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Decorating a City

Any idea's on decorating a city? I'm going to put in a few trees and add some more NPC's. The area is supposed to be holding a "culture convention" of sorts, for the Federation's second contact.

This is what I've got so far:

swaqeSj.jpg

Comments

  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited May 2016
    The backdrop looks great, but you might want to focus on placing foreground assets in a way that feels more consistent with a lived-in city environment (it looks a little haphazard right now).

    There's no good way to describe exactly how you do that, but here's examples of what I've come up with for a similar situation (pay more attention to the foreground patio.)
    CfnJNh3UEAEMl9C.jpg:large
    CRoHbM5UwAAXxhM.png:large
    I started with the basic layout and started thinking about how the space might be used if people lived there. Then I keep developing that idea, building on features I add-in, until I feel that any more would just be adding useless clutter (or I hit the object limit.)

    Another thing you could do is look at reference photos for city boardwalks and see how usuable stuff tends to be laid out. Some features you could add are small planted gardens (with trees, placed at a distance where you're basically creating an "urban savannah") along the walls or in the middle, and eating areas partially closed off from the main traffic flow. Benches too, you can't often go wrong with benches. :p
    Post edited by duncanidaho11 on
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
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  • johnnysnowballjohnnysnowball Member Posts: 399 Arc User
    How about different levels and walled sections? maybe different floors creating paths? A city Square. A park. Cafe's. a row of shops. Games. ... and stuff.
  • rogue6800rogue6800 Member Posts: 213 Arc User
    Thanks, I've had an idea, I will post the finished result. I've also had a look at Taris in KotOR for inspiration.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    what's Taris look like?
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    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • thay8472thay8472 Member Posts: 6,162 Arc User
    edited May 2016
    Before or after Malak bombed it?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpN4wl74CuE




    zx2t8tuj4i10.png
    Thank you for the Typhoon!
  • starswordcstarswordc Member Posts: 10,963 Arc User
    what's Taris look like?

    Linking images rather than embedding them because Wikia doesn't like it for some reason.
    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:Taris-mando.JPG
    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:TarisUpperCityConcept1.jpg

    That's the Upper City, where the rich people live. The Lower City is a slum and the Undercity is infested with the Star Wars equivalent of werewolves (called rakghouls).
    "Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
    — Sabaton, "Great War"
    VZ9ASdg.png

    Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
  • rogue6800rogue6800 Member Posts: 213 Arc User
    I'm taking ideas for the benching and shop arrangements from one of the quarters of the Upper City. There's not much resemblance, but there is though from there.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    edited May 2016
    thay8472 wrote: »
    Before or after Malak bombed it?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpN4wl74CuE
    Ooohhh... enh, taking a look at both sounds interesting.
    starswordc wrote: »
    what's Taris look like?

    Linking images rather than embedding them because Wikia doesn't like it for some reason.
    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:Taris-mando.JPG
    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/File:TarisUpperCityConcept1.jpg

    That's the Upper City, where the rich people live. The Lower City is a slum and the Undercity is infested with the Star Wars equivalent of werewolves (called rakghouls).
    You're doing it wrong. what you tried linking isn't the file itself, but a disambig link. BEHOLD:
    latest?cb=20151004044420
    rogue6800 wrote: »
    I'm taking ideas for the benching and shop arrangements from one of the quarters of the Upper City. There's not much resemblance, but there is though from there.
    Well, you don't need to try to make it look identical, just take cues from how it's arranged.
    Post edited by markhawkman on
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • starswordcstarswordc Member Posts: 10,963 Arc User
    You're doing it wrong. what you tried linking isn't the file itself, but a disambig link. BEHOLD: latest?cb=20151004044420
    Notice how small it is? That's why I linked to the file page instead of the image itself. Like I said, Wikia doesn't like it.
    "Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
    — Sabaton, "Great War"
    VZ9ASdg.png

    Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
  • tacofangstacofangs Member Posts: 2,951 Cryptic Developer
    Take it from someone who's worked on two separate Superhero games.

    Work large to small. Cities are all about filling huge areas with huge buildings, then the large areas left over with large props, then filling up the last of the space with your actual medium-small props.

    Keep your playable area small and contained, and let the vista drive the "city" feel.
    Only YOU can prevent forum fires!
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  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    HAIL TAKOFANGS! :P

    Hmm.. not sure if that's Wikia or the forum software reducing the image size...
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • dragonsbrethrendragonsbrethren Member Posts: 1,854 Arc User
    Does anyone have mission recommendations for examples of cities built in the Foundry? I'm curious how others have done it. I'm trying to build on terrain, but it just seems impossible with how exaggerated the hills are and the tree props that can't be removed.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    choose base maps carefully, some have more hills/trees than others. One example I did was my KDF mission Diplomacy in the Gamma Quadrant. It wasn't a full city though, one was a Jem'Hadar compound and the other abandoned ruins used as a meeting site.

    You always have the option to not build at ground level. But this requires you to build the terrain AND place the buildings.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • djxprimedjxprime Member Posts: 522 Arc User
    You can also use Foundation Blocks and Walls as actual foundations for structures that are built on hillsides and less level terrain.
    Kkerp5u.jpg?1

    "No matter where you go...there you are."
  • dragonsbrethrendragonsbrethren Member Posts: 1,854 Arc User
    Mm, I'm aware. Getting the aesthetic I'm going for is just tougher than I expected. I'm trying to build a seaside city, using the Oasis Clearing map.

    I need to do the opposite of my normal workflow, and that's tough for me. Normally I'd block out my buildings, streets, walls, etc. then sculpt any terrain I wanted to conform to that layout. That's a luxury the Foundry doesn't afford us, unfortunately.

    Mark, I'll check out your mission.
  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    edited May 2016
    Does anyone have mission recommendations for examples of cities built in the Foundry? I'm curious how others have done it. I'm trying to build on terrain, but it just seems impossible with how exaggerated the hills are and the tree props that can't be removed.

    All of mine have at least one example of a custom ground map with some kind of development. Here's a quick run down:

    Gemini - Several ground maps set in and around a coastal city.
    Polarity - Academy campus on Andoria
    Entropy - Hive-like town center
    Continuity - Swampy city, coastal town
    Eons - Small town built overlooking ruins
    Trident, Part 1 - Island/coastal villages
    Trident, Part 2 - Dessert city
    Echoes - Close city complex built on a wasteland

    For demonstration purposes I'd probably recommend Gemini and Echoes.
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
  • johnnysnowballjohnnysnowball Member Posts: 399 Arc User
    I like the sound of dessert city. Mmmm...
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    Oh, I also did a few things for B'Vat's Legacy(fed).

    Cities are something I only do occasionally.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • duncanidaho11duncanidaho11 Member Posts: 7,980 Arc User
    I like the sound of dessert city. Mmmm...

    Trident sand is actually brown sugar. :P
    Bipedal mammal and senior Foundry author.
    Notable missions: Apex [AEI], Gemini [SSF], Trident [AEI], Evolution's Smile [SSF], Transcendence
    Looking for something new to play? I've started building Foundry missions again in visual novel form!
  • kalnok#8354 kalnok Member Posts: 18 Arc User
    Foundry mission. COLD BLUE SPACE PATT 4 has an entire city from scratch.
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