I have procedural foliage volumes setup but if I make changes to mask out certain foliage types within the volume and resimulate the masked out foliage will reappear. I am looking for a method of preserving the foliage masking that I have done while updating the other foliage types within the foliage volume. For example if I render a forest with ferns and trees, if I erase one tree and then have to adjust that volume the tree will reappear when I resimulate the volume. Is there a way to preserve that masking? Alternatively is there a way to export masks of the existing foliage within the foliage volume?
Sadly enough there is no way to do it if youre simulating on anything but landscapes.
When it comes to landscapes, you can choose what landscapelayers each foliage type can spawn on and use that as a “mask” .
we are currently looking at rewriting the code for how Procedural foliage spawner works, so that we can add masks to it, but i dont think Epic Games are currently looking at doing anything regarding this.
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Instead of doing that, you should look into applying the foliage blocking volume type onto a geometry asset that can be edited in engine.
Not that properly responding to an alpha map wouldn’t be useful mind you - in fact, if you went and did that and allowed for things to say grow based on the alpha value, you’d be able to easily resimulate roads with paths and animal tracks where the grass won’t grow as tall near them.
Both systems have their uses. Merging the 2 would be ideal. Using vertex paint on the mesh so you can define growth/whatever else in editor before resimulating.