In True-Terrain v5.0.0.42, we focused on improving performance, polishing the preferences system, and laying the groundwork for upcoming asset pack support.

We introduced the first step of our new asset system with multi-pack importing—you can now select and import multiple .tt_pack files at once. While official packs are still on the way, this update gets everything ready for when they drop.

To give you better visibility, we added version info to the panel, so you always know what you're working with. We also switched the default icon format to .webp, which offers smaller file sizes and alpha support. Icons are now optimized during import or when loading from previous installs, helping reduce load times and improve general performance. You’ll also now see the actual icon paths listed in the preferences, giving you more transparency over file management.

We aligned the Author tag to True-VFX standards, and made a bunch of small quality-of-life tweaks across the Preferences, including improvements to how the remove functions behave—so they now match what you'd naturally expect. On top of that, both Make Local and Load From Previous are now multi-threaded, which means faster performance when bringing in assets or preparing files. We even refined the progress bars to better reflect what’s happening under the hood.

Several bugs were fixed too. We stopped accidental overwrites of previews that caused ResourceWarning messages on unregistering, and we now show enum descriptions properly when adding layers or modifiers, giving you better feedback. We also resolved issues around image resizing, missing names on new items in preferences, broken folder paths when adding new icons, and misbehavior when moving active items up or down in the Preferences.

Finally, heightmap icons generated during import are now properly converted, so everything looks and loads the way it should.

This update sets the stage for future content packs, speeds things up across the board, and makes the preferences experience more predictable and user-friendly.

• Import Packs: Can select multiple .tt_pack files for importing (packs to come later)

We fixed some... Oopsies!

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.40, we introduced a powerful new blending tool and continued refining the system for a more intuitive and streamlined experience.

The highlight of this release is the new Layer Range Mask, which lets you use height data from either the current or previous layers to control how the current layer blends with the next one. This gives you precise control over where a layer appears, while preserving the underlying terrain detail.

Within the Layer Range Mask, you can choose between using the current or previous layer's height data, and clamp the influence between specific value ranges using the new From Min, From Max, To Min, and To Max controls. You can also make these ranges relative to the minimum and maximum values of the source layer, which makes it much easier to remap the full height range with minimal effort. At a value of 0.0, the mask uses the previous layer; at 1.0, it uses the current one—giving you smooth, intuitive control.

To support this new system, we renamed the "Data" tab in the terrain settings to "Layer", and improved the tab descriptions throughout to better explain what each one is for. We also moved the tweaking and blending settings into the new Layer Range Mask, keeping everything tied to blending in one place for better clarity.

To clean up the UI, math options in the Blending tab will now only show if "Use Math" is enabled, and we filled in some missing features—Invert and Add settings are now available for the Zero Edge Border mask, and its default values now better reflect the default 1000m terrain size.

We also tackled a few fixes: no more ‘WARN’ messages at startup, and we added the missing “Use Ridges” setting in the Valley Mask presets, along with proper descriptions for those settings so you always know what you're working with.

This update gives you smarter blending, cleaner UI organization, and a more robust toolkit for layering your terrain exactly the way you want it.

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• Layer Range Mask: Use the height data from the current layer or the previous layers to blend the current layer with the next layer. This is useful for putting the current layer at specific places while keeping underlying details.
• Previous Layer | Current Layer: Choose to use the height data from the previous layer or the current layer as the source for this mask.
• Clamp: Clamp the values to the To Min and To Max values.
• From Min | From Max: The range of values to use from the source layer.
• Use Min | Use Max: Make the From Min and From Max values relative to the the minimum and maximum values from the source. The From Min and From Max values will then add to the minimum/maximum value. Good for easily getting the whole height range of the source layer into the To values.
• To Min | To Max: The range of values to map the from values to. 0.0 will result in the previous layers values, 1.0 will result in the current layers values.

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.39, we expanded the terrain system with powerful new modifiers, a handy gizmo, and a few key changes to improve clarity in the workflow.

Terrain Noise layers now have their own transform gizmo, just like Height Map layers! The difference is that this gizmo always resets to the center of the terrain object. This way, even if you move the noise layer around, you won’t lose track of the gizmo—perfect for keeping things manageable when working with large terrains.

We also introduced several new terrain modifiers. The Terrain Blur Mask Modifier, found in the Blending tab, allows you to blur the mask values from previous layers, helping you smooth transitions between effects. The Terrain Blur Modifier (under the Modifiers tab) lets you blur the geometry itself, with options to affect just the Z axis or all axes. And with the new Terrain Inflate/Deflate Modifier, you can expand terrain shapes for softer features or contract them to create sharper, more dramatic formations.

To better reflect the intended workflow, we changed the default tab in the sidebar to Geometry instead of Shader, since that’s usually where your terrain-building process begins.

We also reorganized how masks are handled. What used to be called “Masks” under the Modifiers tab are now properly placed in the Blending tab, since they’ve always influenced blending—not terrain shape. At the same time, we clarified the distinction between masks and mask modifiers for both shading and geometry. For example, "Remap Values" was moved to the "Mask Modifiers" section, as it modifies incoming mask data rather than functioning as a mask on its own.

To prevent unexpected results, we added a warning when attempting to bake shader maps on terrains that use geometry nodes, since those can generate geometry the baker can’t always see.

Finally, we corrected icons for several mask types, including Texture, Valley, and Remap Values, so your UI now better reflects what you’re working with.

This update gives you more control and flexibility over terrain shaping while continuing to refine the user experience and interface logic for a smoother workflow.

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• Terrain Noise layers now have a transform gizmo similar to Height Map layers! The only difference is that the gizmo resets to the center of the terrain object instead of staying with the layer. This is so that the gizmo doesn't get lost when you move the layer around as if you go exploring your gizmo may be quite far off the edge of the terrain unlike you would do with a height map layer.
• Terrain Blur Mask Modifier: Blurs values of the masks that came before. Found under the Blending tab.
• Terrain Modifiers: What once was going to be 'Filter's in the Modifiers tab now is just modifiers since 'Masks' are now over in the Blender tab.
• Terrain Blur Modifier: Blurs the terrain geometry. Can switch between blurring just the Z axis or all axes. Found under the Modifiers tab.
• Terrain Inflate/Deflate Modifier: Inflate the terrain geometry to create larger features or switch to 'Deflate' and create sharp features. Found under the Modifiers tab.

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.38, we brought back a key feature to improve visual detail and continued refining the update system and terrain workflow.

Height maps now automatically generate normal maps in the shader, giving your terrain extra surface detail and realism. When you add a height map layer, it’ll now include a corresponding normal map—and if you add a shader to a terrain that already has height maps, it’ll generate normal maps for those as well. These normal maps are also masked in line with their height map layers, so everything stays visually consistent.

We also improved the Install Update experience. Now when it finishes, you’ll get a popup prompting you to restart Blender, with buttons to do it right away or later—making the process clearer and more user-friendly. The installer now also targets the correct location more reliably, and if debug mode is on (which it is by default), you’ll see helpful info in the terminal to assist with troubleshooting if anything still goes wrong.

On the fix side, we resolved a bug where switching between textures could throw an error if the "from" texture had more quality levels than the "to" texture—especially when working at the highest level. That’s now fixed.

You can now create multiple terrain objects in the same scene, which gives you more flexibility in building complex environments. We also made sure that the auto zoom-out on terrain creation works even if the object is active but not selected, ensuring the viewport always frames your new terrain correctly.

Lastly, we fixed a bug where the strength of normal maps wasn’t being calculated properly, so now your terrain should display the intended level of bump and surface detail every time.

This update brings visual fidelity improvements and workflow polish to help you move faster and create with more precision.

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• Added back in height maps as normal maps in the shader.
  • Now when you add in a height map layer it will also add in a normal map if you have a shader on the terrain.
  • Adding a shader to the terrain should add in all height maps currently on the terrain.
  • Normal maps should be masked similarly to their respective height map layers.

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.37, we focused on cleanup, refinement, and prepping the system for better long-term stability—especially around height maps and masking.

We removed several outdated settings from True-Terrain 4.x, including unnecessary height map preferences and the rarely used option to import settings based on image names. To improve clarity, we renamed the "Amount" setting under height maps to "Height Multiplier", making it more intuitive for you to adjust elevation strength.

A notable addition is the new option for parallel importing and converting entire directories of height maps, helping you work faster when bringing in large batches. You’ll find this toggle in the sidebar when selecting a folder to import.

We also made a deliberate choice to remove the Paint Mask option from terrain layers. Since Blender doesn’t currently support painting directly onto geometry nodes-based terrain, this feature wasn’t working as expected. We’ll revisit it once Blender adds attribute painting or similar functionality.

The tweaking system for layer blending has been improved, with a smarter combining algorithm. We flipped the "Previous" and "Current" tweak controls in the UI—now "Tweak Current" is the one you should adjust first, as it directly influences how "Tweak Previous" behaves. This change gives you more predictable and useful results when blending layers.

We also updated the Zero Edge Border (ZEB) mask shape defaults to better match the default terrain size of 1000m, and we tweaked some of the rounding algorithms for more consistent edge behavior. The randomize amount in ZEB masks now scales properly with radius and other settings, giving you better results when shaping terrain edges.

On the bug-fix front, we resolved an issue where converting EXR height maps into icons resulted in black previews, and we fixed problems with removing layers or modifiers that didn’t always work. We also addressed a bug where moving terrain layers up or down caused the terrain to disappear, and made layer visibility more reliable so what you see in the viewport now accurately reflects what’s active.

This update helps tighten the system, streamline the experience, and remove features that weren’t fully usable yet—making things cleaner and more stable for you moving forward.

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In True-Terrain v5.0.0.36, we gave you more control over your terrain geometry and made some useful interface tweaks to improve clarity.

You can now set X and Y sizing separately when using the Density option in the Grid Settings under the Geometry tab. This gives you more flexibility when shaping the base resolution of your terrain.

We also added a new Viewport Amount option that lets you control viewport resolution as a fraction of your final render resolution, helping you balance performance and quality during scene setup. To keep things transparent, we now display the vertex count directly at the bottom of the Grid Settings panel, so you always know how dense your mesh is getting.

To reduce confusion, we hid options that sometimes appeared in Blender’s Redo panel (bottom left) after moving, adding, or removing layers and modifiers—they weren’t meant to be there and could lead to weird behavior.

Lastly, we fixed a bug introduced in the last update where adding new terrain layers was broken. That’s now fully resolved so you can get back to building terrains without interruption.

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• When using `Density` option in `Grid Settings` of `Geometry` there's now an option to set the X and Y sizing separately
• Set the viewport resolution to fraction of the render resolution with `Viewport Amount` in `Grid Settings`
• Display vertex count for grid at the bottom of `Grid Settings`

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.35, we added a new quality-of-life feature and tackled a few important fixes to keep your workflow running smoothly.

We introduced a brand-new "Install Update" button in the Addon Preferences, located just below the assets path. This lets you update True-Terrain using the standard addon ZIP file, just like Blender’s built-in system—but without the usual issues Blender throws up. It’s a smarter, smoother way to keep your tools up to date.

We also fixed a bug where removing a mask layer after moving it, then adding a new one, would incorrectly reuse the removed layer’s data. That’s now been cleaned up.

Settings with descriptions can now be animated again, thanks to a refactor of the automatic description system that was previously blocking animation support.

Lastly, we fixed an issue where Zero Edge Border (ZEB) wasn't taking the shader layer's transform data into account for position and shape edge types, ensuring more accurate and expected results when using ZEB in layered setups.

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• Install Update.
  • This button in the Addon Preferences underneath the assets path will take the same addon zip that Blender's install addon does but it intelligently ignores the stuff Blender freaks out about.

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.34, we made several improvements to usability, performance, and clarity across the system.

When you create a new terrain, we now automatically set up the scene’s clip start and end values and zoom out the view, so you’re instantly ready to start working without manual adjustments.

We made a number of updates to the Zero Edge Border (ZEB) system. We fixed an issue where it was trying to connect to a non-existent socket, and cleaned up the UI by hiding randomize settings when they're not relevant—either based on split state or edge type. We also refined the randomization behavior per edge and improved falloff handling to bring it in line with other masks.

Z values are now hidden in settings where they aren't used, helping declutter the interface. In the Blending section, we renamed "From Min" and "From Max" to "Tweak Previous" and "Tweak Current" to better reflect what they do. If you're using an older file, those tweak values won’t have limits. But for new setups, we now limit the values between 0 and 1 by default, with intelligent starting points to give you smoother transitions. You can still type in values outside the range if needed.

On the performance side, we refactored our geometry node setup to dramatically improve speed. You’ll now see Normal Mask running up to 4.7x faster, Slope Mask around 4.2x faster, and Valley Mask an impressive 13.3x faster. These changes should make your workflows feel noticeably snappier, especially on complex terrains.

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In True-Terrain v5.0.0.33, we tied up a few loose ends from the previous update. Some filters were still missing from the side panel in v32, but we've fixed that—all filters should now show up correctly. We also fixed an issue where the Anti-Tile seed was incorrectly being influenced by the edge blur setting, so you’ll now get proper variation without unexpected behavior.

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In True-Terrain v5.0.0.32, we fixed a couple of UI issues that were getting in the way of your workflow. Filters in the Shader tab weren’t appearing properly, making it difficult to add them in—but that’s now resolved. We also fixed missing UIs for some filters, so everything should now display as expected and let you get back to building without interruption.

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In True-Terrain v5.0.0.20, we also updated compatibility—the minimum supported Blender version is now 3.6, so you'll need that or newer to run this version.

We fixed a couple of core issues too. Zero Edge Border falloff now behaves correctly, giving you the clean edge transitions you expect. And the first layer in the Terrain System now properly accepts negative values, allowing for more flexibility when shaping your base terrain.

These updates ensure everything runs smoother and aligns better with how you expect the system to behave.

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We made a big overhaul to the Terrain layer system!

Terrain Layer System Update! Added whole system to generate terrain procedurally. You can mix heightmaps with procedural elements too! There's honestly too much new to list everything

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.20, we brought in a few powerful new tools to give you even more creative control and flexibility across your shader workflows.

We introduced Shader Presets, allowing you to quickly apply common setups across layers without starting from scratch every time. It’s a huge time-saver when building out complex materials.

We also added the Remap Values modifier, which lets you constrain mask values between specific ranges—perfect for when you need cleaner, more controlled inputs for things like filters or transitions.

You can now apply a normal map to the entire material, which is especially useful when working with large-scale terrains like height maps and want to give the full material a unified sense of depth and surface detail.

Another addition is the new Subdivision Panel, giving you easy access to geometry subdivision settings right from within the True-Terrain interface.

We made a few UX changes too. Shader setting tabs no longer jump around when switching layers, making it easier to stay focused on what you're editing. We also refined Paint Mask behavior—randomization and falloff are now more predictable, and falloff will now always extend into black areas during previewing, even when inverted, giving you clearer visual feedback.

To help with clarity, we renamed Shader Layer "Factor" to "Opacity", better reflecting what it does and making it easier for you to understand at a glance.

Lastly, we fixed a couple of lingering issues. Muted layers and modifiers now properly reflect the stack beneath them, and we resolved some bugs with the Random Bake operator to make baking more reliable overall.

This update is all about giving you smarter tools, clearer controls, and a smoother workflow across the board.

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• Shader Presets
• Remap Values modifier. Ensure mask values are between specific values (useful for filter input masks)
• Whole material normal map. Add in a normal map for the whole terrain itself (for things like Height Maps)
• Subdivision Panel

Here’s the changelog summary for True-Terrain v5.0.0.18, written in your preferred format:

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.18, we’ve introduced a number of improvements to give you more control and flexibility over your materials and assets.

We added new control over shader detail with the inclusion of "Details Strength" and "Details Depth" inside each shader layer’s Material Settings. This gives you better precision when tweaking material appearance directly within your layers.

When adding a material, if we detect the default Blender material (Principled BSDF to Material Output), we now automatically clean it up for you—no more manual deletion needed.

Texture Masks can now use a UV Map instead of just position data, giving you a more traditional and predictable way to apply textures. Alongside this, both Texture Masks and Paint Masks now support attribute searches that occur after modifier evaluation, so you can use modifier-generated data in your masks more reliably.

We overhauled masking too. The new Paint Mask system replaces the old Attribute Mask, and it’s built for speed. You can quickly add a mask layer and start painting—either on vertex colors or directly onto images. This is a big step toward giving you more intuitive control when shaping your materials by hand.

In the addon preferences, we added "Remove All Assets of Type" and "Remove All Quality Levels" options to help you manage large libraries faster. The "Import From Previous" function now gives you an option to clear existing assets before import and shows a progress bar while doing so, so you’re never left guessing what's happening behind the scenes.

We’ve also made the default displacement behavior “Displacement Only” to match our new method's strengths. If you want to change that, there's now a panel option to do so—but we’re recommending this mode for best results.

The minus icon next to assets and quality level lists now completely removes the texture data and local files by default. If you'd rather keep the image files and just remove the True-Terrain data, simply Alt+click it instead.

We also stopped putting the assets folder inside the scripts directory by default, helping you keep things cleaner and more organized.

We tackled a number of fixes as well. Texture Masks now include a Scale Finesse setting, giving you better control over how masks scale. Anti-Tile now correctly shows its enabled state when copied and pasted, and UI inconsistencies with vector elements have been cleaned up. You’ll also find that creating new texture assets in preferences now works properly, and reordering textures in the preferences will now reflect correctly in the icon pickers within the 3D viewport.

All of this is aimed at giving you smoother, smarter control over your workflow—from materials to asset management—so you can focus more on creating and less on managing.

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• Details Strength and Details Depth settings now in the `Material Settings` of a shader layer
• If the default material (Principled BSDF connected to the Material Output) is detected on object when adding a material it will automatically remove it
• Texture Mask now has option of using a UV Map instead of position data
• Texture Mask (and Paint Mask) Added search for attributes that finds attributes after modifiers are calculated (evaluated)
• Remove all Assets of type and Remove All Quality Levels options in their respective dropdown menus in the addon prefs
• Import From Previous new option to clear existing assets before importing new ones plus progress bar for removing assets
• Paint Mask  - Replaces Attribute Mask  - Workflow designed around quickly adding a mask that you can paint on  - Allows for painting on Attributes (vertex colors) or and image (or using an existing image)

In True-Terrain v5.0.0.17, we streamlined the way you scale textures, groups, and procedurals. Instead of dealing with three separate axis controls, you now have a single, easy-to-use slider. For those times when you need more precision, we gave you a toggle that reveals the classic 3-axis setup along with Scale Finesse, so you can fine-tune things exactly how you like.

We also made group layer management more intuitive. Now, when you're organizing your layers, holding Alt while clicking "Move to Group" will move the selected layers out of a group and up a level. It gives you more flexibility and control when structuring complex layer setups.

To help you stay organized and work faster, we added a Favorites system. You can click the heart icon next to any shader to instantly add it to a new Favorites category. That heart turns red when it’s active, and you can Alt+click it to make Favorites your current working category. It’s our way of giving you quicker access to the shaders you use most.

We’ve also adjusted the UI so that the Shader tab is now the default view when you open Blender—until you’ve got content in the other tabs. Plus, we gave the “Move to Group” button its own unique icon to make navigation more clear.

Finally, we seriously upgraded shader previewing. You can now Alt+click to toggle between local and global previewing, and previews inside group layers actually work as expected. We fixed issues with modifier previews sticking around, and the UI now properly updates depending on what you're previewing. It’s all about giving you a smoother, smarter workflow from the moment you dive in.

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• In the transform panels of any texture, group, or procedural (that has one) the 3 axes scale has been replaced with just a single float slider for easier scaling.
  • A toggle has been added next to the scale slider to see the Scale Finesse or 3 axes scale version.
  • Scale Finesse is multiplied by the scale factor, so take that into account
• Holding Alt when clicking the Move Selected to Group button will now move the selected layers up a level, ie out of the group layer
• Favorites category.
  • There's now a heart to the right of the shader's name.
  • Clicking this will automatically put it in the Favorites category (will create if it doesn't exist already) and the heart will now be colored red for that and any other textures in the favorites category.
  • Clicking the heart when red will remove it from the favorites category.
  • Alt+Click the heart will make the Favorites category the active category

True-Terrain v5.0.0.16 focuses on fixing several key bugs. It resolves an issue where switching between procedural and texture modes in shader layers would break modifier functionality. The Shader Speed Up toggle was showing the wrong state and has been corrected. A potential fix has been added to address crashing that occurred during addon startup when loading procedural blends. Another fix ensures that changing the quality level on the bottom shader layer no longer disables its modifiers. Lastly, the addon update check has been moved to occur after everything has loaded, improving stability during startup.

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Makes import from previous more accessible

General fixes for the Early Access release

• More intuitive Copy/Paste shader layer system  
  • Removed the copy paste buttons from the shader layer box dropdown  
  • The copy now intuitively copies based upon context (active or selected layer(s))  
  • Paste brings up panel with paste options (Paste as new, paste to selected, paste settings, shader item (texture/procedural shader), etc)