WIP - Longhaul

[KeithC]

I need advice.

This is the second CC/CD3 map in my series. In this one, I'm trying to create a fantasy version of the old west mining town. A couple of general stores, a few inns, some taverns and then various other businesses such as blacksmiths, jewelers, fur traders, metal workers (fine crafts), armorsmiths, weaponsmiths, cobblers, clothiers, etc.

The town relies heavily on surrounding villages for agricultural trade. An agreement the surrounding villages are more than happy to continue.

I've only put a few hours into this map so far but I'm not sure if it's developing the way I'd like. I'm trying to convey a sense of enclosed settlements surrounded by steep yet low hills not cliffs. The main town is the southernmost section of the map and then I have outlying communities in other small pockets around the hillsides.

I don't want to make the trees too dense because I'm trying to keep the hills as the main geographic feature.

So where I'm looking for advice is this;

Is the map portraying well the pocketed isolation?

Are the building placements ok?

Do I need to add / remove any elements?

Basically... what have I done right and what am I doing wrong so far?

Bear in mind that this is the very beginning of the map and nothing is set in stone yet. Buildings will be added/moved, roads will be placed to connect areas, shadows and sheet effects (layer effects in photoshop terminology) will be touched up and so forth.

Thanks in advance for any advice!