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[BETA PROGRAM] Landscape Builder - realworld, GPU acceleration, prefab placement

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by sstrong, Apr 30, 2016.

  1. sstrong

    sstrong

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    This will be in the next beta build.
     
  2. sstrong

    sstrong

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    WIP: Landscape Templates. People will soon be able to exchange landscapes with each other via small template files. These files contain most of the settings of a landscape, including all their Layer-based topography settings.

    In the currently released version (1.3.0) you can package landscapes but this will include all the terrain data etc. which is not easily emailed around. These new files will enable you to quickly create a template in a few seconds, attach it to an email or drop it onto a Skype session etc.
     
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  3. sstrong

    sstrong

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    We like HQ Photographic Texture Grass packs so much that we're adding support directly into LB. If you have Vol 1 or 2 installed in your project, you'll be able to select the grasses directly from the Grass tab. No need to search for them in the Project window, or drag them in.

    For more info on these great packs look here (highly recommended by the Landscape Builder Team).
     
  4. OZAV

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    ...here, we have: a very healthy asset, the helpful dev, and this is a simple utility,
    that does what many expensive utils do out there, only being 3 times smaller
    than them, to add to project size, and cheaper that many times, as well :)
    Can't wait to see what is next here, from the dev's... ALSO: the grass looks
    inventive-genius like, i have never seen so good looking, and performance
    cheap grass, so we are probably looking to rise of another world-composer
    like quality asse heret, in the next few years here (i'm usually right about this).
     
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  5. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Here's a screen shot of the new Grass Selector for when you have HQ Photographic Texture Grass Packs installed. We are using some in-situ images of the grasses in these excellent packs so that you can be more informed as to how the grasses appear in real landscapes. What do you think?

    More information on the grass packs can be found here.

    LandscapeBuilderGrassSelector.png
     
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  6. turboscalpeur

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    This is a Great Idea illustrating in real environments how they looks!
     
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  7. sstrong

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    As part of our Beta Program, we're currently looking for people to test creating landscapes using a combination of LB Topography Layers and RTP v3.3.

    If you own EasyRoads3D Pro, AQUAS, HQ Photographic Texture Grass packs and/or uNature that would be a bonus.

    The person who creates the best looking landscape with Landscape Builder in June 2016, according to the Landscape Builder Team, will receive a free licensed copy of LB.

    NOTE: You need to already own Relief Terrain Pack v3.3
     
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  8. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Landscape Builder now supports Relief Terrain Pack v3.3. We now need some more tester to create beautiful landscapes with LB + RTP.

    LandscapeBuilder_RTPv3.3.png
     
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  9. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Tree placement is now >50% faster in Landscape Builder. We'll be uploading the patch to the beta site soon so you too can enjoy the improved performance. We're also working on a new prefab placement feature which will allow you to control the proximity to different objects in your scene. For example, you may want to place a bunch of cattle in a field but not too close to the fences. And you want them to be placed procedurally with noise and maintain distance from each other. You can probably think of a bunch of other scenarios where this would apply to your game. If you'd like to test this out, post here or PM me.
     
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  10. magique

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    Is this still open for testing? I own RTP and AQUAS and would be interested in giving this a try.
     
  11. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Sure, just pm me with your email address
     
  12. magique

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    I went to PM you, but there is no option to do that. I think it must be turned off in your profile.
     
  13. sstrong

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    Ok. Think I found the problem. Overlooked a tick box. Not sure how others have been pm'g me...
     
  14. magique

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    What are the guidelines/restrictions for the screenshot contest? Are we supposed to be using only LB, RTP, and AQUAS or are we allowed to use other assets to our scenes? For example, sky systems, buildings, characters, etc.
     
  15. sstrong

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    The word from the team is - "Go for it!" Obviously, we'd like LB to play a significant role in the final scene.
     
  16. magique

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    Excellent.
     
  17. magique

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    I am testing this out and I see an issue with using RTP. This has always been an issue with using RTP in general, but with tight integration with LB it would be nice if it could be resolved. The normal process for using RTP is to first assign at least 4 textures to the Unity terrain and then add the relief terrain script to the terrain, which adds the rtp lod manager and switches materials to use RTP. This seems to be pretty much the same in LB except all you have to do is select RTP material and it adds the relief terrain script for you. Now, to the issue. Even if you have already assigned both detail and normal maps to the Unity terrain, when it gets converted to RTP, the normal maps are no longer assigned. This is the same with LB. Is there no way to have LB make sure the normal maps are also automatically assigned? Perhaps this is more an RTP issue than LB, but this issue has never been resolved by the RTP author so I'm wondering if it's possible to have LB do this. I've also written the RTP author to see why it doesn't do it correctly.
     
  18. sstrong

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    Yes, we have been working with RTP to resolve the normal maps issue. Essentially RTP doesn't pick up the NMs from the terrains, so we'll need to transfer them in code. We'll give it a try later today and get you a patch to test. Also, there is a regression bug in 1.3.1 beta 9j with adding SpeedTrees that is fixed in beta 9n which we uploaded yesterday.
     
  19. magique

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    I also noticed that I can't get AQUAS to work in my LB scene. I can run their demo scene fine, but when I add AQUAS via LB in a scene with generated terrain, it doesn't show up correctly at all. It's very strange. I'll have to post a screenshot when I get a chance.
     
  20. sstrong

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    Yes, that is very strange, AQUAS has been very stable with LB. Can you export a Template from the Landscape Tab (tick create package) and send it to me? The file is pretty small as it is just the meta data.

    Which version of AQUAS do you have installed in the project?
     
  21. sstrong

    sstrong

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    We've added a patch (1.3.1 beta 9o) which transfers normal maps to RTP. We're still working on getting them correctly placed into the Combined Textures - Normal Maps section of the Relief Terrain script as they need to be done in pairs.
     
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  22. sstrong

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    The latest build (LB 1.3.2 Beta 1a) should now transfer the normal maps to RTP and place them in the correct combined textures slots.

    upload_2016-6-28_10-16-10.png upload_2016-6-28_10-16-40.png

    Note that I'm using 5 Textures with normal maps for test purposes only. RTP is optimised to work with pairs of textures and using an odd number of textures is not recommended. Ideally you'll want to use 4 OR 8 textures with RTP - even 2 or 6 may not be ideal.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2016
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  23. sstrong

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    Version 1.3.2 Beta 1d includes User-Defined Grass configurations. It also includes some new work we're doing around integration with Relief Terrain Pack v3.3.

    LB now gives you the ability to configure texture height maps along with normal maps for terrain textures. This can be done by going to the Advanced Tab and clicking "Show Texture Heightmap".

    upload_2016-6-30_15-27-40.png

    This will reveal the Heightmap slots for each Terrain Texture in the Texturing Tab.

    upload_2016-6-30_15-28-57.png

    When you first change the "Material Type" in "Terrain Settings" on the Landscape Tab, the heightmaps will be transferred automatically to RTP.

    We're also working on automatic RTP Tessellation configuration with a single button click, but that's still a WIP as this point.

    Update

    RTP Tessellation integration is now complete
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2016
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  24. sstrong

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    MapPath5.png

    When creating custom shaped landscape features, using a LB Map Path filter, it can be useful to restrict grass and trees from appearing in the same area. This can be achieved by changing the width of the same path and creating a new Map to apply to the grass, trees and/or textures. Rename the new Map texture so that you can create multiple variations of the path width. By default, the Map texture will inherit the name of the Path in the scene.
     
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  25. sstrong

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    Here's what's in the latest beta (1.3.2 beta 6i):

    Improvements
    Templates include LBLighting and Camera Path settings
    Selectively auto-build the landscape after applying a Template
    RTP Integration - combines normal maps and tessellation auto-configuration
    UI support for Unity Pro and Unity Plus dark skin
    Terrain Texturing - Added Colour Tinting
    Camera Animator - Editor preview mode
    Smoothing Modifier - restrict area by Map

    New
    Grass settings editor - User Defined grass configuration so you can save settings for re-use
    Create Map Paths in the Editor
    Apply Additive/Subtractive/Detail Topography Layers with a Map filter
    WeatherFX animated volumetric clouds
    WeatherFX height-based fog
    Create flowing rivers with AQUAS 1.3 integration and LB Map Path

    We're also working on puddles on roads, height and normal map texture generation and a bunch of other stuff - but that's for another day.
     
  26. sstrong

    sstrong

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    We're working on a new texture generator which will be included with Landscape Builder. This allows you to generate your own texture maps, including

    • Metallic Maps
    • Normal Maps
    • Height Maps
    • Occlusion Maps
    • Emission Maps

    And they are configurable so that you can adjust the output. You can apply them to any material in your game. No more needing to us an expensive 3rd party product to generate these items. Get professional results right in the Editor, and see the results in the scene view immediately!
     
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  27. sstrong

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    We have a bunch of items currently in alpha testing including Weather System, texture generator, animator enhancements, and screen space reflection camera fx. Will show some screen shots soon. If you're a current LB user and want access to beta, just PM us with your Unity invoice number.
     
  28. sstrong

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  29. sstrong

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    Version 1.3.2 Beta 11d is now available for testers. Be sure to try out our new demo scene (LBDemoScene2) which uses our LBTemplate technology. We think you'll like what we've done with sunrise and sunsets.

    The updated manual includes new information on the Weather System (animated volumetric clouds, height/distance based fog, rain etc.), constructing rivers, paths and roadways, cut scenes, and more.

    We're always happy to receive feedback on how we can improve Landscape Builder to help you with your project.

    Landscape Builder Team
     
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  30. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Version 1.3.2 Release is awaiting approval but is now available for early download for Beta testers.
     
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  31. sstrong

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    In v1.3.5 Beta 2b we've added the ability to combine meshes for static Prefabs. This means less meshes in the scene and ultimately better performance. It also honors prefabs that have multiple meshes and/or sub-meshes.

    You can either use the colliders that were manually added to a prefab (e.g. box colliders) or LB can add a mesh collider for combined meshes. If there are scripts attached they will be deployed too.

    LB_combined_prefab_meshes.png

    Also, in this build is:

    [IMPROVED] Added keyboard shortcut to append points to MapPath in Scene View
    [IMPROVED] Create Maps that exclude centre of MapPath for new texture, grass, trees placement scenarios.
    [NEW] Mesh or Prefab placement - flatten surrounding landscape option
    [NEW] Mesh or Prefab placement - clustering options including auto-alignment with terrain
    [NEW] Mesh or Prefab placement - combine static prefab meshes and/or add mesh colliders
     
  32. sstrong

    sstrong

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    We've added improvements in Landscape Builder version 1.3.5 Beta 3a to support Unity 5.5. Testing is on U5.5.0 Beta 11 and is available now from our Beta Program download area. If you see any issues, let us know.

    If you have recently purchased LB and need access to our Beta Program, message me with your Unity invoice number and I'll add you in.
     
  33. sstrong

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    Coming soon is a combined Image FX shader that will include all the features of our Weather FX system and the Screen Space Ray-traced Reflection camera effect. This will:
    • Enable the Landscape Builder Team to include new image effects with minimal overhead
    • Reduce the number of changes you need to make to add new features to your game
    • Improve performance when combining WeatherFX and SSRR on one or more cameras
    LB Lighting will also be upgraded to use the new Image FX script and shader to allow you to continue to control weather cycles.

    upload_2016-11-16_12-53-31.png
     
  34. sstrong

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    Coming Soon to Landscape Builder:
    • Create mesh-based terrain chunks from procedurally generated topography
    • Export splatmaps from terrains for use with mesh-based terrains
    • Configure occlusion culling for mesh-based terrains
    So, how does this help? If you wish to use mesh terrains, rather than the Unity terrain system, you will be able to:
    1. build the landscape with all the great topography and prefab/mesh placement tools in LB
    2. save the terrains as meshes to the scene.
    3. Disable the Unity terrains and you're done.
    If you wish to change the topography, re-enable the Unity terrains, apply your changes and update the meshes.
     
  35. sstrong

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    Mesh-based terrains generated from Landscape Builder are now ready for testing. The latest version is 1.3.5 Beta 5d.
     
  36. antoripa

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    That's option is a dream .... Really cool ...
     
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  37. magique

    magique

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    I just started getting into testing this again and I'm starting with the demo scene. I've got it running and I select a template, but when it renders, there is no sky. I pause the scene and look at the scene hierarchy and I'm finding there's a Celestials Camera and if I click it then I see the default sky box in the camera preview window, but it doesn't want to render in the main scene at all. I just see smearing because the main camera is simply clearing Depth only. Any ideas why the sky won't render?

    Also, any thoughts on integration with Alt Trees and uNature?
     
  38. magique

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    Now I'm trying the layer based topography and am very confused. I started with a Perlin Base Gentle Valleys Base and that looks fine. Then I added Layer 2 as Perlin Additive Mountain Range Additive and clicked Generate Heightmap. But nothing changed. The landscape looks exactly the same. Did I miss something?
     
  39. sstrong

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    Which version of LB at you on? The version number is on the Landcape Tab.
    Are you running the Demo Scene2 in the Editor? (it's an editor-only demo at this time).
    Have you switched to Linear Color Space?
    Is this a new project or did you upgrade from an older version of LB? There are some issues with the way Unity upgrades some of the perlin noise textures and they may not have been moved into the correct resources folder. We thought we fixed all these issues around v1.3.5 but maybe there are some scenarios we'd not thought of.

    We supported uNature beta versions in earlier versions of LB. When uNature 2.0 was released there were many changes which broke our integration. We are working with Elroy to fix these.
     
  40. magique

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    1.3.6

    Yes that was in editor running LBDemoScene2.

    Yes, I always run in Linear color space.

    It was not a completely empty project, but a completely fresh install of LB in that project.

    Sounds good.

    Btw, I'm using Unity 5.4.2f2 for Wii U.
     
  41. sstrong

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    Here is a video that explains Layers.

    Here and here are a some posts that explain some more detail about Layers.

    Layers are also discussed in the manual which can be found online here. You can also get to it from the Landscape Tab.
     
  42. sstrong

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    We've not tried with that specific version although we have tested on 5.4.3p1 (I think it was p1). It also works on earlier builds like 5.3.4 and later builds like 5.5.0p3.

    In the past we have see some issues with switching between templates in the demo scene. These are mainly to do with how the demo loader works and not LB specifically. If you run each template individually from the demoscene2 do you also have the sky not rendering correctly? Do you get any messages in the console?

    If you switch to Windows or Mac Standalone (rather than Wii) do you get the same results? Maybe it has something to do with how we test which platform it is running on. We need to examine the platform to get round some issues with DirectX.
     
  43. magique

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    None of the templates showed a sky. However, I switched to Time of Day for sky and I'm not using the LB sky and it's working that way. I'll probably stick with that anyway.

    I got the layers working correctly. It wasn't that I was doing anything really wrong, but I noticed that the Noise Tile Size was responsible. Even if I generate a much smaller landscape, the value here is 5000. So when I tried to generate terrain for something 512x512 or 1024x1024 then it just didn't have a real effect on it. I changed the value to 1024 for a 1024x1024 terrain and now it works.
     
  44. sstrong

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    That's weird, so in Windows and Mac Standalone you get no sky in the demo scene? What platform are you using?
     
  45. magique

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    Sorry, I didn't try Windows platform. Only Wii U. But I switched to Time of Day and that works fine in my own scene and that's what I really need anyway.
     
  46. sstrong

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    Ok. If you get a chance to open the demo in Win/Mac Standalone it would be nice to know either way. If it is a Wii U issue we'd also like to investigate as we don't have any Wii's in our office.
     
  47. sstrong

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    Landscape Builder - MegaSplat Integration Preview

    We have just uploaded a preview of integration with MegaSplat. The first version to support it is LB 1.3.7 Beta 2d. Before installing this patch, make sure you have the released version of LB 1.3.6 installed.

    This preview is the first phase of full MegaSplat integration. Once you have the patch installed, be sure to read about the basics on pg 52 of the LB 1.3.7 Beta manual.

    1.3.7 Beta 2 supports using MetaSplat with Unity terrains. Shortly we'll be adding support for LB Mesh Terrains.

    This is very much a WIP so expect to see a few glitches (don't use this on your active game project!). If you see any issues please let us know. Also, we're still working on an ideal workflow so that we can take advantage of using up to 256 textures on a landscape.

    The goal: to procedurally place textures on a multi-terrain landscape with LB tools, then leverage the power of MegaSplat to use up to 256 textures.

    And like everything else in LB, we know it needs to be easy and simple to use.
     
  48. sstrong

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    The Ground Texture Checker is available for testing now to LB owners.

    Landscape Builder v1.3.7 will include some APIs to check for textures at a location in the landscape and take some pre-determined action. For example, you could play different footsteps in a first-person game depending on the material on the ground. In a racing game, you could play different sounds as the wheels of the vehicle drove over grass, snow, gravel or sand.

    A sample class, LBCheckGroundTexture, demonstrates how the APIs are called and how to take action in your game based on the results. The script can be added to an existing FPS Controller or similar for immediate testing. Click a few options, add some texture names, drop in some of your audio FX clips, and you’re ready to go.

    You can also enable debugging mode and just walk around and see what textures you discover.

    The sample lets you configure how often the check is made. Obviously for large landscapes you don’t want to be checking every frame. The default is once every 0.5 seconds but you can make it whatever you like.

    The APIs currently determine which texture is the strongest at a certain point, or can determine if a particular texture has a strength (blended weight) of greater than a given percentage (represented by a value between 0 and 1).

    Of course, there are many other uses for the APIs and you could create your own actions. The sample class is just to get you thinking of possibilities. Let us know what you come up with.

    LB 1.3.7 Beta 3a or new is required.
     
  49. eaque

    eaque

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    Just talking about features we all need...Dealing with big world and terrains tiles ( so as with a single terrain actually) there is always that problem with the "horizon". There is only one asset on the store and it's called "Horizon on". I guess everybody know it.

    I wish there could be a way to do like "horizon on" in a terrain generator system because it has all the resources needed to create a fake terrain mesh big, with a mask in the center so that it would be hollow to put the terrains inside.
    I dont own horizon but i am sure such a solution even very simple would interest a lot of people.;)
    A lot of people dont need a perfect transition just a background.We could call that "Background Builder"!;)
     
  50. skrx1

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    I also look forward to such a vision function, or something like "TES5LODGen"