lindsaygaskell94 help bat thread

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

Hi People

I have decided to start building some bats

have just uploaded my first one today

I was hoping to get some help on it, as people are saying that there are brown boxes coming up

and i do not know if I used any Dependencies

any help would be good

thanks in advance

 

 

[T Wrecks 10,209]

OK, dependencies are easy. Here's what you do:

 

1. Rename your regular plugins folder to something else, e.g. "Plugins_Normal" or something like that. Result: SimCity will no longer parse this folder on startup because it looks for a folder simply called "plugins".
2. Make a new, empty folder and call it "Plugins". This empty folder now replaces your regular plugins folder.
3. Put your exported BAT (the .sc4model file) into that folder, use the Plugin Manager to make the .sc4desc file, and then use the Lot Editor to put your building on a lot. (You have already done this successfully, so this is not new)
4. [OPTIONAL]: If you are not satisfied with the lot and think that you'll need a custom prop/texture pack to make it look good, choose one, move it into your fresh plugins folder, and start the Lot Editor (LE) again. See if the pack contains what you need. If it does, keep it. If it doesn't, exit the LE and remove the pack from your plugins folder again.
5. Make sure that your new plugins folder contains ONLY your BAT and all its files PLUS all the dependencies you really used - in short, all that other players will need in order to use your BAT in their copy of the game.
6. Once this is done, start the game, enter an empty sandbox city, and plop down your building (if it's a growable, use the "buildingplop" cheat from the Extra Cheats DLL and plop it).
7. If you have done everything right, you should see your building on its lot, and the lot should contain everything you put on it. If something is missing, you have missed a dependency and need to double-check.

This way, you can make 100.00% sure that you didn't miss any dependency or other required file. Do this for every new building. You'll never have problems with undocumented dependencies again.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

Okay thankyou for that T Wrecks, i will have to try that when i finish work

one other Question is, how to i make it fit on the lot editor better, as it is always wanting to overhang?

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

this is what happens

[otty8116 43]

ive had this problem once. if you select your whole scene (all objects in it) group your whole building in gmax/3dsmax and enter 0 on the x or y plane it will center the building in the viewport, make sure to re-fit lod's and reset camera's before you preview, then export again.

 

theres a bunch of tutorials on the forums section of this site. very usefull.

 

nice first bat!

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

Okay

I am happy with how it looks now

Could someone help me do the night lights now?

[T Wrecks 10,209]

You're using gmax, right? If so, you'll find a night lighting tutorial on the Omnibus.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

I am using sketch up pro for most of the work, but g max to do final touches

So the tutorial for night lights should be in the bat essentials?

[T Wrecks 10,209]

I was referring to this one or that one, both filed under BAT/Lot Editor Tutorials.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

I am working on a new building now

I just wondering why when i render this side wall disappears and makes it see through to the middle of the building

thanks

 

 

 

 

[Bipin 3,402]

Hello LindsayGaskell94, welcome to the Simtropolis BAT copmmunity! I, as someone who BATs with Sketchup primarily, think it would be advantageous for me to help you, seeing as it appears you too use the program. If you need any help with Sketchup BATing, feel free to PM me; I'm here to help as often as I can.

 

As a few quick tips, I'd suggest getting 3dsMax. If you can provide a valid, non-hotmail email address and are a student, you can obtain 3dsMax for free through legal channels. You may do with via Autodesk Education. I find 3dsMax instrumental to making a good BAT, especially if it is imported from Sketchup. Furthermore, 3dsMax handles very similarly to GMAX, but with the addition of better tools, textures, lighting etc. On the Sketchup side of things, use the advantages of the program to their greatest extent. Sketchup allows for the especially easy creation of well-detailed groups and components. As a "starter project", don't be afraid to take on highly detailed albeit it fairly repetitive buildings. If you create one well-detailed window, frieze etc. take advantage of it's repetitive use and the program's ease of component/group repetition to make a quick albeit quality BAT. One major disadvantage Sketchup is texturing. The issues therein are inherent to the program, as Sketchup is designed for the basic realizations of concepts. Using 3dsMax textures adds additional flavour to your BAT and makes it indistinguishable from BATs created natively/wholly inside 3dsMax, which is the current hallmark of quality in the community.

 

I hope these tips help. You're certainly on the right track and I look forward to future updates. I or nearly any of the other prominent and active BATers in the community would be willing to help, I can assure you of that!

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

I am wondering how do you make the completed building that i have now made in 3ds max, ready to be in sim city 4?

what are the steps used to convert it into sim city?

[Ace3 1,209]

You want to set up your LOD's, usually easily done by using the "Automatic LOD's" function. You then want to export these LOD's using the "Export LOD's Function". Open up GMAX afterwards and click "File<Import", select the relevant file, and import it using the "Convert Units" option. Once this is done, you want to export the scene. Make sure there are no spaces in the name of the scene. Open up 3DSMax after the LODs export from GMAX. Using the "Select Target Model" feature, open up the relevant scene in 3DS. Make sure you're lighting rigs are set appropriately, and render your day and night scenes for that model in 3DSMax.

 

That may sound a bit confusing, so use this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBn5q9-8dpY

It's made to demonstrate exporting from Sketchup to 3DSMax, but it also explains exporting from 3DSMAX. That's how I learned at least.

 

From there on, you want to open the model file (which should be in your SC4-plugins directory now) via SC4 Plugin Manager, drag the model file to one of the categories (I usually do prop),  and set the appropriate options (Zooms at 1,2,3,4,5, Lighting True, Ground Model Yes, etc.) From there, you can open the model in Lot Editor in the corresponding menu you dragged the file to, and create a lot for it.

 

That may also be confusing. Basically steps 3 and 4 here: https://www.simtropolis.com/omnibus/_/simcity-4/batlot-editor-tutorials/how-to-make-a-custom-lot-with-the-lot-editor-r209

Except with the appropriate options (some of which I recommended above...)

 

I'm still a novice myself, so I'm not sure if I should be giving you advice, but good luck anyways.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

Thanks for that, i have already followed that video many times and i get to selecting target model and i cannot find the file that i just exported in gmax, as you can only select a SC4 model file. I have looked everywhere for it, only place i had found it was in my plugins folder as sc4 model file, when i go to use it is says: ri.gmax cannot be found in the plugin directory C:/Program files(x86)/Maxis/Simcity 4 deluxe/Plugins/.
Please check the path SC4PluginPath= in the BATFORMAX.INI and the model filename is correct

(ri is what i saved file name as )

 

I dont know what else to do, have tried doing it so many times, even created a simple little box house and it said the same thing

 

And i know how to get it through plugin manger and lot eidtor just that middle part using 3ds max and selecting target model

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Not sure I can help either... but your description of the issue is confusing me... if we can reconstruct where you got up to:

 

You have so far managed to:

1. Create a model in 3DSMax
2. Export LODs as a .3DS file
3. Imported into GMAX, and exported an .SC4model file out, and it is sitting in your SC4 Plugins folder?

 

Is that correct so far? Assuming yes...

 

This is where I got confused... not sure why you're trying to use a GMAX file at this point, you should only be working with the SC4model file...

 

Maybe forget that - the next steps after 3. should be:

 

4. In Bat4Max you will have pressed the 'Sky' and, 'Day' buttons

5. In the 'Export Sequence' rollout, you will have pressed '(1) Select Target model' button, navigated to your SC4model file, and it should be appearing in the 'SC4model Name:' field

6. Then pressed the '(2) DayExport' button (and probably a couple of 'are you sure' dialogs)

7. You should be able to watch it go through its various different zooms and angles until you get a 'render is complete' message

8. Press ok and get an archaic looking DOS screen flickering stuff at you

9. After a lengthy-ish delay you will get a message, something about FSH's

10. Press ok, another DOS looking thing, and a Congratulations message... press ok and you will now be able to use your SC4model in the plugins manager.

 

Did you perform any of these steps, and if so, which one is where you ran into trouble? Something about the fact its looking for a GMAX file is where I think your issue lies...

 

Hope this helps... let me know?

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

I started with sketchup first, exported the file out of sketchup then did:

1. edit model in 3DSMax
2. Export LODs as a .3DS file
3. Imported into GMAX, and exported an .SC4model file out, and it is sitting in your SC4 Plugins folder? (i only have one file in plugin folder, is that right?)

then when i go back into 3ds max to select target model and find my way to the plugin folder where the sc4 model is saved(only one) and open it.

when it tries to open it come up with this error:

ri.gmax cannot be found in the plugin directory C:/Program files(x86)/Maxis/Simcity 4 deluxe/Plugins/.
Please check the path SC4PluginPath= in the BATFORMAX.INI and the model filename is correct

(ri is what i saved file name as )

so i am getting stuck at step 5. that is far as a i have ever gotten, have tried with a simple box house and other things as well

The first bat i did i just used gmax(didnt have 3ds then)

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Yeah, this is a bit out of my depth you're going to need help from someone like Jason. Probably try posting something in the pinned Bat4Max help thread.

Btw, I think you will actually have 2 plugins folders, one is in the SimCity folder in MyDocuments, one is in the Maxis game folder. I'm pretty sure you should only be using the one in MyDocuments, that might have something to do with it.

Good luck!

[SimCoug 5,972]

Btw, I think you will actually have 2 plugins folders, one is in the SimCity folder in MyDocuments, one is in the Maxis game folder. I'm pretty sure you should only be using the one in MyDocuments, that might have something to do with it.

 

That's right - the only thing that should be in the program/SimCity folder is the game background images - everything else should be in the MyDocuments Plugin folder.

[Bipin 3,402]

I may of posted this as a link in our private chat LindsayGaskell94, but here it is again:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBn5q9-8dpY

 

I hope that helps!

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

This is what i have been working on.

textures are almost done, then on to night lighting

I may need some help with night lights

Let me know what you think of how it is now

 

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Hi Lindsay, no one has replied!.. I like what I can see, but you really need to save that render as a bmp and upload as a jpg so we can see it properly. Also, is this rendered with Bat4Max? We'd need to see it rendered using the SC4 camera and lighting.

 

From what I can see, the modelling looks pretty good, but the textures look a bit bland. Is it based on a real building, or one you made up?

 

Please upload a clearer, SC4-compatible render so we can provide helpful feedback for you

[zahrul3 471]

but the textures look a bit bland

 

Gn_Leugim has a very simple tutorial for this, I believe it's in his signature since it's been quite a long time I haven't touched BATting.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

Thanks for replying

it is rendered with bat4max

I am still learning and playing around with texture, i am happy with how it is now, as it is my first proper attempt at textures and my first bat was straight from sketchup and was just picture textures.

This is a real building in Brisbane.  I have changed some parts as i thought it was a bit boring in real life

I have started playing around with nightlights now, haven't got to far, been trying all day.  just keep finding more problems

Quick question, how do you do the lights that are on top of buildings like little beacons for like planes?

@reddonquixote i figured out how to save the rendered image into a bmp

Here it is

https://i.imgur.com/f4qwkkY.jpg

I really like how the top glass on the roof turned out (dont even know how i did it!)

The base texture is still not right, trying to get it to work (it is a plane) is that right?

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

Well...

 

I don't really know what I'm supposed to think here. On the one hand this looks like an interesting project but on the other hand there seem to be many glitches in modelling and texturing. 

 

In you last pic I could see you used a simple map for the left windows facade. Why. Never do anything model related by creating a texture looking like that. 

 

Also, you shouldn't start with nighlightning. You still learning modelling and texturing. Starting with learning night lightning would be just wrong!

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

okay thanks for your comments

what else is wrong with it?

i want to finish this one off and start a new one, now that i know so much more

I could fix it up later on maybe, but i am really happy with how it is now

all the modeling is straight out of skectup warehouse, i only did a little bit

What is wrong with doing nightlights now?

[T Wrecks 10,209]

I guess he assumed you were going for a release, and in this case it's better to get the model finished first and bother with night lights later. If you need to change something now, you make the change and that#s it. If you do night lights first and then need to change something, you'll have to adapt night lights as well.

 

Could you tell us which building in Brisbane it is? I tried to find it in Google Maps' satellite view, but no luck.

[Toothless Stitch 2,901]

I gues it's the Riparian Plaza

 

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

I am working on a new project atm

And am stuck on some windows
 

http://www.emporis.com/images/details/618033

wondering if someone could explain how i can make these windows with the white frames around them as well

thanks

[Reddonquixote 4,338]

Hi Lindsay, here's a few pointers for you. Not really sure which part you're actually stuck on. Is it the shape, or just the window frames. Here's some pointers, if you need more detail on anything let me know.

 

You'll need to make a box, divided vertically into 6 segments (Not shown in picture), and extrude top polygon several times. Ignoring the bottom row, mine is 1m then [1m,1.5m,1m,3.5m] 5 times, then [1m,1.5m,1] on top.

 

 

Next, select the front set of vertices, and use the rotate tool to move them into an angled position, then the scale and move tools to reposition them. Then you can use the z axis parameters to perfect the height postioning.

 

 

Next, extrude the rest of the floors (or use the detach, array tool and weld tools to speed it up), then select just the angled polygons.

 

 

Then use the quick slice, bridge, and cap holes tools/modifiers to complete the pointed shape.

 

 

Next, select all the polygons that make up your windows, and detach them. In the edge sub-object, select all the edges. Use the Create Shape From Selection tool, set to linear, to create an editable spline from all the edges. These will become your window frames. You need to enable rendering in the modify roll out, (Mine are set to set to 0.15m)

 

If you did the 6 vertical segments like I mentioned, you should have the vertical mullions as well.

 

 

Here's what my rushed job looks like:

 

 

I know thats a bit high level, if you need more detail let me know.

[edwardjeria 503]

Ameizing