Terrains may seem like one of the easiest things to create, but as you may have discovered REALISTIC 3D GRASS TERRAINS is not quite as easy.

After doing it a few times I realized I needed to devise an easy 'template' which would let me create a

starting point for many different kinds of earthly grassland terrains and even cool alien terrains simply

by:

1. Adjusting the size of the ground layer.

2. Specifying quantity of grass, leaves, or rock to randomly scatter about the ground.

4. Add random noise or displacement to the ground for a more natural wave/bump feel.

Voila! The Grasslands Terrain kit was born.

 

 

Grasslands begins with one of 4 3DS Max files (3DS version 3 and up) which consists of a parent 'ground'

plane, and a number of different child layers including 5 different blades of grass, 2 types of leaves, and 1 rock layer. Each child layer has already been set-up to randomly scatter itself over the area of the ground - you just specify how much of that grass/leaves/rock to include. Additionally under the ground there is a water table layer, folding the ground mesh down (or raising the water) will reveal an instant lake bed.

The downloadable kit includes some sample textures and some example terrains I created by modifying the Grasslands template slightly. Examples:

Note: All of the support image/map files used for these examples are in the Grasslands.zip download. Click to see larger image.

 

 

 

 

 

1. After copying the maps & matlibs to your 3DS directory, load one of the Framework.max files from the Grasslands.zip download

2. Decide which layers you are going to use, then select the layers you don't need and delete them.

 

 

3. Select to modify the ground layer and resize it.

 

 

If you plan to add a noise/displacement modifier to the mesh  you should increase segments too. If you plan to use the water table you will have to resize it also (unlike the grass layers it is not a child to the ground and will not automatically resize with it). Optionally, you can create a small grass patch for another terrain/picture by resizing/rearranging the terrain to fit the grassy area you want to patch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Select each of the child grass/leaf layers you want to scatter about the ground (one at a time). Go to the

modify tab (verify 'scatter' is the active item on the stack). On the 'Properties' panel change the duplicate quantity and scale (size) accordingly.

 

 

 

 {repeat for each layer}. Remember lots of grass will create lots of polygons!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. If you don't want the ground to be perfectly flat (and you are comfortable with the amount of grass/leaves/rock you have) you can select the Ground and all its child layers and collapse them to an editable mesh (right click pop-up menu when all is selected - DON'T DO THIS IF ANY OF THE LAYERS ARE SHOWN BY PROXY - Plain & Medium max files use proxy to display each layer [for speed] the detailed max project files are ok because they have proxy turned off [adustable under layers modify panel]). THEN you can apply modifier to the full mesh such as Noise or Displacement to create a more natural bumpy terrain (In each of the detailed samples I used the random noise modifier varying Z by 1-5')

6. Render! and remember to adjust colors, textures, and background maps to your liking...

 

 

Contents of Grasslands.zip

 

This package includes 3DS Max files which contain all the general framework files needed to create quick grass terrains. It is intended for use with 3DS MAX 3 and higher. Since  exporting to .3DS or .DFX would prevent it from being a 'flexible framework' I didn't provide those files.

 

All Max files contain the basic objects in distributed layers which can be removed or  modified as wanted.

 

The object layers include: Ground (parent object), Grass1 to Grass5  (various shades and curved grass), Leaf1 to Leaf2 (a couple leafs for fall terrains),  Rocks1, and underneath there is a independent Water table layer. All of the plug-ins used are the standard plug-ins shipped with Max 3 (and should work in Max 4 too). There are 4 max project files providing similar starting points. The question is "where do you want to start?" (I recommend starting with Framework_Detailed60x40 IF your CPU is at least 850 mhz or higher, else Framework_Medium.max might be faster for you). The differences are:

 

1. Framework_Plain.max: Plain version
   a. Does not have any default external image files (you have to add)
   b. Only about 10% of objects are being displayed by proxy.
   c. Ground is 100 x 100 in size, broken down to 25 x 25 segments.
   d. Default mesh totals (14,844 Polygons)
   
2. Framework_Medium.max: Images textures exist, but display is proxy.
   a. Does have default external image map files defined.
   b. Only about 10% of objects are being displayed by proxy.
   c. Ground is 100 x 100 in size, broken down to 25 x 25 segments.
   d. One light has been added (though recommend be adjusted)
   e. Default mesh totals (14,844 Polygons)

 

3. Framework_Detailed60x40.max:
   a. Does have default external image map files defined.
   b. All objects are displayed for real in edit mode (can collapse to mesh)
   c. Ground is 60 x 40 in size, broken down to 60 x 40 segments.
   d. A few lights have been added (though recommend be adjusted)
   e. Default mesh totals (84,412 Polygons)

 

4. Framework_Detailed100x100.max:
   a. Does have default external image map files defined.
   b. All objects are displayed for real in edit mode (can collapse to mesh)
   c. Ground is 100 x 100 in size, broken down to 100 x 100 segments.
   d. A few lights have been added (though recommend be adjusted)
   e. Default mesh totals (189,612 Polygons)

 

 

 

Downloading "Grasslands" terrain kit

We spent a lot of time on this (and we gotta make a living) so before you can download your copy of Grasslands kit you gotta contribute at least $9.95 to support our hard work. Shortly after payment verification you will be able to download the software.

 

 

1. Use our automated SECURE online credit card processing system : accepted. Download instructions are sent via e-mail (shortly after complete card verification & approval).

 

 

2. Send us a check or money order for $9.95 to the address below (Make sure to indicate you want the Grasslands software, and include a valid e-mail address to send you the download instructions).