Anyone using "3D-Map-Generator" or similar with Affinity Photo? Standalone Alternatives?

[Franzi von Fragenfeld]

Hi,

did anyone use the Photoshop plugin 3D-Map-Generator successfully with Affinity Photo?

http://www.3d-map-generator.com/3d-map-generator-terrain-features/

I have been asked to create some maps and this would fit perfect, but I do not really want to buy or use Photoshop.

If anyone knows of an alernative with similar features which does not need Photoshop I'd appreciate if you can share details.

Thanks,

Franzi

[MEB]

Hi Franzi von Fragenfeld,

Affinity Photo only supports basic image filters. Plugins that rely on automation, custom panels etc are not supported.

i'm not aware of any alternative/similar solution. Maybe some users can give you a hand on this.

[Franzi von Fragenfeld]

Hey MEB,

thanks for the swift reply. Sad that it does not work:
Hope someone can suggest a good non PS alternative.

We'll see.

Thanks again.

[firstdefence]

The best terrain app I know of is Terragen

[SrPx]

 

I'm no expert at map generation, yet have had to do it while making graphics for games, or the food wouldn't reach the plate....

 

Terragen is amazing, but with the time has got a bit pricey. Cheapest version starts at 350 $. Their free version is not allowed for commercial use! And also limited to a very small resolution.

I had at a company very nice experiences with Vue, we stopped using Bryce in favor of Vue, for landscape backgrounds.  But not only was cheaper then than now, it was also easier to buy. It has now a complex set of different licenses (I believe you even need to write to them!). One would need to guess where are each one's limitations. Then, an IMO, inferior, but still quite capable software is Bryce, still sold, now at only 20 bucks (I have this version full as was given free by the company by a limited time, or a version a bit older). For this you need to use a top camera, and you can have some issues using it. Still, might worth a trial. A test before buy, like with all these. I was successful as well using it at the same company.  https://www.daz3d.com/bryce-7-pro    . These 2 things are landscape renderers, so, maybe not ideal for your purpose.

 

Then you have several other solutions, all cheaper than Terragen (I have tried some of these LONG ago. Might or might not fit your needs. Just test them. ) :

 

http://www.world-creator.com    (cheapest is around 150$, and seems no serious limitations for your purposes )

https://www.world-machine.com    ~120 bucks. That version is probably enough. 

http://www.earthsculptor.com   Only 50 bucks. heard about it for a while, but I do not think I have ever tried it, but looks nice.

 

And.... freee !  (BTW, I'd probably do anything of this by hand, modeling in blender/wings, texturing in any 2D software, etc. But yep, these tools can be a lot faster)  :

 

http://lithosphere.codeflow.org

http://pnp-terraincreator.com

http://www.artifexterra.com

And...the below one I used it some eons ago. Probably too basic: I was only playing with it... (you would need to combine with other tools, and/or hand painting, if your output is just 2D) :

http://www.fracterra.com/wilbur.html

 

Last but not least... There's a ton of resources related with this matter.... There's the possibility of importing real map heightmaps (DEM files) , and other possibilities. A place with many resources, that I have not dug deeply, as is long ago since I ever needed to do things like this, is this one (Virtual terrain project) :   http://vterrain.org

 

Hope it gave some insight to now do some tools testing. My advice: try as many as you can, even if just opening and trying to do a fast terrain. You never know when you find the jewel that matches your specific needs for a certain task.

 

The hard but lovely way is generate a height map terrain in Blender and texture it by hand... yeh, not for a rush....

 

Indeed... what I'd do would be... JUST PAINT THEM!   Yeah, in 2D. Less headaches.

 

PD: All are standalone, no need for Photoshop. Yet though, as is a plugin for PS what they showed you, I guess you only need a 2D output. SO, you can easily combine a raw terrain output from Wilbur, or any of the free tools, and then over-paint in Affinity Photo, pretty easily, just playing with layers and layers mode. I assume you are a good painter. 

[SrPx]

For example, looking at the pics shown in that plugin page....

 

You could generate in Bryce, Wilbur, or whatever, even in the free Blender 3D, a gray chunk of height map, just cut like that and in that camera perspective, ALWAYS with same camera angle, export separately each part. Like, the ocean. Export, import the PNG or TIFF in AP, and just hit a filter in AP, colorize it the way you prefer to do it. Then do the same with the mountains, export, colorize, do some over paint. You can do snowy effect by just duplicating the layer, in white-ish colors, then creatively erasing all parts except the higher areas   . 

 

This is a method where you are just getting the 3D volumes accurate data, and using your 2D editing (in overlay mode and /or mixing different layers modes) and painting expertise over the 3D data. Of course, if any of those, free or commercial, already make for you a good enough texturing with some button pushes, why bother. . Also it depends always on if you need a realistic, accurate with reality output, or is more of a free/creative thing, what you have been asked to do. (if so, anything that gets the result, is good, if looks nice in the end)