Cockatoo's BAT Thread

[kellydale2003 2,276]

Wow that's extraordinary Cockatoo-210893! Is that bird your trademark? Cuz that's cool haha.

Now I see why this page keeps on being on the front page of Simtropolis.

[io_bg 249]

Wow that's an amazing building, can't wait to plop it in my region

[JakeMD 107]

Sweet!

Release, release, release

Maybe the nightlights are too dim yet. I would test it out ingame in a draft mode, the BAT screenshots sometimes trick ya.

[bixel 1,223]

OH MAH GAWD!!! Release this at once its so beautiful

[Liberater444 11]

coming from Bixel...!!! Yeah release this bad boy!

[Amthaak 1,501]

Release! PLLLEEEAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Odainsaker 2,134]

Oh wow, it's awesome.

Something last to consider is the terrace lighting atop the podium base. I might guess from an earlier nightview and comment that you have reduced the glowing effect of the nightwindows, but this in turned also reduced the glow effect of the vast lobby windows onto the terrace, resulting in the outdoor terrace becoming almost pitch dark. Indeed, the public outdoor terrace is even less well lit than the non-public mechanical rooftops. Perhaps there is just more lighting you haven't included at this stage...afterall, I thought those globes on the terrace poles were somehow lights, but perhaps I was wrong.

Another possibility would be to actually just make a second self-illuminated nightwindow material for the large glass windows on the podium terrace level, and make this material glow far more strongly than the original material used in the residence windows so that it visibly casts onto the terrace deck. It might even be a slightly different color, as I can imagine the public spaces inside to be of different lighting and wall treatments than the apartments. If we were to go further, it could even be interesting to hint at some slight color variations to the currently uniformly yellow apartment windows, perhaps with a few slightly more white, while others more pink.

Of course, I can't imagine them not throwing some lighting on the vast signs. Cockatoo Ridge...I love it!

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Thanks for your comments everyone. Odainsaker, just about everything you've mentioned there has already been addressed (last preview wasn't finished as you guessed). Since then I've put a white self-illuminating texture on the lamp posts, added some overhanging lights + target spots to illuminate the billboards and increased the brightness of the night texture to just slightly under what it was in the first night preview. I'm fairly happy with the actual texture though, I like the uniform yellow. Any more colours added to the mix (I've already got bright red and blue for the neon) and I think I might start like a candy shop.

I did the final day export last night, I'm really happy with the results. As you can see I've upped the brightness even more to what it should be.

I'll be doing the night export tonight and hopefully it'll be released before the week is out.

(Keep in mind the screenshots are crappy jpegs... )

[Duke of York 23]

This is coming along really nice ! Can't wait for

it's departure to the STEX .

Sincerely,

Duke of York

[Amthaak 1,501]

Standing ovation! (BAT of the year, no doubt!)

[buildsolid 4]

SWEEEEET, can't wait for this to be released.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Is there such a thing as "fugly in a positive way"? If so, that's what this BAT is.  

[kellydale2003 2,276]

**Anticipates for the release**

Oh hey. Tip for ya - Use Print Screen to get images out of the game - and put them into something like adobe photoshop and jasc paintshoppro - Making the images higher quality and then save as "png" (portable network graphics) and could even have some transparency (like T Wreck's Avatar). Even doing this in 3DS Max - Saving the image to a PNG will make the black background transparent. but PNG is a good way to go - Always Highquality than the ingame photo taking.

This is if you want high quality images - this is just a suggestion, no need to consider.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Lol, you really think I use the in-game camera or something? Trust me, I know all about .png's and .jpg's and Paint Shop Pro (to a BATer, it's essential)... it's just that I had my .jpg settings too low and couldn't do anything about it after I had saved.

[kellydale2003 2,276]

@Cockatoo-210893 - Ah - Then having a low jpg is a nose bleed for you too then

Anyways - Can you teach me how to render (If your using 3DS Max of course). I got 3DS Max 7 (full) with Bat4Max 2.5. Having a bit trouble and all I need is a simple step by step (not too much detail).

I just want to do a test render of this model - This is my first model in almost two years of my absence on Simtropolis. Just wanna do a test render to make sure I should or shouldn't change anything to accomodate 3DS properly in the exporting process.

(pink and blue walls temp texture, glass not textured. No real proper textures yet - Since I dont have a library of textures I am starting all over). Its a 3x3 lot using Bixels CamLightRig.

[bixel 1,223]

Gorgeous!

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Very nice BAT kellydale2003!

Okay, good, I'm using 3ds Max 7 too.

There are several different ways to export from Max, this is my procedure.

Now I'm not sure exactly how much you know, so some of this may not make sense to you, it can be a daunting task to successfully render from Max at first. If you need help understanding some of the steps below read through the BAT4Max thread, most of the info you need is there. It would be impossible for me to write a detailed explanation for the entire procedure, but here’s the basic outline of it.

1. Upgrade your BAT4Max to version 2.6HD

2. Install ‘Let there be Light’

3. Build, texture (and night-light if needed) your model

4. Make LOD's

5. Export LOD's > render in Gmax > return to Max

6. Press ‘Day’ under the Let there be Light rollout

7. Get SC4Model Name > Render BAT

8. FSH Batch Build

9. DAT FSH Insert

10. Set up model for night export

11. Press 'Maxis Nite' under Let there be Light rollout

12. Get SC4Model Name > Render BAT

13. FSH Batch Build

14. (1) day-2-nite

15. (2) truNite FSH insert

16. Done!

[kellydale2003 2,276]

@Cockatoo-210893 - YAY!! - This seems to be much easier than Bixels (removing and replacing CamLightRigs for different scenes and adjusting a few scenes).

But I love this way - I just got rid of all my errors too xD - Ah well - I'll try 2.6 after my first Export. I just rendered by Day time model a few mins ago (while I slept).

Thanks so much - I love it. So simple.

[SimFox 802]

Looking good!

I would suggest to "weather" adds a bit. Right now they look too perfect, and hence a bit fake...

i should get back to One Silver Sea, One Peking Road and Metro Harbour View...

[bixel 1,223]

"i should get back to One Silver Sea, One Peking Road and Metro Harbour View..."

> Simfox: Um YEH you SHOULD. Snap to it - Chop Chop!

[kellydale2003 2,276]

@SimFox!! - As if! I had my eyes set on One Silver Sea!! I love that building!

Have fun x]

[kellydale2003 2,276]

Cockatoo - I must ask - How do you do your nite liting? I love Bixels, Camlight Day rigs, I love Simfox's Nite, and I love your windows at nite.

I dont know much how to do it with trunite - but I think you use self illumination...right?

[SimFox 802]

For me seeing it (One Silver Sea) in real life and particularly what it does to the area immediately adjusted to it dampened my enthusiasm quite a bit...

Also although I made tons of pictures they all were lost in HDD crash in my laptop I had with me...

But since it is already largely done it would be silly to waste all that effort...

[Cockatoo 2,256]

I'm going to be in Hong Kong next week. I bring you all back some good pictures!

I might even case out a couple of buildings - AIG will be one - for us to make in the future. Bottom line is I'll get good photos of anything interesting I can find.

Kellydale, yep, self-illumination with truNite.

[kellydale2003 2,276]

WHOO HOO!!

Take GREAT photos!! Don't forget to take photos of the bases of buildings (that's what our sources lack the most). And yeah - You know what to look for and everything. I don't need to run you down. You have a great eye.

Oh btw. It's your 1,400th post. (Y)

[SimFox 802]

Originally posted by: Cockatoo-210893

I might even case out a couple of buildings - AIG will be one - for us to make in the future. Bottom line is I'll get good photos of anything interesting I can find.

quote>

don't get arrested while "caseing out the buildings"

BTW how long are you gona stay in HK?

I'll too be in China in 2 weeks time

[Cockatoo 2,256]

don't get arrested while "caseing out the buildings" quote>

Ha! Don't worry, I won't be wearing my black balaclava.

BTW how long are you gona stay in HK?

I'll too be in China in 2 weeks timequote>

I'll be there for just over a week. Have a great time in China SF.

[kellydale2003 2,276]

Nice Nice!

I took this yesterday during my 5 mins of fame at the centennial concert hall here in Winnipeg.

i was on the 8th floor and it reminded me SO much of Mr. Sun and Mr. Sky (which I dont know how to set up xD)!

Uh... Wrong thread maybe...

Check where you post stuff, yeah? Cockatoo.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

I'm back. Photos tomorrow...

EDIT: Photos now.

Here's a selection of 109 out of the 350+ photos I’ve taken over the past week in HK + a couple over the boarder in Guangdong, China. Okay, maybe this is a little excessive, but yeah, it's only a little over 10MB in total size, just be patient.

If you've never been to HK, I'd really recommend going. Now that I've been back there again I can see that there's still a stack of stuff we need to BAT. Anyone who thinks we've already done all the key buildings is waaay off.

Cursing down the island in a tram...

Admiralty!

AIG, got heaps of these, although there is a problem. Looks like poor old AIG lost their HK offices! Start thinking of it as the AIA tower from now on.

At the peak.

More of Admiralty.

Wan Chai! Beautiful at night.

My hotel. (I wish!)

Toward Union Square.

Admiralty and Central at night, sorry, my camera is horrible for night photos at a distance. I've got heaps of good reference for AIG AIA at night though.

The Majestic got renovated and is now the Novotel.

Nathan Rd.

Lion Rock.

In the New Territories.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

HK mangoes. Good stuff.

Some dog at a temple in the New Territories. I had a bit of a WTF moment...

Off to Dongguan.

Anyone know what that says?

Shenzhen.

AIA at night from the peak.

Semi-rural China.

Somebody really needs to do the Peninsular.

TST.

The inspiration for Youngfu House.

All hail the motherland!

OMG someone made a real life replica of that BAT Paul did...

Star Ferry from Wan Chai.

Interesting, might give this a go...

Okay, seriously guys. It's time to do the ICC already, it's almost done IRL!

Bit of nostalgia for Bixel...

OMG PLZ SOMEONE BAT ME!!11

Really interesting Mong Kok / Yau Ma Tei stuff. Must try out someday.

Aberdeen Harbour. Some interesting stuff here too.

They have dogs living on house-boats that like to show off for the tourists a bit.