JonM's W2W Euro BATs

[JonM 38]

Hey All,  To go with my canal, I will be working on a whole bunch of w2w euro buildings. I want to make ones that will look like they would fit into cities like Stockholm, Antwerp, places in Germany Austria etc.

Here are a couple. This one is Blasieholmstorg 12 in Stockholm

..and in hd:

..and a fictional 1x2 corner.

and a hd render of it, too bad this isnt feasible in game

I want to make different heights for different levels of density. like 30m, and 15m 

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Textures/ materials might need some work to make them fit in game, but the models are fantastic!

Really glad you decided to crawl out of the woodwork (so to speak) and join the BATing community

[Roger51 381]

Those aresome great looking BAT's. I can see some wonderful BAT's from you, keep up the great work.

[Jasoncw 12,060]

Really glad you decided to crawl out of the woodwork (so to speak) and join the BATing community quote>

I totally agree!!

[JonM 38]

Thanks! Here is another one I had been working on.
and yes, I have been on/off simcity and batting since sc2000

[debussyman 1,351]

These are very nice! I specially love the first one.

Could you make a standard scanline-rendered version as well?

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Scanline?!?

*shudders*

All that it needs is a little TLC in the materials department.

The new one looks nice by the way, lovely little building.

[gottago 25]

This will be a very beautiful set and it's another great project, I love Scandinavian classicism personally.

Overall the models look really good, the facades are very well detailed, but on all of them the roofs look too schematic. As the saying goes, "SC4 is a game of roofs," so spend a little more time on them and give them more detailing, it will pay off handsomely.  Check out your buildings and ones like them using Google Earth and MS Virtual Earth  and study the roofs for appropriate details.

The first one, for example, the break in the mansard roof, when it changes from one angle to another, that "hip" should have some relief and a band introduced to highlight it, as you can see in your reference pic. You can also see that the material used is standing-seam metal, which is great for giving the roof more interest, and you could either model the ribs by using array or "draw" them on with the appropriate texture. There's also an escape ladder and snow spikes set into the slope and details like this will also give it more life and are very easy and quick to model.

The same sort of details will also help the others, and the flat roof on the corner building needs roof junk--hvac, vents, chimneys, etc.--and the low, white parapet would have the same material as the roof itself, and would have metal coping to keep out moisture. The dome is about 10-15% too small and should be moved forward so that it sits directly on top of the vertical centerpoint of the circle made by the curving corner--the wide, flat setback is awkward there, and architecturally incorrect.

On all your models, you also need to add metal flashing on top of all projecting stone elements--parapets, the tops of window frames, pediments, etc. It is done in real life to protect the stonework from moisture, and it will make your facades look much more realistic, and will add a contrasting texture/material that will enhance the realism of your wall and stone textures by way of contrast. Right now the facades look both detailed and yet also schematic, and this is a very good way to improve them easily. (You have done a bit of this with the ached window pediments on your corner model and that area looks very convincing--do it on the flat parts as well.)

And I agree with Simhotoddy, the textures are too schematic and the colors are off--much in the same way as with your canal project. If your textures aren't good, Max mental ray renders will accentuate flatness and pastel tonalities, making models look too much like models and not actual buildings (I assume this is why Debussyman wants a scanline render). The textures need signs of age: dirt, cracks, joint lines between stones, soot being splashed up on the walls above the tops of window sills and pediments, etc. to bring the models to life. And like the bridge project, they are all too cold and lavendar, and need to be warmed up with more yellow, to kill the pastel tonalities caused by Mental Ray and the SC4 light rig.

Actually, the model is only half the work; getting your textures right--and making specific texture variants for specific parts of your model and tweaking them to get them right--will take as much or more time as the actual modelling work.

If you don't know them, check out these sites for textures: arroway.de and cgtextures. Both have tons of free, high-quality architectural textures for download.

Phew! A long post, filled with lots of "criticism." But the comments are just a reflection of the quality of the project, and wanting to see it reach its full potential. Great work.

[io_bg 249]

Very nice!!! Can't wait to have these

(if you can't find inspiration, send me a PM - I can show you pics of some interesting buildings from my town )

[isaklindh 0]

Looks awesome!

I'm just hoping for buildings from Strandv

[psander5 198]

They're all great, but that corner building is especially sublime! Once you've got the colours and textures tweaked they will surely be close to BAT perfection

[JonM 38]

Thanks gottago! I read everything carefully! here is some progress on that: Are the colors getting better now?

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Great look Bats I have to say.

[SimFox 804]

FunFreakingTastic!!!

All the mat issues are just little adjustment of a very talented artist to the specifics of the BAT. Give him a time, guys!

Debussyman: I guess I really would like (like SimHoTToDDy) to know why do you insist on Scanline, both in your own work (it really keeps it away from achieving much better perfection (if one may use comparatives with perfection), and here? Why don't you try to step into modern era with your tool set?

[gottago 25]

Wow, much better--that looks really great!! I'd just say your roof texture is too dark/black. Most stuff in sc4 has lighter roofs and this will stand out in a negative way. What about a medium grey texture, or copper standing seam that has weathered to verdigris? It may not be what's on the original, but could be quite handsome.

[CarmineHilton 6]

OMG! I'm on love with those models and I'm very excited someone is finally batting some scandinavian bats!

Hope you'll do many many more buildings from Stockholm or in such architecture

good luck! =)

[debussyman 1,351]

The textures now look fantastic, but maybe you could add some detailing on the roof, perhaps model the plate divisions instead of just trusting the (too faint) texture alone.

Simfox: I absolutely agree that the new rendering engines used look very impressive and bring out the detais that one worked so hard on which otherwise won't be appreciated at all. However, when I place one of these models among the rest of BATs created (specially among W2W), it just breaks my liver to see how they stand out too much and don't merge with their sorroundings, specially in color tonality.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Well, like I said, that just means you need to spend more time on materials/ textures. Every one of my models is done in MR (except my very first one) and yet I managed to get them to fit in pretty well I think.

JonM: The hues look great, good improvements. I still think the white decorations/ limestone (whatever it is made of) doesn't have enough "texture" to it and still looks like a flat color (aka, plastic). The roof looks OK, but it is really blotchy and lack any real definition. Try adding some subtle gradients and wear marks around the ridges, details, and windows to make it seem more alive and part of the building.

Oh, and great comment gottago, everything that needed to be said and then some (saves me some time )

[nofunk 1,935]

I don't have anything to add regarding textures that others haven't already mentioned, but I just wanted to say your modeling work is superb, and I'm really looking forward to seeing more!

[Fresh Prince of Wmbg 44]

Can't wait to see those released !

[Spike345 20]

Originally posted by: JonM
Thanks! Here is another one I had been working on.
and yes, I have been on/off simcity and batting since sc2000quote>

For some odd Reason, this building reminds me of a police station (just smaller in scale). hmm... 

 

VERY nice work in here though!

[JonM 38]

Here are some more stuff I am working on. I will release some of these soon.

The Frank Gehry dancing house in Prague is not totally my modelling, I used some of a stock model I had

[_Atticus 10]

Though I personally think it one of the ugliest structures created by mankind, I gotta so you did a good job with it. I might even remotely consider placing it in one of my cities (for realism purposes, of course)

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

As heinous as I think Frank Gehry's work is, it looks really good in game. The two on the right could use a little more tweaking in the materials department. For example, the black roof on the corner building is much too dark and walls (of both) look far too clean and plasticy.

Anyway, fantastic work on these!

-Todd

[bluemoose 223]

YAYZ Fred and Ginger!!!!!

looking great!

[ilikehotdogsalot 311]

I LOVE the dancing house! Great job!

[alj 38]

Nightlighting looks fabulous. Though I think it is slightly excessive on the right corner building (all rooms are lit).

[SimFox 804]

Beautiful modeling, both yours and borrowed! But the night lighting doesn't look right. It is sort of anemic... I lacks definition and contrast. For self-illuminated materials try to get rid of anything in defuse channel - just leave it black. this will prevent any interaction with outside light. But you should make it reflective though so it could catch some light from other part of the scene (but not in a defused way)

[Roger51 381]

Thats one cool building, hope it gets uploaded.

[Jean-Mi17 2]

OMG ! that's genious , hope to see realised soon