Raise your first plateau

On the terrain band, an area is a level. This lesson takes a flat plan — a lawn, a terrace, a pond — and gives each its altitude.

Ground zero

The canvas starts as flat ground at altitude zero. Every terrain area is measured from that: +0.5 m is half a metre above it, −0.4 m is a pit. The open ground between areas is graded to join them.

Steps

1. Select the lawn — click it on the plan, or click its row in the sidebar.
2. Type its altitude. The slider at the plan's edge shows the selection's altitude; click the number and type 0.5. In 3D the lawn is now a plateau with a bank down to the surrounding ground.
3. Select the terrace and type 0.8. It sits a step above the lawn, and where the two meet the ground steps up.
4. Select the pond and type −0.4. A negative altitude digs down.
5. Orbit the 3D view (drag) to see the three levels.

Three levels, three numbers. Every area on the terrain band shapes the ground like this.

How the ground between is worked out

With Terrain on in the top bar (it is, by default), all the terrain areas fuse into one surface: inside each area the ground is at that area's level, and between them it is interpolated. The banks are rounded — how much is a setting in the next lesson but one. Switch Terrain off and each area stands as a separate block instead, which is sometimes clearer while laying out.

Hard edges

When one area lies inside another — a raised bed on a lawn — the ground normally grades between them. Tick Hard edges on the inner one in the sidebar to step straight up instead, like a kerb or a wall.

Tips

• The slider also reads Altitude of new shapes while nothing is selected: set it before drawing several areas at the same level.
• The inspector shows a Base field only with the terrain surface off, for stacking solid blocks.

Next

Dig a pond or a pit — negative altitudes, water and volume.