Unity releases SpeedTree 10
Unity has released SpeedTree 10.0, the latest version of its tree-generation software.
The release adds a new procedural tool for generating vines, a Trim tool for refining the form of trees manually, and a new Mesh helper object for customizing hero trees.
In addition, the old Games and Cinema editions of SpeedTree Modeler have been unified into a single edition capable of exporting assets for either games or VFX.
The update was actually released last month, but doesn’t seem to have received a lot of coverage on community websites, so we felt it was worth posting a story.
A production-proven toolset for authoring 3D trees for games and visual effects
Released over two decades ago, and now owned by Unity, SpeedTree generates 3D trees for real-time and offline work, using a mix of procedural generation and manual editing.
As well as SpeedTree Modeler, the actual plant-authoring software, Unity maintains SpeedTree Library, a library of readymade 3D plants, and a SpeedTree SDK.
SpeedTree Modeler 10.0: new Vine generator generates hanging vegetation
New features in SpeedTree Modeler 10.0 include a Vine generator for creating vines and hanging plants.
Vines can be placed manually, or generated fully procedurally, and can be made to grow along the ground or hang between multiple tree models within a scene.
The vines then respond to the underlying surface, gravity, and wind forces.
New tools for trimming and pruning trees
SpeedTree Modeler 10.0 also includes new tools for pruning trees.
The Freehand mode now includes a Trim tool for adjusting the overall shape of a tree by pruning away parts of branches manually.
A new Shade Pruning option removes branches in the interior parts of a tree automatically as a post process, both to mimic natural growth patterns and reduce poly count.
New workflow for customizing hero trees
Other key changes include a new workflow for customizing hero tree models sculpted in other DCC tools or captured as 3D scans and imported into SpeedTree.
The Mesh helper scene object makes it possible to add procedural branches to a hero tree model, or adjust the way it animates with the wind.
According to Unity, the new workflow requires fewer trade-offs between the visual quality of the asset and its animatability than the existing editing tools.
UI and workflow improvements
The update also overhauls SpeedTree Modeler’s user interface, updating the icons and color palette, and improving UI scaling with display resolution.
Workflow changes include the option to use Rules – Lua scripts that control all of the procedural parameters within SpeedTree Modeler – to automate common tasks.
There are also quality-of-life improvements when working in the node graph, and greater control over how mesh data is packed for export in FBX and USD format.
SpeedTree Games and SpeedTree Cinema unified into a single edition of the software
In addition, the two previous editions of the software – SpeedTree Cinema, for visual effects and feature animation work, and SpeedTree Games – have been unified.
SpeedTree Modeler 10 now has a single unified interface, with users able to choose between VFX and games export options when exporting an asset.
Unity has maintained separate Cinema and Games editions of the SpeedTree Library, and separate Runtime and Pipeline versions of the SDK.
Pricing and system requirements
SpeedTree Modeler 10 is available for Windows 7+, CentOS 7 and Ubuntu 18.04/20.04 Linux and macOS 10.13+. The software is rental-only.
Indie subscriptions, for users with revenue under $200,000/year, cost $19/month or $199/year.
Pro subscriptions, for users with revenue under $1 million/year, cost $499/year for a node-locked licence, or $899/year for a floating licence.
Enterprise subscriptions, for studios with revenues over $1 million/year, and which include the SDKs, are priced on demand.
Subscriptions to the SpeedTree Cinema Library or SpeedTree Pro Library cost $999/year.
Read an overview of the new features in SpeedTree 10 on the product blog
Read a full list of new features in SpeedTree Modeler 10.0 in the release notes
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