nybt-forum-threads Seraf's Atelier

[Seraf 1,238]

Sqt Pepper - Thank you

TekindusT - Thanks! I'm glad you like it

SimFox - I changed my version of BAT4Max to the newest one so I think now I'll be able to export my buildings in DarkNite, last time when I tried it with Metropolitan Club the building looked just ugly in game. About Custom House, I'm not very satisfied with it in general. There's a lot of shortcomings because I was not able to make it as good as it should be without plans (damn NYHS). I think I will return to custom house, not now but in future.

Ok, new screen of Farley Post Office: now the main facade has general shape and I added some textures.

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Nice! This is probably an unneeded question...but the prominent brick effect you got there, is that actually modelled out or just a MAX feature you know how to use? Just curious.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Looks great, and your details are always great. keep it up.

[Amthaak 1,501]

Hi Seraf! Beautifull start! Same question as Sgt Pepper about the brick effect...

[Seraf 1,238]

Sqt Pepper - Thank you About brick effect - it's just good texture

Aaron - Thank you

Amthaak - Thaks Amthaak! And about brick effect ... look above

Ok, I made side elevation of the original building and most of the roof with the court, I also made part of the chéneau on the front elevation  ... time for the annex

And a few words about the terrain - it's a bit inclined, but I decided to make the building on a flat base. This implies some minor modifications, mainly in side entrances and the annex main entrance

[SimFox 802]

Looks very good!

Couple of suggestions:

1. given the size of the blocks (those Sg.Pep called bricks) you may actually consider modeling them. It wouldn't be difficult to make and there is a noticeable benefit in appearance (particularly) on the shadow side.

2. you may want to turn Ambient Occlusion on in your material to "ground" the inner corners of the model, to define shape in the shadow - now it looks a bit flat

PS

I'm dying to see column's capitol close up... would you indulge me?

PS 2

you excel at modeling stuff. It is pity to see final result suffer form some texturing/lighting issues. May be I can take a look at the Custom House...

[AlexandrosB13 184]

 Hey Seraf! It looks really amazing.

Your windows look like you dont have windows ( do you? ) and we see the grey color of the render background. I think it can be seen here in the picture bellow.

NOTE: i am not copying SimHoTToDDy' s post, i had the same question

[Seraf 1,238]

Simfox - Well, I considered modelling them, but I decided that the wall itself is rather flat and there will be no difference. And after my experience with Custom House I know that my computer doesn't like modelling each brick or block separately.

I have my own style of texturing, maybe it's not perfect but it's clear and simple the way I like it. And I'm afraid people who want to use my bats will have to live with it.  Maybe my textures are not so good because I'm more "real" artist than virtual, "real" architect doesn't need to worry about texture coordinates on building when he decides to use granite or something.

Capital that you asked about:

Alexandros - there are windows, but I didn't put floors in he building yet so that's why we see render background.

[nofunk 1,933]

Wow!!!

I agree completely with SimFox: Your modeling abilities are impressive. The level of detail on this model is incredible. But BATs are almost always made or lost on the quality of their textures. I look forward to seeing where this goes, and I am confident you will put in as much effort on your textures as you have on the model!

[lucky7 73]

The columns look just awesome! I mean the entire model looks awesome, but the columns are more than brilliant.

Take care,

René

[Seraf 1,238]

OMG, It's been over three months since I last posted here?

Nofunk - thank you, I'm working hard to improve my textures

Lucky7 - thank you, that order was taken from Pennsylvania Station, capital lack some ornament but I don't know if I have enough persistence to make them in max, more probably I'll sculpt them in zbrush, if at all

Ok, time for update, I made most of the modeling part, for a while I wanted to make my own version of annex building roof but finally I decided to make actual one. I spent whole today tweaking textures of roof inside the court but I don't know if it's worth anything

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

I love it, I'm so glad you have posted a update here.

[gutterclub 2,729]

I quite like the green roof texture, although he renders in scanline (wish he used LBTL) Debussyman excels at textures on these older buildings and I don't think the roof IMO is too far off in terms of saturation / hue etc. Interested to see how this goes, I always like your details and modelling.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

The building looks really purple. Is it purple because you made it purple or is it grey and something with your lighting rig is wrong?

[Seraf 1,238]

Aaron - Me too Aaron, me too

gutterclub - Thank you Debussy once said that he didn't use LTBL because buildings made with it are "sticking out way too much in game, and the result feels unnatural".

Jasoncw - I think it's my fault, I must've added too much purple when I added colors to textures of the facade. You think I should reduce some colors or just add some to balance whole effect?

Still working on inner court textures... I must change the number of the smaller crossbeams, there are too many of them and on smaller zooms they become blurry

[Sgt Pepper 864]

I don't know what to say except that it looks great!

I guess you could add some more color hues like you said, I'd like to see that. I do like the purple...

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Looks great, Keep it up.

[Vlasky 1,803]

Have I got interesting pictures for you Seraf

  Edited June 13, 2011 by Vlasky  

[AlexandrosB13 184]

wow vlasky you really know how to find good pictures! Seraf it looks just amazing!

[Seraf 1,238]

Sgt Pepper - Thank you

Aaron - Thank you

Vlasky - Thank you so much, these photos are incredible! I have only one or maybe two photos with Penn station and Farley Post Office together. They looked so beautiful...

That photo with rear elevation of the FPO original building is also very interesting and helpful. I have only one photo showing this side of building before annex was build. Thank you once again.

Alexandros - Thank you

Update: the roof is almost completed, I must add textures and some roof junk. I also changed colors in elevation textures like you proposed. How does it look now? I also made inscription on the frieze but it isn't very visible...

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Wow...

I love it. Plain and simple words, but I do. It's coming along fantasticly.

For now, I think the roof textures, the grey-brown concrete and the green shingles(or whatever, I'm not good at terms ) should have a more ditier appearance and some more contrast. Just to spark up what you have so far. I hope this helps.

[anotn 223]

Wow...

Indeed.

Hard to comment on this because what is done is so close to perfect, but I think your roof texture is a bit too yellowish and could do with some water stains and other imperfections. Also there's something to the cupper roof that's not quite right, but unfortunately I'm no help at the moment as I don't have any suggestion on what to do. It looks much better now too with the less purple color. About the inscription, I think it's clear that it is there, and if you know what it say it's readable, maybe include the quote to the query, then I believe it will be clear to everyone.

[Vlasky 1,803]

Penn and this one - neighbors worthy of each other. I was surprised that annex didn't destroyed it, but that was. I guess, lucky event.Great looking and very detailed as all of your BATs. But I agree with Anotn, the copper looks washed out, but we all know copper gets darker and covered in patina with time, so maybe fix that white that shows up on roof texture. Please take your time with texturing, cuz u make the most incredible and detailed bats and than rush with textures. Please take your time

And if I run up to some other good pic of post office I'll post it right away

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Lovely, I wish you could make the penn Train station, that would be an honor.

[Francis90b 748]

I have a question that might sound silly, but i'd like to ask it anyway...why the walls around the courtyards inside the building have a colour different than the outer walls of the building?

[lucky7 73]

Beautiful work, the textures give this certain decayed feeling...

Take care and keep it up,

lucky7

[Seraf 1,238]

Sgt Pepper - Thank you, I'm still working on roof textures, I will post pictures of what I'v done so far when I resolve my problems with max..

anotn - Thank you, regarding the inscription - it's readable on zoom5 if you know what it says, but even if you don't with some effort you should be able to guess what it says, so I think if the query includes the quote like you propose it will be readable for all Thank you

Vlasky - I don't think it was that lucky event The annex building was also designed by Mckim, Mead & White in 1934 when William Kendall who designed the original structure in 1912 was still alive. So I think he probably took care of fitting the new part to old

Aaron - Thank you I already started making Penn Station, I just didn't show it because there isn't too much to show, just unfinished front elevation.

Francis90b - My model is made to look like in real life. I think Kendall designed it that way because it makes no sense to cover the walls of purely technical courtyard with granite

I've got enough of all the bugs max2011 produces (mainly graphical artifacts on the renders) so I'm trying to change it to max2012 - I haven't see any bugs in 2012's renders so far.

[Chris M 406]

Just absolutely brilliant. One of the best BATs I've ever seen! Can't wait to see it in my cities!

[Jazzmaster 716]

This looks fantastic, I absolutely love your modeling ability. The textures on your U.S. Customs House were brilliant imo but maybe I'm just ignorant lol

In any event, about how large will this building be when it's finished? (meters by meters). I'm planning to use it but it's definitely a space I'll have to set off to the side. Keep up the great work!

[TowerDude 2,186]

now that's really a nice building