Daves Lot o' Lots - Custom content

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

So I am going to be showing off a selection of stuff I made . I use Lot editor  and not PIMX (Cause I can't get PIMX) so that is very limiting for me.

I won't be uploading all of them to STEX, I am very bad at keeping track of dependencies. If I can figure out dependencies, I will upload them. I will post them on the forums though.

 

7X7 SG Publix

This was my attempt at making Goobers 6x6 Publix a bit more realistic. His fit a 6x6, but only had one line of parking, here I expand both the parking and the lot behind the building for a nice 7x7 lot.

BTW: Does PIMX have the ability to change park lots to Commercial Lots? if so I could use someone with PIMX to help with another lot.

 

If you have questions ask.

 

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

12x9 Food4Less

I always was a fan of @joerg's work. He was one of the few loters who successfully transitioned over to BAT.  His Food4Less BAT was one of his best, but it was designed to be growable and thus its ploppable version is pretty undersized , This shopping center variation I built is a remedy for that and contains a separated neighboring shop direct from Simgoobers plop-a-shop pack.

Here's the original

If anyone can help me out, I don't have a complete list of dependencies. I know for sure these are used with the lot.

SHK Car Packs 1&2

Deggis Pond set.

Various Cycledogg textures and Props.

Various Simgoober props, plus his Plop-A-Shop Pack

LBT Texture packs.

Various Jestarr Props

one small prop from the Historic Harbor Set.

I need help mostly figuring out what texture I used for the parking lot on the right side.

 

[kingofsimcity 5,740]

Welcome aboard the lotting train!

To answer your questions, PIM-X can basically take any model and generate pretty much any form of descriptor. You could in practice create something silly like a set of growable CO$$ parks. If you want some help with that, I'll be more than happy to discuss it over a PM. As for the Food4less, the parking textures on the right side are definitely from the LBT Mega Texture Pack.

You've got a good layout and a decent baseline for the lots so far! There's a lot of dead space right now though, so I think a few changes would make a massive difference in the overall aesthetics for the lot.

For Publix, you could probably extend the grass strip or add extra parking to the right side of the building. Something similar would also work pretty well between the TJ Maxx and the Food4Less as well. Secondly, I think on any given lot you should stick with a uniform texture scheme when it comes to parking.There's a massive size differential between the SHK and LBT spots and having both on the same lot causes either one to stick out like a sore thumb. Pick one or the other.

Lastly, are you using the cluster prop families for cars? If not then they'd be a great way to add a hint of randomness and make the lot seem "fuller".

Regardless of what I said, you're off to a good start! looking forward to seeing what else you can come up with!

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

@kingofsimcity Thanks means alot.

 

I had a really nice reply set up but using quotes now breaks the server apparently :/  Anyways....

 

1.) The dead space on the food for less is likely because I used a lot of timed props with the cars and (accidentally) the trees.

2.) The idea behind the multiple parking lots is that they are two separate properties on one lot, so they'd have two different parking lot styles.

3.) no I didn't use clusters, thanks for the idea though.

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

APISON BAKERIES

Here's a Nice I-M bakery I made in LE. Its based off of a real world bakery (There's a subtle clue to which bakery I am referring too in the screenshots), but in a much much smaller scale.

Thanks to @kingofsimcity for helping me with the PIM-X work.

You can get it here -

 

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

GRAPHITE VALLEY RESOURCES

This originally started off as an attempt to build something similar to this

This is Flint Hills Reasources plant in I think Seward, NE. As I went to build it in LE, I realized there weren't any good props to represent those large cylindrical tanks on the left, so instead I went for a refinery look using citynuts props.

This is the result.

 

[6StringShaman 112]

Awesome, more industry!

Looks great, nice scale and prop usage!

[rsc204 21,867]

That's a pretty nice lot, but it does look rather empty, even if that's close to the real-world shot you showed us. If I may offer a few tips to improve this:

Take a look at the Maxis Overlay textures (Straight = 0x257C0000) which add tyre marks, using these to make roadways within the lot would help give the appearance of more going on.

Then consider sprinkling some industrial props like barrels or crates, JES (Jetstarrs) many prop packs are filled with useful industrial props. Just a little smattering of detail here and there can really bring a lot to life.

Lastly, consider using a different base texture. Many will not tile well, especially for big lots. What this means is that because the textures are identical, it brings out an obvious pattern on larger lots. I'd recommend using one of these five textures:

• 0x25FB1000
• 0x25FB1100
• 0x258B3000
• 0x258C2000
• 0x258D1000

All these are Multi-FSH textures, try them out and you'll see the difference they make. By using multiple textures, which are selected at random, you get a less uniform surface, which looks much better on larger lots like this. You place them just the same as regular base textures and it all just works.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

One thing you can do with a tiling texture is to rotate it differently for each tile, giving the impression of concrete slabs with narrow seams between them. That's basically making a virtue out of necessity: it still looks tiled, but it looks like an accurate depiction of real tiles rather than an unwanted side effect of identical textures.

You could also add some unpaved surface area. The aerial photograph shows that some of the silos seem to stand on grass. Why not add some grass surface, perhaps some low shrubs at least, and maybe fences / barriers / guard rails / kerbs wherever vehicles may accidentally end up on the grass? There's no need to be afraid of hedges and trees, either. Of course, you won't have lush gardens, but a line of trees along the main access road or some hedges around a parking lot are not out of the question. If there's a grass area between office and parking lot, a footpath to connect both would also be a good idea.

It is generally helpful to have some defined areas: A loading area with some cargo or cargo handling equipment scattered around, an on-site parking lot for the staff (complete with cars), an office (maybe with a little 'corporate park' around it or at least a little outdoor area with one or two benches/tables and a trash can for the staff to enjoy a coffee and a cigarette during breaks?) ... As MGB said, some site roads will also help, and while you're at it, you may also add some street lights or other kinds of light poles.

This will all help to turn a rather sterile, static lot into something that's full of plausible little details and looks like a living object.

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

Contest Time!

 

[TakemeThere 5,834]

Good progess, the lots could use more props as others have already mentioned but you've really come a long way with your lotting.

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

it's been  while guys, but I did this tonight on a whim. Maybe I'll even Upload it soon.

 

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

Guys, I actually uploaded something!
 

 

[DavidDHetzel 1,816]

 

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