Why must water tiles all be at the same elevation?

[Andrew Kulin]

I am curious about the decision making process (or technical problems) that lead to this limitation in the mapping editor.

I can understand there being some issues in dealing with changes in water elevation along a river or stream where water tiles are contiguous and so there could be some graphical oddities along with maybe some computing issues in calculating where a sloping water surface and the adjacent ground intercept each or the (a.k.a. shoreline). And so leading to all such water tiles being the same elevation.

What I do not understand is why all water elevations found across the map must be the same elevation, even if they are not connected??? For example, hilly or mountainous countryside with scattered ponds and lakes at various elevations in the hills and a river in a valley. All these isolated ponds must have same water elevation as the river???

Could it not be set up something along the lines of that water tiles are:

- all set to lowest mapped water tile elevation (as currently done); unless,

- map-maker specifically hard-codes a higher elevation in the editor (with caveat that they will need to hard-code all water tiles they need to in a water body to ensure their map looks reasonable).

[A Canadian Cat]

I can understand there being some issues in dealing with changes in water elevation along a river or stream where water tiles are contiguous and so there could be some graphical oddities along with maybe some computing issues in calculating where a sloping water surface and the adjacent ground intercept each or the (a.k.a. shoreline). And so leading to all such water tiles being the same elevation.

What I do not understand is why all water elevations found across the map must be the same elevation, even if they are not connected??? For example, hilly or mountainous countryside with scattered ponds and lakes at various elevations in the hills and a river in a valley. All these isolated ponds must have same water elevation as the river???

I too see issues for connected water at different elevations (white water would be cool though:-) but:

+1 for disconnected water at different elevations

Could it not be set up something along the lines of that water tiles are:

- all set to lowest mapped water tile elevation (as currently done); unless,

- map-maker specifically hard-codes a higher elevation in the editor (with caveat that they will need to hard-code all water tiles they need to in a water body to ensure their map looks reasonable).

Or even simpler:

- water picks an elevation as it does now - slightly lower than the surrounding ground

- anytime water connects it all goes to the lowest level

[Broadsword56]

Yes, it's a bummer. My work-around is just to use a lot of mud and marsh and weedy stuff around where higher-level water would be -- at least to affect movement and signal the player that it's not a great place to go. Of course, that only works for the little farm ponds and wetland strips that are on the map I'm now making ... wouldn't help a bit if I had to make an upland lake or some other tactically significant water body.

[MikeyD]

I suppose the simple answer is CM:BN is not a landscaping simulator. Every 'extra' feature means that much more % of the processor is taken up by something other than actual combat. Yeh, I had lobbied for seperate water table levels, myself. And for more complex buildings, even for interior furniture! I also complained whenever my framerate dropped.

[Sgt Schultz]

I had to take my dam map and let the Brits take it out(operation chastise) because of this. I put in the lower river tiles and suddenly it looked like someone pulled the drain plug on my reservoir.

So I have to sculpt the lake contours now that they are exposed. Tweaking a dam with the center third missing is ... an adventure.

On the up side... I made a great Spartan well. Set off some HE in front of troops by the well while yelling "THIS IS SPARTA!"

[LarsS]

I suppose the simple answer is CM:BN is not a landscaping simulator.

Of course it is. The pixeltruppen are just in it to add a bit of flavour, kind of like the Godzilla creatures you could unleash on your city in the SimCity games. The name of the game is Construction Modeller: Bocage Neighbourhoods, after all.

[Broadsword56]

I had to take my dam map and let the Brits take it out(operation chastise) because of this....

Hey - no swearing on the forums!

[Sgt Schultz]

The real swearing was when I saw my drained lake.

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