View source for Heightfield Erode v3

[[File:Erode_00_GUI.png|none|470px|Heightfield Erode v3]]



== Overview ==
Heightfield Erode simulates the natural effects of weather and water flow on the terrain over a period of time. It enhances the realism of a heightfield by creating gorges, chasms and redistribution of the surface material. 


'''Settings:'''


* '''Name: ''' This setting allows you to apply a descriptive name to the Erode node, which can be helpful when using multiple erosion processes on a heightfield.


* '''Result mode: '''This menu has two options.  
<ul>
[[File:Erode_01_GUI_ResultMode.png|none|303px|Result mode options.]]
<u>Erode Heightfield</u>: This option erodes the terrain based on the various settings below.

<u>Difference (Erosion Field)</u>: This option returns the difference between the calculated erosion process and the original heightfield it was generated from.  Once saved via right clicking on the node in the Node Network pane (see image below) as a TER or EXR file, it can be merged with the original Heightfield allowing the amount of erosion to be increased or decreased or even animated.

{|
|-
|[[File:ErodeHF_47_DifferenceErosionField100.jpg|none|400px|Difference (Erosion Field) Flow distance = 100]] || [[File:ErodeHF_48_DifferenceErosionField1000.jpg|none|400px|Difference (Erosion Field) Flow distance = 1000]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_49-3_NodeNetwork_SaveHF.jpg|none|400px|Node network pane. How to save eroded heightfield.]] || [[File:ErodeHF_50-2_NodeNetwork_MergeHF.jpg|none|400px|Node network pane. How to merge original heightfield and eroded heightfield.]]
|}
</ul>



* '''Flow distance: '''  This setting controls the overall length of a channel or groove that is eroded.
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_02_OFF.jpg|none|266px|Heightfield erode off.]] || [[File:ErodeHF_03_FlowDistance100.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100.]] || [[File:ErodeHF_04_FlowDistance1000.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000.]]
|}
</ul>


* '''Duration: ''' This setting represents time.  The higher the value the more time elapses, therefore more erosion and channels are created and the more time they have to interact with each other.
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_05_FlowDistance100_Duration0p25.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Duration 0.25]] || [[File:ErodeHF_06_FlowDistance100_Duration1.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Duration = 1 (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_07_FlowDistance100_Duration10.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Duration = 10]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_08_FlowDistance1000_Duration0p25.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Duration = 0.25]] || [[File:ErodeHF_09__FlowDistance1000_Duration1.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Duration = 1 (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_10_FlowDistance1000_Duration10.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Duration = 10]]
|}
</ul>


* '''Erosion power: ''' This setting controls how deep a channel or groove is.  A value of 1 represents the highest possible erosion that could occur over the “Duration” value, or a given period of time.  
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_11_FlowDistance100_ErosionPower0p25.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 100, Erosion power = 0.25 (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_12_FlowDistance100__ErosionPower1.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 100, Erosion power = 1]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_13_FlowDistance1000_ErosionPower0p25.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Erosion power = 0.25 (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_14_FlowDistance1000_ErosionPower1.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Erosion power = 1]]
|}
</ul>



*'''Deposition: ''' This setting controls how much of the eroded material is deposited along the flow channel.  A value of 1 is the most accurate, meaning that all of the eroded material is deposited along the flow channel.
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_15-2_FlowDistance100_Deposition0.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Deposition = 0]] || [[File:ErodeHF_16-2_FlowDistance100_Deposition0p25.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Deposition = 0.25]] || [[File:ErodeHF_17-2_FlowDistance100_Deposition1.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Deposition = 1 (default)]] 
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_18-2_FlowDistance1000_Deposition0.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition = 0]] || [[File:ErodeHF_19-2_FlowDistance1000_Deposition0p25.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition = 0.25]] || [[File:ErodeHF_20-2_FlowDistance1000_Deposition1.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition = 1 (default)]]
|}
</ul>



* '''Deposition rate: '''  This setting controls whether the redistribution of eroded material along the flow channel is biased towards the beginning or end of the flow channel.
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_25_FlowDistance1000_DepositionRate0.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition rate = 0]] || [[File:ErodeHF_27_FlowDistance1000_DepositionRate1.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition rate = 1 (default)]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_57_FlowDistance1000_DepositionRate3.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition rate = 3]]|| [[File:ErodeHF_28_FlowDistance1000_DepositionRate10.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Deposition rate = 10]]
|}
</ul>



* '''Diffusion: ''' This setting adds some random variation to the flow directions, which can simulate roughness in the terrain, and make the flows more likely to interact with each other. 

<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_29_FlowDistance100_Diffusion0.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 100, Diffusion = 0]] || [[File:ErodeHF_30_FlowDistance100_Diffusion1p5.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 100, Diffusion = 1.5]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_31_FlowDistance100_Diffusion3.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 100, Diffusion = 3 (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_32_FlowDistance100_Diffusion10.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 100, Diffusion = 10]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_33_FlowDistance1000_Diffusion0.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Diffusion = 0]] || [[File:ErodeHF_34_FlowDistance1000_Diffusion1p5.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Diffusion = 1.5]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_35_FlowDistance1000_Diffusion3.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Diffusion = 3 (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_36_FlowDistance1000_Diffusion10.jpg|none|400px|Flow distance = 1000, Diffusion = 10]]
|}
</ul>


*'''Diffusion adapts to slope:'''  When enabled, the amount of diffusion depends on the slope of the terrain at each point being eroded. Gentle slopes have less diffusion and steep slopes have more diffusion.
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_51_Diffusion1p5_Adapts2SlopeOn.jpg|none|400px|Diffusion = 1.5, Adapts to slope enabled.]] || [[File:ErodeHF_54_Diffusion1p5_Adapts2SlopeOff.jpg|none|400px|Diffusion 1.5, Adapts to slope disabled.]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_52_Diffusion3_Adapts2SlopeOn.jpg|none|400px|Diffusion = 3 (default), Adapts to slope enabled.]] || [[File:ErodeHF_55_Diffusion3_Adapts2SlopeOff.jpg|none|400px|Diffusion = 3 (default), Adapts to slope disabled.]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_53_Diffusion10_Adapts2SlopeOn.jpg|none|400px|Diffusion = 10, Adapts to slope enabled.]] || [[File:ErodeHF_56_Diffusion10_Adapts2SlopeOff.jpg|none|400px|Diffusion = 10, Adapts to slope disabled.]]
|}
</ul>



* '''Slip at angle: ''' This setting controls the angle at which the terrain begins to slip.  A value of 90 degrees is the same as the setting being unchecked or off.  Lower values allow steep slopes to erode quickly while higher values preserve them.
<ul>
{|
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_41_FlowDistance100_SlipAtAngle15.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Slip at angle = 15 degrees]] || [[File:ErodeHF_42_FlowDistance100_SlipAtAngle45.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Slip at angle = 45 degrees (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_43_FlowDistance100_SlipAtAngle90.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 100, Slip at angle = 90 degrees]]
|-
| [[File:ErodeHF_44_FlowDistance1000_SlipAtAngle15.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Slip at angle = 15 degrees]] || [[File:ErodeHF_45_FlowDistance1000_SlipAtAngle45.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Slip at angle = 45 degrees (default)]] || [[File:ErodeHF_46_FlowDistance1000_SlipAtAngle90.jpg|none|266px|Flow distance = 1000, Slip at angle = 90 degrees]]
|}
</ul>



* '''Auto calculate: '''  When checked, or enabled, changes made to the heighfield settings will automatically cause the erosion calculations to begin.


* '''Erode Now: ''' Clicking this button starts the calculations for the erosion process.



<!--
'''Legacy examples'''

{|
|-
| Flow distance effect<br />
[[File:ErodeFlowDistance.gif]]
|
Duration effect <br />
[[File:erodev3Duration.gif]]
|
Erode power effect<br />
[[File:erodev3ErodePower.gif]]
|-
|
Deposition effect<br />
[[File:erodeDeposition.gif]]
|
Deposition rate effect<br />
[[File:erodev3DepositionRate.gif]]
|
Diffusion effect<br />
[[File:erodev3Diffusion.gif]]
|}
-->

[[Category: Heightfield Operators]]