In this exploration, we've developed an algorithm that generates infinite, coherent 3D landscapes in real-time using Perlin noise functions and GPU-accelerated shaders. The system dynamically creates terrain features including mountains, rivers, and vegetation patterns that adapt to viewer position and camera orientation.
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Technical Breakthroughs
Hierarchical LOD (Level of Detail) system that scales detail based on viewer distance
Fractal noise blending for seamless transitions between terrain types
GPU-accelerated heightmap generation using WebGL compute shaders
// Real-time heightmap function
float getHeight(vec2 pos) {
float base = noise3D(pos * 0.1) * 30.0;
base += noise3D(pos * 0.2) * 15.0;
base += noise3D(pos * 0.4) * 7.5;
return base;
}
// Vegetation density algorithm
float getVegetation(vec2 pos, float height) {
float h = height / 100.0;
return smoothstep(0.3, 0.5, h) * (1.0 - smoothstep(0.7, 0.85, h));
}