Eastern Europe
Note:This page is currently being rewritten to a more truthful form. Content subject to change.Introduction
Eastern Europe is often defined as countries east of Poland and Hungary. However, in the sense important for the Half-Life series, it consists of nations formerly allied with the USSR, forming the Eastern Bloc. The (ideologically) Eastern Europe consisted of all countries east of (including): East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Yugoslavia. Architectural styles common in the area were a major source of inspiration for City 17.
Architecture
Roads
Although older roads, mainly in the central parts of towns or cities, are commonly made of cobblestone, almost all roads were modernised with asphalt many decades before the writing of this article. The width of a road often changes dramatically where it leads into an older part of the city. In the centre (e.g. of Prague), streets are often just wide enough for one car to pass through, with passers-by having to squeeze against walls to make space. Since Prague's central streets are near-always crowded with tourists, such a scene is very unlikely at least. Going back towards the edge of a city, roads tend to widen, however scenes like those of Berlin or Moscow with their seven-lane driveways are very rare. The most common are two-lane roads, but bear in mind that the more important the route is (connecting the capital and a large city compared to connecting the capital with smaller towns), the wider it will be.
Note:Any paragraphs below this note have not been edited to a higher standard of quality yet.Buildings
Buildings are largely stone or brick. Older or larger buildings tend to have ornamental additions, including gargoyles in some cases (although those tend to be associated with Western Europe in most cases). Roofs are almost always slanted in some way. Spires and domes are fairly common, although the shape of the dome can vary.
Despite the amount of older architecture in Eastern Europe, there are plenty of more modern buildings, such as office buildings and skyscrapers. Depending on the area of the city involved, they can range from non-existent to ubiquitous.
Environment
Eastern Europe is largely flat, with few mountain ranges. In fact, nations far from the coasts are almost entirely plains. Rolling hills do exist in this region, so they can be legitimately added. The region is generally lush, so forests and plains are more fitting than deserts and mud flats.
Towns tend to feel crowded, simply because streets are relatively thin and buildings relatively tall.
NPCs
Since this is a real-world location, no official NPC references can be provided. Consider City 17's NPC options when designing a level of this region.
