SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

City Showcase (All games welcome) => Mayors' Diaries => Topic started by: vortext on May 31, 2013, 11:31:03 PM

Title: ÆRDEN ~ new streets!
Post by: vortext on May 31, 2013, 11:31:03 PM
(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/fc6nziwq2gnfx1a/Banner.jpg)


Hi there and welcome to my Mayor Diary. Below you'll find the table of contents for your browsing convenience, or you could just start reading from here onwards. Either way, enjoy!

[tabular type=4]
[row][head]Date[/head][head]Contents[/head][/row]
[row][data]June 1 2013[/data][data]Introduction to ÆRDEN[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 8 2013[/data][data]Replies & a few words on Seasonal Flora Timing (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg461318#msg461318)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 15 2013[/data][data]the Zodiac (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg461800#msg461800)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 22 2013[/data][data]Replies & old gifs (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg462370#msg462370)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 28 2013[/data][data]Replies to the Replies (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg462760#msg462760)[/data][/row]
[row][data]July 6 2013[/data][data]Potyomkins' Travel part 1 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg463292#msg463292)[/data][/row]
[row][data]July 21 2013[/data][data]Replies & seasonal mmps (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg464151#msg464151)[/data][/row]
[row][data]August 10 2013[/data][data]Potyomkins' Travel part 2 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg465334#msg465334)[/data][/row]
[row][data]August 31 2013[/data][data]Replies & more mmps (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg466661#msg466661)[/data][/row]
[row][data]September 21 2013[/data][data]Texture Talk (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg467877#msg467877)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 3 2013[/data][data]Potyomkins' Travel part 3 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg470558#msg470558)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 14 2013[/data][data]OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg471778#msg471778)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 26 2013[/data][data]OSITM Feature: Replies & more (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg472787#msg472787)[/data][/row]
[row][data]December 1 2013[/data][data]OSITM Feature: Enseade (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg473139#msg473139)[/data][/row]
[row][data]December 24 2013[/data][data]Texture Talk 2 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg474927#msg474927)[/data][/row]
[row][data]January 8 2014[/data][data]Replies (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg475692#msg475692)[/data][/row]
[row][data]February 12 2014[/data][data]Texture Talk 3 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg477488#msg477488)[/data][/row]
[row][data]April 12 2014[/data][data]Current Affairs (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg479566#msg479566)[/data][/row]
[row][data]May 12 2014[/data][data]Replies & Tidbits (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg480597#msg480597)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 1 2014[/data][data]One Year Anniversary (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg481316#msg481316)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 15 2014[/data][data]Replies and then some (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg481849#msg481849)[/data][/row]
[row][data]September 4 2014[/data][data]Historic Harbor Release! (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg485292#msg485292)[/data][/row]
[row][data]September 13 2014[/data][data]Replies & sidewalk compliant props (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg485608#msg485608)[/data][/row]
[row][data]October 12 2014[/data][data]A brief geological history (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg486749#msg486749)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 3 2014[/data][data]Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg487398#msg487398)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 29 2014[/data][data]Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg488651#msg488651)[/data][/row]
[row][data]December 15 2014[/data][data]Even More Replies & Stuff (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg489233#msg489233)[/data][/row]
[row][data]February 12 2015[/data][data]a Year of RCI Development (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg491439#msg491439)[/data][/row]
[row][data]April 4 2015[/data][data]Current Affairs & Random Pics (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg493292#msg493292)[/data][/row]
[row][data]April 27 2015[/data][data]Base Textures Released! (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg493896#msg493896)[/data][/row]
[row][data]May 10 2015[/data][data]Replies & Hybrid T21 lots (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg494225#msg494225)[/data][/row]
[row][data]August 13 2015[/data][data]The Prop Pox Chronicles (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg497222#msg497222)[/data][/row]
[row][data]September 13 2015[/data][data]Grass & Dirt overlay textures released! (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg498379#msg498379)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 24 2015[/data][data]4-in-1 OSITM: Traelonisk: Ye Olde Tile (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg500886#msg500886)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 26 2015[/data][data]4-in-1 OSITM: Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg501032#msg501032)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 29 2015[/data][data]4-in-1 OSITM: Traelonisk - Work in Progress (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg501186#msg501186)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 30 2015[/data][data]4-in-1 OSITM: Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg501244#msg501244)[/data][/row]
[row][data]December 31 2015[/data][data]Replies and even more replies (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg502998#msg502998)[/data][/row]
[row][data]April 10 2016[/data][data]Current Affairs (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg508701#msg508701)[/data][/row]
[row][data]April 17 2016[/data][data]Replies & more BAT stuff (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg508906#msg508906)[/data][/row]
[row][data]May 4 2016[/data][data]Yet more Replies & BAT stuff (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg509356#msg509356)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 15 2016[/data][data]Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .  (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg509978#msg509978)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 25 2016[/data][data]Replies & Proper Teaser (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg510240#msg510240)[/data][/row]
[row][data]July 3 2016[/data][data]Replies & BAT Talk]Replies & BAT Talk (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg510374#msg510374)[/data][/row]
[row][data]September 21 2016[/data][data]4th year (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg512088#msg512088)[/data][/row]
[row][data]September 28 2016[/data][data]T21 mod & pic comp ramblings (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg512266#msg512266)[/data][/row]
[row][data]October 21 2016[/data][data]Replies! And picture competition musings (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg512940#msg512940)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 1 2016[/data][data]Traelonisk ~ Mosaics (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg513410#msg513410)[/data][/row]
[row][data]January 8 2017[/data][data]Traelonisk ~ Growing! (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg514877#msg514877)[/data][/row]
[row][data]January 29 2017[/data][data]Replies (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg515364#msg515364)[/data][/row]
[row][data]March 4 2017[/data][data]Replies & more growth (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg516108#msg516108)[/data][/row]
[row][data]November 4 2017[/data][data]an admittedly long overdue update (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg521667#msg521667)[/data][/row]
[row][data]December 22 2017[/data][data]winter update (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg522786#msg522786)[/data][/row]
[row][data]January 14 2018[/data][data]a proper winter update (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg523174#msg523174)[/data][/row]
[row][data]June 27 2019[/data][data]new streets! (https://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg532398#msg532398)[/data][/row]

[/tabular]



Now, I've got plenty of ideas for this MD and perhaps even more to say on what to expect but first things first. Without further ado I present you Ærden, in mint condition.


(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/3rdtnkpqn1rdojn/Aerden-Seasonal-Region.gif)

Please allow some time for this rather large gif file to load. Also, click to see full size.

Currently in its third iteration, Ærden is a bit of a Frankenstein as it consists of three different regions, each of which was selected for certain geographical features. See, despite the enormous amount of regions already available none were to my liking, which is kinda indicative for how I go about things. ;)

Anyway, the region as a whole has been manipulated a number of times to make for perfect building grounds, in theory at least. In practice. . . well, frankly I've yet to develop a decent region so only time will tell how far I'll make it this time around.

That's not to say my goals are any different, which is to create a thriving European metropolis and the hinterland, following natural-growth principles over a time-span roughly from the 11th century to the Interbellum.

In addition, I've got a few projects lined up in order to realize this grandiose region, which brings me to the next point. Over time I've found playing, lotting and modding kinda go together for me. So besides pretty pictures there'll be no shortage of wip pics & side-projects and as such, this MD will in part be a continuation of my former thread, Street Geekery (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=13223). For those unfamiliar I'd suggest to take a look to get an impression.

Alright, since it's quite a wall of text already with very few pictures, I'll discuss other ideas for this MD on a later date and instead provide you a sneak peek of what's to come in the near future.


(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/cu35cw1nj42gfw8/sneekpeak.jpg)


And with that the very first entry draws to a close. Onward to the next, when we'll have a closer look at pristine nature. 'till then, Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: woodb3kmaster on June 01, 2013, 12:48:55 AM
Just two pictures so far, but I can already tell that this MD will be a real treat, Erik. I can't get enough of that region view - at first, I was so busy examining all the geographic features on the map that I didn't notice the changing seasons, but boy, when I did... :o

The second picture is also very well done, and it looks like I'll learn a lot from following Ærden that I'll be able to use in Nyhaven. Suffice it to say that you've already earned one fan in me, my friend.

Looking forward to more soon!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Kergelen on June 01, 2013, 04:03:50 AM
Finally, vortext goes MDing!

This MD promises to be unique and fantastic considering that starts on the 11th and the work you have shown on the Street Greekery.
Both the gif and the picture are truly beautiful. &apls

The region is a good mix: mountains, flat lands, delta and wetlands.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Swordmaster on June 01, 2013, 04:35:40 AM
Okay, I think we can all close up shop now and sit with arms crossed on chairs waiting for your next update. Somebody rename Recently Published to This Is Where Vortext's MD Is, please.


Cheers
Willy


(And really, the gif, how did you do that?)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: art128 on June 01, 2013, 04:37:15 AM
I saw the region, I was impressed. Then I realized it was a gif. My jaw dropped.

Absolutely fantastic start.

Looking forward to what you have in your pockets!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Shroud on June 01, 2013, 04:51:21 AM
Beautiful pics! I really look forward to your MD Erik.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: sc-4 on June 01, 2013, 05:12:56 AM
You're region GIF is fabulous.
I just can't wait to see more :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: metarvo on June 01, 2013, 06:51:13 AM
Nice work, Erik!  :thumbsup:  It looks like this will be an interesting region with the varied terrain.  In the close-up shot, the wagon trail looks good.  I look forward to the next update.

Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: sunv123 on June 01, 2013, 06:51:31 AM
Alright, an MD from Vortext!

Lets see what amazing flora work you have in store for us... :D

(and that's one heck of a region :o)

Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: epicblunder on June 01, 2013, 07:49:21 AM
This is going to be good  ;D

which regions did you use to cobble together yours?  I feel i should recognize the mountains on the left.  And the river delta looks really, really familiar but i can't place it. 
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: nbvc on June 01, 2013, 10:56:37 AM
Great start. &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: eclipticalstorm on June 01, 2013, 12:22:27 PM
Oh my!  Your region is incredible and your natural landscapes are breathtaking!  I can't wait to see more!!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: FrankU on June 03, 2013, 03:04:58 AM
I always liked Street Geekery and something tells me this MD will be even more interesting.
Nice start.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Gugu3 on June 03, 2013, 06:22:39 AM
Very exciting project &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: kelis on June 03, 2013, 08:11:59 AM
Your region looks really good my friend !! I wish you a good luck with your new project and I hope that we can enjoy a lot with it. The picture is amazing too.

Great start my friend, keep up the good work  &apls &apls

# Jonathan
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Simcoug on June 03, 2013, 11:03:35 AM
An MD by Vortext?  At first I didn't believe it.  But then I saw the region pic changing seasons in front of my eyes  :o
I look forward to seeing how you transform this region over time (centuries!). 
Now... where's my popcorn.

(PS - I second Willy's remark... how did you do that .gif!?!)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: benedict on June 07, 2013, 07:21:51 AM
Fantastic opening of your MD. I really like your title image and font.

And congratulations, you've debuted at number one on Ben's Top Ten.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: 89James89 on June 07, 2013, 03:15:24 PM
lovely region and I'm very excited to hear that your going to be growing it as a natural growth log as they are by far my favourite style of Mayor Diaries.

The image with the cart and all the sloped forest looks amazing as well good job.

Looking forward to more.

James
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: vortext on June 08, 2013, 03:43:08 AM
  &bis& Thanks everyone for the amazing response!!   &bis&


Really, I feel humbled and frankly, a bit overwhelmed. Of course I expected some interest but not to debut at #1 in BTT, which is soley thanks to you!  &apls

Now you'll have to excuse me as I promised the next entry would be a little sightseeing tour throughout the region. However, it's not quite ready yet but at the same time I couldn't let this moment just pass by. So for today it'll be replies and by request a few words regarding the regional gif. And there's another seasonal gif at the end to make up for the false advertising.  :-[




* * * imagine fancy replies banner here * * *




Quote from: woodb3kmaster on June 01, 2013, 12:48:55 AM
Just two pictures so far, but I can already tell that this MD will be a real treat, Erik. I can't get enough of that region view - at first, I was so busy examining all the geographic features on the map that I didn't notice the changing seasons, but boy, when I did... :o

The second picture is also very well done, and it looks like I'll learn a lot from following Ærden that I'll be able to use in Nyhaven. Suffice it to say that you've already earned one fan in me, my friend.

Looking forward to more soon!

Thanks Zack! It'll be my pleasure if you take away some inspiration from my dabblings.

Quote from: Kergelen on June 01, 2013, 04:03:50 AM
Finally, vortext goes MDing!

This MD promises to be unique and fantastic considering that starts on the 11th and the work you have shown on the Street Greekery.
Both the gif and the picture are truly beautiful. &apls

The region is a good mix: mountains, flat lands, delta and wetlands.

Finally right?! Don't pin me down on the 11th century though. At first it just said from the Medieval Age onwards. However I realized this term alone spans a millennium, so then I picked a century more-or-less at random! As for the region, you've basically reproduced my wish list! ;D

Quote from: Swordmaster on June 01, 2013, 04:35:40 AM
Okay, I think we can all close up shop now and sit with arms crossed on chairs waiting for your next update. Somebody rename Recently Published to This Is Where Vortext's MD Is, please.


Cheers
Willy


(And really, the gif, how did you do that?)

Oh, it'll be a long time before rails are introduced, let alone RHW or a modern seaport and I really need some good examples beforehand!  ;)

Quote from: art128 on June 01, 2013, 04:37:15 AM
I saw the region, I was impressed. Then I realized it was a gif. My jaw dropped.

Absolutely fantastic start.

Looking forward to what you have in your pockets!

Thanks Arthur both for your kind words and the k-point. Guess all the effort that went into making it already paid off!

Quote from: Shroud on June 01, 2013, 04:51:21 AM
Beautiful pics! I really look forward to your MD Erik.

Thanks, glad you already liked that one picture!  :D

Quote from: sc-4 on June 01, 2013, 05:12:56 AM
You're region GIF is fabulous.
I just can't wait to see more :D

Thank you, stick around for more!

Quote from: metarvo on June 01, 2013, 06:51:13 AM
Nice work, Erik!  :thumbsup:  It looks like this will be an interesting region with the varied terrain.  In the close-up shot, the wagon trail looks good.  I look forward to the next update.

Thanks! You're right, there're a lot of interesting places, some of which I even haven't explored yet!

Quote from: sunv123 on June 01, 2013, 06:51:31 AM
Alright, an MD from Vortext!

Lets see what amazing flora work you have in store for us... :D

(and that's one heck of a region :o)

Hope todays gif is to your liking! The region isn't that big, I'll post specs some other time, too lazy to look it up now.  ;)

Quote from: epicblunder on June 01, 2013, 07:49:21 AM
This is going to be good  ;D

which regions did you use to cobble together yours?  I feel i should recognize the mountains on the left.  And the river delta looks really, really familiar but i can't place it.

I hope so!  :D The river delta is taken from Salt Lake City (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/26893-salt-lake-city-utah/), rotated and some features erased. The mountains in the lower left and right side are from Agia Triade (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/26234-agia-triada-greece/), which actually served as the foundation before severe cropping took place between 2nd and 3rd version. Mountains in the upper left corner are from Alps #13 (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/23971-alps-vol-13-zillertal/).

Quote from: nbvc on June 01, 2013, 10:56:37 AM
Great start. &apls

Thanks!

Quote from: eclipticalstorm on June 01, 2013, 12:22:27 PM
Oh my!  Your region is incredible and your natural landscapes are breathtaking!  I can't wait to see more!!!

Thank you!

Quote from: FrankU on June 03, 2013, 03:04:58 AM
I always liked Street Geekery and something tells me this MD will be even more interesting.
Nice start.

Thanks Frank, I hope eventually the region will reach modernity as I'm kinda looking forward to using your Dutch farms & rewards! Maybe I'll just relot them though.  ;)

Quote from: Gugu3 on June 03, 2013, 06:22:39 AM
Very exciting project &apls

It sure was exiting to start with! :D

Quote from: kelis on June 03, 2013, 08:11:59 AM
Your region looks really good my friend !! I wish you a good luck with your new project and I hope that we can enjoy a lot with it. The picture is amazing too.

Great start my friend, keep up the good work  &apls &apls

# Jonathan

Thank you Jonathan! Glad to have you around and I have this feeling our regions will have similar features. Polders anyone?!   ;)

Quote from: Simcoug on June 03, 2013, 11:03:35 AM
An MD by Vortext?  At first I didn't believe it.  But then I saw the region pic changing seasons in front of my eyes  :o
I look forward to seeing how you transform this region over time (centuries!). 
Now... where's my popcorn.

(PS - I second Willy's remark... how did you do that .gif!?!)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simpeg.com%2Fforum%2FSmileys%2Fcustom1%2Fpop2.gif&hash=c43c8b72522c2d9233071e1b66305250262fd876) There you go!  :D

I'm kinda curious myself as to how far things will progress. If history teaches anything, it is I've a tendency to start over every once in while.  ::)

Quote from: benedict on June 07, 2013, 07:21:51 AM
Fantastic opening of your MD. I really like your title image and font.

And congratulations, you've debuted at number one on Ben's Top Ten.

Thank you! Glad you like the banner, that pic actually provided the final push to start my MD as I thought it'd make for a good opening scene.

Quote from: 89James89 on June 07, 2013, 03:15:24 PM
lovely region and I'm very excited to hear that your going to be growing it as a natural growth log as they are by far my favourite style of Mayor Diaries.

The image with the cart and all the sloped forest looks amazing as well good job.

Looking forward to more.

James

Thanks James! Natural Growth was quite the trend a few years back though it seems to have gone a bit out of fashion nowadays. Time to bring it back!  ;)






Right, that were a lot of replies!  :D Thanks again!!  :thumbsup:

Now, how to go about making a seasonal, regional gif?! There're a couple of things that go into it.

First of all you'll need to spend some time treeing the region, obviously. Secondly you'll need Sawtooth's Region Census (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=913) to capture the entire region in the different seasonal stages. Finally you'll need to create a continuous gif out of the discrete stages. Sounds simple enough, though one can make it quite elaborate! ::)

Lets get started. Treeing a region is tedious no matter what, however, here're two tips which make it a little more convenient.


Either weigh it down physically, like so.
(https://u5tvza.bn1.livefilestore.com/y1puLiHQjB3FcpXk0WnUIOGZsUUpJC-Jg9F3DaII8Daodyu6-n6PQyN6TlzkP0iSPu42ZscSCY8xKD59rpU3Zm_y84FP0bjyuSM/00%20whatevermind%20floraing.jpg)
Picture by Epicblunder.

Otherwise check if your mouse happens to have programmable buttons (mine does (http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-mouse-m510)) and if so, see if you can assign some sort of lock function.

These two things combined will make for far easier treeing. In my case for instance, all I need to do is enter a tile, fast forward to 1 September, zoom out and hit the scrollwheel to start treeing, the entire tile all at once mind you! Then I leave it be for five minutes or so, come back and hit the scrollwheel once more to stop treeing. Easy, right?!

In fact a little too easy so once I had the easy-treeing-2013™ going I couldn't resist spicing it up a bit.  ;D

One thing that has always bothered me with seasonal flora is how seasons change all at once if you stick to September 1st as planting date. I wanted a more gradual change so after some consideration I settled for the scheme below.

[tabular type=8]
[row] [head]
Flora planted between
[/head][head]
Fall starts on
[/head][head]
Winter starts on
[/head][head]
Summer starts on
[/head][/row]

[row][data]
July 4 – August 3
[/data][data]
August 1st
[/data][data]
November 1st
[/data][data]
February 1st
[/data][/row]
[row][data]
August 4 – September 3
[/data][data]
September 1st
[/data][data]
December 1st
[/data][data]
March 1st
[/data] [/row]
[row][data]
September 4 – October 3
[/data][data]
October 1st
[/data][data]
January 1st
[/data][data]
April 1st
[/data] [/row]
[/tabular]

Given these dates seasons will change over a three month span. In addition flora retains one full month of autumn and winter livery, in October and January respectively. It may not be a completely natural pace but we all know sc4 is a game of compromises.

To make things even more interesting, I also let the game run on rhino speed while treeing and paused occasionally to accentuate a certain month. And why stick to just one tree controller, when you can use all three of them, right?!  ;)

So all things considered, does it still take a long time to tree the region? You bet! And in addition, the next item on the agenda will take a while to complete, too.

To capture the region in various seasonal states, you'll need the Region Census which I assume everyone is familiar with. Typically the region will already be in autumn livery to start with, so that's easy to capture. Then you'll need to go into every tile, fast forward to December and save-and-exit. Once finished, use the Region Census to capture the regional winter state. Rinse and repeat for the regional summer state. In the end you'll have at least three regional overviews.

Finally, the time has come to create the gif. Each seasonal state you just captured will serve as a frame in the animation. You can use a cross-fade in between frames for smooth transitions. There're only about a gazillion tools to make gifs so I've no advice which is best. All I can say is if you happen to have Photoshop, specifically an older version which still includes ImageReady, then that'll do just fine.

And that's about it! To conclude for today, here's another seasonal gif.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/3aui1t5sa1nnzse/seasons.gif)
Note how distinct flora patches differ in seasonal onset.

Alright, be sure to stick around for next update when we'll have a closer look at pristine nature (where did I hear that before?!). 'till then, Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Swordmaster on June 08, 2013, 05:49:38 AM
Ooh, mr Vortext got a fancy mouse, now now. ()stsfd()

Seriously though, I already have a hunch these won't be the last gifs we'll see (thanks for the explanation). Although, maybe make a video so you can add the sound of wind and birds? :D

Wonderful scene again. Looking forward to more. . . erm, pristine nature?


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Schulmanator on June 08, 2013, 07:01:58 AM
Great work on the seasonal pic You definitely have more patience than I do!!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: metarvo on June 08, 2013, 07:08:26 AM
I've never heard of varying planting times in SC4 until now (I have always been told "plant it on this date"), but it makes sense when you think about it.  In RL, plants have prime dates for planting.  Now, this works differently for SC4 plants, which are often full-grown fall varieties rather than new seeds.  The principle seems to be the same, though.  The result is quite convincing.  I look forward to more of this.

&apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Shroud on June 08, 2013, 07:50:29 AM
These seasonal gifs are awesome!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: whatevermind on June 08, 2013, 04:53:41 PM
I've wanted to get more gently varying seasons ever since I started playing around with your tree mod, but been too lazy to figure out the optimal planting schedule.

*bookmarked*

Thank you!  :thumbsup:
Title: ÆRDEN ~ the Zodiac
Post by: vortext on June 15, 2013, 03:59:23 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/DnpUvzR.jpg)


Today we'll have a look at the flora and fauna throughout the year, thus trailing the Zodiac - in case you had trouble reading the font.  ;)

Click the pictures to see them full size. Also note none are manipulated in any way. Enjoy!

1.01| Due to a recent earthquake (recent in geological terms) a number of mountain streams were obstructed and consequently a mountain lake formed. You could actually see one of the gorges which ran dry if it weren't for that rain cloud. Then again, it's reminder Ærden has a moderate climate and it rains a lot.

(https://i.imgur.com/ykTFjFY.jpg)



1.02| Moving down from mountain lake, which is still unnamed since it hasn't been discovered yet, we come across this valley where fresh green foliage signals the end of winter.

(https://i.imgur.com/at9fAdJ.jpg)



1.03| A bit further down still, we catch a glimpse of new born wildlife. A sure sign spring is well under way.

(https://i.imgur.com/5WDDrCr.jpg)



1.04| Finally we reach the valley floor where dense forests give way to oak clusters, intermingled with various deciduous trees.

(https://i.imgur.com/p894fEW.jpg)



1.05| An early summer morning casts long shadows over the mire, which in combination with the fog makes for an interesting, albeit slightly eerie visual spectacle.

(https://i.imgur.com/WlE4fu2.jpg)



1.06| In the heart of summer we find the shorelines teeming with wildflowers and numerous birds.

(https://i.imgur.com/AlgCujV.jpg)



1.07| Though at the end of summer and deep into the mountains we can find some wildflowers, too.

(https://i.imgur.com/cE257ax.jpg)



1.08| Then suddenly the days start to shorten again and rain showers seem to follow one after another.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZUihCGl.jpg)



1.09| However, given the right circumstances it can still get quite bright!

(https://i.imgur.com/6CJ23rF.jpg)



1.10| Enjoy this rare, calm and beautiful autumn evening.

(https://i.imgur.com/516b3e5.jpg)



1.11| What's all this then?! Yes, it'll snow from time-to-time though only on very rare occasions will snow last longer than a few hours before it melts away.

(https://i.imgur.com/aV7EjE3.jpg)



1.12| Finally we find ourselves in mid-winter again and the cycle can and will start all over next year.

(https://i.imgur.com/ozVbkgh.jpg)



That's it for now, I hope you enjoyed this little sightseeing tour! Get your hiking gear ready for next update (note to self; not to be confused with the next entry ;) ) when we'll venture into Ærden in earnest.




How about that replies banner!  $%Grinno$%




Quote from: whatevermind on June 08, 2013, 04:53:41 PM
I've wanted to get more gently varying seasons ever since I started playing around with your tree mod, but been too lazy to figure out the optimal planting schedule.

*bookmarked*

Thank you!  :thumbsup:

Glad you could take away something useful! And now that you've got it bookmarked I hope to see you around again!

Quote from: Shroud on June 08, 2013, 07:50:29 AM
These seasonal gifs are awesome!

Thanks! I like it as well!

Quote from: metarvo on June 08, 2013, 07:08:26 AM
I've never heard of varying planting times in SC4 until now (I have always been told "plant it on this date"), but it makes sense when you think about it.  In RL, plants have prime dates for planting.  Now, this works differently for SC4 plants, which are often full-grown fall varieties rather than new seeds.  The principle seems to be the same, though.  The result is quite convincing.  I look forward to more of this.

&apls

Thanks! The dates could even be extrapolated throughout the year, e.g. plant flora in February and winter will start in May and summer in August. Not sure why you would want to do that but you could!   :D

Quote from: Schulmanator on June 08, 2013, 07:01:58 AM
Great work on the seasonal pic You definitely have more patience than I do!!!
One tile at a time!  :D Thanks.

Quote from: Swordmaster on June 08, 2013, 05:49:38 AM
Ooh, mr Vortext got a fancy mouse, now now. ()stsfd()

Seriously though, I already have a hunch these won't be the last gifs we'll see (thanks for the explanation). Although, maybe make a video so you can add the sound of wind and birds? :D

Wonderful scene again. Looking forward to more. . . erm, pristine nature?


Cheers
Willy

Why yes, yes I do.  :satisfied: :D

Seriously though, it has proven to be a real life wrist saver!




Bye for now, Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Gugu3 on June 15, 2013, 06:24:45 AM
OMG this is amazing!!!impressive work &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: metarvo on June 15, 2013, 06:28:42 AM
Wow, this is beautiful!  :thumbsup:  It makes me long for fall foliage again.

Quote from: vortext on June 15, 2013, 03:59:23 AM
plant flora in February and winter will start in May and summer in August. Not sure why you would want to do that but you could!

I figured out a reason.  You might do that (albeit it in March instead of February) if you were in the Southern Hemisphere.   $%Grinno$%
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Swordmaster on June 15, 2013, 08:52:03 AM
What's this, best MD update ever? &Thk/( We're all doomed!

Picture 2 for president!


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: sc-4 on June 15, 2013, 10:39:42 AM
*Watch update*

*Brain explose because of too much realism"

Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Simcoug on June 15, 2013, 12:28:10 PM
Who thought SimNature could be so much fun??  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Kergelen on June 16, 2013, 10:46:52 AM
Beautiful nature. &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: epicblunder on June 16, 2013, 10:47:30 AM
 &apls  Those first 2 pictures are just outstanding.  Have you been playing with the weather and ground fog tuning exemplars?  I've only had very little success tweaking those.

Quote from: vortext on June 08, 2013, 03:43:08 AM
Picture by Epicblunder

;D  Haha, good times.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: noahclem on June 16, 2013, 12:11:47 PM
Good god, what have you done with this game?!

Quote from: Swordmaster on June 15, 2013, 08:52:03 AM
What's this, best MD update ever? &Thk/( We're all doomed)

Yeah, pretty much.

I must apologize for not commenting earlier as I've harassed you to start his for some time now. I knew it would be outstanding...but this?!  Just wow  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: eldaldo on June 17, 2013, 10:40:40 AM
Incredible terrain.  Truly masterful.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: art128 on June 17, 2013, 11:05:45 AM
Absolutely beautiful scenery!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Uzil on June 17, 2013, 11:48:58 AM
Beautiful landscapes  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Girafe on June 17, 2013, 03:11:17 PM
thinking about that 2 years ago, there were no seasons in SC4. What we missed.

Lovely work with flora & fauna  &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Schulmanator on June 18, 2013, 04:42:31 AM
Very nice! Isn't it amazing how much SC4 can do after 10 years?! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: vortext on June 22, 2013, 02:49:26 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: metarvo on June 15, 2013, 06:28:42 AM
Wow, this is beautiful!  :thumbsup:  It makes me long for fall foliage again.

Quote from: vortext on June 15, 2013, 03:59:23 AM
plant flora in February and winter will start in May and summer in August. Not sure why you would want to do that but you could!

I figured out a reason.  You might do that (albeit it in March instead of February) if you were in the Southern Hemisphere.   $%Grinno$%

Thanks! And that's actually a legitimate reason which would work indeed, were it not for seasonal props (opposed to flora) on the lots causing trouble. In effect it'd make for two seasonal cycles with autumn lasting almost throughout the entire year!  :D

Quote from: Swordmaster on June 15, 2013, 08:52:03 AM
What's this, best MD update ever? &Thk/( We're all doomed!

Picture 2 for president!


Cheers
Willy

Thanks Willy. Though I hope it's not the best update ever because it'd implies it is all gonna go downhill henceforth! Also, I've informed Picture 2 of your support but it has declined to run this year, citing family life as more important. Note how it carefully left the door open, so who knows, maybe next election cycle. . $%Grinno$%

Quote from: sc-4 on June 15, 2013, 10:39:42 AM
*Watch update*

*Brain explose because of too much realism"

Thank you Ludo! Sorry to hear about your brain though, I hope you have recovered yet. ;)

Quote from: Simcoug on June 15, 2013, 12:28:10 PM
Who thought SimNature could be so much fun??  &apls

Thanks! I hope you're not sick of it yet, there's more to come. .  ::)

Quote from: epicblunder on June 16, 2013, 10:47:30 AM
&apls  Those first 2 pictures are just outstanding.  Have you been playing with the weather and ground fog tuning exemplars?  I've only had very little success tweaking those.

Quote from: vortext on June 08, 2013, 03:43:08 AM
Picture by Epicblunder

;D  Haha, good times.

Thanks! As for the clouds & fog, all weather effects are courtesy of Jenx's Jupiter mod, no tweaking involved. Though I do only use the 'cheatcodes' rather than the lots, maybe that makes a difference?

Quote from: noahclem on June 16, 2013, 12:11:47 PM
Good god, what have you done with this game?!

Quote from: Swordmaster on June 15, 2013, 08:52:03 AM
What's this, best MD update ever? &Thk/( We're all doomed)

Yeah, pretty much.

I must apologize for not commenting earlier as I've harassed you to start his for some time now. I knew it would be outstanding...but this?!  Just wow  &apls &apls &apls

Haha thanks Noah, happy now?!  :D  Actually I did surprising little tweaking this time, all the mods are directly off the shelf, so to speak.

Quote from: Girafe on June 17, 2013, 03:11:17 PM
thinking about that 2 years ago, there were no seasons in SC4. What we missed.

Lovely work with flora & fauna  &apls &apls

Thanks! Glad to see you around here because truth be told, it wouldn't have looked half as good without your trees. So thanks again! Now I've said this before but I'll say it again just so you know, it's absolutely impossible for the simcity universe to have too many species of trees. . so. . I'll leave it at that.  ;)

Quote from: Schulmanator on June 18, 2013, 04:42:31 AM
Very nice! Isn't it amazing how much SC4 can do after 10 years?! :D

Yeah, it's pretty amazing, isn't it?! Thanks!

Quote from: Gugu3 on June 15, 2013, 06:24:45 AM
OMG this is amazing!!!impressive work &apls &apls &apls
Quote from: Kergelen on June 16, 2013, 10:46:52 AM
Beautiful nature. &apls
Quote from: eldaldo on June 17, 2013, 10:40:40 AM
Incredible terrain.  Truly masterful.
Quote from: art128 on June 17, 2013, 11:05:45 AM
Absolutely beautiful scenery!
Quote from: Uzil on June 17, 2013, 11:48:58 AM
Beautiful landscapes  :thumbsup:
Thank you Gugu, Kergelen, eldaldo, Arthur and Uzil for the kind words! And thanks for stopping by too, greatly appreciated!  &apls




Right, so, it seems like I'm getting the hang of mding. Made myself a fancy replies banner and also got a few updates in the workings which even have something resembling a storyline!  $%#Ninj2

One minor annoyance is I still haven't figured out how to change the thread title. Kinda silly but I want it to include the present update title so last time I simply edited the replies form. However, it seems that didn't work like I supposed it would since all your kind comments do not say 'ÆRDEN ~ the Zodiac' in the header but only 'ÆRDEN' instead. A little help here would be appreciated.

Other than that this is actually pretty fun!

For today I went into the archives and retrieved more seasonal gifs. Willy's remark two weeks ago reminded me I have actually fooled around with gifs in the past. These were made before I started tinkering with seasonal tree controllers. In fact, one could say this was the tipping point because around the same time it started to dawn on me a realistic shoreline (i.e. with tons of cattails) throughout the region would take a long time to implement manually.

In addition I thought it'd be nice to show these today because it provides a glimpse of my previous work, which brings me to another point. Since my rediscovery of this lovely game I've meticously captured the various projects and cities that have ensued. So I was thinking maybe it'd be nice to do a retrospective entry every once in a while, detailing the progress that went along and sharing some tricks-and-tips perhaps?

Before boring you to death with my ramblings, however, I'd like to know if you would be intersted in such a thing. So if you've any thoughts on the subject or suggestions otherwise, please let it be known!

Enough with the words already, here're the gifs. Enjoy! Erik

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/oizqx6jzwj9557c/Seasons-2.gif)

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/76e081r59ndwrb4/Seasonal.gif)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: woodb3kmaster on June 22, 2013, 03:19:45 AM
Those GIFs just get me every time, Erik! I think it's the combination of the seasonal effects and the smooth transitions that really make my jaw drop. The clean edges of the farm fields are equally impressive, and they really enhance the realism of your scenes. Kudos to you, my friend!

Re: the thread title, I've found that you actually have to edit the title of the original post, back at the top of page 1. That's what I do with each update of Nyhaven, and while it can be a bit tedious (and prone to forgetfulness), it seems to help alert readers to the presence of a new update (or so I keep telling myself :P).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: mattb325 on June 22, 2013, 03:43:06 AM
Truly, truly spectacular!  :thumbsup:

I love the gifs - the farm imagery is masterfully done
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: art128 on June 22, 2013, 04:53:32 AM
Two incredible GIFs once again! :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: feyss on June 22, 2013, 07:03:37 AM
Your GIFs are amazing. I think you brought the game to its extreme limits.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Schulmanator on June 22, 2013, 07:15:25 AM
Great stuff. Isn't it awesome what SC4 can do?! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Swordmaster on June 22, 2013, 07:20:08 AM
GIF me a break!

Ah, silly joke time. They're gorgeous. But I seriously wonder how and if ever we're gonna get to the modern period. "We" here means you and me. With you having spent a good few years on lotting, street modding and the tree controller, the work load to maintain your standards will rise exponentially as time progresses, I think. I wonder if you've thought about this and what your ideas are right now.


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: whatevermind on June 23, 2013, 08:07:32 PM
Of course I'll be back! I just have to say, going back two posts now, that that series of nature photos is just stunning! The variety of terrain and incredible detail in those photos is just insane.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: benedict on June 25, 2013, 12:18:32 PM
Congratulations, you're back at number one on Ben's Top Ten this week.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Gugu3 on June 25, 2013, 02:06:06 PM
Well done Vortext! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: FrankU on June 26, 2013, 12:34:48 AM
Who needs Sim City 4 after these images?
Somehow I seem to remember that this game was meant to be a city simulator.... But that is of no importance anymore.

Wow, just wow....
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: RepublicMaster on June 26, 2013, 01:20:18 AM
Great GIFs. These are absolutely amazing! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: vortext on June 28, 2013, 02:29:28 AM



Wait, do I now need to make a 'replies-to-the-replies' banner?!   $%Grinno$%




Just a few words today, first and foremost to thank you for all the kind comments! Without it wouldn't be half the fun so keep 'em coming. Making it to #1 in btt is icing on the cake so thanks again everyone! &apls

In addition I kinda forgot it's my birthday this weekend and won't have time to finish the next update. Yes, I can hear the crowd go 'boo!' but tough luck, you'll have to wait.

That's it for the general announcements, time for the individual replies!




Quote from: woodb3kmaster on June 22, 2013, 03:19:45 AM
Those GIFs just get me every time, Erik! I think it's the combination of the seasonal effects and the smooth transitions that really make my jaw drop. The clean edges of the farm fields are equally impressive, and they really enhance the realism of your scenes. Kudos to you, my friend!

Re: the thread title, I've found that you actually have to edit the title of the original post, back at the top of page 1. That's what I do with each update of Nyhaven, and while it can be a bit tedious (and prone to forgetfulness), it seems to help alert readers to the presence of a new update (or so I keep telling myself :P).

Thanks Zack! I'm pleased to hear you like these gifs as I had some doubts at first to show them. I'll try editing the title in the first post the next time, thanks! 

Quote from: Swordmaster on June 22, 2013, 07:20:08 AM
GIF me a break!

Ah, silly joke time. They're gorgeous. But I seriously wonder how and if ever we're gonna get to the modern period. "We" here means you and me. With you having spent a good few years on lotting, street modding and the tree controller, the work load to maintain your standards will rise exponentially as time progresses, I think. I wonder if you've thought about this and what your ideas are right now.


Cheers
Willy

Well, that went from silly joke time to serious question time pretty darn quick!  :D

The short (and lazy) answer to your question would be that only time will tell.  ::)

The slightly longer answer; there's certainly no shortage of ideas and plans. Most of it concerns lotting & modding which tends to drive things forward for me, rather than regional development. Though I'll have to say this mding business has actually provided a fresh new take on how to go about regionally and changed my mind on certain aspects. Without giving away too much, I find the use of eye candy less troublesome nowadays then I used to.  ;)

As it stands now, I reckon the medieval centuries will probably go by relatively fast, compared to late 18th, the 19th and early 20th century as that's when the interesting stuff happens (i.e. the Industrial Revolution). In addition, there're some pretty amazing proppacks in development to fit that era, check Simcoug's New SorGun (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10168.msg219375#msg219375) to get the sneakpreviews. So yeah, I'm very much looking forward to more modern times.  :)

Quote from: whatevermind on June 23, 2013, 08:07:32 PM
Of course I'll be back! I just have to say, going back two posts now, that that series of nature photos is just stunning! The variety of terrain and incredible detail in those photos is just insane.

Well, I didn't see you around for a bit hence my remark. At any rate, glad to hear you enjoyed the sight-seeing tour!  :D

Quote from: benedict on June 25, 2013, 12:18:32 PM
Congratulations, you're back at number one on Ben's Top Ten this week.

You say 'back' as if this were a long running MD.  :D Thanks for keeping track every week!  :thumbsup:

Quote from: FrankU on June 26, 2013, 12:34:48 AM
Who needs Sim City 4 after these images?
Somehow I seem to remember that this game was meant to be a city simulator.... But that is of no importance anymore.

Wow, just wow....

Hehe, city? What city?! You just wait Frank!

Quote from: mattb325 on June 22, 2013, 03:43:06 AM
Truly, truly spectacular!  :thumbsup:

I love the gifs - the farm imagery is masterfully done
Quote from: art128 on June 22, 2013, 04:53:32 AM
Two incredible GIFs once again! :)
Quote from: feyss on June 22, 2013, 07:03:37 AM
Your GIFs are amazing. I think you brought the game to its extreme limits.  :thumbsup:
Quote from: Schulmanator on June 22, 2013, 07:15:25 AM
Great stuff. Isn't it awesome what SC4 can do?! :D
Quote from: Gugu3 on June 25, 2013, 02:06:06 PM
Well done Vortext! &apls
Quote from: RepublicMaster on June 26, 2013, 01:20:18 AM
Great GIFs. These are absolutely amazing! :D

Thanks Matt, Arthur, feyss, Schulmanator, Gugu3 and RepublicMaster for your kind words. And of course thanks for leaving a comment in the first place, much appreciated!   &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: FrankU on June 28, 2013, 03:02:54 AM
Quote from: vortext on June 28, 2013, 02:29:28 AM
In addition I kinda forgot it's my birthday this weekend and won't have time to finish the next update. Yes, I can hear the crowd go 'boo!' but tough luck, you'll have to wait.

OK, now that's a serious problem. In which direction do I need to throw the rotten tomatoes?  :thumbsdown:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Simcoug on June 28, 2013, 05:31:07 AM
Swordmaster's question is a good one!  (it's something that I am starting to come to grips with).  Attempting to keep New SorGun growing in a natural way on a regional level is already becoming quite a task.  The trick is balancing close up eye candy pics with regional shots that show convincing growth one decade to the next.  As you stated, the earlier eras may not prove to be too difficult considering it took decades and even centuries for real growth to happen.  But as you move into the industrial revolution, the pace will start to pick up.  All I can say is 'good luck' (I know I need it  :D )
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: Gobias on June 30, 2013, 04:56:24 AM
What an amazing start to this MD!  Why have I not bookmarked this MD before??  Fixed.  Keep up the good work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN
Post by: benedict on July 04, 2013, 10:52:39 AM
Congratulations, you're number one on BTT for the second week in a row.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: vortext on July 06, 2013, 03:41:32 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FO2id47n.jpg&hash=164f1f2402917b0a0ab5bc27b712f9e5bd7b575d)



Hi everybody! Today we'll start following the Potyomkin brothers on their journey into Ærden. Enjoy!



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F55ZbNZy.jpg&hash=3a390739302c9f3ce434b857686f6cdedd305bc6)

2.1 | And here they are, trudging through the forest. The brothers don't have a clue really where they are. Then again it's not like there's any choice other than to follow along the path, which is exactly what they've been doing the past few days.

If we were to ask what caused them to hit the road in the first place, they would talk for hours on end. There's little point, however, rehashing the scandalous behaviors the brothers were engaged in so we won't ask. It'll suffice to say that whatever they did had their hamlet up in arms - mind you, this is no metaphor.

Eventually they were given an ultimatum; be gone before dawn or face the wrath of the community, which everybody knew would result in a certain death. Needless to say, the brothers rushed to gather their belongings as soon as that conversation ended.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FtoPhXJC.jpg&hash=d20af38d2d61e6ff9a59d402d353ffbb21acb671)

2.2 | Daylight starts to fade and the brothers grow a little worried. There should be a little shelter up ahead to spend the night. They know this much because as luck would have it, they had come across a traveling salesman on their first day wandering about.

Once pleasantries were exchanged the salesman had inquired as to where the brothers were going. Reluctant to tell him they were in effect banned the oldest brother told him they too were traveling merchants, looking for new places to go. And so the salesman had told them a little history about a new city founded not too long ago in Ærden valley.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FfSE84v3.jpg&hash=a95f566760496dabfa94696ef6ba9b4d9e4221dc)

2.3 | Finally, the destination is in sight!

This little shelter once was a infamous refuge among plunderers and murderers which used to plague the area, the salesman had explained. Typically they would roam the valley floor, conducting all kinds of mischief until they'd become too notorious for their own good. Then they would flee, usually on stolen horses, following a dried up river bed high into the mountains, the pursuit of which was considered too dangerous. 

In short, it used to be a lawless land which hadn't been much of a concern to anyone in particular. Except if you were trying to make an honest living of course. It wasn't until the Abora Monastery was raided by a horde of Vændals, the Church finally took notice and turned to the King, demanding him to safeguard the valley. And so the King had delegated some obscure relative to the area to take care of business, so to speak, the results of which we'll see later on. ;)
   
   
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxuaS7hA.jpg&hash=2b2262da37970f45dd9741630640910e83b33523)

2.4 | Night had already fallen, however, the brothers didn't feel like going to sleep just yet. They were excited and a little anxious. Excited because from here it would only be one, maybe two day travel to their destination. And they were anxious because the salesman had also warned them about the perils that lay ahead.    

Besides encountering ordinary thieves, he told them, they ran the risk of being crushed by rocks falling from the sky, being viciously attacked by bears or being washed away in thunderous water if it so happened to rain. And to make matters worse he had expressed utter disbelieve when it became apparent the brothers wanted to make the passage along with their wagons.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FnyolgLA.jpg&hash=dd4a665080b061dd0c73d3ca14aaf40ae723ed6a)

2.5 | Despite the short nights sleep they awake invigorated the next morning.

Inside the shelter they'd found old, dirty sacks filled with equally old and dirty hay. However, it still proved a real treat compared to the wagon floorboards. The horses seem well rested too and if the directions the salesmen provided were to be believed – and why not, he had been correct thus far – that was a good thing since today the only way was up, into the mountains.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQJ4vxwJ.jpg&hash=6f5ec3a35034f9d9df0eda125e63c06f53b806d8)

2.6 | They've been on the road for a few hours now and things aren't that bad.

Honestly, they don't quite get what the salesman had warned them about and why he had been so adamant about ditching their wagons. True, the horses struggled a bit with the loose gravel and sure, they'd been followed by a bear for some time but other than that everything was going just fine. They even started to crack a few jokes at his expense until. .


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FKbWoxKO.jpg&hash=ada8d0a9293f069d8d3659c35370defde5ee2e0d)

2.7 | . . what goes up must go down again.

The youngest brother nervously started arguing they must have taken a wrong direction somewhere, that they better head back. The other two leave him be, because all three knew full well this is what the salesman had been talking about. Minutes pass in silence as they looked down the narrow gorge, stretching a few hundreds meters or so. There's no way to tell really since it goes around a bend. Finally when each has taken the situation into account, the brothers quickly reach an understanding the horses must be brought down safely first of all.

And so they proceed. . but will they succeed?!?


Stay tuned to find out! Bye for now, Erik




Replies  to the replies  to the replies




Quote from: FrankU on June 28, 2013, 03:02:54 AM
Quote from: vortext on June 28, 2013, 02:29:28 AM
In addition I kinda forgot it's my birthday this weekend and won't have time to finish the next update. Yes, I can hear the crowd go 'boo!' but tough luck, you'll have to wait.

OK, now that's a serious problem. In which direction do I need to throw the rotten tomatoes?  :thumbsdown:

So it was you I heard booing! And btw, your tomatoes missed!  ;D

Quote from: Simcoug on June 28, 2013, 05:31:07 AM
Swordmaster's question is a good one!  (it's something that I am starting to come to grips with).  Attempting to keep New SorGun growing in a natural way on a regional level is already becoming quite a task.  The trick is balancing close up eye candy pics with regional shots that show convincing growth one decade to the next.  As you stated, the earlier eras may not prove to be too difficult considering it took decades and even centuries for real growth to happen.  But as you move into the industrial revolution, the pace will start to pick up.  All I can say is 'good luck' (I know I need it  :D )

The most interesting aspect imho is to balance natural growth vs. planning. By which I mean, look at what Haussmann did in Paris (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haussmann%27s_renovation_of_Paris), or take New Yorks grid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commissioners%27_Plan_of_1811) which was designed when there still were farms on Manhattan! Both are a prime examples of extensive planning while the city was still in its infancy, so to speak. I really look forward to do some serious planning as well, without getting too far ahead of the natural growth curve. The latter has proven to be difficult though!   ;)

Quote from: Gobias on June 30, 2013, 04:56:24 AM
What an amazing start to this MD!  Why have I not bookmarked this MD before??  Fixed.  Keep up the good work!

I don't know, you tell me?!  ??? :D Thanks for your kind words!

Quote from: benedict on July 04, 2013, 10:52:39 AM
Congratulations, you're number one on BTT for the second week in a row.

Pretty amazing given the lack of activity! Thanks everyone!!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: agunter999 on July 06, 2013, 05:47:47 AM
Looks briliant
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Girafe on July 06, 2013, 07:30:34 AM
Lovely landscapes  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: art128 on July 06, 2013, 07:41:36 AM
Fantastic.

The little camp with the fire is incredible.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: sc-4 on July 06, 2013, 04:44:16 PM
It's gorgeous with all the details  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: RepublicMaster on July 06, 2013, 09:03:47 PM
Excellent update! I like the dry stream. :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Kergelen on July 07, 2013, 03:35:56 AM
Nice pictures!

Good use of terrain textures as a path in 2.6
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: epicblunder on July 07, 2013, 08:19:46 PM
QuoteBesides encountering ordinary thieves, he told them, they ran the risk of being crushed by rocks falling from the sky, being viciously attacked by bears

I didn't know Aerden was a Russian name   ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: 89James89 on July 07, 2013, 09:36:54 PM
Not sure why I haven't commented on this yet, especially considering the amount of detail that has gone into the last update.

The landscaping is truely stunning with ever y tree looking like it should be there and I love that image of the vast forest.

Looking forward to more.

James
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Gugu3 on July 08, 2013, 06:53:16 AM
Excellent!Always stunning pictures! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Swordmaster on July 08, 2013, 08:09:10 AM
Very good Erik. I've gone over it a few times. I also wonder about the Russian thing. Did you have an idea of where Aerden is in the world?


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Wodong on July 09, 2013, 05:51:45 PM
Gorgeous.  I'm both inspired and a little depressed.  So much detail.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: benedict on July 12, 2013, 11:27:54 AM
Your MD is number one on BTT this week -  stunning images accompanied by a great story line and even a cliffhanger - great work.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Nanami on July 16, 2013, 08:24:32 AM
I like the work of MMP! Nicely done!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: noahclem on July 20, 2013, 05:37:51 AM
Absolutely stunning work  :o  Ærden is already amongst my favorite MDs, though knowing you I can't say I'm much surprised. Did you create your own rock mod? I realize the pic is old now, but that swamp one is a real inspiration for what might be possible in the noro delta area. Keep up the great work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: vortext on July 21, 2013, 09:32:49 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: agunter999 on July 06, 2013, 05:47:47 AM
Looks briliant

Thanks!

Quote from: Girafe on July 06, 2013, 07:30:34 AM
Lovely landscapes  &apls &apls &apls

Thank you!

Quote from: art128 on July 06, 2013, 07:41:36 AM
Fantastic.

The little camp with the fire is incredible.

What's not to like about campfires?! Except for the horrible smell in your clothes the next morning.  :D Thanks!

Quote from: sc-4 on July 06, 2013, 04:44:16 PM
It's gorgeous with all the details  :)

Thank you!

Quote from: RepublicMaster on July 06, 2013, 09:03:47 PM
Excellent update! I like the dry stream. :D

Thanks! Guess you're gonna like the next few updates as well!  ;)

Quote from: Kergelen on July 07, 2013, 03:35:56 AM
Nice pictures!

Good use of terrain textures as a path in 2.6

Glad you noticed, I was pretty well pleased with it!  ()stsfd() Thanks!

Quote from: epicblunder on July 07, 2013, 08:19:46 PM
QuoteBesides encountering ordinary thieves, he told them, they ran the risk of being crushed by rocks falling from the sky, being viciously attacked by bears

I didn't know Aerden was a Russian name   ;D

Though Ærden sprang from imagination, Potyomkin actually is a Russian surname. Funny you picked up on it as I'm quite fond of Russian literature and art. :)

Quote from: 89James89 on July 07, 2013, 09:36:54 PM
Not sure why I haven't commented on this yet, especially considering the amount of detail that has gone into the last update.

The landscaping is truely stunning with every tree looking like it should be there and I love that image of the vast forest.

Looking forward to more.

James

No worries James, you already commented here before! Thanks for stopping by - again!  :D

Quote from: Gugu3 on July 08, 2013, 06:53:16 AM
Excellent!Always stunning pictures! &apls

Thank you!

Quote from: Swordmaster on July 08, 2013, 08:09:10 AM
Very good Erik. I've gone over it a few times. I also wonder about the Russian thing. Did you have an idea of where Aerden is in the world?


Cheers
Willy

Thanks Willy! Though I hope you didn't have to read it a few times before it was understandable?  &Thk/(

Anyway, you may have noticed I refrained specifying either Church or King. In part because I'm notoriously bad at coming up with names (hence all my previous regions were also called Ærden ;D). In part because I'm not sure yet whether the history and developments will tie in with real events and persons or not. And in that regard location still is up for grabs, too.

Quote from: Wodong on July 09, 2013, 05:51:45 PM
Gorgeous.  I'm both inspired and a little depressed.  So much detail.

First an exploding brain and now depression, should I put out a health warning for my MD?!  ???  $%Grinno$% I hope the inspiration has taken hold over depression though. Thanks for stopping by!

Quote from: benedict on July 12, 2013, 11:27:54 AM
Your MD is number one on BTT this week -  stunning images accompanied by a great story line and even a cliffhanger - great work.

Quite literal a cliffhanger indeed!  :D Thanks!

Quote from: 976 on July 16, 2013, 08:24:32 AM
I like the work of MMP! Nicely done!

Thanks! Though I'd like to point out the trees are done with a controller instead of mmp-ed manually. ;)

Quote from: noahclem on July 20, 2013, 05:37:51 AM
Absolutely stunning work  :o  Ærden is already amongst my favorite MDs, though knowing you I can't say I'm much surprised. Did you create your own rock mod? I realize the pic is old now, but that swamp one is a real inspiration for what might be possible in the noro delta area. Keep up the great work!

Thanks Noah! The small gravel textures and such are courtesy of Gobias' SV terrain mod. As a proper rock mod I use #4 from shokthrpy's HD package (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/27655-shk-hd-rock-mods/). Also nice to have provided some inspiration for Noro. Swamps are fun to make because if it looks messy, it'll still look good!  :D




Speaking of swamps. .  I have some goodies that may come in handy. 

To celebrate the fact I registered for SC4D a little over three years ago (and to make up on an old promise) I present you the Seasonal Golden Oldies pack!  :party:

As the name implies these are seasonal mmps made from already existing evergreen mmps and some flora which has never been made into a mmp before. At the moment I still have the Read-Me left to do before sending it to the scrutineers. So you can't play around with them just yet, however, to whet your appetite below a breakdown of what's gonna be included. And maybe I'll throw in some non-flora related mmps for good measure.  ;)

First of all the items which need to be planted on September 1st.

Top left: PEG Weeds
Top right: SFBT Birches

Middle row: SPAM Crops

Bottom left: ALN Cattails
Bottom centre: CP Cattails and CP Grasclump
Bottom right: PEG Clover

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6a6lY92.jpg&hash=50f2d4cd8bb840c06cbb809c17ec7b370c71771a)
Autumn

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FXdJGaH0.jpg&hash=6e280ebf84364c211c6e3c44bb6265c4d1e45905)
Winter

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FKNbdnAc.jpg&hash=05f669fceb35fe11b9a57883dfee22080c3af747)
Summer

Since they don't have a winter livery the SPAM Crops disappear during winter time. ALN cattails are fantasy items but I figured they'd make a welcome addition. PEG Clover comes with a dark and light summer livery though it's hardly noticeable due to the small size (and because I cropped the picture too tight :-[).


Secondly the items which need to planted March 1st.

Outer left column:  ALN Wildflowers

Centre column: PEG flowers

Outer right column: ALN Grass

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwaVd0lA.jpg&hash=393ddab35b7ea70d66264060c6f4cfbb5eb0589e)
Spring

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FB5THDIy.jpg&hash=034ff0b1d6c020fb0614edb964ef67fb5af42724)
Summer

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3MRHhbf.jpg&hash=3bb5b2a194657ac0a93ca21a130c80ce8a7ec8a1)
Autumn / Winter

ALN wildflower do not have a winter state, however, they're timed to last four months. The first stage runs from March to June, the second stage from July to October. So they have a one month overlap with the autumn livery of 'traditional' seasonal trees. Also notice ALN grass comes in two additional, smaller sizes. I'm not sure what the LEX policy is regarding uploading re-sized models though I hope it won't be a problem because the smallest (scaled at 50%) makes excellent HD grass.

Finally, I can't leave you without a small gif to demonstrate, right?!  ;)

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/5k9d56f4nk6bse2/gif-seasonal-oldies-3.gif)

That's all for now, 'till next time. Erik.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: sim_link on July 21, 2013, 11:30:20 AM
Wow, great flora and great scene - watching the seasons turn is awesome! ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: rooker1 on July 22, 2013, 03:20:21 AM
Great work on that seasonal animation!

Robin
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: art128 on July 22, 2013, 05:08:34 AM
Fantastic gif.... You're truly a master.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Schulmanator on July 22, 2013, 05:21:45 PM
Delightful nature :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: RepublicMaster on July 22, 2013, 10:09:44 PM
Great GIF, I look forward to seeing the seasonal flora too! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Gugu3 on July 23, 2013, 03:42:59 AM
Great GIF!amazing rural scene!!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Simcoug on July 23, 2013, 08:11:21 AM
Great .gif! 
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: Swordmaster on July 23, 2013, 09:10:18 AM
You're truly a . . . wait for it . . . GIFted player, Erik.


Now, you didn't see that one coming, did you? :D


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 1
Post by: evarburg on July 24, 2013, 12:48:48 PM
Oh very, very nice ! Wonderfully wild places...
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: vortext on August 09, 2013, 04:40:34 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fw0ebL9G.jpg&hash=3ea5a4f1c9c33d8916f9948cbe37c964788ad7e7)

Hello everyone! The second installment of Potyomkins' travels which is less story driven and more, erhm, action-packed I guess?!  :D

Anyway a quick recap; the brothers were banned from their community for reasons better left unmentioned. Once informed by a traveling salesman they decided to set course to Ærden. To get there, however, they'd first have to tackle a pretty challenging descend of a former mountain stream. So guess what we'll be looking at today?! Enjoy!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fbm9H4nQ.jpg&hash=8512c781c1543910da54b11100b425b288a55fe2)

03-01 | The youngest brother, Benjamin, was visibly shaken by the daunting prospect and had chosen to stay behind, for now at least. He looked on nervously as his siblings slowly dissolved into the depths. 


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FOzrUrVg.jpg&hash=27b7e95e20bec8c417e86f2ff565e663bd906c28)

03-02 | Giant boulders flanked the narrow gorge left and right, making it impossible to keep sight of each other. They'd occasionally let out a shout though, which eerily bounced of the steep slopes and made it hard to tell where it came from. But at least they'd each know the other was still alive.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F4IB5v6z.jpg&hash=34585ba7b4aa4bccb9bc7ed2a71052282954b468)

03-03 | Coming around the bend, the oldest grew more confident and straddled the horse. The animal felt otherwise though and was reluctant to move his feet more than a single step at a time.


After a while the gorge leveled off a bit and they decided on a quick break to work out the logistics.

Obviously someone had to go up again and take down Benjamin along with the other two horses, of course. Then two of them would have to go up again to bring down the first wagon, rinse and repeat for the second wagon. In short it'd be pretty time-consuming so we're going to fast-forward a bit.  ;D


Yay the first mosaic! Click for full size.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FciQiTy9.jpg&hash=1fe7bbe61d799e4d38d2d18ab41acb479bd2ea71)

03-04 | They're halfway through with the second wagon, which gave less trouble than anticipated. Gravity worked in their favor and the brothers just needed to steer clear of obstacles. Their primary concerns were the axles, if one would break they'd be literary stuck between a rock and a hard place.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FLFfMad6.jpg&hash=06d6067af894a501c4eb9c5abc528339233cefb1)

03-05 | A bit further down still and the oldest brother again takes the lead. It requires a great deal of his skill to keep both the horses in check, let alone steer them in the right direction.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3H1MmsH.jpg&hash=e22a5b22097a28ea373ff982ae78fc40f7cbaf9f)

03-06 | Despite the inherent risk he orders to make haste soon after as daylight already starts to fade. The last thing they want is to spend the night trapped in here.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FATApMq7.jpg&hash=61cd14be466d666d1a5df6ee6e52ca5d8a670253)

03-07 | Finally the steep mountain flanks recede and the riverbed broadens. Suddenly Benjamin, now in the lead, stops. 'Do you guys hear that?!', he yells while at the same time gesturing for his brothers to be quiet. They listen closely for what seems an eternity. Then out of the forest below arises a faint, yet familiar sound. . .



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: sim_link on July 21, 2013, 11:30:20 AM
Wow, great flora and great scene - watching the seasons turn is awesome! ;D

Agreed, seasonal flora is pretty neat.  :D  Thanks!


Quote from: rooker1 on July 22, 2013, 03:20:21 AM
Great work on that seasonal animation!

Robin

Thanks Robin!


Quote from: art128 on July 22, 2013, 05:08:34 AM
Fantastic gif.... You're truly a master.

Thank you Arthur!


Quote from: Schulmanator on July 22, 2013, 05:21:45 PM
Delightful nature :D

Thanks!


Quote from: RepublicMaster on July 22, 2013, 10:09:44 PM
Great GIF, I look forward to seeing the seasonal flora too! :D

Glad to hear, thanks!


Quote from: Gugu3 on July 23, 2013, 03:42:59 AM
Great GIF!amazing rural scene!!!

Good eye! Though they were out of frame cows are actually nearby!  :D


Quote from: Simcoug on July 23, 2013, 08:11:21 AM
Great .gif! 

Thank you!


Quote from: Swordmaster on July 23, 2013, 09:10:18 AM
You're truly a . . . wait for it . . . GIFted player, Erik.


Now, you didn't see that one coming, did you? :D


Cheers
Willy

Teehee! (http://instantrimshot.com/classic/?sound=rimshot)  :D That made my day Willy, thanks!


Quote from: evarburg on July 24, 2013, 12:48:48 PM
Oh very, very nice ! Wonderfully wild places...

Hey wait a sec. . . I didn't even know you had an account here Tariel! ;) Thanks for stopping by!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: whatevermind on August 09, 2013, 05:10:17 PM
Whoa zoom lens! It works though. Actually I spent a few minutes just admiring the new banner, let alone the rest of the pics.  ;D

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Mr.Lin on August 09, 2013, 06:55:41 PM
AMAZING works !!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: RepublicMaster on August 09, 2013, 07:12:25 PM
The stream bed looks great! It all fits together so well. :)

The photo shopping also adds to it.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: kelis on August 12, 2013, 06:36:53 AM
Fantastic job as always my friend !! It's a pleasure to read the history looking at the pictures, all those fantastic pictures !! Congratulations and keep up the good work.

# Jonathan
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: vester on August 12, 2013, 03:38:33 PM
*Coming out of lurking mode*

Been enjoy your MD a lot. Great work all along.  &apls


Will be lurking around the corners. So if you see a shadow....
*Back to lurkning mode*

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Schulmanator on August 13, 2013, 07:53:23 AM
Very nice! I think I need to outsource my nature work to you! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Simcoug on August 13, 2013, 09:45:02 AM
Great flora work once again - The extreme close ups are a nice touch.   :thumbsup:

Faint sounds.... hmmm... thunder?  Wolves?  Bigfoot? 

Looking forward to the next installment :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: vortext on August 31, 2013, 07:50:56 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: whatevermind on August 09, 2013, 05:10:17 PM
Whoa zoom lens! It works though. Actually I spent a few minutes just admiring the new banner, let alone the rest of the pics.  ;D

You should've seen the first few tries, they almost induced motion sickness! :D Thanks!

Quote from: Mr.Lin on August 09, 2013, 06:55:41 PM
AMAZING works !!!

Thank you!

Quote from: RepublicMaster on August 09, 2013, 07:12:25 PM
The stream bed looks great! It all fits together so well. :)

The photo shopping also adds to it.

Thanks Will for the kind words. Glad to hear you like the photoshopping too.

Quote from: kelis on August 12, 2013, 06:36:53 AM
Fantastic job as always my friend !! It's a pleasure to read the history looking at the pictures, all those fantastic pictures !! Congratulations and keep up the good work.

# Jonathan

Thanks Jonathan, the pleasure is mutual! *imagine high five emoticon here*

Quote from: vester on August 12, 2013, 03:38:33 PM
*Coming out of lurking mode*

Been enjoy your MD a lot. Great work all along.  &apls


Will be lurking around the corners. So if you see a shadow....
*Back to lurkning mode*

So that's what I saw from the corner of my eye all this time. Thanks!

Quote from: Schulmanator on August 13, 2013, 07:53:23 AM
Very nice! I think I need to outsource my nature work to you! :D

Hm, sounds like a viable business plan. .  $%Grinno$% Thanks!

Quote from: Simcoug on August 13, 2013, 09:45:02 AM
Great flora work once again - The extreme close ups are a nice touch.   :thumbsup:

Faint sounds.... hmmm... thunder?  Wolves?  Bigfoot? 

Looking forward to the next installment :)

Thanks but I've gotta ask: you're familiar with the sound a Bigfoot makes?!  ???  :D 




Not much for today. First of all Vester's comment reminded me a few years ago Dedgren / David  proclaimed (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=112.msg271580#msg271580) the 31th of August No Lurker Day. And what do you know, it's the 31th of August today, so. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg42.imageshack.us%2Fimg42%2F8813%2Fnolurkingtoday.png&hash=0e8bf04a1548317fe2f7143b291cbd483ee5c9cb)

. . lurkers, come out of the shadows, go to your favorite MD and/or BAT thread and leave a comment. It'll be appreciated for sure!  :thumbsup:


The seasonal mmps then are ready. In addition I've made a Horse 'n Carriage mmp pack. Both are ready to go and will be available as soon as I figure out how to actually upload stuff to the LEX. In the meantime, enjoy the breakdown of content below.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F4Wo2WPn.jpg&hash=dd948ba0a58bff47d8d1fdec9b6117fd6355bd83)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FavLepjI.jpg&hash=4ab9b2fd699f07f2c8b73a6e28188ae872d00929)
Get ready for the dreaded invasion of unscrutineerd stuff!   ;D



Finally, there were great teaser posts recently which reminded me this MD has been in the running almost three months and I haven't posted a single teaser yet! Time to set the record straight.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FcoposHe.jpg&hash=871c7796b0722401e4073ae5feea87529247e7f7)


Bye for now! Erik.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: sc-4 on August 31, 2013, 08:08:17 AM
It looks....interesting , i can't wait to see more of this ! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: art128 on August 31, 2013, 09:01:21 AM
Interesting indeed! Nice picture. :) 
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Flatron on August 31, 2013, 09:16:32 AM
I like what you composed there :) The sheep and the carriages and the photoshopping. It's great!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: sunv123 on August 31, 2013, 09:19:33 AM
Looking forward to using the MMP pack! :D

Great work here Erik :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Kergelen on August 31, 2013, 10:15:50 AM
That's a great set of MMP.  :thumbsup:

The last update is very nice and I like the atmosphere with the frog. I think I was in a lurking mood the day I saw it $%Grinno$%
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: vortext on September 01, 2013, 04:52:24 AM
Thanks everybody, proper replies will follow later. Just wanted to let you know the MMPs have been uploaded!  %BUd%

Here's the seasonal flora (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2993) and here're the carriages and horses (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2994)!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Girafe on September 01, 2013, 05:29:41 AM
 ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: sunv123 on September 01, 2013, 05:45:56 AM
 &blush
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: nbvc on September 01, 2013, 06:58:31 AM
Your landscapes look fantastic. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Gugu3 on September 01, 2013, 01:08:59 PM
Looking promising... $%Grinno$%
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: rooker1 on September 03, 2013, 05:03:45 AM
The last two updates are amazing.
In the last update, very last pic....where did you get the fence?

Robin
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: Schulmanator on September 09, 2013, 05:07:57 PM
Delightful! What great details and craftsmanship.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 2
Post by: rooker1 on September 17, 2013, 04:16:51 AM
Congrats on your 100th comment and the move to The Best Sellers section!

SC4D Staff!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: vortext on September 21, 2013, 02:10:16 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FttYne06.jpg&hash=07298dac5dbdcd2e247fd0d3dd1710a142f9ebb0)

First of all I'd like to thank y'all for pushing my MD into the Best Seller sections!  &apls %BUd%

Today something a bit different from previous entries. Though if you've followed my former thread you might already be used to my tinkering with and babbling about textures. If not, you better get used it.  ;D

In any case, this round started a while ago with a small yet fortunate mishap: I'd accidently mis-connected a blur filter to the height map. Big deal you may think but it actually kinda is, if only because of the subsequent explorations, as detailed below.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FoSSamUw.jpg&hash=ce43cae94d3582f17b46742385e30305d368095a)
Left column shows noise filter → height map. Right column shows noise filter → blur filter → height map.
Top row shows the actual height map, i.e. without any surface texture applied. Bottom row shows height map with surface texture.


Note the change in brightness and contrast, which is due solely to the 'new' height map. Quite a pleasant surprise and curiously I started to play around with the other settings which effect it (lighting angle, environment, etc). Turned out this has a pretty powerful effect on appearances and made me wonder why I hadn't fooled around with it earlier. Best of all the these settings can be saved as a preset and thus applied across numerous textures, who knew?!  :D

And thus I revised the most viable candidates while paying even more attention to contrast, brightness and tone than before. You see, previously textures needed a metric f*ckton of adjustment layers in photoshop in order to look decent in game. Needless to say a bit cumbersome. None of the textures on show have had any post-processing yet, though admittedly it could use some to pull hue and saturation closer together. That said the potential texture pack is growing larger so without further ado, pictures please!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fue7yGje.jpg&hash=d36b26e9259e5f8990abd6aab1138175524713e0)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FzrbreHq.jpg&hash=3b0f3c6105616c460f14029016a30638910ef1d7)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FtE3LaZn.jpg&hash=35a064333bfde99cb63baa6d53216660addfd974)

First up: various grass and dirt textures. The heavy tiling is on purpose as these'll be multi fsh textures eventually. I refrained from adding flowers or too deviating tones (i.e. primary colors). At the moment I'm trying my hand at a few more worn out ground surfaces.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FCzjYKQf.jpg&hash=ac5a9299d04b87bdbd38034b4365167e7116c7dc)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FB7ZvbCf.jpg&hash=4b92397c2030ebc1592a7bc960462acf7b4742b1)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQBUfhAJ.jpg&hash=b5dd9e9e1bb71ec712c1b2f7cc8f6ccca466faac)

Next up: stone textures. Scale is something I still grapple with. Small cobblestone especially can look nice and pretty on screen but turn out fairly monotonous in game. 

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHGRVFJP.jpg&hash=5d3df6aa5b23af704d5c2a1edda75f9f4f176bc2)

Finally: overlays then, path and gardens. The latter are the hardest to make by far. The former has offset connectivity, albeit limited to cornering at the moment. Not sure if I'm going to make all three way combinations, however, diagonal connectivity does need to be improved. That is, I want to make 1x1 orthogonal-diagonal transitions as it now stretches over two tiles. Hm, I wonder why would that be my default. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fg1aLZYk.jpg&hash=0a2d8956fc305625cb0f894bc2435367fc818135)
What's all this then?!

Ah yes, a new region calls for new streets, doesn't it?!  ::)  $%Grinno$%

While I was fiddling around with my former streets in order to take advantage of nam 31.2 functionality it dawned on me it might in fact be easier to start anew from scratch.

Transposing the IDs was a bit of an annoyance to begin with and creating new pieces while I haven't got full access to or control over the original textures became bothersome (remember my former attempts at streets were based on CPs textures and/or random textures taken from the internet). And with an eye on the cobble stone project I figured a bit of practice would be a good thing anyway. Though some tiles need to be redone the unpaved textures are near complete, not accounting for fancy intersections with other networks yet. Here're some progress pictures.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FMueV6FO.jpg&hash=17dbffbdaa4cb2d738eea45ca20c97a2da0dfecd)

A question for fellow NAMites. Notice the flipped diagonal street stub circled in red. If I drag it out one more tile, it'll be okay. Another tile further yet and it's flipped again. Very annoying indeed and I just cannot fathom why a simple texture override would cause such behavior. Any ideas?!

Other than that, the various radii make for pretty squiggly streets.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FeVx6vmN.jpg&hash=aba85459df2d560b27e6cd2e967d9067098c57a0)

The long term game plan is to integrate the unpaved textures into the cobble set, like so.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FAYXr04Z.jpg&hash=e98b6cb9e77980a8cfe5313c727bd739a79b29e9)

Note both textures are already outdated, however, I'd like to hear some thoughts on the width. It's a tad wider than default Maxis streets or the SAM. As a result the light poles appear to stand both on and off the street, as does the postbox, depending on rotation. Personally I'm split on the subject. On the one hand I kinda like the disorderly look it creates, plus this width is a great fit for tram-in-street later on. On the other hand it creates the illusion the light poles are misaligned and I get a bit annoyed looking at it for too long.  &sly

At any rate, some proper in game pictures to wrap things up.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FAwROQSC.jpg&hash=5f6ca31ff4676d46b7d5c99414216aaa829211bc)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYjKrlzE.jpg&hash=e22af457630561152d0d1927d3bc4c8d618684b3)

I tried to add some dynamic movements to the intersections, it might need to be toned down a bit.

And the final shot for today. Those empty stretches of sidewalk will need to be covered up somehow. .  ;)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrDKxLCa.jpg&hash=9418cffabc5915eb1fbda3afd2a06aca55adf54e)

That's it! Critism and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Bye for now!




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: sc-4 on August 31, 2013, 08:08:17 AM
It looks....interesting , i can't wait to see more of this ! :D

Thank you! Hope today wasn't too disappointing.  ;)

Quote from: art128 on August 31, 2013, 09:01:21 AM
Interesting indeed! Nice picture. :) 

Thanks Arthur!

Quote from: Flatron on August 31, 2013, 09:16:32 AM
I like what you composed there :) The sheep and the carriages and the photoshopping. It's great!

It started with the wagon wheel peeping through the trees by chance.  :)  Glad you like the final outcome!

Quote from: sunv123 on August 31, 2013, 09:19:33 AM
Looking forward to using the MMP pack! :D

Great work here Erik :thumbsup:

Thanks Victor!

Quote from: Kergelen on August 31, 2013, 10:15:50 AM
That's a great set of MMP.  :thumbsup:

The last update is very nice and I like the atmosphere with the frog. I think I was in a lurking mood the day I saw it $%Grinno$%

So you actually spotted the frog I painstakingly photoshopped into the scenery, did you?!  $%Grinno$%  Thanks! 

Quote from: Girafe on September 01, 2013, 05:29:41 AM
;)

He he, one friggin' '   ;)

Quote from: sunv123 on September 01, 2013, 05:45:56 AM
&blush

Enjoying the mmps?!  ;)

Quote from: nbvc on September 01, 2013, 06:58:31 AM
Your landscapes look fantastic. :thumbsup:

Thank you!

Quote from: Gugu3 on September 01, 2013, 01:08:59 PM
Looking promising... $%Grinno$%

Yep, civilization is in sight. Thanks!

Quote from: rooker1 on September 03, 2013, 05:03:45 AM
The last two updates are amazing.
In the last update, very last pic....where did you get the fence?

Robin

Thanks Robin. The fences are CPs lodgewood fences as mmp, though I'd no luck finding the download again - an Asian site iirc.

Quote from: Schulmanator on September 09, 2013, 05:07:57 PM
Delightful! What great details and craftsmanship.  :thumbsup:

Thank you!

Quote from: rooker1 on September 17, 2013, 04:16:51 AM
Congrats on your 100th comment and the move to The Best Sellers section!

SC4D Staff!

&dance Thanks again everybody!  &dance
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: whatevermind on September 21, 2013, 03:10:50 PM
I like the dirt streets. The textures on them are nice, and I can certainly think of many uses for them! Personally, I prefer my signs and streetlights and mailboxes, etc. outside the street right-of-way. So for that I would suggest using thinner textures, or including a mod to relocate those things further out (if that's even possible).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: RepublicMaster on September 21, 2013, 05:30:40 PM
The new dirt street textures look great, especially seeing the curves! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: epicblunder on September 21, 2013, 09:53:53 PM
Quote from: vortext on September 21, 2013, 02:10:16 PM
Quote from: rooker1 on September 03, 2013, 05:03:45 AM
The last two updates are amazing.
In the last update, very last pic....where did you get the fence?

Robin

Thanks Robin. The fences are CPs lodgewood fences as mmp, though I'd no luck finding the download again - an Asian site iirc.

simcoug's handiwork (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10289.msg207824#msg207824).  excuse me while i get my chopsticks   :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: memo on September 21, 2013, 11:10:10 PM
Ohh, I've missed No Lurker Day... Sorry for that. :-[ Absolutely outstanding texturing work. :thumbsup:

Quote from: vortext on September 21, 2013, 02:10:16 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FMueV6FO.jpg&hash=17dbffbdaa4cb2d738eea45ca20c97a2da0dfecd)

A question for fellow NAMites. Notice the flipped diagonal street stub circled in red. If I drag it out one more tile, it'll be okay. Another tile further yet and it's flipped again. Very annoying indeed and I just cannot fathom why a simple texture override would cause such behavior. Any ideas?!

Yeah, I've encountered this issue a couple of times. It's not a problem with your texture replacement, but it is an error in the diagonal streets RULs themselves. It is less noticeable with the standard diagonal street textures because the diagonal end stub is almost symmetrical. Probably, that is also why this error got included in the first place.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: Girafe on September 22, 2013, 06:11:22 AM
Really interesting work on the textures.

I love the paved stone texture and the dirty road  :thumbsup:

Regarding the grass ones, I can noticed few repetitions but I am sure you can tweak them.

;) 
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: vester on September 22, 2013, 08:23:11 AM
Very interesting work.

Maybe you have said before, but am asking anyway.

What program are you using ?

Love the pave stone textures (both the road and this one (http://i.imgur.com/B7ZvbCf.jpg)) and the dirt roads.


Would agree with Antoine, that the grass tend to get a bit repetitions.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: FrankU on September 23, 2013, 01:54:35 AM
Great work again!
I'm curious what direction your work is taking us....
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: woodb3kmaster on September 24, 2013, 02:18:06 PM
As captivating as the story you've been telling us is (and don't let my lack of comments fool you - I've really been enjoying the story so far), it's great to see some more behind-the-scenes work. Your skill at texture-making has grown by leaps and bounds since the last time you showed us your work on it. These new dirt streets in particular look fantastic! I look forward to trying them out eventually.

One thought that crossed my mind while I was reading/ogling your update: Have you considered using the cobblestone street textures as a road override? From a historical perspective, I think it would make a fair amount of sense to use them that way, and it would make the road network useful in both our historical MDs. Of course, turning the cobblestone textures into a road override for NAM 31.2 would require somewhat more work to account for all the FAR-3 and FAR-2 textures (not to mention all the possible intersections with the dirt streets), but I believe it would be effort well spent, not just for your (and potentially my) MD, but for the community at large. Something for you to consider, at least...

No matter what you ultimately decide to do with your textures, I'm sure it'll be astounding once it's ready for the limelight. Keep up the fantastic work, Erik!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: Simcoug on September 24, 2013, 02:45:16 PM
You know you can count me in as a fan of the new dirt/cobblestone textures.   :thumbsup:
What's that you say?  You need testers??   :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: FrankU on September 24, 2013, 11:33:06 PM
Quote from: woodb3kmaster on September 24, 2013, 02:18:06 PM
One thought that crossed my mind while I was reading/ogling your update: Have you considered using the cobblestone street textures as a road override? From a historical perspective, I think it would make a fair amount of sense to use them that way, and it would make the road network useful in both our historical MDs. Of course, turning the cobblestone textures into a road override for NAM 31.2 would require somewhat more work to account for all the FAR-3 and FAR-2 textures (not to mention all the possible intersections with the dirt streets), but I believe it would be effort well spent, not just for your (and potentially my) MD, but for the community at large. Something for you to consider, at least...

That would indeed be a great project. And I think the work would not be too much, because not all roads need to be overridden. Historical roads are quite straghtforward. No roundabouts and no FAR-2 and FAR-2, I'd say.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: APSMS on September 25, 2013, 12:26:28 AM
Quote from: vortext on September 21, 2013, 02:10:16 PM

Quote from: rooker1 on September 03, 2013, 05:03:45 AM
The last two updates are amazing.
In the last update, very last pic....where did you get the fence?

Robin

Thanks Robin. The fences are CPs lodgewood fences as mmp, though I'd no luck finding the download again - an Asian site iirc.

Those look an awful lot like  these (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10289.msg207824#msg207824). For Robin and me, very domestic (not Asian).

Also, there was a frog? Or is someone just pulling my leg? &Thk/(

Very nice texture work, though I'm not sure what added worth wider streets are when the pathing doesn't reflect the textures
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: benedict on September 30, 2013, 01:45:09 PM
Great stuff as always, and this week finds your MD back at number one on Ben's Top Ten.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: RickD on October 09, 2013, 07:27:27 AM
Erik, please tell me, what is the name of the game you are playing and where can I get it?  :o  No, seriously, fantastic MD!  &apls (and sorry for not commenting earlier)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: threestooges on October 31, 2013, 10:12:27 PM
Introducing an MD which needs no introduction, the OSITM Committee is pleased to showcase the works of our own vortext.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1179.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx388%2FsTUN2011%2FMouse%2520stuff%2FAerden-ed_zps764b44b5.jpg&hash=b3d467c5cef7e41e89bde5055db69adbb9ca0f9a)

Looking forward to seeing what you have in store this month.
-Matt
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Texture Talk
Post by: TheOtherRick on November 01, 2013, 05:59:12 AM
Alrighty then...I have just gone through two cups of coffee and this entire MD this morning. I will admit to just skimming over the replies and your replies to the replies...but I did pause and actually read when you expounded on techniques and projects. All I can say is "Oh my GOD!"  &apls :thumbsup: Fantastic stuff going on here Vortext! The .gif shots were simply amazing. I am curious as to the status of the MMP pack with the seasonal plants, wagons, etc. Lastly, that dirt road looks supurb. I will be following this MD closely from here on out and look forward to more...more...MORE!  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: vortext on November 03, 2013, 12:13:34 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FS4K8ccs.jpg&hash=ebeb30a6674dfcb11571e6fc7545d0840a4f6162)

To kick this month off the third installment of Pytomkins Travels. In case you missed the previous (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg463292#msg463292) parts (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg465334#msg465334) a really short recap: the Potyomkin brothers were banned from their village, prompting an adventurous journey into Ærden. Enjoy!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fc3Akb8d.jpg&hash=2bfbc7a1b65cd4b0a9359566d8d716015ade372d)

05 01 | Last time (http://i.imgur.com/coposHe.jpg) we saw the brothers they were passing some sheep. They themselves had already noticed signs of civilization before passing the animals though. And with the night rapidly approaching the first order of business is to find a place to spend it. Secondly they need to get their stories straight.



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Faom2EtZ.jpg&hash=2c1087edecfd9094a1c8b430c1eea4154c309c68)

05 02 |They are a little too late, however, to work out their story as out of nowhere a group of men stands on the path. The man in charge orders them to stop in a thick, almost foreign accent. Short in posture and words, he introduces himself as Garsill and questions them. His men meanwhile swiftly enter the wagons. Taken by surprise the brothers surrender control and timidly sit back.



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FnzWCl7k.jpg&hash=1efc7d05825d8751e0c3d6cd40afd6fd36e6b80e)

05 03 |It's an early rise the next morning. The brothers take in the surroundings while discussing the unfolding events.

Though they'd been properly treated the situation hadn't been overly friendly. Moreover, they were a little disappointed to learn they hadn't arrived in Ærden just yet. As Garsill had explained during the nightly ride, Nosfor castle was an outpost build to secure the mountain passage. Once inside they were given a meal during which little was spoken, much to their relieve. It was made clear they'd be escorted from here on, without mention of their destination.



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqZk91bR.jpg&hash=36b3e77be8500126284031dc3c35d03e65b7817b)

05 04 |As they take off for the last leg of their journey Garsill instructs his men once again. They are expected to repeat his message verbatim when on audience but they keep messing it up, much to his chagrin.



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrZKxDVm.jpg&hash=4c2564945187a0f720f98187ddefa657c505e752)

05 05 |A few hours into the final descent and the landscape is getting flatter and wetter. The wind is picking up as well and clouds are chasing overhead at a pace the brothers haven't seen before.



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FljxIrFD.jpg&hash=0f6bc8efc7543e836506cde399d4ffdca15e76fc)

05 06 |Quite suddenly the thick forests recede as they enter the spacious valley floor. The path winds around small pockets of water until they hit a small stream which they follow alongside. Then they come to a definite halt at the riverside. 'Now what?', Benjamin asks. 'Now we wait for the noon ferry. . ', Garsill's man answers.



(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: whatevermind on September 21, 2013, 03:10:50 PMI like the dirt streets. The textures on them are nice, and I can certainly think of many uses for them! Personally, I prefer my signs and streetlights and mailboxes, etc. outside the street right-of-way. So for that I would suggest using thinner textures, or including a mod to relocate those things further out (if that's even possible).

Thanks for the input! Of course a T21 mod to move everything out of the way is possible yet a bit tedious. Instead I chose the other option and reworked the textures (quite a bit actually).


Quote from: RepublicMaster on September 21, 2013, 05:30:40 PMThe new dirt street textures look great, especially seeing the curves! :D

Thanks! The curves are great indeed, we can't thank Willy enough for them!


Quote from: epicblunder on September 21, 2013, 09:53:53 PM
simcoug's handiwork (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10289.msg207824#msg207824).  excuse me while i get my chopsticks   :P

How could I forget. . . &ops  Thanks for providing the link!


Quote from: memo on September 21, 2013, 11:10:10 PM
Ohh, I've missed No Lurker Day... Sorry for that. :-[ Absolutely outstanding texturing work. :thumbsup:

Yeah, I've encountered this issue a couple of times. It's not a problem with your texture replacement, but it is an error in the diagonal streets RULs themselves. It is less noticeable with the standard diagonal street textures because the diagonal end stub is almost symmetrical. Probably, that is also why this error got included in the first place.

Thanks for the explanation!


Quote from: Girafe on September 22, 2013, 06:11:22 AM
Really interesting work on the textures.

I love the paved stone texture and the dirty road  :thumbsup:

Regarding the grass ones, I can noticed few repetitions but I am sure you can tweak them. ;)

Thanks! The textures have since been re-re-re-re-tweaked.  :D


Quote from: vester on September 22, 2013, 08:23:11 AM
Very interesting work.

Maybe you have said before, but am asking anyway.

What program are you using ?

Love the pave stone textures (both the road and this one (http://i.imgur.com/B7ZvbCf.jpg)) and the dirt roads.


Would agree with Antoine, that the grass tend to get a bit repetitions.

Thanks! I'm using Filter Forge (http://www.filterforge.com/), very nifty program. If interested I'd watch the site the coming months as it usually has holiday sales this time a year.


Quote from: FrankU on September 23, 2013, 01:54:35 AM
Great work again!
I'm curious what direction your work is taking us....

Thanks Frank. I'm curious too.  :D


Quote from: woodb3kmaster on September 24, 2013, 02:18:06 PM
As captivating as the story you've been telling us is (and don't let my lack of comments fool you - I've really been enjoying the story so far), it's great to see some more behind-the-scenes work. Your skill at texture-making has grown by leaps and bounds since the last time you showed us your work on it. These new dirt streets in particular look fantastic! I look forward to trying them out eventually.

One thought that crossed my mind while I was reading/ogling your update: Have you considered using the cobblestone street textures as a road override? From a historical perspective, I think it would make a fair amount of sense to use them that way, and it would make the road network useful in both our historical MDs. Of course, turning the cobblestone textures into a road override for NAM 31.2 would require somewhat more work to account for all the FAR-3 and FAR-2 textures (not to mention all the possible intersections with the dirt streets), but I believe it would be effort well spent, not just for your (and potentially my) MD, but for the community at large. Something for you to consider, at least...

No matter what you ultimately decide to do with your textures, I'm sure it'll be astounding once it's ready for the limelight. Keep up the fantastic work, Erik!

Thanks for the thoughtful reply Zack! What I had in mind initially was for the road and TiR to remain untouched so it could provide a modern touch to the re-textured cobble stone GLR network. Then again, FAR cobblestone hadn't crossed my mind yet and frankly, it would be nice.  . ::)


Quote from: Simcoug on September 24, 2013, 02:45:16 PM
You know you can count me in as a fan of the new dirt/cobblestone textures.   :thumbsup:
What's that you say?  You need testers??   :P

Thanks! Guess I'll have to make some decent rail intersections first though. ;)


Quote from: FrankU on September 24, 2013, 11:33:06 PM
Quote from: woodb3kmaster on September 24, 2013, 02:18:06 PM
One thought that crossed my mind while I was reading/ogling your update: Have you considered using the cobblestone street textures as a road override? From a historical perspective, I think it would make a fair amount of sense to use them that way, and it would make the road network useful in both our historical MDs. Of course, turning the cobblestone textures into a road override for NAM 31.2 would require somewhat more work to account for all the FAR-3 and FAR-2 textures (not to mention all the possible intersections with the dirt streets), but I believe it would be effort well spent, not just for your (and potentially my) MD, but for the community at large. Something for you to consider, at least...

That would indeed be a great project. And I think the work would not be too much, because not all roads need to be overridden. Historical roads are quite straghtforward. No roundabouts and no FAR-2 and FAR-2, I'd say.

Well, the appeal of the road network is the FAR functionality. And I plan to re-texture roundabouts to have continuous paving any way, so it forms a small city square.


Quote from: APSMS on September 25, 2013, 12:26:28 AM
Those look an awful lot like  these (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10289.msg207824#msg207824). For Robin and me, very domestic (not Asian).

Also, there was a frog? Or is someone just pulling my leg? &Thk/(

Very nice texture work, though I'm not sure what added worth wider streets are when the pathing doesn't reflect the textures

Thanks for the input! Basically I wanted wider streets so it'd cover more sidewalk but you're right though and I have narrowed it down a bit. Also, consider your leg pulled!  ;D


Quote from: benedict on September 30, 2013, 01:45:09 PM
Great stuff as always, and this week finds your MD back at number one on Ben's Top Ten.

Thanks Ben!


Quote from: RickD on October 09, 2013, 07:27:27 AM
Erik, please tell me, what is the name of the game you are playing and where can I get it?  :o  No, seriously, fantastic MD!  &apls (and sorry for not commenting earlier)

Thanks Raphael!


Quote from: threestooges on October 31, 2013, 10:12:27 PM
Introducing an MD which needs no introduction, the OSITM Committee is pleased to showcase the works of our own vortext.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1179.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx388%2FsTUN2011%2FMouse%2520stuff%2FAerden-ed_zps764b44b5.jpg&hash=b3d467c5cef7e41e89bde5055db69adbb9ca0f9a)

Looking forward to seeing what you have in store this month.
-Matt

I'm honored to be OSITM during this festive month!  :)


Quote from: TheOtherRick on November 01, 2013, 05:59:12 AM
Alrighty then...I have just gone through two cups of coffee and this entire MD this morning. I will admit to just skimming over the replies and your replies to the replies...but I did pause and actually read when you expounded on techniques and projects. All I can say is "Oh my GOD!"  &apls :thumbsup: Fantastic stuff going on here Vortext! The .gif shots were simply amazing. I am curious as to the status of the MMP pack with the seasonal plants, wagons, etc. Lastly, that dirt road looks supurb. I will be following this MD closely from here on out and look forward to more...more...MORE!  ;)

Thanks for the kind words! You'll be glad to know the mmps are available on the LEX. ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: Gugu3 on November 03, 2013, 01:58:03 PM
Excellent as always!!!!lovely pictures! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: whatevermind on November 03, 2013, 07:29:54 PM
Beautiful!  &apls

QuoteFAR cobblestone hadn't crossed my mind yet and frankly, it would be nice.
QuoteI plan to re-texture roundabouts to have continuous paving any way, so it forms a small city square.
I like where this is going.  ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: Simcoug on November 04, 2013, 05:59:51 AM
Beautiful scenes!  Is this really SC4?   :D

The second pic (zoomed in night shot) is really excellent.  Very creative  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: Kergelen on November 04, 2013, 07:41:07 AM
Very inspiring pictures again!

I like the first and third pictures. Looking forward the ferry :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: kelis on November 04, 2013, 08:22:48 AM
Yeees !! Those pictures looks pretty good. I can't wait to see more about your MD my friend  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: c.p. on November 04, 2013, 09:51:06 AM
Wow, these are beautiful scenes.  And the story is quite entertaining too. &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: Girafe on November 04, 2013, 10:38:10 AM
I love the banner  &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: noahclem on November 06, 2013, 04:53:41 AM
Beautiful update  &apls &apls  The flora is just masterful, as are the other details. Congratulations on OSITM, it will be a great month here!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: FrankU on November 06, 2013, 05:17:52 AM
Great work and congratulations!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: Swordmaster on November 06, 2013, 05:35:43 AM
Please slow down.

You've only posted four updates since my last comment in late July and I still can't follow.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.majhost.com%2Fgallery%2Fswm666%2FVarious%2Ftoomuchawesome.jpeg&hash=8d0e9d8cac7c5266e8013ef03b5426d9a10ca086)


Sidenote, retexturing FA roads is not the huge job some people seem to make it. I'd say go for it.


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: art128 on November 08, 2013, 04:00:12 AM
Finally some civilization. Good work on that update and congratulations for the award!

Looking forward to the ferry..
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: vester on November 08, 2013, 01:29:16 PM
Excellent update. Looking forward to see what you comes up with for the OSITM.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: TheOtherRick on November 08, 2013, 05:39:56 PM
It's all already been said, so I'll just rinse and repeat....great update!  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: krashspeed on November 09, 2013, 07:01:39 AM
The images and yes the banners are beautiful, but the story is really making me mad. Sims have rights too you know! You can't just go around doing illegal searches - at least I never saw a search warrant! And sure, you call it escorting, but it looks a lot like false arrest to me, maybe even kidnapping. I'm just waiting for the prince from a neighboring castle, to spring from the woods (as a werewolf of course) and teach the so called "escort" a lesson.

Hmm....., I don't know how to end this ridiculous rant, so I'll just say great work.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel part 3
Post by: Schulmanator on November 11, 2013, 05:17:10 AM
More awesome scenery. I like it :D
Title: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: vortext on November 13, 2013, 02:45:34 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FzWgmlfD.jpg&hash=e31f086971a8ea25e7761aeee17fb81dc06d28a4)

Hi there, welcome the OSITM feature in which we'll take a trip down memory lane.

Initially I wanted to take you on tour around Enseade, the latest city I worked on and showed pictures of here-and-there. In fact the last time was in the picture competition recently which even made it into the HoF. Thanks to everyone who cast a vote! While I was rummaging through the archives, however, I came across projects forgotten about and pictures deemed lost. So today actually the first in a series of walks down history avenue (or genealogy street, or hindsight alley, or retrospect square, or, well, you catch the drift). Now, I won't bother you too much with bland pictures but for the sake of posterity the very first screenshot uncovered! 

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FK61o4Od.jpg&hash=fce0caeca24ab949e441e98c3fae46553376bb4b)
Erm.. yeah, guess which city I was inspired with?!

Taken probably two, maybe three weeks after I discovered the online community and all the wonderfull custom content it produces to this very day. Save to say I was blown away by the mindboggling amount of BATs and mods. Truely overwhelming and exciting, a kid in the candy shop really! The following picture is memorable since it was my first attempt at an European city.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fl9u1c6K.jpg&hash=6a0583ccc2b9a5c99d4163a70fceb6d1a286ff25)
Holy BATs Batman! Look at those sweet rowhouses and almost-some-kind-of-wall-to-wall cityblocks!

In the months to follow I build dozens of cities which meant I became accustomed to the constant battle against the state of chaos which threatens to take over the plugins folder at any moment. In the meanwhile I became a chronic lurker here at SC4D as the far reaching modding capabilities started to intrigue me more and more. In that regard the next picture is significant as I distinctly remember looking at it and realizing with some effort, all the street scenery and public spaces could be overhauled to ones hearts desire.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F2IydqDI.jpg&hash=caf8c49a043725e4d7639877e906869a6b7e9ffa)
Argh, those pesky palmtrees and the pertifying patchwork of wealth textures. Also, finally the waterfront could be properly developed!

It still took a few more months of lurking and reading, during which I took the CAM out for a spin (http://i.imgur.com/qm4XOHQ.jpg), before I actually tried my hand at creating anything myself though. And boy, if I was kid in the candy shop initially, I became a teenager in the liquor store when exploring the prop and texture packs in the Lot Editor.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FbHiAG16.jpg&hash=5ff75fd71d4fc439357aab16ce0842d42992bc8d)
Yay, first time growing my own lots!

While it was satisfying I could finally start out in a somewhat historic fashion, with small hamlets and such, the idea of creating my own street textures and T21s to go along didn't let leave my mind, the results of which are detailed in my former thread (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=13223.msg381762#msg381762) so I won't rehash all the development. Instead I'm gonna conclude today with a few pictures I'd completely forgotten about from the first proper region. Proper in the sense I payed attention to MMP detailing, used custom lots and streets exclusively and for the first time thought about a MD. In fact I even made a nice region picture!

*click for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxXg1zvq.jpg&hash=41d853dc758b791bc277a0c779bc419e76f8bb15)
Quite a pleasant surprise to stumble upon again!

The region was handmade and not very big. It was meant to be some sort of volcanic island on which early European explorers would find themselves ship wrecked.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fw9AplRw.jpg&hash=86ebad748f03aa1163eb705910f3eca3af515f53)
Serpent Ilse, the crash site of the sailors.

Eventually the island would become one giant city state. Needless to say it never got developed that far. The wilderness-to-be-tamed theme, however, has stuck with me since.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FGGxBqlY.jpg&hash=c51df9fef25d271d329682787f49e1f2deae8161)
Hm, in hindsight this looks eerily familiar. . :D

And finally the early settlements. Well, singular actually as I never developed the region further than this small seaside settlement.

*click for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3eH7phn.jpg&hash=137a095f378877b11cab76c8bb86c47dab9156f4)

That's it for now, hope you enjoyed it!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Gugu3 on November 03, 2013, 01:58:03 PM
Excellent as always!!!!lovely pictures! &apls

Thanks you!


Quote from: whatevermind on November 03, 2013, 07:29:54 PM
Beautiful!  &apls

QuoteFAR cobblestone hadn't crossed my mind yet and frankly, it would be nice.
QuoteI plan to re-texture roundabouts to have continuous paving any way, so it forms a small city square.
I like where this is going.  ;D

Thanks and I'm glad to hear you already like the plans!  :D


Quote from: Simcoug on November 04, 2013, 05:59:51 AM
Beautiful scenes!  Is this really SC4?   :D

The second pic (zoomed in night shot) is really excellent.  Very creative  :thumbsup:

Last time I checked it still was!  :D The night pic was in large part inspired by Krash's watchmen prop, too good not to use!   ;D


Quote from: Kergelen on November 04, 2013, 07:41:07 AM
Very inspiring pictures again!

I like the first and third pictures. Looking forward the ferry :)

Thank you! The ferry might be a bit delayed though. .  %wrd  :D


Quote from: kelis on November 04, 2013, 08:22:48 AM
Yeees !! Those pictures looks pretty good. I can't wait to see more about your MD my friend  :)

Thanks Jonathan!


Quote from: c.p. on November 04, 2013, 09:51:06 AM
Wow, these are beautiful scenes.  And the story is quite entertaining too. &apls

Thanks! It wouldn't have looked as good without your flora! Glad to hear you're enjoying the story too.  :)


Quote from: Girafe on November 04, 2013, 10:38:10 AM
I love the banner  &apls &apls

Thanks!


Quote from: noahclem on November 06, 2013, 04:53:41 AM
Beautiful update  &apls &apls  The flora is just masterful, as are the other details. Congratulations on OSITM, it will be a great month here!

Thanks for the kind words Noah!


Quote from: FrankU on November 06, 2013, 05:17:52 AM
Great work and congratulations!

Thank you Frank!


Quote from: Swordmaster on November 06, 2013, 05:35:43 AM
Please slow down.

You've only posted four updates since my last comment in late July and I still can't follow.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.majhost.com%2Fgallery%2Fswm666%2FVarious%2Ftoomuchawesome.jpeg&hash=8d0e9d8cac7c5266e8013ef03b5426d9a10ca086)


Sidenote, retexturing FA roads is not the huge job some people seem to make it. I'd say go for it.


Cheers
Willy

Thanks for the encouragement regarding the retexturing, I plan to go into a bit more detail shortly. Also, if you can't keep up maybe you shouldn't be spending so much time on the darn railway!  $%Grinno$%  :D


Quote from: art128 on November 08, 2013, 04:00:12 AM
Finally some civilization. Good work on that update and congratulations for the award!

Looking forward to the ferry..

Yep, getting closer now. Thanks Arthur!


Quote from: vester on November 08, 2013, 01:29:16 PM
Excellent update. Looking forward to see what you comes up with for the OSITM.

Thanks, hope you liked this feature!  :)


Quote from: TheOtherRick on November 08, 2013, 05:39:56 PM
It's all already been said, so I'll just rinse and repeat....great update!  &apls

Thank you, it's always nice to get comments!  :)


Quote from: krashspeed on November 09, 2013, 07:01:39 AM
The images and yes the banners are beautiful, but the story is really making me mad. Sims have rights too you know! You can't just go around doing illegal searches - at least I never saw a search warrant! And sure, you call it escorting, but it looks a lot like false arrest to me, maybe even kidnapping. I'm just waiting for the prince from a neighboring castle, to spring from the woods (as a werewolf of course) and teach the so called "escort" a lesson.

Hmm....., I don't know how to end this ridiculous rant, so I'll just say great work.

Well, things went a bit different back then. It's not illegal if there isn't any law to comply with in the first place, right?! Besides, keep in mind the brothers were basically trespassing through the backyard of Nosfor castle. ;)

At any rate, thanks for the rant as mentioning a werewolf actually reminded me of a few more mythical creatures which surely will haunt the region. ()flamdev()


Quote from: Schulmanator on November 11, 2013, 05:17:10 AM
More awesome scenery. I like it :D

Thank you!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: rambuckel on November 13, 2013, 03:31:31 PM
Fantastic idea and brilliant setting! I love those historic projects. I'm still waiting for the occasion to include something like this in Alba and I'm sure there will be a place somewhere where a historic scenery will fit. I'll surely have your pictures in mind when I come to that point!

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: noahclem on November 14, 2013, 08:43:26 AM
Great to see those old pictures! They seem to do a great job documenting your evolving city style which really shines nicely in the later ones. Also, the "teenager in a liquor store" comment was hilarious  :D  Keep up the great work  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: epicblunder on November 14, 2013, 08:51:02 AM
Ah the good old days of slathering Heblem's rocks everywhere to avoid that silly shadow   :P

That region shot looks great, btw, despite the fact it's older.   &apls  Was that region hand drawn by you?  I swear i've seen one by either blade or beshku on the STEX that has a similar basic shape, but i've never looked closely at it.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: art128 on November 14, 2013, 08:59:24 AM
You definitely improved your style!
So your love of MMP dates from some time already...!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: Simcoug on November 14, 2013, 10:17:31 AM
That was fun!  I think I spotted the HH in it's infancy  ;D

BTW, off the top of your head, where would one find those fishing nets/props by the pier in the last pic?  I like 'em.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: benedict on November 17, 2013, 07:04:51 PM
Fascinating retrospective, and congratulations on being number 10 for the year on Ben's Top Ten.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: Schulmanator on November 18, 2013, 03:24:15 AM
Impressive and delightful work :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Blast from the Past
Post by: kelis on November 20, 2013, 06:54:44 AM
I like so much this type of update, we can see how big is the improvement, great work  :)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: vortext on November 26, 2013, 12:43:07 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

mosaic link (#post_Mosaic)

As a OSITM novelty the replies today will feature more old pictures while I reminisce a bit about the good ol' days, brought about by your kinds comments. And some more extras at the end. Enjoy!




Quote from: rambuckel on November 13, 2013, 03:31:31 PM
Fantastic idea and brilliant setting! I love those historic projects. I'm still waiting for the occasion to include something like this in Alba and I'm sure there will be a place somewhere where a historic scenery will fit. I'll surely have your pictures in mind when I come to that point!

Thanks, glad you like it! One of my major annoyances with the vanilla game was it always started in modern times. Imagine my surprise when I found all these fantastic BATs which could convey a sense of history. In case you need some inspiration for BATting here's another quaint little town.  ;)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FNMGJXa3.jpg&hash=72713343538774a6697ee5a91d231989339a9435)

*click for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F8PiWp4T.jpg&hash=b86de6ba8ee90900647b95fea8737a6e1c12f46e)


Quote from: noahclem on November 14, 2013, 08:43:26 AM
Great to see those old pictures! They seem to do a great job documenting your evolving city style which really shines nicely in the later ones. Also, the "teenager in a liquor store" comment was hilarious  :D  Keep up the great work  :thumbsup:

Thank you Noah. It was really fun for me going through the old pictures so I'm glad you enjoyed them too!


Quote from: epicblunder on November 14, 2013, 08:51:02 AM
Ah the good old days of slathering Heblem's rocks everywhere to avoid that silly shadow   :P

That region shot looks great, btw, despite the fact it's older.   &apls  Was that region hand drawn by you?  I swear i've seen one by either blade or beshku on the STEX that has a similar basic shape, but i've never looked closely at it.

Haha, you know it, darn shadows!   :D

The region was not 'drawn' in the traditional sense. It started with me fooling around in the Terraformer, like so.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FdBdyxhh.jpg&hash=9d0b55d11f62bc5aa305ffe4cb84dc20fb2cbcba)

Then I exported the greyscale, did a lot of cut 'n paste in Photoshop and even more tweaking in the Terraformer before it arrived at the final shape.


Quote from: art128 on November 14, 2013, 08:59:24 AM
You definitely improved your style!
So your love of MMP dates from some time already...!

Thanks Arthur! Yes, when I came across MMPs I thought it was the best thing ever. Weirdly though, I've actually never used any of the mayor mode trees during the vanilla years. At any rate, more mmp madness!  ;D

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FLrqW9Nz.jpg&hash=8b68d013884693d9c56cc93cafe0494d5da9991e)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FBmhkrWY.jpg&hash=cdf303adb80bbc04d270d3d8d968a6f1993f1ce5)


Quote from: Simcoug on November 14, 2013, 10:17:31 AM
That was fun!  I think I spotted the HH in it's infancy  ;D

BTW, off the top of your head, where would one find those fishing nets/props by the pier in the last pic?  I like 'em.   :thumbsup:

Thank you! Those docks are CALs Old English Harbor (iirc). The first custom harbor was some time later, like so.

*click for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FGoT7DCu.jpg&hash=9165a608e2b2ccf2038568dd2a8f9d506f8e04f2)

Admittedly a bit lifeless, then again, it was the first proper w2w city, i.e. with a growable lot set, relotted rewards, matching filler pieces, etc. Shortly there after I tried a stone harbor, of which I don't have a frontal view for some reason.

*click for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fc80uWGR.jpg&hash=53e2b389de4c23e90564eebfe617cbeb2e16009e)
Also notice the first seasonal flora making its appereance.


Regarding the fishing props, now, this may seems like my default answer but they're from an Asian site. No really! :D The download is right here (http://hide-inoki.com/~nob/fishing_port03.zip). And here  (http://hide-inoki.com/~nob/)the proper site. If you run it through a web translator and look under 'Naval port, seaport' there're more goodies.  ;)

Quote from: benedict on November 17, 2013, 07:04:51 PM
Fascinating retrospective, and congratulations on being number 10 for the year on Ben's Top Ten.

Thanks Benedict! Considering the relative short period this MD has been running I was rather pleased and amazed to see it made it into the top 10!


Quote from: Schulmanator on November 18, 2013, 03:24:15 AM
Impressive and delightful work :)

Thank you!


Quote from: kelis on November 20, 2013, 06:54:44 AM
I like so much this type of update, we can see how big is the improvement, great work  :)

Thanks Jonathan, glad you liked it!




Right, with all this recent activity regarding the tree controllers, remember when I said the following?!

Quote from: vortext on February 28, 2013, 05:35:09 AM
Too bad there aren't enough flora items yet for a full HD tree controller but who knows, if Girafe can keep the tree-o-matic going. . 

Probably not.  $%Grinno$%

However, the point is our resident Ƒℓoяaℓer™ did in fact keep the tree-o-matic going and has been churning out new flora at a steady pace since. Moreover, the single LE models are invaluable for a smooth functioning controller (fingers crossed for single Oaks) and I reckon there's just about enough HD flora now to make a nicely varied controller. And so I've slowly started to tinker a bit. Very slowly indeed as I've got just two brushes as of yet.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FW90okc9.jpg&hash=b2f30b335e615638513193361f2531a981815a8a)
What else to start with than the waterside?! :D

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FVhuliYN.jpg&hash=66d75c118de6281e3e7ee6f1b2cefef1eee0c355)
The Lupins are on a different timing and remain brown throughout autumn & winter to turn green in spring and bloom in summer. In fact, the flowers and grass above act in a similar fashion.

Finally a mosaic from the archives I've never shown before because of a fatal flaw. I spotted it right after post-processing of course, so I couldn't correct it anymore and shelved it instead. Now for a little fun: the first person to correctly identify the fault gets to name the very first cathedral in Ærden (and you get to see it being build over time!).

*click for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FY6Vncjg.jpg&hash=020d5fb2a9e5816d32612541346cb60cb463a605)

'till soon, Erik  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: APSMS on November 26, 2013, 02:35:57 AM
In the final mosaic, is the flaw in-game or in the image processing?

There's a building that's off-kilter towards the top intersection, but since everything else looks ok around it that may not be the problem. There's also the two cherry trees towards the bottom that are in bloom, and I was always under the impression that they only turn pink in the winter, but since I don't really know anything about Sakura trees (or Jacaranda trees, but those don't grow in Europe?), I could be wrong.

That's my best guess, until I can figure out if it's graphical or if it's a problem with the source.

(I'd sort of doubt that two pink trees off to the side would be a fatal flaw, but given the perfection and accuracy the rest of your work shows, who knows?)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: vortext on November 26, 2013, 02:54:40 AM
Quote from: APSMS on November 26, 2013, 02:35:57 AM
In the final mosaic, is the flaw in-game or in the image processing?

It's an in-game flaw and the cherry trees nor the building are the problem. ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: Gugu3 on November 26, 2013, 03:02:16 AM
Amazing stuff vortext!
I really appreciate the job you've done with MMPs flora nad tree controllers!
Keep up this incredibly high quality work
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: APSMS on November 26, 2013, 05:26:56 AM
Maybe the different sidewalks towards the left of the cherry trees. They don't match the rest? (also a little bit of one in the buildings towards the middle of the picture).

It doesn't seem like much of a deal breaker to me, though. I'll leave it at that and see what others can find. I don't have a very good eye for these things.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: Simcoug on November 26, 2013, 05:40:24 AM
Besides the different road and sidewalk transitions, the only thing I notice is the varying building scales, but that is just SC4 for ya.  Great pictures  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: noahclem on November 26, 2013, 06:28:50 AM
Outstanding work on your OSITM and another great batch of old goodies and pictures of interest  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: nbvc on November 26, 2013, 10:55:20 AM
Nice work. &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: Swordmaster on November 26, 2013, 11:41:17 AM
Is that a car under the cart?

Great work again, of course. Love all the blasts from the pasts. (What's the singular here? :D)


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: vortext on November 26, 2013, 12:11:16 PM
Quote from: Swordmaster on November 26, 2013, 11:41:17 AM
Is that a car under the cart?

We have a winner here!  &apls

For those who have trouble spotting it: there's a police car driving underneath the wagon in front of Mbear's Central Station.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/5wc2xnvcqv7j3cf/arg.jpg)

There's a police station nearby, obviously, so while taking pictures I was fully aware of the automata mindlessly circling the blocks. Yet despite my best efforts to keep it out of frame it still managed to sneak into this one shot thus ending up in the mosaic after all, which seriously pissed me off because I found out too late.   >:(   :D

At any rate, any name suggestions yet Willy? Construction for the cathedral is planned early 2014. Actually the first phase is already complete. It's the rest of the town that's lacking.  ;D

edit, 10.000 views!  &hlp
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Replies & more.
Post by: Indiana Joe on November 26, 2013, 02:28:16 PM
Even now that it's pointed out, and zoomed in, I still can barely see it.  Your standards are incredible.   :D

Can't wait to see more perfection.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: vortext on November 30, 2013, 03:50:45 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FZUsM6uJ.jpg&hash=00e07de1f3a1f7cd2d2760da00b266ed28b530a2)

Hi there, while technically it's already the first of December here, I'd like to welcome you to the last OSITM feature for the month of November nonetheless.

It'll deal with Enseade exclusively, my most recent city. Despite best efforts to kill as many darlings as possible, it has become a rather lengthy read I'm afraid. The first part roughly outlines the chronological build, while the second part focuses on civics, landmarks and other places of interest. In other words, there're also plenty of pictures to even it out. :D

A few general remarks about the region: it didn't have much of a back story to begin with. The main gist was to start with some sort of Spanish rule, since Spain has actually ruled parts of Northern Europe for a while (then again, which European country hasn't ruled over another at some point in history?!).
   
In practice, however, it was an excuse to use MBears BATs, which at the time I thought were the best suitable for old European city atmosphere. However, as things progressed I became more and more dissatisfied with the rift between my supposedly Mediterrean style and more northern architecture. Another major source of discontent was the fact I changed city location at the very last moment. To this day I still don't know why, maybe out of rebellion against my own planning, who knows.

At any rate, I don't want to paint a too pessimistic picture as I had a lot of fun building Enseade, during which I learned a lot too. The take home message for me is: use more land! By which I mean: do not cram, think ahead for a bit and reserve land for later usage. And though I may dislike it: transit networks and neighbor connections do in fact require some thought beforehand, if only because of the config lay-out.

With that being said, lets get started! *don't forget: click picture for larger size*

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FEF6PrRl.jpg&hash=b6a17152b5900a93a1ff06b17b62cb8b35210d05)
And off to a great start it is!

At the time it seemed like a good idea to encapsulate the in game water with various, water compatible lots to begin with. The concept was to trace the shoreline as accurate as possible. Early on I also decided to leave the city block outlined in red completely untouched in order to grow it into a w2w block. And in general I wanted to demolish as little as possible. However, since I was unfamiliar with the CAN-AM or how to make canal pieces fit in the first place, that principle proved far harder to adhere to than anticipated.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F1JWBCQm.jpg&hash=a0253a39e0d8baee4add30df9ee589dba336d052)
A little later and things start to shape up quite nicely.

The first neighboor connection was established (the canal to the left) and the surrounding area somewhat developed. The sunken canal in the center was removed to help convey a credible chronological development (ignoring the Maxis water tower  ;D ). Anyhow, the bay area was more problematic. Whatever I had in mind, it wasn't going to work, obviously. .   ::)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpOCI6a4.jpg&hash=73b031b18e609927e042b2533709f34fecacead4)
Out with the plop water then!

So I brought the ingame water back with the intention to place industry at the shores. However, I had come across this church (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/16875-basilica-di-sant-ambrogio/) which I liked quite a bit. At least enough to overlook the bright copper textures and before long it was surrounded with a fancy garden, covering the precious shores. Oops.  :D

Also notice the block to the left of the church, it's the same one as outlined in the first picture. By now it had grown into a nice wall-to-wall block, albeit still lacking in height. Of course I could not resist dressing up the courtyard as well.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FO835Arp.jpg&hash=8d6e82a9380c2b590cd2ea8afe43c7350e34edab)
Traffic trouble

Much to my surprise the CAN-AM connection was at capacity soon after, so I was forced the solve the water ordeal once and for all. The plan was simple: add another neighbor connection and expand the harbor to create more jobs in this tile. And with that things quickly fell into place. However, I was faced with another land arm to develop. And by now the population had almost reached 15k, which was pretty exciting since I'd never grown a city that large (not in this kind of fashion at least).


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FJ8YLGDT.jpg&hash=a656a0a43b7989a43a02f891a9267aa540cdd700)
Notice the small island in the top, it needed to have some kind of landmark.

Anxious to grow larger I kinda rushed these stage 6 lots and didn't give much thought what to do with the rest of the available land. The area to the right of MBears church (covered with tiles) proved especially problematic. I wanted to create another harbor there but nothing seemed to work. 


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FJfILLzG.jpg&hash=5eb6355af3325d0dc74d5497866d04a80d2e481c)
Nope.

This is just one out of half a dozen trials. With the city block on the left developed, the aforementioned rift in architecture grew more evident. Though I didn't stop me from placing the Santa Croce basilica.  ;)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fy1XxDAT.jpg&hash=66425c2683a9464e29edbfc7e395e3ab11b48de4)
Notice the small island again. With new developments underway, the city needed some fortification.

A rather large step forward in time, signified by the switch to Gobias' SV terrain. Coincidentally, one of his water mods also quite nicely matches with the canal water.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FPnv4nZt.jpg&hash=dd7941d513dc94ab4befd2c8101f57eab2892d3d)

Before moving on to more functional aspects, I'd like to point out those three little piers are actual ferries (for no other reason than it took forever to get them working. :D ).


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FSFSTsVy.jpg&hash=fe57ac6cb15e2786a42b59ecae8ffbe84c4fdbac)

No matter how small the town, it needs power first of all and usually I rely on Nexis' sand pile (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/23564-nexis-sand-gravelpile-energy/). However, as the city grew bigger, it needed more juice so Xannepan's medieval windmills were put to good use. This is actually in one of the neighbors, where I also started some canal work.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrUkhr8X.jpg&hash=09c5f8b276585f9b576b87fc9367087fc8823782)

Soon after every city needs water, I found this leaning tower quite fitting.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrrR6p9u.jpg&hash=37cf1704b49b02566428966f1d05543ecc8546bd)

Tucked away in the corner the waste incinerator by Cogeo (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/11112-sc3kstyle-incinerator/), extremely useful imho. Not only does it actually adds functionality, it also comes with a nifty mod which changes the power & waste graph to display more information.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fmadm8kh.jpg&hash=7c155067c2a407a881ca59f3a06bd6678ec8fee6)

Actually it was Mbears central station which acted as a police station. And it also acted as a fire station and a hospital! The modding for such a multipurpose civics lot was taken from from this lot (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1369) by BarbyW, which is very useful and fun since it's also a reward.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FXHl35jG.jpg&hash=78e0504fe7096b1e27a67f9f0d52e27f33e60457)

The university. (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/2910-old-university/) It's such a nice BAT, you can be sure it'll make a re-appearance.  ;)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FME9BF2d.jpg&hash=cc86682b195af88d9c733933a8060813da5c998a)

The census bureau, I like to get a much information as possible. Though I had many many doubts using this BAT because of the roof and its neon blue night lights. . .but in the end those stairs won me over. How I wish for more BATs with large staircases in front.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FvGD6Wdr.jpg&hash=0b68f032dbdd50100acb62d71445d8d71f846b61)

City hall. Again the stairs in front were the main attraction for me, though the banners are nice too.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYUhBzig.jpg&hash=999a78d03b0cac0cd24ce18af5c00efc473290de)

An overview of the governmental district. Inspired with Kergelens olive fields (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=13845.msg434949#msg434949), I tried my hand at an apple orchard behind the basilica.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FBbBz37O.jpg&hash=438cb854f5096181d885b881e9e714d915c11e30)

Another house of worship.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrXrJUDv.jpg&hash=aedc87c6ebc4989f521b10cb1e89d2fe2616122c)

I scaled Swi21's bridge down so it fits over the canal. The lot itself is transit enabled for pedestrians.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHr3wRuN.jpg&hash=2febfab27eddb104810fb82ad56e0da8bf9b8882)

From the same angle, zoomed out, pretty much one of the last pictures I took.


And finally to wrap it up for today, two panoramas which were meant for further processing but I never got around to it. Hope you enjoyed it!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fr77t3Vg.jpg&hash=92c0d3f05877c6f03a7e3000d94e29ee92388e55)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQIBV9wV.jpg&hash=660f097f65012aed6266c3c891c75af2170fc097)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Gugu3 on November 26, 2013, 03:02:16 AM
Amazing stuff vortext!
I really appreciate the job you've done with MMPs flora nad tree controllers!
Keep up this incredibly high quality work

Thank you!


Quote from: APSMS on November 26, 2013, 05:26:56 AM
Maybe the different sidewalks towards the left of the cherry trees. They don't match the rest? (also a little bit of one in the buildings towards the middle of the picture).

It doesn't seem like much of a deal breaker to me, though. I'll leave it at that and see what others can find. I don't have a very good eye for these things.

Ah yes, sidewalks are annoying too. I've learned to live with it.  &sly  :D

Quote from: Simcoug on November 26, 2013, 05:40:24 AM
Besides the different road and sidewalk transitions, the only thing I notice is the varying building scales, but that is just SC4 for ya.  Great pictures  &apls

Thanks! Scales are always out of whack indeed, though due to the selecting of BATs the problem became more pronounced (especially the grey buildings with red/orange roof are off, compared to the rest).

Quote from: noahclem on November 26, 2013, 06:28:50 AM
Outstanding work on your OSITM and another great batch of old goodies and pictures of interest  &apls

Thanks Noah!

Quote from: Swordmaster on November 26, 2013, 11:41:17 AM
Is that a car under the cart?

Great work again, of course. Love all the blasts from the pasts. (What's the singular here? :D)


Cheers
Willy

pastses, pastesses, pasts' ..     $%Grinno$% Thanks Willy!

Quote from: Indiana Joe on November 26, 2013, 02:28:16 PM
Even now that it's pointed out, and zoomed in, I still can barely see it.  Your standards are incredible.   :D

Can't wait to see more perfection.   :thumbsup:

Thanks! Though really, I ought to lower the standards from time to time. . ::)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: Mr.Lin on November 30, 2013, 09:10:50 PM
wow,what a fantastic town there !
That's amazing !
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: Schulmanator on December 01, 2013, 04:57:07 AM
Very nice. And your work on relotting sure pays off!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: rambuckel on December 01, 2013, 03:19:52 PM
Brilliant updates again! I actually love those different textures for the meadows a really good idea!

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: RepublicMaster on December 01, 2013, 04:26:29 PM
Great update, the commentary was very enjoyable. :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: Simcoug on December 01, 2013, 07:53:54 PM
This is really interesting, and helpful too.  I just know I will be running into all sorts of trouble down the road trying to grow my little CJ, so hearing some trials and tribulations from such an expert is very welcome.  The idea of reserving land is a good one, but hard to accomplish because the game fights you on it constantly.  I always find myself laying a few zones here and there, thinking I'm preserving some open spaces, but eventually I look back and everything filled up!  Where did all that space go?  $%Grinno$%

QuoteBefore moving on to more functional aspects, I'd like to point out those three little piers are actual ferries (for no other reason than it took forever to get them working. :D ).
I would be really interested to hear how you managed to mod those ferries... I tried my hand at making some fucntional ferries but it ended in total failure (and frustration!)  Perhaps you would be willing to share the lots too??  ;)

All in all, a great entry!   &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: Swordmaster on December 02, 2013, 07:41:38 AM
It's a very interesting (and depressing :P) topic you broached here: the endless search for balance between functionality and aesthetics, especially in a historical setting, with apparently no limits on modding. I've had my fair share of this and I've drawn my conclusions; you've drawn yours. In this regard, I'm eager to hear more about what you did and how you did it. It adds a unique depth to this MD; a great supplement to what are already very nice scenes and pictures.


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: kelis on December 17, 2013, 03:37:02 AM
Fantastic job !! Your MD is very inspirational for guys like me, I can see details and work everywhere, also I can see the planning of each part of your city, I just love it !!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: noahclem on December 17, 2013, 04:28:17 AM
Fascinating history of your city-building  &apls  You can certainly see a style that's distinctly yours even among the earliest pics. Outstanding month  &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM Feature: Enseade
Post by: Gugu3 on December 17, 2013, 07:48:00 AM
Nice!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: vortext on December 23, 2013, 05:11:55 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FttYne06.jpg&hash=07298dac5dbdcd2e247fd0d3dd1710a142f9ebb0)

Hi there and welcome another installment of texture talk! Come to think of it, it's actually more of a end-of-the-year round up.

First of all, after half a year of MDing the story line has caught up with regional developments. In other words, there won't be a proper update for some time to come, the reasons for which will become apparent later on. That's not to say there aren't plenty of ideas floating around though. Consequently I've been reading up lately on feudal structure and land use in general. In that regard the region has been carved up quite nicely (with a few config changes along the way) which will surely cause political friction over time.  ;)

And that's about it for the talky bit. Lets have a look at the textures. To start with I've made a small IR meadow set recently. There're eight texture variations. Moreover each variation is a multi-fsh which holds 8 unique textures. Meaning the tiling which had a few of you worried last time is less obvious.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FEaEpMLJ.jpg&hash=d38ef701709c7ab05729c0d8cb34a1732bc4e5a7)
Maxis terrain

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FNcJvVww.jpg&hash=eff2e112ddc78e09c9adc2965af19f1902537fec)
Lowkee's Appalachian terrain

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FWT5y3x0.jpg&hash=cc6ef72c54eb5ae3f687aabdf699766676908ca5)
Gobias' SV terrain

Not too sure yet about colors though, maybe I'll need to dial down the saturation just a bit. However, I am quite pleased with how they look up close.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrYgoPMR.jpg&hash=4c07818d863320638f04fd5c404f382ff89ca9e0)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FIEoX9w3.jpg&hash=adf1cc063dbe772d01dac47310a91c33ef8950a2)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FAClzgry.jpg&hash=3a615e3a6df27c7ddade00a98cbbe85f087b9d57)


Other than that I've established a nice workflow to create uniform overlays, which are in the same vain as CPs.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FNTlKRv3.jpg&hash=4730be15e15d8f8041e25a199d01ebdc17d7608c)


The current focus is on finishing dirt and grass textures - 20 in total - from which to derive about 6 overlay sets and 6 two-toned base texture sets (i.e. part grass and dirt). Again this is similar to CPs textures. Of course pavements are part of the scope too and in that regard I've finally cracked my personal holy grail: proper cobble fans!  ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FhRahg5O.jpg&hash=9dff11aa0f44763d31ccc61897d4f4f3c744d7d1)


And just in case you were wondering why I'm making textures in the first place: it's so I can finally start to do this.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FK3eOLfI.jpg&hash=2e42bfe396dbc17e8b14464350ff3967e67e3500)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FdxMaWkv.jpg&hash=2ecb856d8803b135a871f9a07333f150c29d5525)

Xannepan's medieval houses have been sitting idle on my HD for almost a year now. ::)

Stage 1 lots will have one house with lots of crops. Going up, the lots start to fill out. My intent is to create a number of rather large lots (e.g. 6x6) for the highest stages (6/7) and lot them as city blocks, with narrow alleyways and such. I imagine this'd be especially nice on sloped terrain, since all houses have a custom foundation and the lots are slope friendly, of course. In addition I've made a series of row houses (1x1, 1x2) to line the streets with and a few corner lots (2x2, 3x3 - latter is shown).

Anyway, moving on to transit textures. I've reworked the dirt streets, they're smaller and quite a bit darker.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fg86UOc5.jpg&hash=e66d84fc5e82e8b4523fbeda3f702614fbd13650)


The cobble stone textures are moving along quite nicely too, currently in the proces of pulling various networks closer together.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/om5umxdku4gr7v0/cobble.png)



And as if that isn't enough yet: there's the Historic Harbor project, the existence of which you may or may not be aware off. It's a collaboration between myself, Simcoug and Krashspeed. It started innocently some time ago when the former asked me where I got the harbor pieces used in Enseade. These were custom build, of course, but we started brainstorming about a modular harbor set and soon after Krashspeed joined. Initially for a few quay pieces, however, it has turned into quite an extensive project since. A proper harbor needs cargo and workers to fill the docks, after all.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FnUdXMv1.jpg&hash=7c1d42d0505abd1029edad9f4a75765504e07906)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FDSVwiUV.jpg&hash=552d60c6147208a47d78c42becf41247ab1c5cfc)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F5OMwNAY.jpg&hash=f87b86274a9d0a8e2664f314943da49ac8c9985a)


As you can see Krashspeed is a very talented BATter. Not only that, he has taken the trouble to render all props both in SD and HD! Needless to say packaging will require some thought, however, first of order of business is modding (families, timing, etc). To get an impression of the actual harbor pieces I'd suggest you start following NewSorgun (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10168.msg221978#msg221978), if you didn't already. And yes, MMPs will be shipped out as well (pun intended  :P).


So given the modding, texturing and lotting that awaits, I hope you'll understand why it's gonna take a while for a proper update to appear. And first of all I'm going on a little holiday trip to visit family.  :)




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Mr.Lin on November 30, 2013, 09:10:50 PM
wow,what a fantastic town there !
That's amazing !

Thanks!


Quote from: Schulmanator on December 01, 2013, 04:57:07 AM
Very nice. And your work on relotting sure pays off!

Thank you!


Quote from: rambuckel on December 01, 2013, 03:19:52 PM
Brilliant updates again! I actually love those different textures for the meadows a really good idea!

Thanks! I hope you like the new meadows as well.


Quote from: RepublicMaster on December 01, 2013, 04:26:29 PM
Great update, the commentary was very enjoyable. :P

Glad you liked it Will!


Quote from: Simcoug on December 01, 2013, 07:53:54 PM
This is really interesting, and helpful too.  I just know I will be running into all sorts of trouble down the road trying to grow my little CJ, so hearing some trials and tribulations from such an expert is very welcome.  The idea of reserving land is a good one, but hard to accomplish because the game fights you on it constantly.  I always find myself laying a few zones here and there, thinking I'm preserving some open spaces, but eventually I look back and everything filled up!  Where did all that space go?  $%Grinno$%

QuoteBefore moving on to more functional aspects, I'd like to point out those three little piers are actual ferries (for no other reason than it took forever to get them working. :D ).
I would be really interested to hear how you managed to mod those ferries... I tried my hand at making some fucntional ferries but it ended in total failure (and frustration!)  Perhaps you would be willing to share the lots too??  ;)

All in all, a great entry!   &apls

Thanks! As for the ferries, given they're tailored to each situation there's little use for them outside Enseade. However, the gnomes were crucial for proper functioning. Two of them have to touch the road, while another has to be at the water edge (or the other way around). In addition a minimal height difference of 15 meter between land and seafloor is required, iirc.


Quote from: Swordmaster on December 02, 2013, 07:41:38 AM
It's a very interesting (and depressing :P) topic you broached here: the endless search for balance between functionality and aesthetics, especially in a historical setting, with apparently no limits on modding. I've had my fair share of this and I've drawn my conclusions; you've drawn yours. In this regard, I'm eager to hear more about what you did and how you did it. It adds a unique depth to this MD; a great supplement to what are already very nice scenes and pictures.


Cheers
Willy

Thanks for the kind words Willy! The balance you mention can be quite cumbersome indeed and I could discuss it at length.  :D


Quote from: kelis on December 17, 2013, 03:37:02 AM
Fantastic job !! Your MD is very inspirational for guys like me, I can see details and work everywhere, also I can see the planning of each part of your city, I just love it !!

Thank you Jonathan!


Quote from: noahclem on December 17, 2013, 04:28:17 AM
Fascinating history of your city-building  &apls  You can certainly see a style that's distinctly yours even among the earliest pics. Outstanding month  &apls &apls

Thanks Noah!

Quote from: Gugu3 on December 17, 2013, 07:48:00 AM
Nice!

Thanks!




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fd4Y0Rrc.jpg&hash=9a65bee9d62dbf95ec7f1dac851bc0c49b324485)



(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/t71cij9rhv53cmf/cc.png) Happy Holidays (https://dl.dropbox.com/s/g2mq2rmxj4n03d6/ccm.png)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: whatevermind on December 23, 2013, 11:03:41 PM
Um...Wow!

It's all incredible, and I know I've said before how much I love those cobble textures, still do. These lots also really interest me. That's probably not a surprise though. The harbor stuff pretty much leaves me speechless, it's all beautiful. Are there docks and piers planned to go along with those?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: Nanami on December 24, 2013, 05:22:08 AM
wow, just wow...
it's interesting to have those transit texture. it's look kinda classic (or maybe european, I'm not know many about it lol just feel it's pretty different with normal SC4  :-[ )
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: kelis on December 24, 2013, 06:05:16 AM
oh my... if I had all that in my hands I cease to play simcity in the modern era to make a real old city, so c'mon just let us enjoy all that stuff  $%Grinno$% $%Grinno$% !! It's amazing my friend, I can't wait to see more about it.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: vester on December 24, 2013, 06:49:43 AM
Someone has been busi.

Love the bats and sure am looking forward for the cobble texture.
Pretty sure I could use it or a lot or two.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: droric on December 24, 2013, 09:54:23 AM
I love the props!  They all have so much detail and character in them.  The textures look great as well, perhaps something I will never master.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: MTT9 on December 24, 2013, 01:47:04 PM
I'm not sure i've ever commented here but this is amazing!! Lots of work ahead, i'll look foward to see what happens :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: RepublicMaster on December 24, 2013, 06:19:20 PM
Oh my, I'm lost for words, there's so much great stuff here! I was building a city and I could have really made good use of those fabulous textures!

What an excellent Christmas gift! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: FrankU on December 24, 2013, 11:00:04 PM
Hi Erik,

This is absolutely stunning work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: vester on December 25, 2013, 05:50:05 AM
Quote from: droric on December 24, 2013, 09:54:23 AM
I love the props!  They all have so much detail and character in them.  The textures look great as well, perhaps something I will never master.

Yes the texturing work is great.

Mark: cgtextures.com (http://cgtextures.com/) is a good starting point.

Would love to hear some on how the texture work; including UV-mapping / Unwrapping ect,
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: Girafe on December 25, 2013, 06:10:07 AM
Really good job on the props especially the characters, I love them  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: sunv123 on December 25, 2013, 08:08:54 AM
Wow, those are fantastic props! Just Wow! :thumbsup:

I can't wait till they're released! ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: greenbelt on December 26, 2013, 01:19:13 AM
 &apls fabulous Vortex.  I have place this MD in my SC4 Showcase bookmarks folder.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: Bipin on December 26, 2013, 05:23:53 AM
Loving this! A job well done, that's for sure.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: benedict on December 27, 2013, 03:05:12 PM
Great stuff.

And congratulations, your MD is number one on Ben's Top Ten this week.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: greenbelt on January 02, 2014, 01:56:31 AM
re-reading your journal again from the beginning.  I have a couple of questions.  I will try to add them all to this post via edits.

#1. 
QuoteTo make things even more interesting, I also let the game run on rhino speed while treeing and paused occasionally to accentuate a certain month. And why stick to just one tree controller, when you can use all three of them, right?!  ;)
won't the game CTD if we use more than 1 tree controller?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on January 08, 2014, 10:36:46 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: whatevermind on December 23, 2013, 11:03:41 PM
Um...Wow!

It's all incredible, and I know I've said before how much I love those cobble textures, still do. These lots also really interest me. That's probably not a surprise though. The harbor stuff pretty much leaves me speechless, it's all beautiful. Are there docks and piers planned to go along with those?

Yep, the docks & piers shown in NewSorgun will serve as the basis. You'll actually be able to plop the lots directly on the water, so no more tedious terraforming! Props for the harbor stuff go to Krashspeed (I'll never grow tired of this pun  :D). Anyway, glad to hear you (still) like the cobble stones!  :)


Quote from: 976 on December 24, 2013, 05:22:08 AM
wow, just wow...
it's interesting to have those transit texture. it's look kinda classic (or maybe european, I'm not know many about it lol just feel it's pretty different with normal SC4  :-[ )

Thanks! My intention is to create a classic, European look indeed so I'm glad that comes across!  :)


Quote from: kelis on December 24, 2013, 06:05:16 AM
oh my... if I had all that in my hands I cease to play simcity in the modern era to make a real old city, so c'mon just let us enjoy all that stuff  $%Grinno$% $%Grinno$% !! It's amazing my friend, I can't wait to see more about it.

And you haven't seen the list of planned add-ons yet. .  $%#Ninj2  Patience Jonathan, patience. .  :D


Quote from: vester on December 24, 2013, 06:49:43 AM
Someone has been busi.

Love the bats and sure am looking forward for the cobble texture.
Pretty sure I could use it or a lot or two.

Thanks Arne!


Quote from: droric on December 24, 2013, 09:54:23 AM
I love the props!  They all have so much detail and character in them.  The textures look great as well, perhaps something I will never master.

Can confirm: the details and variations are incredible!  :D As for the textures, little confused if you mean the BAT or LE textures?


Quote from: MTT9 on December 24, 2013, 01:47:04 PM
I'm not sure i've ever commented here but this is amazing!! Lots of work ahead, i'll look foward to see what happens :)

That makes two of us!  :D Thanks for stopping by!


Quote from: RepublicMaster on December 24, 2013, 06:19:20 PM
Oh my, I'm lost for words, there's so much great stuff here! I was building a city and I could have really made good use of those fabulous textures!

What an excellent Christmas gift! :D

I'm looking forward to using the textures too!  ;) Thanks!


Quote from: FrankU on December 24, 2013, 11:00:04 PM
Hi Erik,

This is absolutely stunning work!

Thank you Frank!


Quote from: vester on December 25, 2013, 05:50:05 AM
Quote from: droric on December 24, 2013, 09:54:23 AM
I love the props!  They all have so much detail and character in them.  The textures look great as well, perhaps something I will never master.

Yes the texturing work is great.

Mark: cgtextures.com (http://cgtextures.com/) is a good starting point.

Would love to hear some on how the texture work; including UV-mapping / Unwrapping ect,

Well, that's a subject for Krashspeed. He stops by here every now and again so maybe he'd be willing to divulge a little bit. Otherwise you could ask him over at Simpeg (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=10452.0).


Quote from: Girafe on December 25, 2013, 06:10:07 AM
Really good job on the props especially the characters, I love them  :thumbsup:

I can only concur: the workers are brilliant!


Quote from: sunv123 on December 25, 2013, 08:08:54 AM
Wow, those are fantastic props! Just Wow! :thumbsup:

I can't wait till they're released! ;)

For you too Victor: patience.  ;)


Quote from: greenbelt on December 26, 2013, 01:19:13 AM
&apls fabulous Vortex.  I have place this MD in my SC4 Showcase bookmarks folder.

Thanks, both for the kind words and for stopping by!  :)


Quote from: Bipin on December 26, 2013, 05:23:53 AM
Loving this! A job well done, that's for sure.

Thank you!


Quote from: benedict on December 27, 2013, 03:05:12 PM
Great stuff.

And congratulations, your MD is number one on Ben's Top Ten this week.

Thanks everyone!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: greenbelt on January 02, 2014, 01:56:31 AM
re-reading your journal again from the beginning.  I have a couple of questions.  I will try to add them all to this post via edits.

#1. 
QuoteTo make things even more interesting, I also let the game run on rhino speed while treeing and paused occasionally to accentuate a certain month. And why stick to just one tree controller, when you can use all three of them, right?!  ;)
won't the game CTD if we use more than 1 tree controller?

Yes and no. . . In general it's a bad idea to combine tree controllers from different creators unless you're absolutely sure what you're doing. What I meant in the quoted passage: I used all three of my controllers, one after another, which is safe to do. Similarly, one could use multiple of CPs controllers one after another, which in fact I've done in the past as well.

I hope this clears things up a bit. It's a tricky subject though so don't hesitate to ask away, either here or in my tree controller thread (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=13223.msg472644#msg472644) (which reminds me. . .)  :)

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ texture talk
Post by: krashspeed on January 08, 2014, 11:21:56 AM
Quote from: vester on December 25, 2013, 05:50:05 AM
Quote from: droric on December 24, 2013, 09:54:23 AM
I love the props!  They all have so much detail and character in them.  The textures look great as well, perhaps something I will never master.

Yes the texturing work is great.

Mark: cgtextures.com (http://cgtextures.com/) is a good starting point.

Would love to hear some on how the texture work; including UV-mapping / Unwrapping ect,

I don't have any routine for texturing, I just do whatever seems right. I know that's a not a good answer, but it's the truth. If you have a specific question I'll try to answer it and please do drop by Simpeg.

Thanks!  :)



Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: epicblunder on January 08, 2014, 11:24:54 AM
Quote from: vortext on January 08, 2014, 10:36:46 AM
(which reminds me. . .)  :)

/poke /poke /poke

I'm not sure why i'm poking; i just want to see what turns up.   :satisfied:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ tt3
Post by: vortext on February 12, 2014, 07:34:20 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FttYne06.jpg&hash=07298dac5dbdcd2e247fd0d3dd1710a142f9ebb0)

Alright back again with another round of Texture Talk though it'll be a short installment. I've polished the dirt and grass textures some more and I think they look okay at the moment (things may look different to me tomorrow, I can keep on fiddling to no end really ::)).

So here's the latest state of affairs: ten dirt and ten grass textures in zoom 6 (and png for optimal detail). Don't worry too much about the tiling as the base textures will be multi-fsh textures eventually.

*click pic for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F4149hSL.jpg&hash=566b6387572c40d954c9a985a6c1d233e05006f6)

So, what do y'all think?! If you want to judge these texture even better you can pick up a beta file here, which also holds an overlay set. The overlay texture itself is a bit outdated, however, what matters are the shapes: are they any good for lotting? Or maybe you think a particular shape is missing? Please give them go in the LE and let me know! I'd also appreciated feedback on the base textures of course, especially with regards to usage with different terrain mods.


Moving on.


Last time I didn't get any feedback on the darker streets. Understandable as everyone was in awe with Krashs' harbor props. However, I've tinkered a bit more and like to hear your thoughts!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FGhBkk6L.png&hash=ebc0e67a049b7e723d8d528392c0e08cbbdded4d)
Up close in zoom 6

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fd1p8kBW.png&hash=91e9b544f56bf78c5eb27625f36bff174f13f53f)
zoom 5

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F7hVBllC.png&hash=3e56d45320de42529bc6bd158f4f80c4f4b43239)
zoom 4

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FM0XqjY8.png&hash=5f927a0277dacad79bc2526ce646f569b97f2280)
zoom 3

Yes, no, maybe?!  :-\

Finally I'm happy to report Ærden has welcomed the first residents and the regional population count is a whoppig 1139 sims! (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.simpeg.com%2Fforum%2FSmileys%2Fcustom1%2Fyeah.gif&hash=7f0ec798a1aa6e2585636f598cc661ccf7bce4ea)

Stay tuned!  &opr

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: krashspeed on January 08, 2014, 11:21:56 AM
I don't have any routine for texturing, I just do whatever seems right. I know that's a not a good answer, but it's the truth. If you have a specific question I'll try to answer it and please do drop by Simpeg.

Thanks!  :)

Whatever you're doing, you're doing it right obviously!  :D


Quote from: epicblunder on January 08, 2014, 11:24:54 AM
/poke /poke /poke

I'm not sure why i'm poking; i just want to see what turns up.   :satisfied:

He, stop poking!  :angrymore:  :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ tt3
Post by: art128 on February 12, 2014, 07:42:37 AM
I like the dirt streets. They look fine except at zoom 3 but that's the game engine's fault.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ tt3
Post by: Gugu3 on February 12, 2014, 07:47:49 AM
I like the road texture...agree with Arthur about zoom 3...but that is a game deficency :thumbsup:Well done anyway!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ tt3
Post by: FrankU on February 14, 2014, 02:46:31 AM
Hi Erik,

I like the textures and the shapes of the overlays. You made a lot of different overlays, so we have versatility here. But.... Are you planning to make the paths as overlays too? Or do we have to make our paths by adding two overlays to one base texture? The problem then is that I cannot add another path to the same tile, like one of those brick or stone paths by CP.
In my lots I combine overlays and base textures with different paths of stone, sand, concrete, brick or whatever CP made available. Sometimes it is a hell of a puzzle to find the right combination of base texture with overlays.
CP made combined base tiles plus separate overlays of different textures. Seeing the amount of shapes and textures you show in the file I guess we are going to have an enormous set of textures and overlays? What are your plans?

And another thing. Your textures are very good looking, but when I compare them with other grasses I think you have a bit too many dark textures. Maybe you can lighten up some of them?

Frank
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ tt3
Post by: Simcoug on February 14, 2014, 11:07:42 AM
Awesome - so the 'streets' texture will just override the maxis dull grey streets?  I'd be interested in that!   ;D



Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ tt3
Post by: mgb204 on February 14, 2014, 07:57:12 PM
This has to be the most jaw-dropping use of simply nature I've seen within SC4 thus far. Trying not to miss all the great works like this can even be daunting sometimes.

I come across this MD at page 10, region pop of 1139... on page 10, that's odd... 3 hours or so later I'm finished gawping at all the shots of the region and struggling with the mind-bending amount of work that must have gone into this. By page 10 I find myself thinking I don't want to see so many residents until at least page 20! Truly stunning work here, and more than a couple tips amongst these pages to improve my game too. I will be keeping an eye on future updates from now on, thanks so much for taking the time to make and present this.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: vortext on April 12, 2014, 02:41:55 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fogsf5vM.jpg&hash=4ec11dfeb00cd30caaf66eb47cb048ce01607d65)

Wait, what? It's been two months since the last update?! Well, time certainly does fly, doesn't it!  :D

As you may have guessed already, this will largly be a status update on various projects. No worries though, there're some pictures at the end so skip right ahead if you're not one for reading. ;)

First of all the Historic Harbor project is coming along nicely. The props, all 1260 of them (double that for HD/SD) have been organized in a somewhat coherent and nitpicker friendly fashion. For example, in the Cargo folder you'll find separate .dat files for barrels, carts, crates and sacks. Similar in the Street Furniture folder you'll find benches, a bulletin board and posters, various fences, light posts, clocks, etc. Most of the props belong to one or more families and have been timed or given the random chance property.

The lots sets themselves are almost finished as well. The last hurdle to take is implementing this little feature (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4278.msg135101#msg135101), which I came across only recently. And yes, it is as awesome as it sounds, it'll save you a lot of scrolling through the menu. Speaking of which, the lots are located in the seaport menu and also show up as seaports in the city budget.

Furthermore we've created a number of 'seasonal' MMPs. I use quotation marks around seasonal because these MMPs do not contain trees but cargo and workers instead. Since Krashspeed made many variations of the same models we decided it'd be nice to put these on rotation, so to speak, with the models changing every four months. Of course you do not have to worry about the date you plop these MMPs since the models are not bound to any season. To give you an impression, here's the selection for the worker MMPs.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/vesi5idogg4msou/Workers%20MMP%20example%20pic.jpg)

If everything keeps rolling along as it has done the last few weeks I think we'll be able to get the entire set in the hands of our beta testers shortly and work on the documentation while awaiting their feedback.


Right. As you can imagine, this takes up a good chunk of my time at the moment. However, I still saw the opportunity for some preliminary work regarding the cobble stone textures.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FEoRCYEm.png&hash=3466821b3407ae7689e1b84a720282e3b0a37441)
Well, this was far easier than anticipated (excuses the pun, I couldn't resist  ;D).

For various reasons I decided to put the dirt street textures on the back burner and focus on the road cobble stone textures first and foremost. I still got some kinks to work out though. For instance how to apply the wear-and-tear gradient on intersections as my current approach is to render the texture as one entity, with all elements backed in. However, I'm thinking it might be worthwhile to render stuff like the gradient and curbstones separate from the actual pavers and then put it back together in photoshop. I figure this will be especially useful with an eye on GLR textures, so I can re-use elements later on.

As for the LE textures, I've completely revised the overlays. Not only are the shapes a little smoother but more important is that the rendering process is automated even further. It takes me two mouse clicks and about 45 minutes to go from basic shapes to a proper overlay set. At any rate, I've settled on about 40 base textures which I'm currently fine tuning in terms of hue and saturation.


So, at this moment you may say to yourself, 'this is all fine and well but it's the same stuff this guy has been harping on and on about for months. What about Ærden?!'.
Well, I'm glad you asked!

As of yet the region is home to about 5000 sims, mostly concentrated in two villages though I'm currently sprinkling family farms throughout. Furthermore the config has undergone some changes yet again. I had a change of heart with regard to starting point for the proper city after watching this clip (http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/6589827/4729608a/dumpert_historie_les.html). Pretty inspiring stuff and quite indicative of what I plan to do. But of course plans are boring without anything to show for, so I'll leave you with some tinkering and teaser pics. Enjoy!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FlijUox8.jpg&hash=6695382aedbb5c45fcbcbe696b6e77c9146ce7ba)
. tinkering .  &idea

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FC5mhuOs.jpg&hash=7c77d67c32c34075d06f35cb4646ef4f1ec869e6)
. . tinkering . . &Thk/(

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FAqMIyaT.jpg&hash=64f1c10489ce839c392b04f03d4574912908cff1)
. . . tinkering. . . %wrd



Also, finally got around to making a decent monastery with Kwakelaar's Schiffenberg set, something I've been wanting to do ever since I came across it years ago. ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FSu81Ff5.jpg&hash=9977bdbe811e0b1516ee36e6e95a790133618fb0)


Finally a few proper pictures to conclude this update.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrHzcJ8Y.jpg&hash=76d1958ee0a2d20aa4995dc19b3066a3c2b0468a)

The latest residents to the region moved in yesterday and live in the middle of friggin' nowhere. .


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FC4KPDgv.jpg&hash=fe9faef6a8a48efab90e0e51d4d439bef6a57569)

Picture taken some time ago, before I had farm field fillers in place. .


*click pic for full size*
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FSPGrQWR.jpg&hash=9c80bf4ef6daed4fc71aad6a0ca77bdbdae29032)

These lots are already over two years old! I did a very simple retextured with an alpha version of my LE textures.


That's it for now. Bye!  :)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: art128 on February 12, 2014, 07:42:37 AM
I like the dirt streets. They look fine except at zoom 3 but that's the game engine's fault.

Thanks Arthur but as I said, the dirt streets are postponed for now.


Quote from: Gugu3 on February 12, 2014, 07:47:49 AM
I like the road texture...agree with Arthur about zoom 3...but that is a game deficency :thumbsup:Well done anyway!

Thanks! Zoom3 always is a bit awkward indeed.


Quote from: FrankU on February 14, 2014, 02:46:31 AM
Hi Erik,

I like the textures and the shapes of the overlays. You made a lot of different overlays, so we have versatility here. But.... Are you planning to make the paths as overlays too? Or do we have to make our paths by adding two overlays to one base texture? The problem then is that I cannot add another path to the same tile, like one of those brick or stone paths by CP.
In my lots I combine overlays and base textures with different paths of stone, sand, concrete, brick or whatever CP made available. Sometimes it is a hell of a puzzle to find the right combination of base texture with overlays.
CP made combined base tiles plus separate overlays of different textures. Seeing the amount of shapes and textures you show in the file I guess we are going to have an enormous set of textures and overlays? What are your plans?

And another thing. Your textures are very good looking, but when I compare them with other grasses I think you have a bit too many dark textures. Maybe you can lighten up some of them?

Frank

Thanks for your feedback Frank, both here and in PMs. I hope to send you the latest revision sooner rather than later and it will include the new overlays!


Quote from: Simcoug on February 14, 2014, 11:07:42 AM
Awesome - so the 'streets' texture will just override the maxis dull grey streets?  I'd be interested in that!   ;D

Thanks! That was the plan indeed - and still is I guess, it'll just be a while before I get around to it.


Quote from: mgb204 on February 14, 2014, 07:57:12 PM
This has to be the most jaw-dropping use of simply nature I've seen within SC4 thus far. Trying not to miss all the great works like this can even be daunting sometimes.

I come across this MD at page 10, region pop of 1139... on page 10, that's odd... 3 hours or so later I'm finished gawping at all the shots of the region and struggling with the mind-bending amount of work that must have gone into this. By page 10 I find myself thinking I don't want to see so many residents until at least page 20! Truly stunning work here, and more than a couple tips amongst these pages to improve my game too. I will be keeping an eye on future updates from now on, thanks so much for taking the time to make and present this.

Thanks for the kind words! I hope you weren't too disappointed to learn the current population count. And yes, it's save to say I've sunk a good couple of hours into this endeavor. :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Girafe on April 12, 2014, 06:01:43 AM
Amazing job,

I really enjoy the cobble stone textures, they are perfect for small villages  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: kelis on April 12, 2014, 06:04:29 AM
I like so much your MD ! I always wanted to do a city inspired in the old Amsterdam ( Fantastic video  :) ), but I always had problems with plugins and I was not able to get a good result, but I think you are doing an amazing job with this type of region and I have to say that it's very inspirational, so please keep up the good work my friend !!

Greetings :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: FrankU on April 12, 2014, 11:54:38 AM
Hi Erik,

The video about Amsterdam is great, indeed. Maybe now finally we all know that the city didn't grow ring by ring, like may seem to believe.

Anyway: your developments are really interesting and the Daeley trick sounds interesting too, althought I don't really understand how it works. He really found some funny flaws/features in the game that can be put to good use.
And I am looking forward to using your textures and lots. You seem to have found (or BATted?) some nice small crops for the lots! Could you elaborate on these?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: c.p. on April 15, 2014, 10:22:42 AM
Lots of interesting (and mysterious) things going on here. $%#Ninj2
The cobblestone streets look great :thumbsup:
I'll be interested to see how that trick from Daeley works out.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Kergelen on April 17, 2014, 01:05:27 AM
Great work on all fronts you are working.

I love the cobble stone FAR streets.

Fantastic pictures. Seem drawn from a tale &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: M4346 on April 17, 2014, 10:32:26 AM
Incredible work and a great inspiration! Also love all the tinkering! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: APSMS on April 17, 2014, 11:39:01 AM
Commenting because I'm trying to not be a lurker and maybe get people to comment on my stuff when I post entries in my MD (which, admittedly I haven't done much of). There's a lot of stuff going on here, and I'd like to offer some support/opinions, esp. since I always seem to forget to do so even when I have something to say.

I would definitely be interested in a Cobble Street override. The ones currently available in the SAM/GLR-in-Street are ugly imho. These ones blend much better. I also notice you've adapted the Dirt Streets to fully replace the default texture, including Draggable WRSC! Nice work there (not that I'll use it in particular), especially for maybe adapting other street overrides to do the same thing (I guess it's just a matter of making the textures, though).

Since FAR streets aren't available (yet? &Thk/(), would the FAR cobble streets be a retexture/overlay for the Roads, or are there plans I've not heard of yet? (I thought autoconnect was the straw on the camel, but I could be wrong)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Simcoug on April 17, 2014, 11:41:26 AM
Good stuff!  I really enjoyed that clip too - I hope you don't get too attached to parts of your city, because it looks like it will be built, torn down, and rebuilt again.   :o

And I am really curious about the 'under water' residential.  Is that grown?  Please explain!  (with the right model, a dock full of 'house boats' seems like a possibility)

I don't know if you've seen the drama TV show 'Vikings' but your Monastery made me think of the poor monks who suffered through waves of 'barbarian' raids.
Unfortunately there's not much in the way of BATs (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/19378-nexis-viking-ship-wreck-park/)...  &mmm   
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: benedict on April 18, 2014, 01:26:19 PM
Good to see you back with an update, and good to see you back at number one on BTT this week.

Edit: and another week on top - well done.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Gugu3 on April 18, 2014, 01:45:26 PM
Wow!very nice as always!nice pictures...and great work on the cobblestone texture &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: kbieniu7 on April 19, 2014, 11:21:18 AM
Oh man! These MMPs and cobble far streets are awesome! How do you manage your life, to find time for it?!

According to "regular" shots, they are excellent! I'm impressed, how you create the nature. I love the meadows, wetlands and shores, they look to be unrepeatable and deprived of artificiality... just "real"!

Good luck with the monastery! Usually, If I decide to create some details in LE, I don't finish them. I hope, you will show us something interesting!

Happy Easter!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Schulmanator on April 20, 2014, 06:49:30 AM
Nice work. I do like the cobblestones. We could always use that in cities :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: juliok102013 on April 30, 2014, 07:41:20 PM
I NEED THESE ROADS!!!! Amazing Pictures, congratulations.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Tidbits
Post by: vortext on May 12, 2014, 06:56:05 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Girafe on April 12, 2014, 06:01:43 AM
Amazing job,

I really enjoy the cobble stone textures, they are perfect for small villages  :thumbsup:

Thanks! Though I actually had usage for cities in mind, I guess they will look quite nice in villages indeed! Hadn't even thought about it yet!  :D


Quote from: kelis on April 12, 2014, 06:04:29 AM
I like so much your MD ! I always wanted to do a city inspired in the old Amsterdam ( Fantastic video  :) ), but I always had problems with plugins and I was not able to get a good result, but I think you are doing an amazing job with this type of region and I have to say that it's very inspirational, so please keep up the good work my friend !!

Greetings :thumbsup:

Thank you! It won't be a recreation though, the main inspiration for me was the way it was constructed, one plot at a time. And the canals of course.  ;)


Quote from: FrankU on April 12, 2014, 11:54:38 AM
Hi Erik,

The video about Amsterdam is great, indeed. Maybe now finally we all know that the city didn't grow ring by ring, like may seem to believe.

Anyway: your developments are really interesting and the Daeley trick sounds interesting too, althought I don't really understand how it works. He really found some funny flaws/features in the game that can be put to good use.
And I am looking forward to using your textures and lots. You seem to have found (or BATted?) some nice small crops for the lots! Could you elaborate on these?

Honestly I didn't exactly know how Amsterdam was constructed either until I stumbled upon the clip.  ::)

As for the crops, you can find them in the SPAM resource file, however, I turned them into seasonal crops for my own use.


Quote from: c.p. on April 15, 2014, 10:22:42 AM
Lots of interesting (and mysterious) things going on here. $%#Ninj2
The cobblestone streets look great :thumbsup:
I'll be interested to see how that trick from Daeley works out.

Thanks! I like to keep interesting for myself. :D


Quote from: M4346 on April 17, 2014, 10:32:26 AM
Incredible work and a great inspiration! Also love all the tinkering! :D

Thank you! Also glad to hear you enjoyed the tinkering as I was a bit hesitant to show it.  :)


Quote from: APSMS on April 17, 2014, 11:39:01 AM
Commenting because I'm trying to not be a lurker and maybe get people to comment on my stuff when I post entries in my MD (which, admittedly I haven't done much of). There's a lot of stuff going on here, and I'd like to offer some support/opinions, esp. since I always seem to forget to do so even when I have something to say.

I would definitely be interested in a Cobble Street override. The ones currently available in the SAM/GLR-in-Street are ugly imho. These ones blend much better. I also notice you've adapted the Dirt Streets to fully replace the default texture, including Draggable WRSC! Nice work there (not that I'll use it in particular), especially for maybe adapting other street overrides to do the same thing (I guess it's just a matter of making the textures, though).

Since FAR streets aren't available (yet? &Thk/(), would the FAR cobble streets be a retexture/overlay for the Roads, or are there plans I've not heard of yet? (I thought autoconnect was the straw on the camel, but I could be wrong)

Thanks for stopping by! The cobble stones will be an override for roads and has taken priority over the dirt streets for now.


Quote from: Simcoug on April 17, 2014, 11:41:26 AM
Good stuff!  I really enjoyed that clip too - I hope you don't get too attached to parts of your city, because it looks like it will be built, torn down, and rebuilt again.   :o

And I am really curious about the 'under water' residential.  Is that grown?  Please explain!  (with the right model, a dock full of 'house boats' seems like a possibility)

I don't know if you've seen the drama TV show 'Vikings' but your Monastery made me think of the poor monks who suffered through waves of 'barbarian' raids.
Unfortunately there's not much in the way of BATs (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/19378-nexis-viking-ship-wreck-park/)...  &mmm   

Yep, some stuff will have to be torn down. Then again, any decent city is in a permanent state of (re)development and it'll affect defense works mainly. That said, it will definitely take some effort on my part given I already have trouble bulldozing forests to make way for developments.  :D

The underwater residential was initially zoned and grown with water removed, like any ordinary lot. Then I saved and re-entered with water enabled. I was curious if the game would be bothered with the water, in terms of commuting and such. It seems like it doesn't mind, so yeah, 'under water' residential are possible. Though in the LE the building absolutely has to touch the front of the lot, otherwise it'll 'sink' into the water. In other words, I had to offset the building with the ModelTweaker to eliminate the overhang.


Quote from: benedict on April 18, 2014, 01:26:19 PM
Good to see you back with an update, and good to see you back at number one on BTT this week.

Edit: and another week on top - well done.

Two weeks in a row! Thanks everyone!  &apls


Quote from: Gugu3 on April 18, 2014, 01:45:26 PM
Wow!very nice as always!nice pictures...and great work on the cobblestone texture &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: kbieniu7 on April 19, 2014, 11:21:18 AM
Oh man! These MMPs and cobble far streets are awesome! How do you manage your life, to find time for it?!

According to "regular" shots, they are excellent! I'm impressed, how you create the nature. I love the meadows, wetlands and shores, they look to be unrepeatable and deprived of artificiality... just "real"!

Good luck with the monastery! Usually, If I decide to create some details in LE, I don't finish them. I hope, you will show us something interesting!

Happy Easter!

Thanks for the kinds words! As for finding the time: you have to keep in mind both the Historic Harbor and cobble stones have been in development for well over a year now. A matter of patience I guess, just like you've been developing your region for over six years!  ;)


Quote from: Schulmanator on April 20, 2014, 06:49:30 AM
Nice work. I do like the cobblestones. We could always use that in cities :D

Thanks!


Quote from: juliok102013 on April 30, 2014, 07:41:20 PM
I NEED THESE ROADS!!!! Amazing Pictures, congratulations.

Thank you but THERE'S NO NEED TO SHOUT!!!  :D




As advertised I've got a few tidbits on the agenda today but first of all I'd like to thank everyone for the continuing and enthusiastic support regarding the cobble stone roads. I greatly appreciate it!  &apls

As you may have noticed by now, I'm not the kinda person to rush into things headfirst. No no no, every option has to considered before moving on. So without further ado, my latest tinkering. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FIP9vsyP.png&hash=be2854de3085e937f0f53a2e6a652f50185067cc)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FokNyjRO.png&hash=72a0c029663e231632596bcfd0130fd31301d826)


Rendering the gradient and curbstones separately from the actual surface turned out to be a rather good idea. Moreover, once it was put back together in Photoshop there was hardly any loss in definition (i.e. no need for adjustment layers or anything), which I did not expect. That said, I'm not quite satisfied with the corner curbstones yet but prove of concept has been firmly established. Next hurdle to take are FAR intersections.

Moving on now to said tidbits. First up is a puzzling and frankly, slightly worrying issue regarding regional population count. The final two thingies are in the 'did you know?' category.




So, I use Equinox' RCI Query Upgrade Mod (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/4243-rci-query-upgrade-mod/) and observed rather strange anomalies concerning the regional population count it reports. Specifically, strange anomalies occur in adjacent but not yet connected city tiles.
   
For example, I've got two tiles next to each other which have a city population of 212 and 531. The reported regional population is 1900 and 2674 respectively. This doesn't exactly add up. Even stranger is another cluster of three adjacent tiles. One tile reports a city population of 1281 and a regional population of 3256, the other tile reports 1454 and 3863 respectively. The third and in terms of population smallest tile reports 322 for both city and regional population. Obviously there're quite some discrepancies in the regional population numbers. No matter how I do the math, it simply doesn't compute. But here's the real kicker: the regional population actually is 6408!

So, what the heck is going on here?! How and why does the regional population count differ so widely? Is it just me or what? I'd really appreciate it if someone could shed some light on this issue, if only to calm my nerves. . . %wrd




On to the second tidbit: did you know there's a visual difference in terrain texture between playing windowed and full screen? Me neither until I gave the SC4Lancher (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/28544-sc4-launcher/) a go, after seeing it recommended quite a few times on Reddit. At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but no, there definitely is a difference.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FCux1W86.jpg&hash=cf7298a65b04b60c1fb9b7c7ca91388c6a4a2b4f)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FIEn3thU.jpg&hash=c4ed06b282d3c75c5def6ae42637e66ff09f8aab)

Nooo, my carefully calibrated sidewalk. . .  :bomb:

And it's not just contained to ingame shots. The difference is visible in regionview as well.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FclwlzR2.jpg&hash=f515ab856025c1d1f486be9d3c9f8e326840a337)
Guess which city was saved in full screen mode. .

Anyway, looks like I won't be playing in fullscreen mode. It doesn't matter much really but I couldn't find any info on it and thought it was curious enough to mention.



Finally: did you know you can use the up and down arrow keys to access previously entered 'cheats' in the dialogue box?! What I'm talking about?

Open the dialogue box (crtl-x), enter a 'cheat' and hit enter to close the dialogue box. Now open the dialogue box again and hit either the up or down arrow key. And what do you know, there's the cheat you just entered!

Why would this be usefull?

Well, to take a-not-so-random example: say one (me) wants take a picture with JENX' weather effects. Furthermore, lets say one wants to take said picture at sunset.

Since the weather effects appear at random over a city, one had to type in 'effect_JENX name', wait to see if it appears above the appropriate area and if not, hit ctrl-x and enter 'effect stop'. Moreover, if the weather effects appeared in view, one had to be quick to access the dialogue box again and set the correct time for sunset. No more!

Well of course one has to enter the 'cheats' initially but once that's done 'crtl-x, up-arrow' will safe one a lot of hassle. Of course, one cannot leave without showing the resulting picture. Enjoy!


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fw3YjXLD.jpg&hash=8ed04066396a24ab9c50fa94ea0935820f8e7342)

Future metropolis taking shape. .  :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Tidbits
Post by: Gugu3 on May 12, 2014, 07:12:21 AM
Beautiful work!such a shame for the full screen mode... &mmm
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Tidbits
Post by: eugenelavery on May 12, 2014, 03:12:22 PM
Very interesting discovery regarding the terrain and windowed mode.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Tidbits
Post by: feyss on May 18, 2014, 05:04:47 AM
I know I don't post often and I spend my time lurking, but I wanted to underline your work. What you do is totally amazing. You have an extrem sense for details and everything (cities and landscapes) look realistic. I don't know how you find time to do all this things but please continue in this way.  :thumbsup:
Title: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: vortext on June 01, 2014, 11:14:00 AM
Hi there!

Today marks the first year anniversary of my MD. Consequently it also means I've never worked this long on a region before, which is no small part due to all your kind replies and comments!  &apls

It had almost gone unnoticed as I realized it only about a week ago. Needless to say I wanted to make a special update since, however, as the region has grown, so has the number of area's and projects in need of attention – nothing fit for publication or release just quite yet. So I kept wondering what to do, what to do. .

Over the last couple of months I had snapped a bunch of decent pictures. . true. Moreover I had found a very old, first draft of a 'historic' map some time ago. Couple that with a curiousity to learn a bit of Flash and the fact I'd a few days off and. .

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/dc8qefo2mvxrivx/AE%201y.swf

Indeed, it's a wonky Flash map (which may take a while to load. . ). Click on the map icons & labels to explore the region. There're also a few hidden places. ;)

For some reason the fade-out completely broke at the very last moment. Moreover, initially I wanted mouse-zoom, image galleries and what not but it quickly became apparent that would be too complicated to pull off in a few days time. Safe to say I already spend way too much time on the whole thing anyway. What I'm trying to say: consider it a beta version.  ;D

That's not to say it wasn't fun though and I reckon you'll see more Flash stuff around here in the future, it's pretty neat. If it doesn't work please let know. Just to be safe I've also put the images and full-resolution map up on imgur (https://imgur.com/a/PepOb). I may or may not add descriptions to it later. Replies will follow later as well. Also just realized I didn't make a banner for the occasion. Too bad. :D

Now off to make dinner.  ()stsfd()
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: romualdillo on June 01, 2014, 04:03:10 PM
It's a great job vortext! I can appreciate all the work and dedication you put in every detail!!! But sometimes I can't get back to the general map for some reason... Nevertheless, the images and the map are incredible!!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: FrankU on June 02, 2014, 02:11:50 AM
Beautiful Erik!
Congratulations with your achievements.  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: Simcoug on June 02, 2014, 06:37:08 AM
Very cool idea!  I had fun clicking around the map - it all worked very well, except like romualdillo I had difficulty getting back to the main map sometimes.  How did you create such a neat looking map?  It's very LOTRish. 
Great work!  And I think I even spied some flying gulls over the castle ramparts  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: krashspeed on June 03, 2014, 02:26:35 PM
Nice, everything looks and works great! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: c.p. on June 03, 2014, 10:27:42 PM
Hmm, this is an interesting, original and unexpected project. :thumbsup:  I agree with Simcoug that the map has a Lord of the Rings look.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: epicblunder on June 04, 2014, 08:08:43 AM
I love that map.  Have to agree with CP; it's very Middle Earth style.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: Themistokles on June 04, 2014, 09:15:42 AM
Wow, the curvy roads with their textures really fit in seamlessly with their surroundings (they were good already earlier, but they're awesome put to real use), and I agree with everyone else on the map - and it really sets the mood brilliantly for the images.

Just wondering (slightly off-topic, but anyway)... do you use seasonal trees?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: feyss on June 04, 2014, 11:29:19 AM
I really like this interactive map. That's a nice idea you had there.  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: Indiana Joe on June 04, 2014, 11:29:58 AM
Quote from: Themistokles on June 04, 2014, 09:15:42 AM
Wow, the curvy roads with their textures really fit in seamlessly with their surroundings (they were good already earlier, but they're awesome put to real use), and I agree with everyone else on the map - and it really sets the mood brilliantly for the images.

Just wondering (slightly off-topic, but anyway)... do you use seasonal trees?

:D  He is THE seasonal tree man.  Check out the Arden Tree mod.  Great stuff.

I also want to throw in my approval of that awesome Tolkien-esque map.  I had a phase when I was young where I was fascinated by those; drew quite a few.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: noahclem on June 06, 2014, 04:46:14 PM
I've really enjoyed the great work you've done with Ærden over the last year generally and specifically in these most recent updates I've been enjoying. It's very rare for me to miss an update here but I know of at least a couple times I hadn't gotten around to replying to one update before the next is published because I wasn't yet sure what words I should say that would fittingly respond to what you've put on display. You're all over the board with what you're up to, whether it's all flavors of modding, various software competencies related to SC4, effects directory business, storytelling with flair, or just great city-building. And your gift of sharing as you learn has hugely benefited the community at this site and beyond--though I'm most grateful for how it's benefited me  ;D 

A huge congratulations for an amazing year  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: Schulmanator on June 07, 2014, 06:04:07 AM
Delightful! And happy anniversary!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ One Year Anniversary
Post by: Swordmaster on June 11, 2014, 12:08:29 PM
Happy anniversary Erik. Great work here as always.

I remember something about the full screen color issue - if I'm not mistaken you might find info about this in one of Ennedi's threads.


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: vortext on June 15, 2014, 02:10:06 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: romualdillo on June 01, 2014, 04:03:10 PM
It's a great job vortext! I can appreciate all the work and dedication you put in every detail!!! But sometimes I can't get back to the general map for some reason... Nevertheless, the images and the map are incredible!!!

Thank you! The return to map was one of the wonky issues. Ended up with a click in the exact same spot while I wanted a click anywhere function. At any rate, don't move your mouse while the picture is on the forefront.  ;)


Quote from: FrankU on June 02, 2014, 02:11:50 AM
Beautiful Erik!
Congratulations with your achievements.  &apls

Thanks Frank!

Quote from: Simcoug on June 02, 2014, 06:37:08 AM
Very cool idea!  I had fun clicking around the map - it all worked very well, except like romualdillo I had difficulty getting back to the main map sometimes.  How did you create such a neat looking map?  It's very LOTRish. 
Great work!  And I think I even spied some flying gulls over the castle ramparts  :)

Thanks! Map was made first of all with a couple of flattened region views from which I derived water contours, paths and approximate location of landmarks. Then I used PS brushes to dress it up a bit (this one (http://starraven.deviantart.com/art/Sketchy-Cartography-Brushes-198264358) in particular). Those brushes are the primary reason it turned out rather fantasy like (besides the fact I got carried away while using them  :D ). Especially considering I was aiming for something more along the lines of the Blaeu Atlas (http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/cris/blaeu/index.htm), for example. (http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/cris/blaeu/qvarta_branbantiae.jpg) Ah well, that's for next time.  :)


Quote from: krashspeed on June 03, 2014, 02:26:35 PM
Nice, everything looks and works great! &apls

Thank you!

Quote from: c.p. on June 03, 2014, 10:27:42 PM
Hmm, this is an interesting, original and unexpected project. :thumbsup:  I agree with Simcoug that the map has a Lord of the Rings look.

Thanks! It was a sudden flash of inspiration.   :D


Quote from: epicblunder on June 04, 2014, 08:08:43 AM
I love that map.  Have to agree with CP; it's very Middle Earth style.

Then you, in turn, agree with Simcoug I guess.  ;) Thanks!


Quote from: Themistokles on June 04, 2014, 09:15:42 AM
Wow, the curvy roads with their textures really fit in seamlessly with their surroundings (they were good already earlier, but they're awesome put to real use), and I agree with everyone else on the map - and it really sets the mood brilliantly for the images.

Just wondering (slightly off-topic, but anyway)... do you use seasonal trees?

Thanks for the kind words! And yes, I use seasonal trees in abundance (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2959)!  ;D


Quote from: feyss on June 04, 2014, 11:29:19 AM
I really like this interactive map. That's a nice idea you had there.  ;)


Thanks! It really opens up a lot of possibilities, doesn't it!?  ;)


Quote from: Indiana Joe on June 04, 2014, 11:29:58 AM
:D  He is THE seasonal tree man.  Check out the Arden Tree mod.  Great stuff.

I also want to throw in my approval of that awesome Tolkien-esque map. I had a phase when I was young where I was fascinated by those; drew quite a few.

Thanks! I've drawn my fair share of maps as well and am still quite fascinated with them, old ones in particular.


Quote from: noahclem on June 06, 2014, 04:46:14 PM
I've really enjoyed the great work you've done with Ærden over the last year generally and specifically in these most recent updates I've been enjoying. It's very rare for me to miss an update here but I know of at least a couple times I hadn't gotten around to replying to one update before the next is published because I wasn't yet sure what words I should say that would fittingly respond to what you've put on display. You're all over the board with what you're up to, whether it's all flavors of modding, various software competencies related to SC4, effects directory business, storytelling with flair, or just great city-building. And your gift of sharing as you learn has hugely benefited the community at this site and beyond--though I'm most grateful for how it's benefited me  ;D 

A huge congratulations for an amazing year  &apls &apls &apls

How can I fittingly respond to your kind words Noah?!  &blush Thank you!!

Quote from: Schulmanator on June 07, 2014, 06:04:07 AM
Delightful! And happy anniversary!

Thanks!


Quote from: Swordmaster on June 11, 2014, 12:08:29 PM
Happy anniversary Erik. Great work here as always.

I remember something about the full screen color issue - if I'm not mistaken you might find info about this in one of Ennedi's threads.


Cheers
Willy

Thank you and nice to see you around again Willy!





(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/o53jdfc7j82warr/HH_Masthead01.jpg)


As you may be able to tell, the Historic Harbor project took another step towards release. Besides having a nice banner, last Friday marked the start of the beta fase. Exciting times for sure! To get an impression what the set looks like when put into action, here's a picture courtesy of Paeng

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5012419/forum/hh-beta/hh07.jpg)

For more, visit the Historic Harbor Support Thread (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=11088.msg228997#msg228997) over at SimPeg!  "$Deal"$

Other item for today has to do with the reason I wanted to learn Flash in the first place. Somewhere in February, when I started actual building, I'd excitedly captured every change in season, either for props or flora, during a year and ended up with 24 pictures, which I wanted to turn into a seasonal gif of course. Specifically, I wanted to make a proper chronological gif by compressing the course of a year into an animation of exactly a minute. I figured at 24 frames a second, one day takes ~4 frames. Or to put it another way, 1 second represents 6 days, thus 60 seconds represents 360 days. Close enough.

However, Photoshop could not handle the processing involved and refused to export the gif unless I re-sized dimensions to post stamp size. Obviously not an option so I began looking for alternatives. At the time I deemed Flash too heavy handed for a simple animation, if one could even call it that since it boils down to a bunch of consecutive fades.

Anyway, turns out Flash is great for simple animation! Despite the fact original image dimensions have been retained and it lasts a minute, file size is half compared to previous gifs. And those always had to be restricted in size & duration to begin with. So, I'm rather pleased to present you: a year in a minute. Enjoy!

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/zklysjye1aq616c/1y60s.swf
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: art128 on June 15, 2014, 02:53:47 PM
Wow. What a nice animation.
I love the passage from summer to autumn, really well done.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: epicblunder on June 15, 2014, 05:07:34 PM
Really nifty seasonal gif. 

And i always love your old-world style, but why no diagonals (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=636) on the spam fields?   ???
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: vortext on June 16, 2014, 04:19:25 AM
Blunder, at the time I hadn't re-lotted the previous relots yet!  :D


Here you'll see (http://i.imgur.com/2bC6HRQ.jpg) they've been brought up to par since.  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: epicblunder on June 16, 2014, 09:33:15 AM
Aha!  Much better answer than mine: i would have said i was just lazy.    :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: romualdillo on June 16, 2014, 09:44:25 AM
OMG!!! That Harbour!!! You're doing a grat job... That team helds the best among the best!! And those farms look superb!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: benedict on June 19, 2014, 06:10:10 PM
That harbor is just amazing - very nice work.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies and then some
Post by: FrankU on June 24, 2014, 06:59:32 AM
Beautiful animation!  &apls

Although I have some comments on the farms. As a start they are nice, but they are not yet finished in my opinion. Where are all the small props? Cattle, chicken, haybales, laundry lines, flowers, shrubs, water pumps, buckets, dirt, dust and rubbish in general, piles of wood or stuff, maybe a fence here and there....
And I am still not fond of the funny SPAM crops (but that is why I made my own set). But everyone has his own taste of course!
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: vortext on September 03, 2014, 03:43:56 PM
(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/o53jdfc7j82warr/HH_Masthead01.jpg)


Yes my friends, the day is finally here: the Historic Harbor is available! (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/29880-historic-harbor/) For those unfamiliar with the project or in need of a reminder, here a quick summary.

Quote
Creators
KrashSpeed - BATing
Vortext - Lotting/Modding
SimCoug - Lotting/Modding

Description
Historic Harbor is a comprehensive 'modular set' that includes over 1,000 BATed models, a wide assortment of MMPs, and over 100 individual lots (each with custom icons). We named it 'Historic Harbor' because it is supposed to represent what a harbor might look like in the late 19th century, but that doesn't mean it can't be used in conjunction with modern cities. Look around at many waterfront cities today and you will find traces from a bygone era.

Dependencies
None!
Everything included in this download has been hand crafted for use with this set and any future 'Historic' add-ons. We will be updating the Historic Harbor - Dependencies with additional props/textures/resource files in order to consolidate everything in one 'master' dependency.


I could talk quite a bit how the project has gone far above and beyond anything I imagined when Simcoug send the first PM, almost two years ago now, inquiring about modular harbor lots (I had just made one (http://i.imgur.com/QIBV9wV.jpg)). Let alone how we, the crew, regard this as the foundation on which to build..

However for now I'll just say: get your copy on the STEX!! (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/29880-historic-harbor/)

And if despite our best efforts you happen to come across a mishap, or have questions and remarks otherwise, please let us know in the Historic Harbor Support Thread either on SimPeg (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=11088) or Simtropolis (http://community.simtropolis.com/topic/64293-historic-harbor-support-thread/). Or you may post it here too, if that's more convenient.





(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: art128 on June 15, 2014, 02:53:47 PM
Wow. What a nice animation.
I love the passage from summer to autumn, really well done.

Thanks Arthur!


Quote from: epicblunder on June 15, 2014, 05:07:34 PM
Really nifty seasonal gif. 

And i always love your old-world style, but why no diagonals (http://www.simpeg.com/forum/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=636) on the spam fields?   ???

Thanks! Diagonals have been explained.  ;)


Quote from: romualdillo on June 16, 2014, 09:44:25 AM
OMG!!! That Harbour!!! You're doing a grat job... That team helds the best among the best!! And those farms look superb!!

Thank you! Enjoy the harbors!  :)


Quote from: benedict on June 19, 2014, 06:10:10 PM
That harbor is just amazing - very nice work.

Thanks!


Quote from: FrankU on June 24, 2014, 06:59:32 AM
Beautiful animation!  &apls

Although I have some comments on the farms. As a start they are nice, but they are not yet finished in my opinion. Where are all the small props? Cattle, chicken, haybales, laundry lines, flowers, shrubs, water pumps, buckets, dirt, dust and rubbish in general, piles of wood or stuff, maybe a fence here and there....
And I am still not fond of the funny SPAM crops (but that is why I made my own set). But everyone has his own taste of course!

The short answer would actually be Blunder's: I'm just lazy.  :D

The slightly longer answer is that, as I'm sure you know, good lotting takes a lot of time and effort and these are large lots to begin with, the smallest being 4x5. Moreover, the lots serve to build an initial R$ foundation throughout the region and as such aesthetics were secondary really, though I did make a custom LE texture which blends into the terrain nicely. Anyway, taking that into account I opted for simple LOTting with a few fences and the occasional flock of sheep thrown in. The idea being I can easily dress them up with MMPs whenever it's called for and/or I feel like it, which allows for more variety and flexibility in appearances.

As for the SPAM crops, well, they're seasonal and have diagonal fillers. . there're not many crops which can match those two requirements. Though I do have two additional fields with Girafe's and CP's wheat and I'm about to introduce some SG crops as well.





So, at this point you may wonder, what about Ærden? And what about this MD? It started out pretty decent, at least I'd reckon so, with a good story line and pretty mmp scenes but it veered off more and more into developmental updates until it kinda went silent the last half year or so.

Well, during all this I've continued to build up the region in a slow but steady pace and as of yet it's proudly home to no less than 10738 sims. Besides that I've read up on the feudal system and medieval history of Europe in general and as such, the region is now in similar shape as implied by the initial story line. That is to say, with family farms scattered throughout the valley, a ruin here, a few Roman remnants there and the first city walls being erected. In other words, the story is about to continue. .

However, before doing so I realize there's one thing this MD has been lacking more than anything else. . . teasers!  ;D

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/ik741n3ag6yiewi/teaser1.jpg)

Bye for now, Erik.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: noahclem on September 04, 2014, 04:43:50 AM
It's finally here  :o  &hlp  &dance :party: %BUd% :party:  :D

Can't wait to try out this amazing and long-awaited project, which would seem a masterpiece from the three of you. I saw a lot of remnants of older times in the harbors and shorelines in Tanzania and some of this could fit very nicely with my Africa project. Be sure to pat yourselves on the backs and uncork a tasty beverage or two in honor of your accomplishment ;)

QuoteIt started out pretty decent, at least I'd reckon so

Heh, I reckon too  :D  I've enjoyed whatever you've produced here including both the more prepared stuff and the WIP stuff. The future sounds very exciting (and interesting). Beautiful teaser pic  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: Swordmaster on September 04, 2014, 11:39:44 AM
Amazing stuff Erik. I'm still fazed by that animation!

Great work on the harbor stuff--too bad I stick to modding these days or this stuff would find its self-evident place in PSC!


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: memo on September 04, 2014, 12:58:36 PM
Quote from: Swordmaster on September 04, 2014, 11:39:44 AM
Amazing stuff Erik. I'm still fazed by that animation!

ROFL, I've just stared onto the JPG for three minutes, gradually persuading myself of seeing the animation effect. :D Erik, it seems you don't need to learn Flash to create those wonderful animations, if you can achieve the same effect with JPG on fools like me.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: compdude787 on September 04, 2014, 08:14:37 PM
Quote from: memo on September 04, 2014, 12:58:36 PM
Quote from: Swordmaster on September 04, 2014, 11:39:44 AM
Amazing stuff Erik. I'm still fazed by that animation!

ROFL, I've just stared onto the JPG for three minutes, gradually persuading myself of seeing the animation effect. :D Erik, it seems you don't need to learn Flash to create those wonderful animations, if you can achieve the same effect with JPG on fools like me.

Wow, I thought the same thing too! I thought Willy was referring to the teaser.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: c.p. on September 04, 2014, 09:19:46 PM
I look forward to downloading this huge and amazing project and checking it out. &apls
(Thanks memo and compdude787 for saving me some time :D)

Also, the upcoming MD action sounds intriguing :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: Kergelen on September 05, 2014, 01:05:21 AM
Congrats "Harbour Team" to finally complete this ambitious project &apls

Fascinating animation vortext! Love the calm atmosphere of your rural/historic MD and I'm looking forward to see where it'll go.

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: Schulmanator on September 06, 2014, 01:44:00 PM
Great stuff! This will be a highly valued addition to the game!  :satisfied:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: romualdillo on September 06, 2014, 04:54:21 PM
This is great!!!!!  &apls  Congratulations for your great work and the final release!!!!

And now...   ;D When are we going to see your excellent road textures??  :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Historic Harbor Release!
Post by: feyss on September 07, 2014, 01:04:34 AM
What an amazing work. I think you would have spent a lot of time to do this. It just seems like another game, that's fantastic.

I'm also happy to see a picture of Aerden because you did'nt post it a lot since a while as you explained it. You talked about city walls and it really retains my attention. I can't wait to see more.  :thumbsup:
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on September 13, 2014, 07:19:44 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: noahclem on September 04, 2014, 04:43:50 AM
It's finally here  :o  &hlp  &dance :party: %BUd% :party:  :D

Can't wait to try out this amazing and long-awaited project, which would seem a masterpiece from the three of you. I saw a lot of remnants of older times in the harbors and shorelines in Tanzania and some of this could fit very nicely with my Africa project. Be sure to pat yourselves on the backs and uncork a tasty beverage or two in honor of your accomplishment ;)

QuoteIt started out pretty decent, at least I'd reckon so

Heh, I reckon too  :D  I've enjoyed whatever you've produced here including both the more prepared stuff and the WIP stuff. The future sounds very exciting (and interesting). Beautiful teaser pic  &apls

Thanks Noah! I'm looking forward to see what you come up with! Also glad to hear you enjoyed the wip stuff, it kinda felt like a cop-out some times.  :-[ As for the future, I'm pretty excited about it as well, both in terms of MD and regional development.  :)


Quote from: Swordmaster on September 04, 2014, 11:39:44 AM
Amazing stuff Erik. I'm still fazed by that animation!

Great work on the harbor stuff--too bad I stick to modding these days or this stuff would find its self-evident place in PSC!


Cheers
Willy

Thank you Willy! It's kinda sad though to hear you don't play anymore. On the other hand your far-tastic work more than makes up for it in terms of awesomeness.  :)


Quote from: memo on September 04, 2014, 12:58:36 PM
Quote from: Swordmaster on September 04, 2014, 11:39:44 AM
Amazing stuff Erik. I'm still fazed by that animation!

ROFL, I've just stared onto the JPG for three minutes, gradually persuading myself of seeing the animation effect. :D Erik, it seems you don't need to learn Flash to create those wonderful animations, if you can achieve the same effect with JPG on fools like me.

Haha, well, you could've told me earlier and saved me the trouble indeed!  :D Though in some instances a mere jpg can actually induce perception of motion. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_drift_illusion)


Quote from: compdude787 on September 04, 2014, 08:14:37 PM
Quote from: memo on September 04, 2014, 12:58:36 PM
Quote from: Swordmaster on September 04, 2014, 11:39:44 AM
Amazing stuff Erik. I'm still fazed by that animation!

ROFL, I've just stared onto the JPG for three minutes, gradually persuading myself of seeing the animation effect. :D Erik, it seems you don't need to learn Flash to create those wonderful animations, if you can achieve the same effect with JPG on fools like me.

Wow, I thought the same thing too! I thought Willy was referring to the teaser.

yeah, blaming Willy are we?! Fools. . ;D ;)


Quote from: c.p. on September 04, 2014, 09:19:46 PM
I look forward to downloading this huge and amazing project and checking it out. &apls
(Thanks memo and compdude787 for saving me some time :D)

Also, the upcoming MD action sounds intriguing :thumbsup:

jeez not you too! Thanks!


Quote from: Kergelen on September 05, 2014, 01:05:21 AM
Congrats "Harbour Team" to finally complete this ambitious project &apls

Fascinating animation vortext! Love the calm atmosphere of your rural/historic MD and I'm looking forward to see where it'll go.

Thank you! I'm actually curious to see how it pans out myself as well!  :)


Quote from: Schulmanator on September 06, 2014, 01:44:00 PM
Great stuff! This will be a highly valued addition to the game!  :satisfied:

Thanks! I hope you'll enjoy it!


Quote from: romualdillo on September 06, 2014, 04:54:21 PM
This is great!!!!!  &apls  Congratulations for your great work and the final release!!!!

And now...   ;D When are we going to see your excellent road textures??  :D

Thanks! As for your question. .. erm. . .well. that's the next project in line indeed . . so . . soonish. . maybe?  ::)


Quote from: feyss on September 07, 2014, 01:04:34 AM
What an amazing work. I think you would have spent a lot of time to do this. It just seems like another game, that's fantastic.

I'm also happy to see a picture of Aerden because you did'nt post it a lot since a while as you explained it. You talked about city walls and it really retains my attention. I can't wait to see more.  :thumbsup:

Thank you! It took a while to complete indeed. Also glad you liked the picture!





Speaking of transit stuff: sidewalk compliant props.

What am I talking about?!

Well, a long known yet rarely used trick allows one to take a transit texture, assign it to flat S3D model and use that as a prop. And it's actually that last part, using it as a prop, that is hardly ever done (a lot of NAM networks use flat S3D models). Anyway, the subject came up a number of times during HH development but it was never quite suitable for our purposes. To date the only practical application I can think of are JENX' Paris quays. (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3051)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHYdMvnP.jpg&hash=959cc5a894820d4c9e8831daaebeb59ae569d4f7)

The obvious advantage is that the quay pavement automatically takes on the sidewalk texture, regardless whichever sidewalk mod is installed. The big drawback is also glaringly obvious: there's quite a difference in brightness.

So, along came these sound walls (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/29875-niques-modular-noise-barriers-brown/).

Bare with me, this is relevant.

The author mentioned he changed material settings in the Reader in order to have truly transparent glass. And that got me thinking: would it be possible to add a diffuse texture to the S3D, on top of the sidewak texture, in order to tone down the brightness?

In short: yes, yes it is.  ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FW4aybAB.jpg&hash=9400a551c845f20eba406d8984125dfb14571bb0)

So, now what?

Well for starters you can find a tweaked version of the Quais Sidewalk S3D file attached to this post. Please note that while I think there's very little chance of adverse side effects usage of this file is at your own risk. I did not test it in any meaningful way.

Other than that we, Krashspeed, Simcoug and myself, are currently drawing up plans for the first ever sidewalk compliant prop pack. Think driveway and path props, in addition to overhanging diagonals and various FAR shapes. Ideal for filler pieces and c.p.'s awesome FAR BATs for instance.
Given the models are pretty simple and the modding involved is quite straightforward as well, it shouldn't take too long for it to hit the shelves.

For those who cannot wait that long and/or want to start their own tinkering I've compiled this little download (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hjuitkxebecxcvj/AADgKnO0lj9iwSQgeAaTHnvxa?dl=1). It contains a complete sidewalk prop, along with the .PNG and .PSD file of the diffuse texture and a screenshot of the material settings in order to achieve transparency. It is assumed you know your way around the Reader (i.e. add S3D group, change materials, etc).

That's it for now, but not without leaving you with another teaser of course.  ;)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FO4u4tDr.jpg&hash=5eeb0bf9cf329c012e02ea380b51a61fa508f0a7)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Girafe on September 13, 2014, 09:19:41 AM
Excellent job with the diffuse color, it was my missing puzzle piece (too far for my knowledge :()

I will apply that for my bus stops :)

If you allow me, there is still a slight difference, the color of sidewalk is a little bit more reddish, any chance you tweak it perfectly  ::)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on September 13, 2014, 09:23:53 AM
Thanks!  :)

The reddish hue you see on the left hand is because the road & sidewalk are next to a slope. Slopes have a weird effect on both transit and LE textures. The diffuse texture in the DB download is calibrated to the best of my abilities, like so.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/jt32yo0chkcokf9/calibrate.png)
The street is transparent, so bottom row of 4 is the actual sidewalk, top row of 2 is the sidewalk prop.

Granted there's still a slight difference in hue which I could not get rid off. That said, it's a near perfect match if you ask me.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/afxlpm3pe2efjah/paeng.png?)
Paeng's sandstone.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Girafe on September 13, 2014, 10:27:36 AM
Thanks,

I just tweak it for the bus stop and it works well  ;)

The only thing I am asking is should I turn the mapping 90° for the bricks going in the same sense  &Thk/( (which I was successful to change with 3dsmax)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19293845/Images/Capture%20d%27%C3%A9cran%202014-09-13%2020.22.50.jpg)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on September 13, 2014, 11:11:54 AM
Nice to see it has already found its use!  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Girafe on September 13, 2014, 10:27:36 AM
The only thing I am asking is should I turn the mapping 90° for the bricks going in the same sense  &Thk/( (which I was successful to change with 3dsmax)

Add kSC4BuildingModelRotationProperty to the prop desc and you can just rotate it in LE.

Note with RKT0 props: they may appear properly rotated in LE but differ 90 degree in game. In that case counter rotate 90 degrees in LE and it'll show correctly in game. Slightly annoying and not actually sure why that is though.  &mmm

Thanks for the K-point!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: FrankU on September 13, 2014, 12:33:21 PM
Hmmm, Erik,

This sidewalk stuff sounds really interesting!

The image, by the way, shows how useful it would have been if Diggis had added diagonal pond edges to his set.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: romualdillo on September 13, 2014, 06:13:49 PM
It sounds really interesting!!! I did not understand a word, but it looks great. It is one, two or twenty steps further than my capacities in modding... I will have to wait until the mod for dummies is released.  :P

Keep the good work!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: art128 on September 20, 2014, 02:38:01 AM
I'll have to agree with FrankU. The sidewalk talk is interesting for sure, even though I'm not really interested in it. But to each his own. The picture is wonderful though.

Can't wait to see more from this project. :)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: vortext on October 12, 2014, 10:02:12 AM
Hi there, it appears I've gotten a little rusty making a full fledged, story driven update so I decided to switch things around a bit. I should also mention I did a bit of housekeeping and finally added a table of contents to the first post (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg460794#msg460794)! I'm happy to inform you today marks the 24th entry in this MD. Though today's entry is not quite an update, nor will it contain much teasing, however, I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless. 

As you may or may not recall, Ærden features a mountain lake. A four tile spanning mountain lake in fact. One faithful night some time ago I thought to myself: 'what a shame I cannot see this lake in its entirety', obviously begging the question why I hadn't made a mosaic yet. Easier said than done though, because it's quite large but more so because it turned out the water levels weren't quite as even as I thought. And of course I could not resist tinkering with the water & terrain as well so a relative simple mosaic turned into a week-and-a-half side project. :D 

In addition, I found old psd files tucked away in a little corner on an old pc a while back, which was quite a nice surprise because I considered them forever lost (I searched for them last year for OSITM). Furthermore I recently put the finishing touches on a MMP scene which I worked on for quite a while, mostly whenever I was bored though, hence slow progress. So to sum it all up: today's installment is a weird hodgepodge of old pictures, a MMP scene and the aforementioned grand mosaic at the end. But lets start with the lake in region view.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fx9qnNAA.jpg&hash=0ac584a39782066f06568c4e2a1d8e670aa349d7)


Yes, I know, too bad it sits at the edge of the region. Maybe one day I'll extend the region a bit just to make it fit properly. Or not.

On a side-note, you may notice the lake hasn't been named yet, mainly because I'm horrendously bad coming up with names. In other words: I'm open to your suggestions. Anyway, continuing.

As you may also be able to tell, there used to be a river running down the narrow gorge and to the right into the valley, before is was completely cut off due to an earthquake.

The constant stream of water meant the delta used to be flooded on a semi-permanent basis: because of torrential downpours high in the mountains during summer and fall and because of melt water during the spring. It's no surprise then that in order to keep dry feet the prehistoric inhabitants build their houses on poles.


Click picture to open full size in new tab. This was functional.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FK4roO7O.jpg&hash=c35c54f6e89a1987983bc85002151a2581574c5a) (http://i.imgur.com/9ZAyHRP.jpg)


However, there was also the forceful tide coming in from sea which could make the water level rise in a heartbeat. The only momentary relieve the prehistoric inhabitants had from the water was in the heart of winter, when the delta used to freeze over. Though this caused another problem, since they mostly lived of fishery.


Click picture to open full size in new tab. This was eye-candy.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FdW6Ooqn.jpg&hash=f6726eb61016de049b7edec3fe602701751d6796) (http://i.imgur.com/89UTVKR.jpg)


To date – by which I mean around 900 AD – the only remnant of the prehistoric inhabitants is the large and mysterious group of sculptures, currently located deep within the boggy marsh, yet to be discovered.


Click for full size.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FUD6IcAl.jpg&hash=1370e1c4c3144b3ad8f368813035f0f0d1e9ccfb)


As you can see the area has been subjected to geological forces which have eroded the land while at the same time deposited large quantities of sediments, hence the water is very shallow. The number of plant species has increased as well.

Back to the lake then. I said the river was cut-off, however, this is not quite correct. In a small miracle of nature, water has found its way out from the lake at the very bottom of the gorge, only to be disappear back into the earth a couple of hundred feet downstream. During winter time we can catch a glimpse the stream from this angle. Otherwise it'd be hidden from view by foliage.


Click for full size.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FW8Bnw2j.jpg&hash=c6fb77cdc1f874dd14b640e92bf27ec8ee5a619e)


From this angle however you can clearly see the water thundering down into the earth again. Future geologists will be stunned to learn they cannot determine where exactly the water resurfaces again.


Click for full size.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxX4OriI.jpg&hash=d6d393e7a9425e0824336e90cff7d5da8f933efe)


Finally the lake itself. Since this is a four tile mosaic, I opted to add clouds after the fact. Otherwise smoothing things out would've been next to impossible. Of course I also made draft versions of the other angles but because of the steep slopes this is the best angle. The start of the gorge with the stream at the bottom can be discerned on the left hand side.

Click picture to open full size in new tab.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FI2jvjIV.jpg&hash=1336e3dd3707e118f096e710819722dee6fb48ed) (http://i.imgur.com/ubValJV.jpg)


And that's it for today. I hope you enjoyed this admittedly quite random assortment of pictures.  :)




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: FrankU on September 13, 2014, 12:33:21 PM
Hmmm, Erik,

This sidewalk stuff sounds really interesting!

The image, by the way, shows how useful it would have been if Diggis had added diagonal pond edges to his set.

Thanks Frank, I hope we can put it to good use. And yes, arghh, diagonal ponds. . I still hope Diggis will return one day to make those.


Quote from: romualdillo on September 13, 2014, 06:13:49 PM
It sounds really interesting!!! I did not understand a word, but it looks great. It is one, two or twenty steps further than my capacities in modding... I will have to wait until the mod for dummies is released.  :P

Keep the good work!!  :thumbsup:

Thanks! No worries you didn't understand a word, that's how I feel whenever there's BAT speak!  :D


Quote from: art128 on September 20, 2014, 02:38:01 AM
I'll have to agree with FrankU. The sidewalk talk is interesting for sure, even though I'm not really interested in it. But to each his own. The picture is wonderful though.

Can't wait to see more from this project. :)

Thanks Arthur! What can I say, I like tinkering!  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: catty on October 12, 2014, 11:00:13 AM
very nice, I especially like pictures 5 and 6   &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: Schulmanator on October 12, 2014, 06:45:30 PM
Great new pix! Impressive nature work :D :D :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: romualdillo on October 13, 2014, 01:39:58 AM
Great pictures again!!!  &apls  What kind of name are you thinking of for the lake? German, English, Mayan...?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: epicblunder on October 13, 2014, 08:53:36 AM
Delicious lake.   &apls

I suppose you could call it Eriksvotn (-votn i believe is the icelandic masculine suffix for -lake).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: belfastsocrates on October 13, 2014, 09:03:40 AM
OMG!

What a fabulous update. Simply stunning, I'm still trying to take in that overview image of the lake with cloud cover, it's one of the most realistic looking in-game images I've ever seen.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: Vizoria on October 13, 2014, 01:16:51 PM
Wow! Surreal nature pictures.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: Simcoug on October 14, 2014, 07:38:59 AM
Awesome pics!  Yes, an appropriately placed cloud can do wonders to tie a mosaic together  :D
It has been a while, but your pictures inspire me to dig into SC4 again  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: FrankU on October 15, 2014, 05:30:19 AM
Nice area Erik!
Good to see you working AErden again. (how on Earth do you write the AE as one letter? Cannot find it... ()what() )
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: metarvo on October 15, 2014, 06:58:12 AM
Good work, Erik!   :thumbsup:  The river going underground is a work of art if I do say so myself.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: noahclem on October 15, 2014, 09:44:51 AM
Outstanding update Erik  &apls  I particularly love the large lake and its environs and the river that goes underground. Great explaining and presentation too  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: Jmouse on October 17, 2014, 10:43:59 AM
The lake and surrounds are beautiful, and I like the islands as well. That creek is a work of art, though. Outstanding photos.

As for naming things, I feel your pain – it's one of the more frequently asked questions in the forums.  But I've found a way that works for me, and maybe it will give you some ideas. You already have a head full of memories and words, so drag some of them out and put them to good use.

Name things after friends, family, schools you attended, places you've been and pets, to name a few possibilities. Our family dog is named "Boston," so one of my tiles is called "Boston Mill." I raised my two children on "Moonshine Hill" Road, north of Houston, and there's a red oak tree in my front yard. "Calabash" is a blast from the 1950s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Durante). You can also put two words such as "bone" and "tree" together to form "Bonetree." Change a word – my daughter's first name is Julie so I'll name a town "Juliette." Finally, if a good name pops into your head, write it down ASAP.

I hope this helps a little bit.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: juliok102013 on October 18, 2014, 07:55:04 AM
 :o

&apls &apls

Need I say something? This is wonderful Vortext! The river is ... is amazing! And this picture ... My God, I think I need not say: http://i.imgur.com/UD6IcAl.jpg
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ A brief geological history
Post by: carlfatal on October 27, 2014, 03:48:15 PM
Hey Eric,
I can remember, that you were working on a tree controller, when I stopped playing SC4. I was not only pissed by the grid, - the seasonal stuff did run directly into my projects, forcing me to change everything from scratch on again. I was tired, especially after my first tries to plant a forest or at least something, that is not only a group of trees. Sadly your controller set came out, after I made my first steps into playing Sims 3...  $%Grinno$%
Yeah, and after starting my second MD here I downloaded these controllers and started playing around with them. Until now I did not build anything in a region where I used them, but I LOVE to plant trees and bushes and stuff with them. It is so nice to see, how they work on different places, and it is a very impressive experience to mix them for more variety. So the first I want to do with this comment is to thank you for these wonderful tools (although I have NO clue, what kind of wizardry is going on, if I see, what you are doing with them).  &apls

Yeah, and back here I also found this thread, and damn - I wasn´t able to answer anything, I was stunned by the pictures, sunken in your explanations about your texture- and terrain work. The cobblestone streets, the rural roads, the terrain textures, that look like some kind of 3D - wow! And wonderful, how you dive into "virtual" history here. Particularly I admire your work with MMP´s and different water textures.

But enough for now, keep up this fantastic work!  :thumbsup:
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: vortext on November 03, 2014, 09:48:38 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fzq221FC.jpg&hash=e872a4bfd9c3556479618406e541e123350468ed)


If you happened to miss the first three parts of Potyomkins' Travel, I simply refer you to the table of contents (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg460794#msg460794) (didn't add it for nothing  ;)). So without further ado, the fourth installment. Enjoy!




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fcl4Crab.jpg&hash=2e7ddcbb1f7e3b3bc9572aa8756b6daf6cd959ca)

01 | 'Finally, we've crossed that darn river! It feels like it has taken us a year!', Benjamin exclaims as they disembark from the ferry. His two older brothers, Linus and Paulus, roll their eyes at the level of exaggeration. Meanwhile their escorts are in conversation with official and serious looking men in uniform. It wouldn't be the last time they see these liveries.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3RxplfL.jpg&hash=17d1d235dd959241267c3a64a66d698cc7b39d8d)

02 | On the road once again and Benjamin was right they'd been waiting on the ferry an awful long time. As dusk began to fall, so did the trees. For miles on end they are travelling through stretches of cleared forests. The experience is made all the more surreal by the fact no one is around. The workers have already left to make it back into the city on time, their escort explains. In the distance they can indeed see the towering silhouette of the castle, dileanted against an ever-changing violet sky.   


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fmb4C1id.jpg&hash=935945af0e027a22d1aa7f87761c2e2bbcb1bc0b)

03 | As they approach the city, however, traffic picks up and everyone is in a hurry to make it through the gate before it closes for the night. Again uniformed men are on the scene and their escorts have a lengthy exchange of words with them, much to the chagrin of the people lined up behind.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FaKJ4qAL.jpg&hash=c6a1d394e5aa6a21b017abf776b02df50e665a4e)

04 | Once inside the brothers are taken aback. Fire and smoke seemingly everywhere and groups of men scattered throughout. The flickering lights in combination with the maze-like streets leave them completely disorientated. The worst thing above all, however, is the smell: rotting carcasses along wasting excrement, smoked in manure and served on a platter of unwashed bodies: it's an extremely foul stench unlike anything they've experienced before.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FiiSWJeG.jpg&hash=1c1f8aa38ad3a2d21abe64e060f132e818392b7a)

05 | As they take a sharp turn, however, a vast empty space opens up, barely lit despite a huge fire in the middle. The hectic chaos from moments ago dissolves into an eerie and equally disorientating nothingness. Suddenly out of the thick fog the castle materializes right in front of them. 'We're here', Benjamin whispers to no one in particular, 'we're finally here. . '






(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: catty on October 12, 2014, 11:00:13 AM
very nice, I especially like pictures 5 and 6   &apls

Thanks Catty! These are actually the only two angles from which it's visible.


Quote from: Schulmanator on October 12, 2014, 06:45:30 PM
Great new pix! Impressive nature work :D :D :D

Thank you!


Quote from: romualdillo on October 13, 2014, 01:39:58 AM
Great pictures again!!!  &apls  What kind of name are you thinking of for the lake? German, English, Mayan...?

Thanks! As for naming, so far I've used a mix of English, German and Saxon names from a random name generator, so in general it's a European gist.


Quote from: epicblunder on October 13, 2014, 08:53:36 AM
Delicious lake.   &apls

I suppose you could call it Eriksvotn (-votn i believe is the icelandic masculine suffix for -lake).

Thank you! I've googled a bit and Icelandic family naming practice is pretty interesting.


Quote from: belfastsocrates on October 13, 2014, 09:03:40 AM
OMG!

What a fabulous update. Simply stunning, I'm still trying to take in that overview image of the lake with cloud cover, it's one of the most realistic looking in-game images I've ever seen.

Thanks, glad to hear you enjoyed it!


Quote from: Vizoria on October 13, 2014, 01:16:51 PM
Wow! Surreal nature pictures.

Thanks!

Quote from: Simcoug on October 14, 2014, 07:38:59 AM
Awesome pics!  Yes, an appropriately placed cloud can do wonders to tie a mosaic together  :D
It has been a while, but your pictures inspire me to dig into SC4 again  :thumbsup:

Thanks! And yes, the clouds came in quite handy indeed. Hope to see another NewSorgun update soon!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: FrankU on October 15, 2014, 05:30:19 AM
Nice area Erik!
Good to see you working AErden again. (how on Earth do you write the AE as one letter? Cannot find it... ()what() )

Thanks Frank! Next time use alt0198 for Æ and alt0230 for æ, though I just copy/paste most of the time. ;) Also, in case you were wondering it's pronounced as the 'a' in cat and hat.


Quote from: metarvo on October 15, 2014, 06:58:12 AM
Good work, Erik!   :thumbsup:  The river going underground is a work of art if I do say so myself.

Thank you. It took forever to get those few rocks right.  :D


Quote from: noahclem on October 15, 2014, 09:44:51 AM
Outstanding update Erik  &apls  I particularly love the large lake and its environs and the river that goes underground. Great explaining and presentation too  :thumbsup:

Thanks Noah!


Quote from: Jmouse on October 17, 2014, 10:43:59 AM
The lake and surrounds are beautiful, and I like the islands as well. That creek is a work of art, though. Outstanding photos.

As for naming things, I feel your pain – it's one of the more frequently asked questions in the forums.  But I've found a way that works for me, and maybe it will give you some ideas. You already have a head full of memories and words, so drag some of them out and put them to good use.

Name things after friends, family, schools you attended, places you've been and pets, to name a few possibilities. Our family dog is named "Boston," so one of my tiles is called "Boston Mill." I raised my two children on "Moonshine Hill" Road, north of Houston, and there's a red oak tree in my front yard. "Calabash" is a blast from the 1950s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Durante). You can also put two words such as "bone" and "tree" together to form "Bonetree." Change a word – my daughter's first name is Julie so I'll name a town "Juliette." Finally, if a good name pops into your head, write it down ASAP.

I hope this helps a little bit.

Thank you Joan, your suggestions already proved usefull for today's update!


Quote from: juliok102013 on October 18, 2014, 07:55:04 AM
:o

&apls &apls

Need I say something? This is wonderful Vortext! The river is ... is amazing! And this picture ... My God, I think I need not say: http://i.imgur.com/UD6IcAl.jpg

Thanks Júlio!


Quote from: carlfatal on October 27, 2014, 03:48:15 PM
Hey Eric,
I can remember, that you were working on a tree controller, when I stopped playing SC4. I was not only pissed by the grid, - the seasonal stuff did run directly into my projects, forcing me to change everything from scratch on again. I was tired, especially after my first tries to plant a forest or at least something, that is not only a group of trees. Sadly your controller set came out, after I made my first steps into playing Sims 3...  $%Grinno$%
Yeah, and after starting my second MD here I downloaded these controllers and started playing around with them. Until now I did not build anything in a region where I used them, but I LOVE to plant trees and bushes and stuff with them. It is so nice to see, how they work on different places, and it is a very impressive experience to mix them for more variety. So the first I want to do with this comment is to thank you for these wonderful tools (although I have NO clue, what kind of wizardry is going on, if I see, what you are doing with them).  &apls

Yeah, and back here I also found this thread, and damn - I wasn´t able to answer anything, I was stunned by the pictures, sunken in your explanations about your texture- and terrain work. The cobblestone streets, the rural roads, the terrain textures, that look like some kind of 3D - wow! And wonderful, how you dive into "virtual" history here. Particularly I admire your work with MMP´s and different water textures.

But enough for now, keep up this fantastic work!  :thumbsup:

Thank you for the kind words Carl! Glad to hear you're enjoying the tree controllers, not many people seem to mix them while that kinda was my idea behind making three of them, as it gives the most varied results indeed.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: Gugu3 on November 04, 2014, 01:58:52 AM
Amazing update as usual &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: romualdillo on November 04, 2014, 08:11:37 AM
Great work!!!!  :thumbsup: I'm looking forward to the next chapter!!!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: Simcoug on November 04, 2014, 09:13:23 AM
Great update!  The shot inside the castle walls with the crowded streets and fires is excellent.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: carlfatal on November 04, 2014, 12:17:18 PM
Wonderful!

I agree with SimCoug about this night picture, it feels so lifelike. And indeed i would have preferred to stay out of a town in these days, although you can make pittoresc pictures of it if you own an early camera...  $%Grinno$%

Another spot: How you mixed the castle and the town walls - intriguing. Sometimes BATs seem to be made for putting them together, this is such a case.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: c.p. on November 06, 2014, 09:20:28 PM
Nicely done. &apls  Kind of a bleak (but magnificent) place.  I hope they're able to establish their town soon (if that's where the story is headed -- I guess I'll just have to wait and see.) %confuso
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: noahclem on November 07, 2014, 10:42:55 AM
Beautiful update Erik  &apls  Such character and detail--very curious where the story goes next  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Potyomkins' Travel: Arrival
Post by: belfastsocrates on November 10, 2014, 05:24:52 AM
Absolutely sublime! I loved those images, particularly the men and hustle around the fires, just wonderful.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: vortext on November 30, 2014, 09:30:57 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)
roads link (#post_roads)

Quote from: Gugu3 on November 04, 2014, 01:58:52 AM
Amazing update as usual &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: romualdillo on November 04, 2014, 08:11:37 AM
Great work!!!!  :thumbsup: I'm looking forward to the next chapter!!!!

Thanks! I'm looking forward to it as well, no idea (yet) what's gonna happen!


Quote from: Simcoug on November 04, 2014, 09:13:23 AM
Great update!  The shot inside the castle walls with the crowded streets and fires is excellent.   :thumbsup:

Thanks Matt! I really enjoyed lotting that scene so I'm glad you liked it.


Quote from: carlfatal on November 04, 2014, 12:17:18 PM
Wonderful!

I agree with SimCoug about this night picture, it feels so lifelike. And indeed i would have preferred to stay out of a town in these days, although you can make pittoresc pictures of it if you own an early camera...  $%Grinno$%

Another spot: How you mixed the castle and the town walls - intriguing. Sometimes BATs seem to be made for putting them together, this is such a case.  :thumbsup:

Thanks Carl! As I said, that scene was fun to put together. As for the walls and castle, if I'm not mistaken they were actually made by the same person so that'd explain why they go together so well.


Quote from: c.p. on November 06, 2014, 09:20:28 PM
Nicely done. &apls  Kind of a bleak (but magnificent) place.  I hope they're able to establish their town soon (if that's where the story is headed -- I guess I'll just have to wait and see.) %confuso

Thank you Brian! I try my best to steer away from a too idyllic representation of the period, so I'm happy to read that comes across!


Quote from: noahclem on November 07, 2014, 10:42:55 AM
Beautiful update Erik  &apls  Such character and detail--very curious where the story goes next  :thumbsup:

Thanks Noah! As for what happens next, your guess is as good as mine!  :D


Quote from: belfastsocrates on November 10, 2014, 05:24:52 AM
Absolutely sublime! I loved those images, particularly the men and hustle around the fires, just wonderful.


Thank you!




A bit of housekeeping to start with today. As you may have noticed a bright red 'global mod' badge recently appeared on my profile. That's because I was offered to join the site staff as Global Moderator, which I did obviously. In addition there've been a number of other changes to the site staff, plus there're some changes to the site in the pipeline as well. You can read more about the latter here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=16748.msg488553#msg488553). And in case you were wondering, the list of current, active staff members is right here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?action=staff).

Other than that I'm pleased to say I've completed the first part of the cobble stone re-texture, namely the proper road network.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FRuAWOo5.jpg&hash=b4294a959174d056474cab130d89f90e426aff88)
Which curve do you like best?

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYxOpaP2.jpg&hash=3add8e8374d459004c0378731d93f4292426d6d0)
dia x dia intersections are the same as their ortho x ortho counterparts with the help of overhanging models.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fgk1hqvh.jpg&hash=b9b4e7ecdfbee15feae787a1dffe47f89567b5a7)
Insert far-fetched pun here.

Next hurdle to take are intersections with other networks. And if the amount of procrastination is anything to go by, this proves to be quite a big hurdle indeed. See, funny thing is, despite the fact I've made many a texture override already, this actually is my first time dealing with INC ( intra-network connectivity. Yes, I made that term up one night to get a semblance of productivity while putting the actual work off. So what?!).

At any rate, what had me distracted?

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FZUdVgyz.jpg&hash=90eebcb01fa5281468641615b54af524333fdb0a)

Another texture set you ask? Well, yes and no.

Yes because sooner or later, I'm gonna want to connect all the cities together. However, when I gave this some thought I felt it'd be a bit incredulous to have cobble stone roads running through the middle of nowhere. So, I wanted roads with an unpaved surface. It's not a completely new texture set from scratch, however, as that would've been too much work indeed. Instead I indulged myself in some tinkering.  ::)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F14Cyhta.jpg&hash=e1c5e10b9aac18f41734572ac61852384e62e4f1)

As you can see, the cobble stone texture serves as input for a new filter. Though it was quite tricky to derive a uniform height map, the rest was quite straightforward. I may play around with the saturation a bit more but for now I'm happy with the result. But of course I had to see it in a proper context so cue distraction number two!  ;D


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYIxRyph.jpg&hash=91d198b09159f412cbd0e41aca09af53658a8099)


It had been a while so I went back to work on the monastery. Did some (re) lotting and mmp-ing on the front side of the complex. The back is still frighteningly empty, though I made a provisional start with the cemetery, a vineyard and brewery to fill it out.

And finally a close up of the courtyard. Too bad the Schiffenberg BATs are SD. If you read this Kwakelaar, please please return to BATting! On the other hand, PEGs severely shrunken statues make perfect HD props. And yes I know traditionally courtyards don't have a path through the middle but how else was I supposed to show off more of Krashspeed's excellent monks?!  ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F7m8gPt7.jpg&hash=ffd87689d06cdb2a22c231f68dd4d626af581c9e)

That's it for now! Bye, Erik.  :bye:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: TheTeaCat on November 30, 2014, 11:51:49 AM
Oh my word!! just caught up on so much!
Where to start on saying ..... awesome!

Derry
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: romualdillo on November 30, 2014, 12:22:32 PM
Arggghhh!!! I can't stand without having those incredible cobblestone textures!!! They're absolutely gorgeous!!! And yes, they would look strange in non-urban environments. Anyway, I would like to know how your textures look with my buildings!!!  ::)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: vester on November 30, 2014, 01:16:21 PM
Quote from: TheTeaCat on November 30, 2014, 11:51:49 AM

...awesome!

Amen!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: FrankU on November 30, 2014, 01:26:25 PM
Hi Erik,

You overclassed yourself!
The cobblestone texture is fantastic. Hardly any glitches.... I did find one! You guess where? The dirt road is also a very fine development.

And congratulations with the job as global mod. Does it take a lot of time?

Frank
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: noahclem on December 01, 2014, 04:46:27 AM
Well, that was quite the "housekeeping"  ;) If I may comment point by point:
-Congratulations on becoming a GM! The site is lucky to have you.
-The cobblestone textures, including all those curves, look perfect. Congrats on finishing the road set.
-Nice work on the next textures. I found the diagram of how they were derived from the cobblestone ones really interesting and informative.
-The monastery is looking great! The re-scaled statues fit perfectly (kind of nice how common batters over-scale things as it turns out) and I love the monks--are those publicly available? Indeed it would be great to have the building in HD--which reminded me that rambuckel has batted a number of things somewhat similar to that so I wonder if she'd have a useful HD monastery-ish bat lying around somewhere....
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: Simcoug on December 01, 2014, 07:00:45 AM
Two overrides for the price of one!  Genius!   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: Vizoria on December 01, 2014, 07:10:45 AM
Great work! Is that FAR streets I see!?!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: Gugu3 on December 01, 2014, 07:52:12 AM
Awesome! &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: mgb204 on December 01, 2014, 10:56:52 AM
Quote from: Vizoria on December 01, 2014, 07:10:45 AM
Great work! Is that FAR streets I see!?!

I don't think so, if I am following correctly Erik has used different road textures by assigning the cobblestone roads and rural variant different wealths, you could in theory have 4 different road textures and still be able to utilise all the FAR/WRC pieces too, if you can keep the adjacent wealths in check, nice  :thumbsup:.

Great stuff as always here, I especially like the castle from your last update, really gives off an eerie vibe with all the lingering mist, not somewhere I'd want to be alone on a dark night.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: carlfatal on December 01, 2014, 03:22:38 PM
Heya Eric, that is some fantasic work!  &apls

And to find a new word while waiting for an inspiring idea isn´t procrastinating, it´s creative. Ah, maybe some people use "procrastinate in a wrong way, it should be meant as a positive, doesn´t it?  :thumbsup:

Now, that I returned to play SC4 again, American way with cp BATs and Simcoug´s lots, now you come up with such a jewel! I have another project in my mind, something like Waldeney but different and closer to the new possibilities of this game. And your streets are perfect to visualize some European look in the 19th century.
Don´t understand me worng, if I say, i would love to see some usable country road matching these streets, and then, with more new BATs (and yes, I also would love to see Kwakelaar coming back...)... I am dreaming, but if I look to all the work done while I was gone, I think I am allowed to do.

Keep this wonderful work, I am really impressed!  :thumbsup:

At least: I love Kwakelaar´s BATs, but there is some cloister puzzle available at ToutSimCity, sadly I haven´t a name or a link. I used it in Waldey, and if I think about Kwakelaar´s... It should be able to shrink it, by maybe 10 to 15 percent. I always disliked it´s scale. Especially if I look to his perfect framework townhouse set (without visible framework), he overscaled the cloister a bit.  $%Grinno$%

EDIT: found it, the second one (http://www.toutsimcities.com/downloads/search/abbaye)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: art128 on December 02, 2014, 08:43:15 AM
Loving the monks and statues inside the monastery.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: belfastsocrates on December 02, 2014, 10:04:07 AM
The cobbled-streets are looking absolutely superb! Really lovely work

The cloister scene is lovely as well.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Cobble Stone retexture update
Post by: kelis on December 02, 2014, 02:42:25 PM
Every time that I see your workds, I just want to be part of it... I really like your work, your vision of the old cities and how you are working with details, really if someday you want to do something bigger or if you just need help with your works, just let me know it, I'm really interested in all your works my friend !!
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on December 15, 2014, 02:43:24 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Why yes, hi there folks! Even more replies because honestly I did not expect this many comments on what I considered to be a flimsy behind-the-scenes look. Thanks!  &apls :bnn:
Besides I need some help deciding on a way forward with the cobble stone road intersections in general, and with the streets specifically. But first things first, onward with the replies!




Quote from: TheTeaCat on November 30, 2014, 11:51:49 AM
Oh my word!! just caught up on so much!
Where to start on saying ..... awesome!

Derry

Thanks Derry!


Quote from: romualdillo on November 30, 2014, 12:22:32 PM
Arggghhh!!! I can't stand without having those incredible cobblestone textures!!! They're absolutely gorgeous!!! And yes, they would look strange in non-urban environments. Anyway, I would like to know how your textures look with my buildings!!!  ::)

Thanks! Now you know!   ;)


Quote from: vester on November 30, 2014, 01:16:21 PM
Quote from: TheTeaCat on November 30, 2014, 11:51:49 AM

...awesome!

Amen!

Well that certainly is an appropriate exclamation.  :D


Quote from: FrankU on November 30, 2014, 01:26:25 PM
Hi Erik,

You overclassed yourself!
The cobblestone texture is fantastic. Hardly any glitches.... I did find one! You guess where? The dirt road is also a very fine development.

And congratulations with the job as global mod. Does it take a lot of time?

Frank

Thanks Frank! If by glitches you mean instances where the pavement doesn't align then yeah, I can spot about half a dozen of those. Otherwise you need to enlighten me what you meant. As for being GM & time, yes, I spend most of my time nowadays doing super secret moderator stuff. $%#Ninj2  $%Grinno$% Lately I've noticed an uptick in number of PMs though that's probably coincidental. And it's fun being able to rummage through the site archives.


Quote from: noahclem on December 01, 2014, 04:46:27 AM
Well, that was quite the "housekeeping"  ;) If I may comment point by point:
-Congratulations on becoming a GM! The site is lucky to have you.
-The cobblestone textures, including all those curves, look perfect. Congrats on finishing the road set.
-Nice work on the next textures. I found the diagram of how they were derived from the cobblestone ones really interesting and informative.
-The monastery is looking great! The re-scaled statues fit perfectly (kind of nice how common batters over-scale things as it turns out) and I love the monks--are those publicly available? Indeed it would be great to have the building in HD--which reminded me that rambuckel has batted a number of things somewhat similar to that so I wonder if she'd have a useful HD monastery-ish bat lying around somewhere....

Thanks for the kinds words Noah. Monks will be released, eventually. .  ::) Rambuckel has more than one suitable BAT lying around for sure, I hope she'll return to them in the future.


Quote from: Simcoug on December 01, 2014, 07:00:45 AM
Two overrides for the price of one!  Genius!   :thumbsup:

Thanks! Though afterwards I realized it obviously won't work for tiles with any vanilla components, as those would get mangled too.


Quote from: Vizoria on December 01, 2014, 07:10:45 AM
Great work! Is that FAR streets I see!?!

Nope, those are roads.  :)


Quote from: Gugu3 on December 01, 2014, 07:52:12 AM
Awesome! &apls &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: mgb204 on December 01, 2014, 10:56:52 AM
Quote from: Vizoria on December 01, 2014, 07:10:45 AM
Great work! Is that FAR streets I see!?!

I don't think so, if I am following correctly Erik has used different road textures by assigning the cobblestone roads and rural variant different wealths, you could in theory have 4 different road textures and still be able to utilise all the FAR/WRC pieces too, if you can keep the adjacent wealths in check, nice  :thumbsup:.

Great stuff as always here, I especially like the castle from your last update, really gives off an eerie vibe with all the lingering mist, not somewhere I'd want to be alone on a dark night.

Yep that's correct. I'd actually planned to use different size stones for the pavement so to reflect different wealths and densities. Given I'm already having enough trouble dealing with just one type of pavement however. . Though in theory it'd just be a matter of replacing the pavement since the curbs and gradient are in separate layers, so, who knows.  ::)

Also glad to hear you enjoyed the castle pic, that one took quite a bit of work.  :)


Quote from: carlfatal on December 01, 2014, 03:22:38 PM
Heya Eric, that is some fantasic work!  &apls

And to find a new word while waiting for an inspiring idea isn´t procrastinating, it´s creative. Ah, maybe some people use "procrastinate in a wrong way, it should be meant as a positive, doesn´t it?  :thumbsup:

Now, that I returned to play SC4 again, American way with cp BATs and Simcoug´s lots, now you come up with such a jewel! I have another project in my mind, something like Waldeney but different and closer to the new possibilities of this game. And your streets are perfect to visualize some European look in the 19th century.
Don´t understand me worng, if I say, i would love to see some usable country road matching these streets, and then, with more new BATs (and yes, I also would love to see Kwakelaar coming back...)... I am dreaming, but if I look to all the work done while I was gone, I think I am allowed to do.

Keep this wonderful work, I am really impressed!  :thumbsup:

At least: I love Kwakelaar´s BATs, but there is some cloister puzzle available at ToutSimCity, sadly I haven´t a name or a link. I used it in Waldey, and if I think about Kwakelaar´s... It should be able to shrink it, by maybe 10 to 15 percent. I always disliked it´s scale. Especially if I look to his perfect framework townhouse set (without visible framework), he overscaled the cloister a bit.  $%Grinno$%

EDIT: found it, the second one (http://www.toutsimcities.com/downloads/search/abbaye)

Thanks once again for the kind words Carl! I tried re-scaling the Schiffenberg BATs once, quite some time ago, however it resulted in strange graphic deformities ingame. iirc I resized the height only though, that might have had something to do with it. At any rate, it's not that horribly oversized imho, especially not in conjunction with the monks. As for you suggestions, look closely (http://i.imgur.com/iiSWJeG.jpg)  ;). The rest of that set is already reserved as well and I try to adhere to a 'one time use only' policy for landmarks but thank you for thinking along anyway!


Quote from: art128 on December 02, 2014, 08:43:15 AM
Loving the monks and statues inside the monastery.  :thumbsup:

Thanks Arthur!


Quote from: belfastsocrates on December 02, 2014, 10:04:07 AM
The cobbled-streets are looking absolutely superb! Really lovely work

The cloister scene is lovely as well.

Thank you!


Quote from: kelis on December 02, 2014, 02:42:25 PM
Every time that I see your workds, I just want to be part of it... I really like your work, your vision of the old cities and how you are working with details, really if someday you want to do something bigger or if you just need help with your works, just let me know it, I'm really interested in all your works my friend !!

Thanks for your kind words and offer Jonathan! I'll keep it in mind.  :)






So about the cobble stone roads, as indicated previously, I'm having some difficulties with regard to intersections. What it boils down to is a lack of a uniform design. By which I mean 1) how to transition from cobble stone to another surface and 2) which texture set to use. Here's a picture to demonstrate.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FSvHMpWi.png&hash=3fde5a38f6fdc45882a2c2bc087b789e5d04a981)

On the outer left the ortho road-street tile which I'm actually no too dissatisfied with. No, the issues are with the three- and fourway intersections. Should there be an 'end' to the cobble stones with a double row of small stones, like the three way? Or maybe just keep the curbstones running straight along, as with the fourway? Also note the fourway uses the cosmetic re-textured streets as the curves do kinda match. On the other hand if I were to use the re-texture intersection tiles there'd be a difference in street surface for people who don't have it installed, yet want to use the cobble stone.  :-\

As always your comments and suggestions are appreciated. For now I'll leave you with two pictures which have been sitting on my HD far too long and both are representative of a typical work day. Though while some folks are hard at work, others are hardly working. Spot the lazy bum.  ;)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FB0M8waV.jpg&hash=afe456b449cf38a89d2e8a5fbf531f2564b25aea)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTM8FJZV.jpg&hash=677b1d3865d8832df3acf0b89631b05a33886afa)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: romualdillo on December 15, 2014, 03:46:27 PM
Quote from: vortext on December 15, 2014, 02:43:24 PM

Quote from: romualdillo on November 30, 2014, 12:22:32 PM
Arggghhh!!! I can't stand without having those incredible cobblestone textures!!! They're absolutely gorgeous!!! And yes, they would look strange in non-urban environments. Anyway, I would like to know how your textures look with my buildings!!!  ::)

Thanks! Now you know!   ;)

Yes I know!!!  $%Grinno$%

I think I prefer the double row of small stones for all the intersections. I think the long stones should be used only as sidewalk limit, because I read them as drains on both sides of the road. The small stones fit better, not only for asphalted streets, but as limit for dirt roads. (You can also do your own street texture, too, with a drain channel in the middle ::)). IMHO.

The last pictures are great!! The first scene is really bucolic, and the second... Do I see new walls for the historic harbour?



Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: Gugu3 on December 16, 2014, 01:44:24 AM
Very very nice &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: noahclem on December 16, 2014, 10:19:11 AM
Beautiful pictures  &apls   I'm seriously wondering if our lazy friend really exists though  &Thk/(   Wonderful little bats. As for the textures, I would imagine the best place to put the transition, especially with street connections, would be at the edges of tiles. That would allow a single texture to be compatible with similarly cobble-stone-modded streets or vanilla streets, as well as all SAM streets. I'd suggest widening the right turn turning radius if possible too, taking advantage of all the space available  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: Kergelen on December 16, 2014, 10:36:23 AM
I think is better the double row of small stones because it makes the transition smoothly for cars and/or carriages.

The cobbled stones textures are really nice and very suitable for your region or an old town. Great for so far &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: FrankU on December 17, 2014, 03:10:59 AM
Hi Vortex,

I referred tot the fact that on some spots the cobblestones do not perfectly match, although it is probably only visible for the perfectionist....

I think the best way to connect streets and cobblestones is the way you show in the three way section. In the four way section you see small triangles of asphalt. These cannot be made in real life. Every street maker would use the cobblestones for that transition. So I guess it is more realistic to do that either.
This points to something that can be a problem in game: your connections are based on certain principles. Every principle you choose will have its exceptions. In real life the streetmaker uses his (or her) brains to decide which is the best practical (and if he/she is good also: beautiful) way to do. Therefore in real life not all connections are based on the same principle. There is improvisation....
So whatever you do: there will probably occur situations where you will not be able to have the best solution.

Example: if you connect your cobblestones to a red brick street I think the solution of your four way intersection can be made. Because with brick you can make these triangles. But in any case I think the three way intersection principle is better looking.

Succes!

Frank
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: mgb204 on December 17, 2014, 10:04:06 AM
I agree with FrankU, but for a different reason, simply that these cobblestone roads are so different to any other network stuff that I find it hard to see why many people would want to replace every stretch of road with them and then connect it around Maxis or SAM streets which are clearly of a very different time. Therefore make them as best as you can for their ideal environment, the historical-street connections.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on December 19, 2014, 07:27:31 AM
Al right, the verdict is in: double row of small stones it is! And Noah's suggestion to push the transition to the edge of the tiles solved a lot of headbreakers, too.  &idea

Here's how it stands atm.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/6tb0kh343djk1fr/cobble%20street.png?dl=0)

Still have to iron out the fine details but at least there's a way forward!   %BUd%




And while I'm here I might as well do some replies. too lazy for the banner though. .

Quote from: romualdillo on December 15, 2014, 03:46:27 PM
The last pictures are great!! The first scene is really bucolic, and the second... Do I see new walls for the historic harbour?

Nope, those walls are Namspopof's which I lowered to act as harbor walls. 


Quote from: noahclem on December 16, 2014, 10:19:11 AM
I'm seriously wondering if our lazy friend really exists though  &Thk/(   

In the bottom of the second pic, in between the stone slabs.  ;)


Quote from: FrankU on December 17, 2014, 03:10:59 AM
[...] although it is probably only visible for the perfectionist....[...]
[...] there will probably occur situations where you will not be able to have the best solution.

And that in a nutshell is at the heart of it. I always want the perfect solution to every problem, yes please.  :D 


And of course thank you Gugu3, Kergelen and mgb204 for your input as well!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: Vizoria on December 19, 2014, 08:46:48 AM
So is this RAM- Road Addon Mod? Those cobbled roads look great!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on December 19, 2014, 09:57:28 AM
Thanks! As for naming, there isn't any official acronym (yet).   

However there's already a RAM, namely the Rail Addon Mod (aka Single Track Rails) so that'd be confusing. Privately I've dubbed it CCSM, i.e. Comprehensive Cobble Stone Mod as eventually I intent to cobble-fy more than just the roads.  $%#Ninj2 That said I'm open to suggestions. Keeping in line with the nomenclature maybe Real Cobble Stone?!    :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: romualdillo on December 19, 2014, 03:44:01 PM
I think we found a good name to call them  $%Grinno$%!!! (Perhaps it's a bit general, but I think it's a good name). The new transitions look fantastic, now they're compatible with all the textures.

I've seen examples of Namspopof's work, but I didn't know his name. The walls look wonderful there!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on January 12, 2015, 10:48:08 AM
Shown this in a private thread, figured might as well post here.

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/b80rli1k3h8wdo3/cobble%20streets.png?dl=0)

Got nowhere near as much done over the holidays as I'd hoped but it's progress nonetheless.

Also still not sure if I actually like how some street tiles will in effect become part of the road. On the other hand it does mean I can apply the 'dirt' filter since they're all cobble. However I might opt for a different approach to the avenue intersections. I did a survey and figured adding the small cobble strip might be sufficient in most cases, rather than running the cobble roads through the avenue.

At any rate, thoughts?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: Simcoug on January 12, 2015, 11:19:07 AM
Great!  I think the transition looks good and it will work for all SAM versions too, right?  I was playing around with your latest version and everything was working without a hitch... just waiting for the other network transitions  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: mgb204 on January 12, 2015, 11:40:22 AM
Yup, this is the right approach for me, this way no little bits of steet will ruin the cobblestones.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on January 12, 2015, 12:03:19 PM
It'll work for SAM in so far I can take these textures and re-number them to the appropriate IIDs. However it depends on the width of the particular SAM if it'll look good. For instance SAM 3 & 4 are quite a bit wider than the vanilla streets so those textures might need a bit of additional work - either blend in the SAM texture in or re-do the tiles from scratch.

And thanks both for reassuring me this is the best way forward!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: romualdillo on January 12, 2015, 12:35:51 PM
The transitions look great!! I really do think that the little cobblestones were the best choice, not only for asphalt streets, but for dirt streets (or other cobblestone streets).

Thanks! And I'm actually thinking about porting those dirt textures over to proper streets. It'll be a nice fit indeed. ~ Erik

Ah yes I can see myself taking a liking to do replies this way!  ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: dwelln8hss32 on January 12, 2015, 12:37:48 PM
Awesome work on the cobblestone streets! Very nice indeed.  &apls

Erik, if I may interrupt a little and inquire about a texture I saw in a .jpg posted in your Potyomkin's Travels a while back... http://i.imgur.com/cl4Crab.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/cl4Crab.jpg)

That cracked dirt texture right off the water is lovely and I could use something like that or a variation of this "broken earth" texture. I feel like I've seen it elsewhere. I'm curious as to how it was made? (Feel free to PM me if the question is too distracting in your thread).

Jake
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on January 12, 2015, 01:23:27 PM
No worries for distracting the thread, at the moment it's wip all around anyway!  :D

The actual dirt texture is found in Gobias' SV mod (SV Textures A.dat to be precise) so you may recognize it from his terrain. I used it for an override of JENX' terrain paints, along with several other of Gobias' textures. For example the meadow in the top, as well as the mossy surface at the bottom of this picture (which initially was part of the update you refer to but didn't make the final cut so now I have an excuse to show it  ;D).

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F4DtilFr.jpg&hash=dd0caab11d4e8d498c859574e734cbb6fabe7b1d)

If you want I can do a write up of the nuts-and-bolt, or simply check your PM.  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: c.p. on January 12, 2015, 05:00:32 PM
Pretty nice picture for not making the cut :o

The cobblestone roads are great. &apls  I agree with not cutting through the avenues.


Thanks! Reason for leaving the picture out was I had trouble dividing the storyline over 6 pictures, not because of aesthetics. ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: mgb204 on January 12, 2015, 09:17:29 PM
Quote from: vortext on January 12, 2015, 01:23:27 PM
The actual dirt texture is found in Gobias' SV mod (SV Textures A.dat to be precise) so you may recognize it from his terrain. I used it for an override of JENX' terrain paints...

Ooh, that is an inspired idea... I think I will play with this, never was too happy with the brown grass when using SV, you'd never guess looking at the picture how you did it, great stuff  :thumbsup:.

Thank you! Yes, the terrain paints are fun to play around with. It adds a whole new way of detailing to the game and it's visible in regionview, too. Perfect for making large meadows I can tell you! ~ Erik 
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: FrankU on January 13, 2015, 12:06:34 AM
Nice, really nice Erik!

I am looking forward to the cobblestones, while awing at your image.  :thumbsup:

Thanks Frank! ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: Schulmanator on January 18, 2015, 10:29:13 AM
Nice new goodies you have... the cobblestone looks great!

Thank you! ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: vortext on January 18, 2015, 01:23:42 PM
Speaking of new goodies. .  ::)

The other day I got bored with texturing, saw CP's Salem map in the LEX spotlight and decided to. .

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/j0c139o3x1lu68n/poc.png?dl=0)

. . do some more texturing.  ;D

Took a discarded LE texture and re-sized it to 512px while cutting all the detail sizes in half. Funny thing is, with the default tiling factor of 2 it gives about the same result as the current HD terrains. . sure there's some repetition but nothing a multi fsh could't take care off. . ah yes, the lure of new terrain. . not to mention a matching HD tree controller. . I need way more vacation. .

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: carlfatal on January 18, 2015, 06:11:56 PM
Wowowowow!  :o

I was lazy, I know... Eventually I cant stay still, I must give some comment to express my thoughts, if I look to the last pictures. The cobblestone roads (if I understand right, they are roads) are intriguing, the same applies to the new grass texture. So there is a way to run out HD?  $%#Ninj2

And at least the picture with the fields and the small road, where the brothers "drive" with their horses and wagons... that is so beautyful, so idyllic.  &apls

To Kwakelaar´s cloister: Indeed it matches well with the castle here seen from above. I always shrink all directions, not always with the same strength to let it match the game grid. But maybe I wanted only to advertize a BAT I love...  $%Grinno$%

Thanks Carl! You're correct the roads are roads.  :D

As for outrunning HD terrain, unfortunately the game still crashes when trying to use 512px texture in software rendering. In other words the half size is merely for my own convenience, 1024px just takes way too long to render, my pc is quite old. .  ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: benedict on January 19, 2015, 04:44:10 AM
Congratulations, your MD was number one on BTT for the week ending 18 November.

Sweet, thanks everyone!  &apls ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: noahclem on January 19, 2015, 12:22:03 PM
Sounds like you've got a fun new distraction on your hands--sometimes I think we need those to keep us from going crazy or getting sick of this game  ;D  I'd love to see another tree controller from you and will be very curious to see how the multiFSh implementation changes the look. ....

I love that last picture  :o

Thanks Noah! And you're right, I just need something to tinker with from time to time. Recently I've been going through Carl's (Lowkee) terrain thread. With all the seasonal flora nowadays it has started to bother me the terrain remains evergreen. . Carl got quite far in that regard but it's a tricky area. I fooled around with the .ini and suddenly my textures turned black. .   %confuso  Think I'll stick to transit textures for the time being. ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: Gugu3 on January 20, 2015, 02:13:29 AM
Simply stunning! &apls

Thanks! ~ Erik
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Even More Replies & Stuff
Post by: romualdillo on January 20, 2015, 02:49:56 PM
I'm the voice in your head: Yes, I think you need more vacation...

Yeah if could you stop talking please.  .  :troutslap: ~ Erik
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Terraformer Fun
Post by: vortext on February 06, 2015, 02:30:26 PM
So once McDuell had revealed his Terraformer exploit (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1442.msg491238#msg491238) used to create a FAR bridge, I got curious about the effect it'd have on lots. So without furter ado here's our tiny plateau town.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FVN7Z8hI.jpg&hash=76a41a6bf4ffc3e722f8e13a05508a7c4957ad3f)

Next I went into the Terraformer and flattened the area, back in game and. . .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6bMzFEt.jpg&hash=619fb89edfe6c7a5fbda1983cfbc46d700e2463c)

it's afloat! Well, parts of it are.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FPbVJ2Lk.jpg&hash=5ac3ba483020b0410f47c9ecf0ccbf4f9beb6ef1)

At closer inspection with the grid on you can see the props and models are at their initial height, as is the street. The textures on the other hand are at the new ground level, as are the animated horses.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FVh9LH1O.jpg&hash=8a891e5e13addf3688229a2223d20463ebc13682)

Notice the routes actually go up to street level as if nothing happened! I also ran the simulator for a while, dezoned, saved, bulldozed, saved-and-exit-to-region, etc. All was still well when I came back. Finally here's what happened when I drew the street further out.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FeLFRoO9.jpg&hash=7dc164984bf4a98afa670e2dbc649f1f280cf8a9)

A nice demonstration of slope & foundation thresholds. Some of props got lowered too. All in all a neat trick! In theory this opens up the possibility for functional floating cities, albeit one would have to use props to stand in for textures - certainly doable. Terring?
Title: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: vortext on February 10, 2015, 12:03:11 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fk34a96K.jpg&hash=008afaae6e71c16e5925a956d7cd1f6b7864ddf6)

Hi there, today marks exactly one year of proper RCI development in the region. And to celebrate the occasion this update will be all about cold numbers and boring facts, hooray!

Well, just two numbers actually. Fact of the matter is RCI development so far consists solely of 7343 agricultural jobs which sustains a population of 17217 low wealth residents. And that's it as far as the numbers and facts go, quite a relieve, isn't it?!

Now if you think it doesn't amount to much for a years work, I'd agree with you as far as the numbers go. However, I'm actually rather pleased with the region as a whole and to see why we need to go back in time . . . cue flashback music. . . no wait, keep in mind the next pictures show the end state of each particular region before I moved on. That's kinda paramount.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FfZAmxHb.jpg&hash=1c6e1185bb391708f2e9b8116b6e8b29d741d253)

Autumn 2011, the very first iteration of Arden (with a boring A yes) in the Agia Triade region with Italia terrain. Note the small patch of seasonal forest in the lower left corner, it's all manually plopped Oaks.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FgoQpBPK.jpg&hash=53526ce9142bd1181bd6c24062460cb1e90d2263)

Spring 2012, second iteration of Ærden. Switched to the Salt Lake City region with a slightly modified version of the Meadowshire terrain. This was the first time I took great care of detailing, I even named all the streets!


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F7mbsghj.jpg&hash=c8dc8a903cc06d5417f93086d1e90b7ed5c196f0)

Spring 2013, third iteration which was a composite of Agia Triada and Salt Lake City, though I never completely rendered the region . . honestly don't know how I could've stand that, especially since I tend to give people flak for not rendering the entire region before building. Maybe because I was so focused on building a proper city, which if interested you can read more about here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg473139#msg473139). But again, the regional development went as far as you can see, i.e. not very far indeed.

So back to present day and the developmental state of the region. Hopefully it's clear by now why I'm quite proud of it, even though there's still a f*ckton of empty land – pardon my French. Also click pictures for full size, opens in new tab.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F8w6qVXF.jpg&hash=d3a60b396c13cdde98a66dfa0baee0f672f9bba5) (http://i.imgur.com/eBvq7mg.jpg)

Satellite view. The difference in foliage between some tiles is due either to the tile being saved on a different date than its neighbor or being saved with a different tree controller. Or possibly both. . probably should've kept track . .  ::)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FNN81BD7.jpg&hash=acdcab39a17d78c7378b21a502538c7fe6d79c0b) (http://i.imgur.com/FUXaRno.jpg)

Traffic view. Since it's still streets only, I actually count out the tiles to determine where the neighbor connections should be – visually that is. Of course a mistake is easily made so here's a fun little game: spot the misaligned street connections.  ;D


And that's about it. I'd also written a bit explaining my overall approach to the region and subsequent choices regarding the staple of lots but alas, I didn't find the time to finish it properly. Besides it might be kinda boring, come to think of it. But for posterity's sake I'll leave you with the very first grown lot dressed up with mmps and everything. At time of writing the picture is just about 2 hours away from turning one year old.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FItW3Ghw.jpg&hash=92aae9785a9cde0e4532445b00c34e2e32c55945)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: Simcoug on February 10, 2015, 02:26:04 PM
Awesome!  I love that street region view. 
Counting tiles sounds like fun, but a quick alternative is to just make a pipe connection where you are planning your street route and you will magically see where it is on the next tile (bulldoze the offending pipe once you get everything squared away).
Although something tells me you already knew that and really were counting tiles because it is a fun SC4 activity  :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: romualdillo on February 10, 2015, 03:41:08 PM
Great pictures!!! I think the road layout is the most realistic one I've seen in the game...  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: art128 on February 10, 2015, 03:52:46 PM
The street region view is indeed quite splendid. I had no idea the region changed that much over the time.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: packersfan on February 10, 2015, 07:15:32 PM
That is a sweet looking region and road network.  I wish I could combine my gameplay with the modding to create incredible images like I'm seeing here.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: FrankU on February 10, 2015, 11:51:13 PM
Hi Erik,

Great views.  &apls

I wish I had time to develop a region like that. But you know... there is a huge, still unfinished, lotting task lying in front of me, waiting...
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: mgb204 on February 11, 2015, 12:58:53 AM
Great update as always, really nice to see how your different attempts have matured over time. Somewhere in my mind I know I need to focus on getting the landscaping finished before building, but I always come unstuck by trying to rush a region. For about a year I've thrown myself into modding as opposed to playing, I do wonder if I really have the patience to attempt anything resembling a region like this. Whilst at a glance the numbers may not seem that high, I think that's a good reflection of the quality and attention to detail from every angle, you definitely have something to be envious of here :).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: Gugu3 on February 11, 2015, 01:45:48 AM
Great pics!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: dwelln8hss32 on February 11, 2015, 06:22:11 AM
Love your region choice and region views. Arden looks daunting but fun! I too count tiles to line up roads and streets, so I know what you mean. I thought I saw a street mismatch in the lower right side of the image, south of the smaller mountains, but the zoom level is panned out too far to make out details. Arden looks like an impressive undertaking! Have fun with it and looking forward to your updates as always.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: Schulmanator on February 13, 2015, 04:18:53 AM
Nice new pix! It's a great area :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: noahclem on February 15, 2015, 09:16:51 AM
That's a beautiful history Erik  &apls &apls  Thanks for offering another peak into how things work around here and congratulations on a year of development in Ærden's newest iteration. It's a fascinating style and the untold amount of effort you've put into it is certainly bearing fruit. Can't wait to see what the next year has in store for us  :popcorn:


Also, fascinating investigation of McDuell's terraformer technique. There must be a bunch of fascinating applications for it....
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a Year of RCI Development
Post by: carlfatal on February 15, 2015, 01:04:45 PM
Some others said it before: wonderful region shots! In particular I love that traffic view, cause I am always wondering, how other people manage the region as a whole (and I am somewhat addicted to maps and sat images...).  &apls

And the last picture reminds me to an unfinshed project. Great work with Dave´s houses here, but also with the street. I really have no clue: is this MMP or a real street, is this horse a MMP too or a car?
If SC4 leaves its boundaries like it does on pictures like this one...  &apls

I hope, you will have a lot of fun with this region in the next years of development too!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs & Random Pics
Post by: vortext on April 04, 2015, 10:15:26 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fogsf5vM.jpg&hash=4ec11dfeb00cd30caaf66eb47cb048ce01607d65)

Wait what, it's almost been two months already?! What's up with February & March, they always pass by so fast, I remember the exact same thing happening last year (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg479566#msg479566). Then again, maybe not too wondrous since February is so short.

At any rate, RL kept me plenty busy lately. In fact, during this first quarter of the year I've probably spend around 5 evenings in the region trying out a new mmp combination but that's it as far as development in Ærden goes.

Bit sad indeed, however, I should have more time over the next months. What's more: I've got a new pc! For those curious, specs are the same as I posted here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=16889.msg492341#msg492341), only difference is that I opted for Win8.1 pro instead. Of course a new machine initially means spending more time than you'd like getting everything up and running, which is exactly what I've been doing these past weeks.

When it came to SC4 I was prepared for an ordeal, however, it ran pretty much right off the bat. It's incredible how fast and responsive the game is now. Even with shadows, clouds & waves enabled there's very little, if any lag - depending on tile size and amount of flora of course.

The only real issue so far is z-fighting, which is particular evident in shallow waters but also on some flup models. After tinkering with the graphics card the issue is more-or-less resolved in the closest zooms. However, it's still pretty darn ugly when viewed from afar but alas, it seems I'll have to learn to live with it.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FS9KNdTA.gif&hash=decbec26fb175f7cbcdc98c546ec4cd03fc4985c)
z-fighting in action. Still not perfect but on the upside, notice how the flora also gets buffed up! Also, first gif on new pc, yay.  :bnn:


Apart from that I've had far more serious trouble with rendering of overlay textures. Every now and again the new system would throw an error message during the formerly smooth running batch process and just stop. The infrequent, seemingly random nature of the error was already pushing all the wrong buttons but what really drove me up the wall was the contents of the accompanying error log which simply read:  'unknown exception at unknown location'.  %bur2$

After spending way too many evenings trying to pinpoint the issue, I finally came to my senses and figured my time would probably be better spend devising an alternative method to render the overlays, which luckily proved quite easy. The batch itself is already up and running, I just have to refine the settings for the alpha masks a bit more.

As for release of the LE textures, I find myself leaning towards a modular approach lately. That is to say, release multiple, smaller texture packs instead of one huge pack. The reasoning is various textures are at various stages of development. So I asked myself: why should, for example, the base textures be held back only because I'm not satisfied yet with some garden overlays? Besides, smaller packs would also allow me greater flexibility for future updates. Thoughts on the subject are appreciated.

As for the cobble stone roads. . . I'm sorry to say I haven't worked on those for quite some time. However, seeing the awesome progress Noah is currently making on the TiA front definitely is motivation to continue shortly. While the two projects may seem disparate, they're not.  ;)

Anyway, since I migrated over to the new pc I also sorted out various archives and wip folders. So as promised here're random pictures.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrPIQEZs.jpg&hash=9c684c70c540f67cf2a03ca25e2ccd8389861d46)

Gaellithorp, one of the oldest settlements in the region – both in terms of fictional history and actual development. This spot right in the middle was rather difficult to fill. I wanted some kind of communal building however, none of the churches I tried were a good fit. More so because I imagined Christianity didn't reach here quite yet. Rather the villagers would still be pagan, mixed with some Roman influences. A proper temple, on the other hand, was way too exotic. Then one evening I suddenly remembered this particular BAT by Swi. And as it turns out it's actually called 'Dutch Forest House', which I took as a sign this was the appropriate building for the spot.  ()stsfd()


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FDOEvVWT.jpg&hash=883fd09ccbb3fcfe4ee1770c6e214dc8e03ec282)

Quiet country roads, what else is there?!  :D


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FU3Q07LV.jpg&hash=a409a0d32c8d08b2e827369b6cd96e46cffe6ce0)

Playing around a bit with new tools, trying to get a damp, rainy look. Turned out okay I guess. 


And that's about it for today. No actually, there's something rather exciting going on behind the scenes but I'll keep that a secret for now.  $%#Ninj2




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Simcoug on February 10, 2015, 02:26:04 PM
Awesome!  I love that street region view. 
Counting tiles sounds like fun, but a quick alternative is to just make a pipe connection where you are planning your street route and you will magically see where it is on the next tile (bulldoze the offending pipe once you get everything squared away).
Although something tells me you already knew that and really were counting tiles because it is a fun SC4 activity  :P

What?! You mean to tell me terraforming the water ways in order to count from the edge, accidentally hitting 'save and exit' and consequently rolling back three weeks of progress isn't fun!?  ???  $%Grinno$% Thanks for the most excellent tip Matt!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: romualdillo on February 10, 2015, 03:41:08 PM
Great pictures!!! I think the road layout is the most realistic one I've seen in the game...  &apls

Thanks for the kind words! Really appreciate it since it took a lot of effort to build.  :)


Quote from: art128 on February 10, 2015, 03:52:46 PM
The street region view is indeed quite splendid. I had no idea the region changed that much over the time.

Thanks Arthur!


Quote from: packersfan on February 10, 2015, 07:15:32 PM
That is a sweet looking region and road network.  I wish I could combine my gameplay with the modding to create incredible images like I'm seeing here.

Thank you!


Quote from: FrankU on February 10, 2015, 11:51:13 PM
Hi Erik,

Great views.  &apls

I wish I had time to develop a region like that. But you know... there is a huge, still unfinished, lotting task lying in front of me, waiting...

Thanks Frank! Maybe one day once the lotting is finished. .  :)


Quote from: mgb204 on February 11, 2015, 12:58:53 AM
Great update as always, really nice to see how your different attempts have matured over time. Somewhere in my mind I know I need to focus on getting the landscaping finished before building, but I always come unstuck by trying to rush a region. For about a year I've thrown myself into modding as opposed to playing, I do wonder if I really have the patience to attempt anything resembling a region like this. Whilst at a glance the numbers may not seem that high, I think that's a good reflection of the quality and attention to detail from every angle, you definitely have something to be envious of here :).

Thanks Robin! It does take a bit of patience indeed. It's been two years since it's inception and still so little development. .  ::)


Quote from: Gugu3 on February 11, 2015, 01:45:48 AM
Great pics!

Thanks!


Quote from: dwelln8hss32 on February 11, 2015, 06:22:11 AM
Love your region choice and region views. Arden looks daunting but fun! I too count tiles to line up roads and streets, so I know what you mean. I thought I saw a street mismatch in the lower right side of the image, south of the smaller mountains, but the zoom level is panned out too far to make out details. Arden looks like an impressive undertaking! Have fun with it and looking forward to your updates as always.

Thank you! There're actually multiple misalignments and first thing on the to-do-list is fixing them now I know the waterpipes trick.


Quote from: Schulmanator on February 13, 2015, 04:18:53 AM
Nice new pix! It's a great area :D

Thanks!


Quote from: noahclem on February 15, 2015, 09:16:51 AM
That's a beautiful history Erik  &apls &apls  Thanks for offering another peak into how things work around here and congratulations on a year of development in Ærden's newest iteration. It's a fascinating style and the untold amount of effort you've put into it is certainly bearing fruit. Can't wait to see what the next year has in store for us  :popcorn:


Also, fascinating investigation of McDuell's terraformer technique. There must be a bunch of fascinating applications for it....

Thank you Noah!


Quote from: carlfatal on February 15, 2015, 01:04:45 PM
Some others said it before: wonderful region shots! In particular I love that traffic view, cause I am always wondering, how other people manage the region as a whole (and I am somewhat addicted to maps and sat images...).  &apls

And the last picture reminds me to an unfinshed project. Great work with Dave´s houses here, but also with the street. I really have no clue: is this MMP or a real street, is this horse a MMP too or a car?
If SC4 leaves its boundaries like it does on pictures like this one...  &apls

I hope, you will have a lot of fun with this region in the next years of development too!  :thumbsup:

Thanks Carl. To answer your question, the lot is Transit Enabled and I turned the street textures into LE textures, so I can connect the actual streets with the lots, visually that is.The horse is just a MMP on the lot.




Happy easter everyone! (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myemoticons.com%2Fimages%2Fholidays%2Feaster%2Feaster-egg-smiley.gif&hash=87af72dc1bfd57dc35f033634601792eb1a79b92)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs & Random Pics
Post by: romualdillo on April 05, 2015, 04:52:05 AM
Congrats for your new computer!!! I'm glad you could solve (almost) all problems caused by the migration.
Great images, btw.  :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs & Random Pics
Post by: feyss on April 05, 2015, 09:37:51 AM
I didn't post since a while, but I've only seen great pictures here since my last message. I hope the game will not be capricious with your new machine. Kepp it up   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs & Random Pics
Post by: metarvo on April 05, 2015, 01:47:00 PM
It's good to see you back at work on Ærden, Erik.  This is a stunning update, and I particularly like the third pic with the clouds and rain — this effect is difficult to do in any perspective, let alone the top-down angled view SC4 gives us, and yet you've done it quite skillfully.

&apls

Good luck with the new computer!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs & Random Pics
Post by: FrankU on April 06, 2015, 12:13:48 PM
Hi Erik,

Nice to see you are back again!

HGood developments and nice images too.

What hit my attention was the Swi "Dutch Forest House". What do you think: does it look Dutch? Not really to me, although indeed it's possible this thing, or something similar, is hiding in one of our forests... It's a nice thing, although the roof is way too yellow.

And a bout the texture sets: It does not really matter. Both have their advantages and disadvantages:
Small sets have the advantage that they are small.  ;D If someone only wants a small amount of textures the download and game lag is less. But you have a longer list of dependencies when you want them all. You also can lose track: what texture is where...
Large sets: all in one. Many textures that are not used, maybe. But gives a short dependency list.
My personal opinion: I do not care about the length of dependencies listings. Lets make small sets with clear namings.

Frank
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs & Random Pics
Post by: Simcoug on April 07, 2015, 06:55:11 PM
Love the pics, and I actually like the forest house.  It has a bit of a fantastical look, but I think it gives the area some character. 
As far as the texture packs - I think a modular release would be great.  The sooner we can get our hands on these the better (plus some texture packs can get pretty heavy and I always hate having to keep a large file in my plugin when only about 10% is actually used... but that's not to say I wouldn't use 100% of your textures... I was just trying to make a point about some 'mega' packs... and... umm... what was I talking about again?)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: vortext on April 27, 2015, 07:39:15 AM
Hi there, today marks the release of the base texture set!  :bnn:

Forty two (42) brand new, 256x256 pixel multi-fsh base textures for you to enjoy! Get them here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3211).

Here's an overview and a couple of zoom 6 close ups. Click pictures for large.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FsVyqsup.jpg&hash=6f8b7fe3b9feb0e41320c781333b311bc6b5314c)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FtVP0xfW.jpg&hash=fdc2b7f5d858a7200e8d2ddc67d58f083877ac4a)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQ3dWX6E.jpg&hash=02c27895ee706e25ab304d0ac78e1d982b2aef4d)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FSVs5gNI.jpg&hash=b762cc0870c1aae34b44c11aed7fa42db8283ac8)

Needless to say feedback is much appreciated (e.g. color, saturation, etc) and I'm partially open to requests and suggestions as well.

Finally, overlays, paths and twotoned base textures (i.e. merger of base and overlay) are forthcoming. As are various garden overlays and stone overlays, though both require some work still.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fy5frsmJ.png&hash=927aa05f414b559620ab041d26db7dadc48938ea)

Stay tuned.  &opr




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: romualdillo on April 05, 2015, 04:52:05 AM
Congrats for your new computer!!! I'm glad you could solve (almost) all problems caused by the migration.
Great images, btw.  :D

Thanks!


Quote from: feyss on April 05, 2015, 09:37:51 AM
I didn't post since a while, but I've only seen great pictures here since my last message. I hope the game will not be capricious with your new machine. Kepp it up   :thumbsup:

Thank you and will do!


Quote from: metarvo on April 05, 2015, 01:47:00 PM
It's good to see you back at work on Ærden, Erik.  This is a stunning update, and I particularly like the third pic with the clouds and rain — this effect is difficult to do in any perspective, let alone the top-down angled view SC4 gives us, and yet you've done it quite skillfully.

&apls

Good luck with the new computer!  :)

Thanks, I'm glad you liked to rainy pic!  ()stsfd()


Quote from: FrankU on April 06, 2015, 12:13:48 PM
Hi Erik,

Nice to see you are back again!

HGood developments and nice images too.

What hit my attention was the Swi "Dutch Forest House". What do you think: does it look Dutch? Not really to me, although indeed it's possible this thing, or something similar, is hiding in one of our forests... It's a nice thing, although the roof is way too yellow.

And a bout the texture sets: It does not really matter. Both have their advantages and disadvantages:
Small sets have the advantage that they are small.  ;D If someone only wants a small amount of textures the download and game lag is less. But you have a longer list of dependencies when you want them all. You also can lose track: what texture is where...
Large sets: all in one. Many textures that are not used, maybe. But gives a short dependency list.
My personal opinion: I do not care about the length of dependencies listings. Lets make small sets with clear namings.

Frank

Hi Frank, thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. And yes, the roof is way too yellow, even after toning it down by a large degree. Lets just pretend it's a newly made hay roof, okay?  :D


Quote from: Simcoug on April 07, 2015, 06:55:11 PM
Love the pics, and I actually like the forest house.  It has a bit of a fantastical look, but I think it gives the area some character. 
As far as the texture packs - I think a modular release would be great.  The sooner we can get our hands on these the better (plus some texture packs can get pretty heavy and I always hate having to keep a large file in my plugin when only about 10% is actually used... but that's not to say I wouldn't use 100% of your textures... I was just trying to make a point about some 'mega' packs... and... umm... what was I talking about again?)

Dunno what you were talking about either. . but the base textures are now up!  :D I too thought the forest house added a nice fairy-tale touch, glad you liked it! Thanks.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: epicblunder on April 27, 2015, 08:40:00 AM
Awesome.  Cobbles 2,7 and 6,5 look delicious   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: romualdillo on April 27, 2015, 10:15:37 AM
Already downloaded!! I'll put them to good use soon...  :D (I think I don't have to say I love them!!!)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: Simcoug on April 27, 2015, 07:22:08 PM
I had a pre-release party earlier this week - they are already getting integrated into many of my WIP lots. As far as requests... I'd love to see another red brick version (or two or three   ;D )... You can never have enough bricks   ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: FrankU on April 28, 2015, 02:47:10 AM
Wow!  &apls

But.... I'll wait until your overlays are finished. I just might use them next to or instead of CP's textures for my farms. I don't know how quick you are, and I also don't know how quick I'll be. So this might get interesting.  ;D

But under the condition that you make a comprehensive set of base textures and overlays with paths and other structures with the red brick texture. Did you have that in mind?

Good work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: noahclem on April 28, 2015, 03:00:48 AM
An exciting day indeed!! These textures are just stunning. Would be nice to make a mod to replace similar-looking but less beautiful textures with these. And I love that you did a fanned stone texture  :bnn:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: Dantes on April 28, 2015, 03:38:14 AM
Your landscape looks great. I like the rural design. (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ld-host.de%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F98a5523047fb2457453e15f1b8dd251e.gif&hash=29eec6400ecb57283a43c03ff3c55cd9921a0fa9)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Base Textures Released!
Post by: kelis on May 04, 2015, 02:10:10 AM
Those textures are perfect !! Thank for your work and gor share it. You will see them in my MD for sure  &apls &apls
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Hybrid T21 lots
Post by: vortext on May 10, 2015, 06:51:29 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: epicblunder on April 27, 2015, 08:40:00 AM
Awesome.  Cobbles 2,7 and 6,5 look delicious   :thumbsup:

Thank you!


Quote from: romualdillo on April 27, 2015, 10:15:37 AM
Already downloaded!! I'll put them to good use soon...  :D (I think I don't have to say I love them!!!)

Thanks, looking forward seeing them in use!


Quote from: Simcoug on April 27, 2015, 07:22:08 PM
I had a pre-release party earlier this week - they are already getting integrated into many of my WIP lots. As far as requests... I'd love to see another red brick version (or two or three   ;D )... You can never have enough bricks   ;)

Thanks, glad to hear they found their way already. Request noted!


Quote from: FrankU on April 28, 2015, 02:47:10 AM
Wow!  &apls

But.... I'll wait until your overlays are finished. I just might use them next to or instead of CP's textures for my farms. I don't know how quick you are, and I also don't know how quick I'll be. So this might get interesting.  ;D

But under the condition that you make a comprehensive set of base textures and overlays with paths and other structures with the red brick texture. Did you have that in mind?

Good work!

Thanks. As for overlays, the teller currently stands at 42 which I consider to be the basic shapes set. . Still have to derive the paths from them, and add a bunch of more exotic shapes. Does that sound comprehensive enough?!  :D


Quote from: noahclem on April 28, 2015, 03:00:48 AM
An exciting day indeed!! These textures are just stunning. Would be nice to make a mod to replace similar-looking but less beautiful textures with these. And I love that you did a fanned stone texture  :bnn:

Thanks! Fanned cobble is my holy grail, already made 3 of them but still not quite to my own satisfaction. .will probably try my hand at another some time.  ::)


Quote from: Dantes on April 28, 2015, 03:38:14 AM
Your landscape looks great. I like the rural design. (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ld-host.de%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F98a5523047fb2457453e15f1b8dd251e.gif&hash=29eec6400ecb57283a43c03ff3c55cd9921a0fa9)

Thank you!


Quote from: kelis on May 04, 2015, 02:10:10 AM
Those textures are perfect !! Thank for your work and gor share it. You will see them in my MD for sure  &apls &apls

Thanks, looking forward to see them pop up!






For today something fairly boring but it's one of thing which made me go: 'this is too crazy to be true but it actually works!' As the title indicates I'm talking about a hybrid T21 lot file.

First things first though, I should probably briefly explain what a T21 is so everyone can appreciate the full extend of craziness later on.

In short a T21 is a type of file which is used to place props on traffic networks, stuff like trees, light posts, parked cars, etc. Basically it's a 1x1 lot applied to an individual network tile. And this is not just an analogy, since technically a lot file and a T21 file actually use a number of the same properties.

click for full size
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FE1oBQUn.jpg&hash=1aac0d41e404179a41554af695d7646da0908c73)

On the left a lot file, on the right a T21 file. Similar properties highlighted in green. Highlighted in red near-similar properties, further bolstering the argument T21s are just a special kind of lots.

Now, while it's really simple to edit a lot, either with the Maxis LE or SC4PIM, there's no simple way to edit T21s. In other words, getting props on a T21 typically means copying them over from a proper lot file, and the same goes for all subsequent adjustments you want to make.

On a side-note I should mention there's a – private - tool available to edit T21s but I find it too abstract to use, I like to see what I'm doing. Besides for the current pet project I'm using a fair number of small props and things get confusing fast.

So, given the similarities between T21s and proper lots I'd already successfully managed to rework T21s to lots (and vice versa) in the past. However needing to rework the files every time a prop is moved is still far from ideal, obviously.

Enter the crazy idea: would it be possible to just mesh the two file types together?

In short yes!  ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTgTiXrs.jpg&hash=3377e58bf87d027f96fa0af31958f3c10ea80e1b)

Notice the hybrid file actually has two Exemplar Type properties, crazy! Furthermore, the SC4PIM doesn't seem to mind all the network related properties in the lot file, and similarly the game doesn't seem to mind all the lot related properties in the T21 file. It sounds kinda hard to believe but it actually works! Don't ask me why though.  :D

So, what does this mean? It means the lot can be edited in the SC4PIM, just like any other lot, and once in-game the changes take immediate effect as T21s! No more tedious copy-paste in between!

Now, I'll spare you the technical details to arrive at a T21 lot hybrid, in part because I haven't figured them out myself just quite yet. So far I've had SC4PIM saving errors, Reader crashes and flat out refusals. Moreover, I have no clue if it's actually safe to use, especially when it comes to making overrides for Maxis' original T21s. For all I know there's massive save-game corruption going on behind the scenes. .

Hopefully that's not the case though because I'm thinking this could potentially make way for some sort of dev kit: a set of hybrid T21 lots so you at home could, with some patience, edit the look of the street and road sides to your hearts content. Of course there'd still be some caveats, namely the placement patterns and what not, but still: wouldn't it be nice if you could edit the vanilla T21 files yourself?!

I think it would and so I've attached a set of hybrid T21s lot for the vanilla streets to this post. They seem to work though I've not had the chance to try them all out, obviously. Needless to say using the files is at your own risk!!

That said I'm curious to learn if the Maxis LE can handle them, and of course how it works out in game. I'd also really appreciate if someone could shed light on the save-game side of things.

And that's about it for now. I'll leave you with a sneak peek as to why I was tinkering with T21s in the first place.  ;)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FItBfSea.jpg&hash=a3ff15c6a7f58679d4045a3c67f06891907ca796)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Hybrid T21 lots
Post by: mgb204 on May 10, 2015, 01:23:38 PM
That's a very awesome find, who'd have thought combining properties would work, I wonder if this might have other applications?

It would certainly make custom T21's possible for many more users, I don't see why it would cause problems, but I understand your caution here.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Hybrid T21 lots
Post by: TheTeaCat on May 10, 2015, 02:05:37 PM
Oh my word!!!  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Hybrid T21 lots
Post by: noahclem on May 11, 2015, 02:37:50 AM
Extremely exciting discovery, Erik! If this works as well as it's seeming to then it will radically alter the state of T21s making them much more accessible and doubtless more numerous. Very much looking forward to see what use is made of it!

+1
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Hybrid T21 lots
Post by: memo on May 15, 2015, 12:01:14 AM
Very exciting, indeed!

I find it hard to believe that the game handles both of the Exemplar Type properties, as they have identical property IDs. At least, I would expect one of these properties to hide/override the other property, as is the case if a property ID occurs twice in a Cohort tree. I'd be interested to see whether you still get the same results if you delete one of the Exemplar Type properties and keep the other, and vice-versa.

By the way, some tools will have issues with duplicate properties. For example, my own library will preserve only one of the properties.

Something to consider is to create a parent Cohort file which contains all the non-T21 related properties, to be used for development and testing. The game puts the Cohort and the Exemplar together in the same way as you did. For the final version, you could replace the Cohort by an empty Cohort file and end up with a pure T21 Exemplar. Then again, PIMX possibly can't work with the Cohort file...
Title: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: vortext on August 13, 2015, 10:06:03 AM
Thursday 

First of hello there, been a while.  :)

Secondly, this is most definitely not the kind of update I wanted to make, ever.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6qf436p.jpg&hash=b693b9a68d4c06a3066c34e4c823f241786cc9a9)

Now, the good news is the back up made at the start of the month is pox free.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FDkQ8OIk.jpg&hash=6e5b4784c5bacf80fc38a9ed42bd5da35b5e3670)

Over the last week I've done quite a bit of farming in this particular tile which obviously added a ton of props from the crop fields and consequently triggered the pox. That's me reasoning at least.

So question is: what can I do, if anything, to the prop pox free back up to ensure it doesn't happen later on?

Also, as irony would have it I was actually writing a proper update this afternoon, went ingame to take some pictures and noticed missing props. .

All right, off to the prop pox thread and do some reading.  &mmm

edit

Did read. As I understand it the seemingly prop pox free tile is already beyond redemption because of the disabled props. Went back into the archives and the first back-up without any disabled props is from a year-and-a-half ago, when there actually wasn't any development yet! I do remember fooling around a lot in that period with Murmiks Waterseries and disabling timing for the boats. I'm guessing something went wrong during that time. However, I also fooled around a bit just now with the savegame file and came up with a plan so crazy it just might work. .  $%#Ninj2  Will report results. 

edit2

The crazy plan hasn't delivered any results yet. However, I did manage to track the issue down to something rather interesting after bulldozing the entire tile (the back-up tile that is, since it reports to have disabled props, while apparently the poxed city doesn't).

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FD84FpMj.jpg&hash=5f5bc9fc7bcb5e510566e46be6af39b70f33eb49)

At first I thought this couldn't be true because I'd never used any T21 in this particular tile until I had a look at the city view . .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FsCOBTJd.jpg&hash=cd9b5992221e7c9989608f2b5fbb95881068fcf0)

. . and remembered that I did in fact, long time ago, very briefly tried out something . . oops.  ::)

All right, continuing tinkering with the save game file. .




Friday

edit3

The save game tinkering got me nowhere. Instead I checked the entire region in the SC4savegame explorer and found 7 more tiles with disabled props, 4 of which are large tiles and one of those large tiles has some development. Meh. %wrd

Interestingly all disabled props are from T21s and the affected tiles were among the first I started. In one tile the disabled props actually showed an old street layout, which I have redone since. So my current theory is that at some point, very early on in development of the region, I unknowingly had a T21 in the plugins folder (with or without the necessary prop exemplars) and subsequent visits to the tiles without the T21 in the plugins caused the props to be disabled.

Something like that, I dunno. I do know I'm not happy, to say the least. 

Because what I failed to mention thus far is that the one tile which actually has the pox happens to be the first main city in the region. So that sucks. Big time. I'm not sure yet what to do. On the one hand: the longer I wait with redoing the tile, to more work it'll be. On the other hand: it has a sh*tton of (mmped) flora and intricate street and farm development, all of which I'm very happy with and will be next to impossible to reproduce. My current thinking is: develop the city further, take pictures with the city details low/high bandage and then restart the tile from scratch. I already had plans for some kind of disaster strike the region anyway so that may explain the downfall of the city, right?!

As for the other seven tiles: I'll probably gonna replace the four large tiles as soon as possible. Experience has shown farming can push the Prop Subfile over the limit pretty easy, so I'd like to be on the safe side. Three of them are empty except for sparse flora and streets running through them, the other one has some additional development. So all in all it shouldn't be too much work.

edit4

Well, I'm not sure if people are reading this, or even care at this point but at any rate some good news. Thanks to a region back up from December 2013 and the corresponding plugins folder I've been able to salvage three large tiles (and one medium tile). By which I mean: I did actually see the T21 props on the streets, which I subsequently removed. Checking the tiles in SC4SavegameExplorer confirmed there were no longer any props in the tiles. So this means I don't have to redo the flora, and more important, don't have to redo the streets. Though I will have to rework some parts and redo additional streets to reflect changes made after December 2013.

There's one large tile from the December 2013 backup which appears to be already beyond redemption. It says it has T21 props, however, I don't see them ingame and any changes made to the streets will result in disabled props. This is a bit annoying since the tile is needed for future farming. Coincidentally this one tile was the result from a config adjustment one month previous (November 2013) so I have a completely empty backup. And since it's a near flat tile, and has just one street running through for now, remaking it shouldn't be an issue.

The observant reader (if there are any left) will have noticed this leaves two medium tiles. Unfortunately the December 2013 back-ups of both already appear to be beyond redemption as well. However, I don't have big plans for them and seeing they're medium tiles to begin with I seriously doubt the Prop Subfile will ever reach the size necessary to trigger the pox. In other words, I'll leave them be, with disabled props.

The entire salvage operation will result in a loss of 537 sims. So all things considered the regional damage is relatively minor. Silver lining and what not.

edit5

Well more good news. I've restored five tiles. What's more: I've actually retraced the streets layout by first snapping pictures in the old tiles with the traffic view on and then remaking the streets in the new tiles, with the traffic view on as well. This actually went surprisingly well and fast, too. So then I figured: might as well re-developed a tile by copying the zoning lay-out of the old tile. Once again this went swimmingly. Final check in the SC4SavegameExplorer confirmed there were no disabled props in the tile.  %BUd%

So with this experience under my belt I'm considering whether it's worth re-creating the main city tile in similar fashion after all. The upside is no more pox, the downside is losing quite a bit of MMP work . .  :-\

At any rate since the issues has largly been resolved and I've been talking to myself, really, I've renamed the entry The Prop Pox Chronicles, a message in a bottle of sorts I guess.  :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: 11241036 on August 16, 2015, 03:03:43 PM
Wow, that's really sad to hear that you've caught the Prop Pox issue I've frequently heard about. I've fortunately never been affected by Prop Pox (I only heard about it from looking into the Prop Pox thread a few weeks ago), so I can't imagine what happens, neither can I help you, sadly. It seems, however, that you are on a promising way to limit its effects and repair the damage wherever possible.

Which brings us already to my comments on your MD.

* I'm glad that you take your time sharing your discoveries you made while modding SC4 or developing plugins; this will surely help several users here if they encounter similar problems. And you've really not been talking to yourself, I'm already aware of this issue and trying to find a way to make sure that I won't catch it too, so I've been reading through your last update.
* You are on a good way of taking on the challenge of creating villages/cities in the style of a time several centuries ago. I liked several of your images much, for example with Swi21's building and the Schiffenberg Monastery. Very good work (both re-lotting and designing), especially considering the limited amount of medieval plugins available for download.
* Your dirt roads and cobblestone roads are also really awesome, especially the FAR roads. Are you planning to share them?
* Your MMP work has also been great (for example your picture with the dirt road leading through a small ash forest close to a swamp); it's really a pity that some of it will be lost.

My only suggestion to improve your MD would be sharing a few pictures from a higher zoom level from time to time (not necessarily regional). From a closer look, much of your work looks fine, it just would be interesting to put the pictures together by seeing them from a higher altitude.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: JoeST on August 16, 2015, 11:48:40 PM
Thank you for talking us through your process Vortex, it is an interesting read and I'm glad you shared it :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: Simcoug on August 17, 2015, 07:55:09 AM
What a pain, but I'm glad it ended up being less work than it could have been.  I'd never considered T21's as a prop pox cause, but it makes sense... just goes to show you have to be careful about what you remove from your plugins.  I also have a small issue with one of my large tiles that is already pretty much built up (not prop pox, thankfully)... the solution involves the 'flora off' cheat, but I'm going to use it at the last possible moment because of the hours spent MMPing the tile.  Long story short, I can feel your pain.  ()sad()
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: belfastsocrates on August 17, 2015, 08:48:31 AM
There's nothing more heart-breaking, in the SC4 world, than seeing so much work lost or being constantly frustrated by problems with the game. I feel your pain with this also, I'm having a complete nightmare at the minute with constant crashes, glitches and issues despite my efforts to prevent them. I am pleased to hear though you were able to salvage a lot of work so there is significant consolation in that respect. I wish you well with this and hope you can begin showcasing again.


Quote from: Simcoug on August 17, 2015, 07:55:09 AM
I'd never considered T21's as a prop pox cause, but it makes sense... just goes to show you have to be careful about what you remove from your plugins.

This has got my brain thinking. I removed the PEG Utopia avenue medians a few weeks ago, after using them for countless years, and reverted to normal medians. Do you think doing this could cause game instability? My apologies for hijacking with this question but I'm just curious.


Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: Simcoug on August 17, 2015, 09:44:31 AM
Quote from: belfastsocrates on August 17, 2015, 08:48:31 AM
This has got my brain thinking. I removed the PEG Utopia avenue medians a few weeks ago, after using them for countless years, and reverted to normal medians. Do you think doing this could cause game instability? My apologies for hijacking with this question but I'm just curious.

Vortext has a better understanding than me, but I'm guessing that it has more to do with removing the prop files associated with a T21 mod, rather than the T21 mod itself.  Again, vortext can do a much better job explaining the details, so don't take my word for it.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: vortext on August 17, 2015, 10:04:34 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Time for replies, some admittedly long overdue.

Quote from: mgb204 on May 10, 2015, 01:23:38 PM
That's a very awesome find, who'd have thought combining properties would work, I wonder if this might have other applications?

It would certainly make custom T21's possible for many more users, I don't see why it would cause problems, but I understand your caution here.

Hm yeah, didn't see a reason why it'd cause problems but given my recent experience I´m suddenly a lot more hesitant - it's gonna require some testing before deeming it safe.


Quote from: TheTeaCat on May 10, 2015, 02:05:37 PM
Oh my word!!!  &apls

Crazy, right?!  :D


Quote from: noahclem on May 11, 2015, 02:37:50 AM
Extremely exciting discovery, Erik! If this works as well as it's seeming to then it will radically alter the state of T21s making them much more accessible and doubtless more numerous. Very much looking forward to see what use is made of it!

+1

Thanks for the k-point Noah!  :)


Quote from: memo on May 15, 2015, 12:01:14 AM
Very exciting, indeed!

I find it hard to believe that the game handles both of the Exemplar Type properties, as they have identical property IDs. At least, I would expect one of these properties to hide/override the other property, as is the case if a property ID occurs twice in a Cohort tree. I'd be interested to see whether you still get the same results if you delete one of the Exemplar Type properties and keep the other, and vice-versa.

By the way, some tools will have issues with duplicate properties. For example, my own library will preserve only one of the properties.

Something to consider is to create a parent Cohort file which contains all the non-T21 related properties, to be used for development and testing. The game puts the Cohort and the Exemplar together in the same way as you did. For the final version, you could replace the Cohort by an empty Cohort file and end up with a pure T21 Exemplar. Then again, PIMX possibly can't work with the Cohort file...

Yeah I know it's rather curious it works, though iirc (been a while) it only works when the two Exemplar Types are in a particular order (Lot before T21 or the other way around). I'll look into using Cohort files, thanks for the suggestion!   :)




Quote from: 11241036 on August 16, 2015, 03:03:43 PM
Wow, that's really sad to hear that you've caught the Prop Pox issue I've frequently heard about. I've fortunately never been affected by Prop Pox (I only heard about it from looking into the Prop Pox thread a few weeks ago), so I can't imagine what happens, neither can I help you, sadly. It seems, however, that you are on a promising way to limit its effects and repair the damage wherever possible.

Which brings us already to my comments on your MD.

* I'm glad that you take your time sharing your discoveries you made while modding SC4 or developing plugins; this will surely help several users here if they encounter similar problems. And you've really not been talking to yourself, I'm already aware of this issue and trying to find a way to make sure that I won't catch it too, so I've been reading through your last update.
* You are on a good way of taking on the challenge of creating villages/cities in the style of a time several centuries ago. I liked several of your images much, for example with Swi21's building and the Schiffenberg Monastery. Very good work (both re-lotting and designing), especially considering the limited amount of medieval plugins available for download.
* Your dirt roads and cobblestone roads are also really awesome, especially the FAR roads. Are you planning to share them?
* Your MMP work has also been great (for example your picture with the dirt road leading through a small ash forest close to a swamp); it's really a pity that some of it will be lost.

My only suggestion to improve your MD would be sharing a few pictures from a higher zoom level from time to time (not necessarily regional). From a closer look, much of your work looks fine, it just would be interesting to put the pictures together by seeing them from a higher altitude.

Thanks for the kind words! The cobble stone roads will most definitely be available at some future date, still have to do add quite a bit of network connectivity. Before the pox issue interfered I was actually working on the street intersections. I'll see about images from higher zoom levels. You're right I tend to avoid those as I don't really like the way the farm crops look from afar, and some BATs have LOD/render issues at larger zooms. But I could make a massive mosaic at zoom 4 or 5 and just scale that down, couldn't I?  &idea


Quote from: JoeST on August 16, 2015, 11:48:40 PM
Thank you for talking us through your process Vortex, it is an interesting read and I'm glad you shared it :D

Glad to hear!  :)


Quote from: Simcoug on August 17, 2015, 07:55:09 AM
What a pain, but I'm glad it ended up being less work than it could have been.  I'd never considered T21's as a prop pox cause, but it makes sense... just goes to show you have to be careful about what you remove from your plugins.  I also have a small issue with one of my large tiles that is already pretty much built up (not prop pox, thankfully)... the solution involves the 'flora off' cheat, but I'm going to use it at the last possible moment because of the hours spent MMPing the tile.  Long story short, I can feel your pain.  ()sad()

It was a unpleasant surprise to say the least, and I hadn't considered T21 props as a cause of pox either. Though I'm still not sure what exactly caused the props to become disabled: missing prop exemplars, duplicate prop exemplars with different timing, or perhaps even missing T21 exemplars (though the latter seems unlikely to me). But yeah, it goes to show one has to be careful managing the plugins folder, even when it's quite small and consists of nothing but custom content. Lesson learned. Sorry to hear you'll have to wipe all flora at some point, not a pleasant prospect.


Quote from: belfastsocrates on August 17, 2015, 08:48:31 AM
There's nothing more heart-breaking, in the SC4 world, than seeing so much work lost or being constantly frustrated by problems with the game. I feel your pain with this also, I'm having a complete nightmare at the minute with constant crashes, glitches and issues despite my efforts to prevent them. I am pleased to hear though you were able to salvage a lot of work so there is significant consolation in that respect. I wish you well with this and hope you can begin showcasing again.


Quote from: Simcoug on August 17, 2015, 07:55:09 AM
I'd never considered T21's as a prop pox cause, but it makes sense... just goes to show you have to be careful about what you remove from your plugins.

This has got my brain thinking. I removed the PEG Utopia avenue medians a few weeks ago, after using them for countless years, and reverted to normal medians. Do you think doing this could cause game instability? My apologies for hijacking with this question but I'm just curious.

As said I'm not quite sure what exactly happened - but most likely it involved the (mis)handling of the prop exemplars, not the T21s. If you re-clicked the avenues once the T21 mod was removed (so the default T21 props show up) there shouldn't be an issue. If you want to be sure check the city tile in the SC4Savegame Explorer (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2021) for disabled props. Then again, prop pox is largely an aesthetics issue and I haven't read anything about it causing other instabilities.


Quote from: Simcoug on August 17, 2015, 09:44:31 AM
Quote from: belfastsocrates on August 17, 2015, 08:48:31 AM
This has got my brain thinking. I removed the PEG Utopia avenue medians a few weeks ago, after using them for countless years, and reverted to normal medians. Do you think doing this could cause game instability? My apologies for hijacking with this question but I'm just curious.

Vortext has a better understanding than me, but I'm guessing that it has more to do with removing the prop files associated with a T21 mod, rather than the T21 mod itself.  Again, vortext can do a much better job explaining the details, so don't take my word for it.

Exactly my thinking indeed. I plan to do some experimentation with the back-up tiles from December 2013, since some already have disabled props, while others I could still see.






So for those wondering: after I redid the streets and zoning in the affected tiles I spend an evening in the main, poxed city and asked myself: 'if, hypothetically speaking, I were to do this tile again, is there anything I'd do different?'

A dangerous question to ask for sure as it unleashed the critical eye. 

That one street there for instance, it doesn't make a lot of sense, does it? And those stretches of meadows didn't quite turn out as I wanted and that MMP-ed pond is actually a major hindrance. And why did I flatten that bit of land over there, it doesn't even match the neighbor tile. . and wait a minute, what if I raised that bit so that. . lemme try that real quick. . oh yeah much better! And what if the walls would then. . oh my yes! 

Long story short: I did in re-start the poxed city from scratch. Even went as far to make a new greyscale for it, combining the latest state of affairs (with bridge approaches etc) with the unhampered version so to get rid of the aforementioned flat land (honestly, no idea why I did that ). I re-did the most important streets last evening and about to rezone the most distinct farm fields. Luckily the residential farm houses, outside the city, are all large & TE-ed lots and therefore very easy to regrow at the exact same location.

The biggest source of regret is that I couldn't replicate the distinct flora pattern the region has at lowest elevation. I know it consists of my inland controller with oak forests. However, the latter were inherited from a previous iteration of the region, when I used a different terrain controller & flora patch. The combined result was the oaks were dotted throughout and the additional Inland trees nicely intermingled later on, like so.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3iEi35X.jpg&hash=6d0078eae11e9bdbdf731bf5dc0087dc99073cd3)

Alas, no luck recreating it. On the flip side, I did find a nice little flora brush hidden in what I thought was a nulled and outdated tree controller, so now the oak forest has some undergrowth with ashes, berries and flowers.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwUq3gT7.jpg&hash=6b6bd14fd935bf7c966b418f4369affe384da106)
yay sheeps!

So, with the most important routes and zoning nearly recreated and a bunch of new ideas to improve the city things are looking up. I'll leave you with a little teaser of what's to come.  ;)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FuLwPSAV.jpg&hash=b7d0aded565657b503eac98b3de2879ceec1be8f)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: carlfatal on August 17, 2015, 11:01:15 AM
I did read the whole part about your pox problems, sorry to hear. But good to see you playing again.
I love the shot with the oaks. Maybe the sheep is a wild one? There must have been sheeps around before mankind, some much more dangerous ones...  :D

And the picture of the town is stunning. What BATs do you use there? I´ve never seen them before. And looking at them makes me thinking about a new attempt for a better lot set, than I did years ago (and never finished).  &apls &apls

And completely offtopic: Often I´ve learned a little bit while reading your MD, and although I am no great modder, it widened my understanding of SC4. Currently I am detecting the possibilities of your team based historic harbour (the best puzzle ever, thanks to you, Simcoug, and KrashSpeed a lot for  :)). My question is: How can I change the texture on the prop, that simulates the wooden base of a dock? Maybe to have railtracks at the quai? I´ve made some new fillers for this set, while playing my current region, and now I would like to know more...  $%Grinno$%

Keep it on!  :)


Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: vortext on August 17, 2015, 12:31:43 PM
Yeah in hindsight I may have overreacted a bit out of frustration, I did see the view count go up after all. Anyway, glad you liked the pic, it's the first one out of the new tile!

The BATs you see are by Xannepan / JENX which he sent me with the intention to make a medieval lot set - which I'm obviously still working on. However, seeing he has moved on to Cities and numerous models have rendering errors I'm not sure if they'll ever be made public.

About the Historic Harbor project: we had plans for both your ideas (alternative base and rail addon) and much, much more. Unfortunately Krashspeed went MIA shortly after release, almost a year ago now, and he hasn't been online since.  &mmm

Given Krashspeed did all the BATting the project has slipped into extended hiatus, though we still have access to Krashspeed's dropbox which contains some unreleased materials. However, other projects came on our respective paths so it's still sitting there to this very day.

Now, as for the dock base, even though I made the initial texture, they're actually executed as props. So in order to change appearance, you'd have to make a number of props to replace them. Since they're flat models it shouldn't be too hard. I even thought about making a replacement set myself as I would actually like to have a more weathered look, and it would be a nice, relative simple way to get familiar with BATting. If you or someone else decides to make a dock base variant I'd be happy to assist!

At any rate, glad to hear you're enjoying the set!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: mgb204 on August 17, 2015, 01:08:18 PM
Figured I should chip in too, perhaps a bit late but if indeed the pox has come to your cities that would be very sad. By the sounds of things it seems you've not lost a large amount of stuff in the process - it's hard to imagine how you'd feel loosing a region like this, one can only guess at the countless hours of toil behind its creation.

Everything I read about the pox wouldn't suggest T21's could be the cause, if you made changes to the RTK settings of prop exemplars used in T21s then maybe it's possible, or perhaps with the nightimestate change theory that's recently been proposed also. But simply removing the props and saving the tile, whilst that's really bad practise - don't berate yourself, I get into much trouble with all the modding I do making a mess of cities from time to time - I didn't think it could cause the pox?

Anyhow, hopefully you can get everything back on it's feet, about 2/3rds of the time I suffer loss due to CTD's, I find I'm happier with the second attempt so it's not always a negative.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: manga rivotra on August 17, 2015, 02:23:50 PM
"Prop pox" is a nightmare that I had the misfortune to know several time ( like a lot of people i suppose ) without other solution than to use my hundred save game  &mmm. In these cases there, it is very difficult to not give up. So, I am very happy that you have find a way to continue this great MD and thanks to amaze us again :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: bombardiere on August 18, 2015, 01:29:30 AM
Sad to hear about the prop pox. It is a fear that it lurking out there.

Quote from: vortext on August 17, 2015, 12:31:43 PM

The BATs you see are by Xannepan / JENX which he sent me with the intention to make a medieval lot set - which I'm obviously still working on. However, seeing he has moved on to Cities and numerous models have rendering errors I'm not sure if they'll ever be made public.




Shame. These medieval half timber houses look superb. And in to style of what I am currently working with. What kind of rendering errors these have? The buildings looks squashed in certain zooms and orientations? It has happen to me too. Especially when I had a brief test with 3ds Max. I have read a post that it may be fixed with iLive reader, but I haven't tested it.

Quote from: vortext on August 17, 2015, 12:31:43 PM
About the Historic Harbor project: we had plans for both your ideas (alternative base and rail addon) and much, much more. Unfortunately Krashspeed went MIA shortly after release, almost a year ago now, and he hasn't been online since.  &mmm

Another shame. I really liked this project. Very much into what I like in SC4. I don't have Krashspeed's skill level, so sadly I can't pick it up.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: noahclem on August 18, 2015, 06:46:17 AM
I almost described those beautiful pictures as "unreal", meant as a compliment, but I think they'd be better described as "amazingly real" :D  Stunning work which again showcases your attention to detail and prowess with textures. Glad you seem to have resolved your pox issues (yay for backups!). I'll have to read back through to pick up all the details and anything else I've missed but wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the update first :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: Vizoria on August 18, 2015, 08:30:50 AM
What a lovely medieval town, while the custom tree controller is pretty amazing spawning grass and flowers around the trees. Also I am glad you have resolved most of the prop pox in your older city tiles.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: Pat on August 18, 2015, 12:10:34 PM
Vortex I read the whole thing on Prop pox and I learned a lot (bad pun) ;-) anyways thank god for a backup, I know i was happy I stored a backup of my cities to my XHD cause back in april of this year my puter had a meltdown and got wiped and nothing from SC4 was salvaged by the repair man ugh....
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: feyss on August 19, 2015, 11:49:37 AM
This game is so cruel. You spend hours and hours trying to make something good looking and it ruins everything in less than one second for no apparent reason.


Great pictures though. It just looks like another video game. I can't wait to see more  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: romualdillo on August 19, 2015, 12:17:50 PM
I'm glad you could recover most of the city tiles!!! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the new and improved city!!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: carlfatal on August 19, 2015, 12:30:12 PM
Thank you for the speedy answers, Eric!  :)

One thing is, that I really understand, why Alex decided to leave us and join the C:SL community, I tried the game and was totally impressed by alone the vanilla version. And although I know his decision, I would think, he never would be angry, if you would ask him to repair the BATs. I mean, these are damn great models, and they would give a lot of opportunities to create old town centers. And also I am sure, that I am not the only one, who would like to build with them. ;)

To the harbor: I hope, Krashspeed is fine, - I mean, this sounds strange, if someone vanishes without a word.  ()sad()
Making BATs by myself - well I only have a netbook, and I don´t try to install the BAT here. I am still happy, that I can play SC4 and use all the tools like the reader or the PIM. The only thing I know, is how to create lots - and now I try to "play" SC4 the first time with fun.  $%Grinno$%
But I really would like to know, how to make textures, mostly cause I am totally a railroad freak, and realistic rail properties still are, what I miss in SC4, although I see mgb´s work on the RRW.

But I am not here to talk about all this OT stuff. I am eager to see more pictures of Aerden!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: mgb204 on August 19, 2015, 01:51:01 PM
Krashspeed - we miss you come back wherever you are - or at least let us know you are OK  :(.

Erm, I think for the RRW stuff you perhaps want to praise Willy / Eggman more than I - I've handled some textures and I'm looking to make a few buildings (not RRW specific I might add) but my contributions are quite minor here.

Also, if you send one of the broken BATs my way, perhaps the rendering error is fixable without the original 3DS Max/gMax files, I could take a look and see if it's just stuffed the texture UV mapping up on export, a common and fixable problem.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: 11241036 on August 19, 2015, 02:39:01 PM
Your arrangement of these timberframe buildings look really great! Especially with the dirt roads. These buildings are much better than those I am using, especially because they are looking more dirty and "aged" (but well-aged). Really something entirely new, I even thought for a second that this isn't a screenshot from SC4... I'm missing a few stuff like shrubs, benches, fences and the like, but that's only a minor quibble. I'm looking forward to see more awesome pictures.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ The Prop Pox Chronicles
Post by: vortext on August 21, 2015, 06:24:06 AM
Hi all quick couple of words from my holiday address. First of thanks everyone for all the kind words, I greatly appreciate it! Individual replies will follow.

Secondly about Alex's models: rendering errors are indeed as bombardiere described, and iirc alex used 3dmax. It would be great if it were fixable in the reader. Robin, I'll send you one of the models next week when I'm back home. But now I'm gonna go for a swim! :sunny:
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: vortext on September 13, 2015, 11:07:03 AM
Hey there, I just uploaded the first overlay texture set onto the LEX! Get it here! (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3237)  :bnn:

In this download you'll find:

6 sets of grass overlays, 48 shapes per set
6 sets of dirts overlays, 48 shapes per set
5 sets of unpaved overlays, 32 shapes per set
8 sets of twotone base textures, 48 shapes per set

Which makes a grand total of 1120 textures. Yes. I may have gone a bit overlay crazy!  :party:

At any rate, here's the selection I made.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FDjodnJy.jpg&hash=a3d21b6e83b80acbe3c88f22e8c0416889e02307)

The decision which textures turn into overlay was primarily based on visual aesthetics. That is: based on which textures could be rotated and mirrored in the LE without looking (too) weird. The decision which combinations of two-tone base textures to include was in large part informed by my own lotting needs, there're so many combinations to make! Feel free to let me know your preferences and if I happen to like it I will consider churning out that combo.

Onto the basic set of shapes then. Admittedly 48 may be a bit daunting at first, I've struggled with it for sure but with some getting used to it allows for some pretty neat lotting imho

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F8DYqvyH.jpg&hash=def1beb1cb4cbf213df43735a272801c7cb3082e)
And this is with just overlays!

Now, I'll also be the first to admit some shapes are frustratingly missing, something I found out after the fact, and it can be hard at times to carry on some paths, or to make the transition to different path widths. Once again there are so many possible combinations, I had a hard time figuring out which path overlays would be the most useful to include. So with an eye on available time and file size I decided to not include any at all, and instead address it later on.

However, the addition of the two-toned base textures allows for greater flexibility, since you can then effectively have three, four or even five different textures on one tile. Also remember that in the SC4PIM you can actually use overlapping overlays as long as they're from the same set, so you can do stuff like this:

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fz5T7LHZ.jpg&hash=45eb6ed4c8728db0bde8a82e7fe4f10290adcd7c)
Trust me when I say there are overlapping overlays in this picture.

A final remark: within the same texture set I noticed a slight color difference between the base and overlay in zoom 4. However time did not permit a thorough investigation as to why this is, let alone come up with a possible solution. And that it's as far as the Grass 'n Dirt overlays are concerned.

It may be a bit disappointing for some the current release does not contain pavement overlays yet, as judging by the comments and their usage it seems they are well received. Thing is that, unlike the grasses and dirts, I can't rely on one and the same set of shapes to derive the overlays. For instance: simply cutting a pavement texture in half will disrupt the pattern. Moreover, most pavements can't be mirrored in the LE – without looking stupid that is – and thus require multiple corner pieces. In short: tailoring overlays to each pavement texture is taking longer than anticipated. Besides, I personally had the greatest need for grass and dirt overlays to begin with.  ;D

Rest assured though the next planned release will be a Paths & Pavements overlay pack (as per standard policy release date is yet unknown). And there may be one release after that containing Farm and Garden textures, though I'm not sure about that yet. I may actually update the base texture set in between because I've made some new pavements.  ;)




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: mgb204 on August 17, 2015, 01:08:18 PM
Figured I should chip in too, perhaps a bit late but if indeed the pox has come to your cities that would be very sad. By the sounds of things it seems you've not lost a large amount of stuff in the process - it's hard to imagine how you'd feel loosing a region like this, one can only guess at the countless hours of toil behind its creation.

Everything I read about the pox wouldn't suggest T21's could be the cause, if you made changes to the RTK settings of prop exemplars used in T21s then maybe it's possible, or perhaps with the nightimestate change theory that's recently been proposed also. But simply removing the props and saving the tile, whilst that's really bad practise - don't berate yourself, I get into much trouble with all the modding I do making a mess of cities from time to time - I didn't think it could cause the pox?

Anyhow, hopefully you can get everything back on it's feet, about 2/3rds of the time I suffer loss due to CTD's, I find I'm happier with the second attempt so it's not always a negative.

Yeah you're right, I rebuild much of the tile to much greater satisfaction. As for haphazardly changing/removing stuff in the plugins: I recall one particular test tile where I kept working on lots which had already grown. In other words I was careless with bulldozing/saving procedure before I made changes. Besides a considerable number of immortal lots and props, after some time it appeared as if the tile had become poxed as well. This strengthened my opinion the pox is a symptom of memory corruption, which itself can be brought about by a different number of things.


Quote from: manga rivotra on August 17, 2015, 02:23:50 PM
"Prop pox" is a nightmare that I had the misfortune to know several time ( like a lot of people i suppose ) without other solution than to use my hundred save game  &mmm. In these cases there, it is very difficult to not give up. So, I am very happy that you have find a way to continue this great MD and thanks to amaze us again :thumbsup:

In hindsight the damage was undone pretty quick, but it did serve as a warning to not mess about. Thanks!


Quote from: bombardiere on August 18, 2015, 01:29:30 AM
Sad to hear about the prop pox. It is a fear that it lurking out there.

Quote from: vortext on August 17, 2015, 12:31:43 PM

The BATs you see are by Xannepan / JENX which he sent me with the intention to make a medieval lot set - which I'm obviously still working on. However, seeing he has moved on to Cities and numerous models have rendering errors I'm not sure if they'll ever be made public.

Shame. These medieval half timber houses look superb. And in to style of what I am currently working with. What kind of rendering errors these have? The buildings looks squashed in certain zooms and orientations? It has happen to me too. Especially when I had a brief test with 3ds Max. I have read a post that it may be fixed with iLive reader, but I haven't tested it.

Quote from: vortext on August 17, 2015, 12:31:43 PM
About the Historic Harbor project: we had plans for both your ideas (alternative base and rail addon) and much, much more. Unfortunately Krashspeed went MIA shortly after release, almost a year ago now, and he hasn't been online since.  &mmm

Another shame. I really liked this project. Very much into what I like in SC4. I don't have Krashspeed's skill level, so sadly I can't pick it up.

Yeah it was a good scare. You'll be happy to know it is indeed very much possible to fix the rendering issues in the Reader. Thanks to Robin (mgb204) I learned a neat trick and I have since restored all the models. Now it's only a matter of lotting. . . ::)


Quote from: noahclem on August 18, 2015, 06:46:17 AM
I almost described those beautiful pictures as "unreal", meant as a compliment, but I think they'd be better described as "amazingly real" :D  Stunning work which again showcases your attention to detail and prowess with textures. Glad you seem to have resolved your pox issues (yay for backups!). I'll have to read back through to pick up all the details and anything else I've missed but wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the update first :)

Thanks for the kind words Noah! Back-ups ftw indeed.  :D


Quote from: Vizoria on August 18, 2015, 08:30:50 AM
What a lovely medieval town, while the custom tree controller is pretty amazing spawning grass and flowers around the trees. Also I am glad you have resolved most of the prop pox in your older city tiles.

Thanks! Though I should note the flora you see is the result of making multiple passes with different controllers.


Quote from: Pat on August 18, 2015, 12:10:34 PM
Vortex I read the whole thing on Prop pox and I learned a lot (bad pun) ;-) anyways thank god for a backup, I know i was happy I stored a backup of my cities to my XHD cause back in april of this year my puter had a meltdown and got wiped and nothing from SC4 was salvaged by the repair man ugh....

Thanks Pat! Bummer to hear about your pc, that's about the worst thing that can happen (not just in terms of SC4). Glad to see you around again!


Quote from: feyss on August 19, 2015, 11:49:37 AM
This game is so cruel. You spend hours and hours trying to make something good looking and it ruins everything in less than one second for no apparent reason.


Great pictures though. It just looks like another video game. I can't wait to see more  :thumbsup:

Yeah the first suspicions were unnerving, the subsequent confirmation disheartening, but all is well again. I'm looking forward to making new pictures. Thanks!


Quote from: romualdillo on August 19, 2015, 12:17:50 PM
I'm glad you could recover most of the city tiles!!! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the new and improved city!!!

Thank you Daniel!


Quote from: carlfatal on August 19, 2015, 12:30:12 PM
Thank you for the speedy answers, Eric!  :)

One thing is, that I really understand, why Alex decided to leave us and join the C:SL community, I tried the game and was totally impressed by alone the vanilla version. And although I know his decision, I would think, he never would be angry, if you would ask him to repair the BATs. I mean, these are damn great models, and they would give a lot of opportunities to create old town centers. And also I am sure, that I am not the only one, who would like to build with them. ;)

To the harbor: I hope, Krashspeed is fine, - I mean, this sounds strange, if someone vanishes without a word.  ()sad()
Making BATs by myself - well I only have a netbook, and I don´t try to install the BAT here. I am still happy, that I can play SC4 and use all the tools like the reader or the PIM. The only thing I know, is how to create lots - and now I try to "play" SC4 the first time with fun.  $%Grinno$%
But I really would like to know, how to make textures, mostly cause I am totally a railroad freak, and realistic rail properties still are, what I miss in SC4, although I see mgb´s work on the RRW.

But I am not here to talk about all this OT stuff. I am eager to see more pictures of Aerden!  :thumbsup:

You're welcome! As I said: the rendering errors in JENX models are fixed, now it's a matter of lotting. . and you know that can take a while.  ;) Thanks.


Quote from: mgb204 on August 19, 2015, 01:51:01 PM
Krashspeed - we miss you come back wherever you are - or at least let us know you are OK  :(.

Erm, I think for the RRW stuff you perhaps want to praise Willy / Eggman more than I - I've handled some textures and I'm looking to make a few buildings (not RRW specific I might add) but my contributions are quite minor here.

Also, if you send one of the broken BATs my way, perhaps the rendering error is fixable without the original 3DS Max/gMax files, I could take a look and see if it's just stuffed the texture UV mapping up on export, a common and fixable problem.

I too hope Krashspeed will some day make a return, however briefly it may be. Thanks again for your help with the UV mapping business!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: 11241036 on August 19, 2015, 02:39:01 PM
Your arrangement of these timberframe buildings look really great! Especially with the dirt roads. These buildings are much better than those I am using, especially because they are looking more dirty and "aged" (but well-aged). Really something entirely new, I even thought for a second that this isn't a screenshot from SC4... I'm missing a few stuff like shrubs, benches, fences and the like, but that's only a minor quibble. I'm looking forward to see more awesome pictures.

Thanks for the kind words! As for the lotting: keep in mind I'm aiming at a historic recreation of sorts, so fancy stuff like public furniture will not make an appearance. Instead I'm keeping these lots fairly simple for now, so I can dress them up with MMPs ingame. On that note, I could really use a gutted animals and intestines MMP as that was a more common street sight back in the day.  :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: romualdillo on September 13, 2015, 11:40:04 AM
I think there's someone who's going to edit his lots...   :bnn:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: vortext on September 13, 2015, 01:01:44 PM
To those three people who have already downloaded: please be advised to re-download asap. I switched the IIDs of two-tone base texture sets around for better visibility in the LE. Subsequent sets of brownish-greenish textures made it hard to tell them apart, so now they're in a different order.  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: FrankU on September 14, 2015, 12:09:29 AM
Quote from: romualdillo on September 13, 2015, 11:40:04 AM
I think there's someone who's going to edit his lots...   :bnn:

I hope you are not referring to me. I do indeed feel the temptation, but it would mean I have to completely remake more than a hundred lots. Sorry for that.  :-[

But hey, Vortext.... Great work! I am certainly going to use them.  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: Girafe on September 14, 2015, 03:19:56 AM
Good job Vortext  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: carlfatal on September 14, 2015, 07:59:38 AM
Quote from: vortext on September 13, 2015, 11:07:03 AM
You're welcome! As I said: the rendering errors in JENX models are fixed, now it's a matter of lotting. . and you know that can take a while.  ;)
Yeah I did read it.  :) But to be honest: I´m still only interested in model files, if it comes to framework. I still have an unfinished set of old town relots on my harddrive, and sooner or later I will continue with it.  :-\

Quote from: vortext on September 13, 2015, 11:07:03 AM...As for the lotting: keep in mind I'm aiming at a historic recreation of sorts, so fancy stuff like public furniture will not make an appearance. Instead I'm keeping these lots fairly simple for now, so I can dress them up with MMPs ingame. On that note, I could really use a gutted animals and intestines MMP as that was a more common street sight back in the day.  :D

Good idea! In the past I loved detailed lots, but with all the MMPs around this changed completely. Sometimes I see situations, where the work in the LE is still the better solution, but more and more I can find myself erasing props from lots to get free space for MMPing...  :D

And at last: I love your new textures.  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: Simcoug on September 14, 2015, 08:39:54 AM
The Seahawks lost yesterday, but seeing your texture set on the LEX turned a bad day into a great one :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: Bipin on September 14, 2015, 07:45:04 PM
These are pretty nifty! I envision these being a dependency in the near future for my BATs. Thank you!  &apls
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: vortext on September 18, 2015, 04:42:14 PM
So, over the week I did some lotting and quickly found myself annoyed with something. Despite being visually separate in the LE, it was still bit of hassle to find the corresponding sets of overlays for the two-toned base textures. Luckily the SC4PIM has the option to create your own custom groups of textures (and props), which is its best feature if you ask me. For example you can put your favorite fence props, from multiple packs, into one custom group so you no longer have to first load all the props and then stare at thumbnails for ages in order to find that one 8m section of white picket fence. But I digress.

Anyhow, I wasn't particularly looking forward to manually drag close to a thousand textures into custom groups, as that is how it's done ordinarily. Then I wondered if I couldn't just directly edit the groups.ini file, since I have the texture IIDs at hand and some limited scripting capabilities. Thus I spend the better part of this evening figuring out how to put the IIDs in the proper syntax so the SC4PIM could read it, with desired results.  ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FrNZ3hht.jpg&hash=e6fb8f7f0586ca54cdc692b1f5081da05bb3e984)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FGa8u2k2.jpg&hash=a4f32e1f73d56de6f5a48e45b3e094d2b3fc321d)


For those interested I've uploaded the text file [linkie (https://www.dropbox.com/s/055n2x18gamv31q/vrtxtr_SC4PIM_groups.txt?dl=1)]. Simply copy/paste the contents into groups.ini, which is located in the SC4PIM installation folder. To be on the safe side, please make of backup of groups.ini beforehand. Needless to say I'm not responsible for any mishaps which may occur.  "$Deal"$




Quote from: romualdillo on September 13, 2015, 11:40:04 AM
I think there's someone who's going to edit his lots...   :bnn:

Who could it be?!  &Thk/( :D Can't wait to see them in action!  :)


Quote from: FrankU on September 14, 2015, 12:09:29 AM
Quote from: romualdillo on September 13, 2015, 11:40:04 AM
I think there's someone who's going to edit his lots...   :bnn:

I hope you are not referring to me. I do indeed feel the temptation, but it would mean I have to completely remake more than a hundred lots. Sorry for that.  :-[

But hey, Vortext.... Great work! I am certainly going to use them.  &apls

Thanks Frank! Totally understand you don't feel like relotting. I'm a bit hesitant to do so myself, and that just concerns about 20 lots or so.


Quote from: Girafe on September 14, 2015, 03:19:56 AM
Good job Vortext  :thumbsup:

Thanks!


Quote from: carlfatal on September 14, 2015, 07:59:38 AM
Quote from: vortext on September 13, 2015, 11:07:03 AM
You're welcome! As I said: the rendering errors in JENX models are fixed, now it's a matter of lotting. . and you know that can take a while.  ;)
Yeah I did read it.  :) But to be honest: I´m still only interested in model files, if it comes to framework. I still have an unfinished set of old town relots on my harddrive, and sooner or later I will continue with it.  :-\

Quote from: vortext on September 13, 2015, 11:07:03 AM...As for the lotting: keep in mind I'm aiming at a historic recreation of sorts, so fancy stuff like public furniture will not make an appearance. Instead I'm keeping these lots fairly simple for now, so I can dress them up with MMPs ingame. On that note, I could really use a gutted animals and intestines MMP as that was a more common street sight back in the day.  :D

Good idea! In the past I loved detailed lots, but with all the MMPs around this changed completely. Sometimes I see situations, where the work in the LE is still the better solution, but more and more I can find myself erasing props from lots to get free space for MMPing...  :D

And at last: I love your new textures.  &apls

Thanks! Yeah, keeping the lots simple for MMP-ing later on not only allows for more variety ingame, it also considerably speeds up the lotting itself. As for the models, I'll see if I can get in touch with Alex as a prop pack would basically be a matter of dat-packing my wip folder.  &idea


Quote from: Simcoug on September 14, 2015, 08:39:54 AM
The Seahawks lost yesterday, but seeing your texture set on the LEX turned a bad day into a great one :)

Glad to hear I brightened your day!


Quote from: Bipin on September 14, 2015, 07:45:04 PM
These are pretty nifty! I envision these being a dependency in the near future for my BATs. Thank you!  &apls

Thanks! Looking forward what you come up with!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: Girafe on October 17, 2015, 05:59:28 AM
Hi Vortext,

I absolutely love this texture. I would like to have a plain one, straight no diagonal. Would it be possible?  :thumbsup:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19293845/Images/Texture_Vortext.jpg)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: vortext on October 19, 2015, 03:11:55 PM
Yep, it sure it is!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FJTTaOHq.png&hash=318aa0671bbdf22054fe3ef225038a3632744deb)

Not quite happy how the tiles interlock along the diagonals though. Then again, it probably isn't even visible in game, which I haven't seen yet.

Speaking of textures, been making some new base textures. First one for all your fancy courtyard needs.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FMGGraiW.jpg&hash=7e3bca7a1c21f4f7daf915fb88b98896afa490c7)
zoom 6

Secondly one that needs some attention still. I was going for a black granite look.  %wrd

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3s5Porv.jpg&hash=1ee036cbcbbed39c2523b2fc6a56e50084c829fe)
zoom 6

And finally one which needs bit of backstory. Recently I came across this:

(https://i.imgur.com/VYcXgAN.jpg)

Yes, that is wooden pavement, so-called Nicolson pavement (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolson_pavement). Needless to say I was intrigued by the concept. But more so by the challenge it posed to turn it into a texture because each tile has a unique pattern to it, opposed to ordinary pavement where I rely on various noise filters to fill the tiles. Here another example which shows the wood patterns (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Wood_block_pavement_South_Camac_Street_-_details.jpg). At any rate, here is my attempt at it.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FMdr9YRX.jpg&hash=9b2aadb51ece19d47e4a719dc95f2d36214a1608)
zoom 6

Even though I could only manage 5 unique patterns, which are randomly distributed over 25 tiles, I think it turned out rather decent. For the first iteration that is.  :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: Girafe on October 19, 2015, 03:37:20 PM
These textures are superb, thanks a lot  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: FrankU on October 20, 2015, 04:46:51 PM
Hmmmm.... more textures to fill my lots..... Nice concepts and nice development!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: romualdillo on October 21, 2015, 03:19:15 PM
Hmmm... I think I'm going to wait until you release all your textures before changing my lots... I don't want to lose any of them!!  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Grass & Dirt overlay textures released!
Post by: art128 on November 24, 2015, 03:11:17 AM
And to conclude our special 4in1 OSITM for the anniversary month at SC4Devotion, let us welcome one of the most outstanding MD created, from a not less outstanding author! Congratulations, Vortext!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi901.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac213%2FBSCLEX%2FAEligRDEN-test_zpsue0ywpqm.jpg&hash=2fe572762bd3de0614684c3673ae373bd147e279)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: vortext on November 24, 2015, 04:18:54 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fo6Vma6H.jpg&hash=ed08309a5dabf9ce948b04b6621748b844f3b4b0)

And blammo! First update in before anyone even had a chance to comment.  ;D

At any rate, welcome to the last 4-in-1 OSITM during SC4Ds birthday month. Keeping in line with the previous candidates I too will show a lot of wip pics this week. In particular I'll focus on rebuilding Traelonisk after the city tile was struck with the prop pox (more on that here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg497222#msg497222). And fun fact, todays banner shows some of the poxed farm fields). However, to start with some pictures taken in the old city tile. Enjoy!


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FJOgPR2r.jpg&hash=d8fafeea2b70b8e02138313631e597beecb5d685)
The old trail. This bit was replaced with proper streets later on.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FdjlF8k4.jpg&hash=303ac0e0ff9fd01971d033c3aa01e7c41bc49ddd)
Same trail, different meadow.


Also, to the best of my recollection I've never mentioned before that this mmp-ed trail actually is one continuous path throughout half the region. It goes from this tile, located roughly in the middle of the valley, through the mountain pass and a thick forest out of the region, as seen in the three (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg463292#msg463292) story (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg465334#msg465334) updates (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg470558#msg470558).

Speaking of which, the next and final picture for today I'd wanted to use as the opening scene for the next installment, once the Potyomkin brothers had settled in the city. However, I kinda lost inspiration so that story line has run its course for now (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potemkin_village). That said, I do have a new series of story driven updates mapped out, it's just that the regional developments need to catch up first!  :D


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FkJ44KjD.jpg&hash=f138fc68ceda58caee750f127182beca8d3e6c89)
Forests making way for more farm fields.


And that's it for today, will be back shortly!





Quote from: Girafe on October 19, 2015, 03:37:20 PM
These textures are superb, thanks a lot  ;)

Thanks!


Quote from: FrankU on October 20, 2015, 04:46:51 PM
Hmmmm.... more textures to fill my lots..... Nice concepts and nice development!

Why yes, never have too many textures, right?!   :D  Thanks Frank!


Quote from: romualdillo on October 21, 2015, 03:19:15 PM
Hmmm... I think I'm going to wait until you release all your textures before changing my lots... I don't want to lose any of them!!  &apls

Maybe I misunderstand you, however, just to be clear: any update to the base texture pack will always include all the previously released textures!


Quote from: art128 on November 24, 2015, 03:11:17 AM
And to conclude our special 4in1 OSITM for the anniversary month at SC4Devotion, let us welcome one of the most outstanding MD created, from a not less outstanding author! Congratulations, Vortext!
snip

Thanks for the kind words Arthur!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: Girafe on November 24, 2015, 05:06:54 AM
Congrats for the OSITM  &apls &apls &apls

Lovely rural scenes  ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: Gugu3 on November 24, 2015, 06:46:58 AM
Great rural scenes! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: manga rivotra on November 25, 2015, 01:35:53 AM
I really love these 2 meadow.
The work with MMP and obviously yours textures is so delicate and smart.....It's a real pleasure to watch and very inspiring !  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: kelis on November 25, 2015, 03:12:28 AM
The work with MMP is... no words for that ! I like how you are doing those angles in your region. It does not looks like simcity 4 with those curves and diagonals lines... Goed gedaan mijn vriend. Groetjes  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: art128 on November 25, 2015, 03:40:16 AM
Damn, that really is lovely. The way you make the paths and meadows is just perfect.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: noahclem on November 25, 2015, 06:21:38 AM
Beautiful work  &apls &apls  It's so impressive how organic and natural these areas appear with your powerful brand of grid-breaking and exceptional use of textures, MMPs, lotting, and other tools. I've only recently started digging through your texture releases in earnest and can't get enough (thankfully they're exceptionally numerous :D ). Congratulations on such a well-earned OSITM--it will doubtless be a week to remember!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: c.p. on November 25, 2015, 08:07:27 AM
Congrats on the OSITM &apls

I think you're the king of the early-settlers-meet-the-wilderness theme :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM
Post by: Kergelen on November 26, 2015, 01:02:28 PM
Congrats on the OSITM &apls

Calm atmosphere. The textures looks great.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: vortext on November 26, 2015, 02:09:26 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FR2qhTXN.jpg&hash=21d1c233b73cd63f5d3153443e7b1b5798fc2228)

Hi there and welcome to another OSITM feature. Today I'll show a variation of McDuell's terraformer trick (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1442.msg491238#msg491238) which I hope some of you'll find useful. To highlight it's practical application a bit of back story is required, so bear with me.

When I decided I was going to redo the city tile for Traelonisk I wanted to do a couple of things differently. First of all I wanted a proper, functioning seaport and secondly I wanted to showcase the foundations of JENX's medieval models.

In short: I wanted to introduce height differences in the previously flat building area. This meant I needed to re-do the city walls, which in turn would require a lot of high precision terraforming, not to mention fitting custom lots (since these walls are difficult to align without some offset pieces). And as you may have noticed already I'm bit of a perfectionist so this would obviously take more than one evening to get right.

However, with the prop pox fresh in memory I also decided to institute an even stricter 'no mucking about in the region' policy. In other words, all mucking about must be done in a sandbox: either in a copy of the entire region, or in this case, a copy of the single city tile.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FU9outoO.jpg&hash=48b921572e8b7a28129f070beee9621f8522b034)
Blammo, sandbox region. Let the mucking about commence!


First order of business: prepare the terrain and lot the harbor.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FDtaPxWQ.jpg&hash=42f66491b85f86b31bf84c7bdef6f4dbd06bdadf)
Proposed location for the harbor. Obviously these sims here will have to relocate, that's the price to pay for progress.


After looking at the enablers in the Functional Seaports package (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1663) I settled on custom seaport #7, though I did change the lot dimensions and increased the capacity a bit. Now you may call this cheating and I guess it kinda is. That's the tricky balancing act when making everything yourself – you could mod all utilities and stuff to have ridiculous capacities for gratis. Then again, where's the fun in that?! I tend to keep things reasonable and in this case I increased the capacity from 560 to 750. So, couple of evenings in and things start to shape up real nice.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FjqJkUni.jpg&hash=9f3158548dec191568af1b954620176a1e05647e)
And while at it another round of testing growables as well.


The walls were in place, except for one bit because I got tired of fitting (http://i.imgur.com/UxOhZCy.jpg) diagonals (http://i.imgur.com/Wtz1lym.jpg). The port also shaped up nicely and I'd actually plans for another, eye-candy fishing harbor to the left, since that branch of the river goes into the marsh. After giving it some thought, however, I decided two harbours within the city walls was too much, so I closed it off later and made some other changes to the citywall's configuration as well.

At any rate, somewhere along the line I come to realize: there's no way I'm going to be able to replicate all this terraforming in one go for the final build, which is what I initially intended to do.  %wrd

Sh*t. What to do, what do to. .   &Thk/(

Couple of days later and out of the blue I suddenly remember Mcduell's terraformer trick (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1442.msg491238#msg491238).  &idea

For those who don't know the trick: the Terraformer allows you to alter the terrain in an already established city without destroying the developments, which McDuell used to create 'tunnels'. However, rather than manually altering the terrain in the Terraformer I wondered: what if I export the terrain of the sandbox city, which has all the necessary terraforming, as SC4M file and then import said SC4M file into an unhampered copy of the city? Would the terraforming carry over without destroying anything?

Why yes, it does!  ()stsfd()

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYlPzbb3.jpg&hash=449874e8891cde1aeb610bae31b046fad22e8f3e)
Road tile floating on water, others buried by the changed terrain, and note the front row is actually floating in mid-air! 


So now I had a copy of the city with perfect building grounds. The really scary part was importing this Terraformer green copy back into the region . .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FjsmM3Mk.jpg&hash=4521ce7112cbffe0459aaa5a9b4871dce64d7f7d)
. . . this better work. . .


. . but much to my relief, everything was in working order - no crazy demand fluctuations or anything, and plopping down the walls and harbor was a breeze. Though I should mention a minor annoyance, namely that quite a few stretches of street were 'submerged' below the terrain, like this.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F1PJSVr1.jpg&hash=b36d21cc30b375547bedbaf21c5c34467e6bfa4e)


And when I went to rebuild them, this happened:

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxMvHgHT.jpg&hash=6c61ca7de7c34b6e3f5f62eece6398fd48196bcb)
note the foundations.


I'm guessing this is because I use a really restrictive slope mod and sections like these typically take a bit of brute force. That is: dragging the ortho streets further out than necessary, thus forcing a connection with the diagonal and then bulldozing the ortho stumps, or the other way around. Either way, the end result usually is that the entire stretch ends up being 'unsuitable slope', hence the lack of a wide curve on the left bend.

That being said: if you ever want to do trail-and-error terraforming in an already developed city without (fear of) screwing it over, this seems like a nice method. I'm thinking interchanges, harbors & marina's, building on slopes obviously and what not. Just muck about in a sandbox copy, then use the Terraformer to export the SC4M file with the prepped terrain and import it into the proper build.

And that's it for now, hope you enjoyed it!




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Girafe on November 24, 2015, 05:06:54 AM
Congrats for the OSITM  &apls &apls &apls

Lovely rural scenes  ;)

Thanks! Scenes wouldn't look half as good without your work!!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: Gugu3 on November 24, 2015, 06:46:58 AM
Great rural scenes! &apls

Thanks you!


Quote from: manga rivotra on November 25, 2015, 01:35:53 AM
I really love these 2 meadow.
The work with MMP and obviously yours textures is so delicate and smart.....It's a real pleasure to watch and very inspiring !  &apls &apls &apls

Thanks you very much for the kind words!


Quote from: kelis on November 25, 2015, 03:12:28 AM
The work with MMP is... no words for that ! I like how you are doing those angles in your region. It does not looks like simcity 4 with those curves and diagonals lines... Goed gedaan mijn vriend. Groetjes  :thumbsup:

Dank je wel Jonathan!  :)


Quote from: art128 on November 25, 2015, 03:40:16 AM
Damn, that really is lovely. The way you make the paths and meadows is just perfect.

Thanks Arthur!


Quote from: noahclem on November 25, 2015, 06:21:38 AM
Beautiful work  &apls &apls  It's so impressive how organic and natural these areas appear with your powerful brand of grid-breaking and exceptional use of textures, MMPs, lotting, and other tools. I've only recently started digging through your texture releases in earnest and can't get enough (thankfully they're exceptionally numerous :D ). Congratulations on such a well-earned OSITM--it will doubtless be a week to remember!

Glad to hear you're enjoying the textures Noah! Thanks!


Quote from: c.p. on November 25, 2015, 08:07:27 AM
Congrats on the OSITM &apls

I think you're the king of the early-settlers-meet-the-wilderness theme :thumbsup:

Thank you!


Quote from: Kergelen on November 26, 2015, 01:02:28 PM
Congrats on the OSITM &apls

Calm atmosphere. The textures looks great.

Thanks!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: Catalyst on November 27, 2015, 12:16:41 AM
The city overview is fantastic! Bravo &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: Gugu3 on November 27, 2015, 01:55:17 AM
Very nice work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: noahclem on November 27, 2015, 04:46:27 AM
Brilliant idea using terraformer for that purpose (and for being so careful about the Pox). Those buried networks are the only problem I've run into using the terraformer trick and while they're a bit annoying (especially when they keep returning to the same places) it seems a pretty small price to pay. The tile is really looking excellent, as are the city walls. Looking forward to seeing the harbor!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: art128 on November 27, 2015, 05:36:39 AM
The way you play with the walls reminds me how I used to build cities in Age of Empire II.... Ah the good times.  ()stsfd()

No really good job.

:thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: 11241036 on November 27, 2015, 03:07:48 PM
Very good work again, it seems like you've found a good spot for Traelonisk, and this is a good layout for city walls and a harbor.

I've read through large parts of your MD, and since I'm fond of your early medieval city building style, I might want to try to do something similar in Calidores. I'd like to ask you an admittedly large favor: I've seen the buildings depicted below in your MD, and I'd like you to give me the link to these. I've been searching those on my PC, but it seems that I haven't downloaded the necessary dependency yet. I just need a file link, I can relot them on my own. If this is not possible, or if you have no time to do this, or if there's any other reason preventing you from giving me the link(s), please notify me by writing an answer here or sending me a PM.

(Click to enlarge)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffs5.directupload.net%2Fimages%2F151127%2Flatdtlri.png&hash=8c2518f49f0848c9cbd2a47e3ebf09c190714c0a)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Replies & Regional Demand
Post by: vortext on November 28, 2015, 04:17:24 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Catalyst on November 27, 2015, 12:16:41 AM
The city overview is fantastic! Bravo &apls

Thanks!


Quote from: Gugu3 on November 27, 2015, 01:55:17 AM
Very nice work!

Thank you!


Quote from: noahclem on November 27, 2015, 04:46:27 AM
Brilliant idea using terraformer for that purpose (and for being so careful about the Pox). Those buried networks are the only problem I've run into using the terraformer trick and while they're a bit annoying (especially when they keep returning to the same places) it seems a pretty small price to pay. The tile is really looking excellent, as are the city walls. Looking forward to seeing the harbor!

Yeah it's a really nice way to do trail-and-error stuff, which I actually like to do outside of the region for more reasons than the lurking danger of prop pox (more on that below).


Quote from: art128 on November 27, 2015, 05:36:39 AM
The way you play with the walls reminds me how I used to build cities in Age of Empire II.... Ah the good times.  ()stsfd()

No really good job.

:thumbsup:

Thanks!


Quote from: 11241036 on November 27, 2015, 03:07:48 PM
Very good work again, it seems like you've found a good spot for Traelonisk, and this is a good layout for city walls and a harbor.

I've read through large parts of your MD, and since I'm fond of your early medieval city building style, I might want to try to do something similar in Calidores. I'd like to ask you an admittedly large favor: I've seen the buildings depicted below in your MD, and I'd like you to give me the link to these. I've been searching those on my PC, but it seems that I haven't downloaded the necessary dependency yet. I just need a file link, I can relot them on my own. If this is not possible, or if you have no time to do this, or if there's any other reason preventing you from giving me the link(s), please notify me by writing an answer here or sending me a PM.

(Click to enlarge)
. . .snip. . .

Well that's quite the list but I'm pleased to hear you like it so much!  :) So here goes:

1 - can be found in Swi vol1 (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=403)

2 & 5 – excellent HD models by Manchou (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2245)

3  - interesting one as the lot contains work from 3 authors. Smallest houses here (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/21594-small-fachwerk-houses/). The other, slightly taller house can be found in one of the CSX prop packs, iirc vol4. However, CSX has other models is similar style which might interest you as well so it's worth while to check all the volumes. And finally the largest model is from TSC (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/21490-tsc-medieval-houses-pack/)

4 – also TSC (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/21490-tsc-medieval-houses-pack/)

6,7,9,11,12 – BATs from DaveN (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2808), also in HD, for which I actually made a lot set (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2835).

8,10,13,14,15 – unreleased JENX materials. I'm still awaiting answer with regard to a prop pack.

16 – actually the hardest to track down. :D  It can be found in D66 vol 2 (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=556).

I'm looking forward to see what you come up with!  :thumbsup:




As said, Noah's remark reminded me of another reason, besides the lurking danger of prop pox, why I in general want to avoid mucking about in the region too much, namely extrapolated regional demand. So today a few words on the subject and how it affects individual cities. Recall from Thursday I made a sandbox which consisted of just one city, Traelonisk, isolated from the region. 

Now, if you ever wondered how much of a difference regional capacity and demand makes, here's a neat comparison. First the demand graph of Traelonisk as it was when embedded in the region.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FRuiB624.jpg&hash=0c2587bbaf097d4d64f26704b0ff7b2f2632ba1b)


And here it is for the exact same city in exactly the same situation when it is run isolated in the sandbox. And important to note: the city does not have any neighbour connections!

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYNsodgx.jpg&hash=45950d91a6e6705042c51cf7f2830970849fe775)


So what, doesn't seem to be a big difference, right? Wrong.

See, I wanted to give my stage 4 lots another go in the isolated, sandbox city but they just refused to grow, even though the city population actually met the stage threshold (albeit barely). However, they grew just fine under the exact same circumstances, but with the city embedded in the region. Only when I added ~750 more population to the sandbox city did stage 4 wanted to grow. So the difference in demand and subsequent refusal of stage 4 lots to grow is purely down to the regional oomph, or lack thereof.

And more recently I encounter another, more extreme example of extrapolated regional demand. I took a break from Traelonisk and turned my attention to a newly envisioned town. I'd already done some eye-candy work in the tile itself so I'd expected the demand to be somewhat typical of a new tile, like so:

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FWxspqcl.jpg&hash=b0a48202243b8950d406f419a7a994b568c9c91e)
Demand for a brand new city tile, in a completely empty region, with the CAM and X-Turbo mod, the latter to help get my rather large stage 1 lots off the ground.


However, the region has experienced quite bit of growth recently and thus I was met with the following demand graph:

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FF5Bk4WV.jpg&hash=31c9c536ac915037b223b1e38232fdd8a1d8e5da)
Agricultural demand is literally through the roof!

Seeing the crazy high demand I decided to take a gamble with the very first lot.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FHX84rI4.jpg&hash=bb8eb14375d7f18f3fa06de136d66a7acccccfdd)
ahhw yes!

I can ensure you this lot would have never, ever grown if the demand hadn't been there and I would have had to rely on my smaller 'starter' lots to get the tile going. And again I'd like to stress that none of my cities are connected in any way. In fact, this particular tile is fairly isolated, with only 2 sparsely populated neighbours. So the increased demand here is nothing but the extrapolated, regional demand. Now if I were to safe-and-exit this tile without running the simulator, as you would when mucking about, all this extrapolated demand would be lost!

And this is just in a simple agricultural, low wealth region without any neighbor connections. The interaction effects when the cities are connected, and different education & wealth levels come into play, are rather intricate I imagine. So if your focus is on regional play, the take home message here is you want to minimize the number of times you save-and-exit your cities without running the simulator. Or in other words: ideally you always want to run the simulator and grow the city a bit.

That's it for now!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: Vizoria on November 28, 2015, 04:33:46 PM
You always create the most artful farm and rural areas. This Mcduell's terraformer trick looks pretty amazing to, especially for bridges! Anyway you somehow manage to find the right balance between too many MMPs and too few. Great work.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk & the Terraformer Trick
Post by: 11241036 on November 29, 2015, 12:05:04 PM
Thank you very much for the links, I appreciate it :) Unfortunately, due to lack of time, it will take a while until I can work further on Calidores. Please keep your eyes open for an extra surprise. Also, great to see how much the isolation of a city (seen while it has been a sandbox) affects demand; I've already thought it, but it's actually good to see screenshots.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Work in Progress
Post by: vortext on November 29, 2015, 02:10:16 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fy9shHEm.jpg&hash=055c6b1bba0a9fb70359883264bde8a7369a6e76)



All right, so back to rebuilding Traelonisk. With perfectly terraformed building grounds, plopping down the walls was a breeze.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FUShbjJF.jpg&hash=cbd91eb737644502d7e436e623e344bb7b514d36)


However, the walls are actually plopped on the outside so I have these empty, sloped strips to deal with inside the city. And since the wall props sit in top of the slope, there's this little gap between the slope and the walls. Obviously, both need to be addressed. To begin with I cloned the BAT in the Reader (nice function with which to make a copy & change the IID in one go). Next I fired up the ModelTweaker to lower this copy and, perhaps most important, squeeze the depth slightly, so the copy is a bit thinner than the original. This way the lowered model will fit inside the original, thus preventing horrible z-fighting textures that will occur otherwise.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F0gONirQ.jpg&hash=bb53b6536a286b7c8eded5f74ae66128f1c1fc9f)
argh. . overlooked this one diagonal piece that obviously needs to be textured as well. . sigh. .  lets fire up the LE – again.


Looks a lot better with the gap neatly filled out. The ModelTweaker has been quite essential for the city walls in general, as I made a number of offset copies for the diagonals. In addition I used the same technique as described to make faux foundations for the bastions, like so:

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FYpK8M3b.jpg&hash=dbf0713ed89bf1fb836af3d244da45f61e9a8cd3)
red arrows indicate end of proper model, start of lowered 'foundation' model.


While it's far from perfect, it's better than having the models end in mid-air, as they would otherwise. The lowered walls also appear a bit warped but a little photoshopping will probably go a long way here. Anyway, I still needed something to go along the harbour side, however, at this point I'd gotten a little tired with the whole thing so I quickly whipped up another mockup.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FCNSfOGB.jpg&hash=752ae7c0fdb44ad6d47c976ebedf22db80ca273e)


Hm yeah, admittedly not my best work. I don't like the weird extra bit of wall and it's kinda silly there's no stairs or anything to access the harbour from that side. Worse still I'm really, really annoyed with the area circled in red. Even though the seaport lot, outlined in blue, has textures on those tiles the bare terrain still pokes through. The reason is a zero slope threshold for the lot foundation in combination with a large slope tolerance in general, which makes the terrain actually protrude through the lot. Changing the foundation slope threshold isn't an option since than the props would sink. And no, I can't cover the area up with MMPs, nor can I learn to live with it, which was my next best option.  &sly

At the moment I'm still figuring out the best solution. I don't want to change the street layout because I really like how the diagonal warehouse extends over the wide radius curve, so I'll probably end up shorting the seaport with one tile. Much depends on how the rest of the area turns out as I'm currently relotting the vanilla farmers market and state fair, both of which I plan to have in the vicinity. The filler lots along the walls will be turned into something functional at one point because why waste space on eye-candy when it could also provide some much needed jobs, right?! 

At any rate, I hope you enjoyed it! Hope to bring you a mosaic tomorrow!  ;)




Quote from: Vizoria on November 28, 2015, 04:33:46 PM
You always create the most artful farm and rural areas. This Mcduell's terraformer trick looks pretty amazing to, especially for bridges! Anyway you somehow manage to find the right balance between too many MMPs and too few. Great work.

Yeah trick will be great to make perfect bridge approaches too, totally forgot about that! Thanks for the kind words!


Quote from: 11241036 on November 29, 2015, 12:05:04 PM
Thank you very much for the links, I appreciate it :) Unfortunately, due to lack of time, it will take a while until I can work further on Calidores. Please keep your eyes open for an extra surprise. Also, great to see how much the isolation of a city (seen while it has been a sandbox) affects demand; I've already thought it, but it's actually good to see screenshots.

You're welcome!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Work in Progress
Post by: art128 on November 29, 2015, 04:22:50 PM
Quite a lot of thinking is going into this city.. I like the way it's going.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Work in Progress
Post by: Kergelen on November 30, 2015, 09:14:51 AM
This walled town is going to be awesome. I like it and you pay attention to all the details &apls

I really like the smooth transition between river and shoreline, with the flora you use (Grfe Feather grass resized? &Thk/()
Title: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: vortext on November 30, 2015, 03:15:45 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FsYmGqaO.jpg&hash=1f8633eb14c82587faa2753d434650f138797426)


Hi there and welcome to the final instalment of this 4-in-1 OSITM from me. 

First of all I'd like to thank you for all your kind words over the past week. Honestly I was bit stuck in a rut with the region in general, and Traelonisk in particular. Besides the pox my disinterest was compounded by the fact things take sooo long to build. For instance during my previous OSITM 2(!) years ago, I had a fun little contest to name the very first cathedral in Ærden (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg472787#post_Mosaic), and only now – two years after the fact – can I finally show it! Sometimes it feels like I'm still setting the scene for the 'proper' regional developments, which is a kinda backwards way of looking at things, I know. Besides, I released my texture packs this year, so there's that.

At any rate, all this to say your comments are greatly appreciated! Lets get this show rolling.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwkkQkCQ.jpg&hash=af213916d4f1c19333570adefbf5b52d240a567f)
first mosaic of the year! Also, the most wip-ish mosaic I ever made!

So, where's the cathedral you might ask? Well, it's the large shed structure in the middle of course! See, the masons just finished the first phase and will start constructing the bell towers and buttresses shortly, so stay tuned to see how it develops.  ;)

As for the name, the winner of my little contest was Willy (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg472833#msg472833). However, he's been largely absent since, so on a whim I decided to google St Willy and see if anything would come up. After clicking around for a while I stumbled on St. Willibrord (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willibrord), who lived from 658 to 739 and was the first bishop of Utrecht! What are the odds, it could not be a more perfect fit! So it's officially the Saint Willibrord Cathedral from now on.

And fun fact: there's actually a slight mishap in this mosaic as well! I could've easily shopped it out, however, I figured why not make it an OSITM tradition of sorts. So, the first person to correctly identify the mishap in the above mosaic gets to name the bridges & gates. (you may have to look at the mosaic in fullsize to find it. And hint, the mishap is a result of using the Terraformer Trick)

Anyway, at the middle-left you can see the old ferry landing, shown here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg487398#msg487398). I still need to replop the building, and possibly expand it into a small settlement. And at the bottom you can see the eye-candy fisher harbor, which also needs some attention, obviously.

Next up another mosaic which spans almost the entire tile. It's not quite as polished because I kinda forgot how much work it's to make a proper mosaic.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6vwmRVn.jpg&hash=f1b50aa5c5ca77a4ea9140594953ea4f35c44f96)


At the top Aenwic hollow which passes through a marshy area, which in turn is the border between the commons and the demesne (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demesne). At the edge of the demesne we find a rich forest patch, to be used as private hunting estate – though it needs some fences and hunting cabins still.

Funny aside: over the course of many evenings I totally Bob Rossed the area, already rich in Oaks, and planted happy little trees everywhere! One night, however, I realized this kind of forest is completely absent in the rest of the region. So, by way of explanation lets just imagine this is ancient woodland which used to cover the entire valley floor, okay?

Anyway, at the bottom we find Fellendorf. Another thing which I wanted to different this time around is to have more development along the waterside. I'm pretty happy how it turned out, though it still needs a church and manor house somewhere.

Anyway, as may be apparent by now there're still a lot of ideas to materialize. And that's the list for just one tile! Who could've predicated that as the region grew, so would the number of projects in need of attention.  ::) 

In that regard I'd like to mention that I've not forgotten, nor given up on, the cobble stone roads! I just had a greater need for LE textures first of all, so I focussed on them. However, with the region expanding, and my growing dislike for the street textures in a city setting I actually have quite a high need for them – which greatly increases the chances I'll see it through.  ;D

Finally for today an appropriate winter picture. Enjoy!  :)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FelcxV3c.jpg&hash=e159ccb20233e4b7949b001e992aea05bdc84aef)






Quote from: art128 on November 29, 2015, 04:22:50 PM
Quite a lot of thinking is going into this city.. I like the way it's going.

Thanks! I really enjoy this kind of puzzling.  :)


Quote from: Kergelen on November 30, 2015, 09:14:51 AM
This walled town is going to be awesome. I like it and you pay attention to all the details &apls

I really like the smooth transition between river and shoreline, with the flora you use (Grfe Feather grass resized? &Thk/()

Thanks, I hope so to! I used the Feather grass indeed, along with seasonal ALN reeds and CP cattails, both found in my Seasonal Oldies MMP pack (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2993).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: feyss on November 30, 2015, 03:33:37 PM
Just WOW!  :shocked2:

Is this really Sim City 4 ?

Everything seems to fit perfectly : the fields, the roads, the bridges, the rivers... And your MMP work is also awesome.

The city looks well designed too. I especially like this location at the confluence of the rivers and the little harbour inside the city walls.

This was a great OSITM this month. Keep up this awesome work my friend  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Vizoria on November 30, 2015, 03:49:51 PM
Best. Medieval. City tile. EVAH!

I cannot wait to see the finished medieval town. Clearly this is Simcity 4 Medieval.

Out of curiosity have you altered JENX Poseidon's terrain paint tools?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: FrankU on December 01, 2015, 02:00:09 AM
Fantastic work Erik!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: art128 on December 01, 2015, 03:42:25 AM
These two mosaics -still WIPs- are already quite superb! This tile is really becoming a masterpiece of its own. :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Mandarin(a) on December 01, 2015, 10:17:50 AM
Hmmm ... I think I want to live in the Middle Ages  ;) It is so nice to admire snowy fields when I still have to wait for them in the real life.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Simcoug on December 02, 2015, 10:17:51 AM
faux foundations?  completed cobblestone roads?  It's all stupendtacular!   :popcorn:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: noahclem on December 02, 2015, 02:27:24 PM
I've been admiring this for days and it's difficult to express how much enjoy all the stuff you've done  &apls  I've learned so much and yet remain mystified on a number of things :D  Thanks so much for sharing this amazing OSITM with us! As always I'll look forward to what's next in this story--and all the tips I can glean from it ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: belfastsocrates on December 03, 2015, 02:24:54 AM
Absolutely gorgeous work. I love the overview with the small farm holdings and I'm really looking forward to see the town grow and develop.

Fantastic!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: seraf on December 03, 2015, 09:54:59 AM
What? Cathedral still unfinished? Lazy bastards! Let's throw them in a dungeon and see how fast will they work after a week in there  $%Grinno$%


But seriously now, this is great  &apls The mosaic with all those fields looks beautiful. The city also looks good. Well, I would like a bigger castle if I was to live in there... :D

Splendid work!  &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: kbieniu7 on December 03, 2015, 12:45:30 PM
Well, that's a truly amazing...actually everything. To begin with the idea of building in medieval times, which is a very original way. It allows to imagine, to move back in time into that wilderness which is "no longer" present in our contemporary regions and cities, to observe how the settlement and routes were developing. By the way, I wonder how Traelonisk would look like if it was 2015 ;)

The snow-covered landscape is simply enormous.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Simmer2 on December 03, 2015, 12:50:33 PM
Excellent modding, vortext!  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: mrsmartman on December 11, 2015, 06:11:08 AM
Fantastic. You've successfully broken the grid.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Kergelen on December 13, 2015, 09:27:37 AM
Wow, you've created an outstanding medieval atmosphere!
The selection of plugins and your own modding make your region so unique and realistic &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Gugu3 on December 14, 2015, 01:38:02 AM
Excellent work! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Themistokles on December 14, 2015, 12:21:28 PM
me see no mishaps there $%Grinno$% no, no, just excellent (and, as it happens, very inspiring for my own medieval city centre) views everywhere :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Unconstantean on December 16, 2015, 04:07:50 AM
wow  :o &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Swordmaster on December 17, 2015, 08:19:27 AM
Quote from: vortext on November 30, 2015, 03:15:45 PM

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwkkQkCQ.jpg&hash=af213916d4f1c19333570adefbf5b52d240a567f)

Didn't know they had aerial photography in that age... Massive! &apls &apls


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ OSITM ~ Traelonisk - Mosaic Mania
Post by: Nanami on December 25, 2015, 08:18:02 AM
Walled city with castle, small towns inside the wall and those fields really gives the medieval era of Europe atmosphere  :o.. Really amazing!  &apls &apls
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on December 31, 2015, 07:21:08 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: feyss on November 30, 2015, 03:33:37 PM
Just WOW!  :shocked2:

Is this really Sim City 4 ?

Everything seems to fit perfectly : the fields, the roads, the bridges, the rivers... And your MMP work is also awesome.

The city looks well designed too. I especially like this location at the confluence of the rivers and the little harbour inside the city walls.

This was a great OSITM this month. Keep up this awesome work my friend  :thumbsup:

Thank you very much for the kind words! And yes, it's still the same game!  :D


Quote from: Vizoria on November 30, 2015, 03:49:51 PM
Best. Medieval. City tile. EVAH!

I cannot wait to see the finished medieval town. Clearly this is Simcity 4 Medieval.

Out of curiosity have you altered JENX Poseidon's terrain paint tools?

Thank you! And yes I took a bunch of SV's terrain textures and applied them to the terrain paint tools so they'd better match.


Quote from: FrankU on December 01, 2015, 02:00:09 AM
Fantastic work Erik!

Thanks Frank!


Quote from: art128 on December 01, 2015, 03:42:25 AM
These two mosaics -still WIPs- are already quite superb! This tile is really becoming a masterpiece of its own. :)

Though I do enjoy how the tile is shaping up, I still feel slightly peeved the previous mmp-ing is lost. . so thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated!


Quote from: Mandarin(a) on December 01, 2015, 10:17:50 AM
Hmmm ... I think I want to live in the Middle Ages  ;) It is so nice to admire snowy fields when I still have to wait for them in the real life.

Hmm, I don't know about that, no central heating. . no i'net. . no Simcity4!  ::)  :D Glad you enjoyed the winter scene! Thanks!


Quote from: Simcoug on December 02, 2015, 10:17:51 AM
faux foundations?  completed cobblestone roads?  It's all stupendtacular!   :popcorn:

Thanks Matt!


Quote from: noahclem on December 02, 2015, 02:27:24 PM
I've been admiring this for days and it's difficult to express how much enjoy all the stuff you've done  &apls  I've learned so much and yet remain mystified on a number of things :D  Thanks so much for sharing this amazing OSITM with us! As always I'll look forward to what's next in this story--and all the tips I can glean from it ;)

Thank you Noah, glad you enjoyed it!


Quote from: belfastsocrates on December 03, 2015, 02:24:54 AM
Absolutely gorgeous work. I love the overview with the small farm holdings and I'm really looking forward to see the town grow and develop.

Fantastic!

Thanks! The farms are probably my favorite as well, so gratifying to watch them grow.


Quote from: seraf on December 03, 2015, 09:54:59 AM
What? Cathedral still unfinished? Lazy bastards! Let's throw them in a dungeon and see how fast will they work after a week in there  $%Grinno$%


But seriously now, this is great  &apls The mosaic with all those fields looks beautiful. The city also looks good. Well, I would like a bigger castle if I was to live in there... :D

Splendid work!  &apls &apls

Hey now, building a cathedral is hard work, they deserve a break! And yes, I'd like to have a bigger castle as well, I hope you can help with that!  ;)


Quote from: kbieniu7 on December 03, 2015, 12:45:30 PM
Well, that's a truly amazing...actually everything. To begin with the idea of building in medieval times, which is a very original way. It allows to imagine, to move back in time into that wilderness which is "no longer" present in our contemporary regions and cities, to observe how the settlement and routes were developing. By the way, I wonder how Traelonisk would look like if it was 2015 ;)

The snow-covered landscape is simply enormous.  :thumbsup:

Yeah I really enjoy moving back in time as you say, and ponder where to put new streets, scout possible locations for settlements, etc. I hope one day to be able to show you how Traelonisk looks in modern times, though it'd be quite touristy I'd imagine. Thanks!


Quote from: Simmer2 on December 03, 2015, 12:50:33 PM
Excellent modding, vortext!  &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: mrsmartman on December 11, 2015, 06:11:08 AM
Fantastic. You've successfully broken the grid.

Thanks! What can I say, I dislike regular shapes!  :D


Quote from: Kergelen on December 13, 2015, 09:27:37 AM
Wow, you've created an outstanding medieval atmosphere!
The selection of plugins and your own modding make your region so unique and realistic &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: Gugu3 on December 14, 2015, 01:38:02 AM
Excellent work! &apls

Thanks!


Quote from: Themistokles on December 14, 2015, 12:21:28 PM
me see no mishaps there $%Grinno$% no, no, just excellent (and, as it happens, very inspiring for my own medieval city centre) views everywhere :D

Look closer!  ;) Glad I could provide some inspiration!


Quote from: Unconstantean on December 16, 2015, 04:07:50 AM
wow  :o &apls

Thanks!


Quote from: Swordmaster on December 17, 2015, 08:19:27 AM
Quote from: vortext on November 30, 2015, 03:15:45 PM
snip

Didn't know they had aerial photography in that age... Massive! &apls &apls


Cheers
Willy

Nice to see you stopping by Willy! Thanks! :thumbsup:


Quote from: Nanami on December 25, 2015, 08:18:02 AM
Walled city with castle, small towns inside the wall and those fields really gives the medieval era of Europe atmosphere  :o.. Really amazing!  &apls &apls

Thanks for the kinds words!






Alright, that were a lot of replies! Thanks again everyone!  &apls

So I wanted to do some kind eyecandy new-years eve scene for today (big bonfire, people milling around) but time eludes me. So why don't I show you some of my SC4 plans for the new year instead?

First, I've worked on Traelonisk's harbor quite a bit.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FravKjpX.jpg&hash=27d0759decd82b4ba538f2975fa4c6beeef43b40)

The left hand street has been moved one tile out so now there's a 2x8 space to work with, which made things easier. Consequently the 2x2 wide curve around the harbor became a 4x4 wide curve, which had the added benefit I could run a street from the 4x4 straight to the outer left 2x2 widecurve and make a nice city block. Stay tuned to see how it develops!

In addition I made a bunch of sandbox cities. . .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FyhLnwAQ.jpg&hash=f902f71dcd3a9d6ff94d16fb9f9dacaaad8eaf9e)

. . .some tiles require extensive eye candy work, other tiles I selected because I just want to do terraforming without any particular plan in mind. . .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FwXeQHN5.jpg&hash=8569c627e5a715a436e0c1b5e6a6d3602161d946)
No idea where this is going, really. The island was already there, just wanted to sculpt it and see how it looked! :D

. . . while for other tiles I actually have very particular plans. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FaXIxtji.jpg&hash=eebfcadb065fac8e55dc8081d7de2e5b10569d49)


And as I said previously, I'm really not too fond of my current street textures. Initially I made them as placeholder textures, so I could start work in the region using the draggable street curves, but here we are three years later and I still have to make a new, proper set. Ideally I want a street texture which ties into the dirt road textures I showed some time ago (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg488651#post_roads). So. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FgfHWsnJ.jpg&hash=8d6ba0ad21c8c82d15c94af5d46af5b292b325a5)

. . . not too shabby for a first try I reckon. I'm really looking forward to pick up and finish the cobble roads, if only because I want to have a complete set of dirt roads which are derived from them!  ;)

At any rate, as per usual there're a ton of ideas and plans left to discuss but that'd be rather boring. So for now I just say stay safe with the fireworks and I wish you all a happy new year!!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: romualdillo on December 31, 2015, 08:09:29 AM
I was wondering how could I have passed your last update without commenting, but I think it was during my back problems, and I had no humor to sit and comment. Sorry!!!  :-[

The last updates are mindblowing. It's interesting how different Northern Medieval cities looked to Southern ones. Normally German-styled ones look fantastic in SC4, while Mediterranean ones look "fake". Looking at your MD I've discovered It's a matter of space: too wide streets make historic Mediterranean cores look strange. I'll think about it...  ;)

Please continue your great work, because it's inspiring!!  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Dantes on January 01, 2016, 04:23:30 AM
So fantastic work step to step. °-°
Epic...   $%#Ninj2
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: TheTeaCat on January 01, 2016, 08:13:43 AM
Sorry for not posting about how my jaw drops each time I see an update.

Incredible scenes,modding, just about everything really is... &apls.

Love the walled city, looks very medieval, but there is one thing that bothers me about it.
In my opinion the placement of the docks inside the walls would be wrong from a defensive point of view. Unless you had some sort of sea gate that would allow ships through, it would be the most vulnerable part of the city. It would be better to have the docks outside the walls with a gate that access the town that way. Please remember this is just my point of view though.

Otherwise I'm speechless with what you have done so far, I'm off to make a cuppa and peruse your MD from the start once more.

Hope 2016 is all that it can be for you! Happy New Year!

Regards
Derry
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: romualdillo on January 01, 2016, 09:50:33 AM
Quote from: TheTeaCat on January 01, 2016, 08:13:43 AM
Love the walled city, looks very medieval, but there is one one that bothers me about it.
In my opinion the placement of the docks inside the walls would be wrong from a defensive point of view. Unless you had some sort of sea gate that would allow ships through, it would be the most vulnerable part of the city. It would be better to have the docks outside the walls with a gate that access the town that way. Please remember this is just my point of view though.

I thought exactly the same, but several cities have this kind of shape, too. Most of them solved the problem with defensive towers along the docks, or blocking the access with commercial buildings and controlling traffic through doors.

Hamburg:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hamburg-domplatz.de%2Fpicture47.jpg&hash=48999f4de31cf5415efde876f20a5b950522f67c)

Emden:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Emden1575.jpg)

Stettin
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Alten_Stettin.jpg)

Observing the images, there are always some kind of structures in front of the harbour's mouths to control the access.

On the contrary, Spanish cities had always their harbours out of the walls

Sevilla:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.historiacocina.com%2Fes%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F09%2FSeville-circa-1588.jpg&hash=2687bec53d1d3f9e70047c7fc97219b7c1b6e379)

Barcelona:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Wyngaerde_Barcelona_1563.jpg)

I think there were several ways to defend a city. Everything is possible.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on January 01, 2016, 10:23:58 AM
Yep quite a few Northern European cities had ports within their walls, especially if it sat along a river, which is the case here. I did at one time consider building the city around the river, but that actually proved more difficult to pull off ingame. However, you did hit the nail on the head Derry as I observed the same problem - i.e. it was quite open - and have actually rectified it in the new design. I didn't want to give it away just yet though, so here's a sneak peek.  ;)

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/759k6j30nf2qrcw/Traelonisk-sneak%20peek.png?dl=0)




Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: romualdillo on January 01, 2016, 10:27:37 AM
Looks good!!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: TheTeaCat on January 01, 2016, 01:59:19 PM
Looks very good :thumbsup:

The inner wall looks just right where you have it now ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: art128 on January 01, 2016, 02:12:33 PM
I have to agree with Derry, the new inner wall is perfect for the harbor. :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: 11241036 on January 01, 2016, 03:02:05 PM
The new inner wall looks promising. Also, impressive castle and it's a very good idea to scatter some smaller farming settlements all over your map.

The fact that you are using dirt roads inside your walls bothers me somehow, however. I don't have the knowledge to judge this, but I think cobblestone roads would be the more appropriate choice there. As I believe, roads are a crucial aspect for the economical development of a city; therefore, once it is raining for three days, dirt roads would become impassable, especially for horse carriages, due to being muddy.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Nanami on January 02, 2016, 02:49:33 AM
Really nice there! :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Girafe on January 02, 2016, 03:54:13 AM
It reminds me the fabulous history of Paris during middle age.

Keep the good work,  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: mgb204 on January 02, 2016, 05:49:08 AM
No car zots! Of course there are no cars, they haven't been invented yet! :D

The last few updates show off an amazing medieval recreation, for me your work is amongst the finest there ever was. So much detail and quality it's hard to know what to point out, so I'll just say I love what you are doing instead :).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 02, 2016, 06:04:30 AM
Oh, dear. Your details are just overdetailed  ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Mandarin(a) on January 02, 2016, 10:05:55 AM
Wonderful work: so realistic, so "muddy"  ;)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ even more replies
Post by: vortext on January 02, 2016, 03:20:42 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Wow, okay! I did not expect this many replies to the replies (and a sneak-peek). Moreover, there have been a few more interesting issues raised and since the MD is already in reply mode, lets have another round!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: romualdillo on December 31, 2015, 08:09:29 AM
I was wondering how could I have passed your last update without commenting, but I think it was during my back problems, and I had no humor to sit and comment. Sorry!!!  :-[

The last updates are mindblowing. It's interesting how different Northern Medieval cities looked to Southern ones. Normally German-styled ones look fantastic in SC4, while Mediterranean ones look "fake". Looking at your MD I've discovered It's a matter of space: too wide streets make historic Mediterranean cores look strange. I'll think about it...  ;)

Please continue your great work, because it's inspiring!!  &apls

No worries, as I said before your health is more important. You're right historic districts tend to be crammed, however, I'm not too sure though if your observed difference between North and South city cores holds true. While Northern European city centers tend to be arranged around a square, there're typically numerous narrow streets and back alleys fanning out and around it. This is hard to replicate in SC4 indeed, especially if you like to keep it all functional as well. The fixed street width, or rather the grid, is something which forces you to get creative - hence I use a lot of overhanging props.  ;) 


Quote from: Dantes on January 01, 2016, 04:23:30 AM
So fantastic work step to step. °-°
Epic...   $%#Ninj2

Step-by-sometimes-frustrating-step indeed!  :D Thank you!


Quote from: TheTeaCat on January 01, 2016, 08:13:43 AM
Sorry for not posting about how my jaw drops each time I see an update.

Incredible scenes,modding, just about everything really is... &apls.

Love the walled city, looks very medieval, but there is one thing that bothers me about it.
In my opinion the placement of the docks inside the walls would be wrong from a defensive point of view. Unless you had some sort of sea gate that would allow ships through, it would be the most vulnerable part of the city. It would be better to have the docks outside the walls with a gate that access the town that way. Please remember this is just my point of view though.

Otherwise I'm speechless with what you have done so far, I'm off to make a cuppa and peruse your MD from the start once more.

Hope 2016 is all that it can be for you! Happy New Year!

Regards
Derry

Happy new year to you as well and thanks for the kind words!


Quote from: romualdillo on January 01, 2016, 09:50:33 AM
I thought exactly the same, but several cities have this kind of shape, too. Most of them solved the problem with defensive towers along the docks, or blocking the access with commercial buildings and controlling traffic through doors.

. . .snip. . .

Observing the images, there are always some kind of structures in front of the harbour's mouths to control the access.

On the contrary, Spanish cities had always their harbours out of the walls

. . .snip. . .

I think there were several ways to defend a city. Everything is possible.

Thank you so much for posting these pictures! Love them!!  &apls


Quote from: romualdillo on January 01, 2016, 10:27:37 AM
Looks good!!!  :thumbsup:

Thanks!


Quote from: TheTeaCat on January 01, 2016, 01:59:19 PM
Looks very good :thumbsup:

The inner wall looks just right where you have it now ;)

Thank you!


Quote from: art128 on January 01, 2016, 02:12:33 PM
I have to agree with Derry, the new inner wall is perfect for the harbor. :)

Thanks, was a nice moment when I remembered these walls!


Quote from: 11241036 on January 01, 2016, 03:02:05 PM
The new inner wall looks promising. Also, impressive castle and it's a very good idea to scatter some smaller farming settlements all over your map.

The fact that you are using dirt roads inside your walls bothers me somehow, however. I don't have the knowledge to judge this, but I think cobblestone roads would be the more appropriate choice there. As I believe, roads are a crucial aspect for the economical development of a city; therefore, once it is raining for three days, dirt roads would become impassable, especially for horse carriages, due to being muddy.

Yes you're right cobble stone would be more appropriate. As I said before I'm not too fond of these streets in a city setting either, hence I plastered the city ground with terrain paints for the mosaic!  :D  Thanks!


Quote from: Nanami on January 02, 2016, 02:49:33 AM
Really nice there! :)

Thank you!


Quote from: Girafe on January 02, 2016, 03:54:13 AM
It reminds me the fabulous history of Paris during middle age.

Keep the good work,  &apls &apls &apls

Thanks!


Quote from: mgb204 on January 02, 2016, 05:49:08 AM
No car zots! Of course there are no cars, they haven't been invented yet! :D

The last few updates show off an amazing medieval recreation, for me your work is amongst the finest there ever was. So much detail and quality it's hard to know what to point out, so I'll just say I love what you are doing instead :).

he, I should make no-carriage zots. .  $%Grinno$% Thanks for the kind words!


Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 02, 2016, 06:04:30 AM
Oh, dear. Your details are just overdetailed  ;D

There's no such thing as overdetailing!  ;D Thanks!


Quote from: Mandarin(a) on January 02, 2016, 10:05:55 AM
Wonderful work: so realistic, so "muddy"  ;)

Muddy is exactly what I'm aiming for. Happy to read that comes across!  :)




To conclude today another sneak peek. Started work on demarcating the aforementioned hunting grounds from the fallows.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/6tkn1l73lmd4dxd/Traelonisk-sneak%20peek2.png?dl=0)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ even more replies
Post by: Framly on January 02, 2016, 04:57:28 PM
I'm a silent follower of your project! Very inspiring ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ even more replies
Post by: belfastsocrates on January 03, 2016, 05:26:18 AM
It just gets better. I love this MD, it's so unique and the attention to detail is marvellous to see.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ even more replies
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 03, 2016, 07:43:00 AM
I say nothing, cause it's going to became boring with saying "oh" and "ah" every time a picture arrives :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ even more replies
Post by: kelis on January 03, 2016, 10:50:07 AM
I love your work, you know that I'm a big fan of your work. I love the history in every update and I really enjoy watching and reading these updates... once again the last update was perfect ! It would be nice if some day we can see the entire walled city from above.

I was wondering about your terrain mod. I guess you've made your own version using different textures, right ?
It is possible share with us (or at least with me  ::) ) your terrain mod ? I think it could fits perfectly with my region...

Bedankt mijn vriend en groetjes  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ even more replies
Post by: Nanami on January 18, 2016, 01:30:20 AM
MMP details really catch me here... Never realize that SC4 can actually do medieval era european stuffs..

oh also is that dirt road actually a road or an MMP?
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: vortext on April 09, 2016, 04:52:48 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fogsf5vM.jpg&hash=4ec11dfeb00cd30caaf66eb47cb048ce01607d65)

Hi there folks, it really has been a long time since last update, hasn't it?! It might be the longest time between updates yet, and consequently this update might quite possibly have turned into the longest to date. So, time for an admittedly long overdue update, and in a tradition of sorts April always seems to calls for a briefing on current affairs (see previous editions here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg479566#msg479566) and here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg493292#msg493292)). It's going to be lengthy read though, with very few pictures, so for convenience here's the break down;


Yes indeed, this update has it own table of contents, it's that long a wall of text!   :D

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.  :)




So, first of all RL has been plenty busy lately, hectic at times when it threw odd curve balls my way, and it had a significant impact on time available for the forum, developments, let alone actually playing SC4, though I did briefly played around in a new region (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=388.msg503788#msg503788). However, the bout of activity during OSITM in December last year unfortunately didn't take hold and as mentioned I've done very little in Ærden since. It's not that I lost interest, but the next phase of development requires a good deal of preparation. In particular I'm planning a complete overhaul of this lot set made years ago.

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/7ddxz2uypibqfqo/021.jpg?dl=0)(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/uql7x8wtwf6nqwt/022.jpg?dl=0)

I've already wrangled them out of the old, dat-packed plugins files so now it's a matter of stripping them bare and re-lotting, which in turn requires a bunch of new overlay textures. And speaking of textures, I'm also slowly making progress on the cobble stone road front. I decided on a more simple approach for the diagonal and far street intersections.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FzEAE0lo.jpg&hash=84e8198456bd8fd24d909feed8cc8b5dfad4459d)
Yeah, might need to town down the gradients a bit.

Besides being more convenient to make, I figured it'd also be quite impractical to have the cobble stones running up small side streets in real life situations. Actually realized this recently when the streets in my neighborhood were being repaved (with red herring brick obviously), funny how the mind works like that.





While I was rummaging through the archives looking for the above mentioned lot set, I also came the flash map I made for the first year anniversary of this MD (here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg481316#msg481316)). As wonky as it is, it was really fun to make. Moreover, it got me thinking about the presentation of our cities in general.

Whether it's in images or a video, the presentation is always a 'static' experience for the viewer at home. Sure, one can make mosaics to showcase a city in greater detail, and one can even make huge mosaics to show all the rotations, as for example Zack did in this update of his excellent MD (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=5856.msg501767#msg501767).

However, the larger the mosaic, the clumsier it gets to navigate. Wouldn't it be nice if you could actually roam a city online, in similar fashion as you would ingame? If you could share your city in such a way the viewers are able to move around, rotate the view and zoom in and out as they please?

Well, I thought that'd be pretty neat, and thus present you: SC4Viewer. (https://ec9b444c6ed90840c02d1a7de96427c643bb73a7-www.googledrive.com/host/0B1QrEH3eTKxGdm5FcWlnSzBqR3M/) Note: you may need to enable Javascript in your web browser in order for it to work properly.

Navigating is pretty straightforward:

Obviously it's still in alpha, a demo version, work in progress, whatever you want to call it. Point is I've only tested it on my own Windows pc using Chrome and Firefox. Other web browsers and/or different OS may yield unpredictable behavior. Please let me know if you encounter anything strange (e.g. city getting stuck in the corner, slowly spiraling away from the focal point when rotating) and include the operating system and web browser you used.

Also excuse my crappy sandbox city btw (which was an experiment to get a stable R$$ population, for those curious). For development I used city tile pictures because they were easy to align and thus work out the horizontal and vertical translation that needed to happen to emulate the rotation.

However, the same principle should apply to a limited area as well, provided the four images have the same dimensions, and more importantly have the exact same centre point. This has yet to be tested though. .  ::)

Anyway, this has been quite a fun project so far and personally, I see all sorts of potential in it. I'm curious to learn what you think of it.





Another new and note worthy project I've been working on requires less of an introduction.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTkFgsUS.jpg&hash=0a58eac29dd8a1f1def695824f8ff64d90f1771c)

Yes, those are draggable wide curves for SAM. As of yet Ive done most, if not all, of the basic RUL for SAM2, adding a diagonal roundabout tile and the large corner cul-de-sac as well. I've also done a significant portion of tight road situations, however, the RUL for other networks still need to be covered.

Once that's done the RUL needs to be ported over to the other SAM sets, which essentially boils down to writing a 'search-and-replace' script. And obviously the corresponding textures need to be created as well. So all things considered, there's still a fair amount of work ahead, though large parts of it can be batch processed. 

Moving on still. Indeed, the fact I hardly touched the region this year doesn't mean I've been sitting idle.  ;)





As some may have already noticed I finally starting BATting as well (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=388.msg508305#msg508305). It started modest with something I felt couldn't be missing from my region, namely peat extraction. For centuries peat has been an important source of fuel, and seeing the large moors in Ærden, it just felt wrong to turn them all into crop fields. So I wanted to model some stuff for peat farm fields:

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Peat_stacks_and_cutting.JPG/1280px-Peat_stacks_and_cutting.JPG)

The little stacks were quite easy in terms of modelling, the large pile on the other hand challenged me quite a bit, however easy it may seem for you experienced batters out there.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FG47MWDi.jpg&hash=98850d27afbb2763cd9d01eabdb1bd8307eecd52)
First take. Simply arrange the small objects into a circle and start stacking them one by one manually. Four layers in I realized this was going to be incredibly tedious. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F8KoQi8o.jpg&hash=d8d1fc563015ff5ff71c4e5bb12302cce9f318b9)
Take two. Make a cone and extrude the gaps inwards. Result is somewhat okay, however, the individual slabs are not as square as I'd like them to be. In addition I unwrapped the whole thing to great satisfaction and then applied a displacement modifier. . yeah, that screwed the unwrapping over badly. Lesson learned: collapse the unwrapping before moving on.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FvNI5t0z.jpg&hash=128c35889095b58c7673ccce93e97def0a5b73ee)
Take three. Start with a 8 sided cone, extrude faces outwards, unwrapped the individual slabs, collapsed the stack. Next I applied array, twist and bend modifiers. This turned out quite all right, and moreover, it was really fast in terms of modelling and rendering!

A more challenging aspect of the peat project are the actual excavation ditches, since these will need to be below the ground plane.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fa1TmCQt.jpg&hash=1a0ede9288d18398bd02d3c34bb7dac1912244ab)

To counteract the obvious gaps I simply enlarged the model so they would overlap, which seemed to work quite well.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fd7WiLZF.jpg&hash=8b023db24667942dac6b828d89d643772bfcd93a)

So, I also though it'd be nice if the side areas blend into the underlying terrain texture, the same way Diggis' grass ponds do. However, that turned into a major disappointment.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FdSB436K.jpg&hash=8b69fc4510cfd215fb4dd6304dbaac032cc55863)
Meh.  &mmm

Any tips and pointers how to handle underground LODs and transparency are greatly appreciated.

And I actually have one, far more pressing issue for the experienced BATters reading along: is there a way to batch render objects/layers/scenes?

There must be, because I've read multiple people alluding to it, mentioning they were letting the pc batch render while they were at work, or during the night. However, I've not been able to get a clear idea how to go about doing so. And since I want to make functional IR peat farm fields eventually, I'll have to make quite a number of variations and it's clear rendering them all manually will get really tedious, really fast.

For now I really quite enjoy exploring 3DSmax options though, and learning how to think in 3D, so to speak. The next BAT I made is another thing which I long wanted to have, namely a dovecote.

Again for centuries, pigeons were an important source of food and manure, and kept by the hundreds, if not thousands. They were so important, keeping pigeons was actually subject to law, or rather a privilege to be granted. As such dovecotes are typically found around monasteries, castles and manors - not for the common folk! (The peasants actually disliked the pigeons, especially during sowing season as birds eat seeds, and protested the pigeon privilege on numerous occasions. And yes, I'm paraphrasing wikipedia but I thought it was a fun fact).

Consequently, dovecotes vary widely in size and shape. There's no such thing as a prototypical dovecote, though the one I picked to model might come close. 

(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furthomanorfarm.co.uk%2Fslides%2Fhistory%2Fhistory1.jpg&f=1)

Initially I choose it because it seemed easy to model in terms of geometry, but then it turned out to be a real existing dovecote and I proceeded to find more reference images. 

(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furthomanorfarm.co.uk%2Fslides%2Fhistory%2Fhistory3.jpg&f=1)(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furthomanorfarm.co.uk%2Fslides%2Fhistory%2Fhistory2.jpg&f=1)

It's located on a large manor, and also note the church in the background. The manor house and church were typically near each other, yet located at the edge of, or even outside, the village. But enough with the history lessons, here's my take on it.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fkvegpmp.jpg&hash=0b4dfaedab387ebeb6f64f3ea39bbe579b5ca686)

The roof and wall textures are my own, however, they're are too clean and crisp to my taste. The same goes for the overall geometry, the perfect circular roof especially. I've since uncovered ways to address all this, and given I only had the faintest idea what I was doing anyway I might just redo it from the ground up one more time. Third time is a charm after all.  ;)

Yay, you made it so far, all 1689 words of it – and I'm only half way done! :D

Nah, kidding. This is it for today. Note to self: do not let so much time pass in between updates.

Thanks for reading!




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Framly on January 02, 2016, 04:57:28 PM
I'm a silent follower of your project! Very inspiring ;)

Thanks, that means a lot coming from you!  :)


Quote from: belfastsocrates on January 03, 2016, 05:26:18 AM
It just gets better. I love this MD, it's so unique and the attention to detail is marvellous to see.

Thank you! I hope today's lack of detailed pictures has not disappointed too badly.  ;D


Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 03, 2016, 07:43:00 AM
I say nothing, cause it's going to became boring with saying "oh" and "ah" every time a picture arrives :P

Thanks for stopping by, greatly appreciated!  :)


Quote from: kelis on January 03, 2016, 10:50:07 AM
I love your work, you know that I'm a big fan of your work. I love the history in every update and I really enjoy watching and reading these updates... once again the last update was perfect ! It would be nice if some day we can see the entire walled city from above.

I was wondering about your terrain mod. I guess you've made your own version using different textures, right ?
It is possible share with us (or at least with me  ::) ) your terrain mod ? I think it could fits perfectly with my region...

Bedankt mijn vriend en groetjes  :thumbsup:

Thank you Jonathan! I completely forgot about your inquiry until just now, but yes I made a few modifications to the SV terrain mod. I'll get in touch tomorrow.


Quote from: Nanami on January 18, 2016, 01:30:20 AM
MMP details really catch me here... Never realize that SC4 can actually do medieval era european stuffs..

oh also is that dirt road actually a road or an MMP?

Thanks! SC4 can do anything we imagine! The dirt roads are functional indeed.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: bombardiere on April 10, 2016, 03:56:13 AM
Wellcome to the dark side. :D Knowing what are your interest are, I will be having a close eye on your projects. :)

You have learned fast. An excellent start. Stonework looks good. Are you using a bump or displacement map? I haven't got those working with the SC4 render. Not that I have tried very hard.

Quoteis there a way to batch render objects/layers/scenes?

I am not an experient batter, so my answer is not definete, but If there is a way, I don't know it.

This may be refering to a situation when you have a big and detailed building, which takes hours to render. Today with modern computer, Bat renders haven't been that much an issue, but I understad that during the early years the CPU demands of the rendering were very taxing to the computers ten years ago.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Mandarin(a) on April 10, 2016, 04:36:17 AM
Yay, an update! Don't know where to start, because everything is just amazing! Lots, streets, models, SC4Viewer ...
Yeah, regarding that - my report: I can rotate it, move it, but when I try to zoom, it goes to the top-left edge of screen and stays there. If I press space bar, it appears again at the center of screen, but then I can't zoom in anymore. I am using Firefox on Windows 7. Hope that helps somehow ...
Otherwise, all good, everything you do looks so interesting %BUd%
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: vortext on April 10, 2016, 04:49:01 AM
Thanks Mandarin(a) for your report. I had a feeling that might be one of the issues, as I experienced the same when switching over to Chrome for testing. It seems there's no standard output value of the scroll-wheel, and consequently the zoom function breaks. Will have look into that and hopefully come up with a more reliable zoom method.

Edit: yep quick investigation reveals the delta value - as the output of scroll wheel or touchpad is known - is notorious for varying widely across browsers, operating systems and devices. Luckily there are also mutliple Javascript libraries available to standardize the output so it seems very doable to rectify the issue.  :)

Thank you bombardiere. I actually used both a displacement and bump map for the stonework, and the latter is comprised of a normal texture, with an additional bump texture. As for the batch render, I specifically recall Diggis mentioning he let all his grass pond models render while at work, which is were I got the notion there must be a way to batch render.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: vortext on April 10, 2016, 05:17:29 AM
Double post because for those that experience the same issue as Mandarin(a) (or don't have a mouse with scrollwheel ) I added zoom function to the up and down arrow keys.

Please let me know if you still encounter issues, others than the known 'stuck in a corner' bug when using the mouse srollwheel.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: 11241036 on April 10, 2016, 06:17:16 AM
Wow, all I can say about your new SAM textures, is that I'm overwhelmed. That really looks like something I'd like to see in the next NAM, especially since they are draggable.
And good luck with overhauling your lot set. I can truly imagine that this will be a tedious work that takes a lot of time.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: romualdillo on April 10, 2016, 08:03:00 AM
Great work as always!!  &apls
I think you've mastered BAT in short time. It was certainly your next step, you had already a great eye for models.
The dovecote looks really good. The textures look fantastic, I never could put the bump and displacement maps to work in Gmax. They looked weird. Your textures need only a bit of photoshopping to add some dirty and green, and I think they'll be fine.
I hope you find the time to finish your projects soon. They'll be really an improvement to the game, and you know I'm waiting for them with avarice.  :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Simmer2 on April 10, 2016, 08:43:43 AM
Extraordinary as always, Erik.
I'm still in the infancy of batting but I can certainly help with any texturing if you wish.

Nick
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: compdude787 on April 10, 2016, 11:58:31 AM
Nice update! I'm happy to finally be seeing draggable WRCs on SAM streets!! I think that's what it'll take to make me start using the SAM now. :thumbsup: &apls &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: FrankU on April 10, 2016, 01:08:08 PM
Beautiful work Erik!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Gugu3 on April 10, 2016, 01:16:16 PM
I like what i see :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: metarvo on April 10, 2016, 07:26:58 PM
Nice work on those streets, Erik!  :thumbsup:  I see red brick streets in downtown or historic districts a lot, and they often run at unusual angles or curves, so this is quite the bonus.

&apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: belfastsocrates on April 11, 2016, 04:01:55 AM
The pictures didn't disappoint at all! I absolutely love the peat digging progress. It's something you seen in rural Ireland and the smell of burning peat in a fire is just amazing, one of my favourite smells! :D

The dovecote looks beautiful as well!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: JoeST on April 11, 2016, 07:58:24 AM
your city viewer is really cool :D I'd love to help out with it! I've run into some bugs with it being too big for my window and the click-to-pan thing activates even when clicking on scroll-bars which is weird when trying to move so you can click-to-pan from something other than the top-left corner XD Oh and zoooming in too far and then out seems to pan too
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: c.p. on April 11, 2016, 08:25:16 AM
The dovecote model looks great. :thumbsup:  The stone texture is really good.  With some dirt streaks or other irregularities and maybe a slight gradient, it will be awesome.

Also, I'm looking forward to the draggable SAM curves :bnn:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: mgb204 on April 11, 2016, 09:47:37 AM
As far as I know, the key to underground LODs is don't model them. If you only model the parts above 0m on the ground plane, then the model should show without producing visual artefacts. Bump maps don't work in gMax at all (buggy), but in 3DS max, I was advised they don't really help with smaller objects, which seems sound. A displacement map does however, so you should probably just stick with that. The base of the dovecote is fine I'd say, just needs some texture tweaking which I'm sure you've the skills to deal with. Perhaps you'd get better results re-making the roof a different way. That's one of the wonders of 3DS max, there are so many ways to go about everything, you just need to find what works best for you. I'm pretty confident once you've got a basic handle on 3DS max, you'll be flying along. Since for me, texturing is really the complex part of modelling that takes all my time. Of course, 3DS max is a complex beast, but you seem to off to a solid start.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Current Affairs
Post by: Girafe on April 13, 2016, 12:19:15 PM
Lovely projects, it s nice to see you starting BATing and it looks promising  &apls
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: vortext on April 17, 2016, 10:11:59 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: bombardiere on April 10, 2016, 03:56:13 AM
Wellcome to the dark side. :D Knowing what are your interest are, I will be having a close eye on your projects. :)

You have learned fast. An excellent start. Stonework looks good. Are you using a bump or displacement map? I haven't got those working with the SC4 render. Not that I have tried very hard.

Quoteis there a way to batch render objects/layers/scenes?

I am not an experient batter, so my answer is not definete, but If there is a way, I don't know it.

This may be refering to a situation when you have a big and detailed building, which takes hours to render. Today with modern computer, Bat renders haven't been that much an issue, but I understad that during the early years the CPU demands of the rendering were very taxing to the computers ten years ago.

Thanks for the welcome, it really is a black hole which sucks up all my time!  :D In my inexperienced and humble opinion you probably should look into bump mapping now that you're using 3DSMax as well. So far I found it's a pretty great way to get neat additional details, useful for brick walls and the like. As for batch rendering, still not found a concise answer, but I've started to look into MaxScript just to see if it'd be possible in the first place.


Quote from: Mandarin(a) on April 10, 2016, 04:36:17 AM
Yay, an update! Don't know where to start, because everything is just amazing! Lots, streets, models, SC4Viewer ...
Yeah, regarding that - my report: I can rotate it, move it, but when I try to zoom, it goes to the top-left edge of screen and stays there. If I press space bar, it appears again at the center of screen, but then I can't zoom in anymore. I am using Firefox on Windows 7. Hope that helps somehow ...
Otherwise, all good, everything you do looks so interesting %BUd%

Thanks once more! It had been a while indeed, glad it's well received!  :)


Quote from: 11241036 on April 10, 2016, 06:17:16 AM
Wow, all I can say about your new SAM textures, is that I'm overwhelmed. That really looks like something I'd like to see in the next NAM, especially since they are draggable.
And good luck with overhauling your lot set. I can truly imagine that this will be a tedious work that takes a lot of time.

Thanks! The lot set is going to take some time yeah, but it's been some time since I done serious lotting so I'm looking forward to it!


Quote from: romualdillo on April 10, 2016, 08:03:00 AMGreat work as always!!  &apls
I think you've mastered BAT in short time. It was certainly your next step, you had already a great eye for models.
The dovecote looks really good. The textures look fantastic, I never could put the bump and displacement maps to work in Gmax. They looked weird. Your textures need only a bit of photoshopping to add some dirty and green, and I think they'll be fine.
I hope you find the time to finish your projects soon. They'll be really an improvement to the game, and you know I'm waiting for them with avarice.  :P

Thanks! Though honestly 'mastered BAT' might be bit off an overstatement. .  :D Also, on advice of APSMS and mgb204 I started using 3DSMax as it's actually free to use on a educational license - which they don't seem too strict about handing out. Maybe worth considering for you as well? Anyway, there're quite a few things on my plate indeed, but that keeps things interesting!


Quote from: Simmer2 on April 10, 2016, 08:43:43 AM
Extraordinary as always, Erik.
I'm still in the infancy of batting but I can certainly help with any texturing if you wish.

Nick

Thanks Nick! Will keep the offer in mind!  :)


Quote from: compdude787 on April 10, 2016, 11:58:31 AM
Nice update! I'm happy to finally be seeing draggable WRCs on SAM streets!! I think that's what it'll take to make me start using the SAM now. :thumbsup: &apls &apls &apls &apls

Thank you! Long overdue, aren't they. I'd very pleased if more people will start using SAM because of it.  :thumbsup:


Quote from: FrankU on April 10, 2016, 01:08:08 PM
Beautiful work Erik!

Thanks Frank!


Quote from: Gugu3 on April 10, 2016, 01:16:16 PM
I like what i see :D

Thank you!


Quote from: metarvo on April 10, 2016, 07:26:58 PM
Nice work on those streets, Erik!  :thumbsup:  I see red brick streets in downtown or historic districts a lot, and they often run at unusual angles or curves, so this is quite the bonus.

&apls

Thanks! It'd be really nice to have this functionality for SAM indeed.  :)


Quote from: belfastsocrates on April 11, 2016, 04:01:55 AM
The pictures didn't disappoint at all! I absolutely love the peat digging progress. It's something you seen in rural Ireland and the smell of burning peat in a fire is just amazing, one of my favourite smells! :D

The dovecote looks beautiful as well!

Thanks, glad to hear that! It's quite a distinct smell indeed, not sure if I'd count it among my favorites though. .  :D


Quote from: JoeST on April 11, 2016, 07:58:24 AM
your city viewer is really cool :D I'd love to help out with it! I've run into some bugs with it being too big for my window and the click-to-pan thing activates even when clicking on scroll-bars which is weird when trying to move so you can click-to-pan from something other than the top-left corner XD Oh and zoooming in too far and then out seems to pan too

Thank you, I thought it was pretty cool as well!  :D Definitely gonna take you up on that offer, will get in touch some time this week.  :thumbsup:


Quote from: c.p. on April 11, 2016, 08:25:16 AM
The dovecote model looks great. :thumbsup:  The stone texture is really good.  With some dirt streaks or other irregularities and maybe a slight gradient, it will be awesome.

Also, I'm looking forward to the draggable SAM curves :bnn:

Thanks! That means a lot coming from such an experienced BATter!  ()stsfd() Also pleased the SAM curves are well received!


Quote from: mgb204 on April 11, 2016, 09:47:37 AM
As far as I know, the key to underground LODs is don't model them. If you only model the parts above 0m on the ground plane, then the model should show without producing visual artefacts. Bump maps don't work in gMax at all (buggy), but in 3DS max, I was advised they don't really help with smaller objects, which seems sound. A displacement map does however, so you should probably just stick with that. The base of the dovecote is fine I'd say, just needs some texture tweaking which I'm sure you've the skills to deal with. Perhaps you'd get better results re-making the roof a different way. That's one of the wonders of 3DS max, there are so many ways to go about everything, you just need to find what works best for you. I'm pretty confident once you've got a basic handle on 3DS max, you'll be flying along. Since for me, texturing is really the complex part of modelling that takes all my time. Of course, 3DS max is a complex beast, but you seem to off to a solid start.  :thumbsup:

Thanks Robin! I figured out the LODs (more on that below) and the underground bit wasn't the issue, can just make it a simple plane indeed. As for bump/normal maps, in my limited experience so far they actually produce better results than just a displacement map, at least when it comes to brick and roof textures. And yeah, there really are a lot of options and ways of doing things indeed.   %confuso :D


Quote from: Girafe on April 13, 2016, 12:19:15 PM
Lovely projects, it s nice to see you starting BATing and it looks promising  &apls

Thank you!




So, today more of my adventures with 3DS max, starting with the peat project. I'm happy to report the issue with the gap/overlap of the trenches has been solved. It turns out I was on the right track by extending the model, however, the LOD needs to remain a 16x16 meter polygon. It was a proper &idea moment as on a abstract level I already knew the geometry of the LOD is more-or-less independent from the geometry of the actual 3D model but this was the first time I experienced the practical implications. The transparency on the other hand is another story. .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FO9wmpc5.jpg&hash=a3ecf1b44364333a33b4bbf7b94a7f67e62f8071)

Here's how it comes out of 3DSMax, not very pretty. So okay, what about setting the transparency with SC4ModelTweaker?

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fo87iIAi.jpg&hash=463676335f5fd37d7fff20f46e42185a34037d9e)

Slightly better but still not what I want.  %wrd

During careful observation of Diggis' grass streams, to figure out the LODs, I'd also noticed the textures of his models had a green background, rather than the default grey. So I changed the background color to brown and gave that a go.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FJjy34oK.jpg&hash=2998d54264cea338b18e06acbe25169d349b4779)

Slightly more acceptable, yet still not what I'm after. .  &sly 

But you know what?! Fine! FINE!!  :angrymore: :D

I want to use the trenches on farm fields, which need LE textures anyway so I'll just use those to create the dirt sides of the trenches, and only model the underground bits. It'll mean slightly more work, between prop and LE texture, to arrive at a cohesive whole but on the bright side the props will be smaller since they won't cover an entire tile.

Anyway, staying with the farming theme I tried my hand at another item which is sorely lacking imho: a haystack. Now I know Wallibuk made some, however, as nice as his buildings are the haystacks are really quite underwhelming (if you're reading this Wallibuk, no offense, I'm a big fan of your models and use them extensively!).

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FasyCW85.jpg&hash=31b6f2bd2917ca96095a68443a5cb16a1bc5b863)

On the left the first try. It looked a bit too dark to me so I turned on the shader on the hair modifier. It totally sounds as if I know what I'm doing right?!  $%Grinno$%

Honestly the thought process went 'shader → something to do with light → lets see what it does!'.  :D

Anyway. On the right the second model, colors are quite nice so I went a bit crazy and made the big stack in the middle. But as has been established, SC4 just can't handle transparency on BATs too well – even though technically there isn't any. The strands of hair straw are just too tiny to properly render so I'll have to trim them, and maybe push them inwards a bit, closer to the surface of the model underneath. Though the rendering takes a bit of time, these stacks are easy and fun to make so expect more as they'll make for good MMP material.  ;)

As for the dovecote, I cleaned up the model, properly unwrapped the roof and now having some fun with composite maps to get texture variation. Also, holy sh*t 3DSmax can handle layers within PSD files as bitmaps, that makes organizing textures soo much easier!

In the meanwhile let me introduce my next BAT project.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Panorama-Wohnstallhaus.jpg)

It's a replica of a wohnstallhaus located in a museum in Germany. The Germans have a way with words, as the term roughly translates to dwelling-barn-house. Or in other words, it provided shelter for one or two families, along with their livestock. Inside it'd be sectioned off into an area for the people which contained a fire pit, an area for the animals and an area for storage. The very top of roof is open on both sides to provide ventilation – much needed ventilation I'd imagine.

Anyway, I figured it'd be a nice step up. Slightly more complicated to model but still quite easy, no windows, chimneys or anything. So, here's my take on it.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6GQoFds.jpg&hash=af866af762134f1fba9c6ba0152ca14685ec7517)

Not quite done with the textures yet, and there's an annoying issue with light somehow peeking through the top of the roof. But I still want to add the proper branches there anyway, so I can hopefully fix that as well.

And that's it for today! Thanks for reading!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: compdude787 on April 17, 2016, 11:44:22 AM
The stuff you're working on is pretty nice! Great work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: Themistokles on April 18, 2016, 08:54:20 AM
:o Well, you're doing this the detailed way... and to me everything looks really good. &apls

Quote from: vortext on April 17, 2016, 10:11:59 AM
[...] they'll make for good MMP material.  ;)

They sure will! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: JoeST on April 18, 2016, 12:23:24 PM
Quote from: vortext on April 17, 2016, 10:11:59 AM
Thank you, I thought it was pretty cool as well!  :D Definitely gonna take you up on that offer, will get in touch some time this week.  :thumbsup:
I'll be waiting :D feel free to email me direct rather than relying on the forum pm if that's easier for you?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: Girafe on April 20, 2016, 01:11:49 PM
Quite interesting things, nice to see you trying the different options from 3dsmax, it s a nice approach.
This software is amazing and with infinite possibilities
You are already showing nice skills  :thumbsup:
I would be careful in the process of defining the right shades of colors with the terrain mod you show, which is IMHO a little bit too dark and could wrongly influence you (especially for MMPs).
Regarding the rendering of the haystack, to avoid the halo, try to export with a background close to a black color (ideally dark grey color 5,5,5).   
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: kbieniu7 on April 28, 2016, 03:04:47 AM
Your idea of sc4viewer, that allows to "walk around" the city is a really interesting idea! I had the same feeling sometimes - how to show the city to the audience. Photos cuts off a big part of experiencing a city, showing only small parts of it, sometimes losing connection with each other. Allowing the viewer to move freely around the town is a huge difference, allowing to see both details and a big picture!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: evarburg on May 01, 2016, 07:52:52 AM
Just found this thread -- amazing stuff in here ! And that big haystack just looks great !  May I ask if the castle & fortification pieces are available for DL somewhere ? As I am no batlotter, I rely on the savviness of others to feed my insatiable appetites for new & nifty SC4 stuff, especially in European & rural settings...
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: Vizoria on May 02, 2016, 04:50:30 AM
The street/track textures look great as do those haystacks. Any chance of an update on your medieval settlement?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more BAT stuff
Post by: Kergelen on May 03, 2016, 01:09:49 PM
Nice to see you BATing. I rreally like the big haystack  &apls

And great work on the SAM curves. Interesting and nedeed project :)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: vortext on May 04, 2016, 06:23:42 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: compdude787 on April 17, 2016, 11:44:22 AM
The stuff you're working on is pretty nice! Great work!

Thank you!


Quote from: Themistokles on April 18, 2016, 08:54:20 AM
:o Well, you're doing this the detailed way... and to me everything looks really good. &apls

Quote from: vortext on April 17, 2016, 10:11:59 AM
[...] they'll make for good MMP material.  ;)

They sure will! :D

Wait, what . . there's another way of doing things?!  ???  $%Grinno$% Thanks!


Quote from: JoeST on April 18, 2016, 12:23:24 PM
Quote from: vortext on April 17, 2016, 10:11:59 AM
Thank you, I thought it was pretty cool as well!  :D Definitely gonna take you up on that offer, will get in touch some time this week.  :thumbsup:
I'll be waiting :D feel free to email me direct rather than relying on the forum pm if that's easier for you?

Thanks for your advice so far!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: Girafe on April 20, 2016, 01:11:49 PM
Quite interesting things, nice to see you trying the different options from 3dsmax, it s a nice approach.
This software is amazing and with infinite possibilities
You are already showing nice skills  :thumbsup:
I would be careful in the process of defining the right shades of colors with the terrain mod you show, which is IMHO a little bit too dark and could wrongly influence you (especially for MMPs).
Regarding the rendering of the haystack, to avoid the halo, try to export with a background close to a black color (ideally dark grey color 5,5,5).

Thanks for the kinds words and advice. It's quite fun to see what 3DSMax offers indeed, the hair modifier was a nice find. I'm also rather intrigued by the AEC Railing object, especially since I can no longer use my T21 mod with ALN fences as they're impossible to fit with the draggable wide curves. Also thanks for reminding me to check colors with various terrain mods (which was vanilla btw), I used to do this all the time when making LE textures but somehow the thought had not occurred to do the same with BATs.  :thumbsup:


Quote from: kbieniu7 on April 28, 2016, 03:04:47 AM
Your idea of sc4viewer, that allows to "walk around" the city is a really interesting idea! I had the same feeling sometimes - how to show the city to the audience. Photos cuts off a big part of experiencing a city, showing only small parts of it, sometimes losing connection with each other. Allowing the viewer to move freely around the town is a huge difference, allowing to see both details and a big picture!

Thanks, I also thought it was a nice idea! I'm currently re-doing it with a different Javascript library which hopefully will get rid off all the weird control issues.


Quote from: evarburg on May 01, 2016, 07:52:52 AM
Just found this thread -- amazing stuff in here ! And that big haystack just looks great !  May I ask if the castle & fortification pieces are available for DL somewhere ? As I am no batlotter, I rely on the savviness of others to feed my insatiable appetites for new & nifty SC4 stuff, especially in European & rural settings...

Thanks! The castle and walls are available on ToutSimCities, here (https://www.toutsimcities.com/downloads/view/1589) and here (https://www.toutsimcities.com/downloads/view/1369). And if I'm not mistaken you've already commented here before, but glad you found it (again) nonetheless!  :D


Quote from: Vizoria on May 02, 2016, 04:50:30 AM
The street/track textures look great as do those haystacks. Any chance of an update on your medieval settlement?

Thank you! Observant readers of this MD may notice a certain date rapidly approaching. That's all I can say for now.  $%#Ninj2  ;)


Quote from: Kergelen on May 03, 2016, 01:09:49 PM
Nice to see you BATing. I rreally like the big haystack  &apls

And great work on the SAM curves. Interesting and nedeed project :)

Thanks! Admittedly RULling can get a bit boring, if not outright tedious, so knowing it'll be put to good use later on is motivating!




As advertised bit more BAT stuff today. The dovecote is close to finished I reckon, but I'll leave it to your judgement whether you agree, so here it is.

click pic for fullsize
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FtJDbJnA.jpg&hash=57d9cf5afa7a9d7ff79ad95424c94e1d8a505203)

Minor yet annoying issue noticeable in the bottom right. For some reason there's texture tearing in this one specific orientation, though it changes upon zooming out:

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Frcwq86r.jpg&hash=258974437c6147ac74b7233e194fe7a3996a5c48)

Since it wasn't as issue before I think it's just a rendering error and I'll have to re-render it. Or maybe it's because I applied noise modifiers to wall and roof?  &Thk/(

At any rate, perusing Wikipedia one night and following links and references as one does, I came across various archeological/anthropological/historical musea which have plenty replicas of so-called byre-dwellings (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byre-dwelling) on display. And thanks to modern technology you can actually visit one of them in Google StreetView! (https://www.google.de/maps/@51.2388442,10.9160269,3a,75y,286.85h,91.91t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s8XTB2LCH4T_l_5H2Q-UWVQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en) I also remembered there's actually a replica of a prehistoric village in Eindhoven (https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=historisch+dorp+Eindhoven&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj35NiY7sDMAhUEfhoKHanAAfUQ_AUIBygB&biw=1920&bih=955), which is about an hour from me so needless to say I'm planning a field trip sooner rather than later.

So. ..  can you guess what happened next . .  ::) ;D

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F9w1xHZe.jpg&hash=d3b8b614a7080dfb200077d84a5a56ad50fc5dff)

Right. . .erhm. . yes. ..  matching real world scale to SC4 dimensions is tricky indeed. . .

click pic for fullsize
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F4q8G31a.jpg&hash=15c001610a616a5963de8285b288209e244d28dd)

Bit better, could do with a bit of tweaking still. Started working on a material library with various plaster, wood and tatched roof textures.

Finally today an unusually angled sneak peek, for no other reason it took forever to figure out how to make arches but as it turns out they're not even visible in SC4's stupid lovely isometric view. &sly  :D

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FLosUfwY.jpg&hash=6d6de39b2dcec62f982c0feb6856ed438818e827)
It's modeled after a real building btw, can anyone guess which? Hint: it's a church (http://i.imgur.com/UEURn1j.jpg).


Thanks for reading! :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: Simmer2 on May 04, 2016, 09:15:35 AM
Wow! Erik I'm impressed!!
Your batting skills are progressing by leaps and bounds  &apls
I just started and for the time being I'm stuck with Gmax, Hexagon and the free version of Sketchup for model making. I can't justify spending $1400 per year for 3Dmax  :(
Perhaps one day.

Keep it up  :thumbsup:

Nick
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: vortext on May 04, 2016, 09:51:59 AM
Quote from: Simmer2 on May 04, 2016, 09:15:35 AM
I can't justify spending $1400 per year for 3Dmax  :(

Nor can I!  $%Grinno$% However I'm administered at university for a couple of months to finish study, so I made use of the educational licensing - just on time I might add, nearly done.  ()stsfd() ;D

Also, have you heard of Blender (https://www.blender.org/features/)? It's free as well and from what I've seen pretty powerful - though not sure if it can export to gmax/BAT format.  &Thk/(
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: Themistokles on May 04, 2016, 12:09:36 PM
Another great set of models! &apls To me it looks like we'll soon be able to mmp the whole village of Asterix! :D

And although the houses are maybe a little small in scale, I don't think it is too far away actually, considering that medieval houses and doorways were much smaller than modern ones, probably even in comparison to the smaller average height of the people.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: Vizoria on May 04, 2016, 03:24:12 PM
The models look good. Also I'm glad to see an update will eventually arrive.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: manga rivotra on May 04, 2016, 09:47:15 PM
It's seem clear that you are already a excellent bater ! that will improve again your wonderful MD for sure  &apls &apls &apls
I'm also very impatient to see your progress on the smooth curv for the SAM network  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: korver on May 05, 2016, 04:20:56 PM
I love to see people making unique building sets like this - can't wait until you release it! Looks awesome so far :thumbsup:

I've also been looking around for a nice looking haystack to complete some of my farming scenes but never found one - so definitely looking forward to seeing yours in the future.

P.S. Wallibuk made haystacks..? This is new to me.. :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: Mandarin(a) on May 08, 2016, 09:34:10 AM
I can just smell the prehistoric times from your pictures ...
??? ... that was weird ...

One way or another, amazing models, again.
About the church: if I am not mistaken, it is made entirely from wood, right?
Title: Re: ?RDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: art128 on June 07, 2016, 12:10:04 PM
Nice seeing you picking up the BAT so fast. The church certainly look nice, but yeah it's a shame some details won't be seen in the game.
What you can do is try to make the pillars actually visible by moving them a bit closer to the edge of the roof, though that way it won't be like a possible real model you are basing yourself on.
Title: Re: ?RDEN ~ Yet more Replies & BAT stuff
Post by: Gugu3 on June 08, 2016, 01:22:50 AM
Always good to see new things coming along! &apls
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .
Post by: vortext on June 15, 2016, 10:28:53 AM
So . . this is gonna be kinda awkward update because while it's a teaser, I didn't intend it to be a teaser. Erm yes. . let me explain.

It began with me planning for the 3 year anniversary of my MD, last June 1st. Seeing Korver's Greece update (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=17466.msg509693#msg509693) around that time I got inspired to take the 'day in the life of' approach as well, in which we'd see the return of the Potyomkins' Brothers. However, a number of things occurred between then and now which prevented the update from seeing the light of day.

Obviously SC4D's server outage threw a wrench in the spokes in the first place. Secondly, as I said on Simtropolis I hit another snafu which forced me into a partial rebuild of the city. I wrote a long exposition, including population graphs and what not, but it's kinda boring really so long story short: I had a few immortal lots in the growable residential set which gave rise to 'ghost' population during pruning. :facepalm: Ahem. Yes, quite foolish indeed.   ::) ;D

Luckily I could revert to a back-up from December, without any city development but with farmland and major terraforming already in place. So now I was faced with a dilemma. On the one hand I needed to rebuild the city, on the other hand I had it in near perfect shape, all MMP-ed and whatnot, and I could still use it for the story update.

So I decided to do the update anyway and continued working on the first few images. However, while doing so I came to realize why I'd retired the story line in the first place: I simply no longer enjoy the format and all the (re)lotting, MMP-ing and post processing it entails. I'd much rather make a massive mosaic of the entire city for the proper update - spoiler alert!  :D

So yeah, I'm not gonna finish what I'd planned but I hope you enjoy this half-backed-story-turned-into-teaser nonetheless.  :)




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FsPEq1zM.jpg&hash=737b13ae4be5e57ff9b59ffb6585ed6ee29b2410)

Night scene, a throw back to this pic (http://i.imgur.com/aKJ4qAL.jpg) from the last Potyomkins update (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg487398#msg487398) and meant to illustrate the changing city.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FteIiP0j.jpg&hash=48e7e6acf3d0caa8475691a2a49e8e85ca1b4c68)

Morning looms and the brothers would live in one of these houses I guess. :D

And that's about as far as I got before going 'meh, lets not do this anymore'. Stay tuned for more though.  ;)




Quote from: Simmer2 on May 04, 2016, 09:15:35 AM
Wow! Erik I'm impressed!!
Your batting skills are progressing by leaps and bounds  &apls
I just started and for the time being I'm stuck with Gmax, Hexagon and the free version of Sketchup for model making. I can't justify spending $1400 per year for 3Dmax  :(
Perhaps one day.

Keep it up  :thumbsup:

Nick

Thank you Nick! I really quite enjoy BATting!  :)


Quote from: Themistokles on May 04, 2016, 12:09:36 PM
Another great set of models! &apls To me it looks like we'll soon be able to mmp the whole village of Asterix! :D

And although the houses are maybe a little small in scale, I don't think it is too far away actually, considering that medieval houses and doorways were much smaller than modern ones, probably even in comparison to the smaller average height of the people.

:D I was actually thinking of one day making an archeological museum lot, so they don't look out of place in modern times. And yeah the average height back then was smaller indeed, however, another issue here is these kinda houses were semi-underground, like so (https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cache-ec0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2Fce%2F78%2F0b%2Fce780b2b138766db70bd456e7ff18952.jpg&f=1). I tried to replicate that with custom foundations but things got way too complicated way too fast. Thanks!


Quote from: Vizoria on May 04, 2016, 03:24:12 PM
The models look good. Also I'm glad to see an update will eventually arrive.

Thank you!


Quote from: manga rivotra on May 04, 2016, 09:47:15 PM
It's seem clear that you are already a excellent bater ! that will improve again your wonderful MD for sure  &apls &apls &apls
I'm also very impatient to see your progress on the smooth curv for the SAM network  :)

Thanks! Yeah BATting opened up a whole new world for sure - knights anyone?!  ::)  RULing the SAM WRC is going slow but steady!  :)


Quote from: korver on May 05, 2016, 04:20:56 PM
I love to see people making unique building sets like this - can't wait until you release it! Looks awesome so far :thumbsup:

I've also been looking around for a nice looking haystack to complete some of my farming scenes but never found one - so definitely looking forward to seeing yours in the future.

P.S. Wallibuk made haystacks..? This is new to me.. :P

Thank you. Now that you mention it, I'm actually not sure it was Wallibuk. .  &Thk/( The haystack I'm referring to are in a file called 'BalkansPropPack1', however I cannot find it anywhere online. . maybe someone can help out here. Though honestly the haystacks are not worth it, there are some nice run down fences in there as well.


Quote from: Mandarin(a) on May 08, 2016, 09:34:10 AM
I can just smell the prehistoric times from your pictures ...
??? ... that was weird ...

One way or another, amazing models, again.
About the church: if I am not mistaken, it is made entirely from wood, right?

Thanks, I'll take it as a compliment!  :D And yes, you're spot on about the church material!  ;)


Quote from: art128 on June 07, 2016, 12:10:04 PM
Nice seeing you picking up the BAT so fast. The church certainly look nice, but yeah it's a shame some details won't be seen in the game.
What you can do is try to make the pillars actually visible by moving them a bit closer to the edge of the roof, though that way it won't be like a possible real model you are basing yourself on.

Thanks Arthur! Yeah I was thinking about moving the pillars indeed, especially since the front of the church has seen a number of changes throughout history. Figuring out windows and night lighting is the next step though.


Quote from: Gugu3 on June 08, 2016, 01:22:50 AM
Always good to see new things coming along! &apls

Thank you!



Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .
Post by: compdude787 on June 15, 2016, 03:09:06 PM
Nice little update; I like the night shots! Hopefully that fire doesn't get so big that it starts burning surrounding buildings. :P
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .
Post by: romualdillo on June 15, 2016, 04:03:58 PM
Nice update!! I didn't comment in the previous one, but your progress with BAT is awesome!! I'd really like to see that wooden church textured.
Looking forward to your great mosaic!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .
Post by: FrankU on June 16, 2016, 12:14:12 AM
Hi Vortext,

Who cares if you change plans halfways? I do it all the time... I enjoy whatever you show us here, so please continue.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .
Post by: APSMS on June 16, 2016, 01:23:45 AM
 :-[ I always forget to comment on your updates.

I hate post-processing as well for anything besides mosaics, but maybe it's just a reminder that I need to get more familiar with GIMP...Glad you were able to share what you had, and hopefully the degeneration of the story aspect of your MD doesn't detract from you building the region as a whole anyways.

Also, good luck with the BAT. I'm testing the waters with it to figure out automata modeling (I imagine Milkshape 3D is better suited--it's what Arne uses--but I can get 3DS Max for free), but it's slow going, and I'm not particularly talented in that area (or with texturing--that's gonna be a booger).

Look forward to what you come up with next time.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk - Teaser . . sort of. .
Post by: Gugu3 on June 17, 2016, 11:20:46 AM
Very nice!
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: compdude787 on June 15, 2016, 03:09:06 PM
Nice little update; I like the night shots! Hopefully that fire doesn't get so big that it starts burning surrounding buildings. :P

Thank you! If you were referring to the never-ending fire of the waste incinerator, a good point: I moved it to a saver location!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: romualdillo on June 15, 2016, 04:03:58 PM
Nice update!! I didn't comment in the previous one, but your progress with BAT is awesome!! I'd really like to see that wooden church textured.
Looking forward to your great mosaic!  :thumbsup:

Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(


Quote from: FrankU on June 16, 2016, 12:14:12 AM
Hi Vortext,

Who cares if you change plans halfways? I do it all the time... I enjoy whatever you show us here, so please continue.

Thanks for the kind words Frank, greatly appreciated!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: APSMS on June 16, 2016, 01:23:45 AM
:-[ I always forget to comment on your updates.

I hate post-processing as well for anything besides mosaics, but maybe it's just a reminder that I need to get more familiar with GIMP...Glad you were able to share what you had, and hopefully the degeneration of the story aspect of your MD doesn't detract from you building the region as a whole anyways.

Also, good luck with the BAT. I'm testing the waters with it to figure out automata modeling (I imagine Milkshape 3D is better suited--it's what Arne uses--but I can get 3DS Max for free), but it's slow going, and I'm not particularly talented in that area (or with texturing--that's gonna be a booger).

Look forward to what you come up with next time.

Thanks. Actually the storyline got a bit in the way of the larger scheme of things, which is another reason to get rid of it. That said I'm still not sure how to go about presenting the regional developments as there're quite a few villages which I haven't shown yet.

Also, if you decide to get 3DSMax I'd recommend checking out Arrimus3D on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxt9ZAGPLIpeB8TcHrpzxvEI4Ve3SfZBC) - this goes for every one interested in modelling I guess. While he does a lot of scifi stuff his videos has helped me immensely to establish a workflow, notably customizing the UI and hotkeys, working with symmetry, getting good topology and all sorts of neat little tips and tricks. And imho he's very thorough in explaining, yet relaxing to watch and listen to. Sometimes I just put one of his vids on while making dinner.  :D


Quote from: Gugu3 on June 17, 2016, 11:20:46 AM
Very nice!

Thank you!




Waiting for the last farm fields to grow. . .  &sly   :D

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/8t9mw074genx0uu/Traelonisk-Teaser.jpg?dl=0)

See you soon!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: art128 on June 25, 2016, 02:00:00 PM
Very nice. It reminds me of the setting of several Assassin's Creed franchise, nice work. :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: Akallan on June 25, 2016, 03:40:10 PM
It is very beautiful! I would just give you a tip: You seem to control the modding, I see you've changed the textures road, but you should remove textures that go around these roads so that it sounds less square. To the fields this seems a little square. This is only a small point, to comparison of this magnificent work! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: vester on June 25, 2016, 03:45:53 PM
Some great updates.  :thumbsup:

My guess is that this, linkie (http://i.imgur.com/tJDbJnA.jpg), is done with a bump map or it might even be a normal map ?


One thing that was very different from today at that time was, the animal was not fenced in, but rather fenced out,
out of the fields.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: Vizoria on June 26, 2016, 12:47:02 AM
That is so cool! Simcity Medieval FTW!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: Kergelen on June 26, 2016, 04:24:02 AM
Great progress &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: compdude787 on June 26, 2016, 04:22:08 PM
Looks pretty awesome so far!! All that work that it takes to make a medieval town sure takes a heck of a lot of dedication. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: Simmer2 on June 26, 2016, 06:14:40 PM
Loving the progress  &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: korver on June 26, 2016, 07:47:40 PM
Looking fantastic as always, keep it up  :)

The more I think about it, I think I actually may know what this mysterious "BalkanPropPack" thing is. I remember there being some download on ST a couple years ago with a big haystack in it that I think I downloaded - and as you mentioned, it wasn't very good quality, it was very low poly and overly saturated/bright yellow. I actually tried looking around for it a couple months ago just to see if there was anything else in there that I could salvage but came up empty. I'm thinking he probably removed it from the STEX or either one of the server upgrades wiped it out..
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: FrankU on June 27, 2016, 12:20:26 AM
Very nice again Erik!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: romualdillo on June 28, 2016, 12:03:15 PM
The city is shaping up fantastically! Good job!  &apls

Quote from: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM
Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(

I'm sorry I can't help you with that. I always work my textures in PS.  :-[
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: Themistokles on June 30, 2016, 01:24:06 PM
The city is turning out very well! &apls You've also got a nice solution to the port inside or port outside city walls problem. It indeed looks very natural! :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: Gugu3 on July 01, 2016, 01:37:28 AM
Wow!!!! &apls &apls &apls :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: vester on July 01, 2016, 02:34:02 AM
Quote from: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM
Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(

You could do both. First set up the textures a composite texture, then add a Unwrap set to another map channel.
The you can use the render to texture (https://youtu.be/frPuPNA0daY) function [ 0 ].

Then add the last details in Photoshop to the new rendered texture.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & Proper Teaser
Post by: bombardiere on July 03, 2016, 04:40:28 AM
I like how your medieval walled city is building up.  :thumbsup: And I think I can spot a familiar village well. :) That was my first model and oh boy I have learned a lot since then.

Quote from: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM




Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(



My modelling is so clumsy, that I don't use UV maps. I do most modelling with boxes, rectangulars and lines, so if I would broke those into an UVmap, it would be very messy. So I paste a texture to an object in 3DS. However, I do rarely use the texture image as such and rework it with a paint program. I use the gimp as it is free. I edit, possibly resize, and add effects, grime, noise etc. in to the texture image. For this kind of base work I prefer the paint program.  I have learned to do some final editing with the 3DS using a color correction option. With that I can give final touch of desaturation or make the texture lighter or darker, if there is a need for that. Because the color correction option does not destruct the original texture map, it can be used in experimentation to see what looks the best.

The most difficult for me is to develop an eye for the texture. Because the SC4 BATs are viewed from "distance", it means that some methods used to create 3D game models, do not work well with the SC4 BATs.

Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: vortext on July 03, 2016, 09:41:32 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: art128 on June 25, 2016, 02:00:00 PM
Very nice. It reminds me of the setting of several Assassin's Creed franchise, nice work. :)

Thanks! I actually watch AC playthroughs from time-to-time for inspiration.   :)


Quote from: Akallan on June 25, 2016, 03:40:10 PM
It is very beautiful! I would just give you a tip: You seem to control the modding, I see you've changed the textures road, but you should remove textures that go around these roads so that it sounds less square. To the fields this seems a little square. This is only a small point, to comparison of this magnificent work! :thumbsup:

Thank you! Yeah I guess one of the downsides of doing all the modding is I sometimes forget to take the proper files ingame, in this case I had the wrong sidewalks in the plugins folder.  :D


Quote from: vester on June 25, 2016, 03:45:53 PM
Some great updates.  :thumbsup:

My guess is that this, linkie (http://i.imgur.com/tJDbJnA.jpg), is done with a bump map or it might even be a normal map ?


One thing that was very different from today at that time was, the animal was not fenced in, but rather fenced out,
out of the fields.

Thanks Arne! The stone wall was done with both normal & bump map, in addition to a very light displacement map. See below for an example setup. Also, that's the livestock part of the market you're seeing.  ;)


Quote from: Vizoria on June 26, 2016, 12:47:02 AM
That is so cool! Simcity Medieval FTW!

Thanks!


Quote from: Kergelen on June 26, 2016, 04:24:02 AM
Great progress &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: compdude787 on June 26, 2016, 04:22:08 PM
Looks pretty awesome so far!! All that work that it takes to make a medieval town sure takes a heck of a lot of dedication. :thumbsup:

Thanks! Yeah, it has only taken me, what, 5 years?!  ::) But I'm really pleased finally being able to build in such a historic fashion.  ()stsfd()


Quote from: Simmer2 on June 26, 2016, 06:14:40 PM
Loving the progress  &apls &apls

Thank you Nick!


Quote from: korver on June 26, 2016, 07:47:40 PM
Looking fantastic as always, keep it up  :)

The more I think about it, I think I actually may know what this mysterious "BalkanPropPack" thing is. I remember there being some download on ST a couple years ago with a big haystack in it that I think I downloaded - and as you mentioned, it wasn't very good quality, it was very low poly and overly saturated/bright yellow. I actually tried looking around for it a couple months ago just to see if there was anything else in there that I could salvage but came up empty. I'm thinking he probably removed it from the STEX or either one of the server upgrades wiped it out..

Thanks, will do!  :) Yeah I think we're talking about the same haystack, not sure what happened to it either.


Quote from: FrankU on June 27, 2016, 12:20:26 AM
Very nice again Erik!

Thank you Frank!


Quote from: romualdillo on June 28, 2016, 12:03:15 PM
The city is shaping up fantastically! Good job!  &apls

Quote from: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM
Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(

I'm sorry I can't help you with that. I always work my textures in PS.  :-[

Thanks Daniel!


Quote from: Themistokles on June 30, 2016, 01:24:06 PM
The city is turning out very well! &apls You've also got a nice solution to the port inside or port outside city walls problem. It indeed looks very natural! :)

Thank you! The port area took some LE puzzle solving for sure so I'm pleased to hear that!  :)


Quote from: Gugu3 on July 01, 2016, 01:37:28 AM
Wow!!!! &apls &apls &apls :thumbsup:

Thanks!


Quote from: vester on July 01, 2016, 02:34:02 AM
Quote from: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM
Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(

You could do both. First set up the textures a composite texture, then add a Unwrap set to another map channel.
The you can use the render to texture (https://youtu.be/frPuPNA0daY) function [ 0 ].

Then add the last details in Photoshop to the new rendered texture.

Thanks for the link, already given me new ideas, more on that below.  :thumbsup:


Quote from: bombardiere on July 03, 2016, 04:40:28 AM
I like how your medieval walled city is building up.  :thumbsup: And I think I can spot a familiar village well. :) That was my first model and oh boy I have learned a lot since then.
Quote from: vortext on June 25, 2016, 07:32:50 AM
Thanks! Struggling a bit with the church atm, lots of new things to tackle and not sure how to do the texturing: either composite them in 3DS or bake the UV maps and work in PS.  &Thk/(

My modelling is so clumsy, that I don't use UV maps. I do most modelling with boxes, rectangulars and lines, so if I would broke those into an UVmap, it would be very messy. So I paste a texture to an object in 3DS. However, I do rarely use the texture image as such and rework it with a paint program. I use the gimp as it is free. I edit, possibly resize, and add effects, grime, noise etc. in to the texture image. For this kind of base work I prefer the paint program.  I have learned to do some final editing with the 3DS using a color correction option. With that I can give final touch of desaturation or make the texture lighter or darker, if there is a need for that. Because the color correction option does not destruct the original texture map, it can be used in experimentation to see what looks the best.

The most difficult for me is to develop an eye for the texture. Because the SC4 BATs are viewed from "distance", it means that some methods used to create 3D game models, do not work well with the SC4 BATs.

Thank you! Yeah your village pump is scattered throughout the city indeed as I turned it into a low capacity water supply, and at 1x1 size it comes in handy as a filler lot.  :)




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FuFsLCeQ.jpg&hash=ae60f311f90a990a1706f3c3389b9c01a7405082)

So given the comments I decided to make a fancy new banner for BAT talk. And there's also the fact BATting has turned into quite the timesink lately, as if I needed another one. .  ::)

In that regard picking it up may have been a BAT idea. .  if only because it lends itself to all sorts of horrible puns.  ;D

At any rate. To start with an update on the Byre Dwellings, I think I've gotten the hang of unwrapping the roofs quite nicely, which is pretty important since it's basically all you see of these huts.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTrWQz9r.jpg&hash=b51e2d4607cd0d027efdbdbfacfee6b4307a1632)
Click pic for full size. Also various models are still work in progress.

I start with simple x & y planar projection for all 4 sides and aligned with the roof angle to minimize distortion. Then I break the corners into individual strips and rotate them in the UV editor to align with the texture direction. Rinse and repeat for the intermediate strips. In that regard I'm particularly pleased with the large pyramidal dwelling, not only was it the fastest unwrapping to date but the compositing also came out quite nice imho. Still unsure about the very top though, the RL model has an awkward, semi-ornamental thingy on top.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffile1.npage.de%2F003123%2F63%2Fbilder%2Fhaus13.jpg&hash=c35b2b2333981d82d779f75668668eae811d0a5f)

I've tried to replicate it a couple of times but it hasn't come out right yet, mostly because it tends to cast weird shadows. Anyway, for those interested here's the UV mapping and texture setup.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FLd76Xv3.jpg&hash=f2f557ab0f3ac47d8baf917b1411537a76a819b5)

UV unwrap on channel 1 is a bit chaotic but hopefully you get the idea: each strip is aligned with the direction of the texture.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FLooou20.jpg&hash=d73006c781db7d453f52fc33d2acdc528a55ca1b)

UV unwrap on channel 2 is a simple z planar projection.


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FKPjXxli.jpg&hash=9cde1ae3b9586c1e72a7889bf570211964c68878)

And the texture setup: maps #1, #3 & #4 are set to UV channel 1. The other maps, and the alpha masks, are set to UV channel 2.

The compositing works really well to combine various 'generic' textures, i.e. used on mutliple, small models and help bring some flavor to each. I plan to make a couple of roof variations for each model once the first batch is complete, as there are still around 5 larger models in the pipeline.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FoCEMep7.jpg&hash=d6ae62d6297cbe7231bcf3f3234801eaf1099e07) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F1Aw1SRf.jpg&hash=d1333684e862d7de3057b89fceffbec4020c577f)

Working on these two now, the others are just bare roof shapes only.  :)


So on to the church. I always wanted a wooden church and initially set my eye on the Heddal Stave church (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heddal_stave_church). On second thought it looked way too intimidating to start with so I settled on the smaller Urnes Stave church (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urnes_Stave_Church). However, I may still have bitten of more than I can chew at the moment.  ::)  :D

The largest obstacle are the unique wooden roof and side panel tiles, which can be seen in detail here (https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldoftales.com%2Fmedia%2Finteresting%2FUrnes_Stave_Church.jpg&f=1). They have a very distinct shape which turns out to be pretty hard to replicate as a texture. I found one wooden roof tile on textures.com (http://www.textures.com/download/rooftileswood0019/20028), however, they're not quite the same. Thanks to Arne's link though I got another idea: what if I model the roof tiles separately and then bake out various textures? Well . .

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fi1AmKv5.png&hash=8527823d5c6a61cd4f394abf4559167ce991e6b1)

Not quite either. . though I guess it could work, but the modelling needs to be more detailed. Aside the roof tiles, the church also features unique wood carvings on one side.

(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthekhazadguard.files.wordpress.com%2F2012%2F12%2Fstave_church_urnes_craving.jpg%3Fw%3D483%26h%3D397&f=1)

I found some pretty high resolution pictures of each carving, and planned to derive bump maps to replicate them. However, this too isn't as easy as I initially thought.

Now besides the issues mentioned, in addition to things like windows and night lighting, there's one final and major issue to complicate things further and you may have already noticed it: the overall color of the church. In some pictures it looks like, well, wood. In other pictures however it's almost completely black, I guess from a new protective coat of staining.

(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fimgc.allpostersimages.com%2Fimages%2FP-473-488-90%2F81%2F8107%2FP3GE300Z%2Fposters%2Furnes-stave-church.jpg&f=1)(https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fil6.picdn.net%2Fshutterstock%2Fvideos%2F8583991%2Fthumb%2F1.jpg&f=1)

Honestly to me the black version looks so f-ing bad ass, it just perfectly reflects this weird mix of pagan Nordic mythology and Christianity which it is a product of. However, it's probably not quite representative of how it'd looked most of the time, i.e. with significant wear-and-tear. So all things considered I'm not sure which version to make (ideally both, obviously), nor how to tackle the roof tiles to begin with. Ideas, suggestions and comments otherwise are appreciated!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: Simmer2 on July 04, 2016, 09:59:18 AM
Hi Erik
I see things are progressing at an increased pace and by the looks of it, seems like you are getting very good at BATs.

Regarding the leaf roof tiles conundrum, I could dabble with that if you like. When using a seamless tile I'm sure you know that you can adjust the tiling effect in order to control repetition and spacing in either vertical or horizontal format.
Looking at the church roof it looks like the roof sections are pretty flat albeit in an angled position.

If those sections are separate, you could the use the same seamless tile for each roof section and by adjusting the tiling effect you can achieve the look you wish.

I will manipulate that sample pic by creating several layers and mixing in some of my own effects to create a 3D look on a flat image.

Will report soon

Nick
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: Simmer2 on July 04, 2016, 03:40:53 PM
Here are a few examples. Some darker, some at 4 tile UV and some at 5....you can make it any size with Gmax.
All by using one single tile!
I made a simple roof section and angled it a bit just to show it in game. Keep in mind that some of the finer details will get lost due to the distance, such as the shadows of the leaves and of course the bump effect..
You can go darker and add some glossiness and reflection to simulate the tarring done on the leaves in order to seal against moisture.
There is a balance that must be kept in order to achieve (near) perfection.

Nick


1
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FM00BgR7.png&hash=f66f0cc44e1dd5b876988ccbbeb741abdd9c72a1)
2
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fb6Vfx0s.png&hash=6fd1479273f831b0d84797007884289adbb20399)
3
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FXN4PtFT.png&hash=be9516ba06fe69542b0702ab5f16daa5137e2f13)
4
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fb7oe7QR.png&hash=0d1af1a64f7144f306b25b16c9488ecb4dc10d41)


Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: vortext on July 05, 2016, 02:56:20 AM
hi Nick, that's definitely looks promising!  :thumbsup:

However, I should elaborate a bit. The issue isn't necessarily with the flat diffuse map, rather with having decent normal & bump maps to adequately reflect the tiles - literally in this case as that's what normal & bump do. What's more, the tiles also wrap around the columns in the mid section, meaning that due to SC4 light right the light will sheer the edges of those columns and a flat map will look, well, flat. 

That said, I got a pretty decent looking normal map (https://dl.dropbox.com/s/vbgjzi02en6bvbj/XN4PtFT.png?dl=0) out of your texture. If you could rework the tiles without emulating a specific angle, but instead recreate the 3d profile of the tiles from a front perspective, I'd imagine it could work pretty well indeed.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: art128 on July 05, 2016, 03:16:30 AM
You only started BATing a few months ago but you already are better then me in all the ways! Well it's not like I seek out different ways of doing stuff etc, am only interested in creating bats, not the how to that go along.

Anyway, great work these bats look good. :)


Well what do you know, 500 replies! :clap:
You're now a Classic... Congrats!  &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: vortext on July 05, 2016, 03:25:58 AM
Quote from: art128 on July 05, 2016, 03:16:30 AM
Well what do you know, 500 replies! :clap:
You're now a Classic... Congrats!  &apls

  :o %BUd%

Sweet! Thanks Arthur for the swift move!  :thumbsup:

And thanks each and everyone of you who has commented here in the past 3 years!!    &apls &apls &apls

You're all truly deserving the pink elephant!!  &dance  :party:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: Simmer2 on July 05, 2016, 10:28:36 AM
Congrats  &apls &apls

Btw you got mail  ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: Vizoria on July 05, 2016, 04:21:59 PM
Became a classic after posting medieval entries. Makes sense.

&apls &apls &apls

Fantastic pictures and here is to seeing this medieval city/area completed.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: Akallan on July 07, 2016, 03:51:39 AM
Congratulations! This is a CJ who deserves to be seen by all! &apls ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: kbieniu7 on July 17, 2016, 04:32:58 AM
Congratulations for being moved to Classics! Good luck with your gaming and batting projects! Now it's definetely time for your medieval city to grow into a powerful kingdom  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & BAT talk
Post by: noahclem on July 17, 2016, 12:22:26 PM
Huge congrats on such a well-earned promotion to the Classics  :bnn: &dance :squirrel:

I had a chance to catch up on the most recent goings on here a few days ago and very much enjoyed it. Your unique style of playing, modding, and presenting, along with your immense skill, set Ærden apart and I'd consider it among SC4D's biggest assets. Great work and cheers to the next 500 posts!
Title: ÆRDEN ~ 4th year
Post by: vortext on September 21, 2016, 09:07:00 AM
(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/fmf05o1vqup1ebr/4th%20year%20opener.png?dl=0)
click pic for fullsize

Hello there. . It's been quite a while, hasn't it?! Figured I might post something so to not fall into the classic (hehe, get it) trap of postponing until I've got something polished to a shine because as you can see, there're quite a few places I haven't shown yet. We're looking at Haefwold by the way, one of three 'Roman' villages in the region.

At any rate, hope everyone had a good summer. I did, finally graduated, had a nice vacation and now looking for a job once more. In the meanwhile I have plenty of time for SC4, though I'd be lying if I pretended my interest in Ærden hadn't waned. However, there're still a few projects that I'd really like to get finished and I'm gonna spell them out so that you guys can call me out on it. :D So here goes, in no particular order:


So yeah, there you have it: my to do list for this autumn.  $%Grinno$%

Anyway, as you may or may not know, this site will celebrate its 10 year anniversary come November. Initially I'd plans to make a couple of video tutorials regarding lotting in SC4PIM, however, that's a bit short notice. So as an alternative I was thinking of perhaps doing a couple of live streams during the month. For example I'd start by making a simple park lot, and you could follow along at home. Please let me know if there's interest in such a thing. No point in going through all the hassle of setting things up if no one is gonna watch. And that's it for now. Will be back with replies & other stuff soon.   :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ 4th year
Post by: Tyberius06 on September 21, 2016, 10:23:07 AM
Oh, very nice little village. And those future plans :)
I can't wait for the cobble stone streets/road :) They are very nice and I could deffinitly use them. :)
Any tutorial would be nice and very welcome. Especially as the most of the tutorials are quite broken on the site because of the dead pictures. :(

Anyway nice to see you are active and have such a nice plans... :)  :popcorn: &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ 4th year
Post by: Themistokles on September 21, 2016, 10:28:08 AM
First of all, a belated congratulation to the very well deserved move! :) And that image is simply wonderful. It looks so well constructed and lay-outed and real and stuff. &apls

And, by the way, all those projects sound breath-taking. They'd make it so much easier to build realistic cities.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: vortext on September 28, 2016, 05:05:30 AM
So regarding the picture competition, Tyberius made a good point (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=804.msg512259#msg512259). It's daunting to put a snapshot of your latest work up against a highly polished, multi-tile-spanning mosaic. To me it seems quite obvious that to invigorate the competition the threshold for entry needs to be lowered one way or another. So I was thinking, as an experiment, what if we tighten the rules a bit: no photoshop, nor mosaics allowed.

Now, this may seem counter-intuitive but imho it will level the playing field somewhat. As in, pictures will be judged on individual SC4 building skills, and composition of said picture. Both these skills can be trained with time, and do not depend on whether you have access to, say, photoshop. And yes, I realize there's gimp, and you can train polishing skill as well but that's besides the point I'm trying to make – which I hope comes across because I also realize I'm rambling a bit. :D

Anyway, another idea. Since we're having the like system in place, what if we used that for voting? Say, the first picture to reach 10 likes wins? yes, no, maybe? Discuss.  "$Deal"$




Okay so while I'm here a few words on the T21 mod. Last week I said there was a decision to be made regarding the use of seasonal flora versus timed props. And thinking things over once more, it seemed obvious to me: seasonal flora is the way to go. So what, you ask?

Well, it means the trees will go out of season from time-to-time. For example when a lot upgrades to a higher/lower wealth during winter, the street trees adjacent to the lot will change accordingly. And since they're flora they'll always start their yearly cycle with the autumn model, even if it is for example January. To remedy this, however, it is sufficient to click on the offending street tile during autumn so the trees will be redrawn and start their yearly cycle synced to the ingame calendar.

Now, I fully realize this may become a bit annoying to the casual player, however, behind the scenes seasonal flora offers benefits over timed props. Without going into too much technical detail, a single flora exemplar does the same as 3 prop examples so that alone saves quite some work. Consequently working with flora families (yes they exist), in combination with cohort files and hybrid T21-lot files makes things much easier and flexible for development.

So with that out of the way, this is the selection of trees I'm currently working with.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F0MB6T6x.jpg&hash=c3af46675693be218d70f389266cc1f16228a2ca)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F1mGcuZY.jpg&hash=038979db07e93459662601cb1aee050d3618a3bb)

The big models are reserved for low density, medium / high-wealth and inversely, the smallest trees will be deployed in high density zones. Next a look at the urban stuff I've collected so far.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FUhECbRo.jpg&hash=5407bdd0ea159746a1b10d025def941221c97161)

So all things considered it's already clocking in at around 12 dependencies, and I actually do want to include flowers & bushes too. If you think I've overlooked some prop pack please let me know, but keep in mind it has to be High Definition props – no SD allowed! Also, I'd really like to have diagonal parking bays, too.  ::)

Finally lets have a look at some actual T21 action, right?

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FZ7LfWaB.jpg&hash=72669a78beb9d3499c6d84d345cdc8c9d1313bc8)

Part of the project is adding diagonal T21 with vanilla streetlights, so the the streetlight models themselves can still be overridden by other mods.

And final picture for today.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FsjZiCQI.jpg&hash=07bbf79160c420fbab18f275d4069413598e6c95)

Starting to put it all together and working out the kinks to arrive at a nice distribution.

Ok this took bit longer to write down than anticipated and now I don't have time for replies.  :-[ I swear they're coming!  &opr
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: belfastsocrates on September 28, 2016, 05:18:17 AM
Quote from: vortext on September 28, 2016, 05:05:30 AM
So regarding the picture competition, Tyberius made a good point (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=804.msg512259#msg512259). It's daunting to put a snapshot of your latest work up against a highly polished, multi-tile-spanning mosaic. To me it seems quite obvious that to invigorate the competition the threshold the entry needs to be lowered one way or another. So I was thinking, as an experiment, what if we tighten the rules a bit: no photoshop, nor mosaics allowed.

Now, this may seem counter-intuitive but imho it will level the playing field somewhat. As in, pictures will be judged on individual SC4 building skills, and composition of said picture. Both these skills can be trained with time, and do not depend on whether you have access to, say, photoshop. And yes, I realize there's gimp, and you can train polishing skill as well but that's is besides the point I'm trying to make – which I hope comes across because I also realize I'm rambling a bit. :D

Anyway, another idea. Since we're having the like system in place, what if we used that for voting? Say, the first picture to reach 10 likes wins? yes, no, maybe? Discuss.  "$Deal"$


I agree completely.

There's always a place for photoshop and mosaics, perhaps every other month we dedicate that month for the showcasing of photoshop work or mosaics? That way everyone gets to take part?

Not sure about using 'likes' the current simple way of indicating a preference is quick and easy enough IMO




Fabulous work in regard to the T21 mod utilising HD props as well, very very exciting!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: matias93 on September 28, 2016, 07:05:12 AM
About the picture competition, I remember there was a similar discussion on simtropolis about the huge assymetry between contestants' skills, and one of the ideas that rised was to separate the contest on some kind of leagues, even if that division has its cons too.


Now, about that magical and perfect idea of a T21 mod, it is evident that a landmark mod is in construction here, and unless get some portable liquid nitrogen cooler, I wouldn't be capable to use it: so much HD seasonal props are not a thing a humble work-oriented laptop could manage.
Only one thought about the method for updating the trees: even if is a very intuitive way to do it, it would be fatal for players that use network tags, because they get erased irreversibly when networks are updated, even only with wealth changes. Maybe a warning would be useful to avoid alarmed comments.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: Seaman on September 28, 2016, 07:29:19 AM
Quote from: matias93 on September 28, 2016, 07:05:12 AM
Only one thought about the method for updating the trees: even if is a very intuitive way to do it, it would be fatal for players that use network tags, because they get erased irreversibly when networks are updated, even only with wealth changes. Maybe a warning would be useful to avoid alarmed comments.

may I ask, what these "network tags" are? Never heard of that term before.  &ops
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: _Michael on September 28, 2016, 08:45:37 AM
I would oppose the change.
There is one simple reason for this stance: "SC4 Picture Competition" implies it is about the image as a whole, including photoshop edits and mosaics. If you want to judge city building skills, a competition named, "SC4 City Building Competition" would be more appropriate.
The Picture competition is not just, and should not just be about the quality of the city, it should be about the quality of the image, and in a competition, there will always be better and less-good entries.
Photoshop and mosaics widen the reach this competition, and banning them outright, I belive,  would but put a lot of users off. I'm aware of very few CJ/MD that has never enhanced any of their images, and why because they want to make the best pictures. The best pictures, for the Picture competition.


And a word on the T21 mod - It looks like it could a fantastic mod. I will definitely be using it, if you release it!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: APSMS on September 28, 2016, 08:58:52 AM
Not so sure about changing the rules, but I can say that unless likes are time stamped, I would say they are not the way to go, since many times posters even now forget the rules about time limits, and it would be very difficult to discern the winner if people vote after the fact, or at least, after the requisite 24 hours, especially in cases of ties.

The biggest benefit, besides exemplar saving, that I can see with seasonal flora is that the trees don't change as they might when using a timed prop family (for variety). The tree remains the same. It will, however, still be pretty annoying. I suspect I'm going to using that historical button significantly more than I already do just to keep the trees from going out of sync making me redraw everything.

Still excited about the idea, though. We've needed a good HD street mod for a while now.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: matias93 on September 28, 2016, 09:06:59 AM
Quote from: Seaman on September 28, 2016, 07:29:19 AM
Quote from: matias93 on September 28, 2016, 07:05:12 AM
Only one thought about the method for updating the trees: even if is a very intuitive way to do it, it would be fatal for players that use network tags, because they get erased irreversibly when networks are updated, even only with wealth changes. Maybe a warning would be useful to avoid alarmed comments.

may I ask, what these "network tags" are? Never heard of that term before.  &ops


Label, not tag, sorry (both are 'etiqueta' in Spanish). I refer to those names you can put on roads, streets and avenues, the ones that are on the last button of the green mayor mode menu. Those labels got erased anytime a road or street is redrawn.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: Themistokles on September 28, 2016, 12:20:47 PM
HD streetside T21 mod... I'm all for it :thumbsup: (Regarding seasonality, I'm personally not using it so much because, yes, in SC4 I'm something of a control freak. I want my trees to be when I want them, where I want them and as I want them. With seasonal trees, for that's way too much going back and forth between the seasons for me. But it's your mod, you make it the way you want. :) )

On the matter of the Picture competition I agree with michae95l, I think the picture competition should be for all images, whether they're edited or not is a stylistic choice. And as I like to like posts because I like them, would I be liked or disliked if I'd like both competitor's images? :P Seriously though, I'd like to like also the image I end up not voting for, just to send a signal of appreciation of their hard work, too.

Really interesting discussion raised though! I'm happily surprised to see how much has been going on over here the latest days.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: Akallan on September 28, 2016, 12:33:27 PM
I'm like you about the trees Themistokles! :P

In terms of images, of the same opinion that michae95l. To each his own style!
You can create a subject image contest where one is free to do whatever we want, without rules. And create another image contest where there there are rules to regulate and bring everyone to the same level.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: korver on September 28, 2016, 01:13:40 PM
Well, originally I posted some of my thoughts into the SC4 Picture competition thread, but wasn't really sure if that was the right place and didn't want to get too off topic so I edited them out. But anyways, I still think that there needs to be some drastic changes so I'll share what's on my mind..

Probably the number one complaint I have is the severe lack of pictures being inducted into the HOF these days. I took a look at the HOF and how many pictures were inducted per year - I believe the high water mark was 2008 where we had 128. In recent years, we've had 12 in 2014, 4 in 2015, and only 2 this year. I know the player base is smaller, but there's virtually no representation from recent years - which is a real shame, considering how far the game has progressed, with all the newer buildings and mods being released and whatnot.

I think that Michael brought up a great point. Putting more limitations on the Best Picture competition probably won't help, and there's the very real chance it could backfire even more. And besides, many people in the past already were posting unedited pictures and the competition was stalling for months at a time. I predict we'll still see the exact same scenario play out, with overall activity remaining very similar to what it is right now.

Originally I suggested a couple of changes to the SC4 Picture competition to hopefully alleviate some of these issues, like lowering rounds from 3 to 2, putting in some sort of safeguard to stop the competition from stalling for months on end - it might help some, but more than likely the competition will still remain pretty stagnant. I just wish there was a better way to get current pictures better representation in the HOF. Now, I don't know the exact number of pictures that should be inducted.. but the current pace that we're at, with 2-4 pictures being inducted yearly, isn't enough..

I think one possible solution is to supplement the Best picture competition with something else so we can get more pictures inducted. Maybe there could be some sort of alternate competition where each user can submit one picture - no restrictions on photoshop, mosaics, or anything else. Once we get X amount of pictures submitted, or after an allotted amount of time, users can "like" the pictures they believe are HOF worthy. The top 5 pictures with the most likes get inducted to the HOF. Keep on doing this periodically until a healthy amount of pictures are inducted yearly. I know it's similar to the ST Challenges (but without being so strict in regards to subject matter, so that should hopefully attract more attention) - but IMO it just makes much more sense for this day and age. You also don't have to worry about one particular user "overtaking" competitions or scaring away other people too much - since they can only submit 1 picture and everyone else will have a chance.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: nos.17 on September 29, 2016, 01:45:36 PM
Quote from: vortext on September 28, 2016, 05:05:30 AM
So all things considered it's already clocking in at around 12 dependencies, and I actually do want to include flowers & bushes too. If you think I've overlooked some prop pack please let me know, but keep in mind it has to be High Definition props – no SD allowed! Also, I'd really like to have diagonal parking bays, too.  ::)

I definitely can't wait to see the progress on this one! I have been meaning to make my own to cover the base networks (+SAM), but have never gotten around to starting. This looks just like something I would use.

As for prop suggestions, try Neko's prop set vol01. There's guardrail, fences, planters, telephone poles/wires, manhole covers, etc. All HD too (http://i.imgur.com/r1xQ8Il.png), I believe.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: kbieniu7 on October 01, 2016, 12:27:31 PM
Congratulations on your graduation!  &apls (By the way I've just don the same  ;D ) I don't know if you have already said it, but could I ask, what was your field of study? ;)

That's a nice photo, you've posted there. A lovely village in the middle of a rural landscape! I had the same, waiting until "I finally finish it" and eventually being finished by the project itself. So, some photos are worth showing, even if they are WIP - because sometimes viewers actually don't figure out, that an unfinished shot - like now in your update ;)

Regarding your modding, that's an impressive list! Are you really able to find enough time when you finally find a job? An european street-side mod would be an awesome addition especially, if seasonable. However, I'm skeptical about an idea of using seasonal flora there. You said, it would need to re-zone or re-build a street tile every autumn to fit in the "timetable" again. It would be very inconvienient in my opinion. Having a big city on a large square as a giant all-time-changing organism if someone is not using "historical" tool (although regarding myself, I'm using it)... well, just imagine.

So in my opinion - having timed-props, even if it means changing a specie every three months, is a better idea anyway.

À propos the video/streaming - I think that creating a video tutorial will be much better than streaming. I don't think if you could collect too many viewers at the same time - it'd be better to create a video tutorial, designed as a efited video, maybe with some cut-scenes, instead of a stream.

Whatever you choose - good luck and fingers crossed!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: mgb204 on October 01, 2016, 07:08:13 PM
A seasonal / HD street side mod is something I think many would like to see, I've started on a similar project myself. Not surprised to see you are using many props from WASNL and Girafe here, the props you've selected should look great in any Euro Environment.  :thumbsup:

Seasonal Flora Families: I kinda knew they existed, but does that get around the problem of prop families? Where the trees can cycle through the family when seasons change? If so, I need to be using these myself. Because I was planning just to make multiple T21s as a solution, but families would be so much less work. I'm pretty sure that's the gist of what you were saying anyhow?

Quote from: kbieniu7 on October 01, 2016, 12:27:31 PM
However, I'm skeptical about an idea of using seasonal flora there. You said, it would need to re-zone or re-build a street tile every autumn to fit in the "timetable" again.

I think this simply means, if you draw a street/road with a seasonal T21, you won't see the trees until the next change in season. So if you re-draw the roads/streets, modify them (add an intersection, etc.) or a building changes, which alters the T21 used. You have to wait once again for the next season change, before the trees re-appear. I've some very early previews of a similar mod you can download, attached to this post (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=17337.msg505607#msg505607). That should allow you to see how this works in practise. Whilst this behaviour isn't ideal, it's far from annoying. Personally, I'd hate to see say an Ash Tree in Autumn, become a Oak tree in Winter. So for me, this is absolutely the right way to go.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: feyss on October 03, 2016, 07:24:56 AM
Seems I haven't posted here since a while.

Your work looks like an entire new SC4 add-on. You've got reat modding skills  :thumbsup: One question though, I'm a little bit curious: Are your towns functionals or 100% eye-candy ?

Regarding the T21 mod, I really think it's a nice idea. I'm looking forward to it. By the way, you chose a good selection of trees  :thumbsup: (I just say that because having giant sequoias or other conifers in a W2W cities as with some NWM side mods is quite annoying).
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: kelis on October 03, 2016, 09:23:34 AM
The overview of that village is just great ! I like your ability to create diagonals and curves, they give a fantastic touch to your pictures.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: vortext on October 21, 2016, 03:35:39 AM
Time for the long overdue replies, but first of few remarks regarding the T21 and picture competition. With regard to the former, I can be brief because I simply forgot to mention an evergreen version will be available as well. Hopefully that'll quench some concerns regarding the seasonality (is that a word?! :D).

As for the picture competition, while I can certainly understand how 'banning' photoshop pictures from the competition can be perceived as restricting it, that's not how I intented it to come across. And to be clear I'm not opposed to photoshopped pictures, heck, I've indulged myself more than once. However, over the years I've seen this discussion regarding the picture competition more than once, too. And as I see it the biggest issue quite simply is consistent throughput. Or to put that even more bluntly, quantity trumps quality when it comes to the longevity of the competition and a healthy participation rate. Because as paradoxical as it may sound, too many times the competition gets stuck up on quality.

To clarify I'll consider a less contentious state of the competition than the current one, which was about two weeks ago when Alkallan won a round with an impressive, MMP filled mosaic. And then the competition stalled again and a week passed before anyone entered with another picture, why? Well, I can't speak for everybody but personally I didn't have any pictures up to par. Sure, I could enter a simple screenshot and probably get a few votes but I was highly likely to lose anyway. Now, is it fun to enter a competition where you're almost guaranteed a loss upfront? No, it's not. And likewise I don't feel it's worth the time to make a massive mosaic myself just to increase my change of winning in a head-to-head competition.

Quite some text already but I hope it's clearer where I was coming from, and why I'd favor leveling the playing field a bit. And also just to make sure once more: I'm not dismissing mosaics, or photoshopping, or whatever – far from it. However, seeing this discussion regarding eyecandy & photoshop flare up once more, and having given this some thought over the last few days I came up with a new idea – which isn't new at all since some of you already suggested it, I'm just shamelessly stealing it.  ;D

Namely, what about having two competitions? One would be for simple ingame screenshots which runs continuously, and pretty much under the current rules, i.e. head-to-head, 3 wins in a row is HoF, though limitations are up for discussion. Besides this 'daily' competition, we could introduce a new competition for extravagant pictures (mosaics, photoshops, ect) which could be held, say, once a month and with a prolonged voting period, e.g. over a weekend or something.

At any rate. Here's another picture of Haefwold to break this wall of text, and then it's onward to replies!

(https://dl.dropbox.com/s/8zzojbsb39e81e6/4th%20year%20opener2.png?dl=0)

Note btw the replies are work in progress, going from oldest to newest so check back later if I haven't gotten around to yours yet.
All replies are up!  :)




(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: Vizoria on July 05, 2016, 04:21:59 PM
Became a classic after posting medieval entries. Makes sense.

&apls &apls &apls

Fantastic pictures and here is to seeing this medieval city/area completed.

Yeah, makes total sense, right?! Thanks!


Quote from: Akallan on July 07, 2016, 03:51:39 AM
Congratulations! This is a CJ who deserves to be seen by all! &apls ;D

Thanks for the kind words!

Quote from: kbieniu7 on July 17, 2016, 04:32:58 AM
Congratulations for being moved to Classics! Good luck with your gaming and batting projects! Now it's definetely time for your medieval city to grow into a powerful kingdom  :thumbsup:

Thank you! I agree it's time for the next phase, how to go about practically remains to be seen tho/  :-\


Quote from: noahclem on July 17, 2016, 12:22:26 PM
Huge congrats on such a well-earned promotion to the Classics  :bnn: &dance :squirrel:

I had a chance to catch up on the most recent goings on here a few days ago and very much enjoyed it. Your unique style of playing, modding, and presenting, along with your immense skill, set Ærden apart and I'd consider it among SC4D's biggest assets. Great work and cheers to the next 500 posts!

Thank you Noah!


Quote from: Tyberius06 on September 21, 2016, 10:23:07 AM
Oh, very nice little village. And those future plans :)
I can't wait for the cobble stone streets/road :) They are very nice and I could deffinitly use them. :)
Any tutorial would be nice and very welcome. Especially as the most of the tutorials are quite broken on the site because of the dead pictures. :(

Anyway nice to see you are active and have such a nice plans... :)  :popcorn: &apls

Thanks, it helps to know people will actually use them!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: Themistokles on September 21, 2016, 10:28:08 AM
First of all, a belated congratulation to the very well deserved move! :) And that image is simply wonderful. It looks so well constructed and lay-outed and real and stuff. &apls

And, by the way, all those projects sound breath-taking. They'd make it so much easier to build realistic cities.

Thank you! And yeah, I'm hoping to add a touch of realism without too much work (for the user that is!  :D).


Quote from: belfastsocrates on September 28, 2016, 05:18:17 AM
Quote from: vortext on September 28, 2016, 05:05:30 AM
So regarding the picture competition, Tyberius made a good point (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=804.msg512259#msg512259). It's daunting to put a snapshot of your latest work up against a highly polished, multi-tile-spanning mosaic. To me it seems quite obvious that to invigorate the competition the threshold the entry needs to be lowered one way or another. So I was thinking, as an experiment, what if we tighten the rules a bit: no photoshop, nor mosaics allowed.

Now, this may seem counter-intuitive but imho it will level the playing field somewhat. As in, pictures will be judged on individual SC4 building skills, and composition of said picture. Both these skills can be trained with time, and do not depend on whether you have access to, say, photoshop. And yes, I realize there's gimp, and you can train polishing skill as well but that's is besides the point I'm trying to make – which I hope comes across because I also realize I'm rambling a bit. :D

Anyway, another idea. Since we're having the like system in place, what if we used that for voting? Say, the first picture to reach 10 likes wins? yes, no, maybe? Discuss.  "$Deal"$


I agree completely.

There's always a place for photoshop and mosaics, perhaps every other month we dedicate that month for the showcasing of photoshop work or mosaics? That way everyone gets to take part?

Not sure about using 'likes' the current simple way of indicating a preference is quick and easy enough IMO

Fabulous work in regard to the T21 mod utilising HD props as well, very very exciting!

As you can see I shamelessly pretended your idea was mine, hope you don't mind!  ;D But yeah, I think once a month mosaic photoshop extravaganza would be a good idea, and have an ongoing competition which is strictly screenshots only. Thanks for the input!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: matias93 on September 28, 2016, 07:05:12 AM
About the picture competition, I remember there was a similar discussion on simtropolis about the huge assymetry between contestants' skills, and one of the ideas that rised was to separate the contest on some kind of leagues, even if that division has its cons too.

Now, about that magical and perfect idea of a T21 mod, it is evident that a landmark mod is in construction here, and unless get some portable liquid nitrogen cooler, I wouldn't be capable to use it: so much HD seasonal props are not a thing a humble work-oriented laptop could manage.
Only one thought about the method for updating the trees: even if is a very intuitive way to do it, it would be fatal for players that use network tags, because they get erased irreversibly when networks are updated, even only with wealth changes. Maybe a warning would be useful to avoid alarmed comments.

Yeah imho splitting the competition into two leagues would be a good way to address the current concerns with regards to highly polished pictures versus quick screencap. Honestly I think it'd also be more satisfying for the 'skilled' players, so to speak, because it's little fun being in a competition where no one is going to challenge your picture. As for the seasonal trees, there will be an evergreen variant as well so you can call off the order for a liquid nitrogen cooler.  :D


Quote from: michae95l on September 28, 2016, 08:45:37 AM
I would oppose the change.
There is one simple reason for this stance: "SC4 Picture Competition" implies it is about the image as a whole, including photoshop edits and mosaics. If you want to judge city building skills, a competition named, "SC4 City Building Competition" would be more appropriate.
The Picture competition is not just, and should not just be about the quality of the city, it should be about the quality of the image, and in a competition, there will always be better and less-good entries.
Photoshop and mosaics widen the reach this competition, and banning them outright, I belive,  would but put a lot of users off. I'm aware of very few CJ/MD that has never enhanced any of their images, and why because they want to make the best pictures. The best pictures, for the Picture competition.


And a word on the T21 mod - It looks like it could a fantastic mod. I will definitely be using it, if you release it!

Yeah that's a fair point. Narrowing the scope of the competition by splitting it into two competitions does run the risk of, well, both competitions not working properly. However as I said, over the years it's been my observation that more often than not the competition tends to stall on a high quality picture simply because people don't want to loose 'by default' so to speak. And even if they have a highly polished picture themselves I reckon most will hold out because of the 'all or nothing' nature of it - at least I've been guilty of doing so in the past.

Quote from: APSMS on September 28, 2016, 08:58:52 AM
Not so sure about changing the rules, but I can say that unless likes are time stamped, I would say they are not the way to go, since many times posters even now forget the rules about time limits, and it would be very difficult to discern the winner if people vote after the fact, or at least, after the requisite 24 hours, especially in cases of ties.

The biggest benefit, besides exemplar saving, that I can see with seasonal flora is that the trees don't change as they might when using a timed prop family (for variety). The tree remains the same. It will, however, still be pretty annoying. I suspect I'm going to using that historical button significantly more than I already do just to keep the trees from going out of sync making me redraw everything.

Still excited about the idea, though. We've needed a good HD street mod for a while now.

Ha yes, that's a good point about timestamps on likes. Clearly I hadn't thought it through. Disregard the idea, repeat, disregard it.  :D  And yep, you hit the nail on the head, trees will remain the same type throughout the seasons though admittedly it's a bit annoying when they're out of sync.


Quote from: Themistokles on September 28, 2016, 12:20:47 PM
HD streetside T21 mod... I'm all for it :thumbsup: (Regarding seasonality, I'm personally not using it so much because, yes, in SC4 I'm something of a control freak. I want my trees to be when I want them, where I want them and as I want them. With seasonal trees, for that's way too much going back and forth between the seasons for me. But it's your mod, you make it the way you want. :) )

On the matter of the Picture competition I agree with michae95l, I think the picture competition should be for all images, whether they're edited or not is a stylistic choice. And as I like to like posts because I like them, would I be liked or disliked if I'd like both competitor's images? :P Seriously though, I'd like to like also the image I end up not voting for, just to send a signal of appreciation of their hard work, too.

Really interesting discussion raised though! I'm happily surprised to see how much has been going on over here the latest days.

Yeah it's an interesting discussion. With regards to the trees, I'm wondering would evergreen trees be an option for you? Or did you mean you don't like semi-randomized street trees at all?


Quote from: Akallan on September 28, 2016, 12:33:27 PM
I'm like you about the trees Themistokles! :P

In terms of images, of the same opinion that michae95l. To each his own style!
You can create a subject image contest where one is free to do whatever we want, without rules. And create another image contest where there there are rules to regulate and bring everyone to the same level.

Well, than I've got the same question for you as I had for Themistokles!  :D  And with regards to the competition, that's basically what I was - and am - proposing. Two competitions: one free-for-all photoshop mania, and one head-to-head with some limitations imposed to level the playing field. 


Quote from: korver on September 28, 2016, 01:13:40 PM
Well, originally I posted some of my thoughts into the SC4 Picture competition thread, but wasn't really sure if that was the right place and didn't want to get too off topic so I edited them out. But anyways, I still think that there needs to be some drastic changes so I'll share what's on my mind..

Probably the number one complaint I have is the severe lack of pictures being inducted into the HOF these days. I took a look at the HOF and how many pictures were inducted per year - I believe the high water mark was 2008 where we had 128. In recent years, we've had 12 in 2014, 4 in 2015, and only 2 this year. I know the player base is smaller, but there's virtually no representation from recent years - which is a real shame, considering how far the game has progressed, with all the newer buildings and mods being released and whatnot.

I think that Michael brought up a great point. Putting more limitations on the Best Picture competition probably won't help, and there's the very real chance it could backfire even more. And besides, many people in the past already were posting unedited pictures and the competition was stalling for months at a time. I predict we'll still see the exact same scenario play out, with overall activity remaining very similar to what it is right now.

Originally I suggested a couple of changes to the SC4 Picture competition to hopefully alleviate some of these issues, like lowering rounds from 3 to 2, putting in some sort of safeguard to stop the competition from stalling for months on end - it might help some, but more than likely the competition will still remain pretty stagnant. I just wish there was a better way to get current pictures better representation in the HOF. Now, I don't know the exact number of pictures that should be inducted.. but the current pace that we're at, with 2-4 pictures being inducted yearly, isn't enough..

I think one possible solution is to supplement the Best picture competition with something else so we can get more pictures inducted. Maybe there could be some sort of alternate competition where each user can submit one picture - no restrictions on photoshop, mosaics, or anything else. Once we get X amount of pictures submitted, or after an allotted amount of time, users can "like" the pictures they believe are HOF worthy. The top 5 pictures with the most likes get inducted to the HOF. Keep on doing this periodically until a healthy amount of pictures are inducted yearly. I know it's similar to the ST Challenges (but without being so strict in regards to subject matter, so that should hopefully attract more attention) - but IMO it just makes much more sense for this day and age. You also don't have to worry about one particular user "overtaking" competitions or scaring away other people too much - since they can only submit 1 picture and everyone else will have a chance.

yeah I agree with you on pretty much all points. As I said throughput is most definitely the biggest issue to keep the competition running over a prolonged period, hence my idea to impose some limitation so to lower the bar to entry. And as you said, I reckon the head-to-head nature plays a role as well - as in people don't want to submit a picture they're actually proud of until they deem there's a good chance of winning. An alternative competition, free to enter for all is certainly an option.  :thumbsup:


Quote from: nos.17 on September 29, 2016, 01:45:36 PM
Quote from: vortext on September 28, 2016, 05:05:30 AM
So all things considered it's already clocking in at around 12 dependencies, and I actually do want to include flowers & bushes too. If you think I've overlooked some prop pack please let me know, but keep in mind it has to be High Definition props – no SD allowed! Also, I'd really like to have diagonal parking bays, too.  ::)

I definitely can't wait to see the progress on this one! I have been meaning to make my own to cover the base networks (+SAM), but have never gotten around to starting. This looks just like something I would use.

As for prop suggestions, try Neko's prop set vol01. There's guardrail, fences, planters, telephone poles/wires, manhole covers, etc. All HD too (http://i.imgur.com/r1xQ8Il.png), I believe.

Ha yes good suggestion! Thanks!  :thumbsup:


Quote from: kbieniu7 on October 01, 2016, 12:27:31 PM
Congratulations on your graduation!  &apls (By the way I've just don the same  ;D ) I don't know if you have already said it, but could I ask, what was your field of study? ;)

That's a nice photo, you've posted there. A lovely village in the middle of a rural landscape! I had the same, waiting until "I finally finish it" and eventually being finished by the project itself. So, some photos are worth showing, even if they are WIP - because sometimes viewers actually don't figure out, that an unfinished shot - like now in your update ;)

Regarding your modding, that's an impressive list! Are you really able to find enough time when you finally find a job? An european street-side mod would be an awesome addition especially, if seasonable. However, I'm skeptical about an idea of using seasonal flora there. You said, it would need to re-zone or re-build a street tile every autumn to fit in the "timetable" again. It would be very inconvienient in my opinion. Having a big city on a large square as a giant all-time-changing organism if someone is not using "historical" tool (although regarding myself, I'm using it)... well, just imagine.

So in my opinion - having timed-props, even if it means changing a specie every three months, is a better idea anyway.

À propos the video/streaming - I think that creating a video tutorial will be much better than streaming. I don't think if you could collect too many viewers at the same time - it'd be better to create a video tutorial, designed as a efited video, maybe with some cut-scenes, instead of a stream.

Whatever you choose - good luck and fingers crossed!  :)

Hm good question regarding time & job, I guess time will tell!  :D As for seasonal flora vs. props, you raise good points though with some consideration for how the game operates (e.g. actually zone low density for suburbs) and some patience for a neighborhood to develop it isn't that bad imho. Another reason why the flora route is beneficial is that I'll end up with a complete set of flora exemplars. .  ::)


Quote from: mgb204 on October 01, 2016, 07:08:13 PM
A seasonal / HD street side mod is something I think many would like to see, I've started on a similar project myself. Not surprised to see you are using many props from WASNL and Girafe here, the props you've selected should look great in any Euro Environment.  :thumbsup:

Seasonal Flora Families: I kinda knew they existed, but does that get around the problem of prop families? Where the trees can cycle through the family when seasons change? If so, I need to be using these myself. Because I was planning just to make multiple T21s as a solution, but families would be so much less work. I'm pretty sure that's the gist of what you were saying anyhow?

Quote from: kbieniu7 on October 01, 2016, 12:27:31 PM
However, I'm skeptical about an idea of using seasonal flora there. You said, it would need to re-zone or re-build a street tile every autumn to fit in the "timetable" again.

I think this simply means, if you draw a street/road with a seasonal T21, you won't see the trees until the next change in season. So if you re-draw the roads/streets, modify them (add an intersection, etc.) or a building changes, which alters the T21 used. You have to wait once again for the next season change, before the trees re-appear. I've some very early previews of a similar mod you can download, attached to this post (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=17337.msg505607#msg505607). That should allow you to see how this works in practise. Whilst this behaviour isn't ideal, it's far from annoying. Personally, I'd hate to see say an Ash Tree in Autumn, become a Oak tree in Winter. So for me, this is absolutely the right way to go.

Yes, it gets around the issue with prop families indeed, though the downside it the winter shadow issue which is inherent with flora. And yeah, the ideal solution is to make an individual T21 per tree with timed props, so to have best of both worlds (i.e. correct shadows, and static tree throughout the year). In fact, I've done that in the past, and actually considered doing that now as well. However a rough estimate put the number of T21s well into the hundreds so, yeah, that's a no-go, even for a perfectionist like myself!  :D


Quote from: feyss on October 03, 2016, 07:24:56 AM
Seems I haven't posted here since a while.

Your work looks like an entire new SC4 add-on. You've got reat modding skills  :thumbsup: One question though, I'm a little bit curious: Are your towns functionals or 100% eye-candy ?

Regarding the T21 mod, I really think it's a nice idea. I'm looking forward to it. By the way, you chose a good selection of trees  :thumbsup: (I just say that because having giant sequoias or other conifers in a W2W cities as with some NWM side mods is quite annoying).

Thanks for stopping by! And yes, my cities are fully 100% functional! Though I do make use of functional landmarks quite a bit. I might make an update sometime on the functional aspects?  &Thk/(


Quote from: kelis on October 03, 2016, 09:23:34 AM
The overview of that village is just great ! I like your ability to create diagonals and curves, they give a fantastic touch to your pictures.

Thanks for the kind words Jonathan!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: noahclem on October 21, 2016, 08:30:04 AM
Lovely picture  &apls  While I can sympathize with you losing some enthusiasm for your project I'm certainly ready for plenty more of AErden--what you've done here is both unique and startlingly impressive.

Going the flora route with the T21s is an interesting call but if it allows you to accomplish what you're after better than I'm sure it's the way to go and I'm certainly not qualified to second guess you in these kinds of areas :D

As for the picture competition, I think there's been a consensus that some change is needed for a long time but I'm still not sure what that could be. If one thread is struggling to stay active then two threads could very well make the problem worse. To be honest almost all my pictures in that thread have been 'shopped but usually it's only for traffic, etc. Dividing that from more drastic changes could be a bit tricky. My thought is that the best way forward (though there could be multiple, simultaneous ways forward too) would be making voting more accessible: being able to do so with a click versus a post should drive voting up and I've been thinking for a while that having it somehow as part of the front page would be awesome (maybe hover over each picture to see full size and have an option to click for one's favorite without leaving the page). Changes in how to qualify for HoF could help as well. We could set a percentage of winners that should get HoF status and put them to a later vote, for example. We could even try to do something like that this November for the birthday month....
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: compdude787 on October 22, 2016, 09:09:35 AM
That's a nice little town there!! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: Silur on October 22, 2016, 03:09:26 PM
Hi, Vortext ...
Always love Your works!!!
Your diagonal houses are LM or real Residental with Id and CS connections? Thank You.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ T21 mod & pic comp ramblings
Post by: APSMS on October 22, 2016, 03:57:54 PM
Quote from: feyss on October 03, 2016, 07:24:56 AM
Your work looks like an entire new SC4 add-on. You've got reat modding skills  :thumbsup: One question though, I'm a little bit curious: Are your towns functionals or 100% eye-candy ?
Vortext and Simcoug (of New Sorgun fame) share an affinity for fully functional cities. It's a level of dedication far beyond my commitment to the game, but seeing their stuff always makes me want to try (until I actually do, and then I realize that I might do my desk (and head) a favor if I don't :D).

As re: the Picture Competition, It would be interesting to leave the current one as is, and then use a second competition for only functional, unedited city pictures. So anyone could compete, but no Photoshop, no eye-candy only scenes, and no mosaics (?). This would still give a degree of freedom for experienced players, as well as encourage newer players with no photoshop or MMP skills. I'm not sure this would alleviate the primary problem, but short of having a Vanilla only competition (which would get attention from all of 2 players) and a beginners-only thread (what defines a beginner), I think this would be the only feasible way to open up the thread to less intense/perfection oriented players.

Personally I do almost no photoediting to my pictures, and it would be nice to have a place where only your skill as a city builder was challenged, rather than your Photoshop skills (which, I have to admit, in korver's place seem to be phenomenal). Obviously attention to detail is still key, but we don't really have the user base to set up dedicated challenges like ST, and even ST has problems sometimes with participation, nor do I think it's ideal to set up something highly regulated (like a monthly contest). I like the idea of a prolonged voting period, but I'm not sure we have the manpower or userbase to set up something that structured.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: Silur on October 22, 2016, 04:14:00 PM
Re: APSMS
MMP is part of SC4 and has nothing to do with Photoshop . This is the tool for the real job. This is for closing holes in SC4 lots. It requires less work with some lots.  :bnn:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: APSMS on October 22, 2016, 09:27:58 PM
Quote from: Silur on October 22, 2016, 04:14:00 PM
Re: APSMS
MMP is part of SC4 and has nothing to do with Photoshop . This is the tool for the real job. This is for closing holes in SC4 lots. It requires less work with some lots.  :bnn:
Yes, I agree, MMP is indeed a significant part of the game (and is separate from Photoshop, which is why I mentioned it separately). However, the point of my suggestion is that we have one competition that showcases only functional cities, so MMP scenes can stay in the normal competition.

I admire MMP skills, but you have to admit there is a certain degree of skill and time effort involved in their use. The idea is how to get more people to participate in the Picture Competition if the bar is set so high, and one way to do this is to focus on actually playing the simulation (i.e. economy, residential + jobs, no LE based cities). It is only a suggestion, and one that was aimed at a separate contest, rather than the main one as a way to get newer less experienced players involved and help them up their game, so to speak.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: Silur on October 23, 2016, 12:08:48 AM
I agree with You APSMS 100%  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: kbieniu7 on October 23, 2016, 05:27:45 AM
Hah, that's almost the same photo. It's just turned 90 degrees and in autumn colours, who you want to trick?  :P You'll make as you wish with your mod. Good luck!  :)

A propos de picture competition. Maybe, it would be a good idea to set the border between in-game and photoshop- and other-external-help-allowing photos. However, lack of MMPs seems for me to be a little bit too far limitation.

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies! And picture competition musings
Post by: kelis on October 27, 2016, 03:43:30 AM
Love it !! Still in love with those diagonals  $%Grinno$%

Perhaps a bigger square in front of that little church could be a good addition  :thumbsup:
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: vortext on November 01, 2016, 09:30:57 AM
So, it's no secret I've gotten a bit bored with the region, however, last week I've spend a couple of evening just exploring the region, looking over old plans and yeah, that sparked the enthusiasm to continue. Funny thing is, the region as it is at the moment is almost the inverse of where I stranded previously with Enseade - as detailed here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=15903.msg491439#msg491439). That is to say, Enseade was 'the big city' in an otherwise empty region, while Traelonisk is the 'small satellite' city properly embedded in the region. Or to put that in other words, I still have to actually get started with the 'big capital grandiose metropolis' I've always wanted to build! :D

Anyway. I really enjoyed looking at Traelonisk and just soaking in the atmosphere, so to speak, and I actually took some pictures! Yay. Now, apart from some very obvious mosaic artifacts I did not bother with polish. Enjoy!  :)

ps: click pictures for fullsize.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F2PXflNS.jpg&hash=fe98fc8c092a2008f62c0475c7b299d7e05061ed)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fyqi5u5c.jpg&hash=29cb2794a37a6b7c81cb92de20f35ec01bc99f9f)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FvYKkQ5w.jpg&hash=578c9c121df426fec5fb93bf54553a73a8b5030c)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FvAFCAG8.jpg&hash=305cd43234b11071c86d6fb48124a6e9ba3435a4)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FPQ9yuSO.jpg&hash=f8aede3e566bdd6bb0c639b85a272967a27ebbcd)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: kbieniu7 on November 01, 2016, 10:01:52 AM
Why you don't want to bother with Polish? :( When, we've just shared a medieval town gate from Kraków that, I believe, would perfectly fit into your grandiose capital :(

http://www.simcitypolska.pl/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=492

Just joking, I know the English language enough, I know what the second meaning of "polish" is ;P

When I looked at the first and second photo, my first thought was: "dear God, how much smoke and air pollution", haha! I read about your words about looking and "soaking" into a region and I perfectly understand you. I had the same with mine, sometimes I like to watch it, see the towns and villages I've built and sometimes haven't visited for months or years, looking at the market squares, churches, roads etc. Even if it may sound a little bit narcissistic of us  :D

Sometimes I see, I've built a big history about the region inside of my head, but I always wonder, how to present it to the others, so it won't be boring nor chaotic  :-\

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: manga rivotra on November 01, 2016, 10:58:40 AM
QuoteAnyway. I really enjoyed looking at Traelonisk and just soaking in the atmosphere, so to speak, and I actually took some pictures! Yay
And i enjoy these pics a lot too !  ;D
Great job with these little vegetable garden and this beautiful little medieval port. The historic atmosphere is perfectly rendered. &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: FrankU on November 02, 2016, 08:31:48 AM
Great work as always Erik!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Vizoria on November 02, 2016, 10:47:05 AM
Good stuff! Those textures of yours are fabulous!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Themistokles on November 02, 2016, 01:32:26 PM
As you say, Traelonisk has a strong atmosphere. I love the way the walled city is not yet crammed with buildings, as it becomes over the centuries. Inside my head I can already picture how the city would develop through the ages, as buildings, roads, outer areas and eventually trams and rails etc. are added. It's really great that you push on with this region, it's truly special and unique in breadth, scope and authenticity.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Gugu3 on November 03, 2016, 02:16:17 AM
I really like the look of your city! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Simmer2 on November 03, 2016, 09:51:42 AM
Erik Your attention to details is a true statement of dedication and the pursuit of perfection.  &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: noahclem on November 03, 2016, 04:20:34 PM
Just stunning pictures of your unique and fantastic work! I have to admit to being relieved you've not given up this region. It's really neat seeing the walled town that still has plenty of space within its borders and the port makes me want to start working on another thing with the historic harbor set right away! :D  Always a pleasure to read through this area.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: vortext on January 08, 2017, 08:15:19 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F2ctNP66.png&hash=196cab3cd2e364a580ae7e847ecf90ce36121656)

Welp, this is what happens when it's been a while and I restructured SC4 related folders & data in the meantime. .   :D


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqEs5ESq.png&hash=fd6c043535b202422a351f22cf762addbccdef19)

Take two, but not after putting the finishing touches on stage 5 lots, and lo and behold: they grow! Of course carefully controlled which lots I wanted to update.  ;)


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FMPRrCYP.png&hash=69ad181b83c8ddcdf44054b7c9ff0231168f4acc)

Getting a bit crowded here. .  ()stsfd()


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FTi0IkDx.png&hash=012a76d5c0f3f5da7b4923d5aa62e2fede36175b)

Current overview. Also, here's a neat little trick I discovered regarding the JENX terrain paints: if you turn the visual effects to the lowest settings the terrain paints actually disappear thus revealing the bare terrain underneath. This was quite useful because it allowed me to draw a new road while being able to see the grid, i.e. without having to need to bulldoze the terrain paints to see where I was going. Yay!


(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FXMClKjP.png&hash=810fd3e1884717ed121a54904ebced0c56527de8)

And final picture for today, pretty much the same angle/area already shown but I really like it.  :P

Anyway, hope everyone had nice holiday season and is accustomed to new year!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Vizoria on January 08, 2017, 08:40:21 AM
Your Medieval Simcity is coming along just nicely! The scene with the marketplace and the livestock pens is really well put together.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 08, 2017, 08:40:29 AM
What a smoke!  :-XAt least there's open space so all this local pollution could be blown away!  ;D The terrain painting and coverage looks brilliant!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: juliok102013 on January 08, 2017, 12:40:22 PM
Your projects are very good. The last two photos were fantastic, congratulations!

If you'll excuse me, how did you manage to prevent the sand from appearing on your shore?
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Gugu3 on January 09, 2017, 01:07:02 AM
Great pictures! I really like your city!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Themistokles on January 09, 2017, 11:52:25 AM
Your city is growing. :thumbsup: (With that density of people and animals, beware of disease though! :D )
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: matias93 on January 09, 2017, 01:33:46 PM
Quote from: juliok102013 on January 08, 2017, 12:40:22 PM
Your projects are very good. The last two photos were fantastic, congratulations!

If you'll excuse me, how did you manage to prevent the sand from appearing on your shore?


AFAIK, if can be done in two ways: modifying the terrain mod controller to reduce the beach length (I cannot remember the specific name of the exemplar, but it is described on the reader), or creating a beach mod with the same textures as the sea level grass of the terrain mod with GoFSH
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: Akallan on January 10, 2017, 08:27:24 AM
Very nice work, I would love to have the knowledge like you to make villages like you! The BATs are really beautiful! &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: compdude787 on January 10, 2017, 10:49:55 PM
Wow, looks awesome! Coming along quite nicely!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Traelonisk
Post by: art128 on January 11, 2017, 12:27:08 AM
It is indeed coming alone, love the feel it has.  I'm eager to see this city evolve into a new modern metropolis at some point in the future. :)
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: vortext on January 29, 2017, 06:39:25 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Welp, haven't done replies for 3 months!  :o Hang on this gonna be a post in progress. Starting with oldest comments. All done! And there're few pictures at the end.  ;)




Quote from: noahclem on October 21, 2016, 08:30:04 AM
Lovely picture  &apls  While I can sympathize with you losing some enthusiasm for your project I'm certainly ready for plenty more of AErden--what you've done here is both unique and startlingly impressive.

Going the flora route with the T21s is an interesting call but if it allows you to accomplish what you're after better than I'm sure it's the way to go and I'm certainly not qualified to second guess you in these kinds of areas :D

As for the picture competition, I think there's been a consensus that some change is needed for a long time but I'm still not sure what that could be. If one thread is struggling to stay active then two threads could very well make the problem worse. To be honest almost all my pictures in that thread have been 'shopped but usually it's only for traffic, etc. Dividing that from more drastic changes could be a bit tricky. My thought is that the best way forward (though there could be multiple, simultaneous ways forward too) would be making voting more accessible: being able to do so with a click versus a post should drive voting up and I've been thinking for a while that having it somehow as part of the front page would be awesome (maybe hover over each picture to see full size and have an option to click for one's favorite without leaving the page). Changes in how to qualify for HoF could help as well. We could set a percentage of winners that should get HoF status and put them to a later vote, for example. We could even try to do something like that this November for the birthday month....

Thanks Noah! Not as much time nowadays but plenty of stuff still in the pipeline - as always!  :D As for the picture competition, it seems the debate has quiet down, as has the competition itself unfortunately. Not sure what to do about it except encourage people reading this once more to just enter pictures I guess.


Quote from: compdude787 on October 22, 2016, 09:09:35 AM
That's a nice little town there!! :thumbsup:

Thank you!


Quote from: Silur on October 22, 2016, 03:09:26 PM
Hi, Vortext ...
Always love Your works!!!
Your diagonal houses are LM or real Residental with Id and CS connections? Thank You.

The diagonal houses are indeed properly working residentials, 1x1 corner lots to be specific. Thanks!


Quote from: APSMS on October 22, 2016, 03:57:54 PM
Quote from: feyss on October 03, 2016, 07:24:56 AM
Your work looks like an entire new SC4 add-on. You've got reat modding skills  :thumbsup: One question though, I'm a little bit curious: Are your towns functionals or 100% eye-candy ?
Vortext and Simcoug (of New Sorgun fame) share an affinity for fully functional cities. It's a level of dedication far beyond my commitment to the game, but seeing their stuff always makes me want to try (until I actually do, and then I realize that I might do my desk (and head) a favor if I don't :D).

As re: the Picture Competition, It would be interesting to leave the current one as is, and then use a second competition for only functional, unedited city pictures. So anyone could compete, but no Photoshop, no eye-candy only scenes, and no mosaics (?). This would still give a degree of freedom for experienced players, as well as encourage newer players with no photoshop or MMP skills. I'm not sure this would alleviate the primary problem, but short of having a Vanilla only competition (which would get attention from all of 2 players) and a beginners-only thread (what defines a beginner), I think this would be the only feasible way to open up the thread to less intense/perfection oriented players.

Personally I do almost no photoediting to my pictures, and it would be nice to have a place where only your skill as a city builder was challenged, rather than your Photoshop skills (which, I have to admit, in korver's place seem to be phenomenal). Obviously attention to detail is still key, but we don't really have the user base to set up dedicated challenges like ST, and even ST has problems sometimes with participation, nor do I think it's ideal to set up something highly regulated (like a monthly contest). I like the idea of a prolonged voting period, but I'm not sure we have the manpower or userbase to set up something that structured.

Yeah, an 'unedited' competition is still something I'd be in favour of trying out, though it all stands or falls by participation rate, which going be the current state of the competition does not look too promising.  &mmm  And yes, banging one's head on desk is par for the course of modding all things!  $%Grinno$%


~ right, making myself bit easier and skipping some comments between APSMS & Silur  ::) ~


Quote from: kbieniu7 on October 23, 2016, 05:27:45 AM
Hah, that's almost the same photo. It's just turned 90 degrees and in autumn colours, who you want to trick?  :P You'll make as you wish with your mod. Good luck!  :)

A propos de picture competition. Maybe, it would be a good idea to set the border between in-game and photoshop- and other-external-help-allowing photos. However, lack of MMPs seems for me to be a little bit too far limitation.

Darn it, my clever picture taking technique has been foiled.  :D  And yes, that's basically what I had in mind - no external editting - because it's a clear rule to adhere to. MMP-ing, lot editting, BATs and all other custom stuff would still be allowed.


Quote from: kelis on October 27, 2016, 03:43:30 AM
Love it !! Still in love with those diagonals  $%Grinno$%

Perhaps a bigger square in front of that little church could be a good addition  :thumbsup:

Thank you Jonathan! Yeah the church was bit of an afterthought, I simply wanted something along that diagonal street. Perhaps one day I'll revisit it.  ;)




Quote from: kbieniu7 on November 01, 2016, 10:01:52 AM
Why you don't want to bother with Polish? :( When, we've just shared a medieval town gate from Kraków that, I believe, would perfectly fit into your grandiose capital :(

http://www.simcitypolska.pl/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=492

Just joking, I know the English language enough, I know what the second meaning of "polish" is ;P

When I looked at the first and second photo, my first thought was: "dear God, how much smoke and air pollution", haha! I read about your words about looking and "soaking" into a region and I perfectly understand you. I had the same with mine, sometimes I like to watch it, see the towns and villages I've built and sometimes haven't visited for months or years, looking at the market squares, churches, roads etc. Even if it may sound a little bit narcissistic of us  :D

Sometimes I see, I've built a big history about the region inside of my head, but I always wonder, how to present it to the others, so it won't be boring nor chaotic  :-\


Pretty much hit the nail on the head. I got so many idea's behind how & why the region developed but writing it all down as an interesting 'rpg' history with fiction and real history intertwined as I initially intended is just, well, too much work frankly. Thanks for the kind words!


Quote from: manga rivotra on November 01, 2016, 10:58:40 AM
QuoteAnyway. I really enjoyed looking at Traelonisk and just soaking in the atmosphere, so to speak, and I actually took some pictures! Yay
And i enjoy these pics a lot too !  ;D
Great job with these little vegetable garden and this beautiful little medieval port. The historic atmosphere is perfectly rendered. &apls &apls

Thank you, glad to hear it!  :)


Quote from: FrankU on November 02, 2016, 08:31:48 AM
Great work as always Erik!

Thanks Frank!


Quote from: Vizoria on November 02, 2016, 10:47:05 AM
Good stuff! Those textures of yours are fabulous!

Thank you!


Quote from: Themistokles on November 02, 2016, 01:32:26 PM
As you say, Traelonisk has a strong atmosphere. I love the way the walled city is not yet crammed with buildings, as it becomes over the centuries. Inside my head I can already picture how the city would develop through the ages, as buildings, roads, outer areas and eventually trams and rails etc. are added. It's really great that you push on with this region, it's truly special and unique in breadth, scope and authenticity.

Thanks for the kind words!  :)


Quote from: Gugu3 on November 03, 2016, 02:16:17 AM
I really like the look of your city! &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: Simmer2 on November 03, 2016, 09:51:42 AM
Erik Your attention to details is a true statement of dedication and the pursuit of perfection.  &apls &apls

Thanks Nick! Though sometimes it's to my own detriment. . ::)  :D


Quote from: noahclem on November 03, 2016, 04:20:34 PM
Just stunning pictures of your unique and fantastic work! I have to admit to being relieved you've not given up this region. It's really neat seeing the walled town that still has plenty of space within its borders and the port makes me want to start working on another thing with the historic harbor set right away! :D  Always a pleasure to read through this area.

Thank you Noah! I'm really pleased I've not given up either, was rather close to doing so. Just have to get used to a slower development pace - as if there ever was a fast paced development to begin with. .   $%Grinno$%





Quote from: Vizoria on January 08, 2017, 08:40:21 AM
Your Medieval Simcity is coming along just nicely! The scene with the marketplace and the livestock pens is really well put together.

Thanks! Funny story about the livestock pens, the lot itself is a relot of the farmers market and the pens were the first things I made for it. Then I changed my mind on the lot dimension and remade the pens in mirror image in the opposite corner, only to find there were some slope issues so I had to move and flip it again. . &sly. .  :D


Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 08, 2017, 08:40:29 AM
What a smoke!  :-XAt least there's open space so all this local pollution could be blown away!  ;D The terrain painting and coverage looks brilliant!

Yeah I may have overdone it a bit. .  ::)  Thanks!


Quote from: juliok102013 on January 08, 2017, 12:40:22 PM
Your projects are very good. The last two photos were fantastic, congratulations!

If you'll excuse me, how did you manage to prevent the sand from appearing on your shore?

Thanks! As matias93 said I've set the beach height & width very small. However in these particular pictures the beach texture is covered by terrain paints I've plopped in the river. You can see the actual beach in the pictures below.


Quote from: Gugu3 on January 09, 2017, 01:07:02 AM
Great pictures! I really like your city!

Thank you!


Quote from: Themistokles on January 09, 2017, 11:52:25 AM
Your city is growing. :thumbsup: (With that density of people and animals, beware of disease though! :D )

Yeah it'd be really neat if population density was a health factor but alas. Thanks!


Quote from: Akallan on January 10, 2017, 08:27:24 AM
Very nice work, I would love to have the knowledge like you to make villages like you! The BATs are really beautiful! &apls

Thank you! Though I should point out the BATs are not mine, they were made by JENX long time ago (and not - yet - available).


Quote from: compdude787 on January 10, 2017, 10:49:55 PM
Wow, looks awesome! Coming along quite nicely!

Thanks!


Quote from: art128 on January 11, 2017, 12:27:08 AM
It is indeed coming alone, love the feel it has.  I'm eager to see this city evolve into a new modern metropolis at some point in the future. :)

You and me both Arthur!  :D




Phew, that were a lot of replies to get through! Thanks everyone for commenting!  :thumbsup:

Small update today. First 'the great expansion' of Traelonisk continues. .  $%Grinno$%

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FkJDCz7C.jpg&hash=a1e603839793c301544b2e02f068512f65e5d2ba)

Really pleased with this lot configuration as the alley formed organically in between them, pretty much at the same place I'd a MMP path previously. Happy little accident, to paraphrase Bob Ross.  ()stsfd()


Also started a new settlement two tiles down from Traelonisk (this probably doesn't mean much to you, I'll do a region update sometime soon), when I found a neat little canal, harbor thingy in the menus. Initially I made it for Traelonisk but I foregone placing it during the 'prop pox rebuild' and then totally forgot about it. So yeah, nice surprise to find it again.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F5B1GH1M.jpg&hash=39e489931bc8629e7281047dd9a4c6b56439cc0f)

Bigger picture.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FRCX1jAi.jpg&hash=97df29106b3641bba83bde84871ff85e73442ff7)

And the even bigger picture. The meadows to the right have been there for ages.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F4fOszNa.jpg&hash=ba79c8072db2b074b9492d35401e9e64955440a6)

Should be pretty obvious what the plans here are, right?!  $%Grinno$%  :D

All right that's it for today, bye!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 29, 2017, 08:54:30 AM
Quote from: vortext on January 29, 2017, 06:39:25 AMPretty much hit the nail on the head. I got so many idea's behind how & why the region developed but writing it all down as an interesting 'rpg' history with fiction and real history intertwined as I initially intended is just, well, too much work frankly. Thanks for the kind words!

Yeah, maybe start with sharing a region view with all places named. And described in few words (if you have some more than just Traelonisk) :) Anyway, your MD is quite slowly walking, so it would be easy enough to keep up with even bigger descriptions.

Quote from: vortext on January 29, 2017, 06:39:25 AMShould be pretty obvious what the plans here are, right?!
A motorway!

Oh, wait... not this story...

So, I can see a place for another town or village with a port or docks ;) And now techincally speaking - I love the nature and this wilderness around... making me imagine how did it look like back then  &Thk/(  Please, make an update that goes along this river, show more of the nature and single settlements!

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Sciurus on January 30, 2017, 01:12:30 AM
Your landscapes are so lovely &apls &apls
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Vizoria on January 30, 2017, 02:25:16 AM
Yet more Medieval awesomeness! Nice one.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: brick_mortimer on January 31, 2017, 04:02:24 AM
My historian's heart rejoices when I see such a beautiful medieval landscape  ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies
Post by: Nanami on February 01, 2017, 01:52:49 PM
Middle ages-era styled Simcity 4 picture... Never think this actually working really well. these are really nicely done work.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: vortext on February 27, 2017, 11:18:30 AM
Can you spot the differences?  ;)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FVtcOpYK.png&hash=63741bcbce509e7a66e142ac770470b3673baf21)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: Vizoria on February 27, 2017, 01:04:04 PM
Nice!  &hlp
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: mak on February 27, 2017, 06:32:24 PM
Wow, looks great!

As a side note, I absolutely love the scattered props with different angles. It really makes me forget that SimCity 4 is an (originally) isometric game.

Can't wait to see more. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: feyss on March 01, 2017, 11:24:30 AM
I can only approve this  $%Grinno$%
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: Nanami on March 03, 2017, 06:34:25 AM
Wait... I failed to recognize the difference. what is it? Maybe because its just too awesome? :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: Simmer2 on March 03, 2017, 07:13:04 AM
More goats in the pens? Lovely scene regardless  &apls

Nick
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Sneak Peek
Post by: Themistokles on March 03, 2017, 12:00:36 PM
Beautiful, as always. :) Step by step, you make the city bustling, just like a mediaeval town ought to be. It looks really natural, the way there's something going on everywhere.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more growth
Post by: vortext on March 04, 2017, 08:06:45 AM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FpY0Ne71.jpg&hash=a8f2dcdd8f26657954f7a3b877cb39555e7c6423)

Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 29, 2017, 08:54:30 AM
Quote from: vortext on January 29, 2017, 06:39:25 AMPretty much hit the nail on the head. I got so many idea's behind how & why the region developed but writing it all down as an interesting 'rpg' history with fiction and real history intertwined as I initially intended is just, well, too much work frankly. Thanks for the kind words!

Yeah, maybe start with sharing a region view with all places named. And described in few words (if you have some more than just Traelonisk) :) Anyway, your MD is quite slowly walking, so it would be easy enough to keep up with even bigger descriptions.

Quote from: vortext on January 29, 2017, 06:39:25 AMShould be pretty obvious what the plans here are, right?!
A motorway!

Oh, wait... not this story...

So, I can see a place for another town or village with a port or docks ;) And now techincally speaking - I love the nature and this wilderness around... making me imagine how did it look like back then  &Thk/(  Please, make an update that goes along this river, show more of the nature and single settlements!

Thanks for encouraging words and ideas! And yeah definitely slow walking.  :D


Quote from: Sciurus on January 30, 2017, 01:12:30 AM
Your landscapes are so lovely &apls &apls

Thank you!


Quote from: Vizoria on January 30, 2017, 02:25:16 AM
Yet more Medieval awesomeness! Nice one.

Thanks!


Quote from: brick_mortimer on January 31, 2017, 04:02:24 AM
My historian's heart rejoices when I see such a beautiful medieval landscape  ;D

That's a pleasure to hear, thanks!


Quote from: Nanami on February 01, 2017, 01:52:49 PM
Middle ages-era styled Simcity 4 picture... Never think this actually working really well. these are really nicely done work.

Thank you!


Quote from: Vizoria on February 27, 2017, 01:04:04 PM
Nice!  &hlp

Please be careful with explosion and fire around timberframe houses.  $%Grinno$% Thanks!


Quote from: mak on February 27, 2017, 06:32:24 PM
Wow, looks great!

As a side note, I absolutely love the scattered props with different angles. It really makes me forget that SimCity 4 is an (originally) isometric game.

Can't wait to see more. :thumbsup:

Thank you!


Quote from: Nanami on March 03, 2017, 06:34:25 AM
Wait... I failed to recognize the difference. what is it? Maybe because its just too awesome? :thumbsup:

Well. . hm yeah. . no, can't think of a good hint at the moment so I'm not gonna spoil the surprise just yet. Thanks!


Quote from: Simmer2 on March 03, 2017, 07:13:04 AM
More goats in the pens? Lovely scene regardless  &apls

Nick

No not it, however, there was more sawdust at the lumber mill!  $%Grinno$% Thank you!


Quote from: Themistokles on March 03, 2017, 12:00:36 PM
Beautiful, as always. :) Step by step, you make the city bustling, just like a mediaeval town ought to be. It looks really natural, the way there's something going on everywhere.

Yeah building this is kinda like a pilgrimage in its own right.  Thanks!





Small update for today. Now admittedly I was being particularly obnoxious with the sneak peek, however, I'm not gonna unveil the changes hinted at just yet as there's still some lotting to be done. Instead we'll be looking at some other changes the city has seen.   

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FWs01xPj.jpg&hash=7c60673c9246b814333c77b5b2110fd568a70500)

Was a bit worried how to fill out this diagonal bit but it has turned out quite nice. As you may have noticed I've introduced cobble stone roads. Probably gonna change the sidewalk as well, however, it's not as easy as switching out just 4 textures since I'm using a custom version of CP's sidewalk compliant textures. So in other words I'll have to generate a new version to go along.

Meanwhile I'm positively in love with Nick's sandstone pavers, they are such a perfect fit! So much so I started to pave all the paths. However halfway through I realised it may not be the best idea to do this everywhere because it's really hard, if not impossible now to place additional MMPs on the paths. . doh!   ::)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FMvoaSnh.jpg&hash=4af21e6af407526366b48affa82d21a5296e37cb)


And that it's for today, thanks for reading. Bye!  :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more growth
Post by: Simmer2 on March 04, 2017, 08:21:13 AM
Quote from: vortext on March 04, 2017, 08:06:45 AM

Meanwhile I'm positively in love with Nick's sandstone pavers, they are such a perfect fit! So much so I started to pave all the paths. However halfway through I realised it may not be the best idea to do this everywhere because it's really hard, if not impossible now to place additional MMPs on the paths. . doh!   ::)


Hello Erik.

I absolutely love your work  &apls

I could make a special version of my pavers so you could ad other MMPs on top of them.
Let me experiment with my models a bit and I will get back to you.

Nick
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more growth
Post by: kbieniu7 on March 05, 2017, 07:22:26 AM
Hey Erik!

Very cool shots! Waiting for an industrial revolution upcoming!  &hlp Haha, joke :p
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more growth
Post by: Simcoug on March 24, 2017, 07:09:07 AM
I don't get to visit here as often as I would like, but I'm happy to see new progress in my favorite historical documentary  :thumbsup:
BTW, I'll be in Amsterdam in the end of July - unfortunately it will only be a quick layover  :(
I'll be sure to wave from the airplane   ;)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ Replies & more growth
Post by: mgb204 on March 24, 2017, 08:54:27 AM
Quote from: vortext on March 04, 2017, 08:06:45 AMWas a bit worried how to fill out this diagonal bit but it has turned out quite nice. As you may have noticed I've introduced cobble stone roads. Probably gonna change the sidewalk as well, however, it's not as easy as switching out just 4 textures since I'm using a custom version of CP's sidewalk compliant textures. So in other words I'll have to generate a new version to go along.

If you mean SCLIT, I have a GoFSH repository for that. So you can automate a custom replacement with ease. If you want a copy, you just need to ask :).

Great work as always.
Title: ÆRDEN ~ JENX Medieval BATs Released!
Post by: vortext on April 01, 2017, 05:42:41 AM
Welp I just realized the date but no, this is assuredly not an April fools joke!  :D

I've split the BATs out in two files: the houses available here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3496) and the farm models, available here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3497).


Hope to be back shortly with replies and a long overdue regional update. In the meanwhile I hope you enjoy JENX' models! 





Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ JENX Medieval BATs Released!
Post by: Simmer2 on April 01, 2017, 07:50:55 AM
Thanks for releasing those BAT's  &apls

Regarding the MMP's trick for overlaying MMP's I have made some progress. I will let you know more soon in a PM.

Nick
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ JENX Medieval BATs Released!
Post by: bombardiere on April 02, 2017, 04:52:36 AM
Thank you for upload these Jenx's models.  &apls I have been waiting these since I first saw your previews. :) I have not playing my medieval city for a your so perhaps it is time to start it again. :)  A lot of lotting to do however, as I play and grown my cities.

By the way your cobblestone textures. Are those road or street textures? The NAM has some good SAM replacement for historic cities, but I would want something to replace standard black asphalt road textures.

Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ JENX Medieval BATs Released!
Post by: Simcoug on April 03, 2017, 06:12:09 AM
Congrats on the JENX release!  Thanks for doing the dirty work getting them into prop families.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ JENX Medieval BATs Released!
Post by: noahclem on April 03, 2017, 02:23:42 PM
Fantastic work as always  &apls  Very curious about the way you're using the JENX terrain paint as I've had thoughts of doing the same and never really got there. So much great stuff. And even that nifty little canal was just cool and something I was unaware was available. Really great to those lot sets released--thanks! Keep up the great work, it's always a pleasure to catch up here, even if I'm sometimes slow to do so  ;D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ JENX Medieval BATs Released!
Post by: carlfatal on May 09, 2017, 10:58:06 AM
Wowowow!
Seems I missed a lot of development here, and this is a real shame. Aerden is so beautiful, and how the town looks now is simply awesome.  &apls &apls &apls

But also I am stunned by all your modding, SAM streets here, model tweaker there, BATting, well, you are crazy in a good manner.  :bnn:

So I only can say thank you for all the tips and hints and all the wonderful pictures. And I really hope, that you never will loose the fun to build forward here, although I also like pictures of modern towns like the one you did in between.  :)

Edit: And a very big Thank You for releasing Alex´ wonderful houses. Currently I am not doing anything here but I had a lot of fun looking at them in the reader.  $%Grinno$%
Title: ÆRDEN ~ an admittedly long overdue update
Post by: vortext on November 04, 2017, 10:21:35 AM
QuoteWarning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 90 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic.

Ouch. . :-[

Well there's a first time for everything I guess.  :D

So erhm yeah, you may have noticed I've been significantly less active the last half year or so, mainly because I've switched jobs, which is exciting and all but also time consuming because it involves me learning proper software development (rather than bashing the keyboard and hoping legible code comes out  $%Grinno$%). At any rate, that's not to say I've done nothing in Ærden, it's still chugging along just at a very - very - slow pace. Notably I've spend last months tying up loose streets in the region, and making some small villages while at it. Hence I present you today with two region views of the current state.

click for fullsize
(https://i.imgur.com/2l7lMga.jpg)


click for fullsize
(https://i.imgur.com/hUgua1k.jpg)

So yeah, that's it for now. Normally I'd say something like 'seeya soon' but erm yeah, not sure when that'll be. Sorry 'bout that, hope you enjoyed today's update though!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ an admittedly long overdue update
Post by: kbieniu7 on November 04, 2017, 11:48:02 AM
Hah, yeah, it happens sometimes :D Don't worry! ;)

Regarding the pictures - well, those views are really magical. Firstly because of an excellent organic-layout, secondly because of the atmosphere of small villages dispersed around the empty wilderness being first shelters of civilization  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ an admittedly long overdue update
Post by: art128 on November 04, 2017, 12:08:29 PM
One of the best region view I have ever seen. :)
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ an admittedly long overdue update
Post by: Nanami on November 12, 2017, 05:37:05 AM
Agree with comment above me, its a great work!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ an admittedly long overdue update
Post by: noahclem on November 12, 2017, 09:33:04 AM
Amazingly organic appearance to the region  &apls  Very nice to see activity here--think I've got that warning pretty recently too  :D
Title: ÆRDEN ~ winter update
Post by: vortext on December 22, 2017, 11:35:30 AM
Hello everyone, wanted to thank you all for the nice comments past year. I've been thinking about the future of Ærden lately - which sounds more dramatic than intended - and come to realise in order to keep to show rolling, so to speak, I've got to prioritise the attention given to various sc4-related activities. As part of that effort, a downsizing of this MD will be put into effect in order to achieve shorter, yet more frequent updates *fingers crossed* Now the critical reader may interpret this as another way of saying I'm skimping nearly a year of replies . .  $%Grinno$% . .  ::) . . I truly do appreciate the kind and supportive words!  &apls

So last update showing the overviews got me thinking what would excite me for the next growth impulse to the region. And the answer, as always, is more lots!

At first the plan was to relot an old R$ set. Rummaging through backups I stumbled upon the likewise old Dirty Farms, which as the name implies are stage 1 ID lots masquerading as farms. While remodelling, however, I recalled applying the Rural Patch, which should count IR jobs as proper industrial for the regional capacity. In other words, given the extensive farms the need for additional industrial capacity isn't as pressing. Moreover, it should already be possible to grow >3 stage IR lots . . 

(https://i.imgur.com/E06FKGR.png)
. . and lo and behold, proof of concept stage 5 farm!

Thusfar Traelonisk is the only city actually capable of stage 5, so I figured a set of stage 4 farms would make more sense, for regional use. And what do you know, right on cue Fantozzi released his excellent Colossus Farming (https://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/32023-colossus-farming/)! The landhouses & various crops were just what was needed to initiate lotting in earnest, and before long I'd had quite a set on my hands. Here's a selection of BAT sets lined up, and which will be used in various capacities.

(https://i.imgur.com/e1zN86Y.png)
Everything blends together quite well I reckon.

In addition to an RCI lot set, the need for fitting utilities & civics will also be addressed. And that's it for today, thanks for reading.

In case you hadn't done so yet, go check out Fantozzi's props (https://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/32023-colossus-farming/), lot of rural goodness in there!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ winter update
Post by: kbieniu7 on December 24, 2017, 05:16:53 AM
A winter update without snow... ah, this global warming...  $%Grinno$% Jokes beside, it's a horrible wheater in Poland now, it's raining all the time with cold wind.... brr.... :(

Anyway, back to the update... oh yeah, I understand that feeling when you realize that playing the game to be showable sometimes doesn't turn well enough. Nice that you think of your readers (or at least I understand this way :D ), but don't forget that it should also give fun for you.

Maybe even a tour around already exiting stuff would be nice idea? with some weather effects shouldn't be that hard to prepare, huh? ;)

And by the way - Merry Christmas!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ winter update
Post by: vortext on December 24, 2017, 05:25:05 AM
Quote from: kbieniu7 on December 24, 2017, 05:16:53 AM
Maybe even a tour around already exiting stuff would be nice idea? with some weather effects shouldn't be that gard to prepare, huh? ;)

Are you a mind reader? Or do you have a backdoor into my pc?!   ???  Either way, stop spoiling things!  :D $%#Ninj2
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ winter update
Post by: kbieniu7 on December 24, 2017, 05:29:30 AM
Just the magic of Christmas, hehe! :D
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ winter update
Post by: art128 on December 24, 2017, 06:53:42 AM
Looking forward to see those new models in use in your region. :)

Merry Christmas!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ winter update
Post by: Akallan on December 27, 2017, 12:08:15 PM
Beautiful BAT! &apls Merry Christmas!
Title: ÆRDEN ~ a proper winter update
Post by: vortext on January 14, 2018, 10:17:46 AM
hey everyone, for today a small trip around the region during winter time!

Unfortunately the map doesn't match the winter wonderland but here's the four places we'll be looking at going from North down to South.

(https://i.imgur.com/qUoCaEF.png)


So to start Gaellithorp located at the top right of the region, and the second tile I developed. The first tile of the region actually is bottom left of the region.  :D 

(https://i.imgur.com/TwxQjVs.jpg)

At the time I went all out with this particular development concept, i.e. the palisades, and to make everything fit within took quite some effort and deserves a closer look in the future. As we leave the forest we find Haefwold on our way, which is the northern most 'Roman Legacy' tile in the region.

(https://i.imgur.com/ajz4W8P.jpg)

We'll be just passing through for now though and going down further still we pass the remains of Aebora monastery.

(https://i.imgur.com/wbWF5WL.png)

The ruins are a silent reminder of a violent past, as the monastery was plundered and burned down by Vaendels, my fictional take on the Vandals  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandals)which the Roman Empire had an adversarial attitude towards. 

(https://i.imgur.com/kUtsNMp.jpg)

Finally we arrive at Leanderas which used to be a thriving Roman port of which the fortress bears witness, though it has fallen in disrepair since.

As you may have gathered by now the history of Aerden includes being part of the the Western Roman Empire. As such there're 3 'Roman Legacy' tiles in the region which deserve a closer look in the future as well. That's it for today though, hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks kbieniu7, art128 & Akallan for your comments!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a proper winter update
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 14, 2018, 12:30:17 PM
What a... vastness... That's an incredible region! I propably repeat it the hudreth time, but I'm always amazed by your works. Used to highly developed cities and infrastructure, that calm and wilderness is magical  &apls

Also, nice work with palisades. And the organic layout of trails and paths.
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ a proper winter update
Post by: manga rivotra on January 17, 2018, 01:50:15 PM
These overviews are sublime and the view of region is totally breathtaking.  :o I can not wait to see more!  &apls &apls &apls
Title: ÆRDEN ~ new streets!
Post by: vortext on June 27, 2019, 04:30:41 AM
Hello, long time no see, to put it mildly . .  ::)

As per usual development in the region has managed to slow down even more, but it's hasn't stopped entirely! In fact while perusing a few md entries I was quite amazed at the progress Traelonisk has seen, comparing the current state to last time I showed it here. However for today I wanted to show a small, but significant change I made yesterday with the introduction of new street textures for the region!

(https://i.imgur.com/TTzdWJF.jpg)

I made this set more than a year ago but never showed here, or put it to use to begin with. And for reasons I can't recall the set was created as a sam2 override at the time. More interesting is that it has 4 distinct zoning textures, i.e. a textuture for no zone, low density, medium density and agriculture zone. 

Now seeing I've never been quite satisfied with the current street override I'm using (which was meant as a temporary placeholder anyway!) I re-iid the sam2 set to vanilla iids yesterday. Here're some before-and-after shots;

(https://i.imgur.com/BstDqX8.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/dy5kEx4.jpg)
Spot the missing piece  ;)

From afar;

(https://i.imgur.com/lkt2IK0.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/zC0Sx65.jpg)

It's a little rough around the edges still; couple of missing tiles, diagonal alligment issues and wrong orientation for few of the LE textures.

(https://i.imgur.com/xMS6jVl.jpg)

That being said I'm quite pleased with the looks of it, though not quite looking forward to updating all the tiles for a cohesive region view. Then again it's a good reason to visit all the tiles and develop them some more. So check back in 2030 to see if I ever got around to doing that.  :D

Joking aside various tiles have received quite a bit of attention as I've been playing around with different waterway and ditch sets, and growing proper stage 4 farms while at it!

(https://i.imgur.com/qyPF7lL.jpg) 


Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ new streets!
Post by: siemanthepieman on June 27, 2019, 06:00:29 AM
Too cool - I wish I had the skills and dedication you have to build the perfect region. Regardless of how long it takes. 2030 is fast approaching anyway!
Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ new streets!
Post by: kbieniu7 on June 27, 2019, 10:12:04 AM
Yeah, some more shots of Aerden!  ;D Maybe I should also put some dust out from my thread ;)

I would never be so patient to play with modding, but that some really good work done by you! It really fits that ancient ambient and the new ones are less saturated and blends better with the landscape. And masks the grid quite well, too :)

Would like to see some proper game development and new villages as well, frankly speaking ;)

Regards!


Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ new streets!
Post by: vortext on June 28, 2019, 06:34:15 AM
He, figured the quickest way to show development in Traelonisk was to whip up a small gif, so I did just that (and while doing came to realize the street bridges needs re-texturing too.. ).  It's rather hefty size wise (~30 mb) so may take a few loops before choppy playback has resolved. Enjoy!

(https://i.imgur.com/1xbx0Ke.gif)




Title: Re: ÆRDEN ~ new streets!
Post by: art128 on June 28, 2019, 09:51:07 AM
Very nice development, the new street textures are great. Eager to see more soon. (;D)