Starting out, my first city (City Designer 3)

[Mixpengo]

Below, something related to the scale of the map. Anyone's help, CD3 user or not, is greatly appreciated.

I have a problem with the sizes, I guess I am too strict when it comes to using this software. I started with a 700 x 500 meters document, which basically means that 10px = 10 meters. I thought starting with the size of the river as 25 meters wide and the size of a regular house as 10x7 meters (I was thinking like 5 people / house holding).

In the light of these, the castle's court width would be 165 meters, and the size of the actual castle (more like a villa now) would be 62x42 meters (I am talking about the maximum size of the building footprint).

Measuring now the distance from the west gate to the river would get me to 216 meters. If I would have around the same distance of the main road covered on the other side of the river, that would get me to a town that is 500 meters long. The distance from the south wall to the north wall is 360 meters (equivalent of pixels).

Thinking back now, wouldn't this town be way too small? Can someone give me some reference sizes based on which I could work until I get a sense of scale?

[Mixpengo]

Or maybe your castle is build on top of a small hill, so it overlooks the river and surrounding lands. That would explain why it is located where it is now.

I was thinking at what you said and I got to the same conclusion - an elevation in the land is the only good reason for which it would be there, a small hill or something.

[Gandwarf]

Thinking back now, wouldn't this town be way too small? Can someone give me some reference sizes based on which I could work until I get a sense of scale?

Can't help you with this unfortunately. Size doesn't bother me
I am creating fantasy cities, not realistic blueprints. So I never calculate distances for example.

[Katto]

Hello everybody,

I didn't want to open a new thread, because the title is just what I have done after reading Gandwarf's great tutorials.

I created a small wealthy trading fantasy town called "Greifenbrück"(Griffinbridge). The town was founded due to a crossroad of two trade routes and increased in population fast. The founder, Jeromir Greif, started with a place called "Griffin's Inn" which was pulled down 47 years ago to make place for an urgently needed market hall. The inn was rebuild east of its original place, just south of the temple and is still the first place if you visit Griffinbridge...

There are many stories I can tell about this town, because it took me about a week to create it (roundabout one hour a day).

Next I will create the interiors of the important places so I can use all in coming RPG sessions.

Please comment this map so I can improve in further ones.

[Gandwarf]

I didn't want to open a new thread, because the title is just what I have done after reading Gandwarf's great tutorials.

I would advise you to start your own thread Katto, there's nothing against that. Actually, I think it would be preferred, because with two different cities in one thread the comments might get a bit confusing!

Anyway, great story and the map is looking good so far. More comments once you start your own thread

[Mixpengo]

.. continued..

I think I totally screwed up the northern part, with all those buildings squeezed together and look alike, but I lost my patience and just wanted to see how the town would look with all streets filled in.

[Gandwarf]

.. continued..

I think I totally screwed up the northern part, with all those buildings squeezed together and look alike, but I lost my patience and just wanted to see how the town would look with all streets filled in.

Haha, I know the feeling. Sometimes I just want to rush things to see the end result. Especially in the maps that take 20+ hours this can be a bit... troublesome

Anyway, I don't think you screwed up, it's looking pretty nice! The buildings would be mostly squeezed together as building space is at a premium within the city walls. The city also isn't large enough to house really big estates I think (with their own, walled gardens and stuff).

Can you save a larger version of the map, by the way?

[Katto]

@Gandwarf: I followed your advice and opened a new thread, thanks.

I like your Town, Mixpengo, escpecially the keep within.

[Mixpengo]

I like your Town, Mixpengo, escpecially the keep within.

Katto, I like your town better - it has a beautiful layout and nice story to support it. I will comment more in your thread, see you there.

[Mixpengo]

Especially in the maps that take 20+ hours this can be a bit... troublesome

What's taking you 20+ hours it will take me at least 40+, so I don't even want to think that far

The buildings would be mostly squeezed together as building space is at a premium within the city walls. The city also isn't large enough to house really big estates I think (with their own, walled gardens and stuff).

I think they are too squeezed in even so. I tried to stick to some scale and replicate some real world sizes, but it did not work right. I see on your maps that you create a block of houses from 4-5 houses at most, while mine contain 20 or so.

Can you save a larger version of the map, by the way?

Yes, I will save a larger one. In my game maps are shown in a 700x500 px area, so I wanted to see how it would look at that size. It seems this town is too big for that resolution though.