The Automaterial allows us to control where different layers begin and end, and their transitions. Below we’ll go over the different settings to change the Layer Masking.
Things like the height of the beach, how much slope/cliff is on our terrain and the noise pattern of how the Flatlands are divided up into two different layers (Grass and Dirt on the Island Preset), can be changed in this way.
Slope Detection
To tweak the amount of Foothill and Cliff texturing that are shown on the terrain, use these settings:
Slope Intensity (Foothills): Controls where and how much of the Foothills Layer is shown on the slope – this is where the slope begins.
Slope Contrast (Foothills): Controls the smoothness of this transition, between the flat areas and the slope areas.
Slope Intensity (Cliffs): Changes the amount of Cliff texturing that we have on the steep parts of the slopes.
Slope Contrast (Cliffs): Changes the smoothness of the transition between the cliff areas and the foothill areas.
Beach Detection
To change the height at which the beach start, it’s water line and transition, use these settings:
Start Height (Dry Beach): Changes the height at which the beach starts. These are in Centimeters away from 0 on the Z Axis.
Start Height (Wet Beach): Changes the height at which the wet beach starts. This is used as a waterline for things like an ocean.
Blend Amount (Dry Beach): Controls the amount of transition between the Beach Layer and Flatlands area.
Blend Amount (Wet Beach): Controls the amount of transition between the Wet Beach Layer and Dry Beach Layer.
Flatland Noise Pattern
For example, this is the pattern that separates the grass/dirt on the flat areas of our terrain, on the Island_Demo Map.
To change the break up pattern between the two layers on our Flatlands, use these basic settings:
Flatland Noise Pattern – Scale: Changes the size of the noise pattern that separates Flatland A and Flatland B.
Flatland Noise Pattern – Intensity: Changes the amount Flatland A is shown, instead of Flatland B.
Flatland Noise Pattern – Contrast: Controls the amount of transition between Flatland A and Flatland B.