Hello everyone, I'm a member of a research group among many who, among other things, is working on a method to improve signal transmission that would result in better home networks but more importantly, better cell coverage and perhaps even, Wireless Internet (as per Wifi) that is basically available anywhere you can get cell coverage. I am interested in a method of procedurally generating trees that are as close to real as possible. These trees should futhermore be adjustable with parameters that alter their shape and form (i.e. one set of parameters creates spruces and another oaks). Slices and billboards are not sufficient for my needs. Nor are intepreted grammar systems? as per L-Systems. A paper or tutorial on methods and algorithims required to create the requested system at the most basic level (robustness is not integral) will do. I must implement this into the program itself. I'll also add that speed is very much not an issue here (since it is not a game) so the robustness and hunger of an algorithim need not be a deterrent. I would prefer not having to research a method from scratch as the actual modelling of the tree is not the goal here, nonetheless if that is the case I will simply use a recursive cylinder method. If anyone can point me out to some obscure (but great) article or paper I'd be very appreciative of their aid. My thanks in advance.

check out this paper:
jason weber & joseph penn "creation and rendering of realistic trees"
http://www.cs.duke.edu/education/courses/fall02/cps124/resources/p119-weber.pdf

some images:
http://www.imonk.com/baboon/trees/

java implementation:
http://arbaro.sourceforge.net/

Thanks alot man, that is precisely what I was looking for. I'll keep you posted on the implementation, which I'll probably end up giving away the source code (C++) for. Since, as I stated, this is only the secondary but highly enjoyable goal. Thanks again, that link was perfect.