How to learn creating lots from the very beginning?

[Raymond7cn 6,775]

Hello Experts on SimCity:

Recently i got many helps from simtropolis. Thanks for your information and for being so helpful. Now i want begin to creat some lots by myself(Dodger Stadium). I download all the tools from http://roe99.weebly.com/SC4-tool-essential.html here. I think 3DMax is too difficult to me, so i learnt Sketchup from Youtube. and i understand how to use iliveReader. After that i want some suggestions from you people for a freshman like me. These forum has many information about batting, but i want some tutorials which suits me.  Thank you very much.

Kind Regards,

-- Raymond

[CorinaMarie 29,868]

Hiya again, Raymond. (We've chatted before.)

I feel this topic is more technical than most of us can answer here in General Discussion so I'll move it over to the Modding section where the experts are likely to see it.

[rsc204 21,864]

8 hours ago, Raymond7cn said:

Now i want begin to creat some lots by myself

Firstly a bit of terminology just so people don't get confused. Lots / Lotting is the process of taking various items (models / props) and making a lot with them. What you are talking about here is generally referred to as BATing or 3D Modelling, creating models for use with SC4.

8 hours ago, Raymond7cn said:

I think 3DMax is too difficult to me, so i learnt Sketchup from Youtube.

Sketchup will be more difficult in the long run, because to actually render your models, you must use 3DS Max. Since there are many incompatibilities between the two formats, you are just making life harder for yourself. Perhaps starting with SC4BAT, a very old cut-down version of 3DS Max, may be a better choice. The good thing about this is, most of the things you learn will transfer to 3DS Max if you decide to go in that direction later.

Bear in mind when starting out that making a stadium is awfully complex for a first model. Personally I'd try to get a grasp of the basics by making some small props or buildings before moving up to complex stuff. The best tutorial for SC4BAT I know of is here:

Do bear in mind, 3D Modelling is simply a very complex endeavour, there are no shortcuts. But if you practise hard and gain a grounding in how these tools work, the pay off is limitless customisation options for your game.

[Raymond7cn 6,775]

53 minutes ago, rsc204 said:

Personally I'd try to get a grasp of the basics by making some small props or buildings before moving up to complex stuff. The best tutorial for SC4BAT I know of is here:

Thanks again! Rsc204, You are right, This tutorial is more suitable for me. I can follow it and make some simple lots by myself. The lofty goals positioning is not often successful. I just don't know how difficult and hard can BATing or 3D Modelling be. Now I understand it by your help.

 

1 hour ago, rsc204 said:

there are no shortcuts. But if you practise hard and gain a grounding in how these tools work, the pay off is limitless customisation options for your game.

Yes! no shortcuts, even the others like English and Programming which i 'm learning. Before that i've made some progress,  and your encouragement was a real tonic for me. Thank you very much !! I will give it a try.

[Raymond7cn 6,775]

9 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Hiya again, Raymond. (We've chatted before.)

I feel this topic is more technical than most of us can answer here in General Discussion so I'll move it over to the Modding section where the experts are likely to see it.

Thank you CorinaMarie：You correct my mistake, Sorry again! I do know you, even though my posts are rarely, but browsing of Simtropolis is my daily job. So of course i know you and your friend Cyclone Boom and RSC204 and other familiar faces.

Now Rsc204 help me and kindly answerd me. but i don't know if i can make this topic unclosed. since i assume that i will have other questions about BATing as a fresh man.

Thank you !

[CorinaMarie 29,868]

2 minutes ago, Raymond7cn said:

but i don't know if i can make this topic unclosed. since i assume that i will have other questions about BATing as a fresh man.

I don't understand what you mean by "make this topic unclosed". The topic is open and you can continue to post your questions here now or later in the future.

[Raymond7cn 6,775]

Just now, CorinaMarie said:

I don't understand what you mean by "make this topic unclosed". The topic is open and you can continue to post your questions here now or later in the future.

I am sorry, Because i saw some topics like this [Solved] Lot Editor will not run (Windows 10),  The name of them have a word "Solved". but now i understand you, Thank you very much!

[CorinaMarie 29,868]

5 minutes ago, Raymond7cn said:

The name of them have a word "Solved".

Ah. Now I understand. Even those which have "Solved" added to the title are still open and will accept new posts. The only time you could not post in a thread is if it has been "locked" by staff. That doesn't happen very often. So, nearly all topics are open and you can reply to them.

[rsc204 21,864]

I think personally the technical side of 3D modelling was never a huge burden, but texturing is especially difficult because I find that much harder. I think you are good enough with computers to work through the process though. Just a few tips for getting started:

• Learn how to use SC4BAT, before you start making models
  Sure, we're just talking about the basics, but a basic understanding of the functions of the application are a necessary foundation.
• Take advantage of the Help, Tutorials and Samples for gMax
  What is gMax, gMax is the actual application used for 3D Modelling, that's the cut-down version of 3DS Max. However, it's also a very old version of 3DS Max, but right now that's not so important. SC4BAT, an official Maxis addon, is simply a set of scripts or Plugins, if you will, that alters the applications appearance and gives you special tools for rendering in the right format for SC4.
• Now start with the previously linked tutorial
  Working through this should help you to make the example model. Along the way, you should learn enough to starting making 3D pieces and how to put them together to make models.

Note that when you download gMax (necessary for SC4BAT to install), you only get the application:

https://www.turbosquid.com/gmax

Pay close attention to the alternate files at that link:

• gmax12_help.exe
• gmax12_tutorials.exe
• library.exe

They are some of the best tutorials/documentation I've ever come across. Not everything is relevant to modelling for SC4 however, since most models for SC4 are not actually 3D. I mostly stick to Spline-based modelling, which works pretty well for SC4. But there are other styles, but everyone needs to start somewhere, Splines are what Maxis recommend too.

Note also that it's necessary to register with turbosquid to receive an activation code for gMax.

SC4BAT can be download from the STEX:

https://community.simtropolis.com/library/maxis/SC4/tools/SC4BATInstaller.exe

VERY IMPORTANT: Don't forget to install this fix:

https://community.simtropolis.com/library/maxis/SC4/tools/BAT_Texture_Problem_Fix.zip

It must overwrite the original files to work. It's best to install gMax on the root of your drive, i.e. in C:\gMax, it's an old application and you might run into issues, especially if it's in Program Files.

Lastly, consider starting a development thread when you've something to show off. It's a good place to ask specific questions and get the community interested in your creations.

[Raymond7cn 6,775]

Mr rsc204:

Well, thank you ever so much for all your help. You know everything i need and give so many useful tips to me. It's very kind of you. Yesterday i installed gmax. Even though the install exe suggested me to install it in F:\GMAX, I still modified it to C: with some experiences. But after that i got some troubles when i installed BAT, i assume that maybe the reason of the registry error of my system, today i wil give it a try.

3 hours ago, rsc204 said:

VERY IMPORTANT: Don't forget to install this fix:

The fix you give, Is it matter of the install sequence that between BAT and fix ?

Yesterday i also readed the first chapter of the tutorial you give. It's totally awesome, not too difficult for me to understand. Thanks again.

Kind Regards

-- Raymond

[rsc204 21,864]

11 hours ago, Raymond7cn said:

Even though the install exe suggested me to install it in F:\GMAX, I still modified it to C: with some experiences. But after that i got some troubles when i installed BAT, i assume that maybe the reason of the registry error of my system, today i wil give it a try.

Perhaps F:\GMAX would work better for you, since that's the default option presented. Although I'm wondering what setting you've made that would make F:\ your default drive for such installs. SC4BAT doesn't ask you where to install it, simply it installs into the gMax folder. So any problems there might come from changing the default install DIR of gMAx.

12 hours ago, Raymond7cn said:

The fix you give, Is it matter of the install sequence that between BAT and fix ?

Installation is in this order:

• gMax
• SC4BAT
• SC4BAT fix

Since every time you install SC4BAT, any changes to the files will be undone, the fix must be installed last. Although it's not an installer, just some files you need to overwrite.

[Raymond7cn 6,775]

On 14/11/2019 at 3:09 PM, rsc204 said:

Perhaps F:\GMAX would work better for you, since that's the default option presented.

Dear Rsc204: I am sorry,  i didn't notice your reply. Thank you. Recently i have finished the turorial you suggested before, It's very useful to a newbie like me so that i can create a simple house by myself. After that i began to learn 3DMAX.

On 14/11/2019 at 3:05 AM, Raymond7cn said:

But after that i got some troubles when i installed BAT, i assume that maybe the reason of the registry error of my system, today i wil give it a try.

This problem had been solved. I forgot the error message when i first run the SC4BATInstaller, I think it is because of the SimCity 4 is which one i downloaded from China's simcitycn...

/SNIP/

Moderator: We can not allow discussions that relate to software piracy in public threads.

Thank you very much !

-- Raymond