First Interstate Bank Tower

[Thalassicus 33]

I'm practicing working on an all-glass skyscraper, the First Interstate Bank Tower (now called Fountain Place) in Downtown Dallas:

   

Here's the work I've done so far:

I'm having trouble with the glass and lighting: from the angle in the left screenshot it looks too dark and more like clay than glass (especially if some tall skyscrapers are around), and in the right screenshot it's too bright. The base of the right screenshot is the look I'm aiming for in the overall building. I've tried out all sorts of different PS filters and GMax material effects but havn't been able to get it to look right. I'm not sure how to alter the default daytime lighting rig, but I think if I could rotate the basic lighting 20 degrees counter-clockwise it might look better.

Suggestions and comments are welcome https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

[+Guest]

Looks good, I like it.

[DuskTrooper 314]

looks good, but needs to be more blue than green.

[eburress 267]

That looks pretty awesome! I've always wanted to create a BAT version of Fountain Place but didn't know where to start with the odd angles. Hopefully more folks will start creating BAT versions of Dallas skyscrapers!

I couldn't tell by looking at your in-game screenshots, but have you had a chance to do the bottom, open space underneath the tower (where the fountains are)? Anyway, good job!

[DuskTrooper 314]

Most Dallas scrapers are geometrically simple, as are Houston ones.  It would be cool to see a Trammell Crow center, BOA tower, Etc...

[Thalassicus 33]

I also noticed the lack of Dallas skyscrapers, which is why I decided to start working on this

I'm using Fountain Place as practice for building all-glass towers, and plan to do the BoA Plaza next (night lighting will be fun on that one). The JPMorgan/Chase tower is another I'm planning on, the one with the hole through the top. Anyone can do any of these if you want to yourself, just say so and I'll work on others. I just want to see them done so I can have a Dallas skyline

I havn't done the base yet, using trees as placeholders until I finish the tower. One problem I'm having is the building not quite fitting in with the rest of the SC4 artwork, I think it would look better a lot darker, but when I change the luminosity it looks more and more like clay and less like glass. I'll change the hue though like you suggested and see how that looks.

[DuskTrooper 314]

How are you going to do the neon stripes on   that thing? GMAX currently supports only 1 night map.   Also, the reunion tower  ( thats the observation tower, tight? ) would be interesting.

[brtim2 10]

i am nowhere an expertise at gmax, and i haven't done any large window buildings, but i do have an idea that i would try. you could try instead of a sky picture over the whole thing, maybe just making it all one color by using the diffuse (?) color thing in the gmax material pop-up instead of the image. then my next attempt would be to change the specular(?) and glossiness. that would give you the color you are looking for, and add some shine, it might work that way. (sorry about the (?)'s but i don't have gmax handy to check the names. those are ones that i think are close to the actual names.) and i dont know about moving the lighting rig, but maybe with a different texture over it it would look better.

again i don't know much about all glass buildings and how they are made to look, but i guess any suggestion is better than none.

[Thalassicus 33]

How are you going to do the neon stripes on   that thing? GMAX currently supports only 1 night map.   Also, the reunion tower  ( thats the observation tower, tight? ) would be interesting.

Not sure, I've done very little with night lighting so far. What does setting window color to green look like? 

Reunion Tower is probably the most complex Dallas building to make in SC. The top (inside the geodesic dome) is a 3-level center with an observation deck, restraunt, and lounge/entertainment area. The restraunt and lounge revolve at a rate of one revolution per hour, I've been up there, it's pretty cool https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/10.gif>

[Thalassicus 33]

I changed the texure color +20 towards blue like Dusktrooper suggested, he's right, it does look better. It's too bad the building is angled almost exactly the same as the SC4 camera, the side almost disappears on the right (I tried it at other rotated styles, but the lack of perspective on the SC camera just makes the odd angles on this buliding stand out a lot). I'm still not happy with it though, something doesn't look quite right and it stands out too much...

[toroca 160]

Well, personally I think you've got the shading reversed...  it should be darker near the bottom than toward the top, because when seen from the air, reflective buildings will reflect more ground than sky, the reverse of how they look from ground level...  That's part of the reason Maxis' original texture for Yates Real Estate looked so ridiculous.  It looked like it was only reflecting sky, even though our perspective is looking DOWN on it.

[Thalassicus 33]

You're right, that's it. Although I'm not entirely sure how I can go about fixing it...I changed the gradient but that didn't help. The vP has some of the best glass I've seen, but trying to duplicate that isn't getting me anywhere. Maybe this type of building just isn't suited to SC due to the lack of reflections...

[Rickk 16]

This is beautiful! I can't wait to download it!

I really do like the Dallas skyline, it's a thing of beauty. Get finished already so you can start hammering out the BoA. https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif>

[toroca 160]

I wish I had BAT skills so I could assist you with the color scheme, but 3D stuff is not my forte.  I learned that lesson in college.  I do agree though, it's difficult to make buildings for SC4 that are highly reflective.  The texturing options don't allow that kind of glass without some creative tinkering it seems, as I haven't seen many reflective glass structures that looked realistic thus far.  My guess is you're not the only one who's not quite sure what to do to get it...

[Nugget699 0]

yea it does look a tad too bright https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/22.gif>


looks mad otherwise though

i love the reflection

[DuskTrooper 314]

Ok, thats a good color.  Now, if it could just be a tad darker.  However, you may want to rotate it either 22.5 or 45 degrees.  that may look better. 

 

I almost did something similar a few months ago, but it failed.  Back then, I did not know how to make the frame and such. 

 

 

[Caliban 2]

Looking good so far, the darker blue definately helps.

I think the main reason it stands out is due to the lack of a denser reflection at the base, currently it looks quite cloudlike.

I realise that it may well be placed next to any building but I think a fake reflection of a few lowish (8 stories or so) buildings, like the ones in your screenshot, around it just to darken the texture at the base would help greatly.

Of course if you know whats going to be on your lot you could make a very accurate reflection to put in front of the fake building level.

[drewz15 0]

i like the colors, and i agree with others that the base should darken moreso than it is.

the lines don't look lazer-straight though. is it a draft render?

[Yellowlab 11]

Looks good, although I think it could be darker all around.  And, like they said, darker on the base, lighter on the top.

[Thalassicus 33]

It's a low render, just to get it into the game for viewing in context. Kudos to DuskTrooper for the reflection idea from a post in February https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/2.gif>

 

Here's an update with modified gradient factors, pretty much happy with the side, still working on the front, it's too dark:

 

[wolverine 12]

It does look much better though.https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif> Keep up the good work. I look forward to downloading this

[drewz15 0]

too wonderful for my eyes! the colors are now perfect! just the shadowing and what not you said you were working on. https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/25.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/35.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/25.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/35.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/25.gif>

[jcabassa 20]

Looks awesome so far! All it needs is some more detail and it's perfect!

 

-jcab

[Thalassicus 33]

I have the daytime shadows fixed and night windows finished. I'll be gone tomorrow; I'll try adding the fountains and lot stuff when I get back

[hogmeister 7]

I had not seen this building before, but it certainly knocks my socks off. It is very different and therfore a dominant building, but when placed in context with similar sized towers it will not look out of place, only add to the diversity of a city.Great work.https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif> I eagerly await it on the exchangehttps://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/31.gif>

[toroca 160]

The latest picture looks much better, but now I'm thinking you might want to try exaggerating the window lines a little bit.  They're almost lost now, and it makes the building look less detailed. 

[TheeLord 42]

cant wait to see it on the LEX

[DuskTrooper 314]

The thing about the tower is that it is very simple, but it has an interesting shape.

[vidioman 21]

It looks good!

[drewz15 0]

I agree with toroca. the window grid should be more visible.