Here's another link to some nice images out of UE4 (4.5):
https://forums.unrealengine.com/showthread.php?50142-Lighthouse-Shore-Environment-ArtWorld Machine and Speedtree are primary tools to create content in UE4 these days; WM was used to create the terrain in the Open World of the 'Kite Demo', and Speedtree's integration is further enhanced with new population tools in UE4.8.
http://blog.speedtree.com/2015/06/unreal-4-8-adds-new-foliage-features/One wonders if TG might serve as an additional source of content?
With Alembic support coming for UE4 (4.9 supposedly)
https://trello.com/b/gHooNW9I/ue4-roadmapThis would open all sorts of opportunities:
http://blog.kiteandlightning.la/download-insurgent-vr-shatter/ (check out the 'Divergent' video). The coders stated:
Alembic Cache Playback" To create a fast content production workflow, we also wrote an alembic cache plugin that allows you to playback Alembic files in UE4. This allows us to import vertex cache animation such as water simulations or rigid motion animation..."
It will be hard to imagine a future where 'traditional' landscape software such as Vue and TG are going to compete with solutions such as UE, Unity, etc. The ability to utilize the diverse formats and real time rendering with the plethora of tools available (and planned), plus the large budgets and staffs that promise to be available for these applications makes competition unlikely. Plus it's free. Already the populator tool in UE4 offers per instance editing and multiple plant (or whatever) per population.
https://docs.unrealengine.com/latest/INT/Engine/Foliage/index.htmlMost of us here have made a fair commitment in time and resources to using TG as our primary landscape tool. Whether TG can continue in that role will be an individual consideration. However, as an additional tool for content creation in a more robust platform , TG can potentially enjoy a strong niche in coming times. What Planetside envisions is important, hopefully the TG roadmap is taking the possible options presented by UE and it's competitors into account.
No disrespect, just my Friday morning rant.