Terragen 2 Resources
Products for Terragen 2
The following vendors provide products that are compatible with Terragen 2, including object files in supported formats, Terragen 2 clip and scene files, terrain files, and more.
Developers of Xfrog organic modeling software and high quality plant models. Now available in native TGO format.
A group of highly skilled Terragen 2 artists who provide top quality Terragen 2 products of all kinds, from cloud presets to terrain textures to special effects to plant models.
An open community of Terragen 2 merchants. Provides an ever-growing spectrum of Terragen 2 products from shader clip files to objects to complete scenes and more. Anyone can register and sell their products quickly and easily.
Professional Resources
These utilities, websites, and services are of particular interest to the professional artist.
Render Farms
We are partnered with Ranch Computing to offer affordable, high-performance Terragen 2 rendering services.
Ranch Computing Terragen 2 Render Services
Render Managers
Tools for managing the distribution of renders on multiple render nodes. Terragen 2 has commandline rendering functionality which can be used with many 3rd party render managers.
Prime Focus Software's Deadline
3D Studio MAX integration
Emecstudios' 3DS Max Plugin - A 3D Studio MAX plugin that allows you to share lights, cameras and objects with Terragen 2.
Import/Export Support
AtomSplitter from cmiVFX (Win / Mac / Linux) - An application to facilitate data exchange between Terragen 2 and Nuke via the Nuke .CHAN format.
3rd party applications
The following applications are written by 3rd parties and help to make Terragen features more accessible or add additional capabilities.
Terrain utilities
GeoControl ( Win ) - GeoControl introduces the Dynamic Level Generation (DLG) method for terrain generation. This gives fine control over the terrain generation process. The brush, which is based on DLG, not only manipulates the entire terrain but creates new terrains which fit seamlessly into the existing one. GeoControl also offers layer based terrain combination, a wide range of filters, and powerful and realistic erosion. It imports and exports many formats, including Terragen terrain files.
Global Mapper ( Win ) - Global Mapper from Global Mapper Software LLCis a 3D GIS (Geographical Information System) mapping application with GPS tracking that can read many common GIS file types (including DEMs). It can export Terragen terrains.
LandSerf ( Win / Mac ) - LandSerf is a freely available Java based GIS (Geographical Information System) application. It can import many common GIS file types ( including DEMs of various sorts ) and perform many GIS operations. Amongst other things, it can export Terragen terrain files.
3DEM ( Win ) - program for the display and manipulation of DEM files. It can export Terragen terrain files. 3DEM is no longer supported by the developer, but is still available for download, and useful for older DEM formats.
GeoFrac 2000 ( Win ) - GeoFrac 2000 is a terrain generation application with a range of capabilities, which is able to export Terragen terrain files.
Leveller ( Win ) - Heightfield editor/modeller/converter by Daylon Graphics. It can import and export Terragen terrain files.
Terrify & Terrain Browser ( Win ) - Terrify can be used to convert Terragen terrain files to RAW or Windows BMP formats. Terrain Browser displays a thumbnail view of Terragen terrain files. Visit the "Delphi Programs" page to download.
Wilbur ( Win ) - program for manipulating and converting heighfield data in a variety of formats including Terragen terrain.
TerraPainter ( Win ) - TerraPainter is a terrain editor which lets you create Terragen terrains by painting with a variety of brushes.
World Machine ( Win ) - World Machine is a terrain generator with quite a unique approach, you connect together various "building blocks" to generate the terrain. It has some excellent erosion filters which make for realistic terrains. It can save to several formats, including Terragen terrain files.
Landformer Pro ( Win ) - Landformer Pro is a standalone version of the terrain editor from Geomantics' Genesis II GIS program, and it uses Terragen's terrain file format as it's native format. It will be particularly useful to those wanting to use real world data and do things such as turning contour maps into Terragen terrains.
DEM2RWX ( Win ) - DEM2RWX can import Terragen terrain files and convert them into terrain objects which can be used with the Active Worlds 3D virtual reality/chat environment.
TerraMaker ( Win ) - TerraMaker is a terrain editor for Terragen terrains with a wide range of capabilities and interesting tools.
planetGenesis ( Win / Mac ) - planetGenesis is an opensource Java based planet and landscape generator. Amongst other formats, it can generate Terragen terrains at all sizes.
TerraConv ( Win ) - TerraConv is a freeware program for converting Terragen terrains into image file formats readable by image editing programs and image files back into Terragen terrains. TerraConv supports 16 bit color depth so you do not lose any altitude resolution in the process.
Community
Terragen has a strong user community, which you are more than welcome to take part in.
Forums
This is a listing of web forum based Terragen communities.
Terragen.org and the Ashundar Terragen Community
Contests
A number of Terragen contests are run, most on a monthly basis. Most of the contests maintain archives, and it's well worth browsing through them to get an idea of the range and ability of Terragen and it's users. There are some spectacular images from past contests.
TERRA-Worlds - TERRA-Worlds is a monthly contest.
Terragen.org and the Ashundar Terragen Community - Ashundar runs a monthly Terragen contest.
Renderosity Terragen forum - The Terragen forum at Renderosity has a themed monthly challenge competition. You need to register with Renderosity ( free ) to view the forum.
Other resources
Websites
These websites have good listings of Terragen and related resources, such as tutorials, links to real world terrain resources and the like.
Terragen.org and the Ashundar Terragen Community
Terrain resources
You may find some of the following links useful if you want to use external data within Terragen. Remember, Terragen can import raw binary data as terrain. Most paint programs can export images in raw format.
DEM2TGA - small utility for converting USGS DEM files to TGA images.
If you have a resource which you think would be a useful addition to this page, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a link and some information about the resource.
Testimonials
Going into TRON:Legacy I had experience supervising shows requiring a lot of atmospheric work so I wasn't particularly concerned about that aspect. The deeper we got into the show however the more and more demanding the work became. Tron:Legacy was a show on a different level, and it required solutions and results both artistically and technically on a different level. Terragen delivered! With it artists filled the "grid" with heavily art directed and detailed cloudscapes. And you couldn't rely on any "tricks" because this was a stereo show that demanded a completely immersive experience.
I think its would be a crime to only mention the software and not the designer and programmer behind it, Matt Fairclough provided to us unbelieveable support, custom coding, retooling, and improving aspects to the software allowing the art direction that was needed. I will never hesitate to recommend Matt and his software to anyone needing "world building". I dare you to try it, you will not be disappointed!
Chris Harvey, VFX Supervisor - Prime Focus
Support
Have your questions answered by the Planetside team and other Terragen users in our online forums. Planetside Forums