by EdenWeby 3D·Modeling
Images © EdenWeby 3D. Used for product review; image policy.
City Road Builder earns its place in the superhive library for turning road setup into a one-click process, backed by a material editor and a Pro junction system for more detailed results.
City Road Builder is a Blender add-on for building road systems, whether curved or straight. Select a road type, click Setup Road, and a road is created with everything set up for you. Changing the repeat value makes the road longer.
The add-on includes a material editor for adjusting roughness, darkness, specular, bump strength, puddle sizes, wetness and other details. You can add a curve using built-in presets or a custom curve you draw yourself, then attach roadside sidewalks, barriers, lights, grass, trees and fences. A single option converts a road into an overpass, and junctions can be added as well.
The Pro version brings a junction system, including a new X junction, rotation controls for placing junctions, the ability to make as many roads as you want in one scene, and a more detailed textured road for use in games or movies. City Road Builder is part of the superhive library and, per the developer, receives updates almost every month.
City Road Builder is best for blender artists who need to add curved or straight roads to a scene, complete with sidewalks, barriers, lights, junctions and overpasses.
City Road Builder is completely free to download and use.
City Road Builder is listed as free in this catalog, though the developer also offers a Pro version with additional features. Because licensing and version options can change, check the developer's page for the current terms before downloading. The Pro version adds a junction system, an X junction, rotation controls for junctions, the ability to create as many roads as you want in a single scene, and a more detailed textured road intended for games or movies.
City Road Builder creates a road once you select the road type and click Setup Road, which builds the road with everything set up for you. From there, change the repeat value to make the road longer. Check the Walk option to add a sidewalk and barriers, the Lights option for roadside lights, and the Over Pass option to turn the road into an overpass. Each road can then be selected and adjusted through its settings in the add-on's panel.
City Road Builder can bend a road along a curve using its built-in presets, or along a custom curve you draw yourself. To use your own curve, draw it first, then select the road and click follow curve with your curve selected. Make sure the curve faces the Y axis, or the side the road is pointing toward, so it follows correctly. If you would rather not make your own, the included curve presets are available to apply directly.
City Road Builder's Pro version adds a junction system and a more advanced workflow for roads with junctions, including a newly added X junction. It also provides rotation options so you can add another junction and rotate it any way you want, and it lets you make as many roads as you want in one scene. The Pro version comes with a more detailed textured road that can be used in games or movies, alongside roadside grass, trees and fences.
City Road Builder includes a material editor inside the add-on, so editing a road's look means changing values and seeing the result on the road. Adjustable settings include roughness, darkness, specular, bump strength, puddle sizes, wetness and further details listed in the material panel. This gives you control over the road surface without leaving the add-on. Additional road types and features are planned for future updates, per the developer.
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