Importing Heightmaps (version May 2023)

Before converting a heightmap, you first need to find one. DH requires Black and White heightmaps. Such as: https://tangrams.github.io/heightmapper/ In these type of maps (also called a DEM) the blackest parts are the low parts in the terrain. The closer the pixel value is to white (255) the higher that part of the terrain is. So the whitest pixel is the highest point in the terrain, the blackest pixel is the lowest point in the terrain.

Importing the Heightmap to DH:

1) Get a black and white DEM image of the area you need without any map labels, roads or other markings:

2) Screenshot or download the area, so you have it as an image on your PC.

3) Use an image editing tool (like Photoshop or Paint.net) to resize your image to 512x512 pixels.

4) Save it as a .bmp file.

5) Get Terresculptor 2.0 (it's free): http://www.demenzunmedia.com/home/support/

6) Import your .BMP into Terresculptor (should be straight forward upon opening Terresculptor).

7) Use the Terresculptor tools to improve your terrain (this is its own tutorial).

The pure image often shows very jagged terrain and extreme differences between the low and high points. Terresculptor allows you to fix this easily, mainly with tools from the modify and transform tabs at the top.

8) When you are happy with the heightmap, export the terrain as: Unreal G16 Heightmap.

9) Import the G16 Heightmap file into the myLevel package of your map using the SDK texture browser.

10) Select your desired TerrainInfo actor and in the TerrainInfo properties add your new heightmap as the TerrainMap:

You might have to play around with the Z-value of the terrain, to get the scaling right.