Mesh Terrain Editor, a mesh-based terrain creator, converter and editor

Community Showcases
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Mesh Terrain Editor
a mesh based terrain creator, converter and editor
2589973--239279--cover.jpg

Join the Discord Server to download latest versions! <<<

MTE 4.x Pro (the paid version) has already been published as a new product. MTE 3.x had been published on Unity asset store but has been depreciated. Please join the discord channel to get information about how to download MTE4.x Free or buy MTE 4.x Pro.

The content of this page is really outdated. Please refer to the latest MTE documentaion instead.

Introduction
Mesh Terrain Editor(MTE) has three main functions:

  • MTE Creator: create mesh-based terrains.
  • MTE Converter: convert or split Unity3D’s terrain object into a mesh-terrain.
  • MTE Editor: edit a mesh-terrain: height tools, texture painter, vertex color painter, grass painter.

40+ terrain shaders are included.
Only one drawcall is needed to render a mesh-terrain with 2 to 12 splat-textures. You can edit multiple mesh-terrains together.

  • compatible with Unity 2019.4+
  • compatible with Win7/10 and macOS 10.13+ (tested on macOS Catalina)
  • compatible with built-in pipeline and URP
  • URP shaders are written with Amplify Shader Editor for easier customization

Free Trial & Buy
Free vs Pro: zwcloud
[Download directly ]( Mesh Terrain Editor, a mesh-based terrain creator, converter and editor page-8#post-6276482)(Recommened as this always provides the latest package.)
On Asset Store:

According to Unity asset store EULA 2.4, as an editor extension, MTE Pro uses a per-seat license, so you need to activate MTE Pro on your machine with the invoice number.
Where is my invoice number?

Only the number is needed! Don’t input IN,OR or other non numeric characters.
In the pdf file attached in an email sent from Unity3D after you parchase the asset. The subject of the email is “Unity Asset Store purchase confirmation”.
2589973--200483--invoice_number.png

Online Documentation
https://zwcloud.github.io/MeshTerrainEditor-issues/

Issue Tracker

MTE Creator
Create a mesh-terrain directly or multiple tiled mesh-terrains at once. You can create a mesh-terrain as a plane, from a height-map and from a curve.
UI

552×747 34.3 KB

MTE Converter
You can convert a Unity’s terrain object or a mesh into a mesh-terrain, which is just a mesh with a special terrain shader.

1143×476 542 KB

UI
400×630 18.7 KB
522×630 27.9 KB

Output files

  • 1/2 control/alpha textures(.png)
  • 1 mesh file(.obj)
  • 1 prefab file.(optional for mesh converter)
  • 1 material file

The material

MTE Editor
You can edit mesh-terrains just like terrains. The height, texture and vertex colors are editable. You can also edit the mesh by directly moving vertices sideways and cutting holes with the mesh toobox.

Every editing operation is undoable! Press PageUp/PageDown(on Mac: Fn+↑/↓) to undo/redo.

With MTE editor, you edit multiple mesh-terrains together.

Height Tools

  • Raise and lower
  • Paint height
  • Smooth height

Vertex Color Painter

Textures Painter

Grass Painter

646×509 373 KB

Object Painter

Mesh Toolbox (Pro feature)

  • Move vertices sideways

  • Cut holes

Video
YouTube

History

Join the Discord Server to download latest beta versions! <<<

2589973--248289--MTE_editor_preview.gif

1 Like
2

I would greatly appreciate any ideas, thank you!

3

Can you use your own shaders and can you cut holes(neat, undoable) in the mesh? Can you displace vertices sideways? Will the operation retain texture information?

4

  1. Use custom shaders
    Sure, but the shader’s path should contain the text “MTE”, so that MTE can figure out it.

  2. Cut holes(neat, undoable) in the mesh
    I will absolutely make it for you!!!
    You are the first one respond to this post and I’m so glad someone pointed out what they want from MTE.

  3. Displace vertices sideways
    The same as 2.

All operation will retain texture information (You mean the texcoods, right?).

EDIT:
MTE’s working flow has been tested in a real project. I modified T4M when working on a mobile game project so it can be used in Unity5 and added functions to it so it can draw textures and modify heights of the vertices. MTE is based on that experience.

5

Well i’m looking for a process that is automated as possible and uses a few elements - terrain generated by using gaia to create a base heightmap, map magic to process the heightmap and add terrain details then I can revert and make changes safely. I would like to be able to make a mesh with this kind of tool to overcome limitations of a regular terrain - no holes and an inability to create caverns and out croppings

If it retained the texturing from the previously created terrain splats then that could make this a really useful tool

6

For the time being, MTE can only retain first 4 splat texture and the first alpha/control texture when converting a Unity3D terrain object to mesh. If this is not enough for you, I’ll improve MTE so that it can retain more than 4 splat textures - maybe 8 or 12.

7

I haven’t used gaia or map magic so I’m not sure if they use Unity’s terrain object or some kind of custom data.
I’m looking into them now.

8

OK, I find it out. Since Gaia and Map Magic work with Unity terrain object, there is no problem now. Just wait for my next release.

New features that will be added in next version of MTE:

  1. Cut holes in the mesh
  2. Displace vertices sideways
  3. Retain first 12 splat texture when converting unity terrain object.
9

Hi

  1. how MTE works on mobile devices with MTE shaders? Does it reduce draw calls compare to Unity terrain?
  2. I used T4M package for a while, does MTE includes the same shaders like T4M (only different names)?
  3. Does T4M shader will work with MTE?
    Thanks
10

Hi @Max1982 ! Thanks for your attention.:slight_smile:

  1. MTE’s output is just a mesh with a simple CG shader that samples color from the four splat textures and combines those colors according to the alpha/control texture. So the performace is as good as a mesh that has the same number of vertices and indices. So it surely reduces draw calls compared to Unity’s terrain object.

    2601077--182218--MTE-mesh.png
    2601077--182218--MTE-mesh.png344×550 52.6 KB

  2. No, MTE doesn’t and won’t include the same shaders like T4M using only different names.

  3. No, but I think there is no problem after some proper modification. I haven’t looked into every shader provided by T4M but one called “T4M 4 Textures”. Now only one simple shader is provided by MTE, which is similar to “T4M 4 Textures” provided by T4M. More useful shaders will be added in next version.

11

Progress:

  1. Cut holes in the mesh 20%
  2. Displace vertices sideways 20%
  3. Retain first 12 splat texture when converting unity terrain object. 100%
    And sure you can paint textures with MTE. Not tested on mobile yet.
  4. Provide common shaders 30%
    Provide shader that makes the mesh the same looking with original Unity terrain object. Not tested on mobile yet.
    2608129--182866--progress.png
    2608129--182866--progress.png963×542 386 KB
12

支持一下，很实用的工具

13

Progress:

  1. Cut holes in the mesh 90% Undo/redo function is ready!
  2. Displace vertices sideways 90% Undo/redo function is ready!
  3. Retain first 12 splat textures when converting unity terrain object. 100%
    Undo/redo function for painting textures is ready!
    And sure you can paint textures with MTE. Not tested on mobile yet.
  4. Provide common shaders 30%
    Provide shader that makes the mesh the same looking with original Unity terrain object. Not tested on mobile yet.
    2618810--183838--Unity_2016-05-02_20-12-49.png
    I’m now improving the convenience of the two mesh tools.
14

Draft package is submitted to unity asset store team. Waiting for their approval.

15

MTE 2.0 pubilshed. http://u3d.as/oWB
I’ll update the information here after I get off work.

Sorry for the late release. I’m very busy in May.

Information here is updated.

16

MTE v2.1 published! http://u3d.as/oWB

What’s new:
Now you can convert a 5-texture terrain object to a 5-texture mesh which uses a single drawcall on target 2.0. And sure the mesh can be edited with MTE v2.1.

17

MTE v2.2 published!

Change log:
Mesh-terrain mode added.

  • Several single-pass shaders are added to optimizing the rendering performance and compatibility on mobile platforms.
  • Converting and editing functions are updated for single-pass mesh-terrains.

Single pass drawcall: 1

2677873--189115--SinglePassDrawCall.png
2677873--189115--SinglePassDrawCall.png694×467 52.3 KB

18

Hi! I just purchased your tool and it works good for my workflow. I have some feature requests though…

  • It seems like I can’t paint the height of the mesh if I don’t use your shaders. I would really much be able to use whatever material I want. (I use Vertex Paint for blending my textures.)
  • If you throw in a vertex painter in the tool, it would be the best tool ever! A lot of people use vertex colors for their blend materials, especially for mobile.
  • A softness value when raising and lowering the vertices.
  • Undo mesh paint strokes.

I hope you continue to develop the tool, it has great potential.
Best regards
Jenz

Edit:
I’m currently using Ikari vertex painter to mask out my textures. But it creates extra meshes and stuff so it would be much better to have it integrated in your tool!

19

There is a shader error in the preview shader when building to Android. :frowning:

Shader error in ‘Hidden/MTE/PaintTexturePreview’: ‘Matrix’ : syntax error syntax error at line 23 (on gles)

Compiling Vertex program
Platform defines: UNITY_NO_DXT5nm UNITY_NO_RGBM UNITY_NO_SCREENSPACE_SHADOWS UNITY_NO_LINEAR_COLORSPACE UNITY_ENABLE_REFLECTION_BUFFERS UNITY_FRAMEBUFFER_FETCH_AVAILABLE UNITY_NO_FULL_STANDARD_SHADER UNITY_PBS_USE_BRDF2 SHADER_API_MOBILE

20

Hi @Jenzo831
Thanks for your purchase! I’m vary grateful for your feedback.

Currently the editing functions are cupled with the shader. (I won’t know this is annoying if you don’t point it out.) They should be decupled in next version.

Vertex color painting, OK. This function was once included in an early development version of MTE but was abandoned when releasing the first version of MTE. I will add it back in next version for you. I’ll look into the Ikari vertex painter, thanks for providing that infomation.

The shader error of the preview shader will be fixed soon.

Thanks again for your feedback! :slight_smile:
And please continue telling me what you want from MTE in the future.:wink:
.