PlaTec is a 2D terrain generator that uses a simplified model of plate tectonics to produce realistic heightmaps in real time.
The simulator starts with a flat fractal map and splits it randomly into plates. Plates are moved around the map. If continents of two plates collide, they fold creating mountain belts. If oceanic crust of one plate collides with another plate, subduction occurs resulting in coastal mountain ranges or island chains.
This project is part of my Bachelor of Engineering thesis in Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland. The thesis is freely downloadable from http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201204023993 . A Youtube video showing the simulator in action is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi4b45tMEPE .
Features
- Plate Tectonics
- Terrain Generation
Project Samples
License
GNU Library or Lesser General Public License version 2.0 (LGPLv2)Follow PlaTec
User Reviews
-
I LOVE this project and I created a fork of it (to keep improving it). It is available here: (see ftomassetti/plate-tectonics on Github) Using it I have also built a complete world generator (see ftomassetti/lands on Github). This is by far the best implementation of plate tectonics I have seen so far. Kudos to the author!