AndisArt's BAT cookery

[Darknono35 3,138]

Gorgeous small colored houses, I want them in my suburbs ;p

I'm agree with jason, you should down the saturation color. Keep it up

[AndisArt 2,068]

I wish I could help, but I have no experience with custom foundations (on the BAT side).  Mattb325 is working on an extensive custom foundation project, maybe you could PM him - I know he is always happy to help with BAT questions. I'm glad you are taking time to add custom foundations - I think they add alot of versatility to the game.  Plus, I get bored working on perfectly flat terrain

Thanks for the tip, I will get in touch with him.

I made some tests and the problem seems to stem from Max. I did a test model and foundation in gmax and it worked correctly ingame. The same applied in Max resulted in the display error as above. So there seems to be an issue when the foundation rendering images are transferred into the .model file.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Lovely Houses.

[KonstantinII 1,106]

Ok, I'm trying to create a custom building foundation for the homes, but it's not working.

This is what's wrong:

 

Set your game settings to hardware mode. I once had a similar problem with the colors not showing up in the Srainy's spaceport set.

[Gn_leugim 858]

that or there's something wrong with our exported textures/id's

[AndisArt 2,068]

Set your game settings to hardware mode. I once had a similar problem with the colors not showing up in the Srainy's spaceport set.

 

I have it set to hardware mode already, but thanks for the tip.

 

that or there's something wrong with our exported textures/id's

Can you elaborate?

 

 

I spoke with Mattb325, he is using gmax on his foundations. He has heard before that there is a problem with foundations and Max. Possibly rendering in scanline will fix it.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Have you checked the Model file in the Reader to see if there's any errors?

[Gn_leugim 858]

Set your game settings to hardware mode. I once had a similar problem with the colors not showing up in the Srainy's spaceport set.

 

I have it set to hardware mode already, but thanks for the tip.

 

>that or there's something wrong with our exported textures/id's

Can you elaborate?

 

 

I spoke with Mattb325, he is using gmax on his foundations. He has heard before that there is a problem with foundations and Max. Possibly rendering in scanline will fix it.

 

 

Well, that was something that came out to my mind when I think in how max renders are done (or used to). correct me if I am wrong, but, if I am not mistaken, you kinda export the scene as images painted in a box (LODs) to the gmax, where then you export to game file, right?

 

As Matt said, this process may be broken in some way, that you render and export the model, with the FSH files (the image that will be applied to the 3ds files in game) with broken IDs, so they don't match the model, giving this textures missing. But I am not sure regarding this. I know very well how the export mechanism does in gmax, not so sure on Max though.

[AndisArt 2,068]

Have you checked the Model file in the Reader to see if there's any errors?

 

The S3D file seems to be broken:

 

Apart from that I'm not sure. I attached the model file to this post.

 

 

 Well, that was something that came out to my mind when I think in how max renders are done (or used to). correct me if I am wrong, but, if I am not mistaken, you kinda export the scene as images painted in a box (LODs) to the gmax, where then you export to game file, right?

 

As Matt said, this process may be broken in some way, that you render and export the model, with the FSH files (the image that will be applied to the 3ds files in game) with broken IDs, so they don't match the model, giving this textures missing. But I am not sure regarding this. I know very well how the export mechanism does in gmax, not so sure on Max though.

 

So are there specific texture IDs for foundations?

 

The way I understand the process is that you create the LODs file with gmax, meaning the box that the images will be displayed on. Those images you can render in Max and then insert them into the 3D model.

AndisArt_R$$_SC2012_home_A_found_blue-0x5ad0e817_0x1e95229_0x31000.zip

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Maybe there's a way to do this manually, maybe I can play around with the Model file in the reader to see what will happen.

 

Edit: Looks like the Material ID in the model file is not correct, you may can change them manually.

 

Okay, as I can see the material instance is wrong there, for you will have to change them manually.

 

[AndisArt 2,068]

On 10.3.2013 at 11:06 PM, Aaron Graham said:

Maybe there's a way to do this manually, maybe I can play around with the Model file in the reader to see what will happen.

 

Edit: Looks like the Material ID in the model file is not correct, you may can change them manually.

 

Okay, as I can see the material instance is wrong there for you will have to change them manually.

 

Oh oh oh OOOOHHHHHH 

You FIXED it!!!

 

YES YES YES me so happiiiii

 

Luuuuuuukk how prettiiiii:

 

thank youuuu

 

Will have to do something about the stairs to nowhere though...

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

You may need to do another exporting with the stairs.

[AndisArt 2,068]

You may need to do another exporting with the stairs.

 

This I mean my friend, hehe

working on it as we speak

[SimCoug 5,977]

Sweet!

[IDS2 3,436]

I really like these I can't wait to use them!

[Gn_leugim 858]

glad you made it looks nice indeed

[libellibicus 396]

All future BATs should be using this as a benchmark. This is the Dogs Bollocks. Nice work with the foundations, Aaron.

[Vlasky 1,803]

Very cute!

[AndisArt 2,068]

Here's an update on the little homes:

I finished the new foundations incorporating the stairs. Maybe I went a bit overboard, but I had to somehow get the stairs to the ground, so...

 

This is how it looks ingame:

 

For future houses with a foundation I think I will keep stairs in mind from the beginning. I noticed Maxis foundations that extend the building facade just simple leave the stairs the way they are without any connections in the foundation. They dont protrude from the buidling, however, but are integrated within a porch for instance.

 

Before thinking about adding foundations I had worked on a slightly altered version with more prop models on the side and different porch design.

With a foundation I wont be able to have any props renderend on the side walls (they would hang in the air on a slope).

It would have looked like this:

[gutterclub 2,743]

Looks wonderful...

 

Have the windows had a material added to them as they don't look like they have been completed..if they have, I'd go for something a little busier and more glass like...if not them disregard

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Well, the stairs do look a bit over the top, but then again you show the building on a very, very steep slope. In most scenarios the terrain won't be that uneven, so the house should generally look fine.

 

When I tested SimCoug's beautiful little houses recently, I was surprised that their lots are restricted to very moderate slopes despite all buildings having a custom foundation. But of course that's another possibility to bear in mind: If you think that beyond a certain slope the foundation will look goofy, simply adjust the lot's slope setting accordingly. Wish I could tell you precise numbers or a formula,  but I don't have any.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Lovely work on the house foundation. You have done a fantastic job on them. 

 

I agree with gutterclub, it would be a cool thing to have some sort of glass texture.

[dubaidude303 1,126]

Looking good!

[Gn_leugim 858]

wow those stairs look like some scaffolding and the house is on works ^^ joking, great model(s)

[Ion_Cannon 677]

Looks good, and the custom foundations are a nice touch
 

I hope you won't forget about Tower Verre though, that was looking really top notch.

[Vlasky 1,803]

Great job on these houses. I really like them

[AndisArt 2,068]

Yes, you're right guys about the windows. They did have a texture applied, but only a standard. The windows are so small in the z5 view, I didnt think it mattered. But I changed it now to an actual Arch&Design glass, which basically makes it darker and that looks better :-)

 

T Wrecks, that's probably true for most players, not building on such steep slopes. However, I have since been reconsidering the way I did the foundations.

Looking at some of the Maxis building foundations there are 2 things I noticed:

 

1. Some Maxis buildings with foundations do have props around the house, which then hover in the air once the foundation is triggered, they are only objects right by the wall though. Here's a screenshot. What do you guys think about this? Do you think it is worth having the props rendered close to the model, but then have them floating above a foundation? (The reason for considering adding props to the model itself is that the LOD wouldnt allow props to be added close to the building later in the Lot Editor).

 

 

2. Also Maxis foundations seem to be mostly confined within the perimeter of the top building, as opposed to protruding from it like the one I made above. You can see more porch-like elements, stairs etc all within the footprint of the building. I guess this makes it look a bit more integrated, but more importantly I realized it makes it easier to use props around the house in the Lot Editor. You can see the effect one the image above and this one:

 

The downside of this is that stairs of the house lead into nothingness once the foundation is triggered.

 

I think I'll try a more inward foundation too, to me it seems the better option, at least worth trying.

 

What think ye?

 

 

hope you won't forget about Tower Verre though, that was looking really top notch.

no worries about that, wont be forgotten!

[KonstantinII 1,106]

Are you going to upload the wave curve tower or you just made it for yourself?

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Well, let me start with what is not a direct answer to your question(s): In all the Maxis examples you are showing here, the overall look is highly unrealistic - fences running at the oddest angles, terraces half sunk into the ground at their lowest corner, tiny gardens with (nearly) 45° slopes... chances are whatever you do to the foundation, it won't save the overall impression. So another question is: do you really want to make the foundation look good in a situation that doesn't look good anyway? Personally, I'd favour a logical and plasuible-looking foundation (which probably doesn't include objects floating in mid-air or stairs without end or landing), even if this means the foundation is wider than the building. You're making the lots yourself, after all, so you'll be in full control.

[Gn_leugim 858]

regarding foundations, I have made some myself. I use to make them within the dimensions of the building because, though I am not sure, having foundations extending beyond lot limits is not a good idea, and it may happen if you extend them away from the actual building (by this I mean the LODs, which in term define the size of the building ingame.) this replies your point 2 IMO.

 

also, don't forget that you can (I do) make the stairs all the way down to the base of the foundation. also I do some maths to know how deep it shall be, according to the building's lot parameters.

 

as for point 1, I don't see much of a problem actually, as those props are pottery, which may be attached to the house and be hanging in the air. that is a quite common sight around here. my house as some on the first floor hanging on the air for the example.