Geology Subsystem
The planetary foundation: elevation, terrain structure, and long-scale geological processes.
The Geology Subsystem models the structural shape of the planet.
It defines elevation, slope, plate stress, and other slow-changing terrain properties that serve as the physical backbone for all other subsystems.
Geology evolves on long timescales and provides the ground truth for hydrology, atmosphere, ecology, and eventual gameplay systems.
Purpose
The Geology Subsystem establishes the base planetary terrain.
It represents slow, large-scale processes that determine the structure of the surface, the path of water, and the environmental conditions that shape climate and habitability.
Geology is the first subsystem all others rely upon.
Core Principles
- Long-Timescale Evolution — updates occur on slow ticks for stability and realism.
- Field-Driven Structure — elevation, slope, and stress derive from fields, not mesh deformation.
- Deterministic Behavior — terrain evolves in predictable, reproducible ways.
- Interdisciplinary Influence — geology shapes hydrology, atmosphere, and ecological distribution.
- Stability First — geological fields are intended to remain reliable anchors for other systems.
System Model
Primary Fields
- Elevation Field (tile) — base heightmap of the planet.
- Slope Field (edge) — gradient magnitude between adjacent tiles.
- Boundary Stress (edge) — long-term tension along plate boundaries (conceptual foundation).
- Surface Classification (tile) — land/ocean masks and terrain category hints.
Temporal Behavior
Geology runs on the slow clock, reflecting the long timescales of terrain evolution.
Influence Model
Geology forms the substrate for:
- river flow paths
- watershed formation
- air pressure gradients
- biome patterns
- settlement feasibility (future gameplay)
How It Interacts With Other Systems
- Hydrology — uses elevation and slope to compute flow direction and basin formation.
- Atmosphere — elevation affects pressure gradients and wind patterns.
- Ecology (future) — terrain constraints shape biome and biomass distribution.
- Civilization (future) — settlement patterns depend on terrain.
- Overlays — geology exposes terrain visualization modes.
What This Enables
- realistic terrain structure
- stable environmental foundations
- natural flow of water and air
- reproducible long-term environmental simulations
- visually meaningful geological overlays
- educational demonstrations of terrain formation
Visual Examples (Optional)
- elevation heatmaps
- slope edge overlays
- terrain classification layers
Public Extensibility Notes
Future SDK features may allow developers to:
- define custom terrain classification layers
- compute derived geological metrics
- integrate data from external heightmaps
The Geology Subsystem forms the stable anchor for all future simulations.