nybt-forum-threads Heblem's New York BATs

[Heblem 600]

 Hello, just some of my contributions to NYBT, i'll be doing some residential highrises... you can suggest or request any new york residentials that are missing for game, i'll do only if I like it...

There the first residential... (of course many details are missing)

201 E17th St (corner to 195 3rd Ave.)

[mben92 9]

Very Nice. Do I see possible housing project BATs in the foreseeable future? Who knows, Housing projects would really complement the work portfolio of the NYBT team very well.

[Sgt Pepper 864]

I had no idea you were part of NYBT... I know you helped Kelistmac with One Penn Plaza though...I say either me or anyone on NYBT should have been informed earlier, but welcome aboard. Just don't forget when uploading something for NYBT that the label is in the title, my friend. I'll see to it that the NYBT Roster is updated with your name.

The model is looking interesting so far Heblem, however, the windows look kinda flat and textured on...though it could be just my eyes tricking me. I have some bad eye vision... I'm glad you are doing residential highrises, I think NYBT has only done one, and I did it.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

The bitmap used on the windows is fine, however the mullions and window frames need to be modeled. They do look extremely flat as they are now.

We need more dull lifeless residential towers, so I'll be keeping my eye on this

[PBGV103 729]

Ooo cool! We need residential buildings. I've often thought about BATing a building like the Corinthian.

[Heblem 600]

mben92: probably ill do some more as i can before the year ends...

Sgt Pepper: Thanks! hope its fine to label it as NYBT HBS... HBS are like my initials of "Heblem's" and agree the windows need some more detail... thanks!

SimHoTToDDy: yes i'll be fixing the windows, thanks for notify it

PBGV103: Yep, more will come, maybe one or two per month

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Sure, it's fine to have HBS in the title as well. As long as it's known that it's an NYBT upload too. And again, welcome to the team!

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Great Job Heblem and welcom to the team.

[Heblem 600]

[GuerrilaWarfare 39]

OMG TY, New York Times building, Don't make fun of me that i already know regardless you didn't even introduce it I really hope you have all intentions in finishing this by the next 2 - 3 months

[maikeli.1 12]

How about rector place and the regatta from battery park city?

[PBGV103 729]

still not a request thread

good start on the NYTimes HQ, but I'd recommend starting with the basic building proportions and then adding the details. If you don't then you may have some major scale problems very soon. You can use emporis to get the building height and google earth's measuring tool to get the other proportions.

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Good to see you still around Heblem. I must say it's coming along nicely so far. I second what Paul said, but so far so great my friend! We'll be around to help in anyway possible.

[Hanson784 165]

Great to see you still BATing.

Paul has a good point, in addition to his advice you can also download the NY Times Tower from the 3D Warehouse as that is made to scale and use it as a guide. You may even be able toget a couple of high res textures when you export it.

Are you planning to finish 201 E17th St BTW? I could finish it up and render it as it looks nearly complete, the NYBAT team is lacking in terms of mid rise residential buildings.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Yes, this thread is working again. Starting off great.

[Bastet69008 1,102]

Long time no see! Nice going can't wait for the update!

[Heblem 600]

need help...

How to make glass reflections without render the bottom plane, any help is appreciate, thanks!

I'm to fix the white fronts for a better and realistic appearance

BTW i did some measurements in google earth and my model and the building scale and proportions are right, just to see about building height and sc4 proportions....

[gutterclub 2,729]

Just right click on the plane -> object properties -> untick visible to camera. Then you'll prob need to go into the mental ray tab then tick pass through (invisible to FG) and tick receive illumination from final gather.

I think this should work, and if it does don't thank me, I merely learnt this from Sim Fox, Jason, Toddy, et al!

[Heblem 600]

Here some more progress... as you see i need to fix some issues, dont worry...

Please click on the next link to see the render...

img806.imageshack.us/img806/6526/rendermasmomenos.jpg

M

ax preview, poly count...

I cant give an in game render due im using another computer without BAT4Max... the problem is "How im going to export this into SimCity 4?" my computer can't handle this model for render, so i got two options...

-One is install bat for max in this computer without simcity 4 game and gmax bat, does this works?

-Two is someone to help me in render it... but you need a very powerful computer, I couldnt render in a 8gb RAM computer HP py6930

Thanks!

[Sgt Pepper 864]

Well I can't answer much questions regarding MAX...sorry...

But from what I could tell from that render(even though it wasn't a SC4 render) it might appear too white in the game...oh and could we see the top portion too instead of just the base?

I'm thinking your problem rendering this monster(just a guess I'm no MAX expert or anything) is the amount of objects in the scene. From the render you linked, those uh...I don't know what they are called...those "slits" in the "blinds" covering the facade might be what's causing that. I think the whole thing could be just a plane with an apropriate texture that is slightly transclusent...but that's just an idea I have...MAX users would be more helpful here.

I hope that helps somewhat though!

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

You have done well Brandon, very good points!

Heblem: I'd say ditch the fully modeled louvers and go with something flat (opacity map, or transparent material, or whatever other method). I know it is tempting to make something as realistic as possible (and you may continue to do that with this model if that is what you want), but for purposes of SC4 it is not worth it to make something that will not be seen at all. Even in your close up perspective render, the louvers can't be understood as well as you or I would like them to be. From that close perspective they smear together into a solid mass, how do you suppose they will look from zoom5?

Looking at some real images, it looks much more transparent (because there is more space between the material), so what you have now really isn't ideal either way.

I too am curious about the object count, you really shouldn't need so much power to render a 4x4 tower with a short extra 4x4 base. You should be able to export from a computer without gmax and SC4, just export your LODs from the MAX computer, move them to the gmax computer, export them, and then move the blank model file back to the MAX computer for the final export(s).

After all that aside, it really does look very nice. I just want you to be able to use it in game

Best of luck buddy,

-Todd

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Yes, Sgt Pepper you are mostly right and SimHoTToDDy you are truly right.

You are doing really good Heblem, but one thing you have to do I think is to trick the eye as much as possible. Another thing that might can help you if you did not do this is If you are making glass for windows, closed doors and roofs and if you make a square and then extrude it I think your need to change you ways of bating, like make a square and right click to editable poly, that should help reduce the amount polys.

When using 3ds Max, GMAX, SCMAX, and or AGMAX your main mission is to  trick the eye, don't put so much work on such small objects. lol!!!!

[SimFox 803]

Yep it's all about illusion.

And you have to convey the "essence" of the building more than do it to the last dot over the last "i". Of course it is much more difficult then simply go and modeling every nut and bolt - that may take a lot of time, but in teh end it just a lot of repetitive, and as such simple (if you make one you can make 10 000 000) work. And in this respect you chose quite challenging building to re-create. And you problems only grow 10 fold once you'll start night lighting it. I mean, of course_ if you wanna make justice to teh original, and not just make "something".

On a technical side, I cat tell you that you whole reflection setup is not optimal. I mean you choice to introduce distortion into the image on the ground plane itself. And although it has been said here that you point is create illusion, not exactly recreate reality, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't understand reality. In fact only after you understand it, how it works, you would be able to fake it in a convincing manner. The way you use to introduce imperfections into reflections will result in two major perceptual errors

1. distortions will seamlessly flow from glass plane to another

2. The distortion will stay constant all through the height of the tower.

These two make the whole point of introducing these distortions more or less moot. Instead of adding to realism you subtract from it. Adding some ill-conceived clich

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

That would be ks_jpn, see here.

God, why do I remember this stuff?

[Heblem 600]

Sgt Pepper: Youre right, the problem is the amount of objects and great idea about the semi transparent plane, thanks! here i show a in game render in zoom 5... and yes i rendered it in my computer, just after i followed your tip

SimHoTToDDy: Thanks for the advise, when i finish it, i'll export right in my computer, ive reduced the model from 1 millon polys to just 300 k, now its much better...

Aaron Graham: very true... need to change my modeling style, using more editable polys, thanks for the advice

SimFox: Now that i could make a preview in lees than 5 minmutes, i'll make some changed in reflections, ill do some faked reflections of the game in PS, i'll see what i can chage and do, and thanks for the tips...

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

IT is not perfect, but it's definitely a step in the right direction as far as getting the scene under control. The method you are using on the transparent mesh is having trouble when there is nothing behind it (look at how it turns flat gray on the back side). At least you can modify things without needing a supercomputer to preview it

Also, I don't know what is going on with your render, it is very blurry and the black background is not normal for LTBL. You should at least change the background to a 50% gray so that you get a better impression of the lightness/darkness (value) of the building.

[Heblem 600]

opps, forgot to set the render setup, also fixed minor issues...

Maybe ill put some more details at back side on top... to fix that flat gray plane... any ideas?

Also the texture supposed to be white, but in render looks grey... i got this problem before, but i can't do anything if i exagerate the constrast it'll change to purple, so i'll leave it as it is now...

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

The building looks really good in this render. what do you need to be fixed on the ground plane??

[harishna 847]

Glad to see you still active, the building is looking really nice, this may turn in one of your best BATs so far!

Saludos

[Bastet69008 1,102]

Great building! On the verge of being your best BAT by far, I was wondering if anybody would ever do this beautiful landmark! Good luck with it!