Xannepans creations

[Lowkee33]

I actived the anti-aliasing option in the 3ds files to make the trees blend in smoothly. This all requires many many hours or repetitive modding in the reader, which is becoming very boring

Can you use Reader 1.4?  It can runs scripts to do that for you.  In fact, I have attached one .  Now, I have never done this for myself.  Is the only change in the Material section?  I have an image for what the script does:  Link.

Edit: Looking at the image, looks like my alpha threshold is different, and I didn't mean to do that.  Hmm --- Looks like reader can only set this to between 0 and 255

  Move the .lua to your root Reader 1.4 folder (the one with the .exe in it), and it should show up as a script to run (you have to open a file to activate the script box).  The script very much should go through every S3D at once, every those with multiple mats. 

Let me know if this works, or you need something different.

A script could potentially change you Family values too.  If you have seen my posts about the OS bug, then this is a major hurdle for scripts.  Otherwise, it is a breeze to change Building/Prop Family values.  (For if you got a new range, it could be assumed that all you would need to do is add a multiple of 256 to the family value).

From within the Lot Exemplar, not so easy because of the way Reader handles multiple reps.  You can't say, "get the 13th rep".  You have to get the whole string.  However, you can't put the whole string back in (from what I remember), so you have to do a bunch of juggling to separate that family reference.

[xannepan]

Lowkee, if this works you'll be my hero! 
I'll try asap. In the mean time I have found a fundamental problem with my models, as a results of which I need to rerender them.
I'll get back to you when I have time to use the script!
-Alex

[xannepan]

And... it works!!! fantastic... karma pts for you my friend!!      (edit: that strange either I forgot  how to give karma or I don't see the option anymore .... can anyone point me in the good direction where to give karma?)

ALso thanks for pointing out scripts in general... extremely useful.

Something different. Do you perhaps know how to get rid of the graphical glitch with anti-aliased models during night view... see picture... it really looks bad. The model LOD bounding box cuts of the night lights (I'm using USL by the way).

-Alex

[rooker1]

I have given Carl (Lowkee33) a karma point for you, Alex (xannepan).

Robin 

[Lowkee33]

Thanks for the KP

I may have had success dealing with the OS bug too:  Link

As for the shadow issue, this sounds out of my league.  Perhaps a PM to Smoncrie or Cogeo?  Smoncrie has posted similar shadows, and also pictures of the models without issue: Link.

The only thing I can think is to lower the Alpha Threshold.  If 255 is black and the background of your FSH is gray, then perhaps the game thinks the gray is part of your model.   

[xannepan]

Thanks Lowkee, I'll check with the other guys for the 'shadow' issue.

Another question to you guys;

I have created some props in an attempt to "alter" the wall appearance at low wealth levels. It is a prop with the LOD created in such way that it seamlessely fits as an overlay on the original wall model. The idea is to make the wall less clean at low wealth levels.

The basic Riverbank lot is a 1x1 Ploppable Park with no wealth level. The 'overlay' prop, which I want to appear only in low wealth areas has its wealth level set to low wealth (to be precis I have created 3 slightly different of these props which are added to a prop family in order to avoid repitition. The family is put on the lot. The random appearance does work as intended). However, something seems to be missing or not working with prop wealth levels, because in the game the prop always appears. I have also tried to set the prop wealth level to high, and tested again in the game in the same area). Again the prop appears, so it seems the prop wealth level setting is not effective.

Any ideas what's causing it? Or can any one point me in a direction to a tutorial on prop wealth and how the game uses it?

Thanks in advance.

-Alex

[Girafe]

Low wealth level in Paris   


However it's a nice idea for the game and add diversity always welcome, but I can't help you with this setting sry

[xannepan]

Low wealth level in Paris   


However it's a nice idea for the game and add diversity always welcome, but I can't help you with this setting sry

... well perhaps medium wealth then 

[Lowkee33]

Prop wealth (and the other requesters, crime/garbage) is activated in the Lot Exemplar.  You have to set the last value of the 2nd rep of the LotConfigPropertyObjects to 1.  However, I couldn't get it working right with plops.  Probably best to have three lots if you want different wealthed props.

For growables, this works very well.  Maxis Family 0xA0000001 has all types of props on it, and sometimes people use it without knowing about the LotConfig change.  This makes the chalk outline prop appear randomly.  If the 2nd rep of LotConfig is 0x00000001, then the chalk outline will appear in the general area of crime, moving around every month (though some crimes don't seem to activate it).  The garbage props will only appear as your cities garbage levels increase (and then go away when garbage is removed).   

Also to note that your props don't need the Prop Requester or Wealth properties at all. 

I've done a little with it, the most complicated thing Here.  Mostly I just use it for cars, it makes lotting a little easier when all you need is one family.

[xannepan]

However, I couldn't get it working right with plops.  Probably best to have three lots if you want different wealthed props.

Yep, that could be a solution. I was hoping it would work, so i could reduce the numer of ietms that appear in the oalready overloaded park menu.
Sofar i have the following a huge number of lots already for straight pieces, corner pieces, smooth corner pieces, mirrored versions, version with and without trees, with vines and without and combinations... Pooooh... Soo many work done already... Just need to figure out how to use DAMN i guess.

Anyways i really appreciate all the help you guys provide me with!

[xannepan]

I am making good progress on the seine river banks (spending a good time of my last days of vacation  ). I have resolved several graphical glitches with differences in texture brightness between models, which where extremely annoying (Still don't know what's causing these glitches, but the solutions works). Currently, I'm working on the transit enabled set. This will allow to place the roads as close as possible to the river, without the need for an extra tile for the river bank lot. The results are good. These are TE lots with overhanging props, so placing them is a bit challenging, and there are some limitations. But it will work. I also created corner pieces that nicely fit the NAM road s-curves, as you can see in the picture. To finish the TE lots I still need to do a lot of modding. Basically, I have all the model files in place. But for each model I have to create multiple exemplars, because I need offset several versions that can be placed as the overhanging props of the TE lots. I'm doing the same for the trees, which are particurly challenging to place of the corner pieces. I'll probably won't make TE corner pieces with trees... simply too much work and too little time.

All with all, I'm happy with where this is going. Altough I have learned to become creative with prop families to avoid repitition and get some nice variation one worry that remains is the huge amount of lots I'm producing (TE version, normal versions, highwall set, cascase wall set, corners, smooth corners, inner and outer corners, highwall to cascase wall transitions, stairs etc etc).

Any volunteers that eventually are willing to help me make a DAMN config file for these lots?


-Alex

[iskrem]

Looks fantastic that last picture 
Can't wait to download these!
Don't worry about the high number of lots, I personally think its great - more lots = more variation 

[Lowkee33]

Looking very nice, btw.     I am glad the issues have been sorted out (other than that one... ).  Oh boy.     

[cogeo]

Only keep in mind that TE lots plopped next to each other do not conduct traffic.

[noahclem]

Only keep in mind that TE lots plopped next to each other do not conduct traffic.

Definitely a hassle, though not necessarily a deal-breaker for the project. Draggable bridges, including diagonals, can be done with the zero-slope-mod + lower sea level trick. I think they could then be drug through TE'd lots though I've never tried it. The boring Maxis pylons might not fit well with the Paris theme but network overrides could be used to place a bridge such as those you've already created.

Perhaps contacting memo would be helpful--there are other NAMites that could shed light on this issue but he might have the most experience working with it.


Awesome progress here btw 

[Lowkee33]

Another downside of TE is that you can't hover a puzzle piece over it.

Another way is to make the lots plopable on water.  This would save the land tile.  Props would be an issue, but we would just make sure to set the sea-bed level properly via terraforming.  The upside is that, since water is always flat, your model is garenteed to line up with itself (granted your model is the "building" of the lot).  Then you can really get wild and add a foundation model.  The model wouldn't cast a shadow, so you could have really high embankments without issue.  (people will be ploping this on land). 

[noahclem]

@ Lowkee33: I'm not sure I understand your idea. Are you suggesting avoiding TE pieces by having the road run on the tile adjacent to the water and the wall plopped two tiles away on water (not shoreline)? Sounds great if possible, but how do you hide the sloping shoreline?

It should also be possible to replace the Maxis retaining walls with your walls--requiring again the zero-slope/remove-water trick and a bit (or more) of NAM advice. Again, this would remove the TE lot problem and with a bit of trickery could have wealth-dependent T21 props. Perhaps too complicated a solution though, just throwing the idea out there.

[xannepan]

Some great ideas over here guys, allthough I dpn't understand all the details (yet ).

Cogeo: I'm well aware of the limitations of TE  , but for now it is the easiest way for me to deal with. I'm using overhanging models in order to avoid havind to plop 2 TE lots directly next to each other.

Noahclem: I still have to look into the lower water level solution. So far I still haven't had time to try it...

Lowkee33: About plopping on water... I tried something like that before... however it means (as far as I could tell) I'm stuck to a fixed wall height (doesn't it?).

Another idea I have been thinking off (not sure if it is possible at all) is to add these models as T21s to NAM puzzle pieces.  It would mean reusing existing (road) puzzle pieces (including the great curved pieces) and creating a new instance for each of them.


Ahh.. so many ideas and so little time.. 

[xannepan]

Guys,

I need some help again. I'm trying to solve a problem with diagonal road sidewalk textures. These clearly depend on the type of building you place next to it.  The result I'm trying to achieve is the same as the game produces when I place medium or high density residential zone next to the diagonal road. However, for a ploppable park (no matter which wealth level) the game always produces the grass sidewalks.
I was hoping my river bank lots (parks) can be modded in such way that these trigger the same sidewalk textures as residential zoning does.

Any ideas? Thanks,
Alex

[Une_ame]

One more time, thanks a lot for your creation. 

To answer your last question, the first idea that come to my mind is to create them as a CO/CS$$$. Pb is, they gonna join the huge amount of plopable lots that is already in this categorie.