Hi all,
I need to figure out what type of information, and how, gets stored within a Landscape Layer Info object.
In the past we always used a texture file with 3 different mask, one in each RGB channel, then sampled the texture in the shader and used the RGB channels output to mask out different layers. But with Unreal’s Landscape Layer Info objects, we import each mask as a different texture into the layer info, yet the file size for the layer info remains at 1KB, so I am trying to figure out if it’s cheaper to import a 1K texture compared to a 4K texture when using “Import From Texture” or if it doesn’t matter because of the way Landscape Layer Info objects work?
Were you able to figure out how to access the Landscape Layer Info Object data via Blueprints? I was unable to determine a way to properly cast, or attain through built-in functions, to a Landscape Layer Info Object from a pre-existing Landscape.
I have been grinding my face against the keyboard for the past day, or two, trying to figure out how to access the data. I am not doing the same thing you are, but I have uses for it in another direction. Hypothetically, you could ascertain the layer information and cross-check it with a particular [pre-constructed] Layer Info Object and populate (or re-populate) a particular area in the landscape with new actors.
If you had, or have, any updates, I would be exceptionally grateful for your input.
[HR][/HR]Jeff Miller
Technical Artist | Developer
Project 172
Hi there.
AFAIK (and I did look into it when trying to get a feasible way to generate shorelines), there is no way to directly access the layers on the landscape in BP
The workaround is to have the layers be generated by a render target. the render target can be changed at runtime, so you can paint on it with an emissive brush, and it will affect the landscape.
You can therefore create a fake layer that adds whatever procedurally generated grass you need over the texturing (or even alter the texturing), by just feeding the render target into the chain of
“Grass” inputs (after subtracting/adding appropriately depending on what you are attempting to do).
Before you ask, I haven’t really been able to make the render target be utilized with local coordinates.
Technically it’s very possible. You just have to mask out the fact that the tiling occurs by way of a sphere mask.
Sphere mask around the affected LOC, brush paints based on landscape component x/y - character/object x/y. This would only be useful for things that may happen when the character walks around - say like bending grass for instance, by replacing the instances of the automatically generated grass with this technique (it just offers a better detailed resolution than having 1 render target stretched across the whole map).
have you both seen the new plugin coming in 4.24? might be a step in the right direction. seeing as they are working on it, you both could make suggestions to improve it by telling epic your needs and asking if its possible to add the functions you need if they don’t evist already in the update
Open World Updates:
Landscape Blueprint Brushes and Landmass Plugin (Beta). Up until now Landscape data could be imported and/or edited from the Landscape Editor Mode only. This new feature opens the Landscape data to Blueprints. It is now possible to assign Blueprint Brushes to the new Landscape Edit Layers. Those Brushes have a Render event that can be implemented in Blueprint that allows the user to inject landscape data (Height data and/or Weightmap data) into the Edit Layer.
Thank you both for the excellent information! I am currently using 4.23.0 and had not realized that 4.24.0 would be including a new plug-in regarding Landscape Data information. That is very optimistically positive and for sure a step in the right direction, @ixicalibur.
[USER=“3140864”]MostHost LA[/USER], thank you. While waiting for 4.24.0, I will be looking into (and diving into) your method of implementing render targets. Sadly, doing so via Render Target may not be in benefit of the artists on my team. I know they are looking for a way to have full and total control over what visuals are implemented. But, this is definitely a great step and a brilliant way of side-stepping the current functionality (or lack thereof). Cheers!
[HR][/HR]Jeff Miller
Technical Artist | Developer
Project 172
Greetings. Forgive me if this is not the right topic but…
I just wanted to ask if we have to flip the y axis when we use a .png file as a layer info. I created the heightmap in world creator and had to flip the y axis when I exported it and I was wondering if I have to do the same for the texture masks that I have created for this terrain in photoshop.
