Minecraft example: Did I remember to climb up to the right spot? https://minecraft.wiki/w/Noise_generator Perlin noise is a pretty good way to do this, but not the only one Subdivision and random heights, for example Landscape generation: There are purpose-built programs for this Including Blender plug-ins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenery_generator We're talking about how landscapes are generated, so we'll ignore these We'll make a crummier one instead Since we talked about noise already, let's make a noise landscape! Set height by noise value Let's make a parameterized model! hillyness gradient height water level snow level It'll look like a 3D map in a visitor center Water should really be animated, reflective, and transparent Minecraft water isn't animated unless it's moving Vegetation areas should have vegetation, not just be green Vegetation might be different on slopes A steep enough slope might be rocky instead Biomes are real, not just a Minecraft thing Snow won't cover a surface that's too vertical Not a strict rule - depends on wind conditions, etc North vs. South facing slopes have different sunlight and water