Starting out, my first city (City Designer 3)

[Gandwarf]

Or should I try to keep using stone/rock to a minimum and use wood for the walls too?

It depends on the threat to the town and the wealth. If the town is under considerable threat and there is enough wealth, stone could be imported. There is a river, so the stone could be transported over water (the Egyptians used boats to transport stone to their building sites as well).

Also, do I need a gate in the north?

You have no road leading to the north, so I would say no. A gate would be an extra weak spot in the defence, so if it wasn't needed, it wouldn't be added.

If there are other towns and holdings to the north and this town trades with it, traffic would flow north and a gate might spring into existance.

[Mixpengo]

You have no road leading to the north, so I would say no. A gate would be an extra weak spot in the defence, so if it wasn't needed, it wouldn't be added.

Well, no road exists yet mainly because it is a work in progress and I started from the bottom. However, weak spot in the defense is something to consider.

Oh, one last thing. Looking at your map again I would expect the castle to be built near the bridge. It would want to control the traffic I think. But it's your town of course, so maybe there's a good reason for it to be where it is now.

Well, I just thought the first line of defense and control for the bridge would be the walls and towers near the river. I was planning to add some smaller buildings there too, to help with that task.

I wanted the castle in a retreat place, in a more luxurious area, away from the markets and traffic from the bridge. I have no idea if that is how a small town would work.

[Gandwarf]

Well, I just thought the first line of defense and control for the bridge would be the walls and towers near the river. I was planning to add some smaller buildings there too, to help with that task.

I wanted the castle in a retreat place, in a more luxurious area, away from the markets and traffic from the bridge. I have no idea if that is how a small town would work.

As I said, it's your town, so the layout should be as you want.

Towns do not suddenly spring into existance however. I could imagine the castle was there first, near the bridge (or maybe there wasn't even a bridge back then and there was just a ferry or a place to cross where the water was shallow). Then a town grew around it and the castle expanded a bit. By then the castle would not be moved again, so it would remain near the river.

Or maybe your castle is built 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.

Again, it's your town... I am just brainstorming a bit

[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.

[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?

[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.