Houdini 20.5 Nodes Geometry nodes

Labs Biome Attributes Evolve (Alpha) 1.0 geometry node

Evolve all the attributes on the terrain to create more realistic results.

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Since 20.5

Algorithms, noise, and Houdini’s Heightfield Mask by Feature tools evolve our attributes (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and soil) and generate micro-biomes. This attribute evolution allows the plant distribution to be coherent with the topography of the terrain. Parameters are exposed to control this process so artists can achieve the vision they have for their unique environment.

Parameters

Visualize

Display

Input: The terrain mask input in the node.

Temperature: A remapped preview of the temperature attribute on the terrain.

Precipitation: A remapped preview of the precipitation attribute on the terrain.

Soil: A preview of the soil attribute on the terrain.

Auto Remap

Use Real-World Range: Show a remapped preview of the Display following real-world preset values.

Auto Normalize Range: Show a normalized preview of the Display following the minimum and maximum volume values.

Manual Range: Show a remapped preview of the Display following Min and Max values.

AUTOREMAP

Compute Range

Click to fill in the Min and Max parameters with the current minimum and maximum values in the input layer.

Min

The lowest value in the input to map from.

Max

The highest value in the input to map from.

Parameters

Temperature

Elevation

Evolve with Elevation

Enables the evolution of temperature depending on the elevation.

Lapse Rate

The rate of temperature decrease with height. Measured in °C/km. If the value is positive, temperature decreases as height increases. If the value is negative, temperature increases as height increases.

Diffusion

Blur between Regions

Enables the blurring of temperature between different regions.

Blur Iterations

Higher values will result in a smoother gradient, but will take longer to calculate.

Precipitation

Topography

Remove by Convexity

Remove mask based on nearby obstructed terrain areas.

Removal Amount over Convexity

Modify this ramp to use a custom remapping.

Rain Shadow

Remove by Direction

Remove mask based on the “horizontal” direction the terrain surface faces at a given point.

Rain XZ Direction

Start direction vector of Rain Shadow. This could be the location of the ocean that is causing the rain shadow.

Rotate Direction

Offset rotation of Rain XZ Direction.

Falloff Angle

Amount of falloff allowed around the rain shadow.

Removal Amount over Falloff Angle

Modify this ramp to use a custom remapping of Falloff Angle.

Soil

Cliffs

Remove by Slope

Remove mask based on the slope of the terrain.

Min Slope Angle

Add areas with a slope greater than or equal to this value to the mask.

Max Slope Angle

Add areas with a slope less than or equal to this value to the mask.

Removal Amount over Slope Angle

Controls the value of the mask over the range from the Min Slope Angle to the Max Slope Angle

Mask

Enable Mask

Use custom mask for soil.

Mask Layer

The name of the custom mask to use.

Combine with Noise

How to composite the mask with the Soil Noise mask. If Remove by Noise is disabled, this value is disabled.

Blend Mask

The amount to blend the custom mask with the soil mask, when Combine with Noise is “blend”. A value of 0 uses the soil mask, a value of 1 uses the custom mask, a value of 0.5 blends equally between the two masks.

Soil Noise

Remove by Noise

Remove mask based on a noise.

Constant Value

The base or minimum value of the soil mask.

Intensity

#intensity The intensity of the noise. Lower values fade the noise away.

Invert Noise

Reverse the noise mask values.

Amplitude

Scales the intensity of the noise mask.

Element Size

Scales the noise pattern outward across the grid.

Noise Type

The type of noise to generate, Different algorithms generate patterns with different characteristics.

Fractal

Whether to do multiple iterations of smaller noise on top of bigger noise.

None

Does not add any additional noise on top of the basic noise.

Standard

Adds pseudo-random noise on top of the basic output.

Terrain

Adds noise like “standard” but dampens the noise in the valleys, which generates more realistic-looking terrain.

Hybrid Terrain

Like terrain, but with more sharpness in the valleys.

Max Octaves

Limits the fractal noise to a certain number of iterations.

Lacunarity

The frequency increment between iterations of fractal noise is added to the basic output. Note you can use negative values.

Roughness

Fractal roughness. The roughness parameter determines the coarseness of the noise.

Input

HeightField Layers

Temperature

Name of temperature mask.

Precipitation

Name of precipitation mask.

Soil

Name of soil mask.

Biome ID

Name of biome ID mask.

Biome Color R

Name of the red channel of the biome color mask.

Biome Color G

Name of the green channel of the biome color mask.

Biome Color B

Name of the blue channel of the biome color mask.

Biome Average Height

Name of average height mask.

Output

HeightField Layers

Generate Cliff

Create cliff mask.

Cliff

Name of the created cliff mask.

Locals

See also

Geometry nodes