City Of Riverhewn WIP First map in GIMP

[Ascension]

That's how I do cities as well, I make the whole layout then place my perfect lil story buildings in appropriate places (butcher, haberdasher, baker, furrier, etc). It's very OCD but I think, on some level, all of us here are a bit obsessive about our babies. You can tell a finely crafted and thought out town from one that's just plopped down and that's what makes for a fine map...that loving care and attention to detail. Of course, once you're finally done with it you feel like you've been running a month-long marathon so you're totally burned out and spent and your next effort isn't quite so good. But after a while you get your mojo back and things are good again.

[jtougas]

That's how I do cities as well, I make the whole layout then place my perfect lil story buildings in appropriate places (butcher, haberdasher, baker, furrier, etc). It's very OCD but I think, on some level, all of us here are a bit obsessive about our babies. You can tell a finely crafted and thought out town from one that's just plopped down and that's what makes for a fine map...that loving care and attention to detail. Of course, once you're finally done with it you feel like you've been running a month-long marathon so you're totally burned out and spent and your next effort isn't quite so good. But after a while you get your mojo back and things are good again.

I actually just read through your city/village tut and I am amazed at the level of detail you go into. It's funny when I was hand drawing the original I would leave great swaths of the city blank because I hadn't "gone" there yet. Even after 20+ years I haven't seen all of it. I guess i'm looking to evoke a emotion and a story instead of just an "accurate" depiction of streets and topography. And to your "burnout" point I know what you mean. Although I enjoy this so much so it's not bad.