BAT - Troubleshooting & General Discussion

[patriots_1228 51]

reinstalled BAT, still getting "GMAX LOC environment not found"

[bixel 1,223]

Trying to export out my LODs in gmax, getting an error #18. Does anybody know what that is??

[panthersimcity4 162]

I'm new at BAT (just learned a couple days ago, even after about three years of simcity playing) and i don't know how to make it so the light beams only shine at night. (When i look at the day view the lights are on) Or does it just automatically make them show at night time in game?

[autoVino 26]

Originally posted by: panthersimcity4 I'm new at BAT (just learned a couple days ago, even after about three years of simcity playing) and i don't know how to make it so the light beams only shine at night. (When i look at the day view the lights are on) Or does it just automatically make them show at night time in game?quote>

 

add the prefix "nitlite_" (spelled exactly like that) to the name of the light that you want at night.

[WeekendCityPlanner 19]

I had to do a total reinstall of Simcity in attempt to fix a graphical problem.  I deleted all the SC4 game files and unistalled simcity, next I had to of course reinstall, then I had to update the game. But when I updated the game, I lost my shortcuts to the plugin manager and the lot editor. I did everything I knew that worked to find it with no avail.  Is there a way to find the two programs, or do I have to redownload the programs?

[autoVino 26]

check your drive:\Program Files\Maxis\Simcity 4\Apps folder... there you should see your plugin manager and lot editor applications. If you don't that means you don't have them anymore (well then again you uninstalled the game, hence also uninstalled the programs as well sinse they are part of the game as far as I understand, so they shouldn't be there... corrrect me if I'm wrong)

My best guess would be that you need to re-download them if you can't find 'LotEditor.exe' or 'SC4PluginMan.exe'.

[WeekendCityPlanner 19]

I have hit a snag in my latest BAT. I want my model to be a reward, but I can't find that option in the manager. Am I allowed to do this or can't I?

[Jazzmaster 716]

https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1010.0

Hopefully you have better luck than I did.  You must mod a BAT to act especially as a reward, as that option is not in the Plugin Manager initially.

-Yoshi

[brtim2 11]

So, with the loss of the BAT Workshop and all, i'm guessing all 'how should this be done in an optimal way?' posts should go here, in this thread?

Eh, well it's going here anyway.

Ok, so I'm trying to create a brick arch and I'm not really sure how to texture it. This is what i have so far:

What i have done for this look is taken a normal Soldiered Brick Texture and used a cylinder UVW map (as shown by the small cylinder at the bottom.)

I know that's not right, but i'm not sure of how to make the bricks arch like this:

So, short of actually having to make a new arched texture, i'm not sure what to do. I would think there would be a very, very simple way of applying a flat, soldiered brick layout along an arch, but i can't find it.

So, even from the 3ds Max users (as they seem to be the more 'experienced' users) I could use a simple push in the right direction!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

(The next 15 posts are from the underused (and now deleted) BAT - General Discussion thread.)  This post here is the original introduction post.      -Jasoncw

BAT - General Discussion

        Hello,  this thread is the BAT - General Discussion thread.  Techniques and the BAT in general can be discussed here.  This is also the place to post BATing tutorials.  You can also request tutorials here, if you're wondering how to do something.

       If your tutorial is specifically for 3ds Max, please post it in the 3ds Max - Think Tank. 

       If you're having problems with Gmax or the BAT, please post in the BAT - Troubleshooting thread, but check the BAT - Mega FAQ first.

       When you post tutorials, please put a header at the top of the tutorial with a title (like how this thread does), so that it is easier to find tutorials when scrolling through the pages.  I'll use this title for the table of contents.

Table of Contents:

Page 1:
- How to Texture an Arch
- How to Mirror an Object

[brtim2 11]

Thanks Jason.

This is a classic example of 'over thinking' things. That's a much, much better plan than what i was thinking of doing. Thanks very much!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

How to Texture an Arch

This is one way to texture an arch.

1:  Create a box with the dimensions of your arch, as if it were straightened out.  You might need to do some math.

2:  In the Parameters rollout, in the modifier pane (to the right), make sure your box has enough segments so that it can be bent.

3:  Apply your texture, and add a UVW Map (Modifiers UV Maps>UVW Map), and make sure that everything is fitted properly.

4:  Go to Modifiers>Parametic>Bend, to bend your box into an arch.  Add or remove segments until you have the quality of curve that you want.

5:  In the modifier stack, click on the little black box with the plus sign in it.  Then select Gizmo.  You can rotate this so that your box gets bent in the proper direction.

---

This thread is pretty much for everything from the BAT - Workshop that doesn't fit anywhere else.  It's also an attempt to make things more browseable, since this kind of stuff is very reference-esque.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

This thread is for tutorials, specific tutorial BAT requesting, and technical discussion.  So I moved the troubleshooting to the troubleshooting thread.

[bbfan02 23]

Thanks a lot, sorry for the inconvenience.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Great!!

[brtim2 11]

How to Mirror an Object

---

There are two ways in the BAT to easily mirror an object/objects. One messes up textures and makes things look bad, the other does not. You are free to choose which one you want to use.

This is shown as a way to mirror entire buildings, but it can easily be adopted for individual pieces if needed.

1: First, create your object, whatever it may be. For the purpose of this demonstration I will have a block of houses that I will mirror to increase the number of models for a prop pack.
2: When everything is created and textured, group everything together. This way the entire group is mirrored, and not the individual pieces in a selection.

Models grouped together.

3a: Now here is where the two different methods diverge. The first, and most obvious way is this: Select the group and click Mirror Selected Objects at the top of gmax.

Don't use this one.

3b: Now if you press that button everything should mirror (dependent on which axis you select) and it looks ok. But this is what you get when you render.

wrongwrongwrongwrongwrong

3c: That's why we don't use this method. We instead do the following:

4a: Select the group and mosey your mouse pointer over to the Parameters Rollout. Click the arrow down and you should see Mirror.

Those red boxes are not there automatically. This is just to highlight what to click instead of having you search for it in the dark.

4b: This will mirror the selected group in a way that is pleasing to the eye in the viewport and in the renderer.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Answers to those questions can be found in the BAT - Mega FAQ (link in my signature), and in the documentation that came with BAT4Max.

[outriderdriver 4]

Ok how about where to find and download gmax. and if not how to get the bat to work along with 3d max. since the bat doesnt look for 3d max when its downloaded. thanks

[Jazzmaster 716]

Just a really quick question, but what are the differences between render qualities? When I render in high quality, it seems just about mirrored to when I do preview renders in low quality. Are there any significant differences? I need to know this, because it could mean the difference between a 40-60 minute low quality render and a 6 HOUR high quality render...

-Yoshiisland

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Yeah, low and high quality look a lot alike to me too. There is a quality difference though. Just leave it rendering overnight.

Things that affect the rendering time:

- Visual area of the building (that is, how many pixels of building need to be rendered).

- The number of lights

- The number of polygons

- The filesize of textures

[Jazzmaster 716]

Thanks, I just compared an about 45 minute render to a 6 hour one and really didn't see much of a difference. One thing I noticed that really stood out is if you render in low quality, you have to re-apply UVW maps to everything or your textures all turn this light, bland greyish color. Maybe low quality is referring to texture quality?

-Yoshiisland

[Realbaz 0]

Is there any tut's to make things growsable in :

All of densitys for commercial , industrial , and housing?

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well in particular, I was thinking of that one with the highway and large skylight and all of that stuff. Without a doubt, the lights added to it, but I remember SimRabbit saying that using transparent "glass" adds more to the rendering time, as apposed to using a window texture. All of my other buildings I rendered in high quality, and I may consider rendering this one again in medium quality...or I could do it in high quality during the overnight hours, or while I'm at school, or whatever. Thanks for your input anyways!

-Yoshiisland

[Jasoncw 11,840]

That's about lotting and modding, and doesn't have anything to do with BATing. I don't know if there are still any tutorials about it, but the information is out there somewhere. First of course read the tutorials that came with the Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager. Then check out the Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager forum, and the modding forums here.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

No, the rendering is not related to that. It's simply how much calculation it puts into each pixel. You should do at least medium, although high shouldn't take that long for the buildings you've made. You might have to be more economic with the number of lights you use, as they increase the render time a lot.

[Mrqs 33]

Hi,

I have a problem with textures in BAT.

I assign the material into the object. I assign the uvw modifier to this object. The objects are  the entire objects or the single polygons. When the bitmap lays incorrect I turn the gizmo right/left 90 and in the most cases everything is ok. But....

http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/06a3dfb9845cfe5f.html

And I dont know what to do and how to solve this problem.  In the perspective view the bitmap lays correct but renders incorrect (its turned 90 ).

Maybe someone knows how to make it right?

Sorry my english...

[Jasoncw 11,840]

If you un-rotate the gizmo, will it un-rotate the texture in the preview render?

Your building is looking good.

[Mrqs 33]

Originally posted by: Jasoncw If you un-rotate the gizmo, will it un-rotate the texture in the preview render?

Your building is looking good. quote>

Thank you

yes, when I unrotate gizmo, the texture in the perspective view unrotate too. But when it is renedered, the texture is rotated approx. 90 and looks like on the screen I've posted in my previous post.  I cant position my maps precisely (?) and I dont see tiling and so on.... 

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Does the texture render like that no matter how you rotate the gizmo? It can be wrong in the viewport, as long as it's correct in the renders.

[Mrqs 33]

Originally posted by: Jasoncw Does the texture render like that no matter how you rotate the gizmo? It can be wrong in the viewport, as long as it's correct in the renders.quote>

 

The texture is rotated about 90. When rotate the gizmo and the texture is vertical in the preview window - it renders horizontal. When I turn the gizmo and the texture is horizontal - it renders vertical. I have no control how it will looks.