World/TODO.md

TODO List for a Minecraft-Like Terrain Generator in Rust

1. Define Objectives and Requirements

• Features:
  • Global terrain generation (overall elevation)
  • Local detail (surface variations)
  • Biome transitions and optionally cave systems
• Technical Constraints:
  • Chunk dimensions (e.g., 16×16 blocks horizontally with a fixed vertical height)
  • Memory management (chunk caching, on-demand generation)
  • Server integration (protocol, networking, etc.)
• Output Format:
  • How to represent the world (e.g., a 3D array of block types)
  • Block types (Air, Grass, Dirt, Stone, Water, etc.)

2. Research and Select Noise Algorithms

• Study noise algorithms such as Perlin and Simplex.
• Understand Fractal Brownian Motion (fBm) to combine multiple octaves.
• Define parameters like frequency, amplitude, persistence, number of octaves, and scaling factors.

3. Set Up Your Rust Project

• Create a new project with Cargo.
• Add necessary dependencies in Cargo.toml (e.g., the noise crate).
• Set up version control (Git).

4. Implement Basic Noise Generation

• Write a simple prototype to generate noise values.
• Use a scaling factor to avoid sampling only on integer coordinates.
• Test with a fixed seed for reproducibility.

5. Implement Fractal Brownian Motion (fBm)

• Create a function to combine multiple noise octaves.
• Adjust parameters (octaves, persistence, etc.) and test the results.

6. Map Noise to Terrain Height

• Convert normalized noise values (e.g., from -1 to 1) to block heights.
• Define a mapping strategy (for example, scaling to a maximum height).

7. Design the Chunk Data Structure

• Decide on chunk dimensions (e.g., 16×16×128).
• Create a simple structure to represent blocks (using enums or similar).

8. Generate Chunks Based on Noise

• For each (x, z) coordinate in a chunk:
  • Calculate the noise value.
  • Map it to a terrain height.
  • Fill in blocks based on the height (e.g., surface, sub-surface, stone).
• Keep the code modular and avoid overcomplicating early on.

9. Test and Visualize the Generated Terrain

• Write unit tests for noise functions and terrain mapping.
• Create a simple visualization (e.g., a 2D height map printed to the console or exporting data for external tools).
• Verify that parameter adjustments produce the expected variations.

10. Integrate the Generator into Your Server Architecture

• Implement on-demand chunk generation as the player moves.
• Cache generated chunks (in memory or on disk) to avoid re-computation.
• Consider multithreading or asynchronous processing for parallel generation.

11. Optimize and Refine

• Profile the terrain generation for performance bottlenecks.
• Fine-tune noise parameters and mapping logic.
• Plan future enhancements (biomes, caves, advanced block types).

12. Document and Maintain the Codebase

• Document your functions, parameters, and overall architecture.
• Use version control to track changes and manage iterative improvements.
• Keep your code modular for easy future enhancements.