Heightmap Level Generator

Heightmap Level Generator is a free procedural terrain and map-layout tool for creators working in Unreal Engine, Unity or Godot. It suits developers who want to shape and inspect terrain before exporting it into an engine or custom pipeline. The trade-off is a WebGPU requirement for both browser and local use.

Overview

The generator combines landforms with roads, towns and water features, making it useful for building an initial map layout as well as terrain data. Live adjustments, seed comparisons and 2D and 3D previews help creators assess alternatives before export; first-person traversal adds a way to inspect terrain at ground level. This is a focused fit for game-world production, not a general-purpose terrain package with a broad range of named biomes.

Key features

Terrain and layouts

WebGPU compute shaders and WGSL generate 16-bit heightmaps with cliffs, hills, mountains, erosion, rivers, lakes and a raised border ring. Road generation includes connected networks, grades, map exits and embankments around water, alongside towns. Four biome choices—temperate, steppe, desert and snow world—offer distinct starting points, but projects requiring other biome types may need another workflow.

Iteration and export

Creators can adjust settings live, compare 12 seeds, preview a 2D map and 3D mesh, and walk through the result in first person. Exports cover Unreal landscape, Unity terrain, Godot Terrain3D and web or three.js formats. Depending on the pipeline, files can include 16-bit PNG or RAW heightmaps, splatmaps, masks, water levels, color maps, layout JSON, glTF meshes and metadata JSON. Road, town and water masks plus layout JSON are intended for PCG, Houdini and custom placement scripts, giving the tool a useful bridge into downstream workflows.

URL sharing, JSON save and load, undo and redo, and built-in presets support iteration and collaboration. Seed control and custom assets are also supported.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and requires no installation or account. It includes the generator without a stated usage quota or export restriction. The project is MIT licensed, and exported assets can be used, modified and shipped commercially without conditions, making it suitable for commercial projects as well as personal work.

Platforms

The online version runs in a WebGPU-capable browser, such as a current desktop Chrome or Edge. Local use requires Node.js and a WebGPU-capable browser; the Windows start.bat script runs setup. That combination makes it less convenient on systems without WebGPU support, and local use adds a setup requirement absent from the browser route.

Who it's for

Choose it if you need procedural terrain, map-layout elements and engine-ready exports without a software charge, especially when masks and layout data will feed a custom placement pipeline. It is a weaker fit if your machine cannot run WebGPU or your project depends on biome choices beyond its four options.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Multiple engine exports and a wide range of supporting files suit both direct import and custom pipelines.
• Pro: Road, town and water generation extends the tool beyond heightmap creation.
• Pro: MIT licensing permits commercial use, modification and shipping of exported assets without conditions.
• Con: WebGPU is required for browser and local use, limiting compatibility.
• Con: Four named biomes may not cover projects with more specific biome requirements.

Alternatives

World Machine is worth considering if you need a terrain tool available on Linux, macOS or Windows and are prepared to weigh its plan limits and paid option; its Basic plan caps output at 1025 × 1025 pixels, while Indie costs $119 a month.

SimpleXTerrain is a free, open-source Godot 4 .NET terrain generation addon for projects centered on that engine. Voxel Plugin is an alternative if voxel tooling is the priority; its free plan includes commercial use and full source access but excludes Voxel Graphs and access to Voxel Plugin 2 previews.

Gaea may suit Windows users seeking a terrain-focused alternative: its Community Edition is limited to a 1,024 × 1,024 single build and non-commercial use, while its Indie plan costs $99 a month. L3DT offers a free Standard Edition for heightfield and texture maps up to 2049 × 2049 pixels, and a 90-day Professional trial.

MapMagic 2 is a free option for macOS and Windows with core asset and map generators; its Biomes and Functions add-on costs 45.00 USD once and requires an existing MapMagic 2 installation. Ymir is a free GPL-3.0 option for Linux and Windows. 3D Dungeon Generator is a browser-based free tool for dungeon maps, with presets from 16×16 up to custom 60×60 dimensions and GLB export.

Browse more tools in Game Map Generators.

Verdict

Heightmap Level Generator is a strong choice for developers who want procedural terrain, roads and towns alongside flexible engine and pipeline exports at no cost. Its commercial-use terms add practical appeal. Choose another tool if WebGPU is unavailable on your system or the four biome options are too narrow for your project.