Town Generation Demographics

[Huckster42]

Table 5-2: Random Town Generation in the DMG (p.137) appears to produce some strange results for general population distribution. I would have expected the majority of people in a fantasy setting to live in villages, hamlets, thorps etc. but using the numbers provided in the DMG, the majority of people would live in cities, and only a tiny number would live in small communities. The percentages I get (based on average populations provided) for the various town sizes are as follows:

Town Size/Percent of population
Thorp/0.2%
Hamlet/1.5%
Village/4.0%
Small Town/9.0%
Large Town/16.3%
Small City/26.5%
Large City/23.0%
Metropolis/19.5%

To calculate this I use the d% roll in table 5-2 and the average population for each town size. For instance, 10% of towns are Thorps, but Thorps only have an average population of 60, while 4% are Large Cities, but Large Cities have an average population of 18,500. If you compare the average populations of each town type the number skew hugely towards large cities. Am I missing something?

I realize the tables in the DMG are only supposed to be rough guides, but it would appear that they produce unworkable results. The information I have read on Medieval Europe is that 90% of the population lived in small rural communities. A fantasy setting could possibly have a greater urban population due to improved agricultural yields but I don't think it would approach the numbers in the DMG!

Any thoughts?

Cheers

Huckster

 

[frankthedm]

RL Europe had slighly fewer hungry monsters. Think of those numbers as after the BHMs have had thier "All the commoners you can eat" buffet. Few folks want to work the fields, but the lower castes are forced into the work.

Maybe the numbers are Borked, but any given walled human city should be packed to the brim, choking on the smell of it's own filth.

Plus keyword "random" means it is for the DM when they cant decide what size to make a given town.

 

[Aelf]

facts for Role Playing

David Dunham has posted a collection (last updated in 2002) of useful, cited facts regarding pre-modern agriculture, settlement and warfare:

http://www.pensee.com/dunham/facts/

This information captures the feel I want in my games and has proven useful.

Thanks, David!

 

[moritheil]

RL Europe had slighly fewer hungry monsters. Think of those numbers as after the BHMs have had thier "All the commoners you can eat" buffet. Few folks want to work the fields, but the lower castes are forced into the work.

Maybe the numbers are Borked, but any given walled human city should be packed to the brim, choking on the smell of it's own filth.

Plus keyword "random" means it is for the DM when they cant decide what size to make a given town.

If evil dragons or other overlord-style characters figure in your campaign, they would be a strong inducement to people to not live in cities, as presumably the cities are easiest to extract tribute from and also the first objects of their wrath.