"Landscape" Mode

[Nebulys]

So, I had an idea for a mode I'd like to call "Landscape Mode" in which you can generate a world, pick an area and select "Landscape Mode" and then be given tools to landscape the map before starting there.

What you CAN do

• Replace the ground with natural materials such as dirt or stone
• Carve areas out of mountains (ex. for rooms)
• Place stone, trees, bushes, or any other type of natural material
• Delete stone, trees, bushed, or any other type of natural material
• Place cave walls that have a random chance of being any type of ore (the ones that occur in spawned mountains)
• Remove bodies of water
• Place bodies of water
• Make an area considered "dark"
• Make an area considered "light"
• Place / remove steam geysers

What you CAN'T do

• Place unnatural walls such as wooden or silver
• Place any kind of structure that doesn't occur normally when generating a map
• Place weapons, food, or any kind of material in the map
• Spawn creatures
• Place ores in cave walls

Limitations

An idea of limitations came to mind recently. I think that it might be good to have some limitations such as not being able to increase the number of things you spawn with in some cases. For example, if you spawned with 3 steam geysers, the person couldn't increase the number of current steam geysers. They'd have to delete a steam geyser (or there could be a moving option) and place it in a different location, but they couldn't place one so they had four. However, I don't think it would be a good idea to have this limitation for things like trees. Trees could increase or decrease the aesthetic value of a landscape and don't have too much of a game-changing advantage.

Please post any suggestions that you believe would add to this idea!

Thanks for reading,
Nebulys

[Johnny Masters]

Well, since this should be highly exploitable, might as well allow for full map edition

[Nebulys]

No, because then you could have the structures pre-built, which would make it even MORE exploitable

Also, there could be limitations to things like steam geysers (you could only have as many present as the map spawned with).

[MikhailBoho]

I like the sound of this. The thing is, anyone who uses this mode would more than likely be a base-builder looking to create a unique location and to have a specific look for their colony. Those looking for a challenge or "proper" gameplay could simply avoid it while those of us who are interested in making colonies that are aesthetically pleasing could use this to our hearts content. As the OP said, you wouldn't be allowed to place stone/steel/silver/wood walls while in this mode. Only alter terrain and terraform mountains to achieve a specific look. I like it.

Although, it's probably something that would be added at a much later date. Still, I'd love to use it.

[Johnny Masters]

Of course i like it as an option, but there's nothing stopping you from sculpting a nice mountain base from the start, or put some cheap chokepoints, or pumping animals, bushes and trees. That's why i said you could go full edit already. It's kinda of an honor system. Could even be fun to test some base designs and/or let the 160% challenge flow its course.

Anyway, it would really shine with community made maps.

[Nebulys]

The chokepoints and mountain base were intended, but actually I said that you can't spawn animals.

The only reason for not having you be able to place pre-built structures is because then there'd be almost no point in playing. Part of the fun is seeing your colonists put together the base; this mode would be like preparing the supports for a building to be built on. You'd get to sculpt the way the base turns out, but you wouldn't be able to build the base. For example, yes, you could have infinite trees, but you still have to actually cut them. Giving yourself infinite wood is different from giving the option of working for infinite wood (also, like I said, there could be limitations).

On another note, thank you all for discussing this topic! It really helps me think about it, and your opinions are valuable to me.

[OldVamp]

this sounds like the 'god mode' with the dev tools enabled.
maybe they should be added to that: to be able to edit natural blocks.

[Nebulys]

this sounds like the 'god mode' with the dev tools enabled.
maybe they should be added to that: to be able to edit natural blocks.

What do you mean by "be able to edit natural blocks." ?

This whole idea is basically that you can edit natural terrain and blocks. Please correct me if I misunderstood.

[OldVamp]

in god mode you can place or delete any building, wall, etc.
It would just need to add natural rock walls, ground types, ores, etc to the materials list when god mode is enabled.

[OldVamp]

i got bored in a 4+ year colony and rebuilt the entire base out of gold.
made for some really happy colonists.

[Nebulys]

I'm sure they'd be happy to live in a city of gold

If I understand correctly, you're saying this could just be added to god mode and then it'd accomplish the same goal (sorry if I'm wrong). But my point of making this was to have a mode in which you can kind of pick the map you'll play on (by landscaping it ). If this idea had cheats implemented into it, then it'd be way to tempting.

[Johnny Masters]

i got bored in a 4+ year colony and rebuilt the entire base out of gold.
made for some really happy colonists.

I cannot fathom the amount of raiders this much wealth must've drawn. Got any pics?

[Nebulys]

I'm going to sleep, so I might not check the thread for a while. Sorry if I miss any questions!

[OldVamp]

I cannot fathom the amount of raiders this much wealth must've drawn. Got any pics?

na, i cant even load that colony anymore, messed with it too much. was pretty epic amount though

[IkeaSwede]

I guess, skimming through this; Having this only available to basebuilding modes would be fine?