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MTree - Tree creation

Discussion in 'Assets and Asset Store' started by mherpin, Aug 31, 2018.

  1. Gray_Master

    Gray_Master

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    Thx, I been think )
     
  2. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    This tool looks absolutely superb. I have a question about the licensing - is it possible to make trees for my own Asset packs with this tree creator? Or is the licensing for end-users only? If so, would it be possible to buy a more expensive license that allows trees that are made to be sold in Asset packs?

    I badly need a good solution for custom foliage in my own Asset packs and don't want to spend weeks on it, but I also know that most packs prevent resale of any custom script assets.

    I'd be happy to provide front-level advertising for MTree on any Asset packs I released that contain tree models made with MTree. It looks like a fantastic product.
     
  3. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    I bought it. This is fantastic. I actually honestly think you're lowballing the price on this - you've invented the first serious competitor to SpeedTree in a decade, and indeed a better competitor because your trees allow me to use my own tiling materials instead of requiring their custom UV materials. That's utterly immense and allows for the creation of an insane range of tree looks just by swapping tileable textures. Your default leaf shader also includes translucency by default and looks even better when looking up than SpeedTree does!

    I believe you are going to have a hit with this. I absolutely think you should sell Pro licenses as well allowing creators to create assets for resale on the Asset Store, if you're willing to explore that road. I'll buy one. Talk to me. I'll be happy to contribute my original Pepper Tree Bark texture from this screenshot to the MTree project free just for the privilege of giving you my pitch.

     
  4. mherpin

    mherpin

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    Mtree is a tool, the Asset Store prevents you from reselling the tool but it doesn't forbid to sell what you make with the tool, and I won't either !

    My goal is to see the Mtree used and democratized, and allowing the users to sell trees made with Mtree seems only fair to me.

    Of course I would appreciate that you advertise the use of Mtree on the Asset packs you sell, but it's not an obligation.
     
  5. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    That is amazingly generous, and I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that your tool has already changed my life for the better, possibly forever. The fidelity on your oak palmate leaves up close alone is really amazing stuff.

    Seriously, to all Unity developers out there are reading this, if you have any interest in making your own Unity trees at all, buy this tool.

     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2019
    recon0303, Mark_01 and wetcircuit like this.
  6. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    As a gift to the MTree community for your generous license terms, as promised, here is my contribution of the free Pepper Tree Bark texture from these screenshots! (This is my own original work with Filter Forge, so there are no license concerns whatsoever.)

    I'd love to help become an MTree evangelist, and/or contribute to an MTree bark/leaf library! I think this project has amazing potential!


     
  7. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Mtree continues to impress! I actually plan to spend a few weeks making trees possibly. The fidelity it's capable of is amazing. This tool deserves further support.



    I also have an amazing technique to report in terms of making branches *with* Mtree, that this tree was a test for! I was having trouble getting access to a high-fidelity enough leaf/branch library on my own - it turns out making branches myself in Photoshop isn't easy!

    So I was planning to spend a week or two on a tool for making them before I realized...*I have already bought one!*

    A small, long shrub made in Mtree using a single leaf asset in the leaf slot makes amazing little branches - this screenshot was used to help produce the tree above!



    I have refinements to make to the process but the resulting branch is easy to cut out and clean in Photoshop or another editor to create a lovely branch!

    The "misty" effect in the above screenshot is deliberate with the Unity Postprocessing Stack - here's another shot of greater focus for games which prefer that style, and another different tree using the same leaf and bark!




    -------

    I do have a few bugs to go get pics of. I will offer a bounty on any early fixes. This software has become a crucial part of my plans for the next year or two at least and I feel if these bugs are fixed this tool could literally one day produce realtime graphics for cinema - the fidelity is that good.

    In return ! would be honored to help contribute leaf/branch/bark types and shaders for the project.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2019
    Mark_01 and wetcircuit like this.
  8. Baldinoboy

    Baldinoboy

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    Is there a tool for creating branches and baking out needed maps from it? That would be an incredible tool! Right now using Modular Tree addon(also @mherpin 's) in Blender and baking out the results. Unfortunately baking out the results is not the easiest thing to do.
     
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  9. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Not an explicit one, and the branch/leaf shader isn't mapped currently. These would be incredible improvements!

    I'm hoping to explore making an upgraded leaf shader in Amplify! But it will take a week or two probably before I know enough to be able to do it.
     
    Baldinoboy likes this.
  10. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Would also love to see what others are working on in MTree!
     
  11. EstudioVR

    EstudioVR

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    I just bought. I do not have immediate need of this tool but it is always important to encourage projects with this quality and importance. Long life and success.
     
  12. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Thanks EstudioVR! :) We among the community appreciate supporting the tool! I'll be happy to send you some of this foliage I'm working on if you'd like.

    This isn't even photogrammetry and the results are so nice...I bet MTree goes absolutely nuts with Quixel, but oh God, that repressive license. (No development of third-party assets with Quixel, full stop.)

    Working on adding a lot more bark/leaf types to the demoreel as we speak.

     
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  13. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    I just can't stop, this software is life.

    I promise I'll stop spamming and actually polish up a real forest with branches, shrubs, and so forth, and stop bombarding the thread, but I really really want the community to know the wide range of looks that Mtree is capable of so that this tool is not ignored or neglected.

    This is a custom bark texture with an Mtree included leaf texture and some custom Postproccesing Stack settings/effects that I can also share as needed with the community...or invent your own, it's not hard! This software is capable of an unlimited number of looks if you have access to/can produce your own leaf and bark and flower assets.

    Again, predicting great things for MTree in 2019.

     
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  14. marcatore

    marcatore

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    @mherpin
    I've purchased your asset as I see what you did with the Blender addon...so I'm quite sure that you'll be able to create a great Unity asset .

    Here a bit of bug hunting I've done

    1. I've found a problem that, in some situation, freezes Unity and it eats all the memory system while Unity is freezing.
    The problem is that there some settings that are full float and they could be both positive and negative.
    Some of these, when negative, freeze Unity.
    Please, consider to force to positive the settings you know that can make mad Unity.
    For example, Additional Resolution in Root section of the Trunk node is one of them.

    2. The height set in Root section
    If you set it to 0, the Console give an error and every kind of the other settings become not working.

    3. The creating billboard rendering seems has some problems.
    First of all, if you create a tree in an already populated scene, the billboard of the tree will render all the object inside the bounding box of the tree.
    Second, is there a reason to don't use all the texture space for the billboard?
    This is the image of these 2 problems



    Some general questions
    a. Is it possible to control the poligon density using values for horizontal and vertical subdivision? Now it seems quite difficult to control it
    b. always to optimize the models, is it possible to distribuite the leafs in a different way?
    At the moment it seems that you divide the number of leafs by the number of branches transversal subdivision. I thinking to a way where you can distribuite the leafs polygons through all the branch lenght, or a shorter part of it.


    c. Is it possible to add an image resolution option for the baked textures like the billboard one?
     
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  15. mherpin

    mherpin

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    Thank you for finding those bugs, I will correct them at once !

    • For the texture space I'm afraid I can't do much, I used the unity packing texture function.

    • You can control the polygon density in the "quality" tab.

    • I can definitely make the leafs distribute along the whole length of the branches, as is the case with the blender addon.

    • Image resolution should not be a problem, my only concern is that by exposing too many parameters, the tool looses in clarity. Maybe I will add an advanced settings tab for that sort of things.

    Thank you very much for your help !
     
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  16. marcatore

    marcatore

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    Ok, I've read this in the Unity manual
    "If the input textures can't all fit into a texture atlas of the desired size then they will be scaled down to fit."
    So, probably, estimating the input texture image ration (the 3d model shape proportions) you should rescale them to fill all the available space in the final texture.
    And what about that if you have some objects inside the tree bounding box they will be rendered in the billboard texture?

    Ok, but I imagine that control as a tool for the LOD1, LOD2 and LOD3, but for LOD0 it should be always as 1.
    My suggestion about the control of quality is mainly about LOD0. and what I've in mind is to consider the branches (and the trunk) as cylinder and the polygon density of LOD0 is defined by vertical and horizontal subdivison of this "cylinder". The other LODS are a reduction of these subdivision

    Great!!!

    From point of view this should be great so, if someone needs just a quick model he can use the "simple" controls...if someone needs a more advanced tools , he can choose advanced mode.

    Thank you for your support
     
  17. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    My bug report:

    * There is a malformed set of UV's on a triangle about a third of the way up most (maybe all?) trees that I create:



    * MTrees with scripts have a tendency to revert their settings to default values, causing a potential loss of work, when the scene is played, but this does not happen with exported trees.
    * Also noticed the way Mtree can attempt an impossible number of calculations on malformed inputs - some range checking on settings that cause MTree to attempt an impossible number of calculations would be good, because otherwise one can lose all the work in one's sessions with just an extra keystroke ("100" instead of "10" on a Length can do this for instance.)

    Potential other improvements:
    * For more photorealistic trees, one day, it may become necessary to use a double-sided (but culled) leaf quad so that veination/leaf undersides can be modeled.

    I also am coming to believe that photogrammetry is necessary for great leaves for this tool (real, photographic leaf pictures) and echo the thought that a Branch Creator would help bring this tool to the AAA level that attracts big houses and real money.

    Overall though I'm still deliriously happy with this product.

    I believe it ushers in a new age of possibility and glorious foliage for the small Unity team and developer.
     
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  18. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    any news on what you’re qorking on? :)
     
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  19. mherpin

    mherpin

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    The last two weeks I was busy with exams, now I can start focussing more on Mtree. I'm working on the next version, specifically HDRP and LWRP support, bug fixing and shader updates. I have also plans to make a branch texture creator, that would take a leaf texture as input and create a branch texture form it.
     
  20. Baldinoboy

    Baldinoboy

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    Will find that branch creation addition extremely useful. Still using your blender addon with CTI for making complex trees with photoscanned trunks but a branch creator will enable me to use MTree in my workflow.
     
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2019
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  21. Teila

    Teila

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    Ooo, I want this. Tired of waiting for a good shader that works with Speedtree. Before I do, does this work with Vegetation Pro? Probably it works...but wanted to make sure.

    Thank you so much! I cannot wait to make some trees! I can also cancel that subscription to the Speedtree Modeler!
     
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  22. riba78

    riba78

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    A branch texture creator is a great idea.
    Speedtree has a Simplify tool that is really helpful to reduce the polycount.
     
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  23. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    This! It felt so bad paying a monthly for an application that didn't even allow me to make foliage I could use to decorate my planned Asset Store packs. That license is so prohibitive and prohibits third-party resales of created content explicitly.

    Ironically I am sure Mtree would be utterly world-beating with another prohibitive license - that of Quixel Megascans. That's another license where third party resale is 100% prohibited - it makes it so difficult to want to commit to any kind of trial of Quixel, as I feel like I'm essentially paying for a rental of those assets and any art assets I make with them.

    However, despite myself I do find myself hoping someone does try MTree with the Quixel foliage at some point. I am guessing that the graphic fidelity would be astonishing.
     
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  24. Teila

    Teila

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    That is my plan! I have tons of Megascans to try. However, I found another shader that might make Speedtree useful to me so have to decide which I prefer. Speedtree, Mtree....

    Getting info about whether Mtree works in Visual Studio Pro is probably what will help me make my decision. I see both as useful. Mtree might be better in a game where ST performance and polys would be too heavy. Both look nice though.
     
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  25. mherpin

    mherpin

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    I'm working with the creator of Vegetation Studio Pro to make it work with it, which should be done by the time the next version is out.
     
  26. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    The only bug I badly need fixed is the one with the malformed triangle UV's - that actually affects the production-ready status of the output models, whereas the rest are mostly quality-of-life fixes for the editor. I am very eager to release an Asset pack within a few weeks that I can slap "Made with Mtree!" on!

    I also have had a request from a friend that I agree with though for future versions, which would be to allow a "leaf" node with support for a custom mesh as the "leaf" instead of just a quad. This would be extremely useful for modeling palm fronds/willow branches/other leaves that significantly curve or droop, as well as things like fruit!

    Thanks again for your wonderful tool!
     
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  27. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    If it helps, I find SpeedTree to be a royal pain in the butt.
    • You can't use it in third party packs
    • ST has to rebake its textures every time you change the atmospheric fog settings
    • ST's bark and leaves are painted textures, not tiling, thus not hotswappable with user textures like MTree's are to create new trees
    • ST's default leaf shaders have no subsurface scattering, and they also billboard heavily for some trees and that makes them look really, really bad in VR
    ST still has an advantage in modeling non-quad leaves, for instance the default palm tree in ST is very nice because of that, but overall I think MTree is the shape of the future!
     
  28. mherpin

    mherpin

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    I agree for the uv bug, I'm working on it.

    About custom leaf mesh, it is actually already there, if you select the leaf node, there is a parameter that lets you choose the leaf type, the "custom" type lets you select a mesh for the leaves !
     
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  29. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    Can you add more than one leaf mesh to a branch?, like several blossom variations, fruit and leafs, etc?
     
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  30. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    wetcircuit: Yes you can, I apologize that I was not aware of the mesh leaves setting!

    The node structure of trees is a tree itself (in the classic computer science sense) that let you define multiple branch nodes coming from a trunk and multiple leaf nodes coming from a branch.
     
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  31. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    LOL I could have just asked myself, but was feeling lazy. :p
     
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  32. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Hey, I am to blame for getting it wrong! I had even found that setting myself at one point but somehow had forgotten about it.

    Here it is in case you are wondering:



    If you want to add multiple leaf meshes , you can add extra leaf nodes under the first - you can even create multiple branch types with their own leaves, for instance for a plant with inflorescences on stalks separate from the leaf branches.
     
  33. wetcircuit

    wetcircuit

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    Those branches look crazy/amazing…. Cramazing.
     
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  34. Teila

    Teila

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    I put my own textures into ST all the time. :) Even make my own trees from scratch with the modeler. I do agree the performance is not great and the fog does not work well with it though. BTW, Speedtree v 8 for Unity does have subsurface scattering. Plus, VS does help with the billboarding.

    My issue is the Unity shader is promised forever and never delivered. That is a big deal to me.
     
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  35. docsavage

    docsavage

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    This looks top notch. Seen the blender version and that's great. @mherpin You should put a link for this thread on the store page so people know you have a presence here.

    Wondering if anyone tried Mtree with - https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/?stay#!/content/68907
    Forsts shader and tools produce some of the best looking stuff seen on the store. Mtree and AFS would be a great combination.
     
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  36. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    i guess it works, maybe you have to re write the shader for better wind! i had to do it with naturemanufacture shaders (seasonal and snow shading)
     
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  37. docsavage

    docsavage

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    Would be good to see some integration between Mtree and other devs from early on. Particularly with AFS. This asset has potential to be one of biggest on the store.
     
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  38. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    do you have a copy of AFS? well i do not, but can help you to adapt the shaders
     
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  39. docsavage

    docsavage

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    Thanks for the offer. I've just contacted the dev of AFS today so will best wait for his response.

    Thanks again
     
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  40. Lars-Steenhoff

    Lars-Steenhoff

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    Great asset:

    Feature request

    - Growing trees at runtime
    - Seasons ( including leaves that grow and fall off) and support for blossoms.

    - Growing of trees that avoid colliders
    - Growing along a path
    - Placement of trees with automatic avoiding of colliders in the editor.

    I know its a lot, but it would be awesome right?
     
  41. Teila

    Teila

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    I played around with this for a few hours. It has a lot of potential. What I love about this? The trees are very nice. I love the transmission on the leaves. I also love how easy they are to make. Wind seems okay, not special but fine for most applications.

    However, I had a few suggestions.

    I would like to add more leaves to my tree. No matter how large I make the number,it appears to top out somewhere. The number rises, but no more leaves.

    When I used my own materials for a trunk, there were definite UV issues, stretching in weird directions.

    Also, I can add more than one level of branches, but I want to be able to add more than one level of leaves. When I add, more than one, nothing is added.

    One big one...pbr textures. I want to add more than just base color and normal. I realize not everyone will use this butit would be nice.

    I would like more control over the branches. I can bend them to the sun or to gravity. I can make them longer and shorter. What happens though is that I get some branches that bend beautifully, and others that stay straight, way too straight. Maybe adding more levels of branches would help...I will try that with the controls.

    Otherwise, this is a really cool asset.
     
  42. mherpin

    mherpin

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    - You should be able to grow trees at runtime, but you won't be able to export them as prefabs.
    - I will add more textures including multiple seasons at some point :)
    - It would be great to be able to hand draw the trunk/main branches, I will look into it !
    - There is actually already automatic avoidance of colliders for branches !
     
  43. mherpin

    mherpin

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    The problem with leaves has been solved, I'm waiting for unity to accept the update. It should also address the problem with multiple leaves levels.


    Adding a roughness texture to the bark shader will not be a problem.

    I'm looking into the uv problems :)
     
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  44. mherpin

    mherpin

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    I'm making progress on the tool that makes a branch texture from a leaf texture :)
    Here is the current state of it :
    branch tool.PNG
     
  45. Deleted User

    Deleted User

    Guest

    Wow, so what the best site to get branch, bark and leave textures ?

    Its good you work with lennard i love VS, unlike others assets...
     
  46. Teila

    Teila

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    textures.com or megascans if you want more realistic leaves. I also get some good barks from gametextures.com
     
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  47. Willbkool_FPCS

    Willbkool_FPCS

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    I've downloaded some free PBR leaf and bark textures from https://www.cgbookcase.com/. I also have downloaded some from www.cc0textures.com. I don't know how good they are, they look good to me;), as I haven't gotten into making my own trees yet. But I bought MTree because there are only a few realistic trees on the Unity asset store. So I will eventually.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2019
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  48. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    i think they’re all good, alot of 4k textures! i’ve got my own growing cc0 texture library most from blender cloud(100$/year) something above 2000 textures with normals and other options
     
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  49. Duffer123

    Duffer123

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    @mherpin @CaliCoastReplay , having flagged the single leaf texture => branch & leaves texture issue a couple of weeks ago I am delighted to see how far it's been brought along and that others have flagged it too...

    This is an amazing Asset, it's been said before!

    Maxime - you may want to get yourself down to the VS Pro Discord channel - I'm covering for you a bit but you have lots of interested punters on that channel!
     
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  50. Harekelas

    Harekelas

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    Hi, vewry interested in this asset! Looks like a speed tree in Unity!
    But I got a question before buying:
    Can I export what I made with this asset into a FBX file so I can re-edit it in other software?
    Cuz I'll need my trees be able to be chop down into pieces of trunks and chunks of branches and leaves.
    I'll need to do it in other modeling software like Blender or 3DsMax.
    I'm using SpeedTree Cinematic and Unity version together to achieve this(former can let me export a FBX, latter let me import into Unity with speed tree settings), so if this asset can do the trick, I'll be able to save two subscriptions from SpeedTree :D

    Or the asset itself is able to let me make trees chunk by chunk?
     
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