3/12/2013

Neverending maps by seamlessly stitching maps together!

I've always wanted to create big maps. Stuff that can be used to create whole worlds. Big maps are definitely possible with the "Generated Worlds" (working title) application. Below you'll see an example of four different maps created by the same random seed. The difference in each map is an "offset" factor that determines how final noise is generated. An offset of 0 (default) creates the first image, while an offset of (1 * Map height) creates the second, (2 * Map height) creates the third, and so on. The example below shows the "Height Offset" or Y-Offset. Of course the same is possible horizontally, allowing you to create huge maps consisting of N * N smaller maps.

There are a couple of tasks left before this works flawlessly, and that is to make sure rivers do not start at the edge of maps, - and to make sure texture heightmaps (for example forests) also overlap seamlessly into a large map. Luckily, the little detour into creating starfields has presented a nice elegant solution for the heightmap challenge already (although not shown here).

I think this is pretty cool, and I hope you do too!


First version of Starfields

So, I've been spending the past day or so creating a new theme for starfields. It's still early, but the early result shows some promise. There's more I want to do with this, - to add brighter stars and perhaps a planet or two. Any ideas beyond that? Would be much appreciated.

Anyway, here's an example of the first version of starfields.

Starfield version 1

3/09/2013

Tiny change in priorities

Due to another project I am working on, I have to shift my priorities a tiny bit. I have to squeeze in another theme early on, which is a space background. The base background will be black with scattered interstellar clouds, based on the same noise generation that creates land and water composition currently. Cities will turn into stars (with randomized looks based on the same master seed). It is a shift that pushes some of the other things on the backlog further down, but I think this can be pretty cool as well! Screenshots coming as soon as the theme is "good enough".

The space maps are needed for a (rather simple at this point) game-development project.