How do you use the [Landscape Physical Material Output] node?

Development World Creation
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1

Does anyone know how to use the [Landscape Physical Material Output] material node?
Can I use it with a typical Physics Material setup to detect LineTrace hits on white areas of a landscape mask connected to this node?

My all-in-one landscape material doesn’t use separate layers and I’m trying to detect puddle-area hits like this: https://youtu.be/r_xRTBOMvJw?t=222

I tried connecting a monochrome puddle mask, but it didn’t do anything, so I’m not sure if that is the correct way to use the node or if it can even do what I hope it does.

The only references I could find are below, but they don’t have any info about how to actually use the node:

Update:
Using a ‘Physical Material Mask’ may be an alternative solution so I’ll consider that Plan B if the ‘Landscape Physical Material Output’ node isn’t the way to go.

1 Like
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I would still like to know what [Landscape Physical Material Output] does, but in the meantime, I solved my problem by using an additional layer as a puddle splat map instead of generating procedural puddles. I won’t be able to dynamically shrink/grow my puddles, but it’s a fair compromise.

3

I tried to figure out how to get this node to work and almost gave up until I ran into a video someone posted on Twitter with a basic usage example. Here’s [the video][1] (while the text is mostly in Japanese, it’s pretty easy to understand what the person does).

Basically, for each physical material you’re adding to the output node you plug in a corresponding layer sample/mask you want to assign it to. I tried to replicate what the person who posted the video did (see below) and it worked.

337801-bpgraphscreenshot-2021y-05m-02d-22h-00m-17s-411-00.jpg
337801-bpgraphscreenshot-2021y-05m-02d-22h-00m-17s-411-00.jpg918×1119 157 KB

By the way, I highly recommend checking the forum post you’ve linked as it’s still getting replies.

4

Thanks SandVampire, great find!
(I had given up searching because I couldn’t find any other info).


By the way, I highly recommend checking the forum post you’ve linked
as it’s still getting replies.

Cheers!

5

Yes, as far as I know, it is new to 4.26.

I still have 4.25.1 installed and [Landscape Physical Material Output] isn’t available.


(Not sure about versions after 4.25.1 and before 4.26).

6

Thank you, confirmed on 4.26.

Do you by any chance if this is a feature introduced at 4.26? I can’t find a similar node in other versions.

7

Thanks for the quick reply. For now I am happy that it is introduced in 4.26. Strange that is hasn’t been there before. Wonder how other “auto landscapes” have implemented this. I think have a workarround tough for other UE4 versions if you are interested. Simply output the masks on separate layers and apply a physical material on these layers.

Great to see some activity on the anwserhub, haven’t been here for years after UE4 went free.