CDI_spy

Hi all, I'm quite an experienced Simcity 4 user but I've never encountered this before, and I was wondering if any of you had. Basically, I just started playing again (after about a year off) when I saw the new May 2010 NAM release. I put together a pretty good light-rail (subway/el/GLR) network, which seemed to run quite efficiently. One of my branches passes through Downtown and it transitions from el to subway. (These two networks obviously existed pre-NAM, after Rush Hour's release, so they are Maxis' creation.) So, I pop in a subway-to-el transition. I let the game run, so that my citizens get used to the new mass transit options. Then, I noticed something peculiar. Then, I let the game run at least 3-4 game years before wondering what was up. So, here it is... Most of my subway-to-el transition work fine; according to Route Query, the same number of trains leave the el network and enter the subway network. But on this particular branch, 1000-some subway passengers enter the transition and only 12 come out on the El side. Which tells me that everything is connected and all is working fine and dandy. It also seems that there are approximately 900-1000 people that "enter" and "exit" the transition by car or by foot. Since the transition just happens to be next to a road, is it possible that the game is treating it as some kind of station ?! I could maybe supply a picture later, if you guys would be interested.

Well, I sorta felt like doing a bit of 3D modelling... so I revved up the BAT and gave another go at the Richardson Building. And then, I completely deleted my plugins file, uninstalled Simcity 4, reinstalled the game, and now, I'm very selective with my downloading, which makes the game speed is tolerable (I'm now enjoying the rediscovery part of playing Simcity for the first time in a year-ish). Which brought me back to the Simtropolis community. I'm hoping to at least tie up a few loose threads (a.k.a. finish most of my unfinished or unsatisfactory BATs) and maybe do a few more, if I have the time. Anyways, for those who don't know me, I started out by creating this monstrosity. Then, a long while later, I decided to launch the Winnipeg Re-creation Project (WRP). It seems a bit ambitious now, I probably got overwhelmed or disinterested or something, but we churned out a few BATs... some mediocre, some excellent. Mine are the mediocre ones, but I still like them a lot: Richardson v1 and v1.1 CanWest Global Place (Former TD Centre) Commodity Exchange Tower My first project this time around is to completely remake the Richardson and call it a version 2. I might remake the other ones, but not before I finish a few buildings that I already started. One that I finished but never released, to the great dismay of, well, a few people, was this gem of mine (for the WRP)... I put a lot of effort into this one... The Electric Railway Chambers That one is one of the loose threads I was talking about earlier... I'm going to get that modded and lotted and out to you guys as quickly as possible. I definately want to finish the MailQuick Building, a fictional tower of my own design. I'm also pretty sure I'll finish this fictional design by Mat_Lab, one of the founding partners in SYM Prod. And this one, the Atajanabouboun Hotel and Casino has been thrown into the "maybe" pile. One thing I really want to do is capitilize on the popularity and the unique ideas that stemmed from SYM Productions' Skywalk Series (original idea by 1ajs). I hope to design and release more models and other overpass networks like the industrial supply lines suggested by frndofyaweh. And hey, who knows, if I'm enjoying BATting and the projects listed above are complete, I might model more Winnipeg buildings... Cheers all, glad to be back!

I dunno about you guys, but I'm now way more excited about Beatles' Rock Band than Cities XL. At least we know there isn't much Rock Band can do wrong. Maybe we have quite high expectations for Cities XL (expectations that Simcity 4 + the ST community set for us), but Monte Cristo has not fulfilled any of them.

It's just a question of taking a few hours to finish this, yes, I know... But I haven't been able to find the time! I'll be back this weekend, when my christmas holidays kick in. Until then, I'll be finishing up with the ridiculous piles of work due this week. See you guys then

Alright so I guess the only solution is to make the window frames thicker (I'm just repeating what you just said)... no problem!

After exporting my model in high quality: I'm getting craggly night windows on some parts of my building, like so: I'm also getting some little discrepancies and off-sets... they are most obvious in the vertical pillars in this picture. Any possibilities? I always reset my cameras and LODs before exporting.

Uhh... tested it this morning... results aren't fantastic, but respectable... I think I'll need some guidance in the re-rendering. These in-game pictures were taken in two different places. One has a Winnipeg-resembling avenue corner, the other has lots of other towers. First, I realized that the window frames aren't thick enough... we can't see them all, and it looks ridiculous. Second, there are a lot of discrepancies in the final model: The night textures in this picture... The little rendering off-sets (mostly evidenced in the vertical window pillars)... But, otherwise, things look pretty good: The ground floor details are there... The purple night lights look great... And overall... Help? Comments?

I started it, then needed the computer so I stopped it, then forgot to put it back on last night before I went to bed, so I'm going to try to not forget it tonight...

Jason: Lol I guess you're right... I'm sorta impatient though... I'm so close to the end... Pogo: *Gasp!* Pogo??? How are you, man? It's been a while!

Lol I will... I'll release the building as 3x3 growable first. Then, I'll work on the ploppable versions' lots for a while because I want to get the lot just right and as close to real as possible. That means modeling all the little statues and props around the base of the building, like the sign and christmas tree. Rendering of the building begins now.

Corrected the railing colour, added some stair supports, but umm... I refreshed the lighting rig, but there are no visible changes. Could you guys be more specific about the weird shadows and how I could correct them? Here is another little detail that I will be releasing as a prop (it's the Christmas tree of lights in front of the Richardson). I've rendered it with a not-to-scale SC4 tile texture in the background so you can see the black wires and such during the day: T Wrecks: It's never left my mind; I keep gaping at the masterpiece I have created with you guys' massive help and support; I now know how to perfect my textures and delight in every little detail!

Re-adjusted the roof textures a bit, changed the "window toppings" on the Steakhouse & Bar's windows to more realistic rectangles and, most importantly, re-modeled the two stairways in the pit + railings. Click for larger pic (south): East roof view:

Pip is right Fox, it looks like a real asian city. It has that overwhelming array of nightlights stereotypical of asian downtowns and the choice of BATs is exquisite. You construct your city-scapes very realistically and very beautifully!

Hmm... it's a possibility... And is the roof of the Richardson any better?

Now for a little change of pace; I've been finishing up this edifice, called the Electric Railway Chambers, from Winnipeg's historical Exchange District. Comments? South East North West EDIT: Fixed the ladder to make it a bit smaller, and retextured the antennas.

GORGEOUS lot, Jason! I really want that one!

Simply beautiful! However, I don't think I could ever manage to spend so much contiguous time on a BAT; I don't know how you do it...

Gorgeous! It looks like every small-town canadian federal government building there's ever been; especially similar to the one in Banff. Love the lot too; very well done.

Lol thanks for pointing that out, Jason. I realised that I spaced the ladder rungs a meter a part (which wasn't my intention). But what are wrong with the railings? They're one and a half meters tall... And what exactly do you mean by edging? Weathering?

Err... double post. But it's been a while. New roof junk textures and details... what say you? South and West North and East EDIT:

That's insanely gorgeous, or gorgeously insane, however you want to look at it. Aesthetic value is through the roof, anyways.

Gorgeous stuff, spa. Your small shops add so much variety (good, detailed variety) to the game's buildings.

Very nice! Great detail, realistic and colourful. Love it!

Oh man, autovino, I love the stairs, but sadly, they really don't seem to go with the building. However, you should definately use those stair models in other, more modern, BATs. As for the building's textures, maybe you should slightly exaggerate the bump map so we can really see the bricks, and maybe add a very slight gradient from bottom to top (at a casual glance, it looks covered in a bland white right now) Now, for the industrial tank-thing: I'm not a lighting specialist (I'll leave that to Simfox, I don't have a clue), so I'll just say that I love your industrial building; the new textures and the intricate detail are impressive!

AJ: Hmm... I'll try that. It might work. T Wrecks: I used Simtropolis' Tools randomize function to create my night windows, by selecting some story's windows and varying the lighting percentage (sometimes 80, sometimes 40) which made them turn out the way they did. However, you're very right about the corner offices, I'd never thought about that, and correcting that problem will certainly produce that reaction among the people you mentioned; which exactly what I want. And all those other suggestions are golden! I'll try all those and get back to you.