How did you go about terraforming your island?

[Seelie]

I've done the flatten everything down method and I've done the working off of my existing map thing (after resetting my previous island, where I'd flattened and rebuilt) and boy I had way more fun with the latter. I did end up changing things pretty drastically (although not 100% -- I still have most of my substantial cliffs in the back and there are portions of my river that match up with the original), but it was just way easier to build off of what was already there and work in chunks across the island than to handle a completely blank map. I liked what came out of it much, much more than with a flattened island, too.

 

[Soralan]

Im a resident on my daughters island, but I commandeered the north east cliffs that were originally there and done some tweaking here and there for my own purposes. I'm leaving the rest to her, as slow as she is.

 

[Chris]

I worked with what was already provided and I love how it turned out.

 

[_Donut_]

Personally I just started at my airport and made my way towards the back one area at a time. In the beginning I didn't had too many ideas but once you start, ideas start coming

 

[Manah]

I start with something I can't change (beaches, airport etc.) and work from there. Any actual terraforming I do is just "I need more space here"

 

[nightglow]

I wiped my island multiple times before being happy with my layout. Everything flattened and all rivers filled in. This is my first AC game so I don't know what I am doing until the 100th time of doing the same thing lol.
I do suggest not filling in your rivers. Just manipulate them until you are happy after flattening if you want to flatten.

 

[Imbri]

I did very minimal terraforming. I mostly used it to neaten up the areas where villager houses went, added a few waterfalls next to my house, and created a reflecting pond.

Definitely part of the "less is more" school of thought.

 

[deirdresgf]

part of why i reset my island is because i unlocked terraforming too early and i just ruined my old island.. i suck at terraforming things to look natural, so i'm mainly sticking with my default layout because i actually really like it and just adding to it and decorating around it! i will never flatten because i will just get so stressed out

 

[Peach_Jam]

At first I was entirely lost on how to terraform and wasn't sure of what I wanted exactly. I eventually realized that deciding on a central theme and planning out individual areas helped a ton in my case. Also with planning, taking it very slow is key! This ensures you have time to think about your idea to see if you really like it or not.

I'm still not 100% done with my island, and I probably will never be (since I change/adjust little things all the time), but I think I've reached a method that works for me hope this helps!

 

[meggiewes]

I completely flattened and filled in my rivers twice. On the third time I just built up and around what I already had. Well, other than filling in most of the river to re-do it. I am one of those people that has to do things a million and a half times before I figure out what I'm doing.

 

[paleogamer11]

I'm still in my maze-creating process, I will work on the path connecting Roscoe's house to the maze, then to whoever takes Vivian's spot, then a bridge connecting to a single path islet.

 

[meggiewes]

I'm still in my maze-creating process, I will work on the path connecting Roscoe's house to the maze, then to whoever takes Vivian's spot, then a bridge connecting to a single path islet.

That sounds neat! Are you going to upload your DA when you are done?

 

[NatsumiSummer]

I just sit down, play the game, and listen to some music on YouTube. Right now I am actually working on what will become the "Main Street," and I am listening to Breath of the Wild's Field (Day) theme for 10 hours on YouTube while I do it.

This is what I am listening to right now.

 

[Corrie]

I just kinda went for it and worked on a section at a time rather than planning out the entire thing. I started to but then I got overwhelmed and stressed so I'm taking it little by little. I have all my houses and buildings placed so I can focus on other sections now.

 

[Honesta]

First time I went with clean slate. XD If I didn't want to re-collect EVERYTHING, I would probably just reset my entire island. But I really don't want to do that, lol... So I have an image in my mind, and will do up one area, move buildings into it, then do another. It will likely take weeks, but eh. lol

 

[paleogamer11]

That sounds neat! Are you going to upload your DA when you are done?

I could show you the parts I have completed.

 

[KnoxUK]

Just go with the flow and improvise on small bits at a time, eventually it'd all connect naturally and look dope!

 

[moonlights]

like others have said, I've been adjusting what I had in my starter map. I didn't want to do lots of over-the-top, intricate terraforming because I wanted my island to remain somewhat natural.
however in the beginning I wanted to straighten my rivers, and when I did I thought it looked absolutely terrible and nothing like the vision I had for my island, so I've recently been trying to landscape it back to how it was in the beginning.

 

[satine]

It was very painstaking. Firstly, I cleared everything. I chopped down every single tree, cleared the rivers, moved every building that I could (so, except for Resident Services, annoyingly) to the beachside, and then I cleared out the entire island and made it all a single level. After that, I watched a good amount of island tour videos and decided what I wanted to do with mine. I drew a little map idea for myself and then built up the levels, moved the buildings back, and then added in the rivers again, then bridges, fences, trees, etc... It was the most tedious thing ever but I am in love with the turnout and I'll never do it again haha so it's ok. I didn't really do anything crazy. I made it look like a pretty standard island and didn't do anything super fancy with the terraforming, but I like it better than my old layout.

 

[Hypno KK]

I just edited the terrain I got at the start. I liked most of it and got used to it. I might make bigger changes at some point but just as with everything else, I might work on small areas of my island bit by bit.