I have read the previous thread on this topic which is now closed but am starting a new one because it is SO FRUSTRATING! I will try the process described by Jaradis of selecting a small area and then expanding it but I shouldn’t have to. The tool should flatten the whole area that it selects. I am sure that many players of this game previously played “Banished” where the flatten tool showed a preview of the outcome of using it and it only had to be used once. Something like that would be a big improvement.
This may be a bit of a rant but I do love the game.
Yes. It is averaging all height. And maybe that is the problem?
Average is != flattening. (average is not flattening)
Flattening == flattening. (Flattening is flattening)
The terrain in this game is what it is. And I love it. Also buildings can have a corresponding angle to the ground (meaning buildings do not “flatten” the ground but they “sit” with an angle). Also nice. But this, while building a city, builds up to “unforseen” consequences. Then when then flatten tool is used it does not actually flatten, it is only average the ground on the area. This only moves the problem (but ever so slightly).
It´s also not always easy to see how the terrain actually looks like. We can kind of guess it. But so far snow is the best way as I know.
If we add to this the Work (max 625) that is needed and also the limited area…
I have spend to much time now trying to “level” (or make adjustments to) the ground for my city center. Again, I have no problem with the terrain itself. Just that the flatten tool is very time consuming and not actually flatten anything (unless the average “flat” terrain is by area more than the “dip” or “hill”) (2+1) (But this is not enough sometimes for the average also takes into account the lower or higher ground around the tool area meaning this is getting very complex).
++Height curves? (This might help a little bit for the overall ground picture)
+Reworked flatten tool? (advanced I understand when buildings are already in place to avoid invalid placements. Don´t want to cut a house in half over a slope to steep).
+++Less in-game time needed?
I think the best course of action is to split the terrain tool into two:
smooth terrain, which gives it a less jagged look; and
flatten terrain, which you would be able to select the height to which it would be flattened to.
Note that the important part is being able to select the height. If for some reason that is not possible/wanted (by the devs), it could simply always flatten to a fixed height, maybe the height of the town hall?