Cockatoo's BAT Thread

[Erzei 0]

Originally posted by: Cockatoo-210893 Okay, the STEX has been down for days now and nobody seems to be doing anything about it so I guess you guys can have it now if you want. Readme, stats, ect are is included in the download.

_{HK Gateway Tower Six.zip}quote>

Hey thank you for the building...

[mcarch 15]

Thanks Cockatoo-210893. Great Job!

[bixel 1,223]

The building is really good, but something about the way gmax is rendering those textures looks so weird to me, kinda grainy with some noise or something. If you are up to it, I would like re-texture it, email is, nbixel@gmail.com

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Originally posted by: bixel The building is really good, but something about the way gmax is rendering those textures looks so weird to me, kinda grainy with some noise or something. If you are up to it, I would like re-texture it, email is, nbixel@gmail.comquote>

Sure thing! I'd love to see what you can do with it in Max.

I'll send it to you soon, no textures, just the model.

You'll probably find many errors in my modeling by the way... hehe, there are still so many things I don't know how to do.

[villagemayor 0]

thank you cockatoo!! Just downloaded and cant wait to see it in my cities.

[Ssin 0]

Hey guys who wanna make one of the most important part of Hong Kong? The gateway to the international which is the Hong Kong international airport terminal. I also wanna make it functional! I have a plan of it who is interested in it? I am a very newbie in building lol

[fusion_lemon 2]

Yeah, that's interesting!!!

I would like to see it being BAT-ed!!! the best airport in the world!!!

[villagemayor 0]

wow that would be great. But the whole airport it might take up most of a small map. Due to the large number of windows the BATer will have to put in actual stores to make it realistic.

[Ssin 0]

Originally posted by: villagemayor wow that would be great. But the whole airport it might take up most of a small map. Due to the large number of windows the BATer will have to put in actual stores to make it realistic.quote>

I built The north runway and building the taxiway with those airport packs in Simtropolis. It need a around half of a big map to do so lol I am learning how to make a bat and lot. It will become a huge capacity terminal as 50millions ppl per year and 47million tonnes of cargo. lol. Also with a hub with airport express(in simcity 4 maybe a high speed rail/metro station) and bus station. Also 3$$$ jobs!

As I know the airport will be much extanded but for now really wanna make this 1st lol

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Haha, thanks for hijacking my thread guys!

Sorry, but about the whole HK airport idea, as cool as it sounds, I'm 'fully booked' at the moment, that really would be a monumental project and would take me (alone) forever to complete.

Maybe you guys should put it to the airport team (I think they live at SC4D now) or maybe someone would like to take it on here?

I'm making some new stuff for the HK Streets Pack at the moment, more pics in a few days.

[nihonkaranws 88]

Hey it's great Cockatoo, you are still impressing me ten fold! Nice work!

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Sorry guys, kinda been forgetting to post lately...

Anyway, I have been busy in Gmax. I'm really in need if one thing though.

I need a basic architectural elevation plan of the AIG Tower, and if possible a floor plan as well. It doesn’t need to be too detailed, just some basic dimensioning like overall height and the height from level to level, as well as the length and width of the base level. This is where I stuffed up on my first attempt, and I'm going to put it right by getting the scale and shape correct for the revisited version.

Kinda like this one that HONG KONG posted on page 5, but with dimensioning.

[bixel 1,223]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIG_Tower

http://en.structurae.de/photos/index.cfm?JS=96021

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Thanks Bixel.

I'm gonna put those to use soon, but for now here's something else. Not an actual tower, but was inspired by many buildings from the central district. I know it’s ugly and you don’t like the glass textures and you think that that tree is way to huge and looks out of place, but I’m just messing around with this one.

And no, I'm still using Gmax, I just got rid of that ugly black background.

[SimFox 802]

ha ha ha..

well, you're totally self-sufficient! You make it and criticize it!

Getting rig of the black background is a very right move as it heavily distorts the perception of the building itself (colors/brightness wise).

But as far as the trees concerned... I know, you sort of asked not to go into it, but I think it is necessary. Not because of trees themselves actually, but because of what those stand for - proportions.

You have reached considerable skill in modeling and make-believe of texturing. And Now I think it is a good time start looking at relative sizes. The relativity here is a key. Not the actually sizes them self (well within reasonable variation around something that could be found in real life, naturally). This has direct relation to the AIG remake. It is great to have precise real sizes, no doubt about it. But this too can cause some problems. So The very best approach is to work out proportions - take something of the core importance - say height of the floor and make it your unit. everything else should be measured in those units. This would allow you to to get good and "accurate" model no matter what size you're making it off (again withing reasonable, of course).

Anyway, Good Luck!

[tankmank 853]

doesn't look too bad really but there is allways room for improvement

[bixel 1,223]

Wow!!! that is looking great. I myself am coming to a crossroads with my own window textures. and you can see it in my recent BATs the Ridely, The SunTan and the that little pencil tower (forgot the name). I have opted to have a series of textures instead of just a single texture placed across all the windows. It works on some buildings better than others, and I am still hesitant about the Ridley and the Suntan building - I am unsure if it looks good enough.

You do a lot of Commercial style stuff - which usually tends to be all glass - which is why I sometimes come off critical when you have a single texture across the array of windows. Lately I have been experimenting with creating an array of plain textures, like a series of 8 browns, with slight variation to them to make them appear that - there is window blinds, or window blinds halfway, etc... Then I use Simtropolis tools to randomize the names of the windows. so you get

C1_window12 C2_window10 C3_window23 etc...

I grab all the C1 windows, and group them and texture them something, and follow through with the others. This makes for a mosaic of colors of the same general pallet but can make the building appear more interesting/realistic depending on your goal.

For instance Ill Tonkso makes liberal use of a sky texture on some of his earlier buildings. The do look pretty good - especially when grouped with other of the similar kind. But sometimes they dont fit in so well. Which is why I did Harbourside 2. A big improvement from the 1st Harbourside. Again it depends on the building.

[fusion_lemon 2]

a very nice design!!!

the tree in the middle seems too gigantic (I dunno it is real big or due to visual perception...)

the others are just fine =]

[connorc24 2]

Wow, IMO I love every bit of it. I think the tree works and adds iconic flair to the building. It's really cool and the base is also amazing.

[mcarch 15]

Looks good, but I'd say the tree has to go. That part looks like a dome for a room on the inside (maybe a conference area) Otherwise I think it looks pretty cool. if you plan on releasing it, it would make a great CS $$ Hotel! =)

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

I actually really like the tree, but like others have said, scale is an issue. Either a "fuller" (a tree that bare adds to its awkwardness) tree thats a little smaller or a garden would work IMO. I like the right tower, no one seems to have brought that thing up and I think you nailed that part. However, I would ditch that giant thin reflection in the middle of the left tower, from afar it looks like a hole or feature that isn't there.

Anyway, looking awesome,

-Todd

[fusion_lemon 2]

yeah. that tree looks like a young tree (it seems not that mature and branched) which would only be not too tall...

if it turns out to be a fully grown tree then this is more or less the size I think =P

[jacqulina 162]

nice looking building there

[nihonkaranws 88]

Do you make a rectangle with windows then extrude it? Or do you do something else? I have know idea how you create those glass towers, really...

Lol, didn't realize you PM-ed me while back! Thanks Cockatoo, I figured it out!

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Next in line:

Who can tell me the name of this building without trying to read the name over the entrance...

It's a hotel near Mong-Kok (Jordan)...

[Rearviewmirror. 3]

Is it the Majestic Hotel Hong Kong in Yau Ma Tei.

[tankmank 853]

looks good should make a good addition

[nihonkaranws 88]

Looks great Cockatoo, to you have any tips on modeling trees?

[bixel 1,223]

OH MY GOD that looks awesome!!!!! Great job! This is your best yet!! OOOOOOOHHHHHH O_O

[villagemayor 0]

wow cockatoo great building. Just one question. The fans are huge!! Are they really that large in real life?