Nordicode StudioUnreal-native tool studio

Roadmap / Terrain Tools

Terrain Tools roadmap

A planned Unreal-native terrain authoring direction. The stages below describe product goals and do not represent shipped functionality.

PRODUCT VISIONAll ten stages remain planned unless explicitly updated

Planning status

A native terrain mode, planned in public.

Terrain Tools is currently in product planning. Feature order, API detail, and the Unreal Engine 5.8+ target may change as research develops.

01

Native editor mode

Planned editor-focused authoring with viewport brushes, previews, explicit apply, and undo control.

02

Mesh terrain direction

Unreal Engine 5.8+ is a target direction for mesh terrain research, not finalized support.

03

Data-rich output

Masks, materials, vegetation, and world dressing remain downstream authoring support, not runtime terrain generation.

Ten planned stages

From editor foundation to release readiness.

Open a stage to inspect its complete focus list and planned outcome.

01
Planned

Foundation and General Terrain Tools

A planned foundation for a native Unreal editor mode, Unreal Engine 5.8+ mesh terrain research, safe API boundaries, brush previews, tool settings, and direct viewport terrain interaction.

Editor ModeViewport ToolsMesh TerrainUndo / Redo

Key focus

  • Native Unreal editor mode direction
  • Unreal Engine 5.8+ mesh terrain research
  • Public API boundaries
  • API Bridge law
  • Non-destructive workflow rules
  • Direct viewport brush interaction
  • Brush previews
  • Tool selection
  • Tool settings
  • Terrain target selection
  • Undo and redo direction
  • First everyday tools: Flatten, Smoothen, Erase, Lower, Ramp

Planned outcomeA native-feeling terrain mode foundation with the first practical terrain shaping tools and a safe apply/undo loop.

02
Planned

Road and Settlement Workflow

Planned tools for terrain that needs to support gameplay routes, constructed areas, camps, encounter spaces, and believable transitions into natural landforms.

RoadsSettlementsGameplay SpacesMasks

Key focus

  • Road flattening
  • Path preparation
  • Settlement benching
  • Building pads
  • Camps
  • Encounter areas
  • Playable flat and semi-flat spaces
  • Natural transition controls
  • Road and settlement influence masks

Planned outcomeTools for practical gameplay terrain and believable constructed spaces.

03
Planned

Simulation Toolset

A planned set of artist-controlled simulation-inspired operations for shaping believable terrain without hiding the result behind a black-box generator.

SimulationErosionValleysCliffs

Key focus

  • Thermal / Talus Erosion
  • Hydraulic Lite Erosion
  • Glacial Valley Shaping
  • Fjord / Valley Carving
  • Cliff / Talus Shaping

Planned outcomeArtist-controlled simulation-inspired tools for creating believable natural terrain.

04
Planned

Corridor Drawing Tools

Planned viewport intent tools where creators draw roads, rivers, and terrain corridors before converting that intent into editable terrain output.

CorridorsRoadbedsRiverbedsVegetation Rules

Key focus

  • Draw road/path lines
  • Draw river lines
  • Shape terrain from drawn intent
  • Generate roadbeds
  • Generate riverbeds
  • Shape banks and shoulders
  • Clear or guide vegetation
  • Generate wetness, road, river, and exclusion masks

Planned outcomeCreators can draw terrain intent in the viewport and convert it into structured terrain output.

05
Planned

Processing Layers

A planned process-layer direction for larger terrain operations, preview/apply passes, naturalization, and broader terrain changes with visible user control.

Process LayersPreview / ApplyNaturalizationOutput Layers

Key focus

  • Region-based terrain operations
  • Larger-area terrain processing
  • Preview/apply workflow
  • Naturalization passes
  • Erosion passes
  • Valley shaping passes
  • Road and river processing
  • Process-specific output layers or data outputs

Planned outcomeControlled deeper simulations and broader terrain changes without turning the product into a hidden actor or stamp system.

06
Planned

Mask System

A planned data-rich terrain mask surface for materials, PCG, vegetation, biome transitions, snow, wetland logic, gameplay spaces, and other downstream systems.

MasksMaterialsPCG DataBiomes

Key focus

  • Slope masks
  • Cliff masks
  • Wetness masks
  • Flow masks
  • Shoreline masks
  • Talus masks
  • Forest suitability masks
  • Snow retention masks
  • Bog/fen suitability masks
  • Biome masks
  • Vegetation exclusion masks
  • Road and settlement influence masks
  • Riverbank masks
  • Rock exposure masks
  • Floodplain bench masks

Planned outcomeTerrain becomes data-rich and ready to drive materials, PCG, vegetation, rocks, snow, water-adjacent clutter, biome transitions, and gameplay areas.

07
Planned

PCG and Material Integration

Planned authoring support for using terrain masks to drive surface material response and world dressing while keeping creator-selected assets and project behavior in view.

PCGMaterialsVegetationWorld Dressing

Key focus

  • Material response to terrain masks
  • PCG placement driven by masks
  • User-selected asset placement
  • Biome-aware vegetation
  • Rock placement
  • Shore clutter
  • Wetland plants
  • Snow pockets
  • Talus rocks
  • Ground clutter
  • Vegetation exclusion from roads, rivers, settlements, and gameplay areas

Planned outcomeTerrain data supports the environment pipeline, from surface materials to world dressing; it is not a runtime PCG generator.

08
Long-term planned

Nanite Mesh Terrain Workflows

A long-term planned direction for dramatic mesh terrain forms that classic heightfields do not represent well, including cliffs, sea stacks, rock walls, and hero formations.

NaniteMesh TerrainHero FormsCliffs

Key focus

  • Mesh terrain support
  • Nanite cliff workflows
  • Nanite rock workflows
  • Hero terrain formations
  • Sea stacks
  • Rock walls
  • Cave entrance support
  • Sharp fjord walls
  • Talus fields
  • Overhang-adjacent terrain features

Planned outcomeA stronger terrain workflow for dramatic shapes that classic heightfields cannot represent well.

09
Future direction

AI Terrain Assistant

A future command direction for translating creator intent into previewable, editable terrain operations while keeping confirmation and control with the user.

AIIntentPreview FirstUser Control

Key focus

  • AI-safe command system
  • Intent-to-operation workflows
  • Natural language terrain assistance
  • Drawn intent interpretation
  • Preview before apply
  • Editable terrain output
  • User-controlled confirmation
  • Future requests: naturalize a slope, turn a line into a river, improve a road, find forest regions, add talus below cliffs, create a settlement pad, generate wetness and riverbank masks

Planned outcomeFuture assistance can speed up terrain work while keeping every operation previewable, editable, and user-controlled.

10
Planned

Production Polish and Release Readiness

A planned release-readiness stage focused on performance, stability, documentation, examples, presets, diagnostics, onboarding, and in-editor guidance.

PerformanceDocsDiagnosticsRelease Readiness

Key focus

  • Performance
  • Stability
  • Documentation
  • Examples
  • Presets
  • Diagnostics
  • Website demos
  • Fab compliance direction
  • Release hardening
  • User onboarding
  • Tooltips and in-editor guidance

Planned outcomeA polished Unreal-native terrain authoring product ready to present as a serious creator tool.