Zones
Zones in Foundation are used to set a function to an area of varying size. They are a fundamental mechanic to control your village's growth as well as where certain villager actions take place. There are six zones that can be deployed as the village grows:
- Extraction
- Reforestation
- Residential
- Crop Field
- Hunting
- Forbidden
Extraction Zone
The first zone to become available, the extraction zone is used to designate areas with natural resources (berries, stone and trees) as harvesting areas for the gathering hut, lumber camp and stonecutter camp. Without an extraction zone with the relevant resources, these buildings will not be able to function.
Reforestation Zone
The second zone to become available, this zone designates an area for forester camps to plant new trees. This zone can overlay an extraction zone, allowing for a controlled zone for wood production.
Residential Zone
Residential zones are the only level of control provided for the placement of housing. As more villagers are promoted they will look for a suitable home and place the foundations for a new home within the zone if one is not available.
Crop Fields
Unlike other zones that be painted from the zone UI, crop fields are painted by going in to the building and selecting the option to paint the field. Although they can overlap with other zones, crop fields for different buildings cannot overlap or merge, nor can a field painted for one building be used by another (even if it is of the same type as the field's parent).
Any objects in a crop field will prevent that part of the field from being planted and as such must be cleared.
Hunting Zone
Unlike prior zones, the hunting zone is an exclusive area that cannot be overlapped with other zones. Used exclusively by the hunting camp the hunting zone must be painted over a forest to be usable for hunting.
Forbidden Zone
Forbidden zones are the only other mutually exclusive zone. By painting an area as forbidden, no-one will be able to pass through that specific area.