hello guys, I have created landscape in 3ds max, and want to import that mesh, and later use paint in lanscape, is that possible and how?
I think you can just use the FBX importer for Unreal. However, I think if your landscape is mesh, and not a height field, I don’t think there will be collision by default. There are other benefits to using a heightmap as well. However I guess it depends on what your end use of the landscape will be.
i know i can import, but i cant use paint from landscape on that mesh, it ask me to create landscape from UE? I tried height map but it isnt pecise and i cant make concave rock climb…
Off the top of my head, I think if you watch the Unreal Engine Livestream videos on youtube for Landscapes (I think there are two of them), they briefly touch on how to make caves (2nd video I think, when using a heightmap). However it seems you already did the work in 3DS Max, so maybe somebody else on the forums can tell you how to paint the mesh in the editor. I’m not really sure how.
didnt watch but I will, although i prefer to do modeling in max and materials and foliage in UE.
This is why i wat to import from max… Calculating Exact Map Size - Content Creation - Unreal Engine Forums
So you are confused on landscape scale? Is that it? That’s what your referenced link seems to indicate? I can’t tell from the link why you want to import from Max?
because i have terrain finished in max 
nevermind i am going with UE height map :)))
To get a good heightmap from 3dsmax
In Max
Tessellate your terrain as much as you think your comp can handle.
Apply smoothing group1 to all polys
In UnwrapUVW…Planar map your terrain from one side (any… NOT top or bottom)
Your Terrain UV is now likeley to be a strip across the bottom.
Grab all terain UV Polys and drag scale them so they use the full height of your UV Map.
In photoshop make a texture 16 bit greyscale using the garadient tool to go from black at bottom to white at top.
Back in Max apply gradient texture to you terrain
Choose an ortho top down view and render to texture at the largest size you can.
And save as TGA… this is your height map master
You can resize to UE4 sizes or slice into tiles in photoshop.
Use as height map(s) in UE4
Hope it helps
Paul G
So i am doing like this
- have 1500x1500meters landscape
- UnwrapUVW planar from x or y side so my map is streched in UV square full from side
- apply material with gradient from white 255 to across middle gray to 0 black
- unwrapUVW again and make channel 2 with planar map from the top Z
- render to texture channel 2
- Save as PNG 16bit grayscale
I like your tesselate terrain I will put that as 1.
But there is problem now because from black to white it represent 512 meters of height and my terrain is not that height from bottom to top.
More you can find here heightmap problem - Content Creation - Unreal Engine Forums
Yep all sounds good, you do need to unwrap from above in channel2 and then render to texture
Apologies its been a while
The vertical scale matters not… after the height map has been applied to your landscape you can alter the z scale of any landscape.
Suggest… make sure you know the actual height of the terrain, after applying the height map in UE4 got side view wireframe and place 2 cubes in the level.
One at the minimum actual in the Z and the other at the actual max height of your terrain, now scale to suit.
Doing it this way you get the full 16K greyscale in vertical resolution, … no terracing
Couple of other tricks…
In Max after tesselation add noise if req
or Add Noise in Photoshop to Heightmap
Sometimes applying gaussian blur can help… depends on how good your mesh is.
In Max set the origin of the landscape to 1 corner and then move to 0,0,0
Make a copy of terrain that overhangs or caves and such like. ( just certain polys )
Leave origin as 0.0.0
Export this mesh as FBX and you can import as static mesh and if you drag it in set its position at 0,0,0 and it should fit perfectly in with the terrain.
You can then use a hole material to paint away your terrain to suit.
( you can also create a plane that is same height as min - max of the terrain import it place in level … scale terrain vertical to suit.)
Have a look at a program called Terresculptor, there is a free version I am not sure but I think it will accept a height map and you can the add such things as erosion etc
(the paid version well worth the money and will def allow erosion etc)
Not connected to TSculpt in any way
Have fun
Paul G
PS I would also make my terrain size to suit UE4 eg 2017 x 2017
(just place a flat plane of correct size at zero alt and include it in your UVW unwrap etc)
I calculated grayscale so it is one option for Z height, but this one using scale for Z looks better to me