The Capital of Barradesh

[SteffenBrand]

Hey guys!

It has been a while, but one of my projects I was working on is about to get off the ground, so... I have to do this beside full-time work.

This project is settled in a fictional 15.-16. century india (a fantasy version) I'm currently trying to get the capital done. This RPG won't have a world map - some reasons for that are: [1] You should be able to enhance the background and it won't stifle your creativity [2] It becomes the key point everyone comes to anyway [3] A few plot reasons unimportant to the actual map [4] etc. The fact that there will be only this city map, I need to get this exactly right.

What I need is this: I planned fields, ports, where the districts will be, ... but I need you for any further Ideas. I am really unsure about roads and since I usually do anything else before getting buildings in (just because cities follow natural shapes) and what features I can give this city. What I have so far is this:
- City on the ground, richer districts, slum, workers, a sacred island which only priests can enter with temples and libraries, etc.
- The high courts: Floating rock-stuff with a lot of politicians, courtiers, etc. you can reach via bridges
- I planned to have some details on the left side, not sure what this will be ;)
- A ton of fields in the north-east

I hope you have any suggestions. Feel free to download the image and just draw in, I'd love to see ideas and I'd be very glad if some did help with this. If you need any further information, feel free to ask. The game itself is in English, this is planned for the English market later. =)





By the way: I was at SPIEL in Essen with our company (Germany; the largest gaming convention in the world) last weekend and actually met a cartographer who knew my name who came all the way from Croatia. It blew my mind! You guys are actually real... ;) Man, I love how connected this community can be!

Best wishes,
Steffen

[Eld]

Hey Steffen,

great attempt, hope you get this finished.
You've got a "hill with wetland" east of Lakash. A wetland upon a hill? I'd expected it to be somewhere downhill near the river, for water flowing down and not lying around on top of a hill?
The shape of the land looks good already and you have all the vital things in it, that such a city would need.
Maybe you could think about the history of the city. It seems to be a city that developed randomly and was not founded by a city planner. So city growth was widely natural and uncontrolled. Maybe you could think of the times when there wasn't a city in that place yet. Why would people want to settle down here back then? Where would they start? What would be the natural (easiest and best) place? If you find that spot, you've got the nucleus of the city and you will know where the eldest roads have to go through.
If I start on a big city (as I did with Serain) I first start with the big roads that lead far away as they are usually there before the city is founded. Then I add the roads to local sites, as nearby towns and special places, as river bridges, castles upon hills and stuff like that. Done with that I have the main roads that will be the axes of city development and growth. Then I add further streets, that connect those big roads with each other and so I build up a web of streets and roads. While doing this I keep in mind the overall history of the city, not every detail but the main timeline. Also geography plays its part. The rich will settle where the weather is best (fresh air, water supply, short ways to important places, enough space to show their wealth) and the poor will take what's left.

I think there could be some connection between the city itself and the Shinsu-Enclave, some road and on the road newcomers will settle down. If your city is walled, think about the walls. Where were the first walls and how many times have new walls been built? Walls are essential to city shape and identity. Newly arrived settlers usually are divided into those who can afford a home inside the walls and those too poor for that who have to stay outside. For outside the walls the land for buildings is much cheaper as it's less safe. And if someone has to build his new home somewhere, he usually does this on an empty spot on a main road to be easily connected with everything. If there is no such free space, they will start radiating out with the next central point in the center (city gates, great place, market etc.)

Hope that helps at planning.

[SteffenBrand]

great attempt, hope you get this finished.

I have to, at some point =)

You've got a "hill with wetland" east of Lakash. A wetland upon a hill? I'd expected it to be somewhere downhill near the river, for water flowing down and not lying around on top of a hill?

I was thinking about rice fields on steps on the hillside. Yes, water would run downhill, but I thought that a lot of rain can make this work provided that it can hold the water.

The stuff you wrote about roads is very good, thank you for it! I think I will create the city step by step. Make this a town, skip 300 years or so and renew and expand, make the impact the gods had, skip 300 years and expand, skip 300 etc. Seems like a good way and helps to give this a more natural feel.

There is a waterway to an Entrepôt (ein Umschlagshafen) from the Shinsu-Enclave to the city (near the Bazar), I think an additional road would make sense. The city itself was founded (or at least get great importance) just because the gods inspired the first mortals there and gave them faith. The city therefore is also a pilgrimage destination for many.

Thanks again, this helps very much! This isn't my first city, but it helps to hear other opinions! =)
Best wishes, Steffen

[SteffenBrand]

I reworked some of the field structure I want to go with (mostly focusing on the one that floods regularly), removed 2 of the 3 hills (a 1-of is OK, the others looked weird to have fields around them), dotted paths and double-lined the streets and I hatched the beginnings of the city before anything of significance happened there. I left in where I imagine ATM the districts would be later. It looked like the spot this could most likely be the spot where a settlement would be build / defended, where could be fished and traded and the river allows also would allow to get corn and stuff from the fields to the town. Well, here you go... =)



Remember, nothing is final and I also put in the Typefaces I use for the game (the reason why I made the border this way, to have similar styles).
Best wishes, Steffen

[mat_r]

Hey Steffen,

this looks promising. I am curious to finally follow your process.
Did you already define the scale for this map? I am asking because I was thinking about the distances and which rivers would be suitable for shipping and which ones would be too small for larger ships, but I couldn't really decide.

[SteffenBrand]

Hey mat_r!

Yes, I'll include it in my next version after this - but I'm also thinking about don't including one in any version, to be honest. We all know why it is important, but I am seriously considering leaving it out intentionally with this one... You just don't need it and when you have blocks of houses and fields for reference (in my experience on a gaming table). Some of you might scream inside, but I'm happy to try this and see if it works. If not, it is included easily. =)

I updated the post above to include the bottomland / alluvial land, too (green).

Thanks for your Input! I'll keep you guys posted as often as I can. =)
EDIT: Just realized it's you, Matthias! Hey! XD

[Mouse]

I love that you 'scribble' stuff on your early drafts the same way I do. Until now I thought I was the only one who did this.

I also really like the watercolour wash look of the sea, and the detail of your fieldwork.

Looking forward to seeing more

[SteffenBrand]

Hey Mouse! =)

I love that you 'scribble' stuff on your early drafts the same way I do. Until now I thought I was the only one who did this.

I found many advantages to this. Sure, it takes a bit more time but you can map out shapes, arrange it as interesting as it can be and plan everything ahead of time (and probably even safe time at this point). You are definately not alone with this

Thanks on your other comments =)
Best wishes, Steffen

[mat_r]

Yes, it's me in disguise

You know I think leaving out the scale alltogether might be fine, if that is your choice. On the map of a kingdom/continent/world I might object but on a city map I feel like it is not really needed, since hardly anyone actually measures distance or calculates traveling times on those.

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)

[DanielHasenbos]

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!

-Dan