TerraVol: volumetric/voxel terrain system. Dig holes caves in your terrains!

Thanks so much for the reply this has helped me a lot

THe following is probably a real newbie question... but thought I'd ask anyway since I'm totally new to the world of voxel generation.

Is it possible to use LOD on the map .. so for example the map could have 32x32 size blocks when viewed at a distance but 1x1 size as you begin to dig close-up ?

I'm about to test this on my iPad2 this will be interesting .... hhhmm

running on Macbook Pro - Unity4 Pro iOS license

 

Your welcome!

Unfortunately no, you won't be able to do this because TerraVol uses its own meshes, internally built, in order to be able to quickly alter geometry. In other words, there is no way for now to convert a standard terrain to a TerraVol terrain. This actually gives me an idea: I could make a script to generate a TerraVol terrain from a height map, so you could do what you want to do. But this will take some time and won't be part of the next version. I'll let you know if there is any progress on this point

 

Actually allowing heightmap to voxel generation would be pretty good, would mean i can integrate this in my current (heavily heightmap based) workflow and add the non heightmap possible features at the end.

 

This is funny you're asking for LOD system, because I'm currently working on it. Currently, TerraVol doesn't support LOD. But work is in progress. It won't be in the next release, but maybe in the next-next-release. The difficulty is that it will oblige to build more chunks on each frame when the player moves... It's more difficult than it appears.

If you have any other question, do not hesitate to contact me again. You can reply on the forum or send me an email to terravol.unity@gmail.com if you have more specific questions.

Thanks!

 

Noted! If this is important for many people, I will increase the priority of this task in my development process.

 

Converting to a heightmap to a voxel density is actually really easy - basically just iterate through the voxels and set the density like so. I did something similar with MRI information and voxelform

Assume you have a 10x10x10 block, and a 10x10 heightmap, which is a grayscale texture, white = highest, black = lowest.

You'd do something like this:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. int zheight = 10;
3. float density = 0f;
4. float currentDepth=0f;
5. float currentPixelColor=0f;
6. float strataSize = 1f / (float)zheight;
7.  
8. for (int z=0; z < zheight; z++)
9. {
10.   for (int x=0; x < 10; x++)
11.   {
12.     for (int y=0; y < 10; y++)
13.     {
14.        currentDepth = (float)z / float(zheight);
15.        currentPixelColor = heightTexture.GetPixel(x,y).r;
16.        if (currentDepth < currentPixelColor)
17.        {
18.           //full density
19.           density[x,y,z] = 1f;
20.        }
21.        else
22.        {
23.           //falloff density (floored to -1 since that's the lowest density possible).
24.           //We multiply by 2f since in this toolkit, the density seems to range from -1f to 1f.  
25.           density[x,y,z] = Mathf.Max(-1f, 1f - (currentDepth - currentPixelColor) / strataSize * 2f));
26.        }
27.     }
28. }

This is sort of pseudocode and untested as I don't have this voxel toolkit, but you get the idea.

 

runonthespot,

Then, similar pseudocode can be used to convert mesh data into voxel as well, is that right?

-ikel

 

Yes, kind of. The problem is slightly trickier, as you have to infer a height map from the mesh, which if it isn't a grid / regularly spaced, is much much trickier. If you wanted to avoid the slightly horrible geometry involved, I guess you could stick a mesh collider on it, and cast a bunch of rays to sample the depth. Pretty nasty solution though.

 

(or you could look at tools like this) http://sourceforge.net/projects/mesh2hmap/

 

runonthespot,

Thanks for that link. It would work well if your terrain if flat. If your terrain has overhangs, then it won't work.
What an interesting discussion...

 

Thanks Runonthespot!

This is actually the kind of algorithm I was thinking about. It's very kind of you to give me this piece of code, it helps and saves time

@ikelaiah
Like runonthespot said, I will develop a way to generate a terrain from a heightmap, but you will have to "convert" your terrain to a heightmap with another tool like the one given by runonthespot. This way, you will be able to import your terrain in TerraVol

 

You mean you have a terrain mesh with overhangs and want to convert it to TerraVol terrain? This would be a lot trickier actually. Still possible through rays cast (at least in a first solution) but not as simple as reading a heighmap.

 

Pleasure @amfu. I love voxel solutions. I bought voxelform when it was available, but it's a little high-poly for easy use-- have you tried it? I ask as I might be interested in purchasing TerraVol if it's markedly better/faster.

@ikelaiah, don't forget that overhangs etc would not normally be possible with a heightmap anyway. In some respects if a terrain with height maps is all you need, you might be better off with a plain mesh.

Much more interesting for generating realistic landscape from voxels is a combination of good noise algorithms and triplanar shading with great textures.

bear in mind that all you need is a 3d perlin noise function or similar something that takes x,y,z and returns a value 0..1 (double it subtract 1 for this toolset) and you'll have procedural terrain.

Libnoise is a great place to start for that (and there's coherent noise on the asset store for free I think?)

 

@ All,

Thanks for the update. The reason I mentioned about overhangs, because some project that I will be working on involves overhangs for an accurate geo-spatial visualisation.

 

I've never tested Voxelform. I always try to optimize TerraVol to get better performance, but currently there is no LOD system and so you might find it high-poly too. I'm working on it, it's one of my top priorities.

Actually terraVol already includes a combination of 2D and 3D Perlin noise in order to generate realistic landscapes. In the next release (coming very soon), I added some parameters which will allow to change the height of cliffs, hills, etc. to get exactly what you want.

 

This just looks amazing! I'm wondering, how customizable is the random terrain generation? Is there any way to tell it to randomly generate game objects within the terrain (so they could be like found underground)?

 

Hi Yoshinat0r!

In the next release of TerraVol (which will be available on the Asset Store within one or two days!), terrain generation is customizable via different parameters allowing you to choose how your terrain would look like. You can already see it in the new documentation here: http://terravol.com/doc/Doc.pdf if you look at "Setting Map Generator parameters" section.

For now, the only way to randomly generate game objects within the terrain is to customize scripts. A good way to do that is to implement the ITerraVolEnhance interface, or you can directly modify TerraVol sources.

 

Hi everybody,

I'm pleased to announce that TerraVol 1.04 is now available on the Asset Store.

This new version includes several improvements:
- dynamic terrain generation (at runtime) allowing to have bigger terrains with lower loading time
- new parameters to customize terrain generation
- possibility to compute mesh tangents just by checking a box (required by some shaders)
- refactored Builder.cs with public attributes to change size of brush and digging speed (easier to understand)
- improved doc
- a bit of refactoring on Map and Map Generator components

You can also get a look at the new documentation here: http://terravol.com/doc/Doc.pdf

Thank you very much for your time

 

Thanks for the upgrade Amfu ... these new features sure make TerraVol shine

I've been playing around the past few hours with the new terrain generation controls must admit its so easy to get some real nice looking environments flowing around my game. I purchased an advance shader kit that has triplaner shaders.. so next up (after a fe hours sleep) I'll try to add a personal touch to my design.

But hey.. awesome work, such a great asset... loads of Fun

 

Perhaps someone already asked: Are all future Updates included, when i buy TerraVol now?

Or will i have to buy those functions again?

2nd question: Is it possible to create endless terrains procedural with this Engine?

3rd question: Basic fluid generation: Like Lakes and Rivers?


Thanks for your answers

 

Thank you very much Banksy! I'm very glad you're happy with TerraVol

@Ostavius
Yes, all upgrades are free through the Asset Store. You will pay only once.

2) It's theoretically possible to create endless terrain with the new version, thanks to dynamic generation. However, keep in mind that you will have other problems with an infinite world, like floating point accuracy issues, or too much of polygons in the scene...

3) Yes, like lakes and rivers

Thanks!

 

For the LOD Thingy, perhaps have a look at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octree

 

can your engine create landscapes like this, because the landscape in your demo looks so smoothed.:

 

It is not possible to create terrain like this With Marching Cubes.

 

Why not? If you look closely the geometry seems rather low poly it's just well textured no?

 

Marching Cubes need Density for each Voxel. It's praticaly impossible to find the correct density for make Mountain Pic, 90° angles.
And all voxels position have the same distance.
[] [] [] , So you can not make random Pic with random distance Like on this screen :

 

Sounds more like a perf issue with voxel density, i've definately seen very large detailed steep close far angles on voxel based solutions.

 

No , you can search. There is no marching cubes terrain with Pic like on this screen.

 

I don't know about marching cube specifically, but i myself use a voxel based tool that "can" make terrain like that, i'm using right now, this very second.
Now i don't know how it ends up perf wise (i export to meshes) but it definitely can generates such terrain and is density based.

 

ok, i am a little confused...
is TerraVol the same as TerrainEngine?

 

? No. i'm the creator of TerrainEngine , but i can reply to another thread . TerraVol creator is Amfu.
Twice systems use Marching Cubes Algo. So i can reply cause i know how it works.

 

oh ok What i meant was, not the graphical thingis like the texture, but the Landscape on the picture looks much more "natural" than the landscape in the demoversion. In the demo everything is so "rounded" and smoothed. I miss the roughness of mother nature

 

There is no reason of not been able to do pic with marching cube.
(there is pic in terravol screenshot)

 

I don't get it either, i don't see why voxels wouldn't be able to do something like that at all.

 

There are no pics on screens. And it's not possible. You can try with all noises you want. It's impossible to make the same terrain.
You can not have the correct density with biome generator. All terrain that will be proceduraly generated, will be smooth.

 

What you're saying makes no sense
1) No one said this has to be proceduraly generated
2) You can very much generate non smooth terrain procedurally, i'm using that right now once again, i have very unsmooth terrain canyons mountains as well as hilly areas getting generated from a voxel tool.

 

Actually here's a counter exemple, simply mesh, generated procedurally by a voxel based tool and exported to a mesh, includes both hilly mountain areas as well as very steep near 90 degree canyon.

 

1) The terrain on screen is not created by graphist, it is looking procedural. (Heightmap i think)
2) And again. No, you can not have the same result. Or prove with some screens/links/video.

 

I did prove it with a screenshot. Does it not display above?

 

How about we let Amfu come in and tell us what his engine is and isn't capable of. Okay?

 

Seems like the debate will go on until somebody can post a screenshot of the engine creating the terrain like in the pictures eh?

 

@ronan: I can't see a screenshot in your post.

As a general thought:
-Displacing vertices randomly should help to get a more chaotic and natural look.
-Also one may even use different looking geometry per case

Obviously you coultn't use it for artifical structures...

 

Hi,

What a debate!

To my mind, Marching Cube allow to create less smoothed surfaces. The thing that make terrains so smooth is the way it is generated, using Perlin noise.

If you introduce random and arbitrary artifacts near the surface (i.e. near 0 isovalue) you will be able to have rough surfaces.

I tried it for you (see screenshots below). As you can see, you would need to improve the shader used for terrain material in order to apply rock textures to artifacts.
Also, the way I made it is very naive and it would need more work to get a more realistic look, especially, it creates sometimes a few rocks that are "flying" in the air (see red circles in the last screenshot)... But my goal here was just to show you a basic try, it could definitely be improved.













To obtain this result, I simply created artifacts by adding this small piece of code in the generation loop:

Code (csharp):

1.  
2. if (Random.Range(-1f, 1f) < 0) {
3.     isovalue += Random.Range(Mathf.Clamp(Mathf.Sin(x+z), -0.05f, 0f), 0.01f);
4. }
5.  

 

Sorry, i don't know why, but i can't see any screenshots

 

Same, happens on off on this forum with attachments

 

You can view screenshots here (in same order):
- http://terravol.com/plop5.jpg
- http://terravol.com/plop4.jpg
- http://terravol.com/plop3.jpg
- http://terravol.com/plop2.jpg
- http://terravol.com/plop1.jpg

It's weird cause I can see the screenshots in my previous post.. The forum seems a little bugged

 

yeah, this is what i wanted to see thx

 

Hi everyone,

Just to give some news, I'm working on the next version of TerraVol. This will be a minor version change to fix some bugs and allow in-editor terrain construction and modeling (I'm sure it will save you time!).

A bigger release is also under development, and will be available later. This one will include enormous optimizations and multithreading. This major version should also come with L.O.D system.

Thanks to everyone for making TerraVol even more interesting!

 

Will you also be making sure that the bigger release is mobile compatible?

 

will this still be available to those who bought the current version?