Odd from Sweden

Simborgeous, I recieved Your letter concerning the legal concerns on this matter. My legal advisors has now thoroughly investigated this matter and they withhold the legacy of the paragraph in our federal law, in which such infrigment as mentioned are subject of public prosecution. However, a matter of this kind has not been processed in Sim Nations Surpreme Court since Brugesian times. An appeal would be a process of several years and not a tenable solution to this issue. I have therefore been advised to investigate the possibilities to set up a local office in Belleville to look after my interests, and at the same time hopefully have the opportunity of new business openings in the region around Belleville. Therefore, my humble question for You, mayor Simborgeous is if my company could set up an office in Belleville. This would give Your city yet anoter unique arcitectural highlight and provide Your citizens with high-quality architectural designs in all occuring building styles. Best regards, Odd

Well Mayor Simbourgeios, I must say that Your city is very good looking... MAYBE A LITTLE TOO GOOD . I can see quite a few buildings built after drafts from my architectural office in the city. But, as I checked with my bank this very morning, there are no licensing fees paid by Your city, nor by the beloved inhabitants of Yours. This violates federal Sim Nation Law 345

May I point out that p2h5

What You describe is no problem: https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//ubahn-gothic.jpg align=baseline> If You do not see this, then it is probably because of your graph card setup, GMAX settings or there alike. How does it look when you render?

Brtim This is just a guess, but when it comes to texture handling BAT only cares about the first eight digit in the file name so if You have textures called mycustomroof and mycustomwall, the render will mess up because BAT thinks that there are two files sharing the same name mycustom. Maybe BAT makes thise file handling error in more places. Therefore, I would suggest that You always use file names with significance in the first eight letters, like balt01rowhouse balt02rowhouse and so on. Maybe You do not remember the good old days before windows 98 came out, then file names could be only eight digits with a three digit extension. In BAT (and I guess other programs too), some code from the dinosaur age still is used that only cares about eight digits in the file names. So make this eight digit significance to a rule whatever you are doing on your computer.

Integrate, just to clearify what Underworld said, You can light LIGHTS through a transparent object. On the contrary, nightlight TEXTURES are not visible through transparent objects. Also notice that a plane textured only on one side is fully shine-through from the un-textured side and out.

If anyone is interested in my shut up sign, the Gmax file is attached to this post. Use it as is, change it or just have a look how You can make night lighted items. Anything goes, be my guest.

Here is my sign suggestion: https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//shutupp.jpg align=baseline>

This is a really great looking building! May I only say that the windows look a bit dead. I would suggest that You used a map for the window plane instead of a plain colour. I made this a long time ago after some guy at Maxis explained how they made their window reflections. If You look in the game, most default buildings have window reflections of this kind. Feel free to try this: https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//window2.jpg align=baseline>

BIWDC, First, since You have got such a low resolutoin screen, I suggest that You maximize Your working view with button 1 (the same button will bring back the four views whenever You like) Then, press button 2 and use this tool to pan around in the 3D view. Happy batting! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//helpperspective.jpg align=baseline>

For that sign the nightligting textures is not the best choice. I would recommend that You use directional nightlights and use the near and far attenuation settings only to light certain parts of the sign, you might also have to change the round light cone to a rectangular. This is how nice it can be: https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//lights.jpg align=baseline>

To do this:http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/6690/22224lr.jpg align=baseline> on all the objects that form the roof, just grup them before you scale.

Looks good, but the roof incline does not match the original building yet. Do remember that heigths must be overexaggerated 150% to look good in BAT. The original building has about 45 degrees incline so the BAT should have some 67,5 degrees...

Brtim2, the problem with successful renders only at some zoom levels seem quite common. I got it the first time I tried BAT. I remember having created a small building wit one door and one night ligt and nothing much more and I was very proud and satisfied... rendered, got it into the plugin manager and . I got some advice here in the forums and re-scaled the building to 102% (i guess 98% had been just as good) and exported it again and it was all good. Try that first. Second, try importing the whole thing into a new fresh file, refit LODs and export. Those methods eliminate 90% of all rendering problems. Good luck, You will make it!

Glenni, great building for a BAT! Just think of one thing! When You see the building from the ground like in Your pics, the sky is reflected in the glass. But when You see the building from the sky (like in Sim City), the ground is reflected in the glass. Many Sim City buildings (even including some Maxis ones!!) have reflections of sky and clouds in the window but that is totally wrong! You never see that in an aerial view! Example: https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//nosky.jpg align=baseline>

Aaron, pictures here may be max 800x600 pixels. Edit Your post before some admin comes and deletes your pics!

First, I must agree wit JaWood, take your time! This is no 100 meters world record fight :-) Then, I must say that You have got the colours very good. When I make my buildings I test the colours by cutting out the render and paste it in my test file. The test file contains one very pale building by Porkissimo and one very bright and colourful by Erdmoebel. A good building has its colour sceme somewher inbetween those extremes. Your building is more bright like the Erdmoebel building but that is just like it should be, it should have a full, strong 1970s-like colour sceme. https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//hojdjamforelse%20copy.jpg align=baseline>