Dear Terragen Community,
After some 12 years working with Planetside - and more than 20 years as part of the wonderful community that surrounds it - I have made the difficult decision to move on from my role at Planetside Software. I have been given an opportunity working in a family business in the real estate industry that I can't pass up, and it also feels like time for a change after so long. So my time with Planetside will come to an end at the conclusion of this month, January, 2020. But Terragen and Planetside have become a huge part of my daily life and I will certainly miss that, and all of you!
My journey with Terragen began in the late '90s as merely an enthusiastic user of the software. I had been dabbling in Bryce and Vista Pro before that, but the realism of Terragen is what really hooked me. And as I invested myself more and more in the software, I began to help others, write tutorials, share files, etc., just as many do here today. At some point I got in touch with Matt and he eventually offered to bring me on to the beta test team for an upcoming version of Terragen 0.8x (now called Terragen Classic). We remained in touch and one day he started showing me his new, big project, "TGD", which would become the basis for Terragen 2 and beyond. I began paid work for him not too long after that and my position developed into full-time over the following couple of years.
Through my time here I have learned and grown so much. I have had the opportunity to support and connect with numerous talented artists, people from all over the world, enthusiastic hobbyists and VFX industry professionals alike. I have been ushered into an amazing world behind the scenes of the computer graphics and visual effects industry, with several SIGGRAPH conferences under my belt now (thanks to Matt and Planetside), and multiple visits to VFX studios along the West Coast. I have made friends in this community and the industry as a whole, and am proud to have been some small part of multiple amazing productions, including planetarium shows, films, TV shows, and more.
I am grateful to Matt for the opportunity that led to all of these great things. There have been ups and downs and challenges along the way, like any small (or, indeed, large) business. But I undoubtedly have come away from my time here a better, more rounded person, with memories and experiences I will always cherish.
Computer graphics remains a passion of mine, and realistic landscapes in particular. I plan to take a break from things here while I refocus on my new career direction. But I hope very much to find the time to return in the future as a fellow artist, and I hope even more that the community thrives and grows in the meantime. I wish Matt, Terragen, and all of you the very best!
Sincerely,
Oshyan Greene