Do you use elevation lines or regions? Seems like Elevation Lines interpolate way faster than regions?

[cbucks]

Do you use elevation lines or regions? Seems like Elevation Lines interpolate way faster than regions?

[imodel]

Mostly elevation splines or lines.  Regions for flat areas.  Lines or splines must not crossover a region.  That said sculpting terrain in Chief is a bit of a hit and miss ballet. 

[TeaTime]

Yeah it just totally depends on what they're being used for. Using Lines to create flat regions is a waste of time, that's what Regions are for. So I don't know that I favor one over the other. Adding to what @imodel said though, lines or splines must not crossover ANY Other elevation object. All elevation data should be separate in order for it to behave well. In fact that's how you control the degree of slope, the closer together they are, the steeper the change in elevation.

 

As for it affecting interpolation time, I've not noticed any difference though I suppose it makes sense that it might. My understanding is that lines just distribute elevation points every so-many feet (this is observable if you cross elevation lines at differing heights, you'll sometimes see the contours touching the line at certain intervals), so I have to assume that regions are just doing the same thing in a grid, meaning many times more points. But, it's also flat inside, so there shouldn't be much to interpolate!

[DBCooper]

If I am trying to match contour lines, either imported as a picture or cad, I will just draw elevation splines to match them.  If I need flat areas, for things like building pads or whatever, then I use elevation regions.  And, just as everyone else has said, Chief will barf if you ever have two different elevations (regardless of what is generating them) even close to the same location.