How can i bridge the multiple heightmaps?

General Discussion
#1

I started working with terrain for unreal 4… and I have created one big terrain in mudbox and for simplify my work i divided heightmap to 16 parts 2048 reso. each.
After editing in WM how can i combine all maps and masks together?
Appreciate for any help!

#2

I’m stuck in a similar situation right now and I’ve yet to fix that problem. Remnant told me to check out the “Combining Terrains Example 2” in the Examples folder, but so far it hasn’t helped me at all. I need to combine all the different biomes I’ve made in WM into one continent but I can’t do it. I feel your pain, man.

#3

Since you mentioned you’re using UE4 you can just use World Composition, it can import the tiles and construct the full terrain. You will have to use the proper naming convention for the files so that it knows which tile goes where. Or you could just import your height maps into an image editing program and create a single height map.

#4

Peregrinus is right about using World Composition. You’re going to need to do that anyway since each tile is 2048. UE4 only supports up to 8K (I think) before needing to use World Composition.

#5

JSlade thx. i’m in hell :lol:
Peregrinus after all works in WM i’ll try to bridge them in photoshop but i don’t think it will works fine.if it’s not then World Composition…
but in theory it can be done in WM?

#6

How large is your terrain? World Composition is always good to use for large maps because it lets the game load and unload sections from memory to help performance. Here’s a tutorial for it: https://wiki.unrealengine.com/World_Machine_to_UE4_using_World_Composition

As long as the maps line up properly along the edges you can stitch them together in PS, but I would use World Composition instead.

#7

Hi there,

Just to clearify since I’m not clear on exactly what your needs are here, so correct me if I’m wrong:

You have: 16 2048x2048 heightmaps sculpted in mudbox.

You want to:

  1. Edit them together in WM as parts of a uniform whole, then export them out again as 16 individual files (tiles)
  2. Edit them together in WM and merge into a single file
  3. Other?

You ca easily do either of the first two with the Professional Edition, using the Tiled File Input device. Simply place the TFI device, select your set of tiles, and WM will import them into your world. You can apply erosion, create masks and splats, etc, then re-export as tiles by using a tiled build.

If what you want is something else, let me know.

JSlade:

I’m pretty sure that what you’re trying to do is different than combining multiple tiles together, unless I’m woefully mistaken.

#8

First i want to thank you guys for helping me out!
Remnant:
Peregrinus:
Let me try to describe the situation…
All terrain 8192 reso. i divided to 16 parts 2048 for high detalization (4x4 tiles)

  1. I need to do so every part match edges to another to avoid of any artifacts
  2. As you said 1) Edit them together in WM as parts of a uniform whole, then export them out again as 16 individual files (tiles)
    2) Edit them together in WM and merge into a single file
    So i can have 16 highly detailed tiles suitable to each other and one big for mid/low detailed.(kind of 3 steps of loading)
    I’m not sure about that strategy but i guess it will work.

Remnant: Can you post some screenshots of that kind of task so i can be shure to upgrade my WM.
Thank you!

#9

Sure, it’s pretty straightforward. Here are a couple images:

  1. You need a collection of terrain tiles following some logical cartesian numbering system.
  2. Place a tiled file input and point it at the collection of tiles

(see the first image below)

  1. The collection is now treated as one by World Machine. You can apply any effect you want, create masks, etc.
  2. To export as a single uniform file, simply build the resulting world like you usually would
  3. To export as a set of tiles again, set up and use the tiled build option.

(see the second image below)

The only gotcha with a tiled build is that some networks will exhibit subtle differences between the tiled and normal builds. If you need them to be exactly the same, you can re-load your single file from step 4 and slice it apart without applying filters – basically just baking in the filters before slicing.

Make sense?

#10

Yeah! Now that’s a magic :smiley:
Thank you!

#11