An Invitation to a Humble Holdfast...

I, Darth Jodoc, would like to humbly invite everyone and anyone (especially @LordBritish, @DarkStarr, & all of the dev team), to visit the quiet, humble little island holdfast that is Wythmail (located on an island along the stretch of coast northeast of Brittany).

For one, it is a simple PvE town with most of its lots (mainly row house) available. I intended it to be a place where those starting the game could have a chance to get a starting/affordable place close to a (currently future) major city.

However, I ask of only 1 thing if you do chance to visit: feedback. I've tried to design this particular PoT to have an interesting, if not unique layout & feel to the place. Since row house lots have a default building in their place, I've opted to take advantage of that with the design.

So please, feel free to visit Wythmail, and please let me know what you think of the place. I'm always looking to improve things.

(As for why the name Wythmail: well, it's drawn from the real-life lost settlement of Wythmail in Northamptonshire, England, which was still around during the time of William the Conqueror's assessment of assets for his Domesday Book; and, as something I was considering tying into a player-published in-game text, I thought the "founder(s)" of this Novian Wythmail would've been an Outlander from the original Earth-based Wythmail before the ultimate demise of the Earth settlement.)

 

That's a really fantastic concept for a settlement. I'll definitely have to swing by and give it a look! Pulling something from UK history like that and tying it in to New Britannia is very cool and I applaud you for thinking of it.

 

Congratulations on your holdfast!

I am in the lovely island town of Wythmail right now

The first thing that caught my attention were the row houses overlooking the pier with a gorgeous view of the ocean. The sun just went down and I am lingering in front of that line of houses just enjoying the spectacular sunset. I think it is great that you placed row houses in that location and hope that you keep that concept. In my opinion the location makes these homes doubly attractive.

Up the hill to the north there are two groupings of row homes in a very interesting configuration. Some are facing outward, but most are facing inward into cozy courtyards. I think the layout is indeed unique and interesting. I really like the courtyards, except for the weeds. I hope that it will some day be possible to "dress towns up" a little to replace weed-infested spaces with paving, grass or flower beds. Although I like these two grouping of row houses, they don't make use of the terrain or the view. If this were my holdfast I would try to integrate the ocean view into my placement of housing because the view is a great selling point for the island template.

On the even higher hill to the south with a spectacular view of the ocean on all sides is the tavern. The building is beautiful - I don't know much about POT ownership but I assume it is an NPC building that could be selected to come with the POT. From a standpoint of attracting residents to the holdfast, I think the view is wasted on the tavern. I would put some housing up there.

Re-reading my feedback I recognize that it is mostly about placing houses to have a great view. But that is just the practical me speaking, trying to get the most out of the view, which is important to me personally.

One of the things I like best about your Holdfast is the fact that the buildings and housing don't overwhelm the scene. Your POT has great potential. I'll be back!

 

Thank you for the visit!

Part of the idea of the layout was, unfortunately, not focused on maximizing the view, but rather, creating hidden or secretive spaces. One thing I'd be willing to do is host a future PoT connected to/through mine—specifically, a huge underground biome PoT. I get amused by the idea that a dinky little holdfast rests on an island that may hold a vast underground metropolis below—especially if one of the only ways to said metropolis is through a basement hatch under the stairs of the local tavern....

There is a "ring" of hidden houses in one of the clusters meant to be hidden—something that could potentially be missed if you weren't looking for it or focused elsewhere. Of course, the handy-dandy compass marker you get for a lot courtesy of the town crier kinda negates that... so I may consider reconfiguring to having a "hidden back alley" location for a potential side-quest or the like.

And yes, so far I'm the only resident of the town. I liked the idea of having housing "built in" to the landscape, so I positioned the row houses as close to the cliffs as I could.

 

The underground attached biome is a great idea. The fact that your POT has many row lots means that the Holdfast's general housing will reflect the overall plan - much space hidden underground ( ie.5 story row basements).

More than meets the eye

 

Did you get paid? Because if not I want you to visit DH right now and write a love letter to it as well;-)

 

Really like the location of the Tavern. What a great place to congregate outside with a wonderful view. And the creative way you connected the Row Houses is quite different. I really did like the 'hidden' courtyard in one of the complexes. It's these types of fun and different setups that will definitely attract visitors and potential residents as well.

Good Job!