So, I ask this because I’m not sure if I’m doing myself a favor or making more work.
My builds are usually rough. I use consistent ingredients (refined stone at the moment) for a frame and then I’ll start building off of it- often removing entire areas and replacing it with either something of a different color something more detailed. I feel like I need the frame to see what I’m building.
Maybe my imagination isn’t as strong as it used to be? Are there people that can build straight up without using, I dunno, proxy-blocks? Is my technique more common than I assume?
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Im freestyling pretty much everything.
its about playing what you have around you at least for me. You see a cool little tree save it… make a fence around it… make it a eyecatcher for your garden. You see a pile of rocks… put gleam middle of it inside… you got there neat light source and so on.
Dont over think too much you will end up remodelling your house anyways in some point 
Edit. Also if you want to frame you might wanna use easy to break blocks like soil and sand.
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The old part of my base was pretty much just organic/freestyle though, which I can do fine with mountains and caves, but it’s very rare I can build anything that’s very interesting on a flat-ish surface. I always need some sort of natural inspiration, even if it’s just to build some bridges across.
My current project does use a “frame” in a sense, though a lot of the project is based on a simple set of “rules” on how it’s made. I haven’t made an accurate plan or anything of the project, so I only have a rough idea of how I want things to look and frequently do make changes.
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I enjoy looking at other ppl builds and using things I like from each one then incorporating my own style with it. So I would suggest taking a walk looking around and you will see somethings are really nice yet very simple to replicate with simple means.
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I think everything comes from an idea in your head. Or I see things in other people’s builds and try and change them to work with my style. A lot of building and destroying. I use the plot view to space and plan where I want things to go. Spacing is key. If something is off by a block sometime it can really stand out. And if you have OCD. That’s going to be a huge problem. Lol.
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I’ve done the frame method. I’ve done freestyle. I’ve done placing blocks every X to map out where structural points, halls, machines, etc. go and so forth. Typically all my planning leaves me with is a desire to make it bigger, better, more detailed almost immediately.
It never ends, HAHA
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Im not OCD but I have more than a few builds off by a brick that I had to create the image its supposed to be that way. My first build I didnt know you needed 2 center bricks to chisel a roof point so i did a workaround I know its not the point I wanted but it still was fine and i doubt ppl go by saying “Hah Hah! he didnt know how to pitch his roof!” So yeah for me building is never planned I have an idea and I make it work, I make mistakes but I find ways to make even the mistakes look intentional thats when innovation takes over.
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I really do two different things when building my medieval city:
For stone buildings (like castle, walls etc) I always build the frame out of refined rock and then fill it with stone followed with all the detailing.
Like this:
And for the city houses, docks, shops, halls etc, I always start out with logs for the framing, followed by filling in rock and white blocks and the rest of the details, like so:
In between those I just try to find a nice balance to make it very cozy and medieval feel to it. This is something that always worked for me, but I think proper planning and an even more thorough framework is the key to a nice building. If you just wing it, you may have sides of the building end up weird cause you didn’t test if it worked or not.
Color combos are for me pretty much always the same. Different shades of gray, brown, white and red brick for roofing, can’t go wrong. 
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Place some blocks. Stand back and stare for 5 mins. Tear down blocks. Rebuild. Stand back and stare for 5 mins. Tear down. Rebuild. 3 hours have passed and I have 7 blocks placed 
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I have seen these builds absolutely awesome!
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I think if you want an example of do it the way u want first, not they way you think it should be done, head to trung and look at my mountain
Did that the way i thought would be the cool or right way. Now 3 months later i realised it was garbage and have spent 10 days redoing it.
Remodelling is way harder than it was to build the first time around
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Glad you like them! Lots to do, but summer is around the corner and it should free up a lot of time 
Your old place was certainly “unique”. Your new ones much nicer. On the other hand my last one was awesome-if i do say myself (hell the devs saved it) but my new one is uuuugly. Im regressing!!
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Yes, your old place was really quite impressive! It still makes me think Saruman lives at the top.
And I often get the “unique” remarks. 
I free build, and some of my stuff is a work in progress.
I don’t use programs to plan my builds, and I might make a “blueprint” of a design I make (like the fox to keep for reference/forever).
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I build shitty but alot.
Quantity over quality 
Im currently building an ice mountain/ice biome on antar vi.
Antar VI aint got no natural ice biomes so i thought idd make one. Its turning out more work then anticepated 
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I find it hard to build on days where I only have a couple hours to play because I like to really zone in and touch a deep part of my mind. I crank up the jam that fits the day, light up the ole wooden pipe and find my happy place. Then I throw around some brick and spam chisel. Eventually I jump off whatever monument to myself I have concocted and praise the Regeneration god. Then I pass out and dream a Boundless dream.
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I usually start with a piece of inspiration. I go on Pinterest and search architecture and images. Once I have my inspiration I build around it. My newest base in Kindred Bay is still a WIP, but it started with a pic
I love building… I never played a building game prior to Boundless and I have really grown with it. 
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I’m with yer (though I’m sure your stuff is not shitty at all!)
and yes to this (free building is great fun though my end results probably could have benefited with some pre-planning!).
So much stuff unfinished or needs to be re-worked but plenty of time for that.
To be more transparent… I have to echo
I would have told you this game is not my pace. After years of ffxi and ffxiv and then more years of Skyrim, Witcher 3 and NMS, I was pretty well set in my playstyle. I will now easily rank Boundless among the greats in my life for sure. Since I started Boundless, I am now training in architectural design, drafting, cad, cam, and 3d rendering. I pursued and secured a career in the aforementioned field; I create blueprints for a fabrication company.
When I build on Boundless now, it no longer feels foreign and strange. It feels natural, I feel at home with a chisel and a grapple in my hand. I know that it’s the closest I will ever be to knowing the joy of a carpenter or mason. My creative mind has expanded and I have found a new field that I am genuinely excited about. Thank you Boundless for awakening this passion.
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