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Operation

Click in model to set first plot corner. Move cursor to where opposite corner should be. Click again to make the plot.

Options

• Hold Alt = Quake. Dramatize terrain randomly.
• Doubleclick = Replot. Quickly plot reusing last dimensions.
• Ctrl = Toggle plot from center. Plot symmetrically.
• Hold Shift = Trim. Erase existing terrain.

Change Output while Plotting

You can change plot Length, Width, Resolution, while you are in the Plot tool.

To change, simply type numbers, and hit Enter to apply. Watch the numbers in your VCB. If you have just made an active Plot, watch the plot update in your viewport.

Try Plot-Quake

Plot-Quake is when you create a new terrain plot, and at the same time apply automatic semi-random organic variation to your terrain.

Just when you are applying a new Plot, hold key Alt as you click. This will generate a varied terrain. But you never know what you will get!

If you prefer another variation, Requake. To Requake, hit Enter just after you have made a quaked plot. When requaking, you do not need to hold Alt. Keep hitting Enter till you get something interesting.

Try Sandbox Landshaping

Quaked Plots are an excellent way to do sandbox modelling. A sandbox model is a great way to explore Landshape tools, and to learn to use them hands-on.

Embrace Playfulness

Quaked Plots are also a great way to start a session of open-ended creative landscaping. Especially in combination with Holygon's sibling Landshape-ready extensions Placify and Compfire.

– Embrace playfulness!

Read Statusbar and VCB for Details

• When Plot is active, Sketchup's statusbar will show the current state and options. Read the statusbar carefully.
• The VCB and its label shows any current parameters. Right after a Plot commit, try typing different values and hit Enter to control the Plot effect.

Limitations

• For the time being, do not Plot new terrain so that it overlaps existing terrain. Currently, Plot does not automatically extend existing terrain. To precision-check plan clearance, use View Top and Zoom.

Holygon aims to address this issue in a future release.

Compare with Form

• Currently, the only other Landshape command that also creates new terrain plots is Form. Form lets you use preexisting geometry groups to control the position and elevation of new terrain plots. Learn more about Form.

Tips

• Landshape terrain is multi-resolution. You may change terrain resolution locally at any time using Mesh and Mesh Brush.
• In general, it is better to start terrain low-resolution, and then increase resolution only where needed. Typically, reserve higher resolution for areas that have special interest, or require granular surface features.
• For a model requiring a large context terrain surrounding a smaller grade site, you could use fairly low resolution for context, and use higher resolution for the site itself.
• You may have multiple plots in the same model. Sidekick plots may be useful as sandboxes to explore how tools work. Or, for shaping and creating in isolation, before bringing results over to a main plot. Note that some commands may currently only work for one plot at a time.
• If you create a plot so that its new rim just touches along the rim of an existing rectangular plot, other Landshape commands will generally treat the result much like one contiguous terrain.