How do you usually use the terrain tools? And how often?

So far I've mostly used them to make subtle changes in the terrain for gardens and such, and for stairways to heightened entrances.
An example of both combined is my latest build:
https://66.media.tumblr.com/0c96b10488d696e616d6d7f27ab772fc/tumblr_pkt9ngLU6K1v8k7elo10_1280.jpg
The area around the pool is slightly sunken, and the stairs towards the temple are raised.

Another example of stairways:
https://66.media.tumblr.com/6bca9e140d5ea26e441688c5468e4013/tumblr_pjqn9gU6mL1v8k7elo9_1280.jpg
I've been rebuilding Selvadorada, hence all the temple like structures.

And this is an example of smaller, more subtle variations in terrain:
https://66.media.tumblr.com/5fe9e678b13f5328e951e2cd9c69ae9c/tumblr_pi90oiuEcc1v8k7elo3_1280.jpg
https://66.media.tumblr.com/daf85daf68f2814138c13e97c8ccc86e/tumblr_pi90oiuEcc1v8k7elo2_1280.jpg
https://66.media.tumblr.com/8f01fb29e14bdff123f8d5ccbabdbda8/tumblr_pi90oiuEcc1v8k7elo1_1280.jpg
This one's still a WIP, got distracted by other builds.

Obviously, the size of the lot you're building on also is a factor. Small lots don't leave much room for terrain manipulation, whereas on large lots, they can be the perfect way to quickly fill up the lot with unique landscaping.

In previous Sims games, I always flattened the lot first off. The only terrain tool I used was the water tool. However, it's one of those things that even though I'm unlikely to use it, I'm glad they added it. I enjoy seeing what more creative types (like the post above) do with them.

Just small effects, I don't care for the house on a mini mountain look.

"MDianaSanders;c-16901272" wrote:
So far I've mostly used them to make subtle changes in the terrain for gardens and such, and for stairways to heightened entrances.
An example of both combined is my latest build:
img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/0c96b10488d696e616d6d7f27ab772fc/tumblr_pkt9ngLU6K1v8k7elo10_1280.jpg
The area around the pool is slightly sunken, and the stairs towards the temple are raised.

Another example of stairways:
https://66.media.tumblr.com/6bca9e140d5ea26e441688c5468e4013/tumblr_pjqn9gU6mL1v8k7elo9_1280.jpg
I've been rebuilding Selvadorada, hence all the temple like structures.

And this is an example of smaller, more subtle variations in terrain:
https://66.media.tumblr.com/5fe9e678b13f5328e951e2cd9c69ae9c/tumblr_pi90oiuEcc1v8k7elo3_1280.jpg
https://66.media.tumblr.com/daf85daf68f2814138c13e97c8ccc86e/tumblr_pi90oiuEcc1v8k7elo2_1280.jpg
https://66.media.tumblr.com/8f01fb29e14bdff123f8d5ccbabdbda8/tumblr_pi90oiuEcc1v8k7elo1_1280.jpg
This one's still a WIP, got distracted by other builds.

Obviously, the size of the lot you're building on also is a factor. Small lots don't leave much room for terrain manipulation, whereas on large lots, they can be the perfect way to quickly fill up the lot with unique landscaping.

Wow, I really like the temple and the idea to use the terrain to make this kind of stairs, thank you :)

I often used it to raise a small plot of land for my sims' tombstones.

I also remade a house from TS2 that was on a small hill and had stairs to the front and back porches. Now my family lives there, and I added a raised pool in the backyard to match the raised terrain.

I've only built once after the terrain tools. I made the house where I was born. There is one entrance with stairs and another that leads to 0,5 floor (sort of) which we can't have, so I raised the terrain to have that entrance on the ground level and create the illusion that I needed. The yard was a lot of work but I'm quite pleased with it now. Maybe I'll post a pic later.

It's okay. The default size for the smallest tool is still quite large, needs to scale down a bit. I do not have a scroll wheel mouse for this setting.
Mostly, I use it for driveways to a garage.

I played around with making hills and waterfalls, but nobody seems interested in downloading those from the gallery and it's a problem when the camera bounces around because of the level change in play mode, so I've gone back to using a flat terrain.

Since the update, I noticed that thumbnail images are much smaller, like there is something one level above that we cannot see. A two story house with a default pitch roof on a 30x20 lot in Willow Springs or Newcrest is very small in the thumbnails, I've had to lower or remove the roof to get a normal size image of my build.

Nice try though. Probably will only use it occasionally and for a driveway.

I haven't got around to trying it yet but I'm definitely going to experiment in the near future.

"Marjia;c-16912314" wrote:


I played around with making hills and waterfalls, but nobody seems interested in downloading those from the gallery and it's a problem when the camera bounces around because of the level change in play mode, so I've gone back to using a flat terrain.

I'd love to see some images of your hills and waterfalls. I might even download a lot or two.

It is an nice tool to have no doubt but it depends on the size of each lot how much flexability you have within that lots constraints as you cannot alter that lots size to get what your true vision for that lot but it still an good tool. I have yet to use it as I am disillusioned about Sims 4 and hardly play it now for the cloud has came down and I see Sims 4 for what it really means to me.