Some Lot Editor Explanation Needed Please

[mrbisonm]

I have been wondering for the last ten years what these things on the pic below marked in red/green and blue mean. Could someone please give me a detailed explanation what they do when I change the numbers (lower or higher) ?

Thanks.....


Fred


Edit:  Oupppssss....forgot the picture

[mattb325]

Think of it as a series of slope tolerant settings....a Lot foundation = the bricks and concrete you see that are around the edges of the entire LOT of most large buildings when grown; the building foundation is both the default Maxis red bricks and the bespoke foundations (think CP homes, JMyers and some Maxis houses) that only appear underneath the building.

This, is cut and pasted from the LE manual that was shipped way back when:

Max and Min Elevation Change
These editable values represent the slope range in which a lot will develop.  Note: Only lots that are developed by the simulator (R, C and I) are affected by the min and max values. The unit of measurement is in meters.  As a point of reference a 1x1 lot is 16x16 meters.

Setting the max value low will reduce the degree of slope that the lot will develop on. Setting the max value high will enable the lot to be used on very steep terrain.  The minimum value will limit the ability of lots to develop on level terrain.

This number represents the maximum distance between the highest and lowest points on the lot and is measured in meters.  Therefore, the size of the lot will have a dramatic impact on the allowable slope for the lot.  The larger the lot the more likely you are to have a larger range between the highest and lowest points on the lot, so for larger lots you will often have to increase the Max Elevation Range to ensure that it develops.

Foundation Threshold

SimCity 4 makes a distinction between a Lot Foundation and a Building Foundation.  When a lot foundation is used, the entire lot is leveled and a retaining wall is created.
Foundation Threshold can be used to determine whether a Building Foundation is used or a Lot Foundation.  If the slope of the lot is greater than the Foundation Threshold, then a Lot Foundation is used.  If it is less than the Foundation Threshold, then a Building Foundation is used.

This property can be used in conjunction with the Max and Min Slope properties to enforce either a Lot Foundation or a Building foundation at all times."

So, if you exclusively want a Lot Foundation, then your Foundation Threshold should be less than or equal to you Min Slope.  If you exclusively want a Building Foundation then your Foundation Threshold should be greater than or equal to you Max Slope.  "
If you want the use of Building And Lot Foundations to vary based on slope, then your Foundation Threshold should be somewhere in between your Min and Max Slope

A caveat to all of the above, of course, is that you have a custom building foundation made, and that it is set in the lot exemplar properties, otherwise the red brick side walls around the LOD (perfectly acceptable for most creations, but not so if you want to add to absolute realism for slope tolerance).

[mrbisonm]

Thank You Matt, for the easy to understand and complete explanation of these adjustments of the foundations and the retaining walls. I finally know now what they are.
Greatly appreciated. Now what was I am going to use it for? Oh yeah, my "highrock" castle..........

Fred