Board Thread:Suggestions forum/@comment-31421070-20170710102426

I've been thinking (always my first mistake) about terrain generation, and I stumbled accross something I wrote when I got my Software Design Degree back at university. It featured a small phrase: "as with dependent cascade variable structuring..."

This small phrase made me think about terrain generation. I was wondering, is it too much work to implement a sort of cascade generation system into Terrain Gen?

Let me explain a bit. Dependent Cascade Variable Structuring builds up shapes, images and objects randomly with a simple "If, then, now" structure, but in theory with a dramatic variable within every third possibility, which created a large yet subtle difference. In theory, if you somehow incorporated this into Minecraft, then terrain generation would use this dramatic variable to create a landmark; a large ravine, or a cliff off a mountain, or an unusually large tree. I've tried something like it in another game, and I've been thinking about how it would work in Minecraft.

So how would it work? I've postulated and came to the conclusion that the structuring would use the Middle Earth Map, and when you start the world the computer would choose and stick with a random 12 digit number, which works the same way as the seed does. The game would generate the world at a standard elevation; then, it would load gradients according to a series of values, -number: the number of blocks the terrain can sink to the average and +number: the number of blocks the terrain can rise from the average. Then the game would generate Hills and ravines, again according to a value. I'm sure this makes plenty of sense, and would continue on and on. You could add more values in here and there, in a logical order; rockiness of hills, deepens of crevices, sizes of trees, etc.

What do you think about this idea? Do you like? Do you not like it? Do you think we need to change terrain gen, or leave it as it is?

And, Mevans, the decision comes down to you. Can you forsee anything which I can't? Perhaps something flawed, or inoperable, or simply folly?

I'm open to all criticism. Perhaps I could go back to university and get some money for the theory of this structure.

Cheers,

 Person 's Bane Dig a hole, Person  