The Importance of Parametrically Controllable Terrain Generation Method

According to the information about the Parametrically Controlled Terrain Generation Method presented in the paper, users can place terrain features in natural manner by making sketches and adjustable parameters that can easily be understood while controlling the generation process of terrains. Being the main branch of computer science, the synthesis of terrain is widely applied in simulation training, moving making, and computer games.

2. The motivation of the paper is that it illustrates to the readers about the importance of parametrically controlled terrain generation method. The method can be implemented in PC and experiments have shown that the use of terrains is very efficient.

3. The hypothesis about the method is that it provide users with a controllable way to generate terrain. In that case, users who do not have special modeling skills have the chance of generating favorable terrains according to the required intentions.

4. Even though the authors of the parametrically controlled terrain generation method have managed to evaluate the existing solutions to the generations of terrains, however, there are some obstacles that have been experienced by the designers. Normally, the representation of the terrains is a regular field, which is made up of 2D grid. In that case, the value of the vertex is used to represented is the elevation of the given location.  Moreover, the previous algorithms for map generation were based on the subdivision methods. In that case, the coarse height map was iteratively refined.

5.  Regarding the analysis of the identification problem, the authors have managed to come up with logical ideas, which have flows. However, some faults are experienced with the ideas presented by the author. The algorithms for height map generation were based on the subdivision methods, whereby the coarse height map was iteratively defined. In that case, every iteration was used in introducing iteration of controlled amount of randomness thus generating a detail elevation.

6. The ideas provided by the authors on the paper about Parametrically Controlled Terrain Generation Method are very accommodative. Moreover, the concept of the terrain generation method provides users with the control over the appearance of mountain ranges. The control of the shape of the fine-grained terrain is provided by the interactive procedure as described by the presented method.

7. The researchers are planning to come up with a parametrically controlled terrain generation method that facilitate more intuitive and interactive creation of the terrain.

8. The questions relating to the method presented by the authors include the following:

How will Parametrically Controlled Terrain Generation Method allow for the communication exchange between the plants and the surrounding environment?

Can the method be combined by using sketches as illustrated by several sketched-based methods for modelling? 

Does the interactive method illustrate a convenient way of controlling a river path?

9. The important references that are cited in the paper include the following:

a. M. Nitsche, C. Ashmore, W. Hankinson, et al., “Designing procedural game spaces: a case study,” Proc. FuturePlay, London, 2006, pp. 10-12.

b. R. M. Smelik, T. Tutenel, K. J. de Kraker, and R. Bidarra, “Declarative terrain modeling for military training games,” Int. J. Comput. Games Technol., vol. 2010, Jan. 2010. CrossRef  Google Scholar

c. A. Fournier, D. Fussell, and L. Carpenter, “Computer rendering of stochastic models,” Commun. ACM, vol. 25, no. 6, pp. 371-384, Jun. 1982. Show Context Access at ACM

d. G. S. P. Miller, “The definition and rendering of terrain maps,” Proc. 13th Ann. Conf. Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques, Dallas, 1986, pp. 39-48 Show Context Access at ACM

e. S. Stachniak and W. Stuerzlinger, “An algorithm for automated fractal terrain deformation,” Proc. 8th Int. Conf. Computer Graphics and Artificial Intelligence, Limoges, 2005, pp. 64-76. Show Context.

10. The authors of the research paper borrowed most of their ideas from the procedural modelling for the virtual worlds. In that case, the paper had similarity to survey procedural methods, which are useful in generating the features of the virtual world.

11. The ideas presented by the authors can be supplemented with techniques, which can easily help users with simulation training, computer gaming, and moving making.  In that case, the user can controllable generate terrains.

12. The experimental procedure presented by the author is explained thoroughly and at the same time reproducible. Moreover, the authors have utilize the advantage that comes with data amplification capabilities.