Aaron Graham's BATs

[Andrey km 304]

The building is ready to me. Great job Aaron!

[Jack_wilds 550]

I also like the latest version better... and also able to see the "My Music Shop"... like it overall and the patio treatments up top are also great details to make come alive all the more ...

also the 'parking sign' orientation to the street is good BUT i wonder if such details as spot-on placement makes a difference in game just musing over how things would look in game...

i hope to see a SC5vr? that will allow for street level viewing but that may be a awhile in the waiting... as this looks good from the street

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Gutterclub- Thank you!!!

Delecto- Thank you!!!

Xyloxadoria- Thank you!!!

Renedius- Do not flatter me please, I'm trying to be one of the great but not the greatest.

Francis90b- I could but I do now want people to keep talking bad about my brick, I trying to finish this building as fast as I can without rushing and without losing quality.

Tcx- Thank you!!!

Kendiecasttsoi- the plants is and will be part of the building it's just to render the building faster. I know I will show them in the very last renders before exporting.

Harishna- Thank you!!!

Andrey Km- Thank you!!!

Jack_wilds- Thank you!!!

Johnson Apartments

Okay guys here's a look a the vanilla version of the Johnson Apartments, next should be the chocolate, and strawberry.

So the chocolate= Brown bricks, Strawberry= red bricks, vanilla= White bricks, and I do not know what flavor tan could be if this building was an ice cream treat, maybe someone here on ST knows.

O yea I forgot to say well on this building there a Payless, that store will take up two store space so you will have more shoes to choose from when your Sims are shopping here for foot ware. It also has a Girlz Nailz store so your girls nails can be sexy for you guys. another store is Zacks Snacks, a great place to get snacks, like cookies candy ect....

  Edited January 31, 2012 by Aaron Graham  

[Francis90b 748]

So, this is Vanilla.We've seen cream, then there will be strawberry and chocolate, right?

While suggesting you what i suggested, i had some (hopefully good) reasons to do that.

My reasons can be seen there, comparing your last two buildings with some buildings you released in the past:

I had this suspect since looking at the last cream (yellow) verson.While the johnsons might look nice and good, i'm somewhat afraid that they look a bit flat if compared to many of your other works.

What i'm suggesting are small tweakings, not radical changes that could make someone unhappy...and i hope that, seeing this pic, you can understand why i am, against your wishes, keep talking bad about your bricks !

  Edited January 31, 2012 by Francis90b  

[madhatter106 3,922]

Okay guys here's a look a the vanilla version of the Johnson Apartments, next should be the chocolate, and strawberry.

You should release all three versions combined as "The Neapolitan Pack."

[gutterclub 2,729]

Tan should be Caramel or Fudge?

I agree with Francis, that said not everyone of your buidlings should look the same brick wise..but it does look a little flat in game and a little tweak if you have the time can't hurt

  Edited January 31, 2012 by gutterclub  

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Thank you guys for commenting.

Johnson Apartments

How about that??

[Francis90b 748]

I think it looks better.

Park sign:

You should make it hanged, something like this:

the second might do quite nicely...forget about the fact that it hang on a corner...there are poles holding a diagonal sign...

EDIT:

However, i have some doubts about how useful it would be to have that sign diagonal like you modelled it.

You would clearly see it only when you turn the corner.

On the other hand, a sign that is perpendicular to the building's facade, and has two faces (only one of them can be seen in your current sign layout), could be clearly seen from both the ways of the street that serves the parking...and even from people coming from the corner.

Maybe you might also make the window curtains of a different colour (not white) on this white building.

  Edited January 31, 2012 by Francis90b  

[Seraf 1,239]

Aaron, if you ask me - the building with furniture and plants looks great and if I were you, I wouldn't bother with the fact that the "shaft" of the building looks flat. Buildings in that style are usually flat so...

[gutterclub 2,729]

Thank you guys for commenting.

Johnson Apartments

How about that??

Yep, looks clean enough but still enough variation in the bricks to fit in with your others. I think its done

[Jack_wilds 550]

Thank you guys for commenting.

Johnson Apartments

How about that??

Yep, looks clean enough but still enough variation in the bricks to fit in with your others. I think its done

I second the motion... do the eyes have it?

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Francis90b- Thank you, but I like the way my parking sign looks.

Seraf I not sure what your talking about right know. :\

Gutterclub- Thank you!!!

Jack_wilds- Thank you!!!

Johnson Apartments

All I did is just change the bricks and the model of the building again, I will have to move the chair set and the plants around to these two model and also I will have to come up with some more store names, so much for a batter like me.

On the model the uvw is a little jack up because I did not attach the edit part of the building, and fro those who does not know that's the area over the parking garage area.I also see in the brown brick model the grime is to strong so I will be turning that down a bit

The pictures below are the red brick (strawberry) and the brown bricks (chocolate)

  Edited February 1, 2012 by Aaron Graham  

[Francis90b 748]

Ok.But please take a second look at the 2nd pic i've posted.You might imitate it as far as the poles are concerned...your sign can be hanged on diagonal poles, (and distanced from the walls by as few as it's needed to tell that it's actually hanged) and they together might give the impression that it was actually and intentionally built that way, not just bent that way as the consequence of a windstorm (harshly but honestly told, that's the impression that is currently giving to me)

Is there any chance to see the cream and vanilla texture on the new buildings, and the strawberry and chocolate on the Johnsons?

  Edited February 1, 2012 by Francis90b  

[Jazzmaster 716]

Looking great! It'll be nice to have four buildings of quite similar design but also some variance...and these should sit well with the stuff we already have from you and other excellent BATers.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Francis90b- Okay, okay I see what I can do with the sign, just more to do. That new building is also the Johnson Apartments, it's just modifyed a little so there will be four models, if I was to do what your talking about it can be eight models, so many do you think???

Yoshiisland Thank you!!

Johnson Apartments

A mall update this is what I have done to the red brick model, the water tower covered and the water tower building is a little bit taller to hide the water tower.

  Edited February 1, 2012 by Aaron Graham  

[Francis90b 748]

Well, it's not really said that you should take care of them all the same time...what about releasing some now, and some later?

  Edited February 1, 2012 by Francis90b  

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

WOW!!!! So I have to make eight buildings. I could make a part one and then a part two later.

So much on one guy.

[spa 970]

Looks great. I really like the cream version. The small adjustment you made to the brick texture is spot on. Glad to see you varying the storefronts between the models and planning to tinker with the patio furniture and plants. Those kind of small adjustments are really worth doing if you're making multiple models. It seems like a small thing, but if two of the different versions appear next to each other in game, it looks so much better. As for the parking sign, I would disagree with Francis's suggestion. I think the angle makes sense given that it's there to catch the eye of motorists. A corner hanging sign would be appropriate if it were large and something more prominent, like the name of the building or the corner retail store or something. I can't think of ever seeing an elaborate corner sign telling people where the parking garage is. I think your parking sign works well in that it looks like what would get pasted onto an old building. The kind of visual clutter/pollution that infests dense urban landscapes. If I had to quibble, I would suggest moving it down near the garage. I would expect signs like that to be nearer the garage entrance.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Wow, so many BATs and so much feedback! I'll try not to confuse matters even more.

1) The adjusted brick texture looks great!

2) The new versions - strawberry and chocolate - are a great idea as well, but I think both might need just the tweaks you made to the brick texture of the white version, i.e. more accentuated bricks and less prominent dark stains all across the texture. Well, I guess strawberry is quite ok, but it's rather noticeable on the chocolate version.

As for the chocolate version, the window frames might require a slightly darker colour.

3) As far as naming goes, are you planning to name them all "Johnson Building"? If you'd like to differentiate them, but still stick to a general theme, you could give them names like "Johnson Building", "Henderson Building", "Jackson Building", "Ericsson Building" and so on - just a spontanteous idea I thought I'd throw in.

Most importantly, though: Keep it up and don't work too much!

[Francis90b 748]

Well, ideas might sound nice, and look nice...this doesn't necessarily mean that they are going to function, or be plausible...

Now, while signs might be nice to look at, and might give that feel of "urban clutter" that Spa mentioned, they're actually here for a functional reason, that is telling people who are approaching at a given "target" (which might or might not be in sight) that they're actually getting closer, and lead them to the "target".

In order to perform that function (and therefore to make sense, in RL as well as in a BAT), they should be able to be seen from as many approaching routes as possible.

Now, here are some thoughts.

First of all, let's consider the BAT in it's likely context.I've selected an intersection between a road and an avenue, like how it would probably be in a NYC recreation (1,2).

Building in blue is of course the Johnson apartments.

With the infos that are provided in pic 2, paths that will be used by motorists to access into the parking can be determined (3)

They can be considered alone with the building and the roads.I gave them a name, and i will use that name when mentioning them (4)

I have considered four different sign situations, and linked them with the paths in order to determine how much they can be visible from the different paths (more visible=more functional and plausible) (A,B,C,D)

Now:

Option A, or current situation:

Visibility from path 1 (ph 1):None

Visibility from path 2 (ph 2):Good when turning the corner

Visibility from path 3 (ph 3):Poor, when turning the corner

Visibility from path 4 (ph 4):Good when approaching

Option B, or tow-sided triangular sign:

Visibility from path 1 (ph 1):Good when approaching

Visibility from path 2 (ph 2):Good, when turning the corner

Visibility from path 3 (ph 3):Poor, when turning the corner

Visibility from path 4 (ph 4):Good when approaching

Option C, or tow-sided orthogonal sign:

Visibility from path 1 (ph 1):Good when approaching

Visibility from path 2 (ph 2):Good, when turning the corner

Visibility from path 3 (ph 3):Poor, when turning the corner

Visibility from path 4 (ph 4):Good when approaching

Option D, or three sided orthogonal sign:

Visibility from path 1 (ph 1):Good

Visibility from path 2 (ph 2):Good, when turning the corner (differently than C, a driver turning the corner should be able to see it better)

Visibility from path 3 (ph 3):Poor, when turning the corner

Visibility from path 4 (ph 4):Good

Good means that it should (in theory) be visible, "Good when approaching" means that it should be visible but only when you're quite near, "none" that it shouldn't, and poor that it should be difficult to see it.

  Edited February 2, 2012 by Francis90b  

[_marsh_ 1,118]

I like the strawberry and creme colors. The brown makes it look too low-wealth, although that may be good in some cases. And I think the textures need some more details. It looks rather "flat" compared to your other buildings.

I don't know what else to say that has already been said.

,marsh

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Spa- Thank you and you are right.

T Wrecks- Thank you, I was thinking would it be a great Iidea to just name the models with same model look Johnson Apartments and the building with the moification can be named oone of the names you have listed for me?

Francis90b- Thank you for that diagram, it really helps me understand where things need to go. I have change the model of the parking sign and I have changed the locationof the parking signs. I have placed one of the parking sign on the fron of the building so the motorist can see it from those angles, and I have placed one near the garage do the motorist can see where to park at.

Johnson Apartments

Okay, a small update I have added a new store the name is Tony's Cleaners, for those Sim who have and must wish there clothes to be fresh can clean, a lot of these apartments I'm sure does not have a cleaners so it's a grand idea to have them around.

I was playing around on this one. it will not be release so cry and pout.

  Edited February 3, 2012 by Aaron Graham  

[Francis90b 748]

Aaron:

Nicely done!

Sorry for my picky-ness, i don't want to criticize ideas, just look for their best possible way to realize them.

Maybe it would be a good idea to make signs a bit larger, so people (motorists) can read them more easily.

Are the last previews about the chocolate, right?

I'm going to provide a quick screen for them as well.

EDIT:

  Edited February 3, 2012 by Francis90b  

[T Wrecks 10,210]

I might be mistaken, but I think we have a winner. Two winners, in fact.

The tall version looks surprisingly good, too. However, it might be better to draw a line now, or you'll be making 50 versions of this building.

[madhatter106 3,922]

Okay, a small update I have added a new store the name is Tony's Cleaners, for those Sim who have and must wish there clothes to be fresh can clean, a lot of these apartments I'm sure does not have a cleaners so it's a grand idea to have them around.

They better not put Juanita's Washateria out of business...

[gutterclub 2,729]

hahaha

The tall one is sexy, and would look great in any city, justsayin.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Francis90b- What!!! Your doing a lot of nit picking your doing, I like the signs as they are, you killing my.

T Wrecks- I do understand boss.

Madhatter106- I hope not, I hope not, but I do have an idea, I just may put some store names that was on yo building and put thhem on mine, make it like an exspanding company.

Gutterclub- Yes, it does look good.

Johnson Apartments

Here's another update, I have added more store. Starting from the left side of the building to the right side, I have a Tony's Cleaners, GameStop, Carol's Barber shop, and a Hong Kong chinese restaurant.

I have a question does the store glass look okay?

Edit: Here's a the night renders.

  Edited February 4, 2012 by Aaron Graham  

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Yeah they look good to me

[Sgt Pepper 864]

These are amazing Aaron! I think they are ready.

[Francis90b 748]

This is true nit-picking, but as far as glass is concerned, i think it would be a good idea to make it a bit different for each shop.

Difference is clear as night (if you look at the glasses at night, you see four different shops), but maybe not so much at day.

Still, it's irrelevant.

Nightlights are looking wonderful!