Thingfishs is having a B.A.T Downunder (wanna take a look)

[jdenm8]

Well, I can't speak of other The Fridge stores (That was the only one I knew of) but that one did* have a Drive-Thru, it just wasn't really visible from the road. You can just see the awning slightly further west down the road.

*did in the fact that that building no longer exists.

[thingfishs]

You're most welcome drunky As much as I mainly love having real world businesses in game, it's been fun creating a new one. It can also be fun resurrecting them, as is the case with "The Fridge Barn". Thanks for the suggestion jdenm8; although little like the actual building, at least the logo and colours are there.

[jdenm8]

Believe me, it's my pleasure.
Those Dan Murphy's/Harry Brown's/So-On Liquor Supermarkets are too common for my tastes.

You've done an excellent job on all the buildings here.

[thingfishs]

Thanks a lot jden mate , although there will be a Dan Murphys as well (there's no escape... )


Here's another one you requested, and almost the first actually finished one, Cellarbrations.

It has, as jmyers suggested (thanks, and great sign btw), all HD signage, some of which is "internally lit" at night. The problem is this black line running through one of the HD renders on the side of the building. Does anyone know what this is? At first I thought it might be a tessellation line but it's in the model.

   



 

Zoom 6/HD - The black line can be seen in the day shot, diagonal across the three ads.

[thingfishs]

well maybe the black line was just a glitch as it didn't re-occur. Here is another brand, becoming ubiquitous in parts of Australia, Dan Murphys:

 



Z6/HD

[Earth quake]

Really great gas station. 

[Aldini10]

Wow! I say these are exquisite buildings you are creating here. I cannot wait until they are released!

[jmyers2043]

Hey Thingfish .. How about a couple of sign making ideas!? Hope you don't mind.

A cement foundation at the base. I also made a flange and simulated some bolts using cylinders. Basic shapes. Nothing fancy. At the top I used a box to simulate a square flange then made some cross members. The horizontal members are boxes with 10 length segments. The diagonals are lines with the mesh function turned on. The diameter of the mesh is .1, the number of sides is 4 and I used a 45 degree rotation. Remember the 10 lenght segments? I used those as vertex points when making the line. And quick as a wink my line looks like several diagonal boxes but the time gmax'ing was only a fraction of a minute.   



I used a pair of boxes for each sign. The back of the sign has a sheet metal texture but wood would also work. The second square is slightly smaller and presto ... a border or frame around the sign surface.



Additional details could be some spot lights. A utility or junction box at the base where the workers make electrical connections.

Good Luck.


- Jim

[thingfishs]

Really great gas station. 

As someone rightly pointed out over at ST, only as fuel for humans.  Those are drive through alcohol shops, something that prior to making them, I assumed were common everywhere. As it turns out Australians are a bunch of lazy pissheads, who would've thought.


Thanks aldini and thanks heaps for that jmyers , you can make custom tutorials for me anytime.
Agreed, my signs there are a bit basic (a box and a pole). I've been adamant for a long time that Shottesbrooke, my first BAT, would be my first release.
Now that said release is upon us I can get around to finishing off the pile of other things I have that are nearly done (including those poles).



Well the big day has finally arrived, I can't quite believe it.

A short chronology of the project:


late oct. 09: Perhaps the most exciting moment I have ever experienced in SC4 creation, the first time I got my first BAT to appear in game.


12/11/09: The state of the winery a week or so later when I first posted for help here at SC4D


23/11/10: The finished product

A huge thanks to Dobs (dobdriver/drunkapple) (LEGEND) who has performed miracles in getting this thing ready for release; dude, you've got to come and visit shottesbrooke one day for some serious drinking.

Plus here is a copy of the other thanks from the readme, I owe all you guys and girls a drink (come and visit Shottesbrooke anytime!)

Where do I begin... In the first place enormous thanks goes to those that helped me through the painful process of learning to BAT. Absolute numero uno in this was gottago. (LEGEND) Special thanks also to jmyers, couchpotato, cogeo and kwakelaar for their mountains of help and advice.

Thanks to Barby for advice and some mod work, such as the naming and organising of the props.
 
On top of that thanks to joelyboy911, Adroman, hooha47, mattb325, T Wrecks, Xxdita, tag_one, jasoncw, Diggis, Choco, Orange_o, Ripplejet, Puresim and mrdazza for help in my threads (and elsewhere).
 
Thanks to Girafe from team TSC for his excellent red tractor model (with night lights).

And lastly thanks to anyone I've forgotten.


On the STEX shortly...

[deadwoods]

Those bottle shops look great! 

Love the roof texture; much better than the one's I used. The colours and logos turned out well, esp. the CellarBrations, Dan Murphy's and the blue one (we don't have that brand around here). Are they growable in a building family (means you can't use a separate prop sign, but that's no biggie)?

[Girafe]

What a pleasure to see this vinery finally ready to get uploaded
special thanks to you 

ps: one day I will make HD vines, it will be extra with the vinery 

[jdenm8]

and the blue one (we don't have that brand around here)

Ha ha, yeah. The Fridge was gobbled up by the larger mobs years ago. I get the feeling that that one I pointed out was the last one.
They had that ad where people would bring in all kinds of meals and the guy behind the counter would give them drinks to match. That was until the old woman with the Chihuahua

That particular one was demolished and there's a Dan Murphy's Liquor Supermarket there now.

[thingfishs]

thanks guys

I've spent the last 24 hours trying in vain to get the winery uploaded to the STEX.  I've tried three different internet connections, various ways of reformatting and repackaging it - but the uploading please wait dialog just never goes away. (all this after successfully uploading the TD essentials pack)

Girafe: It sure will be, when it finally happens. I did promise HD vines to manchou at one point as well..

deadwoods: Thanks, I'm glad you like them (they are, after all, our offspring ) The bottle shops haven't quite been finished off and at this point are all separate. I think I'm inclined to keep it like this though so people can pick and choose what brands they want (especially if the bottle shops in general are growing like weeds). Plus I'll be able to have separate signs.

Has anyone had similar symptoms when trying to upload to the STEX? Any help will be repaid in ways best not mentioned publicly. 

[mrbisonm]

Good Grief....I don't believe it. You've done it!
Wow, that was faster than mine.....lol. I know, a little sarcastic but still, I'm not better at all. I have BATs out there in my computer since 5 years, waiting for me to find the time and will to finish them......omg .

Great, glad that you made it. I have been keeping an eye on this project, although I have never commented, I came regularily to see what you're up to. You can be proud, having started from nothing (not even knowing BATting) to finishing a great BAT that you can now upload. Congrats, and don't stop now, I'll keep watching....

Fred


EDIT: Downloaded....looks great, it will be in my MD soon! Thanks.

[thingfishs]

Good Grief....I don't believe it. You've done it!

Yes.. I.. did...





um, actually I didn't. Dobs logged in as me and got it to upload, but that's neither here or there now...

Shottes is on the STEX

Thanks Mr. Bison, I don't believe it either. Cheers for the support. 

And please let me know when the winery appears in your MD, that would be cool to see.

[dobdriver]

Yes.. I.. did...

Yes you did, and congratualations too. What a fine achievement and a great addition to my game, Thankyou old mate. I did at times wonder if it would make it and I am really glad that all the hard yards you put into it did not go to waste.

Well done Things. Here's to many more. We will have to get on the piss one day!!

[mightygoose]

good work, and about bloody time.

[thingfishs]

good work, and about bloody time.

I'll say.

Here are some simple shops I've made, not quite done yet, but most of the way. They are slightly oversized still, some will get some roof junk, and some colours will be desaturated. Also my verandahs are too wide and the occasional street lamp pokes through them. As always, constructive advice is much appreciated.

These are all RL businesses from around Adelaide (Australia). The actual business I modelled is Absolute Value Clothing - the rest are reskins of that. There is so much variety in commercial areas and these will just add a little more to the mix (these are all 1x1 and I will probably make versions of each for 1x3 which is even rarer).

I do intend to do at least a few more for the pack and will happily consider any requests for LW-MW aussie stores that might fit this format.

From L-R

CIBO (Cafe) 

Wog in a Box (italian fast food)

Absolute Value Clothing (recycled clothing)

Pumps and Systems (they sell pumps, and possibly systems)

Mac Alert (mac computer sales)

Oh and these shops are all painted single bright colours; that's what caught my eye and made me take a picture of them (as I was driving past...)

[deadwoods]

Nice!

[thingfishs]

Thanks deadwoods - with all our work combined the streets are really starting to look fair dinkum.





This project has grown to the point I now have 20 businesses to bring to the game. These are all RL businesses - some are one off, local stores; some are national chains and one at least (fujifilm) is international. I have discovered many of these taking photos as I drive around the city - not a practice I necessarily recommend, but very fruitful.

There are still some finishing touches to be done but these are basically how they will appear. Some extra roof junk will be added to a few buildings, a couple of the windows desaturated...

What I am most curious to hear people's opinions on is whether any of these should be lotted as other than LW. In the case of CIBO coffee for eg., it is certainly not LW in RL - but the buildings will probably fit in better in game using LW. What do people think?

I intend to turn these into 1x1, 1x2, 1x3 and possibly 1x4 lots (it might be unlikely in RL but there's just not enough options for this kind of zoning in game (at the LW end of the spectrum that is).



1. Amcal Chemist  2. Absolute Value Clothing  3. Cheap as Chips (discount variety store/$2 shop) 4. Cheques Cashed 5. CIBO Cafe



6. Flinders Bakery  7. Con & Poppy's Snack Bar  8. Smokemart (cigarettes)  9. Jack's Fish & Chips  10. EB Games (video games)



11. Wog in a Box (italian fast food)  12. Video Ezy (video rental)  13. Got One (fishing supplies)  14. Pumps & Systems (plumbing supplies) 15. Newsagent



16. MacAlert (macintosh products)  17. Fujifilm (photo processing & printing)  18. Dick Smith Electronics  19. Crazy Johns (mobile phones)  20. Copyfax (printing)


and here's a shot of a row of them in a city:



Any feedback welcomed