Procedural terrain generation
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:38 am
I'm looking to build maps for PLSM2 in the "laziest" way possible (i.e. procedurally). I plan to use some sort for fractal terrain generation for each page, which is then brushed/stitched together to the adjecent pages - or something like that.
The idea is to create an expansive, high-resolution set of heightmaps based off of lower detail ones. The "main"/high-level image should be RGB, with varying combinations of color indicating the *type* of terrain in that page. (Steppe, Desert, Plains, Forest, Mountains, Hills, etc.) The alpha value determines the overall/average altitude of that page/area. (To allow for oceans and such.)
The game this is being used for is somewhat of a (but not really) a flight-simulator. I hope to be using the listener to add-in (VERY large) cities/buildings.
My question is: Are there already implementations of terrain generators that can produce generic terrain heightmaps using just a few variables as a guide? (I plan to pre-process every bit of data that I possibly can. Including PVS.) I've seen lots of "by hand" editors, and those are great. But I need an entire planet's worth of heightmaps! Are there tutorials on how to manipulate reams of heightfield data?
The idea is to create an expansive, high-resolution set of heightmaps based off of lower detail ones. The "main"/high-level image should be RGB, with varying combinations of color indicating the *type* of terrain in that page. (Steppe, Desert, Plains, Forest, Mountains, Hills, etc.) The alpha value determines the overall/average altitude of that page/area. (To allow for oceans and such.)
The game this is being used for is somewhat of a (but not really) a flight-simulator. I hope to be using the listener to add-in (VERY large) cities/buildings.
My question is: Are there already implementations of terrain generators that can produce generic terrain heightmaps using just a few variables as a guide? (I plan to pre-process every bit of data that I possibly can. Including PVS.) I've seen lots of "by hand" editors, and those are great. But I need an entire planet's worth of heightmaps! Are there tutorials on how to manipulate reams of heightfield data?