Terrain Amplification using Multi Scale Erosion

Fig. 1. Given an input low-resolution terrain, we automatically generate a hydrologically consistent high-resolution model augmented with details by applying multi-scale erosion processes. The landscape designer controls effects by prescribing the maximum amount of erosion, the hardness map to amplify or dampen carving, and may preserve the elevation of specific regions such as peaks or ridge lines by smoothly re-targeting the elevation.

Modeling high-resolution terrains is a perennial challenge in the creation of virtual worlds. In this paper, we focus on the amplification of a lowresolution input terrain into a high-resolution, hydrologically consistent terrain featuring complex patterns by a multi-scale approach. Our framework combines the best of both worlds, relying on physics-inspired erosion models producing consistent erosion landmarks and introducing control at different scales, thus bridging the gap between physics-based erosion simulations and multi-scale procedural modeling. The method uses a fast and accurate approximation of different simulations, including thermal, stream power erosion and deposition performed at different scales to obtain a range of effects. Our approach provides landscape designers with tools for amplifying mountain ranges and valleys with consistent details.