Terrain Generator

[BigDragon]

I'd really like to see a terrain generator for Planet Coaster. It doesn't matter if it's built into the game or exists as a separate utility. Something that can generate hills, canyons, streams, rivers, and lakes would be nice.

When I sit down and look at a flat piece of land it's kind of overwhelming. There are so many directions it could take. I honestly find it easier to play the game with a terraformed map. Terrain features give me some direction and create opportunities for specific features. Sometimes I don't want to build on a boring, flat piece of land.

 

[Jules Moore]

Did you notice the "terrain" button in the lower left corner? [happy]

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Did you notice the "terrain" button in the lower left corner? [happy]

I think BigDragon is talking about a random generator for when you first load a new park map as opposed to starting with a flat land requiring terraforming manually. I could be wrong though.

 

[BigDragon]

Did you notice the "terrain" button in the lower left corner? [happy]

Terrain manipulation tools are not the same as a terrain generator. A generator works off of algorithms and variables. The manipulation tool only affects what the user points at.

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I think BigDragon is talking about a random generator for when you first load a new park map as opposed to starting with a flat land requiring terraforming manually. I could be wrong though.

Yes, you are correct!

We have tools like this for Cities Skylines now. See https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=453425585 . Some other simulation games have it too. SimCity 2000 and 4 immediately come to mind. However, in 4 it was an external utility that generated heightmaps. Terrain generation for Planet Coaster would be more complicated thanks to voxels, but it also introduces a lot more potential.

 

[Jules Moore]

ah okay, please excuse my question then [happy]

Well, in Alpha 2 we could choose from different pre-made parks which were located on the Planet Coaster globe
(With some great names like "swashbuckling shore" or "the great ravine" [haha]).
One of them looked like this -> http://imgur.com/8TF80nI , to give an example.

I really hope these will be in the final game again [big grin]



(Aaaaaand I just noticed i wrote "left" instead of "right" in my first post. [uhh] )

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Aren't those parks still available under the Frontier tab of "my parks"?

"Stay on Target" and "The large Ravine" are challenging terrains to work with!

 

[Spectre1]

They'll get samey eventually though. This is what I've been thinking lately, the flat park is OK, but theres a certain interest to be had in using the terrain that already exists as well, and random/semi-random generation would keep it interesting.

 

[harag]

Aren't those parks still available under the Frontier tab of "my parks"?

"Stay on Target" and "The large Ravine" are challenging terrains to work with!

Yes they are still available...

I like the terrain generator idea, as I understand why the original poster asked for this as I too find it easier to plan out based on the terrain rather than sculpt the terrain to my needs.

BigDragon - Have you looked in the workshop for empty parks, where other players have just uploaded a park already sculptured - I've not looked myself, but one of my friends has already done something like this. Hmm think I might look for more empty parks when I get home from work.

 

[BigDragon]

Aren't those parks still available under the Frontier tab of "my parks"?

"Stay on Target" and "The large Ravine" are challenging terrains to work with!

Yes, I agree! That is the sort of stuff I like to see. It doesn't necessarily have to be so challenging, but those maps do take advantage of what the terrain engine can provide while giving the player direction. It's easy to pick out areas where I want a cluster of rides and buildings while also looking at spots where a coaster could run through. It definitely improves the game for me since it provides me with ideas. A blank slate isn't as effective at doing that.

So far I have been playing the provided maps. I haven't bothered with the sandboxes. I haven't looked in the Workshop for terrains either.