Biomes
APLM ships nine built-in biomes plus three customizable slots. Each biome is a paintable layer with its own Material Function, its own Texture2DArray, its own per-surface parameters, and its own seasonal binding through MPC_Seasons.
Background on the biome layer family is in the biome materials vs base materials concept.
Tundra
Section titled “Tundra”MF_BiomeTundra
Cold, sparse ground with exposed rocky soil. Tundra layers a secondary gravel surface beneath its primary texture for a frozen-earth look with patches of icy rock showing through.
Unique parameters
| Parameter | Effect |
|---|---|
TundraGravelPuddle | Strength of the gravel blend patches. |
TundraGravelPuddleSize | Scale of the gravel blend patches. |
Boreal Forest
Section titled “Boreal Forest”MF_BiomeBorealForest
Dark, mossy forest floor typical of northern coniferous regions. Single rich texture, no secondary surface. Easy to color-correct for different forest types.
Desert
Section titled “Desert”MF_BiomeDesert
Arid sand surface, clean and straightforward. Single texture suited for dunes, dry riverbeds, and sun-baked terrain. Adjust the color correction to shift between golden, white, and reddish sand tones.
Mediterranean
Section titled “Mediterranean”MF_BiomeMediterranean
Dry scrubland earth blended with sparse ground cover. Includes a secondary gravel layer for the naturally rocky look of southern European or Californian hillsides.
Savanna
Section titled “Savanna”MF_BiomeSavanna
Dry golden grass blended with red-brown exposed earth. Includes a secondary mud layer that captures the African savanna or Australian outback look. The blend between grass and bare soil happens naturally inside the biome.
Temperate Forest
Section titled “Temperate Forest”MF_BiomeTemperateForest
Leafy ground cover blended with exposed earth and roots. Includes a secondary grass layer, ideal for deciduous forest floors with autumn leaves and natural ground variation. Pairs especially well with the season system for autumn color shifts.
Tropical Rainforest
Section titled “Tropical Rainforest”MF_BiomeTropicalRainforest
Dense jungle floor with rich dark soil. Includes a secondary mud layer plus unique mud puddle parameters for an authentic humid look.
Unique parameters
| Parameter | Effect |
|---|---|
TropicalRainforestMudPuddle | Strength of mud puddles. |
TropicalRainforestMudPuddleSize | Scale of mud puddles. |
Combine with the weather system for full immersion: rain pinned high on this biome turns the floor wet and reflective.
Wetland
Section titled “Wetland”MF_BiomeWetland
Dark, waterlogged marsh ground. Includes a secondary gravel layer that blends wet mud with partially submerged rocky ground. Suited to swamps, river deltas, and boggy terrain.
Grassland
Section titled “Grassland”MF_BiomeGrassland
Open grassland with a secondary grass base layer. The blend between two grass textures gives natural variety across large open areas. Suited to plains, meadows, and agricultural landscapes.
Custom biomes (1, 2, 3)
Section titled “Custom biomes (1, 2, 3)”MF_BiomeCustom1, MF_BiomeCustom2, MF_BiomeCustom3
Three fully customizable biome slots for project-specific terrain types not covered by the built-in presets. Use them for volcanic rock, alien terrain, salt flats, stylised art-direction surfaces, or whatever your project needs.
The custom biomes carry the same weather hooks, season hooks, texture variation, and triplanar mapping as the built-ins. Full setup walkthrough in Authoring a custom biome.