Update: We’re continuing to update this tool, so skip to the end of this topic to read about the latest news.
After lots more time than I hoped, I have updated my Terrain Tools to play nice with Unity 3, and improved many parts, transferred everything from individual editor scripts into one dockable editor window, enabled it to work with multiple terrains, more than one splatmap, and more.
For the full details, check out the Asset Store page:
As per the old tools, I am selling these at a “pick your own price” model. In addition to the scripts themselves, I have included three full example data sets that cover the entire workflow from Terragen 2 setup to finished scene.
If you bought the older Terrain Tools, you should have received an update offer by mail. Contact me if you didn’t.
Editor window preview:
Older threads with some details and more screenshots are here, here and here
I have a question regarding one of the scripts included in the package:
I have, for example, several rocks (prefab mesh with collider and rigidbody) that I want to distribute on the terrain. Can I use this “spawn map” to do this? Is it an editor script or can it be used at run time?
Also, can I use this (or any of the other scripts) with a mesh (some of my terrains are meshes and not Unity terrains)?
I would rather pay for something. That way the developer will be more motivated to make upgrades and future releases. He should be rewarded for his efforts. This is a fantastic tool.
I loved your first Terrain Tools and will definitely upgrade. Anxiously awaiting the new release.
BTW, here is my Tutorial for using Tom's Terrain Tools (the first version) with L3DT (I use Pro)...
Here's the steps I use to get my terrain into Unity.
1 - Generate your L3DT map via the Wizard if you're unfamiliar with it. Then...
File-->Export map-->(select) Heightfield
File format - (pulldown) select "RAW"
-type in a File Name
-check "resize for export"
-1025 size (default)
Operations-->Alpha Map-->Alpha Express (png)
The raw is your heightmap and the png is your splatmap. Move those to your Assets folder.
2 - Make sure "Tom's Terrain Tools" is installed per his instructions.
3 - In Unity
Terrain-->Create Terrain
Add your 4 textures in Unity as normal (you can get some nice terrain textures from http://cgtextures.com )
Terrain-->Import Heightmap RAW
--Bit16
--Windows
Now you should see your heightmap in your first colour chosen. If the mountains are too high, then go Terrain-->Set Resolution and change the 600 value. Just change those numbers until you get the desired height of your mountains and valleys.
Now for the rest of the colour of your terrain.
In Unity, select your png texture in the Project folder and in Inspector change it to ARGB 32 bit and hit the Apply button. Now you won't get an error message to change it to 32 bit RBGA as you've just done it. Now to add the splatmap...
Terrain-->Tom's Terrain Tools-->Splatmap
If you're sand is in your mountain area and your grass under the sea, then just change the order of your textures until it's right (ie, the terrain paintbrush textures as if you were painting one from scratch - the same ones you loaded above).
@Roy and Tom - Could you post this tutorial somewhere? I plan on getting L3DT about the same time I get Tom’s Terrain Tools and this would be a good resource for me.
If you want to to it at runtime, yes you could use the spawn map script for that purpose. If you want it in the editor, the Random Object Map script is your friend. Both are included in the package.
I could link to this thread, or if Roy says “ok”, put it on my website.
@pixelstudio: I’m giving other stuff away on this forum, including many parts or early incarnations of those scripts. But every once in a while or so, I need to buy a new Unity license, or some Assets for my own projects, etc. so I need to make some money to cover those costs.
No, these scripts only work with Unity terrains. The spawn map and random object scripts should (maybe with trivial modifications) also work for any mesh with colliders since they use raycasting, but the main script manipulates terrain data only.
Unity terrain doesn’t support holes. There are a few ways to fake holes, but unlike, say, Torque you can not cut out a part of the terrain. It’s a limitation of the engine, not of my scripts.
@bigkahuna: I’d recommend you look closely at world machine 2 before you buy l3dt I have both and I prefer WM2 any day I think you have much more control and if you’ve tried strumpys shader editor, then you’ll be used to the same node-based generation process
WM2 and L3DT both have their use, and I’ve used both even though my main tool is TG2.
WM2 has a nice default setup and visual interface, if you like visual editors, it definitely beats the competition in that area.
L3DT has the design map, which is by far the best starting point if you have a rough idea of what you landscape should look like. Many of my own terrains start out in L3DT, though I export them to TG2 after the heightmap stage and do some final processing and the splat-, tree-, etc. maps in there.
GeoControl 2 should also be mentioned, it is the only tool I know that can easily create fairly good rivers.
I removed them for two reasons. One is that the API has changed and terrain does no longer store its own lightmap. Modifying shadows would now have to go through the Beast lightmap data. The other is that thanks to Beast, the issue of tree shadows is now solved in the engine itself, so there is no need for having them scripted.
I’m working on a terrain and I have already 3 splatmaps, can I use your tool to continue my work or I have to create a new terrain to use it?
It is possible with the terrain tool to change color for trees by using a map (or the terrain’s lightmap for example) the goal is to adjust tree value when they are in a shadow area and when they are far from camera view.
The tool only supports up to 2 splatmaps, but it can easily modified to support more, since the principle behind going to 3 is the same as going to 2, only the numbers change. But it you already have splatmaps painted, you should save them out first, there is a script somewhere around here that does that.
Individual tree colour changes are not currently supported by the script. As I understand it, they depend on the lightmap, which Beast calculates.
