Let me tell you, I have many unfinished projects.
And now Ladies and Gentelmen... welcome to my Bat thread!
Here I will show some of my projects, up to date:
Bowlingreen Office Park (pending)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fsouth.jpg&hash=dc72bbfc3f7984a07ca07d2cd70a8e075e444121)
Egg Corperation (this one is pretty much dead because of an unfixable rendering error)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fday-3.jpg&hash=df4c66dfb2d8bd8dcd044f1ba577b6f5c4598368)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnight-3.jpg&hash=35c24503eadd0a0113514c10f9b180b9291508ff)
Old Morrison Administration (working on it time to time)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnormal.jpg&hash=e79fd45bc82849206b132c6e71a03a6344b52804)
And a residential hi-rise (this one is pretty much dead, the modelling isn't very good and it takes up too mcuh space. I still have the original floor plan files that I made though, so I might work off of those)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fday1.jpg&hash=3f2b6951cc7bb2bc298165debce34f6bc456c906)
Enjoy! ;D
lol you came over because old ST is down eh? Driving me nuts that i cant check ST out.
All your work looks so good, you should release some of it ;D
Hey same comment i made on ST! &apls
incredible work.
Excellent work Autovino! &apls
Sim Shady: Yeah, St was down... or at least it let me go to the home page after about a minute, but I couldn't click anything and it crashed ie 7... I'm gonna release some of it, but I'm just not happy with the quality of some of it yet. Thanks for the support!
JosefBrisko135: Glad you like it!
Scifan68: Thanks for the support!
Anyway, I tried to add some roof junk to the Bowlingreen Office Park building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender007.jpg&hash=3885eff399f8a50297fd8397bddc51a0a459ed7c)
not too happy with it yet, though...
And here is some Mr-arch and design texture fun ()stsfd():
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FairCooler.jpg&hash=bf04dc4fe99f800c6dcf647791936acc2bee9945)
Enjoy! ;D
edit: why is it all bold? Never mind, now fixed...
WOW simply to say is WOW Autovino great stuff....
to answer your question why your last text was bold was
how you where replying Sim Shady after you said " Thanks for the Support" to him there is an extra [b*]
as you see in the quote here i removed the extra [b*] and all is good...
Of course that is minus the *... I Hope that helped you and again Awsome stuff here
MOD EDIT - Quoting the whole post was totally unnecessary here, please try not to do that unless you absolutely have to - Fred
Patfirefghtr: Glad you like it! Thanks for the bold fix, didn't notice that :D
Here is another small update, I'll probobly be doing them a lot throughout the day... really hot and humid outside, soo...
I added a "test" texture to the front of the main wing of the builidng. I personally like it, maybe change the color a bit later to fit the game more.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender008.jpg&hash=bec9991da20d366570413261880063016b0eb57b)
What do you all think?
Update time ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fday3-1.jpg&hash=e90e3553ce3f06e032c27fbbfe25e0d3b1a89279)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fday2.jpg&hash=9fcc6bccad3174372de924b511158f9bbec0ca3d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fday1-3.jpg&hash=a38a9f8aa7e50865533e7606fb908bfcdccff46f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fday4.jpg&hash=d1f67054209e7a691b9a8946913390f070301285)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnight4.jpg&hash=c3ebfb295939151da0f05d8125ee04fe4ee93e5d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnight3-1.jpg&hash=5b8666f6629dd3ca676b143e54460e29e3bb9401)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnight2.jpg&hash=a68e91bb349d575667b28b97b90fc66aacde9e2f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnight1-2.jpg&hash=5834b4c85793620cd261f4c81c1c0ac28053e788)
There are some things that I'd fix, like the texture, make it more simcityish, turn up the final gatherer settings, etc.
The only thing that I'm stumped by is that deep blue color of the shadows. It looks wrong and I'm not to sure on how to fix it...
anyone know (I use 3ds max 9, with a Mr sun and sky lighting rig...)? ()what()
I like the shape of this building and the fact that it's big, but I can't wait to see the texture you use and some of the finer details.
Great work so far. &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Oh this is a good one!!! :thumbsup:
How did I miss it?!
OK, to the problems you have:
- Final Gather. Yes, this is a bit tricky one. First of all draft sometimes look appealing to some people cause it lightens up some knocks and corners. Problem is that this happen at the cost of accuracy and as such thing become less believable. When you change you setting of FG BAT script (when you do export) will NOT respect it and will pick up the setting that has been saved (with file) last. So if you want to make sure which settings are taken by script save you file after you've changed them.
- Shadows. The culprit here is MAX. It's X-Refing system to be precise. When you X-Ref your lighting rig from separate file bond between Sun and sky is broken. I mean their location bond. And since location is determining the color hue and relative brightness of either the result is very odd. You end up with tropic midday (straight up) sky, and some much more moderate mid to late afternoon sun. Cyan of midday sky is overpoweringly strong. That is what you see in the shadows. There are couple of different solutions to this problem. First one is compensatory – in same place where you set logarithmic exposure there is setting for white balance. Set it to some light cyan and activate. This color will be "subtracted" from the scene. This is very effective tool to give your renderings certain look. However it isn't strictly speaking accurate. But accuracy and BAT aren't on best terms anyway. There is, however, another effect of this Sun-Sky disassociation – not only it affect hue, but also brightness of the light. As a result this your scene is getting quite a bit lighter and since your settings of exposure control are fixed you get what you're suppose to get - everything gets somewhat overexposed. One sign of overexposure (anyone who has been doing some photography on a level at least a tinny bit more evolved then just poin'n'cliking) your colors get bleached by light. So the "proper" fix would be to get rig to work right and that would be accomplished if it was in scene. How exactly should that be done would have to be tested. Should lights be uncoupled from cameras and set in scene file tight to same handler or another dummy set to copy original one (TB2...handle – or whatever its name is, but I'm sure you know what I'm talking about), or would it be sufficient to just merge that X-Refed rig into the scene. Still even in-scene Rig does have slightly bluish cast at that "time of day" so some white balance correction may still be in order to restore neural, or if so desired to give render SC4 pinkish look.
- Textures... well, Sun bleaches!! Always does! Especially in you try to balance bright and dark and that is what logarithmic control does. You can still tweak its settings. Reality is that for optimum result each project probably should have tailored settings, but, on the other hand most wouldn't really notice difference. People are looking at gross mishaps in game and don't seem to see or mind them. And I don't mean some common trends, but contradictions, like different shadow angles and so on. One way to combat that bleaching effect on level of texture is to apply custom curves to them. And you can do it right there in Mat Editor. No need to go back to Photoshop. This applies to maps level in material. Open up Output roll-out and there it is! I trust you'll know what to do once there!
- And completion... well I really like the approach you have with thins one! Hope you continue in a same key. Only slight nagging I hear in my head when I look at this one – the scale. It looks too large to me... What is a floor height? Something like 5m+? I know game scale is very screwed, and different buildings seem to live in own dimensions, but still it look a bit out of place, and it's not just height. May be it is because it is soo white or something...
Looks like it would make a great old hospital from its size and architectural style
rooker1: Glad you like it!
SimFox : Whoa! SimFox, you're a genius! Thanks for such a detailed answer to all the problems! :)
Btw, the floors are about 4.5meters tall. I have one section that is 9 meters tall, like a big ball room.
Zaphod: Hospital? This is an interesting idea... Thanks for the support!
Anyway, 3ds max or my computer is being mean, and didn't let me export (gave me a png conversion error?)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Ferror.jpg&hash=6f6f71e8eff06be6862bf092a64dac4af9799833)
So here is a preview of one of the output files:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender017.jpg&hash=4d42e37fc74ab82697319819c75be205581881cf)
enjoy! ;D
It's brilliant, the nightlighting of Bowlinggreen Office park looks really cool and also the shape looks great. &apls :thumbsup:
Vario80: Glad you like it!
Anyway, I killed the cyan, got boolean happy $%Grinno$%, corrupted the file, and fixed it again; but the shadows look too dark:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg214.imageshack.us%2Fimg214%2F4155%2Frender018br5.jpg&hash=e0ae665232f10a1a928ee6ad6a0513ea3089d36e)
Autovino: WOW and what Steve (zaphod) had said this would make a very excellent Old time hospital.
The texturing as i know you are working could be a little darker cause the white is too brite ingame LoL.
I did notice the road texture how it cures into the wall... Hmm if you are gonna leave it that way i would
suggest making it look like some type of underground parking entrance and exit of course LoL... - pat
Amazing. I love the detail you put on this. I'm about to get 3ds Max, but I gotta wait until I get my student ID! Is it worth the price?
patfirefghtr: Yeah, I had an underground parking area in mind and also a conflicting idea of a parking garage attached to the back of the large office block wing part of the building. Maybe I'll make a mix ()stsfd().
JosefBrisko135: Glad you like it! And when I showed my student ID to my reseller, the didn't accept it; said it was one year too old. But showing a normal ID and a semester grade report did the trick! After you get all the little problems out of it, it is worth more than the price. It's about a thousand times faster than gmax... I can go on forever about how great it is!
Anyway, after many fruitless atempts at exporting the building, I finally got it:
I added some similar style buildings for comparison:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0004.jpg&hash=c64bcad9b32ef964017df9d65ec524457220e41e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0003.jpg&hash=6c848d262d0cbe54e87ad810c94ad4bfa8f396a3)
Wern still has a darker colour, and I noticed that shadows on walls are blue, and shadows on level floor are grey... which isn't realistic, but hey, this is simcity we're talking about. All I have to do is make this building a bit darker and it should be perfect (I hope) and this is easy to do with the log exposure settings at my fingertips .
Some closeup shots for ya:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0001.jpg&hash=ff4bc26c45d67b12f40e40f96cc871c3686d7711)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0002.jpg&hash=b616d63ec552443a984e75c1de6231845149b631)
Enjoy!
*bump*
Right, big update time...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fwest-1.jpg&hash=b97631f4ab8a965522a1ece03e1a70ea9e0d9641)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FWest_night.jpg&hash=65c8d7c1ca0020c76ccfdc4662174b5d3af18edf)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FSouth-1.jpg&hash=8c76c438b75bf78a93da508a6e6dd9dd628f4cf4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FSouth_night.jpg&hash=654a77091fbda614e80753734f4e854cd795f039)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FNorth-1.jpg&hash=c028539efdb3add910c289ec92caa3ef67681c3e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FNorth_night.jpg&hash=932931593a31d3fe55bbfe65679a111a74cb3cea)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FEast-1.jpg&hash=b4f512ecba998f5bfc181dfd37dc1c57f62a8984)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FEast_night.jpg&hash=00b2e31c59233399c782f1fe3c301e070f776993)
Enjoy! ;D
I'm diggin the art-deco-ness there. Tampa lacks art-deco design, most of our stuff is Spanish Mediterranian or Cuban.
It looks incredible, I'm defintly going to download this and work it into my model of Tampa somehow.
I can't wait to see future projects aswell. &apls
Glad you like it! I'm surprised that tampa doesn't have much art deco style in it though... I know there are cultural diffrences, but prefabricated art deco style was pretty popular during the deppresion... guess it wasn't popular everywhere, or Spanish was more popular down south ;D
Anyway, what about this idea?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F8783%2Frender021ff0.jpg&hash=96d774a54be53e7f45c62e5e393bf9d6d9c884ff)
Ignore that funky looking wall, for some reason it skipped photon calculations... glitch model. &sly
WOW That is spectacular.
Well, what happend was downtown got some art-deco stuff, Tampa Theatre, S.H Kress, Floridian Hotel, and a few other buildings, but the majority of recreated historic buildings or surviving majority of historic buildings were Spanish or Cuban styled. All the new "old" buildings have the same features that you would see in the Cigar Factories or the buildings on 7th Ave in Ybor.
I guess you could really call it Tampan Architecture, since its not really seen anywhere else.
But We could use some more art-deco styled buildings.
We have a lot of modern Art-Deco buildings going up in the CHannel District, its starting to look like Miami over there... lol I'll post some picks when I can get some quality ones.
Auto that is looking fantastic wow...
JosefBrisko135 Come to think of it, the city in which I live in doesn't have too much art deco in it either. Mostly modern skyscrapers or old historic buildings. Very little art deco, maybe it was common more up north or in huge cities like Chicago and NYC?
patfirefghtr Glad you like it!
Some shaodw line up fixed!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fshadowsfixed.jpg&hash=dacc95e95b4570f48a33ca1d36a4ab0e56b70935)
enjoy!
Looks very nice, looking at the canopy over the front entrance i thought it was a theatre of some sort, but guess I was wrong.
The pinkish stones are what you will be going for?
kwakelaar Glad you like it! As for the pinkish stone, I'm trying to get the same affect as the Wren Insurance building, but because of the super bright Mr sun and it's colour bleaching effects, it's proving to be quite a challange!
Meanwhile, here is a picture just for fun! ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender022.jpg&hash=6757e3b7311c2227f8b5000f9b328e4ddc617c92)
Every time I stop in here, the building is looking better and better. Great work!
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
rooker1 Thanks!
Update time!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FWestDay.jpg&hash=bbaae474fd2d28cfa5582d83c31127127a758fab)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FWestNight.jpg&hash=879be0b752e79881fbc148a130a174926c66ef16)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FSouthDay.jpg&hash=bc8160af26c32ac0dda8dfd6b359e32aad775eaa)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FSouthNight.jpg&hash=26750d5b24a94e080a604e1e7e4f787f220a5a45)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FNorthDay.jpg&hash=9e76d2048c9f77d91eb6e3a9a79af8d3394886d8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FNorthNight.jpg&hash=d3b074568ffb23ced640cf0f091ab36e44ff98e0)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FEastDay.jpg&hash=4a02f6151d9fd85dedf1089a727576c6f29d3529)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FEastNight.jpg&hash=5db3d6be63eea2d7f884a8547947946ade1a050f)
The textures are close, but not final. The roof textures are no where near to final.
Enjoy! ;D
Looks like a great building, but your textures look a little too pink now :P
Fred
Quote from: freedo50 on July 16, 2007, 06:07:09 AM
Looks like a great building, but your textures look a little too pink now :P
Fred
Well, may be it could be headquarters of Barby international :D
WoW Auto u amaze me everytime i check here... I cant wait to get ahold of the finished product - pat
Yes, I would think it is a bit too pink at the moment, but that might change when it is rendered for the game? I don't know how the renders from 3DSmax turns out in the end.
The walls have nice and simple details, looks very good
It's exactly how it would look in the game. Things getting lighter, or colors changing, or anything like that is just a myth. BAT preview renders are the same as BAT exports.
freedo50 It's okay, I can still change it. :P
SimFox lol... maybe I should call it that :P
patfirefghtr Glad you like that.
kwakelaar Yeah, like Jasoncw said, there is no change at all, but I think I did notice a slight change in my lighting rig when I exported it last time, which then would bleach the colors even more, but htis is probably my imagination.
Jasoncw Exactly right. Then again, I could use the colour correction options in the log exposure settings...
anyway, don't have an update on the builidng, but I have a new one:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F300Vine.jpg&hash=0b67e9b8e3d201fe53b45ff677ac7ad150f2e03f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F300vine-1.jpg&hash=2fc5010ff3a9d1984d537aef8b39c95a65e93499)
I also like this building alot, maybe I'll bat it sometime...
That's some great work you're doing. I was skeptical about the length at first but now that you've added on the rest it fits a lot better. Just looking at it to me the architecture just screams government building. Looking forward to seeing more.
spa: Hey, you can read minds :o! The idea was born after passing the Charleston, WV gevernment center. Although it looks nothing like it, I still got the idea from it! ;D Glad you like it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FUntitled-1copy.jpg&hash=5dff75e25cda0a293f102fbd44910a22286e931c)
What about this building? Not much time to do stuff, I started my loads of Summer AP work... how fun &mmm.
Hi, first of all great updates on your previous building! &apls I like the pinkish stone colour quite a lot.
As for the last building you have posted it's looks quite huge.. but also somewhat cool is this a residential highrise?
very good work here....!!
I like especially the last building that you showed. :thumbsup: did you plan to carry it out?
Vario80 Glad you like it! Yeah, it's a big ugly residential highrise :D.
bat56 Glad you like it! I do plan to carry it out, but now I just discovered The Wonderful World of Caustics!
And now, I present to you
The Wonderful World of Caustics
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcaustics.jpg&hash=22a21ae59cbfffd64edf55780911c5b79979e2d9)
For those of you who don't know what caustics are, see that "v" that comes from the glass teapot? Or that light halo at the base of the chrome Teapot? Those are caustics. They are basicly light being reflected or refracted from objects. Very simple, but is a load on your computer.
Here are some buildings rendered with caustics:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender023.jpg&hash=95dadb12bcb4e3149352840db966de829fcf50f9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FcausticsAnyone2.jpg&hash=28b1b51db55b6b6c9d89d2997b5ad0774ee446c6)
enjoy!
Oooooooh my Auto that is just one word Stunning...
Glad you like it, patfirefghtr!
How about a Hotel, Casino, and convention center? :satisfied:
Top
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FhotelCasinotop002.jpg&hash=a6bab2eef5f0618d03ed694b8446aadb256e814d)
Side
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FhotelCasinotop001.jpg&hash=9fd90093b48ebfee5978c2ef5748b0a3955ef83d)
Game
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FhotelCasino002.jpg&hash=35d019525fed14f6187161995517d7940748227e)
enjoy!
Auto that is stunning i cant wait to see more of it - pat
Glad you like it! ;D
Anyway, I have a zoom five ready here (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/hotelCasino007.jpg). Beware! It's huge!
Also, I started on another casino:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FWaterFallCasino001.jpg&hash=8769fcbbe92ab8d5443f397ad9d09f8b739cf839)
and while we're on the topic of casinos, who can guess what casino this is (don't right click properties, please, be ethical in your guess ;D)?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FcasinoMandalayBayandTheHotel.jpg&hash=dae06fe34cb44cdfff902b5065e80a886accfa59)
enjoy!
I'm not all super up on my casins but isn't it the MGM grand?
EDIT: Just checked. &ops
Nope! But really close, in fact the mgm grand is almost right across the street!
Anyway, I got boolean happy:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FWaterFallCasino002.jpg&hash=3603d919140eb895d762ee6c6189ba8047755cda)
This right here is the mgm grand, it has more interesting roof junk than the previous casino (and I swear that it looks bigger when you're inside!)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmgmgrand.jpg&hash=d7f5df76ec7493f7c566a9db9ca68d12bcbed914)
is it the mirage? btw its looking sweet the new casino - pat
patfirefghtr Glad you like it! the Mirage looks alot like the casino, doesn't it? But no...
This is, I think, the Mirage:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FmirageCasino.jpg&hash=57f8762a5a7cff1a461ddf694014f5ade48b7f4c)
Anyway, I added some casutics to it and a little bit more.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FWaterFallCasino004.jpg&hash=fb198d5f64ec6328041c7618b4a5e2b2e9d95cc7)
And here's a perspective shot of the other casino:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FhotelCasino008.jpg&hash=762e47fc11e4e40bd806deb41ef5a66b440a34cc)
edit: just wanted to get these pictures in before I go...
The Old Morrison Administration Building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender002-1.jpg&hash=551919c2609b9d2f8cd66d87b381b151aba99ed3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender001-1.jpg&hash=eec3fd89c08716617a6ca32a03cca5c01cfd60ea)
And to finish off today here's a ground view picture of the waterfall casino:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwaterfallCasinoFront.jpg&hash=16cc404df14fd78e1e0dc5d170a6b4555d7f6476)
enjoy!
Absolutely stunning textures on those windows, these casinos could be a great addition to the game.
Fred
OMG WoW....
freedo50 Glad you like it! The textures are a bump map applied to a raytrace material with a yellow golden colour on it.
patfirefghtr Glad you like it!
I worked on the base of the casino some:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FhotelCasino11.jpg&hash=eeba179857ecadb8d5a455c5dde6fdc20b27b97c)
Of course, you won't be able to see this part, but just to know it's there, right?
Btw, that first casino I posted is called Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino, and to the far right, you can see a part of the Luxor Hotel and Casino (the pyramid part, and It looks amazing inside of it!)
edit: I added a monorail to the building, and I did a test render of the monorail isolated:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmonorail.jpg&hash=d25d4eb289e0fbdfbdbc52fda131d00ea7af2875)
Now to show how bad gmax is: It took gmax 21 minutes and 59.03 seconds to export a simple transparent box (the lods).
It took 3ds max 5 minutes and 52.88 seconds to export a more complex model (the monorail) the size of those boxes.
Quite a difference! $%Grinno$%
I gotta tell you, there's a conspiracy going on. Autodesk is saving all the good stuff until you pay, lol
*bump* &sly
Anyway, a little update on the big 'ol egg building. Changed the window texture and I tried to run an export of it last night. Mental Ray froze with endless "no photon calculations stored" errors...
I think I know how to fix it now. The error is coming from the nightlights that don't illuminate any casutic generating materials or for that matter any casutic recieving materials. They only illuminate standard old materials. I figured that it takes 30 minutes to do a z5 render so it would take about 1 hour and 30 minutes to do a whole step of the export... 6 hours to do one zoom and progressively less to do the next, and so on and so forth. I estimate 10 or 11 hours to do the whole thing! Better get those sleeping pills, cause I don't get any more than 8 or 9 hours of sleep... ;D
Anyway, enought talking, time for some zoom five results (Click here, about half a megabyte in size (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/z5001.jpg))
Enjoy! ;D
QuoteI gotta tell you, there's a conspiracy going on. Autodesk is saving all the good stuff until you pay, lol
And some...Gmax = £0, 3DSMax 9 = £2,900.00 In any case, there IS no renderer built into GMAX, that's added by BAT.
Models = superb btw.
Auto that is eggtastic!!!!!!!!
callagrafx To tell the truth, I'm pretty sure that gmax does have a default scanline renderer (the one that bat uses) because all the scripts are written in max script which can't creat it's own renderer but can call up a default renderer. In 3ds max, it is renderer.production or renderer:#production that sets the renderer and renders... so maybe a perspective renderer can be built for gmax too! Glad you like the model, though! ;D
edit: hmm that's strange, the web says that gmax has no renderer, but then how does sc4 bat render? Maybe I'm missing something...
patfirefghtr Glad you like it!
Anyway, I spent the whole day rendering a first hand monorail ride! 33 seconds, but it took 5+ hours to render (the hunny thing is, original estimates were 1h and 43min... way off.)
Click on the thumbnail (at the bottom), and allow it some time to load.
I'm also planning to do a shorter render video of driving down the small road and looking at the front entrance, but some time later.
As for the egg shaped building, I'm planning to do a test render with caustics enabled, that is, too see if I can get it rendered without Mental ray freezing up.
enjoy!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_20050d31.jpg&hash=00ea14a48aa74deb57cf7b834f64dd35dec58f06) (http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/?action=view¤t=20050d31.flv)
hmm the thumbnail is a bit large...
Quote from: autoVino on July 23, 2007, 07:31:42 AM
and while we're on the topic of casinos, who can guess what casino this is (don't right click properties, please, be ethical in your guess ;D)?
enjoy!
THEhotel at Mandalay Bay is looking great :thumbsup:. Do you plan on making the skywalk mall between the Mandalay and Luxor?
To your statement of Mandalay and Mirage looking alike, the Monte Carlo, Treasure Island, and Venetian all have a very similar "Y" shape, and the Bellagio has a "-(" kind of shape to it.
I was planning on making some Vegas casinos once I got the skills to. I've wanted to make the Luxor (complete with all the pyramid's lighting) and Bellagio since I first started considering BATing months ago. No need for me to do the Mandalay now, because thats about as perfect as you can possibly get right there ;D Excellent work.
Glad you like it, XiahouDun ! The only thing is that this isn't the Mandalay Bay and theHotel... it's loosely based off of that, but not really the same. But I am planning to do that casino and some others on the strip!
As for the shape, I completely agree. The "y" shape is very common on those casinos, maybe because it offers a stable large building and with those three wings allows for more hotel space.
Anyway, mini update for now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorld001.jpg&hash=fd040cadbae2d02969b48ea15cc73b84f5a0b792)
I did a basic design doodle, so to speak, of the monorail station. I also toned down the contrast of the sunlight.
As of now, I'm going to start the render of the egg building, and see if I can't get it to run...
enjoy!
Oh my Guinness! These are wonderful &apls pics like these makes me thinking, that should I get 3dsMax too ;D
Quote from: autoVino on July 25, 2007, 07:37:45 PM
Glad you like it, XiahouDun ! The only thing is that this isn't the Mandalay Bay and theHotel... it's loosely based off of that, but not really the same. But I am planning to do that casino and some others on the strip!
I should have rephrased that. Maybe it would be better if I said that it does it great justice? It looks stunningly similar (side from a little smaller and the changes in the non-tower areas), and very easily can be viewed as a replica, even if its a modified one. No matter how you say it though, "great" needs to be included in the comment. :D
Side note, I blame you for my expierimenting with lights in GMax just now, testing ideas for the Luxor :P
OMG WOW Auto you been a busy little bee... I loved the vid and how it gave the feel as if you was almost riding the line, to bad there wasnt any sound effects to it...
Well the WEB seems to be wrong on the one. Gmax DOES have a renderer - and it is a early version of Scanline. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to render anything in it. Although it is possible to create render entirely with MaxScript, BAT scripts do nothing of sorts. What is missing from GMAX is renders GUI (Graphic User Interface). BAT is filling that gap plus throws in some automation to boot.
Here is the proof for both BAMX BAT and naked GMAX:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg363.imageshack.us%2Fimg363%2F7369%2Fgmaxrendererhq9.gif&hash=d29de9a4396e5039a7fe80dc6ad10902bbbb6499)
Bengt Glad you like it! You should get 3ds max, it's definatly worth the cost.
XiahouDun I'd have to agree, there is some resemblance between this hotel and mandalay bay. Glad you like it! Good luck with experimenting with gmax and its lighting! ;D
patfirefghtr Maybe I should've added sound... but I don't know that much about video making in general. Glad you liked it, though!
SimFox I knew gmax had a renderer in it... but is it really possible to build a complete renderer just using max script? That would be nice, but probably not as fast. As of now, I have some limited know how as to how to use max script. Does anyone know how to call up the renderer in gmax, though?
As for right now, I don't have a clear cut update, but I can update on the status of the egg building. I did a test export last night, and it got about 50 percent done (it didn't crash or do anything silly, just was running really slow) before I decided that was enough and turned it off (it rendered for about 10 hours straight! I guess my prediction for 11 hours was way off. It's that perspective render that causes problems, most of my rendering time is from photon calculations, the rest of it goes pretty quick).
My question now is: is there any way to do photon calculations once for the whole scene, kind of like baking the scene, but not for textures but for caustic calculations?
Mini update:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldMonorail003.jpg&hash=a0218abbe36291604b6fe53fd4f95a998443f65c)
This is a render of the monorail in the station (which is incomplete)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldMonorail002.jpg&hash=2d7665ce00e048c62eeb1d4ddb0451eb819a6fd4)
another render, but after I gave the monorail an inverse kinomatics spline and path constraint...
Also, check out my reflective window tutorial (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=91452&enterthread=y)!
enjoy
Niiiiice, that looks like one of those architectural models they build before building the real building (except with more gold!).
Fred
OMG WoW Auto that was sweet ty for that mini update...
Quote from: autoVino on July 23, 2007, 10:27:06 AM
This right here is the mgm grand, it has more interesting roof junk than the previous casino (and I swear that it looks bigger when you're inside!)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmgmgrand.jpg&hash=d7f5df76ec7493f7c566a9db9ca68d12bcbed914)
Don't you know it's owned by Dr Who. ;)
freedo50 Glad you like it! And yes, I try to get that effect with my buildings (so a lot of the modeling I do won't show up in the game, unfortunatly...)
patfirefghtr Glad you like it!
NASCAR_Guy Lol... :D
anyway, the Hotels take a small hiatus, because I have to work on the OldMorrisonAdminBuilding (Omab?) souds like something one would invest in... lol
some detailing:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FmegaDetailing001.jpg&hash=e2d12ee5896a83c762be574692fdd82c774d9bd8)
a small hiatus ehh? ? ? Noooooooooooo how long i want it sooo bad :'(..... Ohhh the Omab its looking pretty decent - pat
Heh heh... don't worry, it's only until I can make decent progress on the Old Morrison Admin Building... and I did a search for OMAB (Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Nort(ADR))... guess you can invest in it, but it doesn't look like it's doing so hot right now.. maybe it's just following a pattern and will do beter next time, rihgt?
Everything looks so shiny....
Very nice. ;D
Me wants.
Glad you like it, Shadow Assassing!
I'm planning to redo some of the "shiny" textures for the casino building (especially the glass, right now it doesn't look like crown glass) and add some water, swimming pools, etc (using a new water texture I made from a tutorial).
Here is a sample:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FrealsiticWater.jpg&hash=f3a150712d0be32b4bb3d118c4acaae036b068d8)
This is a pool of water with the mia water texture modified to give caustics, colour depth, and transparency. Oh yeah, the water is actually white, but because of the effects, it gives it that nice tint.
Here is also a preview of the old morr admn bldg:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fomab006.jpg&hash=e27075737cec739450322e09bd9a47149e7551c7)
Also I did some work on the casino:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg204.imageshack.us%2Fimg204%2F6897%2Fwonderfulworldrender02rp8.th.jpg&hash=4163105d33fd67d074672489e1f5063947fae803) (http://img204.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wonderfulworldrender02rp8.jpg)
how exactly do you use caustics, could you maybe d a small tutorial...
Hey really awesome stuff again, the old administration buillding looks really stunning, i could imagine to use it as a government building or such in a city. Absolutely great works :thumbsup: &apls
Auto you have me droooooooooling here OMG i love that pool its sooo real looking and the OMAB an the Casino WoW..... :thumbsup: &apls
Wow, is it jus me or did Devotion get a complete make over? ::)
mightygoose Sure, in fact, my next realistic window reflections tutorial will be on caustics!
Vario80 Glad you like it!
patfirefghtr Thanks!
Big update today... ready for this?
Anyway, thought of a theme for the casino: skiNevada: resort Hotel and Casino...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FskiNevadaSign.jpg&hash=b45806164b041d08b58219f8eb5ed6f313da31ed)
(logo that I made for the casino)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FskiNevada002.jpg&hash=d7a3f05b5bec375cc1deecaf1f147c83a73d6329)
Teaser shot of the inside
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldrender05.jpg&hash=c77d9dc7525ddcf530013e6c9e0600996bb058d0)
What the casino looks like so far
I also did some work on the monorail.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmonorail-1.jpg&hash=eb91962b3b7eb052b24d5bce08dc8103e4a7fec3)
Las vegas monorail, I didn't design this logo, just found it in a picture and made it circular.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldrender04.jpg&hash=d2103c0ade5e3822f18d20f3f38e2a2d8bf146e2)
And finally current progress on the monorail station.
Enjoy! ;D
Hi, i like the theme for a casino, could work as a ski resort casino or such. :D Also i like the model it's really stunning and the shape reminds of a certain hotel in Las Vegas (can't remember the name right now though..... &Thk/() Great work again! :thumbsup:
autoVino thats excellent!!! I went to las vegas last week ans was really incredible, if you want some pictures of different hotel-casino just tell me... i have many like Bellagio, Paris, Mandalay, New York New York, Venetian, Tesoure Island, Ceasers Palace, MGM etc..
Are you making this one? hehe :thumbsup: &apls &apls
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F8254%2Fdsc00147qt3.jpg&hash=1d12fe9dd07d32afc1463bdef82b9197770aaf23)
I have to say I am really impressed with the quality of the models shown here ???
Excellent work so far and a pleasure to the eyes :thumbsup:
&apls &apls Sorry for none posting before . But i have to said that is a great work you have done so far. don`t even stop batting ;D Looking forward for this beauty. :thumbsup:
Auto dannnnnnnnnnnng you man talk about just causing me to have a heart attack cause that is sooo good.... Man the slopes and the logo and name just some reall great examples of your awsome work :thumbsup:
Vario80 Glad you like it! The shape of the casino is common for quite a few of the casinos in Las vegas, ie the Mirage, Mandalay Bay...
HabLeUrG Yeah Las Vegas was pretty fun, that is if know where to go (I'm not 21 yet $%Grinno$%)
jeronij Thanks! I'm thinking about putting some of these buildings into a resume for collage (as an art section) along with sports and education.
kimcar Glad you like it!
patfirefghtr Thanks!
Just finished a monster of a render (zoom five) at 2.8 million polygons with about 14 hour render time. Something tells me getting this into the game will be quite tricky (The script might not allow models this big in case of crashing) but I'm pretty sure I can build it into the game manually.
Actually, the bulk of the render came from rendering an icy/foggy glass texture that I made (well, the ice wasn't mine though), so I plan to turn that texture off for now and then get it back come the final render.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg54.imageshack.us%2Fimg54%2F2847%2Fwonderfulworldrender08iy2.th.jpg&hash=c44a8a74ccebe837eb1229e85ce4ba75e5c605d9) (http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/2847/wonderfulworldrender08iy2.jpg)
Auto that is looking reallllllllllllllll great!!!!!! keep it up and i hope you do get that into the game - pat
Wow. This is sick casino :thumbsup:
Maybe you could try separate the ski-part and monorail from casino and render them one by one and then combine them in lot editor :-\
patfirefghtr Getting it into the game won't be too big of a problem (I hope), just a matter of tons and tons of patience, photon and fg maps, and figuring out how to manually creat the fsh files and insert them into the model file... a lot of work but I'm 100 percent sure that it's worth it!
Bengt Thanks! That would be one option but I'm not for messing with the lods and stuff. Besides keeping it in one model will enhance the reflection and realism, and less photon emmision that takes about an hour each time to do (that's why I'll be using, and testing, fg and photon maps on this model, perfect for it!).
Anyway, I accidently messed up the game lighting rig when trying to recreat a sunset with water so you'll have top suffer my perspective renders... bwahahahaha! ()flamdev()
Anyway: sunset:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldrender09.jpg&hash=d5d923b50a10c1781ede019f064cf279a02d476a)
sunrise:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldrender11.jpg&hash=2b84b8d9c3dd7a95b72d15b0d1409672133df6a7)
daytime:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FwonderfulWorldrender10.jpg&hash=e02c39486b3658c95e55e18439f0f76c746c725c)
enjoy! And oh yeah, tell me if you think that the new tower is too mcuh, I won't be offended.
other then tonning down the gold in the windows its great looking :thumbsup:
patfirefghtr You're right, It may look odd in the game, but that colour is common in many las vegas casinos, Mandalay bay, Mirage, etc.
Been doodling a bit to get some ideas on a cooling system for the inside ski slopes. Anyone have real pictures of such facilities?
Anyway, here's what I came up with (not yet finished): Here are three large towers for the gas from cooling to escape. Mostely N2 and O2, might find some other remnants. This will keep the polution level up, though:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcoolingtower01.jpg&hash=fffa9702e24874061087460f3845ec6b9b549b24)
How much do you need to be paid to climb up 215 steps each day and maintain that monster?
LoL Auto OMFG ummmmmm i sure as heck wouldnt climb them stairs peroid lol
Other then that little note its great looking what ever it is...
Geez this monster is huge . a lot of work already done and look promises &apls
This complex is looking fantastic. Have you got an idea of the likely lot size?
You sound pretty confident about editing the FSH files, but if that doesn't work out wouldn't making objects invisible to the camera allow you render it in pieces without losing the reflections? Or would that mess up the photon calculations?
Also, if the complex is rendered as individual buildings lotmakers can reuse parts of it elsewhere.
kimcar: Glad you like it, but there's still more work to do... most of it in rendering, lol.
patfirefghtrL Lol, I'm not quite sure what it is either! I'm hoping for cooling facility, but I'm no good at that. The funny thing is, I was thinking about a show in which a guy goes to the tallest building in the world to see how it's built, and he's scared silly of heights! Make it as high as possible!
zero7: yeah... but I really don't feel like fooling around with lods. Besides, if not for that inside ski slope, the building itself would take half to a full day to render. It's that ski slope that has the greatest concentration of polygons. Maybe I should wait till October, I think, and try to get 3ds Max 2008... I got an email from autoDesk about it today... and Maya 2008 and all the other 2008 products, lol.
But yeah, dividing it into smaller parts will actually make it go longer because of the extra photon calculations, which take about 20 to 30 minutes per image, this is why I either would like to do it manually with photon and fg maps or find a way to edit the script so that photon and fg maps would work. I've played around with it and I know it's possible, I just don't have the know how with working the script. But I'm pretty confident that I can produce the output files manually. Sorry for the long post, I'm rendering something for Patriots1228... so not much to do right now.
My goodness, I never knew just the lengths casinos go to to get people inside and gamblin'. Ski slopes... What next?
And it looks great, by the way. It's very shiny. :P Plus, I think casinos look much better when they're a chaotic mess of buildings, so that extra tower's fine with me.
Yeah, it's true. There is one Casino I went to that had an entire amusment park inside. New York New York has a giant rollar coster going around it with a "replica city" inside of it. So did the Paris casino and a few others. And the Luxor Casino is just something out there. The inside of the pyramid is truely a work of the greatest engineering.
Sorry for the lack of updates, school starts in a couple of days and I'm rushing to finish all that summer work I failed to do earlier.
And finally, and update appears:
Some close up on the cooling towers:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg235.imageshack.us%2Fimg235%2F3338%2Fcoolingtower06jp1.jpg&hash=b5da8adf5381a34931aabca933a7a6a76c37b09b)
and an overall:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg148.imageshack.us%2Fimg148%2F4769%2Fwonderfulworldrender14uw6.jpg&hash=1eb3539d36eb2086889338802bc72d8bfb91bf7b)
are you making a bit taller the main hotel building? anyway excellent work :thumbsup: &apls &apls
Hmm, all that cooling's definitely needed considering the location in which it's in - a hot sprawling desert city.
Very nice work, but for some reason, the main building (the three-pronged structure) just feels a little short to me...
Great build up! I like huge complexes (I guess that wouldn't come as a surprise).
But I think you should keep it in perspective. I think all the tech stuff is way too exposed... it little by little start to look more like oil refinery rather than a casino, or any other entertainment venue for that fact. That is the venue that is using it looks to get people in.
WoW Auto awsome update... Looking very good :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
HabLeUrG Yeah, I'll probably revert to the old version of the hotel tower and will try to get it right this time...
Shadow Assassin I think that the cooling system has to go. A bit too much and probably not very eye pleasing at street level... especialy the people who say anything that's tall and releases gas caused global warming... and we want them to come into the casino! lol.
SimFox I agree completely... the cooling tower looks ridiculous! Plus (as we learned in architecture class) all exaust units in buildings must be (1 foot I think) higher than the highest point in a building (this actually applies to Standart American Residential living...) otherwise there is a danger that wind won't blow on the smoke to get it out!
Plus I would hate to see something like that out of my hotel window.
patfirefghtr Thanks! Glad you like it.
Man today was hectic! None of the freshmen knew thier student numbers in the lunch line... so half the people didn't get to eat a decent lunch, everyone was late, the school times change... etc. I'm stressed pretty bad right now.
As for right now, I don't have an update, except that I removed all the fancy industrial stuff because (as SimFox says) it's starting to look more like an oil refinery.
I'm also planning to release that fancy cooling stuff as maybe a "high-tech" "low emission" chemical power plant...
Unfortunatly, the next time I can really work (and have any free time) is this Friday, sorry.
Really great work again. I can not say much more than stunning work, i love the details you have put into it. :thumbsup: &apls
And for you i hope you will have some more time to relax, i know that school and especially uni can be pretty stressful. :-[
Vario80 Thanks! Yeah, school just started and already I'm loaded up with more than I can handle... good thing today's a day to relax.
Anyway, some notes before the update.
I fugure that you don't need too big of a air conditioner to keep a large building cold in 100+ degree temperatures, my school has already achieved this adn given me a nasty cold at the same time.
I've been experimenting with poly editing this morning (not shown in this update) and it's actually pretty easy! I've also played around with procedural textures yesterday and I applied a copy to the roofs of this building, tell me what you think. It's a standard noise map multiplied with a cellular noise map on a mi arch texture with a low glossy reflection settings. I did one normal render, and them did some comments on it for fun.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F3865%2Fskinevrnd001iq7.th.jpg&hash=e05ad3eda7d6d2c5e86ef2cbc2826a0391d27db3) (http://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skinevrnd001iq7.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F3026%2Fskinevrnd002lj5.th.jpg&hash=113164808cbc6552fb6a58ad8caf3615cb239297) (http://img403.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skinevrnd002lj5.jpg)
Everything is looking good, except the roof texture. I'm sorry, but it's awful &mmm
Yeah, it looks a tad bit better in zoom five, but I think I'll have to do some photoshop work on it and then apply a custom version of it, just like in my art deco building (which I still have yet to finish... grr)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F198%2Fskinevrnd004so5.th.jpg&hash=6d67a527e3ab7ddfce194b42082aaaeb3f330189) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=skinevrnd004so5.jpg)
Auto i really loving the progress on that casino its looking better and better each and everytime :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
btw welcome to pg 6
Thanks, patfirefghtr
Huston, we have a problem...
1 gig of ram and 4 gigs of virtual memory aren't enough to even do a zoom five preview render... Im really scared.
I think I saw a way to resolve this issue somewhere on the internet (It was a cunning mix of fg, gi, caustic maps, and max scripting...)
I'm also worried that this will be to big for one s3d model, I mean, there are only so many textures ids you can use per s3d... after 16 it gets a bit tricky.
For now here's a perspective of inside detailing:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FperRendSkinv002.jpg&hash=248dfb0a42f0d914310a07222be212b353f889b6)
Fayette is the name of a mall not too far away from me (and in this case it will serve as a jewlery store)
and PF Chang's is a really good place to eat. I have about a megabyte more of different logos and signs that I can use... As you can see, it's no where near to finished, needs some more work, and most likely it won't be visible for simcity, but who said this has to be for simicty? :P
Oh my :/ Hopefully you can get this through. I once had same problem with my first PopMart-stage's giant LED-screen, when I really made 150 000 small "led" balls to form a pic. My machine, better stats than yours, was dying under the renderer $%Grinno$%
WoW auto that sucks i hope you can get it corrected... So that is a mall you are trying to work on now... no zoom 5 eeeeeeeeeks must be a masive mall then? ? ? ?
HYm... memory concerns...
Well first of all as much as I understand you are running 32bit version of MAX, right? if so then 4 Gb of virtual memory are pointless as in 32Bit environment a b´piece of software can not access more then 2Gb of it. In XP pro you can set this limit manually in ini to 3Gb. But that's it! One solution is to migrate to 64bit system!
As fo the size... well I was wondering when will this come to light... I was watching you to ad volume after another big volume to the project... There is only that much as LODs could encompass before GMAX BAT will reject them. One solution is to brake the entire thing into blocks to be assembled in LOT editor. In order to preserve the shadows and stuff you can have "missing" blocks right there when rendering - just make them invisible to the camera.
The texture issue is something new to me... And I think you got it wrong... The s3d only has 1 (!) texture and that is your rendered image of the building. Or do you mean number of slabs?? and IDs for those?? If so then this may be the limiting factor on the LOD size! as soon as it's area exceeds what could be covered by 16 (it that right?) 256x256 squares that export from GMAX fails. Well it is sort of logical given Hex nature of all indeces in SC. And if this is a case then then limitation is not in scripts but in proprietary DLL supplied with BAT for GMAX that does all the naming.
If this is a case hen it is a valuable discovery in it's own right as it would give clear indication to what is possible and what isn't in terms of model sizes! It also means that Metro Harbour View will never see the light of the games sun in one piece... /wrrd%&
Bengt : Man, that does seem intensive, but the problem here isn't the fact that the render time is too long, there is no render time. I'm not allowed to do a reneder of this size, there's not enough memory to store the bitmap information... ???
patfirefghtr : Actually, this is the mall that's inside the Resort Hotel/Casino. What you saw in the perspective render is tiny compared to the rest of the complex, just to put in to perspective. But I think I'll go for taking this into a new dimension and cutting the building lod's into large slabs, so that render time will be decreased and so that I can fit 16 textures per s3d file...
SimFox : Ahh 64 bit system. There is a solution in mentalraytips.blogspot.com as for how to do super large renders. As of right now, I dirt poor (they charge way too much for books at school, what ever happened to taxes! :D) Not really, but I don't have enough money to upgrade to a 64 bit...
Yeah, I was waiting for this day to come (gmax probobly would've rejected this long before...). Well, in order to better "seamless" lods, it may be better to just fit a large lod box, render it with the rest of the scene untouched, and do it over again with the rest of the lods. This way in lot editor I can just simply put the props in one place and have a ready finished model! For even more accuracy, I can use ilive's reader to specify a manual location for the prop models in the lot...
as for the textures, my mistake! I ment the texture slabs, thanks for pointing that out. I'm pretty sure this is the limmiting factor for lod size, for this is where the script causes an error 6. There may be a way to fix this manually, but it would turn out to be increadibly tedious and it may be tricky to avoid id conflicts.
There is always to have texture slabs and lod slabs... kind of taking it a step up.
what is this long hand manual override to the code 6 error?
Manually texturing the s3d files?
Simfox mentions it in the 3ds max think tank thread (or was it troubleshooting?), and it caught my attention for about a week. That's about as far as it went. $%Grinno$%
As my system rarely causes error 6, I'm just going to divide this model into a few seperate slabs, a crude way of putting it, and then just reassemble it in lot editor. That way it could be downloaded as a few seperate downloads, and not as one huge one (and can be rendered more easily, but it will take longer).
erm im using your tutorials mrsun&sky setup, but when i delete the sun to get correct shadows from the sc4 lightrig, my exposure control goes out the window.... how exactly am i meant to export....
allow me to show you further....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz124%2Fmightygoose_2007%2Fermmm.jpg&hash=6a183d9607766cdf80cf2a888fb124863c3a09c1)
any and all help appreciated....
MG
john
Quote from: mightygoose on August 21, 2007, 12:26:23 PM
erm im using your tutorials mrsun&sky setup, but when i delete the sun to get correct shadows from the sc4 lightrig, my exposure control goes out the window.... how exactly am i meant to export....
allow me to show you further....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi193.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz124%2Fmightygoose_2007%2Fermmm.jpg&hash=6a183d9607766cdf80cf2a888fb124863c3a09c1)
any and all help appreciated....
MG
john
Why would you delete the sun??
What do you mean by "correct shadows"????
well if i leave the sun it does not rotate with the model and thus im left with shadows that are at a fixed angle, unlike in SC4 where they are at the same orientation to camera regardless of view direction...
Oh, I see, you simply have to assemble new Rig. Open one of the rig files take the cameras from default rig ones, and delete all the lights, and put Sun and Sky in stead of them and save the file. I'm not sure if following is needed, but since it is so easy why not to do it - make 4 copies of the file and name them appropriately (with Big, Normal etc.) Also place one in startup folder of BAT. And that's it - you have new rig. When exporting Max will bring rig from the file as External Reference - Xref
and to add on, the reason the render is so dark is that the exposure control is ment for (if daylight is checked) a bright daylight scene, which is many times brighter than the standard omni light with intensity set to 1.
Of course, in 3ds max 2008, there is a new exposure control that solves this problem (i think) ;)
Have you tried resetting your camera and lights? I've had this problem over the weekend, but it got magically solved... strange ???
Well, either Mental Ray 3,6 or the whole MAX camera setup will be mimicking V-Ray or Maxwell or Fry Render camera setup. I think it was Maxwell with it bombastic claim to be Physically accurate unbiased renderer who first introduced also Physically correct camera - with exposure, aperture ISO etc controls.
Difference of the Day scene vs normal lighting isn't just brightness but an enormous contrast! That 's why there have to be LOGARITHMIC - nonlinear exposure. Renderers work in linear space, however our monitors aren't. Actually LCD are, but for compatibility issues they follow nonlinear 18-2.2 gamma of old CRT ons. so the picture have to be adjusted. Plus human vision isn't linear (and that is most important!) either.
I don't think resetting camera and light would do anything, though.
The question (to mightygoose) is what exactly do you want to accomlish? to use new lighting for export or to use old one?
If new, why then deleting the Sun?? And how shadows it gives are "not correct". If you want to use old one why to set up the Sun in the first place?
i wish to use a new render setup, i tried exporting and obviously the shadows were incorrect, so i deleted the sun hoping that just for a draft render i could use the old way, but obviously it isnt that easy. i know you probably think its obvious, but can you make a more detailed step by step of how to make that new rig.
To use it you have to set up new rig and replace old one with it as I've written above.
In order for a new rig to cast shadows in right direction the sun has to be in the right spot in the sky, naturally. and this spot is XYZ -474,-352,575. Sky's placment is a bit trickier thing. It should be located at the same spot with sun also direction wise (both targets should be at 0,0,0). But the problem is that when rig is Xrefed this sky's position is not respected by FG calculations. (I speak now about MR Sun and MR Sky, if you use other types of Sky - disregard this. At any rate I suggest for you to place Sun and Sky at the same spot. It is a good start.
Thanks, SimFox, for explaining all that, It saves me a good bit of time.
Haven't been very active lately... I'm home today, and not at sports because of a high heat index... everything got cancelled.
Anyway, here are some examples of real roof junk, this is on the convention center portion of Mandalay Bay Resort.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg168.imageshack.us%2Fimg168%2F2388%2Froofjunkje4.th.jpg&hash=ae208a16b4497ebd1c8fd68a7dfab23d1e8bde02) (http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=roofjunkje4.jpg)
Here is an example of some technology that I gound at a casino. My best guess would be a powerplant or a very powerful cooling system, probably the latter because a powerplant usually creats emmisions, this one doesn't. It could be very likely nuclear, but those requiere some pretty strong cooling systems and are usually located by a large water source... besides Las Vegas has the Hovver Dam.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg54.imageshack.us%2Fimg54%2F4128%2Fcasinopoweroc5.th.jpg&hash=ccd0f2aa8b462f211db86e31ca3ad00fe9d69b68) (http://img54.imageshack.us/my.php?image=casinopoweroc5.jpg)
Here are some tests that I did with the roof. THese may look very bad, but this is because they are not final (they take about 5min rendering time each!)
(they're of decent loading size, so I'll just link them.)
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/3a.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/2a.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/2.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/1.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/3.jpg
They are some varients, but I don't think I'll keep them.
definately the first photo is the best of those... remember the grains on those dark and well oversaturated textures would be metres across if that were real... tbh i think the grain is fine enough to get away with it entirely on material with no bitmap.
I think that the grain should be fine, I rendered a 5000px by 5000px image for photoshop, and worked from there.
Auto i agreed with MG the first one is defintly a keeper :thumbsup:
First one looks best, I would use it...but because textures are usually my weak point I suggest that you ask fourth opinion $%Grinno$% :thumbsup:
Bengt, patfirefghtr: Thanks, but I think I'm going to use bore of a roof texture, similar to the ones in the hotels in las vegas, not just a photoshopped procedural texture.
Sometimes we all need a rest and to just relax and doodle! This is what I do here:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fdoodle001.jpg&hash=6e842f4ff4f2cfc93532ed69e19aa85286f779cf)
Auto that is just a doodle ehh??? wow for a doodle that is sweeeeeeeeet
Wow. I hope that casino hits the game.
Though... :( I never seem to use things so.... unique.
But overall. Wow. I mean, daaaaaaaamn.
That's really awesome Auto, and you call that doodling? ;) That's more than this. &apls
Did you use the lattice tool for your doodle, or something better? :thumbsup:
ToxicPiano: I'm pretty certain autoVino uses the displace tool because it creates a cleaner effect than lattice.
neither Lattice modifier no displace one are any good to make a lattice (this is particularly ironic with modifier called Lattice!!)
there many ways to do abything in 3d and latticework isn't exception from this rule. For instance you can either model it separatelly as set of beams perhaps and plase it precisely at the desired location using snaps on object and subobject levels, or you can make the lattice from the very geometry that defines you walls by inseting poligons (on both sides of the wall, naturally) and bridging them this will give you lattice of practicqally infinet complexity and extreme precision ( no suprise, really since it is from same geomentry as your wall)
Greetings AutoVino! That reconstruction of Mandalay Bay is pretty darn impressive. Are you planning to upload it somewhere when it is done?
If you are I have a few points to help you:
- The main wing you have built so far doesn't seem tall enough - If you need a better picture for comparison I found this one (http://www.directionsmag.com/images/newsletter/2005/05_25/Pictometry_Mandalay_Bay1a.jpg) doing mine.
- Don't change the glass effect becuase what you have so far is envious, instead, if you are prepared to, how about going for the detailing around it to spruce it up?
- I assume you have the roof junk for the main wing covered... ?
Take care and keep going - This progress is excellent!
Thanks for the comments everyone!
@toxicpiano No, not quite the lattice. It's too messy for me.
I used the "spacing tool" (ctrl + i) or in the tools menu. It's something like making an array along a path (but there are a few differences).
@DarkEldar Not quite...
@SimFox I agree with you completely. These tools usually make my model slower and very messy.
I do it manually for very close percision. What you're describing sounds tedious to do, I just use a path and space it along that.
Same results, but sounds much easier.
@Nealos101 Well, it's not the Mandalay Bay at all. I do agree about the main tower though, I'm gonna redo that tower (once again...) when I have time (which is very short right now)
And no, I have very little roof junk, but it is pretty much covered for the whole building...
And now some more doodles completely out of my imagination:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg217.imageshack.us%2Fimg217%2F7264%2Ftry2003uw4.th.jpg&hash=e11172cc54d5b8e541c0b6e66f3403227bba1c74) (http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=try2003uw4.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F8418%2Ftry2002wb8.th.jpg&hash=85dfcdbc8de9c4f8fe14aa702d39c0804d9def59) (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=try2002wb8.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg201.imageshack.us%2Fimg201%2F1373%2Ftry2001iw9.th.jpg&hash=0f8d392c28ec904e91f9220295a620e5309edf83) (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=try2001iw9.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg63.imageshack.us%2Fimg63%2F9711%2Fdoodle02wf2.th.jpg&hash=a98b8c32337639df7d45aa07467604af8eff979a) (http://img63.imageshack.us/my.php?image=doodle02wf2.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F6210%2Ftry2004qn5.th.jpg&hash=be5ebf7556b22bb9325fd792f4eea50f3c40fe90) (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=try2004qn5.jpg)
Ah! My apologies then! It just looked like it (A little) that's all. Keep up the good work anyway man, it is all really impressive!
Well, it does look like the Mandalay Bay, in fact this was my inspiration... so naturally they will look increadibly similar. I have another casino "doodle" that is in fact more original.
More playing around... this picture is big... really BIG, bigger than zoom five. I added an American Flag waving in the wind with a golden "part dome", some caustics, Gi, etc. I also added a quick front entrance to the base. I really should be working on chemistry homework, heh heh... ::)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F6854%2Ftry2005xx8.th.jpg&hash=1b3d9bf5a60d2b1d76c92ed1dbab804f6c18a0d6) (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=try2005xx8.jpg)
I don't wanna sound as anti-American, but if you release that can you make version without flags? :-\
http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/?action=view¤t=ardDecoBldg.flv (http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/?action=view¤t=ardDecoBldg.flv) ;D
@bengt: Well, I was going more for some american metropolis building, key word here is American. But changing the flag or getting rid of it altogether wouldn't be a problem.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F9333%2Ftry02001os6.th.jpg&hash=759ab9779d0ca127bd768c3d7647437ed5348e60) (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=try02001os6.jpg)
*bump* &mmm
http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/?action=view¤t=arddecobldg2.flv
I did some work on the top piece and did some work on the base.
Auto that is some amazing stuff wow... i love the vids
VINO you are giving me a tutorial on 3dsmax windows 1 on 1, soon. k? Thanks :)
INCREDIBLE sums up what I think. &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls
Thanks for the comments
@JosefBrisko135: okay, what do you want to know?
going back to the Old Morrison: This is how it looked when I left it:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg216.imageshack.us%2Fimg216%2F4707%2Fomabredone001jy4.th.jpg&hash=08fe4eb05d28d408ac15ba32d83321b940a83dca) (http://img216.imageshack.us/my.php?image=omabredone001jy4.jpg)
Here is some more work. I fixed the roof and made it more accurate.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg220.imageshack.us%2Fimg220%2F8749%2Fomabredone002ac3.th.jpg&hash=8f4e870b9f5a66dd969b0bb2fdb6dd09592e5191) (http://img220.imageshack.us/my.php?image=omabredone002ac3.jpg)
A render of all sides. I still have a few more tiny details to do around the base and work on some of the even smaller details around the roof and doors. I also need a front door to make. Finally I'll add some correct textures, surroundings, and probably a batted lot and I'll try to give it a render with a lightsetup that matches the ingame one (unlike most, if not all, bats whose shadows don't match the one ingame)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg222.imageshack.us%2Fimg222%2F306%2Fomabredone014dx5.th.jpg&hash=a205a1b3207bc2e7333ddd7aa93fcb83e2a2507a) (http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=omabredone014dx5.jpg)
This looks really good - I'm looking forward to seeing it with textures.
For the batted lot - would it be possible to render the building and lot as separate models so that the building can still be used with conventional lotting?
yeah, it is possible.
I yesterday refined an old building (the "cooling" towers from the hotel) as an industrial building and rendered it. I turned out okay, but that is all. The lod was off for about 3 to 4 meters and the night lights for some odd reasong became heavily overwashed. As if the white alpha files were mixe up with the color files (that's not it, but it was all white). I don't know what happened so I'll just try another export tonight with a slightly toned down brightness see if that gets me anywhere.
Here is an approximation of what it looks like, but parts of it are very different:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F9848%2Fwonderfulworldrender15xx8.th.jpg&hash=0d24dd6b86438ba1e7fa96ee3474876490ad78e2) (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wonderfulworldrender15xx8.jpg)
edit: didn't quite get to it tonight, maybe next time.
Auto that is looking good though and cant wait to see it further...
thanks! ;)
anyway, I got the render going, I gave some procedural texturing (blending) to the roof, you can kind of see it in this render. I love how the left side of the render turned out, but the right side, the column turned out like it's glowing. This is also taking a long time because I'm using area shadow calculations.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fnightpreview.jpg&hash=d6c4ec842a225d4c43758439a51711eaee696925)
oh yeah, this is a screen capture during the render, and the background was artificially added to be more balanced and less extreme than pitch darkness (needed for good alpha files, I'm experimenting) Also now that I think of it, I forgot a ground plane for better ray tracing. Since I probably won't be happy with the night lighting anyway and I'm curious to see how this will turn out I'll be doing another try render of this and add a ground plane for raytracing (Most of the materials here are semi-glossy so they do reflect a tad bit, but it's heavily blurred)
and the following is just relavent news copied from simtrop:
Also my computer didn't like me and it decided to crash. It got really hot, started to get very laggy, and then gave me a memory error. Some fatal system error occured and the computer requiered mandatory shut down withing 60 seconds. Works fine now, except the cooling fan is kind of broken . I can only be on the computer for about 10 minutes before it turns itself off again.
later that day...
I think I fixed it, I just removed the old one and taped on a new one for a makeshift fix. I don't know if my computer will be able to handle rendering right now, but It should be able to handle internet and microsoft office. I don't know why alll of a sudden it broke though, I'm not to computer smart...
so, that's the current news folks ???
Well, cooling fans can break for a variety of reasons, most notably particles getting stuck between the blades and preventing them from working correctly. After all, computer fans are made from plastic, so, sometimes they don't work. :P
I love how the textures on that turned out!
glad you like it!
How's this look?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fz5rot004.jpg&hash=0ee07ddd801ad6f94e789a6b81a328c5591abadb)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fz5rot003.jpg&hash=317677a06d0a6ad8a19beb16dc830db37abe1e8b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fz5rot002.jpg&hash=a03e3f7bd19c1c6741bcce4631ff9874e07dd9a5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fz5rot001.jpg&hash=c9b6abc9ebf81be3de643d4bb531858c6cebdd3b)
:satisfied:
I think it goes pretty well with the surroundigs, but there are a still few things that are getting to me and I would like to work out.
Please give me an opinion on what you think. ;)
Looks good, autovino. Just make sure its CAMpatible to make everyone happy and it looks like it'll be ready to go.
Cheers,
Kevin
Very nice looking industrial. I've no suggestions about the model, but when you start getting it ready for lotting you'll have a choice of anchor, out and mech - make sure you make it mech.
Boy am I glad I had a look in here. This is very creative. I like the model and the concept. The rusty brownish texture at the top of the cooling tower looks like it went a bit off. I am thinking about the one on the left where the brown streaks criss cross rather than up/down. You may want to do a bit of UV mapping on those surfaces to create a little blending. It doesn't look like it simulates metal plate or look like rust streaking down the side. Definately not a show stopper but something to try if you want. In fact - if you don't mind - I like to know where you got that texture. I am working on some small industrials myself and I'd love to have it in my textures library.
How does this compare size wise ... oh say ... next to the Maxis MPR Metals, Grudstrums Cooper, or perhaps SimGoobers auto manufacturing plant, etc. The white Maxis tank next to it is a 14X14 so your building looks very big in comparison. It looks like it requires a minimum 2X3 lot minimum.
I'm going to concur with what zero7 said. I'd also like to see this as an industrial mechanical building as well but it is probably more industrial anchor because of its size right now.
its looking really cool, good nightlights too
great textures,
Richard
WoW Auto its hard to belive that this at one point in time was for the Casino project, its great to see some heavy progress here where you got to go ingame view.... Other then that wonderful job here - pat
Here few places that I would suggest to take another look at. Nothing major, but could stand improvement, or to be precise could be made more logical and hence believable...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg372.imageshack.us%2Fimg372%2F8025%2Fautovinogk8.jpg&hash=59c6b085e864679adf87598e5ac2bdfe481f4470)
1. I think you should get rid of this reflectivity. It feels all wrong. I can't think of material that would be that color, used in such a place and be so reflective. Only I know of would be some natural polished stone fitting more into some upscale residential/commercial.
2. This gradient is really bothering me.. it is so strong that it just couldn't be AO – there is nothing there to block sky to this extend, and at any rate sun is many times more bright then sky and place is in direct sunlight so maximum what you could see there is hue change not a brightness one. And it is(gradient) so artificially smooth and even that it couldn't be any dirt or things like that . It looks been it has been painted on. True that many use those, but I'm sure you know better...
3. These walls... First of all what material is they made of?? Am I correctly guessing that it I a brick?? If I'm right then I think it is a bit odd to see brick construction in place like this – too heavy I think... Some corrugated metal sheets would be more appropriate... Also the thickness of those wall... particularly when you look at it in-game with parking lot in the background and some other building in foreground. What is it, 1 m thick?? looks more like some fortification rather than something perched on those metal beams above some rather unpleasant (I'm just guessing here) chemicals
And generally as I've said before it could use some more contrast between sun and shade and some appropriate and game themed coloration in both.
About night lighting. I think that is one area where use of basic spot lights is very justified. The structure is HUGE, and in industrial installations like this very directed (spots) lights are commonly used. You on save on Area onmis and get it look more realistic and interesting wit without flooding they entire lower part in light it's not on busy commercial boulevard now is it?? So, IMHO, lighting should be more to the point and more sharp.
The model (apart from the brick thingie) is top notch I just want that quality be maintained in both texturing and lighting as well.
PS
all that said, it is possible to improve something till the end of days and still have some left to do... Art some point it is really necessary to say it is good enough and be done with it. And it is you who should decide this. We all here just to give our opinions, but that is YOUR work!
BigSlark thanks, but how do I make it campatible? I'm not much of a custom content user so I don't really know what CAM does or how it works.
zero7 Thanks for the tip! ;)
jmyers2043 Those lines that you're talking about are probably are probably reflections that didn't come out so well. I removed them in this update. Also, the textures I used in the image that you see so far are completely procedural, they have no bitmap attached to them (except that maxis roof texture and the brick, which too are partialy edited by the computer, color correction, etc) which also means that a uv mapping will not really change anything. The size of this building is actually pretty damn big (it's a building with large smokestakcs and chemical tanks stacked atop eachother to save space in an industrial setting, hence "dense industrial"), and it is ment to be this way ;D. The thing that's probably throwing you off about size, and sometimes even me, are the windows on the brick sheds atop the tanks, they are way too big to be realistic, but I fixed them.
Here are some textures that I quickly made in photoshop using some high resolution textures form www.mayang.com
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg137.imageshack.us%2Fimg137%2F9381%2Fmarbleslabwn7.th.jpg&hash=90534b7568292ca8cbaae363931a226e85c69b34) (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=marbleslabwn7.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg137.imageshack.us%2Fimg137%2F8783%2Frustedshettmetalwallreprf6.th.jpg&hash=f8e35471830b6c0daeb27d32fef3b8151bc00e93) (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rustedshettmetalwallreprf6.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg137.imageshack.us%2Fimg137%2F29%2Fmetalindustrilaroofyt3.th.jpg&hash=4680d67c3461aa37deda0701a35e52031cd80567) (http://img137.imageshack.us/my.php?image=metalindustrilaroofyt3.jpg)
(I know, they're pretty big)
cleaner475 Thanks!
patfirefghtr Wow, to tell you the truth I almost completely forgot about the casino project, that's bad... I'll have to find time to start on it again. :D
SimFox 1. Fixed 2. yeah, that gradient isn't going too well, I just didn't know how to get a good roof texture going, bit I think I hit it pretty well on this one 3.Once again, a good point, I replaced the texture on them. On a final point, what you say is true, and I hope I'm approaching this point where it is good enough, too me personally it is looking pretty nice right now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F1-1.jpg&hash=1814f40b4fc9a5beee3f007e97ce55e0956e4868)
and here is an oldie:
(some perspective shots:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F904%2Frememberme2ax3.jpg&hash=f4baaa3795167022aeb689401ef79ea5897c7a3a)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F559%2Fremembermeop2.jpg&hash=f45b19c38d53e1af0a6b17c4a8553b6e05eb6c4d)
and here are some normal shots:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Ftry2007.jpg&hash=cbcda739a7cf988ccef3d4349543cf5314159c36)
finally, working on the back, making it a more fancy inside glass plaza:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Ftry2008.jpg&hash=c52d71a6ae651d901f93040763048ea7f0b51030)
enjoy this really long update :-D
autovino,
Great update. Send M4346 a message when you have the model (or any model) exported and ready for lotting. It will then be run through the X-Tool to make it CAMpatible, which means it will grow at a more appropriate development stage, use correct amounts of water, power, and garbage services, and employ a realistic number of sims.
Cheers,
Kevin
okay, I'll do that, thanks.
here is a stair prop that will be used inside the building, at the back, to go along with the ritzy glassy look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fprop001.jpg&hash=18f188bf0352c505689c890735b9119c60817c64)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fprop002.jpg&hash=d81e5e41eaa1526cd28fdc2d1a94a159989b1e9a)
Auto that is sad lol btw and this updates are wonderful... I reallly love the stairs, just wondering how well is all that detail going to show up??? either way you are doing a wonderful job here...
well, in these preview renders you can see some of the detail.
here are some more shots:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fprop003.jpg&hash=5ade0c4dea9d0da2fc578545736651141f74b415)
here are the zoom fives:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F1414%2Ftry2009zx3.jpg&hash=2914dd2437d7b6343a1e77de14e6db48b361c08b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg223.imageshack.us%2Fimg223%2F7251%2Ftry2011mr5.jpg&hash=4c67bb9be4a457f8bd1e5eb2b1e9bbe423047434)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F4603%2Ftry2010kc4.jpg&hash=078f96af7241c49b6cf096661e7ff2971556a9b0)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg225.imageshack.us%2Fimg225%2F4249%2Ftry2012vn9.jpg&hash=4d67180471495b341c3935fb344c26b48b334cac)
The amount of work you've put into the stairs is completely over the top ... but the night view of that interior should look fantastic!
WOW !gorgeous work ! the work on the stairs is so "detail"adict !!
Those aren't really light leaks but the issues with FG. You samples are spread to far from each other and to much of interpolation going on... get density up and number of interpolation points down - this may be noisier but in Game scale it would be totally invisible. To speed up also reduce number of rays to something like 100 - it is next to irrelevant at the game scale..
thanks! The "light leaks" are pretty much gone now ever sinse I've updated my 3ds max, and so are a whole lot of other errors. For now I"ve been playing around with the poly edit tool in 3ds max, this is what I came up with after about and hour:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg229.imageshack.us%2Fimg229%2F8663%2Ftestasdfasdfaf9.th.jpg&hash=89df800df3b7b241d1b93e00f68fefde9c1ee37d) (http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=testasdfasdfaf9.jpg)
It's based off of a building caled the Olympic Terrace.
Auto OMG that looks soo wonderful and the detail still shows very good imho!!! For an hour just messing around man that is very intresting....
That's looking nice so far, autoVino! :thumbsup:
here is what the tower will basically look like (probably will be scaled taller because I'm using real world architectural units/heights):
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender0008.jpg&hash=ba3d9ce00fbfda040372aa5e6d3d45f40667adb3)
All I have to do now is to model the base (probably the hardest part...) which will include a garage, swimming pool/athletics club, small mall area, and a foyer for this hotel/apartment.
If I do ever get out with releasing it, it will rpobably end up being medium residential. I also am thinking about making a large mid rise complex with these, but this will be after I get some other projects done.
enjoy!
That is a nice tower, I like the colours on the top, and quite a detailed floor plan there.
I know buildings like this (well, maybe not that tall) from my hometown, so I like the model itself. And I love theese stripes, they are making it special I think.
Thanks for the kind comments! This building (or at least the floor plan) is based off of a real building, so if your hometown is Hong Kong you might know it (this building is based off of the Olympic Terrace building in Hong Kong www.olympicterrace.com.hk (http://www.olympicterrace.com.hk), but it has it's little differences, the windows mullions, for example, aren't exactly matching the real version, nor does the roof look anything like that. The building height isn't the same either).
I gave it a bit more environment:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender0013.jpg&hash=d80d50a5be262cc3432a846088b086f423654a0c)
update:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg236.imageshack.us%2Fimg236%2F1949%2Frender0020pf0.jpg&hash=491ddb3509f65a8f395e076a931bb28c0462fc45)
I did this render with the building copied over four times and rotated so that I could watch a movie, well over 1.5 million polies,
and it still took a bit over an hour with a decent quality render.
I also tired caustics today, and a lot of it got concentrated in the upper half of the buildings and was unusually slow
(even though I did an optimization for it)
Also, the sky is a bit brighter in this rendering, which accounts for the increased brightness, I think, though,
I'll revert to the previous brightness of the sky.
Here I did a little bit of work on the detailing of the base, not too much, gave a very basic interior modelling, etc.
The strange white box at the base fo the second render is actually an elevator texture atop a large box.
As I said, I won't focus too mcuh on interior modelling in this building becasue I want to go ahead and quickly finish it.
I'm still planning to add two more floors to the base and a little bit more detailing around the walls on the base.
Also I'm going to turn the open area on the roof of the base section into a restaurant.
The inside of the base mimics a mall, let's say that the pool/gym and parking are "underground"
I will though create a garage entrance from the back, though
enjoy! ;D
Bro your stuff is always mad good, and a comment like what you gave me is awesome. Despite the fact I'm drunk, I love all of yuour stuff, and I need help making my windows as baller as yours.
But anywhjo, just wanted to drop a line that your stuff is mad ballin, and I love it.
You're drunk? lol :D Check out simfox's tutorial [link] (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2877.0) for help on windows, poly editing is really great for such things.
I've got a problem, just out of nowhere, our router firewall does not accept imageshack, which only happens if there is something that can harm a computer going around... so I can't see any of my images (or others) that are linked from imageshack... does anyone else have a similar problem?
anyway, here is an update from photobucket:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender0021.jpg&hash=d5e0a1e36fff3ad49a2f5d5e4795e6081dc0131a)
hmm... the anti aliasing is kind of screwy so that's the reason why there are so many bumps on the building. Also, the lods didn't quite center right. Right now I'm working on night lighting, here's a sample:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender0022.jpg&hash=a7f242b541e9a698ee450afc530581483d1e9623)
(sorry if these images are kind of large, I don't know how to resize them here)
finally, I figured out why caustics don't work and why there were white artifacts all over the place, something was wrong with my building's scaling. I converted units (feet with fraction inches) to meters so that it would export and the building appeared huge. I had to scale it down so now uv mapping is a pain because of that and non of the units match up very well.
Quote from: JosefBrisko135 on November 19, 2007, 11:31:34 PM
Despite the fact I'm drunk
:D :D Team Grater = the most drunken BAT team ever ;D 40 % of it's members have said that they are under influence of alcohol. $%Grinno$%
But, yes. I love your new towers but are the roof's overcrowed with junk? Can maintance men even move there?
thanks! they are overcrowded, but there is still enough room for people to squeeze through, as long as they are not fat (or drunk, otherwise they might fall of $%Grinno$%)
Right now I have some night previews being rendered. I think this building is nearing completion!
edit: I went ahead and canceled the night previews and tested caustics, they work! I just started a high quality render and we'll see how it turns out hopefully tonight (if not by tonight than tomorrow morn)
edit agian: the high quality render somehow reverted to a worse quality render and it was a disaster. I didn't even finish. The caustics broke and resulted in a large ugly white artifact that wasn't visible in the preview render. The ugly bumps came back again (the best part about it is that I haven't the slightest clue on how to fix this) and the script crashed (this, though, I know why and I shuold be able to fix it). Probably won't be done by tomorrow or anytime soon if I can't get these errors fixed.
edit: it seems to be fixed! I mean the caustics and the ugly bumps. Lets see if the night lighting also works now ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_render0023.jpg&hash=ce48300f778f6134eed7dae7e2428b055f4fd1ff) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render0023.jpg)
here are the zoom five previews. There were a few errors that needed to be fixed:
the s3d file was incorrectly mapped, that is it was roted 90 degreese compared to the map, that was easily fixed by just rotating the s3d files.
some of the zoom one and zoom two renders had strange artifacts on them, that was easily fixed through photoshop.
the s3d file uv mapping ids did not match the fsh file ids, which took the longest to fix by manual changing of the uv mapping ids in the s3d files.
I think it turned out pretty well, what do you all think? (I also have another building finishing final export, but it won't be ready until after thanksgiving dinner ;))
This is becoming a very nice building, only thing is the scale of the ground floor, this seems to be a bit too low. Try putting a some people props on the lot and see if they will fit under the overhang.
Your night lights do look very good.
thanks, the ground floor is actaully pretty high. It's only an illusion that it is low because of the overhang that exists above it (or at least I think, I made the ground floor a little bit over 12 feet tall originally, scaled it down to match the the game units and scaled it vertically by 133% making it about 5 meters tall)
But I think this building needs to be re-rendered to fix some minor things.
meanwhile, here is another building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_render0024.jpg&hash=72152f11c4047f54aa5ac918169ab0ba7243328f) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render0024.jpg)
5 meters per floor is a good batters rule of thumb. The ground floors that I do as in real life tend to be higher. Ground floors usually have shops or banks and their ceilings are usually high. Try doing a ground floor that is 1 & 1/2 stories (7.5 meters or taller) That would be my suggestion for your next bat.
Haha, well maxis units are screwy! $%Grinno$% Thanks for the tip.
Well, for those that don't know yet I've released these two buildings on the stex:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fpic2-1.jpg&hash=0f8c5da6622bb90129e353f50ae81a0df6e2107c) (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&view=mine&id=244595) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fpic1-1.jpg&hash=146122a62600161aac715b8a2a54b74e729c32c2) (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&view=mine&id=244595)
and
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fpic1.jpg&hash=e0658062ec7c200b174e4a7dd691825f46d1fb8f) (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&view=mine&id=244595) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fpic2.jpg&hash=4618ee2aff84db2eddc03a70f203448a2ee63812) (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&view=mine&id=244595)
I've also written a tutorial conserning anti aliasing in the game:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FantiAliasing.jpg&hash=45a90375fbf1eaccb2f412e49e11257b530c873d) (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=94876&enterthread=y)
(end self promotion, haha ::))
Auto I loved that shameless promotion and btw almost done in your gift's lol
Great work especially the factory autoVino. They both will be great additions to my cities. &apls
thanks for the comments!
I'm going to be busy in the next few weeks b/c final exams are coming up and it's about time to get serious about school... so free time will probably be drained completly from me and I will try to start back up again in January if not late December (which probably won't work either because I'm going to Mexico)
dude your giving me nightmares about college...i had studied for the first time since 6th grade today :'(
well, good luck on your exams, have fun in mexico, and don't bring anyone to america in your trunk ;D
Oh Pat Riot, you have no idea...
Tomorrow I am taking my oral comprehensive exam (its not a common thing for undergrads), I started studying for both the written and oral portions in January.
College is a healthy dose of study, class, women, and alcohol.
Cheers,
Kevin
haha, I'm not quite at collage yet, it's jsut that inorganic/metalla organic chemistry and mechanical physics with calculus are killing me right now! Hardest classes i've ever taken (the metallaorganic is actually in part for a 360 hour research project that I'm planning on doing with the local university)
but anyway, what do you think about this: ?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender003.jpg&hash=b025c59587396756cc3084b61a61d130a2270b97)
I'm planning to try to do something special on this buidling with vertex painting and prosedural painting (not yet started, but I've found a tutorial on 3dtotal.com that explains it pretty well). If I can get a good grasp of this process I might write a nother tutorial on it. ;D
oh yeah, some stuff about the buidling, it's a mid rise office building (looks actually big in the area that it's built on) that is located in south western Lexington. This is just the main tower, it has a semi-elaborate base with it too. Along with the building, there is a decent sized area of many different office suites occupied by small componies and compony branches. This is also located in the nice part of town.
Auto that is looking sweet and i cant wait to see further progress on it!!
Lexington Kentucky? we all know the real Lexington is in mass... ;D
good start!
yup ()stsfd()
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender007.jpg&hash=619e9dd83a791ce94144e8d89b66e839014ea646)
What I need to finish here is the roof, make a slightly smoother transition into the ground, and night lighting. Then it would be done and ready for render. I'm also thinking about making a large office complez out of this building (or many versions of the building copied over onto on large base... so it will have multiple towers of similar but hopefully not the same design. Big undertaiking probably won't get to it very soon though)
This building will also be continued into the original midrise, but some of the modelling and dimensions are a little bit off from the real thing so instead of scraping the project I decided to improvise, make it taller and make a new building. I also think this building would make a nice diagonal building... I also changed some texters here.
reminds me of "International Place" in boston. nice work
thanks ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender008small.jpg&hash=46bcdb16f3985fd25a66e67b9d42a1881f0380b3) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/lexingtonRender008.jpg)
click for larger and higher quality preview!
the only thing as I see it left now is maybe work on the roof textures a little bit and night lighting.
anyone have any criticism? I would be thankful for it because I haven't got much of it for this model...
the model looks incredible, my only critism is that the textures look a bit flat.
Yes, textures look flat and plain. "Noobish" would be right word, though you are not a noob &mmm
Auto that is looking real good but i do agree the textures are looking a tad to blaaahish imo... But other then that the building is stunning and also if you need a readme done for it lemme know and i will be more then happy to git r done!!!
which textures, all of them? iamgointoeatyou, what do you mean by "flat"? the window textures? that's actually not texture but modelling so I don't imagine how to make them any less flat. This is how the building texture is in the real world. I agree that the roof texture, though, doesn't look convincing, it needs some work. Also the textures should be more or less plain, this is how it really looks and how many buildings of similar design look like, but with slight color variations. 'Tis the color of concrete.
here's the original (inspiration)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FUntitled-1copy-6.jpg&hash=ea5d7b7fa0dfc1757f55433133f2b0d7505dca2b)
and here is some night lighting:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender009.jpg&hash=03cb33ef886d169b77f92f2541a60bce5fa1eee3)
I can't quite get the roof night lighting too look right, anyone have any ideas?
I think the roof needs a tad bit more detail and less perfection, looks way to clean.
@pat: sure!, but first I need to finish it and make it as perfect as I can ::)
sweet just lemme know when and email me the file and all that good stuff.... Just supply me with any pics you want used and also the background on the building... Now seeing where the real building is from I understand why the textures look whitish, its because the building itself is white lol....
i meant the whitish texture looks a bit flat / the roof junk compared to some of the maxis buildings. maybe jason or simfox can explain what i mean? :P i'm bat-challenged.
don't worry, I know what you mean now... ;)
I'm working on it right now.
hold on, I gave it a sort of galvanized steel texture, didn't quite turn out to look like galvanized steel but I think the results are better:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender012.jpg&hash=bbd1dadfea36ac4957a2727b92bbbd13dbb865d0)
now I'm going to look up a tutorial on vertex painting and see if I can use it to better mix procedural textures and make the roof of the building look more convincing.
looks so great!
also i like the reflection on the building excellent work :thumbsup:
"now I'm going to look up a tutorial on vertex painting and see if I can use it to better mix procedural textures and make the roof of the building look more convincing."
in english? :D
good work
Auto that is looking good and patriots i think in english he means hes gonna crack the whip on himself to get it right??? :D
Quote from: Pat on December 15, 2007, 07:01:56 PM
Auto that is looking good and patriots i think in english he means hes gonna crack the whip on himself to get it right??? :D
lol... not quite that intense, but pretty much ;D
btw, I'm going to try to finish this one up by tonight and do a render... and if the results are good I'll be sending information about it over to you for a readme. once again, thanks for offering the help. ()stsfd()
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender013.jpg&hash=88a943b86b044e2b8c0ac9fd11bd35f82f63c8c5)
the main work is concentrated around the roof of the building. I've done some more experimenting with procedural textures (which are increadibly powerful tools) and mixed them in with vertex painting and blending. Basically, I was able to come up with what I usually make in photoshop through taking a render picture of the top of the building and modifing it from there into a more flexible and editable procedural version. Although I'm still a bit fuzzy on all the tools and functions of vertex painting and its possobilities, I might write a tutorial on how to apply them onto a building (such as I did on the roof). (man, I'm having this strong urge to use long words and complex sentances while writing this... then again I am writing upa research proposal for the local university and I'm using some heavy technical/chemistry jargin... it will give a modest amount of funding for the research project.)
anyway, I'll be finishing up the roof of the building and work on night lights for the next few hours and then set up a test export for tonight. Hopefully the results will come tomorrow morning if the power doesn't go out, we're having a nasty ice storm right now so let's hope that the powerlines don't snap under the weight of the ice... knock on wood! &mmm
some time later:
What's bad is that 3ds max just completely fell apart on me, probably a memory issue (in order to make vertex painting convincing, a large amount of polygons are needed on the model that's being painted) so it didn't let me save and I lost everything before the previous save, which actually isn't that much. But it is enough for me to say, "Time to take a break..."
it may be a good thing that it crashed because now I can redo the vetex painting with more precision and maybe make it look better (and cleaner in the model file).
Auto Simply Stunning!!! BRAVO thank god for a crash then ehh lol..... Anyways take your time on it and then send it to me when you can and i will even give it a test shot for you as well....
thanks, here is a preview of what is now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender014.jpg&hash=6b8d76bb56c22482952a6181cc06f252fa5156b7)
I worked on the roof textures a bit, I still might edit/change it a little bit more so tell me what you'all think about how it is now.
also, the base of the builidng got a complete remake and it flows a little bit better into the ground. I made it into a little shop type area but added the bushes to give it a more suburban office feel.
This is a low quality preview so not all the detail is clearly visible.
Auto I think we have a winner!!!
This is indeed a very nice bat you are making here (again :D). The night lights from the previous page do look stunning, very well made :thumbsup: Further I think the building shape and the façades are good, the window texture is a nice one.
The greyish installations on the roof, here I think the texture is not working that well (looking almost untextured) and the greenery on the ground floor is not adding to this building. While most of your colours are quite subtle the green of the planters is very hard. Why not use some nice props instead?
@kwakalaar: well for those installations, the ones on the real building looks equally untextured and colorless... they're white! this one at least has a little bit of subtle variation. Now that you mention it, I completly agree on the greenery. The colors doo look a bit oversaturated compared to the rest of the building, but I'm not thinking that removing them completely is the way to go for this building (especially props... I don't really like how shadows work in the game, that is I don't want a glowing bush behind my building, lol, or bat, hence I'm using a completly custom rig that doesn't match the rest of the bats but does follow the games shadows.) I'm just going to desaturate the color of the bushes a little and make them darker.
I'm going to try in the best of my ability to finsih this bulding up tonight and give it a render. The render will probably take quite a while to do because it takes quite a while to do just a zoom five preview, and I need to do much more.
Wow, just found this thread tonight and am really impressed...Love the new building and will certainly download it as soon as it is possible to do so...and by the way I agree with Kawkelaar's last statements. :P
Quote from: oldrogue on December 16, 2007, 09:57:04 PM
Wow, just found this thread tonight and am really impressed...Love the new building and will certainly download it as soon as it is possible to do so...and by the way I agree with Kawkelaar's last statements. :P
hmm... I think it looks better now. But the reason I don't want to use props for these is because I don't want theme to glow in the shadow of the building... I hate it when that happens. I'd rather model/remodel them myself. But I made them darker and less saturated and started the render (after about 15 hours only 3 zoom fives are completely finsihed) ::)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender018.jpg&hash=794551761a15941bbfc7f89ecf449b6a68ed7cf1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender015.jpg&hash=8ce4261c6488ac8e0f1de3171286990d2801f930)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender017.jpg&hash=4d1ada45862cdd03ace85be9105b698aeca49f79)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender016.jpg&hash=63f8e5f51799d36137e243254d516924604b2854)
this may sound weird but it looks like there are faces on the windows at night :D
either way it looks cool. good job auto!
haha, do they really??? :D
okay last update on the rendering for today... I really need to work on the chemistry lab writeup... or that is I've been working on it for 3 hours now and the side of my hand is all blue form the blue pen I'm using!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2FlexingtonRender019.jpg&hash=42341890b756b4d467dac2bead971be10a76694d)
okay, not exactly the night preview, but pretty close. This, as far as I underatand it, is a wasteful time consuming render for the night alpha file. These will actually be completely discarded and have no use watsoever! But it gives you a pretty good idea on what the night vew would look like (only it would be a little bit darker)
I hope that the render finishes by tomorrow at 6 or 7, becasue by then I would need to use 3ds max to build and animate a physics simulation (and I need to figure out how to do that to, I mean use reactor, I think is its name). I think this would be my last update for today though, I need to start working.
hmmm that is a weird pic there Auto!!! My and you say its a worthless pic at that too, hmmm it looks like a start of atomic bomb going off and the building falling apart...
hehe...mental ray renderer is so cool. looks nice from the clear parts.
haha, it only looks so odd because what you see is half real picture and final gatherer calculations. It's mental ray ;)
Also it's worthless because this is a second copy of what's already been rendered. The only difference is that this one will be converted into an alpha file based on greyscale.
Well I got the bulding exported and I must say that I like it! Give me a few minutes to get pictures together and then it will be ready for lotting/modding (I'll probably do this thursday?)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_lexingtonRender020.jpg&hash=978e19efd0befc553a02d46e86b3ed70e4a5ee23) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/lexingtonRender020.jpg)
click to enlarge!
Auto that is looking real sweeeeet!!!
thanks!
back at simtropolis a couple of mistakes were pointed out to me on the bulding so I"m going to fix those and re render... which probably won't happen till after the end of December... or early January.
sorry... but I'm a perfectionist when it comes to cgi $%Grinno$%
Auto its no problem i can be the same way myself...
I really like the building but I think theres a bit to much roof junk but hey it still looks amazing,
Richard
how is there too much roof junk? ()what()
Quote from: cleaner475 on December 21, 2007, 10:11:02 AM
I really like the building but I think theres a bit to much roof junk but hey it still looks amazing,
Richard
you may ahve a point there. A lot of higher/taller buildings have most of the roof stuff hidden under a floor... just check out some of the maxis buildings in the previous preview, they don't have nearly as much roof junk.
Quote from: autoVino on December 21, 2007, 12:12:37 PM
you may ahve a point there. A lot of higher/taller buildings have most of the roof stuff hidden under a floor... just check out some of the maxis buildings in the previous preview, they don't have nearly as much roof junk.
I remember once getting criticism for not enough roof junk, but then I showed the google earth pic and all there was was some antenna thing (i had added some stuff to not be too boring). Like you said, a lot of buildings have the junk inside the building now. new meaning to the phrase "Junk in the trunk".
Course, lots of people (me) don't even realize that roof junk serves a purpose in real life, where as most people (me again) just throw on random things to make their BAT look better.
haha, that's what I half did on thes building. Some of the stuff are just boxes with a glossy chrome texture with a little bit of variation, but some parts are actually on the real building (and the antenna serves for telecomunications).
looks like I won't be able to finish this building until next year! I have too many parties and things planned before my trip and the trip will last into the next year as I understand it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender001-2.jpg&hash=1bb25a8f53f6654d5d65e5182da7594e270550f3)
just another doodle :-[
LoL Auto that doodle its looking intresting... Are you going further with this or???
Well, it looks kind of casino-ey... so who knows? :P
nice. We don't see alot of BATs with one or more skyscrapers sharing the same base, although thats very common in reallife. It looks interesting!
Quote from: Shadow Assassin on December 22, 2007, 11:05:09 PM
Well, it looks kind of casino-ey... so who knows? :P
Are you willing to be against the house on that? :P
thanks for the comments everyone.
here is a current version of the building/complex [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render004-1.jpg)]
here is also a preview of the base (zoom four) [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render006.jpg)]
you are crazy you know that? Windows are awesome. I wish I could do them that well :p The base is spectacular auto.
thanks ;)
completely off topic, but this is pretty cool [link (http://hongkong.edushi.com)]
and here is another preview of the roof of the taller building [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render009.jpg)] I added a hvac cooling unit some track for window cleaner and a garage like building. zoom five, btw.
Doodle looks great :P I once started something similar in Gmax, but damn buildings became too heavy for poor ol' Gmax :D I had to destroy them :P
hmm... I'm at 615.000 poly's and it still runs pretty smoothly $%Grinno$%
but the the loading time when opening up the file is beggining to become consideralbe.
here are some more renders:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender011-1.jpg&hash=9524dc5dbaea17f70f746f2774e9ad65d21eaaf2)
update on the roof. Tell me what you think, I'm not too sure how a large radio/telecomunications tower would look like on the roof. (this tower is a telecomunications tower) so I just sketched something up. I"m begenning to think that the extra roof junk that I just added is just that, extra. I might remove it. I also added a window cleaning train/cart.
here's some eyecandy [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render010-1.jpg)]
here's a full zoom five (approximatly, camera angles are correct, but I think it's just a tad bit larger) [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render013-1.jpg)]
Could be the headquarters for a large TV broadcasting company, you know. :P
[hint: we need a BAT that fulfills that purpose... and this one does it wonderfully]
Great job.
ooooh yea Auto i totaly agree with SA on that one WOW!!!
damn...finish and release asap. Best BAT since trixies. Seriously, I have never wanted a BAT so badly until I saw this one.
thanks for the comments everyone! But now I have to say I'm getting into my "busy" mode... that is now and in the near future I probably won't have much time for anything... &ops
but here are some things I did recently on the building (don't wory, I haven't forgotten the other projects yet! I'll try to find some time tonight to get a render started on the other building)
Renders of the other tower. I did some basic sketching on how the roof will turn out. [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render015.jpg)] [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render014-1.jpg)]
Here is some roof junk that I'm working on... mostly hvac units.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender2.jpg&hash=5fd42680931f42d2d6033bf4b67f0c6cca68bef1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender.jpg&hash=b7cc8b7c4b6ec3ff58afee0529da0d2854b06e97)
I've changed them around just a bit... so small details don't look like that (the bottom one, I think, has waayyy to high of a poly count and it's really slowing down renders... that or the materials)
All your roofjunk are belong to us. Great work, waiting these towers.
not in the mood for these fancy industrial things. today i learned the US was wasting 8 billion just to build somthing that could smash together protons....:(
but it still looks awesome!
Quote from: Pat Riot on January 03, 2008, 05:58:54 PM
not in the mood for these fancy industrial things. today i learned the US was wasting 8 billion just to build somthing that could smash together protons....:(
but it still looks awesome!
ohhh... don't worry this isn't nothing as fancy (or expensive!) as that... just to keep the bulding a nice 10 degreese C in 30 degree weather $%Grinno$%
I probably won't be albe to start a render tonight, I'm way of my time budget tonight so that's a bit of a problem (that and the fact that I"m typing this right now :P)
Auto you are truely gifted!!! cant wait to get ahold of your wonderful stuff soon.......
thanks!
zoom five [link (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/render016-1.jpg)]
unfortunatly I have run out of disk space so I'm working on trying to free some space up. So far I've added another hard drive and am working on moving major applications there (3ds max, autodesk applications, office, adobe applications, etc). So far I've got 3ds max set up and working, but I still have to install bat4max.
some roof junk:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcooler_system.jpg&hash=c81f5e826924847e5bf7f28928fc8a40bcdff9f8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcooling_tower_with_fan.jpg&hash=d820a88c47a851561f93eb4b62d9c116df4ad730)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcooler_system_top_view.jpg&hash=f3cb35c33cf23008d7f43873ca56d437b19156c1)
Nice fans. Isnt it a waste of money to make gold fan blades? ;D
I was going more for copper/bronze (I first used the default copper preset, but there are some problems with it... that is it doesn't look like copper at all!... I changed it up a bit) , but yes it is, unless you have a lot of money ::)
oh yeah, another project: bank one building in lexington
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly_stages_001.jpg&hash=116737c9c7f189a6d4029d5de65472e7bbda2a37)
you have very neat handwriting in paint lol. Good start on that building.
thanks :-)
here's another render with some more roof work done:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly_roof_detailings_perspective.jpg&hash=1ec4ebd50172be2de0a8e887e6964f29bdb3aee1)
I don't know what's going on with the artifacts at the side top of the building... probably a fg issue.
today I'm probably going to work hard on school stuff and other things so I probably won't quite get to anything on bat.
Hi Auto... nice cooling tower.
thanks.
redid the night windows using unwrap uvw. still not quite perfect but I learned (am learning) a new technique.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fuvtest5-1.jpg&hash=b8fdd442a92cdf96c26cc6ce5cf671b5391984e0)
this building is largely procedural excepth the night library texture... the windows that is.
I like the amount of "busy" that is going on in this version......the different hues of the suites and offices is wonderful, gives the perfect impression.
as I said before...some of the best nightlights ever!
auto just wonderful progress here &apls :thumbsup:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fwindowsnight2.jpg&hash=b2beb4f990420cad6bcc849466f10f84eb1fbde4)
That looks awesome!!! The nightlights are perfect,, the height is perfect, the overall texture and size is perfect,
THIS BUILDING IS PERFECT!!!
Just wondering, but will it be diagonal? That would be even cooler!
lol, i tried using that nightmap, don't think I did it right, they came out green! great job auto, amazing lights.
sounds a lot like light artifacts. Do you have the 3ds max 9 sp1 and sp2? [sp1 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=9396598&linkID=9241177)] [sp2 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=9593622&linkID=9241177)]
here are the most recent images that i posted up at simtrop but not here.
[1 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/windowsnight.jpg)] [2 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/windowsnight3.jpg)] [3 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/glass.jpg)] [4 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/glass2.jpg)] [5 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/basefinished.jpg)]
here's another tutorial that I made on night maps [1 (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=89776&STARTPAGE=18#1314567)]
here's another tutorial that I made on procedural texturing [2 (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=95588&STARTPAGE=1#1294301)]
okay, okay, that's enough... $%Grinno$%
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoomfive3.jpg&hash=acd099df57a2b903286116c0664a143a0a0846a7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoomfive2.jpg&hash=a1f65f47806ad8aa86937b3270cb098c9f866b6d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoomfive1.jpg&hash=f4e0a20bb7344013dbb78b60aefadaa339ee7f17)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoomfive.jpg&hash=c2dc173bb84ee5b6b4d473afbb6ed982d6aea8e3)
final? :satisfied:
Quote from: autoVino on January 21, 2008, 04:25:16 PM
final? :satisfied:
That's an affirmative, you are go for release.
Final? Are you kidding? That is sweeeeet! I plan on downloading this soon.
Would be cool if you rendered it on a diagonal so it could fill some niches in many people's cities.
Quote from: flame1396 on January 21, 2008, 04:44:12 PM
Final? Are you kidding? That is sweeeeet! I plan on downloading this soon.
Would be cool if you rendered it on a diagonal so it could fill some niches in many people's cities.
all it would take is to rotate it 45 degreese... easey.
so I'll try to get in a diagonal version as well.
Thats a great idea for to make night lights, thanks! ;D
Excellent building :thumbsup: &apls
damn thats more then final auto!
you must have a fast computer if its easy to rotate a full building 45 degrees. I was going to rotate that tower to be diagonal but it takes so long to turn 1000+ objects.
the design isn't anything that will blow you away, but based on the quality of the modeling, materials, lights, textures, etc., i'd have to rank this as one of the 3-5 most well done BATs ive seen.
Quote from: Pat Riot on January 21, 2008, 05:51:50 PM
damn thats more then final auto!
you must have a fast computer if its easy to rotate a full building 45 degrees. I was going to rotate that tower to be diagonal but it takes so long to turn 1000+ objects.
the design isn't anything that will blow you away, but based on the quality of the modeling, materials, lights, textures, etc., i'd have to rank this as one of the 3-5 most well done BATs ive seen.
well this one has less objects than yours. It's mostly a few large poly objects with many verticies which my computer can handle. When there are lots of objects I start having trouble (your building on the other hand is full of different objects... making it harder for my computer to work with it)
Usually less objects makes things a bit easier... that is with speed just a tiny bit... as I've noticed.
started render.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0000-1.jpg&hash=7a076dd8c000e2a57740f4ce2bcb6ed27021b98a)
damn thats crisp....
Niiiiiice very nicely done there Auto!!!
:o
scuse me while i go pick up my chin :-X
Truely first rate work there.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0000n.jpg&hash=1df0517382d9036fc867d2c64c1e3ec052a94e67)
naturally something went wrong durrng the render... gotta fix that script! %confuso
hmm, won't get to the render anytime soon this week, have to work! anyway before I go here's a preview with gamma correction (is that its name?) Although subtle, I htink it looks better. I'll have the night one in a bit.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fgamma_correction.jpg&hash=518ddd9ceea4a3f9fcb8420d34dccb8113d37fa2) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0000-1.jpg&hash=7a076dd8c000e2a57740f4ce2bcb6ed27021b98a)
hmm... very subtle difference.
more visible in the night view which I'll have in a little bit.
there's no difference, I screwed up the files when saving them... this should be better:
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/preview3.png
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fpreview2-1.png&hash=473efef5dfdedf89f2a3751963624e50aba11c2f)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fpreview1-1.png&hash=bb2c36526dfe9335642b9d2725f47f387ff2d36c)
Nice roof. You've got equipment enclosures, the elevator maintenance building, sat dishes, antennas, primary and back cooling systems ... Very believable.
Wonderfull, as good a bat as I've seen in a long long time..... :thumbsup:
okay major update (breakthrough for my renderins?)
I've edited the rendering script so that it would take away the bulk of the unneeded renderings (which in the long run in the rendering of the buildng should save me at least a whole entire day!) but the way I did this shouldn't work since it was just a maatter of adding a small script that adapts the night alpha files from the night render and not from a second seperate render. Once that was done I got a whole lot of errors and I just deleted the places that caused the errors until everything worked. That is what worries me is that it seems to work when I deleted an aweful lot of alpha correction script. I rendered a test file and it came through. The output files were correct (not the correct id, but this can be fixed easily in reader and could be just an extranious error). The batch command didn't yell at me, and it looks fine in the reader. Now all I need to do is make sure that it comes out right in the game, which is the key here.
So anyone willing to help me out?
here's the message I posted in 3ds troubleshooting thread:
Quotethe problem is that you need these files when the computer is dicing up therender image into 246x256px squares (it seems to work when your render image is smaller than 256 by 256)
hmm... it worked... but it wasn't supposed to which makes me worried . I got rid of completely of a huge alpha editing section. The output files came out right, and that batch command didn't get angry at me either. Now I just need to make sure that it won't crash the game.
seems okay to me with the script, only problem is that it requiers a little bit of post production in the reader with id's. This maybe because I got a bit messy with my models though. Anyone willing to test it out and post a picture of it (preferably from photobucket because imageshack is blocked for me) day and night and report any nusual problems.
http://www.mediafire.com/?dzymwm0hbjx
A word of warning, this is only the model file first off, and do not, I repeat DO NOT place this building in an existing city or region for that fact (not the fact that it's a model but the fact that it's alpha files were created in a different way than usual). It seems to run fine in reader for me but I have no clue what it can do in the game, especially the night alpha files since they are made in a completely different (and more efficient) way than they are normally. Use at your own risk.
here's a preview so that oyu'd know what to expect (I was too lazy to put the pictures together so I just picked one of the output files)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F0000-2.jpg&hash=bd06d9aa611dd2a9bc1feab75ea12dee7140df2f)
If this works than a whole lot of time problmes will be solved .
Updates (no pictures)
Render of the full building finally finished. The only problem is that gamma wasn't saved correctly,but that should be fixable in photoshop (and we'll see if we even need gamma correction for the game)
Succesfully (finally) installed the game after many attempts.
Have to go work right now so I probably won't be able to do much of anything else tonight.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fa_little_work.jpg&hash=9d1cc3cd238a085754b099a2561e10e9d5774cab)
good news: it worked!
bad news: it will take a lot of time to tediosly sort out the files so that they would be put together in the correct order. I don't want to runanother render since it takes up a lot of computer power and I need to use my computer often for other more important obligations.
Anyone know how to adjust gamma in photoshop? In maxscript? the latter would be nice for the future, the former would be nice for now.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fstair007.jpg&hash=3142e33fab5f8f9609114a71e1b48bc0012dce6a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fstair005.jpg&hash=24021742b0426d60db67787b8d763e6da2285867)
WOW
Dang Auto you have been a busy bee, btw do you still need the help let me know....
Yeah I just wanted to do something a bit different form the other buildng. I'm going to try another render eventually and hope it works better because manually moving the files.... I just don't ahve the time to do that... ()sad()
movie/short video: http://www.mediafire.com/?994xwemdkgc
Auto that is a sweet movie....
Auto...those stairs are stupendous...... &apls
An absolutely fantastic job Auto... ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman003.jpg&hash=b893b49679e836ac7a37bcdfc974432284e52571)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman002.jpg&hash=f5e6931d545d5cf0abec30a22ee35b124d4a539d)
holllllllly Cow!!!
stop teasing us! release one of these beauties ;D
thats a great creative design. Did you design it yourself? or is it based on a rl building?
WOW.....that is incredible....
We need a game that would let us wander around inside one of those!
Quote from: Pat Riot on February 22, 2008, 06:33:16 PM
stop teasing us! release one of these beauties ;D
thats a great creative design. Did you design it yourself? or is it based on a rl building?
some of the window mullion structure is based off of other buildings I have seen, but for the most part it's completely original.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman004.jpg&hash=192153c12efaddd108fe18637c615b6c8ee9c917)
So, how tall is this going to be?
a couple more floors for the roof and maybe three or four for the base.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman007.jpg&hash=34dbf6f220232be0d4247cf3f67c3c07e20079bb)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman006.jpg&hash=6d808812442313373505bbf99a651ba4ebac5c1f)
God Auto that is just breath takin!!!!
im jealous of your awesomeness. :'(
When I am ready to make my movie .. I am looking you up :)
Oh vino you and your doodles ::)
:D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman009.jpg&hash=d6602d8e1d85d60e9c55d4db9e68e6c3dbb1f42d)
roof almost done. Just a few last furnishings to add and maybe a little bit of texture.
I am simply speechless.
one word insert aditive here WOW that is wicked Auto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman010.jpg&hash=03e9126af1129d38594369ff7fd15a76ac3c5533)
I added a limestone facade to the top few floors (this is a just a test render. As you can see some parts are incorrectly mapped and some parts on the roof aren't mapped at all. Im going to fix those). When the whole building has the same facade, imo, makes it look worse. I think I'm going to keep the limestoan facade for the top floors and go with something a tad bit lighter stone on the lower floors. I'll probably stick to a limestoan facade on the base though, or maybe mix-it-up. Still need to add furnishings to the roof, though.
what about a gray marble color if there is one avaible, would that work better or would it make it worse?
not quite sure.... I'm trying different textures on these renders... I'm favoring the orange one but I'm not too sure about how it would look like ingame.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman011.jpg&hash=17264259c7db011f9f530b8b3089e2ddcab65e63)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman012.jpg&hash=4112155eb240bcc1db652d475204cb624e36eb69)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman013.jpg&hash=cc7529b014c55732c1cc08811f01b57df2b3091d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman014.jpg&hash=9e319e558a072e319e0b0c5569bc01d653f98326)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman015.jpg&hash=a5f95e0a26e298423a2ced5137d4a336c62031bd)
YOU.
ARE.
GOD.
You have to start releasing some of this!!! I think you should make two versions with each texture, so the people can decide.
all of them look great, although i like the 2cd one the most!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman019.jpg&hash=91906a76b00d968e71148d81ace76d5300e8cd28)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman018.jpg&hash=1513c81fc7d4c478289c934fa99e0995fddb581f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman017.jpg&hash=a0e1fcbd88ada9f0b70cb5a727539b5d7c8e3d05)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman016.jpg&hash=342377b62e3b41f2269d6473711b538e7016be4e)
I think I'm going to stick with this one. Currently I'm working on the base and making it more livelier (ie adding cars, ppl..., etc... which are kind of hard to model)
I have the flu or something so that either means progress is going to slow or increase, depending on how ling the over the counter medicine lasts...
Good stuff! &apls
I am really likeing this one....... will sure look good overlooking a harbor or bay..... the kind of place I wouldn't be invited to dinner at :D.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fblueman020.jpg&hash=56adfae018f2612a1dd93c8e0ee08a4e6e29844f)
detailing
I really like this one as well. Very nice shape and the roof details look awesome.
Robin :thumbsup:
Wow! fantastic. Is this supposed to be asain?
everything looks great, although im a little bugged by how the lines just dissapear when the shadow ends in the 3rd pic.
Just simply wow!!!
@pat riot: Hmm... if you want it to ;). The lines in the pic don't dissapear, they just become white and blend in too well, but I know what you're saying. Originally I planned for a whide glass sheet window to be there, but for some reason I never got to it (forgot I guess).
I'm going to render the other commercial tower using Simfox's methods... Just don't have the enregy to mess around with the scripts much more.
I bet I can do this a million times and get the same results (and it's not a script problem... an lod problem.) For some reason, the s3d file does not match the lod files and because of that all the fsh files get incorrectly mapped. I'll try one more time (different set up) and hope it works, if not then it's painful manual editing which will take a long long time. Oh, and how's the coloring, do you think it will work? Is it too bright or should I stick with it?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame001.jpg&hash=56b0e3e979c2620b95519438f80111a4ef53f399)
Looks good to me.
Auto the coloring is looking perfect and so that said nothing needs to be changed there at all... But why does seem to be happening aint this the Second time this happend to you with this building? Does this happen at all zoom levels?
I found the problem! And then simfox confirmed/explained it at simtropolis. The problem is that the lighting and camera rig was incorrectly rotated (I use an inscene rig, so there is minimum xref file) and that confused the system... that is the south view in 3ds max did not match the south view of gmax. I just readjusted the lods so that the views do match (but it would have been easier to rebuild the lighting rig... but I didn't know the full cause of the broblem when I did this new render) Almost done, btw, just give it a few more hours. ;)
here's an ingame day previews:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame004.jpg&hash=69db33f9f115505612ec6c1686c4c3cb6e53c79b)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame005.jpg&hash=c1ae173989d4819c158fc992ed62f6f8c5734aa2)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame006.jpg&hash=70a6591ffadb70c760514bf43884abf11d162ec8)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame007.jpg&hash=e4e4b3240a4d0e275de28d8b10273451a1ffe0a2)
these are in a vanilla environment:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame002.jpg&hash=1d0f75102eb3bef3b8ebc8d0240490a6e9ec15f4) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame003.jpg&hash=9e5bce665f69acb43736b02a522099e1be35d58b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame008.jpg&hash=3530f8e8aec9ebd270cf24aa02462e5b84c1a198) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame009.jpg&hash=be24693cbd66aad6d7d678e4edf2357cba9b27e3)
The coloring looks awkward at first sight, but when you look closer it's fine. Usually it's the other way around... What's your opinion on this? (I think it has a hint too much of of cyanish color)
Color looks fine to me.
still, cyan looks a tad bit too much for simcity... I'll manually remove a bit of it later and see how it looks. :satisfied:
It's your creation, what ever you need to do to make it right, I say, go for it :)
Auto I think it turned out just fine... But as becca said its really up to you how you think it feels as its your baby...
I think color is perfect. I had to work to find it in some of those pics, which usually means its perfect.
Looks pretty good in an urban enviorment (apart from the fact that the other buildings are missing roofjunk $%Grinno$%)
But I hope you have some plans for the lot?
I think I'm going to change it. The cyanity (is that even a word? ;D) of it is too strong for my tasts and comfort. I'm going to do tests with simpler models to see if I can get a lighting set up that I like. Unfortunatly this is going to set back even more.
Release no BAT before it's time :)
Auto that is fine and Im glad you are taking your time with it and you are changing and tweaking as you learn!!! If I could give you a karma point about now I would....
thanks:
I did some tests:
Notice how the photoshopped render (this is the correct render directly from the scene photoshopped into the game) looks better in these two examples:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender002-3.jpg&hash=01fa54036d47ebc88e3e39c7728728201c479511)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender004-2.jpg&hash=274141c29e32ba66b526e92377cc928ae4fceb8b)
For some reason, the sky probably was incorrectly set in the render, and therfore (at least tis what I think) the extraneous cyan color.
Here is what I mean, here is a render with a newly created lighting rig (a simpler model... it contains both a sc4rendered model and a mental ray rendered model)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender002-4.jpg&hash=7c081d5d73fd716f7fa13301fe45fd89a01c6eb8)
notice how it is mostly devoid of the color cyan. And how both the renders are approximate equal color, except that the simcity rendered image is of lower quality and some parts are a bit pixalated and is missing anti aliasing.
I have a hunch that it's only a matter of rebuilding the lighting rig, and my problem will be solved. The lighting rig for some reason remains extrememly problematic. First it causes incorrect fsh mapping, and then it increases the color of cyan. I think I'll start from scratch on the rig and render again, but that wont be until friday,a nd the render *should* be finsihed by saterday night (or I could rneder just one rotation of a zoom and use that to save time ;))
That building is looking very nice! Great work on it so far, autoVino! :thumbsup:
better?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame014.jpg&hash=0a1103f52f0226e0187d225b71bf7980b0e8b8da)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame013.jpg&hash=1455d197345220cead8132b6a13059caea02c8da)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame012.jpg&hash=9f7113966f5be6b79d4f030ad3ba84c14b62fa60)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame011.jpg&hash=66beaa63effad0c8a312cf321a76cd30f5ea12a0)
and one jsut for fun :-p
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame010.jpg&hash=5b89ac501d7d6ad1a5efb8e89aa344c76d41b3f9)
I feel that there is a bit less cyan and I also come to conclude that it looks fine in a slightly lower accuracy fg settings. All I need to up is the anti aliasing and the quality would be fine (and spped owuld be saved). If it is agreed that it looks good I'm going to give it a final good quality day render and finish with the day. After that work on the night will be needed ... :o
Jasoncw said it was too yellow, so I did another endering:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame019.jpg&hash=00700ed27bd376c876050b6fa04a37f1cfba2157)
original
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame014.jpg&hash=0a1103f52f0226e0187d225b71bf7980b0e8b8da)
I think it looks much better imho.
I think I'm getting pretty close. ()stsfd()
Looks great to me, but what do i know :)
yep, it's a definite improvement!
Though I can't really comment the colour (because I've problem with my eyes, nothing serious like colour-blindness though) I like the building. I suggest that you give better lot to final version so it will be one heck of a release.
This might be a stupid question, but what happened to your casino?
I think I've found a way to imitate BAT hue scheme with MR Sun&Sky with almost 100% accuracy, bar the usual shadow artifacts of the default rig.
I need to pull together all the tests I've made and systematically arrange the results. But it looks really promising, and it is very simple setup too. So, stay tuned...
@krio: good question, I can't find it. Must have lost it when cleaning out my hard drive or something. I was haphazardly deleting masses and masses of files and it may have went with them too.
@simfox: interesting, you must share your findings! "$Deal"$
I am really impressed with the latest version of the building. I would love to nit pic...but can't think of anything to do that to....sigh... and can't wait to see this one released.... &apls
thanks, I'm kind of on hold right now... that is really short on time. May try a few renders into the game (for night view) just for coloration purpose, but I won't work on night windows (which the file for was lost!!!! but I can easily make a new one, but that'll take time) ;)
given the little time that I have, I came up with this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender001-4.jpg&hash=efeffd9c96908af42ef22119b105f13626ca15e8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender002-5.jpg&hash=94932542c62a53dcd6c7ddaa6eca427716612122)
still in the designing stage. Based somewhat off of a building that's not too far off of Washinton DC. This one will be glass clad with long 1m by 5m long glass plates, and the concrete floor design that you see. I might change the floor color to better fit a glassy design, but the shape is final. No more additions to the shape (maybe some polygonal subraction from the roof sections, but the shape is final).
Still working on the other buildings whenever I have time.
Very interesting.
thanks ;)
here's the post at ST:
QuoteAnyway, gave it a glass facade:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender003-3.jpg&hash=9bee8bbeef2152bea4be3925885c43030754c0e0)
I did this mostly to see how it owuld look, and I think it's a keeper! Now I'll redo it so that it would be more accurate and such and easier to work with (right now it's not very accurate and much of it is kind of "eyed" into place). I'm rendering the other side right now.
Thats perfect. Can't do much better than that. :thumbsup: &apls
With a glass facade and that shape will really stand out...... commercial I would imagine?
yup, commercial, or government building/research facility.
Thats a great building, buildings like that are great at open spaces with gardens, etc
Looking good there auto and I would venture to say Govermental building at the size and shape of it....
When I looked at it my first thought was pharmaceutical company, but the offices of some arm of government works as well (Department of Spin, Statistical Manipulation and Outright Lies ;D )
Nicely shaped building. Should look extremely good as it gains detail.
thanks :-p
After a nice vacation, here is some more work:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg221.imageshack.us%2Fimg221%2F3033%2Frender010vx6.jpg&hash=66d1a712e38c149bca9f3eac3b06b547d5239ad9)
It looks like two things to me: either some generic 80's bank building, or the kinid of building in a sci-fi movie where everything goes horribly wrong. It doesn't matter which, I'd still DL it the moment it's released.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F6494%2Frender017cl2.th.jpg&hash=92aabd35d08523fed24a5e0307219460574129fe) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render017cl2.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F9115%2Frender018ye6.th.jpg&hash=5e954ef2adb1b610168ad58b8e2726e23b86d603) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render018ye6.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F8315%2Frender019za7.th.jpg&hash=cc2f4be2a051c20d9b11b40f8b004e802b154612) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render019za7.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F605%2Frender020mc6.th.jpg&hash=19248ae92b92419618c4442efb3a6be041fd1dc2) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render020mc6.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F1020%2Frender021pz0.th.jpg&hash=f03df9d9236680591ee9ceb667ad58ffed4f9fbe) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render021pz0.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F3360%2Frender022ys0.th.jpg&hash=5613d38a9d1cd082429d349d2b1b2574bc78efc6) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render022ys0.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F6472%2Frender023vh3.th.jpg&hash=f8d246c7fb8bd060f942b5bb8e59b9e8334b7c34) (http://img219.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render023vh3.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg218.imageshack.us%2Fimg218%2F2299%2Frender024aw8.th.jpg&hash=52e7cea1b5b0cfeee1e56bf211656081a49e9583) (http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render024aw8.jpg)
Wow that's starting to look fantastic! I can imagine seeing that building on the shores of Lake Michigan or near the beaches of Florida! &apls
thanks for the comment! Unfortunatly, things are getting hectic in life right now so batting has tacken a pause... %wrd
Quote from: autoVino on March 08, 2008, 08:06:22 AM
Jasoncw said it was too yellow, so I did another endering:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame019.jpg&hash=00700ed27bd376c876050b6fa04a37f1cfba2157)
original
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fingame014.jpg&hash=0a1103f52f0226e0187d225b71bf7980b0e8b8da)
I think it looks much better imho.
I think I'm getting pretty close. ()stsfd()
Hey Auto I agree that the coloring looks much better and btw what has happend to that building? Im really loving the progress here on this newest building, keep up the hard work!!!!
I love this building. Any change of it popping up on the lex soon? ::)
still working on it, I just need some time to create a new uvw unwrap for night mapping... which somehow got lost? %confuso
oooh no that sucks... I do hope you get it worked out...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender007-1.jpg&hash=a70725706ea51e49a7e22d81f7dbd5581ab169e2)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender006-1.jpg&hash=79f147ceb8c59442b2bc89261be5622bd1c23391)
these are previews, I'm finishing off an export right now, so we'll see an in-game soon, hopefully... ;)
the render is actually has a bit more contrast, and it *might* fit better in the game, but we'll have to wait to see...
oops! here's the message I posted on simtrop about a little issue I'm having...
QuoteI have some good news and bad news about the render:
good news: it went okay and I was able to succefully create output files and merge/rename them into a seperate output folder that is to be mergeded into the model file. All the fsh files got put into the model file correctly too.
bad news: the model file, for some reason, had every fsh file replaced as a UI file. So it didn't map correctly. When I try to edit/delete the ui file (because it contains data for an fsh file but is inctanced as an IU file) the whole reader program crashes. So that means I'll need a new model file and new output files. Even worse is that when this error is fixed witha quick work around, that is just adding in new fsh files, the fsh files are still incorrectly mapped. The night files are mapped as day files and as night files, although the day files still exist. This I do not know how to fix, but I'll try after I get all the renderings done again.
Once again put on hold... &mmm
Woohooo Auto I cant wait to see this ingame!!!
grr....Anywhere I see Auto is reminding me of Grand Theft Auto IV, darn my obsession! :P But it did lead me to an excellent thread that contains some great projects, nice job :thumbsup:
some more work, just a concept texture (might keep the coloration though)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender025.jpg&hash=68f9207ad195fa5fe8df9a62ef996f3a9d062957)
.... it was sort of messy (the model) so I redid some of the bad parts, here's what we're currently at:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender027.jpg&hash=2c53322b4a00abef1a8459be77311dfa5bd6ecca)
the glass needs to be more reflective, maybe blueish tint, and there needs to be less grass in the background. the tile color is still in concept but I'm thinking about shades of blue.
some "window stress" wouldn't hurt either, any other suggestions?
update:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender029-1.jpg&hash=6828d1e513376e07e9a0764f3bac0b9f7b55e247)
here's some shadow theory I posted on simtropolis as well if anyone's interested:
QuoteAs far as I understand from experimenting with shadows, you are correct. Shadows, I think (and am 90% sure), come from the fsh alpha files that are perpendicular to the current view. The alpha is distorted and skewed so that it lands on the ground. There are some exemplar files in the simcity DAT that can edit/distort this and edit the shadow, which is a mask on the ground that makes the ground look darker. I have seen the ability to lengthen the shadows and to shorten them by moving the sun, but not to change their direction... which is logical based on how they are derived.
Moving a sun, in the real world, will change how a shadow looks like off of a building, not just by simple distortions such as skewness and rotation, but it will change the shape. This is because as the sun moves, some parts of the building open up and become more passable for the light and some close up for the light (tell me if this doesn't make sense, I'll try to explain better). This requires full 3d information to calculate how the light will pass and not pass through the model. The game cannot do that. It is limited to a simple alpha map and it cannot accurately change/distort the shadows to match the building. Here is a crude example:
How the game will calculate shadows, approx. (top view)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F1-3.jpg&hash=cabc971b12fdd5c1be1368874645c439f6b731b4)
How the lighting rig will calculate shadows, approx. (top view)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F2-1.jpg&hash=2004be4599f053913f01d29913e595fdd559e4a5)
How the game will calculate shadows, skewing and rotating them, to attempt to match the lighting rig shadow, approx (top view)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F3-1.jpg&hash=4980758131add05e8f436437cb61d711c53ecec2)
Because you don't have true 3d information in the s3d file (only a limited lod with 4 views slapped on), no amount of skewing or rotating will be able to correctly show the shadows. And this is only 90% sure, because that is how sure I am that the shadows are calculated this way (using the fsh alpha files from an adjacent view). Hope that makes sense for my skepticism in fixing the shadow problem in the game (thought the game directly).
btw, thank god for the new spell checker :-p
....
QuoteQuoteOriginally posted by: SimFox Well it is a possiblity... problem is that the angle of the Game sun isn't terribly beneficial to the buildings.
45 degrees is (or at least was) considered standard for architectural drawinsas it creates shadoews that best define the shape. Game sun will create very long shadows eating away and the details in stead of revealing them. Situation will be particularly bad with Default rig as it's low res shadowmapos will drown the facade with any pertruding features in a messy blob of "shadow".
But that is just a thought... Some experimentation would be needed. The angle of game sun is in one of those properties. It memory serves me right it is something like 68 degrees.
Still I think it would be better to find the property that is responcible fro the skew factor in game. It must be there, I don't think it has been somehow hardwared into exe or something like that when all the other properties are there to tinker with.
On the other hand WHY and HOW on earth game with such an obvious graphical glitch ahs been released and never fixed in numerous updates?
I don't think that the game has any skew factor, because the making of the shadows does not requier any skew so it probably never was encoded.
Let me explain by replicating (how I think the game does it) how the game creates its building shadows:
It starts with the alpha files of the view adjacent (to the left, so rotating the model counter clockwise). It takes that file and rotates it 90 degreese then scales it hor. by aout 140% and ver. by about 70%. Then it slaps the shadow on the model. Here are some illustrations:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F2copy.png&hash=fa35428478dfc7da5152e5adf3ff7570877154cb)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F1copy.png&hash=957e0820efaf88f3e90a64a5f62f6046b03836f9)
(the first model represents the shadows with the standard lighting rig, this is why they don't align correctly)
Very simple to do and probably very simple to code. No skew requiered. Changing the suns declenation/right ascension only changes how the game rotates and then scales the alpha file.
Plus there is a problem with skewness (as I explained in a few posts above), the shadow simply won't be accurate if skewed. It may be accurate for a simple box building, but anything more elaborate will be inaccurate (but most people probably won't even catch that the shadow is off by a tiny bit).
The point here is that having the shadows formed perpendicular to the camera is the simplest and most accurate way to "fake" the shadows with the limited amount of information given.
&apls Auto that building is looking real sweet!!!
bit non sc4 related but your the man to ask, right im using volumetric fog in mr sun sky environment to make clouds but they are appearing black......
is there a way to resolve the issue with volumetric or will i have to set up a particle system? if so how would i go about doing that?
@mightygoose: appearing black ingame or in the renders? If in the renders then I can't help you, if it's ingame then it is probably the fact that (If I remember correctly) the script turns atmospherics off (but that would mean that they don't appear ingame at all). The black would be, ingame, the fact that fog is usually transparent and therefore requiers transparent alpha mapping for the s3d file. I wrote a tutorial on this (for anti aliasing) but the same technique can be applied [link (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=94876&enterthread=y)].
here are some older renders:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg132.imageshack.us%2Fimg132%2F4536%2Frender001ma4.th.jpg&hash=541ec05e38bc012225e9868366fc9ec2f775aca1) (http://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render001ma4.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg528.imageshack.us%2Fimg528%2F7766%2Frender003fr5.th.jpg&hash=292f2287d63a7e822469fe9c9f0c74a5bd6a1170) (http://img528.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render003fr5.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg378.imageshack.us%2Fimg378%2F4664%2Frender002lz5.th.jpg&hash=9e1fb63a525d43233fa5c60b5e95e6acd1205bb8) (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render002lz5.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg132.imageshack.us%2Fimg132%2F4818%2Frender004rz3.th.jpg&hash=32793c250bfdff82e34dca72716f65151b08e5d8) (http://img132.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render004rz3.jpg)
here is a close up:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg107.imageshack.us%2Fimg107%2F7513%2Frender030fe7.th.jpg&hash=2e5f95f549e09db1be9409d271c6b7cb896c403f) (http://img107.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render030fe7.jpg)
and here are the current versions:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg159.imageshack.us%2Fimg159%2F4241%2Fgame001eq5.th.jpg&hash=e4ab8f0b2839b4b06742fcd45ff805e60cb25b30) (http://img159.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game001eq5.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg216.imageshack.us%2Fimg216%2F9393%2Fgame002ej3.th.jpg&hash=6720eb4a5fbd3711ef0ceb9627272934b0e362ac) (http://img216.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game002ej3.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg521.imageshack.us%2Fimg521%2F7527%2Fgame003tt9.th.jpg&hash=6d93ddbe07b95c54e4e76c488f788ee03c417cd5) (http://img521.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game003tt9.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg516.imageshack.us%2Fimg516%2F9581%2Fgame004if6.th.jpg&hash=4ef14509ac48e177c45149641d555126d25c48fc) (http://img516.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game004if6.jpg)
hmmm... now that the exmams are over (for the most part) I have tons of free time... until I go to Russia.
another update from a render I just did. I think it turned out a pitch too bright, but nevertheless it still doesn't look too bad:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg527.imageshack.us%2Fimg527%2F8215%2Fgame003xo3.th.jpg&hash=b79b5b2e9f8587486cb441aa5f892916f6dc317a) (http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game003xo3.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg207.imageshack.us%2Fimg207%2F4713%2Fgame002bz9.th.jpg&hash=9013f18d8e8469f077a1ef04448a7a079e8cc02b) (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game002bz9.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg210.imageshack.us%2Fimg210%2F7714%2Fgame001ml0.th.jpg&hash=314a4e9fce6c6fee27d1e99b668d7aad4b66072b) (http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game001ml0.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg211.imageshack.us%2Fimg211%2F3301%2Fgame004wp4.th.jpg&hash=1453ac8f88989b817372296f6539a10edbe9d09d) (http://img211.imageshack.us/my.php?image=game004wp4.jpg)
what do you all think? I should be ready for night render soon and hope to see this baby released finally (if I can properly combine the images together...)
These buildings are looking really great, autoVino! :thumbsup:
Nice work.
haphazardly modelling the interior:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender002-6.jpg&hash=be69d8582f70652acb312a695eaf09ccc434c05f)
not at all what it's going to look like (this is just a doodle) ;), I now have a better more structured idea. It's going to contain three main columns, two for elevators/stairs and one for servicing.
some more renders [1 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/game003.jpg)] [2 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/game002.jpg)] [3 (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/game001.jpg)]
:o
drop dead sexy. The desk in the corner makes my day...
leather seats with a glass table :satisfied:
anyway I'm back from russia. here are some renders:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg131.imageshack.us%2Fimg131%2F2492%2Fblueman027ng7.jpg&hash=d25e192af8f894b18a154a1e1edd4fc6f16aa2c8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg209.imageshack.us%2Fimg209%2F9431%2Fblueman026zv7.jpg&hash=65856d81c19e0ff85c4f72214fc9249a3d420a13)
the interior has been quickly modelled, not sure if I'll keep it that way. I'm planning to make a swimming pool below the "mall" (with a glass ceiling, speaking of which the current ceiling needs some truss beams/arches, the current one doesn't look convincing). Behind the mall will be a parking garage (which will extend underground). Current plank white walls will have some sort of generic geometric design in them (stone textured). May make a batted lot for this.
Some more renders I saved while modelling:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg205.imageshack.us%2Fimg205%2F9122%2Fblueman024zn4.th.jpg&hash=bf7f6b247a51c718229c4fc3fdc59d538d07e7fc) (http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=blueman024zn4.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg207.imageshack.us%2Fimg207%2F8968%2Fblueman025yl9.th.jpg&hash=ee5a1bfa6171e6a6f2fe65331bf4bab878fe973d) (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=blueman025yl9.jpg)
opinions? ;)
I'm trying to learn maxscript... my first useful piece of code:
--a utility that will allow quick and easy renaming of selected objects, inludes a nice UI, number of zeros does not work yet.
macroScript renameObjects category:"myScripts" toolTip:"rename" icon:#("AnimLayerToolbar", 7)
(
rollout renamer_objects "Renamer" width:232 height:152
(
--constructin the UI
label baseName "Base name:" pos:[8,8] width:60 height:16
editText baseNameLable "" pos:[64,8] width:160 height:16
groupBox optionsBox "Options" pos:[8,32] width:216 height:88
radioButtons prefixSuffixNone "Placement" pos:[16,48] width:200 height:30 labels:#("Prefix",
"Suffix", "None") default:0 columns:3
checkbox number_yesNo "Number" pos:[16,96] width:96 height:16
editText zeros "" pos:[120,80] width:96 height:16
label numberOfZeros "Number of zeros" pos:[16,80] width:104 height:16
button rename "rename" pos:[8,128] width:216 height:16
--end ui Construction
--event handelers
on rename pressed do --when executed
(
if baseNameLable.text != ""then --if the base name is valid
(
if number_yesNo.state then --if the number box is checked
(
if prefixSuffixNone.state == 1 then--if the prefix radio is checked
for i in selection do i.name = uniqueName (baseNameLable.text + i.name)
if prefixSuffixNone.state == 2 then --if the suffix radio is checked
for i in selection do i.name = uniqueName (i.name + baseNameLable.text)
if prefixSuffixNone.state == 3 then --if the none button is checked
for i in selection do i.name = uniqueName baseNameLable.text
) else --if the number box is not checked
(
if prefixSuffixNone.state == 1 then--if the prefix radio is checked
for i in selection do i.name = baseNameLable.text + i.name
if prefixSuffixNone.state == 2 then --if the suffix radio is checked
for i in selection do i.name = i.name + baseNameLable.text
if prefixSuffixNone.state == 3 then --if the none button is checked
(
--This set of options can be dangerous! make a warning
if yesNoCancelBox "Your current set of options will rename your selection
set to the same name. Are you sure you want to do this?" beep:true ==
#yes then
for i in selection do i.name = baseNameLable.text
)
)
)
)
)
--create ui
createDialog renamer_objects
)
to run, copy and paste the code into the listener (can be found under utilities-->maxscript-->open listener) and press enter. Then goto Customize --> Customize User Interface --> toolbars.
Under category choose myScripts. Drag the rename macro script onto a toolbar and press the button once you have selected objects to rename. It's self explanatory from there.
and here are some renders of a large concept CO-$$ building I'm making:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg398.imageshack.us%2Fimg398%2F2769%2Frender0072dw9.th.jpg&hash=c9a47e4d9a587fccaf6b38936f092556980a79aa) (http://img398.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0072dw9.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg58.imageshack.us%2Fimg58%2F5595%2Frender0062qh3.th.jpg&hash=623e0b0119eab8266e330bf0f648c205b0d3d764) (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0062qh3.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg48.imageshack.us%2Fimg48%2F1642%2Frender0082pe0.th.jpg&hash=dc82da6734b2a5153bd98f40f9432f454818a052) (http://img48.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0082pe0.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg57.imageshack.us%2Fimg57%2F7051%2Frender0052bk0.th.jpg&hash=7eca738fcb464e18e708ef62cd63de7498094589) (http://img57.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0052bk0.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg70.imageshack.us%2Fimg70%2F8283%2Frender0021wg8.th.jpg&hash=d26922abc0d1c004fed37264158b925664c51161) (http://img70.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0021wg8.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg46.imageshack.us%2Fimg46%2F8026%2Frender0019iz7.th.jpg&hash=e31b5cdf387649b1bc4561bb818317590a69ff8f) (http://img46.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0019iz7.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg70.imageshack.us%2Fimg70%2F5229%2Frender0020qm6.th.jpg&hash=428d24e1547f876dc3203f7dc044e6476a939772) (http://img70.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0020qm6.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg239.imageshack.us%2Fimg239%2F2229%2Frender0018qi6.th.jpg&hash=ba1f368cca89e89866a9815e131ecbc072735590) (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0018qi6.jpg)
this is some stunning work autovino. nice idea's and concepts &apls
Interesting structure... May be you could make those stairs that lead down (in semicircular bit) a bit wider...
What do you plan for that huge roof? A garden?
Widening them should not be a problem. since I'm modeling in game scale I can get sometimes confused with my scalings. the stair height was an example. At first I made them their real height and noticed how there were too many stairs. there still are a considerable amount of them, but not as bad.
Actually for roof I was going for something with less decor:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Flexmark.jpg&hash=42e2e191584e7c8f5d96f238ec4e7d9c03b95670)
maybe like the lexmark international office roof (which I can assure you that from the outside, and more so from the inside, the buidling looks great ()stsfd())
but garden sounds interesting.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F9757%2Frender0023ae3.th.jpg&hash=aeca7767a64768280c20f8c56732bf09e4f2900d) (http://img247.imageshack.us/my.php?image=render0023ae3.jpg)
a little bit done at the below-ground plaza. Have been kind of busy (and probably will be) so work on batting is moving slow.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fsmith004.jpg&hash=1ff6d0170205e1f4d74b1d143e803b48b06bbb65)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fsmith003.jpg&hash=7ee9a5ab024969f812dae306bfd2baeb74856ff8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fsmith002.jpg&hash=c341f105f76c22c81abe6524d26fc4507f33dd49)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fsmith001.jpg&hash=a6a68814ade95010b1b9f13523634b84f23cfa7b)
a real quickie bat (45 min). Just trying to put together a few industrial looking bats for the game, b/c the maxis ones are beginning to pop-up too much.
Not really going for super quality here either, trying to make it look unique yet interesting (not to mention quick).
The coloration and modeling is pretty much done. May add a couple of props here and there (and a front door :-p) but that would be all. Needs night lighting too, maybe a couple of quickie people if I have time. I will probably be making many of these 4x4 industrial buildings.
Looks great, maybe you should give a more rusty colour to the tanks. Other then that, can't wait to use it :)
ingame:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg530.imageshack.us%2Fimg530%2F6743%2Fingame004gp1.th.jpg&hash=bcd67f1fcf4e92651eb0d84365eeda562cf3702b) (http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame004gp1.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg56.imageshack.us%2Fimg56%2F9351%2Fingame003fr6.th.jpg&hash=bc82bfad0d0316ff7986ff20531cec19c6254991) (http://img56.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame003fr6.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F5504%2Fingame002an8.th.jpg&hash=9e0ba704247deb8e83a6b53cdf8cb985019eb3d9) (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame002an8.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg104.imageshack.us%2Fimg104%2F3190%2Fingame001ip1.th.jpg&hash=b1776ab9d2e1114675a58768b330a339da145df6) (http://img104.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame001ip1.jpg)
currently on working on a good night lighting rig... not the easiest thing to try to get it to match... here's what I mean (a few attempts)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg526.imageshack.us%2Fimg526%2F6324%2Fingame005sn2.th.jpg&hash=ee1960687deac21a45adaf66b985ba25b891a051) (http://img526.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame005sn2.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F7992%2Fingame007rh9.th.jpg&hash=d14275254066cb0aa0e3e4e31a2fafb1d9888434) (http://img237.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame007rh9.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg50.imageshack.us%2Fimg50%2F9537%2Fingame006qi9.th.jpg&hash=bc79a80c12b5507d10364bcba78cb9ba8c38459d) (http://img50.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame006qi9.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg108.imageshack.us%2Fimg108%2F7316%2Fingame008rq0.th.jpg&hash=9c82b31df93e9f91eec7b38fc85b72a6f9963147) (http://img108.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ingame008rq0.jpg)
got it more or less, need some more tweeking though:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg136.imageshack.us%2Fimg136%2F6083%2Fnight003gk6.th.jpg&hash=94c4a352bcd9deeb35a62cf82c64d5667946f122) (http://img136.imageshack.us/my.php?image=night003gk6.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F8552%2Fnight002ej7.th.jpg&hash=998d94b5b6fc5f3e3f05c90ef415a15f72f55d56) (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=night002ej7.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg56.imageshack.us%2Fimg56%2F186%2Fnight001cp0.th.jpg&hash=d2058d47f9c1e3e97a4c0880d03e5e0ba238904c) (http://img56.imageshack.us/my.php?image=night001cp0.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg58.imageshack.us%2Fimg58%2F536%2Fnight004hv2.th.jpg&hash=2296845343a0d7cd7cb3ceac2e060c5f2e82d5f3) (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=night004hv2.jpg)
6x6 concepet:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender003-5.jpg&hash=25bdc1596ab42b5d8d324820e4547d3af44bc8fc)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender002-7.jpg&hash=5020ff1732c1fe1956ec79d6c35ab6d72711917d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender001-6.jpg&hash=be3b9c56ff448b4dba2769d305b03ed96afe673f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender013-2.jpg&hash=116dd63dbb5004e4ce327c6bf5ddcce5742a5eaa)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender012-1.jpg&hash=c71bbf8ec9808e355770f11f835ba13b2f76c9cc)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender011-2.jpg&hash=1ed99f57b2fafc962cfcea5260cf125b8887dd69)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender010-2.jpg&hash=f226ae05956bf3456ef13163bdd56d213106a9f5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender009-1.jpg&hash=f53b27faf4bcc895462ff8952743b8d2d7b1d595)
(this page is heavily tolling on my photobucket bandwidth %confuso)
Looks very nice! I really like the CCC; maybe you should not use a BATted base for it, as it makes the building very hard, if not impossible, to relot.
I think CCC is absolutely brilliant!
Quote from: caspervg on July 02, 2008, 01:25:13 AM
Looks very nice! I really like the CCC; maybe you should not use a BATted base for it, as it makes the building very hard, if not impossible, to relot.
the only reason for the batted base is to hide underground structures. These are better seen in this render:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender015-2.jpg&hash=4089ff22c5f063834d9ac36d1ae32da765f7f2fa)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender016-2.jpg&hash=516647315c96f8bf408dd1699d47c2f70bf7fdf5)
the two cooling towers and chemical tanks extend below the ground into a small depression.
although I have been doing some experimenting with creating a 3ds max lod "mask" that will help hide unwanted parts of the render (hence hiding the alpha and removing the underground shadow problem).
in short the biulding is masked by a transparent ior=1 object that will not include any offending underground structures. The object will be very slightly larger than the buiding itself and the buidling/scene will all be hiden from camera view (except for the mask). This will render everything that can be seen in the mask, but not outside. There is a downside:
Normal render:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender018.jpg&hash=9065ce54d9d550d65e6e686a093a5b8f3e613dae)
masked render:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender019-1.jpg&hash=481ee0f115be5345e662fecc08af6ee28ea5a261)
the masked render is much (+20%) slower and its quality is lower (the shadows are less acurate and it looks a bit more cyan/brighter). I have posted more on this in the 3ds max think tank thread at simtropolis.
The other way around would be tedious manual editing of the alpha output files... &mmm
fixed the AA tutorial, here is the direct [link (http://www.mediafire.com/?yzt928ymhny)]
here are some ideas for the ccc:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender022-1.jpg&hash=cecfc796de0e4bb940ee7432512fcb230338332a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Frender023-1.jpg&hash=b50640c7a205c07039dbe043520c70331e09c693)
these renders are somewhat old, I haven't been saving them lately ???
so the exact coloration isn't 100% correct, it actually is a tad bit darker on the bricks.
I love coming to this thread and seeing a few new pictures from you, because they're always so beautiful. I'm not so bothered about how these will fit into the game, for me it is enough that they are beautiful to look at.
Fred
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fclubhouse-002.jpg&hash=7969d458147339128a06b0ff6b2ad9c314ccb0d5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fclubhouse-003.jpg&hash=cd195596f1a89b3b24035fd1e411cd17689e9ff4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fclubhouse-004.jpg&hash=1eba4523168f83a771bd6753db489fe3ff9da44d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fclubhouse-005.jpg&hash=209fe9206054e59c5a7a8b21cc60b2a612197735)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fbase-view-007.jpg&hash=ba0e7a68fb35053cb8566a58e8363744f8ebe190)
The base is missing some cars, people, and a diverse garden (which are located in a seperate x-ref file with 3000k+ polygons, which I don't have enough memory to handle; optimization is required, i.e. using simpler lods). The blue blocks represent the general location of the towers' bases, but they are approximate. I will put them into their correct location and shape according to the floorplans.
Beautifully, BEAUTIFULLY done!
I'm confused about one thing though... are cars suppose to get to that "upstairs" plaza? I would imagine thta space to be "feet_only" :-)
very great , excellent &apls &apls
Quote from: SimFox on September 02, 2008, 01:16:35 AM
Beautifully, BEAUTIFULLY done!
I'm confused about one thing though... are cars suppose to get to that "upstairs" plaza? I would imagine thta space to be "feet_only" :-)
there's actually a few parking spaces available under the bulk of the towers themselves. The blue blocks represent a small lobby, stairs, and elevator/servie elevator room. The towers themselves are a bit wider than that and there is limmited parking space under them:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mahaavir.com%2Fimage%2Fmahavir_secfloor_big.jpg&hash=596c7837cc42d43e7254cb45d439f42b6d8d600e)
(www.mahaavir.com is the official site)
as you can see there are some parking spaces, but the bulk parking is located on the ground and first floor. Also the floor plan doesn't 100% match the renderings (i.e. there is difference in flora placement, tilings, and the floorplan does not show the clubhouse 100% in the precise location according to the renders of the building (it's very close, but in order to match the renders I had to slightly move the clubhouse toward the G tower).
It's wonderful! But what network do you use to do your BATs ? ()what()
it's a complicated plan :D
Quote from: sciurus54 on September 06, 2008, 06:06:40 AM
It's wonderful! But what network do you use to do your BATs ?
what do you mean by network? ()what() renderer? I use mental ray 3.5 from 3ds max 9.
Anyway I've been experimenting with creating low-poly trees from higher poly models (using some techniques that older games used for low poly flora) -- that is making a stem and then 8 planes with a type of radial symmetry. The only problem is that transparency isn't 100% perfect with mental ray, I have to experiment on that some more.
Thinking about it, I may also try to do what the professional renders of this buidling do, just after-photoshop the flora in, except a tad bit different. Why have a full 3-d model when you can just have a simple plane with an image on it facing the camera at all times? Just have a plane that follows the camera or is linked to a helper object that will rotate accordingly and you can have a simple tree with 2-polygons. (shadows probably won't be 100% accurate here, but upping to 4 polygons might help, if they are orthogonal to each other).
Here are some renders:
Zoom five north and south
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg337.imageshack.us%2Fimg337%2F7797%2Flightingtest002jp7.jpg&hash=dce42a38d0a9ba9d0ea568606f53a34a931d89c0)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg222.imageshack.us%2Fimg222%2F1259%2Flightingtest001oj7.jpg&hash=524b68d0fe323f1aa9d9570a58c0c60906331ce9)
Zoom four west and east
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg211.imageshack.us%2Fimg211%2F2575%2Flightingtest004wx1.jpg&hash=2c7c46a2290d740f8dda64055dbbef2c6af76bc4)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg363.imageshack.us%2Fimg363%2F9955%2Flightingtest003yl6.jpg&hash=d2c6e39e46914524b3475c6ce1a8c02463ddf424)
The purpose of these renders is just to get an idea of what lighting will look like throughout the model; also to get an idea of how much the towers would obstruct from the center. I'm thinking it turns out pretty good. The A,B, and C towers are accurate, while D is completely off shape, and E, F, and G towers are the wrong shape. Every floor (odd/even) is also a different shape so the towers won't look exactly like that, but the general shape is right. The base shape is off as well.
good start on these towers my friend &apls :thumbsup:
It's very beautiful and thank you for your replie ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg186.imageshack.us%2Fimg186%2F5985%2Ftowersabcrender002nk3.th.jpg&hash=32cb6d4463ea2396309a7fc54b45a8eed32f648a) (http://img186.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcrender002nk3.jpg)
photo-adjusted image^
here is the origianl in high quality:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg382.imageshack.us%2Fimg382%2F7256%2Ftowersabcrender001ae5.th.jpg&hash=4b2ca244a35b92e517cd9d1a6516c3f90b0681d9) (http://img382.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcrender001ae5.jpg)
those are towers A, B, and C. It's a whole lot of glass. They still need some roof detailings, and towerbase detailings, and there is still a little bit of facade work to do. Still to go are towers D, E, F, and G. which are a differnt shape. Also need work on the garden on the base and some minute base detailings. Caustics are a definite yes for this building, but something causes an error in them.
It's very beautiful! Congratualtions!! &apls &apls
absoluty beautiful &apls
Have you got the gamma turned off? the original looks a little washed out
I think the one you're thinking about is the photo-adjusted one (with gamma correction ::)) and some photo-touch-ups.
The original one is at the bottom and isn't really that washed looking. Either way saving a gamma-corrected image isn't all that easy so it's probably not (even if gamma correction is on which it isn't) ;)
Nice - you're actually rendering the INSIDE of the building! Most BATters I've ever seen just do the outside and maybe some of the inside if the windows are wide enough to see that, but mostly they don't even do that - not bad!
haha thanks. That's one advantage to modelling off floorplans (and starting with the base and not the towers). It's easier to be more detail conscious.
Unfortunatly this weekend is kind of filled, and I doubt I will be able to give any major update. &mmm
no problem , we can wait :P
I love it autovino! ;)
Wow very good bat ;)
Auto that is looking real good there and any progress at all per chance?
Is there a place to download your creations because these are very nice.
sorry guys I've been away for these last few days and for a few more days. I'll probably have to start again on the weekend of the 27th.
I did some renders, but nothing new so far.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F2527%2Ftowersabcrender003sh5.jpg&hash=4cc41c47fec364ee83042825a174b40a1d502808)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg221.imageshack.us%2Fimg221%2F7281%2Ftowersabcrender004tf8.jpg&hash=c9af8f1d873a4592f75de575b5b5ab7b6d1201ed)
very nice progress my friend &apls &apls
I have some considerable progress today: just the modelling basics:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg101.imageshack.us%2Fimg101%2F8422%2Ftowersabcdefgrender001th2.jpg&hash=289efbbafeac98bf72c62048c62898becc0c7a28)
I noticed that the middle of the building seemed a bit dark. There are two ways to fix this, adjusting the lighting, exposure settings, etc or using GI or Caustics. I chose caustics because it would produce a more realistic and interesting result. I went ahead and did a low quality render with caustics:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg296.imageshack.us%2Fimg296%2F4727%2Ftowersabcdefgrender002jt0.th.jpg&hash=ae407f9a2b9a827ef9dfc36a0609f0f3ea819424) (http://img296.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcdefgrender002jt0.jpg)
and got major artifacts. Thinking this is a quality issue I increased the sample size to one million and density to 100 photons per sample:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg243.imageshack.us%2Fimg243%2F2626%2Ftowersabcdefgrender003di6.th.jpg&hash=26555af88494f8b86ed3ab3b671cf33020729b0f) (http://img243.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcdefgrender003di6.jpg)
Same problem but it is more concentrated. I tried to convert the scene completely to mental ray, there wasn't any change (that is I chose a mr physical sky and imported the lighting rig into the scene).
This is where I started doing some research on what the cause of the problem is. I came to the conclusion that there are a few select samples that don't decay correctly, that is their decay rate is d^0 or none at all instead of the physically correct (and set) d^2. This means that those samples will be at the same brightness as their source, the sun (which they are). I played with the decay rate (and set the quality down) and got very good results. A decay rate of 1.9 works really well, but is a bit too bright. A decay rate of 2.1 is right on the money though.
In the process, though, I changed the glass material slightly so that it would be realistic glass, which is the reason why the artifacts went away. When getting the glass back, the problem came back:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F5622%2Ftowersabcdefgrender004uk9.th.jpg&hash=202fa441db8f69c09995d61504ebef70edc53e78) (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcdefgrender004uk9.jpg)
and a high quality:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg215.imageshack.us%2Fimg215%2F3305%2Ftowersabcdefgrender005zvt9.jpg&hash=2fe9a3d6ae8e88d55219abfd3872165a8fd15886)
what we have now are just some christmas lights. It's funny how some of the artifacts are not only white, but orange. Other views produced pink, red, and green artifacts as well, so my decay theory is probably wrong. I'm going to do some more testing with just the scene materials and castics and see if it isn't just some geometry problem (such as overalapping faces) that makes artifacts.
Anyone have any other ideas?
what sort of sky are you using in your rig?
Where is it placed? in sync with sun, or straight above? All shadows do look a bit to intense. and overall the feel is a bit odd. On one hand there are clear sharp shadows, on the other hand the sunny side look more like during overcast day. Just take a look at the white paper of building schematics. even in full open sun is sort of gray, too dark. That's not right. If you're using MR Photographic try to lowering dark multiplier that should lighten image quite a bit.
Christmas lights are caused by either GI or FG hitting overly bright spot and not averaging out properly (too few samples? too small interpolation?)
What is the problem, with your glass? You did give it some defuse color, right? I haven't been using Caustics for a while and am a bit rusty on them. But about decay rate... well you can be physically correct, or you can try to make it look nice. It isn't always possible do both. Particularly given relative physical correctness of MR in the first place. Decay rate of above 2 isn't correct anyway. it should be 2, but with modle like this you may want to lower it to say 1.8 or even 1.6 to get more lihgt into the dark spots. You also may wat to use some trickery with FG bounces, but replacing whatever is proper diffuse color with off-white ray switcher. You can read more on this subject here:
Jeff Patton Blog (http://jeffpatton.cgsociety.org/blog/archive/2008/1/)
at any rate it would be a bitch to light up, or to be precise to expose properly. It will all come done to creative color/tone mapping as the natural illumination differences are so big. Our eye in real world scanning what we see adjusting "exposure on the fly and then our brain recreated the entire field of view from those hundreds exposure corrected elements. So we see relatively well in both shade and open sun. But that is a trick of our brain, not sight. Here you should be a brain and try to trick us...
For some ideas you may refer to the photography and the use of reflectors in it. You need to bounce some light into the yard.
this tower is very impressive &apls really, good job !
this is a mix of the ies sky and mr sun. Probably by brightening the ies sky it can look better, but that's not the main problem for right now.
The main problem right now are the artifacts, which are caused by caustics, as far as I understand.
Without caustics the render is fine. Adding any sorts of caustics adds artifacts (and it always does for some reason when the geometry begins to become complex). I've attempted to replicate the error in a simpler scene with similar materials, overlapping faces, overlapping normals, etc. It didn't work, caustics worked like they should each time. I agree about the correct decay rate should be 2.0, but maybe something brighter may even be better.
In other renders with the same problem, it's funny that it's not one point that causes the caustics problems, but the problem is distributed (usually) around a larger area. More samples make the problem more defined and concentrated, but the question is why are some points so bright, while others work fine?
Not sure I've ever seen a rig with IES sky and MR sun....Surely they aren't designed to interact together properly?
maybe, but it makes it a bit easier to control the lighting in the scene than when working with the mr-sun-sky setup and is more realistic than an ies setup. :)
Maybe the mix is the root of the problem? I'll check it out.
Hey Auto that building is looking real good there!!! Also a biiiiiig Congrats on joining ITC!!!! &apls &apls &apls
Wow, just splendid, Fantastic work.
Welcome to ITC team. :thumbsup:
congrats for the enter in the ITC team my friend :thumbsup:
Welcome to the ITC Team! And nice BATs anyway!
thanks.
I haven't found the root of the caustics problem, it may be just a random error that arises with speed optimization with the increasing complexity of geometry. It seems that this error cannot be replicated with simpe scenes and arises with complex scenes.
I have found a half-fix to it: But lowering the decay rate (as a result caustic shadows and reflections are more intense) the artifacts aren't as large, but they are still there. By increasing the sample size, density, and number of samples (to about 12mil, with 120 samples per .25msquared) the render seems fine. It has very sharp caustics (something that can probably be changed by changeing the filter) and very intense caustics. There is some noise visible, but this can be hidden by addition of more detail. My only worry is that with more geomtry and on different rotations caustics may react in an unexpected way.
Here are the renders (normal)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg72.imageshack.us%2Fimg72%2F3949%2Ftowersabcdefgrender006xn1.jpg&hash=8fe6b3170185adffe3967522e452322e2d1bb2f9)
current (physically incorrect)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg101.imageshack.us%2Fimg101%2F5060%2Ftowersabcdefgrender007wx8.jpg&hash=4b1f727291883bccd7e481224b0c4a2580c0a05d)
Is it an improvement?
Are the caustics too bright?
Is the noise too distracting?
Are the caustics too sharp?
Are the caustics too distracting against the detail?
How is the lighting now?
My answer would be yes; yes; yes; maybe; yes; it is better, could be brighter.
What do you all thik and what are you all's sugestions?
Oh my god!!!! :o
This fantastic, really splendid. :thumbsup:
Go on, your excellent work.
I think Simfox is right in that you should try bouncing some light into the centre rather than fight with caustics....
Another thing you could and probably should do is to add large ground plane. It would bounce great deal of lignt back into the scene - even you roof-tops will get brighter, but particularly the shaded parts, although the courtyard will still likely be a problem without some cheating
Wow this bat is absolutly splendid and so réalistic &apls &apls
this tower look good :thumbsup:
Quote from: callagrafx on October 03, 2008, 01:01:19 AM
I think Simfox is right in that you should try bouncing some light into the centre rather than fight with caustics....
caustics are a way to bounce light into the center (or at least it should offer some diffuse reflection), but the problem is that they look too realistic for simcity or just plain ugly in the renders &mmm GI (as far as I understand from reading posts by simfox) only works with feet-inches as standard unit, so that is kind of out of the question. Maybe there is a way to tweek how the light bounces off of the walls of the center, i.e. make the light decay less than it would normally.
Quote from: SimFox on October 03, 2008, 03:02:27 AM
Another thing you could and probably should do is to add large ground plane. It would bounce great deal of lignt back into the scene - even you roof-tops will get brighter, but particularly the shaded parts, although the courtyard will still likely be a problem without some cheating
A large ground plane should help. But I doubt that the courtyard will greatly benafit from it. Maybe, like I said, there is a way to cheat how fg works inside the center or off of some materials.
Quote from: autoVino on October 03, 2008, 06:20:27 PM
caustics are a way to bounce light into the center (or at least it should offer some diffuse reflection), but the problem is that they look too realistic for simcity or just plain ugly in the renders &mmm GI (as far as I understand from reading posts by simfox) only works with feet-inches as standard unit, so that is kind of out of the question.
Caustic light is formed when light rays reflected from or transmitted through specular surfaces strikes a diffuse surface....they shouldn't really be used as an illumination method as they are more for realism and effect. And I use GI with meters as standard units without any problem...but I'm using Max 2008 and MR sun/sky with MR Photographic exposure and it's possible the problem's been fixed. But there's nothing to stop you changing the standard units once the model has been completed....And if you are using photometrics
without FG or GI, I'm not surprised you are having difficulty.
And no, a groundplane won't help the courtyard (but will help the towers), but if you add a couple of bounces to FG, then the light reflected off the white towers should help brighten the area a little better.
Actually I think I'm going to try without caustics, as you said, and try with GI. As far as I understand, the GI bug was fixed in max2008 and was a problem in all earlier versions :(
but there's no reason not to try.
Currently I'm using only FG with 10 diffuse bounces and the standard low quality settings.
You may lose some of the more subtler shadows at 10 bounces, I'd try 5 to start...When testing, I normally set FG to draft to speed up render time as more bounces = longer render times
yup. for some reason the longest part of render time is actually before the render, when trying to convert all the objects into memory, or something similar. 3ds max freezes after the objects are translated at 98% and says rendering for about 15 minutes and then the render is fairly fast (~5 to 10 min depending on the settings).
good stuff here, autovino. whatever happened to that casino? the cooper plant looks good, among others. it's a shame you've only got 3 uploads available. is there a website you're hiding with more of your finished work?
the cooper plant I still have but the casino is either on a different HD when I got a bigger HD. I don't have a website where I'm hiding anything :)
here are two more renders, I took a closer look at the renders I have and decided that they were not accurate to the floorplans, so instead I redid the buidling according to the renders.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg380.imageshack.us%2Fimg380%2F5534%2Ftowersabcefgrender002bj9.th.jpg&hash=4edd733a068a8ecd868feeb094989fde85d74037) (http://img380.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcefgrender002bj9.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg520.imageshack.us%2Fimg520%2F142%2Ftowersabcefgrender001jr2.th.jpg&hash=a2adc1f51f32774491548a6744861b47058825b8) (http://img520.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcefgrender001jr2.jpg)
Tower D is not in this render. Any suggestions so far?
Autovino, this is looking amazing! What kind of nitelites will you be use? ;)
Beautiful! (the first word that popped in to my head)
Jayson
Quote from: Fatsuhono on October 18, 2008, 06:29:53 PM
Autovino, this is looking amazing! What kind of nitelites will you be use? ;)
oh I have some ideas for nitelites on this one. ;)
something festive looking in the plaza, and the standard tower lighting for the towers. The base should be fairly well lit.
that's beautiful :thumbsup:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg264.imageshack.us%2Fimg264%2F9803%2Fg16od9.jpg&hash=9ddcd3cfc5d62dbaf7efbdc38941ba787383c340)
gamma = 1.6
I have to say I like the lighting at how it is right now. Still a couple of geometry errors on the base that are popping up, but that's fixable easily.
(here is an older render, south view with gamma = 1.7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg443.imageshack.us%2Fimg443%2F7620%2Ftowersabcdefgrender011yy5.th.jpg&hash=c159c050e6abe4ead1cd5f54c3b9a059b0cc6c71) (http://img443.imageshack.us/my.php?image=towersabcdefgrender011yy5.jpg)
Suggestions so far?
OMG Auto that is just wickedly sick!!!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I love it. Aside from some details on the patios, etc. I think it looks great.
again, it's great :thumbsup:
I have an array of images here with different gamma values, in increments of 0.2, tell me which you think is the best.
gamma = 1.0
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg133.imageshack.us%2Fimg133%2F8403%2Fg10lp9.th.jpg&hash=93422d74650593feb2477b10cb2f1a50c9de2e18) (http://img133.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g10lp9.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg356.imageshack.us%2Fimg356%2F16%2Fg102jx1.th.jpg&hash=d2ebcd01bcf85f4d1d653d235325578ba961acc4) (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g102jx1.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg146.imageshack.us%2Fimg146%2F5830%2Fg103qc5.th.jpg&hash=a96c91d63f6a17bb2fcc215a165981abf15a974a) (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g103qc5.jpg)
gamma = 1.2
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg147.imageshack.us%2Fimg147%2F5813%2Fg12wh2.th.jpg&hash=4e603828def4ae6ac740275802c2de29d334a9e3) (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g12wh2.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F4079%2Fg122jz7.th.jpg&hash=6b9e29eea7bc70ffbcc29c23f9c5f7d9a4bc0c03) (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g122jz7.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg259.imageshack.us%2Fimg259%2F8907%2Fg123ua7.th.jpg&hash=fab4c23e7c7cefbecd0f816ec8cea96c8b9ed160) (http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g123ua7.jpg)
gamma = 1.4
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg444.imageshack.us%2Fimg444%2F8995%2Fg14hc7.th.jpg&hash=2f19272b5f1e310f1686248f93e19655af6bdfe7) (http://img444.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g14hc7.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg393.imageshack.us%2Fimg393%2F9093%2Fg142lz3.th.jpg&hash=80a4d90df5511d3e72feaabf9b0d7a84befdce64) (http://img393.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g142lz3.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg300.imageshack.us%2Fimg300%2F5821%2Fg143tl9.th.jpg&hash=8049cd1ba2b67ca649045c0325907027ebe97c6f) (http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g143tl9.jpg)
gamma = 1.6
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg133.imageshack.us%2Fimg133%2F1374%2Fg16yh6.th.jpg&hash=95cf60b1cdcbfc1e6798c084bd3428e955c84784) (http://img133.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g16yh6.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg356.imageshack.us%2Fimg356%2F8938%2Fg162po9.th.jpg&hash=f3465b61129376b66bb29a66eed0eebbb21145a6) (http://img356.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g162po9.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg146.imageshack.us%2Fimg146%2F6554%2Fg163mj9.th.jpg&hash=e79d3c4f89688d64cc994f3278922c4c15969d12) (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=g163mj9.jpg)
so which looks the best as of now?
that tower is good y friend :thumbsup:
i think gamma = 1.2 is the best :thumbsup:
I think 1.0 is a bit dark, but either that or 1.2 are the best.
wonderfull work &apls
I wouldn't trust the preview render for gamma if I were you...we went through this with Chris Adams' thread a while ago. Your best bet is to set the gamma at around 2.2 and test render to the game and see how it comes out (it will appear a lot darker than the Max preview, that's for sure).
hmm, interesting. I'll take that into account and see what happens.
meanwhile,
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg399.imageshack.us%2Fimg399%2F8880%2Fzoomfour04gm4.jpg&hash=387af853a5237e5887339d570e38775aa6a03cd1) (http://img75.imageshack.us/img75/8109/zoomfour05ma1.jpg)
a cross section
and full zoom four
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg114.imageshack.us%2Fimg114%2F93%2Fzoomfour07ea6.jpg&hash=feae1ff53dc920a3f6a92ad6384deea0b097db9f) (http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/1682/zoomfour06zj1.jpg)
Wow :o
Very nice :thumbsup:
Fancy. Planning on working on a few complimentary buildings as well? Perhaps a reactor core and some auxilary buildings? Either way, this on its own is quite nice.
That's an impressive cooling tower! :thumbsup:
damn that is extremly extraordinary!
fantastic modeling!
Indeed, this cooling tower is looking awesome my friend, great work &apls
Wow, impressionant. :o
It's really splendid, extermely exceptionnal.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg408.imageshack.us%2Fimg408%2F7840%2Fzoomfour08jk3.th.jpg&hash=fdbddfc606960cdd0470ca70ed0e972b02627533) (http://img408.imageshack.us/my.php?image=zoomfour08jk3.jpg)
(hmm, I hope I didn't run out of memory for render, since this is only zoom four!)
Added some terrain. Next to work on are the actual reactors (should be pretty easy modeling wise, texturing is key) and the steam turbines. There will be five of each. Then surrounding offices and controles rooms as well as water piping about the lot and some flora.
Anyone know a way to fake clouds that isn't render intensive? I've found multiple ways in mentalray, but they have artifacts and take forever to render.
That's some really great modeling. Well textured too, which I know from experience isn't easy with these kinds of surfaces.
Hey auto that is looking mighty massive there!!! far as clouds are concerned there is effects that you can use in lotting that are maxis...
yeah lot effect would be easier, but the question is can it cover an area that big? I mean the tops of those towers are at least a 3x3 lot, unless there's some modding trick you can do to make an effect larger, I don't know of any effect that can cover such a large lot. But I will still look into it. Some of the smaller parts that will have steam will use the effect without a doubt.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoom-four-010.jpg&hash=e15f5d1845ed2262c1fc384c0053ed99ab97a65f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoom-four-09.jpg&hash=282f22809284ef3801c51ad0dbd512ab9f8d79ad)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoom-four-011.jpg&hash=ffe198f21290da0a8579d4288135025c8bdfdbe7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoom-four-012.jpg&hash=b73d24b0ee3eeb11b2d5b490e6b2bdc32183b6e7)
QuoteFrom Simtropolis: This was mostly re-working on the ground texture, adding some water-reflectivity to it, color correction, etc. I've also did some display corrections for the last image, so that nothing will be displayed below the visible ground plane (before some key objects were cut of at z=0 and above, now that issue is fixed).
Amazing work :thumbsup:
Your work is fantastic, the texture of water, the many detail, it's very very well.
I'm amazed. I have a lot of work for make half of your talent. &apls
Stunning work autoVino. The detail in this is excellent and from what I can see, this is only the beginning. I can't wait to see it when it's all done, but even as it is right now, it's good on it's own.
-Matt
Hint: Use multiple effects... ;) It actually looks pretty good with even several on top of a large smoke stack...
a sketch of the general layout of the facility:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg71.imageshack.us%2Fimg71%2F5668%2Fzoom3001fx9.jpg&hash=9f3e98187316ca165c1012a60d7fd1a7f4b199dc)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg257.imageshack.us%2Fimg257%2F2699%2Fzoom3002zl6.jpg&hash=0105b0560fd6b93b09d5d4f3a54aeea43d250539)
The reactor buildings are complete modelling wise), so now I need to make some turbines, work on the processing buildings and control buildings and add some piping all around and general detail, still plenty of work. I'm probably going to take a break on modelling and try to figure a way out to gain better control of texture coordinates, as right now the tools in uvw unwrap aren't sufficient.
Each time I come here I am increasingly impressed with what you are creating. This time is no exception. This facility looks like it will be a monster when it's finished (looks like 20x20 or a bit more judging by the roads). Let us know if you need any help on the modding (you certainly don't need help with the modelling) and I'll look forward to seeing the new developments. Great work.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F5854%2Fzoom4002smallpm4.jpg&hash=cb932377bc279a0b90157698cd14169cf9840ee1) (http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4962/zoom4002fk5.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg68.imageshack.us%2Fimg68%2F7801%2Fzoom4003smallsl4.jpg&hash=70d42e6e10149a7bfc39a420a9f932361bfe9942) (http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/711/zoom4003ko9.jpg)
Looking better and better day by day.. You're truly an awesome BATter, autoVino!
hmm... spent most of the day not driving to class due to ice and doing renders while franticly doing last minute studying for final exams:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoom3-004.jpg&hash=d281e1aa143bd78ac0f4e39953ad8c2a5fdef11f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg378.imageshack.us%2Fimg378%2F364%2Fzoom3006smallvl7.jpg&hash=b15ee110419af3cff86e1fc3f741d4168f8141d1) (http://img71.imageshack.us/img71/3336/zoom3006yt5.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg75.imageshack.us%2Fimg75%2F4835%2Fzoom3005smallns5.jpg&hash=af88713a44a0d29e15d9d0244acd712ff5179c87) (http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/1531/zoom3005af9.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg234.imageshack.us%2Fimg234%2F9405%2Fzoom3007smallux3.jpg&hash=84167037fa8db3203e5b653825c42673998ac95a) (http://img67.imageshack.us/img67/3682/zoom3007cf1.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fzoom5-001-small.jpg&hash=81009069d1376d1c423b0e81bc3cae53b665015d) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/zoom5-001.jpg)
Now we have an underground garage, 15m tall electric security fence, and the cooling towers correctly placed and x-refed.
I'm posting a lot of images so these that you see are of lower quality. Click to view the full quality originals.
Very nice again autoVino. The only thing I notice is that, if the fence is 15m (appx 45ft) high, the wire at the top is really, really thick. If you can make it any smaller and not have it become invisible in game, I would suggest it. Aside from that, things seem to be coming together very nicely.
-Matt
Good point, will fix.
Also on simtropolis it has been pointed out that the reactor buildings look to similar,so I'll add some variation. I still have a few more days of final examsto study for so changes today will be minor.
You still have a lightrig issue I think...everything looks a bit muddy, but the model itself is stunning, apart from the repetition...Not sure any power station would have six reactors. I'd recommend just two, but scaled up to almost double current size, then add a load of ancillary pipework in the space left :thumbsup:
Two reactors might work better. I'm going to try to move the reactors onto one building and give them a more cylindrical shape, similar to one of the reactors in the Ikata plant in Japan.
I will try to make turbines visible by placing them under a glass enclosing (probably nonrealistic for these kinds of plants, but it is nothing more than for effect)
Meanwhile here is a rough sketch of a turbine:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbine.jpg&hash=d4df64a6679d0b5eac8280d6ef190adc7c5fbab7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbine2.jpg&hash=fb38fb572b0895f4ecfe28be7c98c000711c4a55)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbineback.jpg&hash=80327a73ec33475dcae39c15a84928271fe901a6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbinefront.jpg&hash=b65c8fb0c39d10f5122a1499fe84ddb78f27e7f3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbineleft.jpg&hash=bececa4c4eea47d56dc6ae560856589c4a6ef3e3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbineright.jpg&hash=0bd9405d104aef4fddf03c44cd2f4ff4695cedf9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbinetop.jpg&hash=80e99b93c51d9ebc1f84c6713ebc459c224d52b1)
auto all I got say is wow!!!
I think realism can be fudged a bit if it's to show off those turbnes. The detail on them is excellent, and they're only a small part of this fine work. Well done.
-Matt
Arrgh......
Splendid and more realistic, I love.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbine001.jpg&hash=89d4ab165b1e45a29309d110c9e6f12097944286)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbine002.jpg&hash=ca7dc1f368767dbc9572a8aea9e949454230bf12)
I love the turbines. Now a small question, can you make them into props so that they can be placed outdoors, even if that would be a little unrealistic?
I thought it looked good without textures. With them it looks amazing. Also, impressive render time. Now I know how you've been able to deal with such detail. What are your specs if you don't mind my asking?
-Matt
Windows XP sp3
AMD Athlon 1.9ghz
1gm ram 4gb virtual
Nothing too impressive, it's just that mental ray is very fast. Thousands of times faster than gmax and hundreds than scanline and with much better quality (that's slightly exaggerated, but you get the point). ;)
Also the second and first image are not part of the same render.
Added some alternators, the set is now complete and ready to be used as an x-ref.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbine004.jpg&hash=e39d0cab4332c92e9411f9748c8184913559ac44)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fturbine003.jpg&hash=04d22fea6da8f218e218cf631927a6cd412f4398)
The problem with making the props would be that it's extremly unrealistic (why would anyone place million dollar turbines out in front of mother nature?), it would be hard on the lods of the actual building, and I can't imagine how to connect power lines to it. It will be used as a prop, though, in the 3ds max file in the form of an x-ref file.
Hello AutoVino
I like the reactor so far. All the little details are a treat for the eyes.
Okay forget the prop idea. ::) I didn't realize that the first piece you showed was part of a larger set. And by the way, why did the render time get shorter with the larger piece? Around 26 seconds shorter. ???
wow!!! Auto that is looking great!!!
Love how great this is coming out. This one and the one Andreas are making will go nicely along with Nobs futuristic one. Are you gonna put weathering on the towers and such? It looks kinda sparkling clean.
sim-al2: the galvanized metal shader that I used for the turbine is more cpu intensive than the yellow paint shader. Because the bigger picture has less galvanized metal and more yellow paint less calculation has to be done to do a render. This just shows that speed is irrelevant compared to the poly count in the mental ray rendering engine. There exists a memory limitation for poly count, but only at 20+ million poly's... and that's when you switchto the bsp2 algorithm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounding_interval_hierarchy)... and most scenes don't get even close (this one's only 1.2 million or so), but this only effects speed of render if there is a shortage of memory to start the render (usually the render doesn't ever finish in this case either).
SimNation: It is my prefrence to see little or no weathering on plants. I will change the textures of the reactors though, they will be a bit more weathered.
I have some deadlines I have to meet before the next year so I'll probably not be able to work on this much this week.
gaaaaaaaasp auto a whole year before we see you again eeeks no thats not fair :'(
LoL I knew what you meant I am just being a smart one lol... Take your time and I know it will look great when you can get to it!!!!
btw Merry Christmas!!!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-005.jpg&hash=7f297f4b38bf91c2efcc9f2bdc562d310924260b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-0056.jpg&hash=d4b84e8f33f86dbdfbf53e9b101d983590965fab)
:o
I saw the beginnings of this yesterday on ST, and I have to say it looks awesome!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-010.jpg&hash=7afe81577f9701d4591ffc98d6804ae5027875f6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-012.jpg&hash=cd77c8d61c4f6fbb63f0d8a977d539778bb7b513)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-011.jpg&hash=231f35592aefebf13098bf13a7cb43027a193d2a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-013.jpg&hash=82647d949ce5c950f59194111cf51eacbda30035)
The base is largely detailed and done (modelling wise, the textures will add a whole lot more detail to it). Still to do is a few fixes for errors in the modelling a few walls to add, a few windows, and the interior facade; all this should be fairly quick to do... ~1 hours work to do.
Also to add is roof details then I will start on the tower.
The base of the building is often largely forgotten by batters since the tower is always bigger, often easier because of the refrence photos, and ambitiouly done first. For some reason I like bases of the buildings more than the towers themselves, since the towers are often simillar to others around the world (not to say that the base isn't either sometimes) but the base has more detail for expression by the original artist; while the tower is just a bulky object that is used to attract attention and create office or residential space (not to say that expression does not exist in the tower itelf).
In the case of this building, which is still to be named, the base plays an extremely vital role. The design of the base, although modern, shall be used blend the building in with the ground level of the city. The city that this is going to be built in is fairly small, although historic, so the finanical district isn't as tall as you see in larger cities. The base is to be seen from ground level and will actually try to hide the huge tower from the pedestrians, as to not to "belittle" the surrounding architecture. But from far away, the tower will be visible with all it's might and will fit right in with the other four or five towers of comprable size in the city's financial center.
Because the base is where a lot of the action will be going on, such as eating, shopping, etc, it is an important item to model and shouldn't be forgotton or replaced by the tower itself. The importance of the base and its detail is limitless.
Any more guesses for the building name?
&apls your new building start very well
Orange
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-017.jpg&hash=995a44176d786c5d18758593877a2ddae6310d22)
Now in 3ds max 2009... who knows if that's a good or bad thing.
For one, the new mental ray core offers faster and more comfortable working, as well as memory saving innovations such as proxies.
Proxies give you the power to reproduce or clone an object as many times as you want without having a significant impact on memory.
But a problem exists, it seems that the bat4max script does not work with the newest version of mental ray 3.6, or at least the crop is incorrect.
This is fixable, it will just take some time to play around with the scripts.
It's a stunning building. What will the dimensions be in game and have you decided on a name for it yet? The level of detail you add to these works is always impressive. How long have you been modelling? Looking forward to seeing where this goes from here.
-Matt
This building only has a relative scale so I cannot give you an exact zoom five preview, but the angle can be correct:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-018.jpg&hash=aef0f8afca832434d02e32dd7abd734fd5a5ab3e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fearly-019.jpg&hash=447487c11fe693883caeaf1907cee9a4e65ee07e)
The first floor should be ~5m in height, with the successive floors being about 4; after of course a ~125% vertical scale.
In the renders above it seems that I have forgotten to save with gamma correction (or try to create an exposure setup without gamma correction). So the renders seem a bit saturated and dark.
This render shows the approximate size. Don't forget that this building is 35+ stories high, so there will also be a tower with it.
threestooges: this is a real world building, but you shall have to guess the name ;) I have been modeling for over five years now, first in a free modeling program called blender (http://www.blender.org/) with yafray (http://www.yafray.org/) as the rendering engine and then 3ds max (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=5659302) as mental ray (http://www.mentalimages.com/products/mental-ray.html) as the rendering engine.
Added level two of the building, needs the tower and roof then I will work on the textures (and experiment with the new mi shaders!)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-003.jpg&hash=67249e9d31894c6d1b47841a56b3440c408244fe)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-004.jpg&hash=9bc21d59a6f889593094642375db8c7d109c34bc)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-001.jpg&hash=67219f05d8cd99543128a049f76acc67fd7342e2)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-002.jpg&hash=b0893221ea819700bc04abf786257a249e977765)
these last two images had elevated exposure settings, so they look a bit foggy/washed
the first two images are, as usual, the correct camera angle, but not representative of the scale. I will work on scale once the modeling is done, and before making texture.
I have some extra work to do this week so I may not get to working on this.
OMG Auto wow that building is soo stunning!!! Is it a hotel from what I see of the plans? Btw what happend to the nuke plant?
Another jaw dropping building. Looks simply great. &apls
This is how the production cycle works when the only budget is a time budget:
1. Start doodle number 1
2. Build off of the doodle
3. Start doodle number 2
4. Start doodle number 3
5. Work on doodle number 1
6. forget about doodle number 1
7. take a two week long break
8. Work on doodle number 2
...And so on and so forth with breaks inserted about every 7 or 8 steps. After about three or four cycles of this process the doodle becomes a release. Only two models have made it thus far.
I feel that the current stage of the building (or at least height-wise) is sufficient. I don't like the large tower that is superimposed over this building so I will omit it from this version; furthermore the current state is something that is missing from the game, a mid-rise detailed building. Many of us model massive buildings for ambition and small buildings for practice (or ambition if they are numerous). Why not create something that is missing from the game as a new form of ambition?
It is unrealistic for a city to be completely comprised of large mega-structures, and it is detail that is key. How can one create detail when it is always blocked by larger structures, to the point where only the top is visible? It is not the top that is important, but the base. The top merely marks a milestone of development and is not important to life, comfort, and practicality; in fact it may hinder it. The only thing it gives is beauty viewed from up above, and not from below as most of us are. It may be the purpose of the game to do this, but I believe that is should be equally the purpose for the detail down below to be visible. The small guy is just as important as the big guy.
hear hear Auto that is so true!!! Its time for the small guy to take a stand!!! ;)
I got attacked by this virus (link to description) (http://www.precisesecurity.com/blogs/2009/01/19/resycledntldrcom/) that spreads through external (and internal) drives, including USB drives. Luckily it didn't do any serious damage if any at all, it was just a nuisance until removed, which was quick once I figured out how to remove it without it re-appearing itself upon removal.
Here's an update:
Some basic texturing: I will work on the poly and textures some more to try to give it some detail highlights:
The glass texture currently looks very uniform, but that will be adjusted later on.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-008.jpg&hash=dcf575237be6a17657f58693ac301d33d5a85ac6)
I still have no idea of this building's real world counterpart, but named or not, this is going to be an excellent addition when you get it done. I'm guessing all the white marks are relfections from the glass?
-Matt
yup, forgot to turn them off for simcity render as they will look "unrealistic" in such an environment. I'm actually deviating from the design quite a bit. The building should be twice as tall, the facade modelling is slightly different but concept is similar, and the facade material is different, slightly.
different lighting rig (by Jasoncw), forgot to turn off exposure control, or at least set it to non-physical lighting
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-012-1.jpg&hash=4a23d32ad79a6f9059a63b81a01bc20d11a77138)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-014-1.jpg&hash=026479d9bc70b1c80c61c55c0d51e5d16c5d6541)
I have turned on ambient occlusion (radius set to 1m) to make the details more visible and make the render more accurate.
The building is correctly scaled now. Till next week(end).
here are the full version
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/mid-012.jpg
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/mid-014.jpg
:D I like your prodution cycle, i 'have aproximately the same...
I like very much the glass windows.
Your batiments is an example for me, and a true happiness to be contemplated
Snowed in this morning, so I took the liberty to add a little bit more detail and experiment with lighting. Jason's rig seems to have confused mental ray and it started rendering what looked like the reflectivity element for mi. I switched back to the standard rig and changed the white balance. I also optimized FG (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Gather) and AO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_occlusion) to create a quick and dirty but good looking effect.
Here are some renders (re sized, click to enlarge):
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-015.jpg&hash=071af3ff769139cb255e1576937c3631fd231e63) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/mid-015-1.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-016.jpg&hash=c50d60fb878b0b448c64c351b5e3e837d13ab404) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/mid-016-1.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-017.jpg&hash=0867f303fbe68aba673c05c45fab8e9db3c11c3e) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/mid-017-1.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fmid-018.jpg&hash=87bd2e5462049a9887270e19ce40ad2deb43e9fa) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/mid-018-1.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcp-ft-011.jpg&hash=906022e76999ece6dca4bbf5a51eef46f84b68ef)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_cp-ft-013.jpg&hash=e6a979ee039e2747db7834e57f93269ec02bcd28) (http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-013.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_cp-ft-015.jpg&hash=72f814aebe8f14e0bcc2d88c55034b05d74348ae) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-015.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fth_cp-ft-017.jpg&hash=1c69143528666652dafa9606cb304726a89b36af) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-017.jpg)
some minor things to finish before playing with mr proxies (http://mentalraytips.blogspot.com/2008/04/3ds-max-2009-released-mr-proxies-and.html)! The roof shingles need adjusted mapping coordinates, the roof tiles (1st level roof) needs some small detail, benches, carts, etc; as well as a door(s). Then the plaza in front of the entrance needs to be detailed (that will be with mr proxies (http://mentalraytips.blogspot.com/2008/04/3ds-max-2009-released-mr-proxies-and.html))
I've adjusted the coloration to fit the default maxis buildings pretty well, in my opinion, as well as set the rig up for convincing results. A cunning mix of GI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_illumination), AO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_occlusion), FG, and caustics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caustic_(optics)) allows for a very quick calculation for the render, but because of the glossy materials and the detail (with anti-aliasing) each render averages to 20 to 30 minutes on my old horse.
OMG WOW Auto that is simply amazing!!!! Are you going to lot it or do you need a lotter??? BTW which part is the front of the building?
I feel that some people will be unhappy if I lot this building, that is model the lot in 3ds max, because of how unusable the actual model will be for custom lots, so I am planning to render a "clean" version that can be customized via lot editor and a version that will have a ray traced lot. You can lot that version and release it if you like. ;)
Currently I'm building the surrounding lot:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcp-ft-029-s.jpg&hash=3469769acee47b8b8f8e1e0c0979c1ef4042c053) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-029.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcp-ft-029-g-s.jpg&hash=f9de201f924f0b9ee686e4587b3ec53ea45ea6e4) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-029-g.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcp-ft-027-s.jpg&hash=67886c174ca596604ef1a11ffd86d13c1304eab3) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-027.jpg)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fcp-ft-027-g-s.jpg&hash=e6654cf43804b93bc94f546ad828f7b086666cc0) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/cp-ft-027-g.jpg)
Click to view the full resolution.
Quote from: autoVino on January 30, 2009, 09:35:16 AM
I feel that some people will be unhappy if I lot this building, that is model the lot in 3ds max, because of how unusable the actual model will be for custom lots
I feel that as creator, you have the right to release your work however you see fit.... :thumbsup:
Quote from: callagrafx on January 30, 2009, 01:22:11 PM
I feel that as creator, you have the right to release your work however you see fit.... :thumbsup:
Lee's right. As the BATter, you get first dibs when it comes to lotting. That's one of the benefits I see with ITC, people are there if you need them (for people like me who can't lot for poop), but you're also welcome to do the whole thing. I like the addition of the trees, and the model itself has really come together. Looking forward to seeing it done.
-Matt
Auto that is amazing lot so far!!! The details with the trees are stunning and I truly enjoy them wow... &apls &apls I agree with both Lee and Matt that you have the choice first!!!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fsimple-office-07.jpg&hash=b4f6e1b84531450979eff37235d2798e67059d35)
Impressive. I was wondering what you would have in store for us here. How's the progress on the office tower going and will you need anyone to lot/mod it for you? Looking forward to seeing where this one goes too.
-Matt
Hey Auto looking sweet there!!!
It's moving along slowly. I am considering alternate routs to building the plaza around the building, making it smaller and more small town urban.
I just found a spare couple of hours the other day to come up with this building, I don't know if I could continue that as this week I've got a few major papers due and I'm going out west for research purposes Friday night for a week or two. I should be fairly free after mid to late May.
Nice, and no rush. Whereabouts are you heading in the West?
Once again, a very beautiful project :thumbsup:
with all these BATs... when will you ever put any of these goodies on the LEX? (i've only seen the one chemical plant and the Olympic.) impressive work, but nothing's finished.
nothing finished is exactly the problem $%Grinno$%
Here's another project that I'm going to try to finish this week before I leave again.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Ffg-ort-z5-11.jpg&hash=0551eed7e7b83d113dd9d70dfd166da8a6cd9592) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/fg-ort-z5-11-1.jpg)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Ffg-ort-z5-12.jpg&hash=46b5225e8e3ad7bada5e31d765e483444f78a543) (http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/fg-ort-z5-12-1.jpg)
moin autoVino,
:o over at Simtropolis i saw a pic of the office building the last time, i had no idea what it was ... it looks stunning, though it's quite a modern loading facility ... wow, i just saw that there is a connection to rail ... :P
wish i allready could see the finish bat! :thumbsup:
b_schlurf
looking real sweet there Auto!!
This is my interpritation of the new zero emission coal power plant that is hopefully going to be built in America. Ive taken some liberties with it to make it a bit more interesting. I might also release a version without the crane.
I do believe this one may be exported as I've found a way to export via bat4max in mental ray 3.6/7. Who or whom should I send it over to once exported; simcity does not run well on the intelGMA graphics card that I have. And afterall, this is a team, right? ;)
Just fire it off to Casper or Pat. They lot and mod quite well. Nice looking design too. Glad to hear you've found a way to get these things rendered.
-Matt
Great work!!
That is one heck of a BAT, autoVino. I love the sleek, modern design (this is what could be expected for a zero-emission coal plant tho). I'm certainly interested in modding/lotting it. I'm wondering how the canal along the building will fit in with other buildings tho, as it seems to use a different water texture than any other canalset availible. You could render the whole thing without the waterway texture (and the boat as a seperate prop), and I could add a waterway prop from any other canalset in, but then you would lose the excellent shadows casted by the crane. Another (albeit long-term) solution would be to create a whole new canal set to go with the coal plant, but that seems a tad absurd. Either way, I'm sure this will become an excellent new addition to the game.
Casper
Thank you. The water texture is only a placeholder for now. What I'm planning is to have a physical water environment that will effect the look of the boat under it only, so that it wouldn't show up in the game (if that makes any sense). As for shadows, I have a few ideas as how to go about this, that would mimic compositing shaders in mental ray... except for simcity.
A small update with more detail
[link (http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/?action=view¤t=fg-ort-z5-20-2.jpg)] http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x62/autoVino/?action=view¤t=fg-ort-z5-20-2.jpg
^The image is rather large. The final size is looking to be a little over 12x12 tiles. The design is made for construction on a hill that goes down 16m and then into water. The water texture will not appear in the game, it is just a place holder for now. I still may add a tad bit more detail such as people, vehicles, and fountains. A little more work on the flora and landscaping is called for as well.
...Can't really think of much else, so after that would be nightlighting, lod design, and export.
What stuf have you released and where can I get it? Your work is stunning!
Okay, this is a decent sized update I guess.
I've worked out some memory issues (so click on the image below to view full zoom five... as a proof of concept), but meanwhile here is an update:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fefd75bd2.jpg&hash=07b471c60672a89ca522e148ef24204388f57de7) (http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/1307/ftredayfinal01.jpg)
I don't know how much more detail this is capable of because this is really pushing my working computer to the limit! I'm running out of easy mental ray tricks to save memory... before long I will have to render this beast in parts because the image output is just too big $%Grinno$%
I may run this through photo-shop or compositing software before I create the final model file for sim-city effect, but that will require a little playing with the scripts. I will also explain this later whether it works or if it doesn't.
Nicely done, and it's good to see you around again. Let us know when you do get it exported and if you'd like we can see about getting it lotted and/or modded for you.
-Matt
thats looks great, are you gonna reals them. ()what()
Is it designed to fit in with one of the canal/river systems? Specifically I'm asking which one?
The design looks really good to me. You could also render the crane and ship on their own, as they would look really good as individual props.
Anyway, excellent modelling.
Lookin good!
Auto looking damn good!!!!!!!
I have night lights more or less done, but I don't have a good render of it (once again memory availability is kicking my a$$).
I am planning to use some volumetric effects to light up the crane (with good bright 1000w bulbs), so I have to get creative with this because volumetrics don't work too well in orthographic projection.
Luckily, using parabolic lens, one can create orthographic projection (ie telescopic method).
This is what I mean: first picture is normal orthographic projection:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Fb94efbb7.jpg&hash=e82051db4fdc7c1cca92051d2656937ef47186bc)
This is a perspective camera with angle ~ 35 deg looking onto a parabolic mirror:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F3ba5397d.jpg&hash=c0a445e39f51c8e873b9a627bad099674028e665)
The images are nearly the same! The mirror works best when the curvature is to a minimum, and works poorly when there is a lot of curvature.
Here is another proof of concept, volumetrics in orthographic projection (via parabolic mirror)
scene set up:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2Ff0c307b7.jpg&hash=6230c947ee7de578745517cf5f8c2e1ba3699f4e)
render:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi187.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx62%2FautoVino%2F1b26f30e.jpg&hash=79d603445d6465b92a6a09afc534b4e6a151d935)
this is lit with 2x300w halogen bulbs.
This is all set up via script, so I'll try to polish it up a bit so that you all can use it if interested (this will of course make exporting a model more involved as well!)
you got my attention auto!!