What is your take on NOT Terraforming your Island?

[jikookbell]

I'm overwhelmed to try. Where do I stop if I start. I need a picture in my mind.

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

I haven't really done lots of terraforming on my island. Mostly, small changes with rivers, but that's pretty much it!

 

[daffodilcrossing]

Sometimes I like the look of a less terraformed island. It looks natural and I feel like it can fit really well for some themes. Sometimes when an island is over terraformed it’s overwhelming. I’ve visited a few dream islands that were beautiful but hard to get around because there were sooo many ponds and cliffs and just terraformed areas. My island is kind of terraformed but it’s a lot of work to terraform so I tend to do a little bit and the leave it mostly untouched.

 

[Grishiu]

I think it's an interesting idea to choose not to terraform! I have too many ideas, been inspired by too many other islands, to NOT terraform. I do envy those a little who chose not to change their island because let me tell you completely revamping your island is a lot of work I've been holding off on showing my island map because I fell off the motivation wagon, and now my island is stuck partly finished because I can't seem to get back on it, lol...

 

[UpFalls]

I think it's an interesting idea to choose not to terraform! I have too many ideas, been inspired by too many other islands, to NOT terraform. I do envy those a little who chose not to change their island because let me tell you completely revamping your island is a lot of work I've been holding off on showing my island map because I fell off the motivation wagon, and now my island is stuck partly finished because I can't seem to get back on it, lol...

Years back I played Sierra's City Building series (Caesar 3, Pharaoh, etc.) and part of successfully completing each mission involved working with the various terrain challenges, and I really enjoyed that aspect. In my last NH save I terraformed quite a bit here and there but even then I never really liked what I came up with because it was always either too little of this or too much of that and to my mind it just really didn't fit all together right. That's one of the reasons I decided to do as little terraforming as possible on my current map but it's also possible I may at some point get an inspiration (or more like a harebrained scheme) and decide to do things a whole lot differently.

 

[Grishiu]

Years back I played Sierra's City Building series (Caesar 3, Pharaoh, etc.) and part of successfully completing each mission involved working with the various terrain challenges, and I really enjoyed that aspect. In my last NH save I terraformed quite a bit here and there but even then I never really liked what I came up with because it was always either too little of this or too much of that and to my mind it just really didn't fit all together right. That's one of the reasons I decided to do as little terraforming as possible on my current map but it's also possible I may at some point get an inspiration (or more like a harebrained scheme) and decide to do things a whole lot differently.

I get you sometimes what you envision in your head doesn't come out quite right. Before I chose this massive terraforming island project of mine I terraformed a little here a little there but they were all separate ideas, not cohesive at all. The more I terraformed the more my island looked like a fever dream Now that I'm taking a look at my island as a whole it's really coming together (or WILL, once I actually find my motivation to complete it)

 

[Saturn]

i think the idea of no terraforming is rly cool!!! tbh there’s a lot you could do with that, i think it would be a fun design restraint. i’ve seen some people play around with the horizon in rly interesting ways on flat maps and they look gorgeous.

i personally feel as though the actual task of terraforming is suuuuper punishing and grueling lol. even though i love my island how looks now (post a lot of terraforming), the road to getting to that point was definitely the least fun part of the game for me. definitely go for no terraform, spare yourself, be free

 

[X2k5a7y]

I tried to have a non terraformed island, but I saw builds I wanted to do that required some terraforming. I think everybody does such a great job at decorating their island regardless of terraforming.

 

[toxapex]

Sometimes I like the look of a less terraformed island. It looks natural and I feel like it can fit really well for some themes. Sometimes when an island is over terraformed it’s overwhelming. I’ve visited a few dream islands that were beautiful but hard to get around because there were sooo many ponds and cliffs and just terraformed areas. My island is kind of terraformed but it’s a lot of work to terraform so I tend to do a little bit and the leave it mostly untouched.

This is pretty much how I operate w/ my island. There are certain areas for which I have a vision, so I'll decorate or terraform those, but mostly I like to work with the general layout I started on

 

[Rykertimee]

Honestly I feel like terraforming is kind of important because there is always something I want to change.

 

[SandiMacD]

I felt my island was near perfect. I haven't done any significant terraforming. Mostly it was creating land "steps" in the existing rivers so I didn't need a bridge. I also straightened out a cliff side area a tad so I could pack 3 villager houses against it. In another area I extended some land into a river so I could walk around and alongside a house I had placed too close to the bank.

 

[PKMrBear]

I feel like terraforming my island would ruin it. I have mostly kept the terrain as it started, only changing a few tiles when necessary to build a bridge or something. I like building around the terrain I've been given.

 

[Briar]

I didn't really terraform at all for a long time, but I eventually did do a bit more terraforming, such as adding another cliff area and changing the rivers a bit. I still kept most of the existing cliffs and ponds where they were though. There's nothing wrong with terraforming or not in my mind. It just depends on what you want for your island!

 

[q9q]

For my current island, I prefer not to terraform. I like the natural map layout as it is. I removed some bits of cliffs as necessary to build inclines, but that's it. I like seeing what other people do with terraforming though!

 

[SemiColin]

Well, if you like your island that way and can make it fun and interesting without it, go for it! That's what I think! Personally, I wouldn't avoid terraforming since I like the layers of land and the variety that comes with that. But I wouldn't shame anyone, including you, for not using it. The island is your oyster!

 

[cornimer]

I didn't do any terraforming on my island because it just doesn't interest me. That's not why I play the game - my focus is on befriending villagers, catching fish & bugs and decorating my house.