Working with Heightmaps in GameDev
Hi,
tldr: best height map generator https://manticorp.github.io/unrealheightmap/ and scale it up with Fiji.
so I did a lot of research for an making big open world games without generating your heightmaps (black and white image textures that work by being interpretered with an Terrain System for 3D). In the "real" world this is called Digital Elevation Model Data and there are multiple models to choose from.
I wanted real world height maps. The problem then is where do you get them easily as an image not high res data that you need special software for. Please keep in mind that I was:
- searching for an easy to use (I am not a scientist I make games)
- I get what I see downloader. (there is a common map overlay)
- that is free (an account is okay)
- with the best "consumer" dimensions (you can look at how many meters per pixel you get)
- which exports a .png or other format where I dont need special software for
Here is what I found out:
The best heightmap generator is by Manticorp (for Unreal but can be used with any software) https://manticorp.github.io/unrealheightmap/
The second best for USA Height Maps is the hopefully still funded USGS Earth Explorer. Here is a tutorial for that. The EU Version with Copernicus Browser is a bit too advanced for my liking but there you can set custom Data Sources and can fine tune a lot.
Of course we also got OpenTopography - ALOS World 3D - 30m which exports a GEOTIFF Data File which you can convert by using: A simple Image Editor like ImageJ Fiji. This is the same software where can easily upscale your texture, which you might need to do if your terrain import can not upscale it for you. 30 Meters per Pixel means in Godots Terrain3D that it is really spicky and uneven so you will have to smooth it out with upscaling it. Just be carefull which algorithm you use otherwise wired banding of heights like rice fields can appear and normally you dont want that.
The modding scene is really committed to having height maps. Like this one for city skylines - skydark or this great tutorial for DAYZ the Arma mod where you use QGIS to import height map data. When I tried to use it didnt work for me though even with the community Game terrain Tools for QGIS
Once I sat at Amaze Festival and was really in the depths of pondering the questions how to get the best height map out for my little games and thought I could hold a whole Hypertalk about it. Then I realized that hearing me say: height maps are hard to work with because they are big, have long loading times, and previewing them is kinda hard. This made me realize that nobody would like to hear my bitter words with my then current open world car with simple phyics project. Anyways I hope this written research trail from 2024-2025 may help you download heightmaps from the internet.
PS: if you want up close satellite shots (that were made with a plane because no non-spy satellite can zoom that great are DOPS (Digital Orthopohotos) like here from the german state of Schleswig-Holstein. It is a government agency and for all Bundesländer/states there is one way to download it. If you want less high res [ESA Satellite Codede Data](ESA codede explorrer))
Bye!!