Heightmap Level Generator vs Mapgen4
Heightmap Level Generator
github.comMapgen4
redblobgames.comSide by side
| Figure | Heightmap Level Generator | Mapgen4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Game Map Generators | 8.6 (#2) | 7.3 (#19) |
| Local use | The project can run locally with Node.js and a WebGPU-capable browser, and its Windows start.bat script runs the setup. | The README gives build instructions and says to run a local HTTP server and visit embed.html in a browser. |
| Purpose | Heightmap Level Generator creates procedural terrain and heightmaps for Unreal Engine, Unity and Godot in a browser. | Mapgen4 is a procedural wilderness map generator. |
Plans
In their own words
Heightmap Level Generator
Heightmap Level Generator creates procedural terrain and heightmaps in a browser for Unreal Engine, Unity and Godot. Its GPU-based generation uses WebGPU compute shaders and WGSL. Outputs include 16-bit heightmaps with features such as cliffs, hills, mountains, erosion, rivers, lakes and a raised border ring. It can also generate connected roads, towns, map exits, road grades and embankments around water, with temperate, steppe, desert and snow world biomes. Users can adjust settings live, compare 12 seeds, preview a 2D map and 3D mesh, and walk through terrain in first person. Exports include engine-specific terrain formats, Web or three.js formats, heightmaps, splatmaps, masks, water levels, color maps, layout JSON, glTF meshes and metadata JSON. Road, town and water masks and layout data can support PCG, Houdini and custom placement scripts. The free project supports share links, presets, JSON save and load, and undo and redo. Online use requires a WebGPU-capable browser; local use requires Node.js and such a browser.