Terrain height

After reading this page:

• you've learned about Terrain Height
• you've learned how terrain height is implemented in the Tygron Engine
• you've learned how to add or remove terrain height with the terrain height brush panel
• you've learned how to change terrain height

Terrain height

Terrain height is the whole of differences of terrain elevation in a given area, the quantitative measurement of vertical elevation change in a landscape. Terrain is used here as a general term in physical geography, referring to the lay of the land. This is usually expressed in terms of the elevation, slope, and orientation of terrain features. Terrain height - as element of a terrain - affects surface water flow and distribution. Over a large area, it can affect weather and climate patterns.

Terrain height in the Tygron Engine

In the Tygron Engine, as well as in real life, terrain height can be of high importance. The terrain of an area largely determines its suitability for constructions: flatter, alluvial plains are suitable, while elevated slopes are not suitable for constructions. In terms of environmental quality, agriculture, and hydrology, understanding the terrain of an area enables the understanding of watershed boundaries, drainage characteristics, water movement, and impacts on water storage. A lower terrain is more prone to flooding, a flat terrain is immediately suitable for constructions. When an area is low and flat, this makes for an interesting water storage challenge if the area is build up with constructions.

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Adding or removing terrain height

Editor→Editor Menu Bar→3D world→Terrain Height

File:TerrainHeightBrushPanel1.jpg

Drawing Terrain Height in 3D world

When a game is created in the Tygron Engine, all terrain is flat. To add relief in the form of terrain height, the user has a specific tool at disposal: the height tool brush. this tool looks like the more common brush panel, but is adjusted to be able to draw in terrain height in the 3D world.

The Terrain Height Brush panel

Editor→Editor Menu Bar→3D world→Terrain Height

File:TerrainHeightBrushPanel2.jpg

Terrain Height Brush Panel

Start/ stop drawing

The top button on the panel is called "Start Drawing" by default when loading the panel. This first button (de)activates the Terrain Height brush panel, by selecting the button named "Start Drawing" the rest of the options become available on the panel. Selecting this button - now named "Stop Drawing" - deactivates the panel again, greying out the options.

• TerrainHeightBrushPanel3.jpg

  Terrain height brush panel inactive

• TerrainHeightBrushPanel2.jpg

  Terrain height brush panel active

Radius

The radius slider refers to how big the area is that the cursor will affect when changing the terrain's height. The more to the right the slider is positioned, the larger the area of effect is.

Terrain height brush panel radius slider

Press

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Clear

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Flatten

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Raise

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Lower

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Reset Changes

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Apply Changes

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