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When you build a ship you need a basic idea of the ship that you are building....when you are building a space station you need a basic plan or idea to build that....but cities are dynamical buildings come and go....infrastructure is upgraded and updated and so on. This topic looks to address the issue of the complicated thing that a city is, a start of a conversation in to making the most basic of things in a city urban planning. On a more basic level cities are organize districts then in Lots. DU needs to adress this from the start if it wants to make cities that really stand out. One owner per lot. City / District / Lot is the break down structure that i see the most simple to go. A idea is for example: Small City - 5 Districts / 5 lots per district Medium City - 10 Districts / 10 lots per district Large City - 20 Districts / 20 lots per district Also the ability to mode hole buildings from lot to lot, lets say that you made a industrial district and you want to move it to a bigger city or in the same regard a Small City upgraded to larger city..... Will right more on the topic...just wanted some feed back from the community on the idea.

Full blown Blueprint Editor OK there will be trade able BPs (BP=Blueprint) we knew that already and we will be able to "print" them. And JC mentioned somewhere there will be a "testing" mode. However I think there is much more potential in a good BP ecosystem. Since it is very very very annoying to build only in first person view for some people. (Like me, an engineer who loves good CAD software) I'd rather a have good editor which allows me easy access to all voxels, elements and tools like a x-ray view or a quick access to the elements for scripting. Don't get me wrong here, the FP building is vital too and also needs love :-) A little example to demonstrate what I'm bitching about, building a big box: First person: Select box tool adjust size, look at your starting point click move physically around until your view and the box size matches what you want to accomplish, click again. (I acknowledge that first person is better for polish and details but that is it) Editor: Click and hold on the grid, move mouse for x/y size, scroll the mouse-wheel for z and stop holding the mouse button, done. DU is a game where we will be able to build fairly complex constructs so we need good tools to make that enjoyable. If you want a bad example how it's not done look at SE, building constructing stuff in the survival mode is painstaking annoying, you can't make fast iterations or changes of your creation to find something that works or/and looks good. (The actual building mechanic is rather enjoyable and hope DU will have something similar) So to make live easy a good editor is a must. But since we have so many aspects already and to avoid a sensory overload of its users only "one" editor won't cut it and several "modes" should be available. What the editor should support: Voxel mode Element mode Painting mode (Prefab and)Planning mode Simulation mode Voxel mode: Well all the tools to shape the voxels to your hearts content. It would be nice if the simple forms had handles for manipulation similar to those found in vector programs. Element mode: Designed for easy clean access to the parts list and friction free placing of the elements. Painting mode: Yes a dedicated mode just to bring out the artistic side in you. No seriously, I personally, I don't care much about the paint job but a lot of people will do. DU is going to be a very social experience it is in my opinion vital to give people the option to develop color schemes for their fleets. (Feature wish: the option to load SVG files as decals, allows to put logos and such on your ships :-) (Prefab and)Planning mode: This mode is for managing and adding the brains to your construct. It allows you to access all scripts/elements, setup limits/properties of the moving parts, define areas/spaces for a use case, setup the access rights, manage and create prefabs/templates for easy use later on and allows you to select a area to move it around(cut, copy and paste). Simulation mode: Well a mode to test all the stuff you just made to confirm that it works before you put all the resources and effort into building it only to discover it is a total failure. A live version of a BP of each individual construct should be contained in the core block so you can easily access it, make modifications or copy it for sale. Once you made changes to the "live version" and hit apply you only need to grab your building tools to disassemble/reassemble your construct without the need to constantly fiddle with your tool bar for the right parts. This mechanic would also allow contractors/friends to build your construct since they won't need access to the BP only to the building site.

The Cinderfall Syndicate is calling on the community in search of master builders and architects interested in creating as well as managing the creation of some of the most important construction projects within its domain. Emberstone: A Planetary Capital City situated near the Novark, to be open to the public and to serve as a major hub for trade, travel, and gathering. The following is a list of the key features which are currently being discussed. The Grand Space Elevator - While at its core it is intended to function as a point of major travel throughout the galaxy. Its overall goal is to be a marvel of engineering, a symbolic gateway to new players as they take their first steps into the vast galaxy. Commercial District - (FlameFeather Mall) A series of stalls, buildings and or outlets situated near the space elevator which can be rented by organizations and individuals for either self promotion or retail use. Funds collected through this system go towards facility maintenance and funding newbie mission terminals on Alioth. The Battle Arena - A large arena to support both ground based combat training and competitive tournaments. Its relative scale and composition are currently only theoretical as they are dependent on currently unknown or unspecified gameplay features. We'll need designers willing to come up with area designs for combatant, possibly viewing stand. A large automated mass transit system - Given the large scale size of the project, a comprehensive transit system will need to be constructed to facilitate movement within Emberstone. Planned features include a large public docking network and internal transit vehicles as well as regular shuttles or transport buses to and from the Arkship, as well as around Emberstone. Town Hall - (Phoenix Hall) A grand central structure overlooking Emberstone to act as a “guild hall” for the Cinderfall Syndicate. It is to include various floors to be used for diplomatic purposes as well an area dedicated to housing memorials to famous and or illustrious individuals who have contributed to Cinderfall or the community. Syndicate Housing Area - A separate area which features player housing and storage for both member organizations within the Syndicate as well as distinguished groups and individuals who contribute constructively. Space Station: (Name to be decided later) An orbital body situated directly over the Grand Space Elevator that will eventually become an extension of Emberstone. Details on its construction and core features are still under debate and will be provided when it becomes available. The station, if possible will be linked via the space elevator, if not we will work on a public shuttle system from the ground to the station. We hope this may serve as one, of probably many, of the ports of entry to Alioth. We hope to provide, with these facilities, a way for newbies or veterans to find missions, content, and camaraderie. Proposed projects are under continuous development and subject to revision, alteration, and cancellation; any feedback is welcome. Any parties interested in being part in this historic endeavor please contact Astro, Neo, or Dark. (Astrophil, Neopolitan, DarkTemplar). Thank you.