Residential Row Houses

[Crackdtoothgrin 0]

Word to the wise: Make sure you are protected against viruses. I didn't check mine thoroughly enough when I got it from a friend and mine went into total (expletive deleted) meltdown. The BAT on my thread is gone as a result, and I spent over 270 hours on it. You don't want that to happen to you.

Other than that, I agree with T Wrecks. Delineate the outline a little better and get a gradient on that roof. Subtlety is key, and subtle details can really bring the building to life.

Other than that, looking good so far.

[Simaddict1000 1]

Well here is the neighborhood so far- the original 2 on the left and the new 2 i am making are on the right.  These are two separate lots I just put them together so you could see what it would look like if the grew next to eachother in game.

I don't exactly understand what you mean by putting a gradient on the roof but i added some highlights neer the top.

I also added driveways that will overlap the sidewalk so that cars can actually get to the garage.

@ Crackdtoothgrin - I have AVG and Spybot but the same virus still keeps being able to get in and the first thing it does is make it impossible to use them so yeah...

also what does "Delineate the outline mean"?

Thnx guys for the feedback

[allez l'om 1]

These row-houses look great. It's something needed in the game to make realistic neighborhoods. I am looking forward the evolution of this wonderful project.

[Crackdtoothgrin 0]

Okay, you have a browser hijacker then, just like I did, and it's likely that it has overriden the registry keys to invalidate your firewall and antivirus, like it did mine. Since you mentioned parents being involved, I'll take it you're quite younger, and unless you happen to be a savant at computer usage, that you won't have any idea what I'm talking about. Basically, the program installs itself, and replaces a bunch of system files with it's own versions, overrides your firewall and antivirus, and then gives fake warnings about nonexistent viruses unless you buy some 'program,' which doesn't exist. Personally, take it to a real computer expert, and have them fix it, or, do what I did, and do a fresh OS install on a formatted hard drive, after you back up whatever you want to save (you can email the files to yourself, for example). Unless you plan on looking that up or know how to do it, I'd also recommend taking it to an expert. Because, if you try to go into the registry and edit it yourself, you may have exactly what happened to me happen to you, which was the virus going haywire last minute, and making it so that I couldn't click on any icon on ym whole computer, and wiping out my available memory with a crapload of programs designed to make your computer inaccessible. Just saying...

And 'delineate the outline' is just a verbose way of saying,"make the outline a little darker." The roof on the top left looks sorta like a flat plane, as it's hard to see where the roof and the edges actually meet. And a gradient is a transition of color from one color to the other. Specifically, in your case, of having the bottom of the roof tiles darker, and the highlights at the top, so it goes from dark to light from bottom to top. You've somewhat achieved that, but it needs to be a subtle transition to avoid looking out of place.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Malwarebytes does wonders (Google it), it has killed many a nasty infection on my end. Reformat is a last case scenario, the fact that it is still this functional means it isn't to that point yet. God forbid you do need to refomat, just go buy a portable hard drive (I got a 500GB(!) one for less than $90, cheap memory is great!) and back stuff up. I used to use AVG, but it doesn't do whole lot of good, the scanner never gave me any good results etc. Use the freeware I mentioned, its better than any pricey software I have ever used.

As for the buildings, nice progress. For the roof, try using shingles rather than (what looks like) corrugated sheet metal for a bitmap. Also try to tone the whites down a little bit, they are too vibrant and causing the detail to go out the window. Best of luck,

-Todd

[madhatter106 3,931]

Spybot used to be good ages ago, but the past few years it's been categorized as junk by some. I have found that it barely did anything the last couple of times I ran it, and I haven't done so in over a year. Malwarebytes is good, and has helped me out in the couple of instances something nasty got in over the last several years. There are online forums that have areas where you can download diagnostic tools and run scans, and then post the results to have helpful tech types give free solutions and fixits - it takes some time, as they're sometimes very busy with lots of posts to keep up with, but their advice and help has been invaluable every time I've had a major problem like this (which isn't too often).

Oh, yeah, the building looks great! I was tempted to try a few rowhouses ages ago, but they would never look as good as these.

[Simaddict1000 1]

So heres what I got so far.

On the far right house i toned down the white but it seems that the details are still not that visible for some reason.

I also tried out a new roof texture with a gradient on the far right house and think it looks pretty good...but thats up to you guys to decide

Just noticed a wall was missing whoops!

So this will basicly be the overall style for the high wealth houses and as soon as you guys are satisfied with all the textures and whatever else needs fixing that ive overlooked ill move on to the rest of the houses.

soon i also have to figure out how to do night lighting....

And thnx guys for the tip about Malwarebytes.  It found 36 infections that spybot and Avg said didnt exist.

@ Crackedtoothgrin - the part about not being able to click on any icon on my computer was basicly what was happening to mine- everytime i clicked sumthing instead of the program running a popup would come up saying the file was infected and blah blah blah- and trust me im no savant so i wont be touching editing anything

@ SimHoTToDDy - where did you get one that cheap!?!?

Thnx guys for the help

[torontomapleleafer 0]

Wow, it just keeps getting better and better!

BTW, you thread is the only thread that I follow on here, cause these house are just simply amazing!!!

And Malwarebytes have saved my butt too mnay times to count. If you want to make sure it gone, if I were you, I would start the computer in SAFE MODE and doe a sweep with Spybot, AVG, and Malwarebytes. That should get rid of it, or at least render the virus useless...

[Simaddict1000 1]

@ torontomapleleafer - Thnx glad u like em so much

Just wanted to see what i could do with these in lot editor.  Does anyone know how to make the props footprints smaller?

The way it it right now lot editor won't let it save.

And still looking for ways to improve these buildings

thnx

[T Wrecks 10,210]

The problem is not that the prop footprints are too big, the problem is that the center of a prop must always be inside the lot. You have a small prop there that's entirely outside the lot boundaries, and some of the tree props might need one or two nudges towards the lot in order to make everything work. 

EDIT

I just realised another problem: Since your buildings are designed to overlap the sidewalk entirely, they will end up being incompatible with any streetside mods. This is an important issue that requires some thought.

[Simaddict1000 1]

Still awaiting feedback on the high wealth models but untill then....

I thought that mabye instead of just high wealth neighborhoods there could be some low and medium wealth neighborhoods too.

There are two units in the building and the share a fire escape in the front ( you canlt realy see the lader in it i just realized so i have to fix that )

This will probably be a medium wealth bulding.

Still waiting on feedback for high wealth and stuff so yeah....

@ T Wrecks- thanks for pointing out the sidewalk thing- i guess im gonna have to ditch the driveway idea

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Great Job on you models, I really love the row houses.

[torontomapleleafer 0]

@ SimAdditc100, There is a mod on here on the STEX to use in the Lot Editor. It lets you have a driveway. It fills in that little space between the sidewalk and the street to make authentic looking houses. The name escapes me right now, But I have it on my hard drive somewhere, I know it. I downloaded it, then I realize it's for the LE only, which I don't know how to use, lol.

I'll try my hardest to look for the name.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Originally posted by: torontomapleleafer

@ SimAdditc100, There is a mod on here on the STEX to use in the Lot Editor. It lets you have a driveway. It fills in that little space between the sidewalk and the street to make authentic looking houses. The name escapes me right now, But I have it on my hard drive somewhere, I know it. I downloaded it, then I realize it's for the LE only, which I don't know how to use, lol.

I'll try my hardest to look for the name.quote>

Good idea, torontomapleleafer! That would indeed be a download worth considering. I'm pretty sure you mean the BLaM Overpath Props by Mike (R.I.P.) aka "onlyplace4" - Link here.

[Simaddict1000 1]

@ T Wrecks + Torontomapleleafer : Thank you for the driveways links!!!! they worked great!

I'm working on remodeling and retexturing the first house model as well as editing the FSH's and making recolors of the house. Then im gonna add it into lot editor and see how it comes out

I'll have pictures when i'm done with it - should be sometime later today!

[Simaddict1000 1]

alright so i went into editing the FSH's to sharpen up some of the details....but now i can't figure out how to get them into the game lol

does anyone know how to do this?

btw here are before and after pics from editing FSH's

( top=after  bottom=before)

o i also added a new roof texture.

so if anyone knows how to get FSH's back into the game that would be great

[c-doodlez-man 16]

I like the medium wealth one! good job.

[torontomapleleafer 0]

@ T Wrecks, that indeed was exactly what I was talking about. Thank Jeebus someone else knew what I was talking about, as I couldn't find where I installed the files. And I did even worse on remembering the name. I kept thinking it was Bam, Spam or something with "Am" in it. LOL!

And @ SimAddict1000, these houses are coming along just superbly. Will be an AMAZING additiion to my city.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Originally posted by: torontomapleleafer

@ T Wrecks, that indeed was exactly what I was talking about. Thank Jeebus someone else knew what I was talking about, as I couldn't find where I installed the files. And I did even worse on remembering the name. I kept thinking it was Bam, Spam or something with "Am" in it. LOL!quote>

Hahaha, don't feel bad - there's just too much stuff out there, and it's impossible to remember all the names and details. Anyway, you had a very good idea there, so you basically got the first stone rolling - without that, there's no avalanche. 

The good thing about these props is that they are entirely optional, too - if you don't have them, your driveways will stop at the sidewalk, that's it.

Back to topic, concerning that FSH problem I'm afraid I don't have the knowledge required to help you, Simaddict1000. 

[SimFox 804]

I think it would be better if you make some mask for sharpening... The way you have done it right now - such a total sharpening has some bad consequences... Window frames had suffered the most... Another thing that could be a great idea, since you've decided to manually fine tune FSHs is to accentuate shadows, create contact shadows and some such...

As for how to get them back it should be exceedingly easy... You've extracted those with iLive Reader, right? Every time reader extracts FSH it creates same named .fsh.TGI file. It contains Type, Group and Index IDs of the original. Once you've edited all you need you should compress bitmaps back into FSHs and then in teh original SC4Model right-click on an empty space on the files pane in Reader and select Insert File from context menu. Navigate to the place all those FSHs (and .fsh.TGIs) are, select them and you're done!

[Simaddict1000 1]

@SimFox - Shadows like this?.....also what do you mean make a mask for sharpening?

@ Torontomapleleafer + T Wreck- again thanx so much for those driveways- i put them in game last night and they look great!

Heres a pic with some maxis buildings for a reference for scale

[torontomapleleafer 0]

Wow, every time I check this page, the houses just keep getting better and better! It's perfect enough for me. Have some nice night lighting in there, and you have your self a real doozy of a winner there. I could see these house becoming really popular on this site here...

Keep up the great work!

[gio10469 24]

Wow these houses are looking great! I can't wait to see them released!

[Simaddict1000 1]

@ torontomapleleafer- thanks for reminding me about night lighting- i never play at night time with my games so i completley forgot about it for a moment

ok so here is my first attempt at night lighting

i think it looks ok but that is ultimatley up to you guys

@ Simfox- in case you scrolled by it in my previous post there are shadows edited in the FSH's awaiting your critique

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Greta job here.

[SimFox 804]

1. Shadows :

yep along those lines, but more "gradient" like feel to it. Basically simulating Ambient Occlusion.

2. Masking sharpening :

Idea is hat not the entire image should be sharpened, at least not to the same extend. Sharpening is nothing but raising contrast of the adjacent pixels. This process may significantly deteriorate the appearance of many elements (particularly small once and make overall model look more like a toy, as it reduce "dynamic range" of scale. So, some details - like window frames may remain unsharpened and more natural looking. But that is my personal taste...

3. Nightlghting :

I think it needs great deal more contrast and may be less saturation. Right now it look more like a splat of some unsavory color rather then actual light.

On a subject of saturation, I guess it would be instrumental to separate the saturation levels of light itself and whatever it illuminates. The first should be reduced (and hue should not be so yellow-green, while the saturation of the illuminated surfaces may remain relatively high, generally they me more contrast. this may (MAY) look better - more interesting and even realistic.

[Simaddict1000 1]

Try # 2 at night lighting.

The house on the right is a comparison to see how it look without any lights

[torontomapleleafer 0]

*claps* Bravo... bravo.... A real masterpiece you have here now...

[torontomapleleafer 0]

Kinda Quiet on this thread, how are those epic townhouses coming along? Hows the lot editor going so far?

[tzotzil99 2]

A lot of great work was done on these, I hope simaddict1000 didn't run into any more computer trouble, it would be great to see these get finished. Having lived in San Francisco, these row houses look pretty authentically flavored to me, I'd even love to see some really colorful versions.

A question I haven't found answered anywhere obvious (but of course I could very well have missed it right in front of my face): if BATing for w2w like this, how wide in gmax did you make your models? I know from the original tutorial you are supposed to leave some leeway on both sides, but if you want the model to really go w2w after rendering and for lot placement, do you model to the gridline in gmax? Any advice on this would be appreciated. Its one thing to fiddle with scaling in size after modeling, but I can't imagine squeezing or stretching lengthwise would be easy at all.

Sorry if this post is seen as bumping, I'd honestly like to hear that these houses are still in the works