hkabat-forum-threads PaulvMontfort's Showcase

[paulvmontfort 617]

after a whole evening of twitching and tweaking i got to this. Looks much better IMHO:

any suggestions are welcome

[SimFox 804]

Yes it does!!!!!

Very good!

Glass could be darker... as this one is more like something in the top level optics... ;-) remember that glass color shold be adjusted via REFRACTION color and not via defuse one. Leave the later at black. Also if you haven't done it yet then I would suggest to change glass type to Thin Geometry type. You wouldn't get proper refraction, but this is absolutelly negligeble at this scale.

Try to increase number of bounces to get proper light reflection into under windows spaces.

what are your AA settings? Make bigger render and post it on imageshak. This one is a bit too small to see finer points

[paulvmontfort 617]

simfox, could you post me the settings and lighting you used on your own render. My render is way to bright...

[SimFox 804]

I would say that brightness of the last one you've posted here is good!

People who were working for a long time with MAX own lights and Scanline often complain about overbrigt spots but this is natural look and effect of very strong light like sun.

Another natural effect is that bright light bleaches colors. Not like default rig which simply turn them into white (or beige) after some point buy simply affecting brightness - physically wrong way, but gradually reduces colors saturation as brightness increases - more accurate interpretation of limited dynamic range of human eye and even more limited of human imaging devices to day.

In my setup I use MR Sun And MR Sky combo set into MAX Daylight system - wonderful thing as you can give your scene correct illumination based on their geographical location and time of the day!

There is one dragg though. For proper use you have to change few settings in Environment and Effects window. Problem is if you have installed BAT4Max according to the instructions you wouldn't be.

For reason unknown BAT4MAX hijacks PLUGCFG folder, or to be precise line in the INI file pointing to it. I'm sure it isn't overly difficult go and correct situation in all the scripts by rerouting it to any location one desires. But alternative solution although not as elegant is much simple and and works as far as I know - just copy all the contents of PLUGCFG into BAT folder. Done that you'll have access to all the controls in Environment and Effects window.

You'll need to open Exposure Control Roll-out and set there Logarithmic Exposure Control. When done you'll be presented with additional control options. Tick there "Exterrior daylight" option and you're set. You can fool around with other options ther as well to fine tune the effect - including the Color Correction option. As we know it colors in SimCity are heavily tinted and nothing like in real life even in the afternoon. Shadows (those on buildings, not on the ground) are purple not blue. To approximate this effect you would need to subtract some Turquoise from the scene. Here is a value I've been using on LIPPO HSV 128,40-50,255. Try this and tell me your opinion... I'm not entirely sure on the resulting hue, but I think it does blend better with the game with this adjustment.

You know already how to get Night Preview, right??

[paulvmontfort 617]

here's a bigger render. I think the windows are too dark this time:

[SURUMI 2]

I agree, the glass is to dark. Looks like holes.

[Shinnie02 17]

For a split second i thought that was real but I have to agree it is a bit too dark

[SimFox 804]

yep, there is something fishy about it...

Glass looks like pit… there may be some geometry issues as well. Is this a  thin geometry material?

There is something funny about reflections, or be precise remarkable absence of those. This can also be due to the fact that there is nothing to reflect… “background”, is it mr Physical sky map?

Another issue is lighting. I think contrast between shadow and sunlight surfaces is too small. Judging by the length shadows your sun is apparently very high on the sky. I would say something around midday in tropics.

Partially those problems may come from less then perfect camera placement. You have to think like a photographer to find right angle and work with the light to show the shape of your object through shadows, highlights and reflections. Midday is, for instance, worst time to photograph anything – light is flat and too strong. Anything in the direct light will be totally bleached out and shadows will be like wells.

If you want send this scene to be I’ll try to see what I can do with it…

[paulvmontfort 617]

I had a little chat with Simfix yesterday. This is the result:

[SURUMI 2]

Yes

becomes very realistic.

[Shinnie02 17]

wooo nice! that looks promising

[SimFox 804]

:-))

HK meets Gothic

Try instancing few of them and arrange in some sort of complex and then render to see the popper effect of reflection shows and light bounces!

Remember of viewing angle as reflectivity heavily depends on it. So place your camera carefully, also take into account angle between sun and camera. Some great shots could be achieved against sun, but you would have to try various variations!!

Great to see you taking it up a notch!

Now all we have to do is to hook Bixel to this train!

[SimFox 804]

Ok, guys, here is what I would consider final stage of Lippo.

I’ve decided to make night look more then just windows and some lights. I tried to recreate the look tower like Lippo would have at nigh with reflection from the light-up street and cars etc..

So tell me what you think? I’ve also decided not to put any lights on roof as I think it would be over the top. I think this is kind of logical end of development. I have problems with it – namely the fact that games and BAT “night” is just shaded day. All the strong shadow are still there. I sort of want to create proper night look – not just darken day. I have some ideas how to make it but I don’t think Lippo is a good test bed for this. It is to slow to do dozens if not hundreds of test renders on this baby – one view takes more then 30min.

Tell me if these night reflections are too much. Otherwise, I think I’ll try to do export over this weekend.

I though to do the UWV unwrap for all non glass parts to do texturing but for same reasons it isn’t best candidate for the test run. I think we’ll start quite a stir on STEX as is anyway…

PS

This night street will be only in front of the building resulting in reflections on front glass curtain wall and some on the side with nothing on the back – this isn’t quite like in real life as I thing the building is surrounded by roads on all sides, but in game it more likely to stand with only front of it facing the road. And would it have these reflections all over it would be too much like a Xmas tree.

BTW does anyone think that it is too much as is?? Should I remove them?

[toxicpiano 125]

It looks beautiful as it is.

[Odainsaker 2,137]

Omigosh, the STEX is going to crash from all the overloading downloads!

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Must... reach... pills... quick- *aarghs*

Aaah, that's better.

This should hit the STEX like a hurricane, oh my gosh! Just for curiosity, would it be possible to add a slight blur effect to the illuminated logos? I think they look a tad too sharp maybe. Anyway, this is an unimportant point I just wanted to mention as food for thought in view of future BATs. Lippo's history as a BAT has been long enough as it is, and I'm looking forward to adding the final chapter to it before it hits the STEX.

[paulvmontfort 617]

Simfox, it looks amazing. I have one request though before you export it. Could you send it over to me at hongkong.asia.bt@gmail.com? I want to take a look at the waterfall for a moment. It doesn't look quite right...

[jacqulina 162]

wow thats so awesome and the details are amazing

[Scaley McSlither 1,714]

Dear Lord! How do you do it?

[Shinnie02 17]

omg. You turn something perfect into something more perfect.

[bixel 1,228]

UM....

hahahahahahhahahahahha wooOOoooOooOooOo

(going crazy)

[SimFox 804]

T Wrecks: yeah I see your point... Well I couldn't ally that effect during the render (it's called glow and it is Max own post effect) Mental Ray isn't compatible with it... I can somewhat tune down brightness of Logos, or then it might be possible to go and do blurring manually in Photoshop on selected slabs... Actually my dream is to slit the BAT (the scripts) in 2 - separate parts - first would be just a batch render, second - all the cutting and naming. This way ready renders could be processed in Photoshop before they are cut - this would open new and very interesting possibilities! It is doable, but I never have enough time to go so deep into MaxScript...

Do you have any Photoshop skills?? I mean can you give me sketch of your vision, so I could see what I can emulate...

Paul! Gosh, I've completely forgot about both water and waterfall... that's what happens when you stare at something for period long enough. You stop noticing things. Yes I'll have to take a look tomorrow at the water material. But the waterfall, I believe, didn't survive scaling up. As you know object when scaled do NOT change their original size. what happens is like addition of modifier. So any manipulations are still done at the original size. and I think it wrecks havoc with particle system... the perfect solution would be if you could try to recreate same particle system but at proper size. Save it at the separate file, and then we could try to merge it into Lippo's file... Have you save the system unit settings to meters after our chat??

Thank you, everyone. If any suggestions come to mind or someone will notice some mistakes or missing parts, etc, like Paul did with waterfall pleas let me know!

I'm off to bed now, get back to it tomorrow. Paul if by any chance you'll be able to set Particle System let me know.

PS. At the moment I can't send file it's been processed...

[mcarch 15]

WOW! That thing looks too real! I feel as I have been transported!!! Great Job!

[Skyfire2275 23]

I personally think there is WAY too much reflexion going on in the windows. Sure, maybe a ral building would look like this, but this is and SC4 building and due to the way the nightlights work it doesn't blend together very well. What I mean is this: There is no reflexion wherever the nitelite textures are... nothing can be done about this due to the SC4 limitations. So, if it was just less reflexion, it would look better. But that's just my opinion, and nobody else seems to share it.

Nice BAT though.

[paulvmontfort 617]

giving the nightwindows a bit of reflectivity can be done in this case. But i have no idea how it'l look and if it's realistic. This building might not blend in with the game but i don't really care actually .

BTW Simfox, I sent you a new waterfall.

[SimFox 804]

Skyfire: I see your point. And yes as Paul have said potentially it is possible. I shall attempt to do it. I though to sneak one by you ... he he.. Actually I glad to see that people taking critical look! So Thank you Skyfire!

My other reservation is that it would stand too much out in the game... But, on the other hand, once process will be refined it should be possible to release whole bunch of buildings in this style making possible to make realistic CBD. We could re-release all Paul's buildings and I have few in various stages of readiness - mostly cause I wasn't sure how to take it all the way to the end - but now the end is near (in a good sense)...

Paul I'll check...

This is first time I managed to get to this thread today - the whole day I either couldn't get to Simtropolis at all, or not to the forums..

PS I think next one to be face-lifted should be The Centre

[Andreas Roth 629]

I agree with Skyfire - your rendition is gorgeous indeed, no doubt about that! But I think it might stand out a bit too much in the game indeed. In the end, only a screenshot of the rendered building, placed in an existing SC4 skyline will tell. In the meantime: Hats off, the preview looks more than mouthwatering.

[IDS2 3,429]

Holy!!! That's amazing!!! the textures are realistic!!!

[Sim shady 12]

lol i couldnt care less if this doesnt blend in with the game. if it doesnt, that means the rest of the game isnt good enough for it!

totally not trying to be offensive and meant in only the best way

[SimFox 804]

As per Skyfire’s complaint about night reflections nor present on ”Night Windows” here is a fix:

OLD night windows material

NEW night windows material:

I really want to thank him for not bringing this to my attention, or to be more precise for shaming me for cutting corners. I shouldn’t have...

And here is water and waterfall…

Waterfall doesn’t look too good with this water. I think I‘ll try some other methods