Dear OGFriends,
I write this diary page because I would share with you some aspect regarding the mapping of the new city in Gardensa, that is Sirassa, in the sub-region of Arnur.
As I wrote in a previous page, the aim is to have in Gardensa a second big city after Giliarca, that is now totally mapped.
Mapping is just starting out: as you can see, there is no big city yet there. So, i would like to submit three aspects, in order to map this city in full sharing.
1) The structure.
Sirassa will have a structure based to the same pattern of Giliarca: the model is, in RW the thypical tropical city founded by european navigators. Two examples in RW: La Habana, and Macau. So, the core of the concept is: a little historical centre based on typical european architecture, structure and culture, surrounded by a very large modern typical not-european structure.
If you’re in the center of La Habana you see christian churchs, typical spanish-style old buildings. If you ‘re in the center of Macau you equally see baroque churches, very little typical-portuguese irregular alleys, typical old-european paves in the squares. And the rest of the urban structure is different, with the large and wide pattern of the typical tropical or sub-tropical metropolis.
The same is in the center of Giliarca and the same will be in the centre of Sirassa: little old centre founded by old navigators, big spread rest of city regular, geometrical, wide, large. In Giliarca is now so, in Sirassa this is the project: for the moment there is only the old centre.
2) The method.
Mapping Sirassa, I would pursue strictly the “chronological method”, that is: not do a sketch of the entire city and to insert details in a second time, but to start from the centre mapping immidetialy all the details, with an “historical progression”. But attention: this is NOT a way to simulate time, because in OGF there is not the time-dimension. This mapping method is oriented to have a more realistic city with all the structural bonds of a real city.
In a real city the previous constructions are a limit for the shape and the dimensions of more recent streets, squares, quarters (there can’t be a large avenue in the historical center, and if there is it, built after the demolition of old buildings, there are the architectural signs of it in the current structure).
For this reason if you see now Sirassa, you see only the old centre, and now it can look like an european small village (so you can think that is not likely). But I ensure that in the next two months will be visible the modern spread urban structure around this little centre and it will have another meaning, like in the cities of RW that i used as example.
3) The names of streets (this is really a question).
In Giliarca the method was simple: street names taken by OGF world: cities and people present in the map and in the wiki. I think it was a good choice. The only problem is that now OGF evolved and some city that is the names of street of Giliarca is not more in the map and in the wiki. But patience. It’s impossible to change the street names of Giliarca every day, I think It will remain so.
But in Sirassa I changed method, and I ask all te community to tell me if it’s good. I’m using names that remember, but are not equal, to people of RW. E.G.: Theeboven, Shaspekeare, Chimelangelo, Vercantes.
Question: do you think that it is against any rule of OGF? I think not, because Theeboven, Shaspekeare etc. are people who don’t exist in RW, and the assonance is not relevant (and nobody can tell that the Theeboven that give the name at Sirassa’s street is a musician or a painter). But I would be sure to not do anything that can break the OGF rules, so can you confirm that this method to give the street names is good?
Comment from The_Cute_Chick on 26 March 2022 at 01:30
@eleinads,
Whilst the street naming method isn’t against the rules, it’s not very creative, which goes against what OGF is about. So the naming practice is discouraged and not preferred.
For places and people that no longer exist on the map, that will inevitably happen as they come and go, and it’s not necessary to change those that have ‘disappeared’. In my opinion it’s cool to leave these names behind too, as an ‘easter egg’ or reference to how the map has changed over time. :)
As you may have noticed, the chronological method of mapping is adopted by a few other mappers, for the reasons you have stated. It’s a good method! 👍
And welcome back to OGF! Sirassa is developing beautifully. :D
–TCC
Comment from Lithium-Ion on 26 March 2022 at 13:05
Hey there, just wanted to add that TCC makes really good points, and that the city looks great!
Also, take a look at this name generator: https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/italian_names.php
Maybe that can give you some ideas for street names - and if not, there are plenty of others on the web.
Comment from Luciano on 26 March 2022 at 13:35
Along with TCC, above, I actually really like that I have names in my mapping that reference no-longer-existing OGF places and de-canonized history. That way, those references become like a type of “easter egg” on the map pointing to former states of the OGF world. So I would actually urge not to change those out-of-date place names referenced in Giliarca!
As far as the new “anagram” method of naming - I agree it’s not terribly imaginative, but I understand the dilemma. One method that I use is to find obscure languages and just use words out of the dictionary from those languages - but I will transform the spelling / phonology so that the vocabulary “fits” the dominant language (e.g. English in Makaska, or ?Italian in Giliarca).
Comment from eleinads on 26 March 2022 at 17:21
Ehy, thank you everyone. Your feedbacks are very very precious.
Then:
about Giliarca street names: I hadn’t really thought about it in the key (very good) that you suggested, i.e. that the street names with cities and people that are no more in the maps and in the wiki can be a kind of “historical memory”… so, I would like to reassure everyone: no name of street/square in Giliarca will be ever deleted or changed :-)
About Sirassa (new city) street names. Effectively, if posed the question, it was because I was very few convinced by the “assonance method”. So, I’ve decided: I will listen to your advice, I will use the fantasy name generator suggested by Lithium-Ion . It’s perfect.
But I will keep some name (few, only near the old centre) created with the assonance method, like a sort of hidden “signature” of myself, but with attention to keep it as an exception, and to not have names too similar to the real ones (it could be seen as a typo): they will be as much clearly fantasy-names.
Thank you very much!
Comment from eleinads on 26 March 2022 at 17:34
Ah, sorry: in Sirassa too there will be some street with names of the main OGF places. It will not be the rule like in Giliarca, but I think that can be an element of likelihood, in fact, it’s not strange that in a country two cities have streets with the same name. Both In NY and in Washington D.C. there is a street called “Pennsylvania Avenue”… and it’s only one of 100.000 possible examples in RW. Only: in Sirassa this will be not the main method.
Comment from Anonymous21 on 26 March 2022 at 18:49
As far as the names:
In my opinion, it’s actually really interesting to have RW inspiration in OGF - the key word being inspiration, not copying.
In my mapping, where the main language is heavily based on RW Swedish (with some Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, and English influence), I definitely take ideas and naming motifs from the RW, but not whole names. I take into consideration the meaning of certain words or fragments.
Some examples:
Nykojpeng’s name is actually pretty similar to the RW Nyköping, Sweden. But “Nykojpeng” actually is built from common stems (in both Swedish and my conlang): “ny” (new) + “kojpeng” (town).
“Fvilhävn” and “Kvihävn” from “havn” suffix (ex. København/Copenhagen), meaning “haven”
“Johanstorp” from (name) + “torp” (farm) formula (RW ex. Anderstorp, literally meaning “Anders’s farm”)
So I think it’s great to identify naming themes that you want to take from the RW and then customize them to your country.
Good luck!
Comment from eleinads on 26 March 2022 at 20:01
Anonymous21,
perfect, thank you!
I’m glad that i’m not alone having thought to that method to naming places. So, your feedback is welcome!
Furthermore, let me to congratulate you for the great level of likelihood in your territory. the city shapes are perfect and the aspect of countrysides around the urban center is also great!
Comment from Anonymous21 on 27 March 2022 at 23:19
eleinads
Thanks!
