How to texture landscape using Gaea | Gaea and Unreal Engine 5 Tutorial

hello everyone how you doing in this video I'm going to show you how you can paint this landscape here in unreal but using maps that we're going to create in Gaia so we can place the textures in the correct way but still use the layer system in a real so this is not an AO material this is uh the textures are placed based on maps that we're going to create in Gaia so by doing like this you can still use the layer system so you can create effects like footstep sounds because you can know in what textures you your character is stepping so um you can do this way so this is what I'm going to show you in this video but before this if you do like this video please hit the like button and subscribe CU that helps me a lot so let's start okay so as you can see I'm here in Gaia and I already created a Terrain here using this nodes so if you want to copy this terrain you can use the same nodes here because in this video I will not show how you can create the shape of the terrain like the height map I will only show how you can create the texture maps on Gaia and then use those texture maps on unreal so you can create the textures there so let's try to do this the first thing that I want to do here is organize a little bit because I don't want to put the nodes for the texturing on the same graph here because this will become a mess if I do this so let's organize this into different graphs so to do this here in the main graph in this name here you can right click and you can rename this so let me rename to height map cuz essentially this is the height map of the Terin let me set a color here as well so you can right click and set a color let me set this one and for the maps for the texture Maps let's create a new graph for this so you can um click on this plus icon here to add a new graph so let's do this and let's rename this to um maps and create graph there we go so here is the the graph for the maps here is where we will Define the maps for the texturing and later we will create a new graph for adding the colors to create maps for the texturing we basically need the height map information so let's go here to the height map graph where we have all the nodes here for the for the lscape and here in the final one this is basically the output that we want this is basically the height map so now we need to get this information from here to the maps graph to do this here in Kaya we have portals so P portals is basically a way that you can uh transport data from one place to another with without having to connect any line directly so let's create a portal for this one to do this I will actually first create a node here in the last one in the last node here let's create another one from here let's just drag and type FX and let's create an fx node there we go this is basically a named node as you can see here in properties we only have the post processing here so we don't have any properties this is an empty node I'm just adding this so I can rename or delete if I want without having to delete the actual nodes that are shaping the terrain so here let's right click on this effects node and let's rename this to height map as well cuz essentially this is the height map and now we just need to create a portal on this so from the output here you just need to drag and from the options just click on make portal there we go now we have this output here and this is a portal with the name height map so when we from here we can get this information and using the same name so let's now create the maps now that we created the portal we can use this portal here in the maps graph so to do this let's first add an effects node so in the maps graph right click and type FX there we go now we have this node and again this is just an empty node that we can use to get um or pass informations here um and in the input here we can just drag and we have the portals option with the height map so let's just selected this and there we go now we have the height map as an input of this node and of course the height map is the output of everything here so we are basically getting the height map information on this graph with without having to connect anything so there we go now we can use this information to um create the maps that we need so here in the tool box uh let's scroll a little bit down here until we find the data category there we go now we have all these nodes here that we can use to create the maps so let's first start with a flow uh node here so let's just drag this flow on the graph and this needs an input BAS Bally the height map as an input so from this let's just connect in the input here and there we go as you can see now we have um this black and white mask where white is where the flow is and black is where we don't have any flow so um this is basically the map that we need to tell unre where we want to put the textures um on the landscape so this is basically it for for the flow map so here in the output of the flow we have the output of everything but we have the primary as well the secondary and the tertiary here but I will only use the uh output option for this one so I will basically um connect this output on an fx node so we can rename um and have a better control on this so let's right click and type FX there we go let's connect the output of the is in the input of the effects and now let's right click and rename this effects node to flow map there we go so now when we export um this map here this will be exported as flow map and that's what we want there we go this is it for the flow map let's add another um map now let's create another map okay so now that we created this uh flow map of course if you want you can select this flow node here and you can change the properties here um to fit what we want but for me this is good so I will stick with this let's create another map now so here um let's create a slope mask so here let's drag from the data category let's drag this lope node here there we go um and this needs uh again the hide map information so let's right click and type effects to add an effects node and here in the input let's drag and select the portals the height map one so let's just select this and again this is just um the output of all this so let's just connect this in the slope note and there we go as you can see uh now we have this mask where white is basically where is more flat and where is more sloped we have black but in unreal we have we need the invert of this I want white where we want this lope and black where we don't want this lope uh because basically uh I want to tell unre where I want this lope textur so basically this needs to be white so to do this we basically need to invert this slope mask so from uh the output of this load slope Let's uh drag and type invert and there we go now we have white where we want these Lo textures to be basically the cliff textures right and a black where we don't want the textures to be so this is basically it so again if you want you can select this loope um mask here and you can change the values here basically the minimum you just uh you can select where whatever values you want here for the Mac and there we go if you go to invert We have basically this so this is pretty much so let me just drag a little bit the minimum here and there we go I think this is cool so this is basically this lope mask so from this invert let's um drag and type effects again so we can rename this so let's select this and right click go to rename and let's name this slope um map there we go and this is basically it for the slope mask so let's create now the final map and this will be the snow map so to create the snow as you can see here in the data we don't have a snow um node here but we have is no fall on this no category so basically you can use another nodes that is not from the data category to create the maps basically you can use any node that you want so let's get this no fall here there we go and this nodes um actually needs the height map as well so let's right click and type effects to add the effects um node here and in the output let's get the hide met portal so there we go now we can disconnect this on the input of this no fall and there we go now we have snow on the landscape but as you can see this has colors um and I don't want colors I want a black and white mask so to do this here in the snow for we have some U outputs here and the output that we want is the is no output so this second one here so from this if we drag and type effects to add this to an effect node there we go we have a black and white um texture so this is basically the map that we want so white is where we want to put this no texture um and black is where we don't want to put this no texture so if you want this no to be in the whole landscape this is all that you need to do of course if you select it is no fall you can change um a little bit of the properties here to get what you want but for me this is okay but as you can see we have snow on the whole um landscape and I don't want that I want is snow only in the upper parts of the landscape so the highest part here to do this here in the snowfall we have the mask option so uh we need to use this mask to put a snow only in the highest part of the landscape so to do this let's uh create this mask so for the mask let's in the data category let's get the height node and there we go this is basically the height but for this we need again the height map information so let's right click and type FX and let's add here the height map portal there we go and let's add this on the height input here and this is basically the input so now if we select this we can control the minimum and maximum here so if I uh put this a little bit up as you can see we are masking this so basically white is where we're going to put this um is no map and Black is where we of course we don't want to put this sow so you can control from the minimum here so let me put maybe only in this part here of the landscape so now if I connected this on the mask option of this is snow fall as you can see we only have is snow on this Parts there we go this is basically what we want I'm just doing this to show you how you can create this of course you can change um the parameters as you wish but for me this is okay for now so let's just go on this final effects here where we have the masking as you can see so we have white for the snow and black where we don't want the snow so now we can just uh select this and let's rename to be the snow map and there we go this is basically it we created this uh three map map so we have a flow map this one we have a slope mask this one and we have a noow um mask this one so now we just need to export this and use in unreal so let's do this but before I export and use the textures in unreal here in Gaia we have options to add colors on the landscape so we can have an idea on how this will look like when we add the final textures so to do this let's create a new graph so let's click on this plus icon here and let me type colors for this one there we go let me set just um colors for this graph there we go and to add the maps we basically need uh to add the colors we basically need the maps that we created here so we need to use this on this colors graph so to do this as I mentioned before we just need to create portals so for each one of these Maps let's create portals so from the output of these effects let's create a portal so let's just drag and click on make portal for each one of this there we go now we have portals for the flow map for the low map and for the snow map so now we just need to go to Colors here and start adding colors so to add colors we first need the height map portal so we need the height map information so let's right click and type effects there we go and for the input let's select the hide map portal there we go and to add the colors we need a set map node so let's uh right click and type set Maps there we go and this is basically the node that we can select the colors to add on the landcape so let's connect the height map as an input of this and there we go as you can see we already have colors for this so here in the if you select the set Maps we have Library here so we can select um from different categories here so for this let me select green and there we go now we can just select a color here so let me just select one um maybe this one so I think this is good for this and again this is not the final colors this is just for us to have an idea on how the map um is going to look like when we add the final textures so this is basically it for this first layer so let's add now the flow um the flow map so to do this uh we need a combined node because we need to combine all this uh into one of course so let's right click and type combine there we go and for the first input let's just drag this one there we go and for the second input here we just need another set of this uh nodes here so let's right click and type set Maps again there we go and we need to get uh again this um effects for the height map so let's type effects and for the input let's select the height map input and let's connect this on the set map node and there we go this is basic Bally the second uh input but as you can see uh we need to put this second uh Maps here the second colors only in this uh White areas of this flow map so to how to do this here in the colors here in the combined node we have a mask node so we just need to basically put this mask here on this mask option so to do this let's right click and type FS there we go and for the input let's now select the flow map uh portal and there we go now if I uh connect this on the mask here now we just need to go to this combine node just select here and in the method let's change from blend to add because we are adding um this on top and as you can see we already have um different colors here here but for the combine we need to change the ratio here to 100% so let's just select 100% here and there we go as you can see now we have um this flows with different colors so let's we can now we can select this set map and we can change to anything that we want so let's just select sand here and let's put maybe this one and if I go to the combine here there we go as you can see now we have have sent only in the flows of this uh landscape and this is basically how we can add um colors to this one so let's just continue now and let's add the um slope colors so let's do this now let's add this lope color so to do this let's again type combine here to add one more combine not this one the combined one there we go and for the first input is basically this one and for the second one let's create uh another set map note so there we go let's add the hide map for this so let's type FX and for the input here let's select the hide map portal there we go let's connect here and let's connect the set map on the second input here and there we go and for the mask we need the slope mask here so let's go here and type effects and for the input let's select the slope map portal so basically this one so let's connect this on the mask here and there we go as you can see now on this Parts um that we have slope we are using this texture um and where we don't have this we are using the uh first one so let's just change this from blend to add um and let's type 100% ratio here there we go as you can see now we have this slope colors on uh the parts that we have slope so now we only need to add this node so to do this let's again add a new combine node there we go let's connect this on the first input and the second input let's again connect um a set map node so let's just select this let's get the height map again with an effect with uh a hide map node there we go let's connect this on the second input here and for the mask we only need to get this no uh this no map so let's right click and type effects and for the input let's select the is snow map um map so let's just connect this on the mask here in the combin let's change it to add and 100% ratio here and now we just need to select a color for this so for this let's go to colorful here maybe actually let's go to sand this is looks more like um snow I think so let's just select maybe this one and now if we go here as you can see we have snow on this Parts where we have this snow map as you can see so this is basically it this is basically how you can um add colors to your Landscapes using maps on Gaia but again this is not the colors that we're going to put in the final landscape in unre this is not textures this is only for us to have an idea on how how the maps uh looks like so we can make changes if we want but this is basically it so now let's export the maps and actually use in a real to place the textures so let's do this okay so now let's export the maps so to do this let's go to build here and as you can see now we don't have any node marked for export so let's mark some nodes so we can export them so first of course we need the height map so we can create the landscape in a real so to do this let's go to height map here and here in this final node in this effect node let's right click and Mark for export now we have this yellow dot here that means that this node is marked for export so okay we have the height map here as you can see let's do the same for the maps now so we needed flow map so let's right click on this node and Mark for export we need this L map as well so let's do the same and let's do the same for the znow as well so let's mark for export and of course now we have these four Maps here in the build tab here so now uh we need to export this in PNG so just change all this the type here to PNG and there we go we have this so here in the definition in the method we be normal build but the resolution will will change this to 1K because in the free version of Gaia we can export only up to 1K so here in the resolution let's change this let's scroll down until we find the unreal category here and let's select the 1K so this one there we go um the options here in the color space will be srgb but the range let's change this from proportional to normalized and there we go now we can uh build this but first let's uh change the destination here so let's just select a new folder here so let me just um select this folder there we go just select a folder so you can export the maps and now let's just uh click on start build let's click on this here in the previous build uh to build the cachet let's click on no and there we go the build will start and after some time it will be completed so let's just wait a little bit and there we go now the build is completed and we have all the maps that we want so as you can see we have the height map we have the flow map let me open so you can see there we go we have the height map here we have the flow map we have the slope map and we have the snow map so now we just need to use this in a real so let's do this okay so now I'm in unre so let's start creating the landscape so first let me create a new map here so let's go to file new level and let's create a basic one just hit create and here let's delete this floor we don't need this and now let's save the map so so let me save on maps here and let me type landscape there we go um so we have this map now let's create the landscape so let's go here to the selection mode and let's change to landscape and here we just need to change this to import from file and here in the hide map file let's select that one that we exported from Gaia so let's navigate to the folder here and let's select the height map let's open and there we go now we have the height map here but we need to correct the scale so for the X and Y here we need to get this 100 and we need to multiply this by 5,000 and we need to divide this by um the resolution of the height map so in this case uh a, and9 so let's type 1,00 and nine here there we go let's hit enter and this should update for the X and Y and there we go now we have the correct scale for um importing a height map from guia now we can just hit um import here let's wait a bit and there we go now as you can see see we have the same landscape that we had in Gaia let me just um adjust here the exponential height fog so let me go to selection here let's go back to selection let's select the exponential height fog and I want to decrease this a little bit there we go and here we have the the same map that we have in Gaia so let's uh start importing the maps okay so I'm going a little bit fast on this because I already created a video showing you how you can create and import a landscape from Gaia to Unreal so if you want more details on how I'm doing this and why I'm doing like this you can just watch that video but here I will only show you how you can use that maps that we created in Gaia to place the textures so here let me show you that I already have a material for landscape so let me open this and as you can see this is really simple I just have uh a landscape layer blend here and I have different textures going into different layers and these textures are basically material functions so let me open one to so you can see and there we go this is basically the same setup that we did in the auto material video that I did so here we basically have near textures uh with different tile size here and for textures of course with different tile size as well um and I have distance Blends here and I'm basically blending using a lurp node between the near and the far using the distance blend as an alpha and I'm just connecting this into a set material attribute so this is basically the material function I'm doing this for each one of these and connecting the results on a different layer in the layers landscape layer a blend so this is basically the material that we're going to use for this so first let's just select the landscape and let's connect the material instance on the landscape material and there we go now it's all black that is because we need to create a layer info for each one of the layers so to do this just select the landscape and go to landscape option here in the landscape mode in the selection mode actually and here in the paint we have all the layers that we created and we can create layer info by hitting this plus icon so just click on this and click on weight Blended layer let's just save and let's do the same for um the other ones here as well so let's do for the sand and for the snow and there we go so now the landscape is all in the grass texture that is because we created this uh lay layer INF first so if you want to add all layer here in the whole landscape you can just right click on the layer and select few layer and there we go that is how you can f the whole landscape with one layer but let's change back to the grass here okay so now we just need to um set this layer into the maps that we created so to do this is really simple we just need to click on the layer that we want so the cliff let's do the cliff first so just click and go to import from export to file so just hit on this and this uh takes us to the manage tab in the import section here and here we can expand this layers here and we have the different layers that we want so we can just select the cliff and for the cliff we can select a height map file so if we uh click on these dots here we can select a file for this and for the clips the clips we want the slope map that we created so just select this and uh hit open and now we have this here we can just click on import now if we click on import there we go unre we'll put this texture on uh the slope mask so if I open this slope mask here so let me just open so you can see uh so this is the lope lope mask that we created in GA so unreal will put the textures on the white areas of this map so basically these portions here of the landscape and now we can uh just do the same for the other ones as well and we can do multiple ones so let me just deselected the cliff because we already did for that one let's do for the sand and for the snow so we can do both here just uh click on this dot for each one and select the correct map so for the sand let's click on this and let's select the flow map I use the flow map for the sand and for the snow of course let's use the snow map so let's just hit open here and now let's hit import and let's wait a bit and there we go go as you can see we have uh the sand texture here uh where the map show us to put in the flow uh parts of the landscape here and of course in the snow we have the snow texture here so as you can see this is basically the same as we created in Gaia so let me go back to the selection here and there we go this is basically how you can use maps to uh put the textures on the different parts in the landscape and still have the ability to use the layer system in a real so you can create U footsteps for example so this is basically how you can do this and this is basically it for this tutorial I just wanted to show you that you can create the maps in a procedural way in Gaia and use that maps to place the textures here in a real so you can still have the ability to use the layer system in a real to create effects like I don't know maybe um some dust on the footsteps and footstep sounds and things like this so with this you have uh a procedure way of placing the textures and you have the ability to know in what texture your character is so you can just use this so if you do like this video please hit the like button and subscribe so you don't lose any new content and as always thank you for watching keep learning and I'll see you in the next video

Channel: NoWhere

Views: 1,609

Keywords: Tutorial, Ue5, Unreal Engine 5, Unreal Engine, game, game dev, development

Id: coSlK0Olknk

Length: 34min 8sec (2048 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 26 2024