Senda's City Design Feedback thread

[Senda 472]

Good day everyone!

For those of you who remember playing/building alongside me, greetings!

For those that do not - Greetings as well. I am Senda, former Steward in Oren, specializing in the management and planning/construction of the human capitol during 3.0 (New Abresi) and early 4.0 (Petrus).. and currently a completely inactive member of the LotC community.

Lately, I have once again taken up the quest to design 'the finest city in minecraft', based on improving off of the lessons learned during my time in 3.0/4.0, as well as other places. Today, I come to these forums to put the following question to my old friends, as well as any interested party out there that shares my desire to collect feedback to further a design process.

 

So, my question: "What did you like/dislike about previous/current cities?"

 

In terms of answers to that question, I am looking for feedback that helps me paint a clear picture of what a roleplayer would like to see in a capitol city, from a specific buildstyle (or lack thereof).. to suggestions for handling imaginary ranks for citizens. Anything and everything really - if you think it would be fun to have, I would like to hear about it!

This thread will be used by myself to collect the information and help me design a comprehensive framework to build a city around. Will you see this in-game? Well.. not any time soon, if at all. Those that know me can recollect me spending months and months on a process like this. I do this for one reason only - I enjoy the process of designing and building an entire city. This is purely my own project and is in no way affiliated with Oren, or any other faction.

 

Obligatory Petrus screenshot:

 

Collected feedback:

- Petrus was too flat. Needs more height variation to make it more interesting visually

- Petrus housing was too tall. Combined with the flatness this made for little to no interest in the top floors of buildings.

- Petrus main square felt too big and empty. The lack of landmarks or interactive objects in the square was the problem.

- Canals are fun. Do something with canals. (Senda note: Working on this already, sinking the canals below the main road levels would add the needed height difference in the city.)

- Lots of alleyways

- Clear cuts (needs clarification from ShameJax)

- Display windows or the likes in shops along roads could be neat to try

- A district-ed city is the way to go

- NO active redstone systems no matter how cool they were 

- Multiple public use areas i.e pavilions gardens etc. throughout the city

 

 

Edited December 19, 2015 by Senda

[Narthok 10416]

Make districts within a city so that different factions can have their own special snow flake area in close proximity to each other. That way they can feel powerful and important while still have highly centralized rp

[Senda 472]

Make districts within a city so that different factions can have their own special snow flake area in close proximity to each other. That way they can feel powerful and important while still have highly centralized rp

Interesting suggestion (and in line with something I was talking to someone else about a while back).

How do you feel about the following:

- Allow renters/houseowners the right to tear down and redesign the house(s) on plots they own. Provided the building is of a decent standard (no 3*3 mud shacks), people can do what they like, up to and including giving an entire district of houses their own distinct style and flavor.

Do you think that alone is enough? 

People feeling powerful and important is always a fun thing to cater for (I firmly believe is providing a framework for semi-competitive, yet non-violent roleplay to further city activity). What other things would you like to see to further this even more?

Would city council roleplay, with power equal to % of the city you represent, be something you would find interesting?

 

 

[TeaLulu 1783]

Yea you basically just need to not do any city planning or work with anything involving building anymore, that's my feedback.

 

P.s., spending months on a project without any connection to the player base that it is for renders all data collected for the sake of the project completely invalid. City planning can't be done cookie cutter, it has to be done in real time considering the player base the city is for and what it's comprised of both oocly and ic.

[Ark 2835]

It can be done, all of my towns have had a lot of preplanning. Senda does it a bit more organized then most but I see nothing wrong with his methods.

[1 1393]

I think it would be interesting if you incorporated a lot of alley ways and clear cuts between the city. This could lead to some interesting roleplay with gangs.

[Anderssn 1115]

Is this a meme?

Edited December 19, 2015 by Anderssn

[monkeypoacher 8055]

Yea you basically just need to not do any city planning or work with anything involving building anymore, that's my feedback.

 

P.s., spending months on a project without any connection to the player base that it is for renders all data collected for the sake of the project completely invalid. City planning can't be done cookie cutter, it has to be done in real time considering the player base the city is for and what it's comprised of both oocly and ic.

tehlulu

 

you have never built anything

 

back the **** up

[Senda 472]

I think it would be interesting if you incorporated a lot of alley ways and clear cuts between the city. This could lead to some interesting roleplay with gangs.

Alleyways - How big (or small) do you prefer them?

Clear cuts - Do you mean in the sense that parts of the city are walled off, restricting access to that specific section through a few smaller gates, or something else? 

-Display windows or the likes in shops along roads could be neat to try

-As Narthok said I think a district-ed city is the way to go

-NO active redstone systems no matter how cool they were (of course if the build is without lag in mind then do it again)

-The Abresi Sewer was much more intricate and enjoyable than Petrus sewer (just my two cents)

-Multiple public use areas i.e pavilions gardens etc. throughout the city

Ill let you know if anything else comes to mind

Excellent feedback, thank you.

 

I will add all of this to the OP.

 

[Savoyard 263]

I personally feel like being a small piece in cities, if you ask me tall buildings limiting people's view of the outside world could be cool.

[ARCHITECUS 4788]

SendaMedieval    : D

[Your Favorite Impure 736]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.