Export terrain to import in Unreal Engine.

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Hello and happy new year

Im just started with H16 and want to try to export my 1009x1009 size terrain and import it into Unreal Engine.
But when Im selecting it and going to file > export the export options is disable. Is this because Im using the Apprentice version? Or can I use the Houdini Engine plugin to export data from Houdini and into Unreal Engine?


Hope someone can help.
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Apprentice format assets are not accepted into Unreal. You can convert your Houdini asset into Indie format using this online conversion tool:
http://www.orbolt.com/upgrade-houdini-files [orbolt.com]
Then they should import into Unreal.

All the best,
Jenny.
Side Effects Technical Support
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Thanks for your reply, I will try that.
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Looks like uploading assets from Apprenctice version isnt allowed.
Edited by Åsmund Høin Schei - March 7, 2017 14:44:44
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Is it possible to just save the heightmaps to disk? Having similar problems
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Keep in mind that Houdini Apprentice has a maximum output resolution of 1280x720. This is enforced globally, so applies to things you may not think of as “images” such as heightfields or ocean spectrum.

https://www.sidefx.com/filmtv/compare/ [sidefx.com]


You can always output a resolution that fits, then use your favorite image program to resize it to the 1009x1009 you need for unreal.

Attached is an example of rolling your own save of a heightfield as an image. This is useful if you need more control than the terrain output gives; or if it seems to not be working for you…

After the heightfield_noise, you'll see a COP2 Network called “prepare_to_export” Dive into that and you enter our compositor. You will want to change your viewer from a 3d viewer to a compositor viewer. Above the 3d viewer is a series of tabs, one of which is “Composite Viewer”. Switching to that and you get a 2d composite view of your height field.

The SOP Import node takes the heightfield from geometry land into texture land. There is a path on it pointing to the heightfield_mask controlling where it imports from. There is also buttons to adjust the resolution to match the incoming heightfield, you'll have to reset this if you change the res in geometry land.

Here you can do all the post-processing you like using 2d image tools. In this case, I use a bright to get the meter elevations remapped into a 0..1 range so the PNG can save the data. Finally a ROP Output saves a test.png.

One thing you may run into building your own sequences or working with height data is that 8-bit formats are often sRGB, but height data is always linear. So you may have to disable the “COnvert to image's colour space” to avoid gamma remapping.

Attachments:
saveheightfield.hip (100.3 KB)

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Sorry for hijacking thread, but think this answers my question too. Will give this a try when i get back. Looking at the comparison, i can still export heightmaps of any resolution in the indie version, its only animation sequences thatare restricted right? Thanks ever so much for the info
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Correct. So the output driver has to be in single-frame mode to output arbitrary sized images.
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Hi, I'm also working with the new H16 terrain tools and having issues exporting heightmaps. I have been having issues with both that file provided and the heightfield_output node. When I remap my terrain from 0 to 1.. it causes a stair-stepping effect with the image across elevation changes due to the remapping. When I don't remap it, all my values come out above 1 and give me a mostly white image, and 16-bit floating point in the heightfield_output doesn't seem to resolve this either. I can post these png's if needed to see what my issue is when I get home.
Any ideas? I'd hate to have to just straight export the geo.
Thanks!
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jlait
Keep in mind that Houdini Apprentice has a maximum output resolution of 1280x720. This is enforced globally, so applies to things you may not think of as “images” such as heightfields or ocean spectrum.

https://www.sidefx.com/filmtv/compare/ [sidefx.com]

I'm confused about the res limits. I bought indie and cops wont output a still/texture above 1920. How am I supposed to differentiate between a still and animation? In this case it was just a rop in cops.
Simon van de Lagemaat
owner the Embassy VFX
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Composite ROPs default to outputting frame range. You have to change them to Current Frame Only. This should cause them to ignore the resolution limit.
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Hi, I'm also working with the new H16 terrain tools and having issues exporting heightmaps. I have been having issues with both that file provided and the heightfield_output node. When I remap my terrain from 0 to 1.. it causes a stair-stepping effect with the image across elevation changes due to the remapping. When I don't remap it, all my values come out above 1 and give me a mostly white image, and 16-bit floating point in the heightfield_output doesn't seem to resolve this either. I can post these png's if needed to see what my issue is when I get home.

Stairstepping isn't from the remapping. COPs is operating on 16 bit floating point, so a simple brightness mulitplier will not introduce this.

It is likely from the down conversion to 8-bit for PNG. Unfortunately I don't know enough about the other side of the pipe to recommend a good 16 bit format to save into,
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shaals
Hi, I'm also working with the new H16 terrain tools and having issues exporting heightmaps. I have been having issues with both that file provided and the heightfield_output node. When I remap my terrain from 0 to 1.. it causes a stair-stepping effect with the image across elevation changes due to the remapping. When I don't remap it, all my values come out above 1 and give me a mostly white image, and 16-bit floating point in the heightfield_output doesn't seem to resolve this either. I can post these png's if needed to see what my issue is when I get home.
Any ideas? I'd hate to have to just straight export the geo.
Thanks!

I had a similar issue…for me what worked was using a higher resolution 16bit FIXED (not floating) point PNG file exported from the heightfield_output node (not COPS). I used 4033 by 4033 as the resolution.

SIDE NOTE:

Another issue is after EACH ERRODE node, USE TIMESHIFT to pick a frame. Do NOT wait until the very end of the graph to use a single time shift as previous errode nodes (or any time based simulation node) is depended on the outputs of previous errode nodes, causing an unupdated heightfield that's slow to update/display.
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Hello!

I made a video a few days ago on how to export height maps from Houdini to use with the landscape tool available in UE4. I have Houdini Indie, however I have done demonstrations in class using Houdini N.C. licensing before and it still works! I cover some of the topics discussed in this thread. I hope this helps out!

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" With Houdini Apprentice, you have access to virtually all of the features of the award-winning Houdini FX to develop your skills and work on personal projects."

except for the basic functionality of actually using whatever you make in Houdini. If with the apprentice version of houdini i can't export to Unreal engine, how is the software useful? Once again, i downloaded and spent time learning software that's not actually functional for the hobbyist. Great, i know how to use some basic functions of terrain generation in houdini, are they applicable in anyway? No. Do Triple A developers not pay you people enough to cover the likes me people like me, just trying to learn?

Just to clarify, there is no way to export what I've just frustratingly built out of houdini and into unreal engine short of paying a shit load of money for commercial rights I will never actually use?
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