Cogeo's BATs

[cogeo]

I think I can figure out what's wrong here. The props that cause the brown boxes are these four potted trees/flowers.

This is a Maxis prop-family, comprising 3 or 4 pot props. You shouldn't have any problem with these. But there is an additional prop-pack that "expands" this family: MJB's MEGA props Vol1 (there are possibly more). As I can see in the image, one of the four props is displayed correctly (this is a Maxis one), the other three ones not.

So as a first step I would recommend that you fix MJB's props first. Either uninstall MJB's props completely, or install them correctly: first remove them (preferrably run the cleanitol file too, if one is included - this will search and remove older versions) and then run the installer. If you remove MJB's props you will get the Maxis props only, but MJB's props may be required by other lots you have installed (in this case you will get missing props and/or brown boxes for those lots too); if you install them (correctly) you will have more variety. I would say install them, it's a popular prop-pack, used by many lots, so it would be good to have them. I didn't list this as a dependency because it's not required (if you don't have it you will get only the Maxis props, otherwise Maxis+MJB's, so this isn't really an unlisted dependency); also the case with NICM parked car props (recommended for greater variety, but not literally a "dependency").

In order to get brown boxes you must have the prop exemplar(s) installed, but not their models (if the exemplars are not installed you will get missing props). Now this is really strange, because MJB's exempars and models are all included in a single file! Ie if you have the exemplars you should have the models too! Therefore I suspect that you have an older version, or a damaged/corrupted installation.

If this doesn't work, you need to find what's wrong with your installation. Definitely this is not a problem of the stations pack, it's a problem with the props, so you may want to fix it. Open the lot in LE, find the prop (family) and write-down the ID. Then click Add Family, pick this family, but don't add the prop, just see what's in the list. Then try to locate them, and either uninstall them altogether, or install them correctly. I'm sorry for not being in position to tell you which is the prop-family ID, but I'm having computer problems, and I'm currently on an old computer with only internet and msoffice installed. Maybe other members could help you with this.

I'm not sure if MJB's prop pack is the only one that expands the above prop-family, maybe you could ask Barby,

Hope this was helpful.

Please let us know the results.

[2Bias]

Hello Cogeo!
:DProblem solved! As you suggested, I installed MJB's mega Props. It's working now. Thanks for the friendly Help and that wonderful BAT!
2Bias

[Orange_o_]

hello Cogeo, i like your job 

[geoffhaw]

Oh dear!   

Cogeo, your analysis of what happened is pretty spot on.  I can only apologise for all of this.  For your information and for anyone else who likes a bit of schadenfreude, this is the sorry tale...

The original BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat was made on 08/12/2004 (yes, it was that long ago!).  This had 4da441c0 as the erroneous overlay texture.

When it put up for internal BSC testing, I must have spotted this problem, and altered this texture to be a base texture and renamed the file as gh BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat with a date of 29/01/2005.  This version must have been released at some time, and downloaded by you.  I'm not sure whether the BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat version was ever released, but if it was, it would always have been 'overwritten' by the gh BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat as it is later alphabetically.  (Assuming it was in the same folder.)

When we decided to make the first BSC Textures mega pack, we just picked up the wrong version to include.    Because the Cleanitol lists the BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat version, the gh BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat one would have survived for those folk who had it.

Ah well...  I don't think it is worth updating BSC Textures Vol 01 after all this time.  What we can do is to include the corrected base texture version in the next BSC Texture pack.  Unfortunately, we've only just released Vol 03.  Damn!  If only we had known this a few weeks ago!  C'est la vie!

Thanks for spotting this anyway.  I would think that there aren't too many people who have gh BSC_DAE_DirtTrackTextures.dat now, and because the texture is in the overlay section of LE, it probably won't be noticed by anybody wanting to use it as a base texture.

[cogeo]

Hi all,

I have experienced computer problems recently, and I was forced to replace some parts in my PC. The disk containing my SC4 installation was affected too, and is currently unusable. I considered reinstalling everything, but then I realised that I have lost interest in custom content development (interest on the game itself was long ago). This can also be seen in my uploads, during the last two years I only released one product every 4-6 months. So I'm not going to develop custom content anymore.

I had started a BAT project in the past, but didn't complete it. It was the EPR nuclear power plant (European Pressurized Reactor, or else Evolutionary Power Reactor). No such plant has been built yet, but there two examples under construction in Olkiluoto, Finland, and Flamanville, France. Also it is currently in the Design Certification Application Review process at the US.

Here is a pic with my progress so far. More details in my thread on ST. The colours and style are those of the Olkiluoto plant.



I had released a set of NPP lots long ago, as I wasn't satisfied with the ingame NPP (low output, high power cost). But these were simple lots using the Maxis model. So I decided to BAT a new one. The main reason I chose the EPR was the abundance of brochures, documents and pics about this that can be found on the web. There is also a cardboard model, with a lot of details, so it won't be hard to determine how this should look like (actually this is the most handy "document" for BATting/measurements/scaling etc).

The BAT is real-scale. Most of the work has yet to be done (what you see in the pics is just the turbine building and a small ancillary building). Most of the detail is on the nuclear building and the emergency diesel generators - there quite a few details on the electrical structures too, plus some special props that need to be made. I have also made the lightpole models and a water intake/discharge piping modfel (not shown in the pics). Unfortunately I have no time to do this in the foreseeable future (reinstalling SC4+tools and resuming working on this looks too much work to me right now).

I think the BAT/Lot would be a community favourite, as many people would like a realistically scaled (and well modded) large NPP. There aren't many released too. This would be an acceptable BAT/Lot for CAM too (large, demanding cities). So if someone would wish to continue work on it, I would be happy to hand over my work so far, as well as all related material (though these can easily be found on the web). I can also help with suggestions/hints though not reviewing/testing.

The same applies to all of my uploads too (feel free to modify, relot, rerelease or support them).

If anybody is interested please post or send me a PM.

[Diggis]

Cogeo,  I'm sorry to hear you are packing it in, and that you are having computer problems. 

And thank you for the contributions you have made to the community.  I hope someone will pick up this power plant from you.  And thank you for the generous offer of letting us rerelease your work, should that be required.

Take care, and I hope to see you back round here some time again soon. 

[Orange_o_]

θα πρέπει να κάνετε μια έκταση στις συστάσεις σας (βυθίστε κάτω, απλά στο κάλυμμα)
you should make a range on your textures (sinks in bottom, clearly in top)

[cogeo]

Orange, you mean apply a gradient (darken/burn around the base, lighten/dodge at the top)? Sorry but the (automatic?) translation is totally meaningless.

As for the textures, you may have noticed that such an effect is already applied, only it's not strong enough (it's mostly visible at the base). But you are right, this should be more "evident", not having to examine it carefully. 

Such enhancements would indeed improve the final product. Please note though that the BAT is far from finished. And as menioned in my previous post, I have quited developing custom content. And the post was not to showcase the BAT, but instead look for members to hand it over to them. Are you interested?

[Orange_o_]

i'm sorry for my bad english but i don't understand "And the post was not to showcase the BAT, but instead look for members to hand it over to them."

[cogeo]

I mean I won't make the BAT (I stopped BATting) gut give it to someone else to complete the project (it requires several BATs to be made).

[Orange_o_]

ok thank's but i have many project