Land Claim and Farming System Overview

🌾 Farming System Design

Modular Farmable Surfaces

• Farmable surfaces are not tied to UE4 landscape.
• Use placeable models for:
  • Small-scale containers (e.g., planter boxes)
  • Large-scale grid-based farm plots
• These models are spawned dynamically during gameplay.

Grid-Aligned Farming System

• Farm plots can be connected together in a grid layout.
• Grid alignment ensures:
  • Clean expansion
  • Easy placement of crops within the plot surface
• Plots only become available once a Survey Monument is placed.

Crop Growth States

• Each planted crop has a lifecycle:
  • Planted
  • Sprouted
  • Growing
  • Mature
  • Harvestable
• Growth is handled in Blueprint using:
  • Timers or tick-driven logic
  • Transition events and variable thresholds per stage

🌍 Landscape and Farm Zones

World Layout

• Landscape will be large-scale with varied terrain.
• Central area reserved for flat farmland.
• Includes a structured road network and designated field areas.

Farm Zone Types

• Some zones are free to claim.
• Others are pre-placed/premade and must be purchased, not claimed.

🏛️ Land Claim System

Claiming Mechanics

• Players must place a Survey Monument to begin claiming plots.
• Once surveyed, a player can:
  • Snap plots to the grid
  • Establish ownership of the tiles

Claim Constraints

• Land claiming is limited by:
  • In-game time (e.g., progression over days)
  • Player advancement/resources
  • Potential other mechanics (e.g., reputation, quest unlocks)

Expansion Logic

• The more time or progress a player accrues, the larger area they are allowed to claim.
• Claiming may eventually include:
  • Cost-per-tile
  • Claim cooldowns or upkeep

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This system supports simulation-style progression, giving players control over land acquisition, layout, and crop cycles within a dynamic and expandable world.