SPAs Urbanist BAT Thread

[gerAndi 29]

looks great yet!

[Ryno917 102]

The inside of this place is more impressive than the outside I think, I love sitting on the top floor and being able to see the first floor. Such a surreal look. The exterior is very neat, too, though.

IMHO, the funniest Canadian show I've ever seen is Corner Gas, followed closely by The Royal Canadian Air Farce. I sat in on two tapings of the Air Farce last year; and it's funnier in person.

[nofunk 1,933]

This is looking really fantastic! It's a really fun building and is going to have quite a presence in people's cities once you release it!

Speaking of the CBC, I'm lucky enough to live close enough to Ontario to get the Windsor broadcast. Good world news coverage (better than American news, anyway) and winter sports! Kids in the Hall was good too when it was on. Yay for the CBC!

[josefmayor 8]

spa that building is sweeet! Can you give me a picture of something you took a picture of to make a texture out of so I can figure out how to do it for my buildings?

Thanks buddy!

[simdad1957 3]

Excellent job on Jennifer's. As you say, this is not a clone of the real building but it does capture the atmosphere of some of the older buildings on Spring Garden road. It is the older buildings that really give character to the neighbourhood in any event. Looking forward to Perks!

[spa 970]

GerAndi: Thanks

Maggot: Yeah the Barbara Frum Atrium is quite a piece of architecture. I love Corner Gas, but I'm not a fan of Air Farce. I think Air Farce was better when it was on the radio. In my opinion 22 Minutes has always been the better of the two.

Nofunk: Thanks. At 8x8 it will be hard to miss! Yeah the CBC's best feature is its news. I think it sets a standard for Canadian Broadcasting that actually improves the news programming on both CTV and Global (Canada's English private networks). It's unfortunate but American media, despite having money, doesn't seem to have the same kind of standards. Bias and sensationalism seem to be right out there. Unfortunately I think the media doing a poor job of things goes onto effect American politics and could be part of the reason that Americans are turning away from politics.... But what do I know. This is just my opinion.

Josefmayor: Thanks. I'll post a picture I took and some textures I derived from it in your thread sometime today.

Simdad1957: Thanks. There was a slight hiccup with Perks the other day but it has been straightened out and Barby should be ready to hand it back to me soon. I'm guessing it'll be on the stex sometime this coming week. Maybe I'll aim to make it a birthday release

So I have picked at the CBC a little more over the last couple of days. I haven't had as much free time as I usually do because of school. I did do go back and finish up some small details on the right side. Below is a picture.

The back is now pretty done too. Below is a picture of what I have done on the Wellington Street side (the back).

So that's the halfway kind of (the front will take more time). One thing that unfortunately didn't show up is the entrance to the International Academy on the right. I modelled the revolving door and I think it might be partially visible in the west view, but other than that most of it is hidden. Anyway, I'll be moving onto the left side next. Stay tuned. 

[gerAndi 29]

great details!

do you plan to make that building a street-connection?

[jacqulina 162]

excellent work you are doing

[jacqulina 162]

excellent work you are doing

[nofunk 1,933]

Originally posted by: spa

Nofunk: Thanks. At 8x8 it will be hard to miss! Yeah the CBC's best feature is its news. I think it sets a standard for Canadian Broadcasting that actually improves the news programming on both CTV and Global (Canada's English private networks). It's unfortunate but American media, despite having money, doesn't seem to have the same kind of standards. Bias and sensationalism seem to be right out there. Unfortunately I think the media doing a poor job of things goes onto effect American politics and could be part of the reason that Americans are turning away from politics.... But what do I know. This is just my opinion.quote>

Actually, I think money is the root of the problem in American media these days. News isn't news anymore, because media outlets have switched their focus from reporting facts to selling ad space. Moreover, instead of trueblood journalists and reporters on TV, we now have TV personalities: people who are charismatic and appealing, but have very little knowledge of the issues they are discussing. People tune in now to a product and to be entertained, not to learn about what is really going on in the world. Bias definitely plays a part, too, but there has always been bias. I think the main problem is a loss of focus in American media of what is appropriate -- go back two decades and American news was very different than it is today.

Also, I think you're absolutely right about the media affecting American politics. Not only do people not know what is true and what is untrue, but the media makes politics such a dirty, polarizing affair that I'm sure it turns many people off completely. (For example, during the Mark Foley "page boy" scandal, Fox News reported for a week that he was a Democrat when, in fact, he's Republican.) And for what it's worth, in most cases, Democrats and Republicans are not as polarized as it seems -- it is just the way the media portrays them. It's sexy and compelling. I'd argue that most people in this country do not feel nearly as strongly about issues, even hot button ones such as abortion, gay marriage, and immigration, as the media makes us all believe.

Sorry for the long response; I was a political science major in college lol.

EDIT: And you just got my 500th post!

[marc 13]

Amazing work, Spa! The detail on the garage doors and the first floor in particular is exceptional.

I don't know if you've noticed this (or maybe it's just my screwy eyes), but there's an interesting optical illusion on the "nodes" where the white mullions/columns intersect each other- a gray square appears at each intersection when you casually glance over the facade but disappears when you concentrate on any particular node!

Just one suggestion (I apologize if you're already considering this): Consider varying the dark blue window texture a bit by making a few of the windows lighter/darker than neighboring ones, giving the illusion of different lighting in the rooms behind. (Like you can see in the photo at the top of this page.) Keep up the great work!

[Jasoncw 11,941]

I noticed the optical illusion too, but I thought it was part of the texturing!  I recall that illusion from a class.

Like Nofunk said, Detroit gets CBC.  Does anywhere else in the US get it?  It's not a bad station.

oh yeah, the BAT is looking good too.

[asturianu 4]

Oooooooooooooooh!! Impressive new building! Perks looks nice for old towns, and this huge mall would be great for downtowns! Thanks!! AND GREAT WORK!!

Cristian

[spa 970]

Gerandi: I don't know right now. I haven't given any real thought to the lot. My hunch is probably not.

Jacqulina: Thanks

Nofunk: Hey no problem, it was an interesting read. You' re right that there has always been bias, but I think it has become a stronger since the media became entertainment. In fact I think conceptualizing themselves as entertainment is at the root of a lot of the problems. If you see yourself as an entertainer then things like public duty and integrity becomes a lot less important. The other day I stumbled across some cow on CNN reporting on some court case involving a teacher and she definitely had an axe to grind. There was no attempt to enlighten just fear mongering and other pandering to base emotions. It was disgusting. No network in Canada would dare run a show like that. Commentary here is limited to guests or a regular commentator who gets a little bit of time, usually in the last half of the show (ex Rex Murphy on the National or the National's At Issue Panel). The host and reporters are neutral, or at least try to be. It's too bad because I really think that Americans are being done a disservice.... Sorry for ranting on, I took political science too

Marcszar: Thanks! I like the garage doors too Actually Jason has it right. It's part of the texture and is my attempt to match what the real building looks like. Here's a close up of one of the panels in real life:

If it's too distracting I'm open to considering changing from how it looks in real life. About the windows. No need to apologize. I always appreciate constructive suggestions. It's an excellent idea and something I haven't done before, but there are just so many windows on this one that it could really use some livening up. I think I'll wait on that however, until I'm going back through the windows and selecting nightlights (no point cruising through all of them twice!). Thanks for the suggestions and  feedback.

Jasoncw: Thanks. As I mentioned you win the prize, it is part of the texture. I seem to remember someone from Washington state commenting that they got CBC. I guess that's another spot where it leaches over the border

Cristian: Thanks. This one will actually be Co$$ or Co$$$ but of course you can use it for whatever you want. I'm planning on uploading Perks tonight after the Daily Show (my usual free time) so stay tunned.

So things have been moving along slowly. I finished the left side, below is a pic

For any Canadians cruising through, check out the characters on the street level ad; Ron and Don will be making an appearence in Sim City! One thing that doesn't stand out too well on this view is that the blue glass section is actually angled. As you move up the building it gets narrower (it's the same on the real building).

For those of you who might have missed Nofunks bat thread, I picked up a great technique from Marcszar there that lets boxy signs really stand out. That CBC symbol on the tower actually has a small all black clone behind it. The purpose of that is to keep the perspective view from washing out the depth and dimension of the object. Below is a before and after photo to hightlight the difference.

I think Marcszar is going to have to join my ever increasing credits list!

Anyway, still a few small things to do on the left. I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with the inside space next to the tower. The photos I have don't show what's actually in those holes so it seems I have to decide between recessed windows or a recessed blank wall. The street level on the right hand side also still needs to be done but that has to wait until I start work on the front (I can't get the angle and size right without the other post to work off of). This one is coming along well now, 3 of 4 sides and I'm actually, amazingly, still below 200,000 polygons... alright it's 199,660 but still. This will likely be ready sometime towards the end of February or early March. Anyway, I'll update again as things on the front of the building get rolling (I have nothing right now).

[gerAndi 29]

looks great!

I love all these smaller glass walls

and like I already said the details are fantastic!

[jacqulina 162]

looking great fantastic progress

[simdad1957 3]

Ron & Don! That's great, Coaches Corner has hit SimCity. Now all we need is a Don Cherry's Grapevine restaurant and the Canadian's will have really taken over the joint. Long live Hockey Night in Canada.

[simdad1957 3]

Page flip bug.

[josefmayor 8]

spa you are absolutly increadible, I'm feeling a lot better now and I'm heading downtown realtively soon, so I will be able to execute your tutorial and see if I conducted it properly! Thanks so much for the help and support!

[tankmank 853]

I loved the last three bats you uploaded and the recent one you are working on looks very interesting

[asturianu 4]

Hey, Sam. I love this new building. Great projects you have. And don't hate me for this comment:

My favourite building is 1801 Hollis Street, you know, that blue glass building in Halifax of 22 floors, and I would love to have it in Simcity, and what can I do? Well, it is easy. I can't make my own buildings in the BAT because my computer hasn't enought virtual memory, but I know the best building re-creator, you, and well, eh, please don't hate me for this, can I ask you for that building? I know that a 22 floors building is a repetitive and boring project, but it would be the best building in STEX.

Cristian

[spa 970]

Gerandi: Thanks

Jacqulina: Thanks

Simdad1957: Thanks. I don't know Don's restaurant. I take it it's in Toronto?

Josefmayor: "Blush" Thanks. I hope that the advice I gave is useful. There are no hard and fast rules to texturing. It's just a matter of finding what works for you.

Tankmank: Thanks

Cristian: Thanks. No problem about the request. I don't mind you asking. 1801 Hollis is actually a building I might do eventually (the bus I take to get to school lets me off just a block from it so I pass by it everyday). I like the style of the building and it's one of Halifax's more prominent landmarks. That said I want to finish up the half finished bats I have before taking on anything else (Winsbys, CBC, Mills Brothers and Campana Place) and even when I'm done I actually have another building from Spring Garden already picked out for the next project. Still, I'll see if I can get to it sometime in the next few months. Skyscrapers aren't really my thing, but the other one I have considered is Purdy's Wharf since the two towers are also very iconic buildings here in Halifax.

So it has been a while since I updated. I have been busy with school for the last week and a half and I have actually been playing Civ4 again so my focus has been off Sim City (don't worry it's temporary I always come back). Yesterday though, the girlfriend brought the flu home and now we're both sick. So I skipped school on account of feeling so miserable (getting the chills in your house when the heat is pushing 22 doesn't make going outside where it's -10 appealing!). One plus that goes with the flu is that I have spent the day wrapped in blankets by the computer playing Civ and watching Star Trek. I did find sometime in there to bat and Foreign Affair/Tim Hortons that I started in late December is now done. Check it out below

I don't think this one turned out half bad. Like my other 1x2s I have made this compatible with JBSimio's small town set.  I'm going to have to re-render it to correct one tiny mistake (I forgot to attach an edit mesh to the sign post of the overhaning Tim's sign so they didn't appear). So if there are any suggestions I'm willing to entertain them.

[jacqulina 162]

these are wonderfull great details

[josefmayor 8]

I love that building! I followed your advice on creating the texture, I got the lower half of the building I am going back tommorrow to get the other part of the building, but I have to re model it because I did not realize that the building had 2 different brick textures. Thanks for the help man it really helped a lot!

[asturianu 4]

OH!!!!!!! YEAH!!! TIM HORTONS!!! I love this building, Sam, and it will be perfect for Lloyd, but I think it will be better for Aokon, my new city. You can see near all your creations there, in Aokon, it is in page 26, in my journal, my friend!

WOW!! Do you really think that you can do that building? If yes, you are a genius, if no, you are a genius too. Making a lot of different buildings from Halifax, Calgary, and Toronto is the biggest work I have seen!

1801 Hollis will be a great building, but if I have to wait 3 months or plus, doesn't import. You are making now great buildings as Foreign Affais/Tim Hortons and many others.

Hope you get better, and hope flu doesn't affect you so much!

Take care.

Cristian

[spa 970]

Jacqulina: Thanks

Josefmayor: Glad to help.

Cristian: Thanks. I'll have to wander over to your journal and check out the new developments! Actually 1801 should be fairly easy. It doesn't have a lot of details except at the base and it shouldn't pose much in the way of texturing difficulties. Again though, don't get too excited as it'll be a little while before I get started on it. And thank you, I'm feeling a lot better today. Still have a bad cough but the chills and head cold seem to have departed.

So today was a frustrating day. I spent several hours trying to create a shingle roof texture for Winsbys. Creating the texture took a while but the really frustrating and difficult part came when I tried to select a colour tone that would work with the building. No matter what I have modified I just can't seem to get one that matches. Below are the two that came out the best.

Of the two I'm leaning on the brownish option so I did a render to see what it would look like in game

I'm still not entirely happy with it but at this point I couldn't probably tell you whether it looks decent or not (spent too much time starring at it today). So I would really welcome advice. Do the shingles work and if not any thoughts on what I should do to the texture to try and improve it (I'm really at an impasse here). Thanks.

[ACEfanatic 7]

Brownish is definitely better.

Just a suggestion -- run a small box spline along the joints of the roof, so that they just barely stick up over the rest, and give them the same texture. Shingle roofs have overlays on the corner, and it'd give the roof a lot of depth.

I can provide pics if needed.

The other BAT above is awesome. Nice, 50's/60's brick architecture. Bland but useful.

-ACE

[asturianu 4]

I'm glad you are better, Sam! That building is special to me! I love white, or light grey timber fachades, mixed with brown stone! And this buuilding contains the two things!

I vote for Brownish texture, Sam!

1801 Hollis would be a great project, but if you find it boring, nothing happends if you don't make it . All your actual projects are magnific. Specially all the Halifax old buildings!

Great job as always, Sam,

and take care, my friend!!

Cristian

[simdad1957 3]

Spa:

To answer your question from two posts back, Don Cherry's is a roadhouse/sportsbar restaurant chain owned by you-know-who. There is a location here in Moncton (but apparently not Halifax - not surprising since Moncton is such a progressive city!). Each booth in the restaurant comes with it's own flatscreen LCD TV and lots of sports channels as well as built in X-Box or PS2 (NHL 2007 anyone?).

Love your Foreign Affair/Timmies, can't wait.

[asturianu 4]

Hello, Sam, mate! So you have plans or a project in your mind about Purdy's Wharf? Hehe, thats funny. It is my second favourite building (buildings) in Canada!

I love those glassed towers! But with 1801 is more that sufficient in skyscrapers area. Making 1801 must be difficult, but making Purdy's Wharf has to be REALLY DIFFICULT!!

Hey, I really enjoy your BAT threat. I feel like in a shop, or in real estate,seeing what I'm going to build and to see in the future in Simcity!

I have some plans with 1801 Hollis. My big plan is to start a new city where the biggest building would be 1801, and it would be a city in Canada again. Any suggestions about the province?

It would be a city of 280.000-330.000 inhabitants. Ontario again? Quebec? Alberta? NS? What do you think, my friend?

Hmmm, I think I talk a lot, so I'm going to shut up now.

See you, take care

Cristian