Incorporação de dados geográficos de altimetria na geração procedural de terrenos com funções de ruído

Abstract

Procedural terrain generation is a widely used application of procedural noise algorithms, especially in the realm of video games. These pseudo-random algorithms enable the creation of realistic terrain with adjustable parameters to produce various features such as lakes, caves, plateaus, plains, rocky mountains and snowy peaks. Depending on the settings, it is possible to create terrains with different scales and granularity. In these applications, the algorithms allow the creation of relatively complex terrain automatically and efficiently, reducing costs in the creation process. However, the characteristics of the generated terrain are usually manually configured by developers, posing a challenge in achieving authentic terrains. This study explores the integration of altitude data into procedural noise generation algorithm, aiming towards conferring topological characteristics of specific regions to the generated terrains. Altitude data were collected from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) that provides altitude vales for the entire Brazilian territory. These data were then used in conjunction with Simplex noise algorithm to generate pseudo-random terrains, biasing the algorithm for producing terrains with topographic characteristics matching the statistical profile of the real location. Experimental results indicate the promising nature of this technique in refining the standard procedural generation of terrains, allowing the observation of features from the desired region in the algorithmically produced terrains.