Scenery generator

{{Short description|Type of software}} {{redirect|Procedurally generated terrain|procedurally-generated levels in video games|Procedural generation#Video games}} {{multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date=October 2013}} {{Cleanup rewrite|date=July 2023}}

}} [[File:Terragen render.jpg|thumb|300px|A landscape created in Terragen]]

A '''scenery generator''' (or '''terrain generator''') is a software used to create landscape images, 3D models, and animations. These programs often use procedural generation to generate the landscapes, or sometimes created and rendered by a 3D artist. These programs are often used in video games or movies. Basic elements of landscapes created by scenery generators include terrain, water, foliage, and clouds. The process for basic random generation uses a diamond square algorithm.

== Common features == Most scenery generators can create basic heightmaps to simulate the variation of elevation in basic terrain. Common techniques include Simplex noise, fractals, or the diamond-square algorithm, which can generate 2-dimensional heightmaps. A version of scenery generator can be very simplistic. Using a diamond-square algorithm with some extra steps involving fractals, an algorithm for random generation of terrain can be made with only 120 lines of code<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mufson |first=Beckett |date=May 21, 2014 |title=Beautifully Simple Code Generates Realistic Terrain With Fractals |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/beatifully-simple-code-generates-realistic-terrain-with-fractals/ |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=VICE |language=en-US}}</ref>. The program in example takes a grid and then divides the grid repeatedly. Each smaller grid is then split into squares and diamonds and the algorithm then makes the randomized terrain for each square and diamond. Most programs for creating landscapes also allow for adjustment and editing of the landscape. For example, World Creator allows for terrain sculpting, which uses a similar brush system as Photoshop, and allows for additional terrain enhancement with its procedural techniques such as erosion, sediments, and more.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thacker |first=Jim |date=November 26, 2025 |title=BiteTheBytes releases World Creator 2025.3 {{!}} CG Channel |url=https://www.cgchannel.com/2025/11/bitethebytes-releases-world-creator-2025-3/ |access-date=2025-12-09 |language=en-US}}</ref> Other tools in the World Creator program include terrain stamping, which allows you to import elevation maps and use them as a base. The programs tend to also allow for additional placement of rocks, trees, etc. These can be done procedurally or by hand depending on the program. Typically the models used for the placement objects are the same as to lessen the amount of work that would be done if the user was to create a multitude of different trees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.world-creator.com/features/#AnythingElse|title=World Creator - A real-time Terrain and Landscape Generator|website=www.world-creator.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-06|archive-date=2019-01-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128065006/https://www.world-creator.com/features/#AnythingElse|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=May 2023}}

The terrain generated the computer does a generation of multifractals then integrates them until finally rendering them onto the screen. These techniques are typically done “on-the-fly” which typically for a 128 × 128 resolution terrain would mean 1.5 seconds on a CPU from the early 1990s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=van Lawick van Pabst |first=Joost |last2=Jense |first2=Hans |date=1996 |editor-last=Chen |editor-first=M. |editor2-last=Townsend |editor2-first=P. |editor3-last=Vince |editor3-first=J. A. |title=Dynamic Terrain Generation Based on Multifractal Techniques |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4471-1011-8_13 |journal=High Performance Computing for Computer Graphics and Visualisation |language=en |location=London |publisher=Springer |page=9 |doi=10.1007/978-1-4471-1011-8_13 |isbn=978-1-4471-1011-8|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Applications== Scenery generators are commonly used in movies, animations, 3D rendering, and video games. For example, Industrial Light & Magic used E-on Vue to create the fictional environments for ''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeMott |first=Rick |date=August 2, 2006 |title=Vue Helps ILM Create Environments for Dead Man's Chest |url=https://www.awn.com/news/vue-helps-ilm-create-environments-dead-mans-chest |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=Animation World Network |language=en}}</ref> In such live-action cases, a 3D model of the generated environment is rendered and blended with live-action footage. Scenery generated by the software may also be used to create completely computer-generated scenes. In the case of animated movies such as ''Kung Fu Panda'', the raw generation is assisted by hand-painting to accentuate subtle details.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} Environmental elements not commonly associated with landscapes, such as ocean waves, have also been handled by the software.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

Scenery generation is used in most 3D based video-games. These typically use either custom or purchased engines that contain their own scenery generators. For some games they tend to use a procedurally generated terrain. These typically use a form of height mapping and use of Perlin noise. This will create a grid that with one point in a 2D coordinate will create the same heightmap as it is pseudorandom, meaning it will result in the same output with the same input. This can then easily be translated into the product 3D image. These can then be changed from the editor tools in most engines if the terrain will be custom built.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} With recent developments neural networks can be built to create or texture the terrain based on previously suggested artwork or heightmap data. These would be generated using algorithms that have been able to identify images and similarities between them. With the info the machine can take other heightmaps and render a very similar looking image to the style image. This can be used to create similar images in example a Studio Ghibli or Van Gogh art-style.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

==Software== {{Unsourced|section|date=May 2023}} [[File:Outerra Anteworld Engine The Middle-Earth DEM Project (12428994215).jpg|thumb|500px|A terrain rendered in Outerra]] Most game engines, whether custom or proprietary, will have terrain generation built in.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

Some terrain generator programs include, Terragen, which can create terrain, water, atmosphere and lighting; L3DT, which provides similar functions to Terragen, and has a 2048 × 2048 resolution limit; and World Creator, which can create terrain, and is fully GPU powered.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} {{-}} ===List of 3D terrain generation software=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Title<ref>{{Cite web | title=Best 3D Terrain Generation Software for 3D Artists • FORRENDER | url=https://forrender.com/best-3d-terrain-generation-software-for-3d-artists/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=forrender.com}}</ref> || License || Developer(s) |- | Gaea || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} || Procedural Worlds |- | World Creator || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} || BiteTheBytes GmbH |- | World Machine<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://80.lv/articles/working-with-world-machine|title=Learning to Work With World Machine|date=August 17, 2017|website=80.lv}}</ref> || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} || World Machine LLC |- | Vue || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} <br> free limited version (Vue Pioneer) || Bentley Systems |- | Terragen || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} <br> free limited version (Terragen 4 Free) || Planetside Software |- | Outerra || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} || Outerra, Inc. |- | Unigine || {{Nonfree|Proprietary}} <br> free for non-commercial use<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://80.lv/articles/unigine-2-11-engine-updates-free-edition|title=UNIGINE 2.11: Engine Updates & Free Edition|date=April 10, 2020|website=80.lv}}</ref> || UNIGINE Company |- | True Terrain 5 || {{Nonfree|Blender paid add-on Plug-in}} || True Terrain<ref>{{Cite web | title=Introducing True-Terrain 5 [$] - BlenderNation | url=https://www.blendernation.com/2024/12/02/introducing-true-terrain-5/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=www.blendernation.com}}</ref> |- | A.N.T.Landscape || {{Open source|Blender add-on Plug-in GNU-GPL V2}} || A.N.T.Landscape <ref>{{Cite web | title=A.N.T.Landscape Version History — Blender Extensions | url=https://extensions.blender.org/add-ons/antlandscape/versions/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=extensions.blender.org}}</ref> |- | BlenderGIS<ref>{{Cite web | title=BlenderGIS Addon - Blender | url=https://blender-addons.org/blendergis-addon/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210142017/https://blender-addons.org/blendergis-addon/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | archive-date=2020-12-10}}</ref> || {{Open source|Blender add-on Plug-in GNU-GPL V3}} || Cedric Lepiller |- | Picogen || {{Open source|GPL, Version 3, or newer}} || Sebastian Mach<ref>{{Cite web | title=picogen.org | url=https://picogen.org/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=picogen.org}}</ref> |- | Infinigen || {{Open source|BSD 3-Clause License}} || Infinigen community<ref>{{Cite web | title=Home {{!}} Infinigen | url=https://infinigen.org/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=infinigen.org}}</ref> |- | Geomorph || {{Open source|GPL (≥ 3)}} || Geomorph community<ref>{{Cite web | title=CRAN: Package geomorph | url=https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=geomorph | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=CRAN.R-project.org}}</ref> |- | Hesiod || {{Open source|MIT License}} || Hesiod Interactive<ref>{{Cite web | title=Welcome to Hesiod - Hesiod Documentation | url=https://hesioddoc.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=hesioddoc.readthedocs.io}}</ref> |- | TerraForge3D || {{Open source|GNU-GPL}} || TerraForge3D community<ref>{{Cite web | title=TerraForge3D | url=https://jaysmito101.github.io/TerraForge3D/ | access-date=2025-06-19 | website=jaysmito101.github.io}}</ref> |- |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Computer graphics Category:Computer art Category:Computer animation