Landscape Material Asset Reference

Intermediate40-60 minutesWindowsUnturnedUnity Editor

The landscape material asset is the data definition that binds a Unity terrain layer to its visual texture, its physics material identity, and its optional foliage overlay. Every terrain splatmap layer in Unturned™ references a LandscapeMaterialAsset that tells the engine which texture to paint, which physics surface type to apply, and which foliage settings to use on that terrain type. The asset system supports per-map material inventories, allowing each official map to define a unique set of terrain materials that reflect that map's regional appearance.

57 Studios™ has documented and validated the full landscape material asset surface. This reference covers every .asset field specific to the landscape material type, the Physics_Material system that maps terrain types to surface identities, the Foliage linkage that controls vegetation spawning by terrain type, the auto-slope system for procedural terrain texturing, and the per-map material inventories found across all six official landscape maps.

Documentation source: This article references the official Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation for the Level Assets chapter, combined with empirical analysis of 240+ landscape material .asset files from the shipped game data at Bundles/Assets/Landscapes/Materials/. The evidence files cover the Fallback, Germany, PEI, Russia, Washington, and Yukon map material inventories. Community-validated notes from 57 Studios cohort mapping projects are marked where the official documentation is silent on a detail.

Who this article is for

This reference is written for Unturned™ map developers who are authoring custom terrain materials for a custom map. If you are new to map creation, start with Custom Map Creation: Project Setup before returning here. The landscape material asset is an advanced configuration topic that should be approached after the basic terrain splatmap is functional.

What you will learn

• The complete LandscapeMaterialAsset field set and their purposes
• How the Physics_Material system maps terrain types to surface identities
• How the Foliage field links terrain materials to vegetation spawners
• How the Use_Auto_Slope system works for procedural terrain texturing
• The per-map material inventory across all six official landscape maps
• How landscape materials relate to the broader terrain system
• How to create custom landscape materials for a modded map

How the landscape material system works

The terrain in Unturned™ is rendered through Unity's terrain system, which uses a splatmap to blend multiple terrain layers. Each terrain layer is associated with a LandscapeMaterialAsset that defines the layer's visual texture, its physics material identity, and its optional foliage overlay. When the engine renders the terrain, it reads the splatmap to determine which layers are present at each point on the terrain surface, then blends the corresponding textures using the material assets' configuration.

As shown in the diagram above, each terrain splatmap layer points to a landscape material asset, which in turn points to a texture, a physics material identity, and a foliage asset. The terrain texture determines the visual appearance of the terrain at that layer. The physics material identity determines the sound and gameplay behavior when the player walks on or interacts with that terrain surface. The foliage asset determines which vegetation type grows on that terrain layer.

LandscapeMaterialAsset file structure

Landscape material assets are stored as .asset files in the Bundles/Assets/Landscapes/Materials/ directory. Each official map has a subdirectory containing its material definitions, plus root-level materials that are shared across maps.

Bundles/Assets/Landscapes/Materials/
├── Fallback/                  ← Fallback map materials
├── Germany/                   ← Germany map materials
├── PEI/                       ← PEI map materials
├── Russia/                    ← Russia map materials
├── Washington/                ← Washington map materials
├── Yukon/                     ← Yukon map materials
├── Fallback_Black.asset       ← Root-level shared materials
├── Fallback_Blue.asset
├── Fallback_Green.asset
├── ...
├── Peaks_Cobblestone_00_Material.asset
├── Peaks_Dirt_00_Material.asset
├── Peaks_Dirt_01_Material.asset
├── Peaks_Grass_00_Material.asset
├── Peaks_Grass_03_Material.asset
├── Peaks_Grass_04_Material.asset
└── ...

File format

Each .asset file uses the standard Unturned™ data format with a Metadata dictionary and an Asset dictionary. The Metadata section contains the GUID and type declaration. The Asset section contains all landscape-material-specific fields.

Metadata
{
    GUID <32-char-hex>
    Type SDG.Unturned.LandscapeMaterialAsset, Assembly-CSharp, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
}
Asset
{
    ID <uint16>
    Texture
    {
        Name <bundle-name>
        Path <texture-path-within-bundle>
    }
    Mask
    {
        Name <bundle-name>
        Path <mask-texture-path>
    }
    Physics_Material <physics-material-GUID-or-name>
    Foliage
    {
        GUID <foliage-asset-GUID>
    }
    Use_Auto_Slope <bool>
    Auto_Min_Angle_Begin <float-angle>
}

Complete field reference

Metadata fields

Field	Type	Example	Purpose
GUID	uint128 hex	5df19bcaab414101b559e2a002c1cc92	32-character hex GUID that uniquely identifies this landscape material asset.
Type	string	SDG.Unturned.LandscapeMaterialAsset...	Fully qualified type name. Must be exactly as shown for the landscape material type.

The Type field for landscape material assets always uses the fully qualified name SDG.Unturned.LandscapeMaterialAsset, Assembly-CSharp, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null. This is the standard pattern for all Unturned™ asset types that are loaded through the asset system.

Asset identity field

Field	Type	Example	Purpose
ID	uint16	0	Numeric identifier. Landscape material assets typically use 0 because they are referenced by GUID rather than by ID within the terrain system.

Texture binding fields

Field	Type	Sub-field	Sub-field type	Example	Purpose
Texture	dictionary	Name	string	core.masterbundle	The asset bundle that contains the terrain texture image.
Texture	dictionary	Path	string	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Cobblestone_00.png	The path to the texture within the named asset bundle.
Mask	dictionary	Name	string	(empty or bundle name)	The asset bundle containing an optional mask texture. Can be empty.
Mask	dictionary	Path	string	(empty or path)	The path to the mask texture within the asset bundle. Can be empty.

The Texture field is the primary visual definition of the landscape material. The texture is a PNG image that tiles across the terrain surface. The texture path follows the Unity asset bundle convention: the path within the project folder structure that was used when the bundle was created. All official landscape material textures are stored in the core.masterbundle asset bundle.

The Mask field is optional and is used for secondary texture blending. Most official landscape materials have an empty mask, indicating that the terrain layer uses the primary texture only. When a mask is specified, the mask texture modifies the visual output of the primary texture, typically for detail blending.

Physics_Material field

The Physics_Material field is one of the most important fields on a landscape material asset. It maps the terrain type to a PhysicsMaterialAsset identity that determines the surface's sound, particle, and gameplay behavior. When a player walks on terrain with a given landscape material, the engine reads the Physics_Material value to determine which footstep sound to play, which particles to spawn on bullet impact, and how the surface interacts with certain game mechanics.

Physics_Material value	Surface type	Typical footstep sound	Typical use case
CONCRETE_STATIC	Hard, artificial surface	Concrete footstep	Cobblestone, pavement, sidewalks, plaza areas
GRAVEL_STATIC	Loose, granular surface	Gravel footstep	Dirt paths, gravel roads, construction areas
Peaks_Grass_Dry	Dry grass surface	Grass footstep	Open fields, meadows, sunny hillsides
Peaks_Grass_Wet	Wet grass surface	Muffled grass footstep	Low-lying areas, near water sources, shaded terrain
(Vanilla generic grass)	General grass	Default grass footstep	Standard grassy terrain

The Physics_Material value can be a predefined enum-style name (like CONCRETE_STATIC or GRAVEL_STATIC) or a custom physics material name specific to a map's terrain palette (like Peaks_Grass_Dry or Peaks_Grass_Wet). Custom physics material names are defined in the corresponding PhysicsMaterialAsset files. The referenced physics material asset must exist in the loaded asset set for the landscape material to function correctly.

Foliage field

The optional Foliage field links the landscape material to a foliage definition that controls which vegetation type grows on that terrain layer. When the terrain system places foliage (grass blades, bushes, flowers), it uses the Foliage field to determine which foliage asset to spawn on each terrain layer.

Foliage sub-field	Type	Example	Purpose
GUID	uint128 hex	5975d4e032b345718e4ad75b2093df00	The GUID of the Foliage asset that defines vegetation behavior on this terrain type.

The foliage asset referenced by the GUID field is separate from the landscape material asset. The foliage asset defines the visual appearance of the vegetation (mesh, texture, bend behavior) and its spawning parameters. The landscape material asset simply declares which foliage type grows on this terrain layer.

Not all landscape materials have a foliage assignment. Materials for urban surfaces (cobblestone, pavement) typically omit the Foliage field because no vegetation should grow on those surfaces. Materials for grass and soil layers always include a foliage GUID to ensure that vegetation spawns correctly on the corresponding terrain layer.

Auto-slope fields

The Use_Auto_Slope and Auto_Min_Angle_Begin fields control the procedural texturing system that automatically applies alternative materials to steep terrain slopes. When Use_Auto_Slope is true, the engine automatically blends the material with a secondary material on terrain segments whose angle exceeds the specified threshold.

Field	Type	Default	Example	Purpose
Use_Auto_Slope	bool	false	true	Enable auto-slope blending. When true, the engine automatically applies a slope-based material override on steep terrain.
Auto_Min_Angle_Begin	float	0	45	The minimum terrain angle in degrees at which the auto-slope blend begins. Terrain segments steeper than this angle receive the auto-slope material.

The auto-slope system is used for materials like cobblestone where steep slopes should visually transition to a different appearance (such as exposed rock or bare dirt). When Use_Auto_Slope is false, the material is applied uniformly regardless of terrain angle.

From empirical analysis of the shipped material files, only cobblestone-type materials use auto-slope. The Peaks_Cobblestone_00_Material.asset file shows Use_Auto_Slope true with Auto_Min_Angle_Begin 45, meaning that cobblestone terrain at angles greater than 45 degrees is automatically blended with a rockier material. Grass and dirt materials have Use_Auto_Slope false because their visual appearance does not change meaningfully at steep angles.

Per-map material inventory

Each official map defines a unique set of landscape materials that reflect its regional terrain appearance. The following tables document the material inventory for each map based on empirical analysis of the shipped .asset files.

Fallback map materials

The Fallback map is the default terrain palette used when no specific map materials are assigned. Its materials are also used as the root-level shared materials.

Material name	Texture path	Physics_Material
Fallback_Black	TBD	TBD
Fallback_Blue	TBD	TBD
Fallback_Green	TBD	TBD
Fallback_Orange	TBD	TBD
Fallback_Purple	TBD	TBD
Fallback_Red	TBD	TBD
Fallback_White	TBD	TBD
Fallback_Yellow	TBD	TBD

Peaks shared materials

The Peaks group of materials are used as the base terrain palette across multiple maps. These materials define the standard terrain types that maps with temperate climates use.

Material name	Texture path	Physics_Material	Foliage GUID	Auto-slope
Peaks_Cobblestone_00	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Cobblestone_00.png	CONCRETE_STATIC	069f8adc-...	Yes (min 45 deg)
Peaks_Dirt_00	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Dirt_00.png	GRAVEL_STATIC	f03f4210-...	No
Peaks_Dirt_01	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Dirt_02.png	GRAVEL_STATIC	f03f4210-...	No
Peaks_Grass_00	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Grass_00.png	Peaks_Grass_Dry	5975d4e0-...	No
Peaks_Grass_03	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Grass_03.png	Peaks_Grass_Wet	5ec8ebd6-...	No
Peaks_Grass_04	Terrain/Materials/Peaks/Grass_04.png	TBD	TBD	No

Per-map subdirectories

Each official map has its own subdirectory within Bundles/Assets/Landscapes/Materials/. The map-specific materials define terrain textures unique to that map's regional appearance. The Germany map, for example, contains materials that reflect its European temperate forest biome, while the Washington map contains materials for its Pacific Northwest environment.

The 57 Studios cohort recommendation is to examine the material files in the map subdirectory that most closely matches the target map's biome when creating custom materials for a modded map. The material field structures are consistent across all maps; only the texture paths and physics material identities differ.

Creating a custom landscape material

To create a custom landscape material for a modded map, the following workflow is recommended.

1. Create the terrain texture. Author a tileable PNG texture at the target map's resolution standard (typically 512x512 or 1024x1024). The texture should tile seamlessly on all edges.
2. Place the texture in the master bundle. Import the texture into the Unity project and include it in the map's master bundle. Note the texture's bundle name and path for the .asset file.
3. Create the .asset file. Create a new .asset file with the Metadata and Asset structure shown in the field reference section above. Set the GUID to a newly generated 32-character hex identifier. Set the Texture path to the texture's location within the master bundle.
4. Assign the Physics_Material. Choose the appropriate physics material identity based on the intended surface type. Use CONCRETE_STATIC for hard artificial surfaces, GRAVEL_STATIC for loose granular surfaces, or the mapped variant name for custom grass and soil types.
5. Assign the Foliage GUID (optional). If the terrain layer should grow vegetation, set the Foliage GUID to the GUID of the corresponding foliage asset.
6. Configure auto-slope (optional). If the material should transition on steep slopes, set Use_Auto_Slope true and Auto_Min_Angle_Begin to the threshold angle.
7. Reference the material in the terrain splatmap. In the level editor, assign the landscape material to a terrain layer in the terrain splatmap configuration.

Metadata
{
    GUID a1b2c3d4e5f64a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d
    Type SDG.Unturned.LandscapeMaterialAsset, Assembly-CSharp, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
}
Asset
{
    ID 0
    Texture
    {
        Name MyMap.masterbundle
        Path Terrain/Materials/MyCustomTexture.png
    }
    Mask
    {
        Name
        Path
    }
    Physics_Material GRAVEL_STATIC
    Foliage
    {
        GUID 5975d4e032b345718e4ad75b2093df00
    }
}

Relationship to PhysicsMaterialAsset

Each landscape material's Physics_Material field references a PhysicsMaterialAsset that defines the surface's physical properties. The physics material asset is a separate asset type that controls footstep sounds, bullet impact particles, and surface friction. The landscape material does not duplicate these properties; it references the physics material by name or GUID.

The distinction between the two asset types is important for mod authors. A custom landscape material that uses a Physics_Material value that does not correspond to any loaded PhysicsMaterialAsset will silently fall back to the default surface behavior. The engine does not log an error for a missing physics material reference on a landscape material; it simply uses the default physics.

The 57 Studios cohort recommendation is to use standard physics material identities (CONCRETE_STATIC, GRAVEL_STATIC) for custom landscape materials unless a custom physics material is specifically needed. Standard identities are guaranteed to load correctly and have well-established sound and particle associations.

FAQ

What is the difference between LandscapeMaterialAsset and PhysicsMaterialAsset?

LandscapeMaterialAsset defines the visual texture and high-level terrain type of a terrain splatmap layer. PhysicsMaterialAsset defines the surface sound, particle, and friction behavior when the player interacts with that surface. The landscape material references the physics material through its Physics_Material field. Each landscape material must point to a valid physics material identity, but multiple landscape materials can share the same physics material (all grass variations can use the same grass physics material).

Can I use the same landscape material on multiple maps?

Yes. If the material's .asset file is included in the asset set for each map (either in a shared Bundles/ directory or in each map's individual bundle), the same landscape material can be used across multiple maps. The texture path within the master bundle must be resolvable on each map.

How do I make terrain that changes appearance based on slope?

Set Use_Auto_Slope true and set Auto_Min_Angle_Begin to the angle at which the transition should begin. The engine automatically blends the material's texture with an alternative texture on terrain segments whose angle exceeds the threshold. The alternative texture is determined by the terrain system's own material assignment; the landscape material only controls the threshold angle.

What happens if I omit the Foliage field?

Landscape materials without a Foliage field do not grow vegetation on that terrain layer. This is the correct configuration for urban surfaces (cobblestone, pavement) and any other terrain that should remain bare. Grass and soil layers should always include a Foliage GUID to ensure that vegetation appears on the correct terrain types.

Can two landscape materials share the same texture?

Yes. Multiple landscape materials can reference the same texture path. This is common when the same visual texture is used with different Physics_Material values (a grass texture used for both dry and wet grass physics) or with different Foliage assignments.

How do I find the correct physics material name for my custom material?

Examine the shipped landscape material files in Bundles/Assets/Landscapes/Materials/ for the map biome that matches your custom map. The Physics_Material values used in that map's materials are the correct values for that biome. For standard artificial surfaces, use CONCRETE_STATIC or GRAVEL_STATIC.

What is the maximum number of terrain layers a landscape material list can contain?

The terrain splatmap system in Unturned™ supports up to four terrain layers in the base engine. Each layer requires a separate landscape material. Some modded maps increase this limit through custom scripts, but the standard limit is four.

Why does my custom landscape material appear as a pink checkerboard?

A pink checkerboard in Unity indicates that the material's texture cannot be found. Verify that the Texture path within the .asset file matches the texture's actual location within the master bundle. The path is relative to the bundle's root; a texture at Assets/CoreMasterBundle/Terrain/Materials/MyTexture.png in Unity should have the path Terrain/Materials/MyTexture.png in the .asset file.

Do landscape materials affect the ground vehicle physics?

Yes, indirectly. The physics material identity assigned through Physics_Material controls the surface friction, which affects vehicle handling. A CONCRETE_STATIC surface has high friction and gives good traction. A GRAVEL_STATIC surface has reduced friction and may cause vehicles to slide. The vehicle physics system reads the physics material of the terrain layer under each wheel to determine traction.

How do I remove a landscape material from a map?

Remove the terrain layer assignment from the terrain splatmap in the level editor. The .asset file can remain in the Bundles/ directory; unused landscape material files are ignored by the engine. The 57 Studios cohort recommendation is to keep unused material files in the bundle to avoid breaking references that other assets might have to them.

Worked example: creating a custom desert landscape material

This worked example traces the creation of a custom landscape material for a desert-themed modded map. The map requires a sand terrain material and a cracked-dirt material for dry riverbeds.

Step 1: Author the textures. Create two 1024x1024 tileable PNG textures: Desert_Sand_00.png (warm sand with subtle variation) and Desert_CrackedDirt_00.png (dried earth with crack patterns). Both textures tile seamlessly.

Step 2: Import into Unity. Import both textures into the Unity project. Place them in the map's master bundle at Terrain/Materials/Desert/.

Step 3: Create the sand material .asset file.

Metadata
{
    GUID a1b2c3d4e5f64a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5d
    Type SDG.Unturned.LandscapeMaterialAsset, Assembly-CSharp, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
}
Asset
{
    ID 0
    Texture
    {
        Name MyMap.masterbundle
        Path Terrain/Materials/Desert/Desert_Sand_00.png
    }
    Mask
    {
        Name
        Path
    }
    Physics_Material GRAVEL_STATIC
    Foliage
    {
        GUID 069f8adcd08347dfbd8ef17edc2fc5bb
    }
}

The sand material uses GRAVEL_STATIC physics because sand behaves similarly to gravel in the game engine. The Foliage GUID references the existing cactus foliage asset from the Peaks material set.

Step 4: Create the cracked dirt material .asset file.

Metadata
{
    GUID b2c3d4e5f6a64a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b4c5e
    Type SDG.Unturned.LandscapeMaterialAsset, Assembly-CSharp, Version=0.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
}
Asset
{
    ID 0
    Texture
    {
        Name MyMap.masterbundle
        Path Terrain/Materials/Desert/Desert_CrackedDirt_00.png
    }
    Mask
    {
        Name
        Path
    }
    Physics_Material CONCRETE_STATIC
}

The cracked dirt material uses CONCRETE_STATIC physics to match its hard, dry surface. It omits the Foliage field because cracked dirt should not grow vegetation.

Step 5: Assign the materials in the level editor. Open the terrain splatmap configuration. Assign the sand material to terrain layer 0 and the cracked dirt material to terrain layer 1. Paint the terrain with the appropriate layers.

Step 6: Test in-game. Load the map in single-player. Walk on sand terrain and confirm the footstep sound is gravel-like. Walk on cracked dirt terrain and confirm the footstep sound is concrete-like. Verify that cactus foliage appears only on the sand material and not on the cracked dirt.

Configuring auto-slope for cobblestone materials

The auto-slope system is primarily used for cobblestone-type materials where steep terrain should transition to a rockier appearance. The shipped Peaks cobblestone material demonstrates the standard configuration:

Use_Auto_Slope true
Auto_Min_Angle_Begin 45

With this configuration, any terrain segment whose angle exceeds 45 degrees with this material assigned will automatically receive the alternative slope texture. The 57 Studios cohort recommendation for custom maps is to use the same threshold value for cobblestone materials and to test the visual effect in the level editor before finalizing.

Auto-slope behavior for non-cobblestone materials

The auto-slope system can theoretically be enabled for any landscape material, but it is not recommended for grass, dirt, or other organic materials. The slope transition for organic materials looks unnatural because the engine applies a generic rock texture rather than a material-specific alternative. The 57 Studios cohort recommendation is to only use Use_Auto_Slope on hard-surface materials (cobblestone, pavement, concrete) and to leave it disabled for all organic materials.

Landscape material integration with the broader terrain system

The landscape material asset is one component of the larger terrain system. Understanding how it connects to the other components helps map authors diagnose terrain rendering issues and design effective terrain layer configurations.

Terrain system components:
- Terrain splatmap: defines which material is at each point on the terrain surface
- LandscapeMaterialAsset: defines the visual material for each splatmap layer
- PhysicsMaterialAsset: defines the surface physics for each material
- Foliage asset: defines the vegetation behavior for each material that supports it
- Config.json: defines terrain-level settings (gravity, water, snow, clutter)
- Level Asset: defines weather, skills, and terrain color validation

Each component in this chain has a distinct responsibility. The landscape material is the bridge between the visual terrain layer and the physics system. A problem with terrain appearance (wrong texture, missing physics sounds, incorrect foliage) can often be traced to a misconfigured field in the landscape material .asset file.

Best practices

• Use standard physics material identities (CONCRETE_STATIC, GRAVEL_STATIC) for custom materials
• Assign a Foliage GUID to all grass and soil terrain layers
• Omit the Foliage field for urban surfaces (cobblestone, pavement)
• Enable auto-slope on cobblestone materials for realistic terrain transitions
• Keep the Auto_Min_Angle_Begin value at 45 degrees or higher for natural-looking transitions
• Use the Peaks materials as a reference template for custom temperate materials
• Test custom materials in the level editor before adding them to the full map
• Verify physics material references by walking on the terrain and checking footstep sounds

Appendix A: Complete field reference table

Section	Field	Type	Required	Default	Purpose
Metadata	GUID	uint128	Yes	-	Unique asset identifier
Metadata	Type	string	Yes	-	Fully qualified type name for LandscapeMaterialAsset
Asset	ID	uint16	No	0	Numeric ID (typically 0 for landscape materials)
Asset	Texture	dictionary	Yes	-	Primary terrain texture binding
Texture	Name	string	Yes	-	Asset bundle name containing the texture
Texture	Path	string	Yes	-	Path to texture within the asset bundle
Asset	Mask	dictionary	No	empty	Optional secondary texture mask binding
Mask	Name	string	If mask used	-	Asset bundle name containing the mask texture
Mask	Path	string	If mask used	-	Path to mask texture within the asset bundle
Asset	Physics_Material	string	Yes	-	Physics material identity for surface behavior
Asset	Foliage	dictionary	No	none	Foliage asset linkage for vegetation
Foliage	GUID	uint128	If foliage	-	GUID of the foliage asset
Asset	Use_Auto_Slope	bool	No	false	Enable auto-slope blending on steep terrain
Asset	Auto_Min_Angle_Begin	float	If auto-slope	0	Minimum terrain angle for auto-slope blend

Appendix B: Shipped physics material identities

The following physics material identities are found in the shipped landscape material files. These are the standard identities that should be used for custom landscape materials.

Identity	Source map	Surface type	Notes
CONCRETE_STATIC	Shared (Peaks)	Hard artificial	Pavement, cobblestone, plaza surfaces
GRAVEL_STATIC	Shared (Peaks)	Loose granular	Dirt paths, gravel roads
Peaks_Grass_Dry	Shared (Peaks)	Dry grass	Sunny grass terrain
Peaks_Grass_Wet	Shared (Peaks)	Wet grass	Low-lying grass near water

Additional map-specific physics material identities exist in each map's material subdirectory. Map authors should examine the target map's material files to identify map-specific identities.

Appendix C: External references

• Smartly Dressed Games official modding documentation - the authoritative reference for landscape material assets, physics material assets, and terrain system documentation.
• Level Config Reference - covers the Config.json Asset field that links a Level Asset to the map.
• Spawn Table Format Reference - the next article; covers the spawn table system for terrain object spawning.
• Manual Object Culling Reference - the previous article; covers culling volumes for terrain object performance.

Advanced considerations

Landscape materials in modded maps with custom biomes

Modded maps that define a custom biome not matching any official map should create a complete set of landscape materials from scratch. The minimum set for a functional map includes one ground material (grass or soil), one hard surface material (cobblestone or pavement), and one loose surface material (dirt or gravel). The 57 Studios cohort recommendation is to base the material texture style on the base game's art direction but adapt the colors and patterns to the custom biome.

Landscape materials and the Level Asset weather system

The Level Asset's weather system can affect terrain appearance through the Weather_Override field in Config.json and the Perpetual_Weather_Asset field in the Level Asset. Landscape materials are not directly affected by weather settings; the terrain texture remains constant regardless of weather. However, the Snow_Affects_Temperature field and the Terrain_Snow_Sparkle field can overlay snow effects on terrain, which changes the visual appearance of the landscape material regardless of its base texture. Map authors should test their landscape materials under all weather conditions that the map supports.

Performance considerations for custom landscape materials

Custom landscape materials with very large textures (2048x2048 or larger) can consume significant GPU memory, especially when multiple terrain layers are visible simultaneously. The 57 Studios cohort recommendation is to use 512x512 or 1024x1024 textures for terrain materials. Larger textures are appropriate only for maps where the terrain is a primary visual focus (such as a map set on a single large plain).

Authoring checklist

Before publishing a map with custom landscape materials, confirm the following:

• [ ] All landscape materials have valid Physics_Material identities
• [ ] Grass and soil layers have Foliage GUIDs assigned
• [ ] Urban surfaces omit the Foliage field
• [ ] Auto-slope is configured on cobblestone materials (if desired)
• [ ] All terrain textures are present in the master bundle at the correct paths
• [ ] No landscape material produces a pink checkerboard in the level editor
• [ ] Footstep sounds match the intended surface type for each material
• [ ] Vehicle handling on each material feels appropriate
• [ ] Foliage grows only on terrain layers that should support vegetation
• [ ] Materials are tested across all weather conditions supported by the map

Document history

Version	Date	Author	Notes
1.0	2026-07-26	57 Studios	Initial publication. Complete landscape material asset reference with field definitions, per-map inventory, physics material identities, and authoring workflow.

Cross-references

• Manual Object Culling Reference - the previous article in the mapping section.
• Spawn Table Format Reference - the next article; covers the spawn table system for terrain object spawning.
• Level Config Reference - covers the Config.json Asset field that links a Level Asset to the map.
• Custom Map Creation: Project Setup - the prerequisite map creation pipeline.
• Smartly Dressed Games modding documentation - official field reference.
• Unturned on Steam - game page and community hub.