Terrain generation using genetic algorithms
Teong Joo Ong, Ryan L. Saunders, John Keyser, John J. Leggett · 2005
We propose a method for applying genetic algorithms to create 3D terrain data sets. Existing procedural algorithms for generation of terrain have several shortcomings. The most popular approach, fractal-based terrain generation, is efficient, but is difficult for a user to control. Other methods tend to require too much user input. In this paper, we provide an alternative method of terrain generation that uses a two-pass genetic algorithm approach to produce a variety of terrain types using only intuitive user inputs. We allow a user to specify a rough sketch of terrain region boundaries, and we refine these boundaries using a genetic algorithm. We then couple this with a database of given terrain data to generate an artificial terrain, which we optimize using a second genetic algorithm.