Master Filter or Jack of All Trades?

Just wondering... Do people prefer a filter that does a specific thing and only that thing? Or one that provides a wide range of output?

Anyone who's checked out my filters knows they are very broad. I may start out with a gradient filter and think, "What if that was more 3D? Let's make it a Surface filter. And what if there were a raindrop option? And flames, I gotta have flames!" You get the picture. Granted, hitting randomize may give less than stellar results sometimes but there's a surprise factor when I'm working with mine that I really enjoy.

Just wondering...
BLUEFROG

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

I like complex stuff, i think if the randomize control values idea gets added all in one filters (loads of options/controls) would be amazing, i do like filters that are designed mainly for one thing though with randomize i think we could then set up filters and one click of the button will generate something completely new each time. I always love randomized programs though because using the random function often allows you to find starting points that you may never have thought of and makes things more unique in some respects

i'm probably the biggest proponent of the BIG filters with lots of controls, but it's also quite true that many filters just dont need them. a lot of the texture type filters are aimed at one specific look with a bit of variation and i think that's good. but i also like having a 'texture generator', which is aimed at a broader, almost experimental type purpose. and that's really what it comes down to, purpose.

my purpose is more photo art, with a broad range of choices and options and 'i wonder what this would do?' type of work. texture makers are looking for a particular 'face' for their renders. they know what they want before they start: 'let's see, i need a metal looking wall for my game engine'. so, the whole purpose is a bit different. both are valid, a single texture and a wide range of looks. vladimir has been quite gracious in allowing for this, even though his personal choice is more the simple, one specific look type. FF is a VERY powerful engine and i think he's made the right choices in allowing to tap that engine for everyone's tastes.

and i'll also admit that where i push for more is better, i do also find myself at times deleting controls or components as being somewhat unnecessary to a given filter, especially when the control interface window is getting cluttered or i'm seeing no appreciable gain in the extra controls. but i've also gone back to filters made when we had the 10 control limit and broadened a number of these.

so, it really boils down to purpose first and workability second. i made one bloated hog of a filter with so many controls that even i couldnt really use it very well and, that same filter produced mostly unusable effects; it was just too many controls that were overriding each other's effects, and that's just not very workable.

Craig