koobas.hobune.stream
The question is answered, right answer was accepted
Base Texture Resolution
What exactly does Base Texture Resolution change when creating terrain?
Beyond a certain distance from the camera, the splat mapping shader is no longer used to render terrain sections. Instead, the "base texture" is used, which is a single large texture which approximates the entire terrain's splat map. As a result it's a much lower resolution in proportion to the area it covers, but because it's just one texture, it's much less costly to render.
Because it's only used beyond a certain distance, the idea is that the transition between the nearer splatmapped sections and the further basemapped sections isn't noticeable. The "base map resolution" setting is simply the resolution of this single large texture.
You can see this effect in full by turning down the 'base map distance' setting to zero, which makes the entire terrain render using just the basemap - then you'll see what I mean!
So to explain it in simple words, Unity creates the base texture out of all the splat textures the user applies to the terrain. Right? The Base Texture Resolution setting changes the resolution of this created texture. Is there a way to apply my own base texture, eg. an image from Google Earth or a hand painted map from Photo Shop? Or is there a way to export the base texture?
So to explain it in simple words, Unity creates the base texture out of all the splat textures the user applies to the terrain. Right? - Yes.
Is there a way to apply my own base texture, eg. an image from Google Earth or a hand painted map from Photo Shop? - No, not exactly.
You could try creating a custom shader to influence the base texture; see the post here for some details from @tanoshimi blog https://alastaira.wordpress.com/2013/12/07/custom-unity-terrain-material-shaders/
(PS - This should really have been a new Question, and it certainly isn't an Answer; please post comments/follow-ups as comments and not an Answer. I will convert this one for you.
