Blocks and building

Think about height and surface separately

Each tile in Tilemori is a stack of blocks. Build and Dig change its height; Replace changes the top surface. Use Replace for floor patterns when you want to keep a path level with its surroundings.

Blocks fill each tile from the bottom up, and Dig removes the top layer. You cannot hollow out the middle for a room or suspend a roof over empty space. For an open courtyard, leave the center floor uncovered and build only along the edges.

Heights range from 0 to 32 layers. Start with a low wall and check its height as you build. Rotate to see behind tall structures, and use top view to check the width of paths and entrances.

Choosing materials for a purpose

Find materials in the block picker. These combinations are starting ideas, not fixed building rules.

• Natural materials: grass, moss, earth and sand connect gardens with the landscape. Low leaf blocks can mark a border.
• Stone and brick: try cobblestone for paths, cut stone for steps and foundations, and brick for walls. A raised edge can define a space.
• Wood: combine light and dark wood for floors, posts and trim. Logs can emphasize structural columns.
• Colored blocks and tiles: concrete, wool and terracotta can make signs or floor patterns. Begin with one base color and one accent.
• Water and ice: water is a block that keeps its shape; it does not flow. Define a border before replacing the inside of a small pond with water.

Exercise 1. A level walking path

Plan a short, one-tile-wide path in an empty area. Use the line selection with Replace to connect tiles of the same material without changing their heights.

Add another stone or grass along the sides to define the border. Check the height when joining an existing path. The selected area may include other people’s work, so inspect the preview before applying it.

Exercise 2. A 5×5 open courtyard and low wall

Choose a 5×5 clearing away from other people’s paths and creations. All 25 tiles must be at the same height, between 1 and 31 layers. Replace cannot change an empty tile at height 0, and you cannot add a wall at the maximum height of 32.

Select Replace and Light wood, then choose a 5×5 rectangle. Check the preview before applying it to make a wooden floor without changing its height. The light floor contrasts with the brick wall you will add, making the border and entrance easier to see.

Choose Brick, switch to Build, and return to the 1-tile selection. The outer edge has 16 tiles when each corner is counted once. Leave the middle tile of one side open as an entrance and add exactly one layer to each of the other 15 edge tiles. Add nothing to the central 3×3 floor or the entrance so the courtyard stays open.

Replacing 25 floor tiles and building on 15 edge tiles uses at most 40 actions. Floor tiles that are already Light wood are skipped by Replace, reducing that total. This count does not include separate leveling work or corrections.

Use top view to check the entrance, then rotate to check that the wall is one layer high throughout. Use Undo immediately after a mistake. To adjust the result manually, Dig one top layer from an overly tall tile, or use Replace to correct a floor material without changing its height.

Match the surrounding landscape

To continue a path with the same material, use the material picker while building or replacing. Select an existing block to choose its material and return to your previous tool. On desktop, you can also hold R and click a block.

Picking a material does not remove a block or change the map. Apply the chosen material in your own clearing to connect your work with the surrounding landscape.

• Explore landscapes and materials
• Review the controls