Aaron Graham's BATs

[art128 4,622]

Looks fantastic, I like the water tower and the textures you used.

[harishna 847]

You are a BATing machine! nice model! try reducing the saturation and adding a bit of a gradient (grey on top) to the canopy texture.

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Beautiful building!

[Chris M 406]

Franklin is also looking great. I like the brick-style roof texture.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Zulu2065- Thank you!!

Frex_Ceafus- Thank you sir for you kindness.

Francis90b- Thank you, I'm need to work on that next.

Art128- Thank you!!

Harishna- Thank you, I'm trying to get it just right.

Sgt Pepper- Thank you boss man.

DragonAnime- Thank you!!

Franklin Apartments

A small update, I think the gradient in the canopy is not working good for me right now.

  Edited December 4, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[Vlasky 1,803]

I think that roof texture of the very top is weird and repetitive, A little more work and you'll probably get the best result.

[Ceafus 88 1,844]

I honestly like the new roof texture alot, the gradient on the cananopy woudl be could, just reduce it alittle bit. Great model in all aaron

[spa 970]

These are some great looking mid-rise residentials you have going. Really makes me think of Park Avenue, NYC. The level of skill and attention to detail in your work has really come along! Regarding Franklin, I have two minor suggestions.

1. I think the roof texture of the lower and upper parts should match. The only reason why they probably wouldn't in real life is if the penthouse area was added after the rest of the building was built, but if that were the case, the brick walls would likely differ. Since the brick is the same, that's the cue that the penthouse was part of the original design and as a result, I think they should have the same roof texture. If you're going to use just one roof texture, I would go with the style on the lower portion. It's more convincing.

2. The main brick texture is excellent. It hints at brick without overpowering with the masonry details. However, I think you need to revist the 4 vertical stone bands that run up the sides. The mortar lines are way too visible on them. It grabs the eye. I know you're probably following the real scale (i.e. the real number of blocks per floor), but I would change that by eliminating a few so that there aren't as many and the mortar lines, as a result, won't show up as frequently. It's one of those little realism sacrifices that the game requires. If we followed the true scale, all brick textures would just be a blurry mess.

On the tree question, I wouldn't include them as part of the model. Given the LODs, I think that's just asking for trouble and ultimately reduces the usability of your buildings. I think you should ask yourself what including them as part of the model achieves that rendering them separately and including them on the lot as props doesn't.

Anyway, this is all really great stuff. I hope you take my suggestions in the spirit they're intended (minor tweaks to great work).

[Ion_Cannon 677]

It's looking wonderful, but honestly I have lost track of how many projects you currently have in various stages of completion. I really hope this doesn't become another situation where loads of top quality stuff never gets released. That said, keep up the good work

  Edited December 5, 2011 by Ion_Cannon  

[Francis90b 748]

I agree with Spa about the brick bands.

I know you like green canopies (with legs ) but personally i don't really like how the green colour of the canopy matches with the warm, wonderful, red bricks of this building...maybe a darker shade of green, or black, or some red or orange colour might look better.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Vlasky- It looks werid. I'm trying my best, I hope they look better soon.

Frex_Ceafus- Thank you, I will get to the canopy.

Spa- Thank you for that strong juster and your 100% right, I will work on the walls a little more and fix the brick scale again, for the brick band it's hard to work with right now I have to think of something.

Ion_Cannon- I hope I do not fall in the hole where loads of top quality stuff never gets released.

Francis90b- I will make the conopy darker the best way I can.

I will try my best guys, I just hope I do not fail you.

Hogan Apartments

It just may make it on the STEX and the LEX.

  Edited December 5, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[Jazzmaster 716]

Oh my, that would be quite an exceptional BAT to have. Been looking forward to stuff from you after such a long while.

[spa 970]

Now that one looks done

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Yoshiisland- Yes, It looks like you will have it in your hands soon

Spa- Thank you!!

Franklin Apartments

What next still work on the textures or move on to the night lights and post what it looks like and then export?? The sooner the better.

I'm still think on re-sizing the bricks. What do you guys think?

Hogan Apartments

I might as well show this off.

Maxis Nite model in Dark Nite.

  Edited December 9, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[Francis90b 748]

I like the bricks as they are.I'd go further, and i'd say that i'd prefer to see the last floor as it was in the previous render, with the orange texture, and not the yellow one.

Maybe you might add a little bit of gradient on the orange bricks and on the stone texture.

[Ceafus 88 1,844]

Wow, both look super amazing! Great work my friend!

[T Wrecks 10,210]

OMG, it's Hogan City!

That Maxis building in the background shows how well you matched the textures to the game's colour palette - wonderful work!

As for Franklin Apts, I second what Francis said.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Ah, I definitely want to grow an entire block of these. I could re-enact Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window in my own city.

I can't add much to what the others said about Franklin Apts. already. It looks stunning otherwise.

[Simfan34 11]

I really like what you've been doing here, I look at these buildings and I'm transported to the Upper East Side. Marvelous.

All I have to add is that I hope you add the trees as props, but you've polled us already.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Francis90b- Thank you for your help.

Frex_Ceafus- Thank you!!

T Wrecks- Thank you!!!

Yoshiisland- Thank you, Can't wait till I upload it so you can injoy them.

Simfan34- Thank you, I hope you love it on the Upper East Side.

Franklin Apartments

Here's a close up on my lamps I need to try another way to light them up.

Edit: I forgot to unhide the AC units and the side wall designs.

  Edited December 15, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[Francis90b 748]

Well done!

I really like those nightlights, and i think it looks very realistic because not many windows of the building are lit .

  Edited December 14, 2011 by Francis90b  

[Chris M 406]

Fantastic progress, my friend!

[Ceafus 88 1,844]

Wow, that looks wonderful!

[madhatter106 3,922]

There's something that strikes me about the four vertical pale bands of bricks, and that's the fact that they look almost too clean. The rest of the building has a "respectable" bit of age to it, and variation when it comes to the brown brick. The vertical white bricks look like they were either cleaned yesterday or placed yesterday - they look brand spanking new. The base of the building, which is in a similar vein to these bands, looks fine - it's just those four vertical "stripes" look so fresh and white and pure and clean and...

The roof texture has a striation that is reminiscent of slats of old, weathered, graying boards - which makes me question it as well.

I do love the window details - this one is shaping up to be quite nice...

[Jasoncw 11,941]

For the lamps, try making another self illuminated material. Check the checkbox about illuminating the scene, and see if it does the job.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Francis90b- Thank you!!!

DragonAnime- Thank you!!!

Frex_Ceafus- Thank you!!!

Madhatter106- Thank you for that I will try to get the concrete a little dirty.

Jasoncw- Thant's what I was going to do next, thank you.

Franklin Apartments

Ok, here's a bunch of render images, so enjoy, I will do what Madhatter106 and a few others may have said, i will try to get the concrete to look a little dirty.

I'm not going to let long renders go to waste, here's another one of my show offs, it's not the best.

  Edited December 17, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Like this update.

What exactly did you try to find out.

[wallacet 336]

Your buildings look great! I love this style of architecture. Keep it up!

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Skyscraper241- Thank you!

Wallacet- Thank you!

Franklin Apartments

Does the concrete texture looks better, I think I'm really to export.

  Edited December 18, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[spa 970]

Hey Aaron. It looks really good to me. The water tower is perfect and the small adjustments you've made to the concrete and brick are spot on. I still think the vertical bands of concrete or stone or whatever the material is don't quite make the grade. The dark mortar lines make them look fuzzy and funny looking, especially when the rest of the textures are subtle. I still think you need to upsize that one so that the mortar lines don't appear as frequently. Alternatively, you could try lowering the contrast between the mortar lines and the surrounding concrete/stone material so that they don't stand out as much. You might want to turn down the contrast on the upper roof too. I kind of feel like it should be the same material as the lower portion, but it's your bat. Since it's sometimes hard to explain in words, I highlighted the areas in red that I'm referring to in the image below.

These are just small suggestions. I would still use this as is