Reddonquixote's BAT thread

[__A 792]

Jawdrop O_O

 

I also agree the domes kinda feels a bit blue though. Other than that, keep up the magnificent work!

[Ferrt 102]

Wow! I think it is the most impressive BAT I have ever seen. You are doing a wonderful work, thank you!!!

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

This one is going to be so good! cant wait!!

How will the trains be coming out the other end?

Keep up the awesome work!!

[Darknono35 3,137]

Awesome station

I thinks I should prepare one lot in my city, to plop this station immediatly after his upload  . Keep it up

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Thanks everyone for those nice and helpful comments

 

Re the copper cuppolas - yeah, not sure what happened there... I've remade the textures again, this time more green and brown... I think its important they aren't all green, the brown is quite dominant on the main cuppola, and is an important feature, although I note it comes down from the top while the textures I had before had the brown coming up from the bottom - I think this looks much better now?

 

Vlasky, I've darkened the circular roof as well so it matches the main building's roof (I think that's where you meant)

 

Perhaps the other main change is I had to reduce the number of platforms... 5 platforms closer together looks much more elegant, but I'd forgotten it needs to look like this (below) to match the game grid...

The only other option I can think of is to make it a solid lot (instead of over-hanging prop) and make "eye-candy" tracks, but then we have the problem of lot size being a crime-magnet again... any other ideas?

(Please ignore the scale of the catenaries for now, once I've finished working out the platform configuration I'll fix these up)

 

Lindsaygaskel, if you go back to of this thread you can see all the configurations for the train lines etc, but basically I will release a rail-to-subway transition with this BAT that will allow the trains to pass under the station and out the other side. These will be optional, by leaving these off it will just act as a terminus station instead.

 

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Wait, how did the track not fit the grid?

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Not sure what you mean... The tracks have to fit the grid. I'm saying the platforms don't look good when they are made to conform to the tracks (which are conforming to the grid). They look too far apart and I can only have 4 platforms instead of 5. I'm having difficulties with the LODs as well.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Ah. Can you overlay the tracks so we can see how it looks?

Alternatively, you could make it a megalot and use something like this to help combat it. I don't know how Mattb325 got this lot to penetrate the megalots, maybe you could ask him?

[T Wrecks 10,209]

I don't know how Mattb325 got this lot to penetrate the megalots, maybe you could ask him?

 

 

Well, that's a rather simple modification actually. Once the reason of the crime bug was found out, fixing it wasn't all that difficult. The thing is, Maxis police dispatches have a certain effect radius. This translates into how far a SimCop will follow a criminal before he'll give up the chase, letting the criminal escape. In the original game, this radius is so small that criminals can hide on larger lots because those lazy SimOfficers will not walk far enough from their car to reach the central tiles of bigger lots such as the Airport or the Country Club. Since they are unable to reach these tiles, criminals can evade the police forever, causing crime on the affected lots to skyrocket. IIRC there's a ready-made download out there that will patch all Maxis police departments to have dispatches with a much larger effect radius so that they can catch criminals on larger lots. What also helps is if the lot in question is transit-enabled for cars, for example with a road going right through the middle. This will allow policemen to drive onto the lot and step out of the car somewhere near the middle. (The radius is always counted from the last tile accessible by road.)

 

However, the fix always lies within the police departments you use in game, not within the lots affected by crime. In fact, I think bigger lots still are more prone to attracting criminals, but if you have the fix, the police will at least catch them and keep crime somewhat at bay.

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Ah. Can you overlay the tracks so we can see how it looks?

I can, but that's not really the point. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer the image posted on the previous page, where the platforms are nicely scaled and nice distances apart. The image on this page has the platforms spread far apart to allow a one-tile-wide track to pass through the middle of them, without clashing with the LODs. On the previous model the tracks would go under the platforms etc because they aren't lined up.

I had another idea where the entire model is exported in one piece and the centre platform is what supports the overhanging prop, and 'foundation' pieces are plopped into position so it looks like its sitting on something, and only the left hand track is functional, the others would just be placed as eye candy. I think this should look ok and solve the problem of trying to interconnect props.

[Sloonei 25]

 

 In the original game, this radius is so small that criminals can hide on larger lots because those lazy SimOfficers will not walk far enough from their car to reach the central tiles of bigger lots such as the Airport or the Country Club.

 

 

Well that explains why I have so many pie throwers in my airport lot...

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Yay.. worked perfectly

 

Just needs a bit more careful placement and should look great.. time to start on Nightlights

 

 

 

Edit: Couple of fullsize images as well-

[Fellon63 5]

Incredible......just incredible!

[RepublicMaster 428]

I really like how the station has turned out! Great work.

[Gn_leugim 853]

it looks very good!

[urielgarcia 344]

Absolutely amazing work! This and your other bats are amazing gifts to the SC4 community!

 

Merari

[Darknono35 3,137]

Amazing station, I think it's ready for upload 

[jwsteele 77]

Thanks for not only the BATs (which are of course gorgeous), but for absolutely opening my eyes to all the amazing architecture in Melbourne.  So excited to eventually see Southern Cross (amazing!), the Arts Spire/Centre, Federation Square, Melbourne Parliament House, and Melbourne Town Hall.

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

 

Nah seriously, nice station you got there. 

[art128 4,618]

fantastic station.

 

Aren't the platforms a little too high? I'm afraid ingame trains will have their doors completely under the platform top. (had that " problem " with my station )

[Jasoncw 11,840]

For the crime bug stuff, since the problem is with the police stations and because there are modds to fix the police stations, I think you can do whatever sized lot you want, and then just add a note in the stex description about it. 

 

When I upload I-HT buildings I mention the job fix modd is required for it to work properly.

[APSMS 1,892]

The only thing I have to suggest is to maybe make a version w/o the caternary poles, for those of us who don't use electrified rail (I've got a steam powered region this would fir perfectly in, save for the caternary poles.

 

Also, are all those platforms operational? Or is it just the left-most one nearest the road?

 

I agree about the platforms (height wise), but otherwise it looks fantastic. I like the copper dome and the platform length as well. That's quite an attention to detail, even if I've never seen the real thing up close (I doubt I'll need to, though, after seeing what you've done with it.)

[__A 792]

You are amazing 

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Good idea with the catenary poles. Depending on how the LODs are made, they could be added as a prop - you don't like to use them, you delete the prop exemplar => catenaries gone. This could also become relevant when people are using catenary mods that will spawn automatic catenaries along all rail lines.

[Jack_wilds 550]

concerning the 'crime bug' and police station fix... where can it be found?... the station is looking grand not much to add but liking the progress...

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Hi thanks for really nice comments everyone. Sorry for delayed replies, I've been doing the night renders and they're going really slowly. I've still got a bit of work to do and things to fix, but thought I'd post an update so you can see how its going so far...

Darknono: Not quite ready for upload, once nightlights are done will be ready for upload
Jwsteele: I look forward to finishing all those projects
Art128: Oh... I didn't give any thought to platform heights - do you know if there is a standard height that is correct? If not I can check in game, it should be a pretty easy thing to fix. Thanks for mentioning it.
APSMS: I'll need to give some thought to that.. always when people suggest stuff I have this automatic compulsion to say yes but it always ends up being so much work. I really can't see how to do it easily... The LODs are a pain to fit together, and I really can't see myself doing a whole second version without caternaries.. the night renders alone are hours and hours to do... not saying no, but not promising either
Oh, and yes, only the left hand platform will be functional.
Re the crime stuff... good to know for when I eventually get to Etihad stadium... its going to be a mammoth size lot!

So here's the update on the nightlights, still a bit of work to do:

• The windows are a bit too yellow and bit too repetitive, need to tone them down a bit and fix the texture (Which is also stretching in places)
• The clock face doesn't look lit, it just looks white, need to bump the brightness up a bit.
• There's something weird going on with the light coming through the glass tunnels/ dome things
• There's some light spilling up from the platform that runs along the administration building.
• I really wanted the light from the main station where the platforms meet the station to be really bright, its come out really dark for some reason.

That's probably the main things... anything else please let me know

 

 

[weixc812 509]

Unbelievable!! I never thought a BAT could be beautiful like this, the nightlights are stunning!

[AndisArt 2,067]

Breathtakingly beautiful! Apart from some of the points you already said I didnt notice anything else but beauty, well done Sir.

[__A 792]

So fast! I do agree with the things you pointed out and the windows lights should be more white IMO. Either than that, I'm sure this'll be one of the greatest releases ever

[Thande 10]

Will the LODs permit people props to be placed on the platforms? (Holy alliteration batman!)