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Landscape Builder - Procedural Terrains, Advanced Prefab System, spline tool, and more

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by sstrong, Feb 24, 2016.

  1. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Here is a note about VS Pro integration and what you can expect in LB 2.0.7 which has been released.

    To get started, just enable VS Pro in terrain settings then keep using the other tabs in LB as usual.

    upload_2018-11-21_20-58-13.png
     
  2. sstrong

    sstrong

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    We have GPU Acceleration for Topography, Texturing and Grass placement on Advanced Tab. We also have some new Terrain System features for U2018.3. like "Draw Instanced". However, we don't yet have any GPU instancing for things like vegetation or prefabs.

    Basically we offload some of the procedural placement task from the CPU to the GPU using compute shaders. You should see some pretty good performance gains by enabling GPU acceleration when designing and building your landscape. We also support it for runtime generation. It is currently in the "Experimental" phase but we internally use it all the time (it's so much faster even on low-end GPUs).
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2018
  3. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Topography Image v TIFF

    We see this quite a lot. Topography Image Base, Additive, Subtractive, and Detail layers have been supported on LB for a long time. They can use a variety of image-based heightmap data and have options to Repair Holes in the data and a have couple of different types of smoothing. You can import data from popular sites like Terrain.Party or even load heightmap data from the moon!

    Image Layer data is 8bit, which is why it generally needs smoothing. Image Layer Detail Smoothing doesn't work well across terrain boundaries. So if you have multiple terrains in your landscape, be careful how much Detail Smoothing you apply. Avoid it if you can. Try using Interpolation Smoothing as that gets applied directly to the import heightmap rather than the terrain heightmaps.

    However, we now support TIFF and GeoTIFF data which is MUCH better. Firstly, it is 16bit so the quality of the data is much higher. We even support 32bit GeoTIFF files. As they are stored in the scene, they are also much faster to populate or modify.

    If you missed the video on GeoTIFF you can watch it here.

     
    MaximilianPs likes this.
  4. sstrong

    sstrong

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    How to transfer Texturing, Grass, Trees Settings to another Landscape

    Sometime you many have multiple landscapes in one of the following scenarios:
    1. Multiple landscapes in the same scene
    2. Landscapes in different scenes
    3. Landscapes in different projects
    4. The same landscape which another team member is working on remotely
    To copy or transfer settings to another landscape perform the following tasks:
    1. In the Landscape tab, go to Templates
    2. Enter an appropriate template name. You might want to add a version number to it.
    3. If this is scenarios 3 or 4, tick "Export Package"
    4. Click "Save Package"
    5. If scenario 3 or 4, a package will be created which you can send to other team member and then import into the destination Unity project
    6. In the destination Project and/or scene, on the Landscape tab, make sure you are editing the destination landscape
    7. Still on the Landscape tab, under Templates, drag the template from the Project pane (LandscapeBuilder\Templates) into the "Template to Apply" slot.
    8. Turn off "Import Terrain Settings", "Import Topography", "Import Groups", "Import Mesh/Prefabs", and "Import Water"
    9. Only enable "Import Textures/Trees/Grass" as required
    10. Make sure "Ignore Start Position" is enabled
    11. Click "Apply Template"
    upload_2018-12-7_8-7-21.png
    You will then see the following warning. Make sure you have "Import Terrain Settings" and "Import Topography" turned OFF, and "Ignore Start Position" turned ON before proceeding. If in doubt, click "Cancel".

    Using the Template "Export Package" option is also a good way to backup your Landscape settings.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2019
    dsilverthorn likes this.
  5. dsilverthorn

    dsilverthorn

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    I really appreciate all the information. LB is a powerful tool and I just bought it today. So I’m reading the manual and watching the videos so I can import it into my project.

    I’m coming over from Gaia, but I really like what LB has to offer.

    Thank you for continuing to teach on the functions and uses of your asset. :)
     
    StevenPicard and sstrong like this.
  6. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Coming in LB 2.1.0 is a new feature in LB Image FX which takes into consideration the water level when calculating distance-based fog.

    upload_2018-12-7_13-16-13.png

    For Beta Program users, this feature is available now in v2.1.0 Beta 2e or newer.
     
  7. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Coming in LB 2.1.0 is more GPU goodness. This time path features are getting a makeover.

    [NEW] Path GPU acceleration (Experimental) 100X FASTER for MapPath Create Map Texture
    [NEW] Path GPU acceleration (Experimental) 5X FASTER for Topography MapPath Layer

    upload_2018-12-13_17-2-40.png

    MapPath "Create Map" is useful when you want to include or exclude a track, walking path, or road when populating the landscape with the Texturing, Trees, or Grass tabs. The map (texture) is used for "Map" or "Height Inclination Map" rules.

    If you have Vegetation Studio Pro, you can also use it to create Texture Area masks.

    We're still looking for customers willing to do some testing with GPU Acceleration on modern Mac's. If that's you, head on over to the LB Beta Program forum.
     
    MaximilianPs and Acissathar like this.
  8. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    Hi, I'm having trouble with Unity 2018.3 and LB. LB does not show up in the Window menu, I've deleted and reimported 3 times in a new project. LB does show up in the Project folder, so is there any other way to open the LB editor?

    Aquas and Weathermaker are doing the same thing, so I am assuming it's something to do with the new Unity.
     
  9. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Which versions of Unity 2018.3 and LB are you using?

    I've just created a new project in 2018.3.0f2 (the release version) and imported LB 2.0.8 and don't get any compile or script errors.

    What LB errors do you see in the Unity Console window?
     
  10. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    It was LB 2.08 and the newest Unity 2018.3 release, not the beta. It was giving me so many errors and warning, plus I don't like the Improved Prefabs, so I reverted back to Unity 2018.2.20f1 and all is working better. I'll eventually update to 2018.3, but I won't even think about using old projects, I'll just make new ones.
     
  11. sstrong

    sstrong

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    There are a couple of possibilities:
    1. Other assets had compile errors which prevented LB scripts from running
    2. There are some other errors that we're not aware of and haven't been able to re-pro in-house
    Old projects should upgrade fine (in LB). Our code is designed to handle these scenarios. There is one small issue with the LB demo scene where Unity changed a menu between the 2018.3 Beta and 2018.3 Release but that shouldn't have affected your project (nor will it block LB Editor from opening). This is fixed in the LB 2.1.0 Beta.

    However, if you do decide to do another upgrade from 2018.2 to 2018.3 and run into issues, we'd be happy to help you resolve them.
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2018
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  12. sstrong

    sstrong

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    I just tested upgrading a U201820f2 project to U201830f2.

    The source project on Windows 10 Pro contained:
    • Landscape Builder (see below)
    • LB Enviro Pack 1 (v1.0 - however v1.01 should also be fine)
    • A scene from the LB Enviro Pack video
    • Built-in SRP
    I tested the following 2 scenarios
    • LB 2.0.7
    • LB 2.0.8
    Observations:
    • There are a number of once-off internal Unity-related AssetDatabase GUID warnings
    • There are a number of once-off internal Unity-related AssetDatabase timestamp warnings
    • No LB errors
    • No LB warnings
    If anyone does see any LB upgrade warnings or errors please report them and we'd be happy to investigate.

    HDRP upgrading.

    If you are upgrading to 2018.3 with a High Definition Render Pipeline project, to the latest HDRP (4.6.0), the Unlit shader in HDRP is currently broken. This is a known Unity issue and they are currently working on a fix. This affects the LB Stencil feature (HDRP only).
     
  13. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    I don't believe that I had any LB errors or warnings in the console, but LB and other assets just did not show up in the Window menu and the LB editor tab, next to the Inspector, that I had didn't show up either. I was/am getting a LOT of errors about users/---/appdata/local/cache/packages/---/collaborate----, which I don't even use. And other similar ones in the appdata area. I think that I am going to concentrate on model building until they release a LTS for 2018.:mad:
     
  14. kepesh

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    Does LB have a feature where you can place a 3D mesh on the terrain and then the terrain conforms to it? TC2 has this function but now they have stopped developing it so now I'm looking for a new terrain tool.
     
  15. sstrong

    sstrong

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    I guess it depends on what you mean by "the terrain conforms to it". For things like buildings or other structures we can flatten the terrain under those objects and blend it with the surroundings. This also can be applied to villages, towns, farms etc.

    We can also align objects to the terrain slope. We have a bunch of tutorial videos but the following might help.

    Group Basics
    Group Designer
    Object Path Basics

    What is your scenario? We're always happy to look at new game developer scenarios.
     
  16. kepesh

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    So here's how I used it in TC2. I placed a cliff prefab containing a height mesh (hidden in the game) and an edge cliff model, in steep areas and the terrain adapts to the mesh. It was a really quick way to make cliffs.

    Here's an image explaining it a bit more. Not sure if you get what I mean :)



    I also used this conform to mesh function to make the terrain conform to river spline meshes.
    It would need to have three blending modes. Add, multiply and "absolute" so that we can either add to the terrain, subtract from it or do both.
     
  17. kepesh

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    Here's the node in TC2
     
  18. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Interesting approach to steep cliffs (which Unity terrains don't handle too well). I'm assuming you'd need to model and create your own cliff meshes - or did your old tool come with that feature?

    LB comes with a path and river bed tool. It's called MapPath because it can also output texture maps for placement rules. A MapPath can be used to alter topography using add/subtract/set (min/max) and blend curve rules.
     
  19. kepesh

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    Yeah it's a very powerful function that can be used to do a lot more than just cliffs. Yes I did my own cliff meshes.

    Ok, does the river bed tool also output a mesh that I can use a water shader on?
     
  20. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Yes, it creates a mesh for water shaders. It comes with built in support for common ones like AQUAS, R.A.M., Calm Water, and the older Unity Standard asset shaders. You should be able to use pretty much any water shader as there is the ability to set the UVs manually in the tool too.
     
  21. kepesh

    kepesh

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    Cool! I'll try it out :)
     
  22. kepesh

    kepesh

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    Can I somehow use PSD files to mask terrain textures? I have a PSD which used all channels for different areas where I need different textures.
     
  23. sstrong

    sstrong

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    There are a couple of options.
    1. One is to import the image as a PNG into 4 stencil layers. You can create a new Stencil from the Landscape tab. If this works for you but you'd prefer to use PSDs, we can look at adding PSD as a Stencil Layer import option. Typically we'd recommend using this method as stencils are very versatile.
    2. An older method is to use the Texturing Mode of "Map". This can be selected for Texture on the Texturing tab. Click "Advanced" and set the Weight to 1 for your desired channel, and the other Weights to 0.

    upload_2018-12-18_9-37-8.png upload_2018-12-18_9-40-2.png

    Here's a link to an early Stencil tutorial. NOTE: You no longer need to save Stencil Layers as "Map" Textures. They can be used natively as Filters on most tabs in LB.
     
  24. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Importing PSD, TIF, PNG, JPG into Stencil Layers

    Coming in LB 2.1.0 is a new feature to enable you to import any Texture from within the Asset folder into a new Stencil Layer. Under "Stancil Settings", there will be a new "Import Source" called "Texture 2D".
     
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  25. dsilverthorn

    dsilverthorn

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    Merry Christmas everyone!
    View attachment 349942
    I had fun putting this card together and thought I would share it with everyone. :)

    Snow and haze by Weather Maker
    Landscape by Landscape Builder and World Creator 1
    Clouds by Fog Volume 3
    Trees by Forest Vision
    Placement by Vegetation Studio
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2018
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  26. o1o101

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    Hi @sstrong

    Can I use landscape builder only to update Trees, details, and rocks? I have landscape and splatmap I would like to not change at all. Is this possible?

    If I have large existing towns all finished and placed, can I quickly set those up to update the surrounding vegetation, or do I need to use it from the ground up?

    Lastly, if I use landscape builder, can I still use terrain tools to paint on the terrain custom hills, trees, etc. ?
     
  27. sstrong

    sstrong

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    LB has the ability to import existing terrain data (height, trees, textures, details). Terrains are placed under a child game object and the LB script is attached to the parent.

    Is your existing landscape made up of a single terrain or multiple terrains in the same scene? Knowing some details about your existing setup will help us determine your workflow in LB.

    LB works with standard Unity terrains, so yes, you can still modify them with other tools after applying changes with LB. Obviously, you'd need to be careful with your workflow so that you don't overwrite your existing work. Taking a full backup of your project first is always recommended when determining the best workflow for your scenario.
     
  28. o1o101

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    Thanks for the quick reply, it is only a single terrain, not tiles. I will just buy it and check it out. Regarding my question about my existing towns, for example if I have existing 100 houses/ sidewalks, fences, etc. on my map, and I want to clear surrounding vegetation and update the splat map, etc. can I automatically do that with LB without much headache?
     
  29. sstrong

    sstrong

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  30. sstrong

    sstrong

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    LB won't know specifically about your houses, fences etc as they were not added using our Groups system. However, you could create painted stencils (within the LB editor toolset) which can be used as filters on most things in LB (texturing, trees, grass (detail), topography, new procedural or manual Groups etc).

    Stencil Layers are created in LB with a top-down view of your landscape (terrains). You can paint freehand over the areas you want to exclude or include. You can also combine Stencil Layer filters with other rules like height, inclination etc. if required.

    We have considered importing existing buildings etc into our Groups system however we've not seen a good use-case for that yet.

    Given you have existing content don't forget to work on a full backup of your project while testing the new workflow.
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2018
  31. o1o101

    o1o101

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    @sstrong Ok good to know. Hmm, it would be cool if you could allow a custom layer that would clear surrounding vegetation, this would be a really nice thing for people using other tools for level design. For example anything on the layer "Buildings" or "Road" with a collider should remove surrounding vegetation, ideally it can update the vegetation real time, or you just have regenerate it. Similar to vegetation studio, but using built in terrain.
     
  32. sstrong

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    Sounds like a good idea to put on our roadmap.

    For roads, if you've built them using EasyRoads3D, LB can create "maps" to exclude or include trees, grass, ground textures etc. We also integrate with Vegetation Studio and Vegetation Studio Pro.
     
    dsilverthorn likes this.
  33. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Unity Version Support

    The next release of LB, v2.1.0 will be supported on Unity 2017.2+. This will enable us to keep delivering the new features you require on more modern versions of Unity, including 2019.1.

    If you have an project that requires an older version of Unity, say 5.6.2 or 2017.1.x you can continue to use LB 2.0.8.
     
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  34. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Working with Large Landscapes in Landscape Builder

    As we move more features over to the GPU, we have been testing bigger landscapes. Even with a modern CPU, applying Topography, Texturing, and Grass can be relatively slow once you get past 16 terrains in a landscape at a terrain resolution of 513 or greater. Note, our Trees and Groups (aka prefab placement system) is optimised for the CPU and is already pretty fast.

    However, GPUs are designed for parallel processing, which we can take advantage of in LB. In the next release (v2.1.0) we'll be upgrading the status of GPU acceleration from EXPERIMENTAL to PREVIEW. This means we've been doing a lot of testing and now have a higher level of confidence in this technology.

    So, if you're building larger landscapes, with 16, 64 or 256 terrains, you'll want to turn on the following options in the LB Editor on the Advanced tab.

    upload_2019-1-17_7-55-46.png

    You will most likely also want to turn off AutoSave. The reason being, that saving the scene to disk after each operation is pretty slow with large landscapes. You'll then need to save your scene often manually (like regular Unity) just in case things go wrong.

    upload_2019-1-17_8-4-32.png

    For landscapes with say 256 terrains at a relatively high resolution of 1025, you'll need at least 16 GB of RAM, a fast CPU (e.g. Intel i7 or a high-end AMD desktop CPU), and a modern graphics card with at least 4GB of dedicated VRAM.

    With 64 terrains you'll probably get away with an Intel i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 2-3 year old video card with at least 2GB of dedicated VRAM.

    To follow the latest development head over to our Beta Forum.
     
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  35. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    Hi, I'm having a problem with using Stencils to designate where a texture is drawn. I was originally using Unity's Paint Terrain tools to do minor texturing, but got tired of re-doing that every time I re-textured my landscape. :eek:

    So I thought that I would try using Stencils. I've read through the manual and watched the video on Stencils several times. I have a Stencil with 2 layers that both have separate colors(one white and one green) and have saved separate Maps for each layer. The one under and around the buildings shows up great when I assign the Map under the Texture Mode, but when doing the same exact thing with the second layer, that is for leaves under trees, the texture doesn't show up at all. Can I use 2 separate Maps for 2 different textures or do I have to do it another way?

    This one around the buildings shows fine.


    But the leaves under the trees texture is nowhere to be seen.


    I'm also getting some warnings when I try and go back and edit the Stencil Layers.

    The workaround for that is that I can hit Zoom All and then Zoom back in and edit the Layers again, but it took me a few minutes to figure that out.:rolleyes:
     
  36. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Ok, firstly, since making that original tutorial we introduced native Stencil Layer filters. This means you don't need to "Create Maps". Instead, in the Texturing, Trees, and Grass tab you can select ADD FILTER and select the stencil layer. There is also a Stencil Filter option in the Groups tab.

    Do you have re-pro steps on how you got the errors above? I'm more than happy to fix them if I can get a reliable re-pro.
     
  37. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    I tried using the ADD FILTER and using the stencil layer but didn't know what settings to use as I couldn't find anything much about it in the manual. It mostly discusses Area Filter placement and not much for using Stencils for textures, mainly for using textures for placing trees and such. Do I use Height or what in the Texturing Mode, and I suppose I choose AND?

    As far as the Warnings, it's sporadic, and like I said if I press ZOOM ALL, I can re-edit the textures, so it's not really a problem now.

    /Edit
    Ok, I changed the Texturing Mode to Constant Influence and now the ADD FILTER is working. It's always the small details that get me.
     
  38. sstrong

    sstrong

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    For Texturing Mode, if don't care about other rules, you can choose Constant Influence (i.e. Texture everywhere), then the Stencil Layer will filter where in the landscape you texture. And yes, select AND if you only have one Stencil Layer for that Texture.

    BTW Stencil Layers are 16 bit and are pretty fast (and work with GPU Acceleration). If you do notice when the warnings happen, please report them. It is possible the layer is not active (small A button on that layer). But those warnings and errors should never happen.
     
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  39. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    I got the error 3 times in a row just now. It happens after I hit TEXTURE LANDSCAPE and then go back to the active layer, with blue A, and try to edit it. It happens with either layer and I have to press ZOOM ALL to be able to re-edit. It might be Unity though, I've been having a lot of problems with other Assets lately too.
     
  40. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Ok, I'll check it out. Did you manage to get the Stencil Layers working correctly with the Texture Filters?
     
  41. sstrong

    sstrong

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    The ADD FILTER should also work fine with the other Texturing Modes but obviously if there are rules that exclude the Stencil Layer filter area, then nothing will appear.
     
  42. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    Yes, both textures are showing up correctly now, but I did the SMOOTH operation on the leaves layer, and now I get the error even if I try press ZOOM ALL. Going to restart Unity and see if that fixes it.

    \EDIT
    Restarting Unity didn't help, I still can't edit either layer. And I just noticed that I can't use Unity's Paint Texture anymore.
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2019
  43. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Can you export a Template from Landscape tab, ensure you select Include Stencils and Export Package? I've just tried to repro your errors and can't. Also, which version of Unity are you on? Is this LB 2.0.8 or the 2.1.0 Beta?
     
  44. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    I'm using LB 2.0.8 and Unity 2018.2.20f1. I think part of my problem was that I was going into PLAY mode without unchecking SHOW STENCIL. By unchecking that before I go into PLAY mode and then rechecking it, I am able to edit the layers again.

    /Edit
    Something else weird is happening occasionally. My GAME tab will sometimes disappear when I recheck SHOW STENCIL, but not always. I think that it's getting time to reinstall Unity.
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2019
  45. sstrong

    sstrong

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    Ok. Hold off reinstalling Unity. I know there is a workaround for the Game tab due to newer versions of Unity in LB. I'll see if we can work it out. Yes, going into PLAY mode without unchecking SHOW STENCIL could play havoc with serialization etc. I should add some warning or info somewhere in the editor about that. We thought of automatically saving as you enter PLAY mode but that is not without it's issues too.

    If you keep having issues with the GAME tab, in Stencil Settings, turn off "Auto Show LB Editor"
     
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  46. jjobby

    jjobby

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    Last edited: Jan 28, 2019
  47. sstrong

    sstrong

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    We support procedural placement of standard Unity terrain trees and grass (including mesh grass). We also support the placement of prefabs (including mesh grass) using our Groups system.

    For HDRP you "could" use the Groups system for mesh grass placement although wind may not work. The Group procedural prefab placement system is not really designed for creating ground cover like grass. Unlike products like Vegetation Studio Pro (which we integrate with) we don't have a separate grass painting tool.

    We haven't used GPU Instancer (sorry).
     
  48. jjobby

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    So, those grasses will be treated like gameobject?
     
  49. sstrong

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    If you used the Group system to place grass mesh prefabs for HDRP, yes. Which wouldn't be a great experience unless the grass was really sparsely placed. As HDRP is still under preview (and changes rapidly), it remains to be seen if this will be resolved by Unity or if they expect everyone to use 3rd party tools for grass rendering on terrains.
     
  50. sstrong

    sstrong

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    For customers using LB and HDRP, we've fixed a bug in our Stencil shader with Unity 2018.3.x. It now requires HDRP 4.9.0+ as Unity introduced a regression in HDRP 4.6.0 which broke Unlit HDRP shaders.

    This fix will be in the next release (LB 2.1.0). If you need it before the next release, either obtain it under the Beta Program or ask us the patch.