John VanSickle <evi### [at] KOSHERhotmailcom> wrote:
> * The fire marshal will get into a snit if you don't put some fire
> escapes on the residential buildings.

Good idea, especially for that north american look.

> * 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 already thought of this - one of my next jobs will be to adapt a greebling
macro to produce discrete city blocks. An obvious option will be to produce
residential-type 'estates' with identical (or similar) towers.

> * 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.

Yes, this too is on my list, but needs some thought to avoid needless work. I'll
try to knock up a generic round shape not limited to cylinders.

> * 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.

Very deliberate, due to the absence of roads as much as anything! It will be
relatively straightforward to produce a separate ground floor I think.

> * 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.

Yes, I'm painfully aware of this... :) I think I'll stick to regular roads in
the short term, but it would be nice.

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

This means I will also need a bridge macro ;)

As you suggest, this will undoubtedly end up being a small library of layered
macros (assuming I stick with it!) I'd also like to expand on the roofing
options - there are only 2 types of roof in the latter image, so some more roof
furniture would be good, maybe a spire or pyramid. For low, long buildings, I
could try gabled roofing. I was also thinking of trying polygonal blocks with
buildings around the edges, for a more european feel. Parks would be useful to
open up some space. And let's not forget the suburbs...

I shall post progress as it occurs :)

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