RE: [Algorithms] Current state of Terrain Generation

[Pallister, K. <kim...@in...>]

Yep, it was slow alright! The code was spaghetti-like enough as it was
without adding SSE optimizations, cLOD terrain, etc. This was just =
brute
force to get the procedural generation idea implemented.
=20
Also, 7 render-to-texture passes per frame for the clouds was a bit of =
a hit
too. And the procedural trees are a lot of geometry.
=20
Hmm... seem to have run out of excuses :-)
=20
K
=20

-----Original Message-----
From: Mikael AKA "AtriaLenkki" Leivisk=E4 =
[mailto:ma...@pl...]=20
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 11:16 PM
To: gda...@li...
Subject: Re: [Algorithms] Current state of Terrain Generation


I found the demo, here it is
http://cedar.intel.com/software/idap/media/zip/procworldsrc.zip
<http://cedar.intel.com/software/idap/media/zip/procworldsrc.zip>=20
=20
damn it was buried allright...
Nice result, tho it was slow and lowpoly, must probably be intels =
fault, not
the tech.
some smaller steping and a roam/cLOD what ever type optimization might =
be on
its place.
=20
and some filtering might be needed... depending on resolution

----- Original Message -----=20
From: Pallister, Kim <mailto:kim...@in...> =20
To: 'gda...@li...'
<mailto:'gda...@li...'> =20
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 6:18 PM
Subject: RE: [Algorithms] Current state of Terrain Generation

A really easy way we found to vary the "rolling ice cream hills" was to =
feed
the noise function into a power function:
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Amplitude * Pow(Noise,Exp) + offset
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Noise gives you, well, noise
=20
Amplitude gives max/min altitude
=20
Offset lets you lower the whole thing.
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Now, assuming your Noise is from -1 to 1, then using exponents >1 will =
turn
your "ice cream" into cliffs and canyons, exponents <1 will turn the =
ice
cream into valleys with occasional peaks.
=20
For more origniality, you can generate the amplitude, exponents and =
offsets
all with separate noise functions. These should have larger =
'wavelengths'
than the noise function used for terrain itself. That way, you can have =
an
area of cliffs and canyons that slowly tapers off to a prairie, and
eventually comes to mountains, etc.
=20
There's a (somewhat dated) demo and some pictures of this up at:
=20
http://cedar.intel.com/cgi-bin/ids.dll/content/content.jsp?cntKey=3DGene=
ric+Ed
itorial%3a%3aprocedural3d_2
<http://cedar.intel.com/cgi-bin/ids.dll/content/content.jsp?cntKey=3DGen=
eric+E
ditorial%3a%3aprocedural3d_2&cntType=3DIDS_EDITORIAL&catCode=3DCLH&path=3D=
3>
&cntType=3DIDS_EDITORIAL&catCode=3DCLH&path=3D3
=20
if that convoluted URL doesn't work, go to  www.intel.com/ids
<http://www.intel.com/ids>  then go to industry segments --> games -->
development resources --> games and select "procedural content =
generation
part 2" (I know, buried content, sigh)
=20
Kim
=20
=20
=20

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Brodie [mailto:Chr...@ma...]=20
Sent: Sunday, January 05, 2003 6:27 PM
To: 'gda...@li...'
Subject: [Algorithms] Current state of Terrain Generation



I'm an independent developer. In the past I thought about using =
heightfields
to define my terrains as they are flexible enough to allow me to modify =
the
terrain to place roads \ bases etc, however my game will need to be
downloaded to be played and I don't see the large detailed environments =
I
envisage to be able to be supported by a minimal download over the
internet(especially if the user just wants to try the game out).

So, I turn to terrain generation. I read a few Gems I articles and =
looked
around the net a little and found that :=20

-all the generated terrains I find look like melted ice-cream. Rolling =
hills
are nice for a while but I'm looking for cliffs canyons and valleys, =
with
terrain interesting enough to allow players to use it for hiding \ =
dodging
(Think Battlezone style of play)

-If my terrains are large enough I might not be able to store the verts =
in
memory. I don't see many cases of paging + terrain generation.

-Will my solution lie in the middle. Perhaps a pre-process that runs on
install of the app and generates heighmaps on the destination PC?

Advice appreciated...=20

Chris=20



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