Worley Noise: Overview and Resources

Worley noise, also known as cellular noise, is a type of procedural texture algorithm developed by Steven Worley in 1996. It is widely used in computer graphics for generating textures that resemble natural phenomena such as stone, cellular patterns, and organic structures. Worley noise is characterized by its ability to produce distinct, cell-like patterns, making it suitable for a variety of visual effects.

Overview

Definition

Worley noise generates a pattern based on the distances to randomly placed feature points within a space. The algorithm calculates the distances from each point in the space to its nearest feature points and uses these distances to determine the noise value at each location.

Characteristics

• Cellular Patterns: Produces distinct, cell-like patterns that can resemble natural textures such as cracked earth, stone, and biological cells.
• Distance-Based: The noise value at each point is based on the distances to the nearest feature points.
• Customizable: By adjusting parameters, various effects and patterns can be achieved, from smooth transitions to sharp edges.

Applications

• Texture Generation: Used in computer graphics to create textures for materials such as stone, skin, and organic surfaces.
• Procedural Generation: Employed in games and simulations for generating natural-looking environments and structures.
• Visual Effects: Utilized in animations and visual effects to produce organic and natural patterns.

How It Works

1. Feature Points: Randomly distribute feature points within the space.
2. Distance Calculation: For each point in the space, calculate the distances to the nearest feature points.
3. Noise Value: Determine the noise value at each point based on the distances to the feature points. The value can be derived from the nearest point, the second nearest point, or a combination of distances.

Variants

• F1, F2, F3, etc.: Different variants of Worley noise are defined based on the distances to the first, second, third, etc., nearest feature points.
• Manhattan, Euclidean, Chebyshev: Different distance metrics (Manhattan, Euclidean, Chebyshev) can be used to calculate the distances, leading to different visual results.

Resources

Articles and Papers

• Wikipedia Entry: Worley Noise
• Steven Worley's Original Paper: A Cellular Texture Basis Function

Interactive Tools and Simulations

• ShaderToy: Worley Noise Shader
• Inigo Quilez's Page: Worley Noise Visualization

Books

• "Texturing and Modeling: A Procedural Approach" by David S. Ebert et al.: Amazon Link
• "The Algorithmic Beauty of Plants" by Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz and Aristid Lindenmayer: Amazon Link

Code and Implementation

• Python Implementation: Worley Noise in Python
• JavaScript Implementation: Worley Noise in JavaScript
• C++ Implementation: Worley Noise in C++

Worley noise is a versatile and powerful tool for generating natural-looking textures and patterns. The resources provided above will help you understand and implement Worley noise in various applications, from texture generation to procedural content creation.