Myring City

[Zaianya]

Most people in America who are drawing maps these days seem to be familiar primarily with the post-WWII suburbs with their curvilinear streets and detached homes. That sort of layout is only for rich folk (rich in the long-term grand scheme of things). As THW points out, streets have histories. Cities descended from border outposts may have a highly ordered central core with sprawling areas outside the original borders (see the Roman city of Timgad, Africa). http://www.pdx.edu/sites/www.pdx.edu...432_kostof.pdf is an excerpt from an excellent book on the subject, Spiro Kostof's The City Shaped. He did some other books on the general subject, most of which I recommend (I wasn't so excited about the architecture one, for example).

I mapped the town by first determining the natural features (lake, river), then the power center (castle), then adding some secondary points of interest, and simply drawing roads between those points. The spaces in between I blocked out for housing, then added more roads. I'm not sure why the map doesn't seem more organic--this seemed like a fairly organic way to "grow" the city to me. The main road is proceeding from the capital (off map) to this fortress, around which the town evolved.

[Zaianya]

So, taking into account the awesome advice I got, here's a modified version.

I really don't care for the bridge, but I'm a little brain-dead in the ideas department at the moment. (Perhaps more coffee...)



EDIT: Just so it's clear, the changes are: no more dead end roads, courtyards are now better indicated as such, and that empty green space that screamed "out of ideas and tired of making buildings" has been filled accordingly. The roads are no longer white, but off-white for a less clean & sharp look. And, of course, a bridge to provide a second route out of town has been added.

[Deadshade]

Just two nitpicking remarks.
You have 2 F's and no E.
Why is the D yellow when the rest of letters is either brown or white ?

If your style was not so geometrical, I would suggest some trees on the green places or large statues. But it would probably clash with the style of the rest of the map.

[Zaianya]

Just two nitpicking remarks.
You have 2 F's and no E.
Why is the D yellow when the rest of letters is either brown or white ?

If your style was not so geometrical, I would suggest some trees on the green places or large statues. But it would probably clash with the style of the rest of the map.

Ahh, thanks for catching the label issues. Will correct and re-post.

I did try some trees, and you're quite right--they clashed horribly. Part of the issue with this map, I think, has been trying to feel out my own particular style--I basically chucked a ton of techniques on the page and have been sifting through them to figure out which work, which don't. I'm hoping my next city map is more cohesive (and I'm even going to try hand-drawing the roads).

[Deadshade]

Well the style greatly depends if you want to have a view from above of the 2D layout or a more or less perspective 3D view.
If the former (what you did) then it is generally the style of a classical street map and it's all polygones, ellipses and labels.
If the latter then you have a megaton of details you can add (including trees, arches and other statuary). But of course this one takes much more time.

[SteffenBrand]

Oh, those beautiful colors and the overall look! I like it (rep)! =)

You could do some repetitive work when you are out of ideas atm. What comes to mind are:
- Rooftops (and some indication of light source)
- Drop shadows
- Fences, Lighthouses, Stairs, Trees in / outside the city
- Ships
- Borders around the text (and some glow) and around the image
- Also, you got a dead-end road in the west. It really should go past the image
- you could try to make traffic circle in the yard of the castle

Keep it up, it looks very promising =)
Cheers, Steffen

[Zaianya]

Oh, those beautiful colors and the overall look! I like it (rep)! =)

- Also, you got a dead-end road in the west. It really should go past the image
- you could try to make traffic circle in the yard of the castle

Keep it up, it looks very promising =)
Cheers, Steffen

Thank you! I think a traffic circle is a really cool idea, so I'll give it a go! And thanks also for spotting / pointing out the dead end road west.

[SteffenBrand]

It was done a lot in medieval ages so that carriages could turn. I'm glad I can help =)