| name | landscape-auto-material |
| display_name | Landscape Auto-Material System |
| description | Create production-quality landscape materials with the master-material + material-function + material-instance paradigm, RVT, and auto-layering. Use when the user asks for an auto/procedural landscape material, slope/altitude/distance-based layer blending, Runtime Virtual Textures, biome configuration via instances, or layer material functions. For basic layer-blend materials load landscape-materials. |
| vibeue_classes | ["MaterialService","MaterialNodeService","LandscapeMaterialService","RuntimeVirtualTextureService"] |
| unreal_classes | ["MaterialExpressionMaterialFunctionCall","MaterialExpressionRuntimeVirtualTextureOutput","MaterialExpressionRuntimeVirtualTextureSample","RuntimeVirtualTexture","RuntimeVirtualTextureVolume","MaterialFunction","MaterialInstanceConstant","LandscapeLayerInfoObject","MaterialExpressionFunctionInput","MaterialExpressionFunctionOutput"] |
| keywords | ["auto material","auto layer","master material","material function","material instance","runtime virtual texture","RVT","altitude blend","slope blend","distance blend","biome","landscape material","layer function","production landscape workflow","parametric material","function input","function output","bulk parameters"] |
Landscape Auto-Material System Skill
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need production-quality landscape materials with:
- A master material → material instance workflow (artists change parameters, not graphs)
- Automatic layer blending by slope, altitude, or distance
- Material functions for reusable logic (layer sampling, color correction, etc.)
- Runtime Virtual Textures for scalable landscape rendering
- Biome configuration through material instances (swap textures/thresholds, same master)
For simple prototyping with 2-5 painted layers, load the landscape-materials skill instead (the engine's AgentSkillToolset GetSkills exposes it).
Architecture Overview
The Master Material Paradigm
Master Material (M_Landscape_Master)
├── Material Functions (reusable logic blocks)
│ ├── MF_AutoLayer ── auto-selects layers by altitude/slope
│ ├── MF_Slope_Blend ── slope mask (0=flat, 1=steep)
│ ├── MF_Altitude_Blend ── height mask (0=below, 1=above)
│ ├── MF_Layer_Grass ── per-layer texture sampling
│ ├── MF_Layer_Rock ── per-layer texture sampling
│ ├── MF_RVT ── Runtime Virtual Texture output
│ └── MF_Distance_Blend ── LOD transitions
├── Exposed Parameters (50+ scalar/vector/texture/switch)
└── Material Outputs (BaseColor, Normal, Roughness, WPO, RVT)
Material Instance (MI_Landscape_Biome_01)
├── Inherits master material graph
├── Overrides parameters only (no graph editing)
└── Different biomes = different instances of same master
Why this is better than manual graph building:
- Reusability: Material functions used across multiple masters
- Artist-friendly: Biome artists edit parameters in instances, never touch the graph
- Performance: Compiled once in master, instances are cheap
- Maintainability: Fix a function → all materials using it update
Critical Rules
🚨 Inspect Before Modifying Existing Materials or Functions
Before modifying an existing master material or material function, MUST export and review its current state:
import unreal, json
graph = json.loads(unreal.MaterialNodeService.export_material_graph("/Game/Materials/M_Landscape_Master"))
print(f"Expressions: {len(graph['expressions'])}, Connections: {len(graph['connections'])}")
for expr in graph['expressions']:
name = expr.get('parameter_name') or expr.get('function_path') or expr.get('class')
print(f" [{expr['id']}] {expr['class']} - {name}")
func_info = unreal.MaterialNodeService.get_function_info("/Game/Functions/MF_AutoLayer")
func_graph = json.loads(unreal.MaterialNodeService.export_function_graph("/Game/Functions/MF_AutoLayer"))
Why: Auto-material master graphs can have 50+ expressions and complex function call chains. Adding nodes without reviewing first creates duplicates, broken connections, and compilation failures. Always export → review → plan → modify.
Four Services Work Together
| Service | Role |
|---|
| MaterialNodeService | Material function creation/introspection, expression graphs |
| MaterialService | Material/instance creation, properties, bulk parameters |
| LandscapeMaterialService | CreateAutoMaterial, FindLandscapeTextures, layer infos |
| RuntimeVirtualTextureService | RVT assets, volumes, landscape assignment |
⚠️ compile_material Is Slow — Use Separate Code Blocks
Master materials with many function calls are very slow to compile. NEVER create + compile in the same block.
Split into steps:
- Block 1: Create material, add functions, connect graph, save
- Block 2:
compile_material() alone (may take minutes)
- Block 3: Create instances, set parameters, assign to landscape
⚠️ Enable Virtual Texturing on Material
If using RVT, you MUST set bUsedWithVirtualTexturing = true on the master material:
unreal.MaterialService.set_property(mat_path, "bUsedWithVirtualTexturing", "true")
⚠️ Material Functions Must Be Saved Before Use
After creating a material function and adding inputs/outputs, save it before calling it from a material:
unreal.EditorAssetLibrary.save_asset(func_path)
⚠️ Function Inputs/Outputs Need Sort Priority
Set SortPriority to control pin ordering. Lower values appear first:
unreal.MaterialNodeService.add_function_input(func_path, "BaseColor", "Vector3", 0)
unreal.MaterialNodeService.add_function_input(func_path, "Normal", "Vector3", 1)
unreal.MaterialNodeService.add_function_input(func_path, "Roughness", "Scalar", 2)
Sub-docs available
Read these sibling files directly (the engine AgentSkillToolset GetSkills is the loader; this SKILL.md is the index, the deeper docs live alongside it):
| Sub-doc | What's inside |
|---|
reference-example.md | Concrete reference architecture: full master material function chain, biome instances, texture naming convention |
workflows.md | Step-by-step recipes: auto-material creation, biome instances, building/inspecting material functions, RVT setup |
material-functions.md | Patterns for common material functions (Slope_Blend, Altitude_Blend, Layer_*, RVT) + EFunctionInputType reference table |
architecture-details.md | Deep dive on the auto-layer function chain, mask combination math, slope/altitude function creation, extension points |
biomes-and-templates.md | Biome comparison table, static-switch feature toggles, naming conventions, standard layer function template (inputs/outputs/catalog) |
parameter-reference.md | Full parameter catalog: layer textures, auto-blend, distance/LOD, color correction, feature toggles, displacement, RVT, FindLandscapeTextures suffix matching |
rvt-setup.md | RVT material types, sizing guidelines, inspection code, common RVT issues with causes/fixes |
Common Mistakes
1. Forgetting bUsedWithVirtualTexturing
Material has RVT output node but rendering fails → set the property before compiling.
2. No RVT Volume Actor
Material outputs to RVT but nothing reads it → create RuntimeVirtualTextureVolume covering the landscape.
3. RVT MaterialType Mismatch
Volume expects BaseColor_Normal_Roughness but material only outputs BaseColor → types must match.
4. Not Saving Functions Before Referencing
Create function → immediately create function call → fails because function not saved. Always save_asset() the function first.
5. Missing bExposeToLibrary
Material function created but doesn't appear in the material editor's function library → set bExposeToLibrary=True.
6. Compiling in Same Block as Creation
Master materials with many function calls take minutes to compile. Putting create + compile in one code block causes timeout.
7. Wrong Bulk Parameter Types
set_instance_parameters_bulk requires exact type strings: "Scalar", "Vector", "Texture", "StaticSwitch". Typos silently skip parameters.
8. Static Switch Parameters Need UpdateStaticPermutation
Static switches are compile-time. After setting via bulk set, the instance needs a static permutation update (handled internally by set_instance_parameters_bulk).
9. Auto Layer Has Zero Weights
Landscape looks unpainted or auto-blend never appears when all layer weights are 0. Verify with get_weights_in_region and fill/paint the base auto layer at least once.
10. Layer Info/Material Family Mismatch
If a landscape is switched to a different master/instance family, existing Layer Info assets may not match expected layer names/workflow. Recreate layer infos from the active material's layer list and reassign them.
11. RVT Volume Missing or Mis-sized
RVT asset assignment alone is not enough. Ensure each landscape has an RVT volume covering its bounds; recreate volume per landscape after major transform/scale changes.
Related Skills
| Task | Skills to Load |
|---|
| Sculpt terrain only | landscape |
| Simple painted material (2-5 layers) | landscape + landscape-materials |
| Auto-blending material (production) | landscape + landscape-auto-material |
| Material instances/biome configuration | landscape-auto-material |
| Material functions (non-landscape) | materials |
| Full pipeline (terrain + auto-material + RVT) | landscape + landscape-auto-material |
