What It Does
Fractal Terrain generates photorealistic 3D landscapes directly inside After Effects. It transforms fractal noise data into detailed terrain using a ray-casting method, producing results that range from mountain ranges to lunar surfaces without leaving your composition.
The plugin integrates with After Effects’ native camera and lighting systems. Move your comp camera through valleys, animate lights across ridges, or project 3D layers as textures onto the terrain surface.
Key Features
Fractal terrain generation. The plugin uses high-quality fractal algorithms combined with ray-casting to produce natural-looking elevation. Adjust parameters like roughness, scale, and offset to sculpt the landscape.
Multiple terrain types. Presets include mountain ranges, lava fields, lunar surfaces, and ripple waves. Each type comes with tuned parameters for realistic results. Animate the offset values on Ripple Waves to create moving ocean surfaces.
GPU-accelerated post-effects. Depth of field and other post-processing runs on the GPU for fast rendering. Supports Metal on macOS 11+, CUDA on NVIDIA GTX 970 or newer, and OpenCL 1.2+ for Intel and AMD cards.
After Effects integration. Works with composition cameras and lights. Project 3D layers as textures to add detail. Use the Flatten Band parameter to create stepped plateaus, or layer fog effects for atmospheric depth.
Atmospheric effects. Add volumetric fog to fill valleys or simulate heat haze over volcanic terrain. Control thickness and color to match your scene’s mood.
Who It’s For
Motion designers creating title sequences with environmental backgrounds. VFX artists needing quick terrain for sci-fi or fantasy shots. Anyone who wants 3D landscapes without switching to a separate 3D application.
The plugin handles both abstract motion graphics (think flowing noise fields) and realistic environments (lunar craters, mountain vistas). If you’re animating a camera flythrough or building a sci-fi landscape, this replaces pre-rendered terrain plates.
Pricing
One-time purchase at $98 for a single-user license. Upgrade pricing available for existing CROSSPHERE plugin owners (requires login to see discount). Floating server and render-only licenses also offered. Free trial available before purchase.