SpeedTree Reviews

Pros

Creating random trees and foliage in SpeedTree is incredibly fast. It's completely transformed how I work cutting down time and boosting my efficiency in a major way.

Cons

No real issues so far. The interface is friendly and the software is simple to use.

Pros

There's an incredible selection of ready-made assets available so you can build just about anything you have in mind. The range of textures and levels of complexity is honestly pretty wild.

Cons

The asset library still has room to grow and it would be even better with more options for real-time customization.

Pros

Everything you need while creating trees is available on a single screen and the real-time preview updates instantly as you make changes. There's no need to jump between different windows and it gives you plenty of options to work with during the design process.

Cons

it isn't cloud-based so using it on another computer isn't very convenient. Support is also quite limited which means you're mostly left to figure things out and learn the software on your own.

Pros

Building custom trees and vegetation with it feels very user-friendly and it gives you flexible tools to create just about any style you need for a 3D environment. Another big plus is that the finished trees export nicely to game engines such as Unity3D and Unreal Engine.

Cons

My only real complaint is that the trees can't be collapsed into editable meshes. Because of that, the models you create aren't something you can bring into another 3D program like Blender and continue editing.

Pros

Getting started with it is quick and building assets feels very simple. The assets scale well and stay optimized which is a big plus. The materials also look beautiful while remaining efficient.

Cons

At times, the integrations with game engines lag behind when updates roll out. It also went a long time without supporting Unity HDRP/URP.

Pros

Being able to procedurally create distinct foliage variations within the same species adds that extra layer of realism to my scenes. The speed at which I can make adjustments and build custom hero foliage props really changes the whole workflow for the better.

Cons

It does get a little glitchy now and then when it's working out the kinematics on more complex bends and it can take a fair amount of tweaking before the result looks right. That said, sculpting the same tree by hand in ZBrush definitely wouldn't be quicker but the process can still be frustrating.