The Capital of Barradesh

[SteffenBrand]

The exact thought behind my question was that I was wondering if the west-east river between the enclave and the bazaar would play a role in trade/transportation, or if it would be too small for that. (and subsequently: if it would be of any interest to the citizens of that city to build a channel or something at the thinnest chokepoint around the bazaar)

Yes, I thought it isn't deep and wide enough for seafaring ships, but for transporting boats it is fine. This is one of the reasons why I thought the best point for a settlement would be there, you can reach far into the land from this point. Having a little lake there to have the place to shift wares is also a big bonus. =)

Finally I get to see you do a work in progress! It looking great so far, I especially like the landshapes. I will surely keep an eye on this one!

Thanks Daniël! I really am excited where this goes, too

[Ilanthar]

Interesting start, I love the coastline and rivers. Already picturing Bombay or Dakah in ancient times .

[SteffenBrand]

@Ilanthar: Perfect, than we are on the right track! =)

Sorry this takes so long, but I have to work on a lot of maps on my full-time job, meaning this has to be made in my rare free time. Anyway, I won't leave you hanging and at least post a small incremental step I had to make three times to get right (keyword: Line Weight!) and I had decided to do something which seems more organic. I blocked in the mask for the fields, too. Since I decided on a dark gray for the titles of the RPG this will be in, I use the same on the border here, too. All titles / words in there are still WIP of cause. The next step will be advancing the city itself from a small village to a port metropolis. Here we go =)

[Mouse]

Now I'm really looking forward to the further development

You said in your first post that you were hoping for ideas about the infrastructure. Well I don't know all that much about city infrastructure, but it struck me that if I was doing a city like this I'd start by sketching in the relief - particularly the steeper slopes, since settlements seem to start out their earlier life right at the lowest bridging point of the major river, and flow in both directions away from it along the coast and up into the valleys before climbing up the slopes when the better (flatter) ground is all taken up, either by farms or suburbs. There are always the odd exceptions, of course, like when someone wealthy/famous/important suddenly decides that it would be cool to build a house into the side of a thousand foot precipice overlooking everyone else, and then you suddenly get a whole row of them in the same cliff face as everyone who considers themselves to be a somebody tries to follow the new and briefly fashionable trend.

Railways and canals are also dictated by the relief, although roads are less limited that way, so its good to know from the start where the hills are.

Having decided the extent of the settlement and relief-sensitive routes of communication I'd add any large areas of forest that might exist, and decide at that point whether they were managed or not (and therefore how mixed/homogenous/squared off they would look).

I'm getting a bit lost with this explanation, I think, so I'll leave that as my hopefully helpful contribution for now.

Of course, you've probably already considered all of these things

[SteffenBrand]

Of course, you've probably already considered all of these things.

(kidding) I think it will surprise you when I say: No, not everything. ;) And therefore I thank you! Yes, cities and their shape are most often a result of surroundings and necessity, but you provided some really helpful thought-provoking impulses. Except for the railway (we will be in a fictional 15.-16. century ;))...

Again, thank you so much! I rudimentary had thought about terrain (and I indicated at least where on of the hills will be), but I should do a lot more. Well, I try to include a bit more of this in my next sketching-in.

Best wishes,
Steffen

[Straf]

The trade routes to India were so hotly contested in the 15th century that some sought an alternative way and headed west across the Atlantic.

I'd imagine anywhere near the sea in 15th and 16th century India would be very heavily defended to protect the current administration's interests. Cannons on the cliffs would blast any would-be usurper's fleet into the briny. Harbours would have been heavily fortified. Spices were the height of luxury and envy among one's peers back then. It was a very lucrative trade and one worth preserving by any means.

Should you follow the 'real life' for this setting then covert and subterfuge would be powerful strategies rather than brute force. Although the latter, between two or more sufficiently powerful forces, could make for battles of epic proportions.

I'd like to see how you decide to proceed on this.

[SteffenBrand]

Here we go with baby steps:
- I included a preliminary key
- Indicated steps of the city in growth from A to D
I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. I'm not 100% sure what is self-explanatory and what is not - don't hesitate to ask. :D



Best wishes, Steffen

[Mouse]

You've tagged so much detail in this map already. Its going to be magnificent when you're done with it.

So much tiny detail! I take my hat of to you

[SteffenBrand]

@Straf: I decided that they made use of defense strategies after the city outgrew Urukpur (Old City), leading attackers through the highest amount of defense mechanisms and bottlenecks as possible. If you come from the north, you have to cross several walls go along i4 (Boulevard of Honor) and only after that you reach i3 (Abode of the Hegemony). This is probably the richest part in town - you can't even enter the island if you weren't invited or live there. It's one of the parts most heavily defended (well... as much as it can be, look at the messy city-layout) ;)

@Mouse: Ahw... thank you! I hope very much not to disappoint!

[Straf]

@Straf: I decided that they made use of defense strategies after the city outgrew Urukpur (Old City), leading attackers through the highest amount of defense mechanisms and bottlenecks as possible. If you come from the north, you have to cross several walls go along i4 (Boulevard of Honor) and only after that you reach i3 (Abode of the Hegemony). This is probably the richest part in town - you can't even enter the island if you weren't invited or live there. It's one of the parts most heavily defended (well... as much as it can be, look at the messy city-layout)

@Mouse: Ahw... thank you! I hope very much not to disappoint!

Oh? We'll see about that!

/me searches ebay for fake resident IDs.