The FrankU and Nexis CO-OP

[jmyers2043]

Good queries. The Dutch like vegetables?    

- Jim

[Jack_wilds]

I may not have much to say of late but I am still watching the progress unfold...

I like both versions of the query... personally, I like the use of the flag versus the framework of the query in flag colors... so what I would say is: keep it simple, clear, readable but keep your notions of the project goals... 

[FrankU]

@Simcough
Thanks for replying.

I haven't been following this project but I looked through some pages and it's massive and it's looking really good, great job you two.
The custom query is looking good but maybe you can use round corners on the query window and button for a more uniform (with the rest of sc4 gui) appearance. There's also a minor colour mismatch between the background in the vegetable pic and the rest of the query window.

Hi antn,
Thanks for the compliments. It was my first intention to edit the Maxis query with only colors, a small image and my own information. But when i finished it I thought the result was too similar to the Maxis ones. Let's face it: it just wasn't enough of me. I wanted them to have more their own character, but still be family of the Maxis queries. So I kept the semi transparent edge and I kept the light blue background color.
You are right: there is a slight difference in color. I saw it when I put the images into the posting. Somehow the color of the background was changed slightly during my editing work. Or: the background colors of the Maxis queries are not exactly identical. I did not check that, but knowing how many thinngs in the game are inconsistent it would not surprise me. A simple Photoshop action repaired that already.

First, I'm really glad you've opened up a LEX candidacy thread. I feel like too many people think it's something elite and not enough people understand how much it's about sharing and helping. Anyway, I'm very glad to hear you've found help there and the kind of long-term, thorough, excellent work you're putting together certainly belongs there!

Custom queries are, in a way, just a detail but I think they add a lot of character and interest to a set. I like both versions very much and would have difficulty deciding which I prefer--perhaps the latter.

I'm always happy to read about you and Fred's progress here and you're truly on the cutting edge of farming in SC4. A K-point to both of you for persevering though this massive project 

Hi Noah,
First of all: thanks for the karma point! It makes me feel proud.
The LEX candidacy: the most important reason for me to open it was that before uploading to the community I will be certain that the lots work the way they should. I am not too well aware of all ins and outs of moding and lot properties, so it's important that someone checks everything thoroughly. I wouldn't want people to find out that my lots look nice but screw up their game.
And the custom query: first I hesitated, because I feared it would be a lot of work. On the other hand it took my attention, because indeed it is nice to have them. And I was curious wether I was able to make one. Now I have fiddled some days (well, about 15 hours of time, over the last two weeks, I guess) with them I think I know quite well how it works and what I can do with them. Thanks to Jim's private upload to me, I must say.
Yes, the project is getting larger and larger. But it's also getting even more perfect and elaborated. This also thanks to the fact that Fred does not have as much time as he likes for making his props. While I wait for his props, I think of new additions to the set.... So Fred, don't rush your project!

Good queries. The Dutch like vegetables?    

Hi Jim,
Yes, we do like vegetables! We even like them so much we produce more than we can eat, so we export them all over the world. Or does that mean that we do not like them ourselves, and hence decided to sell them to others? 

I like both versions of the query... personally, I like the use of the flag versus the framework of the query in flag colors... so what I would say is: keep it simple, clear, readable but keep your notions of the project goals... 

Thanks Jack!

So your message is a bit undecided. I think I'll consider the query a couple of days. Play around with them in game and try to make one for a farm lot, with all the other standard info, testing their looks. 

Have fun!

Oh, and a question... I suddenly saw that my profile info to the left of this text shows a "cl" with image and text: what does it mean, who made it and where does it come from? I myself certainly did not make it.

[noahclem]

Oh, and a question... I suddenly saw that my profile info to the left of this text shows a "cl" with image and text: what does it mean, who made it and where does it come from? I myself certainly did not make it.

  That's your Custom Member Label--people that are part of the site doing good things for a long time can earn one

[FrankU]

Ah, so someone gave it to me?
Who was it?

[mave94]

Frank, you might want to take a look at this thread: custom member label club. Those labels are given by the custom member label club.

You are doing a great job with this great project. The custom queries look really nice. Are you going to use them for all other future BNL uploads, too? It makes the bats more 'personal'. I feel the urge to go back at bat, but unfortunately I don't have the time now. I hope I will have more time soon.

[FrankU]

Hi Matthijs,

Well, we could arrange something within the BNL team. Surely it will be possible to use this or a similar Query for the BNL uploads. Maybe we need to add our own BNL logo to it, but that is simple.
We also could try to figure out some kind of OG use for a future BNL rewards system. I have ideas of my own concerning the farm project as I told already, but other BNL lots and projects would be possible too.
In that case we might extend the rande of OG's that Jim gave me. But that is of less importance.

Should we discuss this further in our private forum?

[mrbisonm]

Nice going FrankU, I was too busy trying to figure out the LOD matter I have (without success), and I haven't been around here too much. I like the querry you made.

Just to give all the amateurs of this project an idea, I am back on the prtoject also, BATting my brains away again. My progress will be seen mostly in my own Nexis Works thread (link below) and only the finished products will be shown here.

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=7835.260

Just to give you an idea, here's a picture from my thread.





Keep it up Frank, you're gonna be busy soon. I will send you a modelfile to test in a few minutes, mostly concerning the scale, you know that I have problems with this.

Fred

[vortext]

The custom query is a nice little detail Frank! A Dutch reward chain would be pretty neat as well. 

[FrankU]

Hi friends,

A question to all of you out there:

You have seen my concept of the custom query for the farm fields. I have finished them in a tiny different way: I added extra info about the lots.
Now I am working on a new query for my farms. This is based on the Maxis query which is meant for farms and industrial lots. Hence it contains a "make historical" button.
Now my question: as far as I know farms do not upgrade. So making a farm lot historical has no use. Do you think I could throw the button out of the query, or do I overlook something important here?

Frank

[mrbisonm]

Not sure, but I don't think that getting rid of the "make historical" button would change aything concerning the farms.

Fred

[FrankU]

So after some reworking of my queries I got this for my farm fields.



Or should I add the BNL team logo to it?
I could do it like this.



And for the farm lots I have made the next one.
Including info on the amount of Dutch Flower Farms and the BNL logo again.



You can see that the text I added is in English while the rest is standard Maxis and is in Dutch. I don't know how I could make the query in such a way that I have different languages available for this line of text. If someone knows how to... please help me then.

My aim is to have separate images for every kind of farm that I have in my farms set.
So there will be some diversity.

You like? Please comment positive or negative, whatever your heart tells you to share.

Frank

[Runnerguy347]

Looks really good. I like that it gives us something to look at other than a generic query. 

[vortext]

Looks nice Frank. 

As far as I know the text in the query - and the rest of the menus for that matter - depends on the language which one chooses upon installation. If for example someone has selected Spanish, the query should read in Spanish. And I think you can leave out the 'mark historical' indeed.

[FrankU]

Runnerguy347 and Vortex,

Thank you both.

As far as I know the text in the query - and the rest of the menus for that matter - depends on the language which one chooses upon installation. If for example someone has selected Spanish, the query should read in Spanish. And I think you can leave out the 'mark historical' indeed.

Yes, I know that. The Maxis queries do not contain text lines, they contain references to IID's. I am quite certain that the language packs contain the text lines for these IID's. So all standard text by Maxis will be in your own installation language. But what can I do with my own added text lines? Like the line "Amount of Dutch flower farms"? Should I make my own text files for all languages ith IID's that I can put in my queries? Sorry... If anyone likes to pay me for that job....  No no, too much work. I guess it's doable, but I'd like to finish the set before the end of this century....

Frank

[mrbisonm]

The querries look just great!


Fred

[Jack_wilds]

I like the general direction of the query  ... but I wonder if the pink -carnation, and the red seem too bright  ... the notion to have pics depicting the farm type is neat    ... keep it up... I hope this doesn't extend the project too much longer... 

[FrankU]

Hi Jack!

Carnations? You mean the pink tulips? Do you try to tell me that the pink conflicts with the red of the query header? That might be true.... yes. But I was looking for a colorfull icon that made clear what kind of lot we were talking about. So tulips for farm fields full of tulips seemed logical  . Surely you are not denying that. But the pink... well it's colorfull and I didn't really see a problem in that. I could change the color of course....

And the red of the header is derived from the red of our national flag. You certainly won't make me change that. I fear I won't be able to persuade the queen and the government to change that. 
So I'll stick to it.

And the making of queries is not extending the project, because I am waiting for Fred to finish his farm props and that will still take some time. Although here is a small update.

-----------------------

@ all of you out there on the site....

I played around with Fred's last BAT product. Although it is not yet finished. I did this mainly for testing scale and useability in my farm lots.

Look for yourself.

I had some farm lots that were really waiting for exactly the shed Fred sent me. It is really perfect (although Fred is working on the roof texture). Isn't it?
In contrast to what Fred "promised", he made the shed in such a way that we can put our own props into it. Great! Hurray to mrbisonm/Fred! 

The red tractor in image 1 and 2 is part of the shed BAT. Fred is improving on it.

Image 1


Image 2


Image 3


Image 4


I think this is a great shed. It's simple, its useful, it's generic, it's modern. I'll put it all over the place!

What are the opinions of the jury out there?

Greetings,
Frank

[vortext]

Props for Fred!  The shed looks great, as does the lot. Keep it up!

[mrbisonm]

Like I said in Private, you have become a master in Dutch Lot making.

I was curious a bit and also wondering why the Dutch build their farmbuildings so close together . So I went "hovering" over Nederlande with Google Earth and found out indeed that there is an enormous difference in the way farming space is organized and used in Europe and North-America.
We here have much space, so buildings are spaced out, but also for the danger of fire spreading (in case) and fields are usually more kind of "roundish" in the corners and almost every field has a little unused space left to the side, while in Holland, it is totally different, the space is more restrained, the more available, the more can be turned into productive fields and every squareyard (meter) seems to be used up to its max.

So, these lots are quite real looking when it comes to Dutch farming. Good work there Frank.

Fred

Edit:

Btw, I changed the roof texture on this shed model, Frank, which one do you want, the top or bottom? This model (M109) will be delivered without props, you will be able to place the implements at your guise.