Jason's BATs & Tutorials

[Jasoncw 11,840]

No, it's probably too soon.  Once I finish those buildings, there will be a period of time between when I send them to T Wrecks, and when he sends them back to me (where I would then send them to you).  I think that period of time would be enough to work on the querries on a blank lot, or what ever you'd like to do to prepare.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

A new page?

edit: yes!

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Well... let's start this new page with something interesting. First off, here's Pearl Place:

  

As you can see, I made three lot versions:

1) A 3x3 lot without dependencies. This will grow at stage 7.

2) A 3x3 lot with dependencies*. It will also grow at stage 7.

3) A 3x2 lot without dependencies. This one will grow at stage 8, and this version will also be used for the landmark version.

Pearl Place will house a bit over 2,000 R$$ occupants, as it is almost as big as a Ryan Apartments.

Status: stats, lots and icons are done, documentation and packaging are not. Screenshots are WIP.

*: The "dependencies" are actually a dependency, SG's MEGA Prop Pack 1.

---

Second, I have the Regal Theater for you:

Some mixed news on this one:

1) Bad news: It's technically not possible to avoid that the side marquee may show a different lettering than the front one.

2) Good news: However, the "adhoc prop families", as ardecila calls them, work just fine.

3) Bad news: Unfortunately, two sets of props showed up as parts of Maxis BATs, maybe due to an ID conflict or whatever. The sets in question are Bladerunner and Weezer. All others work.

4) Good news: Leaving out a "member" of the marquee prop families doesn't cause brown boxes but simply makes this prop not appear; others are picked instead. This will enable users to choose whether they want to install all available letterings or just some. Besides, I merged the two model and the two desc file for each marquee prop set into one .dat file for more convenient file handling.

The Regal Theatre will be a growable CS$$$, ploppable CS$$$ or landmark. Occupant numbers are yet to be determined.

Status: Stats WIP. Lots, screenshots and Icons are done, documentation and packaging are not.

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Last but not least, a building that had been in the works for quite some time, but almost forgotten meanwhile: The Hong Kong Pawn Shop. Here it is:

Jason, did you want to release this as a regular BAT from your "studio" or as a kind of "guest BAT" for the Hong Kong / Asia Team? Just asking because of the readme...

Status: Stats WIP, lots & screenshots done, icons, documentation and packaging left to do.

The HK Pawn Shop will be a growable CS$ with 80 jobs (medium density, stage 6) and a ploppable with the same amount of jobs.

---

That's my report from the battlefront; hope some of you guys (especially Jason, of course ) could live with these lots and stats.

[vistla 3]

That Regal theatre is a really nice looking building!

[jay_allen1978 0]

that theatre looks great. Awesome job

[spa 968]

Nice to see this one heading towards release. I plan to download it once it becomes available.

[toxicpiano 125]

great work!

[JBSimio 152]

Wow!  Are you guys gearing up for one of those back to back to back releases?  They all look really great!  I'm especially excited for the theater... just beautiful.

JB

[Hanson784 165]

Good job Twrecks! The lots look great.

Looking foward to the release of these. It will be a STEX hit.

[irishgrapes 1]

Yeah!!!! Whoo HOOO! Oh happy day the theater has almost come.

[HONG KONG 74]

Great work here

[josefmayor 8]

I can't wait!!!!!!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Pearl Place is all set, and I'll be uploading it sometime today.

It's too bad about the theater, but as you said, if some of the marquees don't work they can simply be removed.

It's good that you merged some of the marquee prop stuff together.  It's more convienient that way, and the props can't be used for anything else anyway.

The pawn shop is a guest HK/A BAT, since I'll add the "HK" tag to it on the stex for easier searching for HK fans.  I think it'll be something like "HK Pawn Shop".

I'm all excited now!

[Wolves 0]

Why not render both signs as one so to save using two prop families on one lot, then you will have the same signs at once rather than them displaying differant things

[Jasoncw 11,840]

I suppose that would have been possible, although I'm not sure how it would handle having two different objects attached as one for the LOD.

But it's already done, and you can only see one marquee at a time anyway.  I'm actually getting ready to upload it as I write this message.

and btw everyone, I uploaded Pearl Place a little while ago. 

[josefmayor 8]

YES i've been waiting forever for that BAT, man!

[____----____ 37]

love your recent releases great stuff man

ALek

[+Guest]

Your work is awesome.Thanx so much for sharing.

[greyveil 37]

love the work Jason and T-wrecks, I do have one request...... possibly a Rocky Horror Picture Show marquee for the regal theater for us late night movie fans? lol

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Thanks everyone.

greyveil:  It's possible for me to make more marquees, so someday I might, but right now I'm enjoying it being done, lol.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

ok, I've got 3dsmax and BAT for Max almost working.  I'm having a problem that I described in the BAT for Max thread in the BAT Workshop.

For now, I'm going to wait on 211 West Fort, and One Woodward Avenue, untill Ardecila is back and can convert them into 3ds max for me.  That way I'll be able to easily finish the lighting.  Then I'll also be able to use the nice rendering with it.

I was thinking of doing the Penobscot Building next, but I've had my eye on some other buildings too.  imo, they're all beautiful, and they're all landmarks of their respective cities.  All of them are CO$$$

Penobscot Building (Detroit, Michigan):

Pros:

-Stage 8 art deco building (not many of those on the STEX)

-Style of art deco that is barely in the game at all

-A lot of pictures of it, a lot of people I can ask to take pictures, and I can go myself and take pictures.

-It's in the area of downtown Detroit that I've been working on.

Cons:

-Will take a really long time to do

-In real life, the first 14 or so floors on two sides are covered by other buildings, and have no windows.

77 Monroe Center (Grand Rapids, Michigan):

Pros:

-Will take less time to do

-not many "centerpiece" buildings for mid sized cities

Cons:

-The building itself is a 1.5x1.5, and that might look odd on a 2x2 lot when it's supposed it be a wall to wall building.

-Not very many pictures, although I think I can find people who would take pictures for me.  It's too far away to take my own pictures.

First National Bank Building (Ann Arbor, Michigan):

Pros:

-Will take less time to do

-Would look appropriate in all sized cities.

-Seems to be enough pictures.

Cons:

-Google maps doesn't cover it very well, so it will be hard to determine it's lot size.

-The size of the building might not translate into Sim City well.

Mott Foundation Building (Flint, Michigan):

Pros:

-Will take less time to do

-Would look appropraite in all sized cities.

-An R$$$ lot could also be made and would look nice.

Cons:

-Google maps doesn't cover it very well, so it will be hard to determine it's lot size.

-The size of the building might not translate into Sim City well.

So, tell me what I should do.

[ramvid01 0]

since i love tall buildings, and art deco style, i'd have to go with the Penobscot Building, it just looks so pretty and would make a great addition to the game.

[jacqulina 162]

wonderfull work you are doing

[spa 968]

Personally I would stay away from First National Bank. It looks to much like Wren Insurance. When I saw it I got chills. It was like I was remembering some horrid experience from when Sim City was new and the only commercial building that would grow was Wren.... Now the one I would love to see done is Mott Foundation. It looks like a lovely detailed small and squat building. We can always use more mid-rises.

[Swiss_Canadian 2]

These are ALL beautiful buildings, but I feel the Penobscot building HAS to be done by someone. The Empire State of Detroit can't be left out of our cities for much longer.  77 Monroe and the Mott Foundation both remind me very much of the Canada building and the Bell Phone Company building in Windsor; I love the styles and the sizes of them. Maybe you could BAT the smaller ones first to warm up for the larger Penobscot, and maybe just play around with options while doing the smaller buildings, that way you can figure out all the tricks to BATting Penobscot... but that's just an idea from a non-BATter.

[JBSimio 152]

Since it looks like we're voting, I'm going to say the Mott Building.  Penobscot would be my first choice, but I figure it's a given sooner or later, so I'm more than willing to wait for it.

JB

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Actually, yeah, I think I'll make a poll.

[Bodom 1]

I admire ur work jason and T Wrecks, it looks so real!!!

[choco1 4]

As always, your work is simply stunning!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Thanks!

I've gotten 3ds max and the BAT for max mostly working (I just need to get used to things).

It looks like the Penoboscot Building won, so I've started on it.  It's going to take a long time, since the details don't repeat, there is something different on each spot.