NTM's BAT Workshop II

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Welcome to my new BAT Thread.....

My Bat Uploads *This Color Means Obsolute*

Row Shops

Capital Dis. Sign Pack V 1.0

Capital Dis. Sign Pack V 1.1

Avril Lavinge Billboard Pack

Subway Sandwich Shop

Billboard Request Pack 1

Fresno Sign Pack

Capital District Sign Pack V.1.2

FAX Transit Center Pack Part 1

Ground Sign Pack V2

PepBoys Auto Shop

Mecca Billiards

Capital District Sign Pack V. 1.3

Johnny Quik Foodstore

Fresno Sign Pack V2

Johnny Quik Foodstore Diagonal Version

Current Projects:

608 P Street Office Building

Link to NTM's BAT Thread 1(Note:DO NOT BUMP)

  Edited May 10, 2012 by nathanthemayor  

[madhatter106 3,905]

It took me 30 seconds to find your original BAT thread. I don't see why this can't be a part of it.

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Originally posted by: madhatter106

It took me 30 seconds to find your original BAT thread. I don't see why this can't be a part of it.quote>

Also, i forgot to mention that one was getting to long, and plus I din't want to bump it.

[DCMetro34 577]

Originally posted by: nathanthemayor

Originally posted by: madhatter106

It took me 30 seconds to find your original BAT thread. I don't see why this can't be a part of it.quote>

Also, i forgot to mention that one was getting to long, and plus I din't want to bump it.quote>

Well, some BAT threads are about 100+ pages long, and you can never "bump" your own thread if you are posting content.

But....let's get back on topic with the BAT.....

Edit: I guess I'll post something. I would recommend modeling an actual Subway in your area....just find a picture....or even better, go take pictures....find some dimensions, and put it into a BAT. But start with some planning, first.

DC

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Well here is a pic of one that inspired me to do this...however, not modeling it because of the diagional roof:

[DCMetro34 577]

Well, looks nice, but I strongly advise to model the diagonal roof. It is indeed a piece of that structure, and compliments the rest of this small building. You are only going to learn by pushing your limits; this is especially true in BAT. 

Also, it is so simple to make something "diagonal". You know that there are rotate tools, right? More or less, it is 2 roof pieces moved together until the become one.

If you truly want to get better at BAT, you have to take on "hard" projects and try some things that stretch your limits. Maybe you don't get it at first, but when you do, you will a helluva lot better about BAT.

DC 

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Update on my project:

and the sign...

[harishna 847]

nathan is an improvement but hard to judge as the image is way to small. why you don't at least crop the images so it only focuses on the model...

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>harishna</b></i>

nathan is an improvement but hard to judge as the image is way to small. why you don't at least crop the images so it only focuses on the model...</end quote></div>

If I cropped them, they would still be small. I think it is because of the renderer.

And btw the last update pic before I upload this on Sunday:

and YES it has nighlighting

  Edited July 30, 2011 by nathanthemayor  

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Allright,  my next project, another billboard pack and also requested from two users:

Yes these are overhanging ones(For overpasses) and YES I added details(The stairs and the supports on back)

[harishna 847]

Why you had to rush to upload your Subway shop? It is lacking a lot of details and it seems that it is missing some textures e.g. for the roof junk. To be honest the front looks plain and boring, just a box with roof junk and a sign, I wonder how the other sides of the building look. Nathan you want to create quality custom content or you just want to upload things? You have received a lot of help and even that is true that you have improved you still seem to be reluctant to put an effort "not modeling it because of the diagional roof:". I mean sounds like anything that require a little bit of effort is too much...This attitude can cause that people that had been so nice in trying to help you may just give up.

[gutterclub 2,729]

Billboard pack picture is too small so can't see any details. You have already done billboards, there isn't going to be much for people to comment on other than a board with a picture on...I'm not here to tell you what to make but like mentioned above, you seem to be in a rush to upload things and have no desire to better your work.

There are SO many tutorials, information in threads etc on this site that should be helping you produce some quality work.

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Try adding a texture to the gray parts of your billboard. Flat colors are both unrealistic and unattractive in game.

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Originally posted by: SimHoTToDDy

Try adding a texture to the gray parts of your billboard. Flat colors are both unrealistic and unattractive in game.quote>

That is one of the textures that was provided when I installed the bat...

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

So? Doesn't mean it look will look good in game. You could take a picture of someone's face and use it as a "texture" for a wall, but that does not mean it is either a good idea or will look appropriate in place of a more realistic bitmap.

[Gn_leugim 858]

do you know already this place? http://www.cgtextures.com/

there you can find endless textures. but one advice, you wont find there on texture that will fit what you want, if does happen is one change in a million. use this database to make your own textures. I hope you have good skills at PS or Gimp or other image editing software

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

I was on cgtextures this afternoon and found a good steel one and using it in the billboard:

[madhatter106 3,905]

Yep it's changed all right - now instead of a flat light gray, it's a flat medium gray.

TEXTURE TIP FOR ALL THOSE READING - just because you find it on "the internets" doesn't mean that it's 100% ready to go in-game. And just because it looks good in the gmax perspective window, it doesn't mean it will look good in the preview render, either.

[harishna 847]

Nathan why don't you make an effort you can at least crop the image of your preview, you can even do this on paint, come on man show a little bit of effort in your things...it is almost impossible to judge your work based on the tiny image you showing.

[DCMetro34 577]

Hey Nathan,

The Subway restaurant wasn't too bad, it's an improvement from past BATs. We can hand this to you, you gotta go out and earn it or in this case, make it in BAT. That's actually how life is...even though it doesn't seem like that now. You will get better get better at BAT if you put the time and effort into it. Time and effort also shows in the final product or lots, and directly determines your STEX rating. 

I have been working on a BAT since this June, and it's still not entirely done. I am troubleshooting and fixing little details now, but it's something that I will be proud of when I release. We are dealing again with quality, not quantity here...

Just though I'd throw that on the table.

DC

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Any other suggestions?

[His Divine Hand 244]

:Improve the texture and provide a better picture for judging it?

[gutterclub 2,729]

Originally posted by: nathanthemayor

Any other suggestions?quote>

Other than the ones already offered which you have and will choose to ignore?

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Other than the ones already offered which you have and will choose to ignore?quote>

Yeah, I really hate to repeat myself.

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Now, i know I din't get a render. The reason is that I wanted to show you a close up of it, since the renderer can't do that on my machine:

[madhatter106 3,905]

Originally posted by: nathanthemayor

Now, i know I din't get a render. The reason is that I wanted to show you a close up of it, since the renderer can't do that on my machine.quote>

Who CARES what it looks like in perspective view? You could have modeled individual blades of grass at the base of this sign, but it wouldn't make any difference, because you CAN'T SEE IT IN THE FINAL RENDER.

You're not going to impress anyone with a perspective view; it could look like a million bucks there, but if it looks like crap in the preview render, then what's the point of making it in the first place???  What you see in preview is what you see in game, end of story.  Big deal, it looks pretty up close...what does it look like from far away, where it makes a difference...

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

I took another preview render AND cropped it AND zoomed in the best I could without blurring the image:

[artist 4]

I wish you all the best with your project. SC4 needs more small BAT's.

[harishna 847]

That is much better Nathan, I did a search over the web for billboards and I couldn't find one that looks like the one you making, for example I couldn't find one with a ladder where you put it. also the ad itself looks a little bit plain, there is too much empty space in the middle. the textures are a little bit plain too, why don't you search for rusted metal textures for the ladder and (or make) something with a gradient for the frame. You can also try to model the lights, but I would suggest to find a real example and try to stick to it. Good luck and it is good to see that you listened.

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

About the billboard style(Overhanging), it was requested from one of my earier billboard packs:

Comment by krenemo:

this is pretty kool could you make some bridge mounted ones for over highways or something like that??quote>

Anyways I got some really rusty textures for the billboard, to make it appear like it has gone through the elements many times. About the billboard the ad is the one the person(Simcity15) wanted me to do for him/her. There are also two more ads in this pack.