How to figure a large desert city (about 100,000 inhabitants) ?

[Mornagest]

Hi,

After some days of erring way, I post this trial as a work in progress. I know it can largely be improved, but this is what I manage to do with my little knowledge of GIMP...

The beautiful flashy green and magenta are just there to delimit the future walls and the river's bank.

I am not really satisfied by the paved roads pattern, but I didn't manage to get one that comes into roads alignment... maybe with a rotating brush ?

[Wingshaw]

Not bad. I agree about the roads - a different texture, but which one I can't say. You could possibly make some of them a bit narrower, too (try to imagine what it would be like standing on those main roads - adding a scale might help with this).

I also like that curved road leading to the royal quarter in the lower left. You could try turning it into a real feature - a curving avenue for triumphant generals to march down, or where diplomats are shown the splendour of the city. Something like that, anyway.

I don't know how other members of the CG feel about it, but you might also want to transfer your maps to a WIP thread in a separate forum. It'll probably help you to get more feedback, too.

[Mornagest]

Hi,

I found another pattern for the roads, with irregular rocks instead of those too regular (in my opinion). The advantage is that I do not have to care with directions...

Adding a scale could also help me : which size will buildings have, for example...

I'm still looking for a good desert rock pattern... I even searched NASA pictures of Mars, but that doesn't really fit !

I will post my next trial in a WIP topic, so

Thank you !

Edit : here it is

[Midgardsormr]

I'm still looking for a good desert rock pattern... I even searched NASA pictures of Mars, but that doesn't really fit !

The film Hanna had some terrain like you describe. I believe it was shot in Morocco, so if you might be able to find what you need from satellite images of that desert.

[Mornagest]

Hi,

Yes, I tried with satellite pictures but they are often too wide to be as detailed as I'm looking for. And when zooming, it pixelizes a lot

[rdanhenry]

You could try looking for aerial photos if you want a closer view.

[Mornagest]

Hi,

I searched a bit yesterday but didn't find something that fits. Pictures are often in perspective, or too blur...

Anyway, the biggest problem would be to have a "drawing look" for those pictures, and that may be difficult for me to modify that. The best way would be to find a real pattern but...

Maybe I ask too much, I don't know but thank you all for your help

[riplox]

What about this map? Assassin's Creed has some pretty decent maps if you ask me.