Running planetGenesis

If you're new to java, here's some starters.

PlanetGenesis requires an installed java 1.4.x runtime
If you want to use the 3D previews you will need Java3D. Try the following links...

Mac OSX
Linux
Windows and SPARC Solaris

For more other OS's or if the others links are dead try.
http://www.j3d.org/download.html for more information.

pG runs for definate on Mac OSX and Windows, I've not tried it on any of the *nix's
but I have had reports that it runs on x86 linux.

To run it, first unzip the zip file. Mac OSX users can then double click on the jar file,
that may work on windows too, or you can drop down to a command shell, cd to the directory
with the jar file and type

java -jar planetGenesis.jar

Nearly forgot...on Win2000 there's a bug in Direct Draw with some graphic drivers.
If you get regular blue screens or reboots when trying pG...
a) swear at Microsoft for putting graphics stuff in the kernal
b) use the command line and try

java -Dsun.java2d.noddraw=true -jar planetGenesis.jar

a) will get you no where but is good for your karma,
b) should solve the problem.

Now for the Program

planetGenesis has a simple GUI that looks like a flow chart.

  • You can move each icon around by click and dragging it.
  • To join icons together you use shift click and drag.
  • To add, delete and change icons use the context menu.
  • If you hover over an icon, you will get a tooltip displaying details about the icon.

    • For more detail on what the icons mean click on the image map below.

    Context Menu Noise Engines Combiners Function Terrain

    The tooltips look like something like this depending on your OS.