simmars-forum-threads BAT Workshop

[bdswim 14]

Do you have an antivirus program installed on your computer? If you don't, you can get a free one at free.avg.com.

It won't give you your stuff back, but it should help prevent it from happening to you again.

[Evillions 552]

Here's one of my BATs that will blow you away. Just from looking at the conpect buildings. I came up with this,

High Tech Slumber Facities

Both pictures are in day and night. And I also figured out how to change the night lighting colors.

Any suggestions will be helpful.

[Shoji_sim 9]

evillions: Try filling that little hole in the center of the building so it looks like a yard. Just a suggestion

bdswim: I've got bitdefender. It updates every so often to defending viruses. I guess something was stopping it from updating.

Here's probably the best and most powerful plant yet. Yes, that's right: The Dark Energy Plant.

Okay, it  might look a little childish, but is definately the most powerful plant, more powerful than the MHD plant. Just be careful at the end of its life, okay?

andisart: I think I've found the problem of no nightlights. People who don't have the BAT nightlight update (like me) will not see any night lights on custom content. I'm having trouble with the update installation, though. Yes, I've got the SC4 Rush Hour update. It says something like "Old file not found. However, a file with the same name was found. Update was stopped because the file contents do not match."

[Evillions 552]

That's a bit too big. Try adding windows, scaling it / resizing it, more walls, more complex, and UVW map those textures. Maybe you can send tim or I a gmax file of it?

[Shoji_sim 9]

http://www.box.net/shared/gtl0t3tvpa

^ Gmax model ^

It looks pretty darn cool at night.

[Evillions 552]

A bit off here. But when I try to grow one of my buildings that I render. It NEVER shows up for some reason even though it has great demand and it zoning is correct and everything. I don't understand why isn't it growing and same with the toll booths.

[Shoji_sim 9]

Yeah, I got that same thing too with my Alpha Condos, but I guess that's what andisart's saying about not having the SimMars folder in you My Documents/Plugins.

[Evillions 552]

I'll try that. Then I'll see.

[Ledah2445 6]

Evillions: Wow ! your High Tech Slumber Facities much Hi-tech and there is a square hole at the center

Shojioes this building have a night light ?

[timcravey 168]

Andi, I've only used one non SM texture - RedPavement - has already been uploaded with my Jul30 offering and a second copy is in the Rene uploads. I agree about scaling some of Rene's models and will reshoot when I finish the present set. Don't remember the Younger Sister BAT - design was based on the I Ching hexagram, Tui, so should be very happy place, perhaps a fabric store. I like the HD Orricker's plant but maybe it could be an industrial lot (or two or three) instead of a utility.

E - I hate that greenish day texture. In fact I don't like any of those textures - try simpler, less busy.

Shoji - virus story seems improbable (LAME!). Cool Dark Energy Plant, though. Maybe we can animate some of the workings? Have you tried BAB yet?  Nightlite problem may be associated with No-CD crack - CD must be in pc in order for the update to take effectively and display night lights. 

[Shoji_sim 9]

tim: Yeah, I know that virus story may seem impossible, but it's no use questioning things that have happened.

I've tried putting the CD in my Cd drive, but it doesn't seem to work.

I'm not sure what the workings of a DarkEnergy plant may be like, but I guess we can. SC4 BAB is pretty useful, too, I've tried it about a half-month ago, but I've never really exported any animations.

ledah: Yeah, it has "nitelites".

[Ledah2445 6]

Shoji: Wow i love night light i a curtain BAT. Can you give me some textures that are used in you Dark Energy Power Plant

Does you use Sku1 or Sku2 update

 

[Shoji_sim 9]

I don't know what update you need for the Phillipines...try sku3.

As for the textures, they can be found in the SimMars textures thread (here).

[AndisArt 2,067]

Originally posted by: timcravey

Andi, I've only used one non SM texture - RedPavement - has already been uploaded with my Jul30 offering and a second copy is in the Rene uploads.

quote>

It's not that one, the one I identified in a few lots had the instance ID 0x1DA44655. Can you look for that texture? (should be easy to find in lot editor)

Originally posted by: timcravey

I agree about scaling some of Rene's models and will reshoot when I finish the present set.

quote>

Cool thanks. Another one I think needs downsizing is "Deimos"

Originally posted by: timcravey

Don't remember the Younger Sister BAT - design was based on the I Ching hexagram, Tui, so should be very happy place, perhaps a fabric store.

quote>

Actually I found a close up screenshot a few pages back I think from your GMAX model and the sign on the door says Traditional Chinese Medicine, so that's what I put it now

Originally posted by: timcravey

I like the HD Orricker's plant but maybe it could be an industrial lot (or two or three) instead of a utility.

quote>

Thanks for the feedback, what kind of industry lot could it be?

Also TIm, the BAT Alpha Condos, not sure if you just did the lot or also shot the BAT, but it should get a more weathered texture and some roof junk/roof dirty texture. Let me know.

Re: your Llama Of Mars plaza:  Can you send me the gmax file, then I can add nitelites like for Tributi Plaza?

Also I went through a pack you sent several month ago ("New Rewards"), great BATs I have to say! I'm just not happy with the insuffiicient nitelites and nitewindows missing on all of them, doesnt do them justice! Can you send me the GMAX files? 

The files are: 

- Circumloctron

- Courthouse

- Hellas City Hall

- Cravey Building

- Tris Piskes

- also:  Podunk (R$$$)

here's also a pic of all the those BATs:

The mall you did recently looks really cool. At day tho, it looks like it was lit up in the gmax scene. See below.

Can you rehoot or send me the file?

Regarding the Fusion Plant lot I proposed, can everyone else who hasn't given feedback say do so please? Thanks

[timcravey 168]

Here are some more from Rene - http://www.mediafire.com/?zi1qzimyjzf

Includes resized Pluto-Nash and Protondia.

Also my Fiador Park upload contains parks, a mosque, and commercial and residential lots:

http://www.mediafire.com/?mhgznnzniww

[Evillions 552]

Well here's my newest BAT inspired by genni's tentment. As you can see, I copied most of the pipes, textures, airlocks, and roof / roofjunk. But here's my problem, while rendering it, the "extured lines or meshed lines" didn't show up while in the render. As you can see.

This BAT is called: Low Tech Housing Units

Any help is highly suggested.

[Ledah2445 6]

Use "Edit Mesh"Modifier to your meshed lines 

[Evillions 552]

Thanks! It works but so many clicking on those meshed lines. ugh..

[Ledah2445 6]

Ctrl-H is very useful hotkey to select all your meshed lines and apply EDIT MESH modifier

[Evillions 552]

I just tested something. Another way to do that is hide everything but shapes. You can select those mesh lines easily.

[JakeMD 107]

Always name your objecds. Group them if you do not want to have to combine them, then ungroup when you are ready to work on them. It makes things much, much simpler.

Also, make each object or group a different color. That way, you can go to Edit > Select by > Color, and have everything under that color selected.

[timcravey 168]

Andi - Here are the gmax files you wanted: http://www.mediafire.com/?kyzmzz2qmj5

Also contains reshoot of Diemos and Nu-U Mall.

I still haven't located the missing texture - it wasn't mine; it must've been BSC.  None of those files are currently in my plugins and will not occur on any lots created after April.

[bdswim 14]

I've waited and waited for my larger MartianOne store but it hasn't shown up in my colony yet. So I uploaded it onto the SMEX, so if it pops up, kinda let me know, OK?

The skyscraper never popped up yet either (of course not!)
I only rendered it on Draft, so it needs to be rendered on Medium or High quality (which would take a few days on my PC). If you've got some spare time and a PC that can render a building that's over 200m high in an amount of time that you don't mind:
http://www.mediafire.com/?oyj4mhwojay

Also, I set the Growth Stage for the bigger MartianOne store to 5. It was originally 3, but I changed it to keep it in sync with the smaller store (originally 1, but now 3). But that's the only change I made, I didn't sync the number of CS$$$ jobs and I didn't eliminate the CS$ jobs.

On Mars, quality doesn't imply cheap like it does on Earth, but it implies quality.

[AndisArt 2,067]

Originally posted by: timcravey

Andi - Here are the gmax files you wanted: http://www.mediafire.com/?kyzmzz2qmj5

Also contains reshoot of Diemos and Nu-U Mall.

quote>

Great thanks

Originally posted by: timcravey

I still haven't located the missing texture - it wasn't mine; it must've been BSC.  None of those files are currently in my plugins and will not occur on any lots created after April.

quote>

ok that's fine, I'll change the lots from before April manually

bdswim, I'll have a look at ur file. my laptop is pretty speedy with rendering.

[AndisArt 2,067]

Tim, here's my feedback for the last pack with renemone's BATs.

The missing texture with ID# 0x1DA44655 was again used in a BAT, Pazuzuro Lasers, it dates August 10th. Can you please make sure that you either find and upload this texture or that it is not used again? Thanks

There are two BATs in the pack that cannot be accepted yet due to no nitelights/windows.

Those are:

- Pazuzuro Lasers

- Opikus Tower

Two BATs are overscaled and need downsizing:

- Huntus

- Hetayotis

Three of the BATs have unsatisfying lotting (just empty)

- Plutonash

- Protondia

- Oravenius

All residential growable lots had LotConfigPropertyZoneTypes set to commercial zones and therefore did not grow (this is one of the bugs when you created lots with SimMars in plugin folder)

Muttis was all good

Overall I feel that the BATs in this pack have an unfinished appearance and resemble more SC3000 BATs, not using the possibilities of the SC4 graphic engine. This is due to lack of detailing, overscaling, missing nitelites or texturing.

The concept and shape of all the buildings is great and they can become just some kick-a** BATs if some more time is spent on them. So not sure if renemone or you Tim want to work more on them, if you want you can send me gmax files too.

If you like I can use one BAT as an example to demonstrate different techniques that can be used to enhance appearance.

[Evillions 552]

Can you give me those g-max files if you don't like it.

[timcravey 168]

I would very much appreciate your input on improving these BATs. I have not been making any changes to Rene's models - just shooting them.

Oddly enough, Pazuzuro and Opikus both appear to have rendered with their night lights turned on; I don't know why they don't show in game. I'll re-shoot.

As far as lotting goes - I really didn't put any effort into it at all since I wasn't sure whether the BATs would end up being R, C, or I. I was in fact counting on you to judge their suitability and purpose them accordingly. I often feel like I am overusing my own props but I am also trying to open up more space in the lots so the developed areas don't look so crowded.

Here is a link to the Pazuzuro set (3 different BATs):   http://www.mediafire.com/?vme0mnkoutt

Maybe you can use it for your example?

[Evillions 552]

All Rene's BATs doesn't have nightlighting at all. In-fact, it looks like Earth Hour!, lol But really, just leave your computer for a hour or less for exporting on HIGH like do some other things besides computer. And put nightlites if you're going to BAt for this project.

[Ledah2445 6]

Check my Power Plants i have here a MHD (right) and Fusion (left)

 i put some tanks at the left side of fusion power plant

This MHD has a two tanks at the top of the building and it has a glass texture 

[timcravey 168]

Looking good Ledah.

Andi - What should the values for the LotConfigPropertyZoneType be? Also, here are scaled down Huntus and Ifetayotis and reshoot of Opikus (and my own Cinemagogue; btw, still haven't found original Circumlocutron and will have to set up the scene again from scratch).

http://www.mediafire.com/?nmdjjvuy2nt