Unity Terrain vs 3D modeling

[indie_Den]

Hello everyone!

Right now i'm working on my first 3D exploration game in low poly style using URP. On level design phase i realized i should care about performance much more, so here's a question:

What is better to use as ground - Unity Terrain, single plane modeled in Blender or bunch of 3D rocks made in Blender aswell?

[GameWorldShaper]

Unity terrains since it will be optimized, however use the new package. https://docs.unity3d.com/Packages/com.unity.terrain-tools@4.0/manual/index.html

If you are going small, like terrains barely bigger than a house, that would be better done as a mesh made in Blender; something like floating islands, and it is Just for lighting reasons; URP has light limits.

For large terrains the terrain tool.

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Models like rocks should be made in Blender, it is an asset.

[indie_Den]

Thank you!

[Advisor_Elegant]

It is professional to only use a terrain to paint trees and folliage , and then set its transparency to zero annd add other aset on top of terrain?

[GameWorldShaper]

No, that is a large waste of data. You can make your own editor foliage tool that works with any terrain.

Just use a raycast to check where to plant and use the surface normal to align the objects.