Landscape Grass Layers

This guide explains how to apply the LargeWorld System when spawning grass via auto grass layers in a landscape material, using the LandscapeGrassOutput node. This is ideal for large, open-world terrains where foliage needs to be generated procedurally and optimized for distance.

🎯 Overview

The setup is similar to the foliage tool version, but instead of using two entries in the Foliage Tool, you define two separate GrassVarieties in your landscape material's grass output — both pointing to the same mesh, but using:

• Different materials (e.g. MI_NaniteGrass_Near and MI_NaniteGrass_LargeWorld)

• Different culling distances

Together, this creates the same reverse-culling transition using landscape-driven foliage.

1. Set Up Your Landscape Material

Make sure your material includes:

• LandscapeLayerSample for the grass layer (e.g. "Grass")

• LandscapeGrassOutput node wired to your desired mask

2. Create Two Grass Varieties in the LandscapeGrassOutput

🌱 Near Grass Variety (High Detail, Close Range)

• Mesh: SM_LargeDetailGrass

• Material Override: MI_NaniteGrass01

• Cull Distance: Min: 0, Max: e.g 15000

• Density: High (e.g. 80–120)

• Scale: 1.0×

🌾 Far Grass Variety (LargeWorld, Distance Optimized)

• Mesh: SM_LargeDetailGrass (same as near)

• Material Override: MI_NaniteGrass01_LargeWorld

• Cull Distance: Min: 0, Max: 0 (Set it in the material e.g 44500)

• Density: Low (e.g. 15–30)

• Scale: 3× to 4× larger than normal (adjust in material or grass settings)

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✅ Testing

1. Paint your landscape using the grass layer.

2. Ensure both grass varieties appear in the LandscapeGrassOutput.

3. Move the camera and verify:

   • Near version disappears at ~15,000 units.

   • Far version fades in right after.

4. Confirm seamless blending and performance boost in the distance.

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⚠️ Notes

• You can preview and tweak fade distances live using material instance parameters.

• For best results, use the same base mesh with only slight visual/material differences.