Feature Update: Curvy Connectors
It might look simple – to change straight connecting lines to curvy splines – but using standard graphics libraries to draw thousands of Bezier curves will not provide adequate rendering speeds. We had to delve deeply into the GPU shader code and devise quick methods for solving cubic equations to achieve frame rates that are a hundred times faster than those using standard methods. We decided to spend time on the curvy lines and ribbon connectors as we believe that scientists will appreciate the ability to produce publication-quality graphics without engaging external tools. The curves not only enhance visual elegance but also offer a more informative representation.
An additional challenge was implementing the hit test to allow for selecting individual ribbons on mouse-over and scaling up the connected maps with a double-click.
Please note that if you prefer using the straight connectors, you can choose your favorite rendering style via the Settings form.