Heightmap to mesh

Questions & Answers
1

I’m looking for a way to convert a heightmap I have to a mesh, or more specifically, a plane with the heightmap deforming it.

Is there any easy way to do this? (terrains are not currently an option)

2

You would have to split up your heightmap into chunks as the maximum size of a mesh is 65000 verts. It is fairly straightforward to do it though with GetPixel and assigning the Y value of the vertex to the grayscale value. Here’s an example of one of the chunks:

Texture2D hMap = Resources.Load("Heightmap") as Texture2D;

List<Vector3> verts = new List<Vector3>();
List<int> tris = new List<int>();

//Bottom left section of the map, other sections are similar
for(int i = 0; i < 250; i++)
{
    for(int j = 0; j < 250; j++)
    {
        //Add each new vertex in the plane
        verts.Add(new Vector3(i, hMap.GetPixel(i,j).grayscale * 100, j));
        //Skip if a new square on the plane hasn't been formed
        if (i == 0 || j == 0) continue;
        //Adds the index of the three vertices in order to make up each of the two tris
        tris.Add(250 * i + j); //Top right
        tris.Add(250 * i + j - 1); //Bottom right
        tris.Add(250 * (i - 1) + j - 1); //Bottom left - First triangle
        tris.Add(250 * (i - 1) + j - 1); //Bottom left 
        tris.Add(250 * (i - 1) + j); //Top left
        tris.Add(250 * i + j); //Top right - Second triangle
    }
}

Vector2[] uvs = new Vector2[verts.Count];
for (var i = 0; i < uvs.Length; i++) //Give UV coords X,Z world coords
    uvs <em>= new Vector2(verts_.x, verts*.z);*_</em>

GameObject plane = new GameObject(“ProcPlane”); //Create GO and add necessary components
plane.AddComponent();
plane.AddComponent();
Mesh procMesh = new Mesh();
procMesh.vertices = verts.ToArray(); //Assign verts, uvs, and tris to the mesh
procMesh.uv = uvs;
procMesh.triangles = tris.ToArray();
procMesh.RecalculateNormals(); //Determines which way the triangles are facing
plane.GetComponent().mesh = procMesh; //Assign Mesh object to MeshFilter