Aaron Graham's BATs

[AlexandrosB13 184]

This looks just amazing! Its really perfect, dont have anything to say, it speaks by itself, great work on it Aaron. Detail is great.

OH welcome to page 9!

  Edited June 6, 2011 by AlexandrosB13  

[abstynent 117]

Now, it looks great. Texture wonderfully arranged. Great detail. It is nice to look at your work. I look forward to further achievements.

[harishna 847]

no need to say it but great work Aaron

[Amthaak 1,501]

Hi Aaron! You really made a fantastic job! Can't wait for next step (nitelites...!?)

[Ceafus 88 1,843]

Looks Amazing

[T Wrecks 10,210]

This is the first thread I'm looking at after my ST break, and I've already seen so much to drool over. You have really caught up with some of the best BATters around. I don't have anything particular to comment right now, so I hope a nice big pat on the back will do for the time being.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Vlasky- Thank you!!!!

AlexandrosB13- Thank you!!!!

abstynent- Thank you!!!!

harishna- Thank you!!!!

Amthaak- Thank you!!!!

Frex_Ceafus- Thank you!!!!

T Wrecks- Thank you!!!! Im surprized that this was your first thread your looking at after you ST break. I am really glad that your back, you had me kinda sad for been gone that long.

Graham Apartments

Here's the night light to the Graham Apartments, I have already had them set up, so here's an image on the Maxis night and dark night lights. This look like it's it for this building, so I think it's time to export this building and move to the next on eon the production line. I'm almost like a factory, I just keep working and working on building.

Maxis Night

South

East

Dark Night

South

East

[Vlasky 1,803]

Aaron NYC Production Line LTD lol

I like it. If you haven't exported it yet, add 2 or 3 more windows but directly above lighted ones, so that it don't looks so sporadically But this is lovely anyways

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

I have not exported it yet, and thanks for that idea Vlasky.

[Cockatoo 2,257]

Nom nom nom... I still get all excited when I see nightlighting with the glare effect... it just looks so damn cool.

No complaints about the BAT here, the only thing I might suggest is just a little detailing on the roof junk.

[Jack_wilds 550]

Its just really good... I have enjoyed the older version of this bat but this new version is something worth admiring... less sporadic on lit windows so it looks more alive with life 'vis-a-vie' what vlasky suggested... that is, its rented out versus being really vacant ...

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Cockatoo- Thank you for that, I know right now I need to add some pipes, for smoke and steam. What esle you had in mind.

Jack_wilds- Thank you, I will work on the windows a little.

Right now guy I'm working a little on the NYBT Park Towers Apartments, I will show some updates soon.

[Vlasky 1,803]

Oh, oh I forgot one thing to mention! About those chimneys, well it doesn't seem right that they are shorter than roof exit - smoke can get trough that door into the building, so try making them taller than the roof exit

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Vlasky- I will get to the night lights soon.

Graham Apartments

I added a tiny bit of suff to the roof, the pipes and the chimmeys are a little taller, what else you guys may think I need to add??? I will hate it to see you guys saying I need to work on textures or modeling when I upload it to the STEX.

South

East

  Edited June 14, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[AlexandrosB13 184]

Well, i dont see something wrong, actually it is a great bat. I dont have any suggestions for the things you 've done already. But you finished with the back side side of the building? I think not but if yes you should add some garbage bins and stuff like that. The other thing i was thinking about, was to make something like a small garden in the front sides of the building. This building has the special Central Park East/West style and many of these have a small garden in the front, so it ma ybe a good idea to make one, it can make the building more beautiful and special. Just a suggestion, here is what i mean:

From Central Park East:

[Vlasky 1,803]

Although you are right Alexandros about NYC apartments having "small gardens" in front of them, adding it to this one would disturb 1.66m depth of building from road. At least I think so. For the back of the building, I agree, you should have some trash containers there and some exit door. which shouldn't be anything fancy, just simple metal panel. If you don't want trach behind this building, you can add a grass patch and a tree, cuz many of those buildings have their backyards

[AlexandrosB13 184]

Vlasky: this could be a problem, but if there is enough space i think Aaron should give a try. And yes the idea for the back side is great.

[Hanson784 165]

Looking great Aaron. Can't wait till this is finished, will make a great addition to the NY tileset. Even though it's not based on any buildings in New York it reminds me of buildings on the Upper West Side.

Vlasky: this could be a problem, but if there is enough space i think Aaron should give a try. And yes the idea for the back side is great.

You can always add a garden with some props from the Lot Editor, that's what I do when I want customize a building.

[Seraf 1,239]

I think Aaron can put a little parapet with grass and flowers only behind it, in the front of the building. It would take less space than "full" front garden

  Edited June 14, 2011 by Seraf  

[AlexandrosB13 184]

Sure it could be Hanson but modeling it i think it would be better, and its not that hard. For example that rail that is around the bushed couldnt be done in LE. Plus, the default Maxis trees, are not and the best, so dependencies would be needed, and most of people hate them, including me. There are some great trees that can be found on the internet. Anyway, Aaron hasnt agreed to that idea yet.

  Edited June 14, 2011 by AlexandrosB13  

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

I did for get about the trash dumps stupid me.

I just could try to add a garden in front of the building, but when I made this apartment building I was not thing Central Park East or West, I was thinking West End Avenue.

[AlexandrosB13 184]

Oh i see, ok do what you thing would be the best.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

AlexandrosB13- Ok, I will.

Graham Apartments

Not much change, but I have added the trash dumps, it looks like it time to export what do you guys think???

East

North

[Francis90b 748]

Looking nice, Aaron, but i'm not really convinced about the trash dumps...

Let's say it's not your model anymore, but a RL situation (or, let's imagine your model into RL).
Trash dumps get full from time to time, and need to be emptied.

A trash truck drives through the city in order to collect the trash.
Let's say that your trash dumps needs to be emptied, and the truck stops in front of your building...how can you move them from the courtyard towards the truck?
Most of the times you might see trash dumps in the roads, or in alleys that are accessible from the road, or in courtyards that are somehow connected to the road.

I'd say, make an alley to connect the courtyard to the road, or get rid of them.

[Amthaak 1,501]

I agree with Francesco, make the alley and then export...!

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Francis90b & Amthaak- You are so right I was not thinking, I thought about it in the past but, I thought it would not matter. I don't really know how the trash system works in New York City sense the is a New York type of building. Adding an alley will be tough if I want the building to lot to stay at 2x2 R$ and R$. I guess I just remove them for now.

  Edited June 28, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[Ceafus 88 1,843]

With them or not, this is really an amazing Building!!

[Roger51 381]

I would say get rid of them, they add nothing to the building, and adding an ally way would (for me) ruin the essentials of the building. Great building so far, I look forward to the release

[Liberater444 11]

Bravo! Bravo! I really want to DL this. Love W2W's! And this looks beyond awesome.

I also love the glare effect on the windows; I just hope you can find a sexy concrete texture for the alley in the back...

EDIT: On the DarkNite pics, the building looked unusually dark for an urban W2W. Maybe get some warm lighting from the street to flash the first few floors then fade out towards the half-way point or 75% mark? Just a suggestion

  Edited June 29, 2011 by Liberater444  

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Let's say it's not your model anymore, but a RL situation (or, more precisely, let's imagine your model into RL).

The trash dumps get full from time to time, and need to be emptied.

In most of the places a trash truck drives through the city in order to collect the trash (i'm not sure about how things work in America, though, but i assume it's the same)

Let's say that your trash dumps needs to be emptied, and the truck stops in front of your building...how can you move them from the courtyard towards the truck?

Most of the times you might see trash dumps in the roads, or in alleys that are accessible from the road, or in courtyards that are somehow connected to the road.

Well observed and true.

I'd say, make an alley to connect the courtyard to the road, or get rid of them.

...or simply rely on some other gap/alley/passage on adjacent lots that will provide access to the courtyard. Heck, you could even make one using modular parking lots or similar stuff.

Seriously, we're starting to discuss aspects that are equally lacking in Maxis buildings. Building in front, parking lot in the back - how do cars even get there? Maxis obviously didn't care. Sometimes it works out well thanks to an adjacent side road or a lot next to the building in question, but quite often it doesn't. Bearing all this in mind can never be wrong, and I really think Francis has a good point there. However, I don't see the consequences that strictly.

Basically, you can A) remove the dumpster, B) provide a means of access, or C) justify the situation referring to similar situations on many other Maxis and custom lots, marry the princess, and live happily ever after.

A) and C) are both fine IMHO, B) is probably difficult to implement in this case and at this stage.