This is a great start.
A huge factor when creating environments is storytelling. As they are, these buildings look great. However, they all look exactly the same. The only distinguishing features are the signs, which are also the same profile. While a few appear to be uniquely shaped, they are all closely packed with trees, backdrop stones, and other buildilngs. Therefore, the possibly unique silhouettes they do have are negated.
Each building should have unique features that make it stand-out in some way. I suggest looking at some of the Warhammer Online Empire art, but here's some examples of what I mean: The weapon shop could have an open-air lower level with a blacksmith shop. The magic shop could be adored with all sorts of colorful bottles, different colors coming from the windows, lots of wacky chimneys. The inn could get away with looking mostly the same since an inn is usually a fairly generic, larger building. You could still get away with a lot more interesting facades. It's 'Blue Pig Inn' there could be all sorts of ways to simbolize that.
Here's some quick links to some wacky war stuff
Blow Hole (tavern with a ship on the front)
http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/.../CT1207_46.jpg
Screaming cat tavern
http://wire.ggl.com/wp/wp-content/up...n_screamin.jpg
Mastiff's End (tavern with a dog's butt on the entrance)
http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/.../CT1207_47.jpg
Secondly, give everything a lot more breathing room. Clear out some trees, space out the buildings, push those rock walls back, and so on. Give them all enough space so that the player can look directly at the facade of the building and clearly read the silhouette. This will hellp the user navigate the village as they can maintain a mental picture of important locations. It'll also give you a lot more wiggle room for things to do, adding quests/events and overally giving the player more room to explore.
A huge factor when creating environments is storytelling. As they are, these buildings look great. However, they all look exactly the same. The only distinguishing features are the signs, which are also the same profile. While a few appear to be uniquely shaped, they are all closely packed with trees, backdrop stones, and other buildilngs. Therefore, the possibly unique silhouettes they do have are negated.
Each building should have unique features that make it stand-out in some way. I suggest looking at some of the Warhammer Online Empire art, but here's some examples of what I mean: The weapon shop could have an open-air lower level with a blacksmith shop. The magic shop could be adored with all sorts of colorful bottles, different colors coming from the windows, lots of wacky chimneys. The inn could get away with looking mostly the same since an inn is usually a fairly generic, larger building. You could still get away with a lot more interesting facades. It's 'Blue Pig Inn' there could be all sorts of ways to simbolize that.
Here's some quick links to some wacky war stuff
Blow Hole (tavern with a ship on the front)
http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/.../CT1207_46.jpg
Screaming cat tavern
http://wire.ggl.com/wp/wp-content/up...n_screamin.jpg
Mastiff's End (tavern with a dog's butt on the entrance)
http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/.../CT1207_47.jpg
Secondly, give everything a lot more breathing room. Clear out some trees, space out the buildings, push those rock walls back, and so on. Give them all enough space so that the player can look directly at the facade of the building and clearly read the silhouette. This will hellp the user navigate the village as they can maintain a mental picture of important locations. It'll also give you a lot more wiggle room for things to do, adding quests/events and overally giving the player more room to explore.
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