Procedural Terrain Generator v3 [Working on v3.1]

[hodot]

Enabling plate capping doesn't do stuff.

nvm

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[Maxxi]

I'm currently generating a 768x768 map for a Freebuild server.
I'm thinking of halting it and using 512 instead, idk.

[hodot]

If I generate terrain with a water level of 130, then clear it, then gen one with a lower terrain Z scale and lower water level, the water LOOKS like it's at the lowered height but the water brick stays after clearing the terrain.

[Maxxi]

At random, I will generate to find a huge cliff on the side a piece of terrain.

Terrain will also sometimes not generate in certain places, shown here:

Both screenshots were made using randomly generated seeds.

[Maxxi]

I found a current workaround to generating water, set the Z offset value low, then use the enviromental settings to raise water upward
nvm, there is an option for it

[Maxxi]

New bug found:
Upon restarting your server, you will find that you will get this message constantly

There has to be a setting where you can destroy bricks, and reload bricks via the save menu. I found that you cant do this, and if you build a custom build you can't load it.
Terrain generation also gets slower overtime as you generate the chunks, this might be a bug.
Also, upon clearing terrain, if you regenerate the same seed, everything you built is regenerated as well, except for events.
Also, when defining a print for the mod-ter bricks, you still get the computer screen or the vent.

[Xeidious*]

In the finished version would you mind adding a feature to let you disable chunks being deleted when you go out of the creation distance to make more map? (for infinite terrain ofc)

[[GSF]Ghost]

Amazing job, GSF. Even if you never get around to truly finishing this, I still want it.

Thanks, if it does take too long to finish then I might eventually release a more finalized beta, but I do hope to releases it by next month hopefully.

If I generate terrain with a water level of 130, then clear it, then gen one with a lower terrain Z scale and lower water level, the water LOOKS like it's at the lowered height but the water brick stays after clearing the terrain.

At random, I will generate to find a huge cliff on the side a piece of terrain.
- pic -
Terrain will also sometimes not generate in certain places, shown here:
- pic -
Both screenshots were made using randomly generated seeds.

New bug found:
Upon restarting your server, you will find that you will get this message constantly
- pic -
There has to be a setting where you can destroy bricks, and reload bricks via the save menu. I found that you cant do this, and if you build a custom build you can't load it.
Terrain generation also gets slower overtime as you generate the chunks, this might be a bug.
Also, upon clearing terrain, if you regenerate the same seed, everything you built is regenerated as well, except for events.
Also, when defining a print for the mod-ter bricks, you still get the computer screen or the vent.

Okay, thanks guys for reporting these. I'm going to work on fixing these issues and any others that come up for upcoming beta, which will focus on testing the features themselves.

Terrain does get slower over time, but I think it's just due to the generator trying to catch up when too many chunks are preset. You can reduce the max chunk limit under Routines though which should help, but I may add a routine rest period later to prevent that. When clearing and restoring terrain, that's normal, but I should add an option for clearing saves as well. Also, for now make sure you don't close your server without halting the routine first - the generator can't stop in time when a server is shutdown, but that should be fixed for the final release.

In the finished version would you mind adding a feature to let you disable chunks being deleted when you go out of the creation distance to make more map? (for infinite terrain ofc)

There is an option to set chunks to static - which prevents them from being removed, as well as an option to toggle all generated chunks as static. It was meant so that you could generate a grid of terrain that acts like a hub, and have players be able to explore distant terrain then return to that hub. I'm not sure if that's what you meant?


I'm going to work on a video tutorial today that'll help in explaining how to use the GUIs, and will also work on some presets we can try out to see what's causing these issues. Today, let's see if we can pinpoint what's causing red terrain (with the default print texture) to generate, and the bug Dannu experienced where terrain doesn't generate at all.

It seems like it's caused with using default settings, or when making some changes based on defaults, is that right? Does loading up the Clear All preset and then setting up new options help?

Edit: Okay I found out exactly what was going on. When sending settings to the server, it turns out that information for Mountains is not accessed, due to issues with the names for the GUI objects. I'll have this fixed for the beta testing phase, but keeping mountains disable should resolve it for now.

[Maxxi]

Thanks, if it does take too long to finish then I might eventually release a more finalized beta, but I do hope to releases it by next month hopefully.
Okay, thanks guys for reporting these. I'm going to work on fixing these issues and any others that come up for upcoming beta, which will focus on testing the features themselves.

Terrain does get slower over time, but I think it's just due to the generator trying to catch up when too many chunks are preset. You can reduce the max chunk limit under Routines though which should help, but I may add a routine rest period later to prevent that. When clearing and restoring terrain, that's normal, but I should add an option for clearing saves as well. Also, for now make sure you don't close your server without halting the routine first - the generator can't stop in time when a server is shutdown, but that should be fixed for the final release.
There is an option to set chunks to static - which prevents them from being removed, as well as an option to toggle all generated chunks as static. It was meant so that you could generate a grid of terrain that acts like a hub, and have players be able to explore distant terrain then return to that hub. I'm not sure if that's what you meant?


I'm going to work on a video tutorial today that'll help in explaining how to use the GUIs, and will also work on some presets we can try out to see what's causing these issues. Today, let's see if we can pinpoint what's causing red terrain (with the default print texture) to generate, and the bug Dannu experienced where terrain doesn't generate at all.

It seems like it's caused with using default settings, or when making some changes based on defaults, is that right? Does loading up the Clear All preset and then setting up new options help?

Edit: Okay I found out exactly what was going on. When sending settings to the server, it turns out that information for Mountains is not accessed, due to issues with the names for the GUI objects. I'll have this fixed for the beta testing phase, but keeping mountains disable should resolve it for now.

I know this is a bit odd, but if you could, could you possibly add a "Save Terrain" option so that you just load it like you would've loaded bricks? but it wouldn't have to regenerate?
Also, I know im running on a bit here, but is there any possible way to align a build such as ACM City or Beta City 16 into the lowest part of the map? this way there isn't any cliff like structures around it and it gives more of a "valley" theme

[Revolver Ocelot]

I would love to help test, this looks like an awesome way to make large terrain areas without spending a few hours building with terrain blocks.

[[GSF]Ghost]

I know this is a bit odd, but if you could, could you possibly add a "Save Terrain" option so that you just load it like you would've loaded bricks? but it wouldn't have to regenerate?
Also, I know im running on a bit here, but is there any possible way to align a build such as ACM City or Beta City 16 into the lowest part of the map? this way there isn't any cliff like structures around it and it gives more of a "valley" theme

The option of loading saved terrain is actually already included; there are two ways to do this. One is to set the "Chunk Save Method" in the Routines window to "Always Save", and then apply and start the routine to generate a finite grid. The other is to select the Always Save option and enable infinite terrain, which will save all terrain you've explored. Then, selecting the "No Terrain" type in the Setup window should only generate chunks from file, for both infinite and finite landscapes.

As for aligning loaded builds to the lowest parts of terrain, that can be included. I might add an option to toggle between the highest and lowest parts, and will also try to make the area inbetween the terrain and loaded build have more of a gradual falloff.

I would love to help test, this looks like an awesome way to make large terrain areas without spending a few hours building with terrain blocks.

Sure, once the beta is ready I'll send you and the other recent testers the files.


Btw, I'm working on the video tutorial now, it should be up by late tonight or tomorrow. I also think I figured out what caused the issue Dannu had where terrain stops or doesn't generate. Using ModTer bricks might cause that to happen, so that'll be fixed for the beta.

[Maxxi]

The option of loading saved terrain is actually already included; there are two ways to do this. One is to set the "Chunk Save Method" in the Routines window to "Always Save", and then apply and start the routine to generate a finite grid. The other is to select the Always Save option and enable infinite terrain, which will save all terrain you've explored. Then, selecting the "No Terrain" type in the Setup window should only generate chunks from file, for both infinite and finite landscapes.

As for aligning loaded builds to the lowest parts of terrain, that can be included. I might add an option to toggle between the highest and lowest parts, and will also try to make the area inbetween the terrain and loaded build have more of a gradual falloff.
Sure, once the beta is ready I'll send you and the other recent testers the files.


Btw, I'm working on the video tutorial now, it should be up by late tonight or tomorrow. I also think I figured out what caused the issue Dannu had where terrain stops or doesn't generate. Using ModTer bricks might cause that to happen, so that'll be fixed for the beta.

I know but instead of regenerating just add the ability to Save the bricks that the generator created, it would load faster instead of regenerating it over again
Also, where is the option to change whether or not the terrain is static? So I can hammer into it and wand it, for builds and whatnot

[Maxxi]

Reduced noise level to 15 and Z offset to 60 and was generating a desert, this appeared outta nowhere

[[GSF]Ghost]

-pic-
Reduced noise level to 15 and Z offset to 60 and was generating a desert, this appeared outta nowhere

I think that's just a loaded chunk lol. If you don't change the seed, but change various other settings, you'll have chunks like that generate.

I know but instead of regenerating just add the ability to Save the bricks that the generator created, it would load faster instead of regenerating it over again
Also, where is the option to change whether or not the terrain is static? So I can hammer into it and wand it, for builds and whatnot

I don't follow sorry, unless you mean just hiding the bricks within chunks, and then unhiding them?

[Maxxi]

I think that's just a loaded chunk lol. If you don't change the seed, but change various other settings, you'll have chunks like that generate.
I don't follow sorry, unless you mean just hiding the bricks within chunks, and then unhiding them?

I mean for example, like
lets say I load a generated world about 512x512 in size. The amount of bricks is around 60,000 or so.
Instead of regenerating it again, i save it as a .blb file for the "Save Bricks" feature. So when I load it, I don't have to regenerate it again, and it loads faster using Blockland's system.
And to add, there should be an option that says something like "Players can destroy bricks that are generated",  so if I wanted to build on the land, I could hammer some of the terrain, removing it, and build in a spot.
Whenever I save bricks, and load, it shows that the amount of bricks loaded, but they don't appear. I want to be able to load the terrain as a save file, is what I'm talking about