Ad Hoc Writers
Ad Hoc, Ad Astra, Ad Draconus

City (Megaopolos, Town, Villiage) Builder Outline

from Jim Van Scyoc
Copyright (C) 1990 & 1993, Ad Hoc Writers, Hayward, California
Revised May 16, 1992 and January 9, 1993

1. Reasons for location.
   1. Transportation intersection.
      1. Sea.
      2. Railroad.
      3. River.
      4. Roads.
      5. Starlanes
   2. Natural resources.
      1. Mining.
         1. Coal.
         2. Minerals.
            1. Salt.
            2. Borax.
            3. Niter.
         3. Clays.
            1. Potter's clay.
            2. Building clay (brick).
            3. Fire clay (fire brick).
         4. Building stone.
            1. Limestone.
            2. Granite.
            3. Marble.
         5. Iron.
         6. Other metals/ores.
            1. Precious metals.
               1. Gold.
               2. Silver.
               3. Platinum.
            2. Lesser valued metals.
               1. Copper.
               2. Tin.
               3. Aluminum
         7. Precious and semi-precious stones.
      2. Petroleum products.
         1. Simpler products.
            1. Crude oil.
            2. Natural gas.
            3. Products of simple distillation.
         2. More processed products.
            1. Catalytically produced products.
            2. Plastics.
      3. Agriculture.
      4. Herding.
      5. Fishing.
      6. Lumber
      7. Mineral springs (health).
      8. Relative scarcity or abundance of resources.
         1. Which items that are common and cheap to us are rare to them and valued relatively higher?
         2. Which items that are rare and valuable to us are common to them and valued relatively lower?
   3. Tactical importance (passage or choke point).
      1. Mountain pass.
      2. Mouth of river.
      3. Bay.
      4. Defensible position.
   4. Recreation.
      1. Natural wonders.
      2. Sports.
   5. Fixed or movable location.
      1. If movable, why does it move?
         1. Tent cities, nomadic people.
         2. Follow building of railroad, etc.
         3. Follow military operations.
      2. If movable, how does it move?
         1. Floating.
         2. Flying.
         3. On rails.
         4. Tear down, move and rebuild.
   6. Political reasons.
      1. Outcasts.
      2. Opposing factions.
      3. Heirs.
      4. Felons.
      5. Religion.
   7. Likely natural disasters which might occur at the city's location.
      1. Earthquake.
      2. Flood.
      3. Hurricane.
      4. Tidal wave.
      5. Tornado.
      6. Avalanche.
      7. Fire.
         1. Forest.
         2. Buildings.
      8. Volcanic activity.
      9. Combinations.
2. Layout.
   1. Planned (such as the old Roman cities or Washington D.C.)
   2. Unplanned (just grew, like most modern large cities).
   3. Walled or unwalled.
   4. Visible pattern (such as section lines in Oklahoma City).
   5. Combinations, such as planned core with unplanned surroundings.
   6. Affected by natural barriers.
      1. Hills.
      2. Valleys.
      3. Rivers.
      4. Shorelines.
      5. Islands.
      6. Lakes
      7. Swamps.
      8. Fault lines.
   7. Affected by "manmade" barriers.
      1. Walls.
      2. Political divisions.
      3. Transportation corridors (considered as barriers).
         1. Canals.
         2. Freeways.
         3. Railroads.
         4. Streets (such as short, straight streets which serve to hinder rapid flight from the scene of a crime while allowing easy surveillance, etc.).
         5. Tunnels (consider traffic if blocked).
   8. Districts.
      1. Business.
         1. Financial.
         2. Service industries.
         3. Warehouse.
         4. Waterfront.
            1. Shipping.
            2. Recreational.
            3. Fishing.
            4. Shipyards.
            5. Military.
         5. Manufacturing.
            1. Heavy industry.
               1. Mass production of relatively large items.
               2. Refining.
                  1. Petroleum.
                  2. Metals.
            2. Light industry.
         6. Marketplaces.
            1. General shopping.
            2. "Stranger's" market.
            3. Bazaar.
            4. Divided into areas.
               1. Food.
               2. Fabrics.
               3. Metalworking.
               4. Electronics.
            5. Divided by noise, smell or size requirements.
            6. Mixed groups.
         7. Entertainment.
            1. Food.
            2. Drink/drugs.
            3. Theater.
            4. Sex.
            5. Gaming.
            6. Athletics.
         8. Rail yards (or equivalent).
         9. Airports and/or spaceports.
            1. How large?
            2. How close to city?
      2. Residential.
         1. Royalty.
         2. Upper class.
         3. Middle class.
         4. Working class.
         5. Slaves (barracks or with a., b. or c.).
         6. Slums.
         7. Apartments
         8. "View" areas.
         9. "In" or "trendy" areas.
      3. Religious.
         1. Temples.
         2. Places of public worship.
         3. Seats of religion (Such as Vatican).
      4. Cemetery.
         1. Connection to religious districts?
         2. Scattered or grouped.
         3. Family, religious or commercial.
         4. Buried or above ground.
      5. Military reservations (Note: could function as city by itself).
         1. Administration.
         2. Command headquarters.
         3. Barracks.
         4. Storage.
            1. Ammunition dumps.
            2. Vehicles.
      6. University district.
      7. Artist's district.
      8. Ethnic districts.
         1. Why?
      9. How much mixing of functions occurs in districts?
         1. Example: eating and drinking near theater or sports
      10. Which districts are segregated?
          1. Why?
             1. Not respectable.
             2. Pollution.
             3. Crime.
             4. Noise.
             5. Monetary status.
          2. Are some entirely outside the city?
3. Appearance.
   1. Architecture.
      1. Unified style.
      2. Mixture of styles.
      3. How well integrated with surroundings?
         1. Forest.
         2. Plains.
         3. Open waters.
      4. Visible peculiarities (compared to other cities).
         1. Shutters.
         2. Loggias.
         3. Arcades.
         4. Awnings.
         5. Columns.
      5. Preferred decorations.
         1. Exterior.
         2. Interior.
         3. Structural (three-dimensional).
         4. Flat (two-dimensional).
   2. Building materials.
      1. Natural materials.
         1. Wood.
            1. Relatively unprocessed (logs, bamboo).
            2. Extensively processed (lumber, chip
         2. Stone.
            1. Unprocessed (fieldstones).
            2. Processed (marble, limestone, etc.).
         3. Sod.
         4. Hides.
         5. Adobe.
         6. Clay.
         7. Cloth.
         8. Thatch.
      2. Artificial materials.
         1. Concrete.
         2. Plastic.
         3. Metal.
         4. Glass.
         5. Brick.
         6. Stucco or plaster.
         7. Paper.
         8. Do they simulate natural materials?
      3. Unusual materials/location.
         1. Living trees.
         2. Living animals.
         3. Caves.
         4. Cut into ground.
      4. Common combinations of materials.
      5. How affected by topography.
         1. Flat terrain.
         2. Hilly terrain.
         3. Islands.
         4. Tidal lands.
         5. Swamps.
      6. How affected by climate?
         1. Wet.
         2. Dry.
         3. Windy.
         4. Hot.
         5. Cold.
         6. Seasonal changes (or lack of).
   3. Architectural and structural details.
      1. Columns.
      2. Courtyards.
      3. False fronts.
      4. Cornices.
      5. Shutters.
      6. "Air scoops" to catch prevailing wind.
      7. Use of paint, paneling.
      8. Flat or sloped roofs.
      9. Which are functional?
      10. Which are decorative?
   4. Cleanliness.
      1. Parts or whole of city clean.
      2. Parts or whole of city dirty.
   5. Smells associated with city or districts.
      1. Pleasant.
         1. Bakeries.
         2. Food processing.
         3. Flowers.
      2. Unpleasant.
         1. Tanneries.
         2. Stockyards.
         3. Refineries.
      3. Which predominate?
      4. Constant or intermittent?
   6. Sounds associated with city or districts.
      1. Natural.
         1. Waterfalls.
         2. Birds.
         3. Animals.
         4. Wind.
         5. Surf.
         6. Geyser(s).
      2. Artificial.
         1. Vehicular traffic.
            1. Personal transportation.
            2. Commercial (trains, ships, aircraft).
            3. Emergency vehicles.
         2. Construction.
         3. Factories.
         4. Bells.
         5. Whistles.
         6. Town crier.
         7. Call to worship.
            1. Muezzin.
            2. Bell(s).
            3. Other.
      3. When heard.
         1. Continuous.
         2. Periodic.
         3. Intermittent.
         4. Seasonal.
         5. Diurnal.
         6. Nocturnal.
         7. Yearly.
            1. Fourth of July fireworks.
            2. New Year's Eve.
         8. Depends on day of week.
            1. Church bells.
            2. Rush hour traffic.
         9. Amount of variation in intensity.
   7. Open Spaces.
      1. Parks.
         1. Public.
         2. Private.
      2. Commons.
      3. Squares.
      4. Green belts.
   8. Landmarks identified with city.
      1. Natural.
         1. Mountains (such as Lookout Mountain).
         2. Bays (such as San Francisco Bay).
      2. Artificial.
         1. Primarily utilitarian.
            1. Bridge (Golden Gate Bridge).
            2. Sports arenas (Cow Palace).
            3. Office buildings (Empire State Building).
         2. Primarily decorative.
            1. Arch (Arc de Triomphe, St. Louis arch).
            2. Tower (Coit tower, Eiffel Tower).
            3. Statuary (Statue of Liberty).
4. Growth.
   1. Grew from single settlement.
   2. Numerous settlements grow together.
   3. Depends on size of "hinterlands."
      1. Area which city has primary influence.
         1. Trade.
         2. Leadership.
         3. News.
            1. Watch TV from city.
            2. Read city's newspaper.
            3. Other appropriate technology.
      2. Boundaries with hinterlands from other cities.
   4. Affected by natural/manmade barriers.
      1. Cities on rivers likely to have twins on other side.
         1. Relative sizes depend upon size of hinterlands.
         2. Competition between twin cities.
         3. Differences between twins.
      2. Cities on lakes unlikely to have twins.
   5. Current growth.
      1. Rate depends upon size of hinterlands, resources.
      2. Still growing.
      3. Stagnating.
      4. Shrinking.
      5. Sudden movement of population.
   6. Area available for expansion.
   7. Planned expansion?
5. Size.
6. Age.
   1. How long occupied.
   2. Built over ruins of older city.
   3. Grown beyond original walls.
   4. Old buildings.
      1. Usually torn down.
      2. Usually remain in place.
         1. Abandoned.
         2. Still in use.
         3. Change in ownership/use.
      3. Rebuilt to original appearance if destroyed.
   5. Signs of age.
      1. Visible.
         1. Revered for their antiquity.
         2. Allowed to deteriorate.
      2. Don't show.
         1. Replaced when old.
         2. Kept in good repair.
7. Transportation (internal).
   1. Roads, streets and pedestrian ways.
      1. How are vehicles, riders, and pedestrians combined?
         1. Same surface.
         2. Separate provisions on same right-of-way.
            1. Sidewalks.
            2. Boardwalks.
         3. Totally separate.
            1. Footpaths.
            2. Trails.
            3. Skyways.
      2. Construction.
         1. All weather.
            1. Concrete.
            2. Asphalt.
            3. Brick or cobblestone.
            4. Wood.
            5. Rails.
            6. Waterways.
         2. Gravel.
         3. Dirt.
         4. Oiled.
      3. Placement.
         1. Surface.
         2. Elevated.
         3. Subways.
      4. Access.
         1. Limited.
         2. Easy.
         3. Pay toll?
      5. Moving?
         1. Slidewalks.
         2. Beltways.
         3. Moving roads.
      6. Ownership.
         1. Private (pay toll?).
         2. Public (pay taxes?).
         3. Combinations.
   2. Vehicles.
      1. Type.
         1. Wheeled.
         2. Floating.
            1. Boats and barges (water).
            2. Ground effect (air cushion).
            3. Magnetic levitation (magnetic field).
            4. Anti-gravity.
         3. Sled.
         4. Aerial.
      2. Propulsion.
         1. Drawn by animals or inhabitants.
         2. Powered.
            1. Self-powered.
               1. Internal combustion.
                  1. Petroleum.
                  2. Hydrogen.
                  3. Natural gas.
               2. Steam.
                  1. Fuel (see above).
               3. Electric (not relying directly on external source.
                  1. Batteries.
                  2. Fuel cells.
                  3. Solar cells.
               4. Pneumatic (compressed air tank).
            2. Externally powered.
               1. Cable cars.
               2. Pneumatic (such as in a tube).
               3. Electric (direct reliance on external source.
                  1. Electric rails.
                  2. Overhead wires.
                  3. Induction coils.
                  4. Magnetic levitation.
               4. Inertia (flywheel).
               5. Wind powered (sails).
               6. Solar powered (heat or electrical).
            3. Carried "piggy-back" on another vehicle.
            4. Connected together as a train or string of barges, with separate motive power.
   3. Teleportation.
      1. Who can do it?
         1. Everyone.
         2. Many.
         3. Select few.
         4. Animals.
      2. What can be carried?
      3. How many roads will they need?
   4. Matter transmitters.
   5. Travel in time.
      1. Instead of space.
      2. Sideways into alternate universes.
   6. Quality.
      1. Dependable, fast, safe, well maintained.
      2. Undependable, slow or erratic, dangerous, decrepit.
8. History.
   1. Continuous occupation of territory.
      1. By same people.
      2. By different groups.
         1. Conquerors.
         2. Immigration.
   2. Intermittent occupation.
      1. Why abandoned?
         1. Natural disaster.
         2. Military action.
   3. Rebuilt after one or more natural disasters.
   4. Rebuilt after destruction by war.
   5. Grew up around a fort or castle.
   6. Changes due to:
      1. New technology.
      2. Loss of resources.
      3. New threats.
9. Support.
   1. Source of food.
   2. Source of water.
   3. Source of energy and fuel.
   4. Source of money and commerce.
      1. Farming.
      2. Manufacturing.
      3. Fishing.
      4. Lumber.
      5. University.
      6. Trade.
      7. Combinations.
10. Communications.
    1. Flags.
    2. Heliograph.
    3. Runners.
    4. Electrical or electronic.
       1. Telephone.
       2. Telegraph.
       3. Radio.
       4. Television.
       5. Computers.
          1. Government.
          2. Business.
          3. Personal.
    5. Telepathy.
    6. Mail.
    7. Pneumatic tube.
    8. Combinations of above.
    9. Owner and/or operator.
       1. Government.
       2. Businesses.
       3. Personal.
11. Education.
    1. Public schools.
    2. Private schools.
    3. Tutors.
    4. University.
    5. Apprenticeship.
12. Attitude of inhabitants toward their city.
    1. Involvement in government.
    2. How they describe it to friends, visitors.
    3. How they keep up their property.
       1. Public property.
       2. Private property.
       3. Differ by district?
    4. Loyalty.
    5. How do they feel about landmarks?
13. Attitude of government toward the populace.
    1. Indifferent.
    2. Totalitarian.
    3. Responsive.
    4. Varies according to class of citizen?
14. Climate.
    1. Exposed to extremes of weather.
    2. Tempered by bodies of water.
    3. Protected by hills or mountains.
    4. Changed just by building city.
    5. Changed by plantings, trees, artificial lakes.

Basic outline contributed by Ad Hoc Writers member Jim Van Scyoc. Additional material contributed by Ad Hoc Writers members and associates Shirley Dickensheet, Reba Leon, Raymond (Buzz) Nelson, Gerald Perkins, Mike Van Pelt and Joyce Van Scyoc.

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Copyright ©1996-2007 by Jim R. Van Scyoc