The PCG Biome Core and Sample Plugins are examples of how to use the PCG Framework. This page provides definitions for many of the terms used in the documentation for this project.
Glossary
Biome Core
Data-driven biome creation tool built with a systemic approach providing a fixed pipeline organized in logical sections with customizable steps. The PCG Biome Core plugin contains a collection of PCG Graphs and subgraphs used to procedurally generate Biomes.
Biome Sample
The PCG Biome Sample plugin contains a level, data assets and custom PCG graphs used to showcase procedural biome generation using Biome Core.
Biome Actors
Blueprint actors available with the Biome Core used to set up biomes in a world. This includes Biome Volumes/Splines and Biome Setups actors.
Biome
A volume in space defined by a Biome Definition and a list of Biome Assets.
Generator
A data asset holding a Type, Priority and Generator Graph properties, referred to by Biome Assets entries.
Generator Graph
PCG Graph producing root points used for placing assets in the world.
Biome Assets
A data asset containing asset properties to be spawned by Biome Core.
Biome Cache
3D Point Grid Structure used to store the biomes in the world.
Filters
A list of filter graphs.
Filter Graph
PCG Graph processing points and writing to a defined filter attribute from its logic or texture projection.
Transform Graph
PCG Graph taking points from a generator or parent transformed points to alter their properties. Used for child points generation and placement.
Injected Data
External data injected at different stages of the Biome Core to exclude or add points. Divided in different types based on their entry point within the pipeline: Exclusions, Typed, Specific, Custom biome data.
Partitioning
Subdivide the volume and processing into a grid to speed up local updates and divide outputs into separate actors that can be streamed in individually.
Hierarchical Generation
Subdivides the volume and processing into multiple grids of different size at which parts of a PCG graph executes. Hierarchical Generation speeds up local updates by distributing computing at different grid sizes and outputs data into separate actors that can be streamed in individually. For more information, see Using PCG Generation Modes.
Runtime Hierarchical Generation**
Generate at runtime grid cells based on streaming source or PCG generation source components using the generation radius of each grid size configured in the PCG Graph. Uses the same multi-level grid size approach as the Hierarchical Generation. For more information, see Using PCG Generation Modes.
Biome Core Runtime
Biome Core Runtime is a separate PCG Component and Graph, used for runtime generation of detailed assets around the camera.
Runtime Assets
A data asset containing properties of assets to be spawned by Biome Core Runtime.
Assembly
PCG Data Asset, a PCG point data, created and exported from all static meshes and instanced static meshes found in a level using the Asset Action > Create PCG Assets from Level(s).
Assets Options
Assets options are sub-categories of properties made from separate structures. Default assets options are:
- Debug Options
- Asset Options
- Mesh Options
- Assembly Options
- Filter Options
- Runtime Options
Global parameters
Biome Core graph parameters impacting its global behavior. Includes filter graphs, debug cache display, biome blending range and optional biome map projection.
Root Points
All points provided by the generators and their graphs.
Child Points
All points created from the recursive transform step to spawn child assets.