Heightmap

The heightmap allows direct control of the base height values for the whole map. It can blend with, or replace the base part of the vanilla proceduraly generation.
A heightmap of 4096 x 4096 results in each pixel representing about 4 x 4 meters in game (the map size is 20 km x 20 km).
The cloud layer in game has been determined to be at about 400 m above sealevel, meaning that an 8 bit heightmap (256 gray levels) can represent height differences of about 1.5 m. A 16 bit heightmap can represent height differences of less than 1 cm.

Contents

1. Heightmap File
   1. Requirements
   2. Where to get Heightmaps
   3. Creation Hints
2. Heightmap Amount
3. Heightmap Blend
4. Heightmap Add

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Heightmap File

Setting

Path to a heightmap file to use.

Examples

Console

Command: bc param h fn

Requirements

See Image Requirements for the size and format requirements.
8 or 16 bit grayscale Png of medium to high resolution would be a sensible format for a heightmap.

Where to get Heightmaps

• Craft them from scratch in some package. People have used Photoshop, Krita, GIMP, Blender to good affect.
• Google
• This very nice Google Maps style page that will export heightmaps directly for any area on Earth.
• World Machine: This is highly advanced heightmap generating software that can do things like physical modelling of erosion. It can also generate assist in generating biome maps automatically as well.
• Gaea: Similar to World Machine, might be quicker to get started with.

Creation Hints

• Ensure the ocean areas of the heightmap are pure black, not grey
• Apply automatic contrast/levels to ensure the values are using the full range available
• I recommend smoothing (blurring) the image to avoid any sharp changes in altitude
• Getting sealevel looking correct might take some tweaking, of either the image itself or the sealevel setting
• To determine sealevel with your current config settings you can create a smooth gradient on the heightmap (gradient paint bucket tool in Photoshop), apply a flatish biome to it (e.g. plains), and then view it in game to determine what gray value corresponds to sealevel. In my testing with sealevel set to 25% the corresponding gray value is about #0d0d0d.
• When trying to test your map in game start with all default, then set these settings:
  • Heightmap File - paste your file name in here, or use the Project Directory with an appropriate heightmap file in it.
  • Ocean Channels un-ticked
  • Rivers un-ticked
  • Ridges Amount 0%

Heightmap Amount

Setting

Multiplier of the height value from the heightmap file (more than 1 leads to higher max height than vanilla, good results are not guaranteed).

Default 1
Range 0 to 5

Console

Command: bc param h am

Heightmap Blend

Setting

How strongly to blend the heightmap file into the final result.

Default 1
Range 0 to 1

Console

Command: bc param h bl

Heightmap Add

Setting

How strongly to add the heightmap file to the final result (usually you want to blend it instead).

Default 0
Range -1 to 1

Console

Command: bc param h ad

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