Terrain Composer2 a next generation GPU powered terrain tool.

Just amazing.... !

 

Very interesting where it is going so far regarding exporting

Are you also planning to have a serialize to binary option ? (maybe using free unity serializer)
I know this should not be difficult to implement but having it there would be nice... I am thinking about very large terrains to load at runtime....

thanks
Fred

 

That's a good question. I'm going to make an extension for the whole endless massive runtime terrain, that has many different options of streaming. Like streaming from a raw file or procedural functions, streaming from build asset bundles or presaved terrains, etc. Also I will be making a LOD system that streams lower resolution terrain for futher away from the camera. This I will be working on after I release TerrainComposer2 and the World extension.

Best Regards,
Nathaniel

 

large terrains has been something I've been working toward for years, and I've just never had much success. I am really looking forward to version 2.0 of Terrain Composer, and may purchase early depending on my workload the next few weeks...

 

Nathaniel, love the way the new Terrain Composer is going. Awesome job, can't wait for it to done.

 

awesome work man

 

That is simply mind blowing - I love were your taking this.

 

cant wait for this, the new features are amazing!

 

wow! ...great work, and very helpful with support. Looking forward to TC2.0, and learning World Composer.

 

Hi, I'm considering a purchase. I just have a couple of questions- sent to your hotmail address. Thanks!

monks

 

Hi

Purchased and am enjoying the learning process. I'm using Unity 4.2 Pro and have an issue with adding trees. When I drag a tree or select a tree for the gameobject under Terrain/Data/Trees I get the following errors and can only recover if I delete the terrain.

MissingMethodException: UnityEditor.EditorUtility.GetAssetPreview
Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.MethodDispatcherFactory.ProduceExtensionDispatcher ()
Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.MethodDispatcherFactory.Create ()
Boo.Lang.Runtime.RuntimeServices.DoCreateMethodDispatcher (System.Object target, System.Type targetType, System.String name, System.Object[] args)
Boo.Lang.Runtime.RuntimeServices.CreateMethodDispatcher (System.Object target, System.String name, System.Object[] args)
Boo.Lang.Runtime.RuntimeServices+<Invoke>c__AnonStorey15.<>m__9 ()
Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.DispatcherCache.Get (Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.DispatcherKey key, Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.DispatcherFactory factory)
Boo.Lang.Runtime.RuntimeServices.GetDispatcher (System.Object target, System.String cacheKeyName, System.Type[] cacheKeyTypes, Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.DispatcherFactory factory)
Boo.Lang.Runtime.RuntimeServices.GetDispatcher (System.Object target, System.Object[] args, System.String cacheKeyName, Boo.Lang.Runtime.DynamicDispatching.DispatcherFactory factory)
Boo.Lang.Runtime.RuntimeServices.Invoke (System.Object target, System.String name, System.Object[] args)
UnityScript.Lang.UnityRuntimeServices.Invoke (System.Object target, System.String name, System.Object[] args, System.Type scriptBaseType)
TerrainComposer.draw_terrain () (at Assets/TerrainComposer/Editor/TerrainComposer.js:2978)
TerrainComposer.Paint () (at Assets/TerrainComposer/Editor/TerrainComposer.js:1203)
TerrainComposer.OnGUI () (at Assets/TerrainComposer/Editor/TerrainComposer.js:670)
System.Reflection.MonoMethod.Invoke (System.Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, System.Reflection.Binder binder, System.Object[] parameters, System.Globalization.CultureInfo culture) (at /Applications/buildAgent/work/b59ae78cff80e584/mcs/class/corlib/System.Reflection/MonoMethod.cs:222)

Is it a 4.2 issue, any idea on a work arround?

 

Hello,

Thank you for the purchase. I tested it in Unity 4.2 Pro and it works fine here. What version of TerrainComposer do you use? TC Menu -> Help -> Update. Maybe there's something wrong with your tree. Can you contact me at Nathaniel_Doldersum@hotmail.com, then we can resolve the issue.

 

Thanks Nathaniel

I have sent an email.

 

This looks like the tool I need One question about the grass though. In the videos and images, you have whole fields of grasses. Do they move to windzones, and how resource hungry is it? Using lots of Unity terrain grass really knock my FPS down, and fields/meadows are really what I want to create.

Many thanks

 

Hello,

TerrainComposer uses Unity terrain, so there's the same options as you have with Unity terrain. Unity terrain grass doesn't move to windzones as far as I know. However this could be easily programmed by code. Yes the grass is pretty resource full, much can be done with resolution/density and view distances to increase performance. Tomasz from RTP Relief Terrain Pack shader and I are working together, and Tomasz might be working on making a new grass system that would be faster.

 

Hi eagle555. If you're looking at new grass, the system shown by Nvidia looks perfect - all waving grass with a single drawcall.
http://http.developer.nvidia.com/GPUGems/gpugems_ch07.html

 

I'm interested.
Do you have trial demo version or something like that?

 

Contact me at Nathaniel_Doldersum@hotmail.com if you want a trial, non-commercial version of TerrainComposer.

 

Thank you very much, I've send you an email.

 

I will ask Tomasz to take a look at, at the moment he's very busy with finishing RTP 3. We have a tree pixel and tree billboard shadow map coming in TerrainComposer in combination with RTP3. So your far away trees can have shadows calculated within seconds in realtime. Would be possible for a day/night cycle, instead of beast static lightmapping.

 

A new TerrainComposer version 1.1 will be on the server tommorow and also submitted to the Asset Store, it works together with WorldComposer, as TC 1.04 doesn't. There's new features and improved GUI, optimalizations, etc.

 

Yah, looking forward to download new version. That objects tab looks interesting

 

I also made a new WorldComposer video. This is the new version that is available now and will be released to the Asset Store soon.

I wait with the WC release to the Asset Store, because I'm working on a demo in collaboration with Chris and Tomasz, with the use of UnityFS and with using a special shader for WorldComposer/TerrainComposer that Tomasz from RTP is making. The demo will also work on the Oculus Rift. I already have a prototype with UnityFS for the Oculus and it's spectaculair. Chris did an amazing job, the plane physics are behond top level, and Chris is a real pilot so he knows how planes really fly. The protoype is with the default Unity Terrain shader, with a terrain from WC like I do in the video. So with RTP I can only imagine how it will look like...Tomasz and Peter (from the wingsuit game) are also working on a spectaculair demo using RTP and TerrainComposer...so many things are coming....Also RTP3 and TerrainComposer intergration is on the way, where you can assign global colormaps with autosearch in TC, saving a ton of drag and drop time.

 

"I also made a new WorldComposer video. This is the new version that is available now and will be released to the Asset Store soon."

Wow, looks good!

 

TerrainComposer 1.1 is available now! You can update it in TC Menu -> Help -> Update...I also submitted it to the Asset Store...

 

Brilliant, looking forward to playing with the new version. Likewise been playing with Worldcomposser and unityfs the last few days.
And like you said Chris is doing a spectacular job with unityfs, its so easy to create fully functional aircraft with proper aerodynamics and flight controls within unity with no coding required.
These to assets really go hand in hand, and I recommend that anyone doing anything aeroplane related pick both these up.

 

Just a few quick questions.. this addition to terrain composer is NOT a free update right? ...I don't mind ...just would like to verify clearly before I purchase..

Also how well would this Terrain Composer and World Composer work with spherical objects like planets?

Because I got this SGT asset and this planet asset ..but the planets have annoying limitations ..like no real water or no ability to walk on the surface or place buildings on the surface..

 

Terrian composer can read some information form world composer and tweak it?
or
World composer data will directly import to TC 2.0 for us to tweak?


Because I bought TC before i asked TC2.0 is free update or not.I don't know have World Composer.

 

That are good questions. WorldComposer can run as a standalone or with TerrainComposer. And it's $55. Both programs use Unity terrain. So planet rendering is not possible. The advantage of Unity terrain is that the collider is very fast. If you would use a mesh terrain or voxel terrain you can only do a small area with a collider,

 

What WorldComposer does is saving the heigthmap as a 16 bit raw file, and the images as jpg or png. WorldComposer itself can create terrains from it. The heightmap and images are directly used in TerrainComposer. And in TerrainComposer you can tweak whatever you want. Mix with splat textures, mix/change heightmap, place trees, grass, objects etc.

 

Thanks for reply.
Looking forward it avaiable on the store

 

Thanks for the quick response to my questions ...I will probably buy this anyway..maybe I can do a fake out during atmosphere transitions with a Terrain Composer/ World Composer map.

 

I just purchased World Composer ... I just send you the info and you give me a DL link or something? ... I assume it wont just DL through the Asset Store since I didn't see it on there..

 

I send you an email with the package. It's not on the Asset Store yet, as I'm still finishing documentation and making a demo for it collaboration with Tomasz from RTP and Chris from UnityFS. Tomasz has created a special shader inside RTP for WorldComposer/TerrainComposer to be able to render tremendeous detail on massive terrain while keeping high performance.

 

That sounds very good!

 

THIS DEVELOPMENT IS GETTING VERY FAR ! ...

Its Almost dificult to keep up With so many "whats new" updates ...
ANd iv been on the BEta Testing Team for some time, requesting features ...

TERRAIN COMPOSER IS REAALY GETTING WAY BEYOND MY IMAGINATION ! ...

This developer Is a terrifical WorkAholic ! The guy doesnt know the meaning of "Get Some Rest!"
And Gladly Good for us ...

/ TerrainCOmposer Is now of the most Full Featured Extensions for unity ever ...


With the RTP3 / Relief Terrain pack 3 / It will be AMAZING !

And with the Nodal based sistem everything will be Simplified / as i always imagined / Or even better !


CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE ACHIEVMENTS MAN !


For example this is what a Noob user Can Do in 15 minutes in unity ....



Now that was reaaly impossible Before to do in unity ...

Seriously this Extension is taking unity To new degrees !

...

KEEP GREATH ! And I will be back ...

... with my Terrain Experiences and Full Scenes Example Packages .
Im just working hard at it right now !

ALL THE MOST SUCESS TO EVERYONE ! YOU GUYS RULE OUR DEVELOPMENT WORLD !!

SILVA DINIS / SOULS STUDIO COADMIN

 

Hi Nathaniel, this asset looks amazing! I do have a few questions, I did look through the thread first but apologies if they've been answered.

Is it possible to generate terrain entirely at runtime? I'm currently generating heightmaps with libnoise for procedural planet generation. My plan in to use sections of these same heightmaps to generate the terrain in my game. As the universe is entirely procedural I wouldn't be able to use the editor tools, and would instead have to create the terrain via scripting. Is this possible in the current version, or maybe in TC2? I would also be generating the terrain textures (splatmaps?) at runtime, and hopefully grass and trees etc. as well. Can I apply these via scripting?

As I am generating the terrain procedurally it would (ideally) be possible to visit the entire surface of the planet in-game (or even fly so far that the player returns to their original location). Is it currently possible to page through terrain, or somehow dynamically load chunks depending on the players location? I'm very new to terrain generation, apologies if that's a silly question.

 

Hello,

Thanks . Yes TC can generate in runtime and there's no limitation compared with the Editor. I have seperate documentation for it, it's pretty easy and straigth forward to use.

The dynamically loading isn't in it yet. But planning to make an extension for it.

Best Regards,
Nathaniel

 

Hi,

That's great, thanks for the fast reply. As long as I can generate terrain via scripting I can probably figure out a way to load/unload the chunks myself. Will be buying this later!

Cheers,
Brad

 

Hello,

I'm using Relief Terrain Pack now with Terrain Composer.
I was wondering if there would be any code-free way to add custom scripts like the ReliefTerrain script automatically to generated terrains, like the neighbouring script ?

Best Regards,

Julien Garnier

 

Hello Julien,

This is possible yes. I've embedded RTP script and colormap into TerrainComposer already, but it is hidden as we wanted to introduce this in RTP3 as it has a little different functions that has to be called.

You can search for <RTP> in the 'TerrainComposer.js' script, the script is in the folder TerrainComposer/Editor. Then take the /*....*/ around it away. And then <RTP> will show under splat textures. If you shift click <RTP> then it will add the RTP script to every terrain that is in the TC terrain list, and you can assign colormaps with auto search.

Can you tell me if it works for you in RTP2? I can then unhide it in the next update which will come tommorow, with some fixes.

Best Regards,
Nathaniel

 

Hi Nathaniel,
if i buy world composer directly from your site i'll be capable of update it when will be released in the asset store?
Thanks

 

Hello,

That's a good question. Yes that is possible as WC has an auto update feature same as TerrainComposer. So you can update WorldComposer within itself. Everyday it automatically checks if there's a new update when started.

 

Perfect.
Thanks

 

There's a new version of TerrainComposer 1.11 and a new version of WorldComposer 0.95 available. There's improvements and fixes.

TC1.11 includes embedded collaboration with Relief Terrain Pack shader to automatically assign the RTP Relief Terrain Pack terrain script to terrain tiles and auto search colormaps. It will save you tons of time for multi terrains with RTP.

In this example I use a 16x16 (256) terrains, and you only have to assign 1 colormap and the rest is done by auto search. Imagine how long it would take to do it manually...

 

Do we need to buy RTP Terrains or is that included? Thanks

 

Here is the link to it on the asset store for RTP https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/#/content/5664
Might be a great buy to have anyway.

 

RTP is not included, as it is created by Tomasz. Tomasz and me are collaborating together to make our packages more work together. But it is still seperate, as he worked many months fulltime on RTP as well as I did on TerrainComposer. If you buy RTP you can ask Tomasz for a newer version, RTP3 is on the way, and I've the realtime demo Tomasz and Peter are working on, and the rendering with RTP3 is mind blowing fantastic . It's very exiting what is all comming to the Asset Store soon...

 

Thanks a lot for the kind words!
I want to mention that even though the RTP3 demoscene will focus on the power of RTP3, also Terrain Composer was used to achieve the quality (i.e. to get the splatmaps and the Vegetation onto the terrain). Thanks to TC it was all really enjoyable work. I can only guess how long it would have taken to achieve the same quality without it - i'd say the work of at least 2 weeks was done in a day, no joke!

TC and RTP are incredibly usefull as standalone products - when used together though, some magic happens and you get terrains that easily compete with those of cryengine! Imho even better!

Something that might be of interest for potential buyers: You can use TC in so many ways, its uncanny, no matter if you sculpt your terrains(i.e with ZBrush or MudBox), import them from a terrain generation programm(i.e Worldmachine or Terragen), or do them from scratch in TC, it adapts to every workflow perfectly and its an extremely flexible tool. Highly recommended!!

All the best,
Peter

 

Hello Peter,

Thanks for the recommendation . Tomasz and I really admire you putting the RTP3 demo together to show the power of RTP3 and TC combined , as you are a great artist that can do it at best After Tomasz showed me today, the progress he made on water shader level in a few days, wauw...I can't wait to play the demo . Can only imagine how it will look with the Oculus Rift.