Overview
Value Noise assigns random values to lattice points and blends nearby values to produce continuous-looking variation.
CoreSource checked
Value Noise
Creates smooth noise by interpolating random values stored on a grid.
Quick Facts
Compact metadata for implementation and discovery.
- Category
- Procedural Generation
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Family
- Lattice Noise
- Tier
- Core
- Status
- Verified
- Review
- Source Checked
- Sources
- 1
- Formulas
- 1
- Relationships
- 3
- Code example
- Ready
- Visualization
- Ready
Core Concepts
lattice valuesmooth interpolationseeded hashcontinuous noise
Quick facts
Complexity
Runtime and memory behavior at a glance.
Best
O(1)
Average
O(1)
Worst
O(1)
Space
O(1)
When to Use
- Use when simple smooth random variation is enough.
- Use when terrain masks is a central requirement.
When Not to Use
- Avoid when directional gradient behavior or high-quality artifact resistance is required.
- Avoid when the generator cannot enforce the playability, connectivity, or style constraints required.
What It Does
- Hashes lattice values
- Finds surrounding grid corners
- Interpolates corner values
Use Cases
- Terrain masks
- Texture variation
- Procedural animation
Inputs
- Sample position
- Seed
- Interpolation function
Outputs
- Noise value
Key Formulas (1)
Interpolated value
value = lerp(value0, value1, fade(t))
value = lerp(value0, value1, fade(t))Blends neighboring lattice values with a smooth weight.
Pseudocode
- 1.Find the lattice cell around the sample
- 2.Generate random values at cell corners
- 3.Compute smooth interpolation weights
- 4.Blend corner values
Canonical Example
- Input
- corner values = 0.2 and 0.8, t = 0.5
- Output
- value = blended midpoint
- Explanation
- The sample takes a smooth value between lattice corners.
Implementation Notes
- Use a smoothstep-style fade curve before interpolation.
- Expose seed, scale, and constraint parameters so outputs can be reproduced.
- Keep a tiny example with expected output beside the implementation.
Common Pitfalls
- Linear interpolation can reveal grid artifacts.
- Random-looking output can still contain repeated patterns, dead ends, or invalid regions.
- Not defining boundary, empty, or degenerate inputs before implementation.
Interactive Mechanism Walkthrough
2D Grid Wavefront & TrajectoryShow grid corner values blending into a smooth surface.
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Step 1 of 4: Find the lattice cell around the sample
generated-gridNotes
Value Noise is simpler than gradient noise but can look softer or more blobby.
Sources (1)
What each reference supports for this entry.
Texturing and Modeling: A Procedural Approach
BookProcedural-generation reference for Value Noise's noise, texture synthesis, and terrain/shape generation use cases.
Explore Next
Good next jumps from the relationship graph, ranked for useful discovery.
Relationships
View full relationship pageOften paired withFractal Brownian Motion
Value noise can be layered across octaves to produce fractal Brownian motion.
Alternative toGradient Noise
Value noise interpolates random scalar values instead of gradients.
Related Algorithms
Tags
Procedural GenerationNoiseGraphicsInterpolation