Mirage 2 released!
Hello fellow Blenderheads. I’m happy to announce Mirage 2 is finally out! This new version comes packed with new features and changes.
It’s taken a lot longer than I hoped, with more than a few bumps along the way. I hit most of the targets for this version, except for Hydraulic Erosion which I’m moving to the future (maybe to 4.0). I ended up adding things that weren’t planned as well, like the new terrain algorithm, thermal erosion or the new slopes feature.
Read on for a short list of what’s new.
Better terrains
Mirage now uses a more realistic terrain algorithm (slightly faster too!). You can now choose a custom detail level to fine tune the vertex count on generated terrains. Not only it’s new, it also includes support for Plateaus, and two new settings: Alpine and Deformation. You’ll also be pleased to know that seed values can go up to 2 billion now. That’s 2 billion different base terrains to play with.
…and new terrain features
Terrain Features are new optional effects that can applied to terrains. Mirage 2 includes three features, with more to come in the future.
- Thermal Erosion
- Strata (layered terrain)
- Slopes (gradually decrease height of terrain)
Presets
Mirage can now use presets to save and reload settings. You can export presets as json files and share them with your friends. Also includes 10 built-in presets, so you can start making cool terrains right away.
More bling
Buttons and settings are now properly grouped in the ui. Inputs use real world measure units whenever possible, and all settings now use integer values between 0–10 or 0–5 (so much easier to tweak). The documentation got a new coat of paint too. All sections are now easier to understand and include better pictures. There’s also a new “cookbook” section with recipes for different terrains.
There’s even more new stuff!
New preview selector for heightmaps and new panel for heightmap-based terrains. Export vertex groups to images, Export terrain as data, and more! Check the changelog for the full list