3DNature

3D Landscape Design & Visualization Software published and supported by AlphaPixel

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    Part 3D. Generating Terrain

    A topographic map with green, orange, and gray elevations. A crosshair marks a central location.
    Getting Started with VNS 3: Terrain Basics

    Part 3D. Generating Terrain

    1. VNS doesn’t limit you to imported data for terrain. You can also create terrain with the Terrain Generator. Create a new project and name it TG.

    A "New Project" dialogue box with options to place a project file in a subdirectory, clone an existing project, use templates, and fields to enter project name. The user hovers over the "Create & Save" button.

    2. When asked if you want to import data, answer No, as we’ll be creating our own.

    A dialog box titled "Import Data" with the message, "Your new Project has been created and saved. Would you like to import some data now?" and buttons labeled "Yes" and "No.

    3. Go to the Data menu and open the Terrain Generator.

    A menu is open in the Visual Nature Studio 3.0 software, with the "Terrain Generator" option highlighted and cursor pointing to it.
    Screenshot of a "Terrain Generator" software interface with options for naming, enabling preview, terrain type, random seed, base elevation, elevation range, and DEM name. "Create DEM" button is visible.

    4. Open a view for TG Camera and zoom back a notch with the – (minus) key.

    Screenshot of a 3D modeling software showing a camera view over a hilly terrain with a toolbar at the top.

    5. We have terrain visible in the camera view, but we don’t have any DEM objects in the Database Editor. This is a preview of the default Terrain Generator texture, size, and elevation range. It doesn’t become a DEM object until we create a DEM.

    6. Select Elevation Range Texture Operations and Edit Texture.

    Screenshot of the Terrain Generator tool with options for general features, terrain type, base elevation, and elevation range. A context menu with "Edit Texture" is shown under the Output section.

    7. Drag the Texture Editor out of the way so we can see the camera view. The default element is a Hybrid Multifractal texture.

    A screenshot of a Terrain Generator Displacement window featuring various sliders and input boxes for adjusting texture elements, procedural parameters, and position coordinates.

    8. Go to the Selected Element dropdown list and choose Turbulence.

    Texture Editor window showing various settings and options for terrain generation, including a dropdown menu with selected text "Hybrid MultiFractal" and other parameters for displacement.

    9. The camera view refreshes with the new texture element.

    A computer-generated landscape with various elevation levels in green and brown, viewed from a 3D camera perspective. The toolbar at the top displays different tool icons.

    10. Try Pebbles next. In addition to creating artificial terrain, the Terrain Generator Texture Editor is a great place to experiment with different textures and see how they work in 3 dimensions.

    Screenshot of a 3D modeling software displaying a terrain with numerous conical spikes and a crosshair at the center. The user interface shows various tool icons at the top.

    11. Close out the Texture Editor and go to the Terrain Generator Coverage page. The default terrain size is about 28 kilometers on a side and the elevation ranges from 0 to 5000 meters.

    Screenshot of a Terrain Generator interface showing tabs for General and Coverage, with fields and options for setting DEM resolution, area, and bounds. Includes inputs for rows, columns, tiles, and cell size.

    12. To choose another area preset, use the Area Presets dropdown list and select Square Kilometer.

    Screenshot of a terrain generator tool interface showing options for DEM resolution, area presets, and DEM bounds. A dropdown menu is open, with "Square Kilometer" highlighted.

    13. The elevation range and cell size will scale accordingly.

    Screenshot of a Terrain Generator tool showing settings for DEM resolution, area presets, DEM area height and width, and DEM bounds with directional coordinates.

    14. The camera view changes as the nearly 800 square-kilometer terrain is reduced to a single square kilometer. That’s the DEM off in the distance.

    Screenshot of a software interface displaying a light blue screen with a small green object and menu icons at the top.

    15. Reset the TG Camera to its default position.

    Screenshot of a 3D modeling software showing a green terrain with scattered cone-shaped structures, viewed from above. A yellow cross marks the center. Simulator tools are visible at the top.

    16. You can also set your own values for DEM dimensions, bounds, cell size, and elevation range. As with all VNS Components, you can load a prebuilt Terrain Generator. Select Load Component from the titlebar to open the Component Gallery.

    A software window titled "Terrain Generator" with various options for DEM resolution, area presets, dimensions, and bounds. The cursor hovers over a button with "Load Component" tooltip.

    17. Load the Groovy Component.

    A computer folder labeled 'WCSContent: Terrain' is open, showing thumbnails of terrain images such as Flagstones, Groovy, and Marble Island. A tooltip describes the 'Groovy' terrain created by Chris Hanson.

    18. You don’t see any terrain because the Component has the preview disabled. Go to the General page and check the Preview Enabled box.

    Screenshot of a Terrain Generator software window titled "Groovy" showing options for general features, terrain type, and output, including fields for name, size, seed, base elevation, and a button to create DEM.

    19. Create DEM, save your project, and close out the Terrain Generator.

    Screenshot of Terrain Generator software's interface showing settings for Groovy terrain, including features like enabled, preview, size, random seed, base elevation, elevation range, and output DEM name.
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