NitzWalsh BAT Thread

[NitzWalsh 0]

So's, I figured since I'm making some stuff that I'd post it here as I'm working on it in order to get some constructive feedback on my efforts.

I've done CG in Lightwave for some time, and I've used 3ds Max a couple of times back in the 4.2 days but I've never used gmax.

So my first BAT was a recreation of the Big House in the Fort Langley National Historic Site in British Columbia.

Obviously a grab of it from the LOT editor... it works in game and lights up at night so I'm happy with it... it's set up as a museum.

The one I'm working on now is Top Notch Hamburgers in Austin Texas, it was also seen in the movie Dazed and Confused. So far I've got the car cover area done and I'm working on making the Fried Chicken sign light up at night but so far I've had no luck with that.

I'll post more progress later.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Welcome to Batting!

One thing I must say is:

For the lighting thing, there are tutorials on the omnibus, or just add hte prefix "nite" ie nite-sign

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

You may want to think about how this building compares to the rest of SC4's buildings scale wise before you call it done. Also, this building is rather simple in reality so try to add as much detail to it as you can. The textures also need a bit of work; the roof repeats quite obviously and the walls looks more like concrete slabs than wooden siding.

Very nice start though. If you are familiar with 3dsmax already, you might be interested in this, a free student copy of a resent version. It is certainly a lot better than gmax (although you seem to be doing pretty well with it).

Best of luck,

-Todd

[NitzWalsh 0]

Thanks, texturing is the area I've always needed to work the most on... was thinking I'd detail it more on the modeling end and less on the texturing end... I've had some trouble getting the maps to unwrap properly.

I tried the nite prefix on the sign, it didn't look like I wanted it to look, but I have some ideas for fixing that.

I looked into the max for students thing already, I'm not a student though and don't feel like fooling the thing to get it.

[thingfishs 417]

Hi, I agree with simhottoddy's comments, re. the roof textures in particular. You should learn to do whole, non-tiling textures - without doing so your work will never be as good as it could be.

As for illuminating signs, the method I've settled on is:

- make the sign a separate scene and then use normal lighting methods to illuminate it.

- Incorporate it in the LE as a prop.

This way the sign will be lit up at night without any of the spill hitting neighbouring objects (and breaking the illusion of the sign being internally lit). So that it's in the exactly right position, select your sign in the current scene, then select/inverse and then delete. Be sure to rename your scene and save it and your sign will be in the right spot. GOOD LUCK

[NitzWalsh 0]

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out that... making non-tiling textures cover the whole object, but so far the tutorials I've gone through haven't covered that kind of thing.

[NitzWalsh 0]

I think I'm getting better at the non-tiled textures. I think I've just been trying to do things they way it's done in Lightwave...

I'm moving pretty soon otherwise I'd probably be getting stuff done a lot quicker on this...

Anyway... here's the progress I've made on the Top Notch Hamburgers in Austin, Texas... my references are Google Earth and the movie Dazed and Confused as I've never actually been to Texas.

[thingfishs 417]

The basic method I use (which can presumably be improved upon but is a good, simple way to be introduced to the concept is as follows: say you have a wall 10m x 20m, you multiply those numbers by 10, but as pixels. So the document you would create in PS (or similar) would be 100 x 200 pixels. Then you need to fill this area with your texture if it, at the right RL scale, doesn't already fill those dimensions (which is a whole other thing - clone stamp in PS is very handy for this). Some variations can be added with the dodge and burn tools (be careful not to over apply though), and finally a gradient can be added over the whole thing to tie it all together.

[NitzWalsh 0]

I like that idea, thanks thingfishs... I'll give it a try when I get a chance to do some more work on this...

Right now I'm dejunking my apartment in preparations for moving.

[NitzWalsh 0]

Haven't had much time to work on this one, but I've managed to get the signs almost all up and I've started on some roof details...

[NitzWalsh 0]

I'm still doing some batting, I got 3ds Max on here with Bat4Max...

Here's my first attempt at making a house in 3ds Max, I'm still pretty busy with non-computery things to do though so I've only got about an hours work on it.

[zahrul3 472]

That's a very nice looking house you got there!. You still need to texture it properly and some details such as air conditioners, TV aerials and something that covers the chimney from elements. Aside from that, you need to fit it in with props for the driveway, etc. You could use texture dependancies but they are very big so just search for 'mcmansion', there is a prop set called 'NDEX McMansion Essentials' which gives driveway and garage props. Remember to scale 133% vertically so it looks comparable to Maxis buildings!

[NitzWalsh 0]

Thanks zahrul3...

I'm making textures for the thing now, I want to make my own props for it though, just so I get some practice making that sort of thing as well. But I'll keep the McMansion Essentials in mind in case I get fed up with making my own stuff.