Nofunk's BAT Thread

[nofunk 1,933]

I was using plans for Donovan & Sanders, and will be using them for two Saginaw buildings I'm working on. Like ardecila said, it's usually not too difficult to get your hands on them -- a simple google search is usually effective!

So it looks like wolverine will be tackling Western Auto. Better him than me -- that cornice is out of control! He'll do a great job on it, I'm sure.

I will add the Statler to my list of projects, but don't expect me to start it any time soon. I have eight or nine projects ongoing right now, and other ideas in the wings. Besides, as much as I liked the Statler, it really isn't suited for the game: it will be fairly complicated to model, and very awkward to lot. But on my docket it goes!

In other news: a very old project of mine is being resurrected. What could it be?!

[nofunk 1,933]

Hi everyone,

I'll tell you: I keep trying to get motivated and get some of these projects completed, but I keep getting distracted. I figured this summer would be an opportunity for me to put out a lot of new stuff, but instead I've been doing everything but!

However, I have been chipping away at a very old project of mine, and while I'm not BATing at the same speed I used to, I have been making constant progress.

The Ford Piquette Plant:

It looks very simple right now, and I realize that I need to rescale some things (specifically the water tower, penthouses and garbage chute), and of course I haven't begun to texture it, but I wanted to show some progress in this thread already!

This is the newer half of the complex. When I started this the first time, I modeled the old section. At this point I haven't decided whether I will try and salvage what I created before, or just start from scratch, but regardless, I will finish this already!

After the Piquette Plant, I plan to revisit Cadillac Tower and Kales Building, and then maybe it's time for a serious undertaking, like the Book Tower!

[wolverine 12]

Are you going to model that railroad thing in the back? I remember walking on that to get some photos when the structure you are modeling caught fire (now the Henry Ford Hospital Records Building) I might have some photos of the back of this. (fire damaged unfortunately)

[nofunk 1,933]

wolverine: I'd be interested in any photos you have! You know where to send 'em.

UPDATE

One of these days, I need to learn how to focus. I haven't worked on Ford Piquette this weekend. In fact, I haven't worked on any of my ongoing projects. Instead, I made this:

^ Front ^	^ Back ^

It doesn't have a name yet. I still have to model a base, add roof junk, lights and textures, but what do you guys think?

In other news, I am going to clean up my projects list on the first page. Currently I have 18 listed, eight of which are "ongoing." But really, only the Piquette Plant is ongoing. I think it's time for a fresh start. There are three models that are finished or near finished, and those will be addressed eventually, but I never got far enough with the rest of them to bother. This doesn't mean I don't still intend to model them, but until I actually get time to revisit them (and start them from scratch) I don't think they should be up there.

Not that any of you look at that first entry anymore (lol); this is more for my own benefit.

[topcliff 1]

How about the Noe Funk Memorial Building? Looks great there, and man, do I want it! Leonardo

[nofunk 1,933]

topcliff: Ha ha! I don't know about that name, but thanks for the suggestion. I'll have it up on the STEX as soon as possible!

UPDATE

Wow, have I lost my following? Or is it just really slow on Simtropolis this weekend?

I've started work on the textures for the new art deco tower. They're not necessarily final. Please DISREGARD the base!! I slapped it on there just to see what it would look like, and it is NOT final. I plan on adding two floors and tall windows, and also clean up the column work on the angled part.

What do you all think?

One more thing: does anybody have some photos of the Chauncey-Evins building in Saginaw? Wolverine??

[wolverine 12]

I do! I'll post them here. I might need to get some photos of the roof though tomorrow.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Looking very nice!!

[Sim shady 12]

excellent job on the textures lol i just realized how few posts you have gotten on this page. Don't worry, must be the dog days of summer.

[Hanson784 165]

Excellent job! That's going to look very nice in game.

The forums usually slow down in the summertime with many people going on vacation, enjoying the weather, etc...

[autoVino 26]

Amazing!  I'm loving this building even though it's not finished!

[Chris M 406]

That's one of the most beautiful BATs I've ever seen! Great work. It looks much better than some of the Art Deco Maxis BATs!

[Simfan34 11]

You have me! The building is juyst.... beautiful! So realisitic. Maybe you should have a gold or auburn coulored base.

And what happened to Quicken? Weren't they supposed to make an announcment before the 1st? Maybe the First of August... 2008!

[ilikehotdogsalot 307]

you just 'slapped' on the base? it certainly doesn't look rushed, it really looks excellent! great work nofunk

[Sim shady 12]

I agree with hotdog. That base looks nothing like something that was slapped on. It looks fantastic.

hansons right about the vacations thing. I am going to hawaii next week

[jacqulina 162]

awesome progress you have done on your bats

[Fledgeling 1]

I love that style, and from you means top quality to boot. I dont have much room for new buildings, so i am very picky of what i download these days, but you ALWAYS are one of the few who I download every single thing they make.

Heres an idea, how about you have a naming competition for the new building? Whoever's suggestion you like best wins? Of course if you already have a name in mind, that's fine too.

[SpartanBadger 4]

NOICE.

Heh...seriously though, looks great!

[nofunk 1,933]

Thank you for the great comments everyone! Good to know you're all still with me!

UPDATE

I've got great news and greater news tonight!

The great news: I have begun to remodel the art deco building above in 3ds max. It's coming out even better than the first version. Also, I might have an even bigger surprise regarding this building, but I am going to keep mum for now! Just keep an eye on this thread!

Even greater news: I've gotten 3ds to export successfully! That means I will be officially over to the better platform starting tonight. No more gmax! (SimFox: turns out the display unit scale and system unit scale did not match. Once I fixed that it exported splendidly. If you suggested this fix before then I'm sorry I overlooked it!)

Speaking of exporting from 3ds, do you remember this building?

I've finally gotten Ellsworth Lofts out of 3ds and into the game! I'll work on modding it this week and you can expect it up on the STEX very soon!

[Sim shady 12]

Congrats! I can not wait to see these two buildings hit the STEX. 3ds sure looks good

[plasticboy 36]

Your stuff is so good, this thread should be made sticky!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

It's looking good!

If you were looking for ways to improve it, I'd make the smudges on the brick texture more subtle, and I'd actually make it a bit darker and more saturated.  The walls have this strange metalicness to them, but normal bricks are generally pretty matted looking.

It seems like windows as a whole are still too bright, maybe the windows would look better if they were made uniformly less bright, but then the contrast was increased a little bit.

I understand if you just want to be done with it though.

[wolverine 12]

If you already didn't have enough buildings on your plate,

Here's the images for Chauncey-Evins in Saginaw you requested.  Be careful with the floorplans I gave you.  I hope I didn't give you the basement plan because the basement goes out 10 ft  beyond the footprint you see of the building in the photos, under the sidewalk roads and parking.  You can see where the freight elevator comes up out of the ground.  I'll try and get roof photos to you soon.

kingston-type 4 x 8" bricks

I have more, but I don't want to overload this thread with images

[nofunk 1,933]

Sim Shady: Thank you!

plasticboy: Wow, thanks! But there are many threads that should be stickied before mine lol.

Jasoncw: I agree with your suggestions, but at this point, I think I am going to be done with Ellsworth Lofts.

wolverine: Thanks bro. You can always just e-mail me the rest of them! This will be my next project.

UPDATE

Look for Ellsworth some time this week. I was in Illinois this weekend so didn't get a chance to mod it, but that won't take long, and then it'll be released!

I do have a BIG surprise though. The art deco tower I posted above? Well, I remodeled it in 3ds max, as well as went two steps further:

I present to you the Knopf, the Gramercy and the Steerforth buildings!

Of course, they still need lobby doors and roof junk. Jasoncw will be texturing these (so they're guaranteed to look phenomenal!), and then I'll mod and lot them.

I have modeled them with similar design elements, with the intention that they can be grouped together in a downtown, akin to Rockefeller Center. They will, however, be uploaded separately, and certainly can be used individually.

[SimFox 801]

That's a beautiful modeling!

[Sim shady 12]

awesome idea in having multiple similar models

[Simfan34 11]

Amazing! Wonderful! Fantastic!

[bbfan02 23]

Nice job! Is that building considered to be a mid-rize building?

[nofunk 1,933]

Thanks everyone!

bbfan02: The Knopf is 22 floors; the Gramercy and Steerforth are both 30 floors. Would that be considered high rise?

[jacqulina 162]

very nice work and details