More Terrain Experiments (Still Not Done, Probably Never Will Be)#
I once again dove back into terrain generation. More noise tuning, more parameter tweaking, more moments of “this looked better five minutes ago”. Slopes feel more natural now, transitions are smoother, and the terrain overall starts to resemble something you’d actually want to explore.
That said, texturing is still not 100% solved. Some blends still misbehave, certain angles expose seams, and the shader occasionally reminds me who’s really in charge. It’s one of those systems where everything is almost right which, as any developer knows, is the most annoying state possible.
Procedural Foliage: The World Gets Some Life#
The big milestone today: procedural foliage is officially in.
Grass now spawns dynamically across the terrain, reacting to slope, height, and surface type. Even without perfect texturing, this instantly makes the world feel alive. Empty hills turn into fields, flat areas become meadows, and suddenly scale and depth just work.
Bald Trees: A Seasonal Feature (Totally a Bug)#
Yes, the trees are currently completely leafless. No leaves. No needles. Just proud, naked branches stretching toward the sky.
This is a bug. A temporary one. Absolutely not a design choice.
Let’s just say YUMA currently exists in a strange season somewhere between late winter, early spring…
A Sky Worth Looking Up#
One thing that came together beautifully today: the sky.
Powered by an Unreal Engine 5.5 sky system plugin shizzle, one that Epic definitely knows the name of, even if I don’t, the atmosphere looks absolutely stunning. Dynamic lighting, clouds, sky colors, and mood shifts instantly elevate the entire scene.
Even when the terrain textures misbehave or the trees forget their leaves, the sky is looking triple A.
It’s Still a Bit Bare. And That’s Okay#
Right now, the world still looks a little karg. Sparse in places. Unfinished. But that’s expected at this stage, and honestly, it doesn’t worry me at all.
It’s Christmas season, I’ve got some time off, and that means long sessions of tinkering, experimenting, breaking things, and fixing them again. This is exactly the kind of phase where big visual leaps happen fast.
And yes, I’m genuinely hyped. Seeing grass grow, forests take shape (even bald ones), and the sky come alive makes it very clear where this is heading.
What’s Next#
Fixing texture blending properly
Giving the trees their leaves back (they’ve waited long enough)
Refining foliage density and biome rules
Filling the world so it feels less bare and more alive
YUMA is still rough around the edges, but the direction is clear. With some holiday time, a lot of trial and error, this world is going to come together.