New terrain nodes
-
Billowy noise terrain generation node: This node
creates a terrain using a Billowy noise generator. It is a standard
modification of a Perlin noise generator node where each level of
detail is transformed using the absolute value function. It creates
slightly different patterns that are useful when creating creases
and hills.
-
Ridged noise terrain generation node: This
node creates a terrain using a Ridged noise generator. It is a
standard modification of a Perlin noise generator node where each
level of detail is transformed using the opposite of the absolute
value function. It creates sharp discontinuities and patterns that
resemble crests and ridges. This noise is usually used to create
sharp mountains.
-
Min and
Max terrain composition nodes: The
Max node takes the maximum value of two input terrains. At each
vertex, the value of the output terrain is the maximum value of
both input terrains. Conversely, the Min node takes the minimum
value of two input terrains where the value of the output terrain
is the minimum value of both input terrains at each vertex.
New mask nodes
-
Mask from higher terrain node: This node
creates a mask by comparing two input terrains. The white areas of
the output correspond to all the locations where the elevation of
the first input terrain is higher that the elevation of the second
input terrain.
-
Mask from angles: The Mask from angles node
creates a mask from the angles of a terrain. The mask created has
the same size and resolution as the input terrain. Two modes exist
to edit the Mask from angles node: the Gradient mode where the mask
takes a gradient with values between 0 for the minimum angle up to
1 for the maximum angle, and the Select mode where the mask is set
to 1 for angles between minimum angle and maximum angle; otherwise
it is set to 0.
-
Mask from curvature: This node creates a mask
from the curvature of the terrain. The mean curvature computed
corresponds to the average of the two principal curvatures. High
curvature points are located at the terrain concavities
(depressions) and low curvature points are located at the terrain
convexities (peaks). Zero curvature represents parts of the surface
where the slope is constant (planes or a constant rise).
New color map management
- Import color
map: The Import color map node imports a color map to
be linked to a terrain generator via the Apply color map node.
- Apply
color map: The Apply color map node applies an
imported color map to a terrain. It links a terrain and a color map
node to apply the color map to the terrain. The output terrain is
the same terrain as the input terrain, but with a color map. The
color map is preserved throughout the graph unless a new color map
is applied.
-
Extract color map: When the Extract color map node is
linked to a terrain with a color map, you can extract this color
map and apply it using an Apply color map node or export it using
an Export color map node.
- Export color
map: This node exports a color map as an image file
from a terrain with a color map as a .tiff, .png, .tga, or .bmp
file.
-
Transform terrain node: When the Transform
terrain node is linked to a color map, you can set the color of the
input terrain color map. The color map of the output terrain
follows the terrain transformation. When the transformed terrain
does not completely fill the output terrain, the empty space is
filled with the chosen color.
New features
- Disable
node: When a node is disabled, it has no effect on the
nodes to which it is connected. For a terrain, flat terrain is
generated if the node is disabled, for a mask, a black mask is
generated, and for a colormap, a white colormap is generated.
-
Painted mask node: When you change the mask size, you
have the choice of two radio buttons that let you either keep the
current mask or clear it.
- View
the terrain as a mask: You can view the terrain as a
mask. This option is for display purposes only.
Breaking change
Alpha
blend node: We have updated the Alpha blend node to be
consistent the other composition nodes with a mask. The node's
behavior is the inverse of that of v1.0. In the black areas, the
height of the first terrain is used. In the white areas, the height
of the second terrain is used. Between the two, in the gray areas,
the Alpha blend mixes both terrains. Note that when upgrading from
Instant Terra v1.0 to v1.1, you need to modify your projects if
they contain Alpha blend nodes to achieve the same result. If both
entry terrains are the same size, simply swap them around. If they
are not the same size, you need to invert the mask, which can be
done by adding an
Invert mask node.
New workflow
Color
management workflow: The color management workflow
helps you get started with color maps. You will learn how to import
and apply a color map, compose terrains with color maps, extract a
color map from a terrain composition and apply it to another
terrain, and export a color map.
New example
Curvature
example: This example illustrates the use of the
curvature node by creating a mountain range and then applying a
smoothing effect locally to places where the slope does not
vary.
New video tutorials
Getting
started and node-specific tutorials: In the Help menu,
you can access the Instant Terra video tutorials playlist on the
Wysilab Youtube channel where you can learn about specific nodes
and work through a project to help you get started with Instant
Terra.