The author expresses their obsession with terrain generation and grid-based games, emphasizing the importance of water in creating natural borders and introducing water-related mechanics. They explain the need for terrain modification in their game and the desire for a dynamic water model that fits their specific requirements, leading to the development of their own simulation method called the Virtual Pipes method. The method involves storing values on staggered grids and using three main steps: flow acceleration, outflow scaling, and water column updating. The author highlights the advantages of working with flows instead of velocities in the simulation. The unique approach of the Virtual Pipes method sets it apart from popular fluid simulation methods like Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Jos Stam’s Stable Fluids.
https://lisyarus.github.io/blog/posts/simulating-water-over-terrain.html