Gigantica -- A Study in Maximum Habitable Planet Size

[Turambar]

Hi Turambar,

The algorithm was supposed to take everything into consideration, including the heightmap and the realistic placement of topography. I kept switching from Photoshop to Wilbur over a dozen times, making layer masks for each new layer and juxtaposing them together at the end. Sometimes I experimented with juxtaposing two identical images but enlarging one and setting the blending mode to screen, for the purpose of eliminating that "Wilburified" look and to create some natural lakes.

The Wilbur process relies on several applications of Erode (Precipitation) followed by incise flow; this pattern is repeated several times with various entries for the incise flow variables. In the end, I've run through the entire image to adjust coasts and contour lines.

Finally, I've overlain a bitmap of the Wilbur image and set the blending mode to vivid light.

Peter

Thanks Peter! I wish I had the skillset to build an algorithm like that. That said, you and others on here have been inspiring me to want to take on a "ground-up" redo of my tidally locked world from plate tectonics to climate. I'll just have to figure out how to use Linux and create a partition I guess.

Does this image look any better than the last? Am I getting close to realistic topo?

Peter

Yes, I think the new map definitely looks better, especially the mountains and coasts. I also like the addition of the lakes. Was the idea in removing many of the rivers that most wouldn't be visible at this scale? My only two things I would note is that I like the original rive color better (purely personal preference), and secondly, while the mountains look much better over all, the peaks look a bit blurred and might look better if they were slightly sharper or more defined.