Grass Editor

The Grass Editor [Grass] is a convenient tool for creating and configuring vegetation on the game map.

The Grass Editor is located on the Grass tab of the Land Editor.

Grass Editor interface

Brush settings panel

• Soft-Sharp Slider for adjusting the softness or hardness of the brush.

• Slow-Fast Slider for adjusting the brush action speed.

Grass Preset List

The Patterns preset list contains various grass templates that can be selected for application to the map surface. Each preset has a unique name reflecting its appearance and characteristics.

For example, the grass_s1_darkgreen1 preset is used for dense dark green grass, while grass_s1_flowers adds floral inclusions.

Brush

The Grass Editor includes a single tool - a brush, which can be used to add or remove grass on the map surface.

Brush Settings

Brush Parameter Settings

• The Soft-Sharp slider is used to adjust the softness or hardness of the brush. A soft brush creates smoother edges when applying grass by providing less dense coverage at the brush's edge area. A sharp brush, on the other hand, provides sharp edges for the grass-covered area.

• The Slow-Fast slider adjusts the brush action speed, determining the amount of grass applied with one click: the higher the speed, the more grass is applied.

Brush Size Settings

To adjust the brush diameter, use the Plus (+) and Minus (-) keys on the Numpad.

Applying Grass

Adding Grass To add grass, select the desired preset and apply the grass by clicking the LMB in the desired areas of the map. Moving the mouse with the LMB pressed allows you to paint the map surface with the selected grass preset.

Removing Grass To remove grass, use the RMB on the area of the map from which you need to remove the vegetation.

The presence of brush-applied grass affects performance. This should be considered when designing maps and various optimization methods should be used to avoid FPS drops.

Practical examples of Grass Editor use

When working with the Grass Editor, it is recommended to:

• Use various presets to create a more natural and diverse landscape.

• Adjust brush parameters depending on the specific tasks, whether creating a dense forest or sparse grass on meadows.

• Combine brush-applied grass with other landscape elements such as trees and shrubs to create a harmonious and realistic environment.

Comprehensive approach to creating realistic landscapes

To achieve the most realistic perception of the map's landscape, it is important to apply a comprehensive approach, using several tools from the Map Editor:

• Materials Editor

• Color Editor

• Grass Editor

• Entity Editor to complement the surface texture patterns with map entities like stones, flora, and other ambient objects.

1. Creating natural landscapes In real life, grass grows unevenly depending on the soil and location. This is important to consider when designing the map's visual layout. A good practice is to use various grass presets to achieve diversity: short or tall grass, sun-scorched or absent in areas with corresponding ground materials.

2. Example of successful grass used An example of optimal use of brush-applied grass is the multiplayer map arena_polesie, especially the village center. The grass is not dense, and various presets are used, blending organically with the map's surface materials. The landscape looks natural and diverse: in some places, the grass is scorched, in others, flowers or weeds grow, and in some places, there is no grass because the ground texture does not imply the presence of grass. This ensures both good design and excellent optimization.

Example of successful grass used on the arena_polesie map

3. Using the Color brush At long distances from the camera, grass rendering is disabled for optimization purposes, but surface rendering with the Color brush can simulate the presence of grass. It is important for grass to be visually present even where the engine does not render it. The developer's task is to create and maintain this illusion.

4. Combination of textures, map entities, and brush-applied grass For example, bright grass on dark ground looks unnatural. It is necessary to adjust the ground texture or support the visual with area rendering using the Color brush. Additionally, using the Entity Editor, add objects like scorched grass, stones, tall grass, and small shrubs to achieve a harmonious and realistic look.

Using the Grass Editor in combination with other tools allows for creating detailed and visually appealing game maps, significantly simplifying the process of adding and configuring vegetation.