Auto Landscape Design using Terragen Software

[prasad5787]

Hi Guys,

With my supervisor permission, I am allowed to discuss now regarding our new experiment done on generating landscape designs with less user Inputs.

Less user Inputs ?
YES, With less than 5 mouse clicks for every 2 mins, could bring what user is expecting to design (imaginery scenery) almost closer to 75%.
In this process, user need NOT to know how to modify, adjust and attach parameters at any point during the process. Everything is adjusted by it self.

How ?
Using IGA, Interactive Genetic Algorithm.
Our application reads user mind and communicates with Terragen engine with user specifications to render what he is looking for. Selected twice on IEEE Evolutionary Computation.

Any Example?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OISauX-XAVY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDey8uyzvqg

Any problems ?
Yes, Rendering what I can. I need to render 16 images at once which is taking almost 2 to 3 mins for every generation. Planned to implement network rendering but ran out of time now. May be in our next update.

UI interface is attached with this post. I am happy to answer any type of doubts that you guys might have. It sounds strange alright when I say this process really works but it does  .

Many thanks to Oshyan, Matt, rArcher and manymore those who share their ideas and helped me around during my research.

[Henry Blewer]

This reminds me of the fractal variation selector used by Apothysis.

[TheBlackHole]

This reminds me of the fractal variation selector used by Apothysis.

I think you mean Apophysis.  </spellcheck post>

[Draigr]

Mmmm, Apophysis. There's a pretty snazzy version known as Apophysis 7X. I've gotten some fairly amazing renders outta that actually. A coupla took my breath away once they were done.

[Oshyan]

Very cool to finally see the project you were working on. It looks like an interesting approach to scene development. I've seen similar things in other apps, as some have mentioned. Nice to have something like this for TG use though.

- Oshyan

[Kadri]

Looks very interesting!
I had my doubts especially because of this " Our application reads user mind... "

Will this available to the public and if yes in what form and when? At least if you can say anything just approximately !

[cyphyr]

It could be a great library/pre-set tool. Looks like a useful way of quickly setting up a scene for further tweaking. It would be sweet if it could run within Terragen.

Richard
edit: Looking at it again I think I've got the wrong end of the stick, I don't see a way storing "libraries" of settings but rather generating variations upon a theme. Still good work though.

[neon22]

I have a couple of Questions:
1. Looks like the node network is quite simple. (e.g. 2min in in second vid)
Is your genetic algoruithm only perturbing parameters in existing nodes - or is it also capable of adding/subtracting new nodes (sets of nodes)?

2. If adding new nodes - do you have sophisticated rules about where the legal conections can go ?
  or is this future work ?

3. Do you start with a set of known exemplars?

4. If you have several exemplars with wildly differing internal topologies. Do you handle that ?

Would love to help out if its needed.
Cheers...

[prasad5787]

Hi neon22,

• In our programming, we manually added set of nodes that plays around using IGA.
  In future update, program will add new nodes automatically (shaders+connectors) along the way user drives through.
  
• At initial stage, all nodes are set with random values that creates entirely a random scenery on their own.
  Its done automatically and not with perticular examples.
  
• The main logic behind will mixture parameter values to what user is looking for (in other words: manipulating values accordingly to user).
  

Our main concept is on IGA logic (which is working) and ofcourse of creating beautiful sceneries with less effect.

[prasad5787]

Will this available to the public and if yes in what form and when? At least if you can say anything just approximately !

We started with very few parameters that actually listen to user and manipulates them selfs.
Before it comes to public use, we would like to add good some of parameters and nodes.

We can release like a plugin to Terragen software. (if its legal to do so)

[Kadri]

Thanks , prasad5787 

[prasad5787]

Hi Guys,

We experimented new way of generating landscape design using Aesthetic Measure Fitness Function.
What it does is, will replace user fitness function with its own fitness function. In other words, it will find the best and worst scenery by itself.

Soon I will upload the videos onto youtube and post the links.

Here's an example done so far in finding the BEST and WORST in our early experiments.

Images attached.

[Henry Blewer]

I think both need quite a bit of work done on them. But these are early examples; I am looking forward to the video.