Alternative Title

Procedural Terrain Editor

Subject Area

Computer Science

Abstract

This thesis introduces a procedural terrain generation tool, inspired by immersive game environments such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Ghost of Tsushima. It combines procedural terrain and biome generation algorithms with dynamic weather transitions, allowing user customization through editing and importing heightmaps and biome maps. The system employs procedural functions like Perlin and fractal noise to generate realistic, varied landscapes and ecosystems, with vegetation distributed according to biome-specific parameters. Terrain mesh creation leverages detailed heightmap information, enhanced by advanced rendering techniques including normal mapping via central difference calculations, mip-mapping, and anisotropic filtering. Additionally, the tool features GPU-based dynamic rain effects and seamless skybox transitions for weather and time-of-day variations. Designed for flexibility and artistic control, this editor facilitates rapid creation and iteration of dynamic terrains for game developers aiming to efficiently build rich, interactive worlds.

Degree Date

Spring 5-17-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.I.T.

Department

Programming

Advisor

Gary Brubaker

Number of Pages

33

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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