Help Wanted

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I'd like to give this thing a shot again, though I don't think there's much point in re-starting the Chamberlain experiment - the danger of basing anything so closely on a real city at a certain point in time is that it can be very difficult for people who don't "get" that city at that point in time to involve themselves properly. Which is fair enough.

So, basically, I'd like to set up a new city for the game from scratch and I'd like some help in doing that (ideas mostly). So if you're interested, say so here. If enough people are, I'll set up a Building the City thread on the TH board and archive the old stuff there.

The only things that I'm sure about the city so far are that it is...

a) "European". While North American urban politics is fascinating, the dynamic is more complicated than that of (especially Northern/Western) European urban politics. Though if this works, it's something I'd be happy to try at a later date.

b) essentially Provincial and/or Industrial rather than a Capital city. And for the same sort of reasons as a).

c) "set" after "1945" - while I'd dearly love to do something "set" earlier (my dissertation was on housing politics in 1920's Birmingham) I'd be amazed if there's enough knowledge of urban politics before then here. But again, if this works, who knows.

Other than that...

[Silent Hunter]

I don't know if I'll be able to play, but I'll contribute some ideas.

[afleitch]

I would like to participate as you have probably guessed Given that my own dissertation was on Middle Class Glasgow in the 30's I have a good familiarity with that city so I can understand the potential in this sort of game

What may be helpful is 'building the city' from blocks. Essentially everyone chooses a real life neighbourhood that they are familiar with, middle class, suburban, industrial, working class etc. They just have to be familiar with it now, even though they may have a feel for its history and what it was like in say the 50's. Those are then brought together to form the city.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

What may be helpful is 'building the city' from blocks. Essentially everyone chooses a real life neighbourhood that they are familiar with, middle class, suburban, industrial, working class etc. They just have to be familiar with it now, even though they may have a feel for its history and what it was like in say the 50's. Those are then brought together to form the city.

I was thinking of something a little like this - after working out the general, broad picture. Gives each area (or at least some) a bit more character.

[afleitch]

What may be helpful is 'building the city' from blocks. Essentially everyone chooses a real life neighbourhood that they are familiar with, middle class, suburban, industrial, working class etc. They just have to be familiar with it now, even though they may have a feel for its history and what it was like in say the 50's. Those are then brought together to form the city.

I was thinking of something a little like this - after working out the general, broad picture. Gives each area (or at least some) a bit more character.

I suppose it depends on what the city should have as it's industrial base as many European cities grew out of industry. Will it have docks and dockers? Coal mining villages clustered around it etc

[Smid]

I always loved the idea, but never got very deeply into it. Anyway, I'm happy to contribute and participate - just tell me what you want me to do!

[Silent Hunter]

We ought to have a couple of housing estates constructed post Second World War.

[Hash]

A city like Le Havre would be interesting for politics, in a way. A city polarized between rich areas and harbour/working class areas with lots of post-WW2 social housing. You might also add in a middle-class component downtown maybe.

Or Marseille.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Building The City thread's started