Chicago BAT Project

[gutterclub 2,729]

Skyscraper, its a very simple glass mat, but try something like this, add some blinds and etc

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2irmok4n9a4445j/glasstelco.mat

[shinkansen1 84]

It looks like some of the side windows on your top floors are not lit up with their front counterparts. Please take caution when lighting windows placed along a corner, as the windows on the opposite side of the corner on the same level should be lit up too.

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Skyscraper, its a very simple glass mat, but try something like this, add some blinds and etc

https://www.dropbox..../glasstelco.mat

Well, I actually don't really know what I'm supposed to do with this file you gave me.

[gutterclub 2,729]

It's a material for Max, save it into your material library in material editor get to get material - click on open then select the material and you should be able to use it in Max

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Ok, thanks Gutter.

One question. I'm just doing the curtains and I wonder how you guys are modelling them. Do you use simple planes or do you modify them or what.

[gutterclub 2,729]

I use a script that auto generates blinds, its prett good..but essentially it is just a very thin white box sitting just behind the window, usally white coloured and have a bit of transparency on the glass material..you'll need the floors adding as well otherwise the light inside the building will be funny. To show blinds but keep the glass fairly opaque you prob want glass transparancy at about .65 to .7..just play around with it

[darn42 1,268]

For my BAT glass materials I keep the reflectivity and transparency at 1.0 but change the reflectivity function to be minimum of .2 maximum .9 and with a curve of 8. This seems to correct some of the fresnal inconsistencies caused by the orthographic view.

[darn42 1,268]

This weekend I am going to do some experimentation with the creating nightlights by rendering individual rooms in 3ds max. I had an idea of rendering them at the 2 camera angles they will be visible, editing them to fit on planes, then using something like a falloff map to show one perspective at one camera angle and the other at another angle. I think that it would end up very accurately simulating a real interior if done right.

If anyone has any knowledge they have about how to do something to what I was describing I would love to hear it, I'm not that familiar with falloff maps

[wolverine 12]

darn42, I can take some photos of the plaza below if you intend to create it and need close up references.

I go to Chase Tower for lunch with coworkers about once a week or every other week, and they are understanding of my geeky architectural hobbies.

[darn42 1,268]

Thanks, I went there last weekend to take some pictures, but we were in a rush to get to a concert so I couldn't get too many. If you could take pictures of the interior on the plaza side, and the McDonald's and Noodles and Co., I would really appreciate it.

[anotn 223]

This weekend I am going to do some experimentation with the creating nightlights by rendering individual rooms in 3ds max. I had an idea of rendering them at the 2 camera angles they will be visible, editing them to fit on planes, then using something like a falloff map to show one perspective at one camera angle and the other at another angle. I think that it would end up very accurately simulating a real interior if done right.

If anyone has any knowledge they have about how to do something to what I was describing I would love to hear it, I'm not that familiar with falloff maps

For the falloff map, add two points to the mix curve and make it as steep as possible, something like this.

And fallof type and direction should be the default perpendicular / parallel and viewing direction (camera z-axis). I think this is all that is needed.

I have been experimenting a bit with this too lately, I want to get max to render a ready to use bitmap for this, but to no success, I have also tried camera mapping, but I don't know how to get the modifier to use the bat4max cameras. If there is a way to use the camera map with the bat4max cameras I think that would produce nice results.

[darn42 1,268]

Ok guys, here's what I've come up after a bit of work tonight. I've got the basic method for it done. Create a scene, select all of it, then use the skew modifier to fake perspective and render an angle. Do it again for the other side, then do the falloff thing anotn said.

^

One material viewed in north and west camera perspectives. It is nothing but falloff bitmaps on self illumination! I think this is going to be really good

[darn42 1,268]

drumroll please. Here is the new nightlit windows technique on the top floor of chase...

Here is the window texture that i made for it.

I am really happy with the results of this. It adds a lot of depth to the nightlights without adding any rendertime. And the sheets of textures made can be reused in other BATs. What is everyone's thoughts?

[PBGV103 729]

Wow! I think we have the next revolutionary idea here! Now all we need is someone to take the time to make a ton of these.

[art128 4,618]

Impressive, quite impressive!

[Vlasky 1,803]

It looks really really nice, but what about the need for them to be diverse? I mean once you light up consecutive windows and floors with the same bitmap, they will create impression of repetitiveness. Ey?

[gutterclub 2,729]

It works great, definately adds depth..need the illumination to be a lot brighter though IMO

[harishna 847]

It looks pretty good but I share some of the concerns expressed bu Vlasky I guess using the random modifier will help creating the effect of diversity but you will still have to make a few of these to avoid too much repetition. I am also not sure about two of the maps you are showing as an example, the ones at the edges give the impression that those two floors are empty.

[darn42 1,268]

PGBV: don't worry I'm going to be modeling every floor in chase tower and posting the textures made from them. They will be made specifically for chase tower, but they will be customizable for other buildings as well.

Gutter: I agree, I'm going to kick up the light strength and the self illumination.

Harishna and Vlasky: I made a modeled interior and rendered it out like that. There wasn't much variation in the middle section from the references of chase tower that I saw. I plan on making many of these strips for chase tower, as they represent a block of offices or cubicles or whatever. The edges of these were pretty much empty, I might add some seating or some cubicles or something, but I'm not sure what purpose this floor was when I made it so I'm going to end up making it more generic and filled with stuff.

[shinkansen1 84]

This is now my absolute favorite building when it comes to night lighting the floors!

[darn42 1,268]

I edited the top floor nightlights, and added in a bunch more on the roof. I found a great reference while searching for nightlights, and I'm going to add some stuff to the roof to make it look more busy.

^ I love this picture. I'm going to start changing the colors of the nightlights on the roof soon to make it more realistic. They are mainly there to figure out how I'm going to light it up.

I'm also gonna start putting it into high gear to make me a bunch of new floor nightlights I plan on releasing all the textures I make for chase in terms of nightlighting so other people can use em

[nick13 194]

I've seen some pictures of the building having colored accent lights. Can you do a version like that too? 4th of July red white and blue or Christmas green and red. It looks great can't wait

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Really great work with the night maps. Using falloff to switch between front and side windows is clever.

[darn42 1,268]

Last update for today. Making the night maps take a while, but I love the results.

[art128 4,618]

Dude, you're in for a Bat of the year!

[LoonyMan 239]

I love those lights at the top!

[Amthaak 1,501]

Superb!

[nofunk 1,933]

I have such a soft spot for this building... one of my favorites in Chicago. And you're doing an incredible job of lighting it up! Can't wait to see this on the STEX!

[weixc812 509]

extraordinary work !!

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Interesting. A lot of effort... but a really interesting result. You'll need to do a tutorial to show everybody exactly how it's done.