Cogeo's BAT Projects - Preview

[toxicpiano 125]

yes, I can't wait for the release of these!

[toxicpiano 125]

wow can't wait! they look excellent!

[cogeo 960]

Hi again,

The warehouse lots are now ready except for a little missing bit, the automata spawning mechanism (they will spawn freight truck an train automata).

There are five lots, CS$ and CS$$ growables and ploppables, plus an enhanced Freight Rail Station. This last one costs considerably more to plop and maintain than a normal freight rail station but it's two-way (truck->rail AND rail->truck), employs more sims, and lifts industrial demand caps. The lots are expected to be on the STEX in the next few days.

 

---

The next bit is a set of passenger rail stations. Not anything special, just modern rly stations.

There are two models a large one for double (well, literally quadruple) track and a smaller one. 

I'm going to release three lots; the smallest one will be possible to be placed directly on the track, thus requiring no additional space.

Below are two preview images of the BATs.

The small model is not yet done, and I have to make the platforms for both models too. I would welcome any comments, ideas or suggestions on both models (incl the platforms).

Of course, the models are still untextured. I haven't decided what textures to use. For example should these arcs on the roofs be metallic, or instead concrete/plaster? Should the pillars be metallic or instead marble/granite, and so on. I welcome any ideas or suggestions again, esp from people with architectural or decoration knowledge.

Please post your opinion here. 

[spa 970]

This new project looks promising. It actually looks very similiar to a set of stations made by Ill Tonkso

https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=12141

https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=5&Keyword=Ill%20Tonkso&type=all

Since these are similiar to his work, when picking textures you might want to think about taking a different root then the one he went with.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy, this stuff looks so great! All the work and care you put into this really shows.

May I make a request for the train stations? I noticed that there are hardly any useful, flexible platform props on the STEX - let alone train station halls. I would love to have a set of props that could be used to assemble train stations of virtually any size, with a variable number of  "indoor" or open platforms of different lengths... you get the idea.

My inspiration for this comes from a picture an insims.de forum member (IIRC) once posted: He had taken a museum by SWI21 and added the platform buildings from the BSC Amsterdam Central Station to it to create a huge terminus not quite unlike xannepan's Gare Du Nord. When I saw this pic, I thought "Whoa, how cool would it be to be able to  do something like that on a smaller or medium scale so that the station doesn't gobble up, like, 25x15 tiles".

Ill Tonkso's station that was linked by spa is in fact one of those I had tried to use, but the entrance section that sticks out of the lot makes it difficult to join two or more props of that station hall to get a seamless look.

Sorry about the OT, but I just had to get this off my mind.

[cogeo 960]

@spa: thanks for the suggestions, the textures are actually going to be marble/stucco/metal.

@T Wrecks: thank you for your comments. I didn't design these stations to be modular. The lots won't be large anyway, the large station will be 6x4, the medium 4x2 (incl the track) and the small 4x1 (requiring no additional space). I will consider modifying them slightly so as to become modular (eg make segments exactly 16 or 8 meters long), otherwise it's nearly impossible to achieve a seamless effect. The lotmaker could place them in the lot editor and then use iLive to align them precisely. Using the Resource Key Type 4 property (to group more than one models in one exemplar) could prove helpful, however there's an awful bug, if you specify offsets to a model the model is displayed at the correct position, but its shadow is not moved, it is displayed always at offset 0,0,0. If someone knows how to overcome this it would be a great help.

[Adri1 4]

Hello Cogeo!!!

I download your latest lots, they aree very good!!!But i have a problem with your other lots

Warehouses BATProps Part A 

Warehouses BATProps Part B

I can't see these lots in my game!!!Thanks 

PS:Sorry for my bad english, i am french!^^

[vester_DK 477]

Well Adri1. The key word in those downloads are Props. Props are are not lots, but stuff that goes on Lots. You need to download the lot's which can be found in the download: Logoistics Centres MegaPack.

cogeo: That station looks promising.

[Adri1 4]

Ah ok!!Thank you very much Vester!!!!Thanks!!!

Bon Boulot Cogeo!!!Good Work Cogeo!!!

[cogeo 960]

Hi again,

I have been working on the stations, and the models are now almost ready. The materials I used where marble metal and glass. Here are some pics.

And some night views.

The extra feature of these BATs is that they are semitransparent, ie they allow the lot's textures, props and automata to show through. With a combination of specially designed LODs and tweaking the blending parameters it is feasible to achieve real, working (semi)transparency. For example, the rail tracks are not modelled, they are simply the lot textures. And of course the train is visible, as well as the kinetic sculpture and people props.

Very few details are yet to be fixed, eg some improvements in nightlighting (I want the trains inside the station look lit too), some minor glitches and the problem with the shadows. I would like to ask some help, if someone knows how to fix this: I have used the Resource Key Type 4 property to group some models together. This works, but there is a problem too, only the first model casts a shadow (though the Is Ground Model property has been set). As you can see in the images, only the roof casts a shadow, not the walls. I don't know how to fix this, maybe a better description of how the Resource Key Type 4 property exactly works could help. I have also seen that this property is often used together with property Resource Key Type 4xm, which I have no idea what it really does.

As soon as these are fixed the models will be released, and a set of rail and GLR stations. There are going to be a large station, a medium one (the small model with a parking row) and a rail stop (the small model placable directly on the track, no parking facilities).

I would welcome any comments, ideas or suggestions on the models themselves as well as the lots. Please don't comment these planters, I only placed them to test the LODs, they are going to be removed.

Awaiting your feedback.

[cammo2003 20]

Don't forget to whack in some stairs going under the platforms. The inner platforms need to be accessible by a route other than across the tracks. A couple of other suggestions would be platform edge markings (most places have these). I'd also suggest enlarging the platforms slightly. There's a rather large gap there. (some gap is fine, but you don't want too large a gap).

Sorry, I'm a pedantist, and a gunzel to boot. I notice such things...

[cogeo 960]

@cammo: some stairs are going too be added, only they aren't yet made; they will be separate props, rather than modelled in the platforms. Yes it would be possible to add some markings too. I also have some lights, but they are only visible through the openings, probably I need to enhance them by a factor of 2 of 3, as they need to be visible through the semitransparent glass. What gap are you talking about? The trains nearly touch the platforms, just all these pics show trains serviced by the platform at the rear, maybe this confuses you? Otherwise pls tell me which pic you are talking about.

[Swamper77 90]

Originally posted by: cogeo

I would like to ask some help, if someone knows how to fix this: I have used the Resource Key Type 4 property to group some models together. This works, but there is a problem too, only the first model casts a shadow (though the Is Ground Model property has been set). As you can see in the images, only the roof casts a shadow, not the walls. I don't know how to fix this, maybe a better description of how the Resource Key Type 4 property exactly works could help. I have also seen that this property is often used together with property Resource Key Type 4xm, which I have no idea what it really does.quote>

Cogeo,

The Resource Key Type 4xm property is used to call the mirrored models of objects. The crossing gates used at the railroad crossings and the street lights are good examples of how it is used. The other Resource Key Type #xm do the same thing: referencing mirrored models. The only times that props get mirrored (that I know of) are on network tiles (Type 21 exemplars).

-Swamper77

[tag_one 133]

wow looks very nice, I like the style of the building. great work on the LODs by the way

[6459978. 106]

Interesting.... You explained how you got the transparency of the roof, but I still don't understand. Whenever I've tried to make something transparent to the world around it, it always ends up 100% transparent. Is there a trick to this?

[cogeo 960]

@swamper: Thank you for your info. Do you have any link to some sticky thread, tutorial, document etc? I still can't get rid of the shadows problem. Of course I could simply make each model a separate prop, as a last resource, or even try to combine the S3D files, but combining them by using the Resource Key Type 4 property would be the best solution.

@6459978.: As said above, each component (roof, walls, platform) is a separate model, so that the interior is hollow and the props etc in there are not inside the lodshell of any model. There is also another reason, the "real" 3D object displayed at runtime is the lodshell (usually a box) and all gmax "objects" are actually projected on it. So in the first pic, for example, if the whole station was a single model, the rear and central platforms would be projected on the upper face of the box (lodshell), while the front one on the front face. This would cause them to look like being above the trains! Thus the stations you see are not single models, they consist of multiple models, each one exported separately. The small station consists of 7 models (1 roof + 4 walls + 2 platforms), while the big one of 8 (1 more platform). For the semitransparency to work you have to tweak the blending parameters, as the default parameters set by BAT either draw an object at 100% opacity or the object is not drawn at all (if opacity is below 50%). The only chance to have some semitransparency working is to have another object of the same model displayed behind the semitransparent object. But by changing these parameters you can make it work the way you like, ie draw it with the correct opacity no matter what is behind (texture, prop etc). I'm still trying to make this work correctly and fix some problems I encounter, so I'm going to explain this after I'm finished.

[Swamper77 90]

Cogeo,

I don't have a link to any threads. I've only learned what I know from what I have studied in the game's own files. I would recommend making the objects as separate props anyways. I have seen some people create some interesting stuff when they combine various props together. I can only imagine what they can make with that roof prop of yours.

-Swamper77

[6459978. 106]

Thanks, I'd be interested in hearing more about your transparency method, since this has always been a great annoyance to me. I can think of several places where transparency would be desired; glass structures for sure, but also as guy-wires for antennas and things that always show up too thick and pixelated in the game.

[SimFox 804]

Cogeo: this is so smart!

[bixel 1,228]

Very interesting, Its seems you have broken new ground here!

[cogeo 960]

The BATs are now near completion. There are only needed some details on the platforms and some few special props. However the "shell" is done.

Could anybody with a nVidia graphics card test this please? I have an ATI card and I'm not sure if the modified models work on both systems the same.

[cogeo 960]

Anybody? The models are now ready, they only need to be tested on nVidia graphics cards before releasing them.

[toxicpiano 125]

I don't see why they wouldn't work, surely it would only depend on the spec of the card that would effect it?

[cogeo 960]

toxicpiano, this is not a usual BAT, it's heavily modded, and there are some noticable differences between ATI and nVidia cards behaviour, eg the props that temporarily disappear during dragging (ATIs only). If this was a normal BAT it would work the same but who knows if this special BAT will work the same (which I hope anyway), sometimes the graphics card or even the DirectX version or settings can cause issues.

[BerlinDude 14]

I got an quite old nVidia card (a GeForce4 Ti 4400) and would like to test these babies - if you tell me if I have to look for any special things or behaviours.

You can send them to me via berlin_dude@arcor.de

[+Guest]

Computer moron alert:I do ye know which Graphic Card ye has installed?.

[jackel.22 3]

and again the thing that people thought was impossible is mastered, grats cogeo

[SHADD0W09 2]

nice love the props and stations for on that cant get his head around the bat thanks

[SC4BOY 21]

A silly question: Can the stations be accessed from any side? or do they have to be accessed from one side only (I mean where do the roads have to touch the stations to work) .. Fantastic work! I love it when someone thinks outside the box.. seems to me you've thought completely without the box..

The reason I ask is I love stations that are flexible for road access.. Is it possible for example to have road access from the road crossing the tracks?

[cogeo 960]

@SC4BOY: What is posted on the STEX now are only the BATs (prop), I'm still working on the lots. Thanks for your tip, I will make sure that all stations will do have access from all sides. Even the small station, which will be completely on-track will also work this way. I'll also attempt to disallow transit switches (rail<->pedestrian) for the tracks touching the station, which is now the case for many train stations.