Seraf's NYBT BATs

[seraf]

Small update on University Club:

I was working on special version (I call it 4th of July or Celebration version ). I don't know if I will end up releasing it because I'm not sure people gonna use it but anyway, take a look:



Please don't mind the topiaries and old textures, I started this version before finishing standard version, also some of the flags are missing (under balcony as well as between the ground floor windows). The decorations are only on side elevation because it faces Fifth Avenue while the elevation with entrance faces "only" the street

[deora]

because I'm not sure people gonna use it but anyway

Are you kidding me?This is an amazing detail for the building.It adds a very festive touch to the urban grittynes and also adds some color splotches to the urban landscape which is ruled by greyish concrete,red bricks and lots of asphalt...
I love the detail.
I don`t understand a single thing of modding in SC 4,but couldn`t you add this 4th July Deco as a seasonal Deco which will only appear during the summer?
Sort of like the lots with reappearing christmas themed things...
As you may see at the specs under my Avatar you might notice i`m from Germany,but i love how Americans decorate lots of things for the 4th of July.It`s like they are decorating for a second Christmas,just only a bit shorter and with white blue red instead of red white green gold....you name it.

[vester]

Maybe you could render out the facade with the flags to a separate prop, that then could be made into a timed prop.

Maxis did a lot of facades for shops like that (not timed).

[romualdillo]

The flags look great!!! I think vester is right. You can render the decorate facade as a separate prop and add it to the lot, so everyone can take it out if they want to use it in non-american themed cities.

[art128]

I don't think you should care if people will use it or not. BAT it because you like it and release it if you feel like doing so. At least that's my philosophy.

I quite like the 4th July version. It isn't something I've seen often in the game.

I'll have to agree about Vester about a timed prop. That seems like the most logical way to put it inside the game. However i'm not sure about rendering the whole façade as a props. Wouldn't it create graphical glitches?

[seraf]

deora - Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it Actually that's what I wanted to do, include it the way that it would appear around 4th of July in the game I also like how Americans decorate buildings and houses for their Independence Day, most nations of Europe haven't done that even in old days which is a pity

vester - I will try to do that I hope I can find some tutorial on this.

romualdillo - Thank you Yes, it's a good idea.

art128 - I'd say your philosophy has a lot of reason in itself Thank you, and when you put it like that... I'm not sure either. Maybe vester could cast some light on this?

I finished the work with 4th of July version and started work on night one. Here are some first tests:

[seraf]

Ok, so: the nightlights are almost done:



I just want to light some more of big windows.

And I played with another idea: (still unfinished)

[art128]

Love the night lights and the snow version.

Maybe some windows lights are a bit too bright.

[Girafe]

self illuminated windows are indeed too strong.

Why not going with floor illumination for all the windows and increase the intensity of the self illumination.

The rest is superb. 

[seraf]

art128 - Thank you

Girafe - Thank you

I tried to make the self-illuminated windows a little less bright as you suggested guys, Girafe I'm not really into the floor illumination, I mean I never used it and I don't really know how to. You see that I rather model the interiors (when the windows are sufficiently big) or just use bitmaps I also changed the color a little, now it's closer to the color that gas illumination would give.

[deora]

The Snow Version is a very cool idea.
Unfortuneately the building would stand out very much because all other buildings show their regular appearance.But it's still a very clever idea.
As for the nightlit version: I simply love it.I have a soft spot for nightlight pictures because they often give a lit object a totally different character.Also i love well done nightlights on SC 4 Buildings.It makes a great difference between plain lit window squares or like in this case, where  you actually can see something behind the windows....
However, i love the building and it looks like it's soon on the way to the Lot Editor...

[Girafe]

You have 3 options for illumination,

The first one is modeling the interior and lighting with omni lights. It s time rendering consuming but the result is nice.
It s what you have done for the big windows. I like it but the intensity of the lights is not really strong. It s representative of the reality but in game the building could appear extinguished compared to the others buildings.

You can have a similar result by applying a self illumination map to the floors. The advantage of this method is that you can increase the intensity of the lights by either increase the intensity itself in the parameters or increase the contrast of your map.

The last option is what you used for the smaller windows. It has a sense for small building like houses but in your case I think you can go with floor illumination maps.

[seraf]

deora - For now, yes. But I resolved from now on to make snow version for every BAT I make, maybe in time other BATers will start too because it doesn't require much work to do. And it would make winter pictures from game much more attractive
Yes, I will export it soon, now I just want to see if I can tweak illumination of small windows according to hints Girafe gave me, thank you for comment!

Girafe - Yes, with my previous computer it was pain with first option but now it runs very smoothly and I like the effect I didn't want the lights to be too strong, but I can always try to turn up the intensity of omnis I will try to make floor maps for the small windows and post it later today.

[APSMS]

Hey, a snow version!

If we could get people on board, we could get cities like this:


This happens to be Department 56, which is a holiday novelty set of buildings that you can buy and then create custom layouts to build your own town/city. (which I have at home, though this pic isn't mine)

Not sure what to add about the BAT, except that maybe the nightlights are still a little too strong, but otherwise I really like what you have here.

I hear you on the time problem! Finished the wedding (which included a horse-drawn carriage ride from the church to the reception incidentally) but will be quite busy catching up on everything before heading out to Tanzania for a safari honeymoon until the 20th.

Well, that was unexpected news. Congratulations and have fun on the honeymoon (*hope you had fun; you're probably back by now)

[vester]

vester - I will try to do that I hope I can find some tutorial on this.

In the model, make special LODs (they can be as thin as you like) that covers what covers the differences to the facade:

Not sure what is the best: to keep the model in place or to move it so the LODs are centered.

Then in the lot editor it is just a matter of placing it in the right place.

[romualdillo]

The snow is a great idea!! I think it was in project when the game was being developed!!! Only a small detail: I think that in the northern countries the plants are taken to the interior when the winter comes. Perhaps perennial plants are left out, but the others not (or they are not so green, as they are deciduous).

You're doing a great job. 

[seraf]

APSMS - Thanks And I certainly had nice snow-covered Victorian city in mind when I was making snow version so I hope I won't be the only one making snow version of BATs

vester - Thank you! I will try it as soon as I solve my problem with the model

romualdillo - Too bad that they didn't include it I was thinking about topiaries too, and you are right. While you don't have choice and you must leave them in garden if they are planted, you should take them inside when they are potted so they won't die from cold. I will delete them before exporting winter version Thank you for comment!

The University Club is finished, I exported the day view (several times with different LODs to be exact) but the shadow glitch under the balustrade remains Anyone have any idea as how to fix it?



(Majhost is having problems lately, so the image may not appear sometimes)

[APSMS]

I wonder if it would be possible to make the building like a seasonal prop, that changes to snow in the winter?

Obviously this is a very specific application, but it might be worth looking into, even if it's just to show that you can do it.

[Aaron Graham]

Wonderful Work!!!

[noahclem]

Great progress on the University Club 

The snow covered version is a great idea. I've enjoyed making snowy areas in SC4 for a long time but our choices for buildings are very limited and this would make a great addition. I would suggest that for the snowy version you cover more areas with snow though--all of the flat roof area, the sloped roof areas by the edge of the building, the green parts of the roof, and perhaps some of the ledges on the sides of the building. I quite like the 4th of July version too. I wish I could help you with the shadow glitch but I lack the expertise and frankly don't notice it. Sorry to say it but...that last picture would look a lot better if you did an HD render of this building