Gnomon ships Introduction to World Machine

The Gnomon Workshop has released Introduction to World Machine, a complete primer on using the powerful procedural terrain-generation software, recorded by artist and tools developer Dax Pandhi.

A complete guide to World Machine for new users
Over the course of two hours of video, Pandhi discusses the essential building blocks of digital terrains, and demystifies the apparent complexity of World Machine’s function graphs.

The tutorial explores a series of increasingly more sophisticated terrain-creation techniques, using procedural noise to generate the base terrain, then modifying the geometry with erosion, weathering and snow effects.

Examples covered include a dry mountain range, volcano, snowcapped peak, and a coastal cliff.

Pandhi also sets out texturing techniques to create both direct bitmaps and erosive masks, including ad hoc masking, selective erosion and ‘cross-breeding’ filters to create more complex, believable effects.

About the artist
Dax Pandhi is the co-founder and technical director of tools and training company QuadSpinner, and creator of the GeoGlyph macros for World Machine, used in many AAA games.

He was the co-recipient of an IAWTV Award for best visual effects for his work on web series Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, and author of the bestselling book Realism in Vue.

Pricing and availability
Introduction to World Machine is available from Gnomon’s online store as a digital download, price $59.

Buy Introdution to World Machine from The Gnomon Workshop’s online store