Each map, which is randomly generated from a seed number at the start of the game, has a number of features to consider in choosing a start location. Some are labeled as such on the map; others are not labeled, but are instead important terrain features to consider.
Mountains[edit]
Mountains are important in the mid to late game, after your settlement has developed. Mines, quarries, and storage structures can be built into the sides of mountains. Mountains are normally impassible, so these structures help save on valuable construction ground.
Mountains that run diagonally across the screen are unsuitable for building, as buildings can only be rotated in 90 degree increments. Avoid settling near these mountains, as they will only impede your progress.
Rivers[edit]
Rivers are much the same as mountains, but are more important in the early game. Key structures, like the sawmill and weaving facility, have water-powered variants that are more efficient than the standard ones built on the ground.
Rivers also allow the construction of the ferry facility, fishing piers, and whaling docks for gathering blubber.
Much like mountains, sections of river that run diagonally are also unsuitable for building.
Lakes, by contrast, should only feature fishing piers and water-powered facilities. Lakes do not feature any outbound connections, and so are unsuitable for the ferry dock.
Animal Herds[edit]
Herds of animals of various types are available for hunters. Construct a hunting cabin in your main settlement, as hunters travel the entire breadth of the map to hunt.
Animal herds are also the source of cubs. Gaining an animal cub unlocks it as a usable livestock for your pastures - animal cubs, like seeds, do not require storage nor are consumed upon use.
When in pastures, animals reproduce through binary fission, allowing for a single animal to magically turn into an entire herd given enough time, and attention by your citizens.
Not every map will have all animal types, however, and the other types must be brought in via the ferry and traded.
Vegetation[edit]
Vegetation grows mostly in forests and on riverbanks. They can be marked for gathering in the Command menu. Foraging for materials is important in the early game, and is bolstered using strategically placed gathering huts.
Vegetation that can be gathered includes mushrooms, herbs (which are critical to your colony's health in the early game), wild vegetables, and reeds - which can be processed into string.
Be sure to gather the vegetation near your chopping house, as the chopping house only cuts down trees for timber - it does not gather any of the surrounding materials.
Stone and Iron[edit]
There are sources of stone and iron on the surface that can be marked for collection in the same way vegetation is. These surface deposits can be gathered by hand, but will quickly run out. More materials will require mines to be built into the sides of mountains.
Area bonuses[edit]
Certain areas feature green icons that mark bonus areas. Constructing the correct structure in the area yields a notable bonus.
Livestock areas have an animal cub in this area. When your hunters enter this area, they will unlock a new animal for your pastures and ranches. Contrary to their name, animal cubs merely unlock a new animal for your ranches, and are not consumed upon selection. Animals reproduce via binary fission, and thus even a single animal will grow into a herd eventually.
Fish areas are areas that increase the production of your fishing piers. Construct a fishing pier within range of this icon to make use of it.
Herb areas are similar to livestock areas, providing a 100% chance of obtaining a new seed from that area. This bonus disappears when harvested.
Fertile areas double the output of pastures, increasing the yield of animal products from pasture tiles that overlap this area. This bonus only applies to field tiles that directly overlap the green area, so having a large field that overlaps this bonus area by a single square will not affect the entire field.
Soil Bonus areas double the output of fields and forest farms, increasing the yield of timber (forest farms) and other produce from fields built in this area. Like with the fertile field icon above, this bonus applies only to pasture tiles that directly overlap the area of effect, so having a large pasture that overlaps this bonus area by a single square will not affect the entire field.