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Bobbo662

Started by Bobbo, March 01, 2007, 01:48:00 PM

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kimcar

Hello Bobbo. Glad to see you here back on track. You said you come her to be a better batter . Let me tell you that i come here to be a better downloader   ;D , because i don't bat but i download a lot   ()stsfd() Seriously i'm very happy to see your great work again . Take care and have a nice game.  :thumbsup:

EDGE4194

Hi Bobbo- I am glad to see you here as well. I have always been a fan of your work and I probably have all of your bats. Your service stations are essential in each of my cities. I am glad you are working on the older buildings and can't wait to see more. Keep up the good work- your work is appreciated!

Zaphod

#22
Awesome, its great to see you over here. My favorite stuff you've made by far has to be the gas stations and that HEB.

I think I know a way you can improve the lots of your gas stations. I noticed it the other day when I was getting gas. Lots of times, the pavement under the pump canopy isnt just one big asphault sheet. Rather, its sort of chaotic with different patches of pavement and manholes. I think this has something to do with the tanks underground

here's a pic i found



Deadwoods already made some textures that are sort of like that for his 'servos', maybe you could use them for yours too



War Kittens !?

Bobbo

Quote from: Zaphod on March 01, 2007, 09:37:02 PM
Awesome, its great to see you over here. My favorite stuff you've made by far has to be the gas stations and that HEB.

I think I know a way you can improve the lots of your gas stations. I noticed it the other day when I was getting gas. Lots of times, the pavement under the pump canopy isnt just one big asphault sheet. Rather, its sort of chaotic with different patches of pavement and manholes. I think this has something to do with the tanks underground

here's a pic i found



Deadwoods already made some textures that are sort of like that for his 'servos', maybe you could use them for yours too





Hi Zaphod :)

Thanks for stopping by, I'm glad to hear that you enjoy the gas stations, and the HEB store that I made! 

I have thought of doing that (making the pavement under the gas canopy), infact at one time I did try something, but when I made the pavement under the canopy, trying to use the car props in Lot Editor, the car prop would kinda like disappear, or fade out because of the pavement under the canopy pumps - so I decided not to go that route, but sitting here thinking, I could use a different overlay texture for under the pumps and test it out and see - it's a thought.  But, I'm hoping one day that I can do my own car props so that I can do something like what you mention.

And that's another good point you brought up - the tanks.  The covers or lids that lead to the tanks below the pavement -   :P I forgot to do something like that.

@Edge4194 - Hi :) - thank you!  I'm glad that you have been enjoying my gas station BATs, I enjoy sharing in what I do, and hopefully my newer gas stations will be a big improvement.  Thanks for stopping by!

@Kimcar, hey, it's good to  hear from you!  How have you been!!?  Last August, when my Doctor called me on the phone, and told me that she had found infection in my foot bone, I had lost it - After 3 years prior of being careful, after losing my 3 toes, and then having the infection hit me hard again, I thought my world was collapsing in - but for some reason, something or someone spoke to me and told me to be strong, so I did, and now my health has drastically turned around for the better!  I'll never ever EVER go barefoot again :))  I'm grateful that I can walk just as good again, and 2 days ago, I drove my car for the first time in 3 years!!  You talk about a wondeful feeling to be able to be back out in the world again  :P  So now, my foot has a nickname that I give it, Frankenfoot :D, and I was thinkin' about personalizing my license plates that reads "6-toes"   ;D  I'm glad that you are here enjoying the wonderful SC4D site, and downloading the great material!
It's good to hear from you!   ;)

dedgren

Man!

...caution!  BAT God Zone...

I thought seeing this stuff would be like watching sausage get made.  Instead, I feel like I'm looking over Da Vinci's shoulder.

Welcome to the road to Valhalla, Bobbo...

...gosh- I knew him when he was 662...

From the looks of things, you'll fit in very, very well here.


David




D. Edgren

Please call me David...

Three Rivers Region- A collaborative development of the SC4 community
The 3RR Quick Finder [linkie]


I aten't dead.  —  R.I.P. Granny Weatherwax

Skype: davidredgren

kimcar

 :thumbsup: Great news you told me . I`m very happy to read that your wealth is Ok. Take care in wheel and in overall . ;D  See you.

jeronij

Hello Bobbo, nice to see you in this board  :thumbsup:

I am sure that with a very little effort, your creations will be perfect . Btw, I do love gas stations, they are realistic, and the more we have, the best  ;)

Thanks also to JMyers for his Broccoli tutoruial, which is quite clear and useful  &apls
I am currently not active - Please, contact Tarkus for any site related matter. Thanks for enjoying SC4D :D


Autism Awareness;  A Father Shares
Mallorca My Mayor Diary


Colyn

Once you get to the Lotting ... please talk to Barby about the BSC OG's so that your creations could be linked into the BSC Reward system.
Work, the annoying period between bike trips.
Come see CSX Play

Bobbo

Quote from: Colyn on March 02, 2007, 12:39:31 PM
Once you get to the Lotting ... please talk to Barby about the BSC OG's so that your creations could be linked into the BSC Reward system.

Hi - I will definately talk to Barby when I am ready for the lotting!  Thanks Colyn for stopping by :)

Bobbo

Quote from: jeronij on March 02, 2007, 06:56:21 AM
Hello Bobbo, nice to see you in this board  :thumbsup:

I am sure that with a very little effort, your creations will be perfect . Btw, I do love gas stations, they are realistic, and the more we have, the best  ;)

Thanks also to JMyers for his Broccoli tutoruial, which is quite clear and useful  &apls

Hey jeronij, thanks!  :)

Bobbo

#30
Quote from: deadwoods on March 01, 2007, 06:20:18 PM
Nice work on the models you've shown above. I'd back up some of the comments on texturing by suggesting you reduce the saturation on some of them like the Pizza stores. Whilst newly painted buildings often burn your retina's up close, if you were looking from a block away, they wouldn't be so bright due to the dust in the air. Looking from a plane (e.g. zoom 1-3) they would appear even more dull. So keep the colours, just desaturate a bit.

The new Texaco roof is much better. Next is to make a single texture rather than having one texture repeat seven times. What I do is work out roughly how wide/high a texture needs to be (like you've done, get the size right in the BAT and see how often it tiles) then go into a picture editing tool (such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro) then paste the texture and repeat it the number of times to get the same size as the BAT surface (so for your Texaco it would be repeated twice vertically and seven times horizontally). Then I use the dodge/burn tools to make it look less repeated. Once it's done, I apply it to the surface in BAT and set the UVW map so it only covers the surface once. Hope this helps.

Deadwoods & Jmyers, well, this is what I've done in PSP with the roof canopy, and desaturated the red throughout the entire BAT - I need to get my PSP book out and read up on it - I think this is one of the toughest things to do in Gmax - texturing.  Enclosed here are 3 shots of the Texaco: (and I rescaled it down too Jmyers - and if it looks ok, I'll render tonight and check it out in the game)




and day render....



I'm crossing my fingers that this is an improvement  - thanks! :)

jmyers2043

#31
Hello Bobbo

I like the pizza houses you've done. I am looking at the pizza roofs and I recognize the Maxis corrugate metal that you've applied to the roofs. And thought it a good idea to demo how I do flat roofs. I do every roof so there are no repetition of patterns (like the Texaco has). <edit: As I am writing you posted a redo of the Texaco - but I'll still use the first picture as it makes a good example.



I make every roof I do different and unique to each building.   First - It may surprise you but I'll start out the project by using two Maxis roof textures. Maxis Asphalt Roof 01 (left) and the Maxis flatrooftex.bmp (to the right)



What I'll do is to copy a section of the flat roof and paste it to a new image. I'll then use the Paint Shop Brush tool to create an oil painting affect. I'll experiment with the brush width, softness, and brush stroke length until I get a bunch of blotches. Gray, light brown and dark gray.



I'll then layer the 'oil painting' behind the Asphalt roof at about 50% opacity. I want quite a bit of pattern to show through. (Left) ... I liked the affect but there are two things that I didn't want. First is that the blotches lightened up the original asphalt roof and the blotches also obscured the asphalt seams. So I went back to the oil painted blotches and adjusted the contrast and brightness to darken the image. Creating a wider dynamic contrast range between the dark and light areas.  I think that I've got the roof 'pattern' about right it is time. Have not done a gmax render yet. But now is a good time to darken the seams. To do that I'll make a 2 pixel wide darken brush and run the brush along the seams at about 60% opacity.  The result is the roof on the right.




And this is the first trial gmax render. I personally think that I need to work on the blotches some more. As I'd like the darker spots where water has settled and dried to look a smidgen more dark, and I'd like the in between gray areas to have more definition. I'd also move the air conditioning and vents around to hide imperfections. Probably place the HVAC closer to (or on top of) to take advantage of that light brown spot. But I hope at least that you get the idea.



Andreas said (in one of the private BSC forums) that Sim City is a roof top game. That comment really stuck with me. I do what I can to make each roof top different texture wise. And as much as my imagination allows I try to make each different roof junk wise as well.

Some rules of thumb that I use. (1) The Maxis asphalt roof works well for smaller roofs. I would use the above layering technique for a large flat factory roof but would start with a gravel texture rather than the asphalt one. (2) I will create a roof texture that is 320 pixels by 200 pixels if the gmax roof is 32X20. I'll UV map a roof at the very end if something is not quite right ... maybe 5% one way or another but never UV map a roof texture 7 times horizontally. (3) More often than not, Less is More. By that I mean that I try to keep the light parts of the roof textures fairly close to the dark parts as it look more natural. Remember what I did with the brick wall? How the bottom is only slightly darker than the upper part of the wall? Same applies towards roofs as well.  <edit: having said that, What do you think of your new Texaco roof?> 

Obviously there is objectivity and I personally don't complain if a roof is close ... I just don't like them to jump out at me and smack me between the eyes. Those buildings get deleted.

<another edit: Metal roofs are hard (texaco you're working on) and I'm going to grab a beer and then take a look at your changes - and make a reply later>

Good Luck - Jim Myers
Jim Myers  (5th member of SC4 Devotion)

joelevan

You know...I am on Google Earth and looking at a couple of gas stations in the Phoenix area. Your texture is close to a several of these. I am kind of surprised at how many different roof types there are! I hadn't actually looked before. I really like all of the detail you put into it. I love the color on the pumps for the different grade of fuel. And the yellow guard posts are a nice touch as well! This is very good!

Joel

petercintn

Nice thread Bobbo,

I've got at least 8 of your creations, commercial stuff, Walmarts and Kmarts and such.  You do nice work.
And it's good to have you here, welcome.  If you'll BTE those gas stations, I'll start using them again. 

Hope your health stays well, I struggle with a few problems myself, and I know things can get bad quick if you get depressed about your situation.  It's always a good day this side of the dirt.  At least that's what I tell myself when I have lousy days.  Good luck.
Carolina Tar Heels... National Champs again!

jmyers2043

Hello Bobbo

This is what you can do in Paint Shop Pro. I grabbed your image and did a perspective correction on it. So that I could have a straight Hor and Vert image. I copied the corrugate metal and pasted it as a new image. I did a 90 degree rotation and added a 'wind distortion' affect. I did this to smooth out the craggy look of the corrugate. I rotated the image back to the horizontal plane and it became layer number one.  I kind of thought that the white part of the corrugate was too white so I created a gray image (254X45 which is the same size as the corrugate) and flooded it with a medium gray (RGB 150,150,150) and that becomes layer number two. The purpose is to replace the white with the gray. Do this by selecting 'darken' in the layer pull down menu. Layer number three is a pattern that you've got in Paint Shop 9 ... a pink/purplish color gradient that I hoped would create a metallic looking texture when combined with the other two layers.
Ok. All three layers are in place. Time to experiment with the sliders (circled in red) until I get the desired affect between the gray, corrugate, and metal.



The next thing is to get a Texaco logo. Now I'm not being accurate here but I want to show that I copied a very small section of the red part of the logo to make my red paint. The advantage is that there are natural light and dark areas that will give the red paint in your gmax render some life. I had to reduce the saturation by about 40%.



I did a quick look see and decided that the structure needed some braces. So I made some black trim to go around the upper and lower lip and made some cross work braces along the top. I'm not fond of the black trim (too black at the moment) but I hope you get the idea. Compare the Troof.jpg (located between the Texaco logo and the right tool bar) and the gmax preview render. The darker parts of the image actually stretched a bit vertically creating faint smudges on the top. I was lucky and I think that I am on the right track. What I would do at this point if iI was acutally batting, would be to go back to the sliders and give the corrugate less opacity so that the smudges would be a smidgen more visible.



I'm obviuosly not going for a detailed bat. Your signage and logos on the fuel pump roof are more detailed in that regards. I'm just doing a few illustrative things. Two things I hope you get out of this. First ... LAYERS ARE YOUR FRIEND.  You get instant feedback on how your textures will look when adjusting those sliders around. Secondly, using an existing logo and grabbing a small section of paint that already has some gradient built in saves some time and is often better than anything that I can do manually.

By the way – these are just suggestions. The important thing is that it is your bat. You need to comfortable with how it looks in the end.

Regarding the scale? The new model looks like it will fit nicely on a 1X3 lot and if it does not I would scale it so it at least did that. I'd do a couple of lots. The 1X3 would just have the multi pump island and it would be a nice replacement for the Maxis gas pumps that sit on a similar sized lot. You could then do a 2X3 lot which has that extra small light brown building. Make some tire air pumps, auto vacuums, or other props ... you could also have some dumpsters and make it a combo gas station, recycling station. A 3X3 lot (bat a truck stop type eating place or a car wash) and it would look good along a highway.

Good Luck - Jim Myers
Jim Myers  (5th member of SC4 Devotion)

Bobbo

Quote from: jmyers2043 on March 02, 2007, 09:18:01 PM
Hello Bobbo

This is what you can do in Paint Shop Pro. I grabbed your image and did a perspective correction on it. So that I could have a straight Hor and Vert image. I copied the corrugate metal and pasted it as a new image. I did a 90 degree rotation and added a ‘wind distortion' affect. I did this to smooth out the craggy look of the corrugate. I rotated the image back to the horizontal plane and it became layer number one.  I kind of thought that the white part of the corrugate was too white so I created a gray image (254X45 which is the same size as the corrugate) and flooded it with a medium gray (RGB 150,150,150) and that becomes layer number two. The purpose is to replace the white with the gray. Do this by selecting ‘darken’ in the layer pull down menu. Layer number three is a pattern that you’ve got in Paint Shop 9 … a pink/purplish color gradient that I hoped would create a metallic looking texture when combined with the other two layers.
Ok. All three layers are in place. Time to experiment with the sliders (circled in red) until I get the desired affect between the gray, corrugate, and metal.




Hi Jim -

I had to set here and really digest what you had written, the tutorial/examples that you showed me.  I've got to crack open my PSP book, and dive in and read about how to do layering - I'm also gonna print off what you had posted so I can study what you had shown  me.  Have you ever thought about writing up a tutorial on how to do layering? You really have the talent of doing a tutorial.  I think I'm gonna take today as a study day in PSP 101 and really learn how to do texturing and layering - who knows, it might take the whole weekend -  maybe I might need a beer or two too!  :D

Quote from: jmyers2043 on March 02, 2007, 09:18:01 PM




The texturing on the canopy is excellent!  Fantastic job Jim, really.  Now that's how I would like to see my pump canopies turn out!  :thumbsup:

It took me 5.5 hours to render the Texaco yesterday, and when I render, I tend to not get on my computer b/c it seems Gmax Rendering is very very particular, and I don't want it to crash.  You're probably saying - Holy cow why 5.5 hours?! Well, each pump polycount is 174,000 (I'm rounding it off) so I have 8 pumps - 8 x 174,000 = 1,392,000 - so I have my Gmax Bible book that I got from amazon, and I think somewhere I read how you can reduce the polycount - but then I think it mention that it may take away from the detail work too.  Though my main focus today is to study what you taught me, and to dig further into my PSP book and readup on "How to layer".

Thank you so much Jim for taking time out of your busy schedule to tutor me on how to layer and texture properly!

Quote from: joelevan on March 02, 2007, 06:40:21 PM
You know...I am on Google Earth and looking at a couple of gas stations in the Phoenix area. Your texture is close to a several of these. I am kind of surprised at how many different roof types there are! I hadn't actually looked before. I really like all of the detail you put into it. I love the color on the pumps for the different grade of fuel. And the yellow guard posts are a nice touch as well! This is very good!

Joel

Hi Joel - well, I try my best, or how should I say it, I like to make my work look realisticly.  I know though I have quit a bit to learn, and that's the reason why I'm here, so that I can make my material be useful and fun in you game.  Thank you for the nice compliment!

Bobby

Quote from: petercintn on March 02, 2007, 07:45:15 PM
Nice thread Bobbo,

I've got at least 8 of your creations, commercial stuff, Walmarts and Kmarts and such.  You do nice work.
And it's good to have you here, welcome.  If you'll BTE those gas stations, I'll start using them again. 

Hope your health stays well, I struggle with a few problems myself, and I know things can get bad quick if you get depressed about your situation.  It's always a good day this side of the dirt.  At least that's what I tell myself when I have lousy days.  Good luck.

Hi Petercintn - Thanks, I enjoy working here in this thread.  The Kmart I'm totally revamping when I get to it, the color is horrible (the green), and the old Wal-Mart is history - I've created a better looking Wal-Mart, see on my first page of this thread - but that has not been posted.  I feel comfortable that this Wal-Mart is ready to go into the LE now to get dressed up for posting.

So far so good in my health.  After my last surgery I was taken off over 1/2 of my medications, I'm feeling 101% better, I drove my new car that my partner bought me last year that I hadden driven until 3 days ago - and he's put 13,000 miles on it before I drove it  :P  August I get off my disability and dying to go back to work.  Got a job offer working with Apple Computers so things are looking up.  Oh, you be surprise how the mind works with your health.  I learned that if you laugh a lot, and have a great attitude, and an outlook in life, and strife for something positive in  your life - you health seems to excel.  My foot doctor was really amazed that I didn't lose my entire foot, and how quickly I rebounded where I can actually walk normal again - though I call my foot "frankenfoot"  :P (I only have 6 toes now) but I walk with out a limp, walk normal.  I know this is becoming a book, sorry But when I was lying in the hospital bed for 2.5 months with wound vacs running out of my foot (I couldn't walk or stand for 3 months), I was watching some news program about how our military men & women are coming back from Iraq with missing limbs (especially the legs) and how they rebound back & walk, and I told myself, Gee, I only lost 4 toes, and if they can walk with missing limbs, I certainly can walk with 6 toes!.  So I pushed myself to get better.  Anyway, read my new noval that will be coming out next fall, "My Life In Hell And How I Climbed Out Of It" - just kidding.  :D
Quote from: dedgren on March 01, 2007, 11:04:39 PM
Man!

...caution!  BAT God Zone...

I thought seeing this stuff would be like watching sausage get made.  Instead, I feel like I'm looking over Da Vinci's shoulder.

Welcome to the road to Valhalla, Bobbo...

...gosh- I knew him when he was 662...

From the looks of things, you'll fit in very, very well here.


David






David -  :D Have you been over to Jim's house having too many beers  :D.... Da Vinci :D
I'm glad that I have the opportunity to be here!  Thanks David - Bobby

Nealos101

Everything is looking very very cool bobbo... And these helping comments from everyone on this board make it even more special.

Out of interest... How much is PSP in dollars/pounds?

QuoteIt took me 5.5 hours to render the Texaco yesterday, and when I render, I tend to not get on my computer b/c it seems Gmax Rendering is very very particular, and I don't want it to crash.  You're probably saying - Holy cow why 5.5 hours?!

I agree with you on the rendering time... The casinos I do go for a whole night sometimes becuase I put so much heart into them; but recently I have got some new ram and GMAX may render a little quicker for me.  As a honest and greatful person I am the casino I am currently working on; the cross complex... That's 474,198 polygons in total... Probably 24 hours worth of rendering, but when I look at it I can tell it isn't going to change, and would run a render for much longer than that just to see it complete.

QuoteAnyway, read my new noval that will be coming out next fall, "My Life In Hell And How I Climbed Out Of It" - just kidding. :D

Writing books isn't that hard man... ... lol

QuoteDavid - :D Have you been over to Jim's house having too many beers :D .... Da Vinci :D .

I agree with him - You have the gift; a god of the STEX, and soon hopefully the LEX too.

Anyways Bobbo catchya later - HAve to continue with my own project and at least get it to a point where I can say I can render everything... But all in all...  :thumbsup: &apls &apls :thumbsup:

Nealos101






Pat


GO BOBBY GO BOBBY GOOOOOOO GOOOOOO GOOO BOBBY GOOOOO

&apls  :thumbsup:


wow bobby im total happy this is awsome that you are gonna upload here on the LEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey you are begining to know me that im a big supporter of your work man cause dang you are goooood.
keep up the great work.
hey so are you gonna be on the team and carry that special logo?
as always your friend up in the northwoods patrick

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

Bobbo

Well Jim, I did it - I played with my friend "the layers"  :D .  Wasn't bad - here's what I did - there are 5 different layers and the base layer is Maxis roof.



This only a test - not gonna use it - just playing around, but wanted to thank you, and Deadwoods for pointing me in the direction of doing layers.  It's actually fun  :D Gonna play around with it more.

Quote from: patfirefghtr on March 03, 2007, 02:56:55 PM
GO BOBBY GO BOBBY GOOOOOOO GOOOOOO GOOO BOBBY GOOOOO

&apls  :thumbsup:


wow bobby im total happy this is awsome that you are gonna upload here on the LEX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey you are begining to know me that im a big supporter of your work man cause dang you are goooood.
keep up the great work.
hey so are you gonna be on the team and carry that special logo?
as always your friend up in the northwoods patrick


Hey Pat :) - glad to hear from you today!!  Well, if you enjoy the BATs I create for your game, then I'm a happy camper!
Well - if they ask me  ;)

You take care of yourself Pat - and enjoy your weekend!!

The Bobbo


Pat

#39
btw i forgot to say

Warning Leagend in the making here.  Watch out Goober and Peg cause here comes Bobbo662 on the way up to greatness!!!!!!!
BTW the pic didnt show up all i see is a red X

ok i see it now and that is some awsome layring there bobby great job!!!!!!

pat




Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie