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Hey guys.. I'm currently doing a unit at university at the moment on Advanced 3D Programming... and my current task is to implement a terrain generator. I need to use the diamond/square fractal terrain algorithm and then export the terrain data to an image file (preferably PGM/PPM format.).

The second task in this is to render the terrain by importing the greyscale image as a heightmap and generate and render the 3d mesh.

Any ideas/help?

(Btw.. I'm using C++ OpenGL.)

I've found code examples online, but they are generally in C. I also have a base code which I can use to call a TerrainGenerator class.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Oh, and I'm not worried if no one knows what I'm talking about, everyone in my class struggles with this unit.

Check into Prima Tech's Game Development Series book "OpenGL Game Programming" by Hawkins and Astle. Doing a heightfield mapped 3D terrain map from a greyscale image is literally one of the examples in Chapter 8.

Otherwise, we're going to need to know more about what you need help with -- especially since you've got a base class to work with that we know nothing about.

this is why i dont do modelling. it's too much trouble, there are so many 3d modelling programs you always have to master each and every one thats out for like 300 - 1000 dollars a program each. For example swbfii uses xsi.
sorry but i cant help you on this one :( but i can point you in the right direction, pspad- it's better for open source coding. it has a hex feature which is nifty too. If your doing any type of code, trust me, get pspad. it has C# C+ C++ or whatever that is on it with tons of snippets too.
pspad.com

Don't you the regular render proccess use ray-tracing. I acctually runs better with more polygons then with less. It also does perfect reflections and other stuff that normal rendering can't do well. It is very insuficiant though, some much processing power needed, it has an up side though you don't need a graphics card.

ooh, C++. my fave programming language, and i know A LOT of programming languages for a nearly 18 year old guy