How Do I Get Realistic Ground?/ And what are those transparent squares?

[GxMew]

At this point this is the best I can do is there a better way to create rock and dirt textures?...And also what is that grid looking thing? I pointed some of it out...I also posted the TGD in case it was one of my settings that caused it...

[Henry Blewer]

I make a surface layer called sand. The main surface layer has the primary color. Then I make a power fractal in the color function. This I make a darker color. I play with the noise until I am happy, then play with the color sliders. When It looks about right, I do a test render.
Now it's time to add fake stones. I begin with the smallest scale first. I use a surface layer to color and displace the fake stone surface. Now add more fake stone shaders until you reach the maximum scale you want. They can all use the first fake stone surface. Now adjust the density of the stones. Small stones can have higher density, maybe 0.45. The largest stones I leave the default density.
The flatness can be adjusted in the next tab of the fake stone shader. Increasing this makes the stone flatten. Remember to uncheck the Blend as Stone density at the bottom of each fake stone layer. This avoids exploding stones.

[Dune]

The grid is the underlying displacement of the terrain. You probably have 'large billows' (not personally meant). Try to change this into perlin and they'll disappear...

[Seth]

Now it's time to add fake stones. I begin with the smallest scale first. I use a surface layer to color and displace the fake stone surface. Now add more fake stone shaders until you reach the maximum scale you want. They can all use the first fake stone surface. Now adjust the density of the stones. Small stones can have higher density, maybe 0.45.

funny, I do the exact opposite way

[Henry Blewer]

Do the smallest fake stones cover the larger ones Seth? I'm just curious. I read somewhere that others, FrankB I think, use a merge function after adding fake stones.

[Seth]

I usually stack the sones from bigger scale to smaller ones . the little ones just adds some displacement to the bigerr ones. you can use the merge shader as Frank mentionned it too have some more precise look (I don't because I don't need to ^^)
you can still use some bigger stones as a mask for smaller to not have to spicky rocks.

[GxMew]

How do I make fake stones?

[Henry Blewer]

Under Add Layer/Displacement you will find the Fake Stones Shader. To start a power fractal will work for the color/input at the top of the layer input. Be sure you uncheck the Blend as Stone Density.