Grid for building placement

Could we have a grid to know what exactly the area that the buildings require please?

I can't figure out the area shape of some buildings, for example: the Dark Castle

http://i.imgur.com/q37Z0yE.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/RQg7PIT.jpg

In this guide http://osettlers.com/en/buildings/dark-castle, it says the area is 4x4, but based on what I see, it's not 4x4, and I don't know how to describe this shape.

The problem is that you can't see the exact shape, like the DC. If you have a 3x3 area available, when you're placing the DC, you see only the whole 3x3 area; while it actually takes less.

http://i.imgur.com/tzy66yZ.png
http://i.imgur.com/VNbXHr4.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kotugo

http://i.imgur.com/VNbXHr4.jpg

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How can you tell the exact shape from this image? 4x4 minus some tiles? 3x3? or something?

the top image shows the exact shape with the individual tiles with each box made from roads. 4x4 with gaps on the top and right.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kotugo

the top image shows the exact shape with the individual tiles with each box made from roads. 4x4 with gaps on the top and right.

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Wrong, it's 3x3 minus 3 tiles, look at my images. And I am not even sure if it may take less space than that. Now, do you know what is wrong here?

Another image from my guild mate.
http://s14.directupload.net/images/140224/mtdlkqww.jpg

You have a 4x4 minus 2 tiles area available, you can put your Dark Castle there, and you think Dark Castle is 4x4 minus 2 tiles. But, it actually takes less place. How to figure it out?

That is why I want a grid to show the exact shape, space, tile by tile.

the grid is pretty easy to make using roads. Place the building, build roads around it checking for parts where you can build roads inside the building, then move it somewhere else and fill in the road ring with crossroads.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kotugo

the grid is pretty easy to make using roads. Place the building, build roads around it checking for parts where you can build roads inside the building, then move it somewhere else and fill in the road ring with crossroads.

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I need a grid for the buildings, not the grid on the island. So that I know exactly what shape of the area that the building requires, and I won't mistake a Dark Castle requires 4x4 minus 2 tiles in my whole life.

Something like this:
http://florianjensen.com/wp-content/...008/04/ra4.jpg

Or this:
http://www.freakygaming.com/gallery/...lding_grid.jpg

Just some simple grids to save us a lot of trouble.
http://i.imgur.com/nnyisOJ.jpg

In the first place, if every building has a simple shape, like 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 2x3, 3x4, or 4x5, we may not really need grids.

It's only Dark Castles and Golden Towers that have odd placements I think. (and settlers headquarters, but you can't get them anymore)

Unfortunately the building placement you see in game is not as it seems, the solid green squares are actually where 4 squares intersect:
http://i.imgur.com/Wn5f81e.jpg (I have also highlighted where the grid lines up with the wells.)

The size is also a reason a lot of higher level players don't use dark castles, you can either use a dark castle for 100 population with it using a ~4x4 grid, or you can place 4 nobles and upgrade them to lvl3 to get 200 population from almost the same land usage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kotugo

It's only Dark Castles and Golden Towers that have odd placements I think. (and settlers headquarters, but you can't get them anymore)

Unfortunately the building placement you see in game is not as it seems, the solid green squares are actually where 4 squares intersect:
http://i.imgur.com/Wn5f81e.jpg (I have also highlighted where the grid lines up with the wells.)

The size is also a reason a lot of higher level players don't use dark castles, you can either use a dark castle for 100 population with it using a ~4x4 grid, or you can place 4 nobles and upgrade them to lvl3 to get 200 population from almost the same land usage.

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If it's not so explicit, then give us a grid, so that we don't have to ask and doubt so much.

If you, by a chance, have a perfect area that fits the building, that's good for you. If not like these:
http://i.imgur.com/VNbXHr4.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/5VlSx3F.jpg
how the hell you can tell the exact shape? How can you tell which tiles you waste, which is still available and can fill another decoration?