Terrain edit tools: More information, please.

After spending at least 2 hours exploring websites, the Knowledge Base, tutorials, etc., I'm reduced to asking this question:

Where can I find a truly detailed explanation of how the Edit Terrain tools work -- that is, exactly what they do (e.g. Smooth, Flatten). Oviously the names are descriptive, but exactly HOW the tool smooths, etc., hasn't been clear in any instructions I've found. For example, does "Smooth" lower peaks or raise low spots? What exactly does "Flatten" do, and how is it different from "Smooth". (Of course I've practiced using the tools.)

I'm certainly not asking that anyone give me the details here, but please direct me to a good article or tutorial if you can.

Thanks!

what about a try and see what happens?

Alwin, as I mentioned in my post, I have tried. I've done at least two hours of work using Edit Terrain, and it isn't clear, from visual observation, how all the tools work, especially Smooth and Flatten.

What I don't understand is why instructions are so hard to find. Surely the people who developed the SL system and the terrain tools know how everything works, in detail. So why don't they publish the information in the Knowledge Base or SL tutorials? The information I've found is usually so basic that it leaves important practical questions unanswered.

The ONLY way to learn to edit terrain is doing it. I guess for the majority of us the names suffice. Flatten and Smooth. Flatten makes the land flat. Smooth makes it smooth. (No I am not trying to be a smart-ass here, just hang on).

Take your land and use Raise in a few spots to make mounds. Now try using flatten and it will end up making the area you work look kind of like a table top.

Now repeat the same experiemnt again using Smooth. This time instead of lowering the hills and making a completely flat surface it will smooth the sides of the mounds and raise the surrounding land some to make gentle slopes.

Just keep practicing and you will get it. Don't go out and spend a lot of money on a land edit tool either. Once you get the hang of using the built in land edit functions they are much faster and easier anyway.

Jesse, thanks for the excellent reply. I'm sure those experiments will make it clearer to me what is actually going on with Smooth and Flatten. I began to get the hang of it while practicing this morning.

What I miss in the instructions put online by SL, etc., are really important details. For example, when land is "smoothed" in a given area, do the lower spots rise toward the peaks, or do the peaks lower toward the valleys, or do the peaks and valleys meet in the middle? Knowing that would let you know if the designated area is going to end up higher, lower, or in between.

Your answer was really a great help, thank you!