Terrain deformation and Base64 tweaks in BAR
Changing terrain features like craters and elevation through modoptions requires specific techniques. Here is what works and how to encode the data correctly.
Terrain deception with craters and levelground
The most practical method for altering terrain through mods is using the craters and levelground commands. These are available through debugcommands and do not require custom unit definitions. They work on the height map directly and affect pathfinding and line of sight.
Mountain ascendancy adjustments
Using debug commands like extremeabove and extremebelow you can adjust elevation thresholds on mountain maps. The syntax uses pairs of values: a height threshold followed by an adjustment magnitude. Multiple adjustments chain together, separated by commas.
Be cautious with terrain elevation mods that try to flip entire mountain ranges. The results often break map balance in ways that are not immediately obvious. Testing with actual players is necessary before declaring a variant stable.
Base64 URL encoding reminder
When encoding any tweak data, use base64encode.org and set the encoding option to URL encoding. The difference between standard and URL-safe Base64 is subtle — the characters plus and forward slash get swapped — but using the wrong one will silently break your tweak in the lobby. It rarely matters but better safe than sorry.
Test terrain changes carefully
Altering terrain changes how every unit interacts with the map. A small crater can make a position suddenly defensible or suddenly exposed. Test changes with multiple unit types before sharing with others.
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