The Silver City (a big city around a waterfall)

[Realmwright]

I like what you have so far. My only suggestion would be to make the stairs run parallel to the cliff instead of straight up. Maybe a series of 4-5 switchbacks....even one could work. I picture a landing with a guard tower - maybe the tower is 2 or 3 stories with a squat barracks connected to the bottom floor.

I think of this only because it would be less work to build (and climb) the stairs with rest stops along the way. Think of the poor builders. Rather than climbing the steps every day to where they left off the day before, they would have landings to camp on. And I see no reason why they wouldn't find a use for all the stone cut out of the cliff. There would be lots and lots of stone blocks left over.....hence the tower(s) and barracks.

What do you think? I'm very interested to see how this turns out whatever you decide to do.

[feanaaro]

I agree that a parallel stairs would have looked better. Unfortunately, I don't think I am able to achieve a reasonable effect for that, because I have very limited drawing skills (and no tablet/pen to work with!). Also, the "perspective" of the entire map is very "fake", due to the way in which I was able to do the slopes, and a parallel stair would call even more attention to that than the "elevators" already do.
On a functional, or "pseudo-realistic" level, however, the stairs as it is it not that bad. First, as already remarked, it is very big, ~500m long (and 30m wide), for a ~200m elevation, so it's not too steep either for the builders or the users, reducing the need of having multiple switchbacks. Secondly, it is not precisely carved into the stone, as I see it the appearance should make clear that it is done exploiting a pre-existing gentler slope in that point.
I may add some fortification/barracks at the bottom of the stair indeed.

But really, I need inputs about the colour scheme, I can't decide.

[Lyandra]

Sorry for the late reply.

As to the colours... I really like the "temporary" version of your buildings mainly because it feels cleaner, less "cluttered". On the other hand I like that on the newsest version there is more variety of colours to the rooftops. They suggest social diversity very well. Colours used in the rural area look very pleasing to my eye. However I would maybe tone down a bit the reds and blues of the rest of the buildings. Maybe you can change the current blue-green for the grey you have used in your temporary version? I like it much better than that intensive blue.

Well, I hope this helps... It is hard to decide what would look best without seeing other possible versions.

[feanaaro]

I haven't done much lately. I have been lazy, an busy. Also, the file is now so big that is bringing my computer to an halt, as usually happens toward completion of these maps.
Anyway, I've followed your suggestion and turned the blues into greys. Let me know what you think.

[Lyandra]

Can you try unifying the colour of buildings? For now I think that the big "square" ones with red rooftops are "too visible" Maybe try making all of them gray?... Overall the buildings look good. What's bothering me most now that I look at the image is the prominent, dark shadow of the cliff. /maybe it would look better if it were a tad less dark and more like its part in the lower right-hand corner? I'm just throwing idas at you here.

[feanaaro]

Very meagre progresses for such a long time, but anyway...
I ended up ditching the "blue-ish" roofs.

[feanaaro]

At long last it is (almost) finished. Now I only need to place the regional mini-map and it will be done done.

[jtougas]

This is really fantastic. I love when people come up with innovative ideas for "problems" I really like the lift idea and personally I don't think the mix of perspectives does anything to harm the map. I like the mix of roof colors you have now (although to be honest I liked the monochrome of your "temporary buildings" a bit better). I really like the waterfall and the feeling of height and depth you've achieved. Overall all this is a wonderful map and you should be applauded for all the hard work you've put into it. Have some rep !!

[Larb]

Very impressive city map!

[Bogie]

Fantastic map, just Awesome!! One of the best waterfalls I've ever seen!