Why Do People Avoid Building on Non-Flat Land?

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asb3pe

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Jul 29, 2019
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On SSP I always built some sort of cool base in a nice location. The very word "flat" is, by my definition, not a "nice location" - its very boring to look at day after day. I prefer elevated bases cut into a tall mountain where I can see east and west for the majestic sunrises and sunsets.

However, on SMP, there are many additional considerations. If I live in a towny, I'm pretty much stuck with flat, not to mention doing everything in a 16x16 vertically tall box. LOL But if I decide to "go it alone", then I'm certainly not going to make my base of operations obvious to wayward explorers and assorted miscreants. I'll bury underground, hide all my entrances, etc. and make it look like its just any old nondescript place.
 

whythisname

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Jul 29, 2019
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Generally I'm the kind of guy the just has all his crap sitting out in the open, but I've been trying to change that. Flat terrain doesn't work for me though, I don't get further than boxes on that. Recently I've built on a hill side though and I liked the challenge and it turned out decently, the problem is that it isn't very functional and will never be because it's too cramped. It was interesting though, looking at material combinations and whatnot to get something decent looking. I still have to learn a lot though xD
 

Drawde

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Jul 29, 2019
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One reason is it's easier to move around early in the game without jumping everywhere.
 

TheAbstractHippo

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Jul 29, 2019
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I'm using one of the challenges on the "Need Ideas?" thread where I'm building my entire base within one chunk. Although, I think I may do farms and bees outside it, though. Anyways, when you have a space limitation like that, usually you just build, move the stuff that's in the way, and build again, no matter what the terrain is. It definitely makes for some... unique buildings.
 

Cirom

Well-Known Member
Jan 1, 2013
130
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I believe the reason is different for everyone.

Personally, I prefer building on flat land because it allows for easy expansion when I'm ready to make my base/factory/cat/dog/frog bigger than it currently is. That, and you don't have to worry about jumping so much (and wasting hunger) in the earlygame.
 

PeggleFrank

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Jul 29, 2019
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If you put your house on a hill and don't clear off the top of the hill, you'll have a very small, ugly, and oddly shaped house that'll end up having lots of ugly, dark corners. It's much easier to build on a flat piece of terrain, and then do creative things on the interior.
 

Staxed

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Jul 29, 2019
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If you put your house on a hill and don't clear off the top of the hill, you'll have a very small, ugly, and oddly shaped house that'll end up having lots of ugly, dark corners. It's much easier to build on a flat piece of terrain, and then do creative things on the interior.


This is why I normally end up building on a semi flat/small hill area, clearing off the land I want to use a bit (or digging into the hill if I have to), and then terraforming the land to fit the house. (last house I build and did this I ended up having to terraform about 20K blocks...sometimes I get a little carried away...)
 

Celestialphoenix

Too Much Free Time
Nov 9, 2012
3,741
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Tartarus.. I mean at work. Same thing really.
you simply MUST make a video tour of your base...that is awesome looking...

Thanks :)
I would if I could; But no-one wants to watch a slideshow- large Minefactory farms (multiple block updates/tick), 360+ Steam engines and a poorly optimised modpack/version of MC generally makes it a bit laggy. If I'm lucky I can push 10FPS (Normally I average around 40-50)

If I can get the last few loose ends tidied up before the server resets, I'll put a dedicated post somewhere on here.
(Get fusion reactor running, build auto-enchanter, tidy farms/bees/workshop)​
 

Enigmius1

New Member
Jul 29, 2019
499
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Why Do People Avoid Building on Non-Flat Land? Everywhere I see, people always clear out chunks upon chunks of flat land to build on, ultimately making their "cool base" a lot lamer than it needs to be. Any base on the side of a mountain makes it tons cooler, but nobody ever does it? Do people not realize that or are they avoiding the challenge? Also state your point of view. Thanks for your time

Why do people not like brussel sprouts? Why is there more than one flavor of ice cream? Why do cars come painted different colors?

You're not asking an objective question. You may not be aware of this, but when you build a structure in the real world you always start with a flat base (or a series of flat bases on two more more levels, if we want to get fancy). The end result may not look like it started flat once the foundation is back-filled, but it started flat.

I've built structures into landscape features and I've cleared landscape features to build structures. What I DON'T do is ask myself what other people will think is cool and use that to define my design choices. I personally find rectangular structures with sloped roofs to be boring and horribly unimaginative, but I don't ask why other people build them. I build what I want to build based on what I like. And I would imagine the people who insist on building on flat land are doing the same.
 
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Dackstrus

New Member
Jul 29, 2019
173
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I'm always building in the mountains.. As a person who grew up surounded by them all their life, it's really... Unsettling to build in a massive wide open field..

Trees help, but meh... I like having walls to my world. I'll build up on a flat spot on the side of a mountain, and just carve out areas i need flat for outside production. Though once i set up a proper house, i usually quarry out it's footprint to bedrock, and then lay platforms every so often down the hole, finishing with my house on top.... Usually some sort of eleborate hillside castle.

Its suprisingly hard to work a mountain into a base
http://www.flickr.com/photos/99242504@N02/

Also the more interesting designs generally get ignored by the youtube psudocelebritys in favour of box builds.

That's impressive and all.. >.>;; But i shove all that under my home.
 

Malexion

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Jul 29, 2019
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I'm always building in the mountains.. As a person who grew up surounded by them all their life, it's really... Unsettling to build in a massive wide open field..

Trees help, but meh... I like having walls to my world. I'll build up on a flat spot on the side of a mountain, and just carve out areas i need flat for outside production. Though once i set up a proper house, i usually quarry out it's footprint to bedrock, and then lay platforms every so often down the hole, finishing with my house on top.... Usually some sort of eleborate hillside castle.



That's impressive and all.. >.>;; But i shove all that under my home.
Same, or in my case I shove it in the cliff sides.

Here is why I love building in Jade Cliffs also my love of drawbridges. PS ignore the large block of a building its WIP.

http://imgur.com/a/hpuuh#0
 

Staxed

New Member
Jul 29, 2019
1,019
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Thanks :)
I would if I could; But no-one wants to watch a slideshow- large Minefactory farms (multiple block updates/tick), 360+ Steam engines and a poorly optimised modpack/version of MC generally makes it a bit laggy. If I'm lucky I can push 10FPS (Normally I average around 40-50)

If I can get the last few loose ends tidied up before the server resets, I'll put a dedicated post somewhere on here.
(Get fusion reactor running, build auto-enchanter, tidy farms/bees/workshop)​


In that case more details screens of each area would be awesome...I just love looking at what other people come up with :)
 

Dackstrus

New Member
Jul 29, 2019
173
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http://tinypic.com/r/fe3qd5/5

It's not much to look at from outside. I've a very minimal impact on the nearby area thing.. That odd squarebit of mountain around the house is actually WHY i build there. I did'nt do that.

http://tinypic.com/r/27xfbx4/5

Not as mountinious as i'd like but... *.* Volcano Biome. Theres also an autmn forest just behind the mountain, And a smallish mushroom island just 200 blocks out into the ocean.
 

Avatar

New Member
Jul 29, 2019
355
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I personally always find building to be a hassle. I always feel as if I'm a bad builder and always end up building and tearing things down around 5 times before i'm semi-satisfied/bored to death. I'm inspired by peoples builds, but can never bring myself to build properly. And i used to be such a good builder (I was told this multiple times by multiple people) before i started mods i'm afraid, even though i have so much more choice with them.
Anyone else feel the same?
 

CapturetheBomb

New Member
Jul 29, 2019
130
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I personally always find building to be a hassle. I always feel as if I'm a bad builder and always end up building and tearing things down around 5 times before i'm semi-satisfied/bored to death. I'm inspired by peoples builds, but can never bring myself to build properly. And i used to be such a good builder (I was told this multiple times by multiple people) before i started mods i'm afraid, even though i have so much more choice with them.
Anyone else feel the same?

Yep. I think it has to do with the need for the various materials in machines and stuff vs just using them for aesthetics. I made a really cool looking rail station years ago on a server, with uses of water, glowstone, and fire for some really interesting mood lighting. As soon as I found mods, I have always done the practical thing and hoarded my items to make bigger and better machines.