Basic building tools

A basic guide to the in game building tool used to get culture points, and as we all know, points means perks.

As of [v3.1][Beta 5][SE]

Introduction

You only need some material (Stone, grass, wood, bricks etc). Select the material you want to work in (ie: if stone is in your second inventory slot, hit 2 on the keyboard). This will make the chosen building material the default character action.

Building mode (The R key)

Tapping the R key on the keyboard changes the build mode. This is visible in the bottom right corner of the hud just above the red and blue bars.

There are 3 modes, build, terrain and auto. Build and terrain force the building mode, auto does it for you. Normally this only required when you want to force terrain mode as auto assumes if you are targeting terrain you want to start a building.


Terrain mode has a different prompt to build. The terrain prompt is a blue sphere, indicating where the new terrain will be.


BUilding mode has a block as the default prompt.

Block form mode (The F key)

With the block prompt (green cube) showing, move it to the desired starting point of your building. This will become the middle point of your structure, even if you delete it later your building will be (in standard settings) 45 blocks from this point in each direction.

Hold the action key on your mouse for a few moments and a block of your chosen material is placed on the ground.


New building constructed is anounced, yay you've made a building.


Targeting the blocks of your building invokes the building cursor (blue cube). Click and hold to place more blocks. Spending points on the construction perk reduces up the time spent holding the mouse buton, ie: it speeds up the building process.


Pressing F on the keyboard cycles through the block forms mode. The current mode is visible (when pointing at a block) in the bottom right corner of the screen (just above the Build mode).


Targeting the vertical side of a block. The horizontal mode, good for floors and ceilings when targeting a vertical side.


Targeting the horizontal.


The 3x3 block, good for lumps.


The vertical mode, good for walls.

Deleteing blocks

Use the pickaxe to delete unwanted blocks. Tip: build an entire wall then use the pick to 'knock out' the doorways and windows.

Terrain forming

Use the R key to select terrain. A sphere prompt is invoked when you target existing terrain.


Hold down the mouse action key for a few moments. A new piece of terrain is created.


Careful positioning of the terrain prompt dictates where the next bit of terrain will be created.

Of note

You can intersect buildings. Make sure you do not target an existing structure.


Now you can bould out both structures as you wish.

Advanced techniques

Building can be greatly sped up by first creating a frame structure. Build out a single line of blocks from your starting point to 'outline' the floor.

Standing on a block, looking down and building will lift you up as you construct a column. You can use this to build the corners of your building.

Using the same technique you can build quick 'scaffolding' either on your frame, or as a new building. Use this technique to quickly build out the ceiling of your building. Use the pickaxe to 'dig' your scaffold column quickly back down to the ground.

Your character stand 6 blocks high. Give a seventh block for some head room.

Make doorways at least 3 block wide and 6 blocks high. Your character can sqeeze through a 2 block wide doorway, but 3 is much easier to pass through.

Constructing double skin walls and ceilings allows you to have different materials in different rooms.

To construct a buliding of full height you need to create a pillar of terrain. Use the scaffolding technique. When your column of blocks is at max height (45 blocks) make sure the pillar is the same (or slightly higher) and start a new building on top of the pillar. Build back down to the ground from your pillar block and remove the pillar (or other way round, as you wish).

[TJ]

great tutorial how is your world so light all i can see is darkness

[Rydia27]

Very nice sgt bonkers, i like it, a great tutorial with great pics showing your explanations.