🧩 Worley (Cellular) Noise

About this simulation

In 1996 Steven Worley introduced a noise function built not from smoothed random gradients (as in Perlin noise) but from a scattered set of feature points. For every point on a surface, the algorithm finds the distance to the nearest feature point (F1) — and often the second-nearest too (F2) — and uses those distances to shade the surface. The result looks like cracked mud, cells under a microscope, reptile scale, or stone mosaic, depending on how you combine the distances.

How it works

• F1 mode shades each pixel by its distance to the single nearest feature point, producing soft rounded cells like bubbles or stones.
• F2 − F1 mode subtracts the nearest distance from the second-nearest, which goes to zero exactly on the boundary between two cells — this is what produces sharp cracked-earth veins.
• Mosaic mode multiplies F1 by a pseudo-random ID per cell, giving each cell a distinct tint like tile or crystal mosaic.
• The distance metric changes the geometry of the cells: Euclidean gives round organic cells, Manhattan gives diamond/rotated-square cells, and Chebyshev gives square cells — the same trick used to fake different crystal or crack shapes.

Controls

• Feature points — how many seed points are scattered across the tiled surface; more points make smaller, denser cells.
• Distance metric — Euclidean, Manhattan or Chebyshev distance to the feature points.
• Noise mode — F1, F2−F1 (edges), or mosaic tinting.
• Terrain relief — how strongly the noise value pushes the mesh vertices up and down, turning the 2D pattern into 3D cracked terrain.
• Show feature points — toggle the small markers at each seed point's surface location.
• Animate points — gently jitters the feature points over time so the cell pattern subtly evolves.
• ↺ Reseed points — draws a brand-new random set of feature points. Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom.

Did you know?

Worley noise is also called "cellular noise" or "Voronoi noise" because the F1 boundaries are exactly a Voronoi diagram. It is widely used in film and game production for stone, water caustics, animal skin, and alien organic surfaces — often layered with Perlin/simplex noise for extra detail.