Cities And Housing Archive

from the city management terminal, the Mayor can choose the option "Layout City"


then the view is changed into the structure placement view, with a few changes:
1) rudimentary text box (will be explained soon)
2) some sort of toolbar (will be explained soon)
3) unlike the structure placement window, the viewed area can be moved to any area in the city (with the city limit displayed as a green circle maybe?)


Ok, time to explain. on the toolbar the following buttons are needed:
1) construction not allowed
2) personal construction
3) civic structures only
4) hospital
5) cantina
6) theater
7) merchant tent
8) highlight area
9) Building orientation

by selecting one of these options, the mayor can "zone" a block of terrain into any of the categories.

The first option would essentially make a street or a "no-build" zone.

The second option, "personal construction" allows the following structures: small/medium/large houses and guild halls.

The third option reserves the block for city structures placed by the mayor. to any citizen placing a house, the area would be shown in red just like a "no-build" zone.

The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh option are there because these buildings do not fit under personal or civic structures.....they are a hybrid. (i may have left a few out, but any others would go here too)

The eighth option is where the text entry box becomes utilized. the toolbar by itself is not quite enough, because potential citizens still dont know which size of house the area is intended for. click and drag the mouse over the area of blocks required for the structure, and then enter in text such as "Small House," "Guild Hall," etc.....

The ninth option is used in conjunction with the eighth one. selecting a group of blocks and naming them groups them together, and when you hover the mouse over this area while the ninth option is selected, an arrow shows up in the area. the orientation of the arrow is changed by right clicking, just like changing the orientation of the actual house.

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Implementing this system or one like it would make it a lot easier to explain to people where you want the house to go, and would prevent people from messing up your design.



i came up with this idea because when i started my own city 2 days ago it was very hard to convey to all my potential citizens where i wanted their houses to go.


comments? suggestions? any hope?

This is very much desired! Urban design is what separates nonplayer cities fromplayer cities!

*****

plus, i doubt hte devs envisioned cities as most of them are now......mazes of random sized houses with vendors, cantinas, and med centers sprinkled everywhere......




i want this very badly.....

This would be awesome !!

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Nodo_Wavinglight wrote:
This would be awesome !!

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I KNOW!!!!!



as i was typign this up i kept getting better ideas......and i kept getting more exicted......



my plan is to PM the link of this and my other thread here to GarVa is there's no response by the end of the day

I would also like to see a 3rd party program that allows you to plan layouts outside game and see what you like before you start dropping building in game. I'm sure its harder to put together than it sounds, you have to take into account elevation changes and water where your city is located. But I think it would be a cool program.

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PowerHammer wrote:

*Puts up a flag to signal Core Systems correspondent to get over to th thread* AWESOME IDEA

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you think i should post it in core systems?

I think it could be done more simply than this even. Give the mayor the ability to place a "road" structure like placing a garden. Each section of "road" would have a setting for zone type: Player buildable and restricted as well as a distance setting for the zone's effect in either direction.

So you drop your city hall, then quickly run out and lay roads around town so people know where they can and cannot build. Then when you're ready you come in and re-zone the roadsso your cantina, hospital, clone center and such can go where you wanted them.

Message Edited by Stickbug on 08-29-2005 07:16 PM

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fordaith wrote:
I would also like to see a 3rd party program that allows you to plan layouts outside game and see what you like before you start dropping building in game. I'm sure its harder to put together than it sounds, you have to take into account elevation changes and water where your city is located. But I think it would be a cool program.

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aren't 3rd party programs a violation?

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fordaith wrote:
I would also like to see a 3rd party program that allows you to plan layouts outside game and see what you like before you start dropping building in game. I'm sure its harder to put together than it sounds, you have to take into account elevation changes and water where your city is located. But I think it would be a cool program.

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Have a look at this website. It doesn't do everything you are looking for but its an excellent tool nonetheless.

Message Edited by cybrax on 09-22-2005 05:29 AM

Message Edited by cybrax on 09-22-2005 05:29 AM