Belgian BAT-thread

[Odainsaker 2,134]

It's a cool looking building.

Something to look at regarding the windows on the lowrise wing is that from the images you have shown of the real building, it may be that different sides have different window arrangements. The current windows on your model's low rise don't seem to have the same feel of the windows in the real image, which are almost moderne ribbon windows. There is only a thin bit of wall between each window...roughly guessing, it seems like the windows have a square central glass flanked on each side by a rectangle of glass each half the width of the central square, and then the wall space between the windows is an equal width to the flanking rectangles. As a feature of the style emphasizing the horizontal, there are also continuous bands of moulding joining all the windows. However, an earlier real image you have shown glimpsing the opposite side of the low rise wing from that shown in the render has its windows arranged much like have already modelled. Hence, it is likely the two sides are different, and often indeed the outward public facing facade gets the more expressive treatment that facades facing back into a complex. We may not be aiming for perfect accuracy, but there is no need to sacrifice the most interesting stylistic details, much of which is in the window banding. On a similar note, on the tower itself, you'll notice int he real lfie photos, the mullion bands alternate in thickness or amount of protrusion as the window goes up the tower. I do not know how these windows relate to their floors in the real building, but visually on the model, it might be a good way to hint a internal floors by showing a similar treatment ont he windows--a small detail to be sure, but it helps ground the tower as something that has been constructed out of pieces and with proportions that relate to people.

Lastly, for the roof of the low rise, you might go ahead and exaggerate the parapet effect. In the real life photo, it indeed looks to be very shallow, capped with another moulding. The result of the render, however, makes the setup look oddly flat. Actually, the bit of wall surface above the band of window should be a hieght similar to the height of the windows, which would allow you room to make a more visually strong roof edge with visually noticeable moulding bands. This is all where the earlier comments of proportions were leading to...not just the overall building, but among the many individual parts as well.

(Ack, rotten jpg compression muddied my red lines...oh well, hope they are still readable.)

Hope this is useful.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Wow... that is a lot of information in one post...

I have tried to make the windows at the lowrise larger but it looked awful that way --> looked like a long black rectangle (could be just me) so I made them smaller and it looked better. So I decided to add a little bit less accuracy for looks. I'll give it another try tough

You are right about the second floor windows, they are too high in the wall. I'll adjust it in the new wall.

For the tower: there is no correlation in floors and thicker mullions. They just added windows but the floors don't match up...

So: I'll rebuild the walls of the lowrise with larger glass (and more space above them) and try to make the roof less flat... I'm not so sure about redoing the tower (I've done that wall 4 times now and I'm happy with it )

Thank you for the help!

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Originally posted by: Alex_Bervoets

Wow... that is a lot of information in one post... quote>

It's a genuine Odainsaker post, what do you expect? 

Looks like you're making good progress here, and you're getting good help and support, too.  I might just throw in that I think you should try to make the window glass less black - as a matter of fact, that last photograph you posted could serve as a vague reference IMO, even though the perspective differs from SC4. 

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Good advice is priceless, so I'm glad with so much comments (strange no ?)

Thanks for the tip, I'll add it to my "do to list"!

How can you make a reflection in glass? Do you have to use photoshop and simulate a reflection or can you add it to your texture in Gmax (like transparancy)

[WC_EEND 9]

I think it can be done by adding an alpha channel to your textures (correct me if I'm wrong here guys, I have no BATing experience whatsoever)

[Gilikov1994 4]

woow, realy nice, finaly some Belgian stuff

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

The new lowrise... I made the space between the windows smaller and added more wall above the windows... It's a draft: the mullions are there

   NEW LOWRISE

PREVIOUS LOWRISE

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Any ideas on how to make the roof look less "flat"?

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

Exaggerate the depth of the windows slightly. Same goes for window sills, frames, mullions, etc. Obviously, don't go crazy, but making the depth about .1m for each works for me.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Originally posted by: SimHoTToDDy

Exaggerate the depth of the windows slightly. Same goes for window sills, frames, mullions, etc. Obviously, don't go crazy, but making the depth about .1m for each works for me.quote>

Do you mean: placing the windows deeper inside the walls?

[Francis90b 748]

Yeah, he meant exactly that.I use to place windows even more deeper-let's say 0,2-0,3m

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

This is a close-up from Gmax in perspective-view:

If I moved the windows (frames, mullions, glas etc...) deeper in the walls then it would look so unrealistic...

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

The perspective render means nothing, as long as it looks good in the SC4 preview render you are on the right track. Oh, and get this, SC4's scale and perspective demands that things be a little unrealistic and exaggerated at times. This is one of those times.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

The perspective render means nothing, as long as it looks good in the SC4 preview render you are on the right track. Oh, and get this, SC4's scale and perspective demands that things be a little unrealistic and exaggerated at times. This is one of those times.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Ah ok, thanks... I think I get it.

I'll give it a try

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

Ah ok, thanks... I think I get it.

I'll give it a try

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

I've placed the windows deeper in the walls:

As comparison:

Was it this what you meant SimHoTToDDy?

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

I've placed the windows deeper in the walls:

As comparison:

Was it this what you meant SimHoTToDDy?

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

Yes, but if we don't know how it looks in the render, how do you know if it looks any better?

The only thing that looks odd from here is how thin the mullions look (vertical strips in the window), that and they are flush with the glass. I generally make mine .1m deep (up from the glass) and .1m wide, I'm curious how it compares in this state.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,938]

Yes, but if we don't know how it looks in the render, how do you know if it looks any better?

The only thing that looks odd from here is how thin the mullions look (vertical strips in the window), that and they are flush with the glass. I generally make mine .1m deep (up from the glass) and .1m wide, I'm curious how it compares in this state.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

I can't see any difference between the old and the new windows... Maybe the differences are too small? I'll now try to make the mullions thicker, see how that goes

Update: I thickened the mullions and placed the widows deeper inside the walls...

You can't really see that I've placed them deeper in the walls but now you can see the mullions clearly (I see now what you meant by: "sometimes you have to exaggerate a bit")

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Looks good.

[Sgt Pepper 864]

I'd say it looks great and you got it for the mullions.

[Brutalizer 5]

is it done yet ? :-)

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@brutalizer: no no... I still have a L-shaped building to build. But I've waited for the remarks on the lowrise before constructing that one. It should go faster now

@ Sgt Pepper: never too old to learn

I'm still not so happy with that "flat" roof... any ideas?

[Brutalizer 5]

Ok great :-) I tried to work in gmax yesterday, lookis way too difficult for me... So full respect to you

What do you think to add these 2 on your future list ?

http://www.brusselspictures.com/wp-content/photos/skyscraper/WTC2.JPG

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@ brutalizer: keep practicing... I'll see if I can find my first attemt, "hilarisch!"

Have you seen my list? I've got something to do for the next 5 years, my girlfriend is already complaining about it

But the Berlaymont would be a challenge and would look great in the game! I'll add that one to my list

Oh, I also added the "Vooruit" Ghent to my list (estimated completion date: within 6 years )

[WC_EEND 9]

I may have some good news for you, I'm in the progress of learning to BAT, so far I think I'm making good progress in getting the hang of it. Once I do get the hang of it, I'd be willing to help out with some of the buildings (as in, BAT them myself so you don't have to anymore), provided I have enough time in RL ofcourse.

[Alex_Bervoets 91]

@WC_EEND: great... soon we'll have our own Belgian Bat Team

The Belgian Bat Team Thread (B2T2 or 2B2T)

[Sgt Pepper 864]

For the roof looking flat, why not just raise some the edges around it? I'm trying to say like what you did at the top of the tower where the green part goes over the roof which made it look not flat.