Cockatoo's BAT Thread

[mightygoose 92]

me too and just because you were inspired by anothers work doesn't mean you have no right to upload it, just say you based it on his earlier design.

[SimFox 802]

I didn't really mean Bump Maps - did noticed them at all, but rather the bitmaps themselves... they are way- way over the top. It all should be turned down quite a bit. Better make it almost invisible first and then dial it in. The contrast level that you have now is basically incompatible with any type or natural illumination be it sunny or overcast day. It looks more like heavily retouched photo, or... like a game level design, which btw look /looked that way because of the deficiencies of both lighting and the tradition that came very long way in a very short time, so people are/were still heavily under influence of what they were accustomed to see in games back say few years ago.

Since it is not for SC4; i would suggest to go back to clay renders, to get all the geometry right and only then star getting materials. Also make sure you go not for just slapping the pictures on it, but really get the materials right

[kellydale2003 2,276]

!

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Well, heavily retouched or not, I think I have to atleast take "photo" as a small compliment. I've actually spent quite a while messing about with the wall texture bitmap in Paint Shop. It is hand made - well it's made from a combination of about 6 different photographs with retouching here and there. I understand that you're not a fan of the contrast, but personally I quite like it. I have however slightly blurred the wall bitmap to reduce some of the graininess.

Since it is not for SC4; i would suggest to go back to clay renders, to get all the geometry right and only then star getting materials. Also make sure you go not for just slapping the pictures on it, but really get the materials right quote>

Perhaps I said things wrong. This is a BAT and is intended for SC4 (for my own personal use if anything), however as it was originally Cowkillas design, I don't think it'd be fair to upload it to the STEX. I'd be happy to share it around with the readers of this thread though.

I've taken some inspiration from one of my favourite buildings in Jordan. Ten points to anybody who can tell me what my building is advertising. I can't read Cantonese... so it's always a bit of a risk lifting signs from Google Street... especially signs from Wan Chai hehe.

[Bastet69008 1,102]

Love the textures and the details you put on the building! Great job!

[SimFox 802]

First of all You should have absolutely nothing to worry about the fact that someone else had modeled something along these ways before. This model is YOURS and only yours. You are not using Cowkilla's model are you? So it is your work as modeling goes. As design... well I don't think it is a question of that here.

As for the textures and spending hours and hours in whatever image editor... Well it's all familiar, but it is very easy to fall into also familiar trap - wanting to ad just a bit more... In the end it ruins it. People, of course "like" to see more. I've put LIKE in quotes, case it isn't really aesthetic or any other assertion. It's just perception of "work being done" and as such semi-automatically labeled as good. Particularly in the area perceived as evolved and not much understood as this. But you should be careful here... It is just one step away from statement that steak that has been fried for 5 hours and with a pound of all the spices would be better than one that has been fried for 5 min on the side and lightly seasoned...

To quote Antoine de Saint-Exup

[Amthaak 1,501]

IMO it is very couragious to try to recreate this kind of wall texture, which is a mixing of:

Original painting

Pollution

Dust

humidity/moisture

I certainly forgot more! and , you made it very well! It is really more difficult than a just new built Bdg. You are not very far from that...

I love the details you put in this bat, like the evacuation pipes for the wasted water, or the individual fan system (all different!). You just need, to finish it, to put a bycicle in one of the small terrace) . Seriously, It is definitively your Bat. It should be a pity if you don't share it with the community! Just my personnal opinion!

[mightygoose 92]

totally agree with the above, the one thing that sticks out for me is the oversaturation of the rust textures you are using. but i will say thats a very tasty roof texture.

[tankmank 853]

I'm loving this, it is exactly the kind of thing seen around the Pearl River Delta and i'm sure will look amazing once done, perhaps in a pack with a few more different buildings?

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Hey guys, sorry for my absence here. Over the past month most of my time usually allocated for BATing was instead put into modelling a house for my graphics class - saves me doing a bunch of horrible 2D perspective drawings. Lots of interior detail, but pretty boring in SC4 - don't think I'll bother.

Anyway, Kowloon Terrace - it's almost done. Here's a preview of the nightlighting. I've found a new (and very easy) method to illuminate my signs at night. I've photoshopped the images for the daytime signs - added more contrast and glowing effects, and then set them as architectural materials in Max with a luminescence of about 1500.

[Amthaak 1,501]

These nightlights are absolutly amazing ! I am really speachless.

For the house interior, details are really remarquable.  To make this render so precise, did you have to increase the house scale? Anyway, fantastic work my friend! you can uplaod both of them! the house can be modded to be part of a house dealer's show-house, it will be a world premiere for SC4!

[SimFox 802]

looks good, both the house you're making as well as the start at the nightlighting

Speaking of second I think you should try to give it a bit of the ambient lighting to simulate the general light polution of the street where building like that may stand. I mean you remember in HK those about as bright at night as in day...

Also make the characters at the top shine only into one direction - outwards

[Timmystwin 201]

This is the first time ive looked here. Ive already subscribed. These BATs are truly amazing. I especially love the nightlights.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Speaking of second I think you should try to give it a bit of the ambient lighting to simulate the general light polution of the street where building like that may stand. I mean you remember in HK those about as bright at night as in day... quote>

I defiantly agree, but I have no idea how to do it properly. What did you do to transform this into this?

Also make the characters at the top shine only into one direction - outwardsquote>

It appears that way, but I think that's just to do with the way I've modelled it. The characters have a self-illuminating material applied to them; it's only the backboard that's blocking them from shining in all directions.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

WOW!!! that house is amazon!!!!! I love the nightlight on the building.

[Red Lightning 7]

WOW you are just an amazing batter!

but, how did you do the inside of the house here;

https://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k248/cockatoo-210893/HouseK.png

https://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k248/cockatoo-210893/HouseI.png

eg. how did you do that pot plant on the bench of that house?

thanks,

RED

[Cockatoo 2,256]

^ Just practice. The pot-plant was made with a separate tree-generation program... I don't think anybody would ever model something like that by hand. The rest was though.

[Sgt Pepper 864]

I love how you captured this grimey building. In the recent night photos, on the roofs I see something that looks like green trees growing out of the roof. Now that's awsome. Seeing how dirty this building is, wouldn't the ground texture below it on that plane(or very thin box ) be just as dirty?

[SimFox 802]

C:

that... well it was my first foray into the subject... and not a very good one... It was done with a strip of self illuminated material hidden from camera. It explains uneven blotchy look. Of course this blotchiness may be , in a way, desired effect. Still it is very dirty looking. I went that way cause proper lights (eg photometric ones) were very slow and non-photometric are all but useless - their biggest weakness is that they only work acceptable one by one. When on the other hand you need to mix several you get the problem that is so evident on many bats - in the area where light mixes you get nasty looking amplification areas where light become to bright. Another reason, to use self-illumination was the curved shape of the corner.

But in new versions of max (starting from Max2k9, I believe) photometric lights got manual far attenuation setting that HUGELY reduce rendering time and cause no visual deterioration when done properly. So You may go with them right from the start.

these were all light (exterior lighting) only with photometrics:

Exact type depends on the effect you are trying to achieve.Only really pre-requisite - those HAVE to be area lights - there shouldn't be pin sharp shadows really. You are simulating a light that comes from incalculable sources both active and reflecting.

[Liberater444 11]

Holy ****! That is some 'mazing BAT work. That shopping/apartment lot looks boss, and that House detail is astonishing!

Be sure to tell everyone when you want to release them to whoever, as I will await that day haha

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Thanks for the help SF.

I still haven't seen Cowkilla around, and I confidant feel that I've modified this enough for it to be considered "sort-of" of own design, so expect to see this up on the STEX soon. Exported in HD.

[Liberater444 11]

Fantastic! Are you going to do anymore with the Kowloon Walled City? Maybe a modular pack or somthing?

[HookerHeels 309]

I would like the coke one, but its only for CAM. I don't use CAM so I'm stuck using the friggin creepy puppet? I really want a screen version, but not the doll. *sigh* *doesnt download yet*

[HookerHeels 309]

I would like the coke one, but its only for CAM. I don't use CAM so I'm stuck using the friggin creepy puppet? I really want a screen version, but not the doll. *sigh* *doesnt download yet*

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Originally posted by: RedScope53

I would like the coke one, but its only for CAM. I don't use CAM so I'm stuck using the friggin creepy puppet? I really want a screen version, but not the doll. *sigh* *doesnt download yet*quote>

Hi, welcome to Simtropolis! STEX uploaders often include readme files or place important information in the descriptions of their uploads. If you find yourself experiencing issues with a piece of custom content you've downloaded, always refer to the readme first.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

With all this activity going on, I felt a bit bad for not contributing... so...

With some free time on my hands I've finally been able to learn some new BAT tricks i.e. try to copy the stuff SimFox was doing earlier in the year.

Here's what I've done with Tomorrow Square. I think it will be released pretty soon. I know the night lighting doesn't really resemble the ones in RL now, but I think I'm going to stick with it. We'll call it a partial-recreation because I'm going to have to 'make up' a base for it anyway.

[Amthaak 1,501]

I was waiting for your "come-back". It seems, that you are experimenting the glare option and the result you got is very convincing! Don't forget to share with friends...!

For the windows reflection, I think IMHO, try to make the colours (red, green, yellow) a little bit less "flashy" or reduce a little the intensity in order to be less "evident", it looks like to me a "christmas tree"! (maybe you get influenced by christmas coming...). However, dispite this small deatail, it' really amazing!

[Timmystwin 201]

*smacks gob then retrieves it from floor*. Wow. Just Wow.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Haha, I think I might have got a little bit carried away with those reflections. Personally I quite like looking at the bright colours... but from a BAT point of view... yeah, I'll tone it down a bit.

[mightygoose 92]

cookie awarded....