Castle Voting

[MalagAste]

Don't forget to vote for your favorite designs...

I wrote down the ones I really thought were nice... I must say this round had a whole lot more finished looking designs... though there were a few folk who still need to learn that just because you can use every tile in the menu doesn't mean you should... some still look like a puzzle threw up in them... scattering stuff all over. Others I found difficult to get around in and if I'm gonna chose a house it's gonna be something more convenient than the current castle design to get around in... not more complex.

I have a few things I am always looking for that if not there immediately make me want to leave. #1 easy access... #2 double stairs. I really hate single staircases... #3 good flow #4 good color scheme... I don't want something that will detract from the stuff I want to display in my castle... after all half the reason to have a giant box taking up space is because it has a lot of space .... but at the same time I don't want to add a bunch of walls that you can't see through ...... so GIANT rooms that are so big you have no idea what to do with them.... aren't really my cup to tea... and if I can't see how to "break up the space" easily without leaving ugly unsightly gaps in the walls.... I'm not inclined to like them. I also MUST have stairs... Teleporters are fine for a few things but stairs to at least each floor are a MUST.

So I really liked the following:
#1 done by Dunescape or named Dunescape can't recall but it's the nicest Sandstone I think I've seen so far.
#7 can't remember the name but done by Hope... wasn't too bad.
#9 The Civic Center by Ra'Dian Fl'Gith... Now this one... well it's a community oriented building by a friend... And it's not your usual stone or whatnot nice looking building good for many things.
#18 Sandstone Castle by Lex Anteris... liked it... another nice sandstone... if only I could have a Castle in the desert...
#34 Castle Terra by Mielikki Terra... pretty neat.
#39 Traditional Castle Remastered... by Newcastle Arms... well this is mine... and I darn well better like it. It matches the Keep I made that won last round... so rather liking it. Hoping it makes the cut.
#45 Cube Fortress by Lewdy kk... another decent design that is actually pretty good.
#67 GrimswindSisters by Sis Draper liked it... nice design!
#70 Stone Hill Castle by Annabeth... another nice Castle.
#84 Robins Nest... by Robin ... now I recall seeing this one before and really liking it... especially on the outside.
#88 Cadfael Castle by Shizzngiggles good job.
#127 Drachenfels Manor House by Helter Skelter... first off love the character name... but the castle was pretty nice too.
#131 Castle Alissa by Castle Inc. Liked this one too...

And I don't know if anyone else noticed but seemed to me that someone... the same someone did about 8 castles with all very similar designs... most notedly a set of stairs in a peak...^ single tile up one side down the other....... REALLY disliked it... dang near impossible to stop and get off the frelling thing at the floor you wanted. and again...... single tile stairs. And one of my big pet peeves stairs you can fall off of.

Anyway I did look once again at each and every design... and there were some really nice designs out there but many of them IMO had loads of wasted space... some I didn't know where I would even begin to try to put something... and some were good designs but lacked details like windows... Some were well dangerous if you lived in Fel... and some well I wanted to bleach my eyes...

But really all in all I thought that most the ones I visited were WAY better than previous designs... I think people are getting much better at this... Can't wait for the next round!

 

[Lord Frodo]

So which one has open floor plan on all floors?

 

[Lord Arm]

im voting for fully customizable castle plot lol.
will be hard to win if your design is in the back of list. the first 20 to 50 have best chance to win. did the first contest but my castle was around 286 lol.
some castles won by many 20 to 40 accounts voting for them selves but that the way it is. I didn't really like any of the designs, there was always a few things I would really want to change on some good designs. maybe there will be one perfect castle design this time or we can customize or castle plot. gl all
ps I have borg cube stone castle if anyone wants to see, just pm me

 

[MalagAste]

im voting for fully customizable castle plot lol.
will be hard to win if your design is in the back of list. the first 20 to 50 have best chance to win. did the first contest but my castle was around 286 lol.
some castles won by many 20 to 40 accounts voting for them selves but that the way it is. I didn't really like any of the designs, there was always a few things I would really want to change on some good designs. maybe there will be one perfect castle design this time or we can customize or castle plot. gl all
ps I have borg cube stone castle if anyone wants to see, just pm me

Go check mine it's number 39... it is fairly customizable... you can add doors or arches where you like.... or leave it open

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

im voting for fully customizable castle plot lol.

If you want to see something more customizable, go look at #74, #103 and #122.

IMO, #122 is the best one, #74 second.

 

[Ezekiel Zane]

I had #7 on my top ten list too but it's got too many doors. Doors all throughout the house to have to open.

I liked #9 too but same issue. Too many doors inside.

No question #18 is a masterpiece but it's hard to imagine living in it. It's like a Grande Museum or the Hagia Sophia.

#39, yours is on my list too.

I like #45 too, but there's zero options to add any custom walls to it.

#67 is on my list too.

I couldn't put #70 on my list, the tall wall crenelations just blow it for me. Pisses me off that stone half walls have never been added to house customization stone tile set.

I definitely like #84 too, but they didn't put in any options to add complete walls. If you add any walls, there will still be gaps at the south and east wall ends.

#88 dropped off my top ten. They did the same thing with the tall walls for crenelations and a gazillion doors. The tall bright full length windows seem out of place too.

#127 is in my top ten.

#131 is in my top ten too.

Seems we have similar tastes in house design. What I'm seeing though with some of these, even 127 & 131 is that yeah there's the option to add some doors, they aren't leaving enough space for a double wide arch. You need 3 tiles width for that. if you want double doors then add a wall tile or two and doors. When you only leave two tiles width then you can only have a single tile width archway. They are also not leaving in options to add walls that fully connect in any way. If you add-in any wall that connects on the south or east walls, without the corner piece notch, then you have gaps in your walls. If you look at my #122 again, you'll see what I mean.


I also had/have on my list
#43
#86

 

[MalagAste]

Yeah, I agree with you about the walls... And some just there is no way I can't do "gaps"... that drives me bonkers.

As for doors, I'm not so stuck on having or not having doors... I am pretty stuck on wanting to be able to actually get around in the place easier than the current castles. And I'm picky about "wasted space"... lots of people put in water features and built-in fireplaces and such but IMO if I want a fireplace I'll add one, where I want it... and as for the water that's great but since you can't really place on water without loads of patience and a lot of skill, nor can you walk on it its just wasted space. I keep hoping one day they will give us water tiles... like the sand, grass, and snow... Also would like dirt tiles for gardens.

And you have to go in and add 1 and 2 of the short flat wall pieces to make the true crenelations that are on the "original" castle design. And I still think it's dumb...

Almost as dumb as to why the marble sets don't have the beading on the bottom of their 1/2 and 1/3 wall tiles... They should. Drives me bats to see someone mix the beaded walls with the not beaded walls...

So many of the designs had WAY too many windows and others didn't have any or enough... they looked unfinished or overly done... with so many windows there isn't much space to put wall decore...

There were a few I would have liked but I hate seeing fencing used as walls.

 

[Cyrah]

I applaud every person who took the time to build on test. I think before next time a thread should appear with all the do's and don't in it. Everyone can list their own. Not after. I wish we could build our own on our own shard plot. So many greats will never make it into the top 20 votes. I wish the devs would cull and create at least a top 50 next time. Yes, it is more work for them.

I saw a few castles I had seen before as keeps. Go see 84. It is awesome as a castle!

 

[Dixie chessy/legends]

give #80 a look guys if you get a chance. I have a hoard of rubble walls and wanted a castle that I could use them in. You can slice up the inside to what ever size you want using them, and in the front I left it open also. I originally had a little bridge , but I decided not to put it there because a bridge can be made from rubble and water from carpet...if someone wants water that is.....anyway check it out if ya can, thanks!

 

[DevilsOwn]

thanks for the mentions of #67..... truly wanted to build this which won that contest all those years ago, but as you know, we sadly do not have all the tools, and I did get a bit carried away with all that room to work with



Draper is my half-sister (she is somewhat elfish) and lives with me out near the Grimswind Ruins, explains the name on the design..... near Sis Draper's entry is one by Ynise Amandil named Knights in White, a similar design but the courtyard is completely covered and I'm not sure about that... must use a lot of strength potions to keep the grass green

 

[Victim of Siege]

I'm not sure about that... must use a lot of strength potions to keep the grass green

Astro Turf

 

[Cinderella]

I applaud every person who took the time to build on test. I think before next time a thread should appear with all the do's and don't in it. Everyone can list their own. Not after. I wish we could build our own on our own shard plot. So many greats will never make it into the top 20 votes. I wish the devs would cull and create at least a top 50 next time. Yes, it is more work for them.

I saw a few castles I had seen before as keeps. Go see 84. It is awesome as a castle!

my hubby voted for it when it was a keep (Robins Nest) & now that it is a castle (Robins Roost) I voted for it...
I hope it and 34 both make it to the next round...

(I tried Sally Trees inspiration again, but customization kept glitching out on me... the walls all looked normal to me, but now they are messed up)

 

[Delores D]

I went through 6 walls before I decided on what I have, (23). There is room for storage, a nice big kitchen area, crafting area on the 3rd floor and plenty of green garden space. Since I am on Siege I build with that in mind. No open doorways or windows. The arched doorways are nice looking but placing doors there, there is still a gap for stuff to come thorough. We have dark wisps on siege and they love to take shots at you. Sure you can build interior rooms with granite but it takes a lot of it to build with. I do have a castle now and its so dark and dreary. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. I like light walls and floors,

I have been running around and checking out the castles. Please check to make sure everything works. I have been to a couple houses that depending on which way you get off of the stairs, you fall down to the floor you were on. It isn't the one with the tele where it happens. This one is in malas, west of luna. There was another but I don't remember which one.

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

I agree on all MalagAstes points exept for the broad stairs. They look clumsy and take too much space and you need something to stop from falling down anyways. I dont drag things up or down but with COT even that would work with single stair +wall. Mine is nr 48 and not on your lists here so I wonder if its just the stairs or what else im missing. Its not what I had build with complete wall sets available and some are adapted to what other people might want. Like I dont need a stable so I left the area to add with masonry. I also made a copy of the castle to the left of the competig building , decorated to show what I was thinking.
I have my own detail that I look for .I want a nice big kitchen with stone owens and as we know they need a hole in the roof above if we dont like the kitchen up on the roof..
Here are some samples from both buildinngs:
Front
The bottom has fairly whide areas And its own doors from the outside , I like thoose areas easy to reach. its good to gather storage, crafting, gardening,t hunting and fishing with all big items not always the most decorative or a landscape of bod vendors hoards of garden beds ..Stable to not drag the animals into the finer rooms... I agree with Esekiel about three tile openings for doors,sinned a bit there . Thought itr was just me..

First floor leads to the entrance, where I want the meeting hall and a kitchen with stone owens...

Next floor, notice the stoone owen chimneys , I dont thing they disturb much behind the stairs..
Roof: Sorry for the bridge, its not completed. The fun with TC for me is that I can transfer deco, the same items, several times to see if I want more koi ponds than I have
So tell me what I didnt think of or could do better . Its really the decorating I like to show and the buildding to just support and not stick our too much.

 

[MalagAste]

No, I liked your buildings Minerva... they always look pretty nice... It's just that I can't stand 1 tile stairs... for me, it's very difficult to get things heavy stuff up and down them... much easier in 2 tile wide stairs.

Your attention to detail is wonderful... I'm not a fan of leaving the white bright stairs in the front though... but you decorate so wonderfully... Always beautiful seeing what you do with things.

 

[Drakelord]

I really have a pet pee over one thing that came about because of this. The house sign! I have always love having my house sign over my door in my Keeps and the Castle I have. I really wish they would allow us to MOVE it to a more central location on all of the constructed homes today. Recalling in on a house rune places you under the house sign, sometimes a very dangerous location. Back before I went all Keeps and castle on my accounts we had the 18x18 plots, and always marked our runes off the house to land at the doors not the sign.

 

[Riply]

It's really interesting how much of a variety their is in designs. Minerva gives some great insight on how her castle can be displayed in a fantastic way. I think everyone has his or her reasons for what they did, but only a handful will be
picked. I hope players do not get frustrated when they don't win but continue to try latter on. It's great that pictures are being taken on all the floors, and will be archived for future reference to all players for idea's.

 

[Cyrah]

I hope its ok to post this here. On test center there is a castle named "Ruins of Marshes" by Alien-D. 49o 45N 36o 25E. It is west of the brit tram swamps up against the mountains. It is NOT in the contest and I do NOT know builder. That being said, it is an amazing house, if you can go see it. I hope it gets entered in the next castle contest.

 

[MalagAste]

Yeah I hope folk don't get frustrated as well...

Some feedback for others in some of the pics I've been taking in the other thread I noted several folk forgetting to put the post in on the NW corner... when you do that you are then open to being killed by a PK in your own home if it's in Fel... You have to put that post in or it allows you to be targetted. Also it looks unfinshed if you leave the post off...

And several folk have not tiled in the stairs properly and I noticed that you get up the stairs and promptly fall back down as there is nowhere to step off...

 

[Delores D]

I posted earlier about a couple of the houses where you step off into air. Also one house I went to, I am not sure where it is now. There are 2 doors, they both open but you can only go through one of them. In or out. I think there is a small wall blocking.

 

[MalagAste]

I posted earlier about a couple of the houses where you step off into air. Also one house I went to, I am not sure where it is now. There are 2 doors, they both open but you can only go through one of them. In or out. I think there is a small wall blocking.

There are quite a number of those where one door is blocked... people don't seem to test their own builds just submit and forget I guess...

There are several where they used the sliding doors improperly and it leaves a post in the center of the two doors... if you do it right both doors slide off to the side and leave the center empty... but hey... hopefully they will learn.

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

Umm..isnt it the Castle Voting thread, with pics on all places, that use to be locked on top? Even if some posts here are important for the builders and voters..and very interesting.

 

[MalagAste]

Umm..isnt it the Castle Voting thread, with pics on all places, that use to be locked on top? Even if some posts here are important for the builders and voters..and very interesting.

No this isn't that thread this one somehow got locked to the top which I asked it not to be as this one isn't the one with all the pictures that I've been working my fingers to the bone on... I asked if they would swap this one with that one... this one was just a reminder to vote then I noticed no one was doing pictures like before so I decided well... instead of waiting on someone else I could just as well be doing that... so I started a new thread for the pictures.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Pawain]

I've been working my fingers to the bone on...

I thank your fingers.

 

[MalagAste]

Well need to thank @Cinderella 's fingers too...

 

[Riyana]

My bad. I zigged when I should have zagged. Thanks @Captn Norrington for fixing.

 

[Spartan]

Overall the designs and material usage are a lot better than the last pass. Not so many Borg Cubes, interesting floor plans, interesting and varied usage of materials (stone + tudor, etc). The one single turn-off for me was if there was 1-tile stairs from floor to floor. It was noted earlier by someone that if you're carrying something, it can get dicey on 1-wides.

So far, one that tickle my fancy in some way are #5, #105, #108, 135, 147 (more coming as I finish looking)

#133 would have been in the running but 1-wide stairs inside where there is a 2-wide column it butts up to. Otherwise I like it.

#147 - Villa De Lebois - interesting floor plan on all levels. #5 resonated with me but this one I really like more!

#156 - Castillo - I like the blue & white markings to show where stairways are.

 

[MalagAste]

There were a lot of very lovely designs this time and not nearly as many with vast areas of wasted space and such... there still were a few where I have to wonder were they going strictly for aesthetics because obviously, you wouldn't be able to put jack sheet in them...

But all in all wonderful designs... some folk really do need to check tiles though before committing... there were loads of designs that had IMO fatal flaws... doors that weren't properly installed, missing NW corner tiles... holes in the floor or walls that were a "whoops" still there...

Before committing and finalizing always do a walk through... check all the doors and teleporters you put in to make sure they go where you want them to and work as intended... I don't know how many places I went to where the sliding doors were not installed properly... and how many others where you had 2 or 3 doors but only 1 really worked.

Anyway, Voting ends tomorrow I believe so please get out there and vote.

 

[Spartan]

I went and double-checked all my faves before voting and had a weird thing happen. Checking #147, when I got there I was inside the house next door! Talk about whacked travel spots!.

 

[MalagAste]

I went and double-checked all my faves before voting and had a weird thing happen. Checking #147, when I got there I was inside the house next door! Talk about whacked travel spots!.

Yeah, I had that happen with a few of the ones I visited. Either that or sometimes I was inside the place already and sometimes I'd have to attempt to go 3 or 4 times before being transported to the Castle in question...

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

Once I was stuck with my feet in the nearby mountain! Had to recall out and at next try it didnt happen.

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

Someone like you Malag should send a list with missing tiles atleast for the older sets.. half walls etc. Imagine what we could do if the tiles were there, and placed where we wanted them on the tile! I bet you have done it in the past but maybe when we all have converted our places, they could give us this to make us continue to build and re-convert to better buildings!

 

[MalagAste]

Someone like you Malag should send a list with missing tiles atleast for the older sets.. half walls etc. Imagine what we could do if the tiles were there, and placed where we wanted them on the tile! I bet you have done it in the past but maybe when we all have converted our places, they could give us this to make us continue to build and re-convert to better buildings!

I sent Mesanna a HUGE list of tiles that need added as well as art that needs fixed...

Nothing irritates me more than the fact that the Marble 1/2 and 1/3 walls don't have the beading at the bottom like the other walls do .... so freaking irritating... I'm hoping they are working on it... but not holding my breath..

 

[Sellingahouse]

I just want to say something about doors and corner parts and stairs. Some doors you can walk in but not out and some you can walk out but not in, so you have to put in a pair of doors that both need to be opened to walk thru. I know we shouldn't put doors in like that.
I do leave out the inside NW corner walls in some places. when you do ,it gives you one more tile you can walk on, place deco on (plants, lamps,walls) or hide a teleporter and know where it is at fast in a room. I know it makes the house look unfinished.
I really do not like stairs more than one tile wide, that's just me, I understand most here seem to hate single stairs. I have read a few say its because they leap frog stuff. How often do you have to do that? Wouldn't it be easier using a bug or house teleporters?
I really like #s 49, 69, 70, 73, 90, 102, 104, 105, 126, 130, 155, 167. there are more but I have to stop somewhere. everyone did a great job and I have had tons of fun looking at all of them.

 

[MalagAste]

I just want to say something about doors and corner parts and stairs. Some doors you can walk in but not out and some you can walk out but not in, so you have to put in a pair of doors that both need to be opened to walk thru. I know we shouldn't put doors in like that.
I do leave out the inside NW corner walls in some places. when you do ,it gives you one more tile you can walk on, place deco on (plants, lamps,walls) or hide a teleporter and know where it is at fast in a room. I know it makes the house look unfinished.
I really do not like stairs more than one tile wide, that's just me, I understand most here seem to hate single stairs. I have read a few say its because they leap frog stuff. How often do you have to do that? Wouldn't it be easier using a bug or house teleporters?
I really like #s 49, 69, 70, 73, 90, 102, 104, 105, 126, 130, 155, 167. there are more but I have to stop somewhere. everyone did a great job and I have had tons of fun looking at all of them.

You ever try to move a chest with 125 items in it weighing over 200k stone? Rather than spend money deeding and undeeding all that stuff it's much easier to just bag ball it up the stairs.... which on single tile stairs can be a massive PITA... besides in Fel it's a serious pain when your pet gets in your way and you can't walk through it and get stuck on the smegging stairwell for awhile...

There are MANY reasons I prefer 2 wide stairs...

There is one of the doors that opens on the handle side instead of the hinged side because the art file is BORKED. I showed it to @Mesanna ages ago... but it still isn't fixed.

As for the Inside NW corner that's fine INSIDE the house but when you do it on the OUTSIDE wall of the house it allows PK's to target you in your own home... FYI... but maybe you like that... and hey maybe you don't care about the people in Fel and maybe you think they don't deserve to use the new castles so if they have to get PK'd for using a poor design that's on them eh?

Or maybe it was designed by a PK hoping that people in Fel or on Siege would be dumb enough to use the design so they can PK them all the time... and laugh about it.

 

[ShriNayne]

I like a 2 tile stair that's against the wall then I hug the wall and don't fall off!
I have dragged chests up stairs and it can be a bit of a nightmare, so often they just ping back down when you let them go!

 

[DevilsOwn]

I hope its ok to post this here. On test center there is a castle named "Ruins of Marshes" by Alien-D. 49o 45N 36o 25E. It is west of the brit tram swamps up against the mountains. It is NOT in the contest and I do NOT know builder. That being said, it is an amazing house, if you can go see it. I hope it gets entered in the next castle contest.

it's on the list, #104

 

[Cyrah]

yay it is! Then everyone go see 104! Thks @DevilsOwn !! It is a very creative house.

 

[THP]

went on test and there are only 20 to view..as it been whittled down to the best 20

 

[ShriNayne]

Round one is over, time to vote in round two! Grats to all who made it through!

 

[Pawain]

Go vote

 

[Riply]

Round 2 is over and the voting is in on Test Shard

 

[DevilsOwn]

congratulations to all! some really wonderful designs this time around

for me, back to the drawing board!

 

[panoramix2009]

 

[panoramix2009]

 

[Pawain]

<<<< 3 4 3


Congrats to the top placers!

From the top 20. If I made my favorite list of the top 20 it would look near the same. My top ten were almost exact.

 

[Minerva Foxglove]

Sorry I made a blunder and named the decorated copy I have next to Maya Foxgloves place to Foxglove Gardens , And the competing castle was unnamed
It is the top 6 this time as well? Or have the devs not voted yet?

 

[MissEcho]

Sorry I made a blunder and named the decorated copy I have next to Maya Foxgloves place to Foxglove Gardens , And the competing castle was unnamed
It is the top 6 this time as well?

Usually is the top 3 and then the devs pick 3 , although there are 7 in the top 6 so who knows, 6 & 7 were tied for votes.

 

[ShriNayne]

Yes it's the top 3 unless there is some problem with one of them, if it was a blank plot or had features that weren't possible as a pre-made structure I guess. Plus 3 that the Devs choose.

 

[Nathan]

Not for nothing but I'm not sure how the Okinawa place made it. Looks nice yes but alot of wasted space.

Really hope the dev's pick Minerva