Glenni's BAT viking homestead

[Glenni]

Well, the garden props won't really be used, I'm just using some props i modeled a few years back to clutter up the balcony, deck, etc.

[Glenni]

So I wanted to doodle with Simcity 4 again, I guess I lost interest in it around later in 2018.

The computer i was using to play Sc4, and to BAT with had a sudden hard drive failure, I didn't even have time to do a backup, so unfortunately, all the projects posted here are until I somehow find a backup of my models more or less to be considered dead.

But there are some good news, I found a 2017 backup of my plugins, meaning that with a new NAM update and such, I should be up and running to play the game itself with the buildings and mods I had, and were familiar with.

I also found a couple folders for my older GMAX BATs, and most of the textures I use. So at least I don't have to start *entirely* fresh, right?

[iamgoingtoeatyou]

GLENNI! Good to see you're still kicking around

[Glenni]

Allright, so here's my current project.

For my first BAT after several years hiatus, my skills are a little rusty (That's putting it lightly).

So I thought I'd start with something small, and representing a piece of my hometown.

This is Haraldsgata 153 ( Harald's Street) - It's one of the many historic wooden buildings from the 1800s, and early 1900s that one can find in the centre of Haugesund, Norway.





It contains a clothes store in the ground floor, and the first floor has a book store named
"Den Lille Bokbutikken" - "the little book shop". It's among one of my favourite stores, as their main focus is on English and other language books. Most Norwegian book stores usually have at least a shelf dedicated for books in English, but this store goes all in - and I'm all for it!



Now, to the BAT:

For now it only has a couple placeholder textures, and a piece of the front facade.
Should also mention, the renderer is acting a little funny, giving all the visual glitches.





The plan is to make the building as close to the real life example. It will be a partial wall to wall building, with a gate on the right side towards the back yard

I recently went on a little photo excursion around Haugesund, and the plan is to make a few more buildings. Historic masonry buildings, historic wooden buildings, and more modern examples found throughout the city.

[kelis]

It's so nice to see you again Glen !! Great job so far with this new model.

[Glenni]

While not a BAT, sometimes it's fun to just mess around with lot editor for personal use with my cities too.



This is the Dohn building by Dusktrooper

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A neat looking BAT, which I've wanted to use in my cities for a while (as it's only about 38 floors, which is a good maximum height for buildings in my cities) Now it sits in a complex with a sky bridge, adjoining smaller tower, and is the centre piece to a 1960s concrete raised park, and underground mall.

I remember SAC used to do some pretty cool lotting. I'm not quite at her calibre, but it's fun to try creative stuff once in a while. :p

[Tyberius06]

Oh, wooooow, that's some awesome fine LOTting work there! Amazing stuff, how you used the raised park props and those water textures.    

[Glenni]

   


As you may have noticed yourself, and probably seen me mention - I had some problems with bad artefacting on my model.

And pretty much anything I made in 2011 - even if it was just a render of a set of untextured boxes.

To be honest it made me want to give up BATting, i felt like I was stuck with having to port it to GMAX, and render it there.

My progress came to a screeching halt, I couldn't make models with reflections, bumpmapping, more advanced lighting, self illumination for nightlights. As no matter what I'd do, I'd have these artefacts, missing chunks of the model etc in SC4 angle renders.

There's nothing wrong with rendering in GMAX, but since I had the opportunity, I wanted to use 3dsmax. Learn from it - Improve my models even more. Continue where I left off last time in 2018. and get even better.

 

It turned out to be something *extremely simple*
I found it again, looking at page 1 in this thread. Was like... d'oohhhhh.

Just download Service Pack 3 for 3dsmax 2011....

So with that newfound inspiration, I've worked a little more on my BAT, and now it renders without glitches and holes in the geometry.

Keep in mind, texturing isn't final, not even close to it.

[art128]

Your post couldn't be any more timely, I just re-installed a new PC and went for 3dsmax 2011 so I completely forgot about the service packs. Thanks!
Glad you resolved your issue, would have been a shame to go back to gmax rendering. 

[Glenni]

Cool to see you again too, Art!

I have a little surprise in store for you folk.

Some of you may remember my BLaM Norwegian House set 2 - released bck in 2006.
These were pretty old models, even at their release in 2006 they dated back to 2005.
So while I didn't want to completely redo them, I am in desperate need of more Norwegian/Scandinavian houses myself. And these just weren't going to cut it as they were.

The models are for the most part as they were in 2005, but added omni lights, new textures, and added detail along the walls and porches. Inverters, satelite dishes, chairs, tables, plants, etc.

They're still in my mind just as colourfully painted as before, as I originally intended
But just toned down to fit better within SC4 of course.
I'm redoing all 10 models, and adding four more, making the total 14. They're GMAX renders, but they should look fine in-game. 

The colours are all white, red, yellow, green, blue, orange, olive green, purple, pink, brown with green frames, white with red frames, white with blue frames, yellow with green frames -  and Dark Grey with Dark Grey frames.

While purple, pink, and dark grey may seem odd, these are all colours/shades you'll actually see houses painted as here. :p

[Glenni]

I released the house set on the STEX a couple days ago.

Don't worry, I'll upload it on the LEX too. Just been busy with another remake project.

https://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/35317-norwegian-house-set-2-remade/?sort=newest&tab=reviews#review-527705

So, so some of you may remember Steinsås Tårnet.

https://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/17076-blam-steinsaas-taarnet/?page=2&tab=comments

It was another BAT released back in 2006 under the BLaM banner.





I'm sure it was fine for its time ,but I always wanted to give it new life, so to speak.
Fortunately, while I lost the model, with a bunch of others, I did upload it in 2006 to the STEX as a GMAX scene as well.

So I've done some changes, first of all, I removed the modelled base, parking lot, sidewalk, etc.

The top floor is now a mechanical floor, i,e windowless, there are metal bands and paneling instead.

I've added copper panelling to break up the monotony of the paraphet walls a bit, I've reworked most of the textures. The thickness of them from before really bothered me. But that's how I used to model, I guess.

And finally, gave it omni lights for the areas that look best with omnis. On the old one ,even the large glass roof was standard nightmaps.

I decided to keep the back of the tower windowless. Instead making it more mechanical, but without the entirely plain walls.

Last step was to light up the KPMG signs.

I might make a couple façade spot lights as well.

[Glenni]

Here's another BLaM BAT I decided to redo, as I was never quite happy with the result of the previous one.
I don't aim for this to be a 100% recreation of the real building. As that would require a retaining wall and all kinds of nonsense to match it up with real life.

But I didn't like how the windows turned out on the previous one.
The windows were too dark, and blended too much with the red frames, making a lot of people think the entire window was burgundy.

With this new one I feel like I managed to make it more distinct.
There's a bit more detail, and the wall textures were redone to better match the typical maxis graininess that even plain walls have.

Should be released sometime today, or this week. =)

[art128]

Looks great! I'll find a nice place for it in my region.