Date of Award
Spring 2025
Rights
Access is available to all users
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science
Department
Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Abstract
Procedural terrain generation, the algorithmic creation of digital terrain, finds use in multiple types of digital media. As the capabilities of modern computation increase, the ability to create more and more realistic terrains fully procedurally at scale improves. Modern methods of procedural generation have also overlapped with these advances, most notably advances in hardware. To account for this, a survey was done of modern methods for procedural terrain generation. Smooth procedural noise functions are one of the backbones of procedural terrain generation. Perlin noise, value noise, and fractal noise were explored in-depth. These noise functions were also tested for capabilities to be altered in ways that would allow them to generate more realistic terrain without the aid of post-processing. Style transfer stands out as a modern method that strikes a balance between speed and realism. One method of style transfer was re-implemented, and steps were taken to alter the results of the generated heightmaps in ways that would reduce homogeneity of style transfer-generated terrains. Multiple methods for altering these heightmaps, such as scaling certain regions to a lower elevation, or adding terrain features, such as rivers, were explored.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Barton, Hunter, "Procedural terrain generation: noise functions, modern methods, and style transfer" (2025). EWU Masters Thesis Collection. 955.
https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/955
Included in
Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces Commons, Other Computer Sciences Commons, Software Engineering Commons
