diff --git a/src/definition/ColorNode.cpp b/src/definition/ColorNode.cpp
index 68f9014..cd6a9f7 100644
--- a/src/definition/ColorNode.cpp
+++ b/src/definition/ColorNode.cpp
@@ -24,12 +24,14 @@ void ColorNode::save(PackStream *stream) const {
 }
 
 void ColorNode::load(PackStream *stream) {
-    value.load(stream);
+    Color val;
+    val.load(stream);
+    setValue(val);
 }
 
 void ColorNode::copy(DefinitionNode *destination) const {
     if (auto tdest = dynamic_cast<ColorNode *>(destination)) {
-        tdest->value = value;
+        tdest->setValue(value);
     } else {
         Logs::error("Definition") << "Can't copy from " << getTypeName() << " to " << destination->getTypeName()
                                   << endl;
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ bool ColorNode::applyDiff(const DefinitionDiff *diff, bool backward) {
 
         if (value == previous) {
             value = next;
+            tellChanged();
             return true;
         } else {
             Logs::error("Definition") << "Can't apply color diff" << endl;
diff --git a/src/definition/DefinitionNode.cpp b/src/definition/DefinitionNode.cpp
index ecd9783..8466a00 100644
--- a/src/definition/DefinitionNode.cpp
+++ b/src/definition/DefinitionNode.cpp
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ DefinitionNode::DefinitionNode(DefinitionNode *parent, const string &name, const
     : parent(parent), type_name(type_name), name(name) {
     if (parent) {
         root = parent->root;
-        parent->addChild(this);
         diffs = NULL;
+        parent->addChild(this);
     } else {
         root = this;
         diffs = new DiffManager(this);
@@ -207,9 +207,11 @@ void DefinitionNode::validate() {
 
 void DefinitionNode::addChild(DefinitionNode *child) {
     if (find(children.begin(), children.end(), child) == children.end()) {
+        if (child->parent != this) {
+            child->parent = this;
+            child->setRoot(root);
+        }
         children.push_back(child);
-        child->parent = this;
-        child->root = this->root;
     }
 }
 
@@ -260,3 +262,15 @@ void DefinitionNode::addDiff(const DefinitionDiff *diff) {
         delete diff;
     }
 }
+
+void DefinitionNode::setRoot(DefinitionNode *root)
+{
+    this->root = root;
+    if (diffs) {
+        delete diffs;
+        diffs = NULL;
+    }
+    for (auto &child: children) {
+        child->setRoot(root);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/definition/DefinitionNode.h b/src/definition/DefinitionNode.h
index 53c13b0..57b1ae6 100644
--- a/src/definition/DefinitionNode.h
+++ b/src/definition/DefinitionNode.h
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ class DEFINITIONSHARED_EXPORT DefinitionNode {
      */
     void addDiff(const DefinitionDiff *diff);
 
+  private:
+    void setRoot(DefinitionNode *root);
+
   private:
     DefinitionNode *parent;
     DefinitionNode *root;
diff --git a/src/definition/FloatNode.cpp b/src/definition/FloatNode.cpp
index c216440..f384ed3 100644
--- a/src/definition/FloatNode.cpp
+++ b/src/definition/FloatNode.cpp
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@ void FloatNode::save(PackStream *stream) const {
 }
 
 void FloatNode::load(PackStream *stream) {
-    stream->read(&value);
+    double val;
+    stream->read(&val);
+    setValue(val);
 }
 
 void FloatNode::copy(DefinitionNode *destination) const {
     if (auto tdest = dynamic_cast<FloatNode *>(destination)) {
-        tdest->value = value;
+        tdest->setValue(value);
     } else {
         Logs::error("Definition") << "Can't copy from " << getTypeName() << " to " << destination->getTypeName()
                                   << endl;
diff --git a/src/definition/IntNode.cpp b/src/definition/IntNode.cpp
index 9fb2e1a..f2c2f35 100644
--- a/src/definition/IntNode.cpp
+++ b/src/definition/IntNode.cpp
@@ -23,12 +23,14 @@ void IntNode::save(PackStream *stream) const {
 }
 
 void IntNode::load(PackStream *stream) {
-    stream->read(&value);
+    int val;
+    stream->read(&val);
+    setValue(val);
 }
 
 void IntNode::copy(DefinitionNode *destination) const {
     if (auto tdest = dynamic_cast<IntNode *>(destination)) {
-        tdest->value = value;
+        tdest->setValue(value);
     } else {
         Logs::error("Definition") << "Can't copy from " << getTypeName() << " to " << destination->getTypeName()
                                   << endl;
diff --git a/src/definition/Layers.cpp b/src/definition/Layers.cpp
index 76dec3f..485cb8a 100644
--- a/src/definition/Layers.cpp
+++ b/src/definition/Layers.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ bool Layers::applyDiff(const DefinitionDiff *diff, bool backward) {
                 Logs::error("Definition") << "Add layer ignored because requested position was incorrect" << endl;
                 return false;
             } else {
-                DefinitionNode *layer = layer_constructor(this, "temp");
+                DefinitionNode *layer = layer_constructor(NULL, "temp");
                 layer_diff->restoreSavedLayer(layer);
                 if (position == layer_count) {
                     layers.push_back(layer);
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ void Layers::addLayer(const DefinitionNode &tocopy) {
 }
 
 void Layers::addLayer(const string &name) {
-    auto layer = layer_constructor(this, name);
+    auto layer = layer_constructor(NULL, name);
     addLayer(*layer);
     delete layer;
 }
diff --git a/src/definition/MaterialNode.cpp b/src/definition/MaterialNode.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c69649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/definition/MaterialNode.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#include "MaterialNode.h"
+
+#include "ColorNode.h"
+#include "FloatNode.h"
+#include "NoiseNode.h"
+#include "SurfaceMaterial.h"
+#include "FractalNoise.h"
+
+MaterialNode::MaterialNode(DefinitionNode *parent, const string &name) : DefinitionNode(parent, name, "material") {
+    material = make_unique<SurfaceMaterial>();
+
+    diffuse = new ColorNode(this, "diffuse");
+    ambient = new FloatNode(this, "ambient");
+    hardness = new FloatNode(this, "hardness");
+    reflection = new FloatNode(this, "reflection");
+    shininess = new FloatNode(this, "shininess");
+    bump = new NoiseNode(this, "bump");
+}
+
+const SurfaceMaterial &MaterialNode::getSurfaceMaterial() const {
+    return *material;
+}
+
+void MaterialNode::setSurfaceMaterial(const SurfaceMaterial &material) {
+    diffuse->setValue(*material.base);
+    ambient->setValue(material.ambient);
+    hardness->setValue(material.hardness);
+    reflection->setValue(material.reflection);
+    shininess->setValue(material.shininess);
+}
+
+void MaterialNode::setSurfaceMaterial(const Color &color, double reflection, double shininess, double hardness,
+                                      double ambient) {
+    this->diffuse->setValue(color);
+    this->reflection->setValue(reflection);
+    this->shininess->setValue(shininess);
+    this->hardness->setValue(hardness);
+    this->ambient->setValue(ambient);
+}
+
+bool MaterialNode::hasBump() const {
+    return bump->getGenerator()->getHeight() > 0.0;
+}
+
+const FractalNoise *MaterialNode::getBumpGenerator() const {
+    return bump->getGenerator();
+}
+
+void MaterialNode::onChildChanged(int depth, const string &relpath) {
+    updateMaterial();
+
+    DefinitionNode::onChildChanged(depth, relpath);
+}
+
+void MaterialNode::updateMaterial() {
+    *material->base = diffuse->getValue();
+    material->ambient = ambient->getValue();
+    material->hardness = hardness->getValue();
+    material->reflection = reflection->getValue();
+    material->shininess = shininess->getValue();
+}
diff --git a/src/definition/MaterialNode.h b/src/definition/MaterialNode.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07d85d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/definition/MaterialNode.h
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#ifndef MATERIALNODE_H
+#define MATERIALNODE_H
+
+#include "definition_global.h"
+
+#include "DefinitionNode.h"
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace paysages {
+namespace definition {
+
+/**
+ * Raw surface material for the definition tree, with an optional bump mapping noise.
+ */
+class DEFINITIONSHARED_EXPORT MaterialNode : public DefinitionNode {
+  public:
+    MaterialNode(DefinitionNode *parent, const string &name);
+
+    const SurfaceMaterial &getSurfaceMaterial() const;
+    void setSurfaceMaterial(const SurfaceMaterial &material);
+    void setSurfaceMaterial(const Color &color, double reflection, double shininess, double hardness=0.5, double ambient=0.5);
+
+    bool hasBump() const;
+    const FractalNoise *getBumpGenerator() const;
+
+    inline const ColorNode *propDiffuse() const {
+        return diffuse;
+    }
+    inline const FloatNode *propAmbient() const {
+        return ambient;
+    }
+    inline const FloatNode *propHardness() const {
+        return hardness;
+    }
+    inline const FloatNode *propReflection() const {
+        return reflection;
+    }
+    inline const FloatNode *propShininess() const {
+        return shininess;
+    }
+    inline NoiseNode *propBump() const {
+        return bump;
+    }
+
+  protected:
+    virtual void onChildChanged(int depth, const string &relpath) override;
+
+  private:
+    void updateMaterial();
+
+  private:
+    unique_ptr<SurfaceMaterial> material;
+    ColorNode *diffuse;
+    FloatNode *ambient;
+    FloatNode *hardness;
+    FloatNode *reflection;
+    FloatNode *shininess;
+    NoiseNode *bump;
+};
+}
+}
+
+#endif // MATERIALNODE_H
diff --git a/src/definition/NoiseNode.cpp b/src/definition/NoiseNode.cpp
index 309e9f1..1a4ff90 100644
--- a/src/definition/NoiseNode.cpp
+++ b/src/definition/NoiseNode.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 NoiseNode::NoiseNode(DefinitionNode *parent, const string &name) : DefinitionNode(parent, name) {
     noise = new NoiseFunctionSimplex();
+    noise->setScaling(0.0);
 }
 
 NoiseNode::~NoiseNode() {
diff --git a/src/definition/definition_global.h b/src/definition/definition_global.h
index 1645a76..5398299 100644
--- a/src/definition/definition_global.h
+++ b/src/definition/definition_global.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class DefinitionWatcher;
 class Scenery;
 class CameraDefinition;
 class SurfaceMaterial;
+class MaterialNode;
 class Zone;
 class WaterDefinition;
 class Layers;