Twinkle, twinkle, little BAT...

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Yesterday I finally installed your Small Office Pack as well as mid-rise office packs 2 and 3. The thought of having all that variety instead of the same ever-repeating Maxis buildings really made me look forward to zoning the next low-density office park (a task that used to be dreadful because the outcome was clear... *shudder* ), and thanks to those compact 1x2/2x1/1x1 buildings, I have many more options to fill those small remaining spots that would otherwise result in 1 of the 2 available Maxis buildings popping up.

As a control freak, I'm normally not a fan of buildings that grow in all tilesets, so I went and sorted your buildings into tilesets I deemed appropriate. Considering I wanted to achieve more variety, I was rather tolerant. The hardest part still is to get some variety into the older tilesets, especially Chicago 1890, but some buildings could be assigned to that tileset.

Long story short: Thank you for all these great little BATs, and if you throw in one or two that can be used for the Chi/NY tilesets, I certainly won't complain.

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Normally, I like the building you are making.

I need to say, that I don't like the architecture of these buildings this time although modelling is done very well.

1. building: I like this building best. And I love how the entrance looks. I assume the back of the building looks almost the same. So I think another preview isn't necessary. Also, I like the roof texture although I think that the roof itself is too empty. Maybe one or two ventilations would look nice. I don't know how the RL building look though so it's up to you. Just one thing I would like to point out: Imho, there are too little nite lites. At least the three windows in the middle of the building could be lit up.

2. building: Not my favourite buiding but nicely done as well. I like the Lobby with the awnings. One thing that needs to be worked is the white texture which looks too clean. Some grime or at least some darker spots would make it look much better. And again I think the roof is empty. The nite lites are nice this time. Especially because you can see the offices behind the windows.

3. building: I don't like this architecture. I just imagine sitting in my office, watching out of the window and looking at that huge column in front of it. Must be a great view . Also, I think the hedge is too edged. Smooth the cornes and it will look better. I like the stairs and the handrails. Somehow, I don't think there is further roof junk needed. That maybe because of the roof texture.

So now you know exactly what I think about your buildings. And again: I don't dislike the modelling but I do dislike the architecture.

  Edited July 19, 2012 by skyscraper241  

[Sgt Pepper 864]

I think the Architecture is lovely. <3 Of course I like all forms of architecture, even if it is the "dreaded" Brutalist. But I think most of these are more Internationalist styled? Or borderline with Brutalist. Maybe I'm no expert.

I think the only architecture I despise is these buildings that want to look like a heap of bent metals thrown together(like that Disney Music Or Concert Hall..) Looks like recycled garbage...or a heap pile of metal just spit shined and polished to look presentable.

[Gn_leugim 858]

I ddint mean to criticise the architecture, but the actual texture applied. as far the architecture is concern, you are doing a good joob. shame they are so "american" =\

[madhatter106 3,931]

I've been away for a while, but always with the nagging thought in the back of my head that there are some of these BATs that need to be finished. So I forced myself to sit down and work on some nightlighting...here's the architecture firm I did a while back...

It will be going into the next pack; don't quite know yet what size that one will be, but it will continue to be in the 2x2 vein. I think another forthcoming group will be the larger buildings posted earlier...

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

I'm so happy for back, I hope you continue to say.

The building looks great.

[madhatter106 3,931]

Revamp on a previous building that didn't make it into an earlier pack. This was a bit tricky, but I think the overall effect with the lights is decent.

And a little more done with the lights for this fellow...

Still needs some details to bring it to life...we'll see.

[Ion_Cannon 677]

I really like the look of the architecture firm, looking forward to your next building pack, I always make good use of them

[SimCoug 5,976]

I always look forward to seeing a new post in this thread. The night lights on the first building are phenomenal - great work!

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Welcome back! I love these so far. I don't really have anything to say about them in forms of constructive critique, but keep it up!

[mattb325 28,891]

Excellent job on these - the textures are excellent and the designs are really believable (I particularly like the architecture firm)

[libellibicus 396]

The architecture firm building is particularly good, although all of your creations are of a very high standard indeed. Keep up the good work fella

[madhatter106 3,931]

Volume 4 has been posted to the STEX. Here's the info on the naming conventions for this set...

• Ross Architects – four-year-old Charley Ross was abducted from the front lawn of his parent’s Philadelphia home in July of 1874. Though several ransom letters were received, the boy was never returned; the familiar childhood warning of “don’t take candy from strangers” has been popularly attributed to this crime.
  
• Dunbar & Collins Publishing – In 1912, Bobby Dunbar mysteriously disappeared during a family fishing trip in Louisiana; eight months later, a boy whom police alleged to have been the missing child was returned to the Dunbars, who at first had difficulty in determining if he were their son. Recent DNA testing has yielded the result that the child returned was not related in any way to the family. Walter Collins disappeared from his mother’s Los Angeles home in 1928; five months later, police located a boy who maintained that he was the missing child, though the claim would later prove to be false (the boy’s reason being that he wanted to visit California to meet western screen star Tom Mix). The Collins disappearance and subsequent aftermath was featured in the 2008 Clint Eastwood movie Changeling.
  
• Ballard, Mason & Franks – Morton D. Ballard and Louis Mason were the aliases used by notorious “thrill kill” murderers Nathan Leopold, Jr. and Richard Loeb, who abducted and murdered 14-year old Bobby Franks in Chicago in 1924. Upon discovery of their guilt, each blamed the other for the actual murder; they were sentenced to life plus ninety-nine years. Loeb was killed in prison some time afterwards, and Leopold was eventually paroled over thirty years after his conviction.
  
• McPherson Title Company – popular radio evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson disappeared along Venice Beach in May of 1926, reappearing over a month later in a Mexican border town near Arizona. When questioned, she told an elaborate story of being kidnapped, tortured, and drugged, only to have escaped from her captors by walking half a day across the desert. Many believed that the entire kidnapping had been a hoax, concocted as a smokescreen to shield her from a romance scandal that involved her with a married co-worker.
  
• Hopewell Credit Union – sensationally dubbed “the Crime of the Century,” Charles Lindbergh, Jr., son of the celebrated aviator, was taken from his crib on the night of March 1, 1932 from the family home near Hopewell, New Jersey. Though a ransom was handed over in a secret meeting in a Bronx cemetery, the child was not returned; his body was discovered near the grounds of the family estate months later. Despite his conviction and execution for the crime, German-immigrant carpenter Bruno Richard Hauptmann maintained his innocence.
  
• Olsson Accounting – ex-convict Jan-Erik Olsson took four bystanders hostage during an attempted bank robbery in Sweden in 1973. Held captive for five days, the hostages nevertheless gained a sympathetic rapport with Olsson, claiming they were more afraid of police involvement than they were of their captor. The incident gave rise to a new perspective on “capture bonding,” often labeled by psychologists as the Stockholm Syndrome.
  

[libellibicus 396]

I've just downloaded them, and as per usual they are Top Drawer. Just what I need for my City. Many thanks and a job very well done indeed

[T Wrecks 10,210]

All the thought you put into the names is amazing to see... which is not to say that the buildings are not amazing to see! Well, ok, maybe "amazing" isn't the right word. Architecturally, the buildings aren't that amazing at all, but that's what makes the BATs so realistic and useful after all. I must confess that I have totally lost track - how many buildings have you released in all your packs, anyway? So much great stuff to counter the low amount ov variation! It's good to see that you're still going strong!

[madhatter106 3,931]

libellibicus - thanks, glad you enjoy them!

T Wrecks - many thanks for your kind words and enthusiasm. According to my little spreadsheet, over the mere 26 uploads I've put on the STEX, there are exactly 130 unique buildings. (There's a repeat or two in there between packs, such as the first laundromat I did in one of the commercial packs being reissued with the drycleaners and laundromats pack, just because it was "on theme"). So, despite being only 26 uploads, I guess that is quite a number of buildings - granted, many of them are not substantial (being one or two stories high at most), but I like to think they have enough detail to pack their own punch, one storey and all.

Curiously enough, I think they're all commercial buildings - though I've BATted some industry and shown them in my thread here, I have never gotten one to a finished state to share. But then again, you seem to have done a thousand uploaders' work with your industry packs of late, which is an incredibly Herculean feat for which you should receive laurels beyond measure! My stuff couldn't even begin to compare to yours! Again, many many thanks for your enthusiasm for my uploads, as well as for your enthusiasm and devotion to the game itself and this community.

I think there's more office goodness to explore, so I think there's more midrise packs to be seen in the future. "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing," or, in the words of the late great costume designer Theodora van Runkle, "more is more." There will probably be more office BATs that fit on the 2x2 footprint, but probably a bit taller than the prior ones (though still falling in the category of midrise, in my estimation). Plus there's a whole slew of Maxis 2x3 and 3x2 buildings to fight - variety is greatly needed to fend off some of those which become highly repetitive for lack of options in a vanilla plug-in folder. So, hopefully I can explore more in that vein (though there are some that need finishing along those lines from earlier in this thread, earlier this year.)

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Thank you for you upload, I hope to see more bats in the future, I hate to see you stop for long periods of time like you have done recently.

[Nomadic 23]

I gotta admit I love your small office building, they fit very nicely in my small town central district. Good job!

[hotChocolate 95]

Just popping in to say that I love all the office packs you're making, these kinds of building sizes are sorely needed. Besides, they're the kind of offices that you would find in an everyday city. The overall work you put into it is outstanding. Thank you!

[IL. 1,043]

Outstanding as usual.

[madhatter106 3,931]

Aaron Graham - well, RL has a habit of intruding on BATting, sadly. Glad you enjoyed these.

Nomadic - thanks - here's hoping they grow often in your cities!

hotChocolate - thanks. I agree - we need more midrises on the various exchanges, to fight the monotony of Maxis. Hopefully I have done a small part in that fight, haha.

IL. - thanks!

Here's some more shapes and ideas for the next pack. Nothing has reached the texturing stage; having too much interest in the modelling stage right now. This one is going to be an old-fashioned office building...haven't gotten around to doing the front lobby/entrance yet...

And this one is derived from an office building I've driven past numerous times. I had a little fun designing the underground parking entrance on the side...so many interesting little details to bring it to life...

And another one loosely based on a building I've driven past a million times. This one will hopefully be the beginning of a bunch in the 2x3 and 3x2 size range, to compete with things like Modde, Inc. and Curtin Fabrics, and all of that ilk...in fact, the LODs size of this one is very close to one of those already...

[SimCoug 5,976]

I love the look of the old fashioned office building. This style will look beautiful in older areas of town.

[libellibicus 396]

The 2nd building, with the underground parking entrance, looks as if it is gonna be another stunner. Can't wait for this next pack.

[NBAFAN1 28]

Thanks for your work Maddhatter, it's great for variety!

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Perfect modelling so far my friend.

You're one of the people besides Gn_leugim that I wonder if they actually once worked for Maxis...

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Thumbs up for this guy, he making something new, looks good.

[Gn_leugim 858]

here comes some good new stuff

[Za 164]

Very nice work on these. I've been doing smaller towns lately and these various packs are perfect for such

Really like the one with the garage entrance.

[Jack_wilds 550]

I'd like to add my 2cents by expressing my appreciation for your work ... as well as extend a hearty new year :party:

[madhatter106 3,931]

SimCoug - yeah, I have a hard time getting the more old-fashioned, older style buildings to look right - a lot of my midrises have been more modern buildings. Hopefully this pack will have some more old school architecture in it...

libellibicus - I had lots of fun figuring out the modeling for the parking garage entrance. I'll probably hate doing the texturing, though, haha. Thanks for your enthusiasm.

NBAFAN1 - indeed, it's all about variety...!

Sgt Pepper - perhaps I worked for Maxis in a previous life...

Gn_leugim, Aaron Graham - thanks!

Za - yeah, most of my stuff is small town, so I tend to BAT the stuff I end up seeing or liking.

Jack_wilds - thanks! Happy new year to you as well.

Some texturing and nightlights and detailing done. This one was inspired by a lot of the Maxis rooftops - I wanted something that would blend in next to them. I think it needs some benches or chairs up top, as well as a nightlight near the entrance.

I rather like the direction this one is going...