hkabat-forum-threads PaulvMontfort's Showcase

[Sim shady 12]

lol i gotta say this, the building looks out of place in the game because it is soo realistic cant wait to see final results!

[SimFox 804]

I only partially agree with people whoi say that something doesn't look right in game. For me important aspect is what does this different look actually bring. If object in question looks out of place because it is clearly worse then games level then this is a valid argument, but if it opens new possibilities then I would say let it come! Game didn't really glassy looking buildings and also building of complex geometry (with exceptions of couple of landmarks, due to some limitations of software capabilities of years back. that doesn't mean that this new type of buildings should come! I believe we can add to the game. Of course doing this some sort of understanding should be present to meld these new structures in the fabric of the game. But I believe it could and should be done.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Not to forget, seeing a modern glass skyscraper next to some NY-style apartment buildings probably doesn't put you in the ideal position to judge if this building sticks out like a sore thumb or not. You'd have to put it next to some Maxis skyscrapers of the two modern tilesets Houston and Euro...

[toxicpiano 125]

Wow it looks stunning! far better than the maxis buildings!

[bixel 1,228]

@ T Wrecks & Simfox T Wreck's observation rings true, maybe plop in some other PVMs works next to it? I think it looks brilliant...maybe a little more bluish is needed? What is the possibility of PVM aquiring Vray or is this render a scanline? I think the Centre needs upgrading...it deserves a much better window texture. With what both of you have learned the model can be the same but I would really like a Centre V2.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Good idea, bixel. You know, I just thought of another building that would benefit enormously: Far East Finance Centre. I mean, buildings like the HSBC convince by shape, but an 80's box like FEFC whose only striking feature is the reflective golden facade would be so much more convincing with a similar texture.

[SimFox 804]

ok here is a bit more blue, as opposed to previous green version.

The size is exact Zoom5 level! So what you see here will be exactly same in game!

pay no attention to the deep blue background  it is ABSOLUTELY immaterial to the way glass appears. in rendering model and it's materials do NOT see that background

I think next I'll try to do something with water material...it looks more like Mercury now then water...

btw Bixel, it's neither (Scanline or V-ray) it is Mental Ray. With Scanline there is NO way to get such image, with V-ray on other hand it is possible. There are some things at which it's better then Mental ray and some where Mental Ray has an edge. Decision should be made on per project basis. For instance here with V-ray to set proper mats for glass i would had to effectively rebuild model from almost ground up... with Mental ray alterations were relatively minor (to geometry). Both use a lot of proprietary materials and lights which are invisible to other rendering engines so you can forget about switching them on the go. So good planning is a must, unless you would want to start all over.

Speed wise there is approximate parity between two. Scanline with GI is hopelessly behind – no surprise there nothing had been done to this renderer for few years now. In Max it is included just as something to do previews. No surprise Autodesk supplies Mental Ray as built in alternative.

Seriously I very much recommend anyone using MAX to take a good look at Mental ray - good and free alternative to V-ray.

[SURUMI 2]

*wow* that's looking perfect. The water too, because it's blue enough. Mercury-effect may appear, when you want to reflect the sunshine in it.

[paulvmontfort 617]

I can't wait to see the final result!!

[jacqulina 162]

wow thats awesome very nice progress

[SimFox 804]

Probably when most people look at these pictures of Lippo they see flashy strong reflections on its glass curtain wall, but this is only one part of the story. To make something realistic and believable you have to go to another level and create ambiance which eye often don’t consciously pick on, but which is responsible for overall impression even more then flashy effects.

Realistic shadows – sharp at the start and getting softer the farther it moves away from the source. Here you see two sides of the shadow (or light spot) being unequally sharp - one is sourced nearby and other (closer to viewer) farther away. Mild, but still defined reflection picking light spots in the surrounding environment. See those lines on Columns?? Not only shiny surfaces reflect. ALL SURFACES reflect. See that wonderful shift from bluish to warm tint on the inner wall of that enclose. Reflection and color bleed on the Lippo text and Logo - no color is a pure color in real world and neither should it be in renderings. Also reflections are following rule of preservations of energy – light hitting the reflective surface is split in three portions – one is absorbed but the material, another is refracted – goes through it and third is reflected. Materials like glass do not have color as such, as we see for instance when we look at something printed on paper. Red rectangle is red because it absorbs all other colors and reflect just red. Glass on the other hand – even red one, reflects ALL colors. Color of the glass is revealed not by light reflected from it but by color of the light refracted (passing through) it. All floor is in same shaded area, but see how varies its brightness depending on the degree of openness to the sky. Same as on pic 3 reflection in non polished surfaces (floor in this case) it isn’t limited to strong light, but even here in the shadow you can see how whitish column affect the floor – it is very faint but it is there. AO aka Ambient Occlusion. See how corners between surfaces are darken – to simulate limited exposure to ambient illumination (like sky and light reflected of other surfaces) at such a locations take a look at the base of columns and also on the walls of staircase Steps of the stairs made obvious by AO.

There are different ways to achieve this level of details – one is to draw custom textures mimicking all this, another to create materials and lightning that will do same thing to you automatically during rendering, I guess in the end it doesn’t really matter how has it been achieved as long as they are there. These small details present in most (although not all ) Maxis building and normally – with few exceptions are missing from custom BATS. People tend to concentrate on all the wrong things. It seems that several teams were working on Maxis default sets – there are significant differences in quality of both models and texture. There are some funny or even ridiculous mistakes with night lighting – which also woefully inconsistent. All this makes “matching” games buildings not quite as straight forward as one may think… If this glass is deemed to be acceptable I'll start tackling night lighting... As I haven't used night libraries yet I expect it to take some times. But hopefully it will be raedy by the end of weekend...

[bixel 1,228]

THAT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RENDER IN THA WHOLE hubblablubbabdoobyscooby LOLerz ZOMG!!! abbahbehabbaabbeh....

[aestiva 0]

Mannn, is that beautiful!  Can't wait to see the final product.  BATs are truly an art form.

[ilikehotdogsalot 311]

WOWZA. Those reflections are stellar. Can't wait for these! I agree, this is gonna be one of the best bats everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Sim shady 12]

my heart stopped

[crazychickensc12 84]

Wow these are some awesome BAT's!!! great work and Happy Birthday

[ACEfanatic 7]

The details on Lippo Center are amazing. IMO, though, the roofs look a bit too clean...

Oh, and Happy Birthday, paul!

-ACE

[jstriker 0]

wow, this is the best i've seen here

[SimFox 804]

Happy Birthday!!!!! Many happy returns!

[Skyfire2275 23]

That's one crazy render... Looks like a photo!

Happy Birthday paulvmontfort!

[paulvmontfort 617]

thanks

[jesselong 0]

I bet no one oppose the colour scheme: a bit green but also a bit blue but also a bit grey and with excellent reflections... as everone appreciates this.

[dmscopio 225]

I like the new rendered version better. This one will definitly be a HUGE hit! You guys have really pushed 3ds max batting to another level! If you guys can release it before christmas, it will be a great holiday gift for all simtropolians here. Thanks guys!!

[cammo2003 20]

I don't know what it is, but the reflections look a bit "busy". You've definitely nailed the glass colour, though.

[villagemayor 0]

Wow I can't believe the realism of the glass and the reflections. Please correct me if I am wrong (I just came back from HK myself and I have bad jet lag), but don't we already have the Lippo centre already? In any case, this version is even better!!

[T Wrecks 10,210]

@ villagemayor: It has been released already, and by none other than paulvmontfort himself. However, he has learnt a lot since that time, and I guess looking back he thought he'd be able to do a much better job using the skills, methods, and tools he has acquired in the meantime. Since Lippo Centre is such an iconic and architecturally interesting and challenging structure, I guess it kind of suggested itself.

@ SimFox: This rocks, man. Seriously, it does. The only aspect that doesn't quite convince me yet is the look of those HVAC units... they look too much like plastic to me, like Lego bricks or something. Not like heavy-duty, probably weather-worn metal housings. And maybe the roof sections could use a tad more wear & tear in general? Just minor suggestions, but I thought I'd mention them nonetheless before it's too late.

[SimFox 804]

Villagemayor: have you aver heard of upgrade?? ;-)

T Wrecks: Yeah, man! I'm totally with you on that one...

Till the moment I was mostly concern with glass. I have finally decided to go for the physically right glass - it is transparent and has NO color in defuse channel and no texture of any kind - apart from bump map channel, of course. I've also fixed some other materials in original model (from their physical properties) I've got rid of all MAX colors first... I haven't yep done anything to the textures part the roof elements materials. To be honest I'm not quite sure yet what and how... but I think I'll get to it and hopefully will be able to come up with something. Looking on Hi Res roofs of Manhattan one thing that stroke me the most was that there isn't much of this fabled Weathering going on.. at least no in the way it had become tradition to realize it ion ST. Seems to be most prominent weather is sort of sun bleaching...

Paul:

I believe there was some quite hi res picture of LIPPO's roof floating around... do you have if somewhere by the chance??

[paulvmontfort 617]

these are the only ones i have:

[paulvmontfort 617]

little update on Pacific Place:

[mightygoose 92]

MOTHER FODDER.... that is some lot (