Jason's BATs & Tutorials

[alexr15 2]

Great work! Are you applying to UM for grad or undergrad?

[Jasoncw 11,840]

SimFox:  I'll have to look at the documentation for the HDRI, I couldn't find it looking through the menus in the program.  Yikes!  V-Ray is expensive!  It does look very nice though.

Alexr15:  Thanks!  I'm applying for undergrad.  I plan on applying for grad school too, when the time comes.

[SimFox 801]

with V-Ray you can download a demo which leaves "watermarks" and logo on the renders. Otherwise it is fully functioning thing and another thing - it drops all the settings after you save/close MAX - including autoback. Latest reincarnation of it ver. 1.5 RC4 seems to deliver new level of quality. Haven't tried it yet myself, but here is comparison:

“old” V-Ray 1.47

new 1.5 RC4:

As you can see much more superior light distribution – (realistic that is) Also better interaction of light with materials – just take a look at the mirror. Plus fantastic film like “noise” in the darker parts. This may be regarded by some as a problem, but I believe it creates feel of realism and volume.

>>In my not too great experience V-Ray is better then MR in the way it can trace the small amount of light - it does so faster and also there are more things you can tune. But development doesn’t stand still. Also in MR ability to create your own shaders is a key – it is much more “pro” render all big budget movies  from Matrix to Poseidon were made with MR.

[wolverine 12]

I wish my renders would look that good. I have no clue how those people do all that lighting stuff. I can't even get daylight to look right. I wish there was tutorial out there on how to make the lighting look professional. Then again, I guess this is why there are trained professionals to do this stuff.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Some non-BSP BAT progress, so I'm updating here.  I haven't felt like working on Chase Tower (I just need to tweak some colors and re-render), and a few days ago I quickly modeled this building.  For a few hours yesterday and today I've textured it up to this point.

I want to make two variations of this building (the second one right now is just made in Photoshop).  The smaller one will be the same, but I'll do a little variation on the textures to make it look less cloned.

At first I intended for this to be CO$$$ (I wanted it to have that sleek expensive look), but now it looks like it should probably be CO$$ which isn't a bad thing.

This building is actually designed to be wall to wall on the back side, and is meant to be a 2x3, filling half of a 2x6 block.

For those who remember that green building from last year, I do plan on finishing that up too.  I want to remodel the windows (the frames are way to chunky).  After that, it just needs to be exported.

I finished my portfolio and turned it in a while ago.  Eventually I'll get around to showing it here.  It turned out pretty good.

[josefmayor 8]

Sweet good job Jason! This building looks cooL!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

page flip bug?

edit:  Thanks!

[Sim shady 12]

green building...? Are you talking about the Penobscot Building you were working on? either way nice job on these latest two buildings

[Hanson784 165]

Looking forward to this one.

I like how the blue glass contrasts with the modernist uniformity of the rest of the building. Nicely done.

[spa 968]

Looks great Jason! I like the recessed roof equipment and that you've made a mid-rise version. I have always thought that many skyscrappers could also make good mid-rises which would make for more usability for many a great bat. There have been a few examples (NDEX's ette bats) but not many. Glad to see someone doing that. 

Now I do have just two little comments. Personally, I think the really black sections of the windows don't work. I would look to ligthen those areas. I would probably also include some more heftier supports on the glass section of the ground floor (probably at the corners). I know you have those outer supports, but it still just doesn't look like they could support such a large tower on their own. Other than those two things though I have nothing to say.

[sparkythepenguin 90]

Your latest building looks amazing Jason! Is that a real building somewhere?

Sometimes, when in doubt about the wealth level, just make 2 versions. It makes a lot of people happy. It'll work well either way. You may just make the tower CO$$$, as it has more corner offices & better views (provided there's something neat to look at!) than its shorter cousin. The small one would make an excellent CO$$ for those parts in your skylines that call for a smaller building.

Just my 2 cents... However you decide to mod it, I am sure to use this one once I actually get back to playing SC4 again!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Sim Shady:  The Green Building is the Stowell Foundation, it's from earlier in this thread.  The Penobscot Building is grey, and since it's a BSP BAT I'd update about in that thread.

Hanson784:  Thanks!  I was sorta torn on what to do there, because in real life the glass would probably be made to be very uniform, but at the same time, I didn't think uniform glass would have looked good.

Spa:  Thanks, I agree.  This one in particular will have a shorter version so that people can make little plazas with the different heights.  For the glass, I forgot to mention that it's currently opaque, and that there are heavier columns inside the lobby.  I'll check out those black areas (I should probably give them the same texture as the rest of the black areas).

Sparkythepenguin:  Thanks!  Nope, it's not real.  The window areas are based off of this photo, but that's all.  The rest of the building's design was built around those windows though.  Two wealth versions could be in order.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

The building has a name now!  Van Wingerden Plaza A and B

Here are all of the rotations at zoom 4. 

The interior columns aren't showing up very well, so I'll have to fiddle with them.  I also haven't put the entrances on the first floor, or modeled anything else in the lobby yet.  I still want to work more on the roof.

I think I'll also make a main plaza area that will be a 2x2 subway station with a park effect.  "Van Wingerden Plaza Station" or something like that.

I don't know how much time I'll have this week for BATing, but I think this one (and Chase Tower) will be on the STEX sometime in April, or early May.  I might be able to fit in the Stowell Foundation (the green building) soon too.

[jacqulina 162]

wow nice progress

[nofunk 1,933]

Woah... where'd you get the name?!

You're on a roll!

[josefmayor 8]

Very nice!!!!!! I like it a lot man!

[sparkythepenguin 90]

Beautiful! I love the detail so far. Keep it up!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Jaqulina:  Thanks!

nofunk:  It's named after my physics professor.  I was making the building, trying to think of a name, and then I realized that the building somehow looks like him.  He's a really good professor, and the name sounds good, so that's what it is.

Josefmayor:  Thanks!

sparkythepenguin:  Thanks, I've put more detail into it with this update, and hope to add some more before I finish it.

So here's the update.  The columns inside still aren't showing up very well, and I don't think I could get them to without changing a lot of things, and it's already looking good down there imo.  They'll show up at night at least, and they should look good there.

So there's all of the landscaping and doors up close.  And then the roof has been changed a bit.  I was trying to get it more detailed and less bare, but at the same time I want it to be realistic, and I also want it to look like it's in good condition.  And this building has borrowed some roof junk from Chase Tower.

Right now there's a problem with the new sunken in part.  In the south rotation, the fans, mechanical penthouse, and the new sunken part create this motion sweeping towards the back of the building, which make it feel like you want to rotate the building.  I'm not sure if it's a major effect, or if it's just me.  I can't think of somewhere else on the roof to put that thing without the roof being lopsided.  Maybe if I make it darker so it sticks out less?  Or maybe rotate the roof so that the motion is in the right direction?

And a photoshoped short version.

So does anyone have any suggestions on anything for the building?

[hydra 4]

Jason that looks awsome can't wait for it.

[josefmayor 8]

Lol is he full on dutch?

My physics teacher is simply Mr. Shelton.

The dood is full on genious!

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Hey i love this, very 60's 70's!

[gshmails 534]

Looks great Jason! I can't see much that can be improved, remember that there is little that is perfect in the real world. Great job, can't wait for more!

[Odainsaker 2,134]

Yet another totally awesome building, Jason!

Can't think of anything it really really needs, but if you are still concerned about the roof, you might add small spot items like ladders or open stairs to the top of the mechanical penthouse, short attached antenna clusters and lightning rods, numerous standpipe vents (for downpipe air pressure and sewer gas pipe exhaust) popping out of the central penthouse, and maybe for the tall tower a small perimeter service crane (for the window washers). Nothing too large or busy mind you...there are enough big elements up there already.  The appearance of tracks are there, so you might try to play with the positioning of any such crane and perhaps its stored service scaffold along the perimeter such that it offsets or balances out the the sweeping effect you believe you are seeing. I don't know if it will work, but it may be worth trying.

But these are really cosmetic extras. Pretty much looks ready to go now!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

hydra: Thanks!  It shouldn't be too much longer.

josefmayor:  lol, no.  Sometimes he sounds Canadian, but he's told stories from his youth in Detroit, so he's not.

Ill Tonkso:  Thanks!

gshmails:  Can't see much?  That means that you see something.  Common, cough it up!

Odainsaker:  Thanks, that's just the kind of stuff I'm looking for.  I've added the things you've mentioned.  Is there anything else you can see?

I've mirrored the roof around a few times, but I don't know, it still looks like its on backwards.  No matter what view I look at it, it looks like I'm looking at the back.  I want the front to look like the front somehow.

I think the new roof junk is a big improvement though.

I was also wondering, would it look better of the top of the black columns had a white cap on the top?  Right now they just sorta end.

[nofunk 1,933]

Jason, buddy, I think it's time you stopped worrying about the roof. I have no idea what you're talking about wanting "the front to look like the front." It's a roof -- it has no front. The roof looks just fine.

Seriously, it's a great building. There's no such thing as "perfect."

[ilikehotdogsalot 307]

yeah jason xD listen to nofunk, the roof looks fine!

it's a yet another beautiful building, i personally really like the roof and how it is, style of the building is also one of my favorites so looking forward to this baby

[SimFox 801]

Basically when doing roof there are two ways to advance (IMHO) – either you try to go with the logic of the roof junk when grouping and positioning it on the roof, or with purely esthetic composition.  In earthier case sort of even spread of stuff around is a not a good option. There is no need to be scared of “empty” spots. If you composition good those are possible, more than that – necessary to frame the composition.

But if I may here are couple of thoughts on this roof:

•  Elements 1 and 2 are somewhat puzzling neither their purpose no placement seem to be justified. Especially  #1. Something like that would seem to be more at home on small house. Here this piece of pipe sticking out looks strange. What does this lonely opening leads to? It is unclear and being one lonely element on quite large empty fields it looks lost there.  #2 are saved by the virtue of being in a group (from compositional point of view).
•  Elements 3 and 4 are large enough to “live” on their own, but I believe that their more “purposeful “ placement would also be advantageous. So there should be either something that will place them at this exact spot – some roof topology??, or then more “classical” alignment to the major block will be beneficial. Especially in case of #4. Moving it to align with either wall framing the passage between two roof houses will work better IMHO. Both look a bit strange being sunk elements on otherwise very much flat and “on-a-top” roof. Neither has any visible access.
• Window washer’s crane, or what else is that little thing called… It’s little house would look more logical (to me) if the garage door would be moved towards opposite wall, or at least somewhat away from the wall of adjacent house.
• Sat Dishes look tiny… you’ll see something like that sticking out of someone’s window. Those found on the roof tops are normally MUCH large. Also they would look better – more in proportion to other elements. Also their placement and attachment I think should be better worked out – more space and something to hold on in case of strong winds at these elevations. You can create separate block of those and place it in the position of #1 if you think that that “empty” spot needs filling.
• Generally about roof texture. I know you take good care of those and I see some grange applied to this one as well. But it all too accidental, in places not justified by anything… add some of the dirt in the “natural” crevices and you’ll see how all the elements will immediately get “settled” in.

[Sim shady 12]

lol thats simfox for you; the ultimate perfectionist

looking forwards to seeing this on the STEX

[Gecko_2006 1]

Wowzers that looks awesome. I love it. Fantastic. Don't change anything majorly.

[jacqulina 162]

wow looking very cool nice work