Terrain Composer2 a next generation GPU powered terrain tool.

Sounds like you want to use their World Composer

 

That may be it - haven't looked at world composer.

 

Particular this example:

I want to achieve the same effect as on the video (manual placement with the adaptation of the terrain for the building). But unfortunately the video uses the old interface and is too fast to understand. How can I do this in new GUI of Terrain Composer 2? Thank you.

 

Also i have a error after TC2 Window opening

 

Hi, developer of TC2 Node Painter here.
'Unfortunately' TC2 Node Painter already uses the local regen that @eagle555 is talking about here. The core functionality of local regen has been in TC2 since I developed TC2NP, the recent patches I sent to Nathaniel to include just changes TC2 to use local regen across all of TC2 (basically use the API that TC2 Node Painter has been using for 2 years). In hindsight I should have added it to all of TC2 when initially developing it, since it's a waste not to. So hope that the patches will find their way into TC2 soon.

Back to TC2NP, there's only little you can do to speed it up further - it is already using the cheapest method and simplest shaders to deal with the large RenderTextures.
The biggest impactor should still be the TC2 generation (since it's more complex than painting and because Terrain assignment takes time). If that is NOT the case (check by disabling Auto generate), then there is likely a problem/bug with TC2NP. It should never, by itself, consume too much processing power over what is expected (depends on resolution and format mostly).
To squeeze out more performance, check out the settings window and change the paint/generation intervals.
You can also change how you're using it to optimize performance: Use lower resolutions / smaller painters whenever you can. For example, use multiple smaller painters for disjoint locations instead of one large highres painter spanning multiple (e.g. one for every city+surroundings instead of one for 20km of terrain). If you need, you can add a high res low density global painter for coarse details and high density painters for local detail.
You can also use multiple scenes for your workflow if that would help - you can synchronize painters used in different scenes (or even in the same scene) by using the same cache object (set it manually in the header after clicking E).
If memory consumption is a concern (very much valid) you can change the undo behaviour to store only a fixed number of undo records - default is 30. Especially useful when you're dealing with high resolutions, maybe even multiple painters working at once, since the textures are always stored uncompressed.

If you still think something's fishy / it consumes more performance than it should, then that's most likely because something IS wrong

 

@Seneral thank you for the thorough response on TC2 Node Painter regen. When I am back from my vacation, I do plan to revisit the terrain in my project and will take another crack at using Node Painter to tweak areas of the terrain. I’ll try out some of your tips to see what gives me the best workflow/performance in my case and I’ll definitely let you know if I run into anything that seems fishy.

 

Hi @eagle555

I am looking for the best method to raise my entire terrain. I tried raising by 20 units using the "generate offset" setting, then I lower the Y transform of my entire terrain, however it screws the terrain generation. This is because I now need an underwater area of my terrain, and need to be able to go deeper.

 

Try 1. moving the root height layer up x unit (or alternatively adding a constant layer somewhere) and 2. taking the root Terrain Area object and moving it x units down.
Then you might need to adjust some parameters that rely on height, as far as I remember they will be interpreted as x unity too high, so you'll have to manually update them.

 

Thanks for the reply,

Unfortunately it seems that Terrain Area and root height layer are forced at 0,0,0. Is this the same for you?

Essentially I just want to lower the root terrain to -20 on the Y axis, and use a constant node to raise all my height data/nodes to plus 20. That way I won't have to change any of the roads/houses I placed, but it will allow me to have underwater areas.

I am missing something somewhere but there has to be a way

Cheers

 

Sorry, then I misremembered. Can't check right now, not at home, but it definitely worked.
As for height, you can really move up any layer that is blended with add, doesn't matter - a new constant layer, an existing terrain, ...
Then as for terrains try moving the individual terrains all up, they can definitely be moved (remember transforming individual terrains pretty heavily, including rotation and size)

 

Hmm okay I gotcha, I’ll keep messing around for now, thanks for your help.
@eagle555 Sorry for the ping, do you have any ideas the best way to achieve this? I just want my terrain at -20 y axis without it messing with terrain generation. I baked out my heightmap and re input into TC2 so I don’t have any height dependent nodes, but I’m still seeing the same issue. More details in my previous posts.

 

I updated to unity 2018.3 with your file that you attached a while ago. And everything works except the angle mask node is scaled wrong. Do you know what might cause this?

 

BING is unfriendly and I think they treated me unfairly - so a word of warning - Beware of contacting them with any questions about Terms of Use and don't ask if there is anything you should consider about future possible plans to use your terrain created with World Composer. Everything has been going well now for a long time, and I have never exceeded the daily limit on the key that I was using. Also I have no commercial game created or ready to go on the market, not making any money on these efforts at this time. My questions to them were purely hypothetical and I was trying to inform myself how to be in compliance with their terms of service at some as yet non existent future moment.

They did not answer in so many words - they simply destroyed my key and said I was not in compliance with their terms of service. I emailed and exchanged more information with a customer service representative - but they did not get back in touch with me via email. A few weeks went by so I applied for another key for another project - it was also blocked. So at this point I can not use World Composer, I can not generate even the terrains that I have created before, and my fault was only that I asked a legitimate set of questions, IMO.

What did I do wrong? What is the future potential consequences for the World Composer software, customers, and the developer? The answers seem unknown but stark, with only one conclusion I can offer - DO NOT TRY to be informed when working with Bing, they will mess you over big time it seems. I've lost all that work.

Any suggestions on what to do now? I'm looking at some other software, but that is not my intention to cause trouble here, I'm only trying to understand Bing's position in this - and wonder if there is any other source or means of using World Composer to access some other data to create terrains. HELP ???

 

Hallo everyone,
i m using Terrain Composer 2
in Terrain Composer 1 there was an useful tool to place vegetation based on satellite images color, using a Tool called Image Filter Tool.
I would like to know if and how to do the same with TerrainComposer 2.
Also i tried to use TC1 with Unity 2019.2 but it seems not working.
Thank you to everyone that could help me.
Fabio

 

im currently having an issue where I want to use complete terrain shader with terrain composer 2, but the terrain turns entirely black with the influence of terrain composer in combination. Is there a way to limit the influences, like say I want to not use the texturing solution of terrainComposer? Or to put it more simple: how do I avoid the terrain turning black with the Terrain composer 2 in combination with the complete terrain shader? I guess its also not such an uncommon combination.

 

Hello.
Trying to run on unity 2019.2. 9f1 with LWRP. The material is expected to turn pink, but when you try to change the terrain material to another, when you run playmode, the original material is automatically returned. How to fix it?

 

Hi,
I'm using the collision node to apply a texture on a specific zone of a terrain:


The pink mesh is the one used for collision. The dark area below is not a shadow, it's the texture I want painted on the terrain, inside the zone covered by the mesh. In the above screen capture, camera is in orthographic mode.
How come the texture is not applied exactly below the mesh, but rather kind of deformed?

 

Hi,
Is there a way for the collision node to measure the depth from above the terrain instead of below the terrain? So I don't have to use double-sided materials and get better terrain-conform to terrain.

 

Hypothesis: Is the collision node applying the texture too early in the graph, upstream of some of the terrain's deformation nodes?

 

Hey, I've just started using Terrain Composer and I absolutely love it! However, I'm running into issues with collision detection! I'm working on a pretty small scale, I threw in some objects into your mountain scene to do some testing. I found out that utilizing the collision node on just the trees/grass nodes doesn't really do much...Unless if it's huge and even then you'll find tree's half clipping into them. I was curious, is there a way to do it on just these objects?



For kicks, I did try out with the ignore raycast you have set up in the test scene


This does work, but if I understand the nodes correctly, you're changing the heightmap (which would be alright) and the splat map (which is not what we're looking for). By changing the splat map you're also changing the mask nodes for the tree's/grass layer which is giving the semi-desired effect. If you could get back to me, that would be great! I'm unsure by the tutorials/reading the forum here how to exactly set up the nodes in the tree/grass sections to create this effect. Would creating a second splatmap to mimic the splatmap we're already using be another way around this?

 

Attempting to setup TC2 on 2019.3.0.f6 - When generating a terrain following the README! for the exampleMountianVillage scene.


DivideByZeroException: Attempted to divide by zero.
TerrainComposer2.TC_TerrainArea.IndexToTile (System.Int32 index) (at Assets/TerrainComposer2/Scripts/Terrain/TC_TerrainArea.cs:355)
TerrainComposer2.TC_TerrainArea.CreateTerrains () (at Assets/TerrainComposer2/Scripts/Terrain/TC_TerrainArea.cs:381)
TerrainComposer2.TC_TerrainAreaEditor.DrawCreateTerrain (System.Single space, System.Int32 draw_from) (at Assets/TerrainComposer2/Scripts/Editor/TC_TerrainAreaEditor.cs:1592)
TerrainComposer2.TC_TerrainAreaEditor.DrawCreateTerrain () (at Assets/TerrainComposer2/Scripts/Editor/TC_TerrainAreaEditor.cs:172)
TerrainComposer2.TC_TerrainAreaEditor.OnInspectorGUI () (at Assets/TerrainComposer2/Scripts/Editor/TC_TerrainAreaEditor.cs:63)
UnityEditor.UIElements.InspectorElement+<>c__DisplayClass55_0.<CreateIMGUIInspectorFromEditor>b__0 () (at <6f28216fea9f453abf2e05b770ed3ee4>:0)
UnityEngine.GUIUtilityrocessEvent(Int32, IntPtr)

 

I solved it! It was due to my own silliness haha, there's a node in there that allows the chosen to shrink. Utilizing these as the top nodes before applying any of the masks allows me to stretch out the desired mask a bit further as desired : )

 

TC2 keeps resetting the terrain material. I'm currently using the URP which is incompatible with the material you provide. You can change the material in Terrain Area->Settings->Material script. But TC2 will reset it back to your material in certain occasions. Not sure exactly when, tho I can replicated consistently be disabling and enabling Terrain Area component. It does it sometimes when hitting ctrl-z. Sometimes you just have to duplicate an object that you are trying to place in the world. My objects are parented under the Terrain Area transform currently, so I think that the script is looking for transform changes in it's hierarchy, but like I said, it doesn't happen all the time. On a side note, I can't get TC2 to place any objects at all (rocks and what not). I've tried just a single object(Cube) and then a prefab of it. The mask node stays black. I tried Noise, Terrain and Shape nodes, but the all stay black(blank). Not sure what I'm missing. Using Unity 2019.3.0f6.

 

Hi there, I am a new Terrain Composer 2 user working on a Mac, and have so far been unable to get the program working properly.

I have been trying to go through the video tutorials, but when I load any of the Example/Tutorial projects, all the Nodes in the TC2 window are empty of images, and clicking the Generate button has little or no effect on the terrain I created using TC2. See attached screenshot.

Also, if I choose a different function in a Node, such as Perlin Noise, no image appears, and nothing happens to the terrain. Same behavior occurs in a new blank TC2 project.

Being a new user, I could be missing something obvious, but for now I am stuck.

Mac OS 10.13.6
Unity 2018.3.14f1

I tried emailing the developer, but received no response.

Thanks to anyone here who can help.

David

 

Hi. i want to ask. How can i delete a node in the terrain composer editor window ?. i know how to disable nodes, but i can`t find anyway to delete it.Thanks in advance.

 

Before I buy this I need to know if this functionality is in tc2? image filter tool would be the only reason i buy tc2.

I would buy it if you spun it into a seperate asset.

 

Hi,

I really love TC2 and I've got it working well on my Windows Build.

However, I've been asked if I could get a Mac build working. I did a test build and TC2 looks like all its masks (Which are render textures I render at runtime) are full white, meaning it's spawning a 100% forest on my map.

I'm trying to figure out if it's an issue with TC2 or something else. As I said, it works really well on the Windows machines I've tested and the render textures are being created correctly on the Mac from what I can see (they are painted by the user and can be seen affecting the shader).

Is TC2 fully working on Mac OSX and if so is there anything special I need to know about getting it to work. I don't have a Mac to test on so my feedback is from a Mac user in my beta test. Looking at his screen capture etc...

Cheers!

 

Good morning. I have two questions about Terrain Composer.

1. Does your system work across different scene files, if I want to continue editing it after I change scenes or restart Unity?

2. Does your system work with other terrain-affecting systems like Digger, used to create caves and arches? Or is it a "make the terrain completely, and only then add caves and arches" situation, i.e. a destructive pipeline?

Thanks.

 

How do y'all find the support for this product? I've not received any replies to my emails, nor to this post, and it looks like no official support has hit this forum in months.

 

It's a less supported product. Some developers are very active with forum support, others prefer email, and some are busy working on games and don't support that much.

Maybe someone here can answer your questions. But keep in mind we don't necessarily have a lot of time, either.

 

Hi. first of all. Congrats for terrain composer. is a great tool. I want to ask something:
I have a tc2 terrain (my terrain is divided in 3x3=9 tiles). I need a way to detect at runtime when the terrain generation process has ended. Can you tell me the class, script, variable, and so on, that i need to watch in order to make that ?. Thanks in advance. and have a nice day. ps: i am using tc2 2.7.

 

Hi ,
i would like to place high maps with premade color maps. For example a premade mountain in WM. How to setup the nodes for this purpose?

regards
Viktor

 

Hi there! I'm really interested in your asset. The pricepoint is affordable, and it doesn't seem to bar any rather important features behind a 'professional edition' paywall.

I saw a review that said it wasn't working on 2019.3, and that happens to be the version my project is using.
Is it actually busted on that version? Should I wait until I update my project to make the purchase?

Thank you.

 

Hi,

Yes the terrains get pink in U2019.3, I'm currently updating all my Assets. Submitted WorldComposer to the Asset Store today, and also will submit a major new update for Mesh Combine Studio today and an update for MCS Caves and Overhangs as well. Then tomorrow/Saterday I will submit TerrainComposer 2 so will work then with the latest Unity 2019.3 and 2020.1...

 

I'm back with support/updates...

I also will release a new Asset called 'Debugging Essentials'. More info about it soon...

 

Almost perfect timing. I just bought TC2, tried to use it in 2019.3.15f1 and it blew up pretty spectacularly. I guess I'll wait a few days for the update. Thanks!

 

Thanks for buying and your patience. I will try to get the update ready today...

 

Hi Everyone,

Here's the new update, I just submitted it to the Asset Store as well:

TerrainComposer 2.75

Features:
- HDRP and URP support.
- Unity 2019.3 and 2020.1 support.

 

Hi Everyone!



I finished my new Debugging Essentials asset and it's pending now on the Asset Store (was already accepted so shouldn't take long).

Check out the video, it's very generic and can be used in any project. I'm using it all the time to speed up development, I even used it on the Asset itself to quickly solve bugs, etc.

 

This makes me very happy! I have all the major terrain creation tools, and honestly I like each one of them "best" for specific types of work. TC2 is the workflow that "feels" most intuitive to me any time I want fully-procedural terrain, so I'm extremely glad to see this tool getting some "developer love" now that you've wrapped up Debugging Essentials (which, btw, looks awesome and I'll probably buy).

 

Quick question: Does the new version of TC2 (I haven't yet updated) support the terrain holes feature that Unity has just added? I've got an upcoming archviz project where I'll really need that feature.

 

Thanks for considering buying it. It doesn't support it yet, but I will implement it. Just need a few more days to get finalize Debugging Essentials. Need to update the documentation as I polished it a lot and make 2 tutorial videos.

 

Sounds good to me, thanks. It's going to be a couple of weeks before I reach that point in my project anyway.

 

Hey Eagle555, long term Terrain Composer user. Glad to see it getting some updates. I've always had trouble with creating valleys in TC2 on existing terrain. Using subtractive blend always pushes the surrounding terrain of the height map up instead of pushing the terrain under the height map down. This makes it hard to keep world terrain at a specific Y value and is generally a pain when trying to cut trenches or depressions into the existing terrain. Any thoughts on the proper workflow to accomplish this? Or is there a way to improve this functionality in TC2?

 

Hey, you mean like this?


What you describe think happens if you higher or lower the node? Because it adds/subtracts height from the node. Basically you want the height around the circle to stay at 0 (black), so to influence the values of the circle you need to use the curves.

 

Hi Everyone,

I started a Discord server for my Assets, feel free to join!
https://discord.gg/HhepjD9

 

Hey Everyone,



Debugging Essentials just got accepted on the Asset Store
http://u3d.as/1UQB

 

I have a couple of questions this morning.

Collision Nodes

I'm a little embarrassed to ask this, because I remember having done it once before but can't remember how I did!

In TC2, I have some building exteriors that are procedurally scattered in my Object node graph. They follow the height of the generated terrain correctly, and I'm using Collision nodes to change the splat map near them (I'm not spawning grass or trees yet in this new project, but I know how to suppress those with the same technique).

What I can't recall how to do is, I want to gently flatten the terrain in a radius around the buildings, with a smooth falloff of the flattening.

The tutorial on adapting the height map to hand-placed objects is quite clear, and I'm able to replicate that, but I can't seem to get this to work with Collision nodes for objects that are not hand-placed.

Could someone please point me in the right direction? I don't see this in the docs or any of the tutorials; the hand-placed object one is close but not quite what I need.

Subtractive Heights

Nota bene: While I was writing this, an interruption caused me to leave the page "hanging" for a while, and then I was actually back in Unity working for a bit before coming back here. Lo and behold, this particular problem has fixed itself by restarting Unity from a fresh session -- so it may be something intermittent. I'm including it for reference, but as of now this one doesn't need a response. ​

My current project involves a 2 km square terrain, which I'm making with a 2x2 array of 1 km square tiles (I may go to a 4x4 array of 500 meter tiles, but that's not relevant right now). The overall height range is 1000 meters, but as noted below I'm not using zero as the base height.

I have a working continuous-mode height map that generates rolling hills with occasional sharper terrain, based on a blending of scaled noise nodes, and I'm applying a gradient and constant add to start the western edge at about 100 meters base height, and gradually rise to about 500 meters elevation on the eastern edge. So far, so good.

Now I need to make a large, irregular coastline along that western edge. Roughly speaking, what I want is an ellipse with its longer dimension east-west, and about half of it off the west edge of the map and the other half pushing the terrain under it downward, making a bay by displacing the hills downward but leaving their contours intact

I've got the height subtraction working, but I can't seem to get the masking nodes to work with subtracted heights. The subtract works, but the masking node applies the correct change to its enabled area and flattens everything else to zero height. If I flip to additive (just for testing), I don't get the map I want, but the mask works as it should.

Post-Generate Procedural Tools and TC2

I want to use Path Painter "downstream" of TC2, to create hand-placed trails and rivers. I'm just starting down -- pardon the pun! -- this path, and I expect to do some experimentation. That being said, do you have any tips to save me headaches in the process? Do I need to enable the "Scan Height" option?

Thanks for any suggestions for #1 and #3, and again please don't worry about #2 for now. I'll let you know if it recurs and is not just a one-off transient. If I can't replicate it, I can't expect you to fix it.

 

That are good questions

1). Do you have Object + Height output enabled? It works on my side:


The big floor cube is hand placed the rest by TC2 with object output.

2). Can you show TC2 window and terrain screenshots? On my side this works correctly:


3). Whenever regenerating the heightmap in TC2, all manual changes by other terrain modifiers (except TC2 node painter) will get reset. So to avoid that shouldn't activate the height output button and if you want to modify like the rest indeed need to activate the 'Scan Height' button so the Angle/Height terrain nodes keep working.

 

Thank you for the quick and detailed reply.

I will check my settings; thank you for confirming that it should work. I want my objects to be placed at the terrain's height for their location, then I want to flatten the terrain around them. Your example has the objects all high above the terrain, which is not what I want. I'll experiment some more, and I'll post screen shots if I still can't get it working.

It's working correctly for me, too, after I restarted Unity. I mentioned it in my other post just in case others might have observed it, but so far it has only happened as a one-off transient for me. I will post screen shots if it happens again.

Thank you for the additional info!