Hello everyone. With SCdevotion taking off and my decision to upload here it seems only appropriate to start a thread here as well. For those of you who check in at my Simtropolis and BSC board threads you won't find much new here in my project updates, besides addressing whatever specifc comments come up here... but then again who knows what discussions might get started. The internet is a wonderful thing and in the right atmosphere (which I think we have on this site) conversation can easily take on a life of its own. The primary point of this thread, however, is to provide a place for SCdevotion members who otherwise might not come across my work to comment on developing projects or on any of my releases.
Since this is my inaugral post here I'll just quickly sum up my batting interest. I typically bat small and medium sized buildings located in lively urban settings. This has meant that most of my buildings are commercial buildings, but I have done a few residental buildings and I'll no doubt do some more in time. Two things that I haven't batted and I'll probably never do or at least make very few of are skyscrappers and sprawl type developments. I base my bats on real life buildings, but I'm not usually a slave to reality and will often wander away from what actually exists, especially on the sides or backs of buildings. All the real buildings that I have been batting are from Canadian cities, specifically, Calgary, Toronto and Halifax.
Anyway, before this gets two long-winded I'll post photos of the bats of mine that are currently in development (if you've followed my other thread you've no doubt seen them already).
Canadian Broadcasting Centre: (click the thumbnail as it's too big for the forums)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg464.imageshack.us%2Fimg464%2F742%2Fcbcgroundcompletehd1.th.jpg&hash=a3c3b9a3cca82cec04f2e6e580def1cd90d8d420) (http://img464.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cbcgroundcompletehd1.jpg)
Biggest bat I'll probably ever do. 8x8 tentatively CO$$$ and is an exact replica of the real-thing in downtown Toronto
Mills Brothers:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F3562%2Fmillsbrothersfrontss0.jpg&hash=b41190fd654046abdc811391d46123dc449ab5b8)
2x2 or 2x3 CS$$$ from Halifax's Spring Garden Road
Sovereign Building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg243.imageshack.us%2Fimg243%2F6263%2Fsovereignbuildingstarteoh7.jpg&hash=d69f2d523fa1623448089e7da2253ab40dffe9cb)
A 3x3 CO$$ from Spring Garden Road
And these two are in BSC internal preparation and testing phase and should be released in the next two or three weeks.
Foreign Affair:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg20.imageshack.us%2Fimg20%2F7210%2Fforeignaffairfinishedaa8.jpg&hash=7c4d65ac18daa6a396de6aa6c76a9294d2c5bb77)
A 1x2 CS$$$ building from Spring Garden Road.
Winsbys:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg406.imageshack.us%2Fimg406%2F9185%2Fwinsbysbackfx8.jpg&hash=b19826ad841cbf31b29de4f459ae67b6d1bdde90)
A 2x2 CS$$$ building, also from Spring Garden Road.
So that's what's in the works. From here on out I'll be making specific updates in this thread about whatever I'm up to. Looking forward to being a more active member here on SCdevotion.
Spa is here as well, great to see that you have opened a showcase for all your followers.
Spa finally made it! :thumbsup: I think the only one I haven't mentioned yet is the 2x2. I really like it... I think it's the shutters. I need to start spending more time on the alley side of my buildings...
JB
Yay! And welcome! :P
Glad to see you here, and your stunning work too. Those look really interesting and I will be looking out for them! Good luck! :thumbsup:
-M-
wonderful buildings, great work! :thumbsup:
Hello Spa, the 'Mills Brothers' building reminds me of "The Old Tavern" a bar I use to frequent in my younger (wilder) days, can't wait to see it and the other buildings in the game! :thumbsup:
Spa, welcome here and great work. I love this style. Lower income, real down town feel. The alleyway looks great as well!
If I may suggest,
On the Winsbys building, if it were a little smaller so a one car wide alley could be on the side of the building, I think it maybe a nice touch of detail. So many other's lots don't line up and leaves no realistic entrance or exist to the lot. Also this way you could add the fence to the opposite side.
Anyways, what ever you decide I will still down load it. Great work.
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! Just a few specific replies.
Fred_Ginger: I'm surprised actually. Mills Brothers to me is a piece of England dropped into Atlantic Canada. You're the second American, however, that has said it resembles a building they know.
Rooker: Thanks for your suggestion. I know what you mean about not having access to the back. Rather then add a side alley (I like w2ws) I have applied a different solution. If you use any of my lots that are two deep and combine them with each other or most of JB's small town set you'll actually have access at the cross-streets and an unblocked back alley along the entire block. The same goes for my 3 deep lots. Together my 3 deeps, when placed next to each other, make one long continuous and unblocked back alley that can be accessed at cross-streets. Thanks again for your suggestion.
So today I was out wandering around in the suddenely warm weather (instead of -10 it was above 0 for the first-time in weeks!). I snapped some photos of the Sovereign Building's back and Mills Brothers back so that they can move along. This evening I put some more time into the Sovereing Building. I added on the front entrance, some window ads, and the mounted signs. I also tweaked the texture on the pillars to be a little more noticable. The front is now basically finished. Below is how it looks.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg184.imageshack.us%2Fimg184%2F8494%2Fsovereignbuildingfrontjx8.jpg&hash=936fa155f68bf6b91f90263bc9fdd8a6c9487159)
I think it turned out fairly well. If you look on top of the Sports Nova Scotia electronic sign, you might notice a mess on the top corner. It's not very visible as to what it is so here's a photo
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg183.imageshack.us%2Fimg183%2F15%2Fbirdmessrq5.jpg&hash=88b9af8b0bd3ac840d90bfc6c99b520614f230da)
Seems the damned pigeons have been busy :) Anyway, I probably won't have time to do much again until the weekend. I'll probably update again with more on either the Sovereign Building or Mills Brothers then.
haha. nice little detail and nice bat.
thats a really big nest for a really big bird ;D...awesome work :thumbsup:
Goin2Chicago: Thanks!
Cali: Thanks. What can I say, it's Halifax so it could be a crow or a seagulls home or maybe an Osprey (there have been a few that have drawn significant attention when they built their monsterous nests on top of power poles in the city).
Well I put down the Sovereign Building for now and picked up Mills Brothers today. Mills Brothers has been stalled because I lacked photos of the side and back. I corrected that the other day though so it's moving along again. Below are photos of the East and North sides (new).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg413.imageshack.us%2Fimg413%2F5629%2Fmillsbrotherscontinuesbg1.jpg&hash=9ead283af5271ff6f1ef85e6f02d1ffbf5eecd33)
Not much to say. I'll be moving along to the buildings other major section in the next few days. This one could move along fairly quickly at this point and might be ready to hand over to Barby on the weekend or next week. I'll update again when I have more accomplished.
Interesting looking building. I'm having a hard time telling if I will like it before you put on the textures. But time will tell, I guess. ()stsfd()
Thanks Rooker. I have pretty much finished Mills Brothers so you can make your judgement now :)
As mentioned Mills Brothers is done. Below are the pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg227.imageshack.us%2Fimg227%2F36%2Fmillsbrothersingame4viefo5.jpg&hash=71496e504a7c7723aab5e8d8fe0b6ade8635f735)
Don't worry about the splotches on the left and right sides. That's just my inferior graphics card. On the whole, I think it turned out fairly well. Old buildings like this are great in that they have a lot of interesting shapes. The back isn't exactly like it is in reality, but it's loosely based on it and includes much from the real thing.
One thing that I did differently with this bat is I spent a little more time than usual on the window glass textures. I went back and read and reread Jasoncw's window tutorial in his bat thread at simtropolis and put it to use. I think it worked out fairly well. It's tough to see if you don't look closely, but there is variation between individual windows for the first time on any of my bats. This will probably become more common for me as I'm pleased with the result. In any case, it was good practice as the CBC really needs lively windows since it has so many of them. Before I sign off I'll just quickly show you a night shot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg227.imageshack.us%2Fimg227%2F6578%2Fmillsbrothersingamenighpg0.jpg&hash=a5943fe04a3b7e0fc9bb222ca5b7a2443f7e5bde)
Nothing special, I just like how the small window frames on the 2nd and 3rd floors stand out. Before I sign off, if anyone has anything to suggest by all means let me know. Still time to make changes yet.
Some very nice stuff in the works!
I've always liked your stuff Spa.
Looking forward to these being released.
Hello Spa,
this one is looking excellent, indeed &apls
The only thing that hurt my eyes is the too big (imo) potted orange tree....it is even bigger that the parked cars... I dont know if such a big tree could grow potted...but this is not part of your model. Your model is excellent as said ;)
Pvarcoe: Thanks!
Jeronij: Thanks. I will get rid of the orange tree prop for you :) I'm also considering redoing the bushes by the back stairway. A simple fence might go better there.
It's looking great...
However, It just needs a *smidgin* of wear and tear IMHO. It just doesn't quite look like it'll fit in the streetscape properly. It doesn't need to be a ridiculous amount, just a bit to make it look like it's been "worn in" so to speak. Also, this is just my opinion, but parts of the roof are a bit purple. Again, though, that's me. :P
Feel free to ignore my advice though, it's your BAT, and it's a matter of taste. :)
wow, this looks amazing, i think you need to put this on a bigger lot, allowing a sidewalk to go all the way around it
and also on your four picture spread, the top right on the bottom the texture doesn't seem to line up, but i dont care. :P and one more suggestion, on the bottom left pic, maybe add a couple more windows along the bottom to round it out. but all in all, a very beautiful masterpiece &apls
wonderfull work excellent progress
Now that looks excellent, great work. &apls
Thanks everyone. Just incase you missed them, Foreign Affair, Mills Brothers and Winsbys are all now available on the LEX. Just a few replies for now.
Cammo2003: Thanks. Although I didn't reply here promptly I took your suggestion (one of the BSC guys said the same thing on the BSC board) and added some "noise" to the wall texture. On the final released version, if you look closely you can make out what would appear to be smudges or cracks in the plaster. The purple roof though stayed. I kind of like the shade I got it too and I after spending hours making that roof texture and then fiddling with it I had hit the limit. Thanks for your suggestions :)
Cali: Thanks for the suggestion. I actually deliberately left the bottom floor rather windowless figuring that the apartments on the top floors would have more windows while the bottom floor would be storage space for the store. About the lot, I personally like the w2ws so I didn't include a wrap-around sidewalk. Feel free though to use the lot editor to make it yourself if you want. Thanks for the suggestion.
Jacqulina: Thanks
Rooker1: Thanks. I'm glad it fell on the positive side of things.
Glad to be of help! :) Having now used it in game, it's a great BAT and will probably become a focal point of a few smaller districts in my cities. And the purple roof has grown on me, I'll have to admit. ;) I thought it'd stand out a bit in-game, but it turned out fine. I haven't really made a close inspection of the building yet, so I'll do that shortly (I'm in-game as I type - I can actually run the game windowed on this computer!
Cammo2003: Thanks. I hope you get some use out of it. I need to remember to play the game now and then myself (it can be tought to remember sometime between batting, school, my other games and life in general).
So I haven't been around for the last little while. I had a big school project and a paper due but they're both done now. Still one big paper left but it's not due until mid-April. So I have had time to go back into the bat. I have dusted off the Sovereign Building and done some more tinkering with it. Below is where it is now
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg258.imageshack.us%2Fimg258%2F5163%2Fsovereignbuildingbackjz1.jpg&hash=91feff94cf0fbb3687a89ca2caca679e05663e0a)
Most of my time went into tinkering with all that brick texture. Still might lighten the area between the 3rd and 4th rows of windows but otherwise I think I'm done with it. There are also, of course, still lots of little details to do. The ground floor needs some grated windows and doors for the sides and back and the roof needs to be done. Still, this one is coming along and it should all be fairly routine. This could be ready for BSC internal packaging and testing shortly.
I really like this kind of building. I can't wait for you to add the roof junk. What does the front look like?
Great work!
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Robin: Thanks! I did post a picture of the front on the previous page but the building didn't yet have a back or sides. Here's what the front looks like with everything enclosed.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg109.imageshack.us%2Fimg109%2F7605%2Fsovereignbuildingfrontuoa9.jpg&hash=7bfa817b162b2d1c51123f8ff5decfec98bce07a)
That's perfect, thanks.
Robin ()stsfd()
wonderful pictures of this building, spa! :thumbsup:
Rooker: Thanks
Bat: Thanks
Well school is manageable again so I have been picking away at the Sovereign Building and it's now very close to finished. Below are some pics.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg186.imageshack.us%2Fimg186%2F6449%2Fsovereigningamefrontnt7.jpg&hash=9966f48cdaec206afec2ecba45503304e9ef78e7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg186.imageshack.us%2Fimg186%2F7039%2Fsovereigningamebackit6.jpg&hash=8e6fcc731933b53334200fb975a7fb15c0fcdc48)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg266.imageshack.us%2Fimg266%2F4161%2Fsovereigningamesidepx4.jpg&hash=1ba768ba6aa0e6b8232b9830d2e15d117e49d906)
All and all I don't think it turned out too bad. Since the last update, besides adding all sorts of little details, I changed the ducting to a more greyish and less blue colour. The window textures saw some significant work too as did the stone window sills. The only thing that I'm not entirely pleased with right now is the roof colour. I like the texture and the dark and light spots, but I'm not sure about the colour shade. The dark ashfault like colour goes well with the brick, but I find it doesn't look so great on the front view next to the stone facade. I'm thinking of adjusting it to a more beige version along the lines of what I used on the roof of my TD Bank.
Anyway, there's going to be one more render at least before I hand this over to Barby so there is still time for any last minute suggestions.
one thing, seeing this is a w2w style, how deep are you setting it? Like, will it match up with jbsimio's stuff, something else, or is it just random?
btw, the building looks fabulous :)
Dude... that looks awesome.
I just noticed this thread! And I have to say being a member of the GTA.... I cant wait till that CBC building is done. Do you have any recent updates on that one? Im eagerly awaiting that one! I have downloaded Simcoe Place and Roy Thompson Hall by 698.... what ever his number is! This will fit right next door :P
Great looking building. Will you add some garbage stuff in the back? I love the duct work!!
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Just a few replies today. Haven't had much time to bat lately as I have had to start paying attention to school again.
Sim Shady: Well with this one it's kind of just a random setting based on the real world building. It is 3 tiles deep which means it won't connect with the small town set (it doesn't really fit anyway because it's such a big building). That said, I could see someone getting creative and using the small town set around this so the alley textures are the same concrete as JB used.
JP: Thanks. I haven't updated the CBC in quite a while... mainly because I haven't done anything in weeks. It's such a big project and I was getting burned out so I needed to take a breather. I did put the complicated roof on, however, before I took a break (no texturing so I don't have a picture yet) so what's left is the roof details and some texture detailing here and there. Still a hefty bit of work given the size of the building but I do feel confident that I will finish it by the end of the summer at the latest.
Robin: Thanks. When it's time to fine tune the lot I'll add some garbage along the very edges. Not too much mind you, just enough for that alley feel.
I don't mean to bump my own thread but since my last post was just replies I'll quickly show you all what I have been up to over the last few days. I haven't had that much time to bat as I'm trying to get a law paper on restrictive covenants off the ground in just a few days (due Thursday 15-20 pages double spaced). No time for anything big and demanding so I started two small projects, one of which is ready for a preliminary viewing. Below is a picture of the real building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F3670%2Fablreallifesmallerxk8.jpg&hash=4f320a441cfcb766fdc24b6485f64e4d7596fbb2)
It's a two storey commercial office building from the Dartmouth side of Halifax Harbour. It's home to ABL Environmental Consultants. ABL is an engineering firm that specializes in waste water (they mainly design sewage treatment plants). Batting this building now kind of came about as a favour to the old man. He and two other engineers founded ABL a decade ago and it has grown to support 10 employees. I know my dad will get a kick out of seeing his office in Sim City. Anyway, below is a picture of what I have done so far.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F4937%2Fablenvironmentalel9.jpg&hash=5bbad1eb57b15df9107340389d2aa37cff0bd896)
It's really just a small little bat, but it should fit in with the other small town stuff and might even broaden the set a little since this is a more modern building that will grow on the Houston tile set. Still a fair bit of cleaning up and little details to do. Electrical wiring, roof junk, eaves trough and some texturing all need work, but it's coming along.
Anyway, I'm not sure if I'll have much time to work on this in the coming days but I'll update again if I do.
Quote from: spa on March 29, 2007, 09:08:52 PM
Cammo2003: Thanks. I hope you get some use out of it. I need to remember to play the game now and then myself (it can be tought to remember sometime between batting, school, my other games and life in general).
So I haven't been around for the last little while. I had a big school project and a paper due but they're both done now. Still one big paper left but it's not due until mid-April. So I have had time to go back into the bat. I have dusted off the Sovereign Building and done some more tinkering with it. Below is where it is now
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg258.imageshack.us%2Fimg258%2F5163%2Fsovereignbuildingbackjz1.jpg&hash=91feff94cf0fbb3687a89ca2caca679e05663e0a)
Most of my time went into tinkering with all that brick texture. Still might lighten the area between the 3rd and 4th rows of windows but otherwise I think I'm done with it. There are also, of course, still lots of little details to do. The ground floor needs some grated windows and doors for the sides and back and the roof needs to be done. Still, this one is coming along and it should all be fairly routine. This could be ready for BSC internal packaging and testing shortly.
I don't know what it is, but those side and back windows look rather large for side and back windows. Looks fine on the front, though. Loving the textures, though (particularly that brick texture, the effort shows).
The new new one looks pretty close to ready to me, heh, are you going to plonk an aircon on the roof like the actual building? :D
i agree with cammo about the windows, very rarely do buildings of that type have the same windows front back and sides as for the new one it looks great.
Cammo: The side and back windows are the exact same size as the front. There is just less stuff to distract the eye with :) You're right though, the windows are a little on the large side. That's deliberate here as this building is notable for it's very large windows.
Mightygoose: Thanks. As I mentioned though abouve to Cammo, this building doesn't fit the typical mode. It has large windows and no parapet.
Well, it has been a while since I updated. The school rush ate up most of my time and then the day school finished I had to head out to my parents place to house sit for the week while they were in Cuba. Dial up internet out there meant I didn't log in all that much. I did however make some batting progress on their computer. I have a few new Halifax buildings underway, four in fact. All four are 1x2s and are high wealth. Should help further broaden the small town set since most of the existing North American 1x2s are medium wealth. Anyway, below is a real life photo of one of my newest projects.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg83.imageshack.us%2Fimg83%2F7748%2Fgalleriareallifebm2.jpg&hash=a2c15a9a05b24c36dff0788db7a9280c4808ac7d)
The Galleria is a high-end craft and furniture store on Halifax's Gottingen Street. I pass by it on the bus every day on my way to school. It's a really odd building in that it's high-end and it's located on Gottingen Street. Gottingen Street was once Halifax's main retail strip, but it has gone down hill sharply since the 1950s. It's now, generally, a street of vacant storefronts, abandoned lots, public housing and social agencies. There have been signs of life lately though as the artists have begun colonizing the area. The Galleria may be among the vanguard of a Gottingen Street renaissance... or maybe not. The jury is still out on Gottingen's future.
And this is my version:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F9359%2Fgalleriaingamejm7.jpg&hash=9f8aa6b7fb2d754c7482c797f349e80439daf4df)
Over all I like how this one turned out. It's a really simple model (most of the time in this one went into making the back stairway), but I think the pieces fit together well. Unless there are any suggestions I'll send this one on to the BSC testing and packaging phase. I'll probably update again tomorrow with pictures of another nearly completed bat (I'm texturing right now).
I see you skipped the half arsed fire-wall it had :thumbsup:
looks better though, woulda look strange with some firewall with rests from an other building not hanging out there :P
Good job ! I like :thumbsup:
Good model. I like the blue texture. These small commercials are always welcome :thumbsup:
If you need some inspiration, i took a picture of a building in my hometown that might be suiting to your style :)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg135.imageshack.us%2Fimg135%2F7456%2Fpict5125iz0.jpg&hash=410bb5474fec320e4eea1bcd56d607602a8e5601)
Glenni: I think so too. As Gottingen went downhilll some areas where demolished and turned into parking lots or just left to become vacant lots. The buildings that were next to the Galleria, as you can see, are long gone. All that remains is that small and still attached piece of the Galleria's old neighbour.
Antoine: Thanks
Jeronji: Thanks. It's definitely a strong blue isn't it? :)
Metasmurf: I actually have a very big library of potential projects that I have photographed. I like to do buildings that I have actually seen in real life. Still that's a building in the style I tend to do so maybe one day I'll pick it up.
Just a small post today. I finished texturing another one of the models I was working on at my parents place. Below is the building in real life
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg130.imageshack.us%2Fimg130%2F3965%2Fclaycafereallifeul0.jpg&hash=02758c55b8286fca883975011da3e79368694201)
Colourful eh? It's another old Maritime building with old wooden siding. Judging by the appearence, my guess is that this building was once a house, but it has been renovated over the years to accomodate the store front. Now it's a place where yuppies can go to paint pottery.
And my version
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg440.imageshack.us%2Fimg440%2F6806%2Fclaycafezc0.jpg&hash=44b258dfd288ed7d1cd6fd6ed72bfc31e3d6b920)
This is very nice. I like the multi colored window frames. Although I would have thought differently if I had not seen the real photo. A handicap ramp is something you don't see in simcity too often. I studied the picture very carefully and think I make out a very slight gradient on the walls? That is the way I like gradients. Just subtle enough to make the wall look 'not flat' but not so bold so as to distract the eye. Well done. I also like the parking in the rear. Lot makers don't to it often enough. The 2nd story deck is a nice color and I like the matching railings.
Hello Spa, I thought I should post a comment on your new thread here at SC4D.
I Like the new Halifax additions that you are making to the "small town series". I must admit I chuckled at the rainbow windowsills on the "clay cafe" but seriously, I have seen this a number of times especially in the rural Maritimes and this should add some colour to mainstreet in the game. Good job.
Any idea when the sovereign building will be released?
Jmyers: Thanks! Indeed the disabled are very much an after thought in much of Sim City. I know what you mean about the gradient. It can be real tough getting it right. The line between noticable and oppressive is a very fine one. I agree fully about the rear parking. In real life it's quite common in dense urban areas. Personally, putting on my planning hat, I like the idea of stashing cars off the streetscape and around back. It has been one of my guiding principles since I started batting.
Simdad1957: Thanks. Indeed you can't beat Maritimers when it comes to colour. There is a small house down the street from my parents place that switches colours every two or three years when it comes time to paint. It has been every colour of the rainbow over the years. The Sovereign Building... well Jason did some work on the windows for me and I'm going to take another look at it. I was really sick of working with the roof and windows so I had to put it down. Once I'm done the 1x2s I'm working on I'll pick it back up so sometime in the next few weeks would be my guess. That said Barby's the one who does the installers and a lot of the in game testing for the BSC and she's really busy these days so it might end up being June. I would be surprised if it were later than June though.
Just a quick update. I added another chimney to the Galleria, but it's now ready to go. I'm going to change the roof texture on the Clay Cafe to one that's more fitting of a flat roof. Before that though, I have worked on ABL and I'm ready to declare it done. Below is the result.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg364.imageshack.us%2Fimg364%2F9320%2Fablingametm4.jpg&hash=f4bafad02cf56537ca2f121a117064315c17bfa5)
Quite a different look eh compared to the Galleria or the Clay Cafe. Amazing what taking pictures on a cloudy day does to the look of things (ABL and Galleria come from opposite ends of the spectrum!). You might recognize the shingles texture on ABL. Since I'm not going to use it on the Clay Cafe it can go to good use here. After all, it's a shame to waste a perfectly good texture. Next up, adjust the Clay Cafe and finish up the half done Attica and Province House Credit Union models.
Hmm, I think the grey walls are a bit dark, but otherwise, it looks really good. I like the small details, like the half-opened door.
Andreas: Thanks. I'll try out a lighter shade on the grey walls tomorrow. I don't know that I can lighten them a whole lot though because I want the walls to be significantly different in shade from the trim and electrical wiring to ensure that the later are noticable. It's not really fair the comparison ABL is getting. It just had the bad luck to follow the bright and cheerful Galleria and Clay Cafe :)
So just a small post today to test the waters on the new Clay Cafe roof texture and to introduce another of my 1x2s that's underway, Attica.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg254.imageshack.us%2Fimg254%2F7708%2Fclaycafetarroofandatticxe9.jpg&hash=528198750d835430a85ec95536b052155cdb7a38)
The new Clay Cafe roof is a tarpaper texture that I got from one of the BSC crew. If the consensus is that the new texture is more appropriate for the flat roof and works with the building I'll render the Clay Cafe tomorrow and send it off to the BSC testing phase.
As for Attica, I'm almost done with the front but I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the back and sides just yet. The real building is in a very narrow old block of Halifax and doesn't actually have any sides or back for me to use as reference because the whole block is built up. So I'm going to have fill it in from my imagination. I do, however, have to fix that shadow effect on the front as it looks kind of weird (don't rotate small objects 45 degrees in places where light will be blocked, gmax doesn't cope well).
Just for reference, below is a picture of the real Attica on Barrington Street that I posted earlier on Simtropolis
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg106.imageshack.us%2Fimg106%2F5909%2Fatticareallifeif1.jpg&hash=9fceda9598e722ce43ec3e2bf50d34575fa4a792)
I think I'm going to leave the advertising banners off... the front already has enough going on and I think they would just detract from the whole. Maybe I'll include them on the sides as wall banners.
Spa those building are just fantatic i really do love them great work - pat
Pat: Thanks! I'm glad you like them.
So I finished my first week of work out in the real world. Started in the Canadian Federal Government at the Department of Public Works on Monday and it looks promising. I think it'll be a good place to work and there seems to be a real possibility based on the looming retirements in their office that if I like it there and they like my work, I'll be hired full time when I graduate next year. Of course working 8 hours and then squeezing in 2 hours of schoolwork has meant that I haven't had time to do much batting lately. I did, however, get into texturing Province House Credit Union. Below is a picture of the model (I have had it for some time and a fair start into the textures).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg296.imageshack.us%2Fimg296%2F2835%2Fprovincehousecredituniocc5.jpg&hash=b3ec92838b05559e7216f9b9f576cd2f17a6da00)
Not much to say at this point. One little detail that will probably get washed out when I do the glass is the Province House logo on the street ground floor windows. Anyway, I'm hoping that I'll be able to finish this either tonight or tomorrow but no guarantees since I'm going out with the girl friend and her brother tonight and then I'm going to see the folks for mother's day. I'll update again when I have a final version ready.
great picture of that building! :thumbsup:
Nice one spa!! ;)
Bat and Jayo: Thanks!
So just a quick update. I'm "done" Province House Credit Union. Below are the pictues of it all textured up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg502.imageshack.us%2Fimg502%2F1632%2Fprovincehousecreditunioyg7.jpg&hash=539420fc3a02dfaed2d6ac7355b11d4b09137e46)
I think it looks quite stately on Sim main street and the Yellow Brick is a definite change of pace. This one, alongside the Galleria and the Clay Cafe will broaden the colours of Sim Main Street. As you can see and as usual I have made this 1x2 small town compliant. I think it should fit particularly well with JB's stuff because it is an older North American style building and it lacks loud signage. Anyway, I do have to rerender because the second floor window on the front far left is too dark. I need to lighten that part of the glass texture just a little bit. I think the dark blue ledge between the second floor and the ground also needs to go because it disappears into the dark glass patterns and makes the front middle post look like it doesn't touch anything at the top. Both are minor and quick fixes, but since I'm going to rerender anyway, I'm open to suggestions if there are any. If not I'll render tomorrow and add this to Barby's queue.
These are some great bussines, and this size is always welcome :thumbsup:
Hi Spa ... I like the burgundy colored parapets. The chimney in the middle of the roof struck me as being out of place. the front facade has a lot of visual interest. The two story to the right is done well with all of the geometry. Colors are nice especially the awning in that is it not so black that it is in the mud but just dark enough to know it is supposed to be black. I generally like your's and JB's small shops. The color palettes and scaling is usually on the money.
another great commercial building!
I didn't know you had started Province House! It looks fantastic, Sam!
Incredible job spa!
Marc: Thanks. Indeed these older bats from Halifax will fit alongside JB's fairly well. I bat what surrounds me and I walk past older buildings every day now that I'm back in Halifax (Calgary is so very very new in comparison). This one does have a bit of a theater feel to it. I actually thought that before so it's nice to have an architect to be confirm my gut reaction. As for the job, it's going quite well and it really looks like it's a potential career which is nice to know.
Jeronji: Thanks
Jim: Chimeny in the middle is gone for the final edition. Thanks for the detailed feedback and I agree about JB's stuff. We came into batting at the same time so it has worked out well... of course one can't forget your own small commercial set! Most of them see frequent use in my cities :)
Bat: Thanks
Nofunk: Yeah I snuck that one in there. One thing with having a full-time job is that I have less time. That has meant less frequent updates, but still roughtly the same amount of batting. I'm glad you like it. I'm particularly pleased with this one. I actually think it is one of my better bats.
Josef: Thanks
So you might have noticed I'm not posting as much as I use to. Working will do that. Fewer hours in the day has meant less online time... although I have still found time to bat. It's mainly the online wandering that work has eaten into. However, with the help of the BSC crew and an excellent tutorial in the omnibus, I have made custom queries for all my bats. It was just the thing to push me into a long planned and overdue update of my old creations.
Over the next while all of my old works will be updated and released here on Devotion and Simtropolis. The update means that each of my creations will appear in a consistent order on the menus and they'll all have a custom query for the set they're in. It's just that extra little polish. I also eliminated the lot config family property from my old growable lots, which has been found to allow maxis buildings to grow on custom lots on rare occassions. In addition to the minor fixes I have rerendered a number of my buildings to fix, mainly, craptapular textures from early on. Below are pictures of the changes. Before on the left, after on the right.
Ardmore:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F720%2Fardmoreho9.jpg&hash=375df602cda138efa1f607f187f1b3bd33f400b1)
New small-town compatible lot, darker roof and roof trim, new opacity settings for the glass, and the brick and clapboard are more clearly visible.
Bank of Montreal:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F6011%2Fbankofmontrealdr0.jpg&hash=7a3feed886231053cc18fa70a261db71dfa69e77)
New roof texture, bigger less puny looking doors.
CIBC
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F4851%2Fcibccd3.jpg&hash=6cbbbd7d573cc9c37de3282b645df727f62c0811)
New brick, roof and roof covers textures. Bigger doors.
Foreign Affair
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F3494%2Fforeignaffairnu1.jpg&hash=2054bb823b4f4f15c4c4374430136c52f952cb64)
Large side windows gone (I don't think they fit).
Kensington Plaza
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg501.imageshack.us%2Fimg501%2F3862%2Fkensingtonplazaoz0.jpg&hash=436de07f6a812a824a7007d621a6abb0e2d23e1a)
New window texture. The walls were the big thing here though. They're not so flat anymore.
King of Donair:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F2977%2Fkodyn6.jpg&hash=6cbbca27ea5ee2155b603518e8551d9882f7bf4c)
Lighter shingles
Ridley's Cycles:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F1115%2Fridleyszl8.jpg&hash=d33c30a364d640b42fd0d4ae40c9b9431891b681)
Shorter on 2x3 lot that is compatible with my other 2x3s. Less blue roof. I wanted to darken the new roof texture just a bit but unfortunately the Ridley's model is now corrupt so it's one or the other (notice the little texture glitch on the left side too that now can't be fixed). Annoying but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
Royal Bank:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F1505%2Froyalbankyx0.jpg&hash=2365546fb13bf7e4e28f9ad3ed3fd532d41c7e88)
New roof and brick textures. Lot base texture fixed. I never felt that the old rear entrance fit so I dressed it up.
Tandoori Hut:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg501.imageshack.us%2Fimg501%2F9976%2Ftandoorihutdi9.jpg&hash=d50b72d9aed1b1678e148b2adfae9b5d3e79b627)
New glass (the old windows are horrible). Darker front Tandoori awning.
TD Bank:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F7348%2Ftdbankjf1.jpg&hash=e3b4d0e190f08e672f288f7e30dbd4a7a1c324a0)
Darker roof and trim. New brick texture. Side windows scaled down, doors scalled up.
Changes that I'm not Sure About:
Perks:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F958%2Fperksaa7.jpg&hash=32718864f1cc171a69e9a570dc8e2a727146bd62)
I know I want to fix the windows so that they're not so dark but I might have overdone it. I have spent a fair but of time tinkering with the glass but I just can't seem to get it. Maybe I'll change the floor on the 2nd and 3rd floors to wood so that the windows look more like the storefront ones.
Trend Fashions:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F2950%2Ftrendfashionstu0.jpg&hash=beb4b29254251ff49c98f37abaac9caba0738757)
I don't know about the new bricks. The lines might be a bit strong?
Royal Manor Building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F1958%2Froyalmanorbuildingau2.jpg&hash=6373e9429a0efbaf525bf1d1f25925b95fa2b12b)
I like the darker windows but I'm not sure that the plastery walls work.
So that's everything. Any thoughts (especially on the last three)?
Very nice work on these old models and they have all improved. I think Perks looks fine, Trend Fashion I think the rooftexture is looking a bit grainy and it is a pitty the details on the facade are blending more with the texture of the bricks. The Royal Manor I kinda liked the blue windows better than the purple, (just personal taste) other than that I think it looks good.
I've always wanted to revisit a few of my earlier creations and improve upon them. I just have so many projects ongoing right now that I feel I should finish those first lol.
In any case, on the last three:
Perks: I actually like the brighter window textures. You lost the texturing on your chimney though!
Trend Fashions: I'm not sure the grout between the bricks is too strong, but I do think the bricks look too big. Try scaling down the UVW just a touch, somewhere between the brick size you had before and what you have now.
Royal Manor: On my screen, the plaster looks OK! I especially like the new window textures -- the purple tint really adds cohesiveness with the other purple details.
Overall, very nice improvements! I'll have download the new ones once you've made them available.
Kwakelaar: Thanks. I'll try turning down the roof texture and making the brick a little lighter. Lighter brick might keep the facade details from disappearing so easily. I might actually revert to the original Royal Manor. I think I have to sit on it for a few days before I can decide.
Nofunk: Yeah I know what you mean. I have been thinking about going back and updating for a long time but I never had the energy. I would rather create new things. The custom query angle alongside the numerous fixes, however, eventually made it worth doing. So Perks, yeah that chimney texture seems to wander on me. I actually went back to a darker window though. Check it out below. I haven't had a chance yet, but I'm going to try a smaller brick and less gritty roof. As mentioned, I don't know what I'm doing with the Royal Manor right now.
So I have done a little bit more tinkering and I have moved Perks into the final category.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F3954%2Fperks2qx2.jpg&hash=2a574086422ec1ec9f3c3a55c7df3bcbf920ac2d)
I went back to the darker windows. They're only slightly different than the original but I changed the floor on the 2nd and 3rd floors to wood to give that orangish tinge. I think it's better than the pitch black of the original, but the difference is slight. If I hadn't already spent so much time tinkering with this one I would probably just not bother with it.
Perks may be "done" but Kensington Plaza is back into the being worked on category. I'm tinkering with windows, again. I haven't done them all the way around but below is what I have so far.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F8092%2Fkensingtonplaza2ub8.jpg&hash=1fff506c638ec483546490bca5362ee4c02006b7)
Version 3 is definitely a step up from the original but maybe also a step up from version 2 that I posted earlier.
As for the other two, well I'm going to try turning down the dirt on the Trend Fashions' roof and make the bricks slightly bigger and maybe a little lighter and I'm debating just reverting to the original Royal Manor. I don't know though. Maybe I'll sit on that one for a while.
Hi Spa
Kensington looks better with the new windows.
Don't spend too long time on these, they were good BATs already and I would much rather see you working on something new. :)
They both look excellent! Didn't think they could look better but they can.
I agree with Kwakalaar, you should concentrate on new creations rather than tweaking already outstanding BAT's. I really enjoy your work, especially since it has an Atlantic Canadian flair. Hope your new work gets uploaded soon. :thumbsup:
Hi Spa - I've had a look through the past pages and like the newer versions of your old material. I appreciate your going over them and giving them a fresh 'coat of paint'. I have no bones to pick with those that have a desire to improve their craft then apply what they've learned over time to their old stuff. The CAM would be a perfect time to introduce the 'new' changes and is kind of what I've had in mind with my improved versions of the old barn buildings.
Kwakelaar: Thanks. Have no fear the updates won't go on forever :)
Josef: Thanks
Simdad: Thanks. I think you'll enjoy this update if you're familiar with Wolfville at all.
Jmyers: Thanks. It's something I probably wouldn't have done except for I wanted to include custom queries, I needed to fix the lot config family that I included everywhere before I knew better and, most of all, just a few minutes could make a big a difference to a lot of my older bats which had some bad texturing in places (roofs and bricks). The CAM is probably the best thing that'll happen for my creations. Making more realistic stages will probably mean that my wee bats will see a lot more use and won't be replaced by skyscrappers as quickly and as easily as they are now.
So I haven't updated in a while. It's a different world when you're in the rat race. On the plus side I'm being sent to Newfoundland for a few days (I have never been) on the company's dime. Should be fun. Last weekend though I got out of Halifax with the girlfriend. We went up to Wolfville which is a really fascinating small town an hours drive outside of Halifax at the head of the Annapolis Valley. That part of Nova Scotia is farming country and has some of North America's best soils. Wolfville, however, isn't really a farming town even though it's surrounded by agriculture. It's home to Acadia Univeristy and is about as close as you'll get to the American college town model. The town has just 3,500 residents, but during the school year it doubles to 7,500. The university's presence gives Wolfville amenities that it otherwise wouldn't have and it attracts and holds wealthier and more educated people than normally opt to live in rural areas. Anyway, I snapped some photos of a few of the more interesting and colourful buildings in town, three of which I have started batting. Below are some photos of the buildings in real life.
Family Vision Centre
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg138.imageshack.us%2Fimg138%2F1334%2Ffamilyvisionreallifecs9.jpg&hash=4bb3b32c63be2c39bdfd5eba9f4fa82420785cb8)
The Library Pub and Coffee House
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg72.imageshack.us%2Fimg72%2F4029%2Flibrarypubreallifedr2.jpg&hash=2a12d9f64ac761daad82ae512aba2f36c393cc48)
Paddy's Brew Pub
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg72.imageshack.us%2Fimg72%2F3136%2Fpaddysbrewpubreallifezt2.jpg&hash=9c6949b3dad1508a4031905d49ddde3ad2ef33d0)
And this, is what I have so far.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg72.imageshack.us%2Fimg72%2F8238%2Fcurrentprojectskg9.jpg&hash=fdf7d7273e9cd977a9635fd59b5f93f604d8c9af)
You can see that they're pretty faithful to the real ones. I modified the Library Pub however because I didn't want to make it a corner bat (if I don't do that now and then all I would ever make would be corners). I included Attica in the photo since I'm going to be working on it alongside this batch. If my attention wanders, there are two building in downtown Halifax that I have my eye one as well.
In other news, the updates to my old files are nearly ready to be passed to Barby. I just need to tinker with Trend Fashions and consider what I'm going to do with Royal Manor. So my big bat update should be underway in the next few weeks.
Finally, I'm going to upload ABL Environmental in the next few minutes. You can get it on the LEX sometime in the next few minutes.
wow it's perfect ! &apls
Yes, I know Wolfville reasonably well (I lived in Halifax for nine years). Those facades are well done and this set should blend into the "small town theme" quite nicely.
I love small university towns. Most Canadian universities are "factories" with 10-50,000 students and are located in big cities. I think that the educational experience that you can get in a smaller institution in a smaller town however can be much more individualized and delivered in a more intimate manner. It is no surprise to me that the most highly rated Canadian undergraduate universities are small town campuses located here in the Maritimes. These campuses also have an interesting synergy with the towns that thay are located in and they contribute immensely to the local arts, culture and restuarant scenes. Not surprisingly, my favourite small towns here in the Maritimes (Wolfville, Antigonish and Sackville NB), all are university towns.
BTW Spa, if you are interested in another interestign old building with lots of character located in a small university town, you should consider "Mel's Tea Room" here in Sackville NB. It's quite a hangout for the university students at Mount Allison. Sorry, I don't have a picture.
Thanks Antoine!
Simdad, I agree. I started my academic career at the University of King's College which has the best of both worlds; it's small with only 1,000 students and the buidings are all within sight of each other around the main courtyard. At the same time, it has access to all the resources of a large univeristy since it's basically a parasite that leaches off of Dal. It was a good experience. I'm actually going to be going through New Brunswick at some point in the next few months (I'm going to St.Leonard for a site visit). I'll bring my camera and stop in Sackville since I'll be crusing right past it and we'll just see what grabs my eye.
So it has been a while since I have updated. This past week I got to travel up to northern New Brunswick on business. I was able to set my own pace so I made a point of stopping as much as possible in the various little towns along the way. Needless to say I have a ton of new material for future bats. It's interesting how some of the old main streets are doing just fine while others have basically died. For anyone who knows the Maritimes (Simdad I'm looking your way), from the places I have visited lately I would say that Wolfville, Kentville, Hartland and Woodstock are doing just fine, Sackville and Grand Falls are holding their own, Amherst, St. Leonard and Oxford have seen better days and Spring Hill has died. Amherst is particularly funny in that the main street, despite a long and prosperous history, is fading while at the same time the town is actually growing. It's a common story in a lot of large cities but it's interesting to see it happening on such a small scale.
I haven't done much batting lately, but the updates to my old bats are nearly finished and I have most of them back from Barby. As soon as the last one is ready and I have a cleanitol file done I'll release them. With the long weekend on here in Canada I did do some batting today on the Library Pub and it's basically done. Below is the "final" version on the lot I made for it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg214.imageshack.us%2Fimg214%2F7411%2Flibrarypubfv6.jpg&hash=81d5f5de00f34f3d5342074f0373436aa5ef6210)
Not much to say. It fits with JBSimio's earlier material and my own additions to the theme. Note the Alexander Keith's logo on the rear 2nd floor window. Another piece of Canadiana makes an appearence in Sim City :) Anyway, I'm still of course open to suggestions, but I'm fairly happy with this one. Tomorrow I'll see what I can do with Paddy's Brew Pub. I would like to get it done too this long weekend.
Spa that is soo cool i love it... cant wait to see these hit the LEX
What a charming building! Nice work as always, Sam.
Looking very nice Sam, a lovely building.
Not to echo everyone else but the building looks good. I love wooden buildings :thumbsup:
Thanks everyone.
I have one more to post today. Paddy's Brew Pub is now "final."
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg220.imageshack.us%2Fimg220%2F3019%2Fsbrewpubpreviewcu2.jpg&hash=32cfe4518ddd0b011f237be69efce1f39c4152ea)
Not bad if I may say so myself. I quite like how this one turned out, even if it's a real tiny little building. As usual, since it's a 2 deep lot, I have made it compatible with the small town series. This one isn't w2w on both sides. I did this deliberately. The idea is that Paddy's provides access to the rear alleyway mid-block instead of just at the cross street. This is the first small town lot to do this but I have another in mind to add variety. Anyway, below is what I mean by Paddy's providing an alleyway mid-block.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg220.imageshack.us%2Fimg220%2F1560%2Flibrarypubaccess2yb6.jpg&hash=40326cbcd123a30490166203452b8fdb192a97e1)
WOW! Those are totally awesome! I especially like the little house at the top of this page
Paddys Brew Pub is coool spa i love it...
Glad your road trip through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick went well. I would tend to agree re: your observations on the status of small town downtowns along the way. By and large, small town NB is in better shape than small town NS. I ascribe this to the "giant sucking sound" emanating from Halifax. When one city is such a dominant presence in a province, it is not good for the hinterland. The only communities to escape the gaping maw of the "deep south end" are the university towns like Wolfville and Antigonish and agricultural shiretowns like Kentville. Here in NB there is relative equivalence between the larger cities and this has allowed the small towns to survive. There are a few exceptions of course, such as Dalhousie and St. Leonard which are circling the drain. The status of Sackville is interesting, as a university town it should be doing quite well but downtown businesses struggle because it is so close to Moncton that retail dollars are easily siphoned off. Still, as you pointed out, Sackville is holding its own. There was a big fire in downtown Sackville last year that destroyed an entire retail block of stores. That didn't help.
Flame: Do you mean the blue corner buildling? That's Perks and it can be found on the lex. An updated version of it will be released sometime soon.
Pat: Thanks
Simdad: I never thought about it but you know what you're right. Halifax has a funny effect. It seems to prop up some towns while giving the more distant ones a big smack. Take the South Shore. Lunenburg, Bridgewater, Mahone Bay and Chester are all doing fine because the South Shore is an area that the Halifax elite like to play in. A lot of these communities are now becoming bedroom communities. The more distant or less appealing locales, however, get no benefits from having Halifax in the neighbourhood. Sackville is interesting. I didn't realize there had been a big fire. That would explain why it seemed empty along Main Street! I wasn't imaging there was a hole in the streetscape there actually is one caused by disaster.
Hey everyone. Just a quick note today and not of the good variety. I'm writing this from my girlfriend's laptop because my computer is no more. After three years of tempermental service it finally decided to die peacefully in its sleep (tried to turn it on in the morning and it wouldn't go). I ordered a new and better computer today since it's not worth putting money into a 3 year old machine that hasn't really worked properly in over a year. I should be back in business on Tuesday or Wednesday. It could have been worse as I'm working right now so I have the money at hand to replace the machine and the new one I have bought will run a lot of my more demanding games a lot more smoothly than my old one (Galactic Civilizations, Civilization 4 and Rome Total War).
Unfortunately, I don't yet know whether my more recent files can be saved from the ruins. I'm going to drop my machine off with the guys who are building my new desktop to see what they can save. If the problem is that my hard drive is dead though, Paddy's, the Library Pub, Family Vision, Attica and the Sovereign Building will all be lost. Luckily, everything else is backed up including the CBC (I would have cried had that been lost) and all the photos I took on my trip through the Maritimes (pretty much irreplacable as I'm not likely to be back to Northern New Brunswick for quite a while) the other week are still on my camrea's memory card. So even if things are gone, again, it could have been worse. Still, if the hard drive is fried, losing Paddy's, the Soveregin Building and the Library Pub will hurt since each of them was done or nearly done. I'll keep you all posted.
Sorry to hear about the bad news, hopefully not too much will be lost and you are up and running soon. Your work is fantastic, good luck.
Robin ()stsfd()
That's unfortunate news. I've got my fingers crossed that they'll be able to recover your files!
hope all is not lost spa. I just came back from a weekend at the Atlantic Jazz Festival in Halifax. I was on spring garden taking in some free shows, popped into a bank, came out and thought 'gee this building looks familiar'. I then remembered it was the CIBC you moddled yours after. Anyways... Best of luck with the recovery of your files.
Brian
Hey Spa, just wondering how the computer situation is going. If you are able to answer, please give us a shout. I hope your data is salvage :thumbsup:able
Thanks everyone. Magee, indeed the jazz festival has become a big show. I have actually managed to cover a lot of Spring Garden Road in the last little while. By the time I'm done you'll be able to recreate a good streatch of it.
So sorry for the late reply everyone. The good news is that all files were saved. The hard drive on my old computer was intact so I got everything off and onto DVD. Unfortunately it seems that one of the parts in my new computer was defective. I had it for 10 days and it died. I returned it today for them to figure out what's wrong.... I think the motherboard failed. Anyway, my files are alright but there is still a big empty spot on the desk that the girlfriends laptop doesn't really fill.
Quote from: spa on July 24, 2007, 06:06:08 PM
My files are alright but there is still a big empty spot on the desk that the girlfriends laptop doesn't really fill.
You make it so depressing!! :(
Quote from: magee_b on July 15, 2007, 06:36:58 PM
popped into a bank, came out and thought 'gee this building looks familiar'. I then remembered it was the CIBC you moddled yours after. Brian
Brian aint that scary to have that happen when you realize a building you where just in is in your game as well.....
Spa, IM glad your computer is ( NEW ) getting fixxed and all was saved ( from old ) and you lost nothing other then having a void on the desktop... Cant wait for you to get up and running again here - pat
I forgot to say it, it might be too late, but hopefully you got a different graphics card (or whatever it was) that was causing the visual glitch with your BATs in your game.
Jason: Ahh it is kind of depressing! It's rougher on the girl friend though. Without a computer to waste my free time on she has me on her couch, using her laptop and watching her TV. She's the real victim here ;D I haven't confirmed it yet but the graphics bug may be gone. I went with another nvidea graphics card but a much newer and more powerful one, a Geforce 8600 GTS. Hopefully that'll be the end of that. If not, it's not a big deal for me. The glitch was fairly minor on most of my bats.
Pat: Thanks. I'm pretty much up and running now... as you might have noticed all those updated files that I have been working on are out the door and on the exchange.
So not a big post today. Just wanted to let you guys know, if you haven't seen the exchange, that all my updated files have been released. I personally recommend redownloading all of my files, especially since I have created a cleanitol file to do the heavy lifting for you. A good chunk of my updates actually involved rerendering the models (check page 3 for some before and after shots), but not all of them did. I would still download all the updated files, even the ones that weren't rerendered, because
1. I have made changes to the lots in many cases. In many cases this meant adjusting setbacks to be consistent with each other and with other people's work, notably JBSimio.
2. All my early pre-BSC bats had the lot config family property left in the growable lot. Testing has shown that in rare cases this allows Maxis buildings to appear on a custom made lots where they aren't suppose to be. This is fixed in the new versions.
3. All of my plopable lots now appear in a consistent order together on the landmark menu and all my buildings now have functioning custom queries.
4. I have also consolidated files which usually meant merging the growable lot with the growable desc to cut down file size and loading times.
There shouldn't be any brown boxes as a result of updating to the newest version of my files because I kept the lot and desc files the same. In the testing I did, this allowed the new building and lot to simply replace the old. Incase I haven't convinced you though, below is a list of my creations that have gone for more detailed changes. Most of the rerenders were to fix junky textures but a few involved some new modelling (several of the bank branches).
Kensington Plaza
Kensington Place
Tandoori Hut
Trend Fashions
Bank of Montreal
Royal Bank
Toronto Dominion Bank
CIBC
Ardmore Tea Room
Ridley's Cycles
King of Donair
Foreign Affair
One final note, if you use the notepad list I created for use with cleanitol to delete older versions of my lots, use it only once BEFORE you install the new updates. If you use cleanitol after installing the updates it will delete the new files too since, to avoid brown boxes, the names of the lot and desc files were kept the same. Feel free to post if anyone runs into any problems.
http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1000
GET=1000
Congratulations on making the 1000th upload!!
Click here to receive your free iPod Nano!!
Oh that's fun! I didn't catch that one of mine was #1000. I'm glad it was one of my best!
So a small update today with a new project. I have been bringing my work home with me. I'm working for the Canadian federal government for the summer and I have been writing a report on federal property in St. Leonard, New Brunswick, including the St. Leonard Government of Canada Building. It's a pretty neat little building and is fairly typical of GOCB's in small-town Canada. It was built in 1939 as a post office. It was renovated in the 1980s to provide office space for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans after Canada Post moved across the street. The buiding is still home to DFO. Below is a picture of the real thing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg168.imageshack.us%2Fimg168%2F5994%2Fstleonardgocbreallifews3.jpg&hash=0ea4da179aacb80f70e8cc933d6db8d59770942c)
And this is it in Sim City.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg168.imageshack.us%2Fimg168%2F5194%2Fstleonardgocbpreviewxr1.jpg&hash=92cec1525657c92bc4db1680be7950460b68023f)
Not much to say. I cut out the cumbersome accessible elevator and I also eliminated the DFO sign and the Canadian flag to make the building more generic. I also restored the original clock (as you can see in the real thing it has been bricked over). The Saint-Leonard GOCB is small-town compatible, grows on a 1x2 and provides CO$$ jobs. Unless anyone spots anything I'll pass this one over to Barby and it'll join the queue.
Quote from: spa on July 24, 2007, 06:06:08 PM
Unfortunately it seems that one of the parts in my new computer was defective. I had it for 10 days and it died. I returned it today for them to figure out what's wrong.... I think the motherboard failed. Anyway, my files are alright but there is still a big empty spot on the desk that the girlfriends laptop doesn't really fill.
I know exactly how that is. I had bought a new computer and even had it set up to make sure SC4 would have no problems runnin. (My previous one was VERY old) I had the new one 15 days (having taken in to be looked at twice and told there was nothing wrong with it.) On the night of the 14th day I was on the phone with tech support in INDIA, reformatting my brand NEW computer. That didn't even work so on day 15 I took it back again. I was told "I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do. Our return policy is clearly listed and is only 14 days." I was not a happy camper to say the least. After an addition $200+ I was "allowed" to take home another different new computer. I was also called a liar by the manager of the store because he said there was nothing wrong with the other one. Needless to say, I'm not shopping there again. LOL
---Gaston
Spa that is looking real good... one thought though maybe there should be a sign out front something generic though... but other then that send it to the line :thumbsup:
Gaston: See that's why I went with a local company. I bought my old computer with Futureshop and they weren't very helpful. Much easier to take it down the street than have to call tech support or ship your computer off to goodness knows where.
Pat: Thanks! Besides wanting to keep things generic I also ditched the sign to try and keep the front from looking too busy. I like the balance that I struck. I considered putting in the stone above the main door but ended up deciding against it. I did enlarge the front porch/steps slightly though. This one has now been handed over to Barby for that BSC polish.
So I was away this week on business to Saint John, NB and while on the road, with nothing else to do with my evenings, I sped through a midrise project on my girlfriend's laptop. 1809 4th Street SW in Calgary is heading for Sim City. The modelling is basically done (roof junk and a few small wall details is all that's left) so I'm currently working on texturing. I have run into a bit of debate though that I figured I would post for feedback. Below is a photo of the real building in Calgary.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F7192%2F18094thstreetan4.jpg&hash=dbeef26b03391913a98ece1f40e0adc85277d7d2)
Notice at the top the black supports that connect the two parts of the building's walls on the top floor. I have been fairly truthful to the actual building so far, but I'm not sure that those black supports actually works that well in Sim City. I'm considering extending the white brick columns up through the top floor and using them to join the upper and lower parts of the top floor. Below are the two options.
Option 1 Black columns
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg520.imageshack.us%2Fimg520%2F1438%2Fnobrickoptionjy7.jpg&hash=173c1d4b5583c2fcfd59209882bffb8894e09482)
Option 2 White brick columns (excuse the untextured windows and the photoshop mock up).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg520.imageshack.us%2Fimg520%2F6143%2Fbrickoptiongj2.jpg&hash=66173b53fd63687b4c6ad40a6048892bfabcc31c)
I'm not a guy who is a slave to reality so I'm just trying to decide which will look better. I'm leaning towards the white bricks.Thoughts? Preferences? Oh and if anyone wants to suggest a more inspiring name than 1809 4th Street SW I would consider it.
Well if your not a slave to reality, what would it look like in concrete?
Just Curious...
a more contemporary midrise of this design would be fantastic
Black columns!
Just a quick question. Has Barby given you an ETA on the lotting she is doing for your new BAT's. It's been some time since anything of yours has been released. Keep up the good work!
Zaphod: I don't know. It's an interesting idea. I tend to think it would blend into this big blob on top though. If I have time I'll give it a try.
Toxicpiano: Vote received :) but in early polling the black columns are running a little behind.
Simdad1957: I'm actually sitting on 5 right now (Galleria, Province House, Clay Cafe, Library Pub and Paddy's). Barby currently has just the St. Leonard GOCB. I didn't mean to delay releasing, but I got sidetracked with updating all my old files and before I knew it I had 5 bats sitting in the queue. The showman in me won out and I have decided to hold off until I have 7 ready so that I can release a bat a day for a week. Given that the GOCB is just waiting on an installer and given that I have three bats nearly done (one should be heading to Barby early this week) release time should be next week. I won't go so long in the future :)
Blend? actually I meant the whole thing, from top to bottom. Make it into a sort of modernist design
Anyways, I vote white brick if you mean just the top. Looks great the way it is IMO
Ahh I misunderstood. I actually have a tower in that kind of international style on my list (the Joe Howe Building here in Halifax). I don't know when I'll get to it though. I'm kind of happy with this one in the older style, but maybe next time.
Ah yes I just remembered. I was in Toronto and Ottawa the other week (2000 mile tour of Ontario), and saw a lot of Garrison woods style houses :) Oh and a lot of Tim Hortons. Also, Rogers seems to own half of Toronto, lol.
Toxicpiano: Both are fun cities! If you happened by Cornell that would be Garrison Woods style central for Southern Ontario. This is actually the first summer in several years that I won't be in Toronto. I kind of miss that. Halifax is great and I love it here, but it is fun to visit really big cities.
Just a quick update today. The votes are in and the white bricks won out. They now go up to the top. I'm pretty pleased with the result. Below is where things stand.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg77.imageshack.us%2Fimg77%2F2748%2Flougheedbuildingya2.jpg&hash=e478246832a4e77f4f93dbab78803303ee5185a5)
I have started on the roof junk. I'm planning a few vents and one more hvac on the blank concrete panel (the second hvac will be smaller than the main one already up there). I have also come up with a name for the place. Since the building is from Calgary, I'm going to call it the Lougheed Building after Alberta premier Peter Lougheed. After I finish the roof junk I just have to sort out the windows and roof textures. I'll update again when I have some more significant work done.
Not to bump my own thread or anything but the Lougheed Building is now basically done, barring any suggestions. Below are pictures of the final version from all angles.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg517.imageshack.us%2Fimg517%2F4595%2Flougheedfrontwl0.jpg&hash=ff927ec23f16351f22743d83c2389065563288da)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg517.imageshack.us%2Fimg517%2F1588%2Flougheedbackpe4.jpg&hash=4184e712b55dbd192aadfc6d58fc80455029eb93)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg218.imageshack.us%2Fimg218%2F5318%2Flougheedleftsh4.jpg&hash=0e09b59b7deb4f88f20f6ac97bc70653bc890b5d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg152.imageshack.us%2Fimg152%2F1933%2Flougheedrightaa1.jpg&hash=fd0e55ddea9a203aeebfb27974d17d1401356a6f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg517.imageshack.us%2Fimg517%2F1985%2Flougheednightxw1.jpg&hash=a2e96eea2b0551e95d542d4eec4dbc385bad9a54)
I think it turned out fairly well. Interestingly, the graphics glitch that always plagued me (those splotches) are here on my new computer... but they only comes out at night! Strange.
I used the new plugin tool to set everything up. First time using it and I'm very impressed. Talk about a time saver! When it's released it's going to open up modding and editing to those without the the patience to pick at properties in the ilive reader or sc4tool.
That's a wonderful looking building, spa! :thumbsup: Great work!
Excellent work spa, Lougheed is the second most Maxis looking building, what I've ever seen :D first one was some Middle Eastern hotel building.
I got few questions, do you combine your buildings in LE or do you also create all chairs and flowers too?
Yummy! I don't supposed you have ever heard of the blue mountain ski resort? It's like a gated community, all built in alpine village style (Fake and and like a toytown basically). Seemed to me to be very un Canadian... Are there many gated communities in Canada?
Spa that is looking really great :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
What does it say on the side i cant quite read it all that well?
Bat: Thanks
Bengt: Thanks. Most of what you see was made in the bat. However, the outside stuff around back isn't mine. The rose bushes on the left are simgoober's, the hedge next to the tables are from CSX, the outdoor lamp posts that fit in so well are from the BSC misc prop pack and the large bushy garden with the evergreen tree in the middle is from Swi.
Toxicpiano: I haven't. Gated communities are not very common in Canada. They do exist but for the most part wealthy Canadians haven't fled behind iron bars and security guards yet. Although from what I have heard they are more common in Western Canada, particularly in BC and Alberta. One of my profs (Jill Grant) at Dal is actually studying gated communities in Canada and I believe has published a few articles on them. Search for her if you want to know more.
Pat: Thanks. On the side above the doors is the building's civic address, 1809 4th Street SW. It came out fairly blurred which is kind of good in a way since people can really imagine it says anything :)
So keep an eye on the exchange this week. I'll be uploading a new bat each night. First up the Clay Cafe, but it's just the first of 7. Enjoy.
Sweet spa i look forward to the 7 day release party woohoo &apls &apls
Looking forward to the next week of plenty. I love fooling around with small town stuff (although the current city I'm working on is a metropolis) and your creations fit in so well with JMSimio's stuff. Also, your focus on Atlantic Canada is a huge bonus!!
that building is fantastic... very maxis but i love it.
Quote from: spa on August 19, 2007, 08:52:13 PM
Bat: Thanks
Bengt: Thanks. Most of what you see was made in the bat. However, the outside stuff around back isn't mine. The rose bushes on the left are simgoober's, the hedge next to the tables are from CSX, the outdoor lamp posts that fit in so well are from the BSC misc prop pack and the large bushy garden with the evergreen tree in the middle is from Swi.
Toxicpiano: I haven't. Gated communities are not very common in Canada. They do exist but for the most part wealthy Canadians haven't fled behind iron bars and security guards yet. Although from what I have heard they are more common in Western Canada, particularly in BC and Alberta. One of my profs (Jill Grant) at Dal is actually studying gated communities in Canada and I believe has published a few articles on them. Search for her if you want to know more.
Pat: Thanks. On the side above the doors is the building's civic address, 1809 4th Street SW. It came out fairly blurred which is kind of good in a way since people can really imagine it says anything :)
So keep an eye on the exchange this week. I'll be uploading a new bat each night. First up the Clay Cafe, but it's just the first of 7. Enjoy.
I am assuming you are in the architecture & planning faculty? Community Design perhaps? I was looking into that before taking a turn for education at UNB. Great work, I love following your progress. All the best.
- Oh and if you get a chance, next time you're in Saint John you should consider doing some of the fine buildings there. Market Slip/Prince William St. would be fine additions ;)
Pat: Thanks
Simdad: I'm glad you're enjoying them. Two more Atlantic Canada bats to come this week!
Mightygoose: Thanks
Magee: Yep. Planning actually. Funnily enough I know someone who is just about to start education at UNB. The Maritimes is such a small place. I actually really liked Saint John. The old buildings in the city aren't just still there but they are there as a consitent streetscape. Halifax's heritage buildings, except on Barrington, really tend to exist in isolated pockets. Parts of Saint John are like a museum piece. The little alleys were very cute. Still, I did find it disconcerting to find so few modern buildings. I did come away with a ton of photos of the city, but I have 100s of potential bats sitting on my computer so I can't promise that anything will come of it anytime soon.... That said the Imperial Theater and the HSBC downtown branch (curved building across from the anchors) are both pretty tempting. Thanks for the comment.
So as you have probably seen I'm releasing my banked bats this week. I'm also going through my models folder looking at almost done bats and contemplating moving them along. One that has been getting attention is the Sovereign Building. Remember that one? No? This is where it stood in April (the last time I did anything on it).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F9236%2Fsovereignbuildingfrontfor9.jpg&hash=72d0a4a2921d359cda77761c710dbb597135955e)
It was all done except the roof and window textures bogged me down and sapped all the fun out of it. After a few months off though I'm ready to finish this one up. Below is a new preview render of just the front with the new glass textures that I have made with techniques borrowed from Jasoncw.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg489.imageshack.us%2Fimg489%2F1150%2Fsovereignbuildingfronteg7.jpg&hash=e3c06193af193ca9a38a02b32f2997c4fce0987e)
Much more lively now eh. We'll see how things go but this one could be heading to the render this weekend.
This is probably going to sound irksome, but I think there's a bit too much variety in colour in the first, second, and third floor windows in this one. It works well on the other BAT, but I think the concept doesn't quite work for such large windows. I do think there needs to be some colour up there, though. Perhaps faking blinds might work? I guess it's a matter of personal taste, though. Either way, it'll likely end up in my plugins folder. :D
I think it might be worth considering a different roof texture as well. It just blends too much with the edging... perhaps less brown?
The ground floor, however, is something else! The increased level of detail is excellent. It's just enough to give it life, but not so much that it's overwhelming.
I also like the idea of the signs in the windows on the first floor though.
I love the sign sticking out of the first floor, by the way. :)
Cammo2003: Thanks for the feedback. I think the windows stay at this point :) I have just spent too much time on them and there is only so much a guy can stand. I have ditched the old roof texture. You can see the new one below.
So the Sovereign Building is pretty much done. I did all the windows in the same style as the front, made a new roof texture and tinkered with a few other textures slightly. Below is where things sit.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg408.imageshack.us%2Fimg408%2F6178%2Fsovereignfrontbt0.jpg&hash=9c1a675a67e06e47716f50750d57610603d75ee4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg113.imageshack.us%2Fimg113%2F579%2Fsovereignbackkn0.jpg&hash=9255ad78c15a4d5d11426b44fda2cc761921b47d)
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I'm thinking, besides a plop, I'll also make a Co$$ version. I'm heading to Newfoundland for a week on Wednesday so this one likely won't be released until I get back. However, I'll likely have the laptop with me so I might come back with one or two new bats just needing to be textured (I don't texture on the laptop).
Try not to jig too many squid while you're in Newfie but I hope you try some flipper pie, cod tongues and fish n' brewis :P
Have a good trip!, you might find some additional BAT inspiration in St. John's if you go there. Very interesting architecture. I have often said that if St. John's were on the mainland I would consider living there but as it is, St. John's ranks up there with Fairbanks AK as the most isolated major city in North America.
I love the latest addition, Sovereign Building. Great work my friend.
Have a great trip.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Spa looking very good indeed :thumbsup:
excellent work and details &apls
Wonderful work on that building, Spa! :thumbsup:
Bat: Thanks
Jacqulina: Thanks
Pat: Thanks
Rooker: Thanks. It was a great trip! Lots of fun and beautiful scenery in Newfoundland.
Simdad: haha I'm afraid I wasn't brave enough to go for the cod tongues... although I considered it at a few places. St. John's is definitely a neat little city. The heritage has been really well preserved, the old wooden houses are really unique and Water Street looks quite alive. I actually came to the same conclusion you have: St. John's would be a great place to live if it were on the mainland and not so isolated.
So I haven't done much batting lately. My time in Newfoundland was pretty filled. I did start an old wooden rowhouse from the city though that likely will be the first in a Jellybean Row set. No eta on that though and nothing really to show yet. I have, however, moved along on the Family Vision Centre. Below is how it has turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg266.imageshack.us%2Fimg266%2F8365%2Ffamilyvisioncentrepreviwd5.jpg&hash=0891ea524bb74a9b4927649b4d75ae62e2f3489c)
I'm thinking Cs$$$ growable on the houston and euro tileset. Should fit in with the small-town set.
Those look fantastic. I love the details on the back of the house. It looks like a bed and breakfast place I once saw.
Robin :thumbsup:
Rooker: Thanks. I like the back too. I think the transition from the very decorative front to the back came out fairly well. I'm going to pass this one to Barby shortly. So it should pop up on the exchanges sometime in the next three weeks.
So I haven't done much lately. Been busy with school and I have been busy taking care of Carthagians in Rome Total War. That said I have done a little bit more on Attica. The changes to Attica are minor and amounted to some slight adjustments to the glass and the addition of some decorative stone work at the roof top.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg262.imageshack.us%2Fimg262%2F6668%2Fatticaxa0.jpg&hash=2864f651c9dca8a68a34dc309e93853147b3a0b8)
I adjusted the stone that juts out from the wall to eliminate those strange shadows. I think it works a lot better now. I still need to adjust the glass in places to be a little lighter. The left side door and the first three windows on the top section on the right need to be lightened. Still not entirely sure what I'm going to do with the rest of it. Broadly I have three options; 1. make the whole building stone 2. have just a stone facade 3. some kind of combo of stone and brick. Still time to figure it out.
And the CBC now has an almost complete, but still untextured, roof top.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg262.imageshack.us%2Fimg262%2F1747%2Fcbclq3.jpg&hash=08cdbc2374e5b4991a1fb1138b9a576760556e88)
Need to add the roof junk which will be complicated because there is a lot up there and add some variety to the beige windows. People who know this building will also note the big Barbara Frum Atrium still hasn't made it on. It's coming on the right to that big empty spot.
The Attica store front looks awesome, we can never have enough BATs like this. And the CBC building look very nice as well. How big do you think it will be when it's done? Awesome work.
&apls &apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Long live the CBC, it's about time that quality public broadcasting makes it to SimCity!! Looking good. ;D
I like really much the style of your BATs, and the CBC is announced even more imposing. :thumbsup:
Good luck for the continuation.
Sam!
i looks very nice perhaps it could even be seen by the cbc themselves.
beautifull work and great progress &apls
great work spa...I've been wanting this building ever since you first showcased a partially completed wall :D :D can't wait till your done!
Rooker: Thanks. I can't remember exactly off the top of my head how big the CBC will be but roughly it'll be on something like a 6x8 or a 7x8 lot.
Simdad: Thankd and indeed! It's just too bad that successive governments have starved the CBC of funding. Personally I think we should move to a system like they have in Britain; Provide the CBC with a generous and stable funding base and eliminate the commercials. Unfortunately it's not likely to ever happen as the Liberals are luke-warm friends to the network and the Conservative are positively hostile.
Bat56: Thanks. The CBC is definitely an imposing building. It has quite a presence down on Front Street in Toronto.
Maderia: Thanks.
Jacqulina: Thanks
Yoder: I know and I'm sorry for the delay. I didn't mean to tease :) I remember you went looking for it on google earth. I think it'll be done in the next few months. I took a long break from it but I'm motivated again. Although right now I'm in Calgary for five days so I'm making other things on the laptop.
So as mentioned I'm in Calgary right now. The girlfriend's brother is getting married so there is a bit of family hoopla. I have some time to myself though which is, of course, nice. School has been a little busy lately, but I have made some more progress on the CBC. Below is where things are at now.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg502.imageshack.us%2Fimg502%2F997%2Fcbccontinuesoa3.jpg&hash=9554c327898e8c788c1908262e340aa192ff9d7c)
With the Barbara Frum Atrium complete, the basic roof is now done. The Atrium took a lot of time because of all the angles. It wasn't really hard, just time consuming. I still need to add all the satelite dishes, hvacs, vents and other dodads, but other than that the modelling is coming down the home streatch. I won't have any updates on this one until sometime next week since I'm on the road. However, I do have the laptop with me and I already have another building under way that I'll no doubt showcase when I get back. I'll update again in a few days.
Marc: I'll definitely darken the white. As you well know white is one of the more challenging things to get right. The blue though... well the real building has a dark blue so I'm reluctant to tinker with it too much. Maybe I'll try to add some more "noise" to it. Thanks for the comments.
So school has been really busy over the last two weeks and I have had virtually no time to do any serious batting. I do however have a little bit of new progress to show and I know Simdad's going to be thrilled because it's Mel's Tea Room form Sackville, NB. Below is a photo of the real building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg144.imageshack.us%2Fimg144%2F6909%2Fmelsreallifewu1.jpg&hash=f8bff25576041bfd73b59f92ce0d3b38d5f9ca84)
Next door to Mel's, on the right side, is a local Sears outlet. Locally run Sears affliates are actually a common thing in small-town Atlantic Canada. This particular one sells appliances. Below is what I have done so far
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F5998%2Fmelstearoomhy2.jpg&hash=eceb5ace606555ccaf7ed89b35b9d1f1ee4ea4ad)
Mel's Tea Room will be another for the 1x2 collection.
looks awesome :) this is gonna blend in perfectly with your bats and jbsimio's :)
Yes JB, I'm very pleasntly surprised by Mel's Tearoom. I had no idea you were planning to BAT it. This will be a great addition to the game! Mel's by the way has not changed appreciably since the 1950's and still has a soda fountain if I am not mistaken. It is a very popular hangout for the students from Mount Allison University; also located in Sackville NB. ;D
Sorry for the double post, but I was just wondering if you were going to illuminate the neon sign in front of Mel's. ()what()
Nice work on the CBC building Spa, and just for your information, BBC isn't all funded by the goverment, if you have a TV you have to pay a license to BBC each year to keep your tv, otherwise THEY WILL CONFISCATE it, you must pay it no matter if you watch BBC or not, the same way of goverment funded TV can also be found in Norway (NRK), and a lot of other countries.
Thanks everyone. I have a back and sides on Mel's now but I'm at school right now so I can't generate any pictures (I'll post some tonight). For now just a couple of replies.
Simshady: Thanks
Simdad: Indeed. It is a pretty little building with a very lively front. I'm going to do something with the neon lighting.... I don't really know exactly what yet though. There are some tricks you can pull with lighting (like what I did on KOD) but they're limited and might not work here. We'll have to see how it plays out.
Glenni: Thanks. I think the distinction you're trying to make with the BBC funding though is a false one. A government tax on televisions is simply a dedicated tax for the BBC. Whether a government provides a direct grant from general revenue or a dedicated tax the source is still the same. All that's different is the manner in which it is delivered. I personally think it would be great if we had the same thing here, but the Canadian government is terrified of dedicated taxes and wants everything to go into general revenue so that they can spend it on whatever they want. Over the years the flashpoint here has been gasoline taxes which many motorists would love to see exclusively dedicated to road construction, but the government wants to keep in general revenue.
So school is still really busy and isn't leaving me with much free time. I have been picking away at Mel's though in the evening when I have a few free moments and it's almost done. Below is how it has shaped up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg155.imageshack.us%2Fimg155%2F1870%2Fmelstearoomalmostdoneqe0.jpg&hash=090763400856b6cd5667b204dc0039fddb09ae13)
Not much to say really. The side door may still go, I'm not sure about leaving it there. Anyway, all that's left to do here is nightlight it and, obviously, produce a roof texture. I may do a render tomorrow.
:thumbsup: i think thats one of your best, plus... it looks just like what would be in a midwest small downtown street.... makes me like it even more because its gonna be used a whole lot $%Grinno$%
Also, the windows are great, you are really getting good with those- it makes your bats so good, you are one of the, if not the best, producers of these kind of structures. Thanks.
I really like the brick texture on this one, Spa. The back has a lot of visual interest as well. I like the side door and hope you keep it. Always nice to have if the lot next door ends up blank or has an alley of some sort. Good luck lighting the sign! ;)
JB
Fledgeling: Thanks. I think I have advanced quite a bit on windows in the last few months. I'm even starting to not hate them again.
JB: Thanks. It was a fun texture to make and work with. I don't know if it was what was available in the area or what but this seems to have been a common type in Southern New Brunswick. In comparison, in Halifax, I can't think of a single building that looks anything like this. Architectural geography can be fun!
So Mel's is all packaged up and ready for release sometime this week along with the Sovereign Building and Family Vision Centre. It's a mini-release party. Below is how Mel's ended up turning out with a roof texture and lighting.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg112.imageshack.us%2Fimg112%2F8764%2Fsfinalfu7.jpg&hash=550cd70a2709320e70a9866fa3ddeb5d6eeae7e8)
The lighting was kind of fun. Nothing too special. Just enough bright lites on the sign letters to give that neon like effect and some lights on the Sears sign. The roof texture took some fiddling since not a whole lot was cooperating with the dark bricks but I'm pretty happy with this one (5th or 6th version of it). Everyone seemed to like the side door so I kept it. Unless someone spots a showstopper this one is fini since Barby has already made an installer for it. One final shot, below is Mel's on Sim Main Street next to Province House Credit Union, the Clay Cafe and some Maxis shop.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg112.imageshack.us%2Fimg112%2F7976%2Fsmainstreetyc6.jpg&hash=8fbdd9811fe10498e0f4cc7c153abb6830a02c5b)
&apls I love your stone and brick buildings even more than i like your wooden ones. This one looks great. The only thing that I might change is the second story lights on the mel's side. They kind of overpower your delicate neon lighting from this view. If the second story on the mel's side were dark, it would draw more attention to that well-done sign. &Thk/(
I can't believe Mel's is ready already!!! That was really quick and an excellent job to boot.
In response to the question re: the stone texture used on Mel's facade, I believe that it is a local sandstone; very similar to that used on a lot of the older buildings in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Hmmm, I feel a P.E.I. BAT series coming on (slaps himself back to reality). :D :P
Spa you have been doing some great work here wow :thumbsup: &apls.... Hey you remember the conversation about Corner Gas, you are not gonna belive this but ive been watching it on WGN.... LoL OMG talk about down right funnie, so now i use Corner Gas in my Cities....
Fledgeling: Thanks. I like htis one too. You may be right about the lights. If I had it to do again I would try taking them down just slightly. It's not worth the trouble though for such a minor detail.
Simdad: Ready and if you check the LEX you'll find it's now released to boot! I have to confess I'm not that familiar with PEI. I have been over there twice (once on vacation and once to visit a friend) and I never spent much time in Charlottetown. I'm hoping that my job with the federal government, if it continues past my graduation, will let me get over there on a few site visits to properly explore. If that happens maybe you'll see a few PEI bats :)
Pat: Thanks. I did hear that Corner Gas has now made it to the US. I'm glad you're enjoying it. It's pretty much the only decent thing CTV has ever made. CTV's usual tactic is to buy whatever American shows they can and just air them. I don't know what happened to make them strike out on their own with Corner Gas, but someone over there must have recognized a winner.
Just a quick note, incase you missed it, I have released both the Family Vision Centre and Mel's Tea Room. You can find them both on the LEX. The Sovereign Building will becoming tomorrow when I get around to it and then who knows, there just might be a surprise later in the week.
Hi Spa. Just wanted to say I love your buildings - have all of them. Also I have downloaded Mels and the Sovereign Building. Just a quick question that is slightly confusing to me. In your readme you state spa essentials is a dependency but in the recent revised BSC Essentials It says to take out spa essentials although it is not listed in BSC Essentials readme as a file that is included. If you can follow the above - do I reput Spa Essentials back in or can I safely leave it out?
All three of your recent BAT's are greatly appreciated. It's fun to see local Maritime content available to play with in the game. Keep up with the good work!
P.S. - I was just joking re: the "P.E.I. BAT series comment"; I realize you are still a student and have a lot of commitments on your time. You have done a great job so far presenting Maritime architecture to the community.
Existenz: Thanks for the heads up. I have tested BSC essentials and it does include my queries. I must have missed the memo that my stuff was going to be merged into the all purpose essentials pack. I recommend you use BSC essentials and delete spa essentials to reduce clutter and avoid duplication. It shouldn't affect anything. I'll update my spa essentials uploads to direct people to BSC essentials instead. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Simdad: Thanks. Keep your eyes on the Lex as there just might be a surprise from me this week ;)
Just a quick blurb today. So I have released my stockpile onto the stex and there might also be a surprise waiting sometime this week.... Of course with my other bats all finished up and released I'm back to picking at what's left. I'm down to just CBC, my barely started Jellybean Row set and Attica. This evening and yesterday I picked at Attica and it now is more of a complete shape. Below is where it's heading.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg140.imageshack.us%2Fimg140%2F4190%2Fatticacontinuesxl5.jpg&hash=237d5f8372a7aad27615fce620516eca24a4e13d)
Not much to say right now. I'm going to vary the windows on the back a little bit more (they were just copied from a single front window so the variation isn't there yet). Right now I'm thinking for the back a set of double doors for the centre, a garage/loading door to one side and a window to the other side. I'll update again as this moves along.
looks very nice. You have quite a collection on the STEX and LEX for us to enjoy &apls
For a moment there I though I was looking at two front variations until I looked closer. :D
Looking excellent so far. :)
Wow, where did the Grand Falls Federal Building come from!! A fantastic BAT and I love that it is a Canada Post building. Post Offices have long been ignored by the BATting community and this project definitely fills a need in the game. 10/10 &apls
Sim Shady: Thanks. My collection is really growing at a fair pace!
Cammo2003: Almost but not quite. The back really could also be the front so it's understandable.
Simdad: Hehe. I batted it while I was in Calgary back in September and kept it in reserve for the Devotion birthday celebration. Just a small surprise :) I liked being able to include a Canada Post office too. It's beyond me but if I knew how I would have made a Canada Post mail truck to go with it. Maybe someone else will do that one day.
Today's update is about Attica aka the Brander Morris Building. I have changed the name from Attica to Brander Morris after coming across Starfish Properties website. Starfish owns the building, as well as several others along Halifax's Barrington Street. The company has photos of the building and a brief history on their website. It's from their online description that I found out that Brander Morris is the buidling's actual name. Whatever the name, it's now done. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg443.imageshack.us%2Fimg443%2F5518%2Fbrandermorrisbuildingprmk9.jpg&hash=420582e7faccdfb8feee6ccee54f968930879479)
With Brander Morris finished, I'm down to just two works in progress. I don't know yet whether I'll feel motivated to tackle either my Jellybean Row set or the CBC so I might start something new. Video Difference on Halifax's Quinpool Road is kind of appealing and has been requested by more than one. I might just try my hand at it. We'll just have to see.
:thumbsup: Very nice, its simply stunning. Its so sad on how most people pass over the small gems to download the biggest, flashiest, sometimes mediocre quality skyscrapers just because they have a bias for tall buildings, even though they may not fit in smaller cities. Hello, we like our game to have interesting buildings through its development, not just in stage 8. Thank you for making my cities beautiful at ALL stages of growth....
Speaking of which... can you make some 1X2 stone C$ buildings, too?
The W2W buildings with the backside parking is very reminiscent of small downtown areas, which I really appreciate. I'm usually big on rural, underdeveloped towns in my regions, so these buildings are a nice touch. Keep up the great work :thumbsup:
Quote from: Fledgeling on November 11, 2007, 09:30:34 AM
:thumbsup: Its so sad on how most people pass over the small gems to download the biggest, flashiest, sometimes mediocre quality skyscrapers just because they have a bias for tall buildings,
That's true - the big statement buildings get all the attention while it's these little gems by the likes of spa and jbsimio that really help give a city it's character.
Fledgeling: Hey you're preaching to the choir. We have way too many tall buildings availbale in the community. Cities are made up of a whole ton of smaller buildings. The tall ones grab the attention but the rest actually fill in the urban space. I actually don't plan on ever making any C$. I find that office, Cs$$ and Cs$$$ demand is always so great that making anything Cs$ is just a waste of time. Sorry.
Quack: Thanks. It's what I was going for.
Zero: Thanks and I humbly agree.
So it has been a little bit since I updated. The end of term rush is on at school so my time is fairly filled up right now. Still I have been picking at something new. It's a little bigger than my usual stuff and its a residential building. It's the Lexington from Halifax. Below is a photo of the real life building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg134.imageshack.us%2Fimg134%2F909%2Flexingtonreallifela7.jpg&hash=764bd3a73db65eac36de0a995c3cf6ce7234c498)
The Lexington is a luxury condo located on the corner of Cunard and Robie Street, just across from the Commons. It's a fairly new building and, I think, it is one of the more interesting buildings that has been built in Halifax in a while. Lots of interesting geometry and it takes advantage of its setting on a prominent corner. The only thing I'll fault the designers for is putting it up above grade. That really wasn't necessary and just separates the building from the street.... although that might have been exactly why they did it!
Anyway below is my work in progress.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg134.imageshack.us%2Fimg134%2F3770%2Flexingtonstreetsidessd9.jpg&hash=a159849b5225c3dfa6446fb7f1f2534c51f0158d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg134.imageshack.us%2Fimg134%2F6018%2Flexingtonbackhr7.jpg&hash=e14fba32cb22e1d083613da1f1ca47e7ed707d8d)
Still plenty to do. I need to sort ouf the roof, put on the ground floor and add stuff on the balconies. Texturing obviously needs to be done and I suspect it'll take a while with all those windows. I'll update again on this one when I can.
Wow Spa! That looks great. There's so much visual interest with this one. All those angles must be a lot of work to deal with! I have to let this one sink in before I can really comment any more than that!
JB
And now that Marc commented, I could side with him and go on for days... but that's another topic entirely! :D
WELCOME PAGE 9 of SPA ...
&apls
Hi, Spa ...
I like Your firm simple and more poor buildings - Excuse me ...
Best Regard ...
Spa that is sooo wonderful the "Lexington" wow so how big is the lot size going to be on that one? Also how high?? thank you for such and most amazing stuff there spa - pat
Great Work Spa !!
I like the Shape. Not the norm for Halifax I suspect.
The Lexington building is an excellent choise Spa, I especially like the shape of the building. The fact that it 's above normal street level is refreshing to me, and gives the place a kind of Grandeur, that fits with the corner as you describe it. I bet there is a carpark under it, and if you add a underground parking entrace, it will be very realistic I guess...
Well it has been a while since I popped in here. Let me first blow the dust off with some replies.
Marc: Thanks. Indeed they're very, very red. It would be a frightening building if that's how it was in real life. I pretty much agree with you completely about new urbanism and crime prevention. Crime loves dead spaces and if you make the street dead you're going to have problems. The examples of new urbanism that I know of up here in Canada are generally failures from the planning point of view since they're just more expensive suburbs. Places like Garrison Woods or Cornell are pretty but they still function like suburbs. People don't work and shop in them they get in their cars and drive into the city.
JB: Thanks. The angles are a tad tricky but they're not as bad as you would think because I kept them consistent!
Silur: Thanks
Pat: Thanks. I'm not sure exactly how the Lexington will fit on a lot just yet, but it'll be either 3x4 of 3x5. Counting the roof shed it'll be approximately 10 storeys.
Traff: Thanks. You're absolutely right. I can't think of a single other building in Halifax that is similar to the Lexington. There is a fair bit of new construction going on since the city is growing steadily, but most of it is rather bland.
Sebes: Thanks. There is a underground parking. I never thought about that as a possible reason for it being above the street level. It would make sense since digging in Halifax's rocky ground is expensive. Oh and I am planning on including the parking garage.
So in the last few weeks school has been really busy. That end of term rush has kept me occupied. I was also house sitting for my parents while they were in Cuba which meant a long commute from the country into the city every day. In between all of that, mainly out at mom and dad's, I spent some time on two new bats, the Five Fishermen and Video Difference. Tonight I'll showcase the Five Fishermen since it has textures (Video Difference doesn't right now).
So first the Five Fishermen in real life:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg45.imageshack.us%2Fimg45%2F9211%2Ffivefishermenreallifenj3.jpg&hash=372bcb03f0807859122fb69b3e5e8547355ce823)
The Five Fishermen is an expensive seafood restaurant in downtown Halifax (just across from Grand Parade). It is an old building that has a long history. Previously it was a funeral home. It's halls played host to victims of the Halifax explosian and the Titanic. Not surprisingly the building is said to be haunted. Personally I think the only thing haunting the place is the late-night drunks who pack the Liquour Dome next door. Anyway, below is my version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F8729%2Ffivefishermenrj3.jpg&hash=a574702503abb531cba843b71db074f64a43f118)
As you can see I ended up making some fairly substantial adjustments, although the flavour of the real building is still there. It's a corner building in real life but since I'm not batting the whole Liquour Dome complex I thought it would be better to change corners. Since the building is part of a complex that covers the whole block, there is also no back. I had to make that up. I find the front of the Five Fishermen to be excessively cluttered so I'm not going to put in the flags or hanging lights on it. I do still plan on adding in the tiny awnings and the old timey lanterns but other than that the modelling on this one is done. Just need to get the glass and roof textures and add some lights. I'll update again when I get a chance, maybe with some pictures of Video Difference.
awesome content as always spa :)
How's the weather been in Halifax? Fredericton got dumped on with 35 cm of snow on the last day of classes (last tuesday)... UNB was completely shutdown. Best of luck with your finals/papers/all that fun stuff.
Thanks Magee. I saw that New Brunswick got hit in the big storm on the CTV news. Here in Halifax it didn't amount to all that much because it changed to rain. Out in Lawrencetown, right on the Atlantic, there was nothing on the ground, but if you drove just 20 minutes into the city there was a little bit of snow. Nova Scotia is truly a weather forecasters worst nightmare!
So I wasn't expecting to update again so soon but some have suggested that I include the two chimneys as in the real building. I have made an alternate version. Compare the version below to the one posted before and tell me what you think.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg341.imageshack.us%2Fimg341%2F1251%2Ffivefishermenalternateok1.jpg&hash=ce1b4e200a2b635a290ba73c989fc939f7a46346)
So which do you like better?
Hi, Spa ...
Excellent work !!!
I like Your first version of Five Fishermen (air conditioner more invisible ...)
May be more dark and dirty windows and roof ???
Thank You and Best regards ...
The Five Fishermen is an inspired choice for a BAT! I prefer the version with the chimneys; more authentic for the age of the building. I don't know if you are planning to "age" the wooden facade of the building or not. It would be hard to do but the actual building is somewhat more shabby in appearance than your BAT. Do you think this is possible? If not, it's still OK as it would be one of the most unique buildings on the LEX. What's next; Alfredo Weinstein & Ho? Just joking.
P.S. Moncton got 42 cm of snow in the storm with 90 km/hr winds. The sports dome deflated after the building lost power and ended up getting covered by huge snow drifts. They just got it reinflated today. Another 10-15 cm of the white stuff tonight. They say this will be the worst winter in 15 years - La Nina. Last year we didn't get any snow in Moncton until mid January and it was warm all winter. Oh well.
Keep up the good work!!
Silur: Thanks. The roof isn't done yet of course. There's a point near the real building where an overhead balcony from the Metro Centre lets you see the Five Fishermen's roof. I'm going to snap a photo and make a shingle texture from it. The two flat bits will use some other tar paper like texture (I don't really know yet). I'm going with the double chimenies though. The vast majority of people polled like the double over the single.
Simdad: Thanks. Indeed the double chimneys is the version that has won out. The wooden facade I *think* I'm done with. I like how it shaped up and I'm reluctant to tinker anymore with it. Already Weinstein and Ho? Well I do have photos of it of course. It's a very different building but it has a nice kind of boxy appearence that might be nice to play with. The weather out here has been pretty wicked the last two/three weeks! You guys have definitely taken the brunt of it. Here in Halifax it switched to rain halfway through. The sidewalks are a mess since the water has since froze but we didn't end up with the snow fall that you folks did. I can't remember the last winter where we had snow so early and consistently in December. It might be a rough one this year.
So no new activity on the Five Fishermen today. Instead over the last two days I textured and lit Video Difference. Below is a picture of the real building on Halifax's Quinpool Road.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg512.imageshack.us%2Fimg512%2F1732%2Fvideodifferencereallifezq1.jpg&hash=a3af2d045965a9bb971dd79e9e60c1dac839337d)
Video Difference is by far the world's best video store; their selection is unmatched and includes new releases, tv box sets, a huge basement archive and a wide selection of foreign and independent films; they'll accept payment in Canadian Tire money; every year they have a food for fines drive to support the Metro Food Bank; they're open 24 hours; box sets are actually rented by box set for a week with only smaller fines if you run over than with regular videos; and old kids movies are free rentals on week days. I really don't know how they could get any better.
Anyway, the world's best video store is coming to Sim City. Below is my version on a test lot (I will make a proper lot when I have the final version ready).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg174.imageshack.us%2Fimg174%2F7774%2Fvideodifferencedayoi1.jpg&hash=8fd9a821e221f677077ceb975452ad9ac9e1700a)
It took some doing to get the textures to where they are now. The shades of blue and white on this building were tough to work with. I'm going to have to rerender because the two chimneys lost their textures somewhere along the way. Since I'll be rerendering anyway I was thinking of also putting a proper foundation on the old house part and making a few slight adjustments to the trim (less blue on the facing bit so that it doesn't blend in as much).
One thing that posed a challenge with this bat is the difference in scale that Maxis used between houses and commercial buildings. Maxis houses are smaller than maxis commercial buildings of the same number of floors. Check out the photo I rigged up below.
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You could put that whole house in the lobby of that office! The difficulty for me is that Video Difference has the remains of a house attached to a commercial front. Either the house or the commercial front is going to be off Maxis scale. Since this is a commercial building that will grow on commercial zones, I scaled up the house portion and it's bigger than it otherwise would be.
I also did something different with this one for the night; I used interior lighting instead of Maxis nite maps. I don't normally put much time into night lights because I play the game almost entirely in day mode, however, with a two storey glass front, nightmaps would have just looked stupid on this one. Below is how this bats looks at night.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg407.imageshack.us%2Fimg407%2F4315%2Fvideodifferencenightnx0.jpg&hash=2a4a43f1e3a07d9f50063ab567a0f29b969f2976)
I'm fairly pleased with the results, especially the neon and front interior. Getting the neon blue strips on that garish overhead ornament was really tough since it is angled, it gets smaller from top to bottom and gmax sets up the most stupid pivot points for lights (it makes copying, moving and rotating lights needlessly difficult). Unless anyone has any major complaints with the lighting this is how it's going to be since I have already invested about six hours into it.
The lites are perfect.Those of us who play in the dark appreciate the lights. :thumbsup:
I know Video Difference, I used to live across the street from it in Quingate Place. Strange, the facade looks a little different than I remember. I haven't lived in Halifax of course for 18 years, so I'm sure they have altered the facade somewhat during that time.
Regarding the scale of the building, I appreciate your dilemma but I think the scale should match the "small town" series scale as much as possible. This is where I see this building fitting in best; in an older neighbourhood filled with JBSimio's and your small town buildings.
Bluebeard: Thanks. I found it really taxing to do since I don't work with lights very often. Just to light up a sign here and there usually. I'm glad the results are acceptable.
Simdad: Everyone knows Video Difference :) The facade has changed, even in the the 7-8 years that I have known it. They extended the boxy front up to the the third floor just a few years ago which cut the old house completely off from the street. Strangely I can't remember what it looked like from before the latest renovation. On scale, I did go with what you're suggesting. Both my and JB's buildings, along with almost every other bat, fit maxis' commercial scale. Why maxis went and made such tiny houses I don't know. I guess it was to give the impression of low density since smaller houses leave more space between each other and don't pop up as much into the landscape.
What a unique building. I would agree, less blue on the metal facade.
Your buildings are looking very nice, spa! Great work on them! :thumbsup:
Fledgeling: Thanks. I have Video Difference in game now and it's now slightly less blue.
Bat: Thanks!
So two things today. First, Video Difference has been rerendered and is now on a lot in game. Below is a preview.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg261.imageshack.us%2Fimg261%2F5848%2Fvideodifferencelottedjj8.jpg&hash=d6c5011a07a4043a212a68000ba8b614e4370425)
I ended up turning down the blue metal a little bit and making a few other minor adjustments to some of the other textures. If you look closely you should be able to now see a slight gradient on the bigger textures.
With Video Difference basically finished, I have turned back to the Five Fishermen. I took a few reference photos today on my lunch break from work so that I could start in on the roof and windows. Below is where things sit.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F6564%2Ffivefishermencontinuesby9.jpg&hash=0db291b1a0e96fb8deacf2869698839d22d05dc1)
Still a bit to do. The windows on the other sides need texturing. I'm also not entirely pleased with the way the glass is turning out on the dormers. I have tried several variations, but it's just coming together. Maybe I need to sleep on it. Anyway, hopefully I'll have more to show tomorrow.
So the Five Fishermen has entered the finished category. Below is a daytime preview.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg340.imageshack.us%2Fimg340%2F3741%2Ffivefishermendaypreviewbz8.jpg&hash=7e80f458e4f0ec706937cd00b360adc0fd7d2855)
It was really, really difficult to get the dormer windows. I'm still not completely pleased with them as they are now but of the countless versions I tried this was the best. The glass seemed to come together elsewhere though.
Like Video Difference I played with the lighting on this one. Below is a night preview.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg187.imageshack.us%2Fimg187%2F8813%2Ffivefishermennightpreviic2.jpg&hash=beae7b716155ab42d8d8b73eaee536d0ea465d71)
Not as nice as Video Difference, but not too bad. Before I sign off, below is a picture of the Five Fishermen next to my other three newest bats on Sim Main Street.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg187.imageshack.us%2Fimg187%2F8243%2Ffivefishermenmainstreetfl4.jpg&hash=6042035a2f45caf79caba22aa1cd3ae91e5e293f)
Excellent work, spa! The nightlights on the Five Fisherman restaurant look great. Nice line-up of your current projects, I can't wait for them to be released. Keep it up! :thumbsup:
- Kyle
simply amazing the windows are perfect, there is nothing that could improve these bats!
Nifty. The corner buidling is super. Can't find anything to be picky about. The three buildings sitting side by side work well together. The color palette and small details are good. They'll make a good addition to the game and I hope they grow in my cities.
I think I'll name the next city I build "Halifax". ;D
Wonderful as always :thumbsup:, but the night lights really graped my eye. I really like the orange color
Everything rocks on the bats, but one thing that drives me batty is when different lots have different wealth levels and make the sidewalks randomly change from square to square. Not sure if theres anything you would actually want to do about that b/c its kind of frivolous :P
thanks!
Love the look of all your newest buildings. Am eagerly awaiting their release but in the mean time Merry Christmas and a great new year. :)
Quote from: Sim Shady on December 22, 2007, 08:40:57 PM
Everything rocks on the bats, but one thing that drives me batty is when different lots have different wealth levels and make the sidewalks randomly change from square to square. Not sure if theres anything you would actually want to do about that b/c its kind of frivolous :P
thanks!
Yep, I hate that too, lol. $%Grinno$%
Wow busy place the last few days. Thanks for the comments eveyone. Just some replies for now.
Ky72x: Thanks. They'll be released sometime early in the New Year :)
Fledgeling: Thanks. Window glass has been a long difficult thing for me so I'm glad you like what I have come up with.
Jmyers: Thanks. The Five Fishermen is my favourite of the newest bunch too.
Simdad: I guess it can be kind of done now. I'm slowly building up the local set.
Tag: Thanks. The orange night colour was a bit of an accident. The windows are more opaque than transparent (40 opacity) so the wood floors have really bright lights on them which seems to end up orange.
SimShady: Yeah it's kind of annoying. It doesn't bother me too much though as the Maxis textures are kind of close. It's not something that I can deal with as I'm not much of a modder but I'm sure it would be possible to create a mod that forces all sidewalks to say medium wealth. The problem is that you would also have to make it so that the base textures on the building lots also switched. I don't know if that could be done without going in and adjusting things manually but it may be possible since I seem to recall someone made a mod that unified grass textures a while back. This won't be something I take up but I feel yours and Ky72's pain. It is also my own complaint at times.
Existenz: Thanks. Merry Christmas to you too.
So I'm leaving for the folks place for the next few days this afteroon. Since I'll be out in the country on holiday, I'll probably come back with some new bats. I don't know when I'll have a chance to showcase whatever I get started though because I'm also moving on Janurary 1st. It's going to be a busy week or two but I'll try and sneak back in between now and New Years. One idea I'm toying with right now though, inspired by Matt, is a set of 1x1 North American shops. Below are the three from the Kingsway in Toronto that I thought might work well.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg412.imageshack.us%2Fimg412%2F9256%2Fkingswayshopsdt3.jpg&hash=c981dac1c1c196f24a63dec72e40f8ed6bdec20d)
I'll see what I can do with them. Happy holidays everyone.
Merry Christmas! ;D :wings:
Thanks Sim Shady.
So I'm back home again for a few days. It was a nice Christmas in the country. The busy pace will continue into the new year though as I'm moving on the 1st. In between, however, I did get a set of four commercial shops basically finished. They're based on the buildings I posted above on Bloor Street in Toronto (around Royal York Station in the Kingsway). Below are my four variations.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F821%2Fkingswayshopspreviewlp9.jpg&hash=8bdb8cbbf9b647be2653024406ffe6b921964558)
From top to bottom they are the the Bake Sale, Henry the 8th Ale House, My Thai Kitchen and Sempre Pizza and Pasta. My playing style has changed slightly and I have found myself with more 1x1 commercial spaces. Needless to say I'm getting pretty tired of Dieppesse diner and the other 2 or 3 Maxis Cs$$ and Cs$$$ that grow on 1x1s. These four shops will all appear on 1x1s. If there is demand, I could also make some 1x2s. Before any lot making though, I still have to figure out what kind of effort I'm going to put into lighting them. Anyway, that's what I was up to on my holiday
Could we expect to see some more well known brand stores? like Starbucks?!?!!?!?!? lol
Wow, these buildings look really nice. The signs are really detailed and clean. I get pretty annoyed with those pesky Maxis 1x1 filler lots too... these will surely be a good remedy for that! :D
I'd prefer them as 1x1 lots, but 1x2 lots could be useful as well. But then of course with the 1x2 lots you'd have to put the fence in the back... some cars... maybe a tree. :P
Keep up the great work! :thumbsup:
- Kyle
I'm really glad that you have decided to do some 1x1 commercial BAT's. This fills a definite niche in the game. Up until now, I have avoided creating 1x1 commercial lots just because of the poor selection of buildings available to grow. This will certainly open up more options in the game. Excellent work!
P.S. - I second the request for a 1x1 Starbucks storefront cafe. A great idea! We just got our second Starbuck's here in Moncton; Hmmm I think I'll stop by right now for a latte!
Quote from: simdad1957 on December 28, 2007, 08:17:06 PM
I'm really glad that you have decided to do some 1x1 commercial BAT's. This fills a definite niche in the game. Up until now, I have avoided creating 1x1 commercial lots just because of the poor selection of buildings available to grow. This will certainly open up more options in the game. Excellent work!
P.S. - I second the request for a 1x1 Starbucks storefront cafe. A great idea! We just got our second Starbuck's here in Moncton; Hmmm I think I'll stop by right now for a latte!
Where is the newest one? Saint John is getting a standalone store out towards Home Depot....
Second one is a kiosk inside the Champlain Place mall, just across the parking lot from their existing Starbucks in the Chapter's bookstore - strange ()what(). I think they are also scouting out a third site downtown.
yea... odd that they would have 2 so close together... starbucks seems to be on the move in atlantic canada. heck, even the library at UNB in fredericton serves a large selection of starbucks products.
The nicest Starbuck's I've been in is the standalone cafe in Halifax at the top of Clayton Park, adjacent to the Bayer's Lake Power Centre; excellent ambiance.
P.S. - Spa, I'm sorry we've hijacked your thread and turned it into the Starbuck's discussion page. I'll stop now. ;D ;)
So I haven't really done any batting in the last couple of days so just a couple of replies for now.
Baconrocky: Thanks. I went back through my folder of pictures from the Kingsway and there is the possibility of a second set of small shops that are similar to these but none of them are brandnames. Starbucks doesn't cut it just yet, but there is one in an building that I might bat on Spring Garden Road in Halifax so maybe eventually.
Ky72x: Thanks. Maxis's 1x1s are fast becoming the bane of my sim city existence. As mentioned I can easily forsee a second set of 4 Kingsway shops to further add some diversity. There has been interest so I will be making 1x2s for these as well. I really, really like your idea of some cars, a fence and maybe a tree here and there for the back alleys. I wish I had thought of that earlier! Maybe add a bit of street garbage to make it more alleylike and I think it would be perfect ;)
Simdad: Thanks. It seems to be a bit of a void so I'm seriously looking at creating another batch of 1x1s. No Starbucks planned just yet though.
On the Starbucks discussion (I don't mind a tangent in my thread now and then so need to apologise), they're definitely on the move here in Atlantic Canada. I remember when there weren't any at all. They first appeared a few years ago but were confined to Chapters stores. Now they're into full invasion take no prisoners mode. There is now a Starbucks in the Marriott Hotel on the Halifax waterfront and two on Spring Garden Road. No sign of one yet on Quinpool but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. When Starbucks arrived on Spring Garden, there was a lot of chatter as to what it would mean for the Second Cup next to the TD Bank. Second Cup though seems to have done fine. Instead Timothy's was the one that went under.
Heh heh. Well technically the various props in the back alley was your idea, because you use them all the time in your previous 1x2 lot releases! :D I thought it was obvious. :P But anyway, I think they would blend very well with your other 1x2's, so it would definitely be great to have them. ;D
- Kyle
It was obvious, I was cracking the joke back to you :) Unfortunately the internet isn't always great for that type of humour! I will definitely make a set of 1x2s of these as well. I don't have anything to show yet, but I have lit and rendered Henry the 8th and My Thai Kitchen. I should have a picture of these in game sometime tomorrow since the girlfriend and I are now officially old and are staying in together with junky food and the TV.
If you had used the tongue smiley, I would have gotten it immediately. :P But my sense of humor is pretty strange at times, so it's mostly my fault in this situation. :D
Back to your work, I can't wait to see those two buildings in-game! However, I'm going to be spending time with my Grandma for the New Year's holidays, and I'm leaving later today. So I probably won't be able to see the update! Oh well.
Have a Happy New Year, see you later.
- Kyle
Kyle: ahh I'll have to be more choosy with my emoticons ;D Have a good new year!
So as promised the Kingsway Shops are now all lit, rendered and in game on 1x1s. Check them out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg47.imageshack.us%2Fimg47%2F111%2Fkingswayshopsdaypreviewdh4.jpg&hash=f39f1e9e8c38dbe6a22130def88e6355cd605aa7)
And at night
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg47.imageshack.us%2Fimg47%2F9373%2Fkingswayshopsnightpreviul7.jpg&hash=316614c68c51821d087aa86dee330b862900e212)
I still have to make the 1x2 lots but they won't be anything different from my usual 1x2s (fence, some parked cars, some trash, maybe a tree or two). You may (or may not) notice that I ended up tinkering a little bit with the Henry the 8th. I shrunk th exterior ducting slightly and I livened up the green plaster walls a bit more. It turns out that when next to each other in game, the slight variations in the roof textures stand out which was a nice surprise! Anyway, barring any major complaints these are done and will be ready sometime in Janurary.
Well, it looks like I'm still here! :D
Yeah, the green color on Henry the 8th looks a lot better. Does the Sempre Pizza and Pasta building have nightlights on the front of the building? It doesn't look like it.
I suppose these would be released altogether, huh? It would seem like a hassle to have to package these separately. ;)
- Kyle
Those look amazing. Plenty of people have created great things for big CBDs and downtowns, but you're the one who's creating the stuff for midtowns and small cities like Anaheim and Fresno. I can't stand the wait for these. Keep up the good work. Later.
Ky72x: Thanks. Don't worry these four are coming together as Kingsway Shop Pack 1. Whenever I get around to the next four they'll be shop pack 2 :)
Topcliff: Thanks. I'm happy to help fill a little forgotten niche.
So today's update is more of a work in progress, the Lexington. Since I last showed it I added the ground floor. Check out the photos below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg72.imageshack.us%2Fimg72%2F6296%2Flexingtonpreview10co9.jpg&hash=7ecd12b2472f6b83ae8ea301eff7e80aad20c9cb)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg254.imageshack.us%2Fimg254%2F3279%2Flexingtonpreview11fl0.jpg&hash=a587064ed8df3587f0ba50fdd3c79532d41b7819)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg254.imageshack.us%2Fimg254%2F3051%2Flexingtonpreview12ve4.jpg&hash=a3340a49a4f4b29ecc39f233a7bede892356408e)
So the way this is shaping up, I'm thinking of using the current 3x5 version with the below ground parking garage and making some small variations to make a 3x4 without the parking. One would fit the lot tight and the other would have more space on the back. Right now I'm a little at a loss as to what to do with the courtyard on the right side. I was planning on a utilty shed over the little nub that sticks out (it has to be there to hide the parking garage) under the assumption that the below ground parking garage would need some services. I'm not wedded to the idea though and the rest of the patio is up in the air... i.e. I'm open to suggestions! One option would be to get creative with the lods so that I can put props can in the centre. That would allow for a lot of variety and allow people to customize the courtyard if they want, but even if I do that I still have to decide how the building relates to the space. Right now all the detail stops at the 2nd floor and I'm not sure how to carry through to the courtyard. Suggestions are welcome. One note, please ignore the black blotches where the retaining walls meet. I'll be redoing the loft that created the problem piece :) Anyway, feedback/suggestions are welcome.
Holy cow!!! That looks like Miami Art-Deco meets Coroscant! I can't wait to put it in my cities. I mean, even our beautiful cities we make have to have at least one monstrosity in them. I'm not saying what your doing is hideous, just the actual building. Seriously, what was the architect smoking at the time? Whatever it is, you're doing a great job and you should never quit what you're good at. Later.
Nice modeling. I like the shapes of the building. :)
This is going to be a nice one when it's done. I also love the shape and the underground garage is a nice addition.
Robin :thumbsup:
Great work, spa! &apls
Over at ST, Jason mentioned that the ledges looked a bit thick, and I have to agree. Other than that, there really isn't anything else that needs to be pointed out. Except for a patio. :D
Keep up the good work. :thumbsup:
- Kyle
Looks great spa! And I kind of like the thick ledges too.... and the yuppie residents probably as well :P
So nothing new to report. I did some very minor tweaking to the Lexington (nothing worth showing). I move across town tomorrow and it's going to take all day to do and probably all weekend to setup the new place. I won't have the internet until Tuesday so it's going to be a minor vacation from the web for me. So a few replies before I sign off for a few days.
Topcliff: Thanks. It is a rather strange building. Personally I like it because it's not boring! The angle of Sim City doesn't quite capture it but from the street the real building has a great sense of mass and a lot of visual interest. I actually think it's one of the better buildings that has been built in Halifax in recent years. So many modern buildings are uninspired, boring boxes. In the 1970s we built concrete boxes. All that's really changed is our boxes have more glass now. At least that's my two cents. Anyway, below is a more flattering view of the Lexington :)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg413.imageshack.us%2Fimg413%2F5645%2Flexingtonreallife2nl6.jpg&hash=0d9a26fe2d49c4bc1488405906d528775bf0c69b)
Tag: Thanks!
Robin: Thanks! The underground addition was actually surprisingly easy. Arranging the retaining walls and grass to hide it from view was the more challenging bit.
Kyle: Thanks. I posted this over at Simtropolis, but I figured I would post it here too. The ledges are wider to accomodate the columns at the ground level. For the ledges to be consistent throughout, they have to be as fat as the ones that the columns go into. So the choice was fat ledge, ridiculously thin columns or differing ledge widths. I ended up deciding that fat ledges and consistent harmony throughout was the best course. It seems to have been the same problem and solution the actual architects encountered. I made a little collage of various ledges/balconies from the actual building from the reference photos I have. Check them out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg413.imageshack.us%2Fimg413%2F5333%2Flexingtonledgeskx5.jpg&hash=7b9f94ac4eebc2229e56edbb178f2bd8234efd5c)
Sebes: Thanks. Difficult for yuppies to tumble off when they're that thick, but then again they might tempt people to climb out on them because of their thickness and a false sense of safety. You could probably develop a mathematical formula for the relationship :)
Great building you're doing. I look forward to putting it on my city. You know, that actually reminds of another apartment building in New Rochelle, New York. I'll see if I can find a picture.
100th post! Time to bring out the clown! :-\
Yep... I still love that building. I just ended up staring at it for about ten minutes. Then I decided I should probably post something since I sat here for so long. :D I'm anxiously (yet patiently) awaiting more on this beauty!
Super, I love the Lexington ... You do not choose something easy but it promises.
News from the CBC? You did not give up?
Take Care______Sam! :thumbsup:
wow excellent building there &apls &apls
Is that Lexington, Kentucky? If so, why that city has been "in spotlight" for days in teh inter webs and media :D
Marczar: hehe that was a bit of a slip :)
TopCliff: Thanks.
JB: Thanks. Hopefully it'll have a similar affect once it's textured up and in game.
Bat: Indeed the Lexington is a bit more of a challenge than the typical small shops that I have been doing. Every now and then you need to mix it up though. The CBC, well I'm hoping to finish it sometime in the first half of this year. It has been a battle of motivation on that one which isn't helped by its large size and the amount of effort it requires.
Jacqulina: Thanks.
Krio: Nope. The apartment building is called The Lexington but it's just a name. The apartment is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
So it has been a busy streatch. School has started again and I have successfully moved across town. I love the new apartment. It's up on the 3rd floor of an old apartment building (we're talking 19th century which is old for this side of the Atlantic). We have hardwood floors, a big old cast iron tub and five windows, one of which has a harbour view. The downtown location really can't be beat. My commute has gone from 30-45 minutes on a bus each way to 5-10 minutes on foot. Anyway, I have pushed the Lexington closer to the finished category. With the exception of the patio and decks, the modelling is done! Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg143.imageshack.us%2Fimg143%2F9125%2Flexingtonpreview15xd7.jpg&hash=07b1753f6523446fb7f2733842db160126d86687)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F838%2Flexingtonpreview16do7.jpg&hash=ffc714858aa3da416d751c2d104bf8a227c78e12)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F8771%2Flexingtonpreview17gv1.jpg&hash=00344dda093d49f290a35d9b9229b9f0a72f83ed)
At this point I think I'm going to switch to texturing and lighting. Adding all the details to all those patios will really put a spike in the polygon count and I want to avoid having to do much manipulation of this one once that happens. Anyway, I'll update again once I have some texturing underway.
The Lexington is looking wonderful. Would also make a great resort hotel, on a nice sunny beach somewhere.
This is coming along very nicely. I still can't get over the shape. I love it. There are a set of buildings near my house that look like this. I think it is a retirement center.
Robin :thumbsup:
xxdita: Thanks. I hadn't thought about it being a resort but you're right, it definitely could fill that role. Maybe I'll make a cs$$$ plop as well as a residential.
Robin: Thanks. Must be a pretty crazy retirement centre.
So I spent some more time on the Lexington this evening and it had a rather ominous backdrop; a massive thunderstorm rolled through Halifax. Not a big deal really for most places in the world, but really rather uncommon in Nova Scotia and really, really unusual in the middle of winter! I suspect something south of me was hit by lightening since, at the height of the storm, a four fire trucks went screaming past my window. I'm glad it wasn't me. Stranger still is that this is the second time it has happened this winter. Anyway, with the dramatic light show in the background I really got rolling into texturing the Lexington. Check it out below:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg505.imageshack.us%2Fimg505%2F3710%2Flexingtontexturesdp4.jpg&hash=a3d6ab2f113edb30791906d0b71aca98d3f9482e)
It may not look like much, but it took a long time to actually do because of all the little pieces and all the adjustments I had to make to the UVW maps (see how those tiles are consistently sized and follow the balcony curves, not fun to arrange). The grass texture I used is based on one of Maxis's and is one I picked up from Jasoncw. I was wondering, is there a complete set of Maxis base textures around? I'm going to need one of the concrete textures so that I can blend the underground garage ramp into the lot seamlessly.
Interesting to hear about your winter thunderstorm. We just had plain old rain and freezing rain here in Moncton yesterday. Have you ever seen thundersnow (a snowstorm with thunder and lightening)? I've seen that twice in my life so far - very rare.
I really really like the Lexington. This will definitely stand out compared to most apartment complexes available in the game. Just a simple request from a CAM Luddite; could you please make a non-CAM growable version of this beautiful building please? This would be very greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
Keep up the great work. I hope your move is going well.
QuoteJust a simple request from a CAM Luddite; could you please make a non-CAM growable version of this beautiful building please? This would be very greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.
Judging by the size of this building, it probably won't be CAM, so you should be able to use it.
Nice job on the Lexington, by the way.
Simdad: I haven't but it didn't happen here this winter. The lightening combined with snow, however, was at 4:00 in the morning so few were up to see it, but they were yapping about it on CTV the next day. Don't worry there will be a non-CAM version. I actually don't use the CAM either. I don't because the region I'm playing started without it and I don't want to disrupt things when it's halfway along. Someday, in a year or two when I'm done my current region, I'll probably try the CAM but until then anything I make will be Luddite friendly :)
Shadow Assassin: Thanks. You're probably right, this one will probably be a stage below 8. Maybe stage 6 so that it can still grow on medium density.
So the texturing is now finished. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg297.imageshack.us%2Fimg297%2F136%2Flexingtonalltextureddz0.jpg&hash=6b62a1d645b82a6472ea5378eb3117fb1907d5cc)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg245.imageshack.us%2Fimg245%2F5737%2Flexingtonalltexturedeaske2.jpg&hash=7095e058a2235cf61b59c16116a14e2522f72b73)
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The windows are all done and took some time. On the recommendation of some of the BSC crew I desaturated the brick slightly. I think it looks better now. It's a fine line keeping the bright and loud plastic brick close to the actual building without making it too strong. The texture on the steps and the patio at the Lexington's base is the same as the Maxis high wealth pavement. It should allow the batted ground to blend in with the the lot I'm planning. With the texturing done, all that's left to do is add the patio junk and do the lighting. I'll probably finish this up this week, barring any last minute changes.
So about the Maxis textures. The texture on the concrete ramp is one I made myself after taking a print preview of the maxis base texture in the lot editor. Below is a picture of the maxis base texture next to a 16x16 box with my duplicate on it.
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Its a pretty close match. So moving the texture from the lot editor and then to gmax required some adjustments. Gmax and the lot editor don't speak the same language, but I didn't find it that hard though to compensate. All that I did was darken the texture significantly, turn down the contrast and add a layer of blue. Since Jason posted several here already, here's the texture if anyone wants it.
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This looks excellent. There have been few buildings ever where since the beginning, I've wanted it, but this is one. This is incredible work you're doing. Later.
Super job on this one spa. Now that you have added the brick texture, the building really comes to life. Everything looks great so far and I have no suggestions at this point.
Robin &apls
I assume you still have access to the XTool for values setting? Even without CAM it still assures that a lot/building etc are in line with the Maxis/SC4 standards.. seems like a good idea anyways.. CAM independent and stage independent..
You dont need to use the X-tool, that just for CAM values and not regular structures, right spa? How can something for a mod that makes drastic changes be good for things without that mod?
Quote from: Fledgeling on January 14, 2008, 06:59:14 AM
You dont need to use the X-tool, that just for CAM values and not regular structures, right spa? How can something for a mod that makes drastic changes be good for things without that mod?
Actually, the X-tool is merely designed to enable BATters/MODders to quickly give a building sensible properties (i.e. it doesn't produce 100000 waste etc.). It is designed to work without the CAM for smaller buildings, but will give huge buildings CAM stages (i.e. 14). The whole point is to make sure that the game is still playable as it was intended with custom BATs.
Fred
Quote from: freedo50 on January 14, 2008, 08:01:52 AM
Actually, the X-tool is merely designed to enable BATters/MODders to quickly give a building sensible properties
Couldn't have said it better!! You beat me to it.. XTool is a tool for all ;)
You didn't mention it though I'm sure you know about it... the XTool also assigns JOB/POPULATION for lots in line with standard MAXIS values based on "fill percentages".. This also is not CAM related in any way.
All is explained, as I recall, in the XTOOL thread...
XTool? What XTool? Hehehe....
Windows & textures all looking good Samuel. The only thing a little off is the entrance to the parking. Shouldn't it be darker in there?
Wow it has been a while since I updated. Late replies first:
TopCliff: Thanks. It's coming down the finish line so you shouldn't have to wait much longer. It's a definite February release.
Robin: Thanks
SC4Boy: I do. It's such a time saver. I use it for everything these days. This will definitely have a cam and a non-cam version. The only question is do I want to squeeze it into a stage 6 lot so it grows on medium density and not just high density? The Maxis building that I used to check its scale is that blue high wealth Euro tower which of course appears on medium density. However, this buiding, although it's the same height, is quite a bit wider. Whereas fits on a 2x2 this will fit on a 3x4.
Fledgeling: No need to worry. The X-tool is to assign realistic values. Freedo and SC4boy have said it best. I'm going to add a little more about fill factors. The x-tool's fill factor is a huge shortcut. The fill factor generates the details for a building based on the building's LODs (a LOD is basically the square that goes over every SC4 building). In every LOD, unless your building is a perfect rectangle or square, there is some empty space. The X-tools fill factor is a percentage that is based on how much of the LOD is filled by your building (it accounts for empty space in the LOD). If you lower the fill factor value and regenerate your building's desc, the X-tool will provide reduced, but appropriate figures across the board. Capacity satisfied, pollution generated, water consumed etc is all corrected with one click. Makes it really easy to generate different versions if you want to. My point is the X-tool is still a tool. It's not an oracle. You can change things to fit and if the X-tool recommends that this be a stage 9 I'll make sure to make a stage 8 for the non-cam folks.
Fred: Thanks for taking the lead while I was occupied and answering this one.
Xxdita: Thanks. Do you mean the parking door or the concrete? If you're meaning the door I think I did end up darkening that last week. I'll take a look next time I generate a preview of the back of the building.
So life has been pretty hectic for the last week or two. I'm really ready to graduate. I have had my fill of school and I can't wait until April. I have picked at the Lexington on and off when I have had the time. I tinkered with the texture on the steps and it now fits that its a curved surface. I also fiddled around with the roof texture. You can see a day and a night preview below.
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(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg245.imageshack.us%2Fimg245%2F6980%2Flexingtonnightpreviewwu5.jpg&hash=ec9223bce16af4483eca178eef9cd237ac2cf466)
You may have noticed that some patio stuff is starting to appear. With so many balconies I'm looking to have a variety of different chairs and bbqs and things (the usual stuff you see). I already have 4 plants that I made for earlier bats that I can mix and match, but I need to broaden my options for the rest. Even though it's the middle of winter and was storming here today, the mind turned to the grill and I have four 5 different bbqs to spread around. Check them out below.
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Sadly they come out rather small since, in the sim city scale of things, they are rather small. I can't just let all the detail die though so, for what it's worth, here's how the look in gmax.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg245.imageshack.us%2Fimg245%2F3083%2Fbbqsil7.jpg&hash=d33d37b42f10106fbad39be6d6427988be4538f8)
Anyway, next up I'm going to make a variety of tables and chairs. Then I'll just have to figure out the back patio and this baby will be done.
To quote Borat on your awesomeness:
Wow wow whoa, very nice . . .
Can't wait dude. I really can't.
I love seeing models as they start to come to life. Excellent work!
I was talking about the parking door. To me, underground parking always seems like the black hole to the great abyss.
grreat model, my only suggestion is that with a flat roof that big where is the drainage. as it stands, without a very expensive roof it would collapse if it rained too hard...
true i was just pointing it as a suggestion as the roof is very plain.... looks abit empty.
I think that since the roof already has a service/utility block, the addition of more roof junk would seem illogical, especially as there is so much else going on over the rest of the building.
Geez where does the time go. Turn around for a second and we're into February. I haven't had much time lately. I'm trying to get my never-ending thesis done for April so that has been eating up what little time isn't alrready committed to my planning degree and work. I have made some significant progress on the Lexington, however, over the last little while by just picking at it at the end of the day. Before that though, let me catch up on some replies.
TopCliff: Thanks
Xxdita: Thanks. It's hard for me to remember if I did anything different there or not. Check out the photos below of the Lexington in game and let me know what you think.
Mightygoose: Thanks. I don't want to actually add anything more to the roof. With a big penthouse there simply wouldn't be much out there. Sim City is a bit of a roof game so I'm not against exaggerating a little but I think anything else on this one would be too much.
Marcszar: Thanks for the explanation ;) The roof is final... except for maybe the texture. Check it out in game and let me know if you still think it needs some more weathering (I brought out a few more subtle cracks here and there).
Hogmeister: Thanks. Couldn't have said it better myself.
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About the trees and bushes, I owe Couchpotato (mjb) a big round of applause for them. They're all her creations that she was generous enough to share. I scaled and tinkered with and then slapped my own textures on. This one isn't quite done though. There are a few issues that I have to deal with. If you look closely at the base, you'll see a black sploch running along several of the edge walls. I'm guess that might be a lod issue? I'm going to try one more render to see if that fixes it. The nightlighting also needs a little bit of finetuning.
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There seems to be some light leaking out onto the exterior walls along the round tower. Maybe I should also tone down the lighting that shines on the platform above the front steps? I might have overdone that spot. Anyway, this one is almost done but there is still one more render so there is still a chance for last minute suggestions. Once I get into the final renders though that's it since it takes this bad boy 3 hours to finish.
What's the roof material supposed to be? If it's some kind of bituminous (tar) sheeting, the texture should have some visible seams, rather than being completely uniform. For a gravel texture, it's a bit too smooth. Maybe it would help to add some dirt in the corners - even if the building is supposed to be new. The buildings obviously doesn't need tons of roofjunk, but maybe you could add a satellite dish or so, just to create some visual highlight.
The nightlighting could be toned down a bit indeed, and I also noticed that the topmost step doesn't have that curved tile pattern - the edge (the area with the supports) should look like the rest of the steps as well (which look really great now, BTW). I also wonder if it's possible to create some custom LODs around the planter beds, though, so you could add regular props, rather than the trees you added there. The wall cover of the planter on the first pic looks a tad too blue as well.
The "patio junk" looks awesome, though, and patios, windows, walls etc. are superbly done. I really can't wait to see that building in the game, it's a wonderful addition for my midrise developments, which sorely need some more variety. Most excellent! :)
Wonderful work so far, but I'll agree with Andreas about the nightlights and the rooftextures. Imo the roof is a bit to pale. As an engineer I also have my doubds about the sunken fans. When it's raining water could spill from the roof into the fans and the ventilation shafts, this will result in serious damage. I suggest making the walls arounds the fans a bit higher :)
Sam - this is realy going to be a masterpiece.... it will be a great addition to each cities residential areas. I agree with the guys above - the roof texture is a bit pale. Some seams (layers) in the roof texture would make it less eye-catching probably...
I really like this lot Sam but agree with Andreas on the roof texture and strong nitelites.
I like the trees in the side area and really can't see any tinge of black on them.
Make sure you're not antialiasing against the background. You can check this by going into the Customize/Preferences/Rendering area and under background, make sure the box is checked for 'Don't Antialias Against Background'.
Wonderful building though and looking forward to seeing it in the game.
Andreas: Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I ended up following most of them. The only two that have gone by the wayside is I'm sticking with the modelled bushes and I'm not adding anything more to the roof. However, in the end, I did end up figuring out the texture for that top step for you :)
Tag: Thanks. I added a little bit more of a lip around the sunken fans to keep the water out. The water that would get down there I'm assuming would be handled by some kind of internal mechanism. Sunken open roof equipment like this does exist so there has to be some type of drain to carry water away.
Sebes: Thanks. I didn't end up going with seams, just more grime. I think it works.
Couchpotato: Thanks for the helpful suggestion. Unfortunately, I'm a gmax modeller so the antialias option isn't available. The problem wasn't with your wonderful plants anyway. It's at the very bottom of the building on some of the brick. Not a big deal and not something I have been able to fix so it is what it is at this point.
So the Lexington is now finished and I have two of the four renders done including a new 3x4 version. Check it out below.
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And a 3x4 version
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Night lighting changes (toned down)
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In the end I incorporated a lot of the suggestions voiced here and elsewhere. The sunken fans now have more of a rim, the tile texture on the top step below the tower now curves appropriately, the night lighting has been turned down, the stone ledge to the front planters is less blue and the roof texture has been redone to be less flat. Overall I think it's a better model then it was. Such is the value of feedback. At this point though I'm runing out of steam on this one so unless something big comes to light I'm declaing this one done. Now I just have to mirror each version so that I have 3x5 and 3x4 left corner versions as well.
Excellent job as always SPA. Am very definitely looking forward to seeing this beauty in game. Any idea when your latest series of creations will be hitting the lot exchange? ;D
Beautiful work, you show real talent in picking an interesting building and making it your own. &apls :)
Yay! It's creeping ever closer and I'm getting excited. :D This looks great, Spa... I've really enjoyed watching it come together. All the angles and roof lines and balconies are a real eye treat... but I'm sure they weren't always fun to work with! Either way, the end result has been more than worth it if you ask me. &apls I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of pictures with this one included when the time comes. ;)
JB
Great work SPA.
Really nice work.
I will definetly put these to good use.
Thanks Spa!
I love the result - and the roof is excellent.
It will be my favourite in game residential, that's for sure!
SPA:
Just thought I would drop by and congratulate on your recent spate of uploads. The Canadian content on the LEX/STEX just took a big leap. There can't be much left in your "works in progress" list. The only one I can think of is the CBC HQ building in Toronto. Speaking of CBC, have you ever thought of doing the CBC building on the corner of Sackville & South Park in Halifax? It certainly is an architecturally interesting building that would fit on a corner lot quite nicely. Just a thought ;D.
As a fellow Maritimer, I really appreciate your efforts. Take care.
Simdad: Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the recent spate of releases. There really aren't any left in the queue. The CBC is just about it, but I won't be getting to it until after the school term is done. I have definitely thought of the CBC building at Sackville and South Park. It's a wonderful building. I love the lines on it. My only issue with the building is the street presence is absolutely horrible. It's a real shame. I do have a new project underway that I think you'll be interested in. It's from one of the Maritimes larger cities and is a major landmark. Take a look below and see if you can guess ;)
Sebes: Thanks. It has certainly be well recieved. It ended up as well as it did thanks to all the prompting and feedback from the community.
Pvarcoe: Thanks
Hydra: Thanks
JBSimo: Thanks. It's out now. It was a pain to work with but it wasn't quite as bad as you might think.
Hogmeister: Thanks
So as I mentioned in my reply to Simdad, I have a new project underway. It's a landmark building from one of the Maritimes more significant cities. It only just missed the wrecking ball in the 1980s, but thanks to a grassroots community effort the building was not only saved but was completely restored. I'm not too far in. Just have the grand front entrance done so far. Check it out below.
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Lots more to do yet, but it's a start. This will probably be a 2x3 w2w when done and a definite oldie. As usual a lot of the details I put in have been lost. Below is what was actually made in gmax.
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A lot of work for just a hint of depth, but hey it's kind of fun to do. If anyone has any guesses as to what this one is, feel free to post away. I'll update this one again soon.
The buildings are looking really great, spa! And the new start here, too! :thumbsup:
Imperial Theatre!?!!!! &apls
I just replied to your thread on Simtropolis but I'll do it again here anyway.
Your new project is a no brainer, it is the Imperial Theatre in New Brunswick's second largest city, Saint John. A grand old building that you correctly state was saved from the wrecking ball about 15 years ago and lovingly restored to it's former glory as a live performance space. It's strange that a similar project happened at the same time here in Moncton (New Brunswick's largest city) with the restoration of the Capitol Theatre. Both facilities have done a lot in terms of improving the cultural climate in the province.
It looks like you have a great start on this project. I'm kind of surprised that you are planning it as a 2x3 W2W. I would have thought that it would be more like a 3x3. In any event, keep up the great work! ;D
Drat!!!, magee beat me by 15 minutes, oh well.
simdad, you are very keen on pointing out Moncton is the largest city.
Moncton CMA (2006) 126,424
Moncton city (2006) 64,128
Saint John CMA (2006) 122,389
Saint John city (2006) 68,043
Your CMA surpassed, but don't worry, I'm sure by the next census your city proper will have surpassed Saint John as well.
Spa, Looking forward to the Imperial Theatre project! Can't wait to place this in my downtown or, since were speaking of Saint John, my "uptown" areas.
Well I'm swamped with school so just some replies today
Bat: Thanks.
Magee: You guessed it :)
Simdad: Indeed and at Simtropolis you beat Magee :) After reading your post I did a google search for Moncton's Capitol Theatre. It looks like an interesting building in its own right. I have to confess to not knowning Moncton really at all. That'll change eventually, but right now I have only ever been by the city on the highway which doesn't give you much of a view! Hopefully I'll be able to change that this summer. There are a number of government properties coming up for review in New Brunswick and odds are I'll be working on one of them.
So I didn't mean to touch off the battle of New Brunswick. You guys both knew the building though, it's the Imperial Theatre from Saint John. I don't know Moncton yet, but I think Saint John has a unique charm. I was actually there in the city just last week. The place has such an impressive collection of old buildings. A neat example of what happens when fire burns everything out all at once prompting a massive rebuilding effort that was almost immediately followed by 100 years of economic doldrums. The fire meant everything was built at the same time in a consistent style while the economic downturn meant it wasn't economical to tear much down. It's a great legacy that will serve Saint John well. Despite the promise, I find that the city still has a rough around the edges feel to it. Uptown was kind of depressing in winter (I can say from experience that it's a very different scene in summer). Not a soul around and no place open, besides Subway, to get food at the late late hour of 9:30. Anyway, I liike Saint John. Below is a photo of the real Imperial Theatre that I took this past summer so that everyone, not just the locals, has an idea where this one is heading.
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I probably won't get around to doing much in the next few days due to school committments. Based on Simdad's comment though, I did go back into gmax to double check my estimates on the size and I have to say I don't know what I was thinking. This one would never fit on a 2x3. However, I suspect it won't be completely w2w. There is likely going to be 3 pavement tiles on either side because the dimensions of the front area just don't break up naturally into increments of 16. On the plus side, I can include the building's overexagerated upper lip as is since there will be surplus space for it to overhang :)
SPA:
I'm going to temporarily hijack your thread. There is no real war between Saint John and Moncton but there is an intense rivalry between the three major cities in southern New Brunswick that would be completely foreign in concept to a native Nova Scotian such as yourself. I am an interested observer of this phenomenon, having grown up in Prince Edward Island, then living in Halifax for nine years before moving to Moncton 19 years ago (God, I'm starting to sound old!).
Moncton has a CMA of 126,000, Saint John 122,000 and Fredericton 85,000. The only other provinces in Canada that have major cities of such equivalent populations are Saskatchewan and Alberta. Most Canadian provinces have single dominant urban centres; such as Halifax is in Nova Scotia. Because Halifax is so dominant, it is not a major political decision when it comes to the government deciding which community will recieve a new service or program. All this patronage ends up falling like manna onto the streets of Halifax.
The situation here in New Brunswick is not quite so clear. This breeds a lot of insecurity in the civic administrations of the three cities, particularly Saint John and Moncton (Fredericton is pretty secure because it is the provincial capital). Both Moncton and Saint John are fearful that the other city will begin to accelerate in status and growth, leaving the other as a backwater. I think that this paranoia is worsened because both cities have suffered significant economic downturns in the past.
Moncton has done pretty well over the last 15 years or so, with the population growing by at least 20% during that time and the city now has a stable and diversified economy. Saint John meanwhile has been stagnant but don't worry magee, I think the 2010's will be very kind to your city. What with the prospect of a second major oil refinery, a second nuclear power plant at Lepreau, the new LNG terminal and increased port activity due to the potash mine in Sussex, I think Saint John is due for a major revival. ;D
It's funny SPA, if you add up the populations of Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, they would very nearly equal the population of Halifax. Each city has it's own particular set of strengths. For Fredericton, it is the government, universities and the military. For Saint John, it is heavy industry and the port. For Moncton it is our transportation, distribution, commercial and retail sectors. If there were some way to ignore distance and somehow meld all three major New Brunswick cities together, Halifax would have a true east coast rival. ;)
wonderfully said, simdad. Perhaps we should all just meet in the middle and move to sussex.
Amen magee.
I think the choice of the Imperial is a good one, it has bags of character and is ideal for small and medium sized towns, so will fill an important niche in game as a theatre and /or art house cinema.
Spa I like the Imperial but the spacing cause of that poorly placed window sucks if you ask me lol... If you are batting this is there a chance that the middle window will be left out so Imperial appears unbroken???
SPA:
I was in Halifax for the last couple of days and passed by the "Clay Cafe" and "Video Difference" on Quinpool as well as "The Lexington". I must say that you have the detailing spot on and in particular, your treatment of "The Lexington" surpasses the original. Very well done!! :thumbsup:
simdad, I had a similar experience this summer in Halifax... I walked into a CIBC and then as I crossed the street I had the eerie feeling that I had seen the building before... lo and behold it was the CIBC spa had modelled for SC4.
I was home in Saint John this past weekend, had the thought that the city market would make an interesting BAT... hard though since it is built on a hill, as much of the downtown core is. And its definitely creepy when I was driving past the Imperial knowing that soon the building will exist in a virtual city of sorts.
What technique did you use for the details to the "door frame"? A texture, wingdings (i use them myself :D ) or did you model it yourself?
Hey everyone. I have been whacked over the head with school as of late and there isn't really any end in sight until April, but then, finally, my 9 year post-secondary voyage will be complete! So, unfortunately, I wouldn't expect to see much in the way of bat updates for a little bit. I'll tend to some replies though:
Simdad: Indeed New Brunswick is a really funny place since it doesn't have a clearly dominant urban centre.... which is probably a good thing if you're a Haligonian! ;) The fighting here in Nova Scotia was confined to Metro Halifax and disappeared after they amalgamated all the cities into one. I can well imagine the difficulty in having 3 rival centres like that. I know from my time out West that they have a similar situation with Calgary and Edmonton. I agree with you about Moncton, it has really been the star over the last while. Its location in the centre of the Maritimes where all highways tend to lead is really a plus for the city. About the whole real East Coast rival thing... don't let the Newfies in St. John's here you say that. Out there they're convinced we're the ones to beat which is kind of funny since Haligonians worry about Moncton not St. John's.
Magee & Simdad: I actually stopped in Sussex two weeks ago when I was driving back from Saint John. The town has done a really nice job with the murals. The street plan in Sussex though struck me. I don't know why small towns seem to go way overkill with the traffic engineering. Sussex really doesn't need a one-way street and loop. That's just over engineering. Here in Nova Scotia Kentville has the same lunacy.
Hogmeister: Thanks. I'm really liking it too. I look forward to finishing it in May!
Pat: Thanks. You know that's a possibility since I don't aim for exact recreations. Once I get up to that point I'll see how the middle window ends up looking against the letters.
Simdad: Thanks! It's always nice to know that my buildings can be recognized. So far, I would say the Lexington is my finest work. I don't know if I'll ever top it :)
Magee: haha that's a great story and even better since you weren't looking for it :) Indeed the City Market would make a nice bat. It's such a key building in Saint John. It's what Halifax is actually trying to do now with the proposed new farmers market for the Pier 21 area. Maybe the Saint John market will make an appearence one day.
Krio: On such a detailed bat, it's kind of tough for me to narrow down which details you're asking about. I modelled everything except the shaded red areas below. They're where I cheated with textures :)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg367.imageshack.us%2Fimg367%2F692%2Fimperialtheatretexturedlf5.jpg&hash=f00f1f6f37b5e5e3e4b854e1a9eccf122c827e9d)
So I'll update again soon or if more interesting conversation gets rolling in here. I do have a bit of news. Someone with Halifax's Metro (what's left of the Daily News) wants to interview me about batting buildings from around Halifax. So I might be in the local paper sometime this week. If it pans out I'll post a link to the story.
congrats on the potential news piece! &apls hope it works out and looking forward to reading it :thumbsup:
Thanks Magee. There as a minor delay but it made it into today's Metro http://halifax.metronews.ca/index.cfm?sid=118557&sc=95 I scanned the story with my printer because the online version doesn't show the inside spread. Check it out below
Front:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg528.imageshack.us%2Fimg528%2F9848%2Fmetrofrontld7.jpg&hash=cba3cd51a22a9e0a02eb7efcd6f829c9eb3b17b7)
Inside page:
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(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg529.imageshack.us%2Fimg529%2F1076%2Fmetroinsidebottomyb3.jpg&hash=429433a0cb798fb729726e3d4587f020e57049bd)
Kind of fun :) The only thing they failed to do was identify Devotion as one of the two sites I upload at. They unfortunately gave Simtropolis all the credit. Oh well, such is the press.
Not a bad write-up in the paper SPA. I really like your analogy re: Simcity and the hobby of model railroading. That makes a lot of sense to me. I did some model railroading as a kid but I also enjoyed drawing maps (both imaginary and real) when I was about 10-12 years old. These were constructive hobbies where I was able to create a virtual world and I found that to be quite engrossing. That's what I like about SimCity; you're actually building (virtual) things. It just seems a lot more creative and relaxing than yet another first person shooter or blow-'em-up computer war game. I'll take creativity over destruction any time.
It'll be interesting to see if there is a sudden spike in the sales figures for SimCity in the Halifax Regional Municipality after your media exposure. :D
BTW, how did the paper find out about your BATting hobby?
Simdad's comment really sums it all up for me. Although I'm not a young kid anymore (I'm 15), I still enjoy drawing maps and collecting (and definitely playing) with toy cars in my spare time. I've always liked to create things, and Sim City really pushed my liking of it further.
Congrats on the article! I would've never thought that anyone would be featured in a form of media like this. I guess when most or all of one's creations are based on RL buildings, their chances of getting attention are probably much higher than one who doesn't. Too bad this site wasn't mentioned, though. I first saw the article here, so I figured that I might as well comment here instead.
Did you choose the buildings that were mentioned and pictured in the article? I noticed that three of them were some of your latest releases.
I also have to ask: How did they find out?
- Kyle
Well after that you're indeed regonized batter around Canada &apls
Simdad1957: I couldn't agree more. I have zero interest in shoot em up video games. The only games I have ever really liked are the ones that involve building and creating. Civilization and Sim City are really where my time has gone. As for how the paper found the story, well the entertainment reporter for Metro is a Sim City fan. He was on Simtropolis and came across my creations and sent me a pm asking if he could interview me and it went from there. I don't know how far read Metro is, but it is well enough known that when I went to school and the office people had picked up on it, but I wouldn't expect a bump in Sim City sales in Halifax :)
Kyle: Most of my reply to Simdad applies to your post too. Sim City, to me, is really a contructive hobby and not a game. I agree it is a shame that Devotion wasn't metioned. The reporter contacted me at Simtropolis and didn't ask me about the site in the interview so I guess he just assumed that Simtropolis was the only place I uploaded. It's a pity since my Devotion thread and uploads have become just as important to my batting. I didn't directly choose the buildings that ended up in the paper. The reporter asked me to send him some photos so I just sent a photo of each Halifax building (just over 20) from my library of photos that I keep on hand. In the interview he did ask me which bat was my best and I had to say the Lexington so I guess I did kind of pick the front page. I also cited Video Difference as an iconic local building so I think that's how that one was picked. How the Five Fishermen and Province House Credit Union got picked though, well, honestly, my guess is it was at least in part because it was easy for them to get photos of those two; they're very close to one and other and just 3 or 4 blocks away from Metro's office.
Krio: Thanks but let's not get carried away. Metro is a free 5 day a week paper in Halifax. It'll be quite a while before I break into the other Canadian markets :)
Congratulations on the write-up. Very well deserved recognition of your dedication to reproducing the buildings of Halifax.
No letting all the fame and fortune go to your head :D
Spa congrats on the special edition in your local paper!!! That was a wonderful insight into what happens in your Batting, also I do love the comparision from model Rail Road as Ive done that as well!!! You know by far SC4 is the cheaper of the 2 lol.... One time investment and your set for ever... Well almost forever if you get invovled and if you dont then well lol... BTW my wife supports me to as her obsevie compulsion is her writing, i do admit i support her writing but I hog the computer too much... Thats kinda funnie how the news hound found you on ST and wanted to interview you, Again congrats with the write up!!!
Excellent recognition Spa and that is really neat that you were published in a newspaper no matter what the market of it is.
BTW, can the reporter please turn off the grid in his pictures of the buildings :D
Zero7: Thanks and no worries about that. The paper is free after all ;)
Pat: Thanks.
Projectadam: Thanks. Alas I'm afraid I tend to keep the grid on so it snuck into the photos.
So school sucks right now. It's that last real push and my time is in short supply. Those kind of conditions, for me, aren't the ones to take on anything too substantial so the Imperial is kind of on the backburner right now. I'll definitely come back to it. For now though I have been slowly picking away at a Toronto building, the Pier 1 Imports on Yonge Street. Below is a photo of the real building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg259.imageshack.us%2Fimg259%2F7674%2Fpier1importstorontorealad9.jpg&hash=f8b5bcc20669f8b3ebd2e6c3b020fb8198390b95)
And my version:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg259.imageshack.us%2Fimg259%2F5093%2Fpier1importstorontozl0.jpg&hash=86a50c6216968b67bbf8c474a357ea2a95ce730f)
As you can see my version isn't a corner building. The real thing is but it's such an after thought that it seemed silly to replicate. There is still lots to do. Obviously the roof and windows aren't textured and the night lighting isn't done (looking forward to putting some tips from JB to good use there!). There is more detail on the window frames then is showing through that should show up when the glass is done. I also need to adjust the stone texture at the very top. It simply doesn't work especially on the side that faces up. I'm thinking I might bat a metal cover for the top stones since it's something that is frequently done in real life to protect vulnerable surfaces from weathering and encase drainage. I might also darken the garage door just a shade or two as well. Anyway, this one shouldn't take a lot more, but it'll no doubt be a while since my time is in such short supply until May.
Hey Spa we will take them as they come and looking rather good there so far for the pier 1...
Great work Spa. The building looks alittle squashed to me, from side to side that is. But maybe not, something might be fouling my eyes. So far so good my friend.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
I like this one a lot Spa. :thumbsup: It's a shame the detailing inside the "wainscoating" gets mostly lost at game size, but I think all the mullions make up for it. My only thought is that the fire escape on the back looks a bit bulky... but that's so nitpicky I almost feel like a jerk saying it! :D
JB
EDIT: (quite a few days later...) I just wanted to let you know that, in preparation for my upcoming hotel life, I went on a downloading spree today. I'm frankly a bit ashamed of how far behind I was. I add 27 of your fine buildings to my folder today! Thank you for all the great things you have offered all of us. I'm really looking forward (now that I finally have them all) to mixing your fine series of smaller buildings with mine for the ultimate in small town life. Thanks so much! &apls
Hey everyone. Just popping in this evening for a few replies and such.
Pat: Thanks. I have been tinkering a little bit with the glass but I haven't had much time to do anything major so it's essentially pretty much unchanged.
Rooker1: Maybe a little bit squished up. Unfortunately the 16 metre wide marker is the only way a 1 wide w2w fits into maxis world. To go up to the next size would mean no more w2w. This one would probably have been perfect at 18.
JB: Indeed. On this though I was actually surprised at how much showed up, especially when it's just a texture I took from the photo and touched up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg138.imageshack.us%2Fimg138%2F9688%2Fdecorativestonepu5.jpg&hash=c648204fa87ea89612097191df23dcfa45999841)
I tend to go overboard and model everything, but sometimes I cheat a bit :) Don't worry about the fire escape, I always appreciate the feedback. It's how things get better. The Lexington only ended up the way it did because of all the people who were looking over my shoulder! So I took a second look at the fire escape and slid it into the building just a little bit more. Unfortunately it really can't go too much because there needs to be room to go down the stairs and then around them to the ladder. All I have to say about the 27 buildings is wow. You must spend way more of your time making buildings then actually playing the game. I'm glad mine have found a home on your laptop. If you want to see a great mix of our buildings in action check out what Kyle has posted in the show us your w2w buildings http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=3617.80
So school still sucks. I haven't had much of a chance for anything Sim City related in weeks, although I have played the game a little bit lately to destress at the end of my long days. The end is in sight though, my group and I presented our final project this week. It was transportation project for the Halifax Regional Municipality that proposed some new connections to the Seaport in the city's south end (the Seaport is abandoned piers and sheds that are being redeveloped by the port authority into something similar to the Distillery District in Toronto or Granville Island in Vancouver). Anyway, one of the things we had to get into was connectivity testing which is basically a fancied up way for planners to test how direct a route is. We wanted to explain the concept of route directness (ratio of the route distance to actual distance between two points) before babbling on about it which is where I got to sneak Sim City into our report.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F6033%2Fconnectivity3mc3.jpg&hash=64366f37be4a8c7f2a2cb212a0e6e77118271037)
The parents won't be able to say its useless anymore :)
Anyway, I can't wait until May when I'm free from academia. I'll no doubt have new bats this summer, possibly from a far off place that I have never been to before. It's just some warm American city on a bay. San something or other. You've probably never heard of it ;) I'm going to be there at the end of April on holiday for 5 days so if anyone who lives there or has been before has any suggestions of what I should see do tell.
Hey Spa,
Thanks for the comments about my W2W downtown. It really wasn't too hard to make it, after all, I did plop a good portion of it. :P
Pier 1 looks pretty good so far. Looking forward to see more progress once the schoolwork starts to ease up. Interesting use of SC4 with your project, I knew it could be used in an educational way! :D
As for your vacation, that sounds nice. I get the feeling that you're coming down to California, hence the 'San' name. Since I'm a Californian myself, I'll probably know the place where you're going. But all that is only true if you are indeed spending your holiday here. ;)
- Kyle
Would it help Kyle if I said it has a big orangish bridge :)
WOOHOOOOOOOO! I look forward to those BATs and enjoy our fair city, it can get chilly when the fog creeps in :P
I live in the city, and well if you have never been here, definately take a ride on the cable cars! Visit Chinatown, I'm sure you'd never seen anything like it. Fisherman's Wharf is always good, taste some yummy seafood. Hmm theres historic streetcars on Market St. if your into those things. I you have time, walk across the Orangish bridge and take lots of pictures. The weather has been good the past few days but a bit windy. It's not supposed to be LA warm so do bring a jacket. Umm I can't think of much but by the cable car turnabout is an information center and take one of those guide books and explore! Also they recently put forth a double decker with no top tourist bus thing so you can try that as well! Hope you have a nice vacation, and look forward to that secret BAT!
Thanks for the advice Skyliner! One things we had though about doing that wasn't on your list was renting a car on one of the five days we're there and heading out to Sausalito. I want to go up to Telegraph Hill myself. Michelle really wants to go out to Alcatraz so we'll also definitely do that. I'm looking forward to just walking the neighbourhoods.
Marczar: Oh I'm not moving there! I'm just stopping in for five days to check it out. I'll be in Calgary defending my political science MA thesis and since I'll already be half way across the continent it seemed like a good idea for the girl friend and I take some time and go somewhere fun. I definitely agree with you, the book of great North American cities is a short one. Right up there with "Making Friends and Winning Allies" by George W. Bush :D Although the list is short, San Francisco and Portland are definitely on it! Building livable cities is one area where being a Canadian really rocks because Canadian cities didn't get trashed nearly as much in the post-War insanity. This was because (1) Canadian governments were slow to embrace urban renewal and expressway projects and by the time they started to consider them, the disasterous results were apparent allowing Canadian cities to avoid the worst of it (2) Canadian banks are more regulated and didn't get into 'redlining' whole neighbourhoods (3) Canada wasn't burdened by a legacy of slavery and has a tendency to more generous social programs so there was no 'white flight' to the suburbs. Of all the major Canadian cities, only Winnipeg has really been hollowed out. I'm really looking forward to seeing a unique and sadly not common example of great American city building.
Oh Sausalito? I'd say the best way to get there is by ferry. It would only take about 20 minutes and you can reach Sausalito after having cruised on the bay. There is really no need to rent a car unless you plan to drive out of the city to go down Pacific Coast Highway 1, and I'd recommend, you will be awed, I guarantee. SInce your gonna be here for 5 days, a car would be good that way you can perhaps drive up to Napa, if your into wine. Maybe even a day trip to Yosemite, I would definately recommend this time of the year is great to go, but the falls may be dry due to the lack of rain recently. If you want to experience the steriotypical California then in about 2 hours you can visit the city of Santa Cruz home to the beach boardwalk where you have your amusement park on the beach. 5 days is a lot of days and if you plan, you can do a lot of the typical tourist stuff in SF first 2 or 3 days then use the remaining days to see California! Well Northern California that is!
It's been a while since I've posted here, and it's been far too long. Congratulations on making the local news. Such skill deserves such recognition. Also, the Pier 1 store looks pretty darn good. Your attention to detail in the modelling is inspiring. I'm often tempted to try to get away with textures in some places (to help with rendering times... I don't know about most BATters, but I'm running at 256mb) but when I see work like yours and Jon's (JBSimio) I'm always willing to wait that extra minute or so that makes the end product that much better.
Also, I had the fortune to take a road trip this summer along the US West Coast (LA-Seattle) and SF and Portland were certainly great cities. SF mass transit is pretty good and the cable cars, as much as they are tourist attractions, are actually (I've found) to be a good means of travel. At $10 (if I recall) a day pass can get you around the city on streetcars, busses etc. If you do have a car, I've noticed that parking is scarce, but one thing you should do is drive Lombard St. (the really curvy one) and Golden Gate park is nice to drive through too. I would also like to back up skyliner's thoughts. Yosemite is a bit of a drive (about 2-3 hours to the valley), but it is very scenic along the way, and the park itself is one of the most pictuesque I have seen. Enjoy your trip and good luck with the thesis presentation.
Congrats on the newspaper write-up! Even if one person reads it and gets interested in SC4, well, that's got to be a good thing!
San Fran is a very cool city. I was there in 2004 for a couple of days, but I would've liked to have stayed longer. It was cool driving around and seeing places I recognised from one of my favourite movies - Vertigo. And the shopping was great. :D
I've been to San Fran several times SPA. It's a very interesting city. I agree with most of the suggestions above. When you are doing the city itself, it makes sense to ditch the automobile and take the street cars. Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street and the Embarcadero are good suggestions. I would definitely drive up to Napa and take in some winery tours. The small towns in the Napa Valley are interesting in their own right. You should also definitely consider driving out to the Monterey Penninsula and up to the giant redwood preserves north of the city.
I remember walking along the waterfront in Sausalito and casually looking at a menu posted in a window of one of the restaurants. The menu prominently featured P.E.I. mussels! It's a small world isn't it.
I agree, redwoods are a must-see.
$%Grinno$%
I'm sure you'll really enjoy San Fransisco, it's one awesome city. If you like baseball, you might want to consider going to a Giants game (if they're at home when you're there, that is). Can't really think of anything else besides that! :P
However, like Skyliner mentioned, you may want to drive down to Santa Cruz. My mother's side of the family lives around that area, and my sister goes to college there (UC Santa Cruz) so I'm pretty familiar with the area. The boardwalk there is a pretty lively place, with plenty of rides, an arcade, and of course, the beach. It's basically a West Coast version of Coney Island. ;)
As for Yosemite, the falls should be running quite good as this years storm season has been very productive. It is a fairly long ways away (3-4 hours) but it'll definitely be worth the drive. Plus, you get a taste of the region where I live in, the Central Valley. ;D
- Kyle
There was a time when I had to go to San Fran a lot with work and there was always so much to see, so remember to take lots and lots of pictures, it will give you some great inspiration in the small to mid size range, both residential and commercial.
As usual, lately just a few replies.
Skyliner: Thanks for the suggestions. We're actually thinking of doing Sausalito by ferry just to take a ferry somewhere. We're still thinking of the car though. We would really like to go see some red woods and I gather there are some big trees near San Fran!
Three Stooges: Thanks. What can I say, I'm a slave to detail. It works for Sim City but I'll probably have to learn to take it more in the years ahead as city simulators move into 3d (my models can be pretty poly intensive). I don't know if we'll get all the way to Yosemite. I have seen pictures from it and it certainly looks impressive. I'll put Lombard Street on the list. While in San Fran we'll be moving around by transit primarily (we just have the car for a day). We have the city pass which covers most transit... Michelle knows the details, I find the San Fran transit system is confusing since it's not all one system!
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. I'm just looking forward to walking the streets.... of course the weather should be an improvement. It's still snowing off and on here in Calgary! I can't believe I traded 15 degrees (25 yesterday from what i gather) for the negatives and snow.
Simdad: You read our mind about the red woods. I don't know why you were surprised about the P.E.I. mussels. San Fran is a wealthy area so it makes sense that they would have only the best ;)
Fledgeling: Check
Kyle: Thanks. I'm afraid I'm not much of a baseball fan. Being a Canadian if it doesn't involve ice (curling or hockey) I don't have much interest. Getting that far out probably isn't on the agenda this time around but maybe next visit. Thanks for the suggestions.
Hogmeister: I was thinking that. I'm going to have more free time then I have had in a long, long time when I get back so I'm sure some San Fran buildings will find their way into my collection.
So just a few comments today and, even, a little preview of a new bat. First, I'm now done as done can be. I defended my thesis yesterday and passed with flying colours. The needed revisions were very minor so I completed them yesterday afternoon and I have sent it back to my supervisor. As soon as she signs off and I see to the bureaucratic side of things I'll be in the clear. So with the U of C and Dal now done, I'm a free man. Things are also looking good down at the old office so it looks like I'll even have career when I get back to Halifax in May. For now though I'm just going to enjoy being on vacation and free.
Part of being free means I have the time to tinker around in gmax on Michelle's laptop. Long story short, I have a new small-town Halifax bat underway. It's a beauty from Barrington Street. I'm thinking I'll spend some time batting Barrington Street this summer. The street use to be Halifax's main street, but it has struggled since the era of malls and suburbia began. The city is considering enacting some tax incentives to try and spur restoration of the heritage properties. They have been musing about it for years though which has actually made things worse. If you're a property owner/developer, why invest when at any time there could be a tax benefit for the work you were planning on doing anyway? Hopefully the city will finally get itself together because there are some buildings on the streatch that are in real need of a little love and all they've done so far is make things worse.
Anyway, the building I have started, the Wright Building (aka as the Marble Building) is one of Barrington Street's success stories. It is one of the more impressive buildings on the street. It is fully used and has been restored and modernized. Below is a picture of the real building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F6777%2Fwrightbuilding1dz0.jpg&hash=a429a2fd1f1833d31827b804134523a1de8f8566)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F4651%2Fwrightbuilding2wn3.jpg&hash=468befd1afa509bddf8b2f0cc480d47f47ae828c)
And my version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F8706%2Fwrightbuildingpreviewns7.jpg&hash=c3ebd5bd7822682375db630be04f070117e5f159)
There won't be any texturing until I get back since it's just not worth doing on the laptop but it's a start. I still need to put the exterior lights on at street level, but other than that modelling the front is done. I might get the sides finished up before I leave for San Fran. If I end up with something more I'll post it.
Awesome start. Not sure but the windows don't look set back enough.
Robin :thumbsup:
Thanks Robin. You've got a good eye. The windows would be a touch more setback, especially the top arched windows. I decided to move them forward a little bit though because the angle of the sim city meant that the details disappeared and they looked funny. So they're inched a little bit closer than the real thing.
Looking good! :) I love the awning. Could it maybe come out a little more, though, for visibility's sake?
Spa that is looking real sweet there the Marble Building!!!
Honestly, I think it needs to be stretched vertically a bit. Just doesn't look narrow enough.
...though, that might be easier to do once you've finished the entire shell.
-ACE
Great modeling work there Samuel :thumbsup: It's already nice and detailed :)
Well there is a lot of dust to blow off around here. I guess should start with some replies regarding Wright's Building (aka the Marble Building).
GirlfromVerona: I could inch the awning out a bit more. I'm kind of trying to keep it short enough, however, so that you can see some of the door.
Pat: Thanks. In my opinion it's one of Halifax's best heritage buildings.
Ace: Maybe. I think it's kind of the result of Sim City's orientation versus the street orientation of my photo... The fact that all w2w buildings have to come in increments of 16 is also a factor (encourages narrow buildings to become wider). There isn't really a whole lot that I can do. From the street to the top of the lower parapet is almost exactly 27m. It's pretty standard that floors are between 4-5 m in Sim City with an additional few meters on the ground floor. So with 4 upper floors and one ground floor, 27m tall is pretty much dead on. If I stretch this one up vertically by much, it'll start to be out of scale with everything around it. Maybe when I'm done I could scale it up a little, but it really can't change much.
Tag: Thanks.
So I'm back in Halifax and starting to settle into my new routine. Schools is now completely done. My thesis defence went fine and I passed everything at Dal so I have two master degrees coming my way in the next month and a half. Pretty sweet. It's really nice to just have to worry about work and have my off hours actually free. Things are looking very promising at the government and it looks like there is a very good chance I'll be signing some paperwork this week that'll have me on full-time. I'm quite happy about that since I like my job J and I do need to start paying down my student debt.
The vacation was great as well (things are really going well really). For anyone who hasn't been to San Francisco it's definitely worth visiting. It's an amazing city. Five days was pretty much perfect. Not too much time but enough to really explore. We ended up cancelling our car rental because there was so much to do in the city. I'll probably eventually post pictures over in the artist's forum. The quick highlights, besides just walking around, was the Aquarium of the Bay, the San Fran Zoo, the Japanese Tea Garden, China Town, Telegraph Hill, Yerba Buena Park and the San Fran Museum of Modern Art. I found Alcatraz overrated (the audio tour, however, is really good) and the De Young Gallery the most pretentious place I have ever been. Oh and on food, we had lunch one day at the Ferry Building and to my ruined northern palette grapes never tasted so good. Who would have thought packing them up and putting them on a truck for hours would make so much difference ;) It was a really great trip. One thing I noticed was how polarized the city was. We stumbled into a sketchy neighbourhood and every single face on the street was black. Some of the scams that were being tried on tourists were also way more sophisticated then the "spare some change" request that is the norm in Canadian cities. People though were generally pretty friendly. I was surprised to exchange minor chitchat (almost all of it innocent) with so many strangers in such a large city. Just for kicks here a photo of Michelle and I up by the Legion of Honour with everyone's favourite San Fran landmark in the background.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg240.imageshack.us%2Fimg240%2F8708%2Fmichelleandmeatgoldengaiq8.jpg&hash=1783fcdddea0af840ae1f2ebb7b4546c22afbd4e)
Needless to say, at some point, there will likely be a few San Fran bats. My trip wasn't all San Francisco. I did spend a good week in Calgary, which has inspired this new bat. It's the first in what will probably be a small collection from Calgary's Stephen Avenue. First up an expensive restaurant, Fantino Fusion:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg527.imageshack.us%2Fimg527%2F2039%2Ffantinoreallifecz7.jpg&hash=ecfea609f7ad332c73e8666a06d43aca3c3077aa)
See the Calgary Tower rising behind it? And my version:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg527.imageshack.us%2Fimg527%2F8760%2Ffantionpreviewsk2.jpg&hash=31cf5575f9a4177464699aa5662ea0148809c1b8)
As you can see I took some liberties, as usual. It ended up being a lot taller than I planned to accommodate all the front details and the arched windows. I wanted Fantino to be a stand-alone w2w, which meant it had to be 16m wide, which seems to have been wider than the real building. The result of that is that I had to go taller too to avoid turning it into a rectangle. I kind of over did it a tiny bit, but I think have saved it since those are big windows and the roof dips back to a normal height for most of the rest of the building. It seems to work. Anyway, it's pretty much done now. Unless there are some big suggestions I'm ready to move on. I'm going to try and finish up Pier 1 next. If things go according to plan, my next batch of five will be Fantino, Pier 1, the Wright Building the Imperial Theater and one more from Stephen Avenue or Halifax's Barrington Street (haven't decided yet). Now that I have free time again, hopefully I'll be updating a little more frequently.
Hi, Fantino Fusion looks great and Marble Building too.
I red about your vacation time and it seems you had a great time, I've never been to the US, well, I've never been out of my country, México, but it's nice to read about the experience other people have when they travel.
nice! i like the air vat that runs down the building :thumbsup:
did you have dinner there?
david
Glad you had a good trip to San Francisco. I understand why you chose to stay in the city but perhaps next time you'll have the opportunity to see some of the surrounding countryside. It's a spectacular region.
Looking forward to your next set of releases.
Tcx: Thanks. I'll probably post a more detailed summary of my trip with pictures later in the artists forum. I have never been to Mexico but a friend of mine just came back from a few days in Mexico City and Veracruz and spoke very highly of it. The Azetec and pre-Azetec ruins really impressed him! Maybe I'll get down there one day.
Bighead9999: Thanks. I actually didn't eat at the restaurant, I just took its photo
Simdad1957: Thanks! Indeed after having been to San Francisco I would definitely like to go back and explore more of California... although I have zero interest in LA!
So nothing much new to report. It has been a bit of a grey day in Halifax... but that means perfect weather for picture taking so after work I took the camera out on Barrington Street to snap some more photo for future projects. Nothing to show yet of course. I did, however, get Pier 1 done last night. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg134.imageshack.us%2Fimg134%2F9315%2Fpier1previewpq1.jpg&hash=2b08521547e0756561793d9c0674519ed949240a)
It didn't turn out too bad. I'm not completely happy with the windows on the sides, but at this point I'm pretty much done tinkering with them. I'll probably tinker with something this evening.
nice looking :) You really have got your BAT making down to a science :thumbsup:
Pier 1 looks great... but I'm not quite a fan of the front windows.
Could I suggest maybe darkening the texture for the window frames (relative to the rest of the building.) It'd cut down on the contrast between the glass and frames and make them look a little less busy.
-ACE
Sim Shady: Thanks.
Ace: You don't like the busy look eh? I actually started off with a version with less contrast except it was with lighter glass. I found it didn't really work because without a high degree of contrast the windows begin to blur into one blob (the little squares are just too small for less contrast). Thanks for the comment though.
So it was a long weekend up here in Canada. Michelle and I went to a cottage with some friends yesterday and spent the rest of the time watching Desperate Housewives on DVD (free from the local library). Not a bad way to divide up the time since Sunday was the only sunny day of the three. On the two days that I was home I started and have pretty much finished another bat (I need to start posting them as they develop but this one just kind of sped along). The new building is from Halifax's Barrington Street, the Tramway Building. Check out the real thing below.
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The Tramway Building is probably the only real modern neo-gothic structure in Halifax. It is also interesting because it was a bit ahead of its time. It was built in 1916 to house the Nova Scotia Tramways and Power Company (operator of Halifax's now defunct streetcar system) and is primarily made of concrete, a material that hadn't quite caught on back then. It houses Venus Envy (upscale and not "dirty" adult store), Frozen Ocean (clothing?) and the upstairs space is occupied by an animation company. Locally, it's well known as the building with the faces. I have heard through local gossip that the building's faces came about in a dispute with a property owner across the street. One face appeared, the neighbour didn't like it and complained which then resulted in them multiplying. I don't know how much truth there is in that rumour. Anyway, below is what I have made.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg185.imageshack.us%2Fimg185%2F218%2Ftramwaybuildingpreviewog1.jpg&hash=4037f9bad9fcba2191b23f687745ddf031160219)
For the most part I have stayed pretty true to the real thing. The only major change I made is that I moved the office entrance to the back. This building just isn't enough of a corner building in its architecture to actually make it a corner building in Sim City. So I moved the office entrance so that it doesn't have to be a corner. I'm basically done at this point barring any suggestions. The only thing that I see that I may change is the glass on the sides, particularly the east side, may be a little too dark. I don't know though.
Anyway, I have had a request from a friend to make some modern mid-rises so I'm thinking of taking on the Canada Permanent Insurance Building next. It's right across the street from the Tramway Building and was one of Halifax's first modern office towers (recently converted to residential). Below is a photo of the real thing.
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I haven't started anything yet, but I'll probably get at it tomorrow evening.
Looks good, the one thing I'd suggest though is making the windows look a little less transparent. Right now it kind of looks like there are no windows there at all.
Well, with summer just around the corner, it's no surprise to see the work easing up for you finally. More time for new BAT's, sweet! :D
Glad you had a fantastic time in SF. It's one great city, there's plenty of things to do, pretty nice temps and not to mention some awesome food. ;D That's also one really beautiful picture, too.
Now onto your recent work, which is excellent, as always. Both the Fantino Fusion and Pier 1 buildings look wonderful, and it's good to see a bit more mid-rises in the pipeline, those seem to be a short supply as well. I agree with XiahouDun about those windows, they do look way to transparent (at night). Otherwise, it's another pretty unique creation that I'm eager to start using. Same goes for the other mid-rise, I can't wait to see your rendition! :)
- Kyle
Excellent work as always, and I'm glad to hear the SF trip went well. The Tramway building looks like it turned out well, and I'll be looking forward to seeing the CPI Building when it's done too. I have a question for you, if I may. It looks like you have done something I have been trying to figure out for a BAT of my own. On the Tramway building, in the top left of the second picture, you put the faces that are in the real building. In the shot just to the right, it looks like the window texture has turned transparent, or at least you can't see the faces as well. I am trying to achieve a similar effect (mirrored windows that look transparent when the lights go on) so if you have any advice, it would be much appreciated. Also, congratulations on the successful defense of your thesis, and congratulations on the two Masters degrees. I'll be keeping an eye out for your next update.
-Matt
Another Tim Horton's on the way, Huzzah!!!
BTW, with the Canada Permanent Insurance Building, what are you going to do about that steep grade that the building sits on? I presume you are going to ignore it and give the building a flat foundation.
Xiahoudun: I'm assuming you mean at night? I maybe over did it a little but it's a take it or leave it at this point. I don't play the game in night mode myself so I limit how much time I devote to it. Thanks for the comment.
Kyle: Indeed. It's all wrapped up now which does mean more time to bat :)
Matt: The way I setup the windows in this bat and in all of my more recent ones (ever since I released Attica) is I used my glass texture as an opacity map. I set the opacity at 25, which is almost opaque and picked some vaguish textures for the floors. The windows appear to get more transparent at night because of the lights I have shining on the floors. To overcome the 25 opacity setting, the lights on the floor are blindingly bright (a multiplier of about 10), but from behind the windows they don't look it. The extremly bright lights overcome the nearly opaque windows and show through.
Simdad: Thanks. You presume correctly. Many of Halifax's building's require some adjustment to bring into Sim City since it's such a hilly place. The back of the Canada Permanent Insurance on Argyle doesn't really have anything on it so it's not big loss :)
So I said the other day that I would try to post a little more as I work on things so here's a work in progress shot of the Canada Permanent Insurance Building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg139.imageshack.us%2Fimg139%2F5830%2Fcanadapermanentinsurancfv9.jpg&hash=f80ef01fe8eae2bc32af90b8a2f808643d818dd3)
Not much to say at this point. It came together rather quickly. Modern buildings are just so much easier to make compared to older ones. As you can see I have two versions underway, a long one and a short one. The two versions will be almost identical, it's just the short one will be for a 1x2 lot and the longer one will be for a 1x3. I have just kind of started the roof stuff and it's based on what I could see on the real building but it's not identical. The big thing is I'm not putting a rooftop patio up there. There is one on the real building, but I'm fairly positive that it was added when it was converted into residential. Since, in Sim City, it'll be 1950s office once again, it just really doesn't feel fitting to have a patio up there. Anyway, I'll probably add some more to this tomorrow.
First, thank you for the window tips. I hadn't thought that, from the soft look of your lights, that they could stun a passing moth. I'll have to give it a try when I get back around to that building I'm working on. I had tried messing with the opacity map, but I had it backwards somewhat. Secondly, the progress on the Canada Permanent Insurance building looks good so far, and the little details you add (like the little platform in front of the door to the roof) really bring the building to life (as I have probably said before). There is one thing though, I don't see the entrance, though it may be on the side that doesn't show in the preview. Both versions look good though so far.
-Matt
Oh they won't stun a passing moth they'll vaporize it! Think of those bug zappers, that's the lights I use :D Here's a pic of the Tramway Building's ground floor at night when its not filtered through nearly opaque glass.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg185.imageshack.us%2Fimg185%2F5461%2Flightdemonstrationfb8.jpg&hash=7abb09671cf2ce51b8d4790f6bf2a4c2e4ea6342)
Blinding isn't it? Here's the texture settings for the glass that I use that turns blinding into mellow while allowing me to keep nearly opaque glass during the day.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg185.imageshack.us%2Fimg185%2F3512%2Fglasssettingsfd7.jpg&hash=13da881f2a19af2ef621c166f6ade0fcc4b69881)
And here's the settings for a typical light (the yellowy colour shade is the same as JBSimio uses on his buildings).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg185.imageshack.us%2Fimg185%2F6465%2Flightsettingsxs9.jpg&hash=b0e4f583cdc3fd7c11e65d137d344976fab782ce)
The only thing that I would add to my explanation is that when you're setting up your light, use a target direct and aim it straight at the floor. Leave only a tiny distance between the light source and the target (the floor) so that you can make good use of the attenuation parameters. With a light set this brightly, you don't want it to hit anything except the floor so you'll need to use the attenuation settings. Notice how on mine the distance from the light source to the target is just .092 and the attenuation settings are the same meaning the light will not shine any farther.
Oh and on the Canada Permanent, I haven't done the ground floor yet. They'll be a proper entranceway then. I don't want to make the sims climb through the windows :) Thanks for the kind comment.
Spa,
have you ever had reports of your buildings' "historical" function not working? ()what() It seems to me some of your creations are replaced by other buildings even after I mark them historical, (i could also be crazy). I want your buildings to stay in my city.
So that's a res tower now? cool.
It must be something to live in a modern building like that. I wish I was rich and owned a condo, I would fill it will all kinds of mod furniture :thumbsup:
Shiftred: No and I have tested them fairly extensively myself without every encountering any issues (I use the make historic button constantly because the default game just allows for too much change and you end up losing all the smaller buildings). I have noticed, however, that if a historic building is abandoned, it can be replaced by something else when demand increases again or water is restored or whatever the problem was. Perhaps that's what has happened to you? In one of my cities, I once lost a whole streetscape when it went abandoned. Very annoying.
Zaphod: Yep it is. Built as an office building it was converted into condos or apartments (I don't know which since it seems to have happened fairly quietly). Modern furniture would probably fit in well there :)
So I ended up working on the Canada Permanent Insurance a little bit backwards. I have the top all done, check it out below:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg299.imageshack.us%2Fimg299%2F5965%2Fcanadapermanentcontinuerf2.jpg&hash=1f8ae8f2902ecf896b593a1d1c2f155f7464c6aa)
It's a very "busy" building isn't it? I find looking at the side views too closely can overwhelm my poor eyes. There is just too much to focus on :) It's a bit unusual for me to have the model in this state since I usually start on the ground floor and leave the glass and roof textures for near the end. This one, however, is kind of getting made in two separate pieces. I'm fairly happy with how things are coming along. I'm starting to feel like this could be one of my better creations. Anyway, tomorrow I'll move onto the ground floor. Depending how that goes, this one could be in the render this weekend.
Thanks for the reply. I will have to watch the buildings better to see what happens.
i think a subtler lest contrasting roof texture could really help with that overwhelming sensation you talk about...
I agree, I also think that a lighter orange color would do better too.
I like how the glass turned out.
Shiftred: I'll keep an eye on things too but I suspect the simulation has played a trick on you.
Mightygoose: Yeah, on the BSC private board that was the consensus as well. I went back and modified the texture to turn down the dirt. I also added tile lines.
Jasoncw: Thanks, but I think the orange is fine. I have dropped it into the game and it seems to mesh well. Thanks for the kind words about the glass. You well know how frustrated I was getting with windows for a while there so it's nice to have it come together now and then :)
So this weekend between getting fish and seeing the latest Indiana Jones (no Last Crusade but definitely better than Temple of Doom) I have basically finished up the Canada Permanent Insurance Building. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg186.imageshack.us%2Fimg186%2F439%2Fcanadapermanentinsurancsp6.jpg&hash=b08ca140a499c79c24a1bd6dad073423eb30ff1a)
Not much to say at this point. I'm still debating whether to use a less busy texture on the 1st floor or to make the glass a little more opaque, but I might decide to leave it as is. I still have to get the 1x2 version ready, but that shouldn't take long as almost all of it will just come from the finished 1x3. The night lighting still has to be done too. This one should be done this week and then I think it'll be time to finish up the Wright Building. I'll probably have a release week sometime in late June or early July.
I would leave the texture of the ground floor as it is. The rest of the building is busy, and taking away from the bottom might cause the bottom to stick out, or to be ignored entirely. I like how the glass looks now. Good for window shopping and such. Good work so far and I'll keep an eye out for the nightlighting.
-Matt
i reckon that looks about done... great work..
Matt: Thanks. Everyone seemed to like the ground floor windows so they're staying as is.
Mightygoose: Thanks. The truly finished versions are posted below.
So I didn't do much batting this past week. I got wrapped up in battling Egyptians in Civilization 4. I did, however, finish the Canada Permanent Insurance Building yesterday/this morning. Below is the 1x3 version in game in both day and night view.
Day
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg160.imageshack.us%2Fimg160%2F7418%2Fcanadapermanentlong2mw4.jpg&hash=13429baf709883d84b81c6f8aa9f028e445f0301)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg160.imageshack.us%2Fimg160%2F4882%2Fcanadapermanentlong1fq5.jpg&hash=49dbdc9c3b91c481f65e9ea3faae0ef5eb0be3ad)
Night
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg93.imageshack.us%2Fimg93%2F2144%2Fcanadapermanentinsurancen0.jpg&hash=3bad7cab5eb12c593542d5f2b3e7d3660164bd66)
I think the night lighting turned out pretty well overall. A few places where it could have maybe used some minor adjustment, but at this point I'm done with it.
And then there is the mini version for a 1x2 lot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg160.imageshack.us%2Fimg160%2F8632%2Fcanadapermanentinsurancov2.jpg&hash=e783c64f36acb11d1f7ffe9985e3537de4221431)
Not much to say about it, it's just a sized down version of the 1x3. I eliminated some of the penthouse on the 1x2 because it looked ridiculous having such a large complex on a smaller building. Anyway, I'll package these up in the next while. It's time to go back to Wright's Building.
Now that is some excellent work. I still have a ways to go before I get the lighting looking as good as yours, but thanks to your little tutorial, I'm starting to pick off a few moths myself. I'll look forward to seeing these released, and also to new updates for Wright's Building.
-Matt
It looks like the Tim Horton's storefront in the Canada Permanent Insurance building has disappeared. Is that because you had to correct for the grade that the building is on?
Matt: Thanks!
Simdad: Partly right. I did have to correct for the elevation, but I did all the correcting on the backend. If you look carefully, down on the right hand side of the Canada Permanent on the front view, you can just barely make out a Tims sign :)
So I have been tinkering away with Wright's Building today (just texturing). It took a long time though because of all the little pieces. Below is a mockup of it in game.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg507.imageshack.us%2Fimg507%2F8256%2Fwrightsbuildingiu0.jpg&hash=26ad73b801f2fd8ec076177ee658baf0cd3e14c1)
Some of the texturing isn't final. There are actually tile lines on the marble along the top windows, but it doesn't show up too well.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg264.imageshack.us%2Fimg264%2F9238%2Fwrightsbuildinggmaxix4.jpg&hash=6201f7384434265d54719391c8e5344737bd500e)
I'll probably go back and modify it them to make those lines visible. The metalish texture on the top of parapet walls is also not final it also depends on the roof. I'll probably darken the white frame that surrounds the Marble sign too as I think it's a little too bright right now. Other than that though I'm pretty pleased with how this one is developing.
hmm we'll see if the best antidote to tumbleweed is a finished bat! :)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg259.imageshack.us%2Fimg259%2F1241%2Fwrightsbuildingpreviewcs0.jpg&hash=8319772daa83ae67ebd236ee0a1d135be5fda453)
I think it has turned out rather well. The glass was really difficult to get. I sunk a whole evening into tinkering with it! The front was a challenge because the glass is semi-opaque with a very busy floor texture that is lit up with a light. Needless to say with two textures, glass settings and a light shining on the floor, it took a while to get it all sorted out. The side glass was tough for similiar reasons, but was also problematic because it needs to be light enough to contrast with the window frames, but not so light that it contrasts too sharply with the brick. Difficult balancing act. The results, I think, seems to have been worth it in the end. The only thing I have been kind of wondering about is the big grafitti tag on the side wall. I don't know if it works or whether it looks "pasted" on. Right now I'm leaning on keeping it. Not much else to say, it looks and feels done to me. Next I think I'll go back and see about finishing the Imperial Theater.
Quote from: spa on June 12, 2008, 05:25:19 PMThe results, I think, seems to have been worth it in the end.
Definitely! This looks great. Another worthy addition to your BAT portfolio. :thumbsup:
Man, this new one turned out great!
No question, it looks phenomenal ;) Very good job here. I especially like the teal colored trim on the roof, it gives a great look to the building.
SPA:
No news from you in about three weeks; how are things going? Looking forward to some more of your fantastic Atlantic Canadian BAT's!!
&apls
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. This is one of my favourites :)
Nofunk: Thanks
SimShady: Thanks. I think the teal trim works too.
Simdad: Yeah it has been a little while. All is well, I have just been kind of enjoying the beautiful Martime summer (after the last few years of foggy June and July's we finally have a decent one!). I have been doing some tinkering, but nothing I want to show. I did get up to Toronto and I'm planning a Kingsway Shops 2 and maybe even Honest Ed's! First though, I'll probably pick up the Imperial Theater again. I would like to finish it up.
So nothing much to report on the bat front, but I have been getting quite a little lesson in how the news business operates. Remember that Metro article? Well the university picked up on it and I ended up in print there (never did see that article). One of the journalist who works for Dal also works for Halifax Magazine so this past week there was a little blurb about me and Sim City. Well a local CBC radio reporter saw that and, long story short, it looks like I'll be interviewed live on the radio this week, probably tomorrow. Everyone may only get 15 minutes of fame, but I guess I'm working mine for as much as I can :) Anyway, if anyone here is bored Monday or interested, I'll probably be on in the afternoon sometime between 3-6:00 AST (GMT -4) on CBC. You can listen to CBC Radio Halifax live at http://www.cbc.ca/listen/index.html (click Halifax, one of the dots on the very right). I'll try to sneak on here at work to give you an update on whether its happening and when, but I may not be able to as my work blocks a lot of sites and I'm not sure if Devotion is one of them. For now though, here's a scan of my latest press expose ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F2498%2Fhalifaxmagazinearticleii2.jpg&hash=ff2cd9aa7bdb77775fac839bd472d4b9b3d375e7)
She didn't do a bad job, but saying that I feel it's my civic duty to recreate Halifax buildings is a bit of a stretch. I just make what's around me and Halifax, being the beautiful place it is, gives me a lot of material.
Hey Sam! Also commenting here in Dev. Congratulations for that new article about you!
I have to say that your last BATs are pretty amazing and I can't wait to use them in my Saskatchewanian city haha..they fit anywhere in Canada, ou did awesome.
See you later man,
Cristian
Nice plug for SC4D in the radio interview, Sam :thumbsup:
Well this thread is getting staler and staler. It looks like the last time I posted any buildings was in June. Well I have been tinkering a bit in the dog days of summer so I'll show you some work in progress shots. I was over to Prince Edward Island the other day and I have come back with a bunch of pictures of Charlottetown for future bats. I already have one potential bat, the Jean Canfield Building, underway. The Jean Canfield Building is the newest Government of Canada building in Atlantic Canada. The building is located on a former brownfield site (an old gas station) on the northern edge of downtown Charlottetown. It was built as a concept building to be as green as possible. Green measures in the facility include solar power, recycling rainwater, a reflective roof, use of natural lighting (including shades) and use of Charlottetown's district heating system. The 4 storey building provides space to a host of government departments and sprawls across an entire block. Below is a pic of the real thing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg120.imageshack.us%2Fimg120%2F1070%2Fjeancanfieldreallife1bx6.jpg&hash=f3d8bfaf5d872db3a1b846d27fcce5edc8e2a87a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg227.imageshack.us%2Fimg227%2F9919%2Fjeancanfieldreallife2ct1.jpg&hash=db626a3013e3055ceb7f60a769b20384915410cd)
And my version
South view
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg227.imageshack.us%2Fimg227%2F7674%2Fjeancanfieldsouthvg4.th.jpg&hash=4f303eb4bb7a34b73410c574b8dbc4fe462dafe4) (http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldsouthvg4.jpg)
West view
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg120.imageshack.us%2Fimg120%2F3241%2Fjeancanfieldwestdw3.th.jpg&hash=039ddc8ab907a0e93dac80c21f26a44faf547f44) (http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldwestdw3.jpg)
East view
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg120.imageshack.us%2Fimg120%2F1372%2Fjeancanfieldeastae9.th.jpg&hash=22282d3aa81bd2484d7aa80304f690875e6f3f5e) (http://img120.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldeastae9.jpg)
North view
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg120.imageshack.us%2Fimg120%2F5064%2Fjeancanfieldnorthjv3.jpg&hash=0cdb1f13c331547a9871b61943a3f3f36b301a25)
Not much to say at this point. There is, obviously, still a whole lot to do. Figuring out the roof is going to be tricky with the slightly different elevations and the giant solar panels. The good news is that the back of the building, now that I have that long angled bay of windows done, is really simple. So I should have the modelling done on all four sides soon.
One thing I'm not planning on is going with the nearly white roof. Although that's what's on the real thing (to reflect the sun and reduce AC requirements in the summer), it would look really silly in game. So my Jean Canfield won't be quite as environmentally friendly, but it'll fit into the game much better.
Great work on your buildings here, spa!
And the newest one is looking great so far, too! Looking forward to more from it... ;)
Bat: Thanks. I have some textures on it now :)
So it has been a full weekend and the Jean Canfield Building is getting close to done. Check it out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg139.imageshack.us%2Fimg139%2F2736%2Fjeancanfieldnorth2ew9.th.jpg&hash=30bad781e33c98d72704080a5759c80dd57d6793) (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldnorth2ew9.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg139.imageshack.us%2Fimg139%2F3664%2Fjeancanfieldsouth2ya3.th.jpg&hash=6638574e2734fb3951cd8fec69abb81a79deeb0e) (http://img139.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldsouth2ya3.jpg)
I still need to add some gadgets to the roof of course and the roof is still in need of texturing, but otherwise it's nearly there. I'm liking the results of the glass and solar panels. Big thanks to Calgrafax on that one as he provided a texture a while ago that I have been using to create indistinct blurs on glass. There are a few minor things I'm not sure about. For starters, the glass on the extruded sections, I might darken it a touch. I'm pretty pleased with the stone tiles, but I'm not sure about the stone tiles on top (the cap). I also plan on altering the ground floor texture by the angled windows. Right now the texture that is shown through the glass is a little off and doesn't look like a room. I think it just needs to be aligned with the window panes in a more logical way.
Wow! I've long been a fan of your work ( I think I have them all) and this latest building is perhaps my favorite. Congrats on the press, its great to see some of the talent here at SC4D get recognition outside of the community.
You keep uploading and I'll keep downloading.
Ben
Great work Sam the Jean Canfield Building looks very nice. I've only a small comment on the solar panels. Imo they are a bit to bright. Maybe you can darken the texture a bit? :)
Looking good, Sam! Congrats on the newspaper article, too! &apls
That was pretty quick! Excellent job so far on your latest project. If I'm not mistaken, this building looks like its the largest one you've made. Nothing wrong with that, it's always nice to see more large low/mid-rises in the works. :)
Here's another congrats on your news articles and radio interview. I think you're well beyond that 15 minutes of fame now. :P
- Kyle
Excellent work (as always) with the new BAT. I haven't worked with diagonal buildings much yet, but this one could get me to start. Also congratulations on the second story and the radio interview. I wasn't able to listen to it, but good work nonetheless. I'll keep an eye out for your next new developments.
-Matt
Ben_Meissner: Thanks Ben. I'm glad my stuff has worked for you.
Tag: Thanks Tag. You weren't the only one who suggested as much so they're darker now then they were.
GirlfromVerona: Thanks
Kyle: Yeah this one came together quickly, largely because I was on vacation when I started it. It is definitely one of the largest. If memory
Matt: Diagonals can be tricky. In my experience, the best move is to start with the angled section. That way the straight sections (which are of coures easier to make) can fit the angled bits rather than the other way around. Angles definitely can be rewarding, but they do add headaches.
So the Jean Canfield Building is very close to being ready for render. I made some changes based on feedback. Check it out below.
Front
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg84.imageshack.us%2Fimg84%2F6053%2Fjeancanfieldfinieg2.th.jpg&hash=915326c6a0ac32a399ff462ae95f39bbbe1c55b2) (http://img84.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldfinieg2.jpg)
Back
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg134.imageshack.us%2Fimg134%2F7996%2Fjeancanfieldbackvp8.th.jpg&hash=5d2c094ecdcc74d5a9fc11db109023cb9caa415e) (http://img134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldbackvp8.jpg)
East
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg297.imageshack.us%2Fimg297%2F6956%2Fjeancanfieldeastviewfj0.jpg&hash=060b6abf52496a806a6d1d8a0124d79cb9a3c3fe)
I darkened the solar panels, switched the ground floor texture by the angled windows and darkened the solar panels. I also added roof junk and a roof texture. All and all I think it's pretty close. All I need to do now is add light it up for the evening.
It looks great. My only feed back is that the roof looks a little too new. All it really needs is to be faded a bit.
Excellent work on the building. The brick texture looks good, and the window (as shown in the third pic) really makes the building shine. I think the actual segements of the solar panels seem a bit big, but that's the only critique I would have of the building. Great work.
The Jean Canfield Building looks really great, spa!
Wonderful work on it... ;)
Spa:
The Jean Canfield Building looks great! I was in Charlottetown just yesterday and I must admit that your BAT certainly does justice to this environmentally green building. It will be the first Prince Edward Island BAT on the LEX/STEX I'm sure.
@SimShady; Yes the building does look clean but it was only just completed this year! Also, there is not much pollution on P.E.I. (except for cows eructating and flatulating).
;D
Stunning work, Sam! The texturing on the bricks and the windows looks awesome. ;D
Sim Shady: I added a touch of discoluration to it. Still fairly clean, but not right off the factory floor.
Threestooges: You could be right about the solar panels. I kind of like them as is and it would take quite a bit to modify them at this point. Thanks for the feedback.
Bat: Thanks.
Simdad: Thanks. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the 1st PEI bat. After all, the Island has only as many people as a small Canadian city! I have other pictures of Charlottetown so it also won't probably be the last. I stopped in at Dalvay By the Sea while I was there and it's one that would be fun to make.
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. I like how it turned out too :)
So the Jean Canfield Building is almost done. It has been lit up for the night, sent through the render and dropped on a lot. Rendering did give me some fits. The model kept losing textures which is usually not a big deal, but for some reason this time around a fix was much more elusive. In the end I did get things straightened out. Below are some links to how it turned out.
Front
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg151.imageshack.us%2Fimg151%2F4462%2Fjeancanfieldsouthnt6.th.jpg&hash=962b92b06fb44c41c861aa4decf178f3ae0bcf79) (http://img151.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldsouthnt6.jpg)
East
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg122.imageshack.us%2Fimg122%2F4258%2Fjeancanfieldeastey3.th.jpg&hash=c2faaa2c6497cc593007f7b2a3b79fa08c6d0d0b) (http://img122.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldeastey3.jpg)
North
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg122.imageshack.us%2Fimg122%2F4510%2Fjeancanfieldnorthgo7.th.jpg&hash=62ff67586e71412f907174f0849587918320328a) (http://img122.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldnorthgo7.jpg)
West
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg122.imageshack.us%2Fimg122%2F4262%2Fjeancanfieldwestuc7.th.jpg&hash=6c8770d2b1c67fca97d4bc0ca17d31792e12435c) (http://img122.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldwestuc7.jpg)
Night
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg122.imageshack.us%2Fimg122%2F2975%2Fjeancanfieldsouthnightig8.th.jpg&hash=9354352a141dcaa6a0c6630ca9daed1b3bf82d70) (http://img122.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfieldsouthnightig8.jpg)
All and all I think it's nearly done. It fills a city block fairly well. There are still a few things I want to do so there will be one more render before I declare this one final. Here's what I still plan to adjust:
1. Add a door by the back alley service area
2. Turn up the exterior lights on the front slightly
3. Adjust the ground floor texture by the angled windows (eliminate that face on the floor!)
4. Maybe add some stuff to the back deck?
5. Increase the contrast on the garage door texture slightly so that the seams are more evident
If anyone else has anything to add to the list now's the time, as this one is heading for the finish line. I'm still toying with the idea of making a diagonal version too. I have never made a diagonal before though so I'll need to figure out how to do that.
One final thing, I have to give kudos to cycledogg. His wonderful prop pack allowed me to do a fairly decent approximation of the little park that's located on the corner of the real building. Sure beats having to make all that myself!
nice work sam. can't wait for the diagonal &apls
Excellent work again and, with the changes you've mentioned, this one is certainly high on my 'can't wait to download' list.
Big Head: A diagonal is now ready :)
3Stooges: Thanks. I don't think you'll have to wait long. This one could make a nice finish to a release party week for someone with a number of stored up bats ;)
So just a small update today. I have two version of the Jean Canfield as a normal building (mirrored it so that there would be left and right versions) and I have one version also rendered as an overhanging building, which means a diagonal lot! Check it out.
Front
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg99.imageshack.us%2Fimg99%2F4135%2Fjeancanfielddiagonalfrohe1.th.jpg&hash=04e8f3b08d4623a6643f431d0a8e8cfe1fb333ab) (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfielddiagonalfrohe1.jpg)
East
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg99.imageshack.us%2Fimg99%2F903%2Fjeancanfielddiagonaleasjs1.th.jpg&hash=fb64bfe47bf0240053c7f6246bc3871c27cb13ca) (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfielddiagonaleasjs1.jpg)
Back
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg48.imageshack.us%2Fimg48%2F6194%2Fjeancanfielddiagonalbaceg1.th.jpg&hash=8ddb3f98fa415e4b20975e8b22251c147470bd63) (http://img48.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfielddiagonalbaceg1.jpg)
West
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg48.imageshack.us%2Fimg48%2F7688%2Fjeancanfielddiagonalwesjl1.th.jpg&hash=9f8226c72c636cf634f80a15ccc5e1240ebae29a) (http://img48.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jeancanfielddiagonalwesjl1.jpg)
Turns out diagonals can be a little tricky since the ground that the diagonal overhangs stays green. In the in game photos above, I compensated by plopping the nam ped tile on the empty squares that were visible and by ctrl zoning the roads to get sidewalks to appear (the invisible powerline trick). Thanks Andreas for pointing the powerline out the powerline trick to me! You can also see some of the minor adjustments I have made in the last day (gradients on the walls, furniture on the patio and a slightly more detailed garage door texture). One more render this evening so that I can make a diagonal for the other side of the street and then all that'll be left to do is a few minor touch ups in the lot editor. I'll probably be putting this one together for the BSC internal prep and screening tomorrow.
Awesome! I'm looking forward to its release. &apls
Ditto. I get the feeling that I'll be using this building quite a bit. Good job using those planter/tree props to make the park, it looks pretty nice to me! The fact that there's a diagonal version as well makes it well worth the download. :)
- Kyle
GirlfromVerona: Thanks
Kyle: I like how the corner park turned out too. I'm just lucky that cycledog had the textures and the props ready for me to use :)
So with the Jean Canfield Building done, I have turned my attention to the my next project. I haven't resumed the Imperial Theater quite yet, but I will be finishing it soon. For now though, I felt ready for something small: Kingsway Shops #2. The second edition of Kingsway Shops will be narrower based on buildings like these:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F6793%2Fkingswayshopsnarrowrealzm6.jpg&hash=7d308957ecdec09bf055d655f17eeca5e64ad5a2)
To get these narrow wall-to-wall buildings to work in game, I'm going to drop two onto each lot. I'm envisioning 6 buildings, so that'll be 3 lots, probably more since I'm likely to mix up the pairings. Anyway, I have two already done. Check them out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg209.imageshack.us%2Fimg209%2F8180%2Fkingswayshopsnarrow1ae6.jpg&hash=95171267039ffbfdd6fdc481da9bbeb19ef1065f)
Just a clothing store (Grenview's) and an upholstery/furniture company. I think they're looking pretty sharp. I think I'll adjust the roof flashing on the Upholstery shop since it's kind of just a blob and needs a little definition. Other than that I'm not planning any real edits, unless somebody see's something. I have the next two already picked out, the Health Garden and the Linea Hair & Esthetics. They're right next to Grenview's and the Upholstery shop in real life:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F9242%2Fkingswayshopsnarrowrealat4.jpg&hash=e6aa10fe78a9a413e433c6fbcce97310d8b5edc1)
I'll post again, probably on the weekend, when I have more to show. FYI, keep an eye on the LEX this weekend to....
Oh, wow - those shops will come in so handy!! Great work. &apls
It's very cute! But I think you should take a look at the relative position (vertical one) of the second floor window. The distance between first(ground) floor window and the second one is about the same as the distance between second floor window and the edge of the roof, in real building that is... In your model on the other hand it is at best half or even less...
GirlfromVerona: Thanks and hopefully they will. In my cities, I have found my earlier Kingsway Shops set a perfect solution to the plague of Dieppesse's diners on my 1x1 commercial spaces.
Simfox: You have a good eye and yes you're correct. It's something I thought about, but I kind of set the course with my earlier Kingsway Shops. For these to line up, the windows need to be where they are now. Personally, I kind of like the more symetrical look. Breaks up the blank space.
So the Kingsway Shops set has grown by two over this long weekend. I have added Linea Hair and the Health Garden. Check out the mock up below:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg300.imageshack.us%2Fimg300%2F3448%2Fkingswayshopsnarrow2au8.jpg&hash=0660b3e4a3f5c08a180210286a8e23cb1deac1b0)
Linea Hair is the cream coloured one and the Health Garden is the blusish brick. Two more and then that'll be a wrap for Kingsway Shops 2. Up next, Gabby's
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg300.imageshack.us%2Fimg300%2F8025%2Fgabbysreallifevl1.jpg&hash=ee986e9745f5454820488a42c40bd52eb5614e6b)
I'm planning on putting in some extra bells and whistles on the back of Gabby's. Hopefully I'll have it underway this week.
Excellent, more of the 1x1s. These things fill a nice little niche in the game, and the fact that you're doing them is even better. They seem to be progressing nicely though, did you intend to reverse Greenview's and the Upholstery store from their RL counterparts, or was it just a random placement? Either way, they really match their counterparts well. Great work.
-Matt
Looks great Samuel. Those smaller 1x1 buildings are indeed a great addition to the game :thumbsup:
I love all these small (but dense!) shops.
Actually, it's funny: I recently rebuilt my plugins, and added your Kingsway Shops 1 set. I started a new city and was like "what are all these great buildings popping up?!" Well, that's what they were. A pleasant surprise. :)
Keep up the good work!
spa, that camera sure comes in handy. ive been meaning to take a few snaps then transfer it to game, except i have no battries or time :'(
anyway, nice development.
Looking really good, Sam!! :thumbsup:
3Stooges: Thanks. No I didn't intend to reverse Greenview's and the Upholstery shop. It just kind of happened in the mock-up. I actually rendered those two this evening in their proper order.
Tag: Thanks.
Nofunk: Thanks. I have found them to be quite useful too lately (I have been making some small-towns in my region). I'm glad you're enjoying them.
Bighead: Ahh time. I'm fortunate to not be a student anymore and to have a job that only places demands on me from 8:30-5:20 (that extra 50 minutes a day means I get every 2nd monday off). So I have had time over the summer to putter in gmax.
Girlfromverona: Thanks
So I just thought I would post some images of this one since they're too big to fit on the exchange. It's my 50th building and the finale to this 7 day release party. Behind everyone's backs I went and finished the CBC! It's available on the lex now.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg98.imageshack.us%2Fimg98%2F8976%2Fclosestzoomdayfrontmv4.th.jpg&hash=66d6c06def331b4a3128c668ec71ec3f739601a2) (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=closestzoomdayfrontmv4.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg98.imageshack.us%2Fimg98%2F637%2Fclosestzoomnightfrontxj3.th.jpg&hash=c821e27a3bc2bdef01efc144ccecff19a0b6d449) (http://img98.imageshack.us/my.php?image=closestzoomnightfrontxj3.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg378.imageshack.us%2Fimg378%2F8761%2Fclosestzoomdaywestys3.th.jpg&hash=120aeb66faf44dda52d08c5f3a67908a3c0051a2) (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=closestzoomdaywestys3.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg378.imageshack.us%2Fimg378%2F2792%2Fclosestzoomdaybackev7.th.jpg&hash=6e6472449b1c75aaf4c2a3d6032257036b127f27) (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=closestzoomdaybackev7.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg78.imageshack.us%2Fimg78%2F6342%2Fclosestzoomdayeastwk6.th.jpg&hash=776a151912bb95a0ec3615903956c7ee9fa52be1) (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=closestzoomdayeastwk6.jpg)
Nice, nicer, nicest! Very nice BAT, this one goes straight to my overall plugins.
Oh, wow! That's awesome. :thumbsup:
Fancy and complex, I like it. Well done on that one, and here's to 50 more.
&apls &apls &apls
I've been awaiting this one for quite a while now (as you know). It looks great and I'm glad to see that it's finally made a debut. I also really like the smaller 1x1 shops you've been adding and I get a lot of use out of them already. Thanks, Sam! :thumbsup:
JB
a fantastic Bat Spa &apls
Casper: I'm glad you like it.
GirlfromVerona: Thanks
3Stooges: Yeah it's definitely complex. It took quite a while to finish... that month I didn't post :)
JBSimio: Thanks. It's nice to have finished it. I kind of figured I would eventually, but as you know it was one that I kept picking up and then dropping for long periods of time which is kind of unusual for me. These days I tend to just go full out on one project at a time.
Art: Thanks.
Well I have been busy. I have doubled the number of finished Kingsway shops to 8 and I'm still planning 2 more. I have done a few renders of the default combinations and dropped them onto some lots. Check them out (especially the 1 and 2nd ones since they're the "new" ones).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F9196%2Fkingswayshops2ingameon1.jpg&hash=8da5b9088c3139014c716c123d3d4e1afee97df0)
And from the Back
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F7656%2Fkingswayshops2ingamebachq2.jpg&hash=d8812c2a1596cd4262150bce15722a6398d7f25a)
And finally at night on 1x2 lots
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F7038%2Fkingswayshops2ingamenigis9.jpg&hash=0961865db8eb609cf5ea12ea700f1e2301a359a2)
I don't think there is anything major left to do with any of these. I'm going to rerender the model that includes Creme de la Creme and Rico's (the one with the bistro tables in front). The gentle day lighting that I shine on the floors to keep them from turning all my transparent windows dark is just a touch too strong on the cafe's ground level. I need to roll it back just a bit. Other than that, unless anyone see's anything, I'm ready to move onto the last two. I have to say these have been quite fun to make. I can generally polish one off in a couple of hours so I'm hoping to get these done this week.
What I see is a great collection of shops. Well done. The only thing that I keep noticing on the Gabby's building is that the shorter building next to it seems to be built into Gabby's. Assuming they were built at separate times or were not originally the same building, I would expect to see the sides of each roof continue alongside each other. In other words, the white part of the roof of the smaller shop would run flush with the wall of Gabby's all the way to the front. That would be my only thought on these great pieces. These will certainly have a spot in my cities.
-Matt
These are looking fantastic! &apls
very nice shops my friend :thumbsup:
Matt: About the roof, it's the flashing, the rest is properly separated. The flashing sticks out 0.1 from the wall. It looks odd on the Gabby's because the Golf Gallery flashing is a different colour than the flashing elsewhere. I'll adjust it. Thanks for pointing that out.
GirlfromVerona: Thanks
Art: Thanks.
So I have just a small update today. The Kingsway Shops, except for one last render to correct the problem Matt pointed out, are done. I ended up making two more so there is a total of 10 shops (two per lot). Below is a picture of the last two, Ottimo Pizzeria and Kingsmill Kitchen and Bath.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg293.imageshack.us%2Fimg293%2F8752%2Fkingswayshopsnewestkn6.jpg&hash=2ee08bbe66e1207036834873010023b325188a2a)
I like how Ottimo turned out on the back actually more than the front!
Here's one last look at these before I pack them up for the BSC internal process.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg293.imageshack.us%2Fimg293%2F3679%2Fkingswayshopsallinonefraj2.jpg&hash=7b71e696e1b9e8e8353d35b7d04f3100dfc8a0dc)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg293.imageshack.us%2Fimg293%2F3447%2Fkingswayshopsallinonebazs5.jpg&hash=246fb5d6fdfaf4776f9c8dfbbe9a802df92c1fd2)
As usual, I have put cycledogg's prop and texture packs to use. Honestly I don't know what I would do with my lots without his and Jeronji's trees! The combos are a little different here because this is the 5x2 version. For those who don't want to try and get these to grow individually as 1x2s or 1x1s, I have made a 5x2 and a 5x1 option that includes all the shops together. A whole main street in one easy lot :)
These will be yet another very welcome addition, Spa! I really like the 5x option as well... it should come in quite handy. (Especially if I ever make a square block again!)
JB
very nice, I like it :thumbsup:
These shops are fantastic and I hope that you will make more like this. Most of the streets down town Toronto, where I live, are lined like this. This will definately be a great addition to the game and aprt of my game in the near future.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
they came out really lovely! Quite an idyllic lil' town feel. :thumbsup:
Great work Samuel, they are very very nice :thumbsup:
These smaller shops are excellent for a starting cities or a farming community :)
Wow your bats are looking very nice, great work ;)
I really like that you made the continous alley behind the buildings, it looks awesome.
One thing that W2W gives me a hard time on is trying account for the space behind buildings.
JBSimio: Thanks. I thought the 5x would be popular!
Art128: Thanks
Rooker: Yeah I think they're pretty typical of those neighbourhoods in and around the city centre. They seem to have been a common style when the city was growing outward just before the arrival of the shopping mall, say maybe the 1930s-1950s.
Simfox: Thanks
Tag: Thanks. I have alreayd started to use them in my region's small towns :)
Simpson: Thanks
Zaphod: Yeah it can be tough. That's why I tend to make my lots with the same textures with a mix of the same props with the same setbacks. So far it has worked out fairly well :)
So it has been a little while since I posted, but I have a new bat on the go, the Roy Building from Halifax's Barrington Street. Below is a photo of the real building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg518.imageshack.us%2Fimg518%2F4996%2Froybuildingreallifemb2.jpg&hash=1f45540e7fb2194ea889e5a45e83f6ec084d4b91)
The Roy is the largest old building on Barrington Street and it has unfortunately lost a lot of its luster over the last several decades. The building was built by James Roy in 1897 who made his fortune in organ and piano manufacturing (go figure) and speculated in Halifax real estate. The building streatchs across the middle of an entire block and actually backs onto Granville Street. It was built in three phases starting in 1897 and continuing in 1918 after a fire burned much of the original, before finally reaching its current 6 storey height in 1928. The building is home to a number of small offices and I have heard it said that the interior feels like a 1930s detective movie set. The Roy's century long stay on Barrington Street, however, is nearly over. There is currently a proposal to redevelop the Roy that will see the building levelled (a demolition permit has already been issued and several tenants evicted) and a replica with a large office tower on top built in its place. The developer's consultants have indicated that the building's facade is too far gone and too damaged to be restored. It's too bad since this section of Barrington Street is one of the few streetscapes that is still intact in Halifax and the Roy Building is one of the city's few large old building's that has survived. It's a real shame.
For my Sim City version though, the Roy is back and restored. Below is a work in progress shot.
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The Roy will be a 4x4 wall-to-wall. The idea is that, like the real building, it'll be able to streatch across a whole block (I think it could look quite sharp with little 1x2s next to it. I have had to take some license though. It didn't easily fit into Sim City's tile system so I had to streatch it to fit. As you can see I have also recreated the old storefronts and dumped that awful cladding that replaced much of the original architectural detail. I based it on an old postcard of Barrington Street that shows the Roy.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg518.imageshack.us%2Fimg518%2F8132%2Fbarringtonold4iq2.jpg&hash=93fc2af3bad6336759f6e68e7334618efb53bd98)
You can also see Wright's Buidling in the shot (the white one, 4 up from the end on the left). Unfortunately, none of the old images I found online showed the Roy Building's old storefront shops front on so I have used a little creative license. This one is coming along fairly quickly. I should have the back wall modelled and be onto texturing in short order.
Great job SPA; the original Roy Building isn't actually deep enough for a 4x4 lot though is it?
It doesn't really matter in any event, I realize that you are using artistic licence and a 4x4 would blend in quite nicely with adjacent 2x2 and 2x1 lots.
It's a shame the original Roy will have to be razed but if structural integrity is an issue, there isn't too much you can do. Are they planning to recycle the original bricks in any way?
Glad to see the original will continue to live on. I hope that their reconstruction at least attempts to imitate the original (though that'll be hard to do). Your version looks like it's off to a great start, and I like the idea of stretching it across the block. I say this enough, but I mean it every time: great work.
-Matt
another great work :thumbsup:
Simdad: Thanks. About the lot size. I don't know if you recall, but the Roy does cross the entire block (easy to forget since there is nothing on Granville Street). All that said, you're probably right, 4 across is likely a tad larger than the real thing. If I were sticking to the real thing strictly, it should probably be only 3 tiles, but 4 just fits better :) From what I gather, the developer is planning on recycling as much of the brick as possible to try and maintain that old touch. Difficult to say how that'll turn out. It worked beautifully over at Founders Square and the west side of Granville Mall, but it's something that can also easily fail miserably.
3Stooges: Thanks. I appreciate the feedback. The developer is planning on replicating the original. It's not clear exactly what that'll entail. What'll count is what's in the eventual development agreement between the developer and the municipality (any building over the height limit for the area in Halifax can only proceed by negotiated agreement between city staff and the developer that then requires approval by city council at a public hearing).
Art128: Thanks.
So since you guys asked, I'll chatter on a little bit more about the proposed new Roy Building. The developer is Starfish Properties, which is a company not usually in the demolition business. Starfish, in fact, previously bought two run-down heritage buildings on Barrington and restored them (Brander Morris and G.M. Smith Building). Today, they are probably two of the best-preserved commercial heritage buildings in Halifax and the company has a similar restoration underway at the iconic Morses Tea Building on the waterfront. They've done fantastic work and have been a good corporate citizen, which makes the demo of the Roy all the more surprising to me. They say the Roy is beyond saving so they're going to tear it down and rebuild a replica with a tower. Below are some images of the proposal:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg329.imageshack.us%2Fimg329%2F2014%2Fnewroy1rg2.jpg&hash=5130a5f16bcedead6cca9b0440e7de71fcea04f5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg364.imageshack.us%2Fimg364%2F5192%2Fnewroy4jg8.jpg&hash=603a23a4a0f08be0d30d94ab6a3a7588ebeabea5)
You can see the tower on the Barrington street side will be brick with a rebuilt Roy at the base. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a coloured rendering of the Granville side, but you can kind of see from the black and white that instead of brick, the Granville side will have ribbons of interwoven glass. I think the interwoven glass is at least an interesting proposal. At the end of the day, Barrington Street needs more traffic and more intensity. I would be fairly supportive of the plan, but I can't get over that the facade will be demolished. Modern buildings built to look old, generally, end up looking fake and cheap. Better to let modern building's be modern buildings. I wish that Starfish was proposing to retain and restore the Roy's original facade. At the end of the day though, I have to take a bit of a pragmatic view. A demolition permit has already been issued. If the proposal is rejected what then? Is it a Roy replica or a parking lot? If that's the option that's not a choice at all ()sad()
Anyway, in Sim City Starfish had really deep pockets since the Roy is doing just fine :) This evening while watching the Canadian election debate, I finished the Granville side of the Roy Building. Here's what's on the back in real life:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg329.imageshack.us%2Fimg329%2F5427%2Froybuildingreallifegrantf1.jpg&hash=055d5463b9ce8a439850d14e8bda1bc63519a509)
And how mine has turned out:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg329.imageshack.us%2Fimg329%2F9765%2Froybuildingcontinuescv4.jpg&hash=f5e01d541c0a044deb5305315ecdb62e7bca3699)
You'll probably notice two things: mine is shorter and not quite as long. Well the Roy doesn't come into Sim City easily. It's built on a steep hill so it's actually a floor higher on Granville then it is on Barrington, even though the roof is level across the entire building. The second thing is that, on the Granville side, there are way more windows then on my version. Well the Roy is also an incongruous shape. The Granville side is actually slightly longer, which, of course, doesn't agree with the square lot world of Sim City! So I had to make some compromises. Luckily for me, but not Halifax, Granville Street is dead on the back of the Roy so only those who really know Halifax (or who happen to read this mea cupla) will notice :) Anyway, the roof on the Roy is pretty simple (a penthouse between the two secitons and some small chimneys) so it shouldn't take too much to finish this model. Then I can start texturing!
Interesting plan. It reminds me of what they attempted to do with Grand Central Station in New York. Interestingly the original plan called for an office tower on top. Later they attempted an addition to it (also an office tower) which was denied due to historical preservation (details go a bit more than that, discussed in property law as the Penn Central (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_Central_Transportation_Co._v._New_York_City) case).
Your version of the building is turning out nice. It'll be a hefty one when it's in game, but the real one looks that way too. As far as the adjustments go, I don't think the resulting building will be much the worse for wear. It looks great now, and I'll be waiting to see it when textured. Great work, as always.
-Matt
this building is looking good :thumbsup:
This bat is looking super, great work :)
Threestooges: Intersting that Penn Central case. One big difference between the American and Canadian context is in Canada private property is not constitutionally protected. This has meant that Canada's three levels of government have typically enjoyed greater latitude in imposing restrictions on property owners. It makes a difference when these types of things get to court... of course in many Canadian provinces there are quasi-judicial boards that are appointed by provincial governments to review municipal decisions (ex. Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, Ontario Municipal Board). These boards are packed with political appointees and can be quite heavy-handed or fairly docile depending on where you are. Nova Scotia's URB has tended towards a fairly hands off approach whereas the OMB in Ontario has overruled city council decisions frequently and usually in favour of developers. It has gotten to the point that the City of Toronto recently named a street in one contentious development "OMB Folly" (the development was rejected by council, but then approved by the OMB!)
Art: Thanks
Simpson: Thanks
Well I haven't made much progress lately. I attended the Halifax mayoral debate (there are two elections going on at the same time in Halifax) and have been hitting the old squash courts. I have also been playing Rome Total War again. So really not much time for Sim City in the last little while. I did, however, make some more progress on the Roy Building over the weekend. Check it out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg363.imageshack.us%2Fimg363%2F456%2Froybuildingnearlydoneiv3.jpg&hash=78bde4c79e38e1a5366be1cdcfc894e9ba9eb001)
I think it's looking pretty good. I may darken the awnings just a touch but I also kind of like how they stand out (they're a little bolder than what was on the building way back when). I still need to texture the roof obviously, and the windows on one side and the back. After that it'll be night lighting. If I had to guess, I think I'll be done this one this Thanksgiving weekend.
Glad you enjoyed the case. I found that section of property law rather interesting, regulatory takings and all. It's not that difficult for the government to regulate, or take property (especially after the Kelo v. City of New London case) but they do need to give the whole due process thing. At any rate, it's interesting to hear how things work around there. Also pretty funny to hear about the street name (must be a fun address to say you live at). Progress on the Roy Building looks really good, expecially considering how much else you've been up to. I'll look forward to its release around Thanksgiving. Until then, I'll look forward to the next update. Take it easy.
-Matt
great work on this project spa. the main door and the air con unit could not be any better :)
great looking building there &apls &apls
that's look great ! good work on this building &apls
The Roy Building looks amazing! It's going to fit so well into my city. ;D
Wonderful work Samuel! The textures fit the building very well :thumbsup:
3Stooges: Ahh but the street name isn't a done deal quite yet. Apparently Toronto's street naming policy includes a clause about not using names that are mean spirited or offensive or something like that and some of the city's councilors are arguing that OMB Folly contravenes that policy. I wouldn't count on the street getting named OMB Folly just yet!
Bighead99: Thanks. I really like how the front door turned out too.
Jacqulina: Thanks
Art128: Thanks
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. I'm hoping it'll fit in across a city block.
Tag: Thanks. I like them for the most part, particularly the front door. I'm still tinkering with the glass texture somewhat though.
Well it has been a long weekend up here in Canada (Canadian Thanksgiving). I was out at the parents place for two days, which almost always means a new bat. This weekend was no exception. I haven't done anything more on the Roy, but I started another of Halifax's downtown landmarks, the Morse's Teas Building. Below is a picture of the real thing:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg356.imageshack.us%2Fimg356%2F8176%2Fmorsesteasreallifecn8.jpg&hash=ba0e12d047d66f3bc799eb421819351112aa13b6)
The Morse's Teas Building is a very significant local landmark. It spans the block between Lower Water and Hollis Streets and is a surviving piece of Halifax's old industrial waterfront. The building faces the Cogswell Interchange and is one of the first things you see when entering downtown from Hollis. Morse's Teas, however, almost didn't survive the post-war era. In the 1960s-1970s an expressway named Harbour Drive was planned for Halifax. Harbour Drive would have run the entire length of the waterfront and would have destroyed the old stone warehouses at historic properties, including the Morse's Teas Building. Morse's Teas was ground zero in the fight to stop the expressway. In the end, pressure from citizens saw the plan shelved and the old warehouses were later redeveloped into one Halifax's most important tourist attractions. This explains why the Cogswell Interchange and its mess of roadways abruptly ends in front of the Morse's Tea Building.
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The Morse's Tea Building, until recently, housed part of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, but with NASCAD's recent move to Pier 21, the building is being renovated to provide office space. Anyway, below is my recreation:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg356.imageshack.us%2Fimg356%2F8307%2Fmorsesteasunderwayuk7.jpg&hash=564874370533410a807eae491bcb1bdd4a7d78ca)
Obviously a work in progress. The preview is of the side that faces the interchange. I had to eliminate a row of windows on the Hollis and Lower Water sides so that it'll fit on a corner wall-to-wall lot. The roof is still the big thing that needs to be done. From what I can tell it is actually gently sloped. I'm going to snap a picture of it when I'm at work tomorrow or on Friday (the 7th floor of my building has a good view of it from way down the street). I'll have a better idea of what I'm doing then.
Please, let me know what the street name ends up being. Law or not, I think it's funny that they at least tried. Looks like Tea building is on its way. The brick texture at the top looks a bit large, but I know it's just a preview pic. I like your floor texture; which skyline is that? Hope all is well, and I'll look forward to watching this develop.
-Matt
that's reaaly nice :thumbsup:
sam wow the progress on the Roy was looking real good there and I cant wait to see you finish it off and now with the Morse Tea building that is kinda funnie how the freeway just ends pretty much right on its door step... Thank god that histroy won on this battle!!!
Hey spa, long time no post... well, here anyways. I love your new building, the textures are spot on. Window textures... long ago I said to you that I thought your window textures were your weakest spot. Now its your strongest, in fact... I wish Jasoncw did his windows like you now instead of vice-versa like I once said.
I know its likely too late for this building but the Person Obsessed With Window Details (AKA me) has one suggestion: make these windows narrower. I see all these old buildings with narrow windows, narrow plus that split glass widow style screams 'old'. Really, I think it is the narrowness of the windows in the real life pictures of these buildings that captures part of the visual feel of both this and the roy. So, I love your building but the windows look too square. I think they should be somewhat narrower in my wholly personal and equally insignificant opinion. &Thk/(
Matt: If I see a follow-up story in the paper I'll make sure to post it! I'm going to go back and revisit the brick texture slightly. I don't want it become a blur so I'm not going to resize it, but I'm thinking of making the mortar lines less distinct so that it's a little more subtle.
Art: Thanks
Pat: The Roy is "done" now. Check it out below. I agree, it really is funny how the freeway ends right on Morse's Teas doorstep. Halifax would not be the place it's today if the freeway project had gone ahead in its entirity. Since the freeway was never finished and just transitions into narrow, old city streets, it has ridiculous amounts of surplus capacity. They've done traffic studies that show it could be removed without having any impact. Eventually the city will tear it down, reestablish the old city grid and redevelop the remaining land, but, it's not something that's happening very quickly. My bet is it'll happen when the cost of maintaining the interchange becomes greater than the cost of tearing it down, so a decade or so from now. It's annoying since it's the one thing that everyone (developers and heritage advocates) agree on.
Fledgeling: Thanks! Windows were a long road for me, mainly because my photoshop skills were non-existent when I started batting. I'm just honoured to be included in company like Jason's. I'm sorry to say though that you're right to a degree about the windows. They did end up a little wider than they should have. You're also right though that they're as is now. It would be too big an undertaking for my liking to go back and adjust them all. With both, since they have small window panes, you might also end up losing detail! I have, however, incorporated narrower windows in another oldy that I started yesterday, but more on that at another time :)
So just a small update today. I finshed the Roy Building. Here's some pics.
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front
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back
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left
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right
Overall I'm pretty happy with it. I did go back and I adjusted the floor textures on the top two levels to give the window glass more contrast and detail. The awnings are now darker and the bottom curves on them have been streatched to be just slightly more visible. The textures on 1st floor cornice have also be adjusted to make it stand out more. Oh and I obviously added a roof texture :) The nightlighting is also done and is my usual style.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg157.imageshack.us%2Fimg157%2F30%2Froybuildingingamefrontnvp4.jpg&hash=e2e5d9a803c6c801ceaa1deb02628341e2d86870)
One final shot. I wanted to make sure the Roy Building could fit in mid-block with smaller buildings like the real thing. It seems to have worked:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg505.imageshack.us%2Fimg505%2F7026%2Froyingamewithotheroldiemq3.jpg&hash=f8619efbba580588c921e2373d08438802bfef21)
So that's a wrap on the Roy, barring any last minute suggestions.
Spa I really like how you are making some larger w2w. My cities are filled with your BATS. Keep up the good work.
Nice job :thumbsup: Looks great &apls
great work on that BAT my friend :thumbsup:
Last suggestions? Aside from "don't stop what you're doing" I can't think of anything. The whole package is amazing and the fact that it fits so well with w2w's is just icing on the cake. The only thing I might suggest would be to have trees on both sides. Really great work on this one and I'll look forward to the next update of the Tea building and the other 'oldy' you mentioned.
-Matt
Simply stunning! Any word on a release date for the Roy? :thumbsup:
Shiftred: Thanks. I kind of figured we need some mid-rises :)
Papab2000: Thanks.
Art: Thanks.
Matt: Thanks. I don't think I'll drop trees on the front though. I kind of like the clean look, especially since they're storefronts. Nothing more on Morse's Teas yet, but I do have an update today about the other oldy.
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. I never know when release date will be. I like to release a bunch of bats together and so far, for the next set, I have Kingsway Shops Volume 2 and the Roy ready to go. Still need to wrap up another 3 or so. So, if I had to guess, sometime in December, but that's just a guess.
Nothing new to report on Morse's Teas. I still have to bring my camera into the office to get a picture of the roof. I did see today though that there is actually a gentle slant to it so that should be fun to make! Until I get out with the camera, I have been picking away at new bat. It's another Halifax midrise, the Bank of Nova Scotia Building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg529.imageshack.us%2Fimg529%2F2706%2Fbankofnovascotiareallifum1.jpg&hash=8b8d564ef1986699eacc993c81e5b6d53aba8a25)
The Bank of Nova Scotia Building sits near the centre of Halifax directly across from Province House. This beaux-art building was designed by Canadian architect John Lyle and was built in 1930. Scotiabank still owns the building and, in fact, the bank's formal headquarters is still located inside. Although Halifax's Bank of Nova Scotia Building still holds Scotiabanks head office, the corporate headquarters and everything else of importance moved to Toronto long ago. As far as I can tell, the Halifax head office is strictly a ceremonial thing. Nonetheless, the building is a great piece of architecture of national significance. On the exterior stone panels and throughout the interior of the building there are scenes of Canada's economic history. The two storey interior hall that still holds a Scotiabank branch is particularly impressive.
Anyway, I'm bringing this gem of old Halifax into Sim City.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg296.imageshack.us%2Fimg296%2F4267%2Fbankofnovascotiabegunei1.jpg&hash=134547cb24bb6d9711ec86e561374815ba6a7bb2)
Still a long ways to go. I got sucked into texturing as I went on this one and it's taking a while because the textures are quite complicated and tricky to setup. I think I'm on the right track though. All I need to do now is add the two storey ground level and I'll have the front side complete. This one will likely be a wall-to-wall, but I'll probably make a non-w2w lot as well because the sides of the building jut out (it won't be snug at the front so it may end up looking quite silly as a w2w). More on that though as I move around to the sides.
The Bank of Nova Scotia Building continues:
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Since the last update, I obviously finished up the front (except the glass). I have scaled the whole thing up a bit so that the model would look less squashed. This one has been damned labour intensive. The model and textures both require a lot of work to pull off. It should be somewhat easier from here out though since I can reuse most of the front in making the sides and back.
Wow - that's looking beautiful. &apls
Spa, your buildings are just perfect. &apls
this building is perfect &apls great work my friend &apls :thumbsup:
Thanks everyone. I made some more progress on the Bank of Nova Scotia Building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg404.imageshack.us%2Fimg404%2F4893%2Fbankofnovascotiasidecomei9.jpg&hash=2c441a8b5c1e59772058a0abfba2cc717e851ab6)
I'm hoping to get the back done this weekend as well.
Very nice, I like the detailing on the walls. This will go straight into my plugins when it's released.
Great project Samuel! The building looks already beautiful :thumbsup:
SPA, I have a question regarding that little dust-up going on down in Halifax between city council, the mayor, the premier, the heritage groups and the Armour Group over the new office building proposed for across from Historic Properties. I wasn't sure whether to do it here or in the Skyscraperpage forum but we'll try here for now.
Armour has already torn down the Sweet Basil Building (i'm a little upset over that because it seems that they got away with it on a legal technicality). They seem determined to proceed with this project regardless of what the city council says. They also seem to have the support of the premier.
I am not really an ardent preservationist and I think that preservation groups can occasionally stifle needed development but I must admit, the process around what is going on here seems to stink as far as I am concerned. There are other places in downtown where this tower could go. What are your thoughts?
Also, the Red Rose Tea building is on the same block. Is this building at risk as well? If so, I would be greatly upset. When you drive into downtown from the bridges, this is the first building that you see and although it is small, I think it really helps to define the entrance to the downtown area. This building is too historic to demolish.
Just some comments and a free time political broadcast today :)
Casper: Thanks. The stone details are the best thing on the real building too :)
Tag: Thanks
Simdad: Ahh Halifax's little battle has hit the Maritime news. For any non-Maritimers, there is a big fight underway over a proposed office block that would go over top of a set of heritage buildings (the facades of the buildings would be saved). Here's a picture for reference.
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I have a fair number of issues with Waterside, but my main beef is that it's such a bland proposal. I think it's possible to build on top of those heritage buildings, but surely that block requires something unique and innovative and not just a uniform glass box dropped on top. The design is very under whelming. On this particular development, I think the heritage trust has a case (as opposed to their opposition to development on vacant lots!). In Halifax there are a number of old buildings, but except for this section and two or three blocks of Barrington Street, there really aren't many places where heritage buildings have survived together as one uniform streetscape. That to me makes this area deserving of some special consideration and really I blame Halifax's city council for not enacting a heritage district to protect this area years ago. I personally would love to see Armour come back with a reworked proposal, but it doesn't sound like that's going to happen.
As for the political twist this one has taken, well it's ridiculous. The howls that came from the business community when council turned this one down were just crazy. Even the premier was on about this sending an anti-business message. People need a little perspective! I researched planning approvals in Halifax for my Dal thesis and the number of times that council says no is miniscule. Even lately council approved the Trillium, the Alexander, Salter's Landing and paved the way for King's Landing. Add to that the projects that have existing approvals or are as of right including International Place, Electropolis and Trinity. Finally, there are other projects, some of which even have an office component, still in the works including Hollis/Morris, the Herald Lands, the Roy Building and Queen's Landing. There is plenty going on in downtown Halifax and the cries that a no on Waterside means Halifax is anti-business and spells the end of downtown were really a bit much and downright ridiculous if you stopped to look at the facts.
The reason there hasn't been any office development downtown since the late 1980s has nothing to do with obstructionist heritage groups or anti-business city councils. There hasn't been any office development because they built too much on speculation of an offshore boom in the 1980s, then the recession of the early 1990s wiped out what little demand there was and when the economy bounced back, the demand was largely filled out in the business parks. It's only been over the last year or two that suddenly there has been demand for downtown space again as the vacancy rate has dipped below that magic 5%. The lack of new office development over the last two decades has nothing to do with obstructionist city councils and heritage groups and everything to do with market realities. If the demand were there, International Place would have gone ahead years ago since it was approved in the 1970s with no time expire so its approval is good forever.
The premier's intervention in this whole ruckus.... well just another reason to get rid of him. This was a legitimate municipal planning exercise. There was a hearing, staff and the citizen advisory committees gave their recommendation and council decided. That's how the process works. If the developer wants to appeal (which he is as of Friday) he can to the Utility and Review Board (a provincially appointed quasi-judicial body). There is no call for heavy-handed provincial intervention. In any case, Rodney is all bark on this one. Given that both opposition parties have said they won't support amendments for specific projects he would be nuts to bring a bill to the house to over rule council. The NDP and Liberals would have field day, especially since Armour and Ben McCrea have contributed to the provincial Progressive Conservatives and to Rodney's own leadership bid. Rodney even launched his bid for the PC leadership in the lobby of Armour's Founders Square. Given that Rodney now wants the province to have intervener status at the URB and that he's talking about finally passing the amendments to allow HRM By Design to proceed (something that only stalled because he didn't put it through the house in the last session) I would say he has quietly dropped plans to try and directly intervene or has at least delayed them to see the outcome of the URB.
Oh and no need to worry about Morses Teas, it is actually owned by Starfish properties and is the only part of that block not included in the Waterside proposal. Right now it's actually being renovated to accommodate office space! Anyway I think I'm all ranted out now :)
Wow, thanks for the detailed response Sam!
This is one reason why I posted here rather than at Skyscraperpage re: this issue. If I had gone over there, I would have recieved a lot of noise from all the contributers. Here, I got a response from you - which is what I really wanted.
I'm glad to hear that Morse's Tea is safe. I agree with you, there should have been an effort to declare this a historical district long ago. This block lies between Historic Properties and Barrington Place/Granville St. pedestrian mall. Together, this makes the largest historical district in the downtown.
As I said, I am not a tree hugging preservationist for preservation's sake but sometimes development-at-all-costs should be tempered with reason and an appreciation for one's heritage. We have to remember where we have come from. Halifax would be a lesser city if it were only populated by boxy glass towers.
The close ties of Premier Rodney MacDonald and the Armour Group concerns me. I'm glad to hear that the Liberals and the NDP would probably defeat any enabling legislation in the provincial legislature. That is not where this issue should be decided.
Anyway, thanks Sam for your detailed response.
SimDad (SC4D)/MonctonRad (Skyscraperpage)
Simdad: No problem. I actually posted a big rant very similiar on my facebook page so it wasn't like I was reinventing the wheel :) I know what you mean about skyscraper. I'm not one of the heritage purists but I'm not a development at any cost guy either. It can make things very frustrating since Halifax seems increasingly polarized between the all development is bad and the all development is good camps. Its too bad because it certainly doesn't have to be either or and the either or battle really cuts off chances to be innovated. It's a real pity.
So Halifax development battles aside, I have been working away on the Bank of Nova Scotia building. It now has windows, a back and a good start into the roof. Check it out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg118.imageshack.us%2Fimg118%2F8%2Fbankofnovascotiafrontanxu7.jpg&hash=9f5e3b75bc84d0ffb12a77d0b6b4d0d4ad67b7b4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg530.imageshack.us%2Fimg530%2F1118%2Fbankofnovascotiabackix7.jpg&hash=aac56f4ecf1ac137e42500e96b6b3fb77f7e9582)
Not much to say really. I'm generally liking the end product on this one. I have two debates though. First I'm worried that I might have scaled it up a little too much. Here's a mock up of the building in game near a maxis high rise. It looks like over the course of the 4 upper floors on my Bank of Nova Scotia, Maxis's building goes up 5.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg118.imageshack.us%2Fimg118%2F4033%2Fbankofnovascotiamockupfb4.jpg&hash=77b441a4a30a243959b182346ef8b0d6a7d4cf85)
Maybe I need to scale it down a touch? If I do scale it down I'll leave the ground floor alone and only reduce the upper portion below the roof detailing since the ground floor is meant to be rather palatial.
My second question concerns something I'm thinking of leaving out. On the Hollis and Prince Street sides of the real building there is some stone detailing along the roof line.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg118.imageshack.us%2Fimg118%2F6499%2Fbankofnovascotiaroofdetsp6.jpg&hash=20f23791d56400d03db714076c5ea849d1645bfe)
You'll note on my version that I have left this part out. I'm not sure whether I'm going to include it. On one hand, it's what's on the real building, but, on the other hand, there is a lot going on on this bat already and I haven't left myself much room to include it. Thoughts?
First of all, the progress on this building is excellent. The present details look quite good on their own. To answer your first question, I think the upper floors could stand to be reduced vertcially, but not by much (perhaps 10%) but the Maxis building you've chosen seems to have short floors for some reason. To respond to your second question, I think the roofline details would be a nice element, but I think they might also get lost in the render. The clean roofline as it is now looks pretty good. I hope there is a beneficial resolution to the local issues that works for everyone. Until the next update, take it easy.
-Matt
Matt: Thanks. I ended up getting some real mixed messages regarding scale so I reduced it just a little. The detail along the roof line have also made it onto the model.
So as mentioned I have rescaled the model (reduced it slightly), but I might have ended up squashing the 1st floor a little too much. I'm kind of thinking about going back to the taller 1st floor, but, at the same time, the slightly shorter overall height feels right. I also added the decorative details along the roof line. Below is the latest preview alongside the pre-scaled version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg224.imageshack.us%2Fimg224%2F1351%2Fbankofnovascotiascalecotm8.jpg&hash=04ea3cdd8e39207d7774823588386b708e02ea1d)
The roof's decorative edge is slightly bigger than what's on the real thing so that it would be visible. Not a big deal and the kind of compromise that has to be made now and then. Obviously I also started on the roof junk. The real building has a mechanical shed and four air ducts spreading out from it across the roof's surface. I'll probably make the same on my model. The real building also has at least one old chimney popping up near the back, but I'm not sure if the 3 that I have work very well. I'm also not quite set with the arrangement of the smaller vents. Something just doesn't look right. On the other hand, I like the roof's mechancial shed. At least one detail up there is good to go :)
Anyway, this one is heading down the home streatch.
I love the building, and the roof details do show up well. The scaling issue is a tough question, but I think the taller first floor might look better (then again, I'd say you have the greater experience). All I know is that this is going to be a nice one when it's done.
Matt: Thanks. I ended up scaling up the 1st floor just slightly.
Well yesterday was a big day. I rendered the Bank of Nova Scotia Building and dropped it into the game. Here's how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg360.imageshack.us%2Fimg360%2F6443%2Fbankofnovascotiafrontanok3.jpg&hash=ca9f0dcf7fe0d0d17facf3f9cbfd1becd4fee587)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F1681%2Fbankofnovascotiasideiv3.jpg&hash=668d586b1972f0785c3e21d61c07430455efc0ef)
The roof material is based on what's actually up on the real building. It's some kind of membrane. I wasn't sure about it at first, but I think the end result is pretty good and a nice change of pace from my usual gravel roofs. Seems to fit the SC4 colour palette and the model. Adding the ducting and rearranging the roof junk seems to have also made a difference. I mentioned in the last update I wasn't happy with the layout, but I'm satisfied now.
Besides the roof the night lighting is also complete.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F7977%2Fbankofnovascotianightli8.jpg&hash=7878c5400d2b5656ff99e2a5c05187ac293e0106)
I think it turned out quite well. It may be subtle, but I really like the lantern effect on the front :)
You may have noticed two different lots in the photos, one with an alley and one that the whole lot is basically the building. Well I also made a third that has the building setback from the street behind a small plaza.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg253.imageshack.us%2Fimg253%2F1507%2Fbankofnovascotiaplazazp8.jpg&hash=05575775491a6d516edf788456e99ef576bc1df9)
The trees in the plaza are cycledogg's semi-seasonal cottonwoods so, depending on the time of year, you'll see more or less of the building. All three lots are 2 wide and just vary by whether they're 2x3 or 2x4. Anyway, unless there are any last minute suggestions I'm ready to declare this one done and return to Morse's Teas.
That is looking awesome, Sam! I can't think of anything else you should add. &apls
great work! A very nice building, can't wait it's release! &apls
saludos
peterycristi
QuoteI think it turned out quite well...
i'd say your right :thumbsup:
i always forget about checking this thread. nice work.
dave
Thanks everyone. I'm back to working on Morse's Teas. I have all the modeling done, but I'm still working on the textures.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg210.imageshack.us%2Fimg210%2F8827%2Fmorsesteacontinuesmd9.jpg&hash=3c5290f792ee35d4f65ea6ce1449e6e2fd5749c8)
I took a photo of the real building's roof from a pedway in the area and this is pretty close to what's actualy up there (there is a lot of strange looking equipment). I like the old chimnies and the penthouse, although I have to adjust the penthouse window glass so that the window frames and glass are a little more distinct from each other. I'm not really ready to declare the roof texture done though yet. Any thoughts?
The building as a whole looks pretty darn good. I think the roof looks a bit too clean compare to the rest of it. I would almost expect to see more discoloration or stains on top, but then again, they may have just resurfaced it. Aside from that, it seems to be coming together nicely.
-Matt
spa,
I have not visited your thread for sometime now but am so glad I did. Morse's Teas looks amazing and so far I have only had a chance to look at the last page but the bank of Nova Scotia is a great piece of architecture as well. Your lots are always 10/10 if not 11+/10. Just stopping to write a note to express my desire for more of your great works &apls
Great building Samuel, the front of the building looks very nicely detailed :thumbsup:
Personally I don't like the roof of the building. Although the details are very nice the texture confuses me. Imo the layout of the tiles suggest a sloped roof, but I hardly can't see a slope in the roof. Maybe if you dirty up the roof a bit it will look better. :)
Sam:
I think I'll just echo the comments above. The Bank of Nova Scotia is just about perfect. I can't wait to put it in my cities.
I agree with some of the other comments about the Morse's Tea Building roof. It may be a reflection of what the roof actually looks like but it just doesn't seem quite right. Not to criticize the cook, but perhaps it would be best to consider a more traditional appearance for the roof. Perhaps a little "artistic licence" is in order.
BTW, I know you have never visited Moncton (it's only a 2.5 hour drive for cripes sake) but it would be nice if you would consider some of the architectural wonders of my fair city. Recently, one of the other posters and myself have put up some images of "historic Moncton" on the Moncton page at Skyscraperpage.com forums. Come over and have a look and see what you think.
SimDad/MonctonRad
After a healthy Dutch dinner I took a second look at the roof. I think that the horizontal 'side to side' aligned tiles are too dark compared to the vertical 'front to back' aligned tiles (since my poor English won't allow me to describe it better I added a picture below where I highlighted the area I meant). This difference in color gives me the idea that the roof is quite steep and causes a shadow while it's actually near flat. If you make this area a bit brighter I'm sure it will look much better ;)
the picture with the area I was talking about:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fxs433.xs.to%2Fxs433%2F08483%2Fmorse303.jpg&hash=ba26e2ef309377fceb8c32651f124690e63ae7e1) (http://xs.to)
Apart from that the building looks really great :)
Matt: You could be right actually. The roof maybe is too clean and that's why it's sticking out so. I'll go back and try adding some mess to the texture tomorrow.
Projectdam: Thanks! I'm feeling like the Bank of Nova Scotia is one of the best I have produced so far :)
Tag: Yeah. Some dirt is a good idea and I take the point about the slope. That was a common comment on the bsc board too. I have adjusted it. Good point about the texture and thanks for taking the extra time to express it. I'm in a bit of a bind there because the one roof piece is longer than the others. I tried to split the difference and it didn't work out. I have adjusted it since. Maybe the newer version is a little less noticeable?
Simdad: Thanks. I'm not ready to give up on the sloped roof just yet. Most of my commercial buildings have flat roofs so I was kind of trying to seize on the chance to do something different. I'm going to keep tinkering to see if I can get it right.
On Moncton, it is kind of silly that I have never been there! I have only driven around it on the highway. I keep hoping to get sent over to New Brunswick on business so that I can stop in with my camera, but it just hasn't happened yet. I'm expecting to eventually add some Moncton content. The last spa essentials contains a custom query for hypothetical future Moncton bats. In terms of my Sim City picture taking, Moncton is kind of like Truro. I don't have any photos from Truro because it's always easy to say "I'll stop in Truro next time." I'm missing photos from a number of nearby places (Moncton, Truro, Antigonish, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay) while I have photos from places farther a field (Grand Falls, Edmundston, Fredericton, Charlottetown, Sydney etc). I'll get to Moncton one day.
So this evening I went back and did some tinkering on Morse's Teas to incorporate feedback. I raised the roof, shrunk the bricks around the windows slightly and did some minor adjustments to the dark ironstone texture on the lower 3 floors. Anyway, it's not finished, but maybe these adjustments are a step in the right direction.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F8003%2Fmorsesteaadjustedsomewhnb5.jpg&hash=17a4e5d89b13883f25448964af1c6c841c798eb6)
The roof is of course still a big question mark. I'll try adding some grime to it. Now that it's noticably sloped, it might just need some dirt.
spa this is turning out good. i think all it's missing is something to cover up the meeting of the roof faces. :P
dave.
The roof looks much better now and the adjustment to the ironstones works out very well :thumbsup:
Bighead99: Thanks for the suggestion. I added in a small little bump down the "seams." I think it works.
Tag: Thanks
So I went back to Morse's Tea again this evening with fresh eyes. Instead of focusing on the roof I took a whole building view and I think we now have a winner. I didn't change the roof, but instead I adjusted the rosy brick to a darker slightly more destaturated version. Check it out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg75.imageshack.us%2Fimg75%2F2636%2Fmorsesteawehaveawinnerwf7.jpg&hash=423a4959135421ca688f6f6352fe6b26fc96b203)
The new darker brick is actually closer to the real building. The neat thing is the roof texture is the same even though it now, to my eyes, looks like it fits. The only thing I might have to do now is switch the old ad texture to a darker version. I haven't changed it, but the new darker brick sure makes it look a lot brigther than it did before. Anyway, it has been a battle on this and I really appreicate all the constructive feedback.
Spa that is looking fantastic wow!!!!
I think you got it. It also looks like you made the roof texture a bit messier (or it may just be image compression) but whatever you did, it looks great as it is now.
-Matt
thats an exelent building and i love how you textured it :thumbsup:
Pat: Thanks.
3Stooges: Thanks. I didn't actually change the roof texture at all though. It just looks better next to the new brick and with the trim along the seams.
Squidi: Thanks
So I have finished the Morse's Teas Building. I ended up adjusting the roof equipment textures a little bit, but other than that no changes. I'll post some pictures of it in game later (I'm house sitting this evening and don't have any available). For now, I'll draw your attention to the LEX for a little Dec 6 surprise, the Halifax Explosion Memorial Bell Tower. Here's a pic of the real thing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F6098%2Fbelltower1rp7.jpg&hash=cd23cc0b05bf21c5f803a03083ae8051a2bf9073)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F7105%2Fbelltower2io8.jpg&hash=d0ca49ba9c4ebcd8949023de14a5890fcde3d41d)
The Halifax Explosion occurred on December 6, 1917, 91 years ago today, and was the largest man-made explosion before the invention of nuclear weapons. The Explosion occurred when two ships, the Mont Blanc and Imo, collided in Halifax Harbour. The Mont Blanc was fully loaded with munitions and caught fire. The ship's crew fled and the stricken vessel drifted right into the Halifax waterfront around Pier 6. Almost nobody knew what the Mont Blanc was carrying so no one thought to take cover or flee. The eventual explosion devastated Halifax. Everything within a 2 km radius was flattened and roughly 12,000 other homes were badly damaged. Toppled woodstoves ignited the ruins and fires burned out of control since the city's fire department was virtually wiped out in the blast (firefighters were on Pier 6 trying to extingish the blaze at the time of the Explosion). Approximately, 2,000 people died and 9,000 others were injured. Relief efforts were hampered by a blizzard that struck the very next day. The first major shipment of outside aid to reach Halifax came from Boston, something that Haligonians and Nova Scotians have never forgot. This is why every year, Boston's official Christmas Tree is carefully picked from the wilds of Nova Scotia and is provided to the city free of charge by the provincial government.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F6533%2Fwreckedbd0.jpg&hash=cb5ba8f5dfccb5d3aefc26123653c0a0e7288706)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F4596%2Fnorthendhalifaxbo7.jpg&hash=be95efc66e5e74df7a6d3a5a52dd0114755fd80c)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F6109%2Farmyandnavybreweryxs0.jpg&hash=8faa63d7ced4138d54c539ba738f7abacb8d847e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F4922%2F76648070dk8.jpg&hash=4cbedc367d12cbd79faf3fd7c0d59e70b29fc439)
The long-term impact of the Explosion on Halifax was major. The disaster wiped out the City's already struggling industrial base. Most of the industry was never rebuilt. The devastated North End rose anew as the Hydrostones, Canada's first public housing project. Halifax became a centre for research into blindness due to the large number of people whose vision was damaged by flying glass. American military planners carefully studied Halifax and a similar incident in Port Chicago, CA, in preparation for the atomic bomb attacks on Japan. The Explosion is remember by Haligonians every year at the Memorial Bell Tower in Fort Needham Park. To this day, the North face of the clock tower on Halifax City Hall is frozen in time at 9:05.
Anyway, here's how my version turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F7176%2Fhalifaxexplosionmemoriaiu3.jpg&hash=0f0d9ca1ddba924b881a7ce6f4e47cbc2d8e37d5)
I think jestar's planters look pretty sharp and fit the concrete tower nicely. I also made a bsc park compatible version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F5711%2Fhalifaxexplosionmemoriabo3.jpg&hash=0f2d561c86245b7e7ecf6298a9df29e862ac0a1c)
So I'm back home again after a brief stay in the country at my parents place (I was house sitting while they were in Cuba). I did promise some pictures of the Morse's Tea Building in game though with the night lighting done and the roof object textures tweaked, so here they are.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg68.imageshack.us%2Fimg68%2F9715%2Fmorsespreview1sh5.jpg&hash=742f248ae46e0beacde912995182f66463fe62e6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg267.imageshack.us%2Fimg267%2F647%2Fmorsespreview2ki8.jpg&hash=c504868a38769543892b071eeaf00e6d4a6c6e98)
You might recognize the little plaza planters I made from Brian's props from the Bank of Nova Scotia. They looked so smart on it I decided to use them on this one to. I did think about doing an alley, but the real Morse's Teas Building fronts onto streets on both sides so I decided to go with a plaza.
And a night shot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg384.imageshack.us%2Fimg384%2F3871%2Fmorsespreviewnightsm0.jpg&hash=238ea61468579172bd135c6657f94669b507fdbb)
I think the night lighting on this one turned out particularly well. The yellowish colour seems to fit and the lighting really shows off the small glass panes.
I have had another project on the go, the J.W. Johnston Building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg68.imageshack.us%2Fimg68%2F6310%2Fjwjohnstonbuildingreallqe4.jpg&hash=7968c405018738fadfb079851c08740ed5f89f9a)
The Johnston Building is a provincial government office building in downtown Halifax. The building is named after James William Johnston, a lawyer and Tory politician who arrived in Nova Scotia after the American Revolution. Johnston was a major public figure during the dawn of Responsible Government in Nova Scotia (birth of Canadian democracy) and led the fledgeling democractic government several times. The building that bears Johnston's name wasn't always a government office. It was constructed in 1928 and was originally an Eatons department store. Eatons, however, abandoned downtown Halifax for the suburbs. The building's location near Province House (the provincial legislature) and several government office buildings made it an attractive purcahse for the provincial government. The province recently completed a major refit of the Johnston Building and as a result it is one of most well preserved heritage buildings in the city.
Anyway, here's my version:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg68.imageshack.us%2Fimg68%2F826%2Fjwjohnstonbuildingic4.jpg&hash=a9f39bde47805f9e6c698cd83026c85fc46a7ac2)
Obviously it's still a work in process, but I think it's heading in the right direction. I decided to make the Johnston a non-corner building for Sim City even though the real thing is on a corner. It seems like an easy call since the real building doesn't really relate to the corner at all. It really doesn't affect the structure. It's just a regular 2x3 that happened to grow on a corner :)
Both of these models look very impressive and I have alway liked that you choose buildings with character and a story.
Robin :thumbsup:
Love your work man. Style is similar to JasonCWs who I wished had more stuff for us all to enjoy. Cant wait to see these two. &apls
Wonderful work as always. &apls
One of my favorite buildings from you, and that's really saying something ;D
Robin: Thanks. It's kind of fun for me to pick ones with a bit of a story. I certainly have learned a fair bit about Halifax's past since I started this hobby.
SimNation: Thanks. The windows on the JW Johnston are very much in keeping with Jasoncw's style so I'm not surprised the comparison has jumped to mind.
Tag: Thanks
Iamgoingtoeatyou: Thanks. Right now, my favourite of everything I have done is the Bank of Nova Scotia Building.
Well since I last posted I have finished texturing the Johnston Building and I actually rendered it. Below is how it shaped up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg87.imageshack.us%2Fimg87%2F5766%2Fjwjohnstonfrontandbackicu2.jpg&hash=0433b39b5f3303f6489c8a9d53c89d2ab69ecd73)
I ended up shrinking the size of the penthouse by several meters. It somehow ended up at nearly 6.5 meters per floor up there and being 2 storeys it really looked high. It's not nearly so bad now. When I started texturing the penthouse it ended up taking on a real modern feel so I ditched the old style chimnies and put up two modern fans to fill out the space. Much like the real building, this oldie was subject to a major renovation and refit :) The roof texture gave me a lot of fits, but I think it works. It was really tough to get something that would work with the facade and the almost white edges. Anyway below is a side shot
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg87.imageshack.us%2Fimg87%2F956%2Fjwjohnstonsideingamevv2.jpg&hash=0c85d3703130ee202a9c455ead320fe5c49f3ace)
And a night shot
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg87.imageshack.us%2Fimg87%2F9092%2Fjwjohnstonnightingamedv0.jpg&hash=520c99024008e061784a4d4d9ec530c186414487)
Night lighting on this one and Morse's Tea was really rewarding. There is something about the many small panes of glass that really makes the lighting pop on both of them!
I have kind of thought that like the Roy Building, the Johnston Building might work well crossing a whole block. So I made a lot with a plaza on the back.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg87.imageshack.us%2Fimg87%2F5043%2Fjwjohnstonplazaversioniys8.jpg&hash=0bf26a354448de382fdf3c2d5182ac404314032e)
The setback doesn't work nearly as well as the Roy Building, but it's not too bad either. Anyway, unless anyone sees something that is really out of whack I'm ready to declare this one complete.
I'll take no news as good news. Well I have a new building. It's not so much underway as kind of done. I kept meaning to post in progress shots, but just never got around to it (part of the modelling was started a few weeks back when I was out in the country house sitting). The new one is the Dennis Building from downtown Halifax and, for now, is the last in my little group of old time Halifax mid-rises. Below are some pics of the real thing.
From the corner of George and Granville
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From the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia courtyard (the cheapside) looking past Province House with pretty fall colours.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg120.imageshack.us%2Fimg120%2F8315%2Fdennisbuildingreallife2sg1.jpg&hash=5727c1096cbaca0a2fa45d41bcbd2b507c822ee6)
The Dennis Building has a long history (by North American standards anyway). It was built in 1863 to house a dry goods firm, T.E. Kenny. William Dennis, owner of the Halifax Herald, purchased the building in 1900. The Halifax Herald had just gotten comfortable, however, when the building was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1912. Dennis had deep pockets and he had the original granite facade reinforced and the interior gutted so that three additional floors could be added on top, giving the Dennis Building its current look. The Herald eventually relocated to Argyle Street, but the Dennis Building lived on as a provincial government office building. The Dennis Building's future is uncertain. It leaks and has air and mould issues. Its immediate neighbours were senselessly destroyed and turned into parking lots for a development that never happened leaving it orphaned and alone. This year, the Province acquired the empty adjacent lands. Since the Province now owns nearly the entire block, the Dennis Building is likely to eventually be part of a major redevelopment. Whether it survives intact or is levelled is an open question. Interesting bit of trivia, between Edward Kenny, Thomas Kenny, William Dennis and William Henry Dennis, the building has been owned by 3 senators, 2 cabinet ministers, 1 mp, the mayor of Halifax and the provincial lieutenant governor.
Anyway, enough story telling. Here's what I have come up with.
Front/Back
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Sides
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Not bad if I may say so myself. In game, the Dennis Building fits well on a 2x2 corner lot. As usual, I will mirror it and render a version for the other corner. The texturing took a while, especially the stone and brick. You might notice that I didn't include the window mounted ac units. I felt that the facade and glass was already busy enough and that putting them in would be visual overkill.
I have also done my, now, usual night lighting.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg234.imageshack.us%2Fimg234%2F7442%2Fdennisbuildingnightnw4.jpg&hash=1635c828d1de9b332277f1a6c4bf8af0d808199c)
So unless anyone see's a show stopper I think I'm done with this one. I'm going to be heading to the country for Christmas soon so I probably won't have any updates until after New Year but you can bet I'll be batting something out there... I'm kind of thinking some old wooden residential buildings from the Maritimes might be in order :)
Excellent work SPA. It seems that you must have enough new projects ready for release for another week long "release party". I can't wait.
BTW - It looks like you have some new 1x1 commercials. These will be most welcome.
As a fellow Maritimer, I heartily endorse the concept of some typical growable traditional Maritime residential lots for the game. These would also be most welcome!! :thumbsup:
What else can I say except that these look amazing as usual, and that they always seem to get better. I particularly like the outline of the building on the side of the Dennis Building. I'm guessing it was there on the original, but will it match up with any other buildings in the game? Either way, it's an excellent touch, and is certainly a testament to the building's longevity.
-Matt
Your buildings become taller and taller! When are you going to bat your first skyscraper? :D
I really like this new one, Spa. For a simple square building, there is an awful lot to look at and see. The newer rear stair shaft, the wall treatments on the bare side, and the different brick styles all really make for some great visual interest. Your last couple buildings have really got me itching to wrap up these school packs and get back to a few Smalltown and SHUR buildings again! ;)
Merry Christmas, my friend!
JB
Nice work on your new buildings there, Spa! It is looking wonderful! :thumbsup:
I really like the accuracy on the backside of this building. The Johnston building is good, but perhaps the flora planter out front are a little too big? The building setback is just right though, and can easily be bounded by w2w or streets. Nice work on that one.
Simdad: Almost, almost. I have 6 ready so just one away from the 7. I just need to finish the Imperial Theater and then it'll be go time (I was picking at a bit over the holidays so sometime this month). Included in the release party, probably on day 1, will be Kingsway Shops volume 2. I did get into some Maritime residential buildings over the holidays. I think you'll be particularly pleased with the one I'm showing off this evening, Dundas Terrace, since I'm sure you know it well. I also have a set of Halifax duplex's half done, but more about them another day.
Matt: Thanks. I guess I'm always learning :) Since the Dennis Building's neighbours were all torn down, I was able to walk right around this one so yes, the outlines are all on the real building are what remains of the place's old neighbours. The real thing actually has some fake windows painted on it, but they were just too ugly for me to include.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg383.imageshack.us%2Fimg383%2F4549%2Fdennisbuildingsidehl2.jpg&hash=06ae531d43a222dbeb1eaf2d9d4bbc2858c2071a)
I didn't really give it any thought as to how the building outlines would fit in game. Any lining up with other buildings would be accidental.
JB: Yeah it's definitely a very busy little square box. Whenever you're done the schools it would be great to see some more historic mid-rises from you. We can always use more of those :)
Bat: Thanks
Rushman: Thanks. About the planters, my first instinct was to use Cycledogg's since I think his prop pack is just amazing in its scope and what it offers lot makers. Cycledogg's planters also come with smaller options. That said though, I use Cycledogg's stuff all the time so I wanted to mix it up a little bit. The planters behind the JW Johnston are simgoobers with cycledogg's trees dropped on top.
So I got back from the country this weekend. It was really restful. I did spend sometime batting... actually a fair bit, but the model I was working with is a beast that proved really challenging and ate up most of my bat time. It's a old Maritime residential building (wood and brightly coloured), Dundas Terrace from Charlottetown, PEI. Below is a picture of the real thing.
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I took pictures of Dundas Terrace when I was in Charlottetown this past summer and thought at the time that it has to be one of the best pieces of old architecture in Atlantic Canada. I like the wood and colour, it sits right on the waterfront on a nice old street and it just has so much visual interest. I only found out when I started to bat it that it actually has a really neat story to tell. It was built in 1890 and is a rare instance of a Queen Anne Style apartment building. It was named for a now vanished street, Dundas Esplanade, that use to connect Water and Sydney Streets. The building was built by the estate of Owen Connolly. Connolly was a wealthy businessman who owned a bunch properties and commercial ventures in PEI. When he died, his will instructed that his wealth be used to setup a charity to educate Irish Catholics (Connolly was an Irish immigrant). To guarantee a steady income for their charitable work, the Connolly Estate built a number of buildings, including Dundas Terrace. The Estate still operates today, but the real estate interests were sold in 1968. Dundas Terrace is currently privately owned and has remained virtually unchanged since its construction in 1890. Due to its unique history and its significant and unaltered architecutre, Dundas Terrace is a nationally recognized historic site. It is truly one of the Charlottetown's lesser known gems.
Anyway, that's the story of Dundas Terrace. Here's how my bat turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg383.imageshack.us%2Fimg383%2F1444%2Fdundasterracepreviewtu6.jpg&hash=0bb7cd7b7702e6b19c32aa42668c99b002c91e8b)
I'm fairly pleased with it. It proved to be a real pain to make. All those angles and shapes, especially the roof and the roof trim. At times it was quite taxing. It's a small building, but a hefty model! Anyway, at this point I'm thinking of making a few other colour variations (maybe a red, a blue and a green) that can form a building family and go on a few different lots. About the lot (soon to be lots), I'm sticking close to Brian's stuff on this one. I use Brian's stuff extensively, but on this one it makes particular sense since his 19th century residential set is a great benchmark for old time residential buildings.
Oh and here's a night shot.
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Not too loud, but it's not the type of building that screams "light me up." I think the subtler lighting that I have used is a good fit. Going with some of the louder lights I have been putting in my commercial buildings just wouldn't work here.
Unless there is anything I have missed I'm going to go ahead and make some more colour variations.
I like the looks of this one. Could be a "Bed & Breakfast" Commercial lot, or Residential apartments. If BAT doesn't freak out, a mirrored version, put side by side, and maybe two deep (4 total) would make a nice larger Apartment Complex lot.
Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Dundas Terrace will certainly have a home in my region (or a few homes). Also, thanks for the info on the Dennis building. I agree about leaving the painted windows out, it looks great as it is. Great work.
-Matt
Yes, I know the Dundas Terrace very well. I grew up in downtown Charlottetown only a few blocks from there and it's kinda funny, I always admired this building, even as a teenager. I especially liked the way this building was situated on it's waterfront lot, next to the yacht club. It always seemed very elegant to me. You have done this building proud.
Since you are doing some Charlottetown BAT's, have you ever thought about doing Province House? It is unquestionably one of the most historic buildings in Canada, being the site of the 1864 conference where the Fathers of Confederation first met to discuss the concept of the Dominion of Canada. It can legitimately be considered the birthplace of Canada and is a very elegant Georgian style building. I believe that it was built in the 1840's.
:thumbsup:
I love that last building. It reminds me of the kind we have in my hometown. Like this one:
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Quote from: SimGoober on January 05, 2009, 07:16:47 PM
Could be a "Bed & Breakfast" Commercial lot, or Residential apartments.
Bed and Breakfast was the first thing to cross my mind as well. I really like this BAT &apls Keep up the great work.
Goober: Thanks. It is definitely one of those old style buildings that have been converted into inns and b&bs. I hadn't thought about making some mirrored versions. I'll test it out.
Matt: Thanks
Simdad: Yeah its definitely an elegant building. I hadn't really thought of doing Province House. I have considered the Nova Scotia legislature but I kind of go for functionality in my choices. A legislative building would take a lot of time and provide a lot less use for me in game compared to commercial and residential buildings that get reused over and over. That said, I have toyed with the idea of a civic set (maybe the memorial library here and the clock tower for starters). If that ever happens maybe I'll throw in a legislature.
Metasmurf: Yeah I can see why it rang a bell. That's a really pretty old building. It kind of looks like it might once have had a door on the corner that has been, unfortunately, removed. You're actually not the first Scandanavian who commented on some of my Maritime bats reminding them of home. Something about being a cold, wet northern land seems to have drawn both Atlantic Canadians and Scandanavians to wood and colour (wood being plentiful and colour to compensate for grey winters perhaps).
XiahouDun: Thanks. Maybe I'll make a commercial lot. I wasn't really planning on it as it would probably seem short for a commercial building, but maybe I'll give it a go.
So nothing major tonight. Just wondering if anyone likes pink?
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I'm not sure about it. Maybe I'll try a deeper red. I'm still planning a blue and probably a green. A brown version might also be possible.
I like the pink :D
Maybe another variation with a colour like this one?
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Btw, this is another building from my hometown :)
Looks great Samuel! :thumbsup:
I like this newest one a lot, Spa. Bed & Breakfast was the first thing that popped into my mind as well. I like both color variations, although I think the pink could be desaturated just the tiniest bit. I don't think you need to switch to a deeper red or anything... just make it a touch less "loud" ;)
JB
Meta: I didn't end up hitting on that colour but I have four others besides the pink and yellow. That building is definitely not like anything around Atlantic Canada :)
Tag: Thanks
JB: I toned down the pink just the tiniest bit :)
So I have 4 other colour variations to add to the mix.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg126.imageshack.us%2Fimg126%2F6151%2Fdundasterraceothercolouim2.jpg&hash=2f822826974ed4e4192bb45bcf6b2349404ba40a)
I think of the new batch the brown and green are my favourite. I'm planning to mirror 3 of the alternate colours and leave the rest as is. I'll then make two building families (one for the 3 mirrored and one for the 3 unmirrored) to maximize the variety on the lots. At this point, I think they're pretty much ready for the render.
Excellent work as usual. The color versions turned out great, the blue seems a bit bolder than the others, but they all look good. One question though, when you say they are ready for the render, how did they get on the lots you have shown? Is there some different rendering method you use for the final version? I'll be waiting to get these things in game. Take it easy.
-Matt
haha nothing so elaborate as that Matt. These are just photoshopped. I did a preview render for each to get the usual building on a black background shot that gmax presents. I then took the image and dropped it over top of a screenshot of the yellow one on the lot I made (the yellow version was actually rendered) and voila, pink, green, brown, blue and red in game :)
Well as mentioned earlier, I have another bunch of old time Maritime residential buildings underway (started over Christmas). They're a set of duplexes from Church Street in Halifax's South End (just around the corner from me actually). Here's some pics of the real things to give you a sense of what I'm making.
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(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg107.imageshack.us%2Fimg107%2F6616%2Fchurchstreetapartmentgrlf6.jpg&hash=c821eb5336d17b942c33eb15c6efe7584609cc2e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg115.imageshack.us%2Fimg115%2F4674%2Fchurchstreetapartmentblvn1.jpg&hash=5fa1f14aec5483218481748fc1810a2b92b598e4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg115.imageshack.us%2Fimg115%2F4074%2Fchurchstreetapartmentbreg2.jpg&hash=47ab033fa80c401d677a355a7fb65b2b76842ab9)
I really like them. They're nice and colourful, have some great little details but don't scream for attention, and have been generally well maintained (a few exceptions of course). These bunch are all clustered aroung the intersection of Church and Harvey Street, but the style is a little more widespread. I have noticed a few of these on other streets in the South End, up near Spring Garden Road and even across the harbour in Downtown Dartmouth. In a particularly Halifax type quirk, they're detached. A lot of Halifax's older neighbourhoods that have survived had density without rowhouses. Very thin gaps were left between buildings that today, where wide enough, have been turned into a place to stash the family car.
Anyway, here's what I have done:
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I'm planning 6 different variations. Just the yellow finished so far, but I'm planning to retexture the model to make a red version. I'm done modeling the green version and I'm still working on the models of the others. These will be almost wall-to-wall like Don Miguels Multi-family homes. Anyway, more to come (likely after the weekend).
Those duplexes are beautiful! Good job. :thumbsup:
good bat :thumbsup: but I think that the roof is much plane
Quote from: spa on January 14, 2009, 08:15:23 PM
Well as mentioned earlier, I have another bunch of old time Maritime residential buildings underway (started over Christmas). They're a set of duplexes from Church Street in Halifax's South End I really like them. They're nice and colourful, have some great little details but don't scream for attention, and have been generally well maintained (a few exceptions of course). These bunch are all clustered aroung the intersection of Church and Harvey Street, but the style is a little more widespread. I have noticed a few of these on other streets in the South End, up near Spring Garden Road and even across the harbour in Downtown Dartmouth. In a particularly Halifax type quirk, they're detached. A lot of Halifax's older neighbourhoods that have survived had density without rowhouses. Very thin gaps were left between buildings that today, where wide enough, have been turned into a place to stash the family car.
Yes, I'm familiar with these Halifax "driveways"; there's lots of room for the car, as long as you don't try to open the car door to get out! :P
Wow Spa, I cannot - I stretch cannot - wait for all the buildings from the past pages to be released! Those W2W city buildings - i'm aching for them. As always, your bats are class 1 in realism. :thumbsup:
GirlfromVerona: Thanks
Orange: Point taken. I ended up lifting the roofs a tiny bit, adding a gradient and putting on a few more small vents. They're still pretty minimalist but they're just duplexes after all so I wouldn't want to put too much up there.
Simdad: Yeah they can be a challenge. Open the door and crunch, new paint needed for your car and house! A lot of people have to park on the street which is causing a lot of trouble right now. The winter parking ban is back so overnight parking is banned again in Halifax until Spring, regardless of whether or not it's snowing. Seems a tad much to me.
Howling: Don't worry they're coming soon! :) I'm just going to finish up the Imperial Theater so that I have a full batch of 7 commercial buildings. Thanks for the kind words.
I have been fairly occupied as of late and haven't been spending much time batting. I have done some texturing though on the other Church Street apartments. If you don't like yellow they now come in green and red and are in game on a lot. Check them out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg258.imageshack.us%2Fimg258%2F2929%2Fchurchstreetapartments1qf0.jpg&hash=b588202f43cbaabd342d54b6544876dcf0029d42)
I really like the green one! They're a building family so all of them will appear on the 3-4 different lots I make to add variety. The trees in back are a prop families so, as you can see, they randomly change too. I'm now about halfway done the set. There are still 3 more to come, but they'll be plainer in style. The brown and blue one I posted earlier, plus one more variation. I do have one thing for your consideration though. The Church Street apartments ended up being small enough to squeeze on a 1x1 so I tried them out to see how they would fit. Below is the result.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg160.imageshack.us%2Fimg160%2F386%2Fchurchstreetapartments1le4.jpg&hash=69f60879970a939d0b216c3075f2f53a720aa1fa)
In general, they work, but there is a small problem with the rear steps. They end practically on the fence and there is no room to do anything about that. So how dumb does that look? Can I get away with it or should I just junk the 1x1s and leave them all as 1x2s?
I would say 1x2 is preferable. Knowing how these houses are really lotted in Halifax (I used to live in one), they almost always had a deep backyard to compensate for the dense street frontage.
If you do choose to keep a 1x1 option, I would lose the picket fence. It just looks weird. Why would you have a fence when you don't have a backyard? :)
Quote from: simdad1957 on January 25, 2009, 07:46:15 AM
I would say 1x2 is preferable. Knowing how these houses are really lotted in Halifax (I used to live in one), they almost always had a deep backyard to compensate for the dense street frontage.
If you do choose to keep a 1x1 option, I would lose the picket fence. It just looks weird. Why would you have a fence when you don't have a backyard? :)
I agree. 1x2 would do :) Wonderful buildings by the way!
1x2, definitely.They're looking maginificent!
I agree completely with simdad on the 1x1 issue.
I also thing that you should make some 1x3 or 1x2s with that parking space between the buildings someone mentioned before. Perhaps a 2x2 version that works like that would be very reasonable IMO.
I would say that, if you intend to keep the 1x1 (neat to see a large building for a small lot every once in a while, and this is one of those times) I would see if you could mess with the occupant size parameters and has it extend on to the sidewalk just a wee bit more to give some bit of a backyard. I like the 1x2s. Big trees in the backyard. They fit the lot though, and balance out the bulk of the house. Nicely done.
-Matt
I'm going to agree with Matt on this one. I like the 1x1, maybe you could get rid of the picket fence, make the base texture concrete or pavement. And if there was a way to move the model forwards some how, it might make a great LOT for crowded cities. That would be my prefrence for the 1x1.
The 1x2 looks great just the way it is.
Robin :thumbsup:
Quote from: spa on January 08, 2009, 04:16:20 PM
Meta: I didn't end up hitting on that colour but I have four others besides the pink and yellow. That building is definitely not like anything around Atlantic Canada :)
Tag: Thanks
JB: I toned down the pink just the tiniest bit :)
So I have 4 other colour variations to add to the mix.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg126.imageshack.us%2Fimg126%2F6151%2Fdundasterraceothercolouim2.jpg&hash=2f822826974ed4e4192bb45bcf6b2349404ba40a)
I think of the new batch the brown and green are my favourite. I'm planning to mirror 3 of the alternate colours and leave the rest as is. I'll then make two building families (one for the 3 mirrored and one for the 3 unmirrored) to maximize the variety on the lots. At this point, I think they're pretty much ready for the render.
Nice! : &apls &apls
Simdad: I agree the 1x2s are the best fit. I have kept the 1x1s, but I took your advice and ditched the fences.
Metasmurf: Done and thanks.
Howling: Thanks
Rushman: They're now gone. I had a request for 1x3s from the bsc crew so I'll make a few lots. I actually tried to put a parking space between the building's, but they don't fit. I don't think it's really worth it to make some props just to have a version parking.
Matt: Not a bad idea, but the 1x1s also have to line up with, or at least come close to, the property line of the other buildings. So I don't want to edge the 1x1s any further forward. Check out the picture below of 1x1s on the corner alongside the 1x2s and you'll see what I mean.
Robin: Thanks. I have kept the 1x1s, but I removed the fences and made corner versions. I think they work better now.
Fantnet: Thanks. Dundas Terrace was a beastly model so I'm glad you like the results.
The yellow, green and red Church Street Apartments were lonely so I added 3 more variations, a blue, a beige and a brown. Check them out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg25.imageshack.us%2Fimg25%2F4750%2Fchurchstreetfinizw9.jpg&hash=43782208b6ed06d3045f2fe612c75dc050da445a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg129.imageshack.us%2Fimg129%2F9741%2Fchurchstreetfini2ff5.jpg&hash=64143bb86a02404ded8aeb0be595f7f0aed30a5f)
I think it works fairly well. The beige and blue are plainer than the rest, which I think mixes things up nicely. You can see the difference in setback for the 1x1s and 1x2s. It would be nice if they lined up a little more but there just isn't the room and I would rather the 1x2s were consistent with other rowhomes. The 1x1s will either fill a streatch by themselves or will fill in the corners so I don't think it's a big deal to have them a little closer to the street than the rest.
And at night
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg129.imageshack.us%2Fimg129%2F1460%2Fchurchstreetfininightkm8.jpg&hash=5850bf68486e11037c3499a7d23ddc89340c12a4)
Unless there are any last minute suggestions I think they're finished.
The only thing is that the yellow one looks backwards. But then it looks correct at the same time. I dunno, maybe I'll take that one out my plugins folder. I looove that green one, and very nice lots BTW; they fit in well with CP's lots. One detail I've noticed is the slight encroachment in the front of the house on the 1x1s; I really like it too!!! I suggest you make these as medium density buildings, low density will looks very out of place Congrats on your Trixie at some other unheard of site ::)
-sean
I see what you mean about having the fronts line up. I think it turned out quite well, especially with the corner lots. Good call on that one. The additional gray and blue versions are also good to have. You seem to produce these things so effortlessly. Any trick to it for us aspiriing BATters, or is it just repetition, repetition, repetition? Either way, this place is always a source for inspiration (and good buildings to play with too).
-Matt
These look fantastic man. I cannot wait to get my hands on these. Also Congrats on your Trixie Award over at Stex. :thumbsup:
Nice homes! They remind me a little bit of San Francisco :)
Nice. :thumbsup: I like the way they sort of emerge from the trees in the back (like in the first picture).
Sean: Yeah I know what you mean. I actually thought about making two families, one flipped forward and one flipped backwards since it can kind of work from either side. That said, I have seen bay windows in the back of houses too. Don't worry they're medium density. Thanks for the congrads.
Matt: Practice practice practice. It's all a matter of time really. You get what you put in. The biggest thing that helped me was leaning on the SC4 community. Feedback from experienced batters and tutorials helped a lot. One of the biggest mistakes I think new batters tend to make is picking something really challenging for a first attempt. The best way to learn, in my opinion, is to pick something fairly simple like a small house or shop. Working from photos is a great way to train the eye. If you have photos, you can reference them while you're batting. By working from photos, you'll include details and features that might otherwise be missed and avoid, some, mistakes. If you have a quality camera, you can even use digital photos to make the textures. That saves a TON of time. Hope that helps.
Simnation: Thanks
Iamgoingtoeatyou: Thanks. The multi-colour and "Victorian" style is probably the trigger for the San Fran connection.
C.P.: Thanks. Can't beat a big leafy backyard!
Well I promised a while back I would be releasing my latest batch of old commercial buildings. They'll be on the exchange shortly, but before I let them toddle off into the big world I want to finish up #7, the Imperial Theatre from Saint John, New Brunswick. I started this a year ago, but kind of lost interest for a while there. I'm now dusting it off again so incase you missed it the first time, here's a pic of the real thing:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg186.imageshack.us%2Fimg186%2F8441%2Fimperialtheaterfb9.jpg&hash=eeb17ebee80560c1c93c5a3711b448a1964bcdcc)
Pretty classy old building and the pride of Saint John. The only problem is the modern addition that has been put onto the back of it is damned hideous. Anyway, the last time I showed my version it consisted of just the entranceway. Well the front has come together and besides texturing the windows and putting on the very top parapet, the front is pretty much done. Check it out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg22.imageshack.us%2Fimg22%2F1112%2Fimperialtheatercontinuepj5.jpg&hash=564fcc0fa6c6e9a336c55ef6decf8437f7416854)
Still lots to do of course. I can't consider any of the textures final until I see how it looks with windows. In particular, the first floor corners may need some adjustment as may the brown on the main parapet. I'm planning on taking this one back to the past when it comes to the sides and back. I just can't bring myself to replicate the modern addition. So it's going to be a bit of a fantasy for the rest of it.
No takers eh. Well here's where thing now sit mid-weekend.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg27.imageshack.us%2Fimg27%2F4600%2Fimperialtheatremovesalo.jpg&hash=b6165ad5a71d2817191c26dd27121d94a7e3549f)
The basic structure is pretty much done at this point. The roof is obviously the biggest missing element right now. I'll need to put some equipment up there and an access point. On the back of the building, I'm planning on including two or three loading bays. The idea is that the area with the clean new bricks was added on to modernize the place (that's where I'm assuming the stage and behind the scenes stuff sits). This is pretty much fantasy since the addition on the real thing is far more intrusive. Compared to my earlier preview shot, you might notice a slightly different feel to the building in terms of massing. That's because I scaled it down on all dimensions by about 10%. I noticed when I mocked it up in game that the place was just a little too big. It'll now blend in a little better and I think it was something that was defiitely needed. By the way, does the grafitti tag work? Anyway, there are still some other details to take care of, but this one is coming along.
Wonderful as always Samuel! The facade of the building looks very nice. will you make this a CS$$$?
Hello Spa, Jack wilds here...
I really like your work, particularly the Atlantic retreats... the 'B&B' buildings are fun to look at and would make for a refreshing addition to some of my cities. Most of your work as adorn my 'cities' as small town and rural creations. Hope to be able to dl these latest projects to add giving my Sims even more to gawk at ::) .
Jack
Tag: Thanks. This one will definitely be Cs$$$.
Jack: I'm glad you like my stuff. There will be more to choose from in the near future. My batch of old commercial buildings is almost ready (Imperial Theatre being the 7th). After that it'll be a batch of old residentials. I have most of them picked out, but not started yet. So Dundas Terrace will be a little while since I only have it and the Church Street apartments finished. Anyway, they'll be something new soon.
As mentioned, I have been tinkering with the Imperial Theatre. Below is where things are now at the start of my long weekend; I work a compressed schedule so every second weekend is a long one (I'm not back to work until Monday).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg6.imageshack.us%2Fimg6%2F5901%2Fimperialtheatreadjusted.jpg&hash=c55d2bca04f743461331bf6eea9ceb6697b5a675)
As you might have noticed, after a fair number of comments, I toned down the purple bricks. It's funny, I never thought of them as purple. I clipped them from my photos of the place and they just looked old to my eyes. Anyway, they're now red. I also added some beige to the front bricks and stonework so that it's not so white. It seems to fit and makes it look a little but more like masonry. I'm really pleased with that result. Also on the front, the little lights have gone up on the 2nd floor and the interlocking stonework is in on the corners. Around the back, I have finished the loading bays/back door. The one thing I haven't figured out yet is whether I'm going to put windows on the very top of the modern addition like there are on the older part. I'm kind of tempted to do so with the idea that the upper floors might hold offices or other behind the scenes type stuff (you wouldn't want windows in the actual theatre). I might just have to put them in and see how it looks. At this point, I think I'm ready to tackle the roof. I think this one could be done this weekend.
I have been alluding to the horrible modern addition that they built on the real thing for a few posts now. I feel like I need to share it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a photo of it in all its horribleness. Seems no one takes pictures from that vantage. Here's one of my photos from when I was in Saint John two summers ago. You can kind of get a sense of the awfulness, but there is nothing to compare to the view from the very back!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg25.imageshack.us%2Fimg25%2F1351%2Fimperialtheatremodernad.jpg&hash=31e343c48d9fc3bdf8e8761224a0cc4765334535)
Pretty tacky eh? IMHO, it's an architectural atrocity. I guess though it was better than losing the whole place.
Please, leave the BAT how it is. Don't ruin a marvelous building with that crap facade thing. Looking good. It might be a little too red. It almost looks pink IMO.
-sean
Rushman: Don't worry I won't be including the modern tackiness :)
Well I have finished the building and I rendered it last night. Here's how it looks in game, finished, and on a lot.
Front/Back:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg518.imageshack.us%2Fimg518%2F6872%2Fimperialfrontandback.jpg&hash=0c8cfac8bf8ba5f84b21572bb86bddec95650218)
Sides:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg10.imageshack.us%2Fimg10%2F1319%2Fimperialtheatresides.jpg&hash=cd2013ee99f918b017284ac705d22b08ecfab75a)
The roof turned out to be a real pain. I find with roof textures they either come together really easily or they end up taking several frustrating hours. This one was the later. After tinkering all the way through the Brothers Grimm I ended up just chucking the gravel texture I was attempting and went with old reliable tar paper. Even that though was tough to get a shade that would work with the facade and bricks. Anyway, the roof feels done at this point.
The night lighting on this one wasn't too hard given that there are basically no windows anywhere except on the front. Below is how it turned out.
Night:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg10.imageshack.us%2Fimg10%2F6919%2Fimperialnight.jpg&hash=4290e6e9eaa8fd411002a1cb0a0e24044991daa1)
I like the marquee :)
There is one thing I had to do with this one that was different from my usual works. I ended up using the lighter maxis pavement texture instead of the darker version that is on all my other lots. I opted for the lighter version because it has overlay textures (the dark one doesn't). Using my regular texture, the pavement ends up going up the side alleys, which looks kind of strange. With the lighter version's overlays, however, I can make the sidewalk almost flush with the front. Below is what I mean.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg10.imageshack.us%2Fimg10%2F2092%2Fimperialtheatresidevers.jpg&hash=0edb01890b9eabe269784ac909e48e2744d7d464)
The tradeoff is that this one will look slightly different when up against alleys on my other lots. I don't think it's a big deal though. Just a minor difference. In some ways, I think the lighter version actually fits the building better since, apart from the old brick, the building is fairly light coloured.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg10.imageshack.us%2Fimg10%2F6461%2Fimperialtexturedifferenr.jpg&hash=0f3535fc4cc0cd74e7949f9a28ffef7b0d9ee4b0)
Seems fairly minor, especially since most of it will be shaded in built up areas. Anyway, unless there is any last minute suggestions, this one is finished.
Hello SPA, Jack wilds here...
A earlier post post was complaining over the 'red-pinkish-purple-ish' hues-color of the brick...
I'm wondering if its to do with all the process of posting it here and it probably appears more pinkish-purple-ish' than it really is. Also thinking &Thk/( that when it appears in a city it will have a slightly different in color/texture than what the post conveys... am I making sense ??? ? perhaps the brick was on special for this reason when the contractor got it to install and the said contractor made a little better profit... ::) ;)
What I would like to have considered is an alleyway from the front to the rear service area. A number of bats have rear service areas with out any means of getting back there unless its made. Do you know if there is a single-one way-TE'd alleyway or ally set that would serve access to these rear areas? &idea just thinking aloud... It also looks like a wrap to me, adding the rear doors and details made come to life. Like it in its facade detail and texture. :thumbsup:
The more I look at the church street apartments the more I like 'em... is there a story about them as well, where there located are they just a neighborhood structure or did appear in other places as well... A corner lot appears to have three apartments is that one of the lots?, will the apartments be 'lotted' as they appear for the dl? too many inquiries so I will stop...
cold in the northwoods $%Grinno$%
Jack :satisfied:
I love the Imperial Theatre! It's one of my favourite ever BATs of yours. &apls
Looks fantastic, i like the minor trash and alley props as always. The roof is well done. In particular, the steam vents for kitchens is a nice touch, I hope to see them on later BATs of yours.
-sean
WOW Spa! Great to see you pick this gem back up. It looks spectacular &apls
Drove past the Imperial today actually as I was making my way around the slushy streets of Saint John.
&apls &apls Great work spa. I like the front of this theatre . Good choice :thumbsup:
The interior of this place is just stunning. In case you have never had the privilege:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sjwaterfront.com%2Fimages%2FImperial-theatre-with-quart.jpg&hash=81f864ae0a66c7b4376d36411f0e5d091afb3bc9)
Edit: Also - For roof stuff, you could have a look at this - http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=45.272662~-66.057705&style=a&lvl=19&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1 (http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=45.272662~-66.057705&style=a&lvl=19&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1)
Jack_wilds: You're right. Preview renders against black backgrounds look different than in game shots because of the colour palette (black versus SC4's sunny pastel like world). On accessing those rear alleys, many of my bats don't have ways to get back there, but they're designed so that when you link them all up alongside one and other, there will be one consistent alley that can be accessed at the first cross street. I have done two bats, Paddy's Brew Pub and Video Difference, that have narrow alleys along the side of the building so you can get to the rear alley mid-block. Eventually I plan to do a few more like that. I don't plan though on getting into lotting an alley set and transit enabling it.... Although maybe one day :) Right now I'm into making residentials. The Church Street apartments don't have any big story or anything. I just noticed there are several old duplexes at the intersection of Harvey and Church Streets in Halifax that were obviously built at the same time by the same people from the same plans. Since I first noticed them, I started seeing a few others around town, but the others I have spotted are all stand alones. At Church and Havery there is a real cluster. A local historian would probably know more about them, but, unfortunately, I really don't. I just think they look sharp. I have lotted them as 1x1s, 1x2s and 1x3s. I didn't make any mega lots. The pictures you see are just a bunch of them grown next to each. It helps give the appearence of a mega lot because the lotting is consistent and I made corner 1x1s. Anyway, I think I hit all the points in your comment :)
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. It turned out not bad in the end :)
Sean: You will see those vents reappear. I keep all of the roof stuff I make in one all inclusive file so that I can reuse stuff. It's why, if you look closely, you'll notice a few objects on the roofs of my bats are actually the same. The vents on this one were actually made when I was working on Morse's Tea so this is technically their first reuse!
Magee: I thought you might like that I finished this one. Only need Simdad to chime in... maybe he's feeling down that I did a Saint John bat before one from Moncton ;) When I was in Saint John, I unfortunately never got a chance to go inside. My friend and I poked our heads in, but they were setting up for something and weren't taking any tours. It does look pretty amazing. Next time I'm in Saint John I'll make sure to stop in. Maybe if I let the Theatre's management know I made their building I won't be denyed a tour!
Kimcar: Thanks.
Well the Imperial Theatre is done, so I'm back to making small, but dense, historic residentials. I had a fair bit of free time today so I motored through one, an old rowhouse building from Halifax's Inglis Street called Knightsbridge. Below is a picture of the real building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F3639%2Fknightsbridgereallife.jpg&hash=cfd5c1df3605d71054f804d4371982135ad1c94c)
I really don't know how this old rowhouse got the name Knightsbridge. Halifax has been a very British city for much of its history so if I had to guess, I would venture that it was probably named for the Knightsbridge area in London. Inglis Street is located in Halifax's traditionally wealthy South End so it makes some sense that Halifax's colonial aristocracy would name a building in the wealthier end of town after a wealthy part of London. That said, there use to be a significant stream called Freshwater Brook only a hundred or so meters from the building (the old stream now flows through pipes underground) so maybe there was a once a bridge near the spot. The whole building was recently converted into high-end condos and had a discrete modern addition added off the back of the building, safely out of view from the street. There are still two condos currently for sale, but they're kind of pricey by Halifax standards. Here's the link http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=7598719 (http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=7598719) incase anyone is interested in checking out the interiors. Anyway, below is what I have come up with.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg7.imageshack.us%2Fimg7%2F9499%2Fknightsbridgepreview.jpg&hash=10510dc6146873913c6e087524fbdeeed424a79b)
Not a whole lot left to do actually. The roof, glass, back porch and lighting is all that remains on the basic model. This one won't be a regular 1x2. It's 10 units across (about 2/3rds of a SC4 tile) so it won't work as regular stand alone wall-to-wall. I'm going to have to set it up as terrace block, just like the real building. I'll make as many copies of the basic model as I need to fill a lot and I'll modify the ends on each side to look like proper corner units. I'm basically going to use the same approach I went with when I made Garrison Woods. Anyway, based on how quickly this one happend, I'll probably haver a render of a least one of the models at some point this weekend.
Glad to hear the Imperial is done. That was a neat one to watch come together. These little units look good too. Curious to know what the actual scale of each unit is. Basic math (at 3:30am) told me it was about 2m (2/3*16=10m 2 units per section and 10 units total (front and back) 10m/5sections=2m/section) which seems a bit narrow, but that may just be my math tonight. I like the modelling of it though, whatever the scale. It looks like it'll turn into a very nice lot (as usual).
-Matt
Matt: Thanks Matt. I'm afraid I missed a few turns in your 3:30am math (your 3:30 is better than my anytime!). I think you're right though. In gmax these are 10 meters (units) across. A Sim City tile is of course 16 so about 1 and 1/2 per tile. The problem is that 16 can be awfully wide for some styles of rowhouses. At 16 across, everything tends to get wide rather than tall. Maybe the image below will help ;)
First off, incase you didn't catch it, this week is release party week. I'm sending a bat a day out into the wide world. Kingsway Shops 2, the Roy Building and the J.W. Johnston Building are now available on the LEX. I have been fairly busy lately, but I have found some time to pick away at Knightsbridge Terrace. Below is where things sit.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg25.imageshack.us%2Fimg25%2F4131%2Fknightsbridgemoveson.jpg&hash=881eaf0c0ebed026aa01198d87bd09224ca3097f)
It's actually a lot of surface area to cover! Both the windows and the roof textures took quite a while to make. For variety I'm working on all the possible variations of this building at once, but I'm back on the idea of having most of it in game as props so that it is easier to make more varied and different sized lots. On the back, obviously the windows still need to be done. I'm going to add some random deck items (some of my bbqs, plants and chairs) and I'll vary the mats. I'll also be adding some windows to the side walls and some big old chimnies on the roof. Depending if I'm sick of it or not, I might try some other colour variations, maybe a light yellow and a peach. We'll see what the weekend brings.
this not only fits in with New england styles, but resembles many new mixed-income communities here in baltimore. Perhaps you could differ the depths between the units to giving a slightly staggered look like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tenantplus.com%2FvacancyImages%2FVacImg_155883_1.jpg&hash=186e002303f5dde8abc69b4bc33d08fd3513d0f0)
It would not be 100% accurate, but is variation players are constantly looking for.
Quote from: spa on March 11, 2009, 07:33:44 PM
First off, incase you didn't catch it, this week is release party week. I'm sending a bat a day out into the wide world.
Awesome news! I've grabbed the first three already - can't wait to see what's next on the release schedule.
Knightsbridge Terrace is coming along well, too! :thumbsup:
Nice work, and congratulations on the Release Party. I have a few of those shops that will be opening for business in Greenacre shortly. Now then, my 2:30 mind sees where the confusion that crept into my 3:30 math came from. When you said it was 10 units across for 2/3 of a tile, I thought units meant number of residences instead of meters. Your explanation makes perfect sense now. It looks like you have a few variations in the works, and I'll look forward to seeing how they'll come together. Well done as always.
-Matt
it seems to me very realistic, very well. &apls
You could maybe personalize more the various houses, by adding flowers or identical curtains on an apartment ;)
Hey Spa, Jack wilds here...
Dl'd all the bats of the week and I am thrilled with their lotting, and appearances in my cities. I particularly like the Dennis building. The Imperial theater is a good cultural addition to any Sim life. :thumbsup: Well done...
Jack :satisfied:
I'm really digging this latest batch of buildings you've been releasing; I'm going for an "old downtown" look in parts of the new city I'm getting ready to start developing, and these will fit right in.
Rushman: Not a bad idea for a future bat. It's not something I'm planning on with these though.
GirlfromVerona: Glad you liked them.
Matt: Thanks I'm glad they found a place in your city. If you're looking for variation, you'll like this update :)
Orange: I added a few details like bbqs, chairs and plants on the back. Maybe that'll do the trick.
Jackwilds: Thanks. The Dennis Building was fun to work with. There is a lot on it for something that is essentially just a box.
Chibytuga: I'm glad you like them. I tried to make it a themed release of old stuff. The next batch will be old wooden residentials :)
So it has been a while since I posted in here. All my posting time went into uploading last week Knightsbridge has moved along quite considerably though. I have 5 models rendered and on lots in game. I made three lots for each model: one with an alley, one with backyards, and one that's just one tile wide. Since a couple pictures are worth a thousands words, you can check them out below in all their combinations.
2x2s
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F4766%2Fknightsbridge2x2s.jpg&hash=e0085fad8d80dc7777530a7624a79f15cdb04f21)
3x2s
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F1570%2Fknightsbridge3x2s.jpg&hash=20e013a62d1d34d543271b86bf1f6e0035262035)
4x2s
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F1549%2Fknightsbridge4x2s.jpg&hash=81e97261111f6671a1fc8f7a675a99d0d1aecc4a)
5x2s
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F7563%2Fknightsbridge5x2s.jpg&hash=07ee9b121a5113f6b3b5e0e0d2d149abe2c1a605)
6x2s
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F4534%2Fknightsbridge6x2s.jpg&hash=118fa69d2a275f5ed6f997b8c4cf7131a48cf000)
One tile wide versions at night
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F74%2Fknightsbridgenight.jpg&hash=119e4976507c7f1d9f1268f5f2989b58d2144eb7)
The night lighting kind of works to bring out the basement windows doesn't it? They tend to get lost in the day view but sure pop at night. About the trees on the lots, they're cycledogg's of course (love his stuff) and they're actually prop families so the lots will be somewhat random.
Now that I have the basic blue version done, I'm contemplating other colours. Below is a mockup of the 3 alternates I'm considering.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F172%2Fknightsbridgeothercolou.jpg&hash=eb91cfd181b276104416ea971520a2f2682a9087)
I think the sage green is a definite winner. It seems to look the best... Probably because it's the closest to the light blue. I'm not sure yet about the peach and yellow versions. The siding might need to be desaturated a little bit and the shingles might need to be brightened a little bit. I like the colours as concepts though. Anyway, it'll take a while to render all the greens so there is still time to adjust the yellow and peach versions. What do you guys think of the alternate colours?
nice work spa, i actually like all of the colours. i was wondering about the bigger lots though (5x2, 6x2), would it be possible to make them into 2x5 and 2x6?
its just a thought cause often those ?x2 get broken up into smaller lots and the unique size of 2x? would make these easier to grow....and you know we all
want them to grow! keep up the great work.
Very nice work. The lights do bring out the basements, and the color is excellent. I sort of like the yellow option as it, and the green isn't too bad either. Not sure about the peach though... it seems a bit saturated. My one critique of the lots though, is the parking situation with the narrow drives. They look excellent, and the variation with the wider sections looks great. However, the parked cars on the narrow sections seem to block the driveway (see the 3rd pic with the redish SUV). If there is a way to gracefully add a bit more room (perhaps by deepening the parking area) I think these lots would be pretty much perfect. Nice work.
-Matt
nice although a corner version would complete this set...
I agree with Mightygoose. Perhaps a corner only version that has that alley parking facing the corner, unrestricted to the road. Other than that, this looks about rapped up, hope you are doing them in families for more variation!
-sean
Jmdude1: It would be possible, but that would be a bit of an odd shape! With a combination for every size from 2 up to 6 wide there shouldn't be much trouble in getting these to appear.
Matt: Yeah you weren't the only one who spotted that. I have gone back and eliminated the cars that could block the alley and I moved the cars back just a little bit in the indented areas. The alleys wont' be blocked now.
Mightygoose: Maybe... Wasn't really planning on it though :)
Sean: Don't worry, I'm using families so that'll maximize the variety.
Nothing new to report on Knightsbridge. I finalized the greens, but I haven't touched the yellow or peach. I'll tinker with them in the next while. I had the urge though to start something new. I decided to recreate some of Halifax's more common homes, the so-called "Halifax Box." The Halifax Box is the name that has been given affectionately and derisevly through the years to the simple old wooden houses that were built in great numbers throughout the City's older neighbourhoods. The typical Halifax box has two to three rows of windows, simple adornments if any and an almost flat roof. They were usually built either wall-to-wall with their neighbours or with only a very narrow gap. Today, they can be found all over the Peninsula and in parts of Dartmouth, but the biggest concentration is in the old working class neighbourhood between the Downtown and the MacDonald Bridge. This North End neighbourhood was shelted from the 1917 Explosion by the hill at Fort Needham and was, until recently, an economically depressed area. Having survived the Explosion, but with no investment, not much was demolished over the last 100 years. Today the area is gentrifying, but the old wooden homes are rightly viewed as assets and most will likely live on, even if their interiors are gutted. Anyway, below are some pics.
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One final note, notice the elaborate porches on the 3 down middle and bottom right? That's another typical Halifax architectural feature. In many cases, like on these Boxes, the porches are more elaborate then the actual building that they attach too!
Anyway, what I'm planning is a whole ton of variations of one basic model (different entranceways, colours, decoratives features etc) based loosely on the types of Boxes posted above. So far, I have the starting model done.
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I think it's pretty cute! It still needs a chimney or a vent or something though. Since I'll be able to reuse so much of the basic model, with some minor alteration, it shouldn't take too long to make more. I'm thinking two on a 1x2 medium density lot and one by itself on a low density 1x2 lot. Anyway, that's what's in the works right now.
I'm out in the country this weekend house sitting for my parents. It's a 6 day staycation. As is usual when I'm out there, I started a new project since I can't bring much with me. Next up, an old paint peeler that I mentioned months ago from Halifax's South End, the Victorian Apartments.
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This is one I know well... I actually live in the building! It's a neat place. It's cheap for what is otherwise a very expensive neighbourhood. It's near the universities and is in the South End so the building is full of students and young people just starting out (me). It was once a hotel (the Victorian Hotel) and local rumour says it was a brothel for a time too back when the southern end of Hollis Street was Halifax's red light district. It's a building that you won't find in any guidebook, but it's distinctive appearence has made it a local landmark. The number of people who instantly say oh "the grey building" or "the place with the wrap around porches!" when I mention I live at Hollis and Morris is actually quite remarkable. It's a building that has been a bit romanticized. Sadly, it's in rough shape and its days are numbered. The building's owner also owns two old houses in equally poor condition next door and is moving forward in the planning process with a proposal to build a ten storey modern building on the site.
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The proposal still has to go before Halifax Regional Council so I haven't been evicted yet! Anyway, even if the real building is doomed and I'm going to have to move, it's going to live on in Sim City. So far, I have finished the top two floors of the front portion (the building's most geometrically complicated section).
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I'll no doubt finish the model while I'm out in the country, but texturing will have to wait until I'm home again and have access to fast internet and photoshop. The Victorian Apartment will fit on a 3x2 or a 3x3 on a corner lot and will be wall-to-wall on one side. It'll probably be R$, but we'll have to see how it looks textured for the final determination of R$ or R$$.
One other bit of news, earlier in the week I did two more versions of the Halifax boxes. Below will give you a better idea of where this project is heading.
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They're kind of fun to do actually. It only takes 2-3 hours to tweak the model and retexture to make for a different variation which fits in well with the amount of free-time I have on a work day after feeding myself and hitting the squash court. Simple and rewarding. Excuse the sparse roofs, I still have to do the roof junk on all three. It won't be anything much though, a chimney here a vent there. Small little houses like this really shouldn't have a complicated roof! Anyway, I probably won't have an update until late in the week or the week after.
I'd say make it a $ and a $$ version. One with a dead tree and blankish lot and one with lush trees and a fence. I like the box houses, they remind me of the Clay Cafe corner building you made. Keep it up out there!
SPA,
When willyou we releasing your residentials?
They will be released, when they are done and tested. Please be patience.
Quote from: spa on April 12, 2009, 11:19:01 AM
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This is one I know well... I actually live in the building!
I remember this building quite well too from my student days back in Halifax. It looks kind of dowdy on the outside but I'm sure it has lots of character on the inside. I lived in several older buildings in the south end and downtown, including the old Phi Rho Sigma frat house on Inglis and (as you know) a flat above the King of Donair.
Looking forward to the release of your residential buildings!
Wow long time since I posted anything. Let's clean up the replies before I get into explanations!
Rushman: A R$ and R$$ version of the Halifax boxes is a definite possibility. I'm already thinking of w2w and detached lots. I'm not surprised they make you think of the Clay Cafe: colourful, small and wood!
Fantnet: As Vester said, they're done when they're done :) I have been a bit tied up with real life lately so that's put things back a bit, but things are returning to normal so I'll be back to batting again soon. I'll probably have a batch of residentials done towards the end of Summer/September if I had to guess. You'll just have to be patient until then.
Vester: Thanks for the explanation. I wasn't very quick off the mark.
Simdad: Yeah this one is a little hard to miss. A definite landmark. It's coming down this Fall though. Everyone has to be out by Sept 30 so a Fall demolition seems inevitable, even if the project hasn't been approved yet (they can demolish as of right anytime they wish since this one isn't a registered heritage property). There are some great features on the inside that have survived the decades of neglect. You can see some of the interior apartments on Paramount Management's website as they try and rent out the vacant apartments for the next few months . Luckily, I already know where I'm heading next, the big old yellow place across from Cornwallis Park (more on that below). I'm afraid I don't know the old Phi Rho frat house.
So I haven't been around as much over the last two months as normal. A few big milestones and changes have ticked by all at once in life so I thought I would share and explain my particular real life virus. First up, at the start of May I went to Cuba for a week with my fiance. It was a really great trip. I had never done the all inclusive resort thing before and was worried that I would get bored, but it's amazing the way doing nothing can eat up so much time. I'll post a few pictures to give a flavour.
We stayed in Sol y Luna Mares (North of Hologuin). Our room was awesome. We had an ocean view on the third floor of a quiet section of the hotel. With such a nice setting, we made good use of the balcony (I read 4 books in a week as opposed to the 1 a month I tend to otherwise do). My fiance enjoyed it too and she's a "I can't relax I have stuff to do" type personality (lawyers, you can't take them anywhere!).
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We did remember though to also spend some time on the beach.
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mmm coconut!
The real appeal though for me about going to Cuba, was getting the chance to go snorkeling. Being from a grim Northern climate where we have fairly opaque waters and uncolourful fish, I really wanted to see a coral reef. With that in mind, we were really careful about picking a resort. We wanted one with a reef you could swim to from the beach so that we didn't have to operate on someone's boat schedule. We wanted ot be able to just go swim the reef when we felt like it. Sol y Mares proved to be a great pic (the other hotels in the area take their boats to the reef in front of this resort). My fiance brought her waterproof camera with some amazing results.
Just me cruising on the reef.
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How nature say's don't touch! Lion Fish are quite posionous and my fiance fled in panic when I told her what she was photographing!
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A parrot fish of some kind.
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I dove down and pulled this perfectly intact urchin from between two rocks and then snuck it past Canadian Customs. Unfortunately, I broke it in two a few weeks ago when I knocked it off my aquarium :(
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And this would be how urchins dies. When they break off the rocks and their fleshy underside is exposed, the fish descend like vultures. It was a real feeding frenzy and so much better since it wasn't some tourist chucking bread in the water that was causing it. It was a natural event. In the photo you can see Sergent Majors, a bunch of different Wrasses and some Damsel Fish.
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A school of Blue Tangs and Surgeon Fish cruising the reef
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Spanish Hog Fish
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A Trunk Fish (odd shaped creatures aren't they?)
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All and all it was a great trip :)
Cuba wasn't the only thing going on though. Cuba was actually a honeymoon of sorts. My fiance graduated on May 22 from law school and started articling on June 30. Her family was going to be in Town for graduation so we decided to make it a 2 for 1 deal. Come for the graduation stay for the wedding :) We got married on May 23 in Economy, Nova Scotia at a small cottage resort. It was a very traditional wedding in the sense that the bride and groom and the family did almost everything. We did our own decorating, prepared the food (except the cake) and organized our own music. Even the dress was bought second hand and then tailored to fit. We rented the whole resort to let everyone stay over and did a bbq/party. It all went amazingly well and Nova Scotia's very unpredictable and untrustworthy weather actually cooperated by offering up a perfect warm, but not too hot, May day.
In the gazebo where the ceremony happened just before the kiss the bride :)
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A done deal
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On the Bay of Fundy shore for pictures. The world's highest tides are right here. In the course of just a few hours you go from a huge expanse of mud to water lapping at the breakwall!
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Us and almost all our guest (about 5-8 didn't make the photo for one reason or another)
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You might notice that although it wasn't a big crowd, it was a young group... it made for quite a party!
It's the right of every groom to force feed the bride the first slice of cake!
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Do you know what takes a long time, stringing hundreds of lights through birch trees. Yes that's how I spent about 4 hours of my morning day of, but on the other hand it looked really great at night.
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So if going to Cuba and getting married wasn't enough, I'm also moving on Sept 1. The Victorian Apartments' days are even more numbered than I thought. My landlord isn't renewing any leases beyond Sept 30 so the writing is on the wall. It'll be a pile of rubble by late Fall to live on only in Sim City (whenever I finish the model). Luckly I already found a new place that's still in the neighbourhood. Costs a bit more, but my wife is working now so we can afford a small increase. Here's the new home which is just 2 blocks away from where I am now.
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Beautiful isn't it! You will definitely see this one as a bat sometime soon. I really like old buildings which was a big part of the appeal of this place.
Anyway, I know this is a long post and is somewhat self-involved but I just wanted everyone to share and to let everyone know that I'll be back to batting soon now that life is returning to normal.
Hey SPA, Jack wilds here...
Super wonders do abound; ()flower() congrats on your nuptials... :thumbsup: &apls glad to see that you are well and good and that RL hasn't been to disagreeable. :D
All the photogs of beach and sea; this make you a beach bum? ;) they turned out well for dl to this thread, even the colors seem to show how good its was. It (the cottage resort in Economy SC) shows that it must have been a wondrous place to share such a mile stone with family and friends; cooperating weather to boot. The 'family style' traditional wedding is a good thing, the using of 'family reunion activities' acts as a means of uniting families to form a new family; that is -a family union vs family reunion :) I hope to get to do such a thing as this, as well.
Trust to hear more about the projects soon, as well as the new digs.
Be blessed in all things, peace and joy flood your house and hearth always :sunny:
from the northwoods
Jack :satisfied:
Well, you certainly have been quite busy!!!
I'm glad you had a good trip to Cuba. I don't think anyone enjoys Caribbean vactions more than us dour and frozen Canucks. You can spot us a kilometre away by the way we frolic on the beaches. :D
Congratulations on your nuptuals. It's a big step but it truly is the most momentous event of your life.
There always seems to have been this weird connectedness between you and me. You BAT the KOD building and I lived in it when I was a med student in Halifax. We bump into each other on the SkyscraperPage forum and now another couple of coincidences.........your new wife is articling law in Halifax and my brother-in-law is a lawyer in Halifax. You get married in Economy NS and my brother-in-law's wife is from Economy NS!!!
Weird eh.......
Congratulations again.........SimDad1957(SC4D), MonctonRad(SSP)
congratulations
Congratulations! Sounds like the trip went well, and thanks for the quick icthyology lesson too. Sorry to hear about the urchin though... after all that work sneaking it back in. Looks like a nice new place you'll be moving in to (the design looks familiar and I think I've seen that shade of yellow on something you've done here before). Congratulations to your wife too for graduating law school. I just finished my second year, so I have a fair idea of what all she went through. Glad to hear you both were able to relax a bit. Hope things are well, and it's good to see you back.
-Matt
JackWilds: Thanks and I appreciated the kind private message. Sorry for not responding, but I was so behind I figured a public announcement would be easiest :)
Simdad: Yeah it was kind of crazy. Indeed Cuba was crawling with Canadians. It's almost an 11th province with half our whole country's population! It was funny on the bus on the way back, our Cuban tour guide went on about how much he loves Nova Scotians and Newfoundlanders, but that he doesn't really like Quebeckers because they're arrogant... Obviously they have a pretty good sense of Canada's regional divides! :) (with apologies to all Quebeckers). He also advised that if you bought more than 50 cigars you should just get someone who hadn't bought the limit to carry them in for you so "those bastards" don't charge. Michelle, being a lawyer, cringed :) I know what you mean. It does feel like we've been walking in some of the same footsteps doesn't it. What firm does your brother-in-law work for or is a free agent?
Jacqulina: Thanks
Matt: Ahh I'm hoping to put the urchin back together with modelling glue. The new place might be familiar because I think I might have posted a picture of it way back. It's a place that I have always thought was neat and figured was a likely bat so I'm delighted to be moving into it. You might also be thinking of Dundas Terrace, a finished, but not yet released bat of mine. It was big and yellow, but different in design and from Charlottetown. I would say its odd to have two big yellow wooden buildings posted in the same thread, but it's Atlantic Canada, everything is made of wood and nobody's afraid of bright colours!
So I'm back into batting. After a two month hiatus I was back into gmax over my 5 day break (Canada Day was July 1 and I have been off since then, but I have to go back to work tomorrow). To get back into it, I finished the modelling on the Victorian Apartments and did about half the textures. Below is where things sit:
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Obviously it's still a work in progress, but the textures are coming along. The big thing will be the windows since they'll tie the building together. I think it does feel rundown enough to be R$ which is really what the real building is. There is still a bit of modelling left to be done on the roof. The real thing is a gravel roof and it has a few modern vents poking through on it in addition to three old chimnies that I haven't batted yet. Anyway, if I don't get caught up in other things, I should have a final version this coming weekend since this one is heading into the home streatch.
Absolutely fantastic. I continue to be a huge admirer of your work. ...and your ability to render decent looking clapboard siding, which I'm constantly struggling with in BAT. Can't wait to see it finished! ...and congratulations on your beautiful wedding and new housing situation!
Obviously I missed out on everything that has happened, but I will catch up and say congratulations to the both of you ;D
Seems to me you enjoyed yourself on both occasions.
And the apartment building is looking great so far
In response to your question re: my lawyer brother-in-law; he is a partner at Burchell's.
Just wondering when you might be releasing your new residentials? I'm quite looking forward to it.
benvoliothefirst: Thanks. My clapboard comes from photos. After I pull it from the photo, I just tinker with it until I have a good ratio of boards to the wall. Like bricks, the idea is to oversize it somewhat so that it's not just a blur. One of those things you have to fudge becasue of Sim City's fixed zooms.
Kwakelaar: haha it was a big month. Thanks.
Simdad1957: Burchell's eh. They're definitely one of the names around town. No timeline on the new residentials. Things have been going very slowly lately. So far only the Church Street apartments and Dundas Terrace are truly done. Knightsbridge is practically done (just need to finish tweaking the other colours) and the Victorian Apartments are actually farther along then the last image I posted (I'll dare to say the Victorian is on the homestreatch) so they won't be long. The Halifax boxes, however, are still just started since I'm aiming to have 20-30 different variations and right now I only have 3. So I'm a ways off from 7 uploads in a week tradition. It'll be another few months yet. On the plus side I'm back at it after taking 2 months off. Right now I'm on the road which always means batting since I don't have anything else to do with my evenings. I have my camera so I'll also come back with more photos of smalltown Atlantic Canada. I'm actually in Moncton until tomorrow so I'll finally be adding some Monkeytown photos to my possible bats library. After doing the Imperial, I was thinking the Capitol could be a nice addition to the game :)
Hey Spa, I was walking around the Beaches neighborhood in Toronto and I thought you your BATS, I was wondering if you have any Toronto buildings in the pipeline?
Baconrocky: Nothing at this time. However, I'm going to Toronto to visit my best friend (he lives in Etobicoke) in August and I will be bringing my camera of course. I haven't decided what streets to walk on upcoming trip. I have done all of Bloor from the Kingsway to the ROM and I have walked Queen West to the old factory lofts from Yonge. So I'm not sure where to head next. I'm thinking the Danforth, College or Yonge as possibilities. I will say this though, when I'm done this batch of residentials, there is one Toronto landmark that I'm planning that will be a definite and recognizable hit :)
Glad to hear you finally made it to Moncton (the Hub of the Maritimes), and the largest CMA in New Brunswick.
While we have some interesting buildings, we are unfortunately a bit of an architectural wasteland. The city didn't really begin to grow until about the 1870's and as such, we don't have the architectural heritage of older cities like Halifax or Saint John. Also, many of the older grander buildings that we did have, have been torn down and replaced by non descript newer buildings. Moncton also tends to be very spread out and quite suburban and since it is a car-centric city with lots of big boxes and malls, the downtown has suffered. I hope you were able to find some interesting buildings to photograph.
I'm glad to hear that you may BAT the Capitol Theatre. It is a really grand theatre with a balcony, opera boxes and intricate plaster work and murals on the ceiling; but does not have the street presence or the facade of the Imperial Theatre in Saint John. It reminds me more of some of the theatres in Toronto like the Elgin and Wintergarden, in that it is quite inconspicuous from the street, but grand on the inside.
Loving all of these that you are doing for this set Spa...btw how many will be for this set? Seems like its turning into quite the family of low rise apartments..which is sorely needed in my opinion
Simdad: Yeah it was a long-time coming. I met up with a friend while I was there and she couldn't believe it either that I had never been to Moncton. It's kind of like Truro in Nova Scotia. You always drive by it so it's all too easy to skip it with the intent of stopping next time. I agree with you about Downtown Moncton. How much parking does one city need? It really felt like there was a moat separating Main from everything else. I did find some neat buildings though. The Tim Hortons (Merchant Bank), Capitol, the Transcript Building and that oldie with the pink Gifts Galore in it. Strangely, although it's absolutely hideous, I really found the Scotiabank building fascinating. It has to be one of the few truly large-scale brutalist buildings in Atlantic Canada. The only comparable one I can think of is City Hall in St. John's and it's a different style of brutalism. I really liked the Thomas Williams House up by Victoria Park. I'm considering doing a batch of old mansions and the Thomas Williams would fit in nicely with that theme. Of course I always have way more pictures than time so who knows.
SimNation: I'm looking at 4 old wooden apartments. Dundas Terrace which is done and the Victorian Apartments, plus two others that are just plans right now. The other 3 will be Church Street Apartments, Knightsbridge and the Halifax's Boxes which are all either done or well underway. It will certainly add a lot more wood to the game! :)
So as mentioned, I finished the Victorian Apartments and rendered it this morning. Below is how it looks in game on a lot with everything textured.
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On the whole I'm pretty happy with it. There is only one thing I'm not sure about and that's the gravel roof over the Hollis side. The real building does have a beigey gravel roof that probably replaced tarpaper somewhere along the way. What do you guys think about the one on my bat? Too busy? Too beige? Just doesn't fit? Or is it fine? My first reaction was no, but it has grown on me and it's what's on the actual building. Thoughts?
I have also finished the nightlighting. Nothing much to say on that, it's my usual style and technique.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg268.imageshack.us%2Fimg268%2F4136%2Fvictoriannight.jpg&hash=dcf366ba7cf4f78c86dc7590c4125f431733d1e4)
beautiful as usual. tyhe lot is gritty, but not slummy good work there! Looooove the bay windows especially at night!
one thing, whats the point of the fence on the short side balcony? it seperated to top balcony, but it is cut off from any doors.
anyways, that is very minor, I would love it just as it is! oh and is it slope-enabled?
-sean
Looks great Samuel! I really like the details you put in the building. Especially the back side of the building looks great :thumbsup:
Not sure which building it was I was thinking of, I'd have to go back and check, but I like the progress of this new one. I think the texture of the gravel part of the roof might be a bit saturated. Either some dirt up there or some junk, of just add a bit of gray to things. Aside from that, well done.
-Matt
I download most of your buildings and this one will be no exception. This is another great building that will be a perfect addition for the sort of mainly lowrise cities that I like to build.
On the subject of nightlighting, one of the things I've done on my last two releases is assumed the presence of streetlights and placed a couple of dim orangey-yellow lights in the scene about 16m away and at streetlight height. It might work well on this building, especially with the facade being busy with balconies and bay windows - plenty of opportunity for bringing out the detail and casting interesting shadows.
Although having said all that, I'm not sure it will work as well with standard Maxis night as with Gizmo night - the extra ambient light may detract from the effect.
moin spa,
for the roof with the beige color ... as you said by yourself, it just does'nt feel right ... maybe add some puddles (is that right?) and darken it up a bit. :-[
... but apart from one roof-texture it just looks great ... it will be an enrichment to the game! :thumbsup:
b_schlurf
The roof texture is fine but I do think that it might be a tad too much beige in colour. It might detract a bit from the excellent facade that you have created for this model.........perhaps if you darkened it slightly.
Sean: haha I have wondered that too. They're on the real thing. As far as I know, it's because they have "officially" closed off that portion of the roof as unsafe.
Tag: Thanks
Matt: Thanks for the suggestions. I did a blur on the texture to take off some of the black spots. The change is slight, but I like the new version.
Zero7: Thanks. I considered doing some lighting on the balconies, but, at the end of the day, it wasn't something I wanted to get into.
B_Schlurf: Thanks. I blurred it.
Simdad: I ended up blurring it! :)
Well it's shaping up to be a wild weekend in Atlantic Canada. Hurricane Bill is going to brush the Nova Scotian coast tomorrow. It isn't expected to hit Halifax too badly, but it's going to be wet, 90-140mms of rain and gusts up to 90 km/h. Nothing Nova Scotians aren't use to in the late summer early Fall, but everyone is a little nervous given that the last one that came through the province was the storm of the century that left some without power for weeks. I'm hoping my power doesn't fail this time around as I have been in a batting grove. I added three more houses to the Halifax Box set. Check them out below:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg195.imageshack.us%2Fimg195%2F2156%2Fhalifaxboxes6done.jpg&hash=7cb1964cc1631716d73822dce7dca874a72a096f)
The simple green one on left and the red and purple ones on the right are new. The roof junk on the three old ones is also new. About the only thing that I'm still planning on tinkering with is the glass on the purple one. It's not quite right.
moin spa,
i checked them - i like them - it's lovely to see that there are guys around who not always go for the modern stuff.
pleasure to eventualy have them in my city! ()stsfd()
btw. hope bill is not hittin' to hard on you over there in canada!
b_schlurf
B_Schlurf: Thanks. For the most part, I'm not a fan of modern buildings. We use to build quality buildings, but it seems to have been an art that has either been forgotten or just sacrificed before the all mighty buck and business cases and such. It's a bit of history now at this point, but Hurricane Bill ended up being pretty weak. A typical tropical storm the likes of which Nova Scotia has seen many, many times before and will again. Nothing unusual. Tropical Storm Danny the following weekend actually packed more punch in terms of rainfall. At this point, with cooler temperatures setting in the chance for Atlantic hurricanes to stray North and actually do damage is closing for another season.
So time kind of slipped by on me there. I moved at the end of August/start of September and that ate up a lot of time in terms of moving and setting up our new place. My mom and I painted and varathaned the floors to make everything just right (great value to our landlord!) which of course ate up a week. Anyway, things are settling out now and I'm going back to my regular routine. This has meant new time for batting. The Halifax Box set is still coming along and there are now 4 more variations (the two on either end of the row). I have also gone back and added unique backs to all the houses. Up until last week, all of them had identical backs, but I decided to up my game and put in the extra effort. You can check them out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg401.imageshack.us%2Fimg401%2F8707%2Fhalifaxboxesfrontsandba.jpg&hash=f2e24252079625317b55b959c345c93bb0415501)
At this point, I'm almost done with the 3 window varieties. I still plan though on making an equal number of 2 window variations to round out the set.
Hello SPA, Jack wilds here...
So good to hear from you and the maritime weather report... ;) The northwoods has been too dry of late with a month of August noo rain -broke records of days consecutive no rains -some places its been up to 6 weeks... moving is such a bother -even worse when what help was promised 'got too busy..." all of a sudden. I might be moving too -not by choice, as well. What hope I have is that a blessing/miracle of God will intervene. The only to go is 'brothers place' that was mom & dads -they passed away awhile ago.
BUT I write not to cry ()sad() but to say 'Hi' :) I like the 'boxes' as they are turning out well... but could one of 'em have a nice deck out back for grillin' and such things even a bit of a veggie garden for grillin' ingredients ()what() thanx :thumbsup:
from the northwoods
Jack :satisfied:
Wow cobwebs sure accumulate quickly don't they?
Jack: I hope, if you ended up having to, your move went alright. It really is a pain. I think you'll like the latest Boxes, the newer ones have more elaborate back decks for grilling or just chilling :)
So I didn't do much batting in October. It was a fairly busy month and included, notably, a few days up in Labrador on government business (I'll post some pictures from one of the Earth's last wildernesses soon). I have also been playing a fair bit of Civilization 4, which ate into Sim City's usual allotment. On the plus side, however, I have finished up all of my planned 3 window Halifax Boxes. There are 14 in all. Below is how they turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg9.imageshack.us%2Fimg9%2F4136%2Fhalifaxboxes3windowsdon.jpg&hash=846f05523ce1dd5402ce1ba43d41b1f4de9155ce)
I'm pretty pleased with them. They may be small, but this project has ended up being a lot of work! Each one takes just a few hours, but when you factor in that there are 14 of them it starts to become a fair chunk of time. With the batch of 3 window ones done, I'll be moving onto their 2 window counterparts, which will look something like these:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg194.imageshack.us%2Fimg194%2F2093%2Fhalifaxbox2windows.jpg&hash=fe89a04e37ec2220fce1671d27e41b5af016dfb0)
I'm planning to make 14 of them as well. I might start sending the 3 window ones through the render so I can start making some lots and testing out how well they work as props in game. I'll try not to let this go another month without updating :)
spa, looks great!
Have you been checking out the new Spacing Atlantic blog? http://www.spacingatlantic.ca (http://www.spacingatlantic.ca)
What you do is very beautiful! :thumbsup:
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Hey SPA, Jack wilds here...
Turns out that the Lord God came through with a miracle-blessing :D allowing me to remain where I am for a while longer -so I wouldn't have to move near future :thumbsup: yay! The miracle came via family member if you know 'em you'd know how much a miracle it was... even after knowing a person all of ones life they still can surprise. The job search thing is still a drag, but there is reason for hope soon...
Love how the 3-window set looks and I hope you'll lot similar to the teaser pics earlier, they appeared CP-esk... particularly like the 'reddish one' -3rd from right, a good grillin' & chillin' deck... so I'll take that unit invite ya over for beer-n-brats with real WI cheese :) and watch the packers win (just don't bring up last weeks game with TB -sad, way sad) would there be space and room on a lot of that unit with a decent pick-up truck to boot? the front view unit from the right with the alien green door, on purpose? or is just a poor shade choice on the tenants part... &Thk/(
Look forward to photos from this 'last bastion of wilderness' the northwoods is full of wilderness if you care to look at more... ;D
Jack
This houses are just splendid. &apls
Excellent work SPA.
Hope you had a good time in Labrador. The maritimes are one of the few areas of Canada that I've yet so see and yet they are where I always talk about going. You can't be the people on the east coast. They are the only reason people still consider Canadians to be a nice polite people.
This set you have been working on is gonna be quite massive. I plan to make it for my chicago tileset and cannot wait to get them. Hope you make some more keep it up
Magee: I haven't been following it closely, but I have clicked on it now and then. One of the people I know from planning school is always posting links on her facebook page.
Sciurus: Thanks
Jack: Lucky you, moving sucks! It's funny, when I made the house with the lime green door I didn't think much of it because I was following the real life photo, but it's been the one that has drawn all the comments. It would seem that many people know of that one house in their own neighbourhoods that made a really poor colour choice :)
Earth quake: Thanks
Wes: Indeed. One of the best things about the Maritimes is the people. In general, they're a pretty friendly down to earth, unpretentious bunch. My wife is from Alberta and that's where we met. She notes that out in Calgary people flaunt their money whereas the rich in the Maritimes are almost embarrassed by their success! The pace of life down here is also just slower and more human. If it snows really bad here, we stay home rather than risk our necks :)
SimNation: Yes, yes it will. 28 different houses will make for a massive collection and should be plenty of variation! I was planning on setting them to the Chicago tileset so you shouldn't have much modding to do for your own use.
Nothing new to report on the Halifax Boxes in this update. I have been up in the country house sitting for my parents for the last week and a half. That always means more time to bat because other distractions aren't around up there (slow internet and no civ4). The Boxes were on my own computer though so I started something new. I have a model for another old residential building almost done, Victoria Hall in Halifax. Below is a picture I took of the real thing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg260.imageshack.us%2Fimg260%2F6993%2Fvictoriahallreallife.jpg&hash=0cbb041d1a2c1ab4550c5d436ef69afb16458f87)
Victoria Hall is a retirement residence for women. It is located on Gottingen Street in the North End and is run by a non-profit foundation whose mandate is to provide affordable rents. The building was designed by Henry Frederick Busch, a well-known Halifax architecture from the late 19th century. The building was finished in 1885 and it has been well maintained over the years. It still has that timeless style that is characteristic of a lot of Victorian architecture. It's kind of tough to see in my photo because of the sun's glare, but it has beautiful red wooden siding.
Anyway, here's my version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg682.imageshack.us%2Fimg682%2F1932%2Fvictoriahallfrontandbac.jpg&hash=f9c362b95c1a6184e182e405ba40c38dea44adef)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg260.imageshack.us%2Fimg260%2F6241%2Fvictoriahallsides.jpg&hash=7abf5ce7f458dd548160e5b92ffafb4bbe419d40)
Obviously I haven't done the foundation level and steps. I also still have to add a few chimnies on the roof and there is a small entrance that extends out from the addition on the back that I still need to make. Other than that though, the modelling is basically done. The one thing I'm wondering about is whether I might have made the windows a touch too big. As you can see from the real life photo, the real thing has really big windows, but I'm wondering if I might have taken it just a little too far. I'm not really worried about the front view because the front entrance is so grand it looks fine, but on the back the windows seem kind of big compared to the doors.
You have some lovely work here. ()stsfd()
About the back side windows you mentioned, the only ones that really look a little off are the two to the left of the center door. To me it looks a bit odd that there are big window right there next to the door, wouldn't it make more sense if those were in between the smaller two also on the left... If that size is to be kept. Otherwise... It does look kind of like they don't belong in that size.
Keep up the excellent work. :thumbsup:
Belated congratulations on your marriage! Looks like you had a wonderful day (and a great holiday, too!). I'm sorry I somehow missed that post earlier.
Your latest buildings look stunning, as always. Can't wait to get them in my game!
I don't think the windows are too big at all. They fit well witht he front of the building and seem consistent all the way around. It's a large building too, so I think it balances out. Can't wait to see this thing textured.
-Matt
Your such a tease spa....I cannot wait til this set is done.It will be one of the biggest sets since Masczars NYC sets. Looking great so far keep up these low-rises coming.
I really like how Victoria Hall is starting out. It's a very interesting old building.
I suggest you consider modding it as an old school building. It reminds me in some ways of the "Lunenburg Academy" in NS or the old elementary school building here in Riverside-Albert NB (not too far from Moncton).
Keep up the good work and Merry Christmas. Any chance of having your Halifax "boxes' all boxed up and ready to go by Boxing Day? (This is the day after Christmas for all you Yanks) ;D
Oh I love this style of buildings. I can't wait to see it finished :thumbsup:
Tamorr: Thanks.The ones you mentioned are the ones I was worried about.
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. It was a great day. We're planning on going back there in May for our first anniversary.
Matt: Given the reaction on all the forums I post, it seems my concern about the windows was just me. Thanks for the feedback.
SimNation: And getting bigger all the time ;) I have 7 more Halifax Boxes done that you can check out below.
Simdad: Thanks. It is a really neat old building. One of the gems left on Gottingen. I hadn't thought about modding it as an old school. When it comes time to render I'll give that some thought. It could work. I know Lunenburg Academy well. It's in the back of my mind as something I might make one day. Next time I'm down the South Shore I have plans to stop by with the camera. It's too bad that they're closing it. As for the Halifax Boxes they're nearing completion. If everything goes well they'll be ready early in the New Year (January or February). I have some more ready to go that you can check out below. Hope your holidays have been good.
Seraf: Thanks. They'll be finished soon (next month or so).
Well I hope everyone has had a good holiday break (those of us that got one anyway). My time off is sadly ticking down now. I have to go back to work on Tuesday which seems all too soon from a Saturday perspective! I didn't do as much batting as I thought I would over the holidays, mainly because I ended up at my folks place for longer than expected, but I did make some significant progress on the Halifax Boxes. The two window versions are now half done making me 2/3rds of the way through my planned set. You can check out the newest 7 below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg6.imageshack.us%2Fimg6%2F6384%2Fhalifaxbox2windows7done.jpg&hash=6c2371644a1e2ec15c67ce8bfbf05284ccbc9b3a)
Not a whole lot to say about them. They're basically the same as the others with the usual variation of colours, entranceways and backs. I'm glad to be finishing them up as I'm starting to get tired of patios :) Hopefully, at this rate, I'll be into rendering them towards the end of January. I'll update again soon as these near the finish.
these are looking really nice spa, love all the variations!
I like the one with the protruding room, occasional touches like that make a lot of difference to giving areas character when scanning through your suburbs. I sure wouldn't have painted it those colours though!
(just to be clear I'm not suggesting changing the texture, people do have baby blue & pink colour schemes :))
Hey Spa dude, Jack wilds here...
Cold here in the northwoods... so, apparently the deep freeze hasn't hit Halifax to keep you from batting around... ::) funny lame I know ()stsfd() anyway ....
love the 2-window box set particularly from the rear -notably the arbor porch and the the one with the 'Breakfast nook'... looking at these, &idea you know they'd make for good beach boxes as well -thoughts?
Happy New Year
Jack
Not only dust but cobwebs collecting in here too. Time slipped by on me. I guess some very overdue replies first.
Thingfishs: haha the thing about this set is that with 28 different houses, there is bound to be at least one colour that you're not going to like :)
Jack_Wilds: I don't know about that, we did have a deep freeze for a week or so there. We get a little snap like that every winter here, but it doesn't last. We had a blast of snow (40cms) on Wednesday this week, but it's going to be above zero very day for the next 7 so it won't stick around for long. I had never thought of them as beach houses. I guess the ones with the large patios could easily front on water. The inspiration came from the city blocks in Halifax. We don't really do beach houses the way you Californians do! :)
So I have been absent for a while here. Haven't had much time to bat lately. I have actually been playing Sim City for a change and I have been into a new fitness regime since the New Year began. Hitting the gym after work and then coming home and making dinner leaves only a few hours free in any given day. Anyway, I have made slow, but steady progress and I'm pleased to report that the huge Halifax Boxes set is done... at least the modelling and texturing part! Below is how the two window versions turned out:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg534.imageshack.us%2Fimg534%2F4072%2Fhalifaxbox2windowsdone.jpg&hash=37f1198396e105438a515bf58eb8d787455b3488)
Still a few things that I'll be tweaking with a few of the models. Nothing major though. There are 14 two window versions and 14 three window versions. I'm not the best at math, but by my calculations that means there are a possible 378 unique combinations since I will set them up so that every box can be paired with any of 27 others. This ended up being a much more ambitious project than I thought it would be when I started out! Anyway, now I'm going to have to get with rendering 28 different little houses.
Arrrrrgh! Your wonderful BATs make me want to visit out east. What kind of Vancouverite are you making me when I want to leave my pretentious Shangri-La of a city? ;D
This is a really good-looking set, very evocative of the houses and colors I remember in Nova Scotia. They also could work well in Cape Cod style beach towns easily--even Western US, too.
But there's no white one--everyone likes vanilla, after all. :) Looking forward to packing them up, it might be good to put them into 2 or 3 packs by color schemes--commonly used colors, variations, and San Francisco style ;D
Hey Spa, Jack wilds here...
So the light is still on here in the Atlantic retreat, good :P ::)
As for "...as you Californians do..." ??? I'll have ya know I'm a tru green-n-gold thru-n-thru packer dude, cheese-n-cranbrerries, northwoods hiking, deer hunting, conservation in natural resources management, engineer tech (temp outta work), Wisconsinite... Californian -indeed %wrd
so there $%#Ninj2 don't fret too hard I'm not that offended -snowball at ya- ;D
Glad to see that this project is winding up and will soon be built in my sim-lands... glad that all is well and good with you and family
Jack :satisfied:
Wes: And you say that having just come off the big party! I have never been to Vancouver, but I have been to Victoria and I think BC is really pretty. Trees, ocean and mountains, makes for a pretty receipe. The photos I have seen of Vancouver, because of all the condos and the limited space, makes it look like a much bigger city than it is. Vancouver's skyline may lack the real signature buildings in the way that TO has the bank towers and CN Tower, but it seems denser and bigger as a result (Toronto's sprawl is just gross, even if the old city is really great). Hope to visit Vancouver some day.
Gottago: Thanks. I'm glad they hit the nail on the head as far as your memories go! White is such a tough "colour" to pull off in Sim City. There are several versions though that are sort of white. Off-whitish which I think will fill that niche without contrasting too much with Sim City 4's colour palette. A real pure white just looks bad in Sim City 4.
Jack: haha sorry. I knew you were from the Northern US, but I somehow thought you had moved to California. I think I'm mixing you up with JBSimio's recent wanderings since he was living in the Northern US (Michigan I believe), but moved to California. Oh and the light may flicker, but I don't think it'll ever go out. This isn't a game to me anymore, it's a hobby/past time :)
So the Halifax Boxes are now done! I have rendered them, put them into a prop family and dropped them on lots in game. I made several different lots, 1x2, 2x2, 2x2 corners, 3x2 and 4x2. They use my usual favourites for lotmaking, cycledogg's trees and base textures. One thing I had to sacrifice to set these up with the varied backs is I couldn't fence the yards. The fencing didn't line up since the houses stopped at various depths in the backyards leaving fences short with some and half inside the houses on others. They looked bad. So no one gets a private backyard with these I'm afraid. I'll just assume they're all located on Halifax's Lawrence Street where a streatch of neighbours got together and tore down all their fences to make one long communal backyard :) On the whole, I think it's a small trade off for the amount of variation. Here's how they turned out.
The 1x2 and 2x2 corners.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg31.imageshack.us%2Fimg31%2F9568%2Fhalifaxbox1x2s.jpg&hash=9bcc0c2796c97b93247214464f0b4070752ed69f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg203.imageshack.us%2Fimg203%2F1599%2Fhalifaxbox1x2s2.jpg&hash=842c7dca84f469e4870c1922a148f88f7b917580)
The dimensions of the corners worked just right to make a dense setup since I was able to squeeze an extra house on the corner side. Makes them fit pretty well.
Besides the 1x2s and 2x2 corners, I also made a few 3x2s and 4x2s. I gave the 3x2s and 4x2s a typical Halifax feel: narrow driveways. A lot of buildings in Halifax's old residential neighbourhoods were built wall-to-wall with one or two neighbouring houses. There are frequent narrow gaps between groups of properties. Some of these gaps are too narrow to be of any use, except to make firefighting easier, but the wider openings have typically been turned into ridiculously narrow driveways that I'm sure are a challenge to get in and out of in terms of visibility. My 1x2s are w2w so you'll be able to build great swathes of them right next to each other, but the 3x2s and 4x2s have narrow driveways that reflect Halifax's historic patterns.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg194.imageshack.us%2Fimg194%2F1632%2Fhalifaxboxalleys3.jpg&hash=6bc2674e804b1c1ce95c6dceecec915922ae3656)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg717.imageshack.us%2Fimg717%2F9947%2Fhalifaxboxalleys.jpg&hash=c926eb0ae9b691dfd731181832bdeb910b9ed7ce)
From zoomed out, the lot of them make a very colour splash on the landscape!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg96.imageshack.us%2Fimg96%2F7199%2Fhalifaxboxdistance.jpg&hash=a598df100ad64483186fd3b5d88c491ab3728eeb)
And finally at night.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg194.imageshack.us%2Fimg194%2F2448%2Fhalifaxboxnight.jpg&hash=526b4adb4e4e4a404051f10cbfffce108a4735ee)
I like how the red one (4th from left) shows up at night with the window frames. Nothing to spectacular with the night lighting since these are, after all, just houses.
Anyway, with these done I'll be looking to finish up Victoria Hall and get a start on my new apartment building. I'll be on the road this week on business so I'll probably do a fair bit of batting (I always bat in the evenings when I'm travelling). Hopefully I'll have the batch of 7 residentials ready to upload soon. Sometime in April from the looks of things.
These look really beautiful, great work finishing the set.
Very beautiful!! &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Amazing housing set spa! I cannot wait to get a hold of these. It strikes me that this set would look excellent when combined in a town with cp's beautiful 19th century homes, especially his $$ and $$$ versions. The colors and detail of both sets are very similar and probably would look superb together.
I'm already brainstorming a small coastal hamlet using both sets and your excellent commercials as well. You know, that kind of East Coast place that is all about the locals most of the year...until summer, when the town is flooded with tourists and beach goers. Kind of like in Jaws except without giant Sim eating sharks...or maybe... $%Grinno$%
This unreleased set has given me quite the inspiration I must say. Thank you. The sooner these make it out the happier I will be, that's for sure. Keep up the excellent work.
hey Spa
they are really neat, making for interesting neighborhoods, well done... like the corner lots particularly and the Halifax history also gives the neighbors hoods some depth only time creates...
Jack
Wow, those are beautiful! My low-rise residential downtown is already making room for them. :thumbsup:
@Spa... I was as surprised as anyone at how well the citizens of Vancouver handled themselves this past month. I think they just wanted to show up the Calgary games.
There is a video somewhere which shows our downtown skyline change from Expo '86 onwards and it's quite a difference. Luckily our density is limited to the downtown core and our rabid bylaws keep the city green (You can't cut down any tree anywhere without whatever jurisdictions city hall approving it.
Last, but not least, those BATs look AMAZING. Keep up the excellent work.
Kwakelaar: Thanks.
Guillaume: Thanks.
Cubby420: Yes CP's work has provided a lot of inspiration. I have checked out my houses next to CP's and they seem to work fairly well. My houses are a little big bigger than his though, but not enough to make them clash. If he and I get a commercial set of old wooden buildings going, you'll really be able to build that East Coast town (Maine/Maritimes/Newfoundland). Although in Sim City it would be a whale not a shark!
Jack: Thanks.
TiFlo: Thanks. I'm hoping to have them and the rest of my unreleased work finished by April :)
Wes: Thanks. Vancouver has some good planning rules. I really hope to visit there one day.
So I have a few minor tweaks to make to the Halifax Boxes, but they're essentially done at this point. I have gone back to working on Victoria Hall. The modelling is now done and I'm onto texturing. Below is how it has turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg707.imageshack.us%2Fimg707%2F2250%2Fvictoriahallunderway.jpg&hash=9c9a702ee22d02bac2af2a9c28ce0312d4cfa008)
I'm planning on at least one colour variation, a dark blue/purple since that should fit with the roof texture, white trim and shingles. I might try another colour or two, but I'm not looking to get too bogged down with endless variations on this one :)
Quote from: spa on March 21, 2010, 08:36:37 AM
I'm hoping to have them and the rest of my unreleased work finished by April :)
Looks like April will be a fun month for new new toys...
The small commercial collaboration would certainly be a thing to see. Finally, Victoria Hall looks fantastic and very detailed. I especially love the window design, and it should fit perfectly with your other releases...which is part of why I love your bats so much.
Cubby: Yes, nothing is ever definite, but as far as I can be certain April is definitely looking like the month for new toys. Thanks for your kind words.
Well I have rendered Victoria Hall and dropped it in game. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg514.imageshack.us%2Fimg514%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=2416b615ea9d696682c7faf2b08604da4d75b11b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg337.imageshack.us%2Fimg337%2F6930%2Fvictoriahallbackingame.jpg&hash=c60043b0b141cc8761d28579ccda396565ac8b20)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg218.imageshack.us%2Fimg218%2F762%2Fvictoriahallsidesingame.jpg&hash=d00f14aac5d1f57e55e5ea7a140c6e05251cc7dc)
You probably won't notice, but I scaled it down by 10%. When I looked at it in relation to my other residential bats, it became obvious that it was a few sizes too big. It'll now fit the rest of them. A few words about the lot, what a lot of work it was :) The lot isn't exactly like the setup for the real building, but it's some what similiar. The block that the real Victoria Hall is on is really narrow so the building actually sprawls across it and is accessible on the back from Creighton Street. Deliveries and parking is provided off of Creighton. Recently, they also installed a garden on the Creighton Street side. My lot is different, but I was inspired by the concept. There is a bit of a trade off with the garden I made though since it'll require a few dependencies (D66, Swi, Cycledogg's props, Cycledogg's textures and BSC Essentials), but I think the result is worth it. Most people around here should have them all anyway. You won't get very far with my creations without downloading Cycledogg's packs! I'm still thinking of doing a few colour varitions. I have a dark blue one ready. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg23.imageshack.us%2Fimg23%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=637fe8df09e668496600f781286ecc2913e3d06b)
I don't think it turned out too bad as blue. I'll make a building family out of the two. Any other colour requests? I'm not looking to get into any major rejigging of things so any colour variation has to work with the existing trim and blue steps/foundation. I'm having a tough time picturing any other colours working well given those constraints. While I tinker with that I'll probably get started on the last building in my residential set, my "new" apartment building here on South Street.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg230.imageshack.us%2Fimg230%2F8472%2Fmovingy.jpg&hash=a38a30155c464502de09e0a8182f8b8a20d3dfa0)
Oh and a night shot for the road.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg706.imageshack.us%2Fimg706%2F9310%2Fvictoriahallnight.jpg&hash=da93b6c9d3f134d8fb64970af8aee9b9f461540f)
Marvelous lot spa. Very detailed and the layout is amazing. Nice prop choices. I hate to say this so late in the process though...and remember I am far from an expert...but the bat seems a tad bright or over-saturated. I don't know really what the difference is, but i prefer the dirtier colors of the Halifax Boxes. Chalk it up to preference maybe. I'll download this awesome model and lot no matter what.
That is fantastic. I already have a plan for it.
Thanks for your hard work!
Geoff
Victoria Hall looks great there. I actually already have an idea of what I'd like to do with it when it's ready. As for other color variations, I'm not sure how well it would look with the white trim, but some sort of light gray/eggshell might look sharp. Then again, it's possible to lose the details of the trim with that. I've seen it done before in real life though. Ultimately it's up to you though, but hey, you asked for it. Also, are the bushes on the lot borders seasonal?
-Matt
Hey SPA,
The Victorian looks real good and I do like the blue/slate color... :thumbsup: as for another I think an autumn yellow :sunny: would work -not so bright it looks like a beacon or too dark to blend with CPs autumn changes. Aside from that its a great lot for it...
Jack :satisfied:
Tour BATs are very plaisant ! Great job &apls
Cubby420: It's almost never too late to make a suggestion. I'm never in a big rush to release things so there is usually plenty of time. In this case, I took your suggestions and desaturated things a little bit and I think you'll like the change. Check out the new version below.
Geoff: Thanks
Matt: There is now an eggshell/grey version. I wouldn't have thought to use a grey, but it turned out quite nicely and was really effortless. Thanks for the suggestion. To answer your question, the bushes are semi-seasonal. They'll be bright green for half the year.
Jack: I tried a few variations of yellow, but it's a tough colour to work with on this because of the blue hue. I'm not looking to redo a lot of textures to change the blue though because I'm itching to move onto my next project. Check out the pictures of the two yellow versions I'm considering below.
Machou: Thanks.
As indicated in the replies, I have some more progress to report on Victoria Hall. I touched up the red (desaturated it slightly). Below is the before and after.
Before
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg514.imageshack.us%2Fimg514%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=2416b615ea9d696682c7faf2b08604da4d75b11b)
After
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg706.imageshack.us%2Fimg706%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=e061ecf733d10ff473c55529d3f90de845eac11f)
It's a small change, but I think it's an improvement. Little less stark in game then before. In addition to the red and blue, I have added an egg shell/grey version that I'm fairly pleased with.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg12.imageshack.us%2Fimg12%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=338db895dd15e74b8b70f22663c33a1174cc3400)
I tried yellow, but had difficulty getting it to work. I have ended up with two possible yellows. Check them out below.
Yellow 1
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=b3088092a883ad429c7ece34715aba25dd322dab)
Yellow 2
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg180.imageshack.us%2Fimg180%2F4476%2Fvictoriahallfrontingame.jpg&hash=3f99ca39b5fa2a2e36317cd9f0cc5a24e0b8aff6)
Any preference or should I just ditch the yellow altogether and stick with the red, grey and dark blue?
Lovely buildings. Can't wait for April to arrive (already here? Well, time flies... &hlp)
I'ld go for Yellow 1. It's gonna make the Victorian recognizable in the neighbourhood and keeps in line with the other slighty 'different' colors.
Nice places spa :thumbsup:
I'm never one to knock back another colour variation so I think I'd pick the 2nd one (I think the darker one looks a little muddy). At first I thought it was the baby blue that could be changed but then I saw the RL photo of the yellow house and thought it might just be a matter of trying a few more times to get just the right shade(s). I love the blue one, great shades there.
Great looking work, Spa. Nice to see you back batting again.
Wow, that does look nice. Well done on the color tweaks. As for the yellow version, I certainly think it works. I'm more of a fan of the second rather than the first though. The first actually seems to resemble the gray a bit. My only other comment might be to add some shrubs around the front of the building at the base to break it up a bit, whether as a maintained garden or just as something naturally growing there. If not though, I think it's still sitting on a fine lot.
-Matt
Wow, I'm a big fan of these. I love the subtlety of the roof textures and the detail of the windows especially. And that lot is marvelously designed as well. It is one of the most detailed and well fit lots for this size and type of building I have ever seen. In other words...the whole thing is awesome.
Regarding the yellow one...well I'm just not sure. My first instinct was number 2, but either would get the job done. Personally, I much prefer the red, blue and gray versions. Especially the red, which already has a desired plot waiting for it in my game once this beauty is released ;D
Hey Spa,
I also like the second yellow... :thumbsup: perhaps a bit 'brighter' like daffodil yellow or canary yellow... &idea
I also had some issues with yellows and with "blues-hues" makes for tricky mixing... %wrd &Thk/( if proves too frustrating -then deep six the thought...
Its just that I saw some spring yellow peeking through when I asked about it as well as it being a staple Victorian color...
Spring has sprung here... :sunny: how about, perhaps some of shade of green with all the green popping up of late... :-\
Jack :satisfied:
Greetings SPA, long time no communicate! :D
Just a quick comment re: your Halifax boxes.........
I appreciate your problem with the side fences between the properties because of the inconsistent depths of the houses and their appendages (decks etc.) but personally, I am not a big fan of the idea of large communal backyards. Have you looked into the possibility of having a standard length side fence that would extend most (but not all) of the way to the back end of the house?
I realize that in some cases, there would be a gap between the back of the house and the adjacent fence but I don't think that effect would be as disturbing as seeing that single large communal back lot. These small gaps also might not be very noticeable on lesser magnifications.
Just a thought..........have a good Easter. Looking forward to this release. See you back on SSP.
Myself: Indeed! I can't believe we're now 1/3 into April. I'm going on vacation at the end of this week too so I don't know if I'll be able to meet my earlier plan of an April finish. It could be close though. I did start the 7th building of the lot this past week. I'll try to keep picking at it over the next little while.
Thingfishes: I think you're right, it was just a matter of tweaking the yellow a little bit more. I altered it to be a little brighter, but the main thing I have done with the new version (see below) is I adjusted the roof texture for the yellow version to be more brown.
Kwakelaar: Thanks. Batting time comes and goes. I'm hoping to have this set of residentials finished soon. I move a lot more slowly now that I have a full-time job.
Cubby: Thanks. I went and tweaked some more colours on the yellow version, but I'm with you, the red and dark blue are my favourites.
Jack: The yellow has been tweaked to be a bit brighter now (see below). The main thing I did though was alter the roof texture to a stronger brown colour. I like where it sits now. I'm drawing the line though at the 4 versions I have. I want to get on with my next project!
Simdad: Ahh no worries. I have seen you commenting now and then in the Halifax stadium thread so I knew you were still around :) I'm not as good at updating in here as I use to be. Getting a career and trying to build some fitness time into the weekdays really eats into the hobby time! I took your comment to heart though. Check out my post below and tell me if you like the partially fenced version of the lots.
So first off I finalized the yellow version of Victoria Hall. I tweaked the yellow just a little bit more, even if it's not that noticeable :P , and altered the roof shingles to brown. I think it now pasts muster. I'll include it with the other three to give Victoria Hall 4 colour variations. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F4224%2Fvictoriahallyellowfinis.jpg&hash=00251d05f177b4855a5b134bb89ff01b995ccc0e)
I also have some news regarding the Halifax Boxes. Simdad indicated he wasn't a fan of the communal backyards so I revisted the lots to see what could be done. I tried fencing in each house's yard earlier, but because all the Boxes have different widths, using fence props created some visual screw ups where the fence and house overlap. Check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg693.imageshack.us%2Fimg693%2F5841%2Fhalifaxboxfullfenceside.jpg&hash=83d531a4ed26f22b64b618f5b0857d3810e2c900)
I don't think completely fencing the yard looks very good, so I went back and tried fencing them to the farthest point of all the houses. Basically I ran the fences in only as far as the Box with the greatest width so the fencing didn't end up inside any of the houses. The cost of taking this approach is, however, that there will be gaps between the end of the fence and the house.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg710.imageshack.us%2Fimg710%2F6053%2Fhalifaxboxpartialfences.jpg&hash=17e45ce99029060b6ebb6f960b8332d8596d8ade)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F4641%2Fhalifaxboxpartialfence.jpg&hash=9845234f54f313a4cd8ee9ff4120d8adc1827167)
Not perfect, but not bad. I think the fully fenced version, because of Sim City's limitations, are duds. I may include the partial fenced lots as an option for people. Of course there is always the communal backyard approach which was my first instinct when I encountered the issue.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg682.imageshack.us%2Fimg682%2F5596%2Fhalifaxboxopenyards.jpg&hash=9f1c59399c18bb582503cf72bd25d356dd9a4146)
Any preferences?
My other bit of news in relation to the Halifax Boxes is since I found them so darn cute and fun to make, I decided to go buy one! It's my wife's and my first house. We weren't expecting to be in the real estate market, but a house became available in a neighbourhood over on the Dartmouth side that we really like and we just couldn't resist. The house is beautiful. It is 137 years old and has all the old Victorian features (floors, doors, mouldings and banister) and they are in great condition. It has a working fireplace, clawfoot tub, 3 bedrooms, two decks, a patio and traditional Halifax storm porch. The lot is also really big for a city lot and the house is well situated on it, so we could even add onto it in future if we run out of space and don't want to move. The place is also well located so that we can easily walk to the ferry terminal to get to Halifax (we both work on the waterfront and there is no rush hour on the ferry). It's also only a short distance to a park and lake you can swim in. We're very pleased. It's basically everything we wanted in a house :) Now we just have to meet all the conditions (financing etc).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg441.imageshack.us%2Fimg441%2F4660%2Fmyhouset.jpg&hash=7f62c3c9d30ca9fb07b4ab5c6e629ae31dddf214)
http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=9334596
Spa...first and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS! The house looks awesome and indeed the choice of design is hilarious given your work here. Looks like the lot is roomy too...very fun! Good luck through the process and the move. :thumbsup:
But your real house (specifically its foundation) got me thinking. How do the Halifax boxes handle slopes? I imagine they could look very good on moderate slopes if designed for it.
EDIT: Oh and I undoubtedly fall on the side of communal backyards. No fences fits the character of these style houses. Middle class families own these houses I'm guessing, but mostly working middle class and not necessarily upwardly mobile. So, families stay in the area for a long time and a small town atmosphere promotes open interaction in the community. Hence, not a lot of fences. There...I made my case for no fences. Whatever makes you happy though spa.
Congrats on the house, I look forward to a highly accurate BAT of it. ;)
As for the fences, that's a hard one.... I don't really like any of the options, but my least favourite is the fences with gaps - I'd sooner have the long fences than that.
Congratulations on the house SPA, it looks like it would be a winner. That's a nice area of town.........You wouldn't need a car for anything, except for trips to Micmac Mall, Dartmouth Crossing or Sobeys/Superstore. Being close to Lake Banook is a plus. I must admit though, I'm not sure where the nearest school would be.
re: the Halifax boxes, seeing this image
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg693.imageshack.us%2Fimg693%2F5841%2Fhalifaxboxfullfenceside.jpg&hash=83d531a4ed26f22b64b618f5b0857d3810e2c900)
makes me agree with thingfishs; the full fencing is not a bad option. I really don't notice it impinging on the back of the houses at all. It's a better option than the half fencing.
Also:
- Are you planning any 1x1 versions of the boxes or just 1x2's.
- What building style are you planning to place these in (European, Houston etc.).
- To create neighbourhoods, are you planning any lots that are 5-6 tiles wide? This might be useful to differentiate from other housing sets already available on the LEX.
Great work :thumbsup:
Hello SPA,
I like the 'new & improved yellow' with the brown roofing much better :thumbsup: as the it makes the yellow pop more and -yes, I could tell a difference in the yellow -even if it was minor tweaking... a note -its more noticeable on the ST-SPA place -go figure
Concerning the back yards; to fence or not to fence... ??? %wrd
I suggest a possible game plan... "$Deal"$
Set one: community yards
set two: out of the first set some would be pulled for fencing (part)
set three: would take a few of set 2 or the balance from set 1 not used in 2 to fenced (whole)
The strategy being all the lots are plain to begin with (Basic set) and the player gets to decide how to mix and match (add-ons) :-\
so there it is... whatever gets your fancy for game plans ::)
You guys sure 'lucked-out' on a good find with awesome locale and space with green to boot and all the charm as well... I think I might be 'jealous'... best of love and peace keep you and your household as new life breathes in an 'ole Halifax box'
Jack
Congrats on the new house. I love anything with that Victorian touch. That price isn't too shabby either. You can't even buy a 600sq/ft condo in Vancouver for that much.
Cubby: Yeah my wife had a good laugh at it since she knows I was making a whole buch of these houses for the game. She also found it amusing when I was walking around San Francisco with her and pointed out a few buildings that were in Sim City. Unfortunately, the in game Halifax Boxes don't handle slopes well at all. It's one of SC4s limitations. I could do custom foundations, but they would never match since the house that appears on the lot is random. It's just one of those things that you can't do much about. After tinkering around last night, I will be including a fenced and an open yard version of the Halifax Boxes.
Thingsfish: Thanks. I was actually planning on eventually doing an addon to the Halifax Box set with some that have Halifax storm porches (enclosed porch perpendicular to the street). My new house would fit perfectly in that addon :) The fences with gaps are dead. I have found a solution. See below.
Simdad: Ahh it gets even better. The nearest school is Hawthorne which is one of the two best elementary schools in the city (one of the ones that real estate ads usually boast about if the property is within it). Bicenntenial Junior High and Dartmouth High are also in the neighbourhood and are just up the hill at the corner of Thistle and Victoria Road. About the only thing that isn't great location wise is that the nearest grocery store is a little ways off. Will just have to become a little creative about grocery shopping during my lunch break and when my Mom is in town since she has a car. You'll be pleased to know that if you check out the update below, full fencing is now in. I found a brown fence that works well. There won't be any 1x1 lots since the Boxes are just a little too big with the backyards and to keep the streetscape consistent, even the smaller ones had to be rendered off centre. They just won't fit on a 1x1. I have already made several 3x2 and 4x2 lots and some 2x2s for corners so that you can have that dense city feel (check back a page or two and you'll see them). I divide the tilesets into old and new so these will grow on the Chicago and New York tile sets.
Jack: Thanks! I love my new house and I haven't even moved in yet. I'm glad you like the yellow Victoria Hall. It needed some tweaking but it was worth it. I have some updates on the yards, see below. I'll probably upload with a fenced and a communal yard option. I have already made the lots so might as well so that people can choose what they want to do.
Wes: It's true, the Halifax market is still quite affordable and you don't have to sacrifice location, at least not much. I'm a 10 minute walk and 12 minute ferry ride from Downtown. Not a bad way to get to work! I'm feeling pretty lucky this week :)
So I have an update on the Halifax Boxes. After all the advice on here, at Devotion and the BSC board, I went back and changed the fences. They're still from Cycledogg's prop pack, but they're the brown version, which seems to blend in much better. Check it out below:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg176.imageshack.us%2Fimg176%2F5295%2Fhalifaxboxesbrownfences.jpg&hash=22cccd228e935a1ac63079a72998b8effef2ddfe)
I think we have a winner. The brown fecning is almost the same colour as many of my wooden decks! There is still one thing to resolve. SC4 has its limitations and one of them is shadowing and props. Cycledogg, cleverly, made a work around with several of his props by rendering one side in the shade. I have used his shaded props on my revised lots, but there is still one question, what do I do with the fences on the right side of each lot. I could use the shaded brown fence prop, but then it would look odd at corners like so:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg149.imageshack.us%2Fimg149%2F6332%2Fhalifaxboxbrownfences3.jpg&hash=162f839e53b0f63ed447d1d9f078e34e1d5f0ce1)
The alternative is to use the unshaded prop, but then when two lots grow next to each other, the unshaded will be somewhat visible from behind the shaded fence on the neighbouring lot like so:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg512.imageshack.us%2Fimg512%2F7060%2Fhalifaxboxbrownfences2.jpg&hash=1ee07dc4d9643dfc7e730b33cecc1e166e0a9207)
So which graphics limitation would you rather live with? I'm thinking seeing some brighter coloured wood showing through is less distracting then having the really dark fences show up on the corner where there is nothing visibly to shade it. Thoughts?
It's almost 6 to one half dozen to the other for me. It took me a while to notice the darkened fence at the bottom with the shaded version, but then that could be explained away by just having an off-color stain to the wood there (sort of like someone made some do-it-yourself repairs) or some story like that. I don't really mind the overlapping of the other though either. What does show through is rather minimal. From the point of view of wanting to show off pictures, I think the shaded fences provide for a cleaner shot, but for where there may be multiplle "corners" then the second method. If anything, I'd lean slightly toward the second and have things overlap a bit.
-Matt
Hello SPA,
I like the brown fencing a whole lot better... they appear better grounded, less flashy, and blend better with the whole look... as for providing a choice of yardage -seems the best route to go... :thumbsup:
as for the shading issue the second lots appear less an issue... but then some else will say the other -which then means you'll have to decide what to deal with, but either look appears good and shouldn't be that bad an eye sore... :-\
enjoy the house...
Jack :satisfied:
I agree, the brown fencing looks really good. Don't worry about the shading issue, I don't think anyone will really notice! :thumbsup:
yep, the brown fences look so much better. As for the shading issue, my vote is for the shaded version, at least based upon those shots. (although either is more than fine)
Hey SPA, Jack wilds here...
Suppose between RL and moving you've been quit busy... building up an even bigger anticipated release of your Halifax boxes, the Victorian apartments, and the Victorian Hall...
Just popping to say Hi and see how your doing... if I was closer to Halifax I'd extend a helping hand with the moving... but WI and way Canada east is a journey... trust all is well and no major headaches has made more of the ordeal than normal...
'til hear from you... %BUd% have fun
Jack 8-)
Matt: Thanks for the input. I have the Halifax Boxes packed up now. I went with the shaded fences. There will be that little distortion at the corners, but nothings perfect in SC4.
Simdad: Thanks. And Thanks also for getting the ball rolling. These were heading out with communal yards and white picket fences before you spoke up. They work even better now :)
Thingfishs: Shaded pretty much won out unanimously :)
Jack: Thanks for the feedback and you've guessed it right of course, real life does eat into my time. These days, by the time I have worked, been to the gym, made dinner and spent some time with the wife, I only have 2 hours left for the computer. I have actually been playing SC4 a fair bit lately for a change so that has meant slow progress. I was way more prolific a batter when I was a student :)
So I'm finally getting around to updating my thread. I have been picking away at a bat of the Elmwood Apartments, my current Halifax address. Since it has been so long since I have posted, here's the real life picture of the building to refresh everyone's memory:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg230.imageshack.us%2Fimg230%2F8472%2Fmovingy.jpg&hash=a38a30155c464502de09e0a8182f8b8a20d3dfa0)
Beautiful old place isnt she? The Elmwood sits at the corner of Barrington and South Street overlooking Cornwallis Park. It was built in 1890 and actually started out as the Elmwood Hotel. I even found an old photograph from that era showing how it looked back then.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg132.imageshack.us%2Fimg132%2F2156%2Felmwoodhotel18951905.jpg&hash=5ef6913c32a1fea4e886b972207e85895e0e7a3f)
The grounds were certainly better kept and at some point over the years the porch was rebuilt and the main entrance moved to the Barrington Street side. Other than that though, its pretty much the same as it was back in 1890. The Elmwood, along with Victoria Hall and a tenement on South Street are pretty much the only large wooden buildings left in Halifax. Halifax has a lot of old wooden buildings, but most of them are houses. Large multi-unit wooden buildings like the Elmwood have actually become quite rare. The Elmwood may look a little ratty on the outside, but it still has really good bones. Hopefully developers wont be tempted into knocking it down to get its prime location.
Anyway, enough rambling, this is what I have.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg690.imageshack.us%2Fimg690%2F4972%2Felmwoodhotelpreview.jpg&hash=82cc3c1d13a16bc78efe9c8dad71da92db809e9b)
I did take a little liberty with the side chimney. It looked silly ending before the roofline so I extended it all the way up. Not quite like the real thing, but probably closer to how it was back in the day. At this point the modelling is pretty much done. The only thing I have left to add is the junk on the balcony (chairs, some potted plants, a bbq). Obviously textures are still to come as well. Besides the yellow, Im planning on including a few other colour variations. Im leaving for Italy for 5 weeks on Saturday so my set of wooden buildings will probably have to wait until August.
Hey Spa,
Dude, good to hear from ya and that everything is OK-good...
that new project is really interesting; it looks to be a mash of Victorian sensibility and utility with the add-on... and that pre-viz color scheme isn't half bad and smacks of the arts-n-craft movement, it seems to 'conflict' in a neat way withe the 'empire Victorian' (I think that what that form is)
I get the Victorian development movements mixed up and sometimes structures will mash and mix period design too... and then how it developed in Canada-east coast also differs with the Victorian movement development in the rest of the US with craftsman, prairie, and cottage... residential architectural history boring and interesting... ???
At any rate, I am looking forward toward the releases of some of your projects for further study... ;D
Have fun in Italy... are you guys still going to get the Halifax box of your own? or a change of plan...
Jack 8-)
Jack: Yeah I'm pretty fuzzy on the architectural specifics too, but what you say sounds reasonable and this one certainly is a mismash of styles what with the mismatched towers and the mansard roof on the rear addition. I find it interesting that they didn't match the left and right sides. I would have expected them to be symetrical.
Well after 30 days away I'm back from Italy. I'll post some pictures when I get them sorted, but for now suffice it to say we had a good time. Saw Florence, Rome, Venice, the Cinque Terre, Lucca and San Gimignano. While I was away, my house also closed (a Halifax Box of my own) so I'll be moving shortly. A bit of a hectic summer! I did take this weekend though just to relax and shake off the jet lag so I spent some time finalizing the Elmwood Apartments. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg840.imageshack.us%2Fimg840%2F261%2Felmwoodapartmentsprevie.jpg&hash=dcc325c10c017b8f1b3229c6b18d0d3cfa8896c3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg827.imageshack.us%2Fimg827%2F261%2Felmwoodapartmentsprevie.jpg&hash=20d24e4328a81975a72d992943c216e9c7aa2564)
Not a whole lot to say about it. I'm generally pleased with how it turned out. Elmwood will grow on a corner and provide housing for R$$. Like with all my corner bats, I'll mirror the whole thing so that there will be a version for both left and right corners. I'll probably also try out a few other colour variations for the sake of variety.
Anyway, with Elmwood nearing the finish I'm finally almost done my batch of residentials.
Welcome back! Sounds like you had quite a trip. It also looks like you're getting right back into the swing of things. How exactly do you mirror your BATs? Is there an easy trick to it, or is it just a matter of rotating things piece by piece?
Congratulations on closing on your house. Hopefully things will settle down shortly.
-Matt
Bumpity bump.
Any news from the Maritimes? I just got back from visiting some family out East. We took the ferry to St John NB on our way back home, and saw the city for the first time ever. Beautiful downtown there, although sadly pretty dead... Anyway, that trip reminded me how much I crave for you to release those box houses. ;D
Hoping everything is well on your side
TiFlo
Quote from: TiFlo on August 13, 2010, 04:55:56 PM
Bumpity bump.
Any news from the Maritimes?... Anyway, that trip reminded me how much I crave for you to release those box houses. ;D
Hoping everything is well on your side
TiFlo
...here-hear, :P ;D
trust that the move is being relatively painless and that you might even have a few pictures to show it off... :)
from the sweaty Fox Valley :sunny: 8-)
Jack
Sorry again everyone for the late replies. What can I say, it has been a busy summer between my European trip and moving into my new house :)
Matt: It was quite a trip and I'm loving the new house too. It has been a busy summer! There actually is an easy trick to mirroring bats in gmax. The mirror button doesn't work, but you can still use the mirror modifier from the modifier tab. I group everything, convert to an editable mesh, then add a mirror modifier and presto, instantly the building is facing the other direction. No need to rotate each object individually. The only thing that is a pain is the lights don't mirror without screwing up so I have to adjust all the night lights manually, but that's not all that bad. It would be nice if more creators took the time with corner buildings to make a version for each side of the street since it makes them twice as usable.
TiFlo: Bump indeed. News from the Maritimes is I have moved and I'm finally getting back into things. I have a ton of stuff to do around the new house, but I'm finding a wee bit of time for Sim City again. I hear you about Saint John. From what I gather, it's kind of where Halifax was about 30 years ago. It has so much potential, but it really is dead Downtown (or Uptown as they say). I visited Saint John on business a few years ago and my wife tagged along. We arrived at 9:00 pm and literally couldn't find anywhere open in Uptown to grab a bite. We ended up having to pick between Tim Hortons and Subway! A Downtown that can't support a pizza joint isn't that healthy.
Jack: Yep the move is done, but I haven't gotten out the digital camera yet. I actually haven't even uploaded my Italy pictures off of it yet. Labour day weekend is coming though and I have 4 days off so maybe I'll get to some of those odds and ends then.
So life is settling down a bit (finally) in this busy summer. I'm all moved into my new house and it's even feeling like home these days. I still have a long "to do" list, but I get the sense that when you own a home, it's no longer a list you ever get to the end of it, it's now just a list of competing priorities! On the Sim City front, Elmwood Apartments is now packed up and in the BSC internal testing process. I don't anticipate any problems, so I would say watch the LEX next week ;) With my batch of old wooden residentials pretty much wrapped up (after a year and a half!), I'm switching gears. I have started a batch of Government of Canada Buildings from around Atlantic Canada. The first is Marine House in Downtown Dartmouth (other side of Halifax Harbour). Below is a picture of the real thing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg827%2F8025%2Fmarinehousereallife.jpg&hash=d84b5849d793c9b56ffe41961cea51fda05d6ba4)
Marine House sits on a prominent corner in Downtown Dartmouth at the corner of Portland Street and Alderney Drive and is one of Downtown Dartmouth's larger buildings. It was built in the 1980s by a private developer and started out as the Dartmouth Medical Centre. It was never a hospital, but was one of those places where a ton of doctors end up with their offices. In the early 2000s the Government of Canada purchased the building and converted it into goverment offices. The building now houses the regional offices for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, hence the name Marine House. Not a whole lot else to say about it, below is my version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg827%2F8956%2Fmarinehousefront1.jpg&hash=d6f7472030e4ee9a0494c8500503bb298e50e0ed)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg827%2F231%2Fmarinehouseback1.jpg&hash=87b15c42012f60d8e4194e02fd6919a39b45ada4)
The modelling is done, but I obviously haven't started to texture yet. I might be able to polish off the texturing this weekend since the building is a lot simpler then all those wooden structures I have been making lately! No superflous detailing, just straight modernist lines. After Marine House, I'll wander over to Saint John for one of its government office buildings.
Yay!!
I'm definitely making note of that mirroring trick, and if/when I get around to a corner building, I'll be sure to make a mirrored duplicate of it. Love the details on this new work, particularly the skylights over the covered entryway, and the HVAC units. Looking forward to seeing it textured.
-Matt
Hey SPA, if you are going to do a series of government building BATs from Atlantic Canada, you should consider the Dominion Public Building on the corner of Main & Highfield in Moncton (it's right across the street from Highfield Square and the Bay department store).
It used to be the main post office in the city and now hosts a number of federal departments. It's an interesting example of early mid 20th century federal architecture and features a granite facade and faux pillars. It's actually a very architecturally interesting building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fharvest.canadaeast.com%2Fimage.php%3Fid%3D379490%26amp%3Bsize%3D500x0&hash=9347ccd796e3046a7d1499739451bcd607f313c3)
(sorry, this is all I could find for a picture but it shows the portico over the main entrance :thumbsup:
Nice looking building and a great looking bat.
So you went to Lucca, we might just have crossed paths this summer without any of us knowing it. :)
Congratulations on your new home and great news for us all here that you are settling down after summer and are back to batting.
SPA,
Hey, long tiime no hear and now -apparently, has slowed down enough to breath and be 'moved-in'...
So having moved in :sunny: (here we go ::) )
-Peace and Blessing be upon all in your house, the fullness of peace and joy keep all of you, as you fill your house with good stories, memories to carry the generations ahead... :wings:
Looking forward to finally getting to play with the 'wood framed' houses, its been a subject of discussion and anticipation for over a year... thank-you for sharing
Government/civic subjects -A nice departure from the previous series... can you find a neat library or hospital /clinic for this series too ()what()
UPDATE:
DL'd the knight-bridge and church street duplexes, :thumbsup: enjoy greatly...
the puzzle pieces combination to the knight-bridge apartments makes for endless combinations... :) thanks for all the choices
however for the church street apartments have yet to pop up... removed a couple of blocks in hopes of then popping up -nothing yet, and I also have a puzzler for you %confuso as I am unable to locate the church street duplexes or Aaron Grahmn's "Grahmn's Apartments" in the 'buggi cheat -building plop' is there a size limit to the cheat in list length -thoughts ()what() anticipating the release of the rest of the 'wooden residences' ;)
Best Wishes
Jack
TiFlo: :)
Matt: Thanks. I like the skylights too. Hopefully they won't end up looking weird because of the angle of Sim City.
Simdad: The Moncton Dominion Building is a really great piece of architecture and would definitely be on my list. Unfortunately, when I was in Moncton, I couldn't see much of it because of all the scaffolding and hoarding. I would definitely like to make the Moncton GOCB one day, but it won't make this batch simply because I don't have the needed photo references. I pass by Moncton several times a year on business, so hopefully as the restoration proceeds, I'll have a chance to snap some pics.
Kwakelaar: Yep I did go to Lucca. It's a neat spot, in that it's a city of bikes. We noted that everyone there biked from the very young to the very old and it wasn't just tourists up on the walls. I even noted the postman delivering the mail on his bike. I was there in early July if memory serves. Stayed in the American run hostel by the market and the tower with the garden on top (really neat!). I take it you were there site seeing too?
Jack: Thanks for the kinds words. By the end of the week, all my residential projects will be available for download :) Regarding the Church Street Apartments and the buiding plop cheat... I actually don't know! I have never used the cheat plop so I can't say why the Church Street Apartments don't show up. I'll take a look just to confirm that they're installing properely.
Well the weekend is done and I have some textures on Marine House. Didn't get as far as I wanted to but what else is new :) Below is how it's shaping up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg683%2F4991%2Fmarinehousetexturesstar.jpg&hash=6f3e3bb67f9fab19b1eaa231a8f0f709312ae8b6)
I scaled it down just slightly as I have a tendency to make things too big when I'm modelling. I'm quite pleased with it so far, especially the windows, which were once my achilles heel :)
As a sneak peak at what else is in store for my federal government buildings of Atlantic Canada set (Simdad you might recognize these) we have the Customs Building from Saint John, New Brunswick
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg42%2F2441%2Fcustomsbuilding.jpg&hash=6853334fbb47acc7727366acc9e68497bcc33d02)
Ugly isn't it! Maybe I'm weird, but it has a very strange kind of charm to me, even if it is ugly. Not everything the government has built to house office workers is quite so brutal though. Vintage 1950s, the Federal Building from Fredericton, New Brunswick is also on my list.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg69%2F827%2Ffrederictonfederalbuild.jpg&hash=1aa11149b73241ac2c58b781183667bff9b3b09b)
These will be the first 3 of 7. Hopefully it won't take me quite long this time to finish!
Thanks SPA.
I know what you mean about the scaffolding around the Dominion Public Building. That's been there for several years now but the good news is that the feds have finally committed funding for the restoration of the facade. The scaffolding should be gone by early 2012.
Speaking of mid 20th century federal brutalist architecture, don't forget the Dominion Building in Charlottetown PEI. It has been superceded by the Jean Canfield Building as the main federal office building in the city. The Dominion Building will se new life as a mixed use commercial/residential building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww3.pei.sympatico.ca%2Fc%2Fcperryphoto%2Fconst%2Fimage2.jpg&hash=c9c2077dd3133e3da4f6d4e1d273fe62256f1bc4)
Hello SPA,
...concerning the church street duplexes and the 'buggi cheat'...
the duplexes are listed by their color... and the new Aaron Graham apartment by 'AG' -case anyone cares to know,
perhaps I use the cheat too much but it just bugs me that the building(s) that I want 'there' don't -so I put it there, whether or not the game likes it :P $%Grinno$%...it also helps that its installed correctly, located in the program folder sc4deluxe/plugins folder and not in two other folders ::) got that fixed, then I found another gaff concerning the D.A.M.N. fixed that up -tell ya, file management can get out of whack if not regularly raked and groomed
not much to say, it appears that the next series is coming into focus and ought to keep you out of mischief for awhile... trust that the house suits the two of as ya make it your own...
still the dog days of summer...growing on a farm a dog 'butch', laziest thing in the world, would be on the porch whiny about the heat and the teasing -miss that dumb dog
Jack 8-) :sunny:
spa, ive got only one issue with your victoria apartments... they grow on low density.
I know the file say stage 5 bu the exemplars dont match.
Thought you should know if you wanna update it
-sean
Simdad: Yeah it's unfortunate, but scaffolding and hoarding seems to be part of the federal government landscape in Atlantic Canada. The Ralston in Halifax is in real bad shape, both the Postal Station and Customs Building need work as, of course, does the Dominion Building. They seem to be picking away at it now though. I suspect that economic stimulus money is at work in getting projects that should have been done long ago moving. At least the Federicton Federal and of course Halifax's Dominion Public Building are in good shape!
Jack: Glad you found them. I took a look and didn't see anything amiss. Good to know it's just the nomenclature. The house does suit, but man it's hot in it right now. 32 in Halifax today. Very unusual for this end of the country and potentially a weak hurricane for the weekend.
Thanks Rushman! That definitely shouldn't be! I will update my file.
Just a quick note. As you've probably seen, I'm releasing my files this week. In the Victoria Apartments that I uploaded yesterday, as Rushman spotted (thanks!) there was, unfortunately, a small error. One of the two lots included was accidentally set to grow on low density, which of course the Victoria Apartments are a little too big for. I have corrected the problem and updated the upload. Any of the 500 or so people who have downloaded it already (stex + lex), if you don't want to see them popping up on low density, should download the fixed version. Sorry for any inconvenience, but I too err now and then
it works perfect spa. glad I caught it quickly!
Keep up the work, and do you think its possible to make 176 Portland street slope-functional like the rl picture?
Rushman5: Me too! Unfortunately, the same error cropped up with some of my others (see below). Strictly speaking, it is possible to make Marine House slope conforming, but it would be very cumbersome and difficult. Assuming the goal would be to create detail on the basement level similiar to what's on the real building, it would need to be plopped at an exact elevation to make it work and not look silly (a door half out of the ground for example). The in-game utility compared to the effort just isn't there. I would rather move onto other things :)
I have some bad news to report, the error that Rushman caught with Victoria Apartments... well it's a little bigger. I'm sorry everyone, but Victoria Hall will grow on low density, as will the larger lots of the Halifax Boxes and the B&B lots for Dundas Terrace. All three files were updated last night with fixed versions (no problems with Church Street Apartments, Knightsbridge or Elmwood Apartments). I believe the error occurred as a result of creating lots in the maxis lot editor and then running them through pim-x. At some point, some of the lots were reset to allow low density (they didn't start out that way). It's obviously something that I'll have to watch in future since it affected 4 of my uploads. In the mean time, I would suggest that anyone who downloaded Victoria Hall, the Halifax Boxes or Dundas Terrace before late on Sept 6 or Victoria Apartments before Sept 1, delete them and download the fixed version... unless of course you don't mind them popping up on low density now and then!
In happier news, Marine House is rendered and in game. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg210%2F8851%2Fmarinehousepreview1.jpg&hash=0e178c0a657d3fd608588887c4f9047633b9719b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg267%2F5682%2Fmarinehousepreviewright.jpg&hash=df18ab2207a487ec53ec6c6f17a99b1d8d110dc8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg696%2F894%2Fmarinehousepreviewback.jpg&hash=c1e5265d1df48f51d17e840504e681f95db824e7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg412%2F5789%2Fmarinehousepreviewleft.jpg&hash=ccb75b6d53e2cd022cac8db221c7c84b048d194f)
And a night shot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.imageshack.us%2Fimg838%2F9365%2Fmarinehousepreviewnight.jpg&hash=5964675dad1f4683ae5855c9c39d6fc4dd508572)
Next up, the Saint John Customs Building.
The zone issue has happened to me while using PIMX alone. It works both ways too. I have had quite a few stage 1 lots be assigned mid/high density. It is something to watch out for.
I have also found construction time to be looked at as well. My only thought is that these stats are based solely off of the filling degree, and not what the capacity/stage actually is.
Hello SPA,
Isn't it funny :D when one thinks everything is good to go :thumbsup:; headaches pop up ()sad()-concerning the low density 'error', &mmm but now its fixed and all is good again ()stsfd()
Really like the 'Marine House' :thumbsup:, I know its meant to be a government-civic project however if you don't mind ::) $%Grinno$% I'm 'pretending it to be a mid-rise commercial lease office space called 'Marine Center' and/or 'Marine Bank' ??? ;D
So whats up over there in Halifax ()what() did the hurricane/ storm hit your area ?
We had a bad cold snap here and its affected my crops and gardens and other stuff... nature sure can play some mean tricks sometimes... :( but all is well because the raccoons ?$%kar&%h got to my garden corn before the cold and me >:( ... if I had a shot gun I'd be having coon stew and wearing a coon hat... :P
Jack 8-)
Well Jack, I think you now hold the SC4D record for legitimate smiley use in a post :D
The Marine House is coming along great Spa. It looks perfectly bland and inconspicuous. Just tried out the Halifax residentials for the first time today...so luckily I missed out on any zoning irregularities ::) They are working out great so far and I am beginning to integrate them into the small coastal village I've been working on for it seems like forever. Great stuff Spa! I waited all summer just for them and I was certainly NOT disappointed.
Quote from: cubby420 on September 08, 2010, 05:47:30 PM
Well Jack, I think you now hold the SC4D record for legitimate smiley use in a post :D
...a dubious honor, I'm sure. I must have gone click happy -didn't preview just posted, :D
just wanted to comment... :)
Jack
Lowkee: Thanks. Construction time isn't one I'll go back to adjust. Not really worth the time, but I'll keep an eye on that in the future.
Jack: Indeed that's a lot of smileys! Marine House may be a government building, but it'll be coming to SC4 as a Co$$. You could always pretend they're nautical insurers too. Hurricane Earl did hit here, knocked my power out for 24 hours and left pieces of a big maple down in my backyard, but we got off lucky. Hurricane Igor though has caused all sorts of problems next door in Newfoundland. Hopefully this will be the end of the hurricane season for Atlantic Canada now that the Fall is approaching. Sorry to hear about the raccoon bandits. They can be a real nusiance. We're keeping our eyes out for mice since it's the season where they try to come inside where it's warm. No signs of any yet!
Cubby: Glad you like the wooden buildings. I have plans for more editions, eventually, but for now a break from having to figure out new versions of backyard patios is in order :)
With Marine House done I have been slowly making progress on the Saint John Customs Building. I'm now done the modelling of the structure. Below is where things are at.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg201.imageshack.us%2Fimg201%2F6499%2Fcustomsbuildingpreview1.jpg&hash=a1d005dcf9541ec6ef37cc50b711bb160d5c5350)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg121.imageshack.us%2Fimg121%2F4057%2Fcustomsbuildingpreview2.jpg&hash=f24e908f709c2608537f0ee86b1f32f3d9940d53)
The roof junk on this one is quite elaborate and took a while to do. As far as I can tell from Bing, it's what's really up there. My guess is that when they built the Customs Building, they didn't fully anticipate the HVAC needs. The amount of stuff up there, to me, suggests that equipment has been added over time as I can't imagine the spaghetti duct system was the initial design! One thing I had to compromise on is the look on the back and sides. The real building is built into the side of a steep hill which creates not just one, but a two storey elevation change from the front to the back. I kept the look of the back and sides as best as I could and made up the difference by cutting extra floors. The front Prince William Street side is the only one that's a true to scale replica of what the real building looks like. Next step, texturing :)
Hey SPA,
great to hear from you... its good to know that the Earl's and Igor's of life haven't buffeted around too badly
that 'saint John customs building' sure has a lot of retro fit HVAC, -viewing it via google, does look like the designers didn't take it into account when it was built.
I like the 'marine house' and will pretend it to be Mariner Insurers headquarters and other marine business that may lease such space...
catch ya later
Jack
lookin' great as always spa! :thumbsup:
Jack: Indeed and the hurricane season is pretty much done at this point for Atlantic Canada. There is just a small window in which the air and water is warm enough around September that they can come this far north to cause mischief. The people in Newfoundland though weren't as lucky this year. They actually called out the navy to lend them a hand in rebuilding washed out roads to all those small outports.
Magee: Thanks
The Saint John Customs Building is in good shape. I have it textured and in game. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg42.imageshack.us%2Fimg42%2F7537%2Fcustomsbuildingingamefr.jpg&hash=30ba19baa44491ed1635bf4bfb7806331c15b737)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg63.imageshack.us%2Fimg63%2F4048%2Fcustomsbuildingingameri.jpg&hash=8e79906721919d78fe7a5bd46029085cb6f553f9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg823.imageshack.us%2Fimg823%2F3589%2Fcustomsbuildingingameba.jpg&hash=bfac68be4c14111673e58ad7432aebf775ee8245)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg836.imageshack.us%2Fimg836%2F2026%2Fcustomsbuildingingamele.jpg&hash=7951cee03b5a9b32e7c175b95a752616052c7616)
I'm pretty pleased with it. Creating textures for the glass on these larger office buildings is time consuming. Big difference from the little Halifax Boxes and small apartment buildings! Things aren't completely final at this point. I need to delete some of the bars off of the radio antenna. Since it's angled, the vertical bars turn into a strange looking blue blob on the front view. They're not really crucial to the antenna so I'll just delete them. I'm also going to rotate the roof texture on the side entrance. After that though, this one should be finished.
Finally, a night shot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg838.imageshack.us%2Fimg838%2F8044%2Fcustomsbuildingingameni.jpg&hash=274eae55f3c747252897379d7505724fdbfd9c64)
Hey SPA,
so then, I reckon with the autumn falling on you, mice scurrying for shelter and getting that halifax box winter tight... such is life, must be a kick :P
Everything that is tree and bush, garden and field, peaking in blazing colors, such is the march of season and the Packers are playing well -well sort of, as they need some help but not as bad the Lions :D $%Grinno$%
The St. John Customs Building is turning out well, showing promise :thumbsup: (... ??? &Thk/( sorry my bad :-[ not wanting to stamp on Canadian civic pride -corrections made to the 'st johns customs building' line -sorry for any pain and suffering this may have caused to anyone sensibilities $%Grinno$% -cheekiness included for fun)
... like the colors and textures, I like the entry however would an entry light help brighten the street entrance a little better %confuso... don't want to trip up sims coming and going, cause all kinds of pesky lawyer-suits to appear
Later,
Jack :satisfied:
Quote from: Jack_wilds on October 07, 2010, 03:47:45 PM
The st johns customs building is turning out well showing promise :thumbsup: ... like the colors and textures, I like the entry however would an entry light help brighten a little better %confuso..
Not to nitpick
Jack, but there are two significant cities in Atlantic Canada with nearly identical names.
Saint John, New Brunswick (pop ~ 125,000) is the home of this customs house
St. John's, Newfoundland (pop ~ 180,000) is frequently confused with the above.
The contractions and apostrophes are
very important in distinguishing the two cities and are major sources of civic pride for their residents. :thumbsup:
Clearly simdad1957, this mistake is Canada's fault for naming their cities improperly $%Grinno$% You crazy Canucks!
Jack and Simdad: I'm afraid Jack, you did indeed step on a regional sensibility. Saint John and St. John's though isn't the worst mistake that is made around here. Every year or two there is a story in the local paper about some poor travellers who thought they were booking tickets to Sydney, Australia but instead end up in Sydney, Nova Scotia! Needless to say, it's usually a shock :) What's in a name also causes consternation in Halifax. In 1995, the City of Halifax, the City of Dartmouth, Town of Bedford and County of Halifax were all merged into a single municipality: the Halifax Regional Municipality. Few have been happy about it and everyone agrees HRM is not a great name, but no one can agree on what to replace it with. Renaming the municipality Halifax, even though that's what the outside world knows the place as, rankles many people in the rest of the municipality. I personally don't understand what the fuss is about. I grew up in Lawrencetown and live in Dartmouth, but when I'm travelling and someone asks me where I'm from I always say Halifax and I suspect the same is true for most my neighbours... Although rather than simply renaming the municipality, I would like to see the boundaries redrawn so that the real rural areas formed a new county or joined their rural neighbours in Lunenburg and Guysborough. Merging the urban areas of HRM into one municipality made and still makes sense, but including distant fishing villages like Ecum Secum was silly.
Cubby420: haha. I'm sorry Cubby but are you in Washington D.C. or Washington? What about the two Portlands? And you tried to steal Vancouver from us too! ;)
Another one done, the Fredericton Federal Building is textured and in game. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg295.imageshack.us%2Fimg295%2F827%2Ffrederictonfederalbuild.jpg&hash=03de8720165cbfc9ff396e052ccea79cd0aed762)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg185.imageshack.us%2Fimg185%2F827%2Ffrederictonfederalbuild.jpg&hash=a546c40bb5ba7b5d50c124f656a7a5f842274140)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg202.imageshack.us%2Fimg202%2F827%2Ffrederictonfederalbuild.jpg&hash=dd3c72d82a1e206c0a2bb1beb4b3657803cc6285)
I set the Fredericton Federal Building to be Co$$$ as opposed to Co$$ like Marine House and the Saint John Customs Building to mix things up. Funny thing about this one, because of all the stone patterns, texturing took longer than modelling. In my experience, it tends to be the other way around!
Anyway, my next Government of Canada Building is from Amherst, Nova Scotia. The Amherst GOCB is a more modern building, having been built in the 1970s, and is a rather large building considering its small-town location. The GOCB serves as the regional headquarters for the department of Indian and Northern Affairs. It may be a 70s building, but it has some style and has a lot of visual interest.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg109.imageshack.us%2Fimg109%2F8296%2Famherstgocbreallife.jpg&hash=2bb9943a2b63597e174dab44ab9d25242db3a2a0)
I'll update when I have the modelling underway.
Excellent work (as always) SPA.
Thankfully there is only ONE Moncton! :D
Well, apparently there used to be a second Moncton too (even the same (mis)spelling)........in Washington state. That town was drowned when they built a hydro electric dam and alas is no more, so those of us who live in Moncton, New Brunswick can revel in our uniqueness. :thumbsup:
Speaking of names confusion...........(the province of) New Brunswick Canada is often confused by the Yanks with New Brunswick, New Jersey.
It should be noted that there is a small rural community in Charlotte County (southwestern NB, near the US border) that is called New Jersey, New Brunswick!! ???
I believe that there are Springfield's in all 48 of the contiguous lower 48 United States as well, so there shouldn't be too much consternation over the concept of St. John's and Saint John. At least we have found out a way to distinguish the two cities. :D
Hello SPA,
Glad your well and good... and thanks for clarifying the murky %confuso sound of water -I think ???,
nomenclature of towns, cities, areas can be such pip of a fix to keep straight -aka the 48 Springfields; which one are you from ()what() Its like where I grew up in an area called the 'tri-city' -Nekoosa-port-rapids, so when I was asked where I came from I'd say Wisconsin Rapids as its the bigger of the three... Now I'm in the fox cities region -everything seems to become more and more regionalized
its better than being from Wausau, as when one goes to NYcity your greeted 'welcome to America, hows it like in Canada?'... I seemed to have run into more geographically challenged people in NYcity than any where else -go figure. Wisconsin as been 'shoved' into Canada too often from folks out east... I don't know if they kidding around or if they sincere in their error... however there are a lot of Canadian companies and concerns operating here.
Been to Canada a several times. The geology-geography is rather impressive, bland, rocky and really differs to WI. I think that the last ice age sent all of the top soil down into the Great Lakes region. I also wonder whats going to happen with "global warming" as its going to wake up the Tundras like modern history has never seen -what mysteries will be found... I went to the Lake of the Woods in Ontario -big lake, got lost, sunburned, no fish &mmm
the progress on your bats is to be commended, as the Fredericton Federal Building is my new favorite bat... The Amherst GOCB looks like it might be a challenge
Jack :satisfied:
Mmm, MOAR!!!
Great job, as always spa! Although I kind of see your Fredericton Fed building as a perfect courthouse rather than an office building. I know that's what it is, but the look of it makes it a great candidate for a civic building, especially considering there are already so many office buildings around. I'll take it anyway ;D
Quote from: Jack_wilds on October 25, 2010, 02:50:44 PM
Been to Canada a several times. The geology-geography is rather impressive, bland, rocky and really differs to WI. I think that the last ice age sent all of the top soil down into the Great Lakes region. I also wonder whats going to happen with "global warming" as its going to wake up the Tundras like modern history has never seen -what mysteries will be found... I went to the Lake of the Woods in Ontario -big lake, got lost, sunburned, no fish &mmm
Sounds like you've only been to NW Ontario
Jack..........
Canada is such a large country (bigger than the US) that it's difficult to pigeon-hole. The Maritimes is just like coastal New England. Southern Quebec is similar to inland New England but with a rich agricultural plain along the St. Lawrence River Valley. Southern Ontario is like the mid-western U.S. Northern Quebec and northern Ontario are dominated by the barren Canadian Shield. The Prairies are similar to the northern U.S. Great Plains. Southern British Columbia is like the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. (only more-so). Northern BC and the Yukon are like Alaska. The NWT and Nunavut are the Great White North.
Most people think of Canada as being north of the 49th parallel but 2/3rds of Canadians live south of this latitude. 1/3rd of Canadians in fact live below the 45th parallel. Toronto is nearly at the same latitude as Chicago. Canada extends as far south as the 41st parallel (same latitude as northern California). There are palm trees growing in southwestern BC.
The country directly south of Detroit is...............Canada!! :thumbsup:
Hey SPA, and all...
Thanks for the 'slap-around' Simdad1957, as my comment-observations were intended to apply to the Lake-of-the-woods, SW-Ontario area alone, I did go to a lake, whose name I can't recall in NW-Ontario thou... I overlooked my lack of syntax as I think quicker than I type; sometimes omit -thinking I've stated it well enough &mmm
..And the geography lessons continue... :D
What I was noting the most about the area was the granites (the Canadian shield, I think), lack of top soils, shallowness of woodlot duff, the mono-like structure of the habitats, a mostly pines-cedars-softwood woodlot type stands (not the plantations), the boldness of wildlife -namely the loons, pine siskins, one nosey black bear :D
... The people didn't seem so different from North-woods WI sensibilities, so in that way easy to 'get along', feeling like I'm in familiar places. However I suppose they viewed us much like the way we view Ill. city folks coming up-north... :P Hi-good bye nice to see ya but...
so I hope my thoughts aren't too muddy this time around ::)
So SPA ever go fishing or been as far west as the Lake of the Woods -apparently the fishing there is really great... but not for me the last time I was there. Someday I hope to go back. ;)
Concerning the Fredericton Federal Building, is possible to keep it as the planned CS$$ and also make it a courthouse too ()what() as TiFLo said, however I also know your modus about civic buildings so whatever :-\
Later
Jack :satisfied:
One small omission from Simdad's very comprehensive list, Newfoundland! I don't think Newfoundland is like anywhere else on Earth! It's so beautiful there. The land and the small outports really make for a unique place. The one that surprises me is that Halifax is on the same latitude (45) as Northern Italy and Southern France. We're on the same latitude as Venice! Talk about drawing the short straw. Of course to be fair to Jack, the rugged Canadian Shield with its rocks, pine trees and lakes is the typical Canadian image, both within the country and abroad. The Group of 7 made quite a name off of Algonquin and parts around. Canadians love to think of themselves as a Northern country, but we're really not. We just happen to have a big backyard!
On the Fredericton Federal Building, I could do a courthouse version as TiFlo suggests if there is demand. I tend to shy away from making static landmarks under the logic of "what do they really offer in game that a landmark with jobs doesn't?" The Maxis courthouse after all is just a demand cap busting reward. It doesn't really have any courthouse function. Still, the Fredericton Federal definitely does have the feel of a public building. I'll give it some thought.
Ha! I used to work in the Fredericton Federal Building. Getting cell-phone reception in that granite/concrete box was near impossible.
Quote from: spa on October 26, 2010, 03:57:45 PM
On the Fredericton Federal Building, I could do a courthouse version as TiFlo suggests if there is demand. I tend to shy away from making static landmarks under the logic of "what do they really offer in game that a landmark with jobs doesn't?" The Maxis courthouse after all is just a demand cap busting reward. It doesn't really have any courthouse function. Still, the Fredericton Federal definitely does have the feel of a public building. I'll give it some thought.
How about calling the building a Courthouse, but making it so it acts as a police station? That way it is useful, and it remains close from the idea of what a Courthouse should be.
Lovely work on the Bat and great work into the detail of the Lot itself. Always love your creations especially since you spend time detailing the lot as much as you do the bat.
Magee: Small world! I suspect the cell phone reception hasn't improved either. Do you work for the feds or the province (the province used to rent space in the Federal Building).
TiFlo: I'll consider it. Right now, I have dropped the Federal Building and moved onto other things. I haven't packaged it up for the BSC internal testing process yet though, so maybe I'll get motivated to make a police station before I pass it off.
SimNation: Thanks. I do spend a fair bit of time in the lot editor and I do try and make my stuff consistently. I'm glad you enjoy the results.
Well I missed the "in progress" shot of the Amherst GOCB so we're skipping right to the textured and in game pics today. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg217.imageshack.us%2Fimg217%2F1361%2Famherstgocbfront.jpg&hash=23bab85ce373075391b33ffbd5baf9763adc48a0)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg718.imageshack.us%2Fimg718%2F301%2Famherstgocbeast.jpg&hash=ebea46828f66b3ed9a06642e825d22c37be4bb19)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg593.imageshack.us%2Fimg593%2F3617%2Famherstgocbback.jpg&hash=660e59c267ac5bc11038db53f4d7c806e3a7524a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg121.imageshack.us%2Fimg121%2F7720%2Famherstgocbwest.jpg&hash=eb38dc5a9cffc58505db83bd0def2b42f2321222)
I think that's another one finished (4 of 7 if anyone is keeping a tally ;) ). With this one, modelling all the plants and grounds took as much time as the actual building! The wheelchair ramps were particularly challenging. The plants were also a pain. I ended up having to make them in a separate file and then merge them into the GOCB scene before rendering because they're resource pigs that slowed gmax to a crawl. I did have to cheat a little bit with this model. The shape of the Amherst GOCB might be really neat in real life, but it doesn't translate to Sim City so well because of the game's viewing angle. Had I stuck to the real building's measurements, none of the 2nd floor windows would be visible. When I first modelled the 2nd and 3rd floors, that was the result which looked kind of strange, like the building had been squished or something. To compensate, I lifted the third floor up a few extra meters to reveal just the bottom half of the 2nd floor windows. A small compromise, but the type that sometimes has to be made due to SC4's limitations.
The Amherst GOCB also comes with a little touch of political satire. You might notice to the left on the front view that there is a little blob of colour on the lawn. Might be tough to make out, but it's actually a toppled sign. It came out pretty illegible in SC4, but any Canadians out there might recognize the colour splash as every federal building in Canada has pretty much ended up with one. Below is a picture of it in game.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg8.imageshack.us%2Fimg8%2F934%2Feconomicactionsign.jpg&hash=b03d46319c42132d5a8305fa4cde3dad4880053c)
It's a toppled sign for Canada's "Economic Action Plan," aka Canada's economic stimulus program. The Economic Action Plan has attracted a lot of political attention in Canada. The ruling Conservative government at first didn't want to do anything to stimulate the economy, but the opposition parties ganged up to force action (the Conservatives are a minority government meaning that all 3 opposition parties can unite to overrule them). Once they were forced into action, the Tories took to stimulus spending like ducks to water, doling out money everywhere and bragging about it with signs, tv ads and an endless stream of campaign style announcements. One of the conditions for any group receiving funding under the Action Plan was that a sign be placed on the site of the project to advertise the Government of Canada's involvement. This became a bit absurd as the Government devoted a huge amount of resources to ruthlessly tracking every sign while at the same time was unable to come up with any figures as to the amount of money spent under the Action Plan, how many projects were actually underway and what their effect was on the economy. Anyway, I'm sure the Amherst GOCB's toppled sign is on some spreadsheet in the PM's SC4 office ;) Here's a Toronto Star and Rick Mercer (Canada's Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert) link to the sign controversy if you want to read more and have a quick laugh.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/857276--bureaucrats-ordered-to-track-stimulus-signage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxFwqtSpmc4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApNfU195LsY&feature=channel
Finally, some nights shots for the road.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F4641%2Famherstgocbnight1.jpg&hash=bdea7e9752e71390afc3f3cd4eec9157e5a702ff)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg249.imageshack.us%2Fimg249%2F3681%2Famherstgocbnight2.jpg&hash=c04a1d50fc021c3ca345a07e507db9c8eac71a25)
Unless anyone spots anything, that'll be it for the Amherst GOCB. I do need to mirror the model since this one is a corner building so that it can show up on both sides of the street, but that won't take long (I'll run the render overnight). I'll probably be onto the next Government of Canada Building this weekend: back to Saint John, NB for the Postal Station A and Annex. I'll post some more on that when I have something to show.
Very impressive. This will fit nicely in some spots I very much need to fill. The whole set is going to be a godsend in fact...I need some of just these kind of government/commercial buildings - very ordinary but incredibly detailed upon further inspection.
That is an awesome building. The grounds are perfect too. I would love to see more of this kind of thing.
Geoff
spa i think this model looks super! just two small adjustments that will make it look magnifico!
the roof slab outlines could be a little bit more contrasting to the texture and same with the air vents (the really small ones)
and possibly alter the exaggeration of the top floorwall width, so it looks wider
kinda like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi293.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fmm50%2Fbighead99999%2Fspas.jpg&hash=dbfefc8cf61d58d6d7364942430b04c833be6afb)
i don't like to criticise as it is not usually my forte :)
This is good. This is really good. Looking forward to having my hands on it.
Quote from: spa on November 17, 2010, 07:46:42 PM
It's a toppled sign for Canada's "Economic Action Plan," aka Canada's economic stimulus program. The Economic Action Plan has attracted a lot of political attention in Canada. The ruling Conservative government at first didn't want to do anything to stimulate the economy, but the opposition parties ganged up to force action (the Conservatives are a minority government meaning that all 3 opposition parties can unite to overrule them). Once they were forced into action, the Tories took to stimulus spending like ducks to water, doling out money everywhere and bragging about it with signs, tv ads and an endless stream of campaign style announcements. One of the conditions for any group receiving funding under the Action Plan was that a sign be placed on the site of the project to advertise the Government of Canada's involvement. This became a bit absurd as the Government devoted a huge amount of resources to ruthlessly tracking every sign while at the same time was unable to come up with any figures as to the amount of money spent under the Action Plan, how many projects were actually underway and what their effect was on the economy. Anyway, I'm sure the Amherst GOCB's toppled sign is on some spreadsheet in the PM's SC4 office ;) Here's a Toronto Star and Rick Mercer (Canada's Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert) link to the sign controversy if you want to read more and have a quick laugh.
I'm currently teaching French to one of the persons from Infrastructure Canada that was in charge of developping the program. I can tell you she's not convinced it did any good, except that of showing that the government was doing something (which in itself is understandable). She's actually looking forward to the inquiry that will eventually come and show that the vast majority of funds went to Conservative ruled districts, as well as being used for petty work (plugging pot-holes, anyone?) instead of being allocated to heavy work that would be useful on the long run.
Cubby: Thanks! It's always nice to fill gaps and in my experience, we can always use more mid-rise offices.
Caliban: Thanks.
Superhands: No problem about the suggestions, it's what a threads for! I did take you up on the chimnies, they're now lighter so they stand out a little more. Good suggestion. As for the seams on the roof, I actually like them as is. When I made the texture, I started off with more defined lines, but I found they overpowered the texture. I'm happy with them so they're staying as is.
TiFlo: Interesting about your student at Infrastructure Canada. She's no doubt correct. It's only now that projects that received stimulus money are really getting underway so I don't know what good the whole spending spree did other than to put the country deep into red ink. My sense is that a good number of the stimulus projects, at least when it comes to federal buildings, were projects that were going to happen anyway. In the hyper-partisan world of minority government, it's politics all the time.
Just a small update on a few small changes to the Amherst GOCB. There is now a version for both left and right corners, I tweaked the chimney texture so that they stand out a little more, shrunk the bricks and fixed a few minor details on the lot. Below is the final version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg843.imageshack.us%2Fimg843%2F3030%2Famherstgocbtweaked.jpg&hash=c527dd7f8c425764c2cac3473499468f5d9d1d8a)
As I mentioned the other day, my next project will be another beauty from Saint John, NB. Just up the street from the Customs Building, sits the second federal government office building in Saint John, the Postal Station A and Annex (POA).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg51.imageshack.us%2Fimg51%2F6582%2Fpostalstationreallife.jpg&hash=54d4dc46b0214498660607a007bab7067b0e8c01)
Around the turn of the century, the post office was undergoing an industrial revolution in mail sorting which meant large central facilities were needed. Postal Station A was built in 1915 and was one of several new post offices built across the country during the era. The beaux-arts structure is noteworthy for its classical style, exaggerated height and location. Most beaux-arts buildings were built with the idea that you would view them from afar, but the POA, however, was built mid-block on a narrow street which means its tough to really view the whole building. It's kind of like the original architecture took an off the shelf kind of design and dropped it into the middle of Saint John without considering the local context.
After the Second World War, the Canadian federal government, like governments in most of the Western world, entered a period of rapid expansion. Growing federal requirements meant that the demand for government office space in Saint John increased. To meet the increasing demand and to redevelop Uptown, an addition was added onto the back of the Postal Station on Canterbury Street in 1952.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg99.imageshack.us%2Fimg99%2F6637%2Fpoaannexreallife.jpg&hash=01bdfa83c65f9a657b4e8a4bdb3ba024e80f175e)
In sharp contrast to the Postal Station, the Annex is an early modernist classic with clear ties to the Bauhaus school. Whereas the Postal Station side is built from stone and includes ornate detailing, the Annex side is made up of brick, glass and steel, and boasts crisp lines without ornamentation. Below is a bing picture of the area so you can see how the two separate wings fit together to form one building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg576.imageshack.us%2Fimg576%2F2325%2Fpoabing.jpg&hash=1ba92c0ed3502bf962d9ffd34d514380c03e8a81)
Anyway, this is my next project. I'll see how it goes, but I might include stand alone versions of both the Annex and Postal Station sides in addition to a model of the whole complex for variety.... we'll see if I'm sick of it by then. :)
best part of your teases is when they grow in my city! :D
I really like the brick building. Looks very very similar to an old, now closed school near where I live. Keep them generic buildings coming, they're greatly appreciated :thumbsup:
the brick building reminds me of the county court in my town...
linkie (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&q=ashford+the+courthouse&ie=UTF8&hq=the+courthouse&hnear=Ashford,+United+Kingdom&ll=51.147822,0.871074&spn=0.003446,0.013733&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=51.147824,0.873128&panoid=WyjlhbECy9SfBtZIJiNciA&cbp=12,257.45,,0,2.54)
Hey SPA dude...
The Amherst GOCB -so much better :thumbsup: thanks for fixing it round... between commenting on bat progress here or there I prefer here as the textures, colors and lotting seem to appear better here -but I think its just how my PC is &Thk/( ...
I could speak a few about the stimulus too... but what good would it do &mmm ... I didn't qualify for any of it nor did it have a direct or immediate or visible effects here in the fox valley ()sad()
Trust life is good in the maritime
Jack :satisfied:
Fantastic work so far, these are some really great buildings. I'd like to throw my vote in for the annex and main building being separate, I for one would get more use out of them that way. I hope you will be keeping the Canada sign on the building as well and have it light up all sexy like.
I'd also like to take the time to ask if these are all going to be CO buildings or are you going to make any of them city halls or anything of that sort?
Hey Spa,
I was in the freddy building with the Feds for a brief stint. Thanks again for continuing to put out some great quality BATs. Being in Toronto, they give me a little taste of home.
I was thinking the SJ City Market would make a great addition once you complete your Federal Buildings series. Would probably have to cheat a bit and remove the slope though.
Best Wishes!
Great work with the brick building, Spa. The more smaller buildings we have, the better ;D
Just a small suggestion... what about a concrete version of it? Something like this maybe? (http://www.bourgasrc.court-bg.org/img/Image/Sgrada.jpg)
Long time since my last update from the looks of things. Overdue replies first.
Gringa: There will be more this year :)
Metasmurf & Mightygoose: That's the beauty of 1970s modernism, it could be anywhere in the world.
Jack: I forget what I did to fix it, it's been so long. Thanks :)
Utvaw: When I get around to finishing the POA, I'll include all 3 versions for a 3 in 1 deal. I actually haven't been keeping the Canada signs on any of my GOCBs. Been trying to keep things generic for Sim City. I know when other people create buildings, I prefer that national symbols be left off so I have been doing the same.
Magee: I actually don't have pictures of the Saint John market. I somehow missed it on my last trip there. Next time I'm in Saint John I'll bring my camera and make sure to snap a few pictures. I think the first Maritime market I make will actually be the new Seaport market here in Halifax. Some really, really contemporary architecture.
Io_bg: Thanks. After the GOCBs I'll either do a set of Maritime mansions or another batch of Main Street buildings. I'll consider doing a concrete version, but usually with these larger buildings, by the time I get to the end of texturing I'm just ready to move onto my next project.
Well I'm very overdue in replying here. About two months! Sim City just got lost in the holiday rush. I really didn't do much batting over the last while. The computer time I had went into Galactic Civilizations 2 Twilight of Arnor. Had to fight the Drengin until it was out of my system. In the last two weeks though, I started tinkering with Sim City again. I didn't have the stomach for picking up a large project like the POA for easing back in so I started with something small, a new building, the Shelburne Government of Canada Building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg195.imageshack.us%2Fimg195%2F2520%2Fshelburnegocbreallife.jpg&hash=7e1a08eb25fcfe2e26b18dded2c828a070929890)
The Shelburne GOCB is a federal office building located in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Shelburne is a small town of less than 10,000 people on Nova Scotia's South Shore that when it was first founded after the American Revolution, was briefly Nova Scotia's largest settlement. That highpoint wasn't sustainable though and Shelburne eventually lost out to Halifax and Yarmouth. The Shelburne GOCB was constructed in 1964 and provides space for Canada Post and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. It's a modernist building, which is usually not my thing, but the Shelburne GOCB has some style to it that's somehow appealing to me. Anyway, time for some shots from the finished product.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg641.imageshack.us%2Fimg641%2F8247%2Fshelburnegocbpreview1.jpg&hash=714918590cd12923c2522677e636fbf16192272a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg4.imageshack.us%2Fimg4%2F3695%2Fshelburnegocbpreview2.jpg&hash=141b7877ddcaefab24ec538d751cda52a0024f69)
For a small building there were a lot of little details to make. The front facade has lots of geometry! I'm pretty pleased with the end product. I did make two versions, one with the front wheelchair ramp and one without. The version without the ramp is a little more compact and fits on a 3x3 lot while the version with the ramp takes up more space and needed a 3x4 lot. I made the extra compact version so that the Shelburne GOCB can look at home, in Sim City, in a larger more urban setting than, say, small town Shelburne. So with the Shelburne GOCB finished, I'll either resume working on the POA or start the final GOCB in the set, Halifax's Dominion Public Building and my own daily workspace. One nightshot of the Shelburne GOCB for the road.
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...its been so long that I thought you fell in to the sound :D glad you are well and trust that the Christmas holidays treated you with an abundance of fun and family...
I like the Shelburne GOCB as it's delightfully generic and also typical of similar government structures here in WI. The only thing I'd add &idea is a mail delivery truck to the rear dock... otherwise the lot, props and overlook is good...
from the shivering Northwoods
Jack of the snows
Jack: haha no sounds around here. We have harbours, bays, a couple of straits, an inlet or two, but no sounds. Sounds are pretty much all out on the West Coast. I can't think of any bodies of water on the East Coast that are called sounds. The funniest is in Newfoundland though, where what you would call a sound out west is known as a tickle! Figure that one out! Glad you like the Shelburne GOCB. Afraid I won't be adding a mail truck this time though.
Just a small update today. I went back and modified the Shelburne GOCB based on feedback over at Simtropolis. The white panels are now a little more white, I darkened the nearly invisible metal window frames so that they're now a little bit more visible and the night lighting has gone from a warm inviting glow to a harsher white which is more in line with what you would get in an office environment. Anyway, it's now final unless anyone spots something really significant.
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I have something different today, progress shots rather than completed drafts. My new project is probably the finest federal building in Atlantic Canada, the Dominion Public Buiding in Downtown Halifax.
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In the picture, you can see some of my other bat projects, the Bank of Nova Scotia to the left and just behind the tower in the pixalated distance on the Dartmouth side of the harbour, Marine House. The Public Building is a rarity in Atlantic Canada, a large Art Deco "skyscrapper." The Public Building was constructed in the 1930s as Depression era stimulus project to be the main federal building in Halifax. The Post Office occupied the ground floor and to this day, the Public Building is also known as the Old Post Office Building. For 30 years, until the bank towers were built in the 1960s, the Public Building was Halifax's tallest building which is why it's also sometimes referred to as "Halifax's original skyscrapper." The Public Building is graced with giant stone seahorses, dolphins and other marine themed decorations. The lobby has remained intact with marble and brass post office wickets. One of the rare features on the inside is a marble dedication to Edward the 7th, rare because Edward was on king for so little time that few federal buildings were finished during his reign. The Public Building was added onto in the 1960s (side addition) and a major retrofit in 1993 added a glass atrium to make the 4th through 7th floor more usable for modern office space. In recent years, the building's tower was taken apart and restored. Unfortunately, modern fire regulations have meant that all the tower space, everything above the 7th floor, is unusuable and it's essentially purely decorative. The building provides space for Public Works and Government Services Canada.
So that's the Dominion Building, below is what I have so far.
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I actually have a request for help, I'm having a lot of trouble getting the tower cap on. It's a very complex shape in that it rises up and bends inward towards the centre. It's not round and the pieces don't exactly link up, they have squarish edges. Any experienced batters have any suggestions as to how you would tackle making this shape? Keep in mind I'm working in gmax. Below's an additional close-up of the tower's cap.
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Any help would be appreciated. I have sunk my whole morning into trying to get it come together without success.
Hey SPA
Hows life with you in the maritime... did the big storm shack things up around there %confuso
I hope that you'll get the needed tech help your looking for as its an ambitious project, :thumbsup: the progress promises a successful one... will it have that stone textures ()what() I like the entry so far... I'll wait for further progress for any nit-picking :P
good hearing from you...
Jack
Jack: We had a few storms blow through lately including bits of the big one that created so much media fuss. It dumped about 40cms on Halifax which meant a bit of shovelling. A few days later though we had a slush storm move in (snow changing to rain halfway) which helped cut the drifts back down to a managable size. Been a messy winter, but at least it hasn't been too cold. I would rather snowstorms every week than double digit negatives!
So I'm still working on the Dominion Public Building. I got some help from over on Simtropolis and the BSC private board to fix my dome problem. I ended up using a lathe, a marker box and then moving points around. Time consuming, but it turned out alright.
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It's still not quite an exact copy of the real thing, but it's close. I might still tinker with it to square up the edges. This one has been a challenging model. Do you know what the only thing harder then making that irregular dome shape is, making stone seahorse heads!
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I don't do well with shapes that defy standard geometry! Lucky for me, they're small so my messy modelling and shortcuts won't be visible in the end :) As usual, my model is a touch larger than it should be so I'm going to have to scale the whole thing down by maybe 5% when I'm done modelling. Anyway, I'm going to keep picking at this one. I'm just about ready to start the side addition.
The statue looks like some mutant flying spaghetti monster. :D
But anyways great work on these buildings. :)
,marsh
SPA,
Glad all is well and I agree about snow better than bitter cold... as its bitter cold here for nearly two weeks... night before last reached -15 with the wind -it sucked... I went out on walk about for chores and errands yesterday and it was bitter teeth chattering time of it -then I lost my coffee mug ()sad() which really mad for a cold walk... the Packer Party at Lambeau Field was a very cold -10 and wind... so it was over 40,000 teeth chattering cheese heads celebrating...
... as for the front door entry, :thumbsup: the dome fix looks right and good too... your making good progress :)
its cold here
Jack
Not to be too wanting, but when will the existing GOCB buildings be released? They'd be REALLY useful for a lot of regional government applications.
Marsh: Indeed! Definitely a spaghetti monster. Organic shapes without straight edges are really tough, at least for me. The good part is, even though the statue is poorly made, it really doesn't show and actually doesn't look bad from the forgiving distance of SC4's zooms.
Jack: Thanks. The cold is over now though... at least on Nova Scotia's Atlantic Coast. The temperature shot up to plus 8 on the weekend and now there is no snow left. I was up in Northern Nova Scotia on business early last week and it's surprisingly a very different situation up there. In Amherst, it was tough to see around some of the street corners because the drifts were piled up so high. Quite a staggering difference for just a 2.5 hour drive away.
Tracker: They'll be ready when they're ready ;) In all seriousness, I'm anticipating a release around May. The last batch of my buildings haven't even begun the internal scrutineering process yet. Don't worry though, they're coming.
Just a quick update today with some progress shots. I have been steadily picking away at the Dominion Public Building and the end of the modelling is coming into sight. Below is where things sit.
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Still plenty to do, especially up at the roof level. The penthouse needs windows, a door and a ladder, the two giant hvacs and their associated ducting need to go on and the side walls of the tower need windows and a service door. Back at street level, I still need to add the front steps, wheelchair ramp and foundation. There is one issue I'm mulling over, what artistic license to take regarding the loading bay? The block that the real Dominion Public Building is located on slopes down towards Halifax Harbour. Between Lower Water Street and Bedford Row, the real Public Building actually gains a whole storey in elevation.
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These types of elevation changes really don't translate well to SC4, so I have to decide whether to omit the loading bay entirely (already doing that with the basement windows on the Lower Water Street side) or add it as an underground feature like the parking garage on my earlier Amherst GOCB. I'm leaning on putting it in as a below grade feature and seeing how it looks.
Great to hear from ya SPA, the progress is really progressing ::) :thumbsup:
It looking good and promising all over
Jack: Thanks. It's progressing, but quite slowly. Hence my late reply!!!
Well 2 months between posts. Time sure flies! Sim City has been taking a bit of a back seat lately. It's the first Spring in my own home and my yard has become a big project. The previous owners took great care of the place inside, but they kind of gave up on the garden and as a result the flower beds are in an advanced state of neglect and there is gout weed, the most vile plant known to human kind, everywhere. It's practically a full-time job to fight it... or at least a full-time job in my leisure hours. I have still found some hours here and there to pick away at the Dominion Building, but it'll probably be slow going for the summer months. Below is where things are now.
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About the parking garage section. Each of those cars came from a free website, archive3d. I downloaded each and then tweaked the models since most of them were very polygon intensive for Sim City's limited needs. The 10 cars are a Ford Fiesta, BMW M5, Fiat Uno, GMC Sierra, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Mercedes Vito, Ssang Yong Rexton, Toyota Mark 5 and a Volvo S40. Tweaking and texturing each vehicle ended up taking several hours so the 10 of them represent several weeks worth of Sim City time. There are one or two of them that still need a little bit of work (interior sides so the parking lot lines don't show through), but they're basically done. At least I'll be able to reuse them in the future. The modelling is now basically done (will need to bat some ground to hide the underground pieces, but that's minor) and I'm finally ready to move onto texturing.
SPA
Glad to hear your still around, and alive :D...
Yea, yard work and honey do lists "$Deal"$ makes for time consuming chore(s) :P you think its gout weed that is bad to battle; its creeping charlie or dragonsblood that's hard to get rid of ::) :P
at any-rate... like the progress particularly the front -the main entry, and its a neat interesting collection of the cars... looking forward to the texturing phase to progress ... overall, its a great model interpretation of a complex structure :thumbsup:
Jack
I'll trade you for my violets :)
Jack: Yep, still here :) Creeping Charlie eh? Never heard of that one, but a quick google of it brings up the same kind of vitriolic forum replies that googling gout weed does. Glad I don't have that one to contend with. Gout weed is quite enough thank you! Gout weed is one of the very first plants to pop out in the Spring so it gets a leg-up on everything else. If you let it, it'll crowd out everything. Had I been attuned to it earlier, I would have been out in April going after it. Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War that to defeat your enemy, you must know him. Well gout weed is relentless in its spread so I have decided to be just as relentless in my attack. I start by clearing an area by hand, pulling every bit I can find out by as much root as I can get. After I'm done, I revisit the same spot every day or two to grab any new shoots that might pop up. Left to its devices, gout weed will be back with small shoots within a week. Keeping on top of it takes less time than the initial clearing so I have been steadily increasing the area that is cleared. Happily, I'm having some success. I started in the rock garden along the side of my house a few weeks ago. The gout weed in that section reacted defiantly to my first visit, popping back up in just days, but after several repeat visits, it's actually weakening. The shoots are taking longer and longer to come back and they're coming back in steadily decreasing numbers. Even if you can't get all the roots, no plant can survive without the sun! Pulling gout weed has kind of become an obssession, but most everything I do is somewhat obsessive.
Lowkee: haha done! Would you believe I'm actually planting violets! They're such a perfect little edging flower, require little attention, cost almost nothing, will seed themselves and come in multiple colours. Really goes to show you that the definition of weed varies from person to person. Some people, strange though they are, actually plant an ornamental version of gout weed (the ornamental is just as bad and in time reverts to its original plain green self).
glad to see the update! &apls
I'm headed back home to the Atlantic provinces next week and am looking forward to reconnecting with the architecture on the east coast!
Lovely details you have put on this building and I also love the cars. I'm so so glad you have posted an update on this building, I want to see this finished. &apls
Here gout weed is mostly referred to as 'snow-in-the-mountain' or bishop's weed and is sold as an 'annual' ground cover -highly discouraged planting it, as it is noxious weed... Wikipedia is another place to look up these weeds and other horticultural specimens for a quick-simple-easy summary of plant data.
A client I once had, insisted on it and now its all over, under the pine trees etc, -it even took over the broad-leaf plantain and hostas &mmm ... in the horticultural landscape industry here, a Weed is a plant in the wrong place or one mans weed is another mans greens :D... Making it a very subjective determination on choosing recommendations for clients... who sometimes insist on things rather questionable.
Perhaps with all this talk about weeds... a boston or english ivy could be 'let loose' on an end of the dominion building :P ::)
The back door seems a little small compared to the cars. I'm sure you know better than me though.
Back to weeds :). It got to the point where a whole weekend every year could be devoted to pulling out violets. The problem is that they grow singularly and aren't simple to take out, you need to get the "bulbous" part of the root which goes into the dirt about an inch or so. I don't think it's too far off an estimate to say my parent's yard has about 100-200 violets per square meter, and sections that are all violets. At this point, my mother just tries to maintain a line.
I rent an apartment now, so as long as my garden is growing... >:D
Hello everyone. Hope the summer is going well. First, time for a few really, really late replies.
Magee: Thanks. Hope your trip back East is/has gone well. Summer was late arriving, but it was a nice July :)
Aaron: Slowly but surely I'm working on it. It will be finished one day, but I wouldn't want to guestimate when given my current pace.
Jack: Yep that's it. I can't believe that some irresponsible garden centres sell the stuff. It really should be banned. This year I basically wrote the east side of my property off until next year to focus on the west side. The strategy of concentrating my efforts rather than trying to do it all at once has actually produced some nice results. On the west side of my property, scattered fragments of gout weed root still send up a few shoots every week or so, but it's vigour has greatly diminished and it's on the run. Persistence and digging seems to be the key. I'm hoping that the winter will further weaken it and it'll just be a matter of plucking any survivers off in the Spring to clinch my victory. Next year, I can work to reclaim the other side and the year after that I'll try and figure out how to get it out of the lawn. It'll be a 3-5 year effort :)
Lowkee: Indeed it is and I wondered if someone would notice. Here's the thing though, the scale that Maxis used for buildings and cars wasn't very consistent. Maxis buildings are really small when compared to Maxis cars. Rather than have tiny cars relative to the game's default content or an overly large building, I replicated the same quirk. Better to fit in with what's already there has always been my approach. Here's a pic of my cars next to a Maxis car.
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On weeds... at least violets are pretty! Gout weed has no redeeming characteristics as far as I can see. Still, violets spreading throughtout a lawn might be problematic. The varieties in use here in Nova Scotia are no where near that vigorous... or maybe it's just the Nova Scotia climate that keeps them in check.
So, as indicated in my last post from back in May, my Sim City time is a little limited right now as I'm putting a lot of effort into the backyard (planting, weeding and hauling rocks for edging). I don't think I'll have a whole lot of freetime to really concentrate on Sim City until the Fall. After Christmas though, I'll probably be back to limited time as my wife and I are expecting our first child J I have, however, been slowly picking away at the Dominion Public Building. I'm into texturing. Below is where it's heading.
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I have to say, texturing this model is a real pain in the butt. Creating custom textures for all those stone walls and manipulating them so that the bricks line up is very time consuming and I still have a long way to go. Now that I have textured the atrium, you can kind of see the furniture in there. When I do the nighlighting, hopefully all those chair, table and potted plant models I made will be visible. Anyway, I'll update again when I have more progress to show. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.
Thanks for update.. as I was wondering about ya out there in the maritime...
also wondering about what you think of the notion -in keeping with the 'weeds' story line of late, to set an ivy lose on a side of the Dominion Bldg.
Sounds like you have a plan on tackling the 'bishops weed'... thats one of the things a house gives is a place to putz-n-putter around with. And the new developments, a child "J" is on the way? life will never be the same :D super news. it sounds as life is really happening for you in 'Halifax' area. The Lord's peace and blessings keep you, your wife and family, the house all in goodness... :thumbsup: Life is good when there is someone to share it all with.
Sage sayings to consider: it ain't the fishing its who you bring -life fishing, shared with good company makes it that much better... that is: adventure is in the living all of life, not so much adventurous activities to make a life
What I hope is this latest series gets finished and released before RL gets to be an issue... so heres hoping [emoticon w/ fingers crossed] Like the textures so far your choice in materials is good-n-neat should make for a historical landmark for sim-cities everywhere... and the atrium plan sounds really neat :thumbsup:
take care SPA hope to hear from ya soon
Jack
This looks awesome.
Thanks Jack and Mulu. It has been a while since I have posted. I honestly haven't done much on Sim City in the last two months. The wife and I are now only 3-4 weeks out from the birth of our first child, Janetta. We're quite excited, although Michelle is just ready to have pregnancy done with now. Over the last 2 weeks though, I have kind of picked up batting again on my long overdue set. First, I took the barely started bits of the Postal Station A and Annex, and finished the historic Prince William Street front of the building.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg259.imageshack.us%2Fimg259%2F190%2Fpoapreview1.jpg&hash=6310b7f21b06378267b907f987d481eaa3e998ac)
Still lots to do on the POA! The real building spans across a city block and has entrances on Prince William and Canterbury Streets. You can see it in real life here (http://"http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rjbmmd9gvdry&lvl=19.302525057984162&dir=3.8527737134203046&sty=b&where1=Prince%20William%20St%2C%20St%20John%2C%20NB%2C%20E2L&form=LMLTCC"). I'm realizing that the big change in elevation between Prince William and Canterbury Streets means I'm not going to be able to replicate the real life building exactly. I'm either going to have add a few extra floors to the Annex (Canterbury Street side) or change how the two roofs line up since, without adding floors, the Annex won't be taller than the Postal Station. Will have to puzzle over that one some more, but I'm leaning on altering the roof since street level is what most people recognize.
Besides the POA, I have also been slowly working away at the textures on the Dominion Public Building. It's really slow going since I'm clipping from photos I have taken which means that each section needs to be adjusted to fit. Still, besides the tower, I'm pretty much done with the front now.
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Anyway, the next few months have a lot of unknowns. I'm hoping that I'll be able to keep slowly picking at thing though in between diapers and sleep deprivation :)
Just glad to hear from you and life is filled with the expectation and anticipation of new life... ()stsfd()
tell your wife [at the right time mind ya] that its all temporary... its all part of the bigger picture for future and family... or whatever... I attempted to boost my sister-in-law's morale with this -it didn't work :-[... I guess about the only real way is to "take it one day at a time" just like it'll mean for raising a girl 'its one day at a time' :P like a tree that grows one day at time, if your not watching; its gotten bigger -like my nephews and nieces growing up in Az. [how about that for soapbox wisdom ???]
Looking forward to a lex release soonish...
Merry Christmas and blessed new year...
Thanks Jack for words of wisdom. I don't have any Sim CitIy news, but I thought I would share that my daughter, Janetta Nan McCann arrived at 10:30 this morning Atlantic Time. The delivery was a little tough on Michelle, but both Mom and baby are doing fine. Janetta weighed in at 8 lbs 6 ounces and despite causing mom some pain and stitches, arrived with nary a bump or bruise on her. My folks were quite impressed as we have a bit of a family tradition of delivering babies that look like they've been to war and back. I did note that New years Eve is an unfortunate birthday as Janetta's birthday will always be overshadowed by the holiday. Michelle "helpfully" pointed out that it won't be all bad for her since when she's older all the boys will buy her drinks. Great! ;) Anyway, all seems well at this early point. Here are some pics we snapped earlier today.
Mom and baby
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Me and baby
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Congratulations!
Congratulations my friend! Those are some good news :)
and talking about simcity content, I love the new model and those cars...man we really need more american car props to fill parking spaces! Take care Sam
Cristian
Congratulations! &apls That's a cute baby :P
Good news, 2012 will be a great year! :sunny:
Sam.
Congratulations! &apls
and now your life -lives, will never be the same... from pampers to 'daddy, can I have the keys' :P peace and blessings keep you all well-n-good... see what happens with Halifax Boxes :D
Congratulations for your baby Spa! &apls Have fun with her! ;)
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Hey Spa congrats on the new addition there :thumbsup:
Congratulations on the new addition to your family! I don't think her birthday will be too bad either; she has an excuse to celebrate it into next year. Hope you all are doing well.
-Matt
Wow, talk a bout a Christmas present. Congratulations Spa! :)
Wow. It would seem that my updates have become fewer and fewer as time has gone by. From the looks of things, I started the Dominion Public Building almost 2 years ago! Where did that time go! 2011 has been a really full year. My daughter is now almost a year old and is growing like a weed. She can stand on her own (hasn't taken a step yet) and is really surprising us daily with what she understands. It's simple stuff really, like I can now ask her where her turtle is and she crawls off to retrieve her stuffed turtle. She's such a joy.
I also spent most of the summer and fall absolutely run off my feet because I ran for city council here in Halifax. It was my first time trying anything like that and it was really a blood and sweat type effort (no slick campaign machine or army of volunteers behind me). My district, Dartmouth Centre, was a really crowded race with 7 candidates including the incumbent councillor, Gloria McCluskey. McCluskey is 81 or 82 and has been either a councillor or mayor in Dartmouth for nearly 30 years so she's quite entrenched. I ran on an urban planning platform of redirecting some of HRM's growth and spending away from the suburbs and back to the urban core. McCluskey ended up running away with it (51% of the vote), but I finished a strong second, well ahead of the rest of the also rans. I picked up 1,700 some odd votes (20%). Michelle and I were really pleased since that meant that more than just our friends and neighbours voted for me and that the campaign and my message really gained traction. This is likely McCluskey's last term so it leaves me well setup for next time in 2016 if I decide to try again. You can see some of my campaign up on my website www.samaustin.ca (http://www.samaustin.ca).
The other thing that was floating around this year is I organized a neighbourhood beautification effort on my street, Tulip Street. My neighbours and I formed an association and pitched for funding to whoever had cash to give away. We were successful and a few weeks ago we planted 11,000 tulip bulbs on my 4 block street (tulips on Tulip Street). To sum up, it has been a full rich year, but Sim City really hasn't factored into it.
After doing nothing in SC4 for months and months, though, I have finally started to pick away at things again. The Dominion Public Building is once again inching towards the finish line. Here's what it looks like now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fnkx810no3%2FDominion_Public_Building_2012_front.jpg&hash=4a51506ede1a3f77770db5c2fa970c6a2e833d54)
I have also textured the side (may need to tone down the glass on this side):
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fp18qj5qkz%2FDominion_Public_Building_2012_south.jpg&hash=5f04565c6f04f9a3e0b89502192d254dd67daffc)
I'm hoping that over the next few weeks I'll be able to finish the project. All I have left is the roof, three sides of the tower, the stone on the Lower Water Street side (the angled wall) and lighting. Still a fair number of hours left because the texture creation on this one is really, really time-consuming. Making textures has really taken more time than the modelling did! Once I get the Dominion Public Building finished, I'm going to upload my finished batch of Government of Canada Buildings. It'll be 6 instead of 7 done, but goodness knows how long it will take for me to finish the Saint John POA. Anyway, sorry I have been such a stranger.
Even though you didn't win the seat, congratulations on the relative success! After seeing the devotion you have toward re-creating various buildings, landmarks and otherwise, from the area, it kind of makes sense you would want to run.
I like the progress on the building too. I've always been pleased, and impressed by the detail of your buildings even without the textures, but this is the point where they really start to look sharp.
-Matt
First CP, then Andreas and now you return! Did you guys had a secret meeting or what?! $%#Ninj2 $%Grinno$%
Anyhow, it seems like you've had a wonderfull and joyfull year. The Dominion Public Building looks great already, I'm sure it'll be a fine addition to the game once it's finished! ()stsfd()
Keep it up! :thumbsup:
Congrats from me too and wishes for even better luck next time :thumbsup: Your last bat looks great as well, can't wait to see more progress on it!
I agree with Vortext - must be something with solar winds or a stellar conjunction influencing the affairs of SC4D and its most creative members. :D
Anyway, I'm glad to hear you're still working on that building. Looks like a certain addition to one of my towns some day.
Great to hear your politics is running well, and best of luck in '16 already.
Cheers
Willy
Welcome back!
is that really you Spa ()what() its has been awhile, to vaguely recognize you :D ...
I also made an effort to get a seat on council here... and I too didn't win but what do you do :'( or :satisfied: ... so I will wait and see about giving it another go...
glad to hear that your girl is blooming like tulips [although U said 'weed', hope it ain't the bishops' variation ;D ]
also like the progress and am anticipating its final release... so if we should cross paths again Merry Christmas... [ insert Santa smiley here ]...
Now if only JBSimio and his UofC ep1&2 [as the promised release of the packs is getting suspensefully mysterious %confuso ] would make a showing as did CP and Andreas and -whose next ???
Matt: Thanks. I really did sink my all into it and I was really pleased with the result.
Vortext: haha no secret meetings. I guess the old dogs are just feeling the sim city itch.
Io: Thanks.
Willy: I think we all wax and wane a bit depending on how much time we have. For a game like SC4 that has been out for years, we've kind of lost the casual gamers portion of the audience and are now made up of mainly the really dedicated who treat SC4 as a hobby. With that kind of crowd, it's often more likely to be in and out rather than gone for good.
Serkanner: Thanks.
Jack: I know! 2012 was a bit of a blur. Politics is a funny pursuit. Many politicians actually lose their first time out. Don't rule out trying again. I too miss JBSimio. His work was always top notch. Maybe he'll surface again at some point in 2013.
Since I last posted I have made some more progress on the Dominion Public Building. I have been picking away at the tower and it's now textured on both the south and west sides. You can check it out below.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fpt9fe8xjn%2FDominion_Public_Building_Dec_28_South.jpg&hash=90843e3713fc3356e9782db930e3c21118be9233)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fkvvut4vkj%2FDominion_Public_Building_Dec_28_West.jpg&hash=142af71ca440d562d7f2565deb4122a095c78833)
Still hoping that I might finish this up in the near future. It won't be by the end of 2012, but maybe in the first month or two of 2013 :)
Nice to see you, Spa! :) I'm hoping for the building to be finished in early 2013, too, because it truly is top grade. The textures are nicely done.
It looks really nice there. I agree, the textures are nice. :thumbsup: Not sure about the dome, though. Doesn't really fit my liking. &mmm
Keep up the great work that you're doing.
I like it. The wheelchair ramp is a nice little detail too. I just now noticed it.
-Matt
Metarvo: It's looking like 2013 is a go. Probably another week or two.
Sunv123: Thanks. The dome isn't your cup of tea eh? Is it the copper texture or just the style.
Matt: Thanks Matt. It's the little details that really add a lot. All of my upcoming Government of Canada Buildings are wheelchair accessible. I see the same attention to detail in your work.
So I may have been quiet since the New Year, but I have been picking away at the Dominion Public Building and I'm nearly done. So nearly done that I did a render of the parking lot free version last night. Below are the day pictures.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fy2mbcfq6r%2FDPB_South.jpg&hash=56bca41a999be8548c83887722106981c888d3e0)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fb9ypivdxv%2FDPB_East.jpg&hash=37cdc931c2a8b014f07e9490a1a03f82b9d6b5d9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fuuhtze3wz%2FDPB_North.jpg&hash=74ec63f94cd1058b9d71f9e60a34f529e6bf991d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2F7itqaapn7%2FDPB_West.jpg&hash=d63244838fac3070a45a1ea756b90578b19ff632)
The parking lot free version actually fits snug on a 5x3. I didn't plan that. I'm thinking a 6x3 would be better as this one kind of has a "stand alone" rather than a wall-to-wall feel. I'll probably just make two lots in the end :) I still need to adjust the night lighting in the atrium because the light is spilling out in funny ways. It's also a touch brighter than I was going for. Since I'm going to be rerendering, if anyone has any last minute suggestions. The version with the underground parking lot is still to come (need to texture the parking lot walls and put in the ground textures). Here's where the night lighting is heading.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fhc6c9d2dv%2FDPB_Night.jpg&hash=81a8b1f9138833b7e89f98f3a1c5dd860bc88299)
Spa, great to see you back in action. Was pleasantly surprised to see the Shelbourne GoCB up over at Simtropolis and popped my head in here to see great progress on the Dominion Public Building.
Looking great and looking forward to more in the year ahead!
Cheers!
Brian
Brian: I had a little uploading issue with Devotion. Turns out our LEX doesn't like firefox. All of my government buildings are now up and released on both sites, which empties my vault. Thanks for popping by.
So in case you've missed it, all my government buildings have been released on the STEX and LEX. I even finished the Dominion Public Building in the nick of time. The version with the sunken parking lot proved to be more challenging than I expected, but I learned something that might be of interest to other batters. After I added the cars to my already complex scene, gmax began to really crawl. It started crashing everytime I tried to preview or render because my computer was running out of memory. My computer is old, but it's not a terrible machine (first time this has really happened to me). I tried several things to try and streamline the model with no success. I had pretty much concluded that the only solution was to render the parking lot as a separate prop, when the lightbulb went on. I had noticed earlier that when I clicked on the materials editor, the program would hang for a minute as gmax loaded textures. The custom-made masonry textures that I created for the Dominion Public Building were really large files and there were several dozen of them because of all the surfaces. I guessed that part of the problem was being caused by gmax trying to load the larger textures and it turns out I was right. I went into photoshop and significantly shrunk the image size for each texture. Because I had really been overly generous with them, there was no loss of quality on my model, but there was a substantial improvement in gmax's performance. It would seem that the larger the texture file size, the more memory gmax needs. Good information to have! If I model a similarly complex building at some point in the future, I'll keep the textures small to save myself a ton of aggravation! Worth knowing for anyone else who still uses gmax.
Anyway, below is how the final version turned out:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fawillk5zn%2FDominion_Public_Building_Parking_Lot.jpg&hash=f521851b2aa0bfea0c715f81bc53ef38a59e8fb7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fufn6ux4r7%2FDominion_Public_Building_Parking_Lot_Back.jpg&hash=40957f3aaa886e285fbfb559b6eec19d6e4c7ffd)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2Fu45qi5ob7%2FDominion_Public_Building_Parking_Lot_Close_Up.jpg&hash=b025450543f4ccf59e4ad3e54fc2f75b9e2ce382)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs19.postimage.org%2F5jtr7fi37%2FDominion_Public_Building_Parking_Lot_Night.jpg&hash=3542e8301aa6d84e260f512a90e6e62864e1d588)
Another wonderful BAT ! I've downloaded your recent creations and I love them. Great work :thumbsup:
Indeed, did you model those cars? :D
Well it's about time for my once a year post and bat release (dismal average lately!). I still play Sim City and I still bat too, but I just don't have the time I once did. Community involvement, one toddler, plus a second baby on the way for January suggests that that won't change anytime soon. Anyway, over the last several months I have slowly finished up a commercial building from Halifax's Barrington Street: the St. Pauls Building. Below is how it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs21.postimg.org%2Fk1wgw470n%2FSt_Pauls_Building_Preview.jpg&hash=6bfa3b8eb7d7231117f11a2c0dfe25efc8e80466)
Anyway, it's pretty much done. Up next I'm think of another commercial building from Barrington Street or maybe an historic mansion. Don't know yet. Whatever it is, it'll be a slow process!
Spa, great to see you back! :thumbsup:
Always a treat to see what you have been cooking up!
That's a cool looking building, spa!
Nice to see you've been working a bit on your freetime. Hope you have a good continuation with your two children and wife. :)
On the site birthday month as well - it looks great &apls
Beautiful building!!!! :thumbsup:
Good to see you around Spa.
Great looking bat :thumbsup:
&apls hi and hello stranger... the project looks great for any sim-downtown... life sounds like it is in full swing for you :D ... Father God's blessings keep you all well and good... :)
Beautiful bat and great to hear from you! Love the nightlights &apls
Great surprise to see you here. I love the building. :thumbsup: It is quite similar to some of the pre-fire Chicago buildings I've been looking at.
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome back! You're all too kind :) I just wish I had more time for Sim City and the forums.
Noahclem: Nightlights are something that I have worked at a lot over the years. Way back, I use to rely on maxis night lights for my windows. I work in gmax, which is a bit limiting at night, but I basically slap a texture on the floor and light up the texture. Seems to do the trick.
CP: Good eye! The St. Paul's Building is on Halifax's Barrington Street which is a heritage district. There was a planning report done a number of years ago that assessed the architectural features and history of every build in the district. The report identifies the St. Paul's Building's architecture style as "Chicago School."
I have finished the St. Paul's Building. It's on the LEX http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3138 (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3138)