Working with the Terrain Editor

Working with the Terrain Toolbox

Challenge 1: Create and sculpt a Terrain

Challenge 2: Paint textures onto the Terrain

Challenge 3: Add Foliage and Details to the Terrain

Recorded Live Session - Introduction to Terrain Editor

Submission - Introduction to Terrain Editor

Introduction to Terrain Editor - Assets.zip

This project covers the basics of Unity’s Terrain tool, the project demonstrates sculpting terrains, painting textures, adding trees and models, as well as details such as grass. In addition to the terrain tool, the project takes advantage of Unity’s standard assets to add water and speed tree assets to the scene. 

Introduction to Terrain Editor

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Setting up the Project

Exploring the Additional Terrain Tools

The Terrain Toolbox

Next Steps

In this tutorial, you will learn how to add and use the Terrain Tools package.

Unity for Artists Curricular Framework Resources

AI, ML Curricular Framework Resources 

The Terrain Tools Package offers an extended range of sculpting and brush tools optimized for adjusting Terrain features, and works within the Unity Terrain Editor. To take advantage of these additional sets of tools, you will need to install the Terrain Tools Package from the Package Manager window. 

1. From the Top Menu dropdown, select Window > Package Manager.

2. In the top of the Package Manager window, select Advanced, and then select Show Preview Packages from the dropdown menu. 

3. In the search field, type in “terrain” to search for the Terrain Tools, and with the Terrain Tools preview package selected, select the Install button. 

4. To practice with freely available Terrain samples such as tree and texture assets, select the Download Asset Samples from Asset Store button in the Package Manager window. 

5. The Unity Asset Store site will automatically open in your default web browser. Select the Add to My Assets button. 

6. A pop up window will appear at the top of your page, showing the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack added to your assets. Select the Open in Unity button. 

7. The Unity Package Manager window will automatically refresh, showing the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack. Select the Download button to start the download. 

8. After the Sample Asset Pack has finished downloading, select the Import button to import the Sample Assets into your Project. 

9. Finally, The Import Unity Package pop up window will appear. Select the Import button to save the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack into your Project 

You are now ready to take full advantage of Unity’s Terrain System, and practice with the additional sets of tools and Sample Assets. You can now close out the Package Manager window, and further explore some of the additional features. 

Attention is being shown to the top center Advanced dropdown menu of the Package Manager, with the Show preview packages option highlighted

Selecting Show Preview Packages from the Advanced menu dropdown in the Package Manager Window.

The Terrain Tools Package is shown in the Package Manager window, with the Install button highlighted in the lower right corner

Installing the Terrain Tools package in the Package Manager window.

The Terrain Tools Package is shown in the Package Manager window, with the Download Asset Samples from the Asset Store button highlighted

Selecting the option to Download Asset Samples from the Asset Store.

The Unity Asset Store web page is displaying the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack ready to be added to the Project’s Assets

Selecting the Add to My Assets button from the Asset Store in your web browser.

Alt-text: The Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack is added to your assets, with the Open in Unity button highlighted

Selecting the Open in Unity button in your web browser.

The Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack is shown in the Package Manager window, with the Download button highlighted in the lower right corner

Downloading the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack from the Package Manager window.

The Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack is selected in the Package Manager window, with the Import button highlighted in the lower right

Importing the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack from the Package Manager window.

The Import Unity Package window shows the selected list of included folders for the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack. The Import button is highlighted at the lower right corner.

Importing the Terrain Tools Sample Asset Pack from the Import Unity Package popup window.

There are now newly-added folders in the Project window, containing additional samples for use. You'll explore the additional Terrain Brushes now available. 

1. With the Terrain selected in the Hierarchy window, select the Paint Terrain tool in the Inspector. You will notice that there are now some new changes shown in the Inspector. Select the menu dropdown, and then select the Stamp Terrain tool option. Note that at first glance, there are additional features available in the dropdown menu which weren’t there before, including additional options for Sculpting, Effects, Erosion, and Set Height. 

Let’s explore the Stamp Terrain tool in further detail. 

2. Select a brush from the expanded palette of available brushes. Set the Brush Size, and Stamp Height values in the Inspector, to arrange the size and shape of the Terrain Stamp. Position the brush cursor in the Scene view and click to stamp the Terrain.  Additionally hold down the Control key while scrolling the mouse wheel to adjust the stamp height. 

The TerrainBrushes folder is selected in the Project window, showing additional Terrain Brushes now available.

The Terrain Brushes folder within the Samples folder in the Project window.

The Paint Terrain tool shows additional options within the dropdown submenu.

The additional Paint Terrain tool options.

Attention is being focused upon the Paint Terrain tool’s dropdown menu, showing the selected option for Raising or Lowering the Terrain

Accessing the Paint Terrain tool menu options.

The Terrain Toolbox is a feature of the Terrain Tools Package which offers additional useful tools to help speed up your workflow. It enables you to productively work with new or existing terrains such as batch editing, making tailored adjustments, or creating new Terrains from preset settings.

1. From the Top Menu Dropdown, select: Window > Terrain > Terrain Toolbox to open the Terrain toolbox window. 

You are able to see at a glance that there are additional settings to explore and modify for your Terrain, including categories for Creating New Terrains, adjusting Terrain Settings, Terrain Utilities, and settings for Terrain Visualization. Now create new Terrains using the Terrain Toolbox window. 

2. Save the current Scene with your existing Terrains, as you will delete them in the next step in order to demonstrate the Create New Terrain feature in the Terrain Toolbox window

3. With the Terrains selected in the Hierarchy window, right-click, and select Delete to delete them from your Scene.

4. With the Terrain Toolbox Window open, Ensure that the first tab labelled Create New Terrain is selected.  Note that the default Total Terrain Width, and Total Terrain Length is set to 500 x 500 meters. (As you may recall, the original setting for the Terrain Editor at the beginning of this tutorial is set to a default of 1000 x 1000 meters.) You are able to specify a custom length and width, however, using the Terrain Toolbox. We will leave the length and width values at 500 meters for now. We can also additionally set the Terrain Height value to a specific height limit, however let’s keep this setting to 500. 

The resulting Terrain appears in the Scene as expected. The Terrain GameObject is automatically saved inside a parent object titled TerrainGroup_0 in the Hierarchy window. Additionally, the Terrain Asset itself is saved in a newly created folder named Terrain, in the Project window. 

With the Terrain Toolbox, you are further able to create highly customized Terrain sizes, as well as with any reasonable number of Terrain neighbors. Undo your first Terrain of 500 x 500 x 500, and create a more expansive tiled Terrain region, containing a grid of 4 x 4 Terrain tiles.

5. In the Terrain Toolbox Window, set the Total Terrain Width to 1000, and the Total Terrain Length also to 1000. Select the Gizmo checkbox, to visualize your Terrain before selecting the Create button. A GameObject will appear in the Hierarchy window, named TERRAIN_GIZMO. Zoom out in your Scene window to preview the full Gizmo. If you cannot yet see the Gizmo cube shown in blue, make sure the Gizmos Toggle Visibility button is selected at the top of the Scene Window. 

6. In the Terrain Toolbox Window, set the Tiles X Axis and the Tiles Z Axis to 4, and then Select the Create button.

The resulting Terrains are now created as a tiled group of 4 x 4 tiles, for a total of 16 Terrains. Since each Terrain has a length and width of 1000 meters, the total area is now 16,000 square meters.

The Terrain Toolbox Window shows options for creating new Terrains, adjusting Terrain Settings, Terrain Utilities, and settings for Terrain Visualization.

The Terrain Toolbox window.

The Terrain Toolbox Window shows properties for Total Terrain Width, Total Terrain Length, and Terrain Height in meters, with the Create button at the bottom

Creating a new Terrain using the Terrain Toolbox window.

Attention is being shown to the Terrain GameObject as a child of the parent GameObject titled TerrainGroup_0 in the Hierarchy window, as well as the newly created Terrain Asset saved in the Terrain folder, within the Assets folder, shown in the Project window

The newly created Terrain using the Terrain Toolbox window.

Attention is being shown to the TERRAIN_GIZMO GameObject in the Hierarchy window, as well as the Gizmos button enabled at the top of the Scene window

A larger Terrain width and length set to 1000 meters, with the Gizmo checkbox enabled

Attention is being shown to the newly created Terrain tile group in the Hierarchy, containing a total of 16 Terrains, as the Tiles X Axis and Tiles Z Axis values are set to 4 in the Terrain Toolbox

The resulting Terrains created as a tiled group.

The Terrain Editor, combined with the Terrain Tools Package, is a powerful tool that allows you to quickly create vast, detailed, complex, and configurable Terrain landscapes. With practice, you will be able to creatively sculpt hills, mountains, plateaus, valleys, and much more with ease. You will be able to quickly add textures, trees, and other fine details to your Scene. Experiment with and practice using the tools, brushes, and settings to see how they affect your Terrain. Challenge yourself with creating unique and diverse Terrain topographies, sculpted and painted with additional texture detail. With only a short amount of effort, your landscapes will come to life with their realism and creativity. 

Working with the Terrain Toolbox

1. Setting up the Project

2. Exploring the Additional Terrain Tools

3. The Terrain Toolbox

4. Next Steps

Complete this tutorial