Importing and Exporting Landscape Heightmaps

The Unreal Engine Landscape system stores height data in a heightmap, a grayscale image that uses black and white color values to store terrain elevations. In a heightmap, a value of pure black (0 in all RGB color channels) represents the lowest point and a value of pure white (255 in all RGB color channels) represents the highest point.

An example of a grayscale heightmap exported from Gaea.

Unreal Engine supports heightmaps created using terrain generation applications (such as Gaea, World Machine, Terragen, or Houdini) or handpainted in image editing applications using the following formats:

• 16-bit grayscale PNG
• 8-bit grayscale r8
• 16-bit grayscale r16

Unreal Engine also supports RAW format heightmaps using a JSON sidecar file. For more information, see Landscape Technical Guide.

Importing a Custom Heightmap

Imported Heightmaps can be used when creating a landscape or applied to an existing landscape using the Import tool. Unreal Engine also supports large world creation using World Partition and the ability to import tiled heightmaps.

Import Heightmap for New Landscape

To import a heightmap during landscape creation:

Settings menu for importing a heightmap on to a new landscape.

1. Enter Landscape mode.
2. Click Import from File. If using World Partition, adjust the following additional settings.
   1. Adjust the World Partition Grid Size.
   2. Adjust the World Partition Region Size.
3. Click the button next to Heightmap File and select your heightmap.
   1. If your heightmap is tiled, Unreal asks if you would like to use the tiled image path.
   2. Click Yes to continue.
4. Calculate the Z scale for your heightmap.
   1. The Z scale equation is (Max height of your heightmap in meters) x (100 to convert to centimeters) x 0.001953125. For more information on calculating Z scale, see Landscape Technical Guide.

   You may be required to adjust the X and Y scale of your heightmap based on the application used to generate it. Refer to the application's documentation for details.

5. Click Import.

Import Heightmap for Existing Landscape

To import a heightmap onto an existing landscape:

Settings menu for importing a heightmap on to an exisiting landscape.

1. Enter Landscape mode.
2. In Manage mode, click the Import tool.
3. Click the button next to Heightmap File and select your heightmap.
   1. If your heightmap is tiled, Unreal will ask if you would like to use the tiled image path.
   2. Click Yes to continue.
4. Adjust the settings as needed. For more information, see Landscape Import Settings.
5. Adjust the Import Type. If you are using World Partition, select Subregion.
6. Adjust the Mode option to All.
7. Click Import.

Landscape Import Settings

Import Settings - New Landscape

Import Settings - Existing Landscape

Exporting a Heightmap

Unreal Engine can export your heightmap file as a 16-bit grayscale .png or a 16-bit grayscale .r16 file with a variety of supported options.

Export Heightmap

To export your heightmap:

Settings menu for exporting a heightmap on from an exisiting landscape.

1. Enter Landscape mode.
2. In Manage mode, click the Import tool.
3. Click Export.
4. Click the checkbox button next to Heightmap File and then click the button next to the text box to select your heightmap.
5. Name your file and select the Save as type. Once done, click the Save button.
6. Adjust the settings as needed. For more information, see Landscape Export Settings.
7. Click Export.

Landscape Export Settings