Terragen
Encyclopedia
Terragen is a scenery generator
program for Microsoft Windows
and Mac OS X
developed and published by Planetside Software. It can be used to create renderings and animations of landscapes.
Released in stages (tech preview and beta) to a participating community, Terragen 2 was released to pre-purchasers on 2 April 2009. Terragen 2 is offered in feature limited freeware and full featured commercial licenses.
Planetside Software released the first public version of Terragen 2 after more than 3 years of development of both the core technologies and the program itself. Since then there have been several released updates to both licenses of the software along the development cycle with a series of technology previews and a beta release. The "final" build was released on April 23, 2009 and more updates, including feature modules are expected to be released later.
, its intuitive interface, and its capability to create photorealistic landscapes when used skillfully. It can also use DEM
(digital elevation model) files, and other graphic surface maps for rendering.
A commercial version of the software is also available and is capable of creating larger terrains, renders with higher image resolution
, larger terrain
files, and better post-render anti-aliasing
than the freeware version.
The terrain is generated from a two-dimensional heightmap
. The program contains facilities for importing and exporting heightmaps to images, for use in other programs.
for effects in Star Trek Nemesis. Terragen Classic was used in The Golden Compass and the 2006 remake
of The Wicker Man, games, and many TV commercials.
An image from what is now known as Terragen Classic appeared on the April 16, 2001 cover of Newsweek
, and Terragen was used for animations in Brandy Norwood
's "What About Us?" music video
. The classic version was also used by numerous artists such as Joan Fontcuberta
("Orogenesis" series) and the French photographer Mathieu Bernard-Reymond ("Vous êtes ici" series and "Pôle" series). Terragen Classic was used to create skybox
es for 3D video games such as Serious Sam
.
Scenery generator
A scenery generator refers to software used to create landscape images, 3D models, and animations. These programs use procedural generation to generate the landscapes.- Software :*Bryce is most famous for landscapes....
program for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
developed and published by Planetside Software. It can be used to create renderings and animations of landscapes.
History
Released in stages (tech preview and beta) to a participating community, Terragen 2 was released to pre-purchasers on 2 April 2009. Terragen 2 is offered in feature limited freeware and full featured commercial licenses.
Planetside Software released the first public version of Terragen 2 after more than 3 years of development of both the core technologies and the program itself. Since then there have been several released updates to both licenses of the software along the development cycle with a series of technology previews and a beta release. The "final" build was released on April 23, 2009 and more updates, including feature modules are expected to be released later.
Terragen Classic
Terragen Classic is popular among amateur artists, which can be attributed to it being freewareFreeware
Freeware is computer software that is available for use at no cost or for an optional fee, but usually with one or more restricted usage rights. Freeware is in contrast to commercial software, which is typically sold for profit, but might be distributed for a business or commercial purpose in the...
, its intuitive interface, and its capability to create photorealistic landscapes when used skillfully. It can also use DEM
Digital elevation model
A digital elevation model is a digital model or 3-D representation of a terrain's surface — commonly for a planet , moon, or asteroid — created from terrain elevation data....
(digital elevation model) files, and other graphic surface maps for rendering.
A commercial version of the software is also available and is capable of creating larger terrains, renders with higher image resolution
Image resolution
Image resolution is an umbrella term that describes the detail an image holds. The term applies to raster digital images, film images, and other types of images. Higher resolution means more image detail....
, larger terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
files, and better post-render anti-aliasing
Anti-aliasing
In digital signal processing, spatial anti-aliasing is the technique of minimizing the distortion artifacts known as aliasing when representing a high-resolution image at a lower resolution...
than the freeware version.
The terrain is generated from a two-dimensional heightmap
Heightmap
In computer graphics, a heightmap or heightfield is a raster image used to store values, such as surface elevation data, for display in 3D computer graphics...
. The program contains facilities for importing and exporting heightmaps to images, for use in other programs.
Use in media
Rendering software contributed to by PlanetSide proprietor, Matt Fairclough, was used by Digital DomainDigital Domain
Digital Domain is a visual effects and animation company founded by film director James Cameron, Stan Winston and Scott Ross. It is based in Venice, Los Angeles, California...
for effects in Star Trek Nemesis. Terragen Classic was used in The Golden Compass and the 2006 remake
The Wicker Man (2006 film)
The Wicker Man is a 2006 American remake of the 1973 British film of the same title. It was written and directed by Neil LaBute, based on a screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, and stars Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn....
of The Wicker Man, games, and many TV commercials.
An image from what is now known as Terragen Classic appeared on the April 16, 2001 cover of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, and Terragen was used for animations in Brandy Norwood
Brandy (entertainer)
Brandy Rayana Norwood , known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer-songwriter, producer, actress, and dancer. In 2009, she introduced her rap alter-ego Bran'Nu....
's "What About Us?" music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. The classic version was also used by numerous artists such as Joan Fontcuberta
Joan Fontcuberta
Joan Fontcuberta is a conceptual artist whose best-known works, such as Fauna and Sputnik, examine the truthfulness of photography. In addition, he is a writer, editor, teacher, and curator....
("Orogenesis" series) and the French photographer Mathieu Bernard-Reymond ("Vous êtes ici" series and "Pôle" series). Terragen Classic was used to create skybox
Skybox (video games)
A skybox is a method of creating backgrounds to make a computer and video games level look bigger than it really is. When a skybox is used, the level is enclosed in a cuboid; and the sky, distant mountains, distant buildings, and other unreachable objects are projected onto the cube's faces , thus...
es for 3D video games such as Serious Sam
Serious Sam
Serious Sam is the first game in the Serious Sam series. It is a first-person shooter created by the Croatian development house Croteam...
.