Operation Buffalo Wing: A Blizzard of BAT

[Sabretooth78 808]

Just an update on my (lack of) progress -

 

Last week I was pretty much dead with a cold and didn't feel like getting anything done.  Then I bought RCT 3 for my girlfriend, and while I'm waiting for the RAM upgrade for her computer so it can competently run the game, it's largely being run on this computer.  It's supposed to be here next Tuesday, but knowing UPS I probably won't have it until the end of the week.

 

The good news is I'm upgrading my computer from 768MB - 1GB, and I also bought a new 19 monitor to replace my 17.  So I'll be able to marginally improve my SC4 and BATing experience!

 

Hopefully I'll have these models to export by the weekend.  There's just a tinty bit of night-lighting to fix on the Liberty Building, and I'm a bit stumped on the exterior lighting for the Corning Tower, but that's about all I have left to work on it.

 

-Chris

[Sabretooth78 808]

Here's a teaser of the Liberty Building - hopefully I'll be able to begin the export process tomorrow night, just a couple of night lighting quirks to try and figure out.

 

-Chris

[ACEfanatic 7]

w00t! w00t!

 

I love it.

 

*rinse, repeat*

 

-ACE

[poiuy1208 46]

How did I miss this??? It looks great!

[subedei 3]

Looks awsome so far. Keep up the great work. 

 

 

 

Subedei

[Tunafish 48]

Hows the other building going, it's name is slipping my mind

[bourneid 13]

sargeantcm that looks beautiful. I just love the work you are doing bringing New york buildings to SC4 can only bring smiles to this upstater. Keep up the great work and I will be watching this thread very closly.


Side note: did you know, that the buildings at the Empire State Plaza have pannels on the outside that are designed with pins the will release in case of an earthquake. So take note, dont be in the plaze underneath them if the ground is a shaking!

[wolverine 12]

Man, I can't tell you how great that looks.  And you know, that building has my favorite kind of architecture.  Sure wish I could B.A.T. a building just like that.

[Superstar 69]

Man thats so sweet!!! amazing BAT work

[Sabretooth78 808]

Hows the other building going, it's name is slipping my mind

The Corning Tower is only a minor breakthrough away from export status as well.  I've just completed all of the window night lighting, which leaves only the exterior floodlight effects.  I spent a few hours a week or so ago on those and pretty much went nowhere.  I'm not going to give up though, I think they add alot to this building at night.  My only issue is that since the ambient night lighting in SC4 is so bright, it's going to be difficult to do it justice.

Here's a nice pic of the real-life night lighting -

-Chris

[Sabretooth78 808]

For my final update before you see these things on the STEX (you better believe it!), here's my best effort towards replicating the exterior lighting on the Corning Tower.  Turns out with all the window lighting and detail, you can barely see the exterior lighting.  But it's there, and I think I did about as good a job as I could have.  On a side note, this is the first time I have actually used the Maxis green window textures for the night lighting and thought it looked appropriate.   I think they're a bit too bright, however, so I'm going to tone them down a tad.  The exterior lighting is probably partly to blame for that as well.

First, here's the day view.  I'm pretty pleased with how the variable window textures came out (thanks to the Simtropolis Tools Window Randomizer!).

And the night lighting:

I may eventually do a second version for the night lighting - I like this photo:

-Chris

[Woko 2]

BEAUTIFUL BUILDING!!!! I want it!!!

[vidioman 21]

That scond pic is great Must have taken alot of work to get it too look right. Maybe you could make it appear like that on a certain day or something?

[subedei 3]

Cant wait for your projects to hit the STEX. Keep up the great work you are doing. 

 

 

 

Subedei

[SpartanBadger 4]

Damn! That is some awesome work! Great job, I can't wait to see these hit the STEX, keep it up, your work is excellent!

[Sabretooth78 808]

Liberty Building v1.0 has finally been uploaded to the STEX!  As always, please notify me of any quirks, possible bugs, etc.  It's been a while since I've actually worked on lots, so I was a bit rusty.

 

As for the Corning Tower, it is complete in gMax as well.  But, since I don't really want to lock up my computer for the bulk of the weekend (I'm anticipating a long export), I'm going to hold that export off until Sunday night.  That way it can run while I'm at work on Monday.  And since I'm not planning much (if any) lot work since it's not really a finished product (essentially only a component of a finished product), I think it would be safe to assume a Monday (11/15) release as well.  That is, provided the render goes according to plan.

 

In the meantime, I'm going to bring my Mystery Project up to date, and gear up for the Air Canada Centre, finally!  So hopefully the Torontonians here can come back out of the woodwork, because I'll need some pictoral assistance!  Maybe it will even end the lockout!  Not likely...

 

-Chris

 

 P.S.  Thanks to those who nominated me in the categories Best Realistic Buildings and Highest Technical Achievement in Custom Creations (to which smoncrie deserves the credit, I only provided the idea) for the '04 Trixies.  I don't know who you are, but you do!

[meinhosen 11]

About the Liberty Building-

 

It looks excellent, I love it.  I mentioned that I'd post about something that I thought detracted a little from the structure, and that was the ground floor windows around the corner from the main entrance.  They looked, well, unfinished (as compared with the rest of the facade).  I'm not intimately familiar with that part of this particular building (maybe it looks like that in real life).

Thought I'd add some constructive criticism- but I really do love this building, honest.

 

Fantastic building sargeantcm.  Thanks again for posting it.

 

Props from up-upstate NY (Jeff Co.)!

 

-EDIT-

I noticed this once I plopped it in-game.  Thankfully, it's so wedged in between other buildings that I really wouldn't worry too much about some stuff that close to street-level.  Just thought I'd bring it to your attention.

[vanshnookenraggen 0]

OMG That is spot on! You are amazing.

[Superstar 69]

Simply..... WOW!!!!! that is the best job I've seen so far, great work

[Sabretooth78 808]

Date:11/12/2004 11:59:01 PM
Author:meinhosen

...thought detracted a little from the structure, and that was the ground floor windows around the corner from the main entrance.  They looked, well, unfinished ...

quote>

 

Yeah, I'm fully aware of it.  In real life, there's a building directly abutting there, so I don't think there's anything there in real life, although I didn't get a real close look.  If I end up doing Main Place, however, I'll be taking care of that abutting building, and next to the Liberty Building, you won't notice anything wrong!

 

-Chris

[Ryan B 35]

Great job on the Liberty Building!  It looks really good.

 

Best of luck on the ACC . . . . . I was hoping the HSBC Arena would end the lockout before it was imposed.  Maybe the ACC and the HSBC will do it together.

 

 

[jtportland 184]

congrats on the Liberty Building! it looks really great! i'm using it for my upcoming portland CJ, so keep an eye out for that

great job on Corning Tower too, i can't wait for it to hit the stex, nightlight looks awesome!

good luck on the Air Canada Centre, i look forward for updates on it

[Sabretooth78 808]

The Erastus Corning Tower v1.0 has been uploaded to the STEX.  Let me know if there are any problems!

 

Just a word of notice, you have now seen the tallest (180m - 589 ft) skyscraper I will ever BAT.  Enjoy!

 

-Chris

[meinhosen 11]

Great building!  Nary a flaw to be found.

 

You've done a fantastic job with this- hope you feel compelled to create more BATs.

[jondecker 0]

You are one of the best at true to life buildings, keep up the awesome work.

[ACEfanatic 7]

If I ever get back to work on my CJ, these two buildings will have a promonint location downtown.  I love that you're doing buildings from Buffalo, since it's really an unknown city... quite a pity.

 

I wonder what the mystery project is... any hints?

 

-ACE

[Sabretooth78 808]

Date:11/16/2004 5:35:27 PM
Author:ACEfanatic

 

I wonder what the mystery project is... any hints?

 

-ACE

quote>

I'll give a few token, probably useless clues.  I want this to be a surprise!

1. It's a major landmark in it's own right.
2. It's 5 stories high.
3. There's already something similar in the game.
4. It will sit on a massive lot (a smaller variant will be available however).
5. I've posted a thread on ST somewhere that might give you a clue as to it's general location.
6. It's probably the most complex model I've worked on, perhaps more complicated than City Hall.
7. It's NOT in Buffalo, although many Buffalonians have probably visited.

Hopefully that doesn't give it out!

-Chris

[Superstar 69]

Man, you're killing me from inside! I really can't wait to see the Secret Project of yours

[dudyconstructor 46]

woah dude!!! looks great! very realistic, nice job.

[Sabretooth78 808]

Well I've been quiet for a while now, so I figured I'd peek in to prove that I'm still alive...

 

I've been really busy with life lately and I haven't been able to accomplish anything in BAT, just too much else occupying my time.  Hopefully in a month or so it'll be letting up, and I can start being productive again.

 

Anyways, hold tight, I'll be back!

 

-Chris