Xannepans creations

xannepan · May 09, 2012, 12:27:35 PM

Damn guys.. You are both right... I completely overlooked the seam... Mmm.. Not sure how to solve that right now...

About TE: I,ll just make overhanging models on a 1x1 tile lot. I,m also thinking of adding all towers into a building family... That way I only need one menu slot and you can cycle through the different types with the TAB key. (same for wall variations off course)

WannGLondon · May 09, 2012, 09:04:17 PM

Quote from: xannepan on May 09, 2012, 12:27:35 PM

About TE: I,ll just make overhanging models on a 1x1 tile lot. I,m also thinking of adding all towers into a building family... That way I only need one menu slot and you can cycle through the different types with the TAB key. (same for wall variations off course)

That is an absolutely wonderful idea!

xannepan · May 09, 2012, 09:34:14 PM

Mmmm bummer... I just learned building families can't be used on ploppables.... And no way of cycling through either I believe...

That leaves me we different lots for each tower, wall variation....

DebussyMan · May 09, 2012, 09:48:27 PM

Quote from: xannepan on May 09, 2012, 09:34:14 PM
Mmmm bummer... I just learned building families can't be used on ploppables.... And no way of cycling through either I believe...

That leaves me we different lots for each tower, wall variation....

Are you sure about that...? I remember making a ploppable building family.

xannepan · May 09, 2012, 10:16:29 PM

If you could teach me how... that would be great! Sofar all the tutorials I read say it can,t be done....

DebussyMan · May 09, 2012, 10:20:51 PM

Well... I wouldn't know how because Barby did it forme

I remember it was one of my earliest BATs, don't remember which one exactly. But I do recall I made a white and yellow versions which randomly changed when plopped. Now that I think about it... I believe it was actually a prop family and not a building family. Maybe you could do de same, making the towers and walls prop families instead of building families.

xannepan · May 09, 2012, 11:01:55 PM

Yp, it must have been a prop famly.. I have done the same for the quais de seine. Two problems in this case: I would like to prevent the random appearance, and secondly, Props cannot have foundations. Tosolve the latter I could model the foundation as part of the model, but then -inorder for the props to appear correctly, I would have to turn of the ground model property, which means no shadows.

Lowkee33 · May 10, 2012, 01:47:14 PM

Quote from: xannepan on May 09, 2012, 11:01:55 PMI would like to prevent the random appearance,

Isn't that the point of a family?

Quoteand secondly, Props cannot have foundations. Tosolve the latter I could model the foundation as part of the model, but then -inorder for the props to appear correctly, I would have to turn of the ground model property, which means no shadows.

Here's an idea: Make a new model that is a little smaller in all accounts (doesn't need textures even), but don't extend it underground. Have this model cast your shadow and place it in the exact same spot as the towers without shadows. The point is to trick us into thinking the actual tower is casting the shadow. Might work...?

xannepan · May 10, 2012, 09:17:22 PM

@lowkee: yep usually random appearance is a good property of a prop family. In this case I was looking for a mechanism that would allow me to cycle through the different tower e.g. with the TAB key (much like cycling through NAM puzzle pieces). That would give us much more control, and reduce menu slots significantly.

I have been thinking about the same idea as for the shadows... Well.. Still plent of time for me to think about it as I first need to the time to finish the wall pieces anyway.

BTW: I still would like to send you the farm lot to have a look at those textures... That is is the offer is still open ;-)

Lowkee33 · May 10, 2012, 10:19:38 PM

Whew, Europe is getting out of bed.

I'll send you me e-mail for the lot, are they custom textures?

whatevermind · May 11, 2012, 09:55:17 PM

Love the walls. Love 'em in the water, too

Amazing work!

xannepan · May 12, 2012, 03:09:16 AM

a few more gates.. now before I'll add new pieces I will fine tune a bit and start rendering to test in game and do the modding....

Girafe · May 12, 2012, 03:27:00 AM

Looks good Alex,

I just would like to see diagonal pieces.

Few things more,

the street texture seems to be bright vs the texture IG but I could be wrong. I have the corrected texture but for Simfox settings.

Regarding the tower without roof, an entrance on the top should be more realistic ^^

vortext · May 12, 2012, 03:43:01 AM

Quote from: Girafe on May 12, 2012, 03:27:00 AM
I just would like to see diagonal pieces.

Me too

Otherwise the walls look great, love the overall variety. Keep up the good work

xannepan · May 15, 2012, 09:04:55 AM

Diagonals are in progress both for 45 degree and FAR.

Meanwhile I bought a snow plugin for max. Experimenting with it, but thinking of adding snow (as seasonal props) to the medieval set....It will be a lot of work though.. Suggestions are welcome again.. eacg of them will be taken into account

@Lowkee: I accidentally deleted the farm lot for which you offered to have a look at the texture issue...

-Alex

vortext · May 15, 2012, 09:56:17 AM

Quote from: xannepan on May 15, 2012, 09:04:55 AM
Diagonals are in progress both for 45 degree and FAR.

This is going to be the best citywall set by far!

Mixed feeling for the snow props, on the one hand the example looks pretty convincing to me, so yes. At the same time, however, it would somewhat restrict its usage; imho a city with half the buildings snow covered seems kinda silly. That said I'm a bit biased since I'm struggling with a similar snow issue for the seasonal tree controller I'm working on.

Girafe · May 15, 2012, 10:07:49 AM

Looks nice as always,

But to be honnest, snow version is too complex for the additional value and will not be so used by players.

The game is not designed (for time...) to be seasonal, above all with snow. I would prefer more pieces or something totally new

Moreover, the snow doesn't maintain on such roofs, too heavy for the structure of this age.

Regarding, this kind of plugin for max, they are IMHO not so realistic and a by hand made is better even if longer.

xannepan · May 15, 2012, 10:08:26 AM

I'll make the snow props optional

..maybe release them as an update, after the initial set is done...

In the end I hope to achieve something like this

http://img3.photographersdirect.com/img/30236/wm/pd2699853.jpg

Anyway the snow plugin is still giving me a headache... I want to make a much thinner layer of snow.. but for that the script unit setup conflicts with the unit setup required by bat4max..

..oh well... as always it will take some time figuring it out...

Rendering of the basic wall props, towers, gates included is going quite well by the way..

Lowkee33 · May 15, 2012, 10:31:45 AM

Quote from: xannepan on May 15, 2012, 09:04:55 AM
@Lowkee: I accidentally deleted the farm lot for which you offered to have a look at the texture issue...

Problem solved!

Maybe the snow can just be a material?

JoeST · May 15, 2012, 10:38:45 AM

fricking AWESOME stuff

man you're amazing Alex

Xannepans creations

Should the weather plugin include a version with destructive effects (e.g. associated with tornados and lightning)?