Jason's BATs & Tutorials

[Jasoncw 11,840]

      

Here's the two I used here (The grass is actually the Maxis grass, with some modifications in the material editor).  I have some more (just some of the other paver types), but imageshack doesn't want to upload them.

To apply them at the proper scale, give a plane uvw map to the object, and give it the dimensions of 16x16.  You can move the gizmo to line it up to things if you need to.

[spa 968]

Thanks!

[autoVino 26]

Wow, that looks awesome, and you were able to make that in just over 3 hours?

[Sim shady 12]

awesome too lazy to say much of anything else

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Thanks!

Well, I made it from the time I started on my schedule above, but I worked until 3:45.  Then I woke up at around 2:00 PM, and worked until I made that preview, then did some more tweaking, and have continued working, but not very dilligently.  I'm almost done with the nitelites now, and other than that I just need to write the readme, so this could be uploaded tonight.

[ardecila 124]

Nice work, I love the building!  The only thing I don't like is the cafe tables.  Furniture like that is usually only used in restaurants within enclosed areas - at night, it must be chained up or taken inside or it could be stolen.

A more realistic thing would be a set of benches.

Last but not least, have you considered putting some lampposts in the park/plaza sections of the lot?  As you can see, there aren't any placed on the surrounding streets.

[ardecila 124]

Page flip!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Yeah, I guess the tables aren't very practical. They might be chained down. Or maybe they just don't get stolen. I think there are explosives packed inside of the table that explode if they're taken off the property. The area is for people to read outside, and maybe have something to drink too, so I like that the tables are there. Lamp posts didn't cross my mind. But I already uploaded it (hey everyone!), and I think it is fine how it is. The building itself is also very dark at night.

[SimFox 801]

Oh it's a pretty little thing!!

I have to add my voice to the tables issue, not just for the point of them being stolen during the night, but also that such tables do signal some sort of service and can't really be soo far apart from each other - think of the mileage poor waiters would clock during the day, and also so far away from the building that is supposed to be serving as a base.

Another minor thing is windows texture- it is way too bright - almost white. It just look very odd/glowing

 

But I also have to compliment you in taking into account the dark roofing of the lower part when making windows texture!! Still I think you should sooner or later start exploring reflections – you could have with them as much control as with actual textures and even more.

Building also looks a bit too short/low. It is particularly noticeable with lower part and “people” next to it. Walking “person” is about 21 pixels tall. Lower part is 41. then, of course you have to subtract from it parapet part (11 pix) so you end up with just30pix of space between the street level and the top if the roof – about 9 feet in “world” terms that is barely enough for minimum residential space, not a public one . Also all the structural things have to be taken into account… It’s not a huge thing, but sort of noticeable.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

The window material is a raytrace, with a bitmap but also reflections.  The darkness above the roof is actually from the roof being reflected (you can see the reflection of some of the roof junk too).  As for being glass, it is probably too bright, but it is where I want it relative the surrounding textures.  And I was going to BAT in some of the flora on the lot to be reflected in th windows, but the free flora from the internet I found wasn't very good, and I know BATing in flora limits the BAT's flexibility anyway.

This BAT also uses night libraries, and is also TruNite.  SimFox, can you look at the building at night to see if it is how it should be?  It doesn't seem very consistent with normal lights (it seems to get a yellow haze), but I don't know why that is, since it's the same as normal, but without the sun, so it should still be just as blue, and also darker, but it looks like it's more yellow, and not much darker (if darker at all).

About the scale, yeah, it does seem too short, and too small in general, but I think that's because it's just a short and small building.  It's too short compared to the sims, but so is everything else, and for the floor heights, I think it is actually ok.  I don't remember exactly, but when I was working on it it seemed to short and I checked, and it was actually ok.

So making this quickie was fun.  Like playing chess with a timer I guess.  I think this is the first BAT I've done to have some real lot work too (that I've been the one to lot anyway).

[SimFox 801]

OK. I'll take a look at it a bit later tonight...

PS

it does look a bit odd... couple of questions:

When you did your night export did you change the environment lighting?

What color / saturation is you ground plane?

FG multiplier?

The first is about overall brightness of the night view, the second and third are more of the issue about that yellowish glow.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Well, when I made that night rig, I simply deleted the sun, and slightly increased the brightness of the sky, as recommended.  But I forgot that I had edited the sun and sky already to my likings, which is where the extra yellow comes from.  So I went back and spent some time tweaking the night rig until it matched (as well as possible) the night in game before the nitelites turn on.

So here's VanWingerden Plaza A & B.

VanWingerden Plaza C will be a 2x2 plaza with water fountain, planter, subway station, and a bus stop.

Does anyone know of it's possible to make a query that has both subway and bus stop usage stats on it?

[Skram 4]

that building looks wonderful i can't wait to download it! keep it up

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Thanks!

Update on VWP-C.  The ground will not be BATed during export (but everything lines up with the tiles).  I still have more stuff to plant, and some other details to touch up.  The flora and textures are re-used from the other buildings.

Like I said before, this is a bus stop and subway station, so you see the stairs and the shed.  It will also have a park effect, and will be on a 2x2.

While I'm asking, can anyone point me to where I could learn how to get both a bus and subway information on the query?  Would that be hard for me to do?

[ardecila 124]

I like the plaza - very modernist.

Is that roofed portion for the bus stop, or the subway elevator? It looks good so far. My only suggestion would be something to liven up that blank white wall, like an ATM or an advertisement (common at bus shelters).

[spa 968]

Jason I don't know about the query, maybe someone with more expierence will help out. The plaza looks good. Just the kind of thing you see in front of buildings of this vintage. One problem though, the steps going down to the subway end in a blank wall! There's no way to actually get into the subway because it's all bricked up!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Ardecila:  Thanks!  That's a bus shed, there is no elevator.  There's currently a sign on the concrete wall, which will show up better once I adjust it (white on light grey...), but the wall is supposed to be one of those clean concrete walls.  Maybe I'll add something in on the other side.

Spa:  Thanks!  lol, yeah, the way I made that spline it does that.  I'll definitely fix it though.  I'll add some railings and stuff too.

[Cleaner475 150]

its looking great Jason, great design btw - can't wait for it to be finished

Richard

[Chris M 406]

I'm really liking that plaza, but I agree there should be some sort of ATM machine or newspaper stand. You could always add something in the LE but that's up to you.

[bbfan02 23]

Yea, the plaza looks good. It looks very modern and very abstract.

[Swiss_Canadian 2]

GREAT!!! I love the bus shed - very Barcelona Pavillion!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Ok, whew!!

I've uploaded VWP A B and C.

Merry Christmas!

[Bluebeard 0]

Thanx Jason and Merry Christmas to and your family.

[ky72x 13]

Thanks for releasing the VWP buildings! Now that those buildings are out of the way, are you currently working on anything? I think there were a couple BSP projects you were working on a few months ago.

Keep up the excellent work, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

- Kyle

[akiviks 2]

I always love the stuff you made since i am a members from here ........you do the kind off buildings i like to put in my city and keep you great works like you always do...... Wish you do some more like the 3rd lofts.... gratiot motor for me a fireman some off the beautiful Detroit City fire station........ keep it up cause i am looking forward to more nice stuff

AKIVIKS

[Jasoncw 11,840]

BlueBeard:  Thanks, I appreciate it. 

ky72x:  I plan on quickly finishing a train station I started over the summer (it's earlier in this thread).  But yeah, the BSP BATs will mostly be the priority.  I hope to finish 211 West Fort Street, One Woodward Avenue, and the Penobscot Building for release across 2008.

akiviks:  Well, I didn't make those BATs you mentioned, Nofunk did, but thanks, lol.

[Aranho 0]

Love your buldings. Looks very beautiful. I wish i could download your buildings and check it out on my city. Unfortunately, there is something wrong with the downloading.

Anyway, i wish someone could create buildings in Singapore as a lot of them are very beautiful, esp. residential buildings. I live in Singapore and wish that buildings in Singapore could be uploaded onto SimCity 4. Unfortunately, only two buildings was created; can't be downloaded somemore. So I wish someone could create buildings from Singapore, and i wonder if you could take the challenge. Or maybe you could recommend me someone who could do it. I tried to create some buildings from Singapore before but I couldn't upload it to SC4 Lot Editor. So I wish someone could create buildings from Singapore. If you want to take the challenge, maybe I could upload some pictures of some of the buildings for you to create.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

hmm, they are downloading just fine for me.  Has anyone else had any problems?  I don't know what to say.

The Hong Kong/Asia BAT Team might be willing to make something from Singapore.  I already have enough projects though.

[ilikehotdogsalot 307]

Excellent, a perfect Christmas gift, Thank you Jason

BTW: I downloaded it without any problems.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Thanks!

So I've decided to quickly go back and finish that train station from the Summer.  I won't be doing the tower, and I won't be dealing with elevated rails, or overhang lots, or anything like that.  I plan to finish it quickly, definitely before break ends, and before New Years depending on how much I feel like working on it.

The back will be brick with limestone accents.  The front is all limestone.  The front will have shops in the storefronts (similar to what I did for brei market and happy camera, except it will be more classy looking).