Just bought SC4 Deluxe - so I can BAT

[Arik_the_Red 0]

Hi, I've been messing about with SC3000 Unlimited's BAT on and off for several years.

I just broke down and gave in - bought SC4 Deluxe - with the hopes of utliizaing the BAT features for it.

SC3000's BAT was real buggy for making props and such, so I decided to give in and buy SC4 in the hopes of making even better buildings, props, etc.

Now I am having big issues with regiistering online in order to download the SC4 BAt, and not only that - I am wondering if I can even get BAT for SC4...

I've got a real desire to design the UAC facilities (inspired by the game and movie DOOM)... and the Umbrella Corporation labs (inspired by Resident Evil).

Can someone help?

[onlyplace4 603]

OK ... firstly welcome to the wonderful and frustrating world of creating for SC4 ;D lol

You can get the SC4 BAT from my site (www.simcities.com) where you won;t have to register your game, but you will need to register with the site (though I think you already have!). You will also need to get hold of the 3D modelling program gmax (www.turbosquid.com/gmax) and again you will need to register with that site in order to get tha activation code for the program - don't worry it's free! Install gmax first, then the BAT, and off you go!

Hope that helps.

[GMT 389]

yea... and prepare for a whole new expirience in batting.

But I can tell you right away: compared to sc3k's bat, sc4's bat is a hard work. a very hard work. If you wan't it good (looking at what you wanna do) you gotta invest a lot of time, and even more time into familiarizing with the bat and it's techniques... it's a real 3d-modeling you're about to start

[Arik_the_Red 0]

Am prepared to take on "hard work."  Have a lot of familiarity with draw/paint programs in general (Photoshop, GIMP, etc.)... and a little exposure to 3D modeling as concepts go.

But could really use a decent guide to the basics in gmax - BAT  now that I've got it all in order.  The shape building, etc., is figure-able, but getting into the details - textures, paints, whatever... is another thing...

[Jasoncw 11,839]

If you already have experience with Photoshop and GIMP, then texturing will not be hard for you.  Just a matter of learning what looks right.  Gmax might be a little tricky at first, but there are only a few things you need to learn, and once you learn those few things, then you'll be all set.

When you feel like you're ready, you can start a BAT showcase thread here, and everyone can give their suggestions.  And you can pm me anytime with questions.

To start off with, there are tutorials in the omnibus, and you should probably do those first.

[Arik_the_Red 0]

Have used GIMP a lot... made a number of buildings for SC3000 creating details.  

At one point I had a set of buildings I formed at the SimCity website's building exchange - a Chevron station, a Wendy's hamburger joint, a Dairy Queen, etc.  I made all the signage for them using art foraged on the web.

That was about 1-2 years ago... and since I sort of stopped messing about with the game for a long time.  Then I went back in the other day and saw that everything I'd made had vanished with time, and that I didn't even have my account anymore.

Am perusing the Phil-whozit's tutorial.  Looks fairly concise, complete.  Then will begin making various parrts of the plot section by section.

Is it possible to create separate structure portions and then bring the files together? Copy and paste from file to file?

[Constantina 5]

I use photoshop a lot, but the best thing is to actually get a digital camera and take pictures of textures that you think it would suit your new building. So if you are looking for white concrete, it may not be too far off your street.

[Jasoncw 11,839]

You can make things in different files, and then merge (file>merge file) them together, but there isn't much of a point to it except for really big buildings that are hard to work with without separating them (gmax will lag with complicated buildings).