Yoshiisland's TG BAT Thread

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well, I just remade the scene...no sweat...well, you know what it looks like lol. No pictures yet, but soon...very soon...working on a food court right now

I'm getting close to releasing my first dependency file.  Like PEG's stuff and Deadwoods Raised Parks, there will be lots of seperate options/addons and the base pack will be first...

-Yoshiisland

[Jazzmaster 716]

Here's a look at my Cosmic Food Court...

This building is designed to fit within the mall; meaning it's sandwiched in the center like the food court at my local mall.  Suggestiong are welcome!  Thanks to everyone who's helped so far!

BTW: I added tables if you can see 'em.

-Yoshiisland

[Cleaner475 150]

cool, that looks so awesome - you BATs are really cool so far, just wondering where do you get your inspiration?

keep it up big time

Richard

[Jazzmaster 716]

Cleaner475: Hmm, never thought about inspiration.  I guess it just comes from my imagination!

Thanks!

I've been working on an entrance here, which can be seen below.  I'm making one for Lakeview Galleria, and a generic name; most likely, "Mall of Simtropolis".  I was wondering if anybody had ideas on how to make it so the walls on the sides don't look so bright at night?  I've reduced brightness and exlcluded the left and right side walls from being illuminated, but it doesn't seem to work.

[patriots_1228 51]

work on the textures. the design aint so bad, but the textures need work.

[jacqulina 162]

very nice design

[RaceFan48 0]

outstanding

[Cleaner475 150]

another awesome piece of design - can't wait for you to finished all of these - nightlights look fantastic well done

Richard

[Jazzmaster 716]

Wow, I had no idea...I thought the nightlights would look awful! I'm glad you like them!

RaceFan48: Within a weeks time, you may be able to begin lotting some of the buildings...

-Yoshiisland

[Cleaner475 150]

the lights on the sticking out part of the building don't look to good but I like the rest - there not bad at all

Richard

[Jazzmaster 716]

Somebody, anybody...please state EXACTLY how I could improve the BATs. So far people have said "textures need work", but I've no idea what needs work...If I knew exactly what needs to be done, I'd do it. Also, I'm not trying to make everything look too dirty, because the mall needs to look nice, not filthy.

Also, I'm adding a polls.  I'm going to make up to 3 restaraunts and 3 hotels, but I need to dumb down the options.  Whichever 3 hotels and restaraunts get the most votes will be BATed by me, provided they're not too bland.

-Yoshiisland

[Jasoncw 11,938]

I remember that I suggested that you make the panels of your textures line up to the building (as if they were real panels being assembled together).  It's also been suggested that you read the tutorials in my signature and in the Omnibus.

It's nice how the rectangles on the roof line up with the edges of the roof.  But remember that roofs don't just end, they usually have what are called parapet walls, that is, walls that extend past the roof.  Look on any aerial of a real building with a flat roof and you'll find one.  Also, read the roof texturing tutorial in my signature for other ways to improve the roof texture.

You should add window frames around the edges to everything.  Even if they're thin, you should have them.  Also, large spans of glass should be separated into smaller pieces with more window frames.

Also pay attention to the floor heights.  Plop your building next to Maxis buildings to see how it compares.

Also pay attention to how you articulate what is in your head.  For example, in the front, it's very clearly an extruded triangle on top of two cylinders.  You need to suspend people's belief, that this is not objects put together in Gmax, but that this is a building.  You can do this by using shapes that aren't so obviously being from Gmax

But I've already said all of this before, multiple times.

[patriots_1228 51]

alright, ask and ye shall receive or somthing like that.

for the textures-

The current textures are too bland. I would suggest replacing the current wall texture with a concrete (that is what it supposed to be, right?) without all the lines and stuff. If you want to use the current one, i would UVW it so its not all streched out. Second, the whites are too bright. I think a light grey would work well there. Lastly, the window texture needs lots of work. a plain transparent grey won't work out. Add a texture or model out the interior, just don't leave it like it is.

Of course none of this will work if you don't detail it somemore. where are the window frames? The windows are too transparent for you not to even make boxes inside shaped like an interior. Roof junk can't be just texture boxes and cylinders, like the roof junk you uploaded. If you cant make it better, use the roof junk on the STEX.

third, you need to work on the nightlights. Right now all the windows appear to be plane thats lit up. The night map is strecthed and now looks like moldy cheese (not a joke). Make a seperate plain for each window, don't light them all up, and then ones you do light up, make sure to vary intensities. The omni thing in the center looks nice though.

Do that and youve got a ten outta ten!

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well, I guess I have some more work to do then. At least I know what's expected so I have a good basis on what to work on. I think I'm going to replace the wall textures with concrete; UVW mapping the current one has been a nightmare. As for the floor heights, I made them higher because floors in malls (mostly the walking areas) are usually higher up then small single stores and such. Thanks for your help jason and patriots. I'll be back soon with an update.

-Yoshiisland

[Jasoncw 11,938]

If the floors are actually tall, then you need to indicate that they're actually tall (vs. an overscaled model) by modeling something nearby them that can give a reference to scale. Things like window frames, and the size of wall panels (you don't have to do them, but they're a good opportunity to make the BAT better), light fixtures, doors, benches, or anything along those lines can be a good scale reference.

About using uvw maps, you can use them to fit a texture to something, but you can't really use it to make lines line up with geometry that simply doesn't line up. Making a custom texture is more straightforward, and produces better results.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Back here with (hopefully) some improvements.  This is the 3-tile long version of that mall strip thing.  I also decided to use just one "universal" intersection building, which saves time and PC space...

-Yoshiisland

[RaceFan48 0]

Restaurants: Ruth Chris Steakhouse, Maggianos, Arby's, or some fictional localized restaurants

Hotels: Westin, Trump-Themed Hotel (Named like Trump Galleria or soemthing like that), Clarion

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well, here's what I plan to be the final look of my entrances.  I also changed the texture again because my last one seemed too dirty...ick.  The roof junk is by Phillipbo, since I can't figure out how he makes fans so darn well!  You've already seent the Lakeland Galleria Version, it's like this but with a different sign and blue theme.  I might also do something in green for the FBC...

-Yoshiisland

[Godzillaman 21]

This is a modular mall? I like it so far...

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well, since I'm lacking any feedback and got a good comment I'm assuming everything's OK. I just re-rendered 1 model, the Lakeland Galleria Entrance. I'm adding the FBC Shopping Town entrance in green but am ALSO taking away 3 large, yet really unneeded files. I wonder how that'll effect the overall file size...?

-Yoshiisland

[TheQuiltedLlama 34]

I would change that red colour, rather than using just red apply a texture to it. That why it looks more like it has been painted red.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well, I've been looking forever for a red texture somewhere...should I just make one in paint or something?

[patriots_1228 51]

yes, the red awning is the one thing that in my mind prevents me from taking this bat seriously. Anyway, for improvements you could make, now that you've got a satisfactory model, i would suggest some arrangement of awnings on the mall windows, because they are still blank grey squares. perhaps some neon signs or somthing above some major stores, or entrance level restraunts would work nice also. I really like what you've done to improve this, but the blue night lights are still stretched out and the window textures still need work. However, you've done alot to improve this so far, so i congradulate you on that.

[KingTitan 6]

YEE HAW Yoshiisland....I love that food court...Looks futuristic... Great stuff friend.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Well, I followed your advice and made each individual window in place of several extruded meshes attached toghether, but I'm STILL seeing that "moldy cheese" appearance. Should I just use a different texture altogether? Also, regarding the window texture, I visited my real local mall the other day and noticed the windows had a bluish tint in some places...should I try for something like that?

Also, I was going to make entrance level restaraunts/hotels, just as seperate "addons"...

-Yoshiisland

[Jazzmaster 716]

A quick question for anyone who wants to respond...I've had this weird problem for a while now.  Even when I apply UVW maps to everything, after several preview renders some of the textures change to this weird, default gray type of thing...anyone know about that?  I had to work around the problem to bring the next picture updates, but here they are, in no particular order...

Mall of Simtropolis entrance, day and night...




Lakeland Galleria entrance, day and night




AND, the FBC Shopping Town Entrance, day and night...




-Yoshiisland

[patriots_1228 51]

good work, you've fixed every problem! the only thing i think you need to do before you upload is make the awnings look like awnings and now GMAX shapes

try varying up the colors for adding logos or somthing. If you need an example, im making some awnings for one of my BATs that I can show you.

[TheQuiltedLlama 34]

You could try these textures:

(Click here if you are using Internet explorer)

They have a far lower contrast and won't stand out so much in-game.

[KingTitan 6]

You're welcom Yoshiisland...Can't wait til it's available

[Jazzmaster 716]

Thanks everyone! I went ahead and used TheQuiltedLlama's textures on my entrances, which also means I have to re-render two of them (needs must). I'll have my last upload updated and unlocked by tomorrow!

-Yoshiisland