Tree

For setting up the tree, I split my tree into 2 mesh components. The first was the trunk and main branches that would have very little wind effect. I then assigned a material instance that had a very low wind effect.

For the branches component, I exported them standing up straight with the mesh origin at the base of their branches. From there, I imported the branch assets and set dressed them to fit onto the trunk. What makes the wave effect so nice to look at is the wave patterns that flow down the branches. In most games, the wind affecting trees relies on a world position offset that moves the vertices in one direction in a more chaotic way. This is more accurate to what happens in nature and it’s very cost-effective for production. However, for this small scene, I wanted to bend the rules a bit and see what kind of aesthetics I could achieve for the wind.