On 1/22/2012 5:24 PM, Bill Pragnell wrote:

> Here's another iteration.

Much improved over the first, now some suggestions:

* The fire marshal will get into a snit if you don't put some fire 
escapes on the residential buildings.

* In a lot of major cities you will see a section where there are a 
small number (from three to six) buildings that are identical.  These 
are usually residential.

* I observe that all of the buildings have an overall rectangular shape. 
  While most buildings of this nature are that shape, every major city 
has a few that are based on cylinders or pyramids, or even something 
irregular; Detroit's Renaissance Center is a good example (in a town 
that's otherwise turning into a dump).  Toss a few of these into the mix.

* In major cities, especially along thoroughfares with lots of 
pedestrian traffic, the ground floor of a building will have storefronts 
and lobbies, making for an exterior arrangement that is different from 
the floors above.  Whether by accident or design, the ground floor is 
obscured in what you've shown us so far.

* Real cities also have a few roads that do not run either parallel or 
perpendicular to the rest, and perhaps even curve a bit as well.  These 
roads are generally major thoroughfares, that will be wider than all but 
the very largest buildings.  Even the newer American cities, which for 
the most part look like graph paper from above, have a few roads like this.

* Toss in a river, either with or without a major fork in it.

The last two will of course make for major challenges in your macro 
coding.  It might be better to code one macro to make the basic layout 
(rivers, hills, major highways), then have another fill in the minor 
streets, and then have another simulate the zoning board, and then 
finally place the buildings.

Regards,
john

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