What do you think about Speedtree system integrated with unity ?

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2) How much will it cost?
SpeedTree functionality is built into Unity 5 and works out of the box in both the free and pro versions. You can get SpeedTree models either by purchasing them from the Unity Asset Store or creating/editing your own with Unity version of the SpeedTree Modeler. That application will be available at speedtree.com for $495.00 USD when Unity 5 launches.
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Thanks. Though it is odd that it says “created/edited” since I would think you’d at least be able to take what you made in the Unity SpeedTree modeller and put it into the UE4 SpeedTree modeller. Using whatever internal format they have.

In which case, unless I were planning to use SpeedTree quite a lot, I would probably prefer a subscription plan.

What if I already own SpeedTree Studio, Is it compatible with Unity 5 or would I need to purchase another $495 licence?

You’ll need the Unity modeller, as it exports Unity specific files. ST Studio and Cinema won’t export to game engines in any form, unless you’re into SDK territory (and AAA pricing/licensing).

I’ve been told that SpeedTree for Unity will be able to read Studio’s tree .spm format, so you can pass from Studio->Unity that way, but take that with a big pinch of salt as u-turns appear to be quite popular these days.

A few weeks ago, Epic was broadcasting a SpeedTree discussion with the IDV guys. It does contain a bit of marketing blah, but they also show off some tech, workflow and provide a brief history about the beginning of SpeedTree. I really enjoyed the video, so here is the link if anyone is interested:

The talk starts at 11m35s: youtube video here

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Hey guys,

We haven’t disclosed much about our Unity 5 offering since GDC. Just like you, we’re at the mercy of the Unity 5 release date and have no power to bring it closer.

In the meantime, we’ve updated our pricing of the SpeedTree Modeler for Unity 5 on our website: http://blog.speedtree.com/2014/07/speedtree-modeler-for-unity-5-pricing/. It’s our hope that you’ll find it more favorable, but we understand that we can’t be all things to everyone.

We’re very excited about bringing a full integration to all Unity users and we understand that there are plenty of questions. Some we can answer ahead of the release, some we can’t. We welcome all questions and input via email at unity@speedtree.com. Also feel free to visit our forum to begin discussions (if you’re a first time poster, don’t despair if your post doesn’t appear immediately – it has to be moderated manually).

Kind regards,
-Chris
(SpeedTree guy)

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Hey Chris, thanks for the info - it’s a really positive move to have you post on the Unity forums. Looking forward to testing ST in Unity5

Thanks Chris, I’m really looking forward to using SpeedTree in my current and upcoming projects.

good job , i hope tree came with same wind-zone inside speedtree Cinema or speedtree unity modeler

Oh , speed tree changes the world ;p

old unity ;p

new unity ;o

Ah $19 a month. We’d prefer a fixed license fee and to buy the app tbh. $19 a month means we will probably only license it in bursts rather than keep 2.5 years worth… still cool though, esp if it’s updated regularly.

It’s also available for $495

  • Unity 5 users may purchase a license of SpeedTree Modeler for Unity 5 at $495/seat for creating their own trees or editing those they purchase from the asset store.

Hi there,

We are considering using speedtree for our game but we need more information on it like:

What include in the 19$ monthly subscription, i mean what leaf or tree library is include in or do we have to purchase every type of tree we need as package?

Can we build our own from scratch in the 19$ package?

How does speedtree cope with script attach to tree and prefab them to paint over terrain?

Thank for any answers to these questions.

Regards Peter

The $19 sub is everything that is included with the standard version. The onl;y different now is they only seel them for specific engines. ie: Unity or Unreal. If you want both, you need to buy both. Also, if you want SpeedTree for any other engine, it is $15,000 USD

That options is not available in their store

Correct, we only offer the subscription modeler for $19. $495 would equal paying for the subscription for around 26 months anyway, why not just subscribe?

  1. You get the same sample trees and associated materials from the free pack in the asset store. You can create your own materials, leaves/bark/etc and use them in the Modeler.

  2. You can build completely from scratch in the modeler. Trees, grass, bushes, flowers. It’s up to you.

  3. If I understand your question, SpeedTrees are imported and can be placed just like any other Unity asset.

Did that help?

Hi Danny,

Thank for replying and you answer almost every questions we had except for the capacity for speedtree to handle script and being able to make them as prefab to use terrain engine to paint them over.

I know that so far you cannot put a script on a tree to be able to cut it as an ex; and then painting them over the terrain, they are some workaround i saw on certain posts but will speedtree have any shortcoming regarding handling script?

Regards Peter

I really like the Speedtree models and purchased the modeler. However, some of the hype seems to be untrue. For example, we were told we could put a tree in the modeler, randomize it to get get several variations of the original model.

This works great, but when I put them in Unity, I get leaves floating around the tree, not at all connected to the model. It looks terrible.

Also, shadows away from the sun are black and no amount of shadow adjusting in Unity fixes this. Again, looks terrible. I am not sure how to fix this in the modeler either.

I have not found the tutorials adequate for the modeler or for fixing issues with the trees in Unity.

All in all, I am disappointed. I went to the Speedtree forums hoping to find some help, but there is little there about Unity and what is there simply don’t address my two issues. I would post, but it mostly seems like the forums there are dependent on other users answer each other’s questions and some questions from users remain unanswered.

While the models I purchased look good for the most part other than the black shadows, the modeler seems to be only good for making your own, not making variations.