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Scripting API to open and close terrain holes at runtime

Feature RequestMap / TerrainModded
2

State

User feedback
Issue key
DZEXP-185
Access
Public
Space
DayZ
Project
Experimental Feedback
Creator
thehboy
Created
Sep 24, 2026
Views
86
Platform
PC Steam
What happened?

Because holes are fixed at map load, a mod cannot let players dig where and when they want. The only workaround is to declare holes in advance and cover each cell with an object until someone digs it. An uncovered hole renders as a open square, and anyone who steps in falls to sea level. That limits digging to small fixed zones: covering large areas would replace the terrain's rendering, grass and surface types with objects.

Reproduction steps


## What works today

Tested on 1.30.164014 Experimental, Chernarus, with a config-only mod:

- Holes declared in CfgWorlds >> ChernarusPlus >> Holes >> <group> >> tiles[] load on the server, and the client renders them. We added 20 groups (28 cells).

- A hole is one terrain cell: 7.5 m on Chernarus.

- A player can stand, move and use actions below intact terrain, and reconnects there after a server restart. A player can also drop into a hole onto an object placed under it.

- Script only has proto native bool SurfaceIsHole(float x, float z); on CGame. Found nothing that creates, removes or reloads holes, terrain or config at runtime.

Exact build version (optional)
1.30 Exp
Where did it happen?
Official
Is it modded?
No
Expected result

## Request

A server-authoritative API that is replicated to every client, including clients that join later, and updates collision, rendering and the navmesh. For example:

// CGame, server side

proto native bool SetSurfaceHole(float x, float z, bool isHole); // one terrain cell

proto native bool SetSurfaceHoleGroup(string groupName, bool enabled); // a group declared in CfgWorlds >> Holes

The names are only a suggestion. The per-cell call is what makes digging anywhere possible. If that is too costly, a runtime toggle for groups declared closed in config would still help a lot, ideally with rectangular ranges so large areas can be declared cheaply.

## Nice to have

- A script query for the terrain cell size (we currently read it from the .wrp header).

- An event when a hole opens or closes, so client scripts can update local objects.

- Persistence is not required: mods can store their own list and re-apply it when the server starts.

## Use cases

- Player-dug trenches, foxholes and fighting positions.

- Player-built underground bases with a real entrance instead of a teleport.

- Hatches, cave-ins and craters from events.

- Community maps with dynamic underground content.

Reactions

Activity

    17 days ago
  • thehboy
    created issue17 days ago
  • thehboy
    changed17 days ago
  • 89
    16 days ago
    89
    16 days ago

    I've actually already invented a more genius, and cheap idea for how digging should work, and if the tools were supported in my developing environment, you would have a digging mod that's going to be better than what you just described being able to do in the game.

  • 16 days ago
  • thehboy
    changed16 days ago
  • 15 days ago
  • traqu
    15 days ago
    traqu
    15 days ago

    Wait I don't get it.. Can you make custom holes or not then...? I thought they must be baked in the TB and can not be modded in for DZE purposes

  • 14 days ago
  • 89
    14 days ago
    89
    14 days ago

    @traqu

    His post describes being able to create holes purely with config options, but not at runtime.

    So, you can have custom holes in the current 1.30 engine, but they have to be defined and generated on server init, currently a hole cannot appear at a location during runtime; it may only be defined when the server is initialized.
    This probably has to do with part of the new base building features, I saw something in a Dev blog about holes.

  • 12 days ago
  • l909
    changed state to
    USER FEEDBACK
    12 days ago

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State

User feedback
Issue key
DZEXP-185
Access
Public
Space
DayZ
Project
Experimental Feedback
Creator
thehboy
Created
Sep 24, 2026
Views
86