video game titlesOne of the more common questions we hear at IDV is, “What do I get with a SpeedTree for Games license?” All licensees get the same thing so it’s one of the easier questions I field.  In short, SpeedTree for Games includes the suite of components necessary to model and render trees within a wide range of real-time environment pipelines, from simple mesh import to full integration with a customized engine.

Here are the components that come with SpeedTree for Games:

1) SpeedTree Modeler – This is where the plants and trees are designed. Artists can tweak completed models from SpeedTree’s extensive Model Library, or build their own species from scratch using a unique combination of hand and procedural creation tools. Wind effects, LOD and more are added in SpeedTree Modeler to bring your animated plants to life.

2) SpeedTree Compiler – Compiler builds the runtime of your animated plants for real-time rendering. Use the Compiler to quickly combine efficient real-time plant and tree models, texture atlases, and 360° normal-mapped billboards.

3) SpeedTree SDK – Includes C++ classes that provide all the tools necessary for high quality, fast forest rendering, both forward and deferred, across multiple platforms. Plus, our SDK isn’t a black box — you maintain control of when and what is executed at all times. Choose the components of our modular SDK that best maximize quality and performance in your game — it’s your pipeline and we keep it that way.

4) Tree Model Library – There’s no easier way to begin building a plant-filled video game environment than by downloading trees and plants from our library. Our Tree Model Library has over 180 species of trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants (both real and fantasy) available at no extra cost with a SpeedTree for Games license. Simply open the one you want in SpeedTree Modeler, export as a mesh, or compile for real-time use. Not quite the tree or plant you were looking for?  Tweak it first until you have exactly the look you want.

5) 1-Year of Technical Support – Every SpeedTree for Games licensee receives a full year of support and software updates directly from the developer.  And we actually answer emails and phone calls from our customers!

We’ve spent the last decade trying to make the modeling and rendering process as simple as possible while producing the highest quality trees for a wide variety of pipelines used by video game developers. Have we succeeded? Try a free 30-day evaluation of SpeedTree for Games and see if it meets the requirements for your world.