Why is terraforming so hard?!
- Thread starter Slaxmax
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LittleMissPanda
🍀 best of buddies 🌸
It really takes patience. I get why it's hard on account of how everything is based on tiles (one by one) and movement can be wonky at times. It gets even harder when trying to create a combination of complex cliffs and waterfalls. Like, if you're facing the wrong way you could wind up messing up (especially with joy con drift, it's the absolute worst)
In general terraforming is very time-consuming depending on what it is you're trying to make. It's better to take things one step at a time and if you start feeling overwhelmed (or if your wrists begin to cramp, ouch) just take a break and come back later.
In general terraforming is very time-consuming depending on what it is you're trying to make. It's better to take things one step at a time and if you start feeling overwhelmed (or if your wrists begin to cramp, ouch) just take a break and come back later.
Haha tell me about it. The first time I did terraforming, it took me over 2 hours trying to create a tiny waterfall.... lol I almost throw away my joycons out of frustration. In the end, I had to watch a YouTube tutorial on how to create a waterfall in order to finish my work- I felt like a idiot lol
It’s definitely a big learning curve in the beginning as it’s very easy to aim wrong, and aim I feel like plays a big part because you could be patching up water when you just wanted to smooth out the edges. However I think you just need to practice and get familiarized with the mechanics. Once you create a few more waterfalls, terraforming come more naturally. It still will be time consuming, but hopefully it reduces time spent to fix up mistakes.
It’s definitely a big learning curve in the beginning as it’s very easy to aim wrong, and aim I feel like plays a big part because you could be patching up water when you just wanted to smooth out the edges. However I think you just need to practice and get familiarized with the mechanics. Once you create a few more waterfalls, terraforming come more naturally. It still will be time consuming, but hopefully it reduces time spent to fix up mistakes.
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k e r f u f f l e
Proverbs 15:19
I leveled my entire island to re-do the whole thing. One thing I learned is that, though I took inspiration from other places, the main guidance was my gut. You really have to visualize what you think would feel good- not just pictures. Terraforming is one, giant experimentation project.
That may sound odd- but I would've driven myself crazy if I hadn't taken this approach.
That may sound odd- but I would've driven myself crazy if I hadn't taken this approach.
tessa grace
yeehaw
We'll never know...
my terraforming is very simple, i just did basic stuff.
my terraforming is very simple, i just did basic stuff.
saucySheep
I've frikin' LEFT the forum :D bye!! won't miss ya
they really need to update it ;-; very chunky, slow, and tedious
Blood Eclipse
𖤐 ♱ 𖤐
Everytime I saw an area I liked from a YouTube video, I'd screenshot it and give the video a like in case I somehow lost the screenshot or it wasn't enough to get a clear perception of the area. I also try to find dream addresses of towns I really liked or asked if anyone knew the DA.
When I actually do come up with "my own ideas" I look through real life towns try finding patterns that resemble the environment. Then I look through my recipe list and jot down any furniture that can fit well within that area and I draw a couple of pictures before I actually start to terraform. As I'm terraforming I also take screenshots with my switch in case I change my mind mid way or want to compare to another idea. It saves a lot of time.
When I wasn't sure which ramp looked best next to my lighthouse area, for example, I took a picture of the blue metal ramp and the red metal ramp then compared the two, gave it some thought and finally settled on red.
If I hadn't taken those screenshots, I'd be walking back and forth and forgetting how each looked and which color I thought was better.
When I actually do come up with "my own ideas" I look through real life towns try finding patterns that resemble the environment. Then I look through my recipe list and jot down any furniture that can fit well within that area and I draw a couple of pictures before I actually start to terraform. As I'm terraforming I also take screenshots with my switch in case I change my mind mid way or want to compare to another idea. It saves a lot of time.
When I wasn't sure which ramp looked best next to my lighthouse area, for example, I took a picture of the blue metal ramp and the red metal ramp then compared the two, gave it some thought and finally settled on red.
If I hadn't taken those screenshots, I'd be walking back and forth and forgetting how each looked and which color I thought was better.
TheSillyPuppy
⚔️ Dedicate your heart and set it ablaze 🔥
Agreed with everything that has already been shared. I use Happy Island Designer to develop a "blueprint", and I make adjustments as I go when I go to actually terraform. I also like to make general notes of what theme/feature to make a section of the island so that things hopefully turn out cohesive as a whole as I move from one section to another. Terraforming is an iterative process that takes time and patience, so take as much time as you need and don't feel as though you need to finish within a specific timeframe.
I like to search up YouTube videos or visit dream addresses to figure out what I like and dislike and record links/dream addresses in a spreadsheet so I don't lose track of the references I liked.
I like to search up YouTube videos or visit dream addresses to figure out what I like and dislike and record links/dream addresses in a spreadsheet so I don't lose track of the references I liked.
Terraforming is stuff and while there are creatures that look wonderful, I know I would stress myself to much to try to get the same thing, so I just went with what I thought was right for me (on some simpler terms). Everything looks great to me!
I think it's a pain because it's sometimes hard to position one's player at the exact correct angle to do whatever task you're attempting. Also it's a pain because there's no autofill and it's a painstaking square by square process. When you are used to image editing and graphic design software with the fill functionality, it's disappointing to not be able to do something similar in the game.
They do make it harder than it needs to be. There isn't a reason why you can't do more than one block at a time. Other building games allow it but you have to earn that ability which makes sense.
Terraforming at night is the easiest. Villagers are least likely to pester you. (Mine like to find me and walk circles around me for 30 min each or sit in my way)
Terraforming at night is the easiest. Villagers are least likely to pester you. (Mine like to find me and walk circles around me for 30 min each or sit in my way)
Aww they love you though haha
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Aww you quoted Bob Ross. That's great!!!
but yes, I want it to be perfect and i think it's getting in the way. i also put a ton of bells into where my residents are now that I don't really want to move them or my urban entrance idk. my friend who visited mentioned moving everything back bc my Residential Serves is wayyyyyy back there haha
I treat it like pixel art when I'm making a specific shape. I like to take screenshots of my map and work in Photoshop.
Then I make these tiny squares to emulate the blocks when you terraform and try to shape out what I want. It's how I built out my skull and anchor cliffs on my map. It's not 100% accurate but enough to be my rough blueprint.
After I get this painful stage, I move to the 3D Island Planner to test out my designs and see if it works well. If it looks cool, I screenshot what I have, take it back in Photoshop and hone my blueprint.
Finally, I screenshot this second draft map of all my tedious calculations and have the image on my phone as a reference while I attempt to terraform what I wanted. If it doesn't work out, I go back in Photoshop and die, lol.
Then I make these tiny squares to emulate the blocks when you terraform and try to shape out what I want. It's how I built out my skull and anchor cliffs on my map. It's not 100% accurate but enough to be my rough blueprint.
After I get this painful stage, I move to the 3D Island Planner to test out my designs and see if it works well. If it looks cool, I screenshot what I have, take it back in Photoshop and hone my blueprint.
Finally, I screenshot this second draft map of all my tedious calculations and have the image on my phone as a reference while I attempt to terraform what I wanted. If it doesn't work out, I go back in Photoshop and die, lol.
eseamir
festive water baby
I've found that it really just takes practice and trying new things, watching tutorial videos or speed builds and looking at inspiration photos that other people have done can give you some good ideas but it's really difficult to learn/understand the terraforming mechanics unless you're actually in the game trying things on your own (at least in my experience haha)
just-kidding
Ideal Player-
Sorry I can't respond to the question, but I can relate!
I don't think it's hard, per say. It's just tedious no matter which approach you take and you'll need to spend a lot of time trying to figure out which tiles to put where before you find a combination that looks good.
It gets easier with practice, but the best advice I can give is to just keep trying to make improvements. Most of the terraforming you see on developed islands wasn't made in a week, but rather refined and perfected over many months of gameplay!
It gets easier with practice, but the best advice I can give is to just keep trying to make improvements. Most of the terraforming you see on developed islands wasn't made in a week, but rather refined and perfected over many months of gameplay!
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