The Sci-Fi City Project

[Francis90b 748]

I must echo Jason about the time this project will need, and i must highlight another point...let's say you're able to make a BAT every one or two weeks, but will you find enough drawings or ideas for every tipe of building you will need to do?

[GlobexCo 33]

That's why some weeks ago I suggested a team.

There are about 51 weeks in one year, so in May 2010 there will be 51 BATs. Let's consider also summertime (school's holiday for me!), I've got nothing to do, so I can creat one BAT in 3 days and one automata in 4 days. In May 2010 there will be 51 BATS and about 20 automatas.

There aren't problems of ideas and drawings. Automatas won't be very different (in real world, cars always have four wheels, some doors, some windows, ....) and I've got a lot of comics where people use sci-fi cars. Skyscrapers don't have to be too strange; because in a city skyline where there are too many strange palaces, you can't appreciate all the details, it must have some "normal" palaces.

So, if two persons do the same work, they can finish in 1/2 of the original time. They can produce 102 buildings in one year. Consider only four persons, one is a modder and the other three are experts with BAT and 3ds. In May 2010 there will be 204 buildings and automatas will be all replaced. (talking about ideas, I can draw lots of palace during lessons ). If no one wants to really partecipate, when this project will be finished (important parts), SC4 won't run on any of the future computer .

I think this is a good idea!

[His Divine Hand 244]

Originally posted by: GlobexCo

That's why some weeks ago I suggested a team.

There are about 51 weeks in one year, so in May 2010 there will be 51 BATs. Let's consider also summertime. . .

I think this is a good idea!quote>

Wow, you really have unrealistic expectations about how this will go. I think you missed the part above Jason's comments about how much time it will take where he says it can take months to make good BATed buildings and automata. Sure, you might be able to pump out one per week, but will it actually look good? There are very few batters here who can produce quality work in a week, and most of them have been doing this for awhile. I think you need to carefully read and UNDERSTAND what Jason is trying to tell you. The entire project as your defining it is probably far over your abilities. The example of Sim Mars is a good one, for while it has come a long way, it has taken many years to get where it is now. Expect this project to take at least half of that time since it isn't as ambitious.

[GlobexCo 33]

I know that this project is a real challenge, and I'm sure it is far over my abilities. But if nobody starts that project, how can ba finished (Ok, I am one of that "nobody")

[GlobexCo 33]

Here's a picture of a famous italian comic (PKNA ). In the "green" zone of the city there are a lot of interesting sci-fi palaces; unfortunately they have really strange shapes. So, do I have to build it manually (create sections with lines and then attach all and smooth) or there are some modifiers that let you create this unusual shapes (they are marked in red). - This is probably how your cities will look when you'll download the SFCproject on STEX.

[AndisArt 2,067]

To some degree SimMars and this project could be inter-changable, i.e. some of the BATs could be used for both mods.

Also I'm working on some Sci-Fi BATs. It won't be soon and there won't be many, but I'll definitely post them here

[GMT 389]

looking at page 1, It's fun to see how people imagined the world of tomorrow some 50 years ago...

guess this would make for some awesome disney-like-tomorrowland BATs

[GlobexCo 33]

Now I'm working on the HMN station (you can find a picture it that forum - Mod - transit network) and on the building marked in red that you can see on the right side of the previous picture.

@ andisart

I saw some buildings of SimMars and the majority of them uses mars colours (dark red), but some of them are interesting. Can you tell me something about your BATs, I'm curious .

@ GMT

I think that the best sci-fi buildings are from '70 and '80's comics because they were detailed. Today there's only fantasy and medieval age revival, no place for the future.

[GlobexCo 33]

Maybe I'm mad, but I'm very fast. I started this skyscraper today morning and I think that tomorrow morning will be finished. (1 BAT - 1day )

[ngeeves 5]

It requires a lot more details like pipes etc. Try hadding a bump map to that texture on the main part - itll add more to the bat. Also, try make the 'pods' coming off of the model seem like theyre not just stuck into the model, make the transition seem smoother, as if theyre actually meant to be there.

ngeeves

[GMT 389]

about the details, I'm totally with you globex, but I really like the overall design of the scifi-buildings I mentioned, like this tomorrowland stuff in disneyland. If I only had some pictures of the posters that are hanging in one of the shopping arcades in disneyland paris...

[GlobexCo 33]

ngeeves: emh...can you tell me exactly what is a bump map? - I'm adding details, that was only the main body.

GMT: do you mean something like this? I found only this picture, but I know there's also something in the park map.

[GlobexCo 33]

I'm working also on a texture pack. I've got 159 textures saved in .bmp. FiSHman lets me convert one bmp to fsh at a time (very long work). Is there a method to quickly convert bmp into SC4 fsh format? Thanks

[Gn_leugim 858]

Apart from that, I don't =1

[GlobexCo 33]

It is better replacing Maxis buildings or creating new packs?

And how can I simply replace Maxis buildings with mine, just find the right IIDs and put them in a new dat (then repalce)?

EDIT: the first sci-fi texture pack is finished - now only a prop pack and then the first sci-fi city dat will be released

[AndisArt 2,067]

You can use the Maxis-Block system that SimMars uses to block all Maxis buildings from growing

[GlobexCo 33]

That "Maxis Block system" is part of the SimMars setup? Or I can download somewhere?
(I saw some SimMars pictures and I think that some models are good also for sci-fi but the buldings there grows scattered, those lots aren't good for a sci-fi skyscraper city! - and there aren't hover cars!)

[warrior 169]

Hover cars: Just need to raise the paths of the road, and then there's no need to change models and such.

Jonathan

[GlobexCo 33]

Is there a tool or a tutorial on how to make SC4path? I tried to "read" a path in the Reader but there are lots of numbers with no explication. Changing paths will hover cars, but that cars still have wheels (important detail in UDI). The best thing is to replace airplane models with hover cars (so you can drive it where you want) but I remember that adding new airplanes is impossible, so I think also a road with path for airplanes.

(Airplanes will be replaced by sci-fi airplanes - there's a link on page 1)

[Terring 6,473]

Originally posted by: GlobexCo

Terring, if you have other SC2000 hi-tech palaces, can you post them? They're very similar to Transport Tycoon architecture for future cities, they're good for sci-fi agriculture.quote>

Simcity 2000

Simcity 3000 (removed )

[GlobexCo 33]

terring: there was something like that in SC3000?????  I've never seen those buildings. They're very good!

New I'm working on some factories. Here's a picture of a buildings I saw on some projects of Sant'Elia (I have to add something more interesting because the original project was boring.

[Terring 6,473]

Those buildings were proportional but removed

As about flying cars, i have an idea. With N.A.M. you can build overpasses and elevated roads puzzle pieces and turn the el light rail into ground light rail with started pieces. This is what i am thinking about: Invisible elevated road puzzle pieces so cars can use them like they are flying. But because it takes too much time to build a whole city with puzzle pieces, how about a started piece that turns the roads into hover roads. And how about puzzle pieces that connect the ordinary road and the hover road.

Something like this addon

[GlobexCo 33]

I can simply do that by replacing textures and paths of one of the SAM sets (so paths are already for cars and I don't have to modify models). Car models will be changed into hover car and some lots (with a very difficult path) will increase the high between car and ground. At the moment I know how to change textures but I don't know anything about paths, so I try to ask again this question, is there a tutorial or something about SC4paths? If not, what are the numbers that I need to change to do this mod?

[GlobexCo 33]

About hover cars, I'll open a topic on the right forum.

Here there are two my drawings, maybe someone want to create something but he hasn't got any ideas . In the first one there are five buildings, each one has a little explanation. In the second one there are some automatas ( froget the numbers next them - they're quite invented), a tower (there's a little explanation on how to build it) and my first ideas about road network (unfortunately road puzzle pieces aren't good for a big city)

[GlobexCo 33]

I made a lot of drawings in the last week, but also something with Gmax (not very much). I finished the factory model and I started to make some props (at the moment only containers and boxes).

If I want to use my textures with the LotEditor I have to create a texture pack; but after put all the fsh files in a new dat, what I have to do?

[Francis90b 748]

Compliments for your drawings, Globex!Sorry but i don't really know how to help you.

[edmonton_stinks 5]

You can make textures with the SC4Tool, and I'm pretty sure you can use also use it to compress the various texture files into one.

[GlobexCo 33]

I've attached the texture pack, if someone want to say something about it and how it can be better.

SFC textures p1.zip

[Jasoncw 11,841]

When I put the file in the plugins folder, and opened the Lot Editor, there were no new textures. Then when I opened the file in the Reader, there was nothing inside of it. You may want to double check that it worked right. People do this by emptying their plugins folder of everything except for what they're testing, and then seeing if it works correctly.

Also, you'll need to request an ID range. You can do this in the Texture Index Thread in the BSC Team Room forum.

[SimFox 802]

Jason; probably file get corrupted during download somehow... I can see whole bunch of FSH files inside..