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			{{short description\|Scenery generator software}}
	]
			{{for\|the Marvel Comics substance\|Terrigen}}
	]
			{{redirect\|Planetside Software\|the video game series\|PlanetSide}}
			{{Infobox software
			\| name = Terragen
			\| logo =
			\| screenshot = ]
			\| caption = Terragen 2.0.1.1
			\| collapsible =
			\| author = Matt Fairclough
			\| developer = Planetside Software
			\| released =
			\| latest release version = 4.5.56
			\| latest release date = {{Start date and age\|2021\|01\|01}}
			\| programming language = ]
			\| operating system = ], ]
			\| platform =
			\| size =
			\| language =
			\| genre = ]
			\| license = ], ]
			\| website = {{URL\|https://planetside.co.uk/}}
			}}

	'''Terragen''' is a ] ] program for ] and ] developed and published by . It can be used to create renderings and animations of landscapes.		'''Terragen''' is a ] program for ] and ] developed and published by Planetside Software. It can be used to create renderings and animations of landscapes.

			==History==
	It is popular among amateur artists, which can be attributed to it being ], its intuitive interface, and its capability to create ] landscapes when used skillfully. It can also use ] files, and other graphic surface maps for rendering.
			<span id="Development"></span>
			{{Infobox software
			\| name = Terragen Classic
			\| logo =
			\| screenshot =
			\| caption =
			\| collapsible =
			\| author = Matt Fairclough
			\| developer = Planetside Software
			\| released =
			\| latest release version = 0.9.43
			\| latest release date = {{Start date\|2005\|09\|07}}
			\| latest preview version = 1.9.99.1
			\| latest preview date = {{Start date\|2008\|07\|31}}
			\| programming language =
			\| operating system = ], ]
			\| platform =
			\| size =
			\| language =
			\| genre = ]
			\| license = ], ]
			\| website = <br>
			}}

			Released in stages (tech preview and ]) to a participating community, Terragen 2 was released to pre-purchasers on 2 April 2009.<ref></ref><ref>{{dead link\|date=January 2018 \|bot=InternetArchiveBot \|fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Terragen 2 is offered in feature limited freeware and full-featured commercial licenses.
	A commercial version of the software is also available and is capable of creating larger terrains, renders with higher ], larger ] files, and better post-render ] than the freeware version. A Terragen image appeared on the ], ] cover of '']'', and Terragen was used for animations in ]'s "What About Us?" ]. It has also been used by numerous artists like Joan Fontcuberta or the French Photographer Mathieu Bernard-Reymond ("Vous êtes ici" series, and "Pôle" series).

			Planetside Software released the first public version of Terragen 2 after more than three years of development of both the core technologies and the program itself.<ref>{{cite book\| author1=M. Larsson \|author2=M. Wrenninge \|author3=Roble \|title=ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 Sketches on - SIGGRAPH '04 \|chapter=Inter-frame caching for high quality terrain rendering \|doi=10.1145/1186223.1186235 \|chapter-url=http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1186223.1186235 \|page=9 \|date=August 2004\|isbn=1-58113-896-2 \|s2cid=230003 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book \|first1=Matt \|last1=Fairclough \|author2=M. Wrenninge \|author3=M. Larsson \|title=ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 Sketches on - SIGGRAPH '04 \|chapter=Robust rendering of high resolution terrain: Copyright restrictions prevent ACM from providing the full text for this work \|chapter-url=http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/1186223.1186236 \|doi=10.1145/1186223.1186236 \|page=10 \|date=August 2004\|isbn=1-58113-896-2 \|s2cid=23197912 }}</ref> Since then there have been several released updates to both licenses of the software along the development cycle with a series of technology previews and a beta release. The "final" build was released on April 23, 2009, and more updates, including feature modules, are expected to be released later.<ref></ref>

			Planetside released Terragen 3 in August 2013.<ref>{{cite web\|title=Terragen 3\|url=http://terragen3.com/\|publisher=Planetside Software\|access-date=24 September 2014}}</ref> Version 3.1 was released in February 2014. Version 4 was released in 2016.

			]
			]).]]

			==Terragen Classic==
			Terragen Classic is popular among amateur artists, which can be attributed to it being ], its intuitive interface, and its capability to create ] landscapes when used skillfully. It can also use ] (digital elevation model) files, and other graphic surface maps for rendering.

			A commercial version of the software is also available and is capable of creating larger terrains, renders with higher ], larger ] files, and better post-render ] than the freeware version.

	The terrain is generated from a two-dimensional ]. The program contains facilities for importing and exporting heightmaps to images, for use in other programs.		The terrain is generated from a two-dimensional ]. The program contains facilities for importing and exporting heightmaps to images, for use in other programs.

			==Use in media==
	Terragen can also be used to create ]es for 3D ]s. The game ] is a prime example.
			Rendering software contributed by PlanetSide proprietor Matt Fairclough was used by ] for effects in '']''. Terragen Classic was used in '']'', ] of ''The Wicker Man'', games, and many TV commercials.<ref>, Planetside.co.uk</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.planetside.co.uk/content/view/24/40/\|title=About us: Matt Fairclough, Proprietor and Lead Developer\|publisher=Planetside Software\|quote=From 2000 to 2003 Matt was also a Technical Director at ] in Venice, California. He is credited in ], ], and ]. Matt initiated the development of Digital Domain's proprietary terrain renderer which was used in the films Stealth, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima and other films and TV commercials. Much of its core technology went on to become Planetside Software's Terragen 2.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.planetside.co.uk/\|title=Planetside Home: Change the landscape with Terragen\|publisher=Planetside Software\|quote=Terragen has been used to create visual effects for many films including ] and ], dozens of games and countless TV commercials}}</ref>

			An image from what is now known as Terragen Classic appeared on the April 16, 2001, cover of '']'', and Terragen was used for animations in ]'s "What About Us?" ]. The classic version was also used by numerous artists, such as ] ("Orogenesis" series),<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080403185853/http://www.icp.org/site/c.dnJGKJNsFqG/b.2041581/k.A837/Joan_Fontcuberta.htm \|date=2008-04-03 }} New York: International Center of Photography. Retrieved 10 July 2008.</ref> and the French photographer Mathieu Bernard-Reymond ("Vous êtes ici" series and "Pôle" series). Terragen Classic was used to create ]es for 3D ]s such as '']''.
	==Terragen 2==
	Terragen 2<ref> </ref>, with vastly enhanced features, was slated for its first public release at the end of January 2006. As of ], ], Matt Fairclough reported that the TG2 Technology Preview would not be released at the end of January as had been originally estimated. The Preview was finally released on ], ]. .

			The software was used by Devastudios to create the mountainous scenery in the intro used by ] for its centennial anniversary in 2012, alongside ], with '']'' in 2011, which would be carried on for ], ] and ].<ref>{{Cite web\|title=Paramount's 100th Anniversary Logo Created With Terragen\|url=https://planetside.co.uk/featured-projects/paramounts-100th-anniversary-logo-created-with-terragen/\|access-date=2020-11-20\|website=Planetside Software\|date=3 October 2016 \|language=en-US}}</ref> Devastudios also used the software for the sky and clouds in the 2021 and 2023 ] logos with '']'' and '']'', respectively, alongside the ] (ACES) and ] Substance 3D Painter for the latter, which would later be carried on for ], ] and ].
	The Terragen 2 feature list includes:

			== See also ==
	* Procedural terrains of "infinite" detail
			* ]
	* Displacement mapping
			* ]
	* Full object support for vegetation, etc.
			* ]
	* Object instancing support, allowing the rendering of "millions" of trees, boulders, etc.
	* A planetary atmosphere and scene model
	* Capability to have multiple planets in a scene
	* Volumetric clouds
	* Motion blur

			== References ==
	''Engen'', a proprietary version of Terragen 2 by ], was used to render Earth terrain scenes in the film ] and planetary scenes in ]<ref>http://oshyan.ashundar.com/galleries/index.php?cat=12</ref>.
			{{Reflist}}

	== External links ==		== External links ==
			{{commons\|Terragen\|Terragen}}
	*'''Official'''
			{{Prone to spam\|date=August 2012}}
	**
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	]		{{3D software}}
			{{Fractal software}}
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Latest revision as of 21:35, 11 November 2024

Scenery generator software For the Marvel Comics substance, see Terrigen. "Planetside Software" redirects here. For the video game series, see PlanetSide.

Terragen
Terragen 2.0.1.1
Original author(s)	Matt Fairclough
Developer(s)	Planetside Software

Stable release	4.5.56 / January 1, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-01-01)

Written in	C++
Operating system	Windows, Mac OS X
Type	3D computer graphics
License	Commercial, freeware
Website	planetside.co.uk

Terragen is a scenery generator program for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X developed and published by Planetside Software. It can be used to create renderings and animations of landscapes.

History

Terragen Classic
Original author(s)	Matt Fairclough
Developer(s)	Planetside Software

Stable release	0.9.43 / September 7, 2005 (2005-09-07)
Preview release	1.9.99.1 / July 31, 2008 (2008-07-31)

Operating system	Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Type	3D computer graphics
License	Commercial, Freeware
Website	Terragen Classic for Windows Terragen Classic for Mac

Released in stages (tech preview and beta) to a participating community, Terragen 2 was released to pre-purchasers on 2 April 2009. Terragen 2 is offered in feature limited freeware and full-featured commercial licenses.

Planetside Software released the first public version of Terragen 2 after more than three years of development of both the core technologies and the program itself. Since then there have been several released updates to both licenses of the software along the development cycle with a series of technology previews and a beta release. The "final" build was released on April 23, 2009, and more updates, including feature modules, are expected to be released later.

Planetside released Terragen 3 in August 2013. Version 3.1 was released in February 2014. Version 4 was released in 2016.

Terragen Classic

Terragen Classic is popular among amateur artists, which can be attributed to it being freeware, its intuitive interface, and its capability to create photorealistic landscapes when used skillfully. It can also use DEM (digital elevation model) files, and other graphic surface maps for rendering.

A commercial version of the software is also available and is capable of creating larger terrains, renders with higher image resolution, larger terrain files, and better post-render anti-aliasing than the freeware version.

The terrain is generated from a two-dimensional heightmap. The program contains facilities for importing and exporting heightmaps to images, for use in other programs.

Use in media

Rendering software contributed by PlanetSide proprietor Matt Fairclough was used by Digital Domain for effects in Star Trek Nemesis. Terragen Classic was used in The Golden Compass, the 2006 remake of The Wicker Man, games, and many TV commercials.

An image from what is now known as Terragen Classic appeared on the April 16, 2001, cover of Newsweek, and Terragen was used for animations in Brandy Norwood's "What About Us?" music video. The classic version was also used by numerous artists, such as Joan Fontcuberta ("Orogenesis" series), and the French photographer Mathieu Bernard-Reymond ("Vous êtes ici" series and "Pôle" series). Terragen Classic was used to create skyboxes for 3D video games such as Serious Sam.

The software was used by Devastudios to create the mountainous scenery in the intro used by Paramount Pictures for its centennial anniversary in 2012, alongside Autodesk Maya, with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 2011, which would be carried on for Paramount Players, Paramount Television Studios and Paramount+. Devastudios also used the software for the sky and clouds in the 2021 and 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures logos with Locked Down and Wonka, respectively, alongside the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) and Adobe Substance 3D Painter for the latter, which would later be carried on for Warner Bros. Television, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation.

References

Planetside Forums
Pre-purchasers get release early
M. Larsson; M. Wrenninge; Roble (August 2004). "Inter-frame caching for high quality terrain rendering". ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 Sketches on - SIGGRAPH '04. p. 9. doi:10.1145/1186223.1186235. ISBN 1-58113-896-2. S2CID 230003.
Fairclough, Matt; M. Wrenninge; M. Larsson (August 2004). "Robust rendering of high resolution terrain: Copyright restrictions prevent ACM from providing the full text for this work". ACM SIGGRAPH 2004 Sketches on - SIGGRAPH '04. p. 10. doi:10.1145/1186223.1186236. ISBN 1-58113-896-2. S2CID 23197912.
Beta Release announcement
"Terragen 3". Planetside Software. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
Terragen 2, Planetside.co.uk
"About us: Matt Fairclough, Proprietor and Lead Developer". Planetside Software. From 2000 to 2003 Matt was also a Technical Director at Digital Domain in Venice, California. He is credited in The Time Machine, Star Trek: Nemesis, and The Day After Tomorrow. Matt initiated the development of Digital Domain's proprietary terrain renderer which was used in the films Stealth, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima and other films and TV commercials. Much of its core technology went on to become Planetside Software's Terragen 2.
"Planetside Home: Change the landscape with Terragen". Planetside Software. Terragen has been used to create visual effects for many films including The Golden Compass and The Wicker Man, dozens of games and countless TV commercials
Joan Fontcuberta. Archived 2008-04-03 at the Wayback Machine New York: International Center of Photography. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
"Paramount's 100th Anniversary Logo Created With Terragen". Planetside Software. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2020-11-20.

External links

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Defunct	Amapi Autodesk Softimage Cyber Studio CAD-3D Dynamation Imagine Modo N-World PowerAnimator Sculpt 3D Softimage 3D StrataVision 3D Swift 3D TrueSpace TurboSilver VistaPro
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