BATs by Bipin

[Bipin 3,403]

 

 

 

 

 

This will be the home for all BATs by Bipin, as I'm sure you figured by the title. These won't just be any BATs though, these will be ones centered around a cohesive theme. In other words, I'll be making the BATs that you've always wanted, but never gotten; the essential BATs no one has ever got around to making.

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I'll start off with something that is essential to any city; suburbs. While we have older suburban houses from the 50's up to the 80's, its difficult to find modern houses. So with that, I present to you...

 

 

 

 

 

I've made all this in 8 hours today, I worked hard! On top of that, this is my first time making anything in 3dsMax, so I hope you like what I've done so far.

 

As a side project, I'm also in the process of creating retaining walls and ramps for FARHW-MIS:

 

 

 

Now, none of these are rendered, but there is a reason to that. Whenever I try and download and subsequently run BAT4MAX, the .mzp unzips itself, instead of opening an install prompt, so if anyone has suggestions as to what I can do, let me know. I'm running 64 bit Windows 7. I hope you enjoy my seeing my progress so far, comments, questions and any other concerns are always appreciated!

[The Avatar 1,089]

Very nice! The walls and house look great!

[psander5 198]

To get Bat4Max to install, extract the .mzp file to a location on your computer, then run it using MAXScript inside 3dsMax (Toolbar - MAXScript/Open Script...). Then just follow the instructions and you can show us previews

It's too early to comment on the model really, and I don't know what you're using for reference, but good luck! BATing for yourself is the best way to get what you want

[Bipin 3,403]

To get Bat4Max to install, extract the .mzp file to a location on your computer, then run it using MAXScript inside 3dsMax (Toolbar - MAXScript/Open Script...). Then just follow the instructions and you can show us previews

It's too early to comment on the model really, and I don't know what you're using for reference, but good luck! BATing for yourself is the best way to get what you want

Thanks, that helps a lot! The houses I am BATing will be in a sort of New Urbanism style.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Lovely building.

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Love it!

[Kifflom112 355]

This looks nice, I need to get to BATing soon too.

[Bipin 3,403]

I am having issues exporting/rendering the models, something that, based on the problem, wont be fixable soon I bet. If anyone would be kind enough to render the house (almost done) in 3dsMax, let me know!

[madhatter106 3,932]

If anyone would be kind enough to render the house (almost done) in 3dsMax, let me know!

Almost done? Then show a picture of it before you go through the trouble of rendering it. Because the picture posted from a couple of days back shows a project nowhere near done...

[Bipin 3,403]

I've got the 3dsMax problem worked out. The trick was manually installing BAT4MAX, as the Windows 7 UAC would not allow an install with a wizard, regardless of what I tried, plus a few other things. A non-garage version of the house will likely be ready towards the end of the week.

[harishna 847]

why don't yo show your progress rather than give hypothetical deadlines

[Bipin 3,403]

I guess I was a bit misleading in my second last post. When I said "almost done" I mean almost done the floorplan/basic shape. So anyways, here's a render from a few days ago. I got BAT4MAX working, so this is how it will look at zoom 5 with correct lighting:

I'm still not sure what I'll use for a wall texture or roof texture. Obviously shingles for the roofs, but it's a bit difficult to come across exactly what I want, or make it for that matter. Let me know if you'd rather see stucco (the current plain texture is a bit like stucco I suppose), brick, or cladding, or some sort of mix. Also, this is the 2 garage version of the house, there is also a single garage one, and sorry, but the scale is a bit off in the second picture. Hope you enjoyed the little update!

[Kifflom112 355]

Hmm, this inspires me to get to making my Charlotte houses, this looks amazing can't wait to see how the house may turn out and I could see myself using it. Maybe stucco and brick, that would be nice.

  Edited November 10, 2011 by Zulu2065  

[Bipin 3,403]

Contrary to popular belief, I am not dead, incapacitated, or tired of the SC4 community. I've just been busy with school related activities over the last week or so. I've had some time recently to work on the BAT projects I had started. The house you had seen from a few weeks ago has morphed into this:

Note that the garage texture in the second pick looking west, while also shadowed, is a significantly darker texture too. As well, the houses are probably a little small for zoom 5. Your opinion on this house, comments, questions and other concerns are always welcome! Keep them coming, and I'll keep the houses coming!

[Kifflom112 355]

Lookin' real good, want to use it.

[Bipin 3,403]

I've been working on the retaining walls recently, and in fact have them nearly complete:

Problem is, I can't export them. Well, technically I CAN export them, but the retaining walls just appear as a large R/G/B cube. Apparently this is a common issue, but I cannot find the FSH files I need to insert for this model to appear correctly. Furthermore, when I opened the model in an attempt to add the FSHs, no S3D files were present. In fact, only 3 files were present in reader (XML, DIR, Exemplar). BAT4MAX has been an issue from the get-go. I had to install it manually through dragging files around. If anyone knows of a solution, let me know. Remember, I cannot find FSHs for this model ANYWHERE even though BAT4MAX claims they were indeed made. Alternatively, if someone could just render it, if worst comes to worst, that would be awesome.

[wallacet 336]

are you talking about it showing up as a colored cube in the LE?

[Bipin 3,403]

Yeah, red/blue/green coloured rectangle. Now I heard this is caused by a lack of FSH files, but I cannot find any FSHs anywhere for this model. It seems as though BAT4MAX says it made FSH files, but actually didnt. That, or the FSH files are hidden I suspect. As I said above, when opening this .sc4model in reader, only an XML, DIR and exemplar file is present

[Cockatoo 2,262]

Max 2012? Got the necessary updates?

Hotfix1 for 3ds Max Design 2012 32 bit

Hotfix1 for 3ds Max Design 2012 64 bit

Hotfix1 for 3ds Max 2012 32 bit

Hotfix1 for 3ds Max 2012 64 bit

[Bipin 3,403]

You are the best Cockatoo, problem solved! Thank you so, so much for the hotfix links, the model actually renders/exports correctly now.

One thing I have been wondering though, is how to reduce the size the building occupies. For instance, see this picture:

For this to actually work as a retaining wall, it of course, needs to overhang. Obviously I cannot do that with the current size of the lot, so how might I go about reducing lot size?

[Bipin 3,403]

Thanks go to those who helped me with the previous issues. Your help has allowed me to get to this stage:

After days of non-stop* troubleshooting, I have finally been able to load the exported render in-game. All that's left to do is mirror the model along the z-axis for the alternate ramp, change a few signs around, and make mid-section 1x1 pieces for filler and underbridge. As well, I will move the large retaining wall segment along the path of the red arrow so it lines up better with RH6C and RHW 4 as seen here.

  Edited December 31, 2011 by Bipin  

[Bipin 3,403]

Sorry for the triple post, but...

I present to you:

Now all that's left are those underbridge pieces...

  Edited December 31, 2011 by Bipin  

[harishna 847]

I like the idea very much do you also have starter pieces?

[Bipin 3,403]

The middle sloped section you see there between the on/off ramps comprises of a 3x1 tile straight filler piece. This piece occupies one tile, with 1 cubic tile sloped walls overhanging on either side, thus it appears 3x1 tiles long. The overhanging section can also intersect a sloped face, so it could be used as a transition if you see what I mean. I will be making a designated sloped section though.

[Bastet69008 1,102]

By far the best project I saw in a while! So realistic (makes me think a little bit of that highway in GTA: SA nearby CJ's house). Anyway great work! There is still some conflicts between the different pieces,some seem to interfere with others. Again, I guess the project is not finished. But you would eventually need a transition piece so you don't have to work on the overall shape of each model again.

Since I tried myself at B.A.T and that I suck at it, I won't allow myself to judge your work, so all I can do is encourage you in this project, it's definitely a great idea! Keep up the good work!

[art128 4,622]

that looks very well ! I like it.

[Delecto 941]

Nice project, I see better now what you want to do.

Good luck for the continuation.

Sam.

[Ceafus 88 1,929]

Wow, that is beautiful! Great Project, I think it will be a big success.

[Bipin 3,403]

Thank you very much for your replies everyone, it's always nice to hear what fellow Sc4 players and BATters have to say! I will most likely be uploading this to the STEX today once I finish the underbridge and starter pieces. If you have suggestions on areas that need cleaned up let me know. I'd rather not have to remodel certain sections, but if you think a certain spot needs a lot of work, let me know please.

[Girafe 1,729]

Idea is excellent and realisation really good.

I would continue to work on the textures before releasing for something close to highway I would see something dirty with lot of tags

A greener version could be good too with grass in the center piece...

  Edited January 1, 2012 by Girafe