Approved Project Application: House Willum by Daenerys (update/redo)

[Jeffjunior77]

Ok so what I suggest is a village/ ham on the red spot I showed on the map. The village could be a bit more defensible maybe bc of wars in the past. Maybe on a hill more something. The style I was thinking about would be a Eastern Europe building style like we have now a few on /warp stromlandstest or in lonmouth mixed with the Willum style. I have no tests yet but in my mind it mostly get the architecture from willum added by the stormlands stones and materials. It also cut have the typical smoke hole we have on the newer atormlandhouses. If u agree Dany we could make some tests together but it’s up to u.

greetings Stormking Jeff

 

[AerioOndos]

alternatively there could be a blend in poddingfield's rough area. If we created a 'northern marches' plateau for the stormlands/accentuated the existing height raise then there could be a series of settlements of the blended style from poddingfield around to Fawton, for instance.

 

[Nikas Kunitz]

Willum is a great project! After some time and talks with Dany I decided to contribute to it by building a holdfast with a hamlet, as my first mini(s). That is, I would like to take the western part of the Willum lands, specifically Willum 3 hamlet, placing the holdfast upon the dominating hill here and, if there will be possibility, Willum 4 hamlet further west, on the river on the very border. My idea is to make a cohesive landholding of a major knightly house sworn to Willum lords, with the holdfast, two hamlets, fields and other stuff inbetween.
So far I had done the stone keep of the holdfast, it can be examined on my plot. In addition to the keep, I plan to include a servants house, stables and a storehouse encircled with a simple palissade, but for that I need a more definitive general terrain. The keep is done, the major issue that can raise questions is its stone walls texturing/gradient - I tried to base it on examples of Willum castle and nearby town as much as possible. In any case, I can alter the texturing if needed (for example, making it more old and weary looking).
Howerever, my planning thinking, particularly of the hamlet(s) struggled with some issues. The major issue of current status of Willum lands is its unfinished terraforming, with inconclusive character of the landscape. The other one is a lot of remains of previous structures like roads and random blocks, somewhat obscuring where what can be located actually.
It's seen that western half (west of the Willum castle) is a plain surrounded by hills (This is especially well observable with topographic layer on the dynmap). My general proposal for terrain is to keep this plain surrounded by hills, but to add a small river, realistically flowing through it towards Cockleswent, forming a vale in addition to several small streams flowing into it (you can see the general plan in on the attached map). This small river could be good for several reasons - realistically defining the landscape, forming natural borders of large part of Willum lands (in historical times borders mostly followed natural features, such as drainage basins) and giving Cockleswent good water feed from the upper course, emphasising major status of this river. For the half of the Willum lands east of the castle, I propose having large endorheic lake, gathering small streams from the surrounding hills.
As such, settlements and majority of fields would be located on the gentle slopes of this river valley, forming cohesive and beautiful cultural landscape

 

[AerioOndos]

I'm liking the stream and valley idea and how that links to the existing cedfarm stream. What are your thoughts, Daenarys?
However I don't really get an idea of where/how ham 3 and ham 4 sit within the space?
With ham3, its current position is on a small ridge extending from the Kingsmine hills. Are you going to place the keep you've tested here? Where are the houses and fields to support this knight going to be?
Will you have ham4 on the Rhysling border stream near longmerton, where the warp is presently or further into Willum lands at like where cedfarm was.

A simple map indicating roads, points of interest and fields would be perfect.

 

[Nikas Kunitz]

Generally, I wait for some more decisive terrain to plan the settlements, this is why I proposed the small river. But that's my, quite very rough, plan. Red circle is the keep with the palissade around, Pink lines indicate hamlet (housing) areas. I think it would be realistic to place the houses along the roads. Green lines indicate main fields areas. I think it would be nice to make the hill, on which the keep and Willum3 stand, somewhat uneven - I mean, the western part, which is near the small brook, will be more steep (and on this defensive location the holdfast would stand), while the north-eastern side will be gentle slope towards the river (on the top part of this slope, the Willum3 will stand) While the fields will be on the lower part of the gentle slope, towards the river. I think it would be quite nice and picturesque farming valley, with clearly visible (from the northern side of the rivlet) fields down to river, the hamlet up the slope and the keep standing on the top of the hill. From the western side, from the road between Willum3 and Willum4, the view also will be good, with the keep standing on the steep slope of the hill, with the brook running down of it.
The Willum4 hamlet can be placed quite freely, I guess, but I would place the settlement near the crossing, a ford or a small bridge, of the small river (and, perhaps, of the Cockleswhent as well? Maybe ford over the small river, and small bridge over the Cockleswhent?)
Anyway, this is quite general plan of my view.

 

[AerioOndos]

Heya Dany, just checking in with you how the project and its terra is going and offering a bit of feedback so far on Willum. I see that you’ve got some streams plotted out. Do you need a hand shaping the terrain to work best with that?
My main feedback so far is that a lot of the roads seem forced to fit into settlements, rather than settlements forming along roads. This is the case with the main village and Willum 4, but a little with willum 2. Generally, all three lie on a road from W->E and links the outer Reach with the Cockleswhent, the closest branch of the Mander. If they could be given a straight, wider 'main street' it'd help it feel like there's not only more traffic through Willum, but that it has some defensive infrastructure other than the castle.
Here's some maps think illustrate my point well. Red = main roads, purple = secondary roads. Orange = I suggest raising the level of this area. The zoomed out map shows how willum's roads are a key intersection for the Eastern Reach - Eastern Dorne route for traders

 

[Opaco123]

Hey Dany,

I had some concerns about Willum castle. Your current castle is a very lightly defended keep. Willum controls one of the longest borders between the Reach and the Stormlands, an area which would have been hotly contested and fought over in wars between the two kingdoms before Aegon's conquest. In my opinion your castle is too lightly defended to represent its status as a border castle. Not to mention three swords and a dead dragon for arms seems to be a sigil for a house that takes it's wars seriously.

I don't think drastic overhauls are necessary, but I do have a few suggestions.

Spoiler: map

https://imgur.com/a/m8SbhP1

1. I think the outer walls shouldn't be in a state where they're essentially unusable/useless as they currently are

Spoiler: walls""

https://imgur.com/a/xGnc3EZ

I would clean these up and have functional battlements and parapets. You can still show that they have been neglected or in disrepair.

2. I think there should be proper gates. Right now, your gates would be what I would expect for an entrance to a garden or something, not a castle.

Spoiler: gates

https://imgur.com/a/9Wik6qu

I would replace these with proper gates with proper defenses.

3. I think the keep should be more protected. Currently it has large windows on the ground floor, and a door on ground level with a completely unhindered access point.

Spoiler: keep

https://imgur.com/a/bqcnR8X

I think you should consider some or all of: a ditch around the keep, removing the large windows on the ground floor, or having the entrance be raised off the ground. Also perhaps consider moving the entrance so it faces away from the gates instead of toward them.

I also think the layout of the yard could be cleaned up a little bit. Some parts of the walls feel like they were built around the yard elements instead of the other way around. Not inherently a bad thing but I dont think elements like statues would be built before the walls. I also feel like having the stables on the clear opposite side of the castle from the main gate and keep are seems a bit impractical. I made a quick proposition for changes. Red is how I would do the walls and blue is where I would move the stables.

Spoiler: yard

https://imgur.com/a/jSN1ekK

Willum is very pretty project and I like where where you're going with it. Just feel this would better represent its place on the server.

 

[Allisthegod]

I have spoken with Dany and have already gone ahead and plotted the rough shape of the houses in Willum4. The Village is located on the bottom of some hills next to Longmerton (which is across the river). You can walk from Appleton, through Willum4, then onto the main Willum keep.

There are 11 houses, where mostly farmers and fishermen live. Willum4 is next to a lake and a river so it makes sense for there to be a few fishermen. Green plots are farmers, and blue plots are fishermen.

There is a small tavern with a side building that people can pay to stay the night. There is also a small sept with a communal garden next to it that anyone can use. The tavern and sept are marked as special builds by purple plots. There could also be a communal wash place on the coast of the lake opposite the tavern.

I am still correcting the palettes for each house but that won't take long.

The plots will be open plots.

THANKS,
KD

 

[Allisthegod]

I have spoken with Dany and have already gone ahead and plotted the rough shape of the houses in Willum4. The Village is located on the bottom of some hills next to Longmerton (which is across the river). You can walk from Appleton, through Willum4, then onto the main Willum keep.

There are 11 houses, where mostly farmers and fishermen live. Willum4 is next to a lake and a river so it makes sense for there to be a few fishermen. Green plots are farmers, and blue plots are fishermen.

There is a small tavern with a side building that people can pay to stay the night. There is also a small sept with a communal garden next to it that anyone can use. The tavern and sept are marked as special builds by purple plots. There could also be a communal wash place on the coast of the lake opposite the tavern.

I am still correcting the palettes for each house but that won't take long.

The plots will be open plots.

THANKS,
KD

 

[DaenerysTargaryenI]

View attachment 13976View attachment 13977

Hey KD!
With a few small changes the hamlet looks good now!
I approve of this hamlet

 

[DutchGuard]

Approved from me too!

 

[Azulejo]

Hey Dany! I just wanted to give you a small suggestion. Yesterday I went to /warp willum3 and I noticed that many of the houses have the same or very similar layouts/orientations. Instead I think you could try to have a bit more variation in the shapes of the plots, trying to make them flow with each other instead of just being one next to the other and, most importantly, trying to make them flow with the road. What I'm trying to say may be a bit hard to understand so I think it's best I just give you some examples of how to tweak your current layout:



Looking at hamlets and little villages on a map or drawing can help understand how these settlements grow. Here are some examples of them that may help you!



These days I'm a bit busy and not as frequently online so, if you need help with the changes I mentioned, I might not be able to give it to you until later on the week. In any case, they are small and I'm sure that other builders online could assist you as well.​

 

[DaenerysTargaryenI]

Hey Dany! I just wanted to give you a small suggestion. Yesterday I went to /warp willum3 and I noticed that many of the houses have the same or very similar layouts/orientations. Instead I think you could try to have a bit more variation in the shapes of the plots, trying to make them flow with each other instead of just being one next to the other and, most importantly, trying to make them flow with the road. What I'm trying to say may be a bit hard to understand so I think it's best I just give you some examples of how to tweak your current layout:

View attachment 14006View attachment 14007View attachment 14008

Looking at hamlets and little villages on a map or drawing can help understand how these settlements grow. Here are some examples of them that may help you!

View attachment 14009View attachment 14010View attachment 14011View attachment 14013View attachment 14012

These days I'm a bit busy and not as frequently online so, if you need help with the changes I mentioned, I might not be able to give it to you until later on the week. In any case, they are small and I'm sure that other builders online could assist you as well.​

Thanks Azul!
Tbh i plotted willum3 in a rush so thank you sm for the fb!! i'll adress it whenever i find the time <3

 

[BlueJackdaw]

Hey, so I spoke to Dany and I've made a rough plotting of Willum 5 on my plot as an application for the special there.

Given the hamlet is up in the hills, and the proximity of the nearby caves, I've gone for a mixed shepherding and mining economy. As it's also a short walk from the bigger communities, I went with low class, 13 small houses and a few barns/toolsheds, as there is a nearby sept and more upper-class houses in willum3. There's also a sheepfold (marked in yellow) in the hamlet proper.

 

[IMajic]

Just a few tips for this mini application above. (as found myself looking at this.)

This is a hamlet, not a sprawl for a town/city where space is slightly limited.
SO make the houses a bit less clumped together, separate them up !

Make the yards feel less rounded and make them a lot larger, each yard does not need to be separate so maybe take out some of the middle lines.

As this is a large hamlet you could almost make it into small communities of say 3-4 houses in an area with 1 large connected yard. same again for another 3-4 and another 3-4 houses thus almost making 3 small hamlets in a tight nit community.

If your aim is to have 12 houses.
Each house need to have a reason to exist, for the first 3-4 houses (the first group) like you mentioned can be mining focused.
Will they have a donkey to aid with the extraction of materials for the mining? how can you show they are for mining ?

As you said you wanted a mixed shepherding profession, Maybe include a wintering shed/barn for the sheep as they also use this to breed sheep safely.
Think about how they keep sheep safe, penning around hedgerows, gates and/or a sheepdog?

Also sheep and people will need water so I would include a well. Stream nearby? -the stream might be used for washing cloths.


MAKE SURE

Houses are better spaced out, [small communes]

Yards are larger, more squared[structured] -larger shared yards.

The houses all have their reason to exist [all have a working profession]


Hope this helps, just some feedback and tips [not to intrude though]

 

[BlueJackdaw]

Just a few tips for this mini application above. (as found myself looking at this.)

This is a hamlet, not a sprawl for a town/city where space is slightly limited.
SO make the houses a bit less clumped together, separate them up !

Make the yards feel less rounded and make them a lot larger, each yard does not need to be separate so maybe take out some of the middle lines.

As this is a large hamlet you could almost make it into small communities of say 3-4 houses in an area with 1 large connected yard. same again for another 3-4 and another 3-4 houses thus almost making 3 small hamlets in a tight nit community.

If your aim is to have 12 houses.
Each house need to have a reason to exist, for the first 3-4 houses (the first group) like you mentioned can be mining focused.
Will they have a donkey to aid with the extraction of materials for the mining? how can you show they are for mining ?

As you said you wanted a mixed shepherding profession, Maybe include a wintering shed/barn for the sheep as they also use this to breed sheep safely.
Think about how they keep sheep safe, penning around hedgerows, gates and/or a sheepdog?

Also sheep and people will need water so I would include a well. Stream nearby? -the stream might be used for washing cloths.


MAKE SURE

Houses are better spaced out, [small communes]

Yards are larger, more squared[structured] -larger shared yards.

The houses all have their reason to exist [all have a working profession]


Hope this helps, just some feedback and tips [not to intrude though]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this! I really appreciate any and all feedback, as this is my first time having a go at plotting anything. I'm definitely going to have a bit of a rethink and will update

 

[AerioOndos]

Okay so here is some belated feedback on your app, blue.

Generally, Azulejo's feedback applies to this settlement too. Spread out, agrarian settlement with a little bit of flair. They're on a road between a border castle (willum) and a town (Middlebury). So I'd suggest you have an open outdoor area - a village green - and put their an area to tie up and water the horses of travellers. Also to graze livestock.
Anyway, you'll probably also want to reduce the density of the hamlet, or spread it out over a larger area. Majic described this in better detail. Rn, the plan has too many houses in the area for a hamlet.

-drop the number of houses
-spread them out more with interesting, larger yards of regular/not bubble shapes
-keep the house style simple, with roof lines beginning 2-3 blocks above the ground and don't make them too high. You want the hamlet to feel nestled on the hills, not imposing on them. Rhysling does this really well.
-fix the plot angles. again, keep it simple and don't make too many angled plots
-that being said, outbuildings and extensions are your friends. I've got some good examples of fun extensions in the hamlet near vyrvillage

 

[BlueJackdaw]

Hi Everyone! Thanks so much for all the really helpful feedback <3

I've had another go, with some help from Batel! I've reduced the number of houses - pink is sheep farmers and yellow is stone workers. There's a sheep barn with three sheep folds, a village green area, a small stable for a donkey or two, and an outside forge area for simple tool repairs. I've also added sheepdog kennels, and a few outbuildings/extensions.

Let me know what you think, and I'd really appreciate any further advice/suggestions

 

[AerioOndos]

Alright! this is a huge improvement. However there's still a few things that I think could be touched up, plus some general feedback.

General:
-Its usually a good idea to have most of the houses grid aligned/unangled. This makes it easier to build in-style, do interesting features and make ints. Its also looks cleaner and less busy by default. Therefore, if you're doing lots of angled house plots, tone down the amount of details so that its not too 'busy'.
-Its hard to build plots that are a steep angle like the 2 block/30d and the 45d. the two yellow steep angled plots (2 blocks before change) could pretty easily be angled differently OR an alternative is to make them into a standing frame/supported awning that'd be fine with that angle. Hope I make sense with this.

Specific:
-Kennels should be a small lean-to or a sleeping spot inside the house. more important are livestock shelters, stables, sheds and barns. In fact, a dog can sleep in these other places too. Make multi purpose little spaces if there are going to be doggos
-On the left hand side of the picture, it'd be very simple to just connect the yard walls into one so that there isn't the little passage way between the two yards.

 

[Allisthegod]

Hello all!

I have finished /warp willum4. Some of the terra still needs finishing but I think that is Dany's job for now. Happy to help with that though.

Here are the builders:

• JB
• Aeksio
• Wursti
• Walrus
• Ultimateblue
• Whoreseph
• Dany
• Frenci

https://imgur.com/a/t2LWyTX

Thanks!!!
-KD