Tree Modeling with Forester Pro

[Rastar]

Don't know if that's been mentioned here before, but I just stumbled across a very nice tree generator, Forester Pro (http://www.hptware.co.uk/forester.htm). You start from tree templates (you can create custom ones as well) and change/randomize several parameters to create new tree variants. It really has a lot of functionality and costs just $20 for an indie license (there is a lite version for non-comercial purposes as well).

[cassius]

Thanks Rastar. Very nice.

[Michael Betke]

Hmm not very convinced about it but for 20 bucks a good catch.

Doesn't Blender have a good parametric tree plugin?

[Rastar]

Well, I'm not much of a Blender artist myself, however a quick search gave three interesting Blender add-ons:

 

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Curve/Sapling_Tree#Instructions

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Extensions:2.6/Py/Scripts/Curve/Ivy_Gen

http://blenderthings.blogspot.nl/p/the-spacetree-blender-add-on.html

 

I would definitely agree that those forester trees don't match the quality of your work, for example (got a few in my collection...), but I thought for someone like me who isn't too much into modeling it is a nice way to quickly generate a variety of acceptable models.

[tournamentdan]

The sapling add on in blender works well but, not very good for games or close up for a video render. It generates a good bit of polys. Mainly in the leaves. That is not so bad because you could easily randomly select the leaf planes and delete two thirds of the planes created (for games). Then scale the rest (planes) larger.However, when the planes are generated they are not generated compared to the origin of the branch. Meaning if you plan to use only a few textures for the leaf planes, they will not all be facing the correct way. Many will have to be rotated. I would use the Sapling add on for games or cut scenes, but I would model my own leaf planes.

[shadmar]

SnappyTree:

https://developer.cdn.mozilla.net/media/uploads/demos/s/u/supereggbert/8da64348bcea91221c37f6521923487d/snappytree_1340441920_demo_package/index.html

[tjheldna]

Tree[d]

 

http://www.frecle.net/index.php?show=treed.about

[YouGroove]

Tree(d) is good for trunck and branches only. It's useless for real time games because it generate polygons for each leaves of the tree.

 

SnappyTree, looks great, but the export fails, i tried twi times already, Blender or 3D coat importing the obj model, the scene is empty.

 

 

Just tested Forester : Thanks Rastar that's a great tool for cheap price ot make trees fast and good.

Here is the imported tree on another real time visualisation program :

 

Good :

+ Lot of parameters you control : from cylinder shapes, to deformation parameters etc ...

+ Lot of templates and different trees possible

+ Export to FBX works great on 3D engine supporting groups and different shader per group (diff and alpha)

+ Leaves are a group of leaves in one texture , that is what is needed for real time games

+ Makes LOD for you what is amazing (but not tested yet)

+ Cheap price.

Bad :

- interface is not super responsive, there are delays before popups appear or shutdown

 

It's a really good tool for trees, ot make them good enought, fast even for non 3D artists.

[Marleys Ghost]

Tree(d) is good for trunck and branches only. It's useless for real time games because it generate polygons for each leaves of the tree.

 

Well, tree[d] will "generate polygons for each leaves of the tree", unless you turn that default off and enable either Cross Vert/Horiz Geometry (or both) in the "branch" settings.

[tjheldna]

What I do with tree[d] is create very large leaves and fewer of them and apply the branch texture.

 

To create branches I create a tree in tree[d] and render it out as a branch.

[Pancakes]

Hmm not very convinced about it but for 20 bucks a good catch.

Doesn't Blender have a good parametric tree plugin?

 

I tried to say this myself but that day my connection cut itself off just as I pressed post. Thanks for saying it in my stead *hi five =)

[Marleys Ghost]

What I do with tree[d] is create very large leaves and fewer of them and apply the branch texture.

 

To create branches I create a tree in tree[d] and render it out as a branch.

 

Precisely, you can drop your own textures into the texture folder (also plenty of free branch textures on the web) and then using Cross Vert/Horiz Geometry and not individual leaves to get good results with a low poly count.