hkabat-forum-threads SimFox Construction & Research

[bixel 1,223]

Very very nice. I was having problems with HarbourGreen's roof ...but now you gave me some ideas.

[Shinnie02 17]

roof junk?? you crazy? junk? wow..you must have bad taste to call that junk

[SimFox 802]

btw, here is OneSilverSea doodle...

well, one tower of it ...

[ilikehotdogsalot 308]

that is NICE! great job!

[Sim shady 12]

wow crazy good. you really need to go apply for a job at maxis, you really know your stuff.

[SimFox 802]

And now for an inevitable…

Show-off part:

perspective view of the same tower

[SURUMI 2]

Great stuff, SimFox. Very detailed.

Is this tower 1 ?

[SimFox 802]

no... that's actually the problem I have... I don't have plans for tower1 and no pictures of it either... I have just a tinny representation of it on the overall layout of the complex. Basically I should be able to reconstruct it from this and elements of other towers, but it would be great to have either plans or pictures. so if for instance you'll find yourself nearby the damn building plz make an snap of it, even if on the cell phone

[RHMgerards 7]

wow!! at first sight i thought the tower of the last pic was a real building!! and that says enough!!

[Skyfire2275 23]

You keep on teasing us with fantastic buildings but have yet to release any. I demand releases!

P.S. Take that as (a) a compliment on your skill/talent and (b) a not so subtle hint to finish one of your outstanding masterpieces.

[Gecko_2006 1]

Mmm... That's sleek. I love the glassyness and the reflection of the tower. It makes it look very modern and attractive.

[SURUMI 2]

Originally posted by: SimFox no... that's actually the problem I have... I don't have plans for tower1 and no pictures of it either... I have just a tinny representation of it on the overall layout of the complex. Basically I should be able to reconstruct it from this and elements of other towers, but it would be great to have either plans or pictures. so if for instance you'll find yourself nearby the damn building plz make an snap of it, even if on the cell phonequote>

 

Yes, you have.

Please check out my last post in the General Discussion Thread. There's a link in my post.

I don't live in HK. Where are our friends from there ?

[SimFox 802]

Thank you guys.

I think I need to say should say couple of words about the state of the affairs.

Things get bogged out a bit… adding more and more features to the models caused the rendering time to swell so much that doing export had become problematic as I need my desktop being in working condition at least for 12 hours everyday and the render with current settings and CURRENT SCRIPTS would take for Lippo more then 30 hours and for Metro Harbor View – whooping 72-80!!! But cutting down is all so hard, like chopping off you finger or something…

I was looking for solution for some time now and it seems that the best option would be rearranging the script and exporting process.

This process is already on the way, but since it is my first experiment with MaxScript it wouldn’t happen tomorrow. But some things already done – for instance export will work now properly with any kind of lings as opposed to only Max Default lights of the original. I admit the difference in code is very small but to it is a step as I had to understand what is causing what and where exactly changes to be made.

Altering scripts I have to again pay the respect to guys who had originally written them. Hopefully someone still around and may join the project - that would be great benefit in terms of speed and insight!

 

One way around this pause would be to release say all of the Metro Harbor Views towers separately for time being. I believe they could be used on their own, but I would still need to figure out how to attach them to the ground so to say – bases, entrance ground garages etc.

 

BTW how about the number of light up windows?? Is it too much? Should there be less of them?

[SURUMI 2]

uhhh yes !!!!! Looks phantastic.

The number of lightened windows seems very realistic.

[ilikehotdogsalot 308]

once again, that is NICE!

[HONG KONG 74]

Originally posted by: SURUMI uhhh yes !!!!! Looks phantastic.

The number of lightened windows seems very realistic.quote>

 

Exactly my thought

[Skyfire2275 23]

Looks amazing!

Don't worry about render times... just find a few days where you know you won't need to or get the chance to use your computer. If your computer is in your bedroom and you can't sleep with in running, move it into another room. That's what I did when I rendered the CKC. That took more than 3 full days... Probably about 80 hours. I put the computer in the spare room and let it run over a weekend when I had tons of homework to do (I used my other computer for homework... when I needed a computer). You can do! I know you can!

So just take the hit and go for the long render time! The result is worth it!

[lrfox 2]

wow. this is incredible work. IMO, the number of lit-up windows is very realistic, and you did a nice job with the spacing. it's such a large project and the lights don't seem like little white squares polluting the facades. very well done.

[SimFox 802]

Well, Sky situation is a bit more complicated in my case.

Although my bedroom is computer free and I have 3 computers at home only one of them is desktop. My Laptops are true laptops – meaning they main point is being light and thin to the degree of being border anorexic and good looks, plus one of them is an Apple with Tiger so although powerful not for MAX.

So I only can work and render on the main desktop and it is very powerful machine, but it has apart from being mi main working computer it also has task of running many other things in my house. So I can not really get if virtually frozen with rendering for 3 days in a row. Overnight, or for say 18 hours may be but not for much longer. One potential solution may be to limit rendering to only one core of CPU, but that would mean doubling of the render time and still it would consume all memory available living other applications on a starving diet…

Also there are other reasons I want to alter scripts. As I’ve said I have utmost respect to the original creators of it, but I also see some miscalculations they have made and some misunderstanding of the way game works those resulted in the at least one unnecessary render pass. Of course normal export without GI flies on good machine and max so fast time never really was an issue. But when all the bells and whistles are added situation changes radically. Plus this misunderstanding/miscalculation also leads to the inferior quality of night views. It also would go mostly unnoticeable without use of GI, but I determined to fully and truly bring it to the SC. The issue is how masks for areas light by night lights are produced. The method used now (quite closely emulating the Maxis original one) leads to the severe banding on large surfaces, especially when fine gradations of brightness are in question. That on top of need of entire render pass, plus another perspective render in between each view of Zoom5. The truth is (as I see it) it is all absolutely redundant instead of making blend mask entire building should be masked and night view which is anyway stored in FSH should be used – this should completely eliminate night light mask render pass at all zoom levels, and also those perspective renders as well. Plus since not crude masks would need to be constructed the night view would be what you see in the previews - 1-to-1. And to boon this wouldn’t be either bigger load on the game or on download sizes.

[Sim shady 12]

well after reading all this, i can only say that it confirms your genius. btw, the building- amazing.

[Glenni 1,444]

Wow...Just wow. Simfox, you truly amaze me by your models,  this IS seriously one of the best looking models for sim city i have seen!!!!

[fabfab 4]

I absolutely must second that.

See, I dropped into the SC4-Community just a few weeks ago. I bought the game this year (yea - believe me, or not - 2007!) and since I am a big fan of the modification of it.

After having started to BAT i rarely play the game anymore.

It's unbelievable how much creative and analytical power this game sets free at so many people.

And your work (on BATting and scripting and analyzing the structures behind it) is simply (along with some other fellas) the best ***** i've seen on game modding out there...

Err, what I wanted to say is just 'Thank You' for so much input and inspiration

// edit:

oh yea, and keep on posting your postcards - i love them!

try some clay-renders, those would definately look gorgeous on your projects!

[SimFox 802]

Thank you, FabFab.

I so understand and agree with you about SimCity and BATing…

Basically any model starts as clay, so to say… I’m not great fan of using default pixel color  and generally assign neutral grey material to things I model form get go and also use GI (where ambient occlusion is a key part) …

Actually those “postcards” of Metro Harbor View are essentially Clay renders (well with sun light to boon, but still the basic principal is same –sort of study of light and occlusion.

Do you have any previous experience with 3D stuff?? How bout scripting?

[tommiej 0]

it's so realistic, i can't find the right words to describe it...

just 3, keep it up!!!

[patriots_1228 51]

amazing stuff! definetly will download those towers when they come out.

[villagemayor 0]

Holy I haven't been here for a little while, and what do I find? More amazing work. I too can't wait to download this.

[GMT 389]

this building is soooo awesome.

[jackel.22 3]

wow i clicked page 8 and i thought that that picture was a real one of the building, truely amazing work there. and where did you find all those beautiful textures? did you just search teh internet or is there a certain site?

[SC4Noobie 5]

Hey Simfox, havent been here in a while, I think I've left SC... Amazing stuff here. The huge complexes are amazing. Unfourtunatly this is probably one of my last posts here at ST, I've really lost intrest in SC city building, but this is great. Nice stuff.

[villagemayor 0]

Wow, the room here has been quiet as of late. I'm not helping as I have not posted anything other than to say "good job". How is everyone?