Algernon's Terrain Sampler Lib

A simple tool for efficiently getting the generated terrain's height anywhere in the world.

Even if the chunk hasn't been created or even loaded yet, this still works. You could sample 2 billion blocks away as long as it's within the world boundary.

 

Use /terrainsampler columnheight ingame to test it out.

To get this function working in your mod, reflect this mod's assembly, then reflect sampleHeight as shown here:

foreach (Assembly assembly in AppDomain.CurrentDomain.GetAssemblies())
{
    Type modType = assembly.GetType("AlgernonsTerrainSampler.TerrainSamplerMod");
    if (modType == null)
        continue;

    PropertyInfo instanceProperty = modType.GetProperty("Instance", BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Static);
    MethodInfo getHeightMethod = modType.GetMethod("GetBlockColumnHeight", BindingFlags.Public | BindingFlags.Instance, null, [typeof(int), typeof(int)], null);
    if (instanceProperty == null || getHeightMethod == null)
        break;

    object instance = instanceProperty.GetValue(null);
    int sampleHeight(int blockX, int blockZ) => (int)getHeightMethod.Invoke(instance, [blockX, blockZ]);

Then give the height sampler delegate (sampleHeight) to your code that uses terrain height samples.

 

1.3.0 Update: new sample types courtesy of Chrisunfocused from Fast Map
You can now sample for rainfall, temperature, geologic activity, forest density, and shrub density, as well as height.

Use /terrainsampler samplecolumn ingame to test it out.

To get these detailed samples working in your mod, reflect this mod's assembly, then reflect SampleColumn similar to how FastMap did it here:

https://gist.github.com/Algernon733/d0c4301197ad98adb9753c496cbd579a

 

The terrain generation usually changes every major update, so don't use this on a different major version than the one it's made for.

 

This tool was made to help Farseer and the other two LOD mods in development, but you could use it for a lot of different things.

Originally, this came from the Watersheds mod. Terrain sampling is the core foundation of what enabled me to create terrain-respecting streams.

Here are some mod ideas you could make from terrain sampling:

• Terrain erosion effects
• Rain shadows
• Realistic wind flows
• Very long roads that respect the terrain, maybe between story structures
• Very long pathfinding routes, maybe for animal herds or trader routes
• Rivers and streams
• Realistic pond, lake, and spring placement
• Realistic snow depths (unsheltered areas have less snow, sheltered has more snow)
• Realistic fog areas (in sheltered areas)
• Groundwater and aquifers (a basic groundwater system is in Watersheds)
• Strategic/believable placement of ruins/structures/villages

 

Mods using this sampler:

• Farseer
• FastMap
• ChunkLOD
• WeatherStory

 

Looking for help:

Compatability with Conquest Landform Overhaul's configurable landforms