World Building EasyRoads3D v3 - the upcoming new road system

Hello,

I have been working on a new road system to keep everything manageable, fast, stable, flexible, intuitive and user friendly. For example, now you can also model and implement your own project specific crossing types and setup the editor functionality accordingly.

This new system will support any type of road system such as city roads (full city engine is next), suburbs, highway systems, race tracks and also tracks for fx type of racing games including loopings, screwdrivers etc.

I have the core code ready and as this will be the final v3 system I will be posting regular updates in this thread starting with the below video which quickly demonstrates the new workflow.

Very first introduction video post

V3 Promo

New V3.2 Introduction Tutorial

[Update: 04-06-2020] Latest v3.3 beta news

The demo project on the asset store














beta 8.3, 1) perfect spline shape, 2) slight road randomness, 3) adjustable randomness per road segment




Customizing road networks: this video shows how you can import your own road meshes and select where roads should connect. The prefabs are instantly integrated in the system and ready to use.

 

Looks very easy to work with it, congrats!

 

looks brilliant well done!

 

Looks Great!!

Will there be an upgrade option for existing EasyRoads Asset owners?

 

I am impressed!

 

This is indeed a must buy now, been avoiding with excuses just watched the video, can't deny, awesome work!

 

Thank you very much guys, glad you like it! I will be posting more soon.

@Zaddo67, once all the new features are implemented the price might go up a little. However the upgrade will be free for those with a Pro license. The Asset Store version is Pro, so the upgrade will be free for you.

 

I really really like it! Very good job there mate! Quick question, did you use Linear Equation to do the curving of the splines?

 

Thanks Ethaninja! Just like in v2 catmull-rom is used but with addtional options per marker. In the video you can see the option "Controller Type" when a marker is selected. By default it is the standard spline controller but you also have the option to create a straight lineair segment between two markers. Another option is to auto adjust the road to the terrain height, the system will place invisible markers at terrain height changes. This way the road will smoothly follow the contours of the terrain which is especially useful when you use DEM data. You don't have to worry about placing markers on every height change.

 

Looking great Raoul, really looking forward to crossing implementation.

 

Looks like it's really simple to use, congratz man

 

Will there be freeware version of EasyRoads3D V3? Can the width of roads be changed? For example, two-lanes, 4-lanes, and 6-lanes.

 

Thanks guys, your feedback is much appreciated!

@jeffmorris1956, the free version will be updated according this new workflow but it is undecided yet what features to implement and whether crossings will be supported, I haven't really thought about that yet.

You can change the road width. In the video you can see the road width field when a road is selected and for each connection of the roundabout you also see a road width for each individual connection. In "General Settings" you can créate Project specific road types such as"motorway", "city street", "dirt path", etc. assign a road width and material. When creating a new road you can optionally select one of these presets. The idea is to also implement support for Open Street Map. Somewhere last year I experimented with that, the OSM data comes with detailed road type info, the road presets can be linked to the OSM road types.

If you meant, can the width of a specific road be changed and go, for example from three-lanes to two-lanes. That will be implemented as well. But in any case, as mentioned in the first post, this new version also includes a system to use your own crossing/connection prefabs. So if the implemented way of changing lanes will not work for your specific project you can simply model that segment, create a connection prefab with the easy to use build in custom connection prefab system and use that for the transition during the road width change. Hope this answers your question.

Raoul

 

Raoul, this is AMAZING. So many useful features, especially the idea of integrating custom modeled intersections makes this tool so versatile! Although I already purchased EasyRoads Pro I will definitely buy another copy/license to support your work. Thanks and keep on coding!

 

whaaaaa... that looks great!!! Nice Work!

 

That's amazing. I never thought intersections would change the workflow so much! Absolutely fantastic

 

Amazing

How can I request current version for testing? If I'm pro user.

 

Raoul, truly impressive!

 

is there a export option to be able to take in to a external 3d program and model curbs, buildings and other details to fit the curves of the roads? Example as if i wanted to make the streets of my city using easy roads then export and finish modeling the building, is this possible? Thanks

 

@.Ratllehead, thank you and that is very kind, but really not necessary, your feedback is already much appreciated! I started this 4 years ago purely because it was fun. And it still is although v3 was giving me some headaches but we are back on track now…

@chingwa, Many thanks, once this is out I finally may have some time to start getting familiar with your amazing water system! My main Unity project is at the stage for prototyping some demo scenes and water is needed!

@ValrikRobot, yes, I think it was necessary. The old v3 intersections system was workable but this new system is far more user friendly.

@Jes28, Thank you, send me an email or a PM with your email. I will add you to the beta list.

@sjm tech, thanks Max! I am still on it, also the new side objects system This new system is actually a mixture of the two.

@GameMasters3D, yes, just like with the current version v2 you can export to .obj, both individual roads as the full road network. Let me know if you have more questions.

 

The new road system is incredible! I can't wait to see it with the new side object system.
You managed to improve an already excellent tool! Compliments!

 

I have to say. I have purchased the Pro Version of this tool some time ago, and she never let me down.
I have sent an email to you about testing the beta version, I really want to know more about this new features.

Are you planning to do an "automatic tunnel creation" function or something like that (to work with the default Unity Terrain Tool) for future versions?

 

congrats! looks great! cant wait for new version!

 

please integrate with Map-ity
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/#/content/11779

which by the way recently integrated with BuildR!

and would be amazing to give a zipcode and generate map, streets, sidewalks, buildings, ect...

 

This looks awesome! One question, can I add curbs pedestrian sidewalks along the roads too?

 

@sjm tech, I will first get a beta with the new road system out and the current side objects system. After that I will implement the new side objects system because there are still some things to fix.

@SimSâ„¢, Glad to hear the current version works well for you! You will get an email with the beta download link once available. At the moment development of version 3 is focused on intersections. I can look further into tunnels afterwards but I am not sure how many of you want that feature. I already looked into that, it is tricky but doable I think.

@im, Thanks! the OSM test I did last year was with raw osm data dowloaded from their website. Integration with Map-ity will probably be very easy if it does filter on road type.

@derkoi, thank you, yes, curbs and sidewalks will be part of the tool set itself. I am currently adding more options to crossings. After that I will prepare some videos of road specific features. And as mentioned you can always build your own crossing / road prefabs which can also include sidewalks.

 

Beautiful product! I will write you to have an update (I am a Pro user),,

 

Hi Raoul, please send the Beta to me too (I'm PRO user, and a very old customer of EasyRoads, we know each other in Skype some years ago).

 

that sounds great, map-ity does expose the data, so perhaps you'all would consider working with map-ity author, like buildr author did, and make it happen. i already purchased easyroads 3d pro, map-ity and buildr and would be nice to give a zipcode and get it all build. should be easy way to add value to your already great asset

 

I am interesting in a video where you make the roads and after you make the road,
please change the terrain at the position where the road is.
How is your program reacted....

Second: Building a bridge over the road?
And after building change the terrain at the position where the road and the bridge is.

I think thats really importend.
if your program can do this then concratulation.....

 

@fabio1955, thank you! I received your email and added you to the beta list!

@emergki, Hi! Yes, I know you created the truck game, but I am not sure if we had email contact before, I cannot find anything on “emergki”, can you drop me a PM or email so I can add you to the beta list?

@im, One way or the other it will be implemented at some point. Last week I also received a request for KML support, I will look into that too.

@faxi, Hi! The tedious almost impossible process of manually shaping the terrain to fit roads is exactly the reason why I started woking on all of this 5 years ago. It is already available on the Asset Store: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/#/content/469


The following movie was created for the purpose to show a new feature but it includes both a procedurally created bridge and the terrain deformation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q3ydCSUoP4

This will be v3. In the first post I mentioned that porting over the terrain deformation is still to do but it was already functional in the old v3 beta with support for crossings.

 

Hi Raoul, yep, no problem, emergki I use only here and in Skype. I'll send you a PM with my email.

 

Quick question, I plan on buying this in the future, does this support custom shaders (made with Shader Forge) and sidewalks?

 

We're currently making a driving city and this looks like the perfect tool.

 

@emergki, I added your email to the list…

@Chaoss, You can assign different materials to the roads and crossings. These are standard Unity materials so you can use your own shaders. The only thing to recommend is add Offset values to your shaders to avoid z-fighting with the terrain. But that should be easy to do.

Regarding sidewalk specific materials, at the moment the side walk is part of the road geometry so they share the same material but I could put this in a sub mesh if you guys prefer that. There are just so many possible options for geometry layouts etc. that I have to make choices at this point to get it out. Please let me know if you have a preference. In any case more will follow after the first release…

@BrixtonDynamics, yes, you will be able to use it for that.

 

May I beta-test EasyRoads3D V3? I think that I didn't buy full version of EasyRoads3D V2.

 

I just checked an did find an account that must be yours, ...a Pro license, I added you to the beta list

 

One question, will be a "native compatibility" with TerrainComposer (multiple terrains) in v3 beta or full version?

I'm having a little problem here with this, "building" the road manually into each terrain works, but when the road crosses 2 or more terrains AND he alters too much the terrain at the road sides, the terrain detaches from the another, making a void between them.
Anyway, maybe this is an issue with TerrainComposer itself (I'll check with Nathaniel, creator of TC).

 

Can't wait for it...

Does it already work (again) with multiple terrains? If not yet, pleasepleaseprettyplease...

 

We use our own terrain system, so I am not really familiar with TerrainComposer. What exactly do you mean with "native Compatability"? As far as I know TerrainComposer generates either one or multiple terrain objects. The current version 2 does support multiple terrains and already many people use v2 on terrains buid with TerrainComposer. But I will optimize this a bit further because the current v2 implementation was quickly done 2 years ago upon request by a user. Nowasdays many more people use Multiple Terrains in their scenes.

 

Thanks Rastar! Yes, I have to port terrain deformation over from the old v3 system which was not yet working on multiple terrains. But, as also discussed on the previous page, the final version of this new system will support multiple terrains just like v2 currently does.

 

I cannot wait!! Simply amazing, I'm not sure if this is already implemented in there but if possible for the "crossing" instead of automatically having 4 exits, that we can adjust how many and which way...?

Let me know when this will be available I am excited!

Thanks

edit; same for the circles, perhaps you can make it so there is a slider where you decide how full of a 360 degree circle you want it to be.

 

Have a quick look at the video on the first page. For the round-about, he adds junctions by clicking a button. For the crossings there are special buttons line "crossing" (4-way), "T-junction" (3-way) etc.

 

Ok great thanks, sorry the video quality was set to low it was difficult to see any options.
So I thought I'd say something just in case

I assume there is options to make the Crossing bigger etc as well than, great.

I cant wait for the release

 

Yes, the system will support both X crossings and T crossings. The buttons you see in the Inspector are referring to the available “connection prefabs”. The X and T crossings in the video are actually generated using the custom prefab system I mentioned, the system that allows you to use your own crossing models. The prefabs were quickly made with the old v3 beta, exported to .obj and prepared as a “connection prefab”. As you can see they still adapt in the scene to the connected road angle.

I am currently working on the fully dynamically generated crossings which works similar as the roundabout example. You can set the road widths, square corners, rounded corners, sidewalks, materials etc. With this system you can create your project / scene specific crossing types (the package will include presets) which will then appear in that list of “connection prefabs” that you also see in the video. When you select a marker and click that prefab it will automatically attach to that marker. Or, without selecting a road / marker, you can select the prefab in the Inspector and directly instantiate it in the scene and start auto creating roads through the connection handles of the prefab as shown in the video.

Regarding the circles, that is possible, you can set the angle and circle shape radius.

 

this is great raoul, people like you deserve much more recognition. When my game makes it to the whole world, I'll make it a point to come back and reward you.

Do you have an estimated time of release for this?

Thanks

 

Thank you zKici, I have to implement more crossing options, terrain deformation and tidy everything up. Then I will release a first beta, hopefully within two weeks. Otherwise a little bit later because I will be away for a week, from the 10th of March.

 

Actually I'm talking about working natively with multiple terrains, even creating the roads between the terrains without needing to change everytime to the terrain where the road will be put AND building the road/manipulate all the terrains at the same time (maybe working the "Backup/Restore" function with all the terrains simultaneously)

 

Last week, I experimented with run time terrain deformation and removing trees while auto generating a road. It works but a bit slow. The main question for this sort of editor functionality would be, what if the next day (undo is no longer an option) you decide to change the road shape? The previous road shape will be visible in the terrain. You could use the originally stored terrain data but what if you manually edited the terrain meanwhile? Even that could be dealt with but if these manual changes were done near the road, there is a big chance that the terrain will not look good.

 

If I understand correctly , the new EasyRoads3D will have the option to auto-adjust to the terrain height, so the road adapts to modifications of the terrain. Together with the multi-terrain option, that is everything that I personally need. I also use TerrainComposer, and a workflow would be

1) let terrain TC generate the terrain tiles
2) lay out your roads
3) if you have changes to your original terrain, import it again using TC, the roads should adapt.

Of course, if you make manual changes to the terrain those would be lost, but I guess this means that you should lay out your roads before other man-made structures.

By the way, a great feature would be the possibility to bake the road textures into a global color map. Many terrain texturing solutions (the wonderful RTPv3 for example) use a global color map for simulating terrain textures in the far distance. So if the road could be baked into those textures I think the actual road meshes would be needed only at pretty close distances.