Ground Detection Preset

GroundDetectionPreset inspector.

GroundDetectionPreset is a ScriptableObject that centralizes ground detection configuration for vehicles. It prevents the need to configure ground detection settings individually on each vehicle.

Purpose

The preset manages:

  • Surface detection mappings (terrain textures and object tags to surface properties)
  • Particle effect prefabs for dust/smoke and surface chunks
  • Fallback surface preset for unmatched surfaces
  • Shared configuration across multiple vehicles

Creating a Preset

Right-click in Project window > Create > NWH > Vehicle Physics 2 > Ground Detection Preset

Setup Workflow

  1. Assign fallback surface preset (required) - Used when no surface maps match
  2. Configure surface maps - Link terrain texture indices and object tags to SurfacePresets
  3. Set up particle prefabs (optional) - For dust/smoke and chunk effects
  4. Assign to vehicles - Reference this preset in vehicle's GroundDetection component

Properties

Particle Prefabs

Property Description
particlePrefab Particle system for dust/smoke effects. The same prefab is used for all surfaces, with appearance controlled by individual SurfacePreset settings (color, size, emission rate). Leave null if no particle effects are needed
chunkPrefab Particle system for surface chunks (dirt, stones, debris) thrown behind wheels. Requires physics simulation with gravity. Leave null if no chunk effects are needed

Surface Configuration

Property Description
fallbackSurfacePreset (Required) Surface preset used when no surface maps match the current terrain texture or object tag. Typically set to the most common surface type in your scene (e.g., asphalt or grass)
surfaceMaps Collection of SurfaceMap objects that define how terrain textures and object tags map to surface presets. Each SurfaceMap contains: terrain texture indices, object tags, and reference to the SurfacePreset

Example Configuration

  1. Create SurfacePresets for each surface type (Asphalt, Grass, Dirt, Sand)
  2. Add SurfaceMaps to the list:
    • Asphalt: texture index 0, tag "Road"
    • Grass: texture indices 1,2, tag "Grass"
    • Sand: texture index 3, tag "Sand"
  3. Assign appropriate SurfacePreset to each SurfaceMap
  4. Set fallbackSurfacePreset to Asphalt (most common)
  • GroundDetection - Component that uses this preset
  • SurfaceMap - Defines mapping between detection methods and SurfacePreset
  • SurfacePreset - Defines friction, particles, skidmarks, and audio for a surface type