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Threestooges and the BAT

Started by threestooges, January 14, 2008, 04:46:09 PM

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threestooges

#40
Replies:
-Becca: Thanks for the suggestion. I've been poking around the various tutorials out there and I think I'm actually starting to figure out what's what.

-Pat: Thanks for the compliment and thanks for the link. I think I finally figured out the street light thing (heh heh).

So the bridge is to a point where I think it looks good, and is functional. I have to figure out how to switch the picture shown in the bridge menu and then I think it might be ready to send off for final checks/testing. I took the opportunity to try it out in game. Let me know what you think.




Warning: attached is an untested bridge file. Please DO NOT use unless you have received permission to do so. This is done mainly for your protection since I am not sure if there are any defects with the file yet. While I believe it works so far, failure to follow this warning may result in unpredictable effects.

jeronij

I think it looks very good  :thumbsup:

Perhaps, and only perhaps, the roof is a bit too saturated... but the modelling is excellent, and the modding too. Thanks for creating this beauty  &apls &apls
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Pat

Matt no problem at all and I love the progress on the bridge, so is it out yet anywhere?

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threestooges

Jeroni: Thanks. Without your help, this probably wouldn't exist. The roof has a bit more detail, etc that can be seen in the pic (seems to blur when in jpeg form), but I'll see if there is anything I can do. Also, what is the best way to get the file to you? I've sent it to David (dedgren) to fiddle with, if nothing else, I'm sure he can get it to you.

Pat: It's not yet out in the public forum. Mostly I want to make sure that any and all bugs are out of it before unleashing it on the unsuspecting user. This is my first actual use of the reader and anything modding related so I want to make sure everything came out right. When that's done though, I expect to release it.

Pat

Very super sweeet Matt!!! If you want anyone to test it out let me know  :thumbsup:

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City Builder

 &apls I really like the bridge model, but I do have a thought that the roof is just a bit too flat looking or maybe it's just too dark so that it looks flat or hell, maybe it's just my eye sight, but I do really like the covered bridge.  Nice job.
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threestooges

-Replies:
-Pat: I would be happy to send it your way (as long as you realize I have no idea what I'm doing, heh heh). Is there a file hosting site you use, or would you prefer it by email? Keep in mind that it will likely change in some form before release (we'll see what testing yields).

-City Builder: Thanks for the compliment. The roof is actually flat (your eyes are fine in that respect) and I wasn't sure when making it if I wanted to keep a minor pitch in the roof. I kind of like the way it is now even though the flat spot is shingled. I didn't like the game covered bridge in certain spots and I'm glad to have had the chance to make one myself.


First off, law school continues in full force and I have a trial brief paper thing due in about a week (or so) so time will be limited as I polish that up. In the meantime however, I have done a bit more work on that office building. I'm not sure if I just added too much roof space, but I'm not sure what to put up there. The building that it is based off of doesn't give me much to go on (it's pretty clean) and I've just kind of gone my own way with it. Up next is a fair bit of detail work: roof stuff, patio stuff (benches and maybe some potted plants if someone knows of some good plant models), and railings along the patio walls, etc. and the back still needs some work before I show it. So let me know what you think, any and all comments are greatly appreciated.


squidi

looks nice so far.
i would change the roof texture on the top that you have not that periodic repetition
and you can make something like a waether station or some dishes on the roof.

Pat

#48
Hey Matt,

   Email is fine and that is easier then going threw a song and a dance on Fileden or anyother hosting site lol, check my profile for the addy....   Hmmmm the office building is coming along pretty nicly and I do like the overall apperance of it but the roof texture does need a little revamping and also some more roof junk would be nice to see....  I think that Autovino or Simfox has done a tut on Raytrace for making the windows transparent its here somewhere but if you cant find it, here is one that should also help here [linkie]

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JBSimio

Hi Matt,

First, let me say that I really like your covered bridge.  I've never been fond of the one included by Maxis, and this will be a very welcome alternative!  &apls

I agree with Squidi about the roof texture.  You may also consider staggering the end points for the ducting on the roof... this should add a little visual interest and break things up a bit.  What kind of lot size will this building be?  I like the overall design quite a bit.  My only real "complaint" at this stage is that it seems rather bulky.  I don't mean that it's too large as a whole... but that the different pieces are all in large sections and the overall result makes it look a bit flat.  (I hope that makes some sort of sense.)  Maybe some framing on the large first floor and center windows to break that up would help... similar to how you outlined the doors, but not quite as thick?  In the same line of thought, you could set the rows of windows back from the wall just slightly so they look framed within the building instead of "painted on."  The building has a lot of great lines and many things to look at (which is always great)... some minor tweaks will take this one a long ways.   :thumbsup:

Jon


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threestooges

Replies:
-squidi: I like the idea of a weather station of something. the way I made the building, I ended up with a fair bit of roof space to work with. A few antennas etc. would certainly work there. I'll work with the roof texture to see what I can do. The very top part is meant to be a gravel coating to a tarred roof, and the lower parts are tile. Thanks for the suggestions.

-Pat: Certainly there will be more roof junk (it's too big not to) but I'm not sure just what yet. Also, the detail work is nowhere near done yet (much less started really...). I'll take a look at those tutorials and see what they have to say. Always good to hear from you.

-Jon: Good to see you. I'll shift around the ducts (in that pic I was just feeling out how much space I have to work with). It looks bulky because it is bulky; you'll see a pic of the building it's based on below. It should occupy about a 4x4 lot... and I'm wondering if I want to drop it down a bit. I just started building on a 'rule of thumb' measure. I'll see what I can do in terms of framing, and I see what you mean about the windows. The reddish ones however, are actually flush with the actual building; a great look that I can't quite figure out how to replicate properly (if you have any thoughts) so I'm wondering if I should go for something more traditional or what. Lastly, I plan to add benches and bushes to the patios to give them some life. Do you know a good way to make a decent looking bush/planter?


Thanks to everyone who has commented on this project so far. For reference, here is the building this is based on:


Pat

Thats sweet matt and its always great to see the RL inspiration...

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threestooges

-Thanks Pat. It's certainly a sizable building and I remember it from when I lived around here many years ago (up until the end of 3rd grade). It still looks the same.

So here are the results of a little more tinkering and a bit of staring at the screen. Some planters, benches and window trim etc. more to come and I still need to work with the roof texture.


Pat


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Pat

OK Matt givin some time since my last post I think its safe to bump a bit lol.......

I do have some results here on the bridge, which btw is really sweet, I didnt yet compare it to Colyn's bridge seeing as that from what you said is used as the base model... But anyways here are pics of it in action as of last night before my wife kicked me off the computer lol....









The only thing I have noticed that is where the bridge meets the land is that little gap... I dont know if that can be avoided or if Colyn had the same problem's?  Either way UDI works so far and when I go back ingame today I will see how it looks against dry land...

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RebaLynnTS

Becca

Look for me at ... Becca At Bat

threestooges

Actually I used the bridge exemplar file from Colyn's bridge and edited that to match my models. The modelling is entirely my own (which explains why there is a heavy duty speed bump). What I gather from that is that I rendered the start/end piece with the road slightly above 0. So, to fix that all I would need to do would be to fix up the model and re-export...nothing too bad.

However, this does pose an interesting opportunity of sorts: since I will be re-exporting (at least) the start piece, are there any cosmetic changes that anyone would like to see? I've heard it mentioned that the roof texture might be a bit saturated and flat so I might change that a bit (but I would like to hear thoughts on it), and from the looks of it, the clearance might be a bit low (judging from that fire truck) so making it a bit taller is on the table too. Please let me know of any comments/suggestions you may have, and thank you again pat for putting that thing through its paces (keep it up if you'd like).
-Matt

RebaLynnTS

I think the three things you mentioned are about all that might be worth doing, for sure. The only other thing I see is some funny shadowing inside the bridge. I am not sure how transit models work, but extending the roof out over the road area on each piece, in both directions (Past the LOD) would fix that in a normal BAT.
Becca

Look for me at ... Becca At Bat

Pat

OK as I promissed here are my dry land takes....



OK here is an Idea I was thinking about lighting up the texture of the roof...







Now here is the full bridge with TPW, This is just a small teaser of it lol



if you want to see the full pic well you will just have to check out my MD lol.....

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JBSimio

Quote from: threestooges on February 22, 2008, 10:54:21 AM
However, this does pose an interesting opportunity of sorts: since I will be re-exporting (at least) the start piece, are there any cosmetic changes that anyone would like to see? I've heard it mentioned that the roof texture might be a bit saturated and flat so I might change that a bit (but I would like to hear thoughts on it), and from the looks of it, the clearance might be a bit low (judging from that fire truck) so making it a bit taller is on the table too. Please let me know of any comments/suggestions you may have, and thank you again pat for putting that thing through its paces (keep it up if you'd like).

If you need to go through it again anyway, perhaps you could change just the flat roof section to more of a shallow pitch?  You'd end up with that barn roof look in the end... but it still wouldn't be so tall like the Maxis version.  Just a thought.

I see what you mean about the flatness of that building.  Maybe the wall and glass textures should look a bit more like each other to mimic that seamless effect.  It would also make for a pretty cool "Oh wow... look at that!" moment when the lights come on. ;)   I like the most recent additions and I'm looking forward to watching it progress.

Jon


Never trust a god who grins all the time and wears a top hat, that's my motto.  -Terry Pratchett

It's from JBSimio.  Need we say more?  -BadgerBoy of SC4 Devotion