Meerzicht (City Designer 3)

[Gandwarf]

Meerzicht is one of the earlier cities I mapped with City Designer 3 and I wanted to do a new version. Below you'll see the first version and my latest attempt.

Backstory
Meerzicht (Lakesight or Lakeside literally translated) is a fortress city located northwest of the great city of Concetron. Both cities are located on the shores of the same lake.

Meerzicht was once built to protect the north, which essentially is the backyard of Concetron. It was an important military headquarters from where troops could be dispatched to Concetron or Westdiep (to the west, a city which was fought over a lot by the wizards of Concetron and Miston). The fortress was carefully designed and took many years to complete. It's surrounded by a dry moat and thick walls with many towers. Two keeps protect the landside, while the castle protects the harbor.

Nowadays the city is ruled by the Alliance and a force of about 1.000 veteran troops are stationed there. This excludes city guards and militia. No buildings are allowed too near the walls as the Alliance wants the fortress to stay impenetrable. At least that's the reputation the city has.

[Hoel]

Very nice indeed. I like how the open area around the walls looks and the farmland looks absolutely awsome. You have some nice touches too, the fairgrounds and the claypits especially.

[Nomadic]

Very nice indeed. I like how the open area around the walls looks and the farmland looks absolutely awsome. You have some nice touches too, the fairgrounds and the claypits especially.

Agreed, you have a good eye for detail (especially detail that makes the city seem realistically plausible).

[Gandwarf]

Thanks guys. I kept being motivated by you and you tossed me some great ideas.

I am just glad Meerzicht doesn't look like a cat anymore (see the first version).

[Ascension]

I'm with the others, the placing/naming of specific sites really gives it some plausibility. I'd like to see some closer shots of the fairgrounds Well done.

[languard]

Very nice city map. I'm still trying to get a handle on CD3, so it's good to see something to aspire to.

[Steel General]

Great work Gandwarf!

[ravells]

That's really pretty, and you're playing CD to it's strengths. Great work.

[MarkusTay]

The first is the original?

I actually prefer that one's shape - more realistic.

The waterway extending around the castle on the second one is a very nice touch.

My only complaint with the second one would be it's a little 'too perfect' - everything is very orderly and straight, and most of the cities I know are anything but.

All-in-all, though, way better then anything I could do - location mapping is beyond me (I'm more of an 'area' guy). Also a fan of those clay pits - details are so imprtant.

[Gandwarf]

The first is the original?

I actually prefer that one's shape - more realistic.

The waterway extending around the castle on the second one is a very nice touch.

My only complaint with the second one would be it's a little 'too perfect' - everything is very orderly and straight, and most of the cities I know are anything but.

All-in-all, though, way better then anything I could do - location mapping is beyond me (I'm more of an 'area' guy). Also a fan of those clay pits - details are so imprtant.

Thanks for your comment. Most of the cities I have done look a lot more chaotic, as they grew over time and nothing was really planned. This particular city was carefully planned however, like most fortress cities. Take a look at the city I grew up for example:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Br...g_20050518.jpg

This is one of my earlier maps, but an example of a city that grew over time:
http://forum.cartographersguild.com/...2&postcount=14