Mickebears Istrinian BATs - Getting ready to a CJ

[mayormommy 8]

Wow, those should look great. I especially like 2b, 9, 13b, 14b ver 2, and 15c. Are you going to use all of them on different versions?

[Mickebear 2]

Yes, these will be for certain Italian type villas - I have been working hard on different models, but especially to get the textures right - and due to the game aspect, we do look at roofs very often, don't we

EDIT: Welcome to page 5

[MrCinatit 30]

i kind of like 8b, myself - but i actually thought the originals were rather eye-catching as well. great work, MickeBear

[Kwakelaar 92]

A lot of new rooftextures there and I like most of them.
There are a few where you don't see the individual tiles anymore, the whole texture them becomes a bit blury, but probably you can change that with the mapping.
I surely know now where to go for some nice textures.

The model will be another beautiful villa.

[Mickebear 2]

Hej Hoj Mr Cinatit and Kwakelaar,

I am busy with 7 sketches for villas, each of them very different from each other, and all will be uploaded to STEX in due course. Each of the villas will bear a name dedicated to somebody here in ST, so beware for Villa Bettina, Villa Carlotta, Villa Elia, Villa Monsignor Cinatito and Villa Giermundo for instance

 

I will try to learn how to make building families to have the growable as well - if I find the time. Maybe somebody wants to do the lots, while I am busy with models and texturing? I used to like Lot Editing, but now I find that my time is limited - and lot editing is the last thing in my mind, let alone writing documentation, or compiling the installation files. At least there are three good people who wanted to be BETA testers, because I couldn't afford time lost for the testing.

 

Oh well - nobody is pressing me to do anything, so everything in due course.

 

Mika

[SYM Productions 7]

Hi Micke!  If you become a member of SYM Productions, you'll have lotters, modders, and testers at your disposal...

- CDI_spy

[vester_DK 477]

I like the textures 9, 12b and 17b.

[mattb325 28,891]

Mickebear - I agree with the others on the choice of roof textures (I think no 9 is starting to be a popular favourite) But, when I was last in near statzione termini, looking out of the window over the rooftops of via Magenta/Marghera, 17b was the roof texture that most caught my eye. And I saw that so much in S Europe...so that would be my favourite.

[Mickebear 2]

Just a quick look how the villa looks like now, with roof 14b ver 2, 100 % custom made textures also on the staircase, basement and walls.

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//VillaCarlottaDraft2.jpg align=baseline>

[Mickebear 2]

There was a lot of progress today...

 

I added already shutters to windows, some finite details on the walls, floors and such. I will not work on the model for a few days, because typically, things need to cook in my head for details. Open for suggestions as usual

 

Things still to be done: Windows, backyard staircase finishing details (change texture, because it is too bright), change roofs on the wing parts of the building, add furniture inside (I think this model really deserves to look 'lived in' and of course finally nightlights, where I could really use some tips, because I am ZERO in nightlightning...

[mayormommy 8]

Wow, Carlotta has great taste. Just beautiful.

[sharkbait16 0]

Yes 9 and 14 are my favorites, though I kinda like 3b as well.  The BATs themselves I think make it look great though. 

[Mickebear 2]

I still had time to test night lights, but I am far from being happy... I don't know what to do with the window glass opacity so that it shows the night lights correctly inside the building...

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//VillaCarlottaDraftNT1_2006-.jpg align=baseline>

[Kwakelaar 92]

Zero in nightlighting I don't belive a word of it.
The villa is starting to look like a the real Italian thing.
You could maybe reduce the stains on the walls a bit, and the baroque staircase looks splendid, but the entrance is a bit narrow (probably not very easy to change?).

The texture for the base is very good.

I think I used a opacity of 50 for the Chancellery

All in all a beautiful BAT

[rp2005 165]

Anywhere between 50 and 70 will give a reasonable balance between your glass being visible and the lights inside being able to shine through it.  Though for glass in a domestic building I'd tend towards the lower end of the range.

 

[Mickebear 2]

Here is progress before I attack windows and night lights - after that exercise the BAT is ready to be tested...

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//VillaCarlottaDRFT2006-01-13.jpg align=baseline>

[fredval 26]

In a very short time you have become a BAT genius !!!!

but I was sure you would

 

[fredval 26]

In a very short time you have become a BAT genius !!!!

but I was sure you would

 

[Ashitaka 0]

your BATs are simply fantastic... they are so realistic !
and I love what you're doing with vegetation it gives a very lively dimension to your buildings
In other words you created Heaven on Earth... (no, it's not only an expression but it has a real sense)

[Mickebear 2]

Hey Fredval and Ashitaka! I am not creating Heaven on Earth, but just Mediterranean in Simtropolis

Bad news: my main model got corrupted, I don't know why. Although I do have most of the building in sub projects, thus easily recoverable, but I did loose some time because I need to recompile the building from these sub projects. Well, at least it gives me the chance to work on the lighting because that was my purpose today.

 

Tomorrow I have more time, now my head is boiling too much...

[Mickebear 2]

I have now entirely recreated one of the scenes as subproject - it will be incorporated to the main building later...

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//VillaCarlottaStcaF20060114d.jpg align=baseline>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//VillaCarlottaStcaF20060114n.jpg align=baseline>

[mattb325 28,891]

Hey mickebear. Sorry to hear that your beautiful model got corrupted...but, you can usually retrieve a substantial amount without having to redo it all. I found this out when it happened to me and I nearly cried!

 

In GMAX there is a file called autoback - which is where 3 or so temporary files are saved. Pick the last one, and voila...you shouldn't loose too much work.

 

I hope this helps

 

EDIT: sorry - i should give you the location. If you've done a typical install, it will be c:/gmax/autoback

[Tunafish 48]

Very nice work, the detail i excellent. keep it up!

[Mickebear 2]

mattb325: Thanks for your advise - this time there was nothing. Problem is that gmax saved the file nicely first - I opened something else - tried to reopen the main file, and not possible any more. Autorecover location seems to store info only when there is a crash, which wasn't the case now.

tunafish: Big thanks from your support, I really appreciate it!

 

People, I leave you latest pictures to be scrutinized, please add your comments on missing things or things to be bettered (I noticed myself absence of roof junk, pipes) - when you try to be your own judge, you become blind...

 

Big thanks to praiodan on Ashitaka's thread on diminishing amount of polygons: I reduced amount by 55%, and rendering with high level took only 2 hrs for this baby, although it has a lot of details.

 

http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/8216/villacarlottadrft200601143dt.jpg align=baseline>

[Ashitaka 0]

I'm sorry for you... I had the same problem, so I can imagine what you feel... Don't be discouraged !!

Those new pictures are amazing ; how do you create those trees ?!

[Kwakelaar 92]

It looks fantastic Mika. The rooftexture is excellent and even though I had a comment about the staircase, I think your solution with the new mosaic-floor and the plants is very good.
Indeed you should add a few chimneys and the opening onto the terrace on the back of the house seems to be missing textures?
The uprises have IMO improved, they are a bit more 'quiet'.

You have managed to improve something that was already very good.

[Mickebear 2]

Hey kwakelaar: Indeed, the openings in the backyard are 'missing' something. In fact what you see is just plain floor - now I am studying with help of prepo how to map a texture to the surface so that you get the impression of having the house furnished - now it looks so empty inside - just waiting for Carlotta to move in

EDIT: Sorry Ashitaka, I didn't realize that you answered and asked a question as well. Creating trees is not that difficult - the big date palm trees; smaller date palm tree and the other smaller palms in the front, as well as the glissant (ivy) in the front and back garden are made by me - I will show how it looks like in gmax, you will get a hang of it, I am sure:

 

Minitutorial of how to make a palm tree

 

Palm tree leaf from front view - draw a line - extrude with 0.1

 

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/6706/mbearpalmleaffront5bi.jpg align=baseline>

 

Palm tree leaf from left view - modify vertices and rotate

 

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/5830/mbearpalmleafleft7kc.jpg align=baseline>

 

Palm tree with leafs multiplied, rotated, trunk (a cylinder) and old leaf stems (a line drawn) added

 

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/5981/mbearpalmfront1es.jpg align=baseline>

 

and finally how it looks like with textures

 

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5058/mbearpalmfinal9wu.jpg align=baseline>

[Ashitaka 0]

Ok... thanks a lot ! Your mini-tutorial is very helpful... I measure all the distance I have to cover before I can get closer to you... You're just a master !

[Mickebear 2]

Oh Ashitaka, I think you BAT much better than I do, judging from the work that you have done so far...

Here is my final showing before I start rendering tonight (I am off to bed ))

 

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/5974/mbearvillacarlottafinal1fc.jpg align=baseline>

[jglei701 8]

Mika,

I've done a whole lot more lurking than commenting because I don't know much at all about the technical end of creating things like you've done here, but I love what you've got going here!  Keep up the good work!