacity(max_iter as usize + 1);
     for _ in 0..=max_iter {
@@ -105,13 +160,34 @@ fn compute_reference_f64(
             break;
         }
 
-        let (new_zr, new_zi) = match kind {
+        let (mut new_zr, mut new_zi) = step_f64(kind, k, zr, zi, prev);
+        if let Some((from, w)) = morph {
+            let (br, bi) = step_f64(from, k, zr, zi, prev);
+            new_zr += w * (br - new_zr);
+            new_zi += w * (bi - new_zi);
+        }
+        prev = (zr, zi);
+        (zr, zi) = (new_zr, new_zi);
+    }
+    points
+}
+
+/// `f64` twin of [`step`]: one step `f(Z_n)` of `kind`'s formula.
+fn step_f64(
+    kind: FractalKind,
+    k: &StepConstsF64,
+    zr: f64,
+    zi: f64,
+    prev: (f64, f64),
+) -> (f64, f64) {
+    let (cr, ci) = k.c;
+    match kind {
         FractalKind::Mandelbrot => ((zr + zi) * (zr - zi) + cr, 2.0 * zr * zi + ci),
         FractalKind::BurningShip => (zr * zr - zi * zi + cr, (2.0 * zr * zi).abs() + ci),
         FractalKind::Tricorn => (zr * zr - zi * zi + cr, ci - 2.0 * zr * zi),
         FractalKind::Multibrot => {
             let (mut rr, mut ri) = (1.0f64, 0.0f64);
-                for _ in 0..power.max(2) {
+            for _ in 0..k.power.max(2) {
                 (rr, ri) = (rr * zr - ri * zi, rr * zi + ri * zr);
             }
             (rr + cr, ri + ci)
@@ -119,25 +195,31 @@ fn compute_reference_f64(
         FractalKind::Celtic => ((zr * zr - zi * zi).abs() + cr, 2.0 * zr * zi + ci),
         FractalKind::Perpendicular => (zr * zr - zi * zi + cr, ci - 2.0 * zr * zi.abs()),
         FractalKind::Buffalo => ((zr * zr - zi * zi).abs() + cr, ci - (2.0 * zr * zi).abs()),
-            FractalKind::Phoenix => (
+        FractalKind::Phoenix => {
+            let (pr, pi) = k.p;
+            let (zr_prev, zi_prev) = prev;
+            (
                 zr * zr - zi * zi + cr + (pr * zr_prev - pi * zi_prev),
                 2.0 * zr * zi + ci + (pr * zi_prev + pi * zr_prev),
-            ),
+            )
+        }
         FractalKind::Lambda => {
-                // λ·z(1 - z).
+            // λ·z(1 - z) (+ c on the parameter plane).
+            let (lr, li) = k.l;
             let (re2, im2) = (1.0 - zr, -zi);
             let (lzr, lzi) = (lr * zr - li * zi, lr * zi + li * zr);
-                (lzr * re2 - lzi * im2, re2 * lzi + lzr * im2)
+            let (re, im) = (lzr * re2 - lzi * im2, re2 * lzi + lzr * im2);
+            if k.set_plane {
+                (re + cr, im + ci)
+            } else {
+                (re, im)
+            }
         }
         FractalKind::ComplexMultibrot => {
-                let (pr, pi) = complex_pow_complex_f64(zr, zi, complex_power.0, complex_power.1);
+            let (pr, pi) = complex_pow_complex_f64(zr, zi, k.cpow.0, k.cpow.1);
             (pr + cr, pi + ci)
         }
-        };
-        (zr_prev, zi_prev) = (zr, zi);
-        (zr, zi) = (new_zr, new_zi);
     }
-    points
 }
 
 /// `f64` twin of [`complex_pow_complex`] (principal branch, `0^p = 0`).
@@ -152,38 +234,44 @@ fn complex_pow_complex_f64(zr: f64, zi: f64, pr: f64, pi: f64) -> (f64, f64) {
     (mag * cos_a, mag * sin_a)
 }
 
+/// Everything a single formula step needs besides the orbit state, converted
+/// to `Big` once up front.
+struct StepConsts {
+    cr: Big,
+    ci: Big,
+    /// Phoenix distortion constant `p`.
+    pr: Big,
+    pi: Big,
+    /// Lambda distortion constant `l`.
+    lr: Big,
+    li: Big,
+    /// Complex Multibrot exponent.
+    cpow_re: Big,
+    cpow_im: Big,
+    power: u32,
+    precision: usize,
+    /// Parameter plane: the GPU adds `dc` every step for every kind, so the
+    /// Lambda map (which has no `c` of its own) is `λ·z(1 - z) + c` there.
+    set_plane: bool,
+}
+
 /// [`compute_reference`] at arbitrary precision (`FBig`), for deep views.
-#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
 fn compute_reference_big(
     z0_re: &Big,
     z0_im: &Big,
-    c_re: &Big,
-    c_im: &Big,
     max_iter: u32,
-    precision: usize,
     kind: FractalKind,
-    power: u32,
-    phoenix_p: (f64, f64),
-    lambda_l: (f64, f64),
-    complex_power: (f64, f64),
+    k: &StepConsts,
+    morph: Option<(FractalKind, f64)>,
 ) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
-    let cr = c_re.clone().with_precision(precision).value();
-    let ci = c_im.clone().with_precision(precision).value();
+    let precision = k.precision;
+    let morph = morph.map(|(from, w)| (from, big_from_f64(w, precision)));
 
     let mut zr = z0_re.clone().with_precision(precision).value();
     let mut zi = z0_im.clone().with_precision(precision).value();
     // Previous iterate, for the Phoenix two-term recurrence (Y_{-1} = 0).
     let mut zr_prev = big_zero(precision);
     let mut zi_prev = big_zero(precision);
-    // Phoenix distortion constant `p` (a small fixed complex number).
-    let pr = big_from_f64(phoenix_p.0, precision);
-    let pi = big_from_f64(phoenix_p.1, precision);
-    // Lambda distortion constant `l` (a small fixed complex number).
-    let lr = big_from_f64(lambda_l.0, precision);
-    let li = big_from_f64(lambda_l.1, precision);
-    // Complex Multibrot exponent (a fixed complex number).
-    let cpow_re = big_from_f64(complex_power.0, precision);
-    let cpow_im = big_from_f64(complex_power.1, precision);
 
     let mut points: Vec<[f32; 2]> = Vec::with_capacity(max_iter as usize + 1);
 
@@ -197,73 +285,13 @@ fn compute_reference_big(
             break;
         }
 
-        let (new_zr, new_zi) = match kind {
-            FractalKind::Mandelbrot => {
-                // Z^2 = (zr^2 - zi^2) + (2 zr zi) i, with zr^2 - zi^2 as
-                // (zr + zi)(zr - zi): one multiply instead of two squares.
-                let re = (&zr + &zi) * (&zr - &zi) + &cr;
-                let im = ((&zr * &zi) << 1) + &ci; // << 1 is exact ×2 in base 2
-                (re, im)
+        let (mut new_zr, mut new_zi) = step(kind, k, &zr, &zi, &zr_prev, &zi_prev);
+        if let Some((from, w)) = &morph {
+            // (1 - w)·a + w·b = a + w·(b - a).
+            let (br, bi) = step(*from, k, &zr, &zi, &zr_prev, &zi_prev);
+            new_zr = &new_zr + &(w * &(br - &new_zr));
+            new_zi = &new_zi + &(w * &(bi - &new_zi));
         }
-            FractalKind::BurningShip => {
-                // (|zr| + i|zi|)^2 = (zr^2 - zi^2) + 2|zr zi| i.
-                let re = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr() + &cr;
-                let im = big_abs((&zr * &zi) << 1) + &ci;
-                (re, im)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Tricorn => {
-                // conj(z)^2 = (zr^2 - zi^2) - 2 zr zi i.
-                let re = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr() + &cr;
-                let im = &ci - ((&zr * &zi) << 1);
-                (re, im)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Multibrot => {
-                let (pr, pi) = complex_pow(&zr, &zi, power.max(2), precision);
-                (pr + &cr, pi + &ci)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Celtic => {
-                // |Re(z^2)| + i·Im(z^2): abs the real output of the square.
-                let re = big_abs(&zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr()) + &cr;
-                let im = ((&zr * &zi) << 1) + &ci;
-                (re, im)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Perpendicular => {
-                // (x^2 - y^2) - 2·x·|y| i: abs the imaginary input.
-                let re = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr() + &cr;
-                let im = if zi.to_f64().value() < 0.0 {
-                    &ci + ((&zr * &zi) << 1)
-                } else {
-                    &ci - ((&zr * &zi) << 1)
-                };
-                (re, im)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Buffalo => {
-                // |Re(z^2)| - |Im(z^2)| i: abs both outputs.
-                let re = big_abs(&zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr()) + &cr;
-                let im = &ci - big_abs((&zr * &zi) << 1);
-                (re, im)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Phoenix => {
-                // z^2 + c + p·z_{n-1}.
-                let re2 = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr();
-                let im2 = (&zr * &zi) << 1;
-                let pzr = &pr * &zr_prev - &pi * &zi_prev;
-                let pzi = &pr * &zi_prev + &pi * &zr_prev;
-                (re2 + &cr + pzr, im2 + &ci + pzi)
-            }
-            FractalKind::Lambda => {
-                // λ·z(1 - z): logistic map.
-                let re2 = 1 - &zr;
-                let im2 = -&zi;
-                let lzr = &lr * &zr - &li * &zi;
-                let lzi = &lr * &zi + &li * &zr;
-                (&lzr * &re2 - &lzi * &im2, re2 * lzi + lzr * im2)
-            }
-            FractalKind::ComplexMultibrot => {
-                let (pr, pi) = complex_pow_complex(&zr, &zi, &cpow_re, &cpow_im, precision);
-                (pr + &cr, pi + &ci)
-            }
-        };
 
         // Shift the previous iterate (only the Phoenix arm reads it).
         zr_prev = zr;
@@ -275,6 +303,92 @@ fn compute_reference_big(
     points
 }
 
+/// One step `f(Z_n)` of `kind`'s formula (including its `+ c`), given the
+/// current and previous iterate.
+fn step(
+    kind: FractalKind,
+    k: &StepConsts,
+    zr: &Big,
+    zi: &Big,
+    zr_prev: &Big,
+    zi_prev: &Big,
+) -> (Big, Big) {
+    let (cr, ci) = (&k.cr, &k.ci);
+    match kind {
+        FractalKind::Mandelbrot => {
+            // Z^2 = (zr^2 - zi^2) + (2 zr zi) i, with zr^2 - zi^2 as
+            // (zr + zi)(zr - zi): one multiply instead of two squares.
+            let re = (zr + zi) * (zr - zi) + cr;
+            let im = ((zr * zi) << 1) + ci; // << 1 is exact ×2 in base 2
+            (re, im)
+        }
+        FractalKind::BurningShip => {
+            // (|zr| + i|zi|)^2 = (zr^2 - zi^2) + 2|zr zi| i.
+            let re = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr() + cr;
+            let im = big_abs((zr * zi) << 1) + ci;
+            (re, im)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Tricorn => {
+            // conj(z)^2 = (zr^2 - zi^2) - 2 zr zi i.
+            let re = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr() + cr;
+            let im = ci - ((zr * zi) << 1);
+            (re, im)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Multibrot => {
+            let (pr, pi) = complex_pow(zr, zi, k.power.max(2), k.precision);
+            (pr + cr, pi + ci)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Celtic => {
+            // |Re(z^2)| + i·Im(z^2): abs the real output of the square.
+            let re = big_abs(&zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr()) + cr;
+            let im = ((zr * zi) << 1) + ci;
+            (re, im)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Perpendicular => {
+            // (x^2 - y^2) - 2·x·|y| i: abs the imaginary input.
+            let re = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr() + cr;
+            let im = if zi.to_f64().value() < 0.0 {
+                ci + ((zr * zi) << 1)
+            } else {
+                ci - ((zr * zi) << 1)
+            };
+            (re, im)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Buffalo => {
+            // |Re(z^2)| - |Im(z^2)| i: abs both outputs.
+            let re = big_abs(&zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr()) + cr;
+            let im = ci - big_abs((zr * zi) << 1);
+            (re, im)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Phoenix => {
+            // z^2 + c + p·z_{n-1}.
+            let re2 = &zr.sqr() - &zi.sqr();
+            let im2 = (zr * zi) << 1;
+            let pzr = &k.pr * zr_prev - &k.pi * zi_prev;
+            let pzi = &k.pr * zi_prev + &k.pi * zr_prev;
+            (re2 + cr + pzr, im2 + ci + pzi)
+        }
+        FractalKind::Lambda => {
+            // λ·z(1 - z): logistic map (+ c on the parameter plane).
+            let re2 = 1 - zr;
+            let im2 = -zi;
+            let lzr = &k.lr * zr - &k.li * zi;
+            let lzi = &k.lr * zi + &k.li * zr;
+            let re = &lzr * &re2 - &lzi * &im2;
+            let im = re2 * lzi + lzr * im2;
+            if k.set_plane {
+                (re + cr, im + ci)
+            } else {
+                (re, im)
+            }
+        }
+        FractalKind::ComplexMultibrot => {
+            let (pr, pi) = complex_pow_complex(zr, zi, &k.cpow_re, &k.cpow_im, k.precision);
+            (pr + cr, pi + ci)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn big_zero(precision: usize) -> Big {
     Big::from(0i32).with_precision(precision).value()
 }
@@ -338,9 +452,10 @@ pub fn compute_set_reference(
     phoenix_p: (f64, f64),
     lambda_l: (f64, f64),
     complex_power: (f64, f64),
+    morph: Option<(FractalKind, f64)>,
 ) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
     let zero = big_zero(precision);
-    compute_reference(
+    compute_reference_inner(
         &zero,
         &zero,
         center_re,
@@ -352,6 +467,8 @@ pub fn compute_set_reference(
         phoenix_p,
         lambda_l,
         complex_power,
+        morph,
+        true,
     )
 }
 
@@ -375,6 +492,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         // Independent naive f64 orbit.
@@ -401,13 +519,15 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     /// The f64 fast path (shallow views) must produce the same orbit as the
-    /// arbitrary-precision path, for every kind, in both planes.
+    /// arbitrary-precision path, for every kind, in both planes, with and
+    /// without a kind-switch morph.
     #[test]
     fn f64_fast_path_matches_big() {
         let bits_fast = F64_MAX_PRECISION;
         let bits_big = F64_MAX_PRECISION + 64;
         for kind in FractalKind::ALL {
             for julia in [false, true] {
+                for morph in [None, Some((FractalKind::Phoenix, 0.3))] {
                     let run = |bits: usize| {
                         let (a, b) = (big_from_f64(-0.3, bits), big_from_f64(0.2, bits));
                         let (jr, ji) = (big_from_f64(-0.4, bits), big_from_f64(0.55, bits));
@@ -415,28 +535,31 @@ mod tests {
                         if julia {
                             compute_reference(
                                 &a, &b, &jr, &ji, args.0, args.1, args.2, args.3, args.4, args.5,
-                            args.6,
+                                args.6, morph,
                             )
                         } else {
                             compute_set_reference(
                                 &a, &b, args.0, args.1, args.2, args.3, args.4, args.5, args.6,
+                                morph,
                             )
                         }
                     };
+                    let ctx = format!("{kind:?} julia={julia} morph={morph:?}");
                     let (fast, big) = (run(bits_fast), run(bits_big));
-                assert_eq!(fast.len(), big.len(), "{kind:?} julia={julia}: length");
+                    assert_eq!(fast.len(), big.len(), "{ctx}: length");
                     for (i, (f, b)) in fast.iter().zip(&big).enumerate() {
                         for k in 0..2 {
                             let tol = 1e-5 * (1.0 + b[k].abs());
                             assert!(
                                 (f[k] - b[k]).abs() <= tol,
-                            "{kind:?} julia={julia}: point {i} {f:?} vs {b:?}"
+                                "{ctx}: point {i} {f:?} vs {b:?}"
                             );
                         }
                     }
                 }
             }
         }
+    }
 
     /// A point inside the main cardioid never escapes: full-length orbit.
     #[test]
@@ -453,6 +576,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
         assert_eq!(points.len(), 501, "interior orbit should not escape");
     }
@@ -472,6 +596,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (c_re, c_im) = (-1.75_f64, -0.03_f64);
@@ -502,6 +627,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (c_re, c_im) = (0.3_f64, 0.2_f64);
@@ -538,6 +664,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (mut zr, mut zi) = (0.15_f64, -0.1_f64);
@@ -568,6 +695,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (c_re, c_im) = (-0.6_f64, 0.4_f64);
@@ -599,6 +727,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (c_re, c_im) = (-0.7_f64, -0.2_f64);
@@ -630,6 +759,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (c_re, c_im) = (-1.2_f64, -0.35_f64);
@@ -662,6 +792,7 @@ mod tests {
             p,
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
+            None,
         );
 
         let (c_re, c_im) = (0.5667_f64, 0.0_f64);
@@ -700,6 +831,7 @@ mod tests {
             (0.0, 0.0),
             (0.0, 0.0),
             power,
+            None,
         );
 
         // Naive f64 complex power via z^p = exp(p * ln z), ln z = ln|z| + i*arg(z).
@@ -728,4 +860,72 @@ mod tests {
             zi = nzi;
         }
     }
+
+    fn set_ref(
+        cr: f64,
+        ci: f64,
+        kind: FractalKind,
+        morph: Option<(FractalKind, f64)>,
+    ) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
+        compute_set_reference(
+            &Big::try_from(cr).unwrap(),
+            &Big::try_from(ci).unwrap(),
+            60,
+            200,
+            kind,
+            2,
+            (0.0, 0.0),
+            (0.0, 0.0),
+            (0.0, 0.0),
+            morph,
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Morph weight 0 is the plain kind; weight 1 is entirely the from-kind.
+    #[test]
+    fn morph_endpoints_match_plain_kinds() {
+        let (cr, ci) = (-1.75, -0.03);
+        let ship = set_ref(cr, ci, FractalKind::BurningShip, None);
+        let mandel = set_ref(cr, ci, FractalKind::Mandelbrot, None);
+        let w0 = set_ref(
+            cr,
+            ci,
+            FractalKind::BurningShip,
+            Some((FractalKind::Mandelbrot, 0.0)),
+        );
+        let w1 = set_ref(
+            cr,
+            ci,
+            FractalKind::BurningShip,
+            Some((FractalKind::Mandelbrot, 1.0)),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(w0, ship);
+        assert_eq!(w1, mandel);
+    }
+
+    /// A half-way Mandelbrot / Burning Ship morph matches a naive f64
+    /// iteration of the per-step blend.
+    #[test]
+    fn morph_blend_matches_naive_f64() {
+        let (c_re, c_im) = (-0.6_f64, 0.3_f64);
+        let w = 0.5_f64;
+        let points = set_ref(
+            c_re,
+            c_im,
+            FractalKind::Mandelbrot,
+            Some((FractalKind::BurningShip, w)),
+        );
+
+        let (mut zr, mut zi) = (0.0_f64, 0.0_f64);
+        for point in &points {
+            let tol = 1e-4 * (1.0 + zr.abs().max(zi.abs()));
+            assert!((point[0] as f64 - zr).abs() < tol, "re: {point:?} vs {zr}");
+            assert!((point[1] as f64 - zi).abs() < tol, "im: {point:?} vs {zi}");
+            let re = zr * zr - zi * zi + c_re; // identical for both kinds
+            let im_m = 2.0 * zr * zi + c_im;
+            let im_b = 2.0 * (zr * zi).abs() + c_im;
+            zr = re;
+            zi = (1.0 - w) * im_m + w * im_b;
+        }
+    }
 }

src/fractal/renderer.rs

@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ fn geom_differs(a: &Uniforms, b: &Uniforms) -> bool {
         || a.dc_offset != b.dc_offset
         || a.phoenix_p != b.phoenix_p
         || a.lambda_l != b.lambda_l
+        || a.morph_from != b.morph_from
+        || a.morph_w != b.morph_w
         || a.de_coloring != b.de_coloring
         // The iterate pass's DE clamp (`max_de`) depends on whether any
         // shadow-style mode is on.
@@ -72,6 +74,8 @@ pub struct PipelineKey {
     kind: u32,
     julia: bool,
     de: bool,
+    /// A kind-switch morph is in progress (`morph_w > 0`).
+    morph: bool,
 }
 
 impl PipelineKey {
@@ -80,14 +84,16 @@ impl PipelineKey {
             kind: u.kind,
             julia: u.is_julia != 0,
             de: u.de_coloring != 0,
+            morph: u.morph_w > 0.0,
         }
     }
 
-    fn constants(&self) -> [(&'static str, f64); 3] {
+    fn constants(&self) -> [(&'static str, f64); 4] {
         [
             ("KIND", self.kind as f64),
             ("IS_JULIA", self.julia as u32 as f64),
             ("DE", self.de as u32 as f64),
+            ("MORPH", self.morph as u32 as f64),
         ]
     }
 }
@@ -166,7 +172,9 @@ pub struct Uniforms {
     pub kind: u32,
     /// Exponent for the Multibrot kind.
     pub power: u32,
-    pub _pad: [u32; 1],
+    /// Kind-switch morph: the kind being blended *from* (a `FractalKind`
+    /// discriminant); only read when `morph_w > 0`.
+    pub morph_from: u32,
     /// Complex offset of the view center from the reference center, so a stale
     /// or reused reference (computed at a slightly different center) still maps
     /// correctly. Added to every pixel's per-pixel offset.
@@ -194,7 +202,11 @@ pub struct Uniforms {
     pub camera_inv_proj: [f32; 16],
     /// Screen dimension
     pub screen_dim: [f32; 2],
-    pub _pad3: [u32; 2],
+    /// Kind-switch morph weight: each step is `(1 - w)·f_kind + w·f_from`.
+    /// 0 = no morph (and the iteration pipeline is then specialized without
+    /// the morph path, see [`PipelineKey`]).
+    pub morph_w: f32,
+    pub _pad3: [u32; 1],
     /// Complex binomial coefficients `C(complex_power, k)`, k = 1..16, two per
     /// row (odd k in `[0..2]`, even k in `[2..4]`), for the Complex Multibrot
     /// delta series. Derived from `complex_power` alone.

src/shaders/iterate_uniforms.wgsl

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ struct Uniforms {
     kind: u32,
     // Exponent for the Multibrot kind.
     power: u32,
+    // Kind-switch morph: the kind blended *from* (see morph_w).
+    morph_from: u32,
     dc_offset: vec2<f32>,
     // Distortion constant p for the Phoenix map (z^2 + c + p*z_{n-1}); unused
     // by other kinds. Placed by dc_offset so both vec2s stay 8-byte aligned.
@@ -43,6 +45,9 @@ struct Uniforms {
     camera_inv_proj: mat4x4<f32>,
     // Screen dimensions
     screen_dim: vec2<f32>,
+    // Kind-switch morph weight: each step is (1 - w)*f_kind + w*f_morph_from;
+    // 0 = no morph. Only read by MORPH pipelines (see mandelbrot.wgsl).
+    morph_w: f32,
     // Complex binomial coefficients C(complex_power, k) for k = 1..16, two per
     // vec4 (k odd in .xy, k even in .zw), for the Complex Multibrot delta
     // series. Precomputed on the CPU since they only depend on the power.

src/shaders/mandelbrot.wgsl

@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
 override KIND: u32 = 0u;
 override IS_JULIA: bool = false;
 override DE: bool = false;
+// A kind-switch morph is in progress (`u.morph_w > 0`): each step blends in a
+// second kind, `u.morph_from`. That one is a runtime value (it only lives for
+// the length of the animation), so only MORPH pipelines pay for its branches.
+override MORPH: bool = false;
 
 struct VsOut {
     @builtin(position) pos: vec4<f32>,
@@ -137,11 +141,11 @@ fn complex_multibrot_delta(z: vec2<f32>, e: vec2<f32>, p: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32
     return cpow(z + e, p) - cpow(z, p);
 }
 
-// One perturbation step of the current fractal's delta: e -> f(Z+e) - f(Z),
-// where `z` is the reference orbit value X_m. `step_add` (dc) is added by the
-// caller. Must match `FractalKind` on the CPU side.
-fn advance_delta(z: vec2<f32>, e: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
-    if KIND == KIND_BURNING_SHIP {
+// One perturbation step of `kind`'s delta: e -> f(Z+e) - f(Z), where `z` is
+// the reference orbit value X_m. `step_add` (dc) is added by the caller. Must
+// match `FractalKind` on the CPU side.
+fn advance_delta_kind(kind: u32, z: vec2<f32>, e: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
+    if kind == KIND_BURNING_SHIP {
         // (|x| + i|y|)^2 has real part x^2 - y^2 (an ordinary square delta) and
         // imaginary part 2|x y|. The imaginary delta is 2(|x y| - |X Y|); diffabs
         // computes it exactly, even where the product x y changes sign — which the
@@ -150,34 +154,34 @@ fn advance_delta(z: vec2<f32>, e: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
         let base = 2.0 * cmul(z, e) + cmul(e, e);
         let dp = z.x * e.y + z.y * e.x + e.x * e.y;
         return vec2<f32>(base.x, 2.0 * diffabs(z.x * z.y, dp));
-    } else if KIND == KIND_TRICORN {
+    } else if kind == KIND_TRICORN {
         let cz = conj(z);
         let ce = conj(e);
         return 2.0 * cmul(cz, ce) + cmul(ce, ce);
-    } else if KIND == KIND_MULTIBROT {
+    } else if kind == KIND_MULTIBROT {
         return multibrot_delta(z, e, clamp(u.power, 2u, 8u));
-    } else if KIND == KIND_CELTIC {
+    } else if kind == KIND_CELTIC {
         // z^2 delta split: sq.x = delta of Re(z^2), sq.y = delta of Im(z^2).
         // Celtic abs the real output, so |Re(z^2)| delta = diffabs(Re(Z^2), sq.x).
         let sq = 2.0 * cmul(z, e) + cmul(e, e);
         return vec2<f32>(diffabs(z.x * z.x - z.y * z.y, sq.x), sq.y);
-    } else if KIND == KIND_BUFFALO {
+    } else if kind == KIND_BUFFALO {
         // Abs both outputs: real |Re(z^2)|, imag -|Im(z^2)| (Im(Z^2) = 2 X Y).
         let sq = 2.0 * cmul(z, e) + cmul(e, e);
         return vec2<f32>(diffabs(z.x * z.x - z.y * z.y, sq.x),
                          -diffabs(2.0 * z.x * z.y, sq.y));
-    } else if KIND == KIND_PERPENDICULAR {
+    } else if kind == KIND_PERPENDICULAR {
         // real x^2 - y^2 (ordinary square delta), imag -2 x |y|.
         // d(-2 x |y|) = -2[ X·(|Y+ey|-|Y|) + ex·|Y+ey| ]; diffabs gives |Y+ey|-|Y|.
         let sq = 2.0 * cmul(z, e) + cmul(e, e);
         let da = diffabs(z.y, e.y);        // |Y + ey| - |Y|
         let abs_yf = abs(z.y) + da;        // |Y + ey|
         return vec2<f32>(sq.x, -2.0 * (z.x * da + e.x * abs_yf));
-    } else if KIND == KIND_LAMBDA {
+    } else if kind == KIND_LAMBDA {
         // Lambda map: z^{n+1} = λ·z·(1-z). Delta: e = λ·e·(1-2z-e).
         let one_minus_2z_minus_e = vec2<f32>(1.0 - 2.0 * z.x - e.x, -2.0 * z.y - e.y);
         return cmul(u.lambda_l, cmul(e, one_minus_2z_minus_e));
-    } else if KIND == KIND_COMPLEX_MULTIBROT {
+    } else if kind == KIND_COMPLEX_MULTIBROT {
         return complex_multibrot_delta(z, e, u.complex_power);
     }
     return 2.0 * cmul(z, e) + cmul(e, e); // Mandelbrot (and Phoenix square part)
@@ -188,24 +192,59 @@ fn advance_delta(z: vec2<f32>, e: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
 // holomorphic kinds (z^2 -> 2Z, z^p -> p Z^{p-1}); for the non-holomorphic
 // Burning Ship / Tricorn we use |f'| ~ |2Z|, which keeps the DE magnitude close
 // enough to de-speckle filaments.
-fn fprime(z: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
-    if KIND == KIND_MULTIBROT {
+fn fprime_kind(kind: u32, z: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
+    if kind == KIND_MULTIBROT {
         let p = clamp(u.power, 2u, 8u);
         var zk = z; // Z^1
         for (var k: u32 = 2u; k < p; k = k + 1u) {
             zk = cmul(zk, z); // -> Z^{p-1}
         }
         return f32(p) * zk;
-    } else if KIND == KIND_LAMBDA {
+    } else if kind == KIND_LAMBDA {
         // Lambda: f'(z) = λ·(1-2z).
         return cmul(u.lambda_l, vec2<f32>(1.0 - 2.0 * z.x, -2.0 * z.y));
-    } else if KIND == KIND_COMPLEX_MULTIBROT {
+    } else if kind == KIND_COMPLEX_MULTIBROT {
         // f'(z) = p * z^(p-1).
         return cmul(u.complex_power, cpow(z, u.complex_power - vec2<f32>(1.0, 0.0)));
     }
     return 2.0 * z;
 }
 
+// Delta step of the current map. While switching kinds (MORPH), the map is
+// blended per iteration, (1 - w)*f_kind + w*f_from; that's linear in the two
+// outputs, so its delta is the same blend of both kinds' deltas (the CPU
+// reference in reference.rs uses the same blend, so rebasing stays exact).
+fn advance_delta(z: vec2<f32>, e: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
+    let d = advance_delta_kind(KIND, z, e);
+    if MORPH {
+        return mix(d, advance_delta_kind(u.morph_from, z, e), u.morph_w);
+    }
+    return d;
+}
+
+// Derivative of the current (possibly morphing) map; blended like
+// `advance_delta`.
+fn fprime(z: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
+    let d = fprime_kind(KIND, z);
+    if MORPH {
+        return mix(d, fprime_kind(u.morph_from, z), u.morph_w);
+    }
+    return d;
+}
+
+// Weight of the Phoenix kind's p*z_{n-1} term in the current map: 1 for plain
+// Phoenix, its morph share while switching to/from Phoenix, else 0.
+fn phoenix_weight() -> f32 {
+    var w = 0.0;
+    if KIND == KIND_PHOENIX {
+        w = select(1.0, 1.0 - u.morph_w, MORPH);
+    }
+    if MORPH && u.morph_from == KIND_PHOENIX {
+        w = w + u.morph_w;
+    }
+    return w;
+}
+
 // Periodicity (interior) detection, Brent-style: the full orbit value is
 // saved at iterations PERIOD_FIRST_CHECK, 2x that, 4x ..., and every later
 // iterate is compared against the last saved one. Returning within
@@ -229,7 +268,8 @@ fn fprime(z: vec2<f32>) -> vec2<f32> {
 // Every kind here except Phoenix is
 // (piecewise) conformal, so |f'| from `fprime` is the exact local scale
 // factor, including the abs-folding kinds, whose folds are isometries.
-// Phoenix's two-term map would need a 2x2 Jacobian, so it's excluded. So is
+// Phoenix's two-term map would need a 2x2 Jacobian, so it's excluded (as
+// is a kind-switch morph, for the same reason). So is
 // Complex Multibrot without DE, where `fprime` would add a second `cpow`
 // (log/atan2/exp) per step for a check that rarely fires on its views.
 const PERIOD_FIRST_CHECK: u32 = 16u;
@@ -240,7 +280,8 @@ const PERIOD_CONFIRMATIONS: u32 = 2u;
 // Whether `iterate_sample` runs periodicity detection for this kind (folds to
 // a constant per pipeline).
 fn periodic_enabled() -> bool {
-    if KIND == KIND_PHOENIX {
+    // A blend of two maps isn't conformal, so |f'| isn't its scale factor.
+    if MORPH || KIND == KIND_PHOENIX {
         return false;
     }
     if KIND == KIND_COMPLEX_MULTIBROT && !DE {
@@ -276,7 +317,7 @@ fn iterate_sample(offset: vec2<f32>, px: f32) -> Sample {
     // orbit itself, since X_1 = X_0^2 + C_ref = C_ref. That's only f32-accurate,
     // so skip the test once a pixel is smaller than that error (deep zoom),
     // where it could misclassify pixels right at the boundary.
-    if KIND == KIND_MANDELBROT && !IS_JULIA && ref_len > 1u && px > 1e-6 {
+    if KIND == KIND_MANDELBROT && !MORPH && !IS_JULIA && ref_len > 1u && px > 1e-6 {
         let c = ref_orbit[1] + offset;
         let xq = c.x - 0.25;
         let q = xq * xq + c.y * c.y;
@@ -308,6 +349,7 @@ fn iterate_sample(offset: vec2<f32>, px: f32) -> Sample {
     // y_{n-1}, and its scaled derivative for DE). Both start at 0 (y_{-1} = 0).
     var e_prev = vec2<f32>(0.0, 0.0);
     var dzs_prev = vec2<f32>(0.0, 0.0);
+    let phoenix_w = phoenix_weight();
 
     var m: u32 = 0u;              // reference index; invariant: y_n = xm + e, xm = X[m]
     var n: u32 = 0u;              // total iteration count
@@ -352,8 +394,8 @@ fn iterate_sample(offset: vec2<f32>, px: f32) -> Sample {
             if !IS_JULIA {
                 dzs_new.x = dzs_new.x + px;
             }
-            if KIND == KIND_PHOENIX {
-                dzs_new = dzs_new + cmul(u.phoenix_p, dzs_prev);
+            if phoenix_w > 0.0 {
+                dzs_new = dzs_new + phoenix_w * cmul(u.phoenix_p, dzs_prev);
                 dzs_prev = dzs;
             }
             dzs = dzs_new;
@@ -364,8 +406,8 @@ fn iterate_sample(offset: vec2<f32>, px: f32) -> Sample {
         let e_old = e;
         let z_old = z;
         e = advance_delta(xm, e) + step_add;
-        if KIND == KIND_PHOENIX {
-            e = e + cmul(u.phoenix_p, e_prev);
+        if phoenix_w > 0.0 {
+            e = e + phoenix_w * cmul(u.phoenix_p, e_prev);
             e_prev = e_old;
         }
         m = m + 1u;
@@ -388,7 +430,7 @@ fn iterate_sample(offset: vec2<f32>, px: f32) -> Sample {
             // full value `z` (and `z2`) is unchanged by the re-expression.
             // Phoenix: after rebasing the implied previous reference is Y[-1]=0,
             // so the previous delta becomes the full previous value y_{n-1}.
-            if KIND == KIND_PHOENIX {
+            if phoenix_w > 0.0 {
                 e_prev = z_old;
             }
             e = z - z0;

src/worker.rs

@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ pub struct RefRequest {
     pub lambda_l: (f64, f64),
     /// Complex exponent for the Complex Multibrot kind (ignored by other kinds).
     pub complex_power: (f64, f64),
+    /// Kind-switch morph: `(from_kind, weight)` blended into every step.
+    pub morph: Option<(FractalKind, f32)>,
 }
 
 pub struct RefResult {
@@ -35,6 +37,10 @@ pub struct RefResult {
     pub center_im: Big,
     pub half_height: f64,
     pub points: Vec<[f32; 2]>,
+    /// The kind and morph `points` was computed with (echoed from the
+    /// request).
+    pub kind: FractalKind,
+    pub morph: Option<(FractalKind, f32)>,
 }
 
 pub struct RefWorker {
@@ -68,6 +74,8 @@ impl RefWorker {
                             center_im: req.center_im,
                             half_height: req.half_height,
                             points,
+                            kind: req.kind,
+                            morph: req.morph,
                         })
                         .is_err()
                     {
@@ -110,6 +118,7 @@ fn compute(req: &RefRequest) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
             req.phoenix_p,
             req.lambda_l,
             req.complex_power,
+            req.morph.map(|(k, w)| (k, w as f64)),
         )
     } else {
         compute_set_reference(
@@ -122,6 +131,7 @@ fn compute(req: &RefRequest) -> Vec<[f32; 2]> {
             req.phoenix_p,
             req.lambda_l,
             req.complex_power,
+            req.morph.map(|(k, w)| (k, w as f64)),
         )
     }
 }

tests/shader_valid.rs

@@ -77,14 +77,20 @@ fn mandelbrot_shader_is_valid() {
 }
 
 /// Every specialization renderer.rs can build (`PipelineKey`: kind × Julia ×
-/// DE), for every fragment entry point.
+/// DE × morph), for every fragment entry point.
 #[test]
 fn mandelbrot_shader_specializations_compile() {
     let (module, info) = validate("mandelbrot.wgsl", MANDELBROT_SRC);
     for kind in 0..kind_count() {
         for julia in [0.0, 1.0] {
             for de in [0.0, 1.0] {
-                let constants = [("KIND", kind as f64), ("IS_JULIA", julia), ("DE", de)];
+                for morph in [0.0, 1.0] {
+                    let constants = [
+                        ("KIND", kind as f64),
+                        ("IS_JULIA", julia),
+                        ("DE", de),
+                        ("MORPH", morph),
+                    ];
                     for entry in ["fs_data", "fs_refine", "fs_color"] {
                         specialize(
                             "mandelbrot.wgsl",
@@ -98,6 +104,7 @@ fn mandelbrot_shader_specializations_compile() {
                 }
             }
         }
+    }
 }
 
 #[test]