Mickebears Istrinian BATs - Getting ready to a CJ

[Mickebear 2]

Thanks KoolSim

Back from holidays, items unlocked in STEX, new stuff preparations started.

[Mickebear 2]

Files are now unlocked (two of them, the rest will be deleted). BarbyW has prepared all my BATs now as mega packs (altogether 20 MB+ stuff), I am writing readmes now. Cannot promise when the stuff will be released - there are still some tweakings to be done - but I would say a week more... and then you will see probably about 20 releases.

[Mickebear 2]

sorry to bump my thread...

thought I show you a bit what I am working on - besides the already existing BATs that are in the hands of Almighty...

Chiesa San Giorgio dei Greci with its Campanile dei Greci

[spa 970]

Awesome churches. Both of them! I have nothing to say. Beautiful night lighting as as usual your texturing is superb. I can't wait to get my hands on them, espeically the first one. I can see it fitting into my cities quite nicely. Keep it up.

[debussyman 1,349]

Spa: actually it is the same church, the second Image is it's bell tower. And indeed it is really awesome.

[Mickebear 2]

some progress... so much that even the lotting for this is done. Now it is sent for testing and modding.

[fredval 26]

One of the best BATs ever !!!

[panthersimcity4 162]

Awww man.... I'm druelin over that church!!

[Mickebear 2]

thanks guys

Just to inform that

The two mega packs are now uploaded to STEX:

BSC MEGA Props MBEAR Vol01

https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=16292

BSC MEGA Props MBEAR Vol02

https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=16294

[Mickebear 2]

BarbyW has now sent a big bunch of files to be tested at PLEX, eventually they will be released in STEX as well.

In the meanwhile, here is another BAT from me, this time based on Cathedral St Euphemia in Rovinj, Croatia

Night shot

Also I made a library to join Cathedral of St Giorgio

All of these will be functional rewards, ie. you need to earn them in your game play, but they will function as library, museum etc. So, not just plop-and-go... sorry guys...

[Cunami 0]

I used to live in Dalmatia (Croatia) and these buildings are amazing.

I'm looking forward in creating some really spectacular adriatic towns and cities

Thank you for your work.

[Mickebear 2]

I hope that you recognize these BATs at least as Croat / Italian buildings... I mean, I hope that they look like Croat enough for you?

[Cunami 0]

Yes they definately look croatian or more general adriatic coast buildings. I especially like the red roofs.

One question though, are these gonna be plops or growables and if they are growables,

how do you ensure that they grow instead of other ones.

thanks

[Mickebear 2]

This is a tricky question... most of these are actually growables, but as they are lotted to so called mega lots (at least 6x6 lots), you can zone by pressing Ctrl key and zoning middle residential (W), like this you can decide what size lots are growing in your city. You can already practice with some lots that you can download from STEX (made by BarbyW). My megalots are varying from 6x6 up to 9x9 tiles, with 6x7, 7x6, 7x7 etc combinations. Same applies for commercial lots, you can size bigger tiles, and you get instantly growable AND functional Mediterranean city centres. Of course, there will be also smaller size lots, I think 1x1 was smallest. 

Unfortunately we don't have possibility to create a real tile set like there is in the game only Chicago, New York, Houston and (modern) Euro - way to control it is to find mods that stop Maxis buildings growing (these mods are divided into several wealth and zoning levels, so if you want to have for instance Maxis villas to grow, it is possible, just don't install that mod which stops the Maxix R$$$ lots growing). Another way to control is of course to carefully select the BATs that you keep in your plugins folder - again there are many ways of doing that - search here in ST for something like SC4 Startup Manager, prepared by SFBT team. AndreasRoth normally knows a lot about this tool and its functionality.

Of course, there will be other lots as well, including railway stations, bus stations, now also police station, hospital, fire station, elementary school etc as ploppables - you can integrate your city completely to Mediterranean look. I have also BATted a few churches and libraries, to give variety to your cities - these are to be functional rewards, ie. you will get them after a certain criteria is filled up, but they also function as museums, libraries etc.

I started today first rural villas that can be good when you are planning Adriatic farming for instance. Still a lot to do, but there is a start now for that as well.

[Cunami 0]

THanks again

I have already downloaded some from STEX (made by BarbyW).

Its too bad we cant make real tile sets. I have also downloaded a sc4 startup manager but havent figured it out yet.

Holy crap I have probably dowloaded over a GB of stuff from here in couple of days. My plugin was empty now I have hundreds of folders.

Anyways I love your buildings and cant wait for more.

I study architecture btw and if I had time I would do some buildings on my own.

[Goin2Chicago 4]

oh my god! those buildings look absolutely amazing! can't wait to see what else you do and i really can't wait for these to be released.

[Mickebear 2]

Decided to show a few pix of a religious edifice that I am batting now.

Cappello dei Pazzi and Basilica Santa Croce - chapel area is ready:

[threeswept 12]

GULP!! I love that new programme you've been using...I just can't seem to remember what it's called...but, I think the detail is really allowing you to be extra creative and detailed. As I've mentioned before, your creations have this amazing realism...the textures you use and those subtle details of cracks in the mortar, reflections on glass, aged walls and roofs...it's all so beautiful!!

[debussyman 1,349]

Wonderful work Mika. Just one request for you: could you make tidier scenes of your works? I'd love to collect them. That first picture you posted would look great with a nice floor, sky background and some good lighting. Vray?

[Mickebear 2]

Carlos, don't know how...

[debussyman 1,349]

Here's a good tutorial for exterior renders: http://www.3dyanimacion.com/tutoriales/tutoriales.cfm?estado=ver&titulotutorial=Exteriores%20con%20VRay&codigo=3&tutorialID=54

To put a background image go to render... environment

For the floor simply model and texturize it.

Edit: sorry, didn't notice it was in spanish, although, the images are in english. And it basicly explains how to create a target direct to iluminate it, modify the environment lighting, create the camera, etc. which I think you can (if not already) figured out. And you'll also need to download Vray if you want to get the most realistic renders, there's a free version, but I don't have the link.

[jacqulina 162]

these are wonderfull beautifull creations

[Mickebear 2]

Thanks Carlos - I can get by in Spanish...

jacqualina and threeswept: biiiiiiiiiig thanks to you both, my friends Developing these BATs is FUUUUNNNN!

[Mickebear 2]

Followed your example - still not sure how to get an image as render background, but we'll get there eventually...

[debussyman 1,349]

That's what I'm talking about. Now, I would use a target direct instead of only the ambience light to create more defined shadows, and for the background image go to Rendering/Environment... ant there you can choose an environment map, make sure you have selected "use map".

[kant01 5]

Hey Mickebear -

Just wanted to tell you how talented I think you are! Your BATs are just amazing! Keep up the amazing work!

[Mickebear 2]

Thank you Kant01,

Just to show a bit of something new that I am working on, it is a big, 10x10 project featuring Basilica of Santa Croce with its adjoing complex in Florence (Firenze), Italy. What is really special about this multifunctional work: the church (1300s) houses tombs of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci; in the compound you will find the first ever built and designed Renaissance buildings (Cappello dei Pazzi (1450s); cloister (1460s)) and a bell tower that was completely destroyed by strike of lightning in 1800s; rebuilt in late 19th century as according to original). 

Complex houses also a museum and a faculty of Institute of Historical Sciences.

I am now half-way in the project, having completed the main parts of the cathedral, the chapel and museum parts. Still need to do the belltower, backside of the church and cloister area.

[praiodan 78]

Oh my god, Mickebear, since I talked to you the last time you did improve so much! You're really awing me!

[jacqulina 162]

my friend these are fantastic so pretty

[Spike345 20]

*faints*