Entire Development Album
Just thought I'd show off my progress on the next update for the Procedural Terrain Generator. Let me know what y'all think! I could also use feedback, as well as suggestions on what should be included. (Check out the old PTG topic here:
http://forum.blockland.us/index.php?topic=227601.0)
One of the options that will remain from the previous version is the ability to set the terrain brick height-snap scale. In this screenshot, the height-snap scale is set to 1 or "full scale", so bricks are placed in
voxel-like fashion.
A generated landscape showing off the new cave system and brick-efficiency script (consists of about 55,000 bricks).
Another, larger landscape consisting of about 210,000 bricks; gaps between the "grass" and "dirt" layer will eventually be filled in with 1x-height bricks and plate bricks.
Example of the new fractal algorithm.
Caves / tunnels now connect with the terrain layer above.
Basically what the new GUI will look like, although this is just temporary. I might also add custom GUI profiles, such as for radio, checkbox and window controls.
Examples of different seed, brick-size and sand-level settings. The first image uses 16x bricks for the terrain, the second uses 4x, and the last, 8x.
If you prefer for bricks to float, perhaps to reduce the brick count, there will be an option for that; a second layer underneath the terrain will be added to prevent issues with visible gaps between bricks and hammering-issues.
I've already made progress with caves (which generate independently of the terrain via two separate noise passes), cliffs, biomes, and other features. I've also included a script that uses subdivisible zones for planting bricks efficiently under the terrain, based on their size. Most of the features from the past version should also be included.
Here's what I'm planning for v3 of PTG:-> Toggleable finite/infinite terrain generation. The infinite terrain option will build and remove chunks around all players within your server, as they explore the landscape (I already tested a prototype for a single player). Other players' bricks will also be saved within chunks before they are removed, which will be saved in .bls format.
-> Preset saving and loading, for easily sharing generated landscapes with others.
-> New, custom-made and much-improved random number generator (based on the
LCG method), noise algorithms (including a fractal algorithm) and seed system. The terrain also doesn't mirror itself on the X and Y axis like it did before.
-> Support for various brick sizes, hopefully various ModTer brick sizes as well. (I might also include options for selecting different brick sizes for certain aspects of the landscape: such as for clouds and boundaries).
-> Brand new GUI, which will be much more user-friendly and have a manual built in. The preview feature should also be improved, allowing you to filter certain layers to be displayed; an elevation preview might also included.
-> Chunk and brick-generation delays to prevent drops in fps, as well as an adaptive function-delay that checks for and waits during lag-spikes before loading new chunks.
-> Greater control over XY and Z scales, section-cuts, and other aspects for caves, clouds, etc.