Terraforming for Beginners

SirCrackers

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#1
After going though many submissions throughout my staff career, I have reached many plots in which players have very nice builds, although they are lacking a very important element to their plot. This is called terrain. When one obtains a plot, all there is to it is flat grass. If one were to build on it and have no terrain, the plot would look very bland. I am making this tutorial for players out there who are having trouble terraforming.

(This is a beginners guide to terraforming. Sadly there won't be screenshots, although I may add them later if needed.)

Please note: If you are looking for an advanced terraforming tutorial then this probably isn't the best place for you. This is just a beginners guide to help people who are just starting to terraform.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Have An Idea As To What You Are Building
This is kind of a no-brainer but if you can visually picture what you want your terrain to look like, it makes it all the easier, but from personal experience, when you start out, your finished product probably won't look as it did in your head.

Build Buildings, Houses, Etc. Before Terraforming
Please take note that this step applies for beginners:
You have a limited space on your plot (Although the plots on MineVast are relatively huge, you'd be surprised as to how limited you are with space), so you need to build your main things first so you know how much space you have for your terrain. This doesn't apply for environment based builds however, if your main build is revolving around your environment, then terraform first. Doing this also helps making sure your environment fits your buildings.

Have A Rough Draft
Although I despise rough drafts for English essays, for terraforming, they are very relevant. You'd know the overall shape of your environment with a rough draft, so if you don't like it, you can take it down without being too far into it. Final touches come after you like what you see.

Keep It UNEVEN
It's nature, it is the complete opposite of even, not so much to where you don't have an overall shape, but just enough to make it look natural. Use actual terrain for references.

Final Touches
After everything is done: add trees, grass, flowers (for the grass and the flowers, you can always right click bonemeal on the grass- it may not be as detailed but it works), etc. For most builds, I suggest using custom trees (the way you can do it for small trees is just to add leaves to a default tree to make it seem more tree-like. It's a lazy way but it works)

-----------------------------------------------------------

And there you have my overall guide to terraforming. Again, this is a tutorial for beginners at terraforoming. Terraforming with Worldedit or VoxelSniper can also do the trick, although terraforming by hand is a way to work on organics and it makes you feel accomplished (trust me, I've done it ;3).

If you have any questions regarding terraforming, please feel free to contact me.

SirCrackers
[SrMod]
 

Superburrito_132

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#2
Thanks for this awesome guide! This will really help a lot!
 

Ryanminty123

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#4
Usually it's better to create your terrain first then add the structures as oppose to making all the structures on the plot first. (This is for the more "Experienced" builder rather than beginners)
 
Last edited:

SirCrackers

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Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Posts
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#5
Usually its better to create your terrain first then add the terrain as oppose to making all the structures on the plot first. (This is for the more "Experienced" builder rather than beginners)
Yes, in fact I may create a more advanced tutorial for players more familiar with terraforming.
 

Superburrito_132

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#6
Yes, in fact I may create a more advanced tutorial for players more familiar with terraforming.
Hope you make it! It'll really help me out!
 

craftian6

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Oct 10, 2014
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#11
lol my C grade had this same problem, no Terrain (Mountains) but had secret easter eggs... lol
 
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Posts
11
#14
After going though many submissions throughout my staff career, I have reached many plots in which players have very nice builds, although they are lacking a very important element to their plot. This is called terrain. When one obtains a plot, all there is to it is flat grass. If one were to build on it and have no terrain, the plot would look very bland. I am making this tutorial for players out there who are having trouble terraforming.

(This is a beginners guide to terraforming. Sadly there won't be screenshots, although I may add them later if needed.)

Please note: If you are looking for an advanced terraforming tutorial then this probably isn't the best place for you. This is just a beginners guide to help people who are just starting to terraform.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Have An Idea As To What You Are Building
This is kind of a no-brainer but if you can visually picture what you want your terrain to look like, it makes it all the easier, but from personal experience, when you start out, your finished product probably won't look as it did in your head.

Build Buildings, Houses, Etc. Before Terraforming
Please take note that this step applies for beginners:
You have a limited space on your plot (Although the plots on MineVast are relatively huge, you'd be surprised as to how limited you are with space), so you need to build your main things first so you know how much space you have for your terrain. This doesn't apply for environment based builds however, if your main build is revolving around your environment, then terraform first. Doing this also helps making sure your environment fits your buildings.

Have A Rough Draft
Although I despise rough drafts for English essays, for terraforming, they are very relevant. You'd know the overall shape of your environment with a rough draft, so if you don't like it, you can take it down without being too far into it. Final touches come after you like what you see.

Keep It UNEVEN
It's nature, it is the complete opposite of even, not so much to where you don't have an overall shape, but just enough to make it look natural. Use actual terrain for references.

Final Touches
After everything is done: add trees, grass, flowers (for the grass and the flowers, you can always right click bonemeal on the grass- it may not be as detailed but it works), etc. For most builds, I suggest using custom trees (the way you can do it for small trees is just to add leaves to a default tree to make it seem more tree-like. It's a lazy way but it works)

-----------------------------------------------------------

And there you have my overall guide to terraforming. Again, this is a tutorial for beginners at terraforoming. Terraforming with Worldedit or VoxelSniper can also do the trick, although terraforming by hand is a way to work on organics and it makes you feel accomplished (trust me, I've done it ;3).

If you have any questions regarding terraforming, please feel free to contact me.

SirCrackers
[SrMod]
this is so useful thanks alot useful
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MyPsyche

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#17
This would be really quite helpful if I wasn't a trash builder. Maybe I'll get into creative a bit more soon. :p

It's All About My Psyche.
 

NoHacks23451

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#18
Awsome! Thanks!

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