So, since people's response to my Rivendell lot was so positive (and so much more so than my modern towers!) I decided to revisit my medieval hood, something I hadn't done in quite a while... I guess my technique has changed quite a bit, because to my eyes now, lots of my older-style castles and haunted houses looked dreadful, and I ended up scrapping most of the ones that weren't already finished . I wanted to try my hand at a castle again though, and with recent practice at a cc-free elvish style, I'm trying for that again, this time drawing on the many different artistic interpretations for the Elven kingdom of Gondolin. I don't want it to be exactly like Rivendell but at the same time I want to try to keep up those standards, and I'm kind of hitting writers block (architect's block?) with this... At this point I just have the exterior started, with virtually no buy-mode stuff in it yet, as I usually do in my creations. What do people think worked with the peaceful, scholarly Rivendell that can carry over well to a more royal and defensible construction like the fortified mountain kingdom of Gondolin? Also, opinions on the structure I've already created are encouraged- especially on things you don't like- I won't be offended, I promise! I don't think I'll always be able to live up to the standard I set myself with Rivendell, but I certainly want to try... and at this point, I don't like this lot as much as I did with that, but I've been staring at it too long, so your fresh perspective on it would be great!

Also, major nerd-bonus-points are available if anyone knows the reason why all my elvish constructions have two twin trees as a prominent feature in their construction!

Aww, I love LOTR thremed lots. Your Rivendell lot is awesome and I like this one, too. However, the structure of the build with all those bridges and the water reminds me a little of the Rivendell lot. I don't like the blue-ish roof that much. I don't remember what was said in the books about Gondolin but I'd expect a rather "natural" colour for the roof. As for the structure of the build, I found a picture at the LOTR wikia that I like very much. You can find it here - it's made by Chvacher.

Also, a short quote from the LOTR wikia that might be helpful for the layout:

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Oh my gahd! it's just missing a few more decors but the shape is already amaaaaaaaaaazing... I'm not worthy!...

Haha, that quote is actually what first made me think to try to create a Gondolin lot! Love it! Frankly, I'm not wild about the blue roof either (it looks a little too Disney to me that way) but the only other ones that worked with the style I have were a green roof that I liked better but wanted to avoid because it's what I used for Rivendell, and red tiles that made it look too mediterranean... so you think I should stick with the green roof and count on other architectural differences to distinguish it from Rivendell? I'm trying to find more places that I can put outdoor gardens, since that's certainly important for giving it the right feel, but for a mountaintop building, finding space like that is tricky... anywhere that looks like it'd be good for courtyard gardens that you see? As far as pictures go, I certainly like the one you linked, but that's where I got the backside of the main tower from, and I don't think I like that part when it's in my game... I have trouble finding pictures that show a different interpretation than the city-sized disk in the middle of the valley (yeah, I know that's the "official" design, but a city is too big for a TS2 lot!) Probably the picture I've drawn from the most is the one I attached here (sorry about the crap-tastic picture quality, I don't have my good scanner here), with the big arch on the right, but I've taken inspiration from virtually.every picture of Gondolin I can find.

I agree with you about the roof, the green one wouldn't fit the Gondolin build. I'm sorry, I no longer play TS2 and so I have no idea what roof options ar
e available. I guess you don't want to use any custom roof recolour, do you? I actually don't like to have any CC in my builds, however, if a lot can't be done without it I think it's okay to add one or two pieces of CC.

I like the picture in your post above. It's a lovely version of Gondolin. But I also like Ted Nasmith's version of this place. Gondolin is extremely difficult to build as a lot, I think. This might be easier done as a new world.

Another picture of Gondolin that I like is here (third picture).

There's also a nice Mincecraft version of Gondolin here.

I think the one tower in the middle should stand out more. The picture in your last post shows that, too. The other towers seem to be smaller and below the one in the middle.

Honestly, I have no idea where you could add a courtyard garden without changing the lot much. There's not much place left for that...

It might be a good idea to show more pictures (floorplan and close ups) of your lot, if you would like more people to give feedback.

I am not a fan of LOTR (I have not read the books or seen the movies) but I do like what you are building.

The more I work on this lot, the less convinced I become that it'll work as Gondolin (or really anything Tolkien defined particularly well, unfortunately). I still like a lot of what I have built so far, but I'm starting think you're right- trying to build something as massive and urban as Gondolin really needs to be more open than a mountaintop lot allows... I may still try it in the future, but I think I may need to let go of the idea that this will end up looking like Turgon's kingdom. Maybe (maybe) I can get it to a point of looking like Tirion upon Tuna, since the art for that is less likely to be so city-focused, and it usually looks more like a mountaintop castle (sort of what I have), but I think this may end up as something I either have to draw inspiration from Tolkien's cities that didn't play as central a role in anything (or that I have to create a story for by myself... Looking at places in Arda that are defined enough to base a lot off of, but obscure enough that people don't already have their mental image set, I'm thinking I may actually take the things I like from this lot, and recreate something like Vinyamar or maybe even attempt the Grey Havens on a beach lot with low rolling hills instead of sheer mountains- it'd be easier to make, I have more original ideas in that regard, and it'd still be able to capture the elvish aesthetic I want. And yeah, while it may seem odd for a site that has "mod" in the site name, I like to try to make my lots completely CC-free... as much to challenge myself as anything else. Sigh... We'll see- at least I enjoy designing things like this as much as I do!

Well, the "problem" with Gondolin is that it IS a city and not only one huge building. So, yes, it's worth trying but it's really difficult to build on a lot - even if it's the biggest available lot. What you built so far looks great, so you should keep working on this. It might help to let it go for a short while and return to it with a fresh eye.

I think it's an awesome idea to try building something like Vinyamar or the Grey Havens (btw. I bet this won't be easier to build but I love the idea anyway... lol). I would love to see another elvish lot from you.