Castle Design Contest Thread

I didn't see a thread so I'm starting one. Here is mine  🙂
Hythloth Castle
https://imgur.com/a/Ap4lzEh

The Church

I'm trying to make a cathedral to the virtues. While I know it's probably not everyone's cup of tea I've been having fun/pulling my hair out trying to replicate certain design elements from real life cathedrals within the house builder.


A nice wide shot showing the full complex. Note the nice grassy area out front for a garden or graveyard or a small player-built structure.



The ground level is the undercroft, accessible by a stairs down from the atrium or via secret doors from the outside. Perfect for a solemn resting place to your fallen heroes or a torture dungeon or somewhere vampires sleep: you decide!


Walking up the steps from the outside leads you to the main knave and side transepts. Lots of rooms for pews, stained glass windows, small shrines, fountains of life, whatever or however you wish to show your devotion.




The upstairs can be a nice attic or crafting space. I've considered sectioning some of it off for rooms but we'll see. Notice the sky bridge connecting it to the outer bell tower. Some hidden doors also open from here the to the flying buttress' outside.

Beyond that, you've already seen the roof.

As I said, this structure probably doesn't appeal to everyone but I'd love to hear some feedback on how to make it more appropriate as a cathedral.

Here is my first attempt - called The Sand Castle! I don't use enhanced client, so I had to splice this image together and also tried to photoshop the empty castle lot that someone placed right behind me. 

I returned to UO after 10+ years and was very excited about this contest. I've always wanted to build my own castle. If you like my castle, please vote for it. Thank you!

I really like that design, @GreatHart!

Here's my Dixie-Land 

I wanted to create a village. More houses, less monthly bills! I left plenty of open spaces to add ponds, gardens, trees, caves, et cetra. There is a secret door to the one room in the basement. In classic client the plot is seamless with the surrounding areas to help it look like it fits in with the surroundings. 

Edit: The stairs that lead the the second level are straight back from the entrance stairs. The stairs are hidden in the small home. The small home can still be decorated, but if you walk through the front door you fall downstairs.

Heres the one I built. 

Town Square
by: Gargio Armani

Would this be so bad?

Merus said:

Town Square
by: Gargio Armani

Amazing!!! 

McDougle said:

Would this be so bad?

Apparently so. I tried one with a 4 wall outhouse one round. No love was shown. 

Just to be clear. It says house-addons are alowed for staging purposes, and mentions ladders.

My question is, are other deeds from the "heritage tokens"  such as boiling cauldron, statue, broken bed, apple tree, crystal chair, etc. all allowed as props? 

Archangel said:

Just to be clear. It says house-addons are alowed for staging purposes, and mentions ladders.

My question is, are other deeds from the "heritage tokens"  such as boiling cauldron, statue, broken bed, apple tree, crystal chair, etc. all allowed as props? 

Yes

Showcase it! I bumped into Mesanna a couple years ago while looking at all the contest houses and she expressed disappointment that hardly any deco was done. Do as much as you can to stage your house and give it curb appeal!

These are all really nice designs here ! 

Hi again!
So here's my design, trying to not look too much like a borg cube, while maximizing space. Some secret corridors for more hanging wall-space, a decent front patio for Seasonal deco, side garden for sheep or vendors. It kind of maintains the caslte layour we are used to, but walls are longer & more usefull by moving the entrances. East walls use half-height walls as windows to maximize deco visibility. All floors can be reached by stairs but it's got useful teleporters and a couple of fun-RPG-oriented ones. Also comes with not too many doors, but ppl can add them if they need. I think the floor combinations work, but you can always add pavers or carpets to personalize it. And I didn't put any more deco cuz I got no clue how to get it in TC.
From the outside it looks nice imho.

I'd very much appreciate if you share any last minute comments or sugestions, I'd like to read them! Thanks, and hope you like it!  🙂

Some very amazing designs here, very impressive.
I'd like to invite everyone to see the castle that I spent 4 full days on and give comments.  The ranking is nothing compared to the fun I had working on it and I'd love to hear your comments!

Its is sand stone castle on water, named Aquia Fortress and Garden (still unnamed house on the stone) . Currently listed at #23, it can be found by owner name: Castle builder.

Overview:


1st floor with two original dirt patches from the plot and an escape to the outside


2nd floor: two function rooms and ample space for personalized deco and renovation


3rd floor: a large master bedroom and center space


4th floor: show in the 1st screenshot overview overlap with 3 floor.  
See that little hut in NW corner? that is a surprise for the curious ones <span></span>

This is my first year entering the contest and would very like to hear about your comments! Thanks!

I love all the tiny village designs! Hopefully at least one of them is a winner - there are several phenomenal designs.

These are the tiny village designs that I've visited so far (with n.41 & n.154 being my favorites):

• n.27 "The Retreat" by Ynise Amandil
• n.41 "Town Square" by Georgio Armani
• n.50 "The Township of" by Jarone
• n.104 "The Township" by Christmas Magic
• n.107 "Vendorton" by Billy Elliot
• n.154 "Rural Downtown" by Wendy

GreatHart said:

I love all the tiny village designs! Hopefully at least one of them is a winner - there are several phenomenal designs.

These are the tiny village designs that I've visited so far (with n.41 & n.154 being my favorites):

• n.27 "The Retreat" by Ynise Amandil
• n.41 "Town Square" by Georgio Armani
• n.50 "The Township of" by Jarone
• n.104 "The Township" by Christmas Magic
• n.107 "Vendorton" by Billy Elliot
• n.154 "Rural Downtown" by Wendy

Kudos to all the builders this go round. Honestly, if it were up to me I would add them all (except 106).

The top 4 that I could see myself using are:
41. Town Square
63. Shadows of Myth
113. Herot 
154. Rural Downtown 

A few that I think deserve extra mention for their out of the box creativity are:
65. Necrovania 
78. Remote Island Observatory 
129. Necromansion

AmberWitch said:

All I can say is wow. I think it's time that we add a village design. It's time for something different.  I don't care that the buildings don't connect. We have teleporters for that if we feel we need to do that. It will be a challenge and a blast to deco a village.

I definitely agree!  I know some like the more open, connected interiors, but I’m a fan of the separate spaces for the village designs… I think it connects the interior to the exterior view and provides a truer opportunity to deco it as a small village with separate shops and living spaces.  I think we have a variety of nice designs with the open floor plan and would love to see an option for the small space villages.

As a contributor of one of them, I also have to say it was the most fun I’ve had designing a house plan in years!

I know there are plenty of designs I've missed seeing over the years, but to my eye it seems a number of UO architects have figured ways to, as Merus states above, give a wonderful village appearance to their design but still have open space that can be tailored to the castle owner's wants. 

It's really mind boggling when you see the exteriors then walk in and see how much space is available. It's like a magic trick! 

I agree, I hope this is the year of the villages.  

LilyGrace said:

I know there are plenty of designs I've missed seeing over the years, but to my eye it seems a number of UO architects have figured ways to, as Merus states above, give a wonderful village appearance to their design but still have open space that can be tailored to the castle owner's wants. 

It's really mind boggling when you see the exteriors then walk in and see how much space is available. It's like a magic trick! 

I agree, I hope this is the year of the villages.  

A little late in posting, since I have not been on in quite awhile, but I agree with you. Mine was Homewood. I made it usable right off the bat for Felucca rule set, though still pleasing to look at and live. It is deceptive when done right, providing much more room than it appears. Overall, I must say it was the best contest yet. There were far too many great designs. It attests to the creative nature of so many in the game.