Belgian BAT-thread

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

As a true Belgian (one of few for those who follow european politics ) I've opened this thread to build some Belgian buildings...

I've already designed the Hotel/Restaurant "Le Normandie" and the MAS-museum of Antwerp... The Atomium and Belgian roadsigns have already been added to the STEX by others (thank you guys)

I'll show my new BAT's here so I can improve them before uploading them to the STEX...

If you have any suggestions or if you want to build something, post it here!

Here are my upcoming BAT's (not in order of building):

English name, city (dutch name):

• Booktower, Gent (boekentoren gent)
• South tower, Brussels (Zuidertoren)
• Finance tower, Brussels (Financietoren)
• Clock Tower at trainstation, Brussels-North (Klokkentoren station Brussel Noord)
• Sportpalace, Antwerp (Sportpaleis Antwerpen)
• Trainstation, Liège (station Luik-Guillemins)
• Trainstation Antwerp-Central (Antwerpen Centraal)
• Trainstation Ghent-Saint-Pieters (Station Gent St-Pieters)
• Dexia Tower, Brussels (Dexiatoren)
• Belgacom Tower, Brussels (Belgacomtoren)
• Belfry, Ghent (Belfort Gent)
• Medieval Castle, Gent (Gravensteen)
• Medieval houses at the Korenlei, Ghent
• Vooruit, Ghent
• MG Tower Ghent (Under construction)
• Berlaymont building, Brussels (Berlaymont-gebouw)

[joshriddle 29]

What do Belgian skyscrapers look like? If they look post-modern, that would be nice to have! I wouldnt know cause I live in America.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

It is good that you are opening this thread. For a newcomer to the BAT, you seem to be doing quite well and only need a little guidance to produce some beautiful work. For now I'll just tell you to keep a close eye on the proportions of your buildings and add in as many little details as you can manage. A few little objects can make even the most blank, dull walls look alive.

You may need to work on your textures a little more as well, but that is a case by case issue and I'll just have to wait and see what you do!

Best of luck,

-Todd

Edit: joshriddle: Google is a wonderful thing.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Thank you SimHoTToDDy, I'll do my very best...

I've got some pretty challenging bats up ahead so I'll have to practice a lot... (Especially on texturing )

If you want to see the buildings... just type the name in google images...

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

I've done some new texturing on the MAS-bat...

I've used photoshop to create a new texture, changed the texture 3 times so that every wall has a different texture and adjusted evere UVW-map a bit...

What do you think?

[hunkske 53]

Hey Alex, die nieuwe texture voor het MAS ziet er veel beter uit! Spijtig dat ik helemaal niet goed ben in het batten.

Misschien kan je het Steen in Antwerpen ook nog aan je lijstje toevoegen? Of het nieuwe gerechtsgebouw?

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@ Hunkske (in dutch): bedankt voor de reply... Batten is veel oefenen en geduldig werken (en luisteren naar de commentaren van anderen )

Het steen kan ik doen als ik het gravensteen onder handen neem... Ze lijken op elkaar dus ik kan elementen hergebruiken.

Het Vlinderpaleis had ik ook al in gedachten maar dat is ofwel heel gemakkelijk ofwel heel moeilijk (zeker om het dak de juiste kleur/reflectie te geven). Ik vind het trouwens ook geen mooi gebouw . Maar ik hou het zeker in gedachten...

[WC_EEND 9]

Als Gentenaar is het altijd leuk om wat extra gebouwen uit je stad in SC4 te zien verschijnen

Translation: As I live in Ghent, it's always nice to see stuff from your own city get BATed

I'm mostly active over at SC4D, so I guess that's why it took me some time to notice your BAT thread.

PS: I have some photos of the Book Tower (Boekentoren) sitting on my HDD, if you think you can use them, feel free to give me a PM

Take care

Xander

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Need some help: Im' struggling with the Night-lights...

Don't seem to be able to figure out what kind of light to use? The Omni light seems to work best but it doesn't blow me away as it should on this building...

The glas has 80% opacy...

Should I lower that amount, increase the light-multiplier or use another type of light?

[MandelSoft 2,770]

Da's weer eens wat anders. We hadden al veel Nederlandse BATs, dus het zat er al een tijd aan te komen dat er Belgische BATs gemaakt zullen worden. Goed werk tot nu toe. Je Noorderbuur uit Nederland kijkt nieuwschierig mee.

Nice, something different. There were plenty of Dutch BATs, so Belgian BATs could've come at any time. Good work for what you already dit. Your Dutch friend is watching this thread closely.

Best,

Maarten

[timmie 988]

Great that someone is making Belgian BATs!

Always nice to put something of your own country in the game

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

I've done some work on the Nightlight of the MAS...

I'm almost there (the lines in the glas are nicely shown as shadows on the floor) but the glas itself isn't lighting up... (see image in link)

Can anybody help me with that? (Or should I only do this?)

[WC_EEND 9]

I think you'd best ask SimFox, since he has alot of experience with nightlights

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

The MAS-bat is finished... see the STEX

My next project: the Booktower of Ghent (Boekentoren). A university-library build in 1933 containing more than 3 million books.

In attachment you can see the building itself and my first fase (the walls and windows). Suggestions to improve are welcome!

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Take a second look at your proportions. The windows seem much wider with respect to the tower then you have made them. I would recommend taking some time to verify some dimensions and perhaps sketch out the parts of the tower (adding in dimensions as you figure them out) so that when you go to model a piece, you know exactly how big to make it. This also take out all the guess work that can make a building look incorrect.

Also, try to set your windows into the facade rather than on top of it. It looks like they are glued on rather than being part of the wall itself.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Here it is... I've build new walls... the mesurements should be OK now (I've double checked them) and the windows are in the facade...

I'm still not so sure of the antenna's on the rooftop (I know they're ugly but thats the way it is...). Any idea's?

Next fase: nightlights...

[SimFox 802]

upload your pictures to some picture sharing site, like imageshack and use direct link they'll give you with "Image" option in new message window. this way it is much better for the viewer of your messages/work as well as easier on Simptropolis.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Before moving on to nightlights, take more time to work on the model. The proportions still seem off to me, there are a lot of details missing, not to mention that the roof is wrong entirely (take a look, I recommend using Google Earth to measure things better).

After you remedy those issues, you need to spend quite a bit of time perfecting textures so that it actually looks like the real tower, and not a cartoon parody of it.

You are making good progress, but you should slow down and perfect elements of your building before moving on to the next.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Here's the renewed version... proportions should be OK? I've changed the wall-texture (as on the omnibus --> darker below and lighter on top)

I've found a picture of the roof and adjusted the bat...

[WC_EEND 9]

Looking much better already, one more question though: are you going to BAT just the tower, or the whole building that it's part of? (I'm guessing just the tower, but one can never be sure )

[Brutalizer 5]

great job dude, i've downloaded your antwerp museum already. Looks good ! Can't wait to see the Belgacom tower and the Dexia tower, which in real is just spectacular with the nightlights.

If people doesn't know how the Dexia tower looks like, just check the video here on youtube

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@WC-EEND: it's just gonna be the tower. I'll make a library for large cities that still uses little space (2x2).

I don't like the building around it (since it's only the auditoria for the university). If you really want it, I'll build when I have some spare time... (it's not so difficult but then the lot will be a lot bigger...)

@Brutalizer: I don't think I'll be able to bat that nightlight   So I'm still thinking how I'm going to do that... First on the list is the Clocktower at Brussels-North and the Finance-Tower (also with cool, static, nightlight) --> but first I have to finish this ofcourse...

[Brutalizer 5]

interresting ! :-) can't wait to see your works done.

you can also make little belgian houses,they are almost pretty unique in their genres.

[WC_EEND 9]

Originally posted by: Brutalizer

interresting ! :-) can't wait to see your works done.

you can also make little belgian houses,they are almost pretty unique in their genres.quote>

that is actually a great idea!

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@ WC_EEND & Brutalizer: I know, I was at the Korenlei of Ghent a few days ago and I got the idea of adding the "trapgevel-huizen" to my list... The normal row-houses is also a nice idea... I'll add it to the rest

Send me some pictures if you know any nice houses...

But maybe some comments or tips on the booktower so I can finish this bat?

[WC_EEND 9]

I'll send you a few pictures of my own house

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@WC_EEND: I was thinking of batting my house but then I thought it would be a little to selfish...

But we're deviating from the purpose of this thread: comments on the booktower please... I would like to finish it...

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Finished... The STEX won't upload so I'm giving a sneak preview

[WC_EEND 9]

Looks good although the nightlights of the side facing the camera looks a bit too weak in my opnion

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

that's how it is. Only the windows at the top are lighted but i gave the walls a bit because it looked better...