Procedural terrain generation, the algorithmic creation of digital terrain, finds use in multiple types of digital media. As the capabilities of modern computation increase, the ability to create more and more realistic terrains fully procedurally at scale improves. Modern methods of procedural generation have also overlapped with these advances, most notably advances in hardware. To account for this, a survey was done of modern methods for procedural terrain generation. Smooth procedural noise functions are one of the backbones of procedural terrain generation. Perlin noise, value noise, and fractal noise were explored in-depth. These noise functions were also tested for capabilities to be altered in ways that would allow them to generate more realistic terrain without the aid of post-processing. Style transfer stands out as a modern method that strikes a balance between speed and realism. One method of style transfer was re-implemented, and steps were taken to alter the results of the generated heightmaps in ways that would reduce homogeneity of style transfer-generated terrains. Multiple methods for altering these heightmaps, such as scaling certain regions to a lower elevation, or adding terrain features, such as rivers, were explored.
","abstract_html":"<p>Procedural terrain generation, the algorithmic creation of digital terrain, finds use in multiple types of digital media. As the capabilities of modern computation increase, the ability to create more and more realistic terrains fully procedurally at scale improves. Modern methods of procedural generation have also overlapped with these advances, most notably advances in hardware. To account for this, a survey was done of modern methods for procedural terrain generation. Smooth procedural noise functions are one of the backbones of procedural terrain generation. Perlin noise, value noise, and fractal noise were explored in-depth. These noise functions were also tested for capabilities to be altered in ways that would allow them to generate more realistic terrain without the aid of post-processing. Style transfer stands out as a modern method that strikes a balance between speed and realism. One method of style transfer was re-implemented, and steps were taken to alter the results of the generated heightmaps in ways that would reduce homogeneity of style transfer-generated terrains. Multiple methods for altering these heightmaps, such as scaling certain regions to a lower elevation, or adding terrain features, such as rivers, were explored.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Barton, Hunter"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Computer Science and Electrical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2025-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:13:16Z","subjects":["Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces","Other Computer Sciences","Software Engineering"],"languages":[],"rights":["Access is available to all users"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/955","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Barton, Hunter"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Computer Science and Electrical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces","Other Computer Sciences","Software Engineering"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Access is available to all users"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/955"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Procedural terrain generation, the algorithmic creation of digital terrain, finds use in multiple types of digital media. As the capabilities of modern computation increase, the ability to create more and more realistic terrains fully procedurally at scale improves. Modern methods of procedural generation have also overlapped with these advances, most notably advances in hardware. To account for this, a survey was done of modern methods for procedural terrain generation. Smooth procedural noise functions are one of the backbones of procedural terrain generation. Perlin noise, value noise, and fractal noise were explored in-depth. These noise functions were also tested for capabilities to be altered in ways that would allow them to generate more realistic terrain without the aid of post-processing. Style transfer stands out as a modern method that strikes a balance between speed and realism. One method of style transfer was re-implemented, and steps were taken to alter the results of the generated heightmaps in ways that would reduce homogeneity of style transfer-generated terrains. Multiple methods for altering these heightmaps, such as scaling certain regions to a lower elevation, or adding terrain features, such as rivers, were explored.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Procedural terrain generation: noise functions, modern methods, and style transfer"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Barton, Hunter"],"dc:description.abstract":["Procedural terrain generation, the algorithmic creation of digital terrain, finds use in multiple types of digital media. As the capabilities of modern computation increase, the ability to create more and more realistic terrains fully procedurally at scale improves. Modern methods of procedural generation have also overlapped with these advances, most notably advances in hardware. To account for this, a survey was done of modern methods for procedural terrain generation. Smooth procedural noise functions are one of the backbones of procedural terrain generation. Perlin noise, value noise, and fractal noise were explored in-depth. These noise functions were also tested for capabilities to be altered in ways that would allow them to generate more realistic terrain without the aid of post-processing. Style transfer stands out as a modern method that strikes a balance between speed and realism. One method of style transfer was re-implemented, and steps were taken to alter the results of the generated heightmaps in ways that would reduce homogeneity of style transfer-generated terrains. Multiple methods for altering these heightmaps, such as scaling certain regions to a lower elevation, or adding terrain features, such as rivers, were explored.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/955"],"dc:rights":["Access is available to all users"],"dc:subject":["Graphics and Human Computer Interfaces","Other Computer Sciences","Software Engineering"],"dc:title":["Procedural terrain generation: noise functions, modern methods, and style transfer"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Computer Science and Electrical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:13:16Z"}