Hey all!

Today, I’m excited to dive into the latest update of an Advanced PCG Forest system that introduces some major performance improvements, denser foliage, and some nice new features!

State of the Advanced PCG Forest

First up, we’ve significantly optimized the forest generation process. One of the key goals for this update was to ensure the system could handle more trees and foliage without sacrificing performance. This is crucial for larger, more complex landscapes, especially for those of you targeting open-world games or multiplayer survival environments.

We’ve reworked how the system processes foliage generation, so you can now enjoy more densely packed forests with various layers of foliage—from towering trees down to tiny interactive objects like sticks, mushrooms, and rocks—while maintaining a smooth experience.

What really makes the forest come alive in this new version is the visual detail we’ve added. We’ve introduced Pixel Depth Offset (PDO) for roots and other objects that interact with the ground. 

On top of that, we’ve enabled subsurface scattering on foliage, which lets light pass through leaves in a way that mimics real-world translucency. This detail brings an extra layer of realism, particularly when the light hits leaves from behind, making the forest feel more vibrant and immersive.

What’s Next?

We will plan to experiment with PCG splines to help create roads or natural paths winding through the forest. We’re always looking for feedback to make the system better! Feel free to drop any ideas or thoughts in the comments or reach out on Discord.

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Next week, we will take a look at some updated progress regarding Cave/Dungeon Generation!

With kind regards,

Eric Ruts