Kingdom of Aelfheim Terraforming | Page 2 | Cities & Towns | Forum

Given that it's been two months since my last full post on the matter (despite update edits to the post above), and given that since then I've vomited over 800,000 cobble onto Aelfheim, I figured it would be a good time to actually post a bit on how I'm doing.

• The pillars are filled, which will be solid columns inside the caverns.  They're really minimal guides, though....the caverns themselves are going to extremely varied, so I'll be filling in more cobble around them as the caverns are formed.
• Backfilling is complete, as you can see in the final pic of the last post.  Basically that was everything that I could fill that didn't require terrain sculpting....essentially it was the "easy stuff."
• Sloping is underway, I'm about a quarter of the way around the bluff...or whatever I'm going to call this landform....Hill? Mountain?  Plateau?

But the main reason I'm posting now (as opposed to when the next phase is started, cavern sculpting) is because I have enough of the Sloping done that I can show it off, so you all can see the extent of my madness.

 Check it out.

Now, compare that with the pics above.  Notice the intent of this step: to fill in the land, raise it up, and bring the slopes up to the level of the vertical walls.  And yes, it's solid.  In some places in these filled areas, the cobble is 20-30 blocks deep.  I'm doing this 2 layers at a time, first doing the slope edge, and then filling them in, working in as much variation as I can.  You can also see some grass peeking through in some spots, where I decided the existing terrain was sufficient.

I think it's going rather well.

However, now comes the second part of this post, and feedback will be appreciated.

I'm (not surprisingly) running out of cobblestone.

Now, I DO have some places where the caverns will be carved out and made much deeper, but that will take time to gather...and I'd rather silk touch that so I can use the smooth stone for the cavern sculpting.

So, I will soon be building a shop in New Glacia.  It's purpose will be to BUY COBBLE.  I know a lot of people have way too much, and many people trash or burn it, so this may be an alternative.  I'm planning on buying the cobble for 1s per stack.  I don't feel that is too cheap, really, but I'm open to thoughts on the matter.  With as much as I plan to use, I am planning on using a month of Viceroy salary to this effort.  Yes, that's right, 100,000s for 6.4 million cobble.  I am also planning to have a donation spot for those who want to just give me their cobble even after the funds to buy it are expended, rather than throw it in their trash.  Eventually I will likely be doing this for dirt and grass, too.

Anyways, that's where things stand.  Cheers.

Aelfheim portal ship is active!

It's located at Exodus Harbor Dock E1, here: http://maps.veterancraft.net/?.....1618440386

And it takes you here: http://maps.veterancraft.net/?.....4511224499

It's now the most effective portal for traveling to NE Arda, taking you over 3x the distance that the East Portal does!

Beware that Aelfheim is still undergoing Terraforming, and is full of long falls and hostile mobs.

As for a Terraforming update.....same old story, see the above post.  Exterior Sloping continues well, but slow.

I really have no idea how long this step will take. 

So, it took a little less than a month to dig out the main pit of Greatdeeps.  I'm really proud of it, using the natural caves and four chasms.  I'm not posting any pictures, because it won't look like how it is now when it's covered by the mountain above it, but you're welcome to visit it if you like.

For the best effect, I recommend coming from the ship, working your way around the north side of the project, and reaching 1940, -850.  You'll see the entrance. CAUTION: Even though it isn't covered yet, there are still many dark caves for mobs to swarm from (and they do) and many sudden drops and plenty of lava.  I HIGHLY recommend /god or enchanted weapons and armors.  I'm not responsible for your otherwise inevitable death. 

Greatdeeps represents the largest of the pits I have to dig for the project (thank God).  Next up is the Yggdrasil cavern to the east of it, and they'll be joined by a number of caves.  It shouldn't take as long, as it has a smaller circumference overall and won't be as open inside.  After that, I'll be refining cave floors, preparing water and lava channels, exposing/refining chasms (I know of several and will be searching for more) and general cleanup of the Lamplight, Underhill, and Nightmarket districts.

Eventually I'll be able to use all the stone I'm collecting to sculpt the caverns up and start making this whole thing look less like a giant scar on Arda.  I've collected over 500k smooth stone just digging out Greatdeeps, and plan on doing the same for the rest of my digging, just so I don't have to worry about smelting my precious cobblestone supply.  

By the way, that reminds me: I forgot to send an ingame mail, but if someone could please tell Rangasp that I would like to buy thirty(30) UIII EIV ST pickaxes, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks! 

Alright!  So it hasn't taken long, but I've dug out the rest of my cavern floors.  Still some stuff to do, but I need to see them with the walls and ceilings to refine them.  I'd say the floors are about 90% done to where they'll be.  

Compare with my March 12th post, and here's the update as it looks on the Dynmap now:

It's a little hard to tell in most places, but you can see a lot of the areas I've dug out.

Now, I'm moving on to the next phase of this monstrosity.  Thanks to Rangasp's Silk Touch Picks, the carving of the caverns above has netted me some 1.1+ million smooth stone.  This will now be applied to crafting the walls and ceilings of the caverns, as well as the tunnels leading in and out.  I have NO idea how long this will take, nor whether this 1.1 million stone will be sufficient.  I am sticking to my "stupidity compartmentalization" method, and will be starting in the smaller areas first, like Underhill and the Nightmarket, then working my way in from the edges, eventually reaching what will be known as The Rift.

Updates as progress warrants.

And if anyone is curious, I AM planning a GIF or video of frames of all of these steps, seamlessly lined up, to show how this all went down after it's done.  

Sorry I missed your post Ted.  That looks great!  Lot of ideas.

Unfortunately I can't look too far ahead with this project.  For one, the to-do list keeps growing, but also until I'm done terraforming, it has to remain just a list. *sigh*

I'll refer back to this post.  I have to keep "compartmentalizing my stupidity" in order to maintain my sanity on this project....otherwise the amount of work to do overwhelms me and I would quit.  It's how I've managed to keep going over the last year.

In short, I can't plan details, know exactly where something will go, layout the myriad of castles, walls, temples, cities, towns, farms, industries, roads, rails, ports, events, etc. until after I'm done terraforming and I can look on the land with fresh eyes....as if I am first seeing it.

Otherwise, my plans would affect the terraforming, which I've been doing as natural as possible, and the result wouldn't be pretty.  If I need to flatten or fill some small areas afterwards while building, that's fine, but THIS terraforming can't be influenced too much by what I intend to do.  All I know now is where I want basic features, like the castle mountain, the Yggdrasil peak, the Verenna plateau, and The Rift.  How those will actually look in the end....I have NO idea.

To that end, here 's a mini-update.  I'll keep editing this pic, for those who want to see the progress.

As a part of my "stupidity compartmentalization," I'm breaking up the cavern sculpting into 8 parts.  Here's the progress and descriptors:

• 1st - Rustwick Grotto (Castle Utilityworks) - COMPLETE! 6/17 
• 2nd - Nightmarket Cavern (Lower Verenna) - COMPLETE! 6/28
• 3rd - Underhill Cavern (Manors) - COMPLETE! 7/20
• 4th - Yggdrasil Cavern (Roots and Temple) - In Progress
• 5th - Lamplight Cavern (City)- Next
• 6th - Lower Greatdeeps (Temple and Hunting Zone)
• 7th - Upper Greatdeeps (Town)
• 8th - The Rift (Sheer Divide in the Terrain)

Remember, these are just going to be the bare caverns.  Development of them will come MUCH later in concert with the rest of the Kingdom.

And remember....if you happen to wander into these massive unlit caverns, I'm NOT responsible for your inevitable death. 

Thanks!  At the pace I'm going, I expect the Terraforming to continue for another year or so, unless I have a glut of unforseen time to play.  My current pace is not what it once was (since I moved in with my fiance).  I need a laptop, which would greatly improve my time online.

But the project aside from terraforming was concepted from the beginning to be "neverending."  I'll always have something to build here.

SpyBorg said I don't care how long it takes...just keep buying cobble lol

At my last check, I was still buying 3 million.   I have to fill the cracks of the caverns, pour in massive amounts to get it up to the levels of the current sloping, and then cap with more sloping to finish the mountains.  Then I have to cap it all with a layer of stone, and then 2-3 dirt/grass.  The filling will be extensive.

EDIT : it is looking impressive though, had a visit a few days ago

Thanks!  I hope you came armored, if you wandered into one of the covered caverns.  I don't recommend them if one doesn't have /god.  The mob spawns are everywhere since I haven't lit them.