Isometric Terrain Generator

A RollerCoaster Tycoon-style isometric terrain generator using Python, Pygame, and OpenGL.

Project Structure

shader/
├── config/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   └── settings.py          # Configuration settings for the entire application
├── src/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── app.py              # Main application class
│   ├── camera/
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   └── camera.py       # Camera control and positioning
│   ├── terrain/
│   │   ├── __init__.py
│   │   └── generator.py    # Terrain generation using Perlin noise
│   └── rendering/
│       ├── __init__.py
│       └── terrain_renderer.py  # OpenGL rendering logic
├── main.py                 # Application entry point
├── isometric_terrain.py    # Original monolithic version (legacy)
├── requirements.txt
└── README.md

Features

• 20×20 grid of 30px×30px isometric tiles
• Procedural terrain generation using Perlin noise with random seeds
• Procedural texture decorations - Each tile has unique pixelated patterns (RCT-style)
• Multiple biomes based on elevation (water, sand, grass, rock, snow)
• Real-time camera controls
• Dynamic regeneration - Press R for new terrain and textures
• Configurable settings via config/settings.py

Installation

1. Activate the virtual environment:

source venv/bin/activate

2. Install dependencies (if not already installed):

pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

Run the new organized version:

source venv/bin/activate && python main.py

Or run the legacy version:

source venv/bin/activate && python isometric_terrain.py

Controls

• UP/DOWN Arrow: Zoom in/out
• LEFT/RIGHT Arrow: Adjust camera height
• R Key: Regenerate terrain (new version only)
• ESC: Exit application

Configuration

All settings can be modified in config/settings.py:

Terrain Settings

• grid_size: Number of tiles (default: 20×20)
• tile_width/tile_depth: Size of each tile in pixels (default: 30px)
• noise_scale: Controls terrain variation frequency
• height_multiplier: Controls terrain elevation range
• enable_smoothing: Enable/disable terrain smoothing

Camera Settings

• initial_distance: Starting zoom level
• initial_height: Starting camera height
• zoom_speed: How fast zoom in/out works
• min_distance/max_distance: Zoom limits

Rendering Settings

• background_color: Sky color
• grid_line_width: Thickness of tile borders
• light_position: Light source position
• light_ambient/light_diffuse: Lighting properties
• side_face_color: Uniform color for lateral tile faces
• texture_enabled: Enable/disable procedural textures (default: true)
• texture_detail_scale: Controls texture pattern size
• texture_variation: Amount of color variation (0.0-1.0)
• texture_spots_threshold: Controls dark spot frequency

Biome Configuration

• BIOME_COLORS: RGB colors for each biome type
• BIOME_THRESHOLDS: Height thresholds for biome transitions

Architecture

Separation of Concerns

The code is organized into logical modules:

1. Configuration (config/settings.py)

   • Centralized settings management
   • Easy to modify without touching code

2. Camera (src/camera/camera.py)

   • Handles view projection and positioning
   • Processes user input for camera movement
   • Manages camera constraints

3. Terrain Generation (src/terrain/generator.py)

   • Procedural heightmap generation using Perlin noise
   • Optional terrain smoothing
   • Configurable noise parameters

4. Rendering (src/rendering/terrain_renderer.py)

   • OpenGL rendering of terrain mesh
   • Procedural texture generation - 16×16 pixelated textures per tile
   • Biome coloring based on elevation
   • Wireframe grid overlay
   • Shaded side faces for depth
   • Texture caching for performance

5. Application (src/app.py)

   • Main application loop
   • Event handling
   • Coordinates all components

Extending the Project

Adding New Biomes

1. Add color to BIOME_COLORS in config/settings.py
2. Add threshold to BIOME_THRESHOLDS
3. Update get_color_for_height() in terrain_renderer.py

Modifying Terrain Generation

Edit parameters in config/settings.py:

• Adjust noise_scale for more/less variation
• Change noise_octaves for detail level
• Modify height_multiplier for elevation range
• Each generation uses a random seed for unique terrains

Customizing Textures

Edit texture parameters in RENDERING section:

• texture_variation: Increase for more dramatic color changes
• texture_detail_scale: Lower values = larger patterns
• texture_spots_threshold: Lower values = more dark spots
• Textures are 16×16 pixels with GL_NEAREST filtering for retro look

Adding Camera Features

Extend the Camera class in src/camera/camera.py:

• Add rotation controls
• Implement smooth camera transitions
• Add camera presets

License

This project is provided as-is for educational purposes.