nybt-forum-threads Seraf's Atelier

[Seraf 1,238]

Sgt Pepper - Thank you.

Yoshiisland - Thank you, and I think your idea with setting lamps back into the lot is very good and I will certainly try

io_bg - Thank you, and I'm so sorry for that delay

_marsh_ - Thank you, I spent two whole days to make roof textures

OK, first of all: I'm sorry for delaying that updates for so long. I have less time now (new job and all that stuff). Besides, I'm also learning building design all by myself, so it takes a lot of time (maybe soon I will show you my own designed building).

Second: Work with FPO became annoying lately; one render takes an hour. So I just want to put textures on it and export it.

And here I ask all of you who are interested in that building to make your comments and spot any errors.

Today I was trying to make another roof texture but I think the effect is horrible... maybe if I desaturate it and add some roof junk it will looks better...

[harishna 847]

I agree that the roof texture doesn't look good besides the saturation I think the scale of the texture doesn't adjust to your model.

[Jazzmaster 716]

The roof texture not only needs desaturating, but it could be scaled a bit better, IMO. It looks really 'big', but from this view, the rest of the details and textures on the model look really small. This is because of the bird's eye angle we're seeing the building from, and the roof texture should match the rest.

That being said, when I saw you online I got excited, and it was nice to go out and come back to another update from you.

[Seraf 1,238]

Thanks guys for comments, I think it should look better now.

Yoshiisland - Thank you ^^

Of course there will be changes in roof texture because I'm still making roof stuff.

[Jazzmaster 716]

It's coming along quite beautifully Seraf!

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

It's coming together greatly, I wish this can be finished this year, but you have ways to go.

[_marsh_ 1,117]

It's looking better each update. The textures are great.

[Seraf 1,238]

Yoshiisland - Thank you ^^

Aaron - Thank you. Well, this week I will have more time for BATing so I will work hard to finish it I want to upload it and another BAT from Europe on STEX before Holidays

_marsh_ - Thank you I really try to improve my textures

Ok, I added some textures, roof texture is almost finished, I just want to try something else with copper roof to see if it could look better.

The upper part of the ramp for cars needs little tweaking, I think lower part looks good. From things which remain I must add the rest of the chéneau and make sculpture above the rear entrance...

[Jazzmaster 716]

It's all coming along wonderfully! My only real concern is the 'wall' around the building; I mean that very short border type thing, it seems the texture on it looks a little stretched. Might just be me though. Everything else looks great.

[art128 4,618]

It really is big for sure. Nice work..

Can't wait to have more if this to drool on the ground!

[Vlasky 1,803]

Roof looks good, but how about staining it a bit, especially where all those units are?

[Seraf 1,238]

Yoshiisland - Thank you About the parapet around drymoat - I changed settings of its texture, it should look better now.

Art128 - ;D Thank you ^^

Vlasky - I stained those places which you pointed out, hope it looks better now.

And another update:

[Delecto 941]

Epic BAT Seraf!

Textures coming really wonderful, big improvement.

  Edited December 5, 2011 by Delecto  

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Looks great, I think the green roof may need some work in texturing, but I could be wrong.

[harishna 847]

I suspect you are using google map satellite image of the building for the roof textures, there are some colorful spots here and there than makes it look a bit weird at the closest zoom, maybe you can edit the image a bit to get rid of this.

[Amthaak 1,501]

Dear alter ego, beautifull work! I agree with Harisna and Aaron for the roof texture, maybe you can get inspiration from Nofunk's BSP Burton Memorial Tower 1

[Seraf 1,238]

Delecto - Thanks! ^^

Aaron - I think it needs a slight color change and some "leaks" on tops and it should be good

harishna - Can you point out those colorful spots for me? I know it's silly but I really can't locate them.

Amthaak - Thank you my friend! I already took reference form Jason Police Station Building but Nofunk's Burton Memorial Tower is also great example

[Vlasky 1,803]

Yeah stains make it more realistic. But try staining also the edges where the "roof plate" touches the walls. that improves it sooo much. Also maybe some pink to the textures of the stone, right now it looks very much washed out like concrete after washing.

[Seraf 1,238]

Ok, another update (It's getting boring, isn't it?):

I tried to improve the texture of green roof as you said guys, but I think it still needs some spoiling. Vlasky I saw your post just now so I'll try what you proposed before next update.

[gutterclub 2,729]

The green roofing is getting much better, I'm loving this behemoth..one part that nobody has mentioned is that the windows coudl do with some work, maybe bringing to life a bit (see Aaron, Nofunk and Jasons Windows for a little ref)

Keep it up

[Kifflom112 355]

Holy hell on wheels this is so damn great! The tarnished copper roof, the nice textures and details. This is going to be in my city fo' damn sho'! Cannot wait, marvelous!

[Hanson784 165]

Excellent work!

I don't have any other suggestions than what's already been said. I've been watching you progress with the Post Office and it's coming together so well; almost finished at this point.

BTW, I know I've asked before but whatever happened to Bethseda Terrace?

[Seraf 1,238]

gutterclub - Thank you. I think that windows are "dead" now because right now there are no floors inside the building. I'll add them shortly and windows should look better then.

I'm also considering making Main Public Corridor, it could look really nice in night mode.

Zulu2065 - Thank you.

Hanson784 - Thank you, and abouth Bethesda Terrace: I'm glad that you asked about it. I think I will finish it after Farley and before Penn Station. In that case my chances to get trixie for Most Ornamental BAT are zero, but well...... ;D

I was ready to add some pink to textures like Vlasky said but then I compared my FPO to UN Building and 345 Park Avenue by PBGV103 and I must say that my textures have even more color than those two BATs.

So I'm not really sure if I should add any colors to textures. Both UN Building and PBGV103 look great and I think FPO would fit them very well:

And a small update from Penn Station:

[Jazzmaster 716]

The fact that you can be so dedicated to your buildings is amazing to me. I imagine working on such large works of art can be tedious, tiring and even get stale after a while...but you just keep pressing on.

About the textures of FPO, I don't feel like they're too washed out. There a lot of flattering HDR photos of FPO that can be found online, but we have to remember that these pictures are usually taken with very special cameras and then touched up on by the photographer, so the colors usually appear more saturated. Naturally, humans like colorful things, but they are not always in touch with reality.

For example, the below photo is much more 'organic' and probably had little editing as it was transferred from camera, to computer, to internet. I think it does a bit of a better job representing what we would see in the real world, and your building achieves the same goal.

And here's a photo of FPO on Flickr [link], which is quite popular for its artsy aftermarket photos. I know it's not just me who has noticed the fact that the website has clever ways of making pictures look better than they did when you first look at them on the computer. See how much nicer the colors look? As beautiful as it is, it's not necessarily the best representation of what exists in real life.

So,I honestly don't think the building is too washed out. I think it does justice for the purpose it will serve in the game, as well doing justice for being an exceptional rendering of the real thing. You've done such exceptional work so far, Seraf, that I will say that I trust you to do this building the way it should be done.

  Edited December 9, 2011 by Yoshiisland  

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Still Working on the post.

Here's a Bing link of the roof of the building. I think you need better roof junk.

http://binged.it/vQ9uZG

Here's what I think, i think your doing a great job just need more work on it and it will be a master piece.

Red- In that color I think that area should be a little more darker like the picture I have posted, maybe a little brown in the concrete texture to give the building some age do to the weather.

Purple- In that color I think that roof should be a little darker an maybe some saturation in some areas.

Orange- I like how it looks may be a little gloss I think, and some relections, but not to much it does not need to be like glass or polished.

Green- In that color I think that you could saturated the roof and the walls a little bit.

Yellow- I think that should be black or something like the bing image.

Pink- There needs to be some details in the windows in that area of the post office, it looks flat and unfinished.

The glass in the windows could be better, it's so plane right now and I think there need to be a action in them.

Here's some looks of the roof junk it not just for you it for me too and who ever that's trying to improve.

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-rooftop-hvac-cooler-ductwork/487987

http://www.turbosquid.com/3d-models/ventilation-diffusers-3d-model/487999

  Edited December 10, 2011 by Aaron Graham  

[art128 4,618]

What I like the most about FPO is that it'll fit perfectly with the Japanese styled cities as well as the Americans. Good job.

[Seraf 1,238]

Yoshiisland - Thank you Yes, sometimes work with so big buildings becomes tedious but I think my love to classical architecture is bigger than that And I think you found perfect example of how colors of the FPO look in reality. I think now my textures are somewhere between those two photos you posted and they are good now. Thank you again for your comment

Aaron - Thank you so much for pointing out what else should be done, this is really what speeds up my work on FPO.

The first two photos you posted are not bad but they still do not show us the right colors, they are too dark.

The third photo is much better in terms of the facade but the grand stairs and parapet around the dry moat are much darker than usual, I think it has something to do with rainy day when photo was taken.

Fourth photo was also made on a rainy day so it isn't good to look at to search reference

And the roof-junk now looks similar to what used to be on Farley roof some time ago, I can be wrong but they have already removed most of the roof junk due to renovations, changing building from Post Office to train station and so on.

Maybe I did not exactly stick to the picture you posted but I think I get the point and made changes according to your remarks.

I don't want this building to look too old and dirty, city authorities just finished its renovation (ok, it was only front facade, on the rear facede the chenau is still missing in some areas...) and I think it's a right thing to make it maybe not like new but clean and nice

Arthur - Thank you

Ok, still a few things to do but I think I'll finish it this weekend, then make the nightlights and it should be on STEX on on December 24th

[Sgt Pepper 864]

BEAUTIFUL!

I think the textures are most improved. You've done a fantastic job Seraf.

[gutterclub 2,729]

Looking awesome,really liking it.

[Francis90b 748]

It's looking wonderful, but the contrast between the soty base & roof, and the building facade is simply amazing, and it should be lessened somehow....as right now it almost seems like two different buildings, with two different degrees of ageing, pasted together.

You might lessen a bit the soot on the roof and (especially) the base, or add some soot on the facade...that's up to you.

Best of luck with this, i'm surely going to try it in my cities when it's done!