Flowing Water
Should this be an entirely separate update — Call it “The Basin”!
Such a lovely update would fit beautifully with “The Abyss” v1.7.
Or “The Oasis” has a nice ring to it - Most fitting is “The Basin”.
What if…
the whole topographical scene of
are treated as a whole procedural system
a natural free-flowing part of the terrain
- NOT separate points of interest
- (unlike buildings or other sites)
spreads across all surfaces freely
- on horizontal & slopping surfaces,
- that give way to white rapids when…
-
- tilted slightly
- that give way to waterfalls when…
-
- tilted vertical
- pushing and affecting our character
are based on random topographical markings
- which react under a procedural system
- which result impressions in the terrain
- which volumize and flow with gravity
- if more gravity, then faster flow
- faster flow = more mist + more sound
- longer the waterfall, greater the intensity
- especially intense at bottom of waterfall
coding: perhaps a combo of terrain generation and cave generation
direction of water flow is based on
- gravity: highest to lowest
Oncoming flow
- affects intensity
- ensures direction
EXAMPLE:
IF a flat surface is encountered
- direction is determined by oncoming flow
figure this out, and you’ve automatically figured out lava flow
slow it down & thicken it to a glowing superheated substance
true rivers and creeks do not exist v2.0
oceans, lakes and ponds do exist.…
but without flow, so suggestion:
direction of water flow is based on
- randomly placed invisible undercurrents
- sporadic &/or steady wind moving water
that should take care of surface flow and under flow
all types of flows
- intermingle and affect one another
- and lead to the lowest water level
Options
BONUS #1 — whirlpools
- add occasional whirlpools, affecting flow
- perhaps these could be of varying strengths
- randomly place these above and below
tip: use the same system of whirlpools for tornadoes
BONUS #2 —natural springs
- waterfalls gushing out of vertical edges
- then flowing into rivers / creeks
- and, flow rising up from underwater caves
BONUS #3 — caves
- surface water flow; cave water flow
- surface water flow falling into caves
BONUS #4 — geysers
- water gushing up from horizontal surfaces
- then falling as copious showers like rainfall
- a natural spring &/or cave water flow, combo
sign reads ⦂ ❝gone skinny dippin’❞ 
- Or was that, ❝gone fishin’❞
needs new glasses- Oh, “rafting”
Oops, my bad - Or was that surfing? Or…
“It was then that Mr Oblivious found himself in a cave behind the waterfall”
“Caught in a pixie-swirl w/ pots o’ gold at the end of an anomalous rainbow”