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[zwd]

Can you generate the entire planet (down to the core) procedurally?

Could this be done, sort of like an onion has layers, you generate layers that have different rules all the way down to the core?

Could underground rivers, lakes (aquifers), lava, caves, mineral runs like gold, etc, be done with some sort of fractal generator overlay?

I do not understand the math involved here, but I have a feeling this could all be done somehow.

[necro]

Of course it could. But at this point of time being nothing like this is work in progress. As far as i know this will be a future feature. Before that the earth has to be finished. And this will take time.

[James]

Wouldn't it use topographic maps for terrain? If not, then I learned them for nothing in school!

[necro]

Topographic maps cannot be used for the whole planet. The resolution wouldnt be fine enough. This maps can be used to create the basic shape of the planet. But for finer details you have to create more noise-generators, which add their height values seperately.

[Timmo]

Topographic maps cannot be used for the whole planet. The resolution wouldnt be fine enough. This maps can be used to create the basic shape of the planet. But for finer details you have to create more noise-generators, which add their height values seperately.

I guess that what you mean by 'topographic maps'. Topo maps are made from vector GIS data which can represent anything, anywhere (as long as you have the data and a suitable coordinate system).

To answer ZWD, yes you can procedurally create planets and there are other pieces of software out there that allow you to do this. As far as I know, these aren't fully 3D (i.e. voxels) though- They only calculate/render the surface.