Terraforming...?

Does anyone know what the current limits are on remodelling (terraforming) purchased land (specifically mainland), or of a document/location where I can find out (a note or guide for instance). I've noticed a lot of new land on the mainland that has become available for sale has been formed into a series of step like structures (to make building easier I guess..but totally unnatural) precisely the size of the individual plots. Does this mean the land can no longer be modelled back to its original 'natural' form. I'm looking to buy several adjoining plots and want to return it to this 'natural' form ?

Maybe I ought to add that by 'limits' I mean changing the height or depth and the application of textures.

I believe that the limit on mainland is that you can move land up or down 4 meters.

Also, under edit terrain there is an option called "revert land" that takes it back to its previous form.

On the mainland you cannot change the texture of the terrian though, so if you have rock you cannot make it into grass without using textured prims.

I will look for a link.

Here's a REAL basic info page
http://secure-web5.secondlife.com/community/land-howto.php

4m..hmm..that would probably be about the height of these steps I guess and therefor how they (whoever they are) achieved them. Revert land sounds usefull. As for the texture I guess I'll just have to be a little choosy before I buy...think carefully about what it is I'm trying to do here.

Thanks for that Nimue..just what I was hoping for..

Hi Perre, if you have some idea of what you are looking for, send me an IM about it. I love searching for land, and have managed to find very nice places for a few people. No promises, but also no cost... I just do it for fun. Things to think about:

Size and cost - obviously... how much do you want, and how much are you willing to pay?

Your intended purpose - residential, business, art...

Terrain texture - as stated, this is unchangeable on mainland, so you're stuck with what you buy.

Water features - all ocean, coastline, lakeshore, near the coast, or totally inland.

Terraform - totally flat, rough but generally flat, gently sloped, steeply sloped

Protected borders - do you require this, and are you willing to pay the high price it commands?

Location - preferred continent, or want to be near a certain place.

Cr** you won't put up with - laggy sim, volatile ownership (lots of nearby parcels for sale), clubs, adcuts, etc.

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That's all I can think of. Seriously, feel free to enlist my help. Land searching is so much fun, especially when I don't have to actually pay for anything!

Most mainland is limited to +/- 4 Meters from the terrain surface saved in that sim's .raw file. When you hit that limit, the tarrain in that area will go no higher (or lower).

On the mainland you have absolutely no access to change the terrain textures, even if you own the entire region. Only the Lindens can... and they will flatly refuse to.

In private sims, the sim owner and estate manager(s) can change terrain textures, but it is a sim-wide change. There is no parcel-level terrain texturing in SL.

Thanks Ava I'll come back to you on that one with a spec of what I'm looking for..