What is the most efficient way to make a large smooth terrain map?

[Coratite (sydney)]

I am working on a survival game, and I want to make a smooth terrain map because it is easy and fast and looks good. What is the best way to make a large map (around 5k studs at the longest distance) out of smooth terrain without causing server lag or making it take a long time to join?

EDIT: I think some of you misunderstood, I know how to build with smooth terrain, I just need to know how to make my game’s servers not lag. Thank you for the help, though! Also, does anyone know a way around the broken regions tool?
Okay now it is on attempt 82 on waiting for available server someone please help

[Foxzes (Joshua)]

It’s possible to create your own map generation script, if you’d want to take that route.

I’d definitely recommend a brick to terrain plugin, though, definitely helpful if you’re doing it manually

See this or this which I’m pretty sure games like Jailbreak have used

[sloss2003]

I use a program named EarthSculptor and once I am done I transform it into a height map, after that I use node.js to turn the PNG into X,Y, ColorR [because you don’t need all three colors for a height map, it is black-white]. Then I have a script that turns the JSON into smooth terrain!
If you want my code just reply and I’ll post it!

[joesmaller_xyz (joesmaller)]

I made a plugin earlier this year to convert heightmaps/colourmaps into terrain, it’s pretty rough around the edges, but it seems to do it’s job. Just DM me if you need any assistance.

Heightmaster - A way to convert heightmaps and texturemaps into terrain

Some time ago in the past, I had created a very rudimentary heightmap importer plugin, however, it never really produced any kind of terrain that I would deem ‘good’. As such, I never released it to the public, but after some time rewriting the whole thing, I’ve decided now would be a good time to release it publicly. Introducing Heightmaster, a way to convert heightmaps with a texture map into terrain. It allows you to generate a heightmap in a program like World Machine, along with a texture …

[HappyS0ngss]

Just make sure you do not fill the inside of the map with terrain, that the surface is as thin as possible and that you don’t fill large areas with water.

[Foxzes (Joshua)]

Hopping onto this thread since it’s relevant, but what’s the pros/cons of triangular terrain vs smooth?

[Resyuk56_YT (Raspberry)]

About the broken regions tool, It happened to me, and I found someone that did solve it (that worked for me) you can check this out, and you will probably see someone called “General_Scripter”, he actually made it work for me, hope it helps you as well

[ReplacedLetter]

Both Triangular Terrain and Smooth Terrain are really good. They both have their ups and downs for specific situations.

Triangular Terrain

Pros

• Good for cartoon styled games.

Can’t think of any more “Pros”.

Cons

• Can leave ugly gaps between parts on hills. (Which can be fixed using GapFill but that takes extra time.
  
  
• It is old school.

Smooth Terrain

Pros

• Is in style/more modern.
• Will constantly be updated making it easier and better to use.
• A lot more optimized for ROBLOX.
• Perfect for realistic styled games.

Cons

• Can take a lot of practice to get good at.
• If done wrong, can lag game.

At the end of the day, it is really a personal preference. Newer ROBLOX games are using smooth terrain because generally looks better. ROBLOX is constantly evolving and become less parts and more meshes and non-geometric objects. If you pick Smooth Terrain you will be following the current trend, if you go with Triangular Terrain you will be going old school. Both can look amazing but both can be just as terrible.

Hope this helped you out! Happy Developing!

[WindingTheRopes (winding)]

If your map is very large, check Streaming Enabled in the Workspace properties.