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Terrain Types

Terrain types are associated with the cells, borders, connections, and coatings in a world.

Form: terrain-type name properties...

This form defines a new type of terrain, named by name. Details are similar to those for unit types.

GlobalVariable: t*

This variable evaluates to a list of all terrain types, listed in the order that they were defined.

GlobalVariable: non-terrain

This variable has a value that is guaranteed not to be a terrain type.

Terrain Subtypes

Terrain can appear in four different roles: as the interior of a cell, as a border between cells, as a connection between cells, or as a coating overlaying the normal terrain. The terrain subtype says which role a type can play.

TerrainTypeProperty: subtype subtype

This property is the role that the terrain type can appear in. Defaults to cell.

GlobalConstant: cell

This constant indicates that terrain can fill a cell. All units in the open and with an altitude of 0 are assumed to be surrounded by the cell terrain.

GlobalConstant: border

This constant indicates that the terrain can be a border between two cells.

GlobalConstant: connection

This constant indicates that the terrain can be a connection between two cells.

GlobalConstant: coating

This constant indicates that the terrain can be a coating. A coating is a temporary terrain modification. The classic example is snow, which effectively changes some kinds of terrain, but not completely and usually not permanently. Cells can have varying heaviness of each type of coating.

TableTT: coating-depth-min t1 t2 -> n

In order for a coating t1 to "stick", this table says much must be added all at once to terrain t2. A coating depth that drops below this will disappear immediately.

TableTT: coating-depth-max t1 t2 -> n

This table is the upper limit on coating depth.

Terrain types may have additional subtype attributes that are used only during synthesis, to select appropriate subtypes for special purposes.

TerrainTypeProperty: subtype-x n

This property is extra subtype information, used in synthesis. Defaults to no-x.

Symbol: no-x

GlobalConstant: river-x

This constant indicates that synthesis methods should treat this type as a river. The terrain type may be either a border or a connection.

GlobalConstant: valley-x

This constant indicates that synthesis methods should treat this type as a valley.

GlobalConstant: road-x

This constant indicates that synthesis methods should treat this type as a road.

TerrainTypeProperty: liquid t/f

This property is true if the terrain type represents a liquid, which means that adjacent cells of liquid must have the same elevation. Defaults to false.

Terrain Compatibility

Terrain types are not always mutually compatible. Incompatible types may not be juxtaposed, either at game setup time or by unit action during a game.

TableTT: adjacent-terrain-effect t1 t2 -> t3

This table specifies what will happen to a cell of type t1 adjacent to a cell of type t2. If t3 is non-terrain, nothing will happen, otherwise it will become a cell of type t3. Defaults to non-terrain.

TableTT: adjacent-terrain-effect-chance t1 t2 -> n%

If a terrain change is specified in the adjacent-terrain-effect table, then the corresponding entry in this table determines the probability n of the terrain change effect succeeding. Defaults to 100%.

TableTT: adjacent-terrain-effect-passes t1 t2 -> n

If a terrain change is specified in the adjacent-terrain-effect table, then the corresponding entry in this table determines how many times this effect will be iterated by the terrain change code. Defaults to -1, which means that iterations will continue until no more changes occur or until the number of iterations is equal to the height of the map.

TableTT: adjacent-terrain-border t1 t2 -> t3

If a cell terrain of type t1 is adjacent to a cell terrain of type t2, then place a border of type t3 between the cells. Defaults to non-terrain, which means that no border will be placed.
NOTE: Existing borders are deleted before the new border is placed.

TableTT: adjacent-terrain-border-chance t1 t2 -> n%

If a border between t1 and t2 is specified in the adjacent-terrain-border table, then the corresponding entry in this table determines the probability of the new border actually being placed. Defaults to 100%.

Note that there is not a passes-limiting table for setting border terrain. This is because the border terrain algorithm executes in one pass, since border types are not dependent on neighboring border types.

Other Terrain Properties

TerrainTypeProperty: elevation-min elev

TerrainTypeProperty: elevation-max elev

These properties define the minimum and maximum possible values for the elevation in a cell of given terrain type. Both default to 0.

TerrainTypeProperty: temperature-min n

TerrainTypeProperty: temperature-max n

These properties define the minimum and maximum possible values for the temperature in a cell of given terrain type. Both default to 0.

TerrainTypeProperty: wind-force-min n

TerrainTypeProperty: wind-force-max n

These properties define limits on wind force. Both default to 0.

TerrainTypeProperty: clouds-min n

TerrainTypeProperty: clouds-max n

These properties define limits on cloud density. Both default to 0.


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