Brenda Raza - FIEA Art Blog

I have enjoyed diving into World Machine for my research component, and will go through some of the common tools and show how to create a basic terrain.

World Machine creates varieties of terrain. This is created in the “Device Workview” (F5). The standard template shows 3 boxes:  the GREEN boxes create terrain, then it puts them through various filters and processes (the BLUE box), then it exports the results of various processes into outputs (the RED boxes). You can zoom in on any group by selecting it and pressing the space bar. Zoom back out using your mouse wheel or by using two fingers to scroll up or down on your track pad.

1) Each terrain generator device creates an infinite pattern. There are lots of different patterns you can use by tweaking the parameters of that green box called "Terrain Creation". The DEVICE name is "Advanced Perlin" (which can be renamed). Click on the green box then use the Layout View to look around at the fractal pattern created. You can Toggle between different views from F5-F9, but I found F8 - the 3D View, to be the most helpful to see the changes in terrain as you edit. For example:

So, to start, we have to make tweaks to the Advanced Perlin. Changing the "Style" under Basic Parameters, creates the most distinction between what type of terrain you choose to create. Then playing around with elevation controls affects the height. Here is an example of some of the values:

2) Next, we make changes to the Terrace filter (in the blue box). The selection in the Terrace Method will determine what kind of style you choose your terrain edges to be. For instance the "Sharp" selection, is what I've chosen to create sharp mountain ridge hills for the India mountains I was creating. "Smooth" would make the edges more rounded. Lastly the "Simple" option would create a look similar to Minecraft. From here you play around with the values to select how many hills/mts. you would prefer, as well as valleys.

3) The Erosion filter simulates weathering and erosion and mass movement and gives you access to control these changes.

4) From here we can add more control to specific areas by adding a Layout Generator. This is found in the Tool bar strip, under the tab Generator. Just select, drag and drop. Then connect the openings, placing this in between Advanced Perlin and Terrace.

The Shape Library allows you to select a "Circle" to add either a mountain top or crater, for example. The "Box" tool, creates a rectangular shaped mountain, and the "polygon" will allow pretty much any shape. The "Lines" creates a strip of mountain tops.

5) Next we have to define colors in a Color Generator, by separating sections of the terrain in solid colors. This translates them to bitmap colors which then creates a single color that exists everywhere in the world.

In order for this device to work, it needs to connect to a Converter Device, called a  "Normal Map Maker." This normal Map maker encodes the terrain Normal into the RGB texture. Each direction component of the Normal is mapped to the RGB colors, so R=X, G=Y, B=Z.

Voila! Here are the results...

6) Now we're ready to export our results, so we have to make a "BUILD". Press the top left Green button, and the build bar will begin...

  

Then move to the Red box, and click the "Height Output".

A)  Here we have to click "RAW16", click the "Set" button above and set it where you want to locate the file andname it something like Height Map. Next,click the middle button: "Write output to disk". Last, click Ok.

B) We do the same with the "Bitmap Output". Select 8 Bit, click Specify Output File and save as "TextureMap". Last click "Write output to disk" and click ok.

C) And last, we do the same as above, except name it "NormalMap".
7) Finally, we're ready to export into UE4!We go to the landscape tool, under "New Landscape" >> "Import From File" and select your "HeightMap", click Fit to Data, and click Import.

Next, we create a new Material and apply it to the terrain. We will be setting the RGB parameters to sync with the Bitmap WM texture. Please use this as your blueprint reference:

You will then get terrain that appears like this... 

Separating the rock, sand, etc. Next you will have to replace the RGB terrain to the colors you wish to replace them with in the blueprint.

But you can also choose to apply your own tileable textures on to the WM mesh. But keep in mind that you will probably have to play around with the U and V tiling to adjust the scale of the texture. Here is an example:



This was my final material...

And here is my final world in World Machine! Good luck to you :)