I haven't put a lot of thought into it yet. Only because I don't think it will be easy to unlock the terraforming abilities for the first couple weeks. Depends on how easy to obtain the Nook miles are.

The only thing I definitely am planning is a waterfall near my house. I want to have it set back a little with a little path and have it be a "secret" area.

^Well, you just told all of us, so it isn't much of a secret anymore.

Do you guys think we'll be able to fundamentally change the shape of our island? Where do you think they'll limit us if so? It didn't really occur to me that we could maybe like... shape our island to look like a pancake or a star or something. That would be really intense.

Perhaps cutting away at the coastline would do that... do you think that will be an option?
*Was that shown in the direct and I'm just forgetting?

It wasn't shown in the direct.

From the early gameplay I have seen I don't think we can change the layout of the beaches and the large rocks on the coast. It is also impossible to change the location of where the river meets the sea.

Well, if that's the case, I might have to think about the landscape I start with after all. I'm also undecided if I want to go for such a massive lake as well. Doesn't seem a good idea, especially if we can't place boardwalks over it however we like. I do have something else in mind, though, and it ties in with the name (and the reason) of the island.

I’ve decided that I want a map with two south side river outlets...preferably far apart. I have some ideas on terraforming, but I am going to have to do some rough sketches. Also, I will probably do what I can to get my town going in the desired direction as I go along. I am really looking forward to the challenge, and I am really looking forward to visiting other people’s towns. I think the potential for player creativity for this AC in particular is going to go above and beyond.

So I have no idea what I am going to do but I am a little OCD and just lifted every tree off my cliffs and terraformed my whole island flat. I also removed all rivers and we will see where this leads.

Does anyone know how to unlock terraforming?

^I've read that it comes shortly after you have your first K.K. concert, and you can buy the land and waterscaping permits for 6000 nook miles each

Ugh that's probably at least another week for me!