Edit Layers, sculpting, and patches

Edit Layer contract

Landscape Edit Layers are stack-based, non-destructive containers for heightmap, weightmap, and visibility data. New Landscapes enable them automatically in UE 5.8. The default project limit is eight and is configurable.

Use a small semantic stack, for example:

BaseImport
BroadSculpt
GameplayCorrections
SplineProcedural
PatchProcedural
PaintArtDirection

More layers increase evaluation, authoring, merge, and diagnosis cost. Add a layer only when it represents distinct ownership or must be independently hidden/reordered.

Editing rules

• Lock completed/owned layers.
• Use visibility and Layer Contribution (Lit > Visualizers > Layer Contribution) to isolate effects.
• Record whether height/paint alpha is intentionally additive, subtractive, or zero.
• Erase on an Edit Layer removes that layer's contribution; it is not necessarily “sculpt terrain downward.”
• Collapse and Collapse All Layers are destructive. Save/source-control before flattening.
• Deleting a layer deletes its height, weight, visibility, and assigned Blueprint Brush data.

Sculpting workflow

1. Sculpt broad landforms before detail.
2. Establish playable grades, ledges, sightlines, drainage/water bounds, and landmarks.
3. Use Smooth sparingly; repeated smoothing erases intentional terrain language.
4. Put gameplay corrections on a separate layer so art changes cannot silently remove them.
5. Rebuild/check collision and NavMesh after meaningful height changes.
6. Test movement agents and cameras, not only the landscape viewport.

Special procedural layers

Spline Edit Layer

Stores Landscape Spline deformation/paint. It accepts procedural spline data and cannot be hand-sculpted or painted.

Patch Edit Layer

Stores Landscape Patch components. Patches can read textures/render targets and alter height/weight data. Patch inputs are editor-only and results are baked into the final Landscape, so the procedural source does not add runtime memory/performance by itself.

Use patches for reusable stamps, local terrain fitting, or actor-owned deformation that must remain editable. Use ordinary sculpt layers for unique manual art.

Change validation

After reordering, changing alpha, importing, or modifying a procedural layer:

• isolate every layer contribution;
• inspect boundaries between loaded regions/components;
• recheck Landscape Splines, water, and patches;
• validate painted Target Layers and physical surfaces;
• rebuild Nanite representation if enabled;
• rebuild navigation and dependent PCG/HLOD as applicable;
• save/reload and cook a representative map.