How to Paint mega scans materials on terrain in Unreal Engine?

Author: admin

Published: August 21, 2023

Categories: How To

How to Paint mega scans materials on terrain in Unreal Engine?

Tim van Helsdingen, a skilled 3D animator known in the industry, has recently captured widespread attention with his latest project, “Wandering Amidst the Trees.” This particular animation has garnered recognition for its captivating and moody visuals, creating a virtual experience that feels deeply atmospheric. The spirit guides the audience through a dense and shadowy forest from a first-person perspective, a journey brought to life through the combined prowess of Houdini and Karma XPU software, enabling intricate and lifelike 3D rendering.

The animation begins with the observer positioned in a clearing, surrounded by towering trees and a thick undergrowth that keeps daylight at bay, evoking a sense of solitude amid the obscurity. As the virtual exploration progresses, subtle yet unsettling sounds fill the environment – distant murmurs and the rustling of leaves in the wind, cultivating a growing sense of uneasiness and the notion of unseen observation.

What truly elevates this animation is the meticulous attention to nuanced elements. Leaves sway with the breeze, shadows dance on the terrain playfully, and carefully designed soundscapes intensify the suspense, resulting in a truly immersive and tension-filled encounter.

This remarkable animation aptly demonstrates the capabilities of Houdini and Karma XPU, providing the means to construct an intricate, authentic, and eerie ambiance. This is achieved by painting mega scans materials on terrain. Van Helsdingen’s expertise as a seasoned 3D animator shines brightly as he adeptly intertwines intricate details to form visuals that are both convincing and enthralling.

Online audiences have been quick to commend the animation, applauding its uncanny atmosphere and remarkably realistic imagery. Highlighted in prestigious platforms such as 80 Level and CGSociety, “Wandering Amidst the Trees” serves as a testament to the evocative possibilities that 3D animation can bring to immersive storytelling.

This eerie expedition through the forest serves as a testament to the artistic prowess underpinning 3D animation, presenting viewers with an unforgettable and spine-tingling experience. Paint Mega scans materials on terrain is a definite must-watch for those with an affinity for haunting aesthetics and a deep appreciation for exceptional 3D animation craftsmanship..

Now we will see steps on how to paint Mega scan materials on terrain.

Preparing Materials:

1. Open Unreal Engine and click the plus icon to add materials.
2. Use Quixel Bridge to download three materials for painting.
3. Go to “Surfaces Ground” and choose the materials you want to use.
4. Adjust material quality and add them to the project.

Downloading Materials:

1. Open the Content Browser with Ctrl + Space.
2. Access downloaded materials in Content > Megascans > Surfaces folder.

Creating Landscape:

1. Create a new level by selecting “File” > “New Level” > “Basic” and save it.
2. Choose “Landscape” from the drop-down menu or press Shift + 2.
3. Enable “Enable Edit Layers” for working with landscape layers.

Creating Landscape Material:

1. Create a landscape material by right-clicking in the Content Browser and selecting “Material.”
2. Open the material and drag textures from the Megascans folder to the graph.
3. Ensure textures have a “Shared” wrap in the sampler source for better texture use.
4. Use “Make Material Attributes” for the base color, normal map, and masks.
5. Add texture coordinates for tiling control.
6. Duplicate the setup for all textures and connect them accordingly.

Replacing Textures:

1. Open the downloaded materials.
2. Replace textures in the material instance with new ones.
3. Connect textures to the multiply node with texture UVs.

Adding Layer Blend Nodes:

1. Add a “Landscape Layer Blend” node to blend textures or material networks.
2. Create three elements for three layers and connect them to the base color of the layers.

Connecting to Material:

1. Connect the layer blend mode to the material using “Use Material Attributes.”
2. Create a material instance for the master material.

Applying Instance to Landscape:

1. Select the landscape in the Outliner.
2. Go to the Landscape Tool and add each layer using the plus button.

Adjusting Tiling:

1. Open the material instance and adjust the tiling parameter to control texture size.

Material Instancing:

1. Material instancing allows changing appearance without recompiling the material.
2. Change the tiling parameter in the material instance to adjust the texture size.