Lakes Rivers

Lakes and Rivers

• Lake Creation:

  • Uses water body lake actor
  • Key constraints:
    • Spline points must be at same height
    • Landscape deforms to meet lake level

• Lake Controls:

  • Terrain blend modes:
    • Alpha: Default blend
    • Minimum: Only lowers terrain
    • Maximum: Only raises terrain
    • Additive: Combines landscape layers
  • Wave customization via Gerstner parameters:
    • Smaller scale than ocean waves
    • Adjustable wavelength/amplitude

• River Features:

  • Direction indicated by river icon
  • Unique properties:
    • Variable elevation between points
    • Automatic material transition at lake connections
    • Flow control

• River Controls:

  • Visual controls:
    • Width (spline adjustment)
    • Depth (vertical arrows)
    • Velocity (triple arrows)
  • Can visualize:
    • Water velocity
    • River width
    • Depth

• Customization Tips:

  • Start with default settings
  • Adjust blend modes for terrain integration
  • Add subtle curl noise for natural edges
  • Back up materials before experimenting
  • Use “Asset Actions > Reload” to reset materials

The system allows for natural water feature creation with detailed control over flow, appearance, and terrain integration.