How do I install the heightmap plugin in Godot 4?

Copy the 'addons/zylann.hterrain' folder into your project's addons directory and activate it in Project Settings. For a hands-on example, you can install the separate demo project linked in the README to see it in action.

Does this plugin support procedural terrain generation?

Yes, the plugin is designed to explore procedural generation, but it primarily provides editor tools; for full procedural control, you'll need to use GDScript to generate heightmaps and textures, as hinted in the philosophy.

What's the performance impact of adding grass and LOD?

LOD optimizes performance by reducing detail at a distance, but grass and other foliage can still impact frame rates on lower-end systems, so testing and tuning are recommended for large terrains.

Can I use custom shaders with the terrain textures?

The plugin uses Godot's standard material system, so you can apply custom shaders to terrain textures, but integration might require additional setup due to the heightmap-based approach and lack of built-in shader tools.

How does this plugin compare to other Godot terrain solutions?

Unlike GDNative or GDExtension plugins, this is entirely in GDScript, making it more accessible for customization but potentially less performant for high-detail terrains compared to C++-based alternatives.

Is there a way to import heightmaps from Blender or other software?

The plugin likely supports standard heightmap image formats (e.g., PNG, EXR), but specific import steps and compatibility should be verified in the documentation on Read the Docs, as the README directs users there.

Open-Awesome

HTerrain

NOASSERTIONGDScript

A heightmap-based terrain plugin for Godot Engine 4.1+, featuring texture painting, LOD, grass, and holes.

GitHub

2.2k stars184 forks0 contributors

What is HTerrain?

HeightMap Terrain is a plugin for Godot Engine that adds a heightmap-based terrain system to the 3D editor. It allows developers to create, paint, and detail landscapes with features like texture painting, level of detail, grass, and holes, filling the gap left by Godot's lack of built-in terrain support.

Target Audience

Godot developers working on 3D games or simulations who need robust terrain creation and editing tools directly within the engine.

Value Proposition

It provides a fully-featured, GDScript-based terrain solution with deep editor integration, enabling procedural generation and custom tooling without relying on external engines or waiting for official Godot terrain features.

Overview

HeightMap terrain for Godot implemented in GDScript

Use Cases

Best For

Creating large-scale outdoor environments in Godot games
Procedurally generating terrains with custom editor tools
Painting detailed textures and foliage on 3D landscapes
Optimizing terrain rendering with dynamic level of detail
Adding caves or complex geometry via terrain holes
Developing terrain-heavy simulations or exploration games

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring real-time, physics-driven terrain deformation, as heightmaps are static and not optimized for dynamic changes.
Teams wanting out-of-the-box terrain with extensive pre-made assets, since the plugin is lightweight and requires manual texture and model provisioning.
Developers stuck on Godot 3.x needing active updates, as support for older versions is discontinued and no longer maintained.
Games with ultra-high-performance demands where GDScript overhead could bottleneck rendering of massive, detailed landscapes.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Deep Editor Integration

Provides intuitive tools for texture painting and terrain sculpting directly in Godot's editor, enabling seamless landscape design without external software, as shown in the editor screenshot and feature list.

Performance Optimization

Implements Level of Detail (LOD) to dynamically adjust mesh complexity based on camera distance, optimizing frame rates for large terrains, a key feature highlighted in the README.

Full Customizability

Written entirely in GDScript for ease of modification, allowing developers to tweak and extend the plugin to fit specific project needs, as emphasized in the philosophy section.

Comprehensive Feature Set

Supports texture painting, holes, grass, coloring, and LOD, offering a robust terrain system that addresses Godot's lack of built-in 3D terrain, as detailed in the key features.

Cons

Manual Asset Management

Ships with no extra assets to stay lightweight, requiring users to source or create their own textures and models for grass and details, increasing initial setup time and effort.

GDScript Performance Limits

Implemented in GDScript rather than C++ or GDExtension, which may introduce performance overhead for complex terrains, especially on lower-end hardware or with dense foliage.

Limited Long-Term Support

Support for Godot 3.x is discontinued, and future Godot updates might break compatibility, posing a risk for projects with long development cycles or those on older engine versions.

Sparse Built-in Procedural Tools

While procedural generation is mentioned, the plugin focuses on editor tools; advanced procedural features require additional scripting or external tools, limiting out-of-the-box automation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Projects

Pixelorama

Unleash your creativity with Pixelorama, a powerful and accessible open-source pixel art multitool. Whether you want to create sprites, tiles, animations, or just express yourself in the language of pixel art, this software will realize your pixel-perfect dreams with a vast toolbox of features. Available on Windows, Linux, macOS and the Web!

Demonstration and Template Projects

Stars9,221

Forks2,193

Last commit2 days ago

Lorien

Infinite canvas drawing/whiteboarding app for Windows, Linux and macOS. Made with Godot.

Stars6,737

Forks306

Last commit10 months ago

Dialogic

💬 Create Dialogs, Visual Novels, RPGs, and manage Characters with Godot to create your Game!

Stars5,836

Forks341

Last commit3 days ago

Community-curated · Updated weekly · 100% open source

Found a gem we're missing?

Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.

Submit a project Star on GitHub