GWL workshop

[Bus Boy]

Gwail, your vehicles are incredible. 5 Stars! Just wondering though, would it be possible to make a Nova LFS in iXpress livery ??  Picture: http://felix-poon.fotopic.net/p59892288.html

NOT MY PHOTO BTW !!

[shadow221]

Don't worry, almost everything is ok . I've missed to remove some reps in the Exemplar file, that's why every additional bus makes another unnecessary position in the menu, I've noticed that lately. The newest pack (Orions VII) is already modded properly and I'm working on a small patch for AmTran and Orion V packs.

Thanks for the tip about subway cars, I will proceed.

Shadow221, thanks for the photo, interesting wheel rims, I've never seen them on MTA bus before. As far as I know MTA uses NF D60HF, so that will be my model. But I think yhat you wouldn't notice the difference .

Yur Welcome Gwail any way r u still on STEX I don't see yur stuff there anymore

[io_bg]

Please, be patient. Everyone has his own RL problems and cannot be available all the time.

[Gwail]

Amtrak7, thanks for the info and a link, it's very good repository, definitely useful.

SpeedyFarrar, the open bus is very tricky - to make it well, you have to model all the seats and other details, that usually are covered by the roof . But who knows, I don't say nay, but not too soon.

Bus Boy, glad you like it. For now I don't take any requests of new bus models, that are expanding my to do list. Maybe I'll be able to make an 40-ft Nova LFS after making the articulated version, purchased by the NYC MTA. So far I can make only additional skins of already made bus models.

As I've written before, I was on the holiday, so don't worry about me, I'm fine, thanks  . Beside this, please, don't expect too many in the nearest future, I've got some RL business to handle and in my free time I'd like to finish the RMIP-3.1 project first. Of course it doesn't mean that it shouldn't happen any surprise here . First of all I'll have to fix an Orion V, that came out without mirrors  .

[shadow221]

Stijn .

null45, indeed, I've used a bit tricks on it.

If no one has any more comments and notes, I should find out how can I share it. Jan (Swamper77) has told me a bit about my worries (thanks a lot!), I think I've managed them.

The next project I'd like to show is the New York City MTA recreation project. First of all I'd like to note, that it would be quite long lasting project. It's only a "take-a-break" work away from the primary tasks from AC Team. I'm creating something different when I'm temporary fed up with all these runways, taxiways, layout diagrams and skidmarks . "Recreation" is a bit too big word, I'd just like to create some bats / automata that should at least reminds real ones as much as I'm able to do. You will judge it . Let's start!



The project is divided into two parts - BATs and automata. BAT's should contain the pack of common mass transit stations - bus stops and subway stations. For automata I'm planning right now to create some models of buses (Adam ).

Stations
My idea is to create a wide range of Mass Transit stations, both roadside and road-top, diagonal and orthogonal, for high-wealth and ghettos. I'll try to diverese them as much as I'll could, using family props. How it would look like? Here we are what have I done till now:














Are you lovin' it, too ?

I know that Gshmails has done such stations, but they are too big to fit as roadtops and they aren't diversified at all.
These are my first BAT attempts (not counting plopping helper props for RMIP-3.1). So far I'be made about 15 adverts for bus stops and there is another bus stop shelter on the work bench.

Subway station will have randomly adverts, too, same as the light bulbs. Now I'll have to figure out, why the subway station doesn't appear with nightlights as it's shown in the upper corner (all is rendered, "IsGroundModel" property set to true).

Buses
There is nothing special to show right now. So far I've got only some early pics of my first automata textures (should be rework, both models and textures) - the school bus is third one, if I count well . Most of this work will be possible thanks to kindness of Olasz, who taught me how to manage s3d model with Reader and agreed to use his work. Thanks a lot, buddy!

Take a look at these MCI D4500 coaches running along Empire State Building:




And here we are a test-driven Mercedes Citaro G, shown before in Olasz' thread:


The buses I'm planning to do are:

• Nova / TMC RTS
• New Flyer C40
• New Flyer D60
• Orion V
• Orion VII
• Orion VII NG
• MCI D4500
• Mercedes Citaro G

Some of them will come with different propelling versions (CNG / HEV). It's all I've found so far in the internet.

If you have any comments, suggestions, requests, interesting info or picture, don't hesitate! I'll appreciate any help to make it as best as possible.

COOL MCI D4500 Hey you know would be cool if there was a MCI D4500CT as well but wishes r wishes

[shadow221]

Adam, thanks for sharing more photos (at least I can post again, without being warned  - big thanks to all lurkers, anyway, always another 100+ views up  ). It's Ford F-250, enforced, I've seen it lately in my neighborhood, really makes impression. I'm only curious, who will pay for another painting and bodywork  .

So, let's go with something new - NYC MTA buses:

First of all, Mercedes Citaro G has been finished, all I have to do is managing LUA script to work together with other trailered buses.


And here goes brand new Orion V, with two versions - standard one and CNG propelled:


Only one thing left is replacing windows in Orion V CNG, to make more variety. I'm still thinking about lighten up the windows with nightlights - there is enough bright light inside the bus to show the whole interior. But I don't know if it wouldn't go too far . I have to try.

Gwail This was the Articulated Bus I was talking about the ones at the top

[dany10000]

Hi Gwl! I'm Dany and I saw your Citaro G.
That's great!
In Italy (in cities like Rome or Milan) we have busses like citaro in orange livery for the town lines and blue for the suburban ones!

[Gwail]

shadow221, there will be MCI D4500 CT, as well. I know, what bus did you mean .

Dany, welcome aboard! I hope you'll be content with belows.


I've decided to stop working on Citaro G, as there were only episodic drive tests in NYC. It was my second automata texture and it doesn't meet my quality requirements. Maybe some day I will do something with it, but not now, too many other work. That's why I've decided to publish it as a stable beta. It should work well with other standard buses, except any articulated bus made by Olasz. No skin request, no service maintenance, it goes as it is . The bus is made thanks to kindness of Olasz (the idea, model and LUA script).

I hope you'll find it useful.

[shadow221]

shadow221, there will be MCI D4500 CT, as well. I know, what bus did you mean .

Dany, welcome aboard! I hope you'll be content with belows.


I've decided to stop working on Citaro G, as there were only episodic drive tests in NYC. It was my second automata texture and it doesn't meet my quality requirements. Maybe some day I will do something with it, but not now, too many other work. That's why I've decided to publish it as a stable beta. It should work well with other standard buses, except any articulated bus made by Olasz. No skin request, no service maintenance, it goes as it is . The bus is made thanks to kindness of Olasz (the idea, model and LUA script).

I hope you'll find it useful.

Nice Gwail I see the Citaro aside but r u still making the D60HF

[Gwail]

A bit long from the last update !

Today something special - a tribute to all braves of 9/11:





Available at STEX now.

Edit:
Forget to mention: both models are extremely detailed (especially pumper unit), as you can see, however, I was trying to optimize the number of polys (almost unseen faces are removed). If there will be serious issues about the game perfomance (I doub't, honestly, but maybe), let me know, there is possibility to make version "lite" .

And last but not least - thanks to Adam (Ennedi), for his hand at the beta tests.

[shanghai kid]

wow , are you sure this isn't just photoshoped real life trucks in these pics, hehe.... they just look so damn real  .

[nerdly_dood]

You mentioned that they may have a relatively high poly count - it's generally wise to have no more than 500 polys on an automata model; any more and you'll degrade performance. Hence, most of the detail on my own vehicles is done with careful texturing, with a relatively simple model since you can only see so much detail in SimCity at normal zoom levels.

Those are some great trucks with a LOT of detail, but it's easily possible that they may be so detailed that they substantially degrade performance - I'll have to test them myself on my own mediocre computer to see about performance problems.

I've tested them out a bit, and found that although there are no performance problems - at close-in zooms, it's clear that most of the detail is in the texturing, rather than the modeling - but there are some graphical bugs. For one thing, the flashing headlights, the strobes on the front bumper, and the amber flashing lights on the back don't show up when the glow of a rotating light passes over them, and that flashing light effect is clearly very detailed; it must have been very hard to assemble.

Also, on both trucks, the front bumper has a zigzaggy graphical bug similar to what I've had on some of my own models - the easiest way I've found to fix this is to remove the problematic part of the model, and do it over again. (Surely there's an easier way, but I haven't found it.)


Also there's a similar problem with the black pipe on the left side of the pumper:


Once these are fixed, these trucks will likely be the best available.

[Gwail]

shanghai kid, it's extremely photoshopped, but not the way you're asking .


Nerdly_dood, thanks for stopping by and posting the feedback. I've let myself to model much more details than usually I do, as these are only emergency vehicles, not showing in the common game play.

For one thing, the flashing headlights, the strobes on the front bumper, and the amber flashing lights on the back don't show up when the glow of a rotating light passes over them, and that flashing light effect is clearly very detailed; it must have been very hard to assemble.

Right. It's the matter of difference with blending mode between rotating and flashing lights and cannot be avoided. Only thing I had to do was carefully time tuning. That's why there are flashing lights at the rear of ladder unit instead of rotating ones - the effect of the crawling lights on the light bar was invisible at all. The rest of flashing lights are visible, more or less, at various angles of view.

Also, on both trucks, the front bumper has a zigzaggy graphical bug similar to what I've had on some of my own models - the easiest way I've found to fix this is to remove the problematic part of the model, and do it over again. (Surely there's an easier way, but I haven't found it.)

You're using software rendering, I guess? There are the problems with crossing faces under SR (you can't see it on my screens, right?), in fact I should avoid it - the best way is not crossing any faces but more precise modelling - it always takes up more polys, but it wouldn't be any effects like this. As I'm planning to make some more Seagrave units (tower ladder, tiller ladder, some individuals), I'll surely remake the bumper. Thanks for remind it!

[nerdly_dood]

You're using software rendering, I guess? There are the problems with crossing faces under SR (you can't see it on my screens, right?), in fact I should avoid it - the best way is not crossing any faces but more precise modelling - it always takes up more polys, but it wouldn't be any effects like this. As I'm planning to make some more Seagrave units (tower ladder, tiller ladder, some individuals), I'll surely remake the bumper. Thanks for remind it!

I'm actually using hardware rendering. It's not often that I get that sort of bug - when I had it on my own vehicles, it was only with certain parts that were not joined together - for example, the lightbar of a police car once had that bug, and I also got that with the lights around the top of an ambulance (they're part of the model, not the texture) - both times I had to remove them and put them in again, and the problem was solved.

[Gwail]

I didn't have such problems with any of my automata, unless I've set the software rendering mode. So the only thing I can do is to remake the model, test it in my SR mode and then give you for testing, if you wouldn't mind.

[nerdly_dood]

I can do that. Great mods, apart from the one problem. The light effect for the ladder truck in particular is very detailed, and even a simple one is a bit tedious to make, so such a complicated one as you make is a testament to your patience.

[Pat]

awesome update here Chris!!!

[shadow221]

Cool Trucks Gwail  Hey I was wondering since you r making your NFI C40LF you could make a skin for SEPTA Bus heres what it looks like

[Gwail]

The light effect for the ladder truck in particular is very detailed, and even a simple one is a bit tedious to make, so such a complicated one as you make is a testament to your patience.

It isn't so time consuming, when you've got a good method. It took me up to 10 hrs to make the lightings for ladder truck (designing, setting, testing and fixing). The clue is to prepare a time table, next is carefully copy-paste the data. Can you give me your mail, I'll send you fixed model?

Pat, glad you like it. Can you help me a bit and answer my PMs ?

Shadow221, thanks! Of course, it is a chance to make such skin, when the model will be available and I'll have some free time to spare.

A small news - nothing new, in fact, but almost ready for release, at last:



8 props of MTA bus shelters, with different adverts (Mc Donald's, ESPN, Hard Rock Cafe, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Burn energy drink, Hancock the movie and  NYC yellow cab). The pack is prepared for the brand new RTMT 3.6 release, coming soon!

[shadow221]

It isn't so time consuming, when you've got a good method. It took me up to 10 hrs to make the lightings for ladder truck (designing, setting, testing and fixing). The clue is to prepare a time table, next is carefully copy-paste the data. Can you give me your mail, I'll send you fixed model?

Pat, glad you like it. Can you help me a bit and answer my PMs ?

Shadow221, thanks! Of course, it is a chance to make such skin, when the model will be available and I'll have some free time to spare.

A small news - nothing new, in fact, but almost ready for release, at last:



8 props of MTA bus shelters, with different adverts (Mc Donald's, ESPN, Hard Rock Cafe, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Burn energy drink, Hancock the movie and  NYC yellow cab). The pack is prepared for the brand new RTMT 3.6 release, coming soon!

Cool those look like the ones in Philly thats where the bus I showed u comes runs