SimHoTToDDy BATs

[art128 4,618]

these warehouse looks great my friend ! excellent work Todd

[Francis90b 748]

I agree, there is a serious lack of good industrial buildings (or at least of buildings that can meet your standards ) so i hope to see more...keep on, it's one of your best creations.

[Gn_leugim 858]

I like it.. but the roof is a bit dark no?

[Jasoncw 11,841]

Looking good.  To me the building looks kind of strange, but that's probably since I'm not used to seeing one story buildings like that (to me it just looks like the top floor of a bigger building), but that's just how the building is I guess.

Overall, I think the building is quite a bit too dark.  Also, double check to see what those concrete columns really are.  Usually the concrete structure is flush with the brick and glass infill, while on yours the concrete sticks out.  This may be the way it is, but it's worth checking because I don't think it's usually like that.

Anyway, I've worked on the lot:

The people props are time based and aren't usually/always there.  This lot is a 5x4.  I'll also be making a smaller lot with no grass, which I think is a 4x2.

Input?

[nihonkaranws 88]

Looks good, but you should try a different grass texture, like BSC's grass (with flowers, weeds, etc.). Maybe non-Maxis trees would look better. But the lot layout looks really good and creative.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Looks really good so far Jason, I like the back side a lot.

I think the maple trees look a bit out of place (the yellow ones, if I remember my maxis trees correctly) but I think they are random anyway so whatever. I do think there should be something in front of it where the entertains are plus some kind of separation via shrub or planter along the concrete/grass line. (if only in a few spots, doing it a long the whole thing would constrict it out of the open space the grass was intended for). So I think it might work well if it were only next to the concrete with the white boarder (looking at that first pick) to the right near the street, right below the bottom left of the tower, and perhaps a tiny bit (if the other spots are not enough) next to the front path way. That way, there is still a clear way from the building into the "park" but appears to be organized a bit.

Hope that doesn't sound like a lot, everything looks good, just the center of the LOT seems a bit too empty (wow, I just summed it up in half a sentence, why didn't I think of that sooner).

Nihonkaranws: we are trying to stay away from the dependencies a little bit, it would be nice, but I don't think it is a glaring issue that demands something different. There should be plenty of room to add more trees in mayor mode anyway I might change the texture around for my CJ, but I think this works as a generic lot that wouldn't look too bizarre popping up here and there (just don't mind the hammer and sickle

[art128 4,618]

nice lots there Jayson

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Interesting to see your style on a bigger lot! Most stuff you make doesn't leave much space and is very urban, so this one is definitely a change. I gotta say, the more I look at it, the more I like it.

However, I also think the grass texture isn't ideal. You could try one that has more 'grain'/'noise' and doesn't look quite so perfectly green.

Then there's that part of the paved ground at the back of the building that's outside the lines, facing the two entrances. I can imagine some benches would look good there. It would make those unavoidable lines seem like partitions that were made on purpose - walkway here, recreation area there.

A lamppost or two wouldn't hurt, either, but those Maxis props don'tr really contain one that would look good with that kind of building.

If I had to lot this one, I'd probably end up using the SFBT Essentials because that package contains a lamppost that was inspired from typical streets in the former GDR ("strassenlaterne_ost" or something), plus bike sheds and bikes that might look good on this, plus some overlay texture pieces in Maxis low-wealth paved style that are useful to create walkways, and last but not least some European dumpsters... sometimes it's hard to avoid dependencies.

[SimFox 802]

I have a nagging feeling that building should be turned so that crest would be on the side that is closer to the street...

The Lot is very "architectural :-)

You know saying that architects don't have "stuff" they have "objects". So this Objects rather than Stuff feeling here is very strong ;-)  is it the way it's ought to be not the way it is.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

SimFox: it is facing the right way, there normally wouldn't be a street where there is in those pics. In reality, there are only more buildings behind it, so it would be facing both the street and the city center.

This might explain, the building in question is to the left of the main square.

Quite frankly, I'm fine with any dependencies you chose to go with, so long as it is reasonable and really worth wile (we have been over that I think ). So try what ever you feel compelled to and see if it works.

[Cockatoo 2,256]

For this, I just really don't think that the Maxis props / textures will do it justice. They seem too bright, not very communist at all. We need half dead looking grass and trees, like the ones seen in the picture above (yea, I know it's in sepia, but even still, they don't look too healthy.) I think Jason is defiantly on the right path, the basics are all there. I'd say a couple of dependencies defiantly won't hurt in this case, maybe some seasonal trees and diagonal paths could do the trick with a much duller grass texture. Just my opinion.

[madhatter106 3,903]

I agree on the lawn texture comments before me, the grass looks too nice and even and well-kept that it doesn't quite seem in keeping with the building. Something with some variation, weeds, and a few dead spots would be great...

[spa 970]

Cycledogg's texture pack has some great overgrown grass textures with a lot of variation. Maybe that would hit the spot?

[ilikehotdogsalot 308]

Yeah, I agree with spa, with a few of JRJ or dusktropper's tree the place will look terrible!

[deathtopumpkins 43]

Hmmm.... I'm not really liking the lot. I think that the Maxis props really just don't complement the wonderful BAT. Especially the trees. Though that may just be my love of all things seasonal...

[autoVino 26]

I think the lot design is excellent for this building; it's not complicated and it seems that every object serves purpose. It is not cluttered. Actually, the shade of grass and color of the concrete on the ground complement the building very well.

Smaller lots to compliment the larger lot is also a good idea, as you said you will do.

The color of the building does not match the one in the picture of the real thing (on this page it is white), but I think shall will do fine. I do not know how it will look in comparison to other buildings.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

The picture is HORRIBLY discolored and washed out, being a 20 something year old photograph that someone scanned. I am only using it for a LOTing reference since it is the one of the few pictures I have of the city relatively resent after the disaster and the ONLY one showing the building arrangement.

If you would like, the color argument was a few pages back

[bixel 1,223]

I dunno I like Maxis props hahahah

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

So you know I'm still doing things on my thread...

I started a more generic block, one of the longer ones that you see lots of in the above picture.

Yes the windows on the balconies are not depressed into the wall, reason being the details (like the frames all together) tend to disappear so this should help them NOT blend in when I go to texture things. there are some floor divisions that I modeled this time around that you can't see very well. One other issue is the railings on the balconies, I might have to make the spaces much larger to avoid that anti aliasing-looks-like-a-plane thing going on for some of them. I modeled this so I should be able to churn out a few versions with as little work as possible, so be ready to see a good number of the blocks in that picture coming out of this one model

-Todd

[autoVino 26]

Try enabling ambient occlusion in your materials (if you use mental ray materials) to enhance detail visibility. Maybe it works without mental ray too, say scanline (but different settings will be required and probably in the render scene dialog). I don't know how it would work directly in the sun for your model, but it works well in indirect light. If fact, it is recommended by Mental Images to be used with a mix of GI or FG or both to produce quality results fast!

[Gn_leugim 858]

it starts good btw way.. what disaster you mean? =1

[_Atticus 10]

This looks really nice so far. Very reminiscent of Bloc from COD4 I'd say you have the commie style down by now.

@Gn_leugim The buildings Todd is modeling are located in Pripyat, Ukraine. In 1986, there was a hug nuclear meltdown in the neighboring city of Chernobyl and it forced everyone in the vicinity of the plant to relocate. That's why all these buildings are abandoned

-Pingangster

[Jasoncw 11,841]

I've:

• Changed the grass to be less uniform, using a combination of base and overlay textures.  I'm not going to make the grass half-dead or anything though.  I'm assuming that communists mow their lawns too.

• Changed the concrete layout (and moved the tower over a little) and added some overlay textures there. 

• Added some benches/trash cans around. 

• Rearranged and added some flora.

• Took out the kite flyer, even though I liked it, it was showing up way too often in the game.

I still haven't gotten to lamp posts, a possible dumpster, and also the possibility of not using random prop families for the trees (I think it's been Andreas who's brought in the past that landscaped trees like this aren't really randomly picked).

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Looking good Jason. I like the grass a lot more now, the first concrete setup looked better, but I think this one works better is best for this situation (the other one seemed a bit too overdone I think). If you have to pick one tree, try going with the spruce. Those are more like what is there IRL, but if you think another one looks better (like the oak or both) go for it. Lamp posts should be fine as long as they are as basic as possible, the ones around town remind me of the industrial ones on the avenues. Might want to put something in front of the left entrance (though that might be a nice place for the lamps if you decide to use them).

You have managed to get me excited about my own building

-Todd

[Gn_leugim 858]

much better now Jason you have a nice hand for this

About the disaster.. I know the Chernobyl disaster.. I didn't know that this town was next to it

that was a sad even

[Odainsaker 2,135]

You will have to look for some of the video of the delayed mass evacuations from Pripyat...chillingly sureal stuff that makes the Three Mile Island panic look laughable. Beyond the graininess of typical 1980s Soviet video tape, many of the videos are saturated with popping light speckles created by the radiation reacting with the film. As residents of the once ideal communist apartment blocks pile into evacuation buses, Orwellian announcers broadcast overhead how the whole exercise is merely a safety precaution in the wake of a minor and temporary incident for which there is nothing to fear.

[nofunk 1,933]

Jason: I think the new lot is a definite improvement over the previous one! It's too bad you had to take out the kite flyer (I liked him) but I understand why. I agree that in this case, not using a random tree prop family would be best. What if you added a few benches along the border of the concrete and front lawn?

Odainsaker: I've seen video of the evacuations--it is chilling indeed. I wish I could visit Ukraine today and see the area--I've read it is relatively simple to get a guided tour--I bet it would be an incredible (and sobering) experience.

[Glenni 1,444]

It shouldn't be too hard, and it IS relatively safe if you just use some sense, DONT STEP ON MOSS, that's one of the most radiated things there are there! If you stay on where the guide tells you to, you should be fine.

[Gn_leugim 858]

woow.. I want to go to Ukraine too..

[nihonkaranws 88]

The new lot is very nice Jason. But I can't get over the purple tint on your commieblock Todd.... Is it supposed to look this way? Nevertheless it doesn't actually look bad at all, I was just wondering about the purple.