Advanced Landscaping

[longfeather]

As our mastery of the land itself grows. I would like to see some expanded landscaping mechanics. Particularly pertaining to the "Survey Land".

I have grown to love the functionality of Survey Land and yearn for a more complex system which enables us to build retaining walls and back-fill land with greater ease. While I admit, I have far from mastered the use of this great landscaping function, I think it is arguably one of the best and most under-rated skills a hearthling can now have. It is, in fact, my favorite thing to do.

I have utilized it to such an extent that some nuances of the system have become very apparent and noticeable. I agree with most of the limitations when trying to raise land on the low side of a steep hillside. But, sometimes going the extra mile to raise a single tile to be completely level with another after hours of work can become very, very frustrating.

Which is why I would like to introduce a concept for a system that can make this a lot less stressful; at the cost of a few materials.

Retaining Wall Corner Post

Essentially, this would act or behave just as a corner post for a palisade or brick wall, initially. The difference comes with how it is built, materials used as well as the length or size it is able to become when fully finished. In essence, it would work just as it should, a virtual corner for a virtual retaining wall.

The materials I was thinking could be, but not limited to, several blocks ropes, bone glue, as well as perhaps boughs and boards. As I mentioned before, we should have a challenge with this, since we would be in fact trading frustration for material cost.

Retaining Wall Segment

At a reduced cost in relation or even in ratio to the corner post itself. The length and depth should limit the size of the wall as far as how many segments can be made. It should also be limited by water and other obstacles just as "make level" is.

There should be ample room fro three corner posts total (subsequent posts costing a fraction of the initial), but it should be noted that making more than four would enable people to make gigantic retaining walls that would just more or less allow them to abuse the function to level large amounts of steep hillside. Also, hearthlings should have the ability to scale it , like cliffs. Let's keep this challenging!!

I guess my point is, I would love to see Landscaping become more complex and advanced, in an effort to make village design more interesting.

Would anyone else like to expand upon this idea? Offer insight? If so, please, let us discuss this.

Thanks for your time and for giving me the courtesy of reading this rather winded post.

tl;dr: Give us retaining walls!!!!

[LadyV]

Im not opposed to the suggestion. However Im not sure how complex it would be to add.

[thomas_ewing]

This might be the best idea on the board. It would be true to the era and "feel" of the game (trading resources for convenience is at the heart of hafen). It would also make landscaping more useful, and allow greater freedom and creativity. Other thoughts?

[Granger]

So you want an option to make artificial cliffs easily?

[thomas_ewing]

So you want an option to make artificial cliffs easily?

Yes.

[venatorvenator]

Or at all since devs removed that possibility.