I hope this is the right forum for this, couldn't figure out a better place for this to go. Sorry if I guessed wrong, but I could really use some input from other terrain builders.

I've been having some issues with building beach terrain that is compatable for everyone - specifically, building neighborhoods that allow downloaded beach lots to fit (and allowing built lots to fit on other neighborhoods). No issues making empty lots fit, just pre-built lots from other 'hoods.

One theory I have:

If you download a house originally built in a 'hood with a beach (road) that is LOWER than the neighborhood you are trying to import it to, it will not fit. Maxis 'hoods tend to have very low beach roads, most user created 'hoods have higher roads (SC4 being the PITA that it is). This means that you will probably have issues trying to place houses built in "stock" neighborhoods on custom ones.

If you download a lot that is built on a beach (road) HIGHER the one you are importing to, it WILL fit. This means that most beach lots build in custom 'hoods will fit in Maxis hoods, but may not fit in other custom 'hoods if their beach level is higher than your original build site.

I'm not 100% sure this is the case - the other theory:

The amount of land you have above water (in SC4 mainly) has something to do with what lots are usable in what 'hoods. Possibly it makes a difference whether you have 1.5, 1.6 or 1.75 squares above water when you build as to whether you can import to something with less or more squares.

Either way, I'd love to hear from other terrain builders the things you have noticed/observed/tested/tried. PLEASE post if you disagree with my theories or have tested something else, this is driving me nuts.

I'm not actually a terrain creator myself but have had difficulties moving beach lots from a custom map on to a Maxis one and vice versa. I think the custom one I'm using is actually lower than the Maxis one because other lots I've moved there with lowered terrain (like basements and hilly bits) have caused big floods and I had to remove them. It's all a bit weird and annoying.

I have noticed that if you even just move a beach lot, it loses its waves.

Does it really? I hadn't noticed that. I'll have t check it again to see if that happens in my game, too.