Water Placement and Configuration
Water is one of the most visually defining environmental features on an Unturned™ map. A single global water plane covers the entire map at a configurable elevation, submerging terrain below that elevation and presenting a semi-transparent animated surface with wave motion, reflections, and underwater fog effects. The water system determines the shoreline positions, the underwater visibility, the buoyancy behavior of players and vehicles, and the overall atmosphere of the map's aquatic zones.
This article is a procedural tutorial covering the complete water configuration workflow in the Level Editor. It documents the water plane tool, water quality settings (low, medium, high, ultra), depth fog configuration, water transparency, underwater rendering, and the water physics system that controls buoyancy and currents. The article also covers the most common water-related issues, including water not rendering at certain distances, z-fighting between water and terrain, and underwater fog not appearing correctly. The article assumes the reader has completed terrain heightmap sculpting and material painting, as the water plane elevation interacts directly with both systems.
Prerequisites
- A map with a completed heightmap and material painting pass, as documented in Terrain Heightmap Editing and Terrain Material Painting.
- Familiarity with the Level Editor toolbar and panel system.
- An understanding of the map's intended water coverage areas (lakes, rivers, ocean boundaries) so that the water plane elevation can be set appropriately.
- A mouse with a scroll wheel for camera navigation during water level inspection.
What you will learn
- How to open the Water panel and locate the water plane elevation control.
- How to set the water plane elevation to create lakes, rivers, and ocean areas.
- How to configure water quality settings for visual fidelity and performance.
- How to configure depth fog for underwater visibility control.
- How to adjust water transparency and understand its interaction with depth fog.
- How the water physics system handles buoyancy and currents.
- How to diagnose and resolve the most common water rendering and configuration issues.
Background: how the water system works
The water system in Unturned™ uses a single global water plane that defines the water surface elevation, visual quality, and underwater fog properties. The water plane is a flat, horizontal surface at a configurable Y-axis elevation. All terrain vertices below the water plane are submerged when the map is loaded in-game. The water plane covers the full map extent; there is no per-region water placement tool in the standard editor.
The water surface is rendered as a semi-transparent animated shader that simulates wave motion, reflections, and light interaction based on the configured quality level. Underwater, a fog effect darkens the view and limits visibility, simulating the real-world behavior of light attenuation through water. The water physics system applies buoyancy forces to players and vehicles that enter the water volume, and can optionally apply current forces that push objects in a configured direction.
As shown in the flowchart above, water configuration is an iterative process that requires adjusting the elevation, testing the visual result, adjusting terrain at the shoreline, and re-testing. The water plane and the terrain heightmap must be authored together to produce natural-looking shorelines.
The water plane
The water plane is the single most important water control. Its elevation determines which parts of the terrain are submerged and where the shoreline is located.
Opening the Water panel
Step 1: Click the Water icon on the toolbar. The Water panel opens as a floating panel.
Step 2: The Water panel displays the current water elevation value and the water quality settings.
On-screen appearance: The Water panel is a compact panel with numeric input fields and dropdown menus. When the panel is open, the water surface is rendered in the viewport if the elevation is set to a value that intersects the terrain.
Setting the water elevation
Step 1: Locate the Water Elevation field in the Water panel. This float value determines the Y position of the water surface in world coordinates.
Step 2: Enter a value. For a map where the terrain base is at elevation 0 and the highest points are at elevation 80, a water elevation of 5 to 10 units submerges the low-lying areas while leaving elevated terrain dry.
Step 3: Observe the viewport. The water surface renders at the configured elevation, clipping through terrain that extends above the elevation and covering terrain that is below it.
On-screen appearance: The water surface is rendered as a semi-transparent blue plane with wave animation. Underwater areas of the terrain are darkened by the underwater fog effect. The water surface clips through terrain that extends above the water elevation.
Determining the correct elevation
The correct water elevation depends on the map's design:
| Water body type | Water elevation strategy | Typical elevation values |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean (surrounding terrain) | Elevation set so that the map edges are submerged and interior terrain is dry | 2-10 units above terrain base |
| Lake | Terrain sculpted into a basin at the lake location, water elevation set to fill the basin | 5-20 units, matching basin rim height |
| River | Terrain sculpted into a channel, water elevation set to fill the channel | 2-8 units, slightly above channel bottom |
| No water | Water elevation set very low (negative value) so all terrain is above the water plane | -100 or lower |
| Flooded map | Water elevation set high so most terrain is submerged | 20-50 units above terrain base |
Failure mode: water covers too much or too little of the map
If the water coverage does not match the design intent, adjust the water elevation value incrementally. A change of 1 unit in elevation shifts the shoreline by a distance proportional to the terrain slope at the shoreline. On flat terrain, a 1-unit elevation change produces a large shoreline shift. On steep terrain, the same change produces a small shift.
If a water elevation that submerges the desired areas also submerges terrain that should remain dry, the terrain heightmap must be adjusted. Raise the terrain in the areas that should remain dry using the Raise brush, or lower the terrain in the areas that should be submerged using the Lower brush.
Water quality settings
The Water panel provides a dropdown for water quality with four settings: Low, Medium, High, and Ultra.
Quality level visual characteristics
| Quality level | Reflections | Refraction | Wave animation | Performance impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | None | None | Simple vertex animation | Very low |
| Medium | Simple reflections | Basic refraction | Animated waves with foam | Low |
| High | Screen-space reflections | Full refraction | Detailed wave animation with specular highlights | Moderate |
| Ultra | Screen-space reflections with blur | Full refraction with chromatic aberration | Highest detail wave animation with dynamic foam | High |
Selecting the appropriate quality level
The quality level affects both visual fidelity and performance. The setting in the Water panel is the maximum quality level that the water renders at. Individual players can reduce the water quality in their graphics settings, but they cannot increase it beyond the level set in the Water panel.
| Target audience | Recommended water quality | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-oriented public server | Medium | Good visual quality without significant frame rate impact |
| Visual showcase map | High or Ultra | Maximum visual fidelity for screenshots and exploration |
| Low-end hardware target | Low | Playable frame rate on integrated graphics |
| Standard survival map | Medium or High | Balanced quality and performance for the average player |
Failure mode: water quality setting has no visible effect
If changing the water quality setting produces no visible change in the viewport, the most likely cause is that the water quality dropdown applies only at runtime. The editor viewport always renders water at a simplified quality level to maintain editor performance. To evaluate the full visual quality of a water quality setting, load the map in-game and observe the water at the configured quality level.
Depth fog
Depth fog is the underwater visibility effect. It darkens the view when the camera is below the water surface and limits how far the player can see underwater.
Depth fog configuration
The depth fog is controlled through the Water panel's Underwater Fog Density field.
Step 1: Locate the Underwater Fog Density field in the Water panel. This float value controls the opacity of the fog effect applied when the camera is below the water surface.
Step 2: Enter a value. Higher values make underwater areas more opaque. The default value is 0.075. Values in the range of 0.02 to 0.15 are typical.
Step 3: Observe the viewport. Move the camera below the water plane elevation (press Space to descend) and observe the underwater visibility.
Depth fog behavior
The depth fog density controls how quickly the underwater view becomes opaque with distance from the camera. At a density of 0.02, the player can see approximately 30 to 40 units underwater. At a density of 0.15, visibility is reduced to approximately 5 to 10 units.
| Fog density value | Underwater visibility | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| 0.02 | Very clear water (20-40 unit visibility) | Tropical clear water, swimming pools |
| 0.05 | Moderate visibility (15-25 units) | Standard lake water |
| 0.075 | Limited visibility (10-15 units) | Default Unturned water (vanilla maps) |
| 0.10 | Poor visibility (5-10 units) | Murky swamp water, polluted water |
| 0.15 | Very poor visibility (2-5 units) | Dark, deep water, horror atmosphere |
Depth fog color
The depth fog color is determined by the map's fog color setting in Level.dat. The Fog_Color field controls both the atmospheric fog and the underwater fog color. To set a distinct underwater fog color, the Underwater_Fog_Color field can be added to Level.dat:
Underwater_Fog_Color 0.1 0.2 0.15If Underwater_Fog_Color is not present, the underwater fog uses the standard Fog_Color value.
Failure mode: underwater fog not visible
If the underwater fog effect does not appear when the camera is below the water plane, the most common cause is that the Underwater Fog Density value is set to 0 or a very low value. Increase the density to at least 0.05 and test again.
A second cause is that the map does not have Has_Global_Fog set to true in Level.dat. The global fog system must be enabled for underwater fog to render. Open Level.dat and verify that Has_Global_Fog true is present.
Water transparency
Water transparency controls how much light passes through the water surface and how clearly objects below the surface are visible from above.
Transparency configuration
Water transparency is configured through the Water_Transparency field in Level.dat. This float value ranges from 0 (fully opaque water surface, nothing visible below) to 1 (fully transparent water surface, terrain and objects below clearly visible).
Step 1: Open Level.dat in a text editor.
Step 2: Locate or add the Water_Transparency field.
Step 3: Set the value. The cohort-recommended starting point is 0.75 for standard survival map water.
| Water_Transparency value | Visual effect |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | Water surface is fully opaque. Nothing below the surface is visible from above. |
| 0.25 | Water surface is mostly opaque. Only very shallow terrain is faintly visible. |
| 0.5 | Water surface is semi-transparent. Shallow terrain is visible with significant darkening. |
| 0.75 | Water surface is transparent. Shallow terrain is clearly visible with moderate darkening. |
| 1.0 | Water surface is fully transparent. Underwater terrain and objects are visible as if no water is present. |
Interaction with depth fog
Water transparency affects the view from above the water surface looking down. Depth fog affects the view from below the water surface looking outward. They are independent settings but together determine the overall underwater visual experience. High transparency with low depth fog produces very clear water. Low transparency with high depth fog produces murky, opaque water.
Water physics
The water physics system controls how players, vehicles, and objects interact with the water volume.
Buoyancy
Buoyancy is the upward force that keeps objects afloat in water. Unturned™ applies buoyancy to all physics objects (players, vehicles, items) that enter the water volume. Buoyancy is not configurable per map; it is a global engine setting.
Behavior: When a player or vehicle enters the water, the engine applies an upward force proportional to the volume of the object that is submerged. The object floats at the water surface when the upward buoyancy force equals the downward gravity force. Heavier objects require a larger submerged volume to achieve equilibrium.
On-screen appearance: In the editor viewport, buoyancy effects are not visible because the editor camera is not subject to physics. Buoyancy must be tested in-game. Enter the water on the map and observe the player's vertical position relative to the water surface.
Currents
Water currents push players and objects in a configured direction and speed. Currents are configured through the level asset's Water_Current fields in Level.dat.
Step 1: Open Level.dat in a text editor.
Step 2: Add or modify the Water_Current fields:
Water_Current_Mode Directional
Water_Current_Strength 0.5
Water_Current_Direction 0 0 -1| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
Water_Current_Mode | enum | Current mode. Values: Directional (uniform current across the entire water volume) or None (no current). |
Water_Current_Strength | float | The strength of the current. 0.0 is no current. 1.0 is a strong current. |
Water_Current_Direction | float3 | The direction of the current as a normalized vector (X, Y, Z). The Y component should typically be 0 for horizontal currents. |
Step 3: Save Level.dat and reload the map.
Current behavior
A current with Strength 0.5 and Direction 0 0 -1 pushes players and objects in the negative Z direction (south) at a moderate speed. Players can swim against the current but move slower than in still water. Vehicles floating on the water surface are pushed by the current when their engines are off.
Failure mode: currents not working
If currents are configured but have no visible effect on players or objects in the water, the most common cause is that Water_Current_Mode is set to None or the field is missing. Verify that Water_Current_Mode is set to Directional. A second cause is that the Water_Current_Strength value is set too low. Increase the strength to 0.3 or higher and test again.
Failure modes
Failure mode: water not rendering at certain distances
If the water surface disappears or flickers when viewed from a distance, the issue is a camera far clip plane interaction with the water shader. The water plane is visible when the camera is close to it but fades out or disappears entirely when the camera moves more than approximately 200 units away.
Resolution: Increase the water quality setting to High or Ultra. The lower-quality water shaders use simplified rendering that clips at shorter distances. If the issue persists after raising the quality setting, verify that the map's Config.json does not have a reduced far clip plane override affecting the water rendering distance.
Failure mode: water z-fighting with terrain
If the water surface and the terrain surface visibly flicker or compete at the same elevation, the water plane is positioned at the same Y value as a flat terrain surface. At the shoreline boundary, the water surface and terrain surface alternate rapidly in a flickering pattern.
Resolution: Adjust the terrain height at the shoreline to be slightly above (0.1 to 0.5 units) or slightly below (-0.1 to -0.5 units) the water plane elevation. The water plane must have a clear elevation separation from the terrain at all shoreline points. Use the Flatten or Smooth brush on the terrain along the shoreline to create a small height differential.
Failure mode: water appears as a solid, non-animated surface
If the water surface is visible but appears as a solid, static blue surface with no wave animation, the most likely cause is that the water quality setting is set to Low. The Low quality setting disables wave animation and renders water as a static surface. Increase the water quality to Medium or higher to restore wave animation.
Failure mode: underwater terrain appears too bright
If the terrain below the water surface appears as bright or brighter than the terrain above the water surface, the Underwater_Fog_Color or Fog_Color is set to a value that is too bright for underwater conditions. Reduce the fog color values toward darker tones. The cohort recommendation for underwater fog color is a dark blue-green: 0.1 0.15 0.12 in 0-1 RGB.
Failure mode: shoreline looks artificial
If the boundary between water and terrain is a hard, unnatural line, the terrain at the shoreline needs additional sculpting or material painting. Use the Smooth brush on the terrain along the shoreline to create a gradual slope into the water. Paint a sand or mud material layer on the terrain just above the waterline to simulate a natural shoreline transition.
Failure mode: water not visible in-game but visible in the editor
If the water appears correctly in the editor viewport but is absent when the map is loaded in-game, the most likely cause is that the water configuration is not saved to Level.dat, or the map's Level.dat is not being read correctly by the game. Open the map's Level.dat and verify that the water elevation and quality fields are present. If the fields are present, verify that the map is loading the correct Level.dat by checking the file size and modification date.
Frequently asked questions
How do I determine the correct initial water elevation for my map?
The initial water elevation should be set to a value slightly above the lowest point of the terrain that should remain dry. Open the map in the editor and note the Y coordinate shown in the status bar when the camera is at the lowest intended dry terrain point. Set the water elevation to 1 to 3 units below that Y coordinate. Adjust incrementally by 1 unit at a time until the shoreline reaches the intended position.
What is the relationship between water elevation and terrain slope at the shoreline?
On flat terrain, a 1-unit change in water elevation shifts the shoreline by a large horizontal distance. On steep terrain, the same elevation change produces a small shoreline shift. To create a natural-looking shoreline that follows terrain contours, adjust the water elevation in small increments (0.5 to 1.0 units) and observe the shoreline position at multiple locations around the map. The shoreline should appear at a consistent visual elevation relative to the terrain, not at a consistent numeric Y value.
How do I create shallow water areas that players can walk through?
Sculpt the terrain so that the water-covered areas are very close to the water plane elevation. A water depth of 0.5 to 1.5 units creates shallow water that players can walk through with reduced movement speed. The player's character remains partially above the water surface at this depth, allowing normal interaction with objects and zombies. Deep water (more than 3 units) requires swimming.
Can I make water that damages players (acid or toxic water)?
The standard water system does not support damage-over-time effects. Water is a neutral physics volume with no health interaction. To create hazardous water that damages players on contact, a custom server-side plugin is required. The plugin would detect when a player enters the water volume and apply damage based on the server's configuration.
How does the water plane interact with the horizon line in the viewport?
The water plane renders up to the horizon and does not extend beyond it. The horizon line is determined by the camera height and the map's far clip plane. At very high camera positions, the water plane may appear to end at the horizon rather than filling the full viewport. This is normal behavior. The water plane is clipped at the horizon by the rendering pipeline to maintain performance.
Can I change the wave animation speed or amplitude?
The wave animation speed and amplitude are controlled by the water shader and are not exposed through the Water panel or Level.dat. To customize wave behavior, a custom water shader must be created in Unity and packaged as a mod. The vanilla water shader uses fixed wave parameters that cannot be modified through configuration files.
Why does the water surface appear to move in a direction that does not match the current direction?
The wave animation on the water surface is a combination of multiple wave frequencies and directions that create a complex motion pattern. The apparent movement direction is the sum of all wave components, not a single directional flow. The wave animation is cosmetic only and does not affect the water current physics. The current direction (configured in Level.dat) determines the actual force applied to players and objects, and it may not visually match the wave animation.
Can I create a waterfall using the water plane system?
No. The water plane is a flat horizontal surface and cannot be used to create vertical water features such as waterfalls, fountains, or water spouts. Vertical water effects must be created using particle systems (via the Effects category in the object browser) or through custom object placement. The water plane only provides the flat surface at a single elevation.
What is the performance impact of water reflections on different quality settings?
The performance impact of water reflections varies by quality level. At Low quality, no reflections are rendered and the performance cost is negligible. At Medium quality, simple reflections add approximately 2 to 5 percent to the GPU frame time. At High quality, screen-space reflections add approximately 5 to 10 percent to the GPU frame time. At Ultra quality, screen-space reflections with blur add approximately 10 to 15 percent. On maps with extensive water coverage, the cumulative performance impact is significant.
How do I create a dock or pier that appears to float on the water surface?
Place the dock or pier objects at a Y position that is slightly above the water plane elevation. The objects appear to rest on the water surface with their underside above the water. For a floating dock appearance, use the Flatten terrain tool to create a flat underwater surface at the dock location that is below the water plane but close enough that the water appears shallow around the dock.
What is the interaction between water and the navmesh for zombie pathfinding?
Water areas are not walkable terrain on the navmesh. Zombies that enter the water sink to the bottom and walk on the submerged terrain surface. If the navmesh does not cover the submerged terrain, zombies stop at the shoreline and do not enter the water. After setting the water elevation, verify that the navmesh covers any submerged terrain surfaces that zombies should be able to navigate through.
How do I create a dock or pier that extends over the water?
Place the dock or pier objects on the terrain at the shoreline using the standard object placement workflow. Extend the placement into the water area by positioning objects on the submerged terrain surface. The objects render with the water surface clipping through them at the water plane elevation. The portion of the object above the water plane is visible normally. The portion below is affected by the underwater fog effect.
How do I create a submerged cave or underwater structure that players can swim through?
Sculpt the terrain heightmap to create a cave volume below the water plane elevation. The cave interior is underwater and accessible through an entrance at the water-terrain boundary. Place objects inside the cave using the standard object placement workflow. The objects render underwater with the underwater fog effect applied. Players can swim into the cave and interact with objects inside it. The water physics (buoyancy) applies throughout the cave volume.
How does the water plane interact with roads that cross water?
Roads that cross the water plane are rendered on top of the water surface. The road spline is not affected by the water plane and does not create a bridge or tunnel automatically. The road's collision mesh remains intact, so vehicles and players can drive across the road surface even though it is surrounded by water. The road material's physics surface type determines traction on the road, while the water physics applies to areas where the road is not present.
Why does the water surface appear darker on one side of the map?
The water surface reflects the sky and the surrounding environment. If one side of the map has darker terrain, objects, or sky color, the water surface on that side appears darker. This is correct behavior for the water shader's reflection system. To make the water appear more uniform, adjust the sky color and ambient light settings to be more consistent across the map.
How does water interact with the safezone system?
Water inside a safezone volume follows the safezone's rules. Players inside a safezone are protected from zombies and PvP regardless of whether they are above or below the water surface. The safezone volume takes priority over water for all gameplay interactions. Water currents are not suppressed by safezones; players in a safezone with active water currents still experience the current force.
Can I have multiple water planes at different elevations?
The standard Level Editor supports only one global water plane. Multiple water planes at different elevations are not achievable through the editor's Water panel. If multiple water bodies at different elevations are required (a mountain lake and a sea-level ocean on the same map), the workaround involves using water volumes configured through the devkit system, but this is an advanced workflow not exposed through the standard editor interface.
How do I create a river that flows through the terrain?
Sculpt a channel in the terrain heightmap using the Lower brush. The channel should be below the water plane elevation. The water plane fills the channel automatically because the water plane covers the full map extent. The river's appearance depends on the channel's width and depth. For a natural-looking river, use a winding path with varying width and smooth banks.
Why does my water appear completely flat with no waves?
The water quality setting is set to Low. The Low quality setting disables all wave animation. Set the water quality to Medium or higher to restore wave animation.
How do I make the water darker or murkier?
Increase the Underwater Fog Density value in the Water panel. Values above 0.1 produce noticeably darker underwater conditions. Additionally, set the Water_Transparency field in Level.dat to a value below 0.5 to make the water surface less transparent, which contributes to the murky appearance.
Can I change the water color from blue to another color?
The water surface color is determined by the water shader and is not directly configurable through the editor or Level.dat. The underwater fog color (Underwater_Fog_Color or Fog_Color) affects what is visible underwater but does not change the surface water color. For a custom water color, a custom water shader must be created in Unity and packaged as a mod.
What is the correct water elevation for an island map?
For an island map, the water elevation should be set so that the surrounding terrain is submerged and the island interior is dry. This typically requires the island's beach-level terrain to be approximately 2 to 5 units above the water plane. The water elevation should be consistent across the entire map, so the island must be the only terrain that rises above the water plane.
Does the water level affect gameplay or just visuals?
The water level affects both visuals and gameplay. Players and vehicles entering the water experience buoyancy, reduced movement speed, and underwater fog effects. Zombies cannot swim and will sink to the bottom, which is a gameplay consideration when designing water-covered areas. The water level also affects sound: the audio mix changes when the camera is below the water surface.
Why does my water appear to flicker when I move the camera?
Water flickering during camera movement is typically caused by the water quality setting being too low for the current view distance, or by a z-fighting issue at the shoreline. Increase the water quality setting to High or Ultra. If the flickering continues, check the shoreline for terrain at the same elevation as the water plane.
How do I remove water from my map entirely?
Set the Water Elevation field to a very low negative value, such as -1000. The water plane is placed far below the lowest terrain point, and no water is visible anywhere on the map. The water surface is still technically present but is too far below the terrain to be seen or interacted with.
What happens to objects placed underwater?
Objects placed underwater are submerged when the map is loaded. They render underwater but are affected by the underwater fog effect. Objects with physics (such as dropped items) sink to the terrain surface below the water plane. Players can interact with underwater objects normally.
Can I configure water to have different properties on different tiles?
No. The water plane is global and covers the entire map with uniform properties. All terrain tiles share the same water elevation, quality settings, depth fog, and current configuration.
Best practices
- Author the terrain heightmap and water elevation together. Adjusting one without the other produces unnatural shorelines that require significant rework to correct.
- Set the water elevation before painting terrain materials. The material layer at the shoreline depends on knowing where the water edge will be.
- Test water visibility from the player's perspective at ground level, not from the editor camera's elevated position. What looks correct from above may look different from a swimming player's viewpoint.
- Use sand or mud material layers along shorelines to create a natural visual transition between terrain and water.
- Apply the Smooth brush to terrain along shorelines to create gradual slopes that look natural at the water-terrain boundary.
- Configure depth fog density based on the map's atmosphere. Clear water suits tropical or freshwater maps. Murky water suits swamps, polluted areas, or horror-themed maps.
- Test water physics (buoyancy and currents) in-game, not in the editor. The editor viewport does not simulate water physics.
- Verify that the water renders correctly at all camera distances after changing the water quality setting.
- Keep a note of the water elevation value for reference during later editing sessions. Changing the elevation after material painting requires repainting shoreline materials.
- Save the map before adjusting the water elevation, and test the result at multiple shoreline locations before saving again.
Advanced considerations
Water shader customization
The water surface shader is a built-in Unity shader that is part of the Unturned game client. Customizing the water shader requires creating a replacement shader in Unity and packaging it as part of a mod. The replacement shader must implement the same rendering interface that the Unturned water system expects, including the wave animation vertex displacement, reflection capture, and underwater fog integration.
Water and navmesh interaction
Water areas affect the navmesh because the water surface is not walkable terrain. Zombies and animals that enter the water sink to the bottom and walk on the submerged terrain surface. If the submerged terrain surface is not covered by the navmesh (because the navmesh was baked before the water elevation was configured), zombies will not navigate through water areas. After setting the water elevation, verify that the navmesh covers the submerged terrain surfaces that should be navigable.
Water performance on large maps
Water rendering performance on Large and Insane maps can be a concern because the water plane covers the full map extent. The water shader renders across the entire viewport regardless of how much water is actually visible. On systems with lower-end GPUs, reducing the water quality to Medium or Low can improve frame rate in maps with extensive water coverage.
Appendix A: Water configuration fields in Level.dat
| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Water_Elevation | float | 0 | The Y position of the water surface in world units |
Water_Quality | enum | Medium | Maximum water quality level: Low, Medium, High, Ultra |
Underwater_Fog_Density | float | 0.075 | Fog density below the water surface |
Underwater_Fog_Color | float3 | Uses Fog_Color | Fog color below the water surface |
Water_Transparency | float | 0.75 | Water surface transparency from above (0 = opaque, 1 = transparent) |
Water_Current_Mode | enum | None | Current mode: None or Directional |
Water_Current_Strength | float | 0 | Current push strength (0 = no current) |
Water_Current_Direction | float3 | 0 0 0 | Current direction as normalized vector |
Appendix B: Diagnostic table for water issues
| Symptom | Root cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Water not visible at distance | Low water quality setting | Increase to High or Ultra |
| Water flickers at shoreline | Z-fighting with terrain at same elevation | Adjust terrain 0.1-0.5 units above or below water plane |
| Water appears solid, no animation | Water quality set to Low | Increase to Medium or higher |
| Underwater fog not visible | Fog density set to 0 or Has_Global_Fog disabled | Set density to 0.05+ and enable Has_Global_Fog |
| Underwater terrain too bright | Underwater fog color too bright | Reduce to dark blue-green: 0.1 0.15 0.12 |
| Shoreline looks artificial | No terrain sculpting or material painting at edge | Smooth terrain at shoreline; paint sand/mud layer |
| Water not visible in-game, visible in editor | Water elevation not saved to Level.dat | Verify Water_Elevation field in Level.dat |
| Currents not working | Current mode set to None | Set Water_Current_Mode to Directional |
| Water covers too much terrain | Water elevation too high | Lower the water elevation value |
| Water covers too little terrain | Water elevation too low | Raise the water elevation value |
Appendix C: External references
- Smartly Dressed Games official modding documentation - the authoritative reference for water configuration fields and water physics behavior.
- Unturned on Steam - the Unturned store page and community hub.
- Terrain Material Painting - the previous article; covers shoreline material painting that complements water placement.
How do I test water visibility from a player's perspective?
Press Space to raise the editor camera above the water surface, then press Left Shift to lower it to approximately 1.5 to 2 units above the water plane (typical player eye height). Observe the water surface from this height to evaluate how the water appears to a standing player at the shoreline. Lower the camera below the water plane to evaluate underwater visibility. The editor camera position is displayed in the status bar for reference.
What is the difference between the water rendering in the editor versus in-game?
The editor viewport renders water at a simplified quality level regardless of the Water Quality setting. The full visual quality of the configured water settings is only visible in-game. The editor shows the water plane position, wave animation at a basic level, and underwater fog, but does not show screen-space reflections, full refraction, or the highest-detail wave animation. To evaluate the complete water appearance, load the map in-game at the intended quality setting.
How does the water plane interact with the map border?
The water plane extends to the map border and beyond. At the map border, the water surface clips against the invisible boundary of the terrain. Players cannot swim beyond the map border because the invisible wall blocks movement. The water surface rendering at the border may appear to fade or clip, which is normal behavior caused by the render distance and fog interaction at the map edge.
Can I configure water to evaporate or change level over time?
The standard water system does not support dynamic water level changes. The water elevation is a static value that does not change over time. To create the appearance of changing water levels (tides, flooding, draining), a custom server-side plugin or a custom water shader with animated vertex displacement is required. The standard editor and Level.dat configuration do not expose any dynamic water level controls.
How do I verify that the water physics settings are working correctly?
Open the map in single-player mode and enter the water. Observe the player's vertical position relative to the water surface. The player should float at the surface with the upper body above water and the lower body below. Swim in the direction of the configured current and verify that the player is pushed in the current direction. If the player sinks below the surface or does not respond to the current, verify that Water_Current_Mode is set to Directional and that Water_Current_Strength is set to a positive value.
How do I create a shoreline where the water appears to lap against a vertical cliff?
Place the water elevation so that it meets the cliff face at the desired height. The water surface clips against the cliff geometry. The underwater fog effect darkens the cliff surface below the water line. No additional configuration is required. The vertical cliff meeting the water produces a natural-looking shoreline without the need for a sand or mud transition material because the cliff face itself provides the visual boundary.
How do I prevent players from building in shallow water areas?
Water areas do not block building placement by default. Players can place structures on submerged terrain as long as the placement rules (no overlapping, sufficient space) are satisfied. To prevent building in specific water areas, place safezone volumes or custom collider objects that block placement. The water system itself does not have a building restriction configuration.
Cross-references
- Terrain Material Painting - the previous article in this series; covers material layer painting for shoreline transitions.
- Terrain Heightmap Editing - the fifth article in this series; covers terrain sculpting for river channels and lake basins.
- Level Editor UI and Navigation - the first article in this series; covers viewport navigation and panel layout.
- Custom Map Creation: Project Setup - the prerequisite article for map creation.
Authoring checklist
Before concluding that water placement and configuration are complete for a given map project, confirm the following:
- [ ] The water elevation is set to the intended value and tested at multiple shoreline locations
- [ ] The terrain heightmap is adjusted at shorelines to create natural transitions
- [ ] A sand, mud, or appropriate material layer is painted along shorelines
- [ ] Water quality is set to the appropriate level for the target audience
- [ ] Underwater fog density is configured for the intended underwater visibility
- [ ] Water transparency is set and tested from above the water surface
- [ ] Underwater fog color is set to a dark blue-green or other appropriate color
- [ ] Water currents are configured (or intentionally disabled)
- [ ] Water physics (buoyancy) have been tested in-game
- [ ] The water renders correctly at all camera distances
- [ ] No z-fighting occurs at any shoreline position
- [ ] The map has been saved after water configuration
Document history
| Version | Date | Author | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-07-26 | 57 Studios | Initial publication. Split from Terrain and Environment Editing into standalone depth treatment. |