Threestooges and the BAT

[threestooges]

Replies:
-Joan (Jmouse): The stations are getting there. Just some fine details for the small one and it may be getting close to export time. The KFC has been sent. Hope you enjoy it.

-Pat: Thanks. Hopefully I can get these to you sometime soon so you can have some fun with them.

In the meantime though, on another project I've been considering...

Fun with opacity maps:

[Pat]

Hey Matt good to see you back here  BTW any progress for the platforms and train stations?

[Jmouse]

Now that looks like a nifty little trick to have in the bag.  Any chance you might let the rest of us in on how you made it and where you plan to take it from here?

Later...
Joan

[threestooges]

Replies:
-Pat:The stations are done. The two larger ones just need to be rendered (unless you have the finished versions already) and the smaller one just needs a few details. Platforms will follow shortly thereafter. For now however, you will find something attached to this post that I told you about in a recent PM.

-Joan: It's a nifty trick indeed. It's the basis for something to take the hard edge off those darn game beaches. One of the most common things I've heard about my beaches, and the beaches in the game in general is that they end so abruptly and that the edge should be hidden by trees, bushes, etc. Even with plop flora, a perfect border is tough to do. This is designed to make the sand appear to break up slowly into whatever terrain is underneath. There is an opacity map I attached here for Pat that gave the results you see.

To make it, I made two planes (and raised one .001 just so they wouldn't overlap) and applied the opacity map to the brown one on top. If all goes according to plan, this will make a nice, random looking end to the existing game beaches. I believe it was Alex (tarkus) who mentioned that opacity maps could be made with a gradient fade from black to white to achieve different levels of transparency. Adam (Ennedi) was good enough to provide some tips, instructions and words of encouragement, and Robin (rooker1) and Barby (barbyw) have been good supporters of this too (and you have as well).

Hope that answered your questions.
-Matt

[RebaLynnTS]

That is a very good idea indeed.

[threestooges]

Reply:
-RebaLynnTS: Thanks. Hopefully it pans out as we go here.


So after the vague concept photo, and some work with Joan (and Barby, and Geoffhaw... thanks guys) we now have this:



This can be plopped on either side of the beach as needed, and will hopefully, when done, allow for a seamless gradual end to the beaches instead of that lovely straight line.
-Matt

[SC4BOY]

Love the effect.. I'm sure it can be put to use many places.. I've always hated, especially on mine pilings or pits, how the end just BAM! ended.. looks totally artificial.. putting your idea to use should help a lot

[threestooges]

Reply:
-SC4BOY: Thanks. There are just a few other details to iron out on it, such as better texture matching (for some reason it doesn't quite match up even though it's the same texture) and working with the opacity map to make it fit the beach pattern better.

I've been working on a few other things lately. Including this project which I found in the recesses of my files. There have been a few billboards released here and there, but these seem (at least I hope they do) to fit that rural road feeling. A number of them are rail related (yes, I realize I'm advertising them on a road...) but there are some other vintage ads like John Deere and, I kid you not, a Glide-O-Bike (links to bigger image) which from what I could find produced just enough lift at speed to lift the front wheel off the ground.



Thoughts are appreciated.
-Matt

[rooker1]

Very nice billboard signs.

[CasperVg]

I can only second that wholeheartedly.

[threestooges]

Replies:
Thanks Robin and Casper.

Thanks to some great work by Barby and Casper...



They are now available on the LEX. I may do more of these in the future, or perhaps with different styles, but for now, enjoy these and add a little variety to your roads.
-Matt

[Pat]

hey matt great set of billboards there!!! BTW I havent forgotten some projects lol... I am finally getting on the mend here where I am getting the energy to kick some tails and take some names  so expect some finger licking good things soon 

[threestooges]

Good to hear Pat. Sorry I haven't been in touch witht he Podcast thing either, but focus on getting better first, don't give yourself any extra stress. I'll look forward to seeing what you coe up with.
-Matt

[Jmouse]

The billboards look great, Matt. They'll have a special spot in the new plugin folder for sure!

JMS

[meinhosen]

Matt,
Love the billboards- my day has been made (SP Daylight... you rock... thanks!). 

[threestooges]

Glad to hear it Joan. Hope the folder rebuild is going well.

Meinhosen: Absolutely, and if you don't mind I'd like to try to make a custom one for a future set using some of the RailFest pictures you posted particularly the first one (with the front of the engine steaming in the rain... beautiful image... I love to see that thing blown up and framed.). Let me know.

[meinhosen]

You are certainly welcome to use any of those photos.  Speaking of blown up and framed... maybe I'll have to get around to doing that one of these days.

Again, great work!

[threestooges]

It's amazing how fast three months will pass. It seems like just yesterday that I released those billboards. Christmas break has given me some time to pick up the BAT again, and I have a new structure in the works:

It's meant to be an aluminum sided building to sit on a 3x3 lot. Details, doors, and such are still in the works, but for basic size, shape, and texturing ideas, this is what I have so far.



As always, thoughts and suggestions are always welcome.
-Matt

[Jmouse]

The texture on the building looks much better now, Matt.  Still not quite as sure about the roof texture, so it will be interesting to see what some of the more experienced BATters have to say about it. There's much to be learned by studying their comments.

Later...
Joan

[threestooges]

Indeed there is Joan. There is also much to gain from anyone with a keen eye too. What about the roof texture bothers you?