Creating Custom Height Map Terrain

In iClone, you are free to create your own terrain by simply replacing the height map image file. The benefit of this method is that you do not need to increase the polygons of the terrain while the landforms can be defined by a height map image, which does not consume too much system resources.

Creating Custom Height Map Terrain

1. Load a Height Map Terrain template from the Set >> Terrain >> Content Manager >> Height Map Terrain library as a base.
   
2. In this case, the Snow Mountain is applied.
   
3. In the Modify panel, scroll to the Height Map Terrain section.
4. Select the Height Map thumbnail and click the Launch button to open the height map image in your favorite image editor.
   
5. Edit the grayscale image.

   The original height map image. White: Peaks Black: Valley	The height map image after being edited.

6. Save the image and go back to iClone, the terrain will be updated automatically.
   

   Note:

   Because the size of the terrain is 25600 x 25600 (cm square), while the size of the height map image is only 513 x 513 (pixel square), each pixel in the image thus represents 50 x 50 (cm square) area in iClone, which will cause some creasing. In order to solve the crease phenomena, you can increase the smooth value between 1 to 3. However, the sharp edges in this example will look melted or weathered.

7. You may also load a prepared image file in grayscale format (if the loaded file is a colorful one, then iClone will automatically convert it to grayscale format first) to create a new terrain with different rises and falls.

   The landform is changed in accordance with the definition of the loaded image.

   Note:

   The height map image can be created via any image editor, such as Adobe Photoshop. You can also create height map terrains via Earth Sculptor. Please refer to Replacing Texture to Change Landscape section for more information.

Further Adjustments for Custom Terrain

After the height image map is edited or loaded and a custom terrain has been generated, you are allowed to adjust overall appearance of the landforms in iClone.

• Height Scale: This setting scales the overall height of the land contours. The higher the values is, the taller the overall land and peaks will be.

  Height Scale: 50.	Height Scale: 120.

  Note:

  Please note that after you create a terrain via Earth Sculptor with a height range from 0 to 100, the range mapped in iClone will be from 0 to 20.

• Height Offset: This setting moves the entire terrain up or down (unit: centimeter).

  Height Offset: 0.	Height Offset: 5000.

  You may use this setting to rectify the height of the terrain from Earth Sculptor because terrain of this kind is not always built based on the horizon but a tableland above or beneath the horizon.

  Terrain from Earth Sculptor (offsets the horizon about 1260 m)	Water applied and the result is awkward.	Compensate the offset by using the Height Offset parameter.

• Height Scale: This setting eases and evens up the valleys and peaks of your landscape. It is useful when your load a height image map with high contrast, which causes the terrain look over-dramatic or when you find a crease issue as described in the previous section.

  Smooth: 0.	Smooth: 25.