My "Custom" Keep (Pic heavy)

[Patty Pickaxe]

I am not very happy in my keep these days. I hate having to go upstairs in order to get downstairs! It is very annoying. I am partially to blame bc of the way I set it up, but that is for another discussion.

I have actually thought about dropping my keep and placing an 18x18. So off to Test Center I went and plopped down a plot. I designed my own keep. Now, this is no where near as fantastic as most of the other designs here, but I am happy with what I came up with.

I need your help. I came up with 2 different layouts and I am not sure which one I like better. Take a look!

FIRST FLOOR.
This is the same in both versions. It will be a crafting floor. Smithy area, tailoring area, maybe alchy area (even though I don't make pots any more), and maybe carpentry/tinkering.

This is where it changes.

VERSION 1

SECOND FLOOR.
I am picturing small seating areas with elven love seats and display items. On the patio would be chairs and tables.

Which roof do you like better? Take note of the flat roof on the fourth level. I plan on recreating my rooftop garden there.

Third Floor
The shape of this room is the same in both versions.
I would probably put a living area in here with bedroll couches, tables, fireplace, etc.

VERSION 2
In this version, I moved the patios to the third level, and added rooms to the second level.

SECOND FLOOR
I would make the little rooms either two bedrooms or one bedroom and a bathroom.

THIRD FLOOR.
Notice how the roofs over patio areas are even with the flat roof. I am not sure I like this, but I want to keep the flat roof.

ENTRANCE

What do you think?? Version 1 or Version 2?

 

[burnttrees]

i personally like ver 1 and may have to drop my tower to make something like that

 

[RenaLynne]

I like version 1 also. I think the design for the first floor will work great as a crafting/work area. Espeically if you designate certain areas for your specific skills. Nice work

 

[feath]

I like them both - what I don't like is that middle stair case. You're losing a LOT of room on your second floor by having 3 staircases merge on it. The middle one just seems redundant.
i'd keep the layout (plan 1) move the bottom stair case to the north corner, and use that small area for your pots - after all, you said you don't really do that any more, so that tiny room can be set up as a pure deco area, maybe a little box to hold regs and kegs, if ever needed.
not sure how to describe what i mean, in this next bit.
By using the four corners as crafting areas, it's very... regimental.
But if you move the stairs, and put in a crafting area in the middle, you now how a more (to my eye) pleasing arrangement of rooms.

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

Thanks everyone! After working with it last night, I also swung towards version 1.

@feath- ty for the ideas. I like the "corners" in my keep, just don't like having access downstairs, which I why I wanted to create corners in this design.

I already moved onto a third version and I will try your idea as well.
I like the idea of the small rooms in Version 2, but didn't like the way I set it up, so I redesigned the second floor to have the patios and two small rooms.
I still can't decide which roof I like!

Here is a pic of VERSION 3:

Pics of version 4 coming soon!

 

[DevilsOwn]

I'm liking version one, actually, and about the only thing I might change is the floor tileset on the top floor of the front towers.... not sure what I would use, but the slate somehow doesn't look right

love the design, Patty, can't wait to see version four!

 

[Teeshy]

Another vote for version 1 (at least til the images for version 3 load )

I like the idea of the patio below the "livingrooms" cos there's always something *wrong* to me about walking *past* the "family" rooms, to get to the entertaining area

Oh, and just as an aside, I like the middle staircase - it's more of a "grand entrance" that you would expect in larger building =)

Third version images loaded - I still like first version better

 

[Sarsmi]

Ok here's what I would do, keeping that basic design:

Essentially keep the wall type uniform, throw in some darker colors for accents, highligh the green since it goes so well with those walls, and pattern the floor so it's a bit more interesting. I also threw in a couple of chopped up stairs (was too lazy to make new gozas so you got stuck with the grey I already had hehe).

That center staircase *does* take up a lot of floorspace, but it also creates two small walls with the railings that you can shove stuff by. So it just depends really on how much deco space you need and what you want to do with it.

*Edit: wanted to add in, I kept the same floor types you used but I really lean toward just using a light brown or dark cream floor on all levels except the roof. Since the roof is going to be a garden you might go with a mix of grass and stone walkway or whatever you think might really make it pop, since it's such a big part of what someone would see as they are running by. I think dark is fine for a roof, anything with a strong color might wash out what deco and plants you have up there though.

 

[Teeshy]

Oh, I like the colours/theme you did it in Sarsmi - doesn't look so... white (I wanted to say beige =P) But that may be just me, I don't like the white tilesets much for housing, except that plaster with the greeny-browny (I'm not good with colours =P) corner posts =)

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

WOW Sarsmi, that is really awesome!!. :bowdown:

I have never tried the cut-up stair gaza thing. may have to stop being lazy and try it because I really like how it creates a better visual element. As much as I love the open spaces, this house would be on Siege and well..... it would be too easy for NF's and other nasty critters to fly in.

I am still working on version 4 (with the suggestion Feath made) but I was having trouble coming up with something I liked. Maybe I will try out some of these ideas.

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

Are there directions for the L- shaped stairs Sarsmi used in my keep?


I found the spiral stair directions, but not one for those steps. I experimented with the spiral steps, btw, and they weren't as hard to make as I thought they would be!! Now I want to try the L-shaped steps and not sure how!

 

[Sarsmi]

Are there directions for the L- shaped stairs Sarsmi used in my keep?


I found the spiral stair directions, but not one for those steps. I experimented with the spiral steps, btw, and they weren't as hard to make as I thought they would be!! Now I want to try the L-shaped steps and not sure how!

L shape steps are pretty easy, especially for a double staircase.

Ok made a new L shape staircase tutorial here, enjoy!

 

[Ankanna]

Here's a link to a google video showing step-by-step instructions on how to place L-shaped stairs. Good luck Patty!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4083916476866704186&q=ultima+onlin e

 

[deVour of Legends]

Pretty cool keep it up see waht other creative things you can do

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

okay, here is version 4. I would like to thank everyone for their suggestions- especially Sarsmi who took the time to recreate my house and show me ideas. I took everyone's ideas into consideration and spend alot of time building and rebulding. In the end, I am very stubborn and I had ideas of what I wanted.

Here it goes....

FIRST FLOOR. Basically the same. Just added the SE walls for a little more color.

SECOND FLOOR. This would be the "entertainment floor". People could gather inside and out. I think there are less "awkward" spaces to fill.

THIRD FLOOR. I really wanted some small rooms, staying true to a keep . The room in the NW corner would be a bathroom, complete with shower. The other room would be a bedroom.

ROOF.

I keep saying "would be" bc in reality I can not move out of my keep. Out of the 3200 and something lockdowns a keep has, I have less than 500 lockdowns available. I really can't get rid of what I have. It was fun designing this keep and I suppose I will leave it up on TC until it gets wiped. Maybe I will keep tweaking it and even decorate it!