A remade BG city - suggestions welcome

[Planehopper]

Doesn't change that there's likely going to be almost nobody worshipping Siamorphe in NPC population unless DMs change that Which is nothing I've personally heard or read about much at all to prove otherwise.

That's my point, according to previous DMs there were NPCs worshipping her. An NPC from Waterdeep had come and converted several of the noble families. I haven't heard or read anything to prove that has changed, either. You all are welcome to change or retcon previous RP, but it happened and any characters (probably very very few) that happened to be around would be living in a world that has NPCs worshipping Siamorphe.

Maybe a 'current status' report could be created by the DMs to make sure we are all playing in the same world, if things are being changed?

[Agog_Fr]

Sorry but I find that the proposed change is very secondary.

What difference, if not wider streets?

We will always have the fundamental problem of a city that is too open, with many access points, and therefore not a place for RP.

The only radical solution would be that there is a reception area, a single map, where the passage would be mandatory. A hub.

Thus, one could technically orient to more urban PR, and less RP to Trade Way Inn for example.


So I think that if BG is redone, it's a radically different design, otherwise it will not help. It will be work for nothing.

[tfunke]

Totally fine Agor, your opinion is just as valid as the rest of us.

You make fair points.
Ultimately though, as an area builder, I can only do so much with an area. It is up to the players to choose to use it or not. I hear you though, quite possibly this may make no difference at all. Having built the current version of the city though, I know I can make a better one that will be more pleasing to a wider range of people.
Steve mentioned the wide streets in a PM and I agreed with him. It was always my intention to make them a little denser around the docks, east gate districts than the version I shared above. The palace district will have the wide streets though, because.. you know. They're rich?

I agree with you 100% on the hub. I came onto staff about 4 months after I joined the server and that's where I stayed hehe. Jokes aside, I joined around the time that people could begin spawning at other cities from the nexus and not outside BG, which I believe is how it used to be. I'd love to see that reverted, so that people join the server in close proximity to one another. That's another discussion though I guess, if one at all.

[Theodore01]

It looks wonderful, like everything you did.


However, as someone who plays on an old computer, I don't look forward to additional transitions. Especially here as BG is also a quest hub.
(A transition takes 30~90 sec. for me.)

For ease of play, I would suggest placing any merchant/quest giver outside of his building. (No need to go inside, so the building could be a static one.)


I cannot see how a new BG would improve any RP activity there, as with four sectors it would be even more empty overall.
A lore accurate layout is nice to have, but if it doesn't have any actual in-game function - what does it really provide for the overall player to have it as exactly as in the sourcebook?

For example additional taverns - these would be as empty as the ones we have already.
Or more temples for all the deities that were added recently? If anything players should RP worshipping these gods and if enough band together they could build/fund such a temple.

Wouldn't a reduced (in size) layout provide a better chance to meet someone?


Is it easy to transfer all the existing quests to the new layout or would that open up a new can of worms (as buggy as changing a quest was in the past)?

The Wide could be wider as more merchants might appear.....

Please get rid of any overhead tent (like in the wide currently). It is difficult to walk/interact under it.

I have to stay zoomed in fairly close to make it work, which isn't how I generally play.

[tfunke]

The Wide could be wider as more merchants might appear.....

Please get rid of any overhead tent (like in the wide currently).

Are you referring to a version that is in game now with a tent? Or the version I shared above? If the one above, can do.

Just doing a quick run around now, I feel like the city is more open overall, which I'm hoping will help players to spot each other easier to be able to interact. The 4 quadrants instead of 3 is a fair point though. Ideally I'd love to think people will find somewhere to congregate in this new version, but every builder has had the trouble of trying to achieve that in this playerworld. I can but hope

[Theodore01]

The in-game one at the wide.
I'll take another look at the new one and try if it has the same issues.

[tfunke]

The in-game one.
I'll take another look at the new one and try if it has the same issues.

Oh cool. The tent in the version I'm making is pretty massive, but let me know, interested to hear your thoughts.
Here I thought I was being original using a giant tent, but seems someone else was already ahead of me

[Theodore01]

The current tent is much smaller, your huge one seems OK.
But it could cause some issues - depending on people's camera-zoom preferences. If the camera is zoomed out far, you have to zoom in to see under the tent's roof.

[tfunke]

Firstly I just want to thank everyone for their inputs so far. It's helpful.

Cham, do you mean I should make more of the doors around the city non-static? As in, players can open them, although they may not lead to an interior? This way players can roleplay living in parts of the city? I wasn't quite sure what you were wanting.

[tfunke]

I'd like to do an immersive AI system like oblivion or skyrim has at some point, with npcs having routines and whatnot, and the city of BG would be the biggest place I'd add it to.

Someone created one back in the day, but it relied on a heartbeat script sadly. Not sure if one can be done otherwise, but it certainly would be cool.

[tfunke]

Lots of fog added to this version of the city for the evenings and mornings, particularly so down at the docks... which could be a dangerous place to be at that time of day.
Densened up the streets and mostly finished the texturing.
What are some little "things" i could potentially throw around the city, to make it more interactive?
For example, I was thinking of adding a rope, which a player could climb (with a skill check) and get up to a little section on a rooftop? Just things like this...

I've added a painting easel in the town square (course I did!)

Any suggestions?

[K'yon Oblodra]

Sorry off topic not could we add painting easels to the placeables?

[tfunke]

Sorry off topic not could we add painting easels to the placeables?

Sorry I didn't quite understand this?

[K'yon Oblodra]

Yea probably not very understandable cause its so way off topic, there are placeables we can buy from the placeables shop... I would love to be able to buy an easel there.... Sorry... Really nothing to do with your work, which is great btw

[tfunke]

Yea probably not very understandable cause its so way off topic, there are placeables we can buy from the placeables shop... I would love to be able to buy an easel there.... Sorry... Really nothing to do with your work, which is great btw

Genius idea! Love it! -hope someone on staff gets on that