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MTree - Tree creation

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

  1. mherpin

    mherpin

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    Hi, Mtree doesn't offer the possibility to export trees as fbx, however it can turn them into prefabs, and some free assets (https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/essentials/fbx-exporter-101408) can export those as fbx.
     
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  2. digiross

    digiross

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    This asset looks interesting. An alternative to speedtree would be nice. Can anyone give their 1st hand experience? Also, how is the performance?
     
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  3. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    My firsthand experience is nothing less than amazing. Call me an Mtree Evangelist. xD It's a new product so there are some beta-y bugs but Maxime is here and active :) I think this is one of the most important new tools on Unity and well worth the money.

    Performance is very very good, both for the editor and the resulting trees, though the editor does have a current range-checking-related bug that will freeze a computer via giant memory overallocation if you're not careful and he says it's being fixed.

    Trees run about 1-12k polys depending on how detailed you want to get, with 1k or so for a decent shrub up to 12k for a giant, grand old tree, many of mine come in around 5-6k.

    This product can and should power an entirely new generation of Unity foliage free from restrictive licensing, and if M. Herpin continues to develop it I believe it could easily power cinematic trees one day too.



     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2019
  4. Duffer123

    Duffer123

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    It is a thing of beauty.... ;)
     
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  5. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Would love to see some shots of what others are doing with the asset too!
     
  6. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    well in my testings i reproduced similar trees like from standardassets package with less vertecies count like @CaliCoastReplay mentioned above with the vertecies count.

    aswell you have several options of lod’s which increases performance, and if you use it with a gpu instance plugin, you’re bether than speedtree
     
  7. Harekelas

    Harekelas

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    Another question: is MTree possible to let me use custom meshes as fronds and leaves? I've created my trees in SpeedTree with all fronds and leaves made by my own meshes (default procedural meshes just can't produce enough variety). So it'll be important for me to have the ability to use my own meshes as parts of the tree and assign premade LODs for these parts and let them be count into the whole tree's LOD settings.
     
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  8. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    Def has support for custom mesh leaves/fronds but I'm not sure about the LOD?

     
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  9. DangerDaren

    DangerDaren

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    Just bought this asset—in a few hours I was able to bust out a couple of decent looking trees that I couldn’t find I the asset store otherwise. Really user friendly! Looking forward to using this more.

    My question though, is about the LOD feature. Maybe I’m doing it wrong, but as I get closer to the tree, the model jumps to the next LOD and it is abrupt, made worse by the fact that each LOD looks very different from the next.

    Similarly, the billboard version is significantly taller than the 3D ones, which can be fixed in the prefab, but just an observation.

    Is there anything to be done about making the LOD translation better? There is a great looking asset on the store called LushLOD trees that seems to do this well. Perhaps implementing the two together?
     
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  10. Alienpope

    Alienpope

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    Any updates on when HDRP support will be available? I'm looking into buying this as soon as that's out!

    Heck... might even buy it now to play around with it first :p It looks amazing!
     
  11. Harekelas

    Harekelas

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    Just bought the asset, will give it a try ;)
     
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  12. magique

    magique

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    Can this be made to work with Unity 2017.1? Also, does it require GPU Instancing or can it be used without?
     
  13. digiross

    digiross

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    I'm looking forward to purchasing this weekend for my new project. The trees look great!

    Can anyone recommend a companion asset for grass (hopefully with wind effect and player displacement)?
     
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  14. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    i’d have a look at infinigrass
     
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  15. docsavage

    docsavage

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    Agreed.

    Infinigrass 2 is about to become beta according Nasos the dev. That promises a big improvement all around while still having some older device support. The dev has been supporting is tools for years now. Have a chat with him on his thread.
     
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  16. digiross

    digiross

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    ok thanks!
     
  17. CaliCoastReplay

    CaliCoastReplay

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    As a fellow enthusiast I have a research tip on this - Daniel Weinbaum of Eastshade Studios is doing some of the finest Unity foliage work going, and he talks about a method for an animated transition on LOD's that substantially improves quality, though his method isn't described.

    Helping contribute better shaders for MTree is among my research interests, and Weinbaum's work in Unity foliage right now is groundbreaking generally - check out the feature on probe tinting too:

    https://80.lv/articles/foliage-optimization-in-unity/
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2019
  18. Teila

    Teila

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    @CaliCoastReplay
    Interesting article! A lot of that is being done with Vegetation Studios Pro.

    Very good read.:)
     
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  19. Teila

    Teila

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    I noticed that when making my own materials and the ones with the example that the old white leaf issue we used to have with Speedtree appeared. I made my material by making a specular cutout material with the maps mentioned in the docs, other than translucency, which I have but not sure where to put it. Is there some special way we should be making these materials?
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2019
  20. recon0303

    recon0303

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    question, and one that made me not use Speed tree anymore....super important to developers wanting to use mechanics for there trees and bushes.

    One does this only make trees? or can we make bushes, of any kind?

    can we add our own textures? substances? I seen a review say we can, but wanted to confirm


    Can we export as FBX? so we can split the mesh, for say tree chopping into more than one mesh? I don't mean can we do this already inside of the program, but being able to export, so we can? if so is there any restriction like Speed tree not allowing it?

    and if we made trees, can we sell ? and use in other games engine? or is it limited to only Unity.

    Thanks!!
     
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  21. recon0303

    recon0303

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    it seems you answered one question. Ty . I need to know the rest if possible.

    being able to export,is so important to our game play mechanics and future games, since we use trees, bushes for more than just a pretty tree. Main reason I don't use Speed tree anymore.
     
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  22. recon0303

    recon0303

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    InfiniTree has some of this, but it does not look at good at this one ( the dev if InfiniGrass,some of these guys should team up, imagine what they could do? make a good competitor to Speed tree.. I personally loved ST, but its to restrictive....for many developers ...which makes me not use it for the past few years due to the games we make.
     
  23. Teila

    Teila

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  24. jamespaterson

    jamespaterson

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    +1 for vegetation studio (pro) support please!
     
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  25. recon0303

    recon0303

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    Thanks I already have an exporter of my own, but wanted to be sure, we where able to. so that is good, we are able.
     
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  26. recon0303

    recon0303

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    if the dev, can answer these that would be great.
     
  27. mherpin

    mherpin

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    You can make bushes as well as trees, and you can use any texture you want. The trees are regular meshes, so what you can do on a mesh you can also do on an Mtree tree.
     
  28. dan_wipf

    dan_wipf

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    i think basic hedges like in a maze aren’t possible? and just wondering if grass and plant’s would be possible?
     
  29. mherpin

    mherpin

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    I wouldn't recommend to make small plants and grass with Mtree since they require different optimization methods than trees.

    As for hedges, I think it best to go with processes like the one presented here.
     
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  30. recon0303

    recon0303

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    Thanks, I always wanted to confirm, to many times, you buy something and someone is like why didn't you ask before you bought,:) so figured it did, but I always confirm, Thanks, I will buy it later this week. Thanks for information.! we will use it in our new Steam game, looks like it what we been looking for.:)
     
  31. recon0303

    recon0303

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    ya, that technique works great for hedges, I been using on and off, for awhile. great way to make them and fairly easy..
     
  32. A_World_Maker

    A_World_Maker

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    Hi,
    Having read all the hype on this forum and the marketing on the asset store, I thought I would purchase the asset as so many hold it in such high regard. Personally, I think many are just being lead by their wallets. Yes, it is much cheaper than the greedy SpeedTree who have had the market to themselves, so there is a huge void creating a vacuum.

    That is not to say, I am not impressed that MTree is beginning to fill that void. I purchased the asset to support your endeavours and to encourage you to proceed with haste, with quality as your compass.

    Once the initial dust has settled, please revisit areas such as blending bark at junctions so they do not look like stuck on appendages. Study the layout and structure of trees, none have leaves along their branches. Branches support the largest area away from the trunk, to gain the largest expanse for leaves to grow, as they alone generate the life blood for the tree to reproduce. The leaves must and do, face the sunlight. The way to produce 'thicker'/more dense looking canopies, it to produce more leaves.

    Someone must see an advantage being created here, making and selling in packs, the leaf carrying armatures for this product?
    Think about using a sphere in your modelling programme as a guide to the 3d space, and place inside 2 sided quads that hold a leaf almost suspended within the sphere, making sure their perspective is always pointing/radiating away from the twigs radiating from the bottom of the sphere where the branch junction is. Once you have an array of these quads, remove the sphere from the scene and export into Unity. MTree would then have a API to allow the locating of your own mesh armature. In addition, the shader will be able to react on each quad within the group.
    This will remove the use of large quads supporting many leaves on a flat surface which can destroy the illusion, to the low quality background trees and or LODs.
    The Spherical 3D environments on each branch, can be decimated by reducing the quad count and creating billboards LOD like normal, with distance.

    I can already hear the comments about poly counts. Consider that instancing will cause a reduction and to be honest, most graphic cards from 10 years ago can display millions of tri's per frame scan. Don't use alpha blending, use Cutout on the shader, it is simpler and cleaner and in the standard shader.

    Just my ramblings.....
     
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  33. A_World_Maker

    A_World_Maker

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    New
    Isn't there a FBX Exporter in the asset store? In fact on searching, there are lots available.. some supplied by Unity themselves.
     
  34. Teila

    Teila

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    As one who owns many Speedtrees and is still paying monthly for the modeler, I can tell you that it is not the cost. I would buy more Speedtrees if ST and Unity would make a good shader for the trees. We waited through most of Unity 5 for a decent updated shader. User made shaders were taken off the asset store....and they were very nice shaders indeed.

    My preference is Speedtree as I have used them for quite some time now. But rather than sit on my duff and feel sorry for myself, I am looking for alternatives. I would not ship with ST in the state they are now. Unity has promised shaders for years. Unless I want to turn my worlds into wastelands, I have little choice.

    There are several alternatives and I am checking them all out. Also waiting for ST shaders. :)

    So..there are many reasons people are here, cost being one of them..nothing wrong with that that. Our studio has a budget.
     
  35. recon0303

    recon0303

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    well said, Teila!
     
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  36. A_World_Maker

    A_World_Maker

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    In the interim period, ST seem to ply their services unsuccessfully to most engines, Unreal, Lumberyard etc. When they first started, you could buy a standalone version (there was no alternative back then, internet being what is was).

    I sincerely hope that assets like this one, get ported into other engines and outgrow ST.
     
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  37. Teila

    Teila

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    I hope that assets like this continue to grow and I hope Unity and ST give us a decent shader in the near future. :) I like having options.
     
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  38. recon0303

    recon0303

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    well with scanning, Substances, and other tools not everyone uses ST due to its limitations due to licensing.. and sort.. and many already are getting away ... Many AAA and indies use more scans then ever for trees..and nature in general...
     
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  39. A_World_Maker

    A_World_Maker

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    I agree, almost all of my foliage is made from actual photographs I take, it is the only way to control quality, offer uniqueness and be free of the legal minefields.
     
  40. recon0303

    recon0303

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    Ya for anything we do, we use scans, Substances make our own, in other programs, such as Maya, Xfrog and so forth due to limitations, we are developers we want to have more than a pretty tree...we like to come up with some cool mechanics with NATURE and think out side of the box a bit...with ST, you cant.
     
  41. Mark_01

    Mark_01

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    I wonder if there is a way to have Mtree get wind information from Unity wind zone or integration with
    some of the top weather packages, like enviro and many other really good weather systems here.
     
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  42. mherpin

    mherpin

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    I am making progress on integration with Vegetation Studio Pro.
    Here is a video of a quick forest:
     
  43. mherpin

    mherpin

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    Here are the improvements on Mtree since the launch:
    • Fixed billboard rendering neighbor objects. (already online)
    • Fixed billboard texture wasting texture space. (already online)
    • Fixed leaves appearing only at fixed intervals. (already online)
    • Fixed infinite calculations for some parameters values. (already online)
    • Fixed uv stretching in the middle of the trunk.
    • Improved branch number accuracy.
    • Improved leaf number accuracy.
    • Added Branch texture generator.
    • Indirect instancing support.
    • Fixed billboard stretching for trees not at see level.
    • VS Pro integration.

    What Is needed to be done before releasing the next version:
    • HDRP and LWRP support. (in progress)
    • Small tweaks in branch generation to improve tree quality. (in progress)
    • Better normals on branch/trunk intersection.
    I will also rise the price of Mtree for the next version, I will make a post a day or two before for those who want to buy it at its current price !
     
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  44. A_World_Maker

    A_World_Maker

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    No news on the Treeit link up?
     
  45. sylon

    sylon

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    Hi.
    I'm very interested in your asset.
    I am starting production soon of a 3d game for mobile and i have been researching ways to have nice looking trees which are not too heavy on performance.
    I have sort of settled on a procedure, where i make my trees in Blender. One step in this, is to adjust the normals of the leave-planes.
    I was wondering what Mtree is doing with those normals.
    My shader sort of depends on it.
     
  46. mherpin

    mherpin

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    Hi,
    When creating leaves you can choose to keep the branch mesh normals or to override them so that they point away from the tree origin.
     
  47. mherpin

    mherpin

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    I'm not sure what you mean by link up, can you elaborate ?
     
  48. sylon

    sylon

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    Very nice. I'm going to try MTree.

    With some trees i found that using a 'blob' shape, which surrounds the leaves, and copying it's normals to the leaves, results in a lot nicer results. Perhaps that is a nice extra feature to have?
    Just an idea ;)
     
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  49. A_World_Maker

    A_World_Maker

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    I am interested in utilising your shaders with my TreeIt foliage.... any plans for that?
     
  50. Mark_01

    Mark_01

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