Yep... that's right. With the help of our new lawyer friend, I've officially incorporated myself! I'm not really sure what that means exactly, but I'm told it will be good for the bottom line. Unfortunately, the accountants tell me that I'm still doing all this for free, so I think I may have been lied to.
I will be slowly moving the bulk of my work here to this wonderful little island. So I figured it was about time I started a thread to use for things like formulating questions, asking questions, answering questions, or just showing off... er... showing what I'm working on.
For those that don't know me, I'm the guy who's been making a lot of schools lately. Volume Three is being tested and will be out here soon. Volumes One and Two will be updated and moved here around the time I finish the Add On Pack. In the meantime, for all you SmalltownUSA and SHUR Project fans out there, my first official BSC LEX release is for you. It should be up and ready in the next day or two.
That's all for now. I'll have things to show soon, but for now I'm just saying "Hi... here I am."
So... Hi... here I am.
JB
Greetings JB!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D Great to see you! ;D
love your stuff and glad to see you here at SC4D!
Welcome JB, I'm one of those SmalltownUSA fans and I'm looking forward to see those school packs of yours. ;)
Thanks everyone!
Let's get right into it then, shall we? I've had an add on pack in mind for the different school packs from day one. The purpose is basically to allow you to create your own "campus" and include whatever you do or don't want. There will be maintainence garages for your school busses (which will actually help "save" money on your bussing costs), student parking lots, athletic fields, and whatever other nifty ideas I come up with. If anyone has suggestions for this, I'm willing to listen... but I'm not promising to make everything that comes up! :D
I'm pretty excited tonight, because I actually got the football field to do what I want it to do. Andreas Roth gets a lot of praise for walking me through this, BTW... and Deadwoods cleared up the last bits that I still didn't get. But enough jabber, I like pictures!
The field will be empty for 8 months out of the year... football season is really only in the fall. (Pay attention to the date and time in the corner)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg130.imageshack.us%2Fimg130%2F4381%2Ffootballoffseasonok5.jpg&hash=8626f79df4c6527ae973559fb2511ca2df60543c)
The season actually starts in mid-September, but they don't play games all day long, you know...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg184.imageshack.us%2Fimg184%2F6380%2Ffootballpregamedw5.jpg&hash=52fa4e91ffb7989a840d3d222b3026b3044aaee0)
But starting around 7:00 each night of the season...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg481.imageshack.us%2Fimg481%2F1727%2Ffootballgameonpg0.jpg&hash=622268781498418a467aa80402b6ba759d235d01)
There are still a lot of props to add yet... but I just couldn't wait until it was completely finished! I'll try to remember some pictures of the bus garages tomorrow.
JB
Sweet! Great job on the football field! Can't wait for the add-on pack, and any other Smalltown or SHUR releases you put out. Your stuff is "da bomb"!
Sincerely yours,
FANBOY
Very nice stuff and welcome JBSimio. I look forward to seeing more of your work.
---Gaston
Oh this'll be good for the bottom line alright (but since you say you are workinig for free, the question then becomes "whose bottom line?"). The football stadium looks great; and the scoreboard in particular is a nice touch (though having two seems a bit unusual to me... but is understandable seeing the way they are situated next to the stands). I am curious though (if it is on this or on a separate lot) if there will be a track (and perhaps a shot put field, etc) incorporated with the add ons. Either way, what you've done so far is great, and I look forward to seeing the football field in its completed form. Welcome to SC4D.
&apls Welcome JB. It's great to see you here. I'm excited about the school add-ons. I've often wanted a way to customize the campuses, and can't wait to see more. the one add-on I can't find is a decent gymnasium building (hint hint).
wowo more great custom content woot!
Fanboy: Thanks! I love to make da :bomb:
Gaston: Thank-you for the welcome!
Threestooges: I'm still working on textures for a track. How I make a lot for it will depend entirely on the way the size ends up. I'm not sure if it will be separate, included with a football field, or both options. My high school had an entirely different facility for track meets, but I know that's not all that common.
Edge: Thanks! You're not the first to suggest a gym. I'm not used to seeing them as separate buildings, but apparently it happens a lot. I'll have to dig around and see if I can come up with some decent reference pictures.
Derek: Thanks for the woot (I think that means good...)
No new picutres today. On the other hand, I can say that my first upload to the LEX is now available! It's a Mega Prop Pack that includes every building (24 in all) ever made for the Smalltown and SHUR Project Series. There isn't a whole lot of new content in there, but using this will help game performance. There are rumors of a BSC Reward chain that may use this pack in the future. So you'll probably need it sooner or later anyway!
Jon
Lovely stuff.
I use almost all of the small town and school buildings in my Teton diary.
The soon-to-be released Jackson update showcases many of your buildings.
They fit perfectly in a town of about 10000 people.
I can't wait for the football field.
Your work is extremely well done.
Thanks for sharing it with us!
Great looking football field &apls
It brings back memories of those good? (pause) $%Grinno$% high school days.
Keith
Pvarcoe: Thank-you. I'll have to take a look at that... I'm always interested to see how other people use stuff. I usually have an idea in my head for what I think people will do, but I'm often wrong! :D
Keithsed: Thanks! Sounds a lot like my HS days...
Well... just a quick update tonight. I promised some pictures of the bus garages, so before I forget, here are two of them:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg444.imageshack.us%2Fimg444%2F1292%2Fparkinggarageswq8.jpg&hash=80b7f13579dd7b18735d92e34cbdff8a577b2e6a)
There are actually six different choices with these: Orange brick, red brick, or white siding... each with two different lot sizes. The larger size (6x4) is near the top-left of the picture, and the smaller (5x3) is on the right side.
Also... before those outside the US start shaking their fists and screaming about discrimination, there will be a soccer version of the American football field I showed above:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg260.imageshack.us%2Fimg260%2F32%2Fsoccergameondy5.jpg&hash=d842a228766bd73cc86ad311eac5a2df9cd19117)
See you next time!
JB
great work on all your schools. and it's nice to see some people that actually still care about quality :)
Wonderful football field! :thumbsup: Welcome to this site!
Thank you for the soccer version...it's highly appreciated by the simkids on this side of the pond ;)
I like the options for the fields and garages, but I do have one question: Unless the garages are also meant to serve as a school parking lot, would it be possible to get one with a smaller parking lot? Given the size of the bus storage/repair area, it seems like the parking area is a bit large (since each bus needs 1 driver and perhaps only a few mechanics to work on the busses). Although... what you have now is quite nice too.
JB ... you are a star ... now we will think a bit about this and look at a way to bring this sportsfields into the game luike Cal's Criket field ... something seperate for the schools ... just a thought and more application of your great work.
Cali: Thank-you! Yeah... I tend to care a lot! ;)
Bat: Thanks!
Sebes: You're welcome and I'm glad you like it. I didn't want to leave anyone out.
Threestooges: The parking lots I showed are, in fact, also student parking lots. I purposely left the high schools with very little parking on the lots I released so there would be more placement flexibility. I will probably have a set of lots with "garages only" that won't include the additional student parking areas.
Colyn: Thank-you! You know me... I'm always open to just about any ideas.
I needed a little break from the add on pack. Most of the last few days have been spent modding and organizing and basically numbing my brain! So, I decided to BAT a little (that's really my favorite part anyway...) Here are some preview shots of how Westlake Academy is shaping up.
My original plan was that this would be part of Volume Three. I started realizing that it wouldn't fit and decided to make it a stand-alone release. Westlake Academy is basically one of those college prep boarding schools... you know, where all the smart rich kids go. :D There will be a complete version on one lot (around 11x11ish) as well as a modular set that you can arrange however you want. Here's what I've got so far...
First is the Athletic and Student Center. It houses the gym, pool, caffeteria and "student commons" or game area.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg255.imageshack.us%2Fimg255%2F6472%2Fwestlakeacsw02zc3.th.jpg&hash=c66e28a042a9ba3161035a3a562861feaaf04a2f) (http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakeacsw02zc3.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg216.imageshack.us%2Fimg216%2F5210%2Fwestlakeacne02iq1.th.jpg&hash=bf97beb83047a42f478db3b626da722449d9ed48) (http://img216.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakeacne02iq1.jpg)
Next, we have the girls dorm:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg442.imageshack.us%2Fimg442%2F9420%2Fwestlakedormsw01fh4.th.jpg&hash=1283ef078b0b5165ed7b258fd14582ca31da36ec) (http://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakedormsw01fh4.jpg)
And the boys dorm:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg256.imageshack.us%2Fimg256%2F3599%2Fwestlakedorm2preview01gt3.th.jpg&hash=89deb3bd284edf098d678f6ca4a0b61ede62d230) (http://img256.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakedorm2preview01gt3.jpg)
None of these are "finished" yet... although the first two are pretty close. The boys dorm still has a lot of details to do, but you get the idea. That picture is just two different angles... I'm trying to decide if I should rotate it or not.
Like the football field!
Question:
Anyways, I have a great idea. Since it looks weird with packed stands and no field activity, and equally strange with static, football players on the field, you should make it half time. Maybe you could make a small concession stand behind or under the home side bleachers with people lined up to buy nachos and boiled peanuts
Also, Where's the band? If possible maybe you could make one section on either side have people wearing all the same clothes, like uniforms, and a director/drum major standing on a small portable scaffold on the ground facing that section of the stand? Maybe since it would be halftime one band could be in the stands while the other would be lined up around the end zone ready to march out.
Excellent. Always thinking a step ahead (is it any wonder why you are able to keep putting together such quality stuff?). My only comment/suggestion regarding the dorms is that the styles seem somewhat disjointed from each other. It seems to me that they would have been built aroudn the same time and thus be of somewhat similar style (but even as they are, they both look great). I'm not quite sure what exactly you mean by "rotating" it, but it looks fine now. As always, looking forward to the next part.
HamsterTK: Thanks! Keep in mind that those lots aren't finished yet. There actually is a concessions stand. It's below the pressbox facing the paved area... there are crowds and lines of people there now, although they weren't for the picture I posted. The field may not be empty by the time this is over... we'll see how it goes. No band... sorry. More hassles than I'm frankly willing to mess with! :D
Threestooges: Thank-you! The two dorms are a bit different... the detail work should tie them together a little better. They're meant to be somewhat different though. Most campuses like this and small colleges tend to grow and add buildings. My college (which was a measly 700 students) had an "old main" that was the entire school for a while... then one dorm was built... a couple years later another... etc. Many of them tie together in some way, but they also have rather distinct features at the same time. That's what I'm really aiming for. That's the v - e - r - y long reason anyway!
Nothing to show at this point. I have started making textures for the running track. It will fit around a football field, but the lot size for this combination will go from 6x6 (which is what you've seen) to 8x8 or maybe even 8x9. There will be options... track alone, football alone, track and football, nobody worry! ;) (Is track and soccer a viable combination? I'm not even sure if that happens... anyone?)
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on February 09, 2007, 04:29:32 PM
(Is track and soccer a viable combination? I'm not even sure if that happens... anyone?)
If by viable, you mean does it ever happen, then yes. Tracks around football(soccer) fields do exist, and are in fact rather common, especially on the Continent (European grounds)
This stuff is looking great may I add. Top notch BATting, care and attention evident.
Well, again I must put my two cents into the mix (if I keep this up... I'll go broke). First, thank you for the detailed reply. I am currently a senior in college, so I'm looking at your developments with great interest. I understand the idea of different styles for different periods of the school's development (my school has been around since the 20s I believe). As far as the track/soccer combination is concerned, it is certainly feasible, and is fairly common. At our school, what barely passes for a track circles a field usually used for our soccer games. My school is around 5,500 students at this point and has grown considerably too. To give you an idea (and perhaps some ideas if you run short... yeah... like that'll happen anytime soon) here is a map of our school (it's a few years old but for some reason, nothing much better than this was available):
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F999%2Fcampusmapcolor1hg5.jpg&hash=b3240d6fde42b6eb243081118809176e5428aea2)
makes me wish i went to school &ops. looks like a lovely school. :)
Coult: Thank-you! That was exactly the answer I needed.
Threestooges: Thanks for posting that picture. It should come in quite handy if I ever get around to the modular university.
Cali: Makes me wish I lived in California! :D
Short and to the point today. I have a preliminary set of textures done for the track. Here's a look surrounding the football field. I doubt the markings are entirely accurate, but I figure they probably vary depending on where you live anyway. So unless they're just a complete mess, I'm really not too concerned. Not much else has changed, but I didn't have a whole lot of time over the weekend...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F3742%2Ffootballtrack01bw5.jpg&hash=1fe131581602972bdeb9e3acd77764ef0e1ad507)
JB
JBSimio,
I don't know what it is but something about the markings on the football field doesn't look right. The rest is looking fantastic.
---Gaston
I can not wait to get my hands on this field.
It's gonna look great in Jackson (Terraforming Teton)
I love your stuff, especially the Shur project, will there be more? The school track look very good also. Great work.
Nice work JBS. Will it be a version of the running track, but with a soccer field instead of a football one?
It looks like it turned out well. The only suggestions/comments I have for it are:
-The football fields lines: As far as I have seen in American football fields, the lines are every 10 yards, these seem to be representative of every 5 yards. If you can easily cut the number of lines in half i think it would look much better.
-The bottom-left side of the field looks a bit sparse. Perhaps (though this may be more work than it is worth) a long jump pit or shot put field could be added. Or is could just be left for the user to add trees to in-game.
For not having much time this weekend, it certainly looks like progress has been made. Keep up the good work.
Looks great. I would suggest a security fence around the whole lot to prevent people who have not bought tickets from sneaking in. Prehaps with barbed wire so they cant just climb it.
Gaston: Thanks! My guess for what doesn't look right could be two things. If you're only looking at this last picture, the hash marks don't show up (they really only show on zoom5)... OR the numbers are closer to the sideline than they really should be. (Which is minor enough that I probably won't mess with it)
Pvarcoe: Thank-you. I'm sorry to say it may be a while yet. I have a look at Jackson... quite the impressive region you have going there! &apls
Rooker: Thanks! Yes... there will be more. I actually have a good sized set of brownstones that I need to finish up for the SHUR Project.
Rayden: Thank-you! Yes, there will be a soccer version as well. I just need to make additional textures for it to fit properly.
Threestooges: Nope... every five yards is what I've seen in every picture I've checked. The sparse areas fall under the heading of "still not done yet." ;) I really only had time yesterday evening... but I made the most of it! Thank-you.
Fledgeling: Thanks! That also falls under the "still not done yet" category.
Just a quick update on the second dorm for Westlake Academy. I got the front porch finished this afternoon and most of the trim details. Maybe a little more roof junk... but this is pretty close to the finished deal.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F508%2Fwestlakedorm2preview02of4.jpg&hash=8575121195d94d28dcee8223f88673217701adaf)
Thanks for all the kind words and suggestions. I really appreciate it!
JB
QuoteNope... every five yards is what I've seen in every picture I've checked.
Well I'll be... sorry about that. Every time I watch the game I only pay attention to the 10 yard markers (probably because of the big numbers next to them) but yes, every 5 seems to be standard way to mark the fields. My next question for you (if you choose to accept it) is what you are going to do with the spire on top of the dorm. What is it for (perhaps a flag pole...tv antenna)?
wonderful football field with great detials! The building looks also great! :thumbsup:
Threestooges: I'll accept just about any question... and the answer is that I don't really plan to do much of anything with it. $%Grinno$% The spire is purely decorative... or if you really want to, I guess you can say it's a lightning rod! :D
Bat: Thank-you!
Another quick peek today. I decided we would need a boiler/maintainence building somewhere on campus, so here it is.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg176.imageshack.us%2Fimg176%2F103%2Fwestlakeboilerpreview01nn9.jpg&hash=9c4a4dee8c9e84fd6cb4c1d381d623258ed58f6d)
Still needs a little work, especially around the pitched roof area, but for the most part, this is it. The interior should make for some pretty cool lighting when I get that far.
JB
This is looking really promising, and like yet another JBSimio masterpiece!
Anxiously awaiting the final result! :thumbsup:
-M-
Love the academy building and the boiler room, great job. I can't wait for the shur lots. Thanks for the insight.
wonderful houses, nice textures! :thumbsup:
hi jon my friend how are you,as allways your doing awesome work
M: Thank-you! I hope the wait won't be too terribly long.
Rooker: Thanks! I'll try to get something for the SHUR Project done soon again.
Bat: Thanks... although I can't recall doing any houses... :D
Jacky: Thank-you. Nice to see you here!
Well... I've spent the last couple days making a start on the main academic building for Westlake Academy. The scary part is that, even after roughly 10 hours, I still don't have enough done to make it worth showing yet! Take that as a good sign if you want... I'm pretty happy with how it's coming along and I should have a good chunk of time this weekend to mess with it.
In the meantime... I've been working little by little on the single lot portion of the campus. There will be separate, modular pieces as well, but this is just to give you an idea of what I'm trying to do.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg100.imageshack.us%2Fimg100%2F7509%2Fwestlakecampus01bp0.jpg&hash=2f43a7149d350340f21c0a851b99005592d25f2e)
Don't tell me it needs trees... I'm just making sure the sizes are right so far! :P
JB
Amazing work JB! &apls &apls &apls &apls
It looks pretty good so far. My only concern is that the guy's dorm might fit a little awkwardly if it is the only building positioned on an angle like that (keep in mind that I don't work with the LE much...yet... so I am not used to seeing buildings without their extra bits and pieces) but considering how the rest of the buildings and the paths seem to follow a grid pattern, I had expected to see the dorm on a corner of a path, but it still doesn't look too bad where it is now. Finally, I take it as a good thing that you don't wish to show anything from the main building. Its a sign that you take pride in your work and that you wouldn't want to show it until you are satisfied. Take your time, it's worth the wait (though the wait does cause some impatience at times heh heh). As usual: well done.
I know I already posted in here under my old hamster account but I never said much about the new westlake academy bats. I like them alot. Great replacement for the tired old maxis university props/lots
Just curious, what sort of brick texture will you use for the final version(or is the orange how its going to look?)
Angel: Thank-you!
Threestooges: Thanks. I'm still not entirely sure about the rotation of the boy's dorm yet either. The L shape will make it stand out regardless, really... at this angle it still mirrors the 45 degree paths in the square... so we'll see. You can see the beginning of the main building now... ()stsfd()
Zaphod: I'm glad you like them... thank-you. There might be a lot more for the universtiy stuff at some point too. (But I'm not going to get into that just yet) I'm not completely sure of a brick texture yet. I had a shade of orange in mind originally, but the style has moved much further to the "gothic" side than I originally planned, so that may no longer work. I'm open to ideas if you have a color in mind.
OK... there is still a LONG ways to go on the main academic building, but I'm going to show the beginning anyway. The back and sides aren't even started yet! The front isn't really finished either... but much closer than it was yesterday.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg59.imageshack.us%2Fimg59%2F4853%2Fwestlakeschoolpreview02dn3.jpg&hash=81009b2c2da769b64a168dc4e68bd7b11e903b73)
There's a couple "concerns" I'm still debating at this point. First, the center might be too tall. It looks better now that the roof is in place, but I'm still not sure. Second... the arched "gateways" on either side. This is an idea I had at the beginning of the whole project. I wanted one of those places where the path cuts through the building. I started making the building, and now I'm not sure if those gateways really fit this style or not. I'd like to keep them, but I don't want to force the idea if it doesn't really fit.
In other news... I found a SHUR building that I had forgotten about. I tweaked it a little bit and added some life to the ground floor shops. If it looks like something anyone would like, I can light it up and have it finished in a pretty short amount of time. It's a 2x3 corner lot... w2w on the short side with room for an alley along the wider side. I'd probably do a CS$$ and maybe a R$$ version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F7851%2Ftaftpreview01ua4.jpg&hash=8e42d09c7b852935ee05a5cc1ea25823430bff62)
Adios from Monkey Around Productions...
JB
Oh..Oh..me, me! That w2w corner building looks great. It'd fit in perfect with my playing style. ;D As, for the school building, those tower sections and the arched windows, on the ends, are supurb. Nice work! &apls
JB - you are very welcome! Awsome projects! :thumbsup:
From my first impressions: the main building looks great. I am curious to find out what your souce for this building was (or if it was something you just came up with). I don't think it is necessaryily too tall, but the greay towers seem to extent a fair bit above it which may be what causes the effect (either that or the building isn't long enough to balance the height). As far as the arches go: it seems that much of the building's design features angles. Above the windows on the roof, the pillars by the middle entrance, the frame around the middle (front) door. The only curved areas seem to be the windows on either end (and they look good there) and those arches. Perhaps if you gave the arch a slight point at the top rather than the smooth curve it has now it may fit in with the angles of the rest of the building. Looking forward to the next presentation.
thanks my friend,your work is awesome allways so much detail &apls &apls
Jestarr: Well thanks! That's a much nicer reception than this building got back in October when I first made it! :D I'm glad you like it... give it a week or so.
Angel: I'm glad you like this random collection of stuff!
Threestooges: You're right... the pointed arches got squashed in the "SC4 Angle" world again. I usually have to make them three or four times before I finally get it right. They are pointed... just not enough yet.
Jacky: Thank-you as always!
Just a quick update today. I made a few adjustments to the school building and began the side walls. I missed one adjustment on the roof, but I'll fix it at some point. Not a whole lot of difference, so we'll just go with a thumbnail today... that way you don't have to look at it unless you really want to! ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg252.imageshack.us%2Fimg252%2F1336%2Fwestlakeschoolpreview03te4.th.jpg&hash=af22b41b1b7c070aaaa163a1801e953c2ef22846) (http://img252.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakeschoolpreview03te4.jpg)
JB
Even though the wait will be terribly long, I'm convinced, no, I am dead sure that it will be all worth it! I just love this, and that main building is exquisite!
Take your time, I'll be waiting, patiently, and be eternally grateful when this is done!
Like a good wine, I'm sure this matures really well with age! And as they say, patience is a virtue! :P
Quote from: M4346 on February 18, 2007, 09:45:33 AM
Even though the wait will be terribly long, I'm convinced, no, I am dead sure that it will be all worth it! I just love this, and that main building is exquisite!
Take your time, I'll be waiting, patiently, and be eternally grateful when this is done!
Like a good wine, I'm sure this matures really well with age! And as they say, patience is a virtue! :P
(*still looking for the 'Ditto' sign*)M said it, I love this and will be patiently waiting for its release!
I love the SHUR building, my only complaint is that its windows need some Jasoncw/nofunk magic to shine. The model is superb, however.
Speaking of old SHUR buildings, what happened to this pack:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg179.imageshack.us%2Fimg179%2F3413%2Ffullertonthreepreview01pv7.jpg&hash=5a038697c17125f3d68f590cf8479b2061d258b7)
M: Thank-you very much. Your "virtuous" patience is greatly appreciated! ;)
Vicki: Thank-you as well. Nice to see you here!
Fledgeling: Yep... the windows need to be finished off. I didn't want to spend that much time until I knew if it was something people wanted! I'll definitely wrap this one up soon.
Since Fledgeling brought it up... and then went and showed an outdated picture on top of things ::) :D... here is the complete set of brownstones he's talking about.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg135.imageshack.us%2Fimg135%2F9991%2Ffoursouthdaypreviewnd7.th.jpg&hash=0126fa1fc60796c633b02b2639aba1b115cac2ba) (http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=foursouthdaypreviewnd7.jpg)
The hold up on these is really a matter of time. There are basically 12 models I need to export. Each one takes about 1.5 hours to export. I can only do one at a time. (For those in the know, if I try doing a batch render script, I always seem to end up with broken renders.) So... it's really a matter of me leaving everything else alone long enough to get them all exported. It will happen at some point. A lot of other stuff is on hold at the moment anyway... so hopefully sooner than later.
JB
&apls Good, good to hear. Glad to see your still on it.
While we are on the topic of old buildings... %wrd
May i ask the progress of these, and their current status?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg301.imageshack.us%2Fimg301%2F9652%2Fcranbrooklofts3sg.jpg&hash=2a4c2db3adb9da3a8e54a7a5c31fbba28b14caf5)
This is just like the ones in my hometown! I like it! Alot, actually. I hope something can be done with it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg142.imageshack.us%2Fimg142%2F3053%2Fwarehousenortheast01fm1.jpg&hash=5f91876a985b57115884f47d3aece8e7019b3aee)
This midrise? Its just the right size for many small-ish towns.
I like the first model better, however
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg49.imageshack.us%2Fimg49%2F9699%2Fwarehouseloftpreview02nn7.jpg&hash=7aad13f7b82efa3cdc60f14883935d5c4baa81c3)
Just curious
Ok guys. A poor old average fella like myself can only take so much :D
These pics are killing me, they are all so beautiful.
All I can tell you is; if you release them, I'm using them.
Gorgeous work!
This building is looking fantastic! Nice textures! :thumbsup:
ahh man I forgot about those brownstones, hopefully you'll get a chance to export all of those
Alright, Fledgeling! Now you're just getting ridiculous! :P Let's see... the first one, I honestly forgot about completely! That's an old one, and from the looks of it, I would really need to start over with it. I'll have to go to the basement to see if I even still have it. %confuso The second one I actually took a look out when I dusted off the Taft Building. I will definitely finish it at some point, but it needs a bit of work yet.
Pvarcoe: I'm glad you like them. My lawyers prepared a statement... something to the effect of "JBSimio Inc and Monkey Around Productions will not be held liable for any negative side affects, health related or otherwise, incurred by viewing graphic images posted herein..." Whatever that means... ::)
Bat: Thank-you. Although, now I'm not sure which buildings we're talking about anymore...
Zaphod: Thanks... I'll get to them sooner or later.
Man... I have to remember not to post pictures until I'm good and ready! Apparently they have a way of coming back to haunt a guy. Actually, I was planning to shift to some of this stuff for a short while soon. The school stuff is going to be a long project and I really want to support the LEX and get some stuff on there. So some of these "smaller" projects should be wrapping up sooner than later.
For example... I adjusted the windows and lit the Taft Building up last night. The real Taft Building is acrosss the street on Hollywood and Vine... I'm not sure what this one is actually called. I saw it during my trip to California in September. It's not exact by any stretch, but that's what it is based on. Anyway... here's the pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg142.imageshack.us%2Fimg142%2F8334%2Ftaftsouthwest01qy6.jpg&hash=51e0029de03faf36e4a5c09cfafe15a84a3dcabd)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg120.imageshack.us%2Fimg120%2F9288%2Ftaftsouthwestnightaa7.jpg&hash=f16789fdca1bfe5ced0b3738c8c9a16b9922fe07)
JB
Amazing...........it's all amazing. The Taft building looks perfect and I think it would make a great CS$$ building. The main academic building is looks awesome. I relly like the over all feel. The arched windows and hallway looked great. And my dream has come true............more SHUR buildings........and 12 of them. WOW...OMG.......this day will be a great day when those are released. Entire city blocks of Sims will be moving in.....I had better sit down to plan all this out. By the way, how much time do I have to plan for the Shur building? Hehehe..........just kidding. Better to take your time than rush.
man oh man, all those projects are absolutely amazing. i love those brownstones and i'm really loooking forward to the release of those as with all your other projects! i can't wait to see what you do next!
Rooker: Thanks! The 12 Brownstones will actually become 4. They'll be set up in families so the color schemes are randomized. Those are going to take a while to finish. The Taft Building will be a 3x2 corner lot and should be ready in the next week or so.
Goin2Chicago: Thanks! Next??? &mmm I think I have too many things going already... but who knows?
I got the Taft Building exported last night. It shouldn't take long to get the lots done... then it will just need some testing and it should be ready to go. I'm shooting for next week sometime... hopefully.
JB
You mean you haven't another 200 simultaneous projects at present? Too bad :D :D
There is some lovely stuff here JBSimio. I'm intersted to see what sort of brick texture you will apply to the university buildings as well; it could also work with bluestone/ivy but whatever you come up with, I'm sure it will look top notch. :thumbsup:
Thanks, Matt! Nope... I put a cap at 143 concurrent projects. :-\ ;D I haven't completely decided on a brick texture for Westlake yet. I have a couple ideas, but I'm still open to suggestions at this point.
Speaking of Westlake... I realized I forgot to answer one of Threestooges questions. The main academic building is inspired by about three different buildings. The center portion is based on Mary Grove College in Detroit... the large arched windows are from a Presbytirian (I know I spelled that wrong... &ops) church in Saginaw, MI... and the gateways and overall feel of the building (as well as the name) is from a movie called "Cry Wolf." It's an OK movie... but I wouldn't spend to much time trying to find it. I was on Showtime one night and I thought, "That would make a cool looking school."
Just a quick update on the Taft Building. I got the lots done and sort of tested. A little more tweaking and this should be ready to go in the very near future. Here's a teaser:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F6382%2Ftaftgamedayfx9.jpg&hash=936746ac24cbf88976be6b07793a9765cafe6ebc)
JB
PS... Three of the brownstones are rendered... nine more to go! ;)
I like it alot. I can't think of any improvements actually. Great work. :thumbsup:
Wonderful building! Great textures! :thumbsup:
Thank you for your detailed reply (I hope I don't make you write too much). Also, if I am correct, I believe it is spelled 'ter' instead of 'tir'. The SHUR buildings look great and will be a nice addition when finished. I'm looking forward to having those in my city soon.
when i say "can't wait to see what you do next" is just like saying i can't wait for more pictures or any type of releases or any updates on bats. it's just an easy way of saying all that without saying all that. understand? lol.
i like the taft building and how you put it on a more corner oriented lot. i love your work because it's my favorite style to build in the game and also to see in real life. excellent stuff!
JB! It took me a while to mosey on over here lol...
The SHUR projects are fantastic. I certainly hope you get around to finishing them all. I especially love the Taft Building. It's a solid building with strong details.
And I love how Fledgeling is bringing up all these old projects. Of course you should release them all, especially the brownstones. They'd add some much needed variety to the ones already available.
As always, great work.
P.S. I'll be sending some stuff your way soon! ;D
Rooker: Thanks! It should be on the LEX very soon.
Bat: Thank-you!
Threestooges: The various SHUR stuff is coming along, thanks! Eh... spelling is overrated anyway! $%Grinno$%
Goin2chicago: I know what you meant... I just had to poke back a little bit. I kid, I kid... :D I'm glad you like it. It's always been my favorite styles too. I just enjoy the little details and craftsmanship that builders don't seem to bother with anymore.
Nofunk: Welcome! The Taft Building is next on the list... soon. The brownstones, well look down, are getting there. I'm glad you like them. Thanks! I'll be watching for what you have next. (Here is probably a better place to PM me, btw)
As I said, the Taft Building is very close to finished. Just some final details and it should be done.
The brownstone set is completely rendered! I got the low wealth lots done last night. (There will be medium wealth versions as well, but one thing at a time please) They are all 1x2 with 86 residents each. They will play into the BSC rewards as well as a newly created SHUR reward chain. (Don't ask what that will become... I really don't know yet... hopefully it will be cool whatever it is!) Anyway... SimCity just got a little more ghetto fabulous. Have a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg92.imageshack.us%2Fimg92%2F6162%2Flowbrownstonesdayxp0.jpg&hash=466d5e00ca657ee6ba23922186f46601a9b6c9be)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg145.imageshack.us%2Fimg145%2F6520%2Flowbrownstonesnightgj9.jpg&hash=c814c5d82c7cd5701e204b83ee7acdd5db1bb1a0)
More to come! I have the weekend off... so maybe a lot more! :satisfied:
JB
Those look perfect.
I was wandering, how hard would it be to make an a few lots 2x2 (with the same bat) and put electrical wire from one building to the other with a shoe hanging. A plop would be good that way you could use it where ever you liked. Better still an over hanging prop, to cross the street to the building on the other side. I think I maybe dreaming now. But that would be so realistic.
Anyways, awesome work! :thumbsup:
Wonderful work ! The academic building and boiler building are VERY cool &dance &dance
Quote from: rooker1 on February 23, 2007, 06:27:54 AM
Those look perfect.
I was wandering, how hard would it be to make an a few lots 2x2 (with the same bat) and put electrical wire from one building to the other with a shoe hanging. ... But that would be so realistic.
Anyways, awesome work! :thumbsup:
I've never seen a shoe hanging from an electric wire! :D
You know, like in the movies when the bully throws the other kid's shoes over the electrical wire.
Rooker: Thanks! I do have a plan for a 2x version, but not with the shoe hanging from the power line. It's a cool idea, and wouldn't be that hard to do. My only concern is the realism of it. The wires wouldn't go from one building to another, but from building to "phone pole" in the alley. Without knowing where that phone pole is in relation to each building, it would be impossible to know if the power lines would line up. I think you'll like the end result, though. It's even more ghetto than the shoe thing... ;D
Sebes: Thank-you! I hope to get some more done with that this weekend.
Scorer: I've never actually seen it in real life either... but I have seen it in movies several times.
In the process of trying to dig up the other buildings that Fledgeling mentioned, I found another one that I temporarily forgot. The sad thing is that I forgot it in less than two months! This is another one I saw when I went to Chicago for New Years (which is where all these brownstones came from as well). It's nothing over-spectacular, but I thought it had some nice character and I ended up with this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg293.imageshack.us%2Fimg293%2F6342%2Flockwoodarmspreview01fq0.jpg&hash=7b8ce1006077a918d84142f92854e3202e090e31)
Hasta luego... cheers... word to your mother... pick your favorite closing,
JB
OK... that last picture wasn't all that exciting. Let's try this again. I finished all of the modeling on Lockwood Arms and put some textures on it. I'm not entirely sure if I want to stick with the brown or switch to more of a rose-ish color for the upper brick. Any thoughts?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg129.imageshack.us%2Fimg129%2F2018%2Flockwoodpreview02yl4.jpg&hash=77a0f2d23a277b43c74ece554c1e79c96b1a4c8f)
In other news, I started making lots for the R$$ brownstones. There will be 1x2 and also 1x3 sizes for the medium wealth. The 1x3 will have "off street parking" and those are the ones I tried to work on this morning. I'm pretty happy with them so far, but some little things still may change.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg443.imageshack.us%2Fimg443%2F1707%2Fmedbrownstones3deepfronze9.jpg&hash=5b7b99af32ee364b2693b8081d0ccbdf01506071)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F5105%2Fmedbrownstones3deepalletd8.jpg&hash=2cad987b9d1558e74e12be976e31c7f4832ad2d7)
As always, I'm open to suggestions and ideas.
I'm also working on a couple things for the low wealth versions still as well. There will be a 2x2 lot with one brownstone and one "vacancy" of some sort or another... might be open land, might be something else... but that's about all I can say at this point.
JB
I'll give you an idea/suggestion, release them as soon as possible, as I'm dying for them $%Grinno$% No, really, they look just perfect :thumbsup: &apls
very nice. i like the low wealth lot and the medium. now i have some suggestions since you're always so open to them. lol. those white benches in front of the low wealth lot stick out too much and don't go along with the building or any of it's surroundings. i would probably put the brown ones that you used in front of the medium wealth for the low wealth as well because they would fit better than the white ones. as for the alley behind the medium wealth lots, i would probably go with the cracked cement that you used in the other lots because i think it would look better and in real life it would be more than likely to find an old cracked up dirty cement alley behind any building no matter what wealth it is rather than a new looking asphault. those are just some ideas and if you do them or not, i'll download either way. the lockwood arms looks great also and maybe once i see you try some other brick textures i could decide which one i like but the one you have now looks great. i just wanted to say thanks for anything you've done in the SC4 community and all the hard work you've put forth. keep up the great work!
My only comment on these is in regard to the garages for the off street parking. Unless they are reserved/rented out to higher paying residents, it seems that they would be insufficient to serve the entire facility. I'm not sure what I would recommend as a suitable change for it. However, everything else looks great and these seem like they will be a very nice addition.
Hey Jb if you dont mind a NoOb throwing in some comments?
First off I would like to say to you that you are dang goood and i love the school packs 1&2 and so cant wait for that 3rd one.
wow talk about some awsome works even your other stuff i seen and still trying to grow the Acme Boiler, well should say cant wait to play the game some good long time to see what grows lol.
Only one suggestion that i do have is in reguards to the garages is to see about changing the look alittle bit cause the color is way to brite, maybe dirty them up a bit?
other then all my babblings great stuff JB cant wait to get me little paws on them - pat
Hey JB, You've been making some great progress here. The rowhouses are looking great. From the looks of things the medium wealth version will fill a niche on my computer perfectly. I use the SFBT's 1x3 lots but they only grow in the Euro tileset. The rest of the time the 1x3 lots sit empty waiting for them. This will give them some competition. As for Lockwood, since you asked, I think the brown brick is fine. I wouldn't change it. I think it works nicely with the grey stonish texture around the front base.
hi jon my friend as allways your progress is awesome
take care
Rayden: Thank-you! Everything I release is "as soon as I can." ;D I guess this is the problem with trying to do 5 projects at once! (Not sure how some of the other BSC people do it!)
Goin2chicago: I went with the white benches because they're meant to represent those cheap plastic/fiberglass things (I think that was Maxis intention anyway) I'll try the stone ones and see how it looks. The alley texture will certainly change. I grabbed the wrong one when I started and didn't really notice it until I got into the game. Thank-you!
Threestooges: The layout for these is actually based on the real apartment where my friend lives in Chicago. My understanding is that the garages are in fact extra. I think she said something like $200/month for a garage... actually for one car spot in the garage. You're right, there wouldn't be enough space for everyone to have one... but such is life in the big city. (I guess... my "city" is all of 400 people!) Thank-you.
Patfirefghtr: Thanks! Volume Three is just waiting to see if we can resolve some Mac issues with 1&2. Hopefully, we can get them fixed and move on, but until then, I'm holding off. Thanks! The garages are actually just Maxis props. I'm debating making some of my own both for the reasons you mentioned and also to make the doors line up better. (If you really look, you'll see the fence falls between windows on some, overtop of them on others, etc.) So we'll see... I want to look through some other prop packs first to see if I can find some there as well.
Spa: Thank-you! I noticed while lotting these that there really isn't much in the 1x3 category too. Never really dawned on me until I started. Thanks also for the color input. I'm still going to give the other color a whirl and see what happens. (I just don't want to get stuck on all browns!)
Jacky: Thanks! It's always nice to hear from you.
Whew... thanks for all the input everyone! I really do appreciate it. I figure you're using the stuff as much if not more than I am, so it can't always just be about me! ?=mad)= Back to the ghetto for a moment. (It's daytime... don't be scared) I mentioned a 2x2 lot the other day. This isn't finished yet, but I got a start on it. This will also use prop families so that what shows up on the vacant lot will be pretty random. The building will always be one of the Sheffield colors, but the vacant lot might be an abandonned building, burned out shell, asphalt covered in garbage, or parking. (I think those are enough options unless I'm missing something) Here are two of those:
The abandonned building is in the lower left. It goes with the building on the corner.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg141.imageshack.us%2Fimg141%2F4232%2Fbrownstonevacantdu3.jpg&hash=e37a367ae56db5c7c00126858cdd9bc5ca6c0e15)
The burned out shell is pretty obvious. It goes with the building on the corner.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F7609%2Fbrownstonefirekt9.jpg&hash=a23cfcec7cde830730f27cf2908c60cf605acc50)
(These aren't set up to be corner lots... it just happened that way) That's all for now!
JB
wow, thats pretty awesome. it's always the little things like that that keep me coming back for more. i'm looking forward to seeing the two other variations you mentioned.
Well all I can say is that I have never seen such a beautiful burned out building! It's a tough thing to do. Much easier to make a functioning structure instead of the randomness and ugliness of disaster. You've nailed it though. The textures and the falling in roof beams are great.
It actually makes me think of that one building that every city has that has just been left to fall apart by an uncaring owner. Usually there is a battle on by the neighbourhood and city government to have it repaired or demolished that tends to go on for years or until there is one final fire. Here in Halifax, there is actually one wrecked facade in the downtown on Barrington Street that has been there for years and years right next to the city's main theater. I keep waiting for it to finally go but no signs of activity yet.
Well that certainly makes sense (the garage thing). I think the building with the burned out shell looks pretty good, but I am also interested in seeing the other variations (and also, as always, what you come up with next).
Goin2chicago: Thank-you! I'll post pictures of the other options as soons as I finish them. I need to dig through the game files and find the props so I can make copies and twist them to my will! ?$%kar&%h
Spa: Thanks. I'm really happy with how the burned out shell came out. It wasn't hard, but really time consuming. I basically made wall studs for each wall like I would a window frame. Then under "splines" I deleted segments, moved vertices, etc etc etc. before doing the edit mesh and UVW map. Time consuming for sure! One of the side angles looks pretty cool too!
Threestooges: Thanks... I'd like to see it too!
I spent a few hours and made new garages as suggested. There are six of them... 4 brick colors and 2 with siding. I didn't have the patience to wait for them all to group themselves into one picture frame, so you'll have to just judge from this if it's better or worse. I also redid the alley textures (both wealth versions now match... for whatever that's worth) Still more fine tuning to do... but getting closer!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg513.imageshack.us%2Fimg513%2F7026%2Fmedbrownstonealley02pj3.jpg&hash=9e70bd64e08dc4beec6af32ee1401784f9afcb6b)
JB
haha, that ninja smiley's awesome. as for the garages, they look realy good. i never even thoguht about the garages but very cool that you did them. they're lookin great!
Now that last pic really shows the parking situation as it would likely be (when I saw the other pic there didn't seem to be as much room for non-garage parking). Sad to see that the neighborhood isn't exactly crime free though, guess the police need to step it up (coming up next for the small town series...).
well done. love the garages
Goin2chicago: Thanks! I agree that the garages were definitely worth doing.
Threestooges: I'm still tinkering with the placement/number of garages to find a good balance. As it stands right now there are two versions with the garage and fence furthest back (like the one on the right), one version of the garage with the fence forward (on the left) and one version with no garage at all (the two in the middle) So three out of every four lots "should" have garages on average. Obviously, it doesn't always work out that way... The first shot was mostly just to test the theory and make sure it all worked. Now I just need to move things, take them out, play some more, move things back, play again, put them back in, play some more, eat, move things, sleep, find a new job... you get the idea! ;D
Cali: Thanks! Glad you like them.
Well, I don't think the parking idea is going to happen for the 2x2 vacant lot that I've been working on. I will still make something along those lines, but it won't be part of this particular lot. The problem is that I can't switch between a building (like the burned out shell) to a line of parked cars and still have it look good. The parking area ends up off center, facing the wrong way, and pretty empty looking. So I think I will save it as an option for the medium wealth version. In the meantime, I did finish the other vacant lot in all its trashed out glory:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F7782%2Fbrownstonerubbleel0.jpg&hash=bffcb6c5d0901b4386c311fd6531d78981f5c539)
So, basically... the lot switches between this, the burned shell, and the vacant building. (There are actually 2 sets of trash, so the random ratio is "Trash, Burned, Trash, Vacant")
JB
Nice and realistic lotting. It will look superb on a suburban neighbourhood, low wealth and slummy neighbourhood :P
Keep it up man :thumbsup:
very nice!
Oh hell, you get a dancing elephant for that! &dance
That burnt out shell is just fantastic! (Well, fantastic as burnt out buildings go lol.) You keep discovering the details that get missed in the game, like school bus yards, abandoned and demolished buildings, etc. Great, great, great!
First off, I have missed so many new post. I never thought you would get so much work done so quickly. I no longer feel like the loyal fan........ :'(, But I'm here now and what I see looks amazing. :thumbsup:
The Lockwood Arms looks great. As for diiferent textures, I don't know. What you have already looks great, but something different may look great as well. If we had choices, maybe we could narrow it down.
The Brownstones, well I won't complain about the first set because you have fixed everything. Although, I do have one suggestion. Instead of making a two car garage, how about a 4 or 5 car shed with a flat roof. (two sides a back and a roof on a slight angle with parking lines on the inside.) Also can we have some junk on the belconies, maybe a satelite dish and some cars in the alley. Other than that, I love it.
The 2x2 ghetto buildings are super fantasticly amazing. I can't wait for thier release!!!! I wouldn't change a thing on these.
Your houses are looking very great! :thumbsup:
Rayden: Thank-you! Nice to see you stopping in.
Goin2chicago: Thanks!
Nofunk: Glad you like it. These cool details are starting to mess with me though. I fondly remember a time when I made a little shop and that was that. But no! Now I force myself into entire sets. Why make one apartment when I can make a whole set of 12??? I must be nuts! $%Grinno$%
Rooker: You and your good ideas... there's a picture just for you at the bottom of this drivel. Thank-you! There is junk on the balconies... towels hanging off the railings, patio chairs, even the occasional bike. Unfortunately, a lot of it gets lost in the shadows. Fortunately for all of you (unfortunately for me) I'm going to have to re-export all of these at which point I will make the stuff a bit more noticable.
Bat: Thank-you!
OK... I have a couple things to show tonight. For starters, I finished off the 1x2 R$$ version as well as the 2x2$$ with parking version. This picture is slightly outdated, and I'll explain why in a minute.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg301.imageshack.us%2Fimg301%2F2683%2Fmedbrownstoneparkingdh2.jpg&hash=e3f59642075d5de13ffcad8b82a9d540621c0271)
The outdated part is quite minor, but I'm going to fix it because I'm a bit of a detail freak. (What? You already knew that? :D) The problem is the fences overlapping the building wall in some spots (bottom right for example). I'm not going to go into all sorts of detail, but the issue (in short) is that the buildings all have slightly different centers. Basically that means that the red version of a building might be further to the left than the light brown version of that same building when it grows. So... there is no way for me to match up the fences perfectly and have it work for every building. The solution is to put part of the fence into the BAT and use that to center everything. Not hard, but it will take some time to render them all again. The plus side is that I will be able to make these slope friendly in the process. Anyway... moving on.
This picture doesn't show the fixed version yet, but it does show what the new fences will look like and also shows what I came up with thanks to Rooker
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg93.imageshack.us%2Fimg93%2F4154%2Fmedbrownstonesalley05rv9.jpg&hash=919f32221f8906c17a90291c1221f0df18cdb929)
I'll probably make the shed slightly shorter... but how does this grab you? Those are Maxis cars inside by the way, so they will come and go like any other parking area. See you later!
JB
thats one thing the game is definetly missing...Carports!...thank you, and great work &apls &apls
Fantastic man. Can't wait to show them off on my Shosaloza :P :thumbsup:
since you're goin through all this trouble you might as well bat some new cars and garbage, new trees while you're at it too. lol. great work.
No! Dont do it! Other's car props are enough- this only distracts you from your regular projects. Dont worry about the rest- maxis props are fine. Everything does not need to be brand spanking new to look good. Its not worth the time fr someting that minor
Ohhh, this is a killer, just discovered this thread and HAD to read it all before bed...sigh...is now twenty after one in the morning &ops,
Have to thank you for your creations.....Have been collecting them all, and think one of my towns isn't complete until I have several streets of "Small Town" shopping!
Keep up the great work. :thumbsup:
OMG, it's Christmas again........no wait...my birthday. Oh oh, I am just so excited. I love the car port. It's exactly what I was think of. Now the question is which one are you going to use, garage or port?
They are now perfect which ever way you decide. I have no more ideas, I just want you to release them, please.......pretty please. I need more JBSimio stuff. I am having with drawl since your last upload. Hehehe
Just kidding, take your time.
:thumbsup:
Cali: Carports... that's what they're called! Had a brain fart trying to think of that last night... lol. Thanks!
Rayden: Thank-you! I'll try to finish them up quick, but it may still be a while.
Goin2chicago: :D Very funny... %ban% $%Grinno$%
Fledgeling: No need to worry. Even if he had been serious, I have no intention of making cars or garbage bags!
Oldrogue: Welcome to my little corner. Sorry to keep you up... but I'm sure you saw the health discalimer. :D Thank-you for the kind words.
Rooker: I'm glad you like it and thank you for the idea. I'm going to use both car port and garage. Out of the four lots, two will have garages, one will have a carport, and one will be open asphalt. I guess it's all up to the landlord of each building. I'm having withdrawal from releasing anything myself. But look at it this way... when this stuff finally gets done there will be quite a lot of stuff at once.
Nothing to show today, I just wanted to respond to all the comments. I got all the building models reset last night, so now it's just a matter of exporting everything again. Probably take a couple days to get through them all. I'll probably export Lockwood Arms while I'm at it and see what I can come up with for that too.
JB
Don't rush, me saying I can't wait for your stuff, means I love your work and I will wait, because I know it will be worth waiting for it ;) ;)
yes, i am patient as well 8), i can wait as long as it takes.
Me too
Are we there yet? ;D
Nice LOD work on those carports, JB!
*drool*
This stuff is fabulous!
hi my friend how are you,hey its great to see you try something different and you have done an awesome job
take care
These are excellent. The burnt out one was a great idea, and is very well done (no pun intended ::) )
Rayden, Cali, Oldrogue, Pvarcoe, and Jacky: Thanks everyone! That's just one of the attitudes I love about this particular community. Unfortunately.... we're not there quite yet. And stop hitting your brother... don't make me turn this car around!
Nofunk: Thanks for noticing! This one was pretty simple... but still a first for me, so I was happy about it.
CP: Well done... ;D Stop it... my side is killing me! ::) Thanks!
OK... so RLS decided it was time to kick my butt for a while... hence (great word, huh?) the lack of updates this week. The good news is that I have 6 of the row homes completely redone. The better news is that I should be able to finish the other 6 this weekend. Then I just need to get them all back on the lots and make foundations for them all.
In the meantime... I did get Lockwood on a lot. It's nothing too fancy because it's a pretty tight fit. This is a 2x2 corner lot, true w2w, with low and med wealth residential versions. Here's a look:
Medium Wealth
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg411.imageshack.us%2Fimg411%2F975%2Flockwoodmedlotby7.jpg&hash=123271223802595a528b1fe6c50d47387c215a33)
Low Wealth
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg183.imageshack.us%2Fimg183%2F5761%2Flockwoodlowlotzr8.jpg&hash=8206711ecbea67461bd313f7dde5f8e28d46ab15)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg183.imageshack.us%2Fimg183%2F1046%2Flockwoodlowlotnightjg6.jpg&hash=01e300d5825a907e4aec5d7f311f012617997c3e)
Until next time...
JB
That looks awesome. I just wish the benches were not so white (bright), otherwise I love it. Can we get a picture of the back. Just curious, but is there a garbage bin and junk in the back corner?
:thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup: &apls
Continued great work!
There is some beautiful detail in that last building.
That is a very nice corner building. Nice and symetrical. For rl giving you a good run, you still continue to impress. It is beautiful for its simplicity.
Rooker: Thanks! I know how you feel about the benches, but for the sake of continuity, I'm sticking with these hideous things for low wealth. They may look too clean, but I think they're too ugly for anything else! ;) I completely forgot that I hadn't shown the back of this yet. I'll fix that shortly.
Phil: Thank-you! The stone work is what really drew me to this building in the first place. I think without it, this would honestly be a pretty boring building... lol Glad you like it!
Threestooges: Thanks to you as well. It's nice to know such a simple building still has some sort of worth.
As Rooker so kindly pointed out, I have not once shown the back of Lockwood Arms yet. So here is the low wealth version. The medium wealth is basically the same, just with nicer trash cans and cars! :D As this shot will show, I will be making a foundation for this one before I can call it finished.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F7859%2Flockwoodlowlotbackph8.jpg&hash=6e1ab9ec94e435ab920dd93a612b5c2ba50aaf54)
And if you thought that was accomplishing a lot. Wait till you see what I finished today! Actually, don't get excited by the word finished just yet... there is one more step before the brownstones will be ready for testing... but it shouldn't be nearly as time consuming as the rendering step that is now done! Here are the new shots with night views this time. You may not even notice the difference unless you look close at where the fences meet the buildings, but trust me... this was worth the time. It will also make foundations possible so these can be slope friendly now too! Anyway... here it is... your moment of zen. (I always wanted an excuse to say that!) :satisfied:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F7229%2Fbrownstoneday01rf5.jpg&hash=25002d4f821bc944da2a29cfb52761572fb72fbb)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F44%2Fbrownstonenight01fj9.jpg&hash=2a40db34856863e57054ec0ddfa84e344d59d1b6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F663%2Fbrownstoneday02of7.jpg&hash=8237dbe9dcaf7591badd52f0e845a1a8edf2e52d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg219.imageshack.us%2Fimg219%2F6213%2Fbrownstonenight02yq2.jpg&hash=d4d69dfa72f9c14b1f69792298c9eeec6d866404)
JB
Everything's looking great. The Lockwood Arms building is fantastic. I can hardly wait to be able to use these buildings. :)
very nice sir &apls
Quite nice. There is no such thing as a building without worth. The worth is increased moreso when the architect is one who puts such effort into their works. It all looks good for the most part, but the car looks out of place behind Lockwood Arms. There doesn't seem to be a door back there, so it seems odd that there would be a single car back there (for residential purposes). Good to see the success you have had.
Mmmmmmm good...... &apls I can wait....really ... I mean it.....really, well, for a little while......and ain't this "game" quite the thing for letting the world go by unoticed for while?
And...I havn't hit my brother since you said not to.......when are we stopping? Are we there yet? ;D
EDGE: Thanks! Glad you like it!
Cali: Thanks to you as well!
Threestooges: Thank-you! There actually is a door back there, but it got hidden by the SC4 angles. It's off that back dock between the stairwell and the fire escapes. Besides... find me an alley in a city like Chicago where there isn't a stray car parked for one reason or another. ;)
Oldrogue: Such a great "game!" What more needs to be said? You need to stop... again??? ;D
I'm still working on the foundations for these buildings... I've never done my own, so it's taking a little longer than it probably should, but it will happen eventually. In the meantime, I just wanted to actually BAT for a change (most of what I've been doing lately is everything but making models) so I thought I'd work on Westlake a little more. Here is the latest on the main building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg176.imageshack.us%2Fimg176%2F5540%2Fwestlakeschoolsouthys5.jpg&hash=19fad22f42af07a6a676cdec3f64c66c1395ae1a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg220.imageshack.us%2Fimg220%2F5094%2Fwestlakeschoolnorthcp6.jpg&hash=ccda35431e0386ca5e4e6503fce215c706e60e06)
Still a ton to do... but it's getting there. I'm not sure about the side porches just yet, they seem a bit "much" for secondary entrances, but we'll see. I also just started on the back portion, so there are a lot of things missing from the center part especially... many of the blank spots will still get filled in. That's all for now!
JB
I love the total Gatehouse apperance of the main entrance....can't seem to take my eyes off of that particular feature.....well done.....
Oh....don't need to stop now......oopss.......sorry &ops
The only suggestions I might have regarding the stairs on the sides (perhaps one will help):
1: If I count right, the front seems to have 5 steps and the sides each have 7. They seem to start at the same height and descend the same length (correct me if I'm wrong since you are the one who made this...and would thus know how far something descends). The extra stairs seem to add a dimension of grandeur.
2: The main entrance has a narrow stair opening to a (for lack of a proper word) patio area.The sides stairs have a full wrap around effect and are curved in that fact. Curvature (as far as I have seen...and I'm not an engineer or an architect: I'm an economic major) seems to be a more costly and/or grandiose style. Perhaps consider squaring the corners.
3: The front seems to have a narrower path for students whereas the sides seem like they can handle greater quantities of people which could cause them them to be viewed as more prominent routes.
Good luck with your own foundations. If they are up to your usual standard, they should be a real asset. Take it easy and enjoy the weekend (what's left of it anyway).
Looking great JB. This is a really beautiful model. Since you asked I don't think you need to change the overall feel of the side stairs. Threestooges already offered my two suggestions. I might be tempted to make the side stairs straight and dump the curved look. I think you definitely need to sort it out so that there are the same number of stairs.
One other thought. Such a huge building like this would surely have a wheelchair ramp to the front or the side. I would expect there would have been some renovation along the way to make such a prominent public building like this more accessible.
These issues are of course exceedingly minor. This really looks good.
Oldrogue: Thanks... the center portion is definitely my favorite part of this one too. It better be really... about 15% of the polygons for this entire model are in that part alone!
Threestooges: Thanks for the feedback. The side porches are actually higher than the front. I had a reason in mind when I did it, but can't for the life of me think of what that reason was now! It can be easily changed and I think will make a big difference by itself. As for the size ideas... they're both very valid points. It's kind of a toss up on which way to go for me. On one hand, the front entrance is traditionally the "showcase" entry and should be more grand in some way, shape or form. On the other hand, because of the layout of the campus and the fact that the majority of students live in the dorms, the side and rear entries would end up getting much more use in the day to day comings and goings. So... I'm not sure what I'll end up doing just yet, but suggestion #1 will definitely change things and the other two help clarify a few ideas in my mind. Thanks again.
Spa: Thank-you. Yes, the different porch heights will be fixed and we'll just go from there. I was just thinking about a wheelchair ramp today and trying to decide where I might put one! How do you always know that stuff? :D
I did get a little more done with the back entry today, but ran out of time to take any pictures. I'll probably get a bit more done after I get back home tonight (stupid job always butting into things!) and have some pictures tomorrow. Funny that the porches became such a point of discussion, because the back one definitely will illustrate the idea of being the most heavily trafficed. It's bigger than the front porch, and yet a little less formal (at least that's what I'm going for, but we'll see when it's done!) TTFN!!!
JB
&apls Looking absolutely wonderful!
Cammo: Thanks and Welcome to SC4 Devotion!
OK... here's the update I mentioned yesterday. There's not as much done as I had hoped there would be, but I did get the porches sorted out. I also noticed a glitch with the large arched windows, so I had to fix that. Little by little, I'm also getting some of the "extras" in place... things like downspouts for example... but there's still much more to go.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg354.imageshack.us%2Fimg354%2F441%2Fwestlakeschoolsouth01nc2.jpg&hash=2cc4710f2f0fbad6fc054ff53df4356a80fe7ead)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg354.imageshack.us%2Fimg354%2F2505%2Fwestlakeschoolnorth01wz1.jpg&hash=37fcccb2355f46abbfb5b4cbcc7eabaee1e66f44)
I still don't know what's going to go on either side of the big arched window in the back... something will be there, but I haven't decided what just yet. I also may change the handicapped ramp a little bit, but that should be its final resting place.
If all goes well, I may have a texture preview of the girl's dorm to show next time! Keep your fingers crossed... ()stsfd()
JB
I'm glad to see that the 3rd "school pack" is still under way and am astonished, as usual, but the amount of detail and effort put into this! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Like I said, what feels like eons ago :P, I am patiently and eagerly awaiting this (these?) masterpiece(s)'s release! &apls &apls
It looks great. The back turned out very nice. If you wanted to have some fun (or make more work for yourself) you could add two ramps to the main entrance from the top part where it juts out on either side and have them follow the building on the way down (flush with the building and curved to match the towers (pillars, etc)). As for the spots next to the center arch in the back, it would depend what was up there/what it was to be used for. I might suggest, if it was a more formal place, two slightly smaller arches (one on each side) or something to that extent. All in all, this really looks great.
Quote from: JBSimio on March 12, 2007, 06:42:41 AM
Cammo:... If all goes well, I may have a texture preview of the girl's dorm to show next time! Keep your fingers crossed... ()stsfd()
JB
An inside one or an outside? ;) $%Grinno$%
Great work JB! :thumbsup:
an outside girls dorm? $%Grinno$%
anyways, i was wondering if there was going to be any kind of signage involved? Like a banner or plaque?
Yep....like the entrances better more good now.....nice work....
when it comes to the girls dorm......remember ....lots of glass.... :D
wow more awesome progress my friend
M: Thanks! Actually, this is going to be its own release. Volume Three is done (has been for a while) but on hold until the issue with Mac users is fixed. Unfortunately, we're not having much luck tracking it down at the moment.
Threestooges: Thanks! I have some ideas for that area, just haven't decided which one to use yet. No ramps in the front... I don't want to clutter that facade too much.
Rayden: You're a sick man (unless you're still in high school!) :D Thank-you!
Cali: I don't plan on putting any signs directly on the buildings, but I will have some props for the "front yards." Actually, the concrete just above the back porch (flanking the doors) are shields of the school crest, but don't show up too well. I'm hoping to fix that, but it might be too small to really do much more with.
Oldrogue: Thank-you! See the response to Rayden... $%Grinno$%
Jacky: Thanks as always!
OK... I have to make this kind of quick as I need to be somewhere else in about ten more minutes. Not only did I get texures on the girl's dorm, but also on the boiler building. AND... I got lighting for both of them. First the dorm:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg148.imageshack.us%2Fimg148%2F7505%2Fwestlakedormnightdayun4.jpg&hash=4950e8da32d209e29397ce80c1686ecfe9d3c7ba)
I'm not positive about the brick yet. The color is pretty close to what I wanted, but it seems a little too "soft" still. Every time I try to give it more definition though, it ends up looking dirty... which I don't want. So... I'm still tinkering, but overall it is pretty close.
Now the boiler:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F9805%2Fwestlakeboilerdaygn5.jpg&hash=c976a7173a14ba845142a894a66ac3765aaca1c6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F180%2Fwestlakeboilernightpi9.jpg&hash=a26ad29476f7d0f3605187d2b26d6f474b9eba30)
The lighting still needs some fine tuning on this one, but I decided I should really sleep at some point last night! I'm just not getting the inside views I want of the main boiler and pipe work (which is all in there somewhere).
That's all for now!
JB
Wow! Although it looks nothing like my university, I find it incredibly beautiful! And I'm also glad to hear that this is not the 3rd School Pack... lol.
Good luck, and keep up the great work! Thanks for sharing the progress of this magnificent project! &apls &apls
Verrrrry nice, will fit in extremly well....and sleep is good for you.....or so i've heard...
M said :
QuoteWow! Although it looks nothing like my university, I find it incredibly beautiful!
It looks alot like both the university at which I went to school, and the one my GF is currently a professor. She teaches at Loras College [note the building at the top of the page linkie (http://www.loras.edu/explore/facts.asp) ]and I graduated from Tennessee Technological University [ linkie (http://www.ecampustours.com/virtualtours/default.aspx?FafsaCode=003523&login=false) ] .
Great work
JB.
---Gaston
i will patiently wait for their arrival, they look wonderful &apls
hello again my friend thats some awesome textures and lighting,beautifull work
Quote from: JBSimio on March 13, 2007, 05:57:35 AM
Rayden: You're a sick man (unless you're still in high school!) :D Thank-you!
Yeah, on my age I should behave a little more, but, you know what, that only applies to what my ID says about my age, and I completely disagree with it ;D
Thanks for all this great work, I'm sure I'm gonna use it for sure, like I'm already using previous ones.
I'm really lovin' the girls dorm color/texture!
@Rayden; you're only as old as you feel!
M: Thanks! Don't forget... this is a private boarding school, not a university (although it certainly could be)... just to avoid any confusion.
Oldrogue: Thank-you! Yeah... sleep is good, but why bother? ::)
Gaston: Those are some cool pictures. Thanks for posting that! Actually... that movie I mentioned that inspired parts of this campus was shot (if I remember correctly) at some college in Virginia, so the similarities to Tennessee don't suprise me too much.
Cali: Thank-you! I seem to be forcing a lot of waiting on people lately... glad you're patient!
Jacky: Thanks! I think the nature lover in you will enjoy this next one even more!
Rayden: I completely agree... my favorite motto is "I have to get older, but I don't have to grow up!"
Vicki: Glad you like it, thanks!
Just a quick update today. Ivy was suggested a while ago and was really in my mind from the beginning, but I've had a lot of trouble getting it right. I think I finally got close enough to show it. It's still not quite perfect, but it definitely adds a whole new element that I'm pretty happy about.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg221.imageshack.us%2Fimg221%2F8161%2Fwestlakedormivy01sj4.jpg&hash=03e3e5ae59c4778e0f2f8eb13a19aaf48160e758)
JB
Ah, it all makes sense now! It's a Private School! What a great idea! lol
Sorry, I was a bit slow on that one. It really, really looks good, and like some artsy fartsy fancy schmancy school that any region / city needs! :P
I also love the Ivy! That looks really great, actually, and gives it character!
Looking forward to more! ;D
Wow! What an awesome BAT &apls
marcszar is right about the ivy looking like a recent addition (though it still looks good like that) but the aging would look good too. One thing I notice though (it may be perfectly natural for it to happen) is that the ivy seems to have (nearly) the same pattern of growth on opposite sides of the building. It doesn't look bad (and if it is an added texture I understand how it would be simpler to to it that way) but I would expect for something natural like that to have a more random growth pattern (and perhaps 1-2 gaps on its way up the wall since there are many long "strands" working up the wall). I hope that made sense, if not please let me know and I'll try to clarify; but very good job. The ivy is a great touch and looks pretty dang good the way it is now. You've raised the bar again, but you shouldn't have any trouble meeting your new standards though.
i love the ivy, but i do agree with TS. The ivy could use more spacing, maybe add some discoloration as to show age. But it still rocks! :thumbsup:
M: Yes... I'm kind of aiming for one of those prep schools in Vermont that all the rich kids from NYC and Boston go to! ;) I'm glad you like the ivy. I really like the effect... although it's a pain to work with!
Marcszar: Nice to see you again! That's exactly the tip I needed. I saw the transition issue, but wasn't real sure how to fix it. Thank-you!
FromTheAshes: Thanks! Glad you like it.
Threestooges: Getting ahead of me again, I see... :D I do plan to "mix things up" a little more. You're right, at the moment the "plants" on each side are basically the same, but that will change along with thinning out some spots and thickening others. It's not actually a texture though... each plant is modeled and contains roughly 2000 "leaves." Might not be the easiest way to do it, but it gave me the definition I needed.
Cali: Yeah... yeah... yeah.... Do this, do that... I know, I know. :D I'll get more done tonight... but 1AM just came too early last night and I'm too old to pull all nighters anymore.
More next time!
Ditto what Cali said about the Ivy, lookin' good!
Yeah....Ivy.... cool! &dance I was just thinking the other day that there are not so much (if any?) lots with ivy.
O yes - I like the school building too JB &apls
Quite nice, love the aged look that the ivy will achieve.... The skules I attended were west coast plastic modern, always look with envy at the New England preps and
small colleges.....somehow more dignified and I bet they had better beer also &idea
It's actually a girl's dorm Sebes! *rolls eyes* You're not paying attention! :D
I'm joking of course! Just trying, unsuccessfully I believe, to be patronising! :P
But, I agree with you! I love the Ivy! ()stsfd() Even though it might inflict a certain amount of pain on our friend JBSimio here, I can assure him (that's you JBSimio :P) that it will be worth it in the end... at least for us! :P
Good luck, yet again, and I'm sure it's going to be amazing in the end! &apls
God, This is an amazing BAT, The detail is amazing!!!!!!!
wow JB you been hard at work awomse progress
looking forward to see it on the lex soon - pat
It's all coming along well... Just one thing though, I really think the boiler needs to be dirtied up a bit more... It seems just a bit too 'fresh' if you know what I mean. Particularly the smokestack.
Vicki: Thanks!
Sebes: Ivy! WooooHoooo! Thanks!
Oldrogue: I went to college in Minnesota, so I was always jealous of the rich snobs on the east coast too! lol (Disclaimer from JB's lawyers: The term "rich snobs" as used in the context of this particular post was written in a purely humorous manner. It is in no way meant to be derogatory and/or condescending towards any persons who are or ever have been financially blessed over and above the national average.)
M: :D I wouldn't call it painful... just very time consuming!
Storms: Thank-you!
Cammo: Yes, I agree. The boiler textures aren't quite finished yet... I got sidetracked by lighting and have yet to get back to that part! Thanks!
Just a small update today. "Time consuming" is almost an understatement. I spent most of last night "tweaking" the ivy... letting it grow, pruning it back, letting it grow some more... watching ivy grow is almost as bad as watching paint dry! It also seems to need a lot of encouragement to do so... it wouldn't grow at all if I just left it alone, so I had to sit there and baby it along! ::) I also darkened the texture a smidge, added a little noise, and then took Marc's advice for the brick textures. It's all quite subtle, but I think it definitely helped.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg86.imageshack.us%2Fimg86%2F7051%2Fwestlakedormivy02cx4.jpg&hash=99fb0bb574347da6f08541f78c7b4a94ceee53b9)
I'm hoping I can call this building done and move on to the next one... but I've been wrong before, so you tell me. ()stsfd()
JB
I would call it pretty much a done deal too! And I'm lovin' it! &apls &apls
JB, if you're happy (with the building), I'm happy (that you're happy)! ()stsfd():thumbsup:
Everything looks great (as usual), but the one thing I would comment on (figures I would find something just as you were planning to wrap up) is that, for such large vines, they seem to have very small bases/root structures (though that may be completely normal... I don't know much about ivy). Either way, it looks great.
Now that looks super cool. Great job and what a great addition this will be once completed. :thumbsup:
It's just gorgeous !!!
Quote from: M4346 on March 14, 2007, 02:58:48 PM
It's actually a girl's dorm Sebes! *rolls eyes* You're not paying attention! :D
Bummer.... I missed that.
I have a habbit of not noticing news I don't like ..... $%Grinno$%
M: Thanks! Time to move on then...
Vicki: Happy is good... I like happy...
Threestooges: That might be a good point, but I'm really not sure either. The house next door to where I grew up had ivy covering the majority of the side (2 1/2 stories tall and about 40 feet across) and I don't recall seeing any major "trunk" I think they average 4-8 inches in diameter, but I'm honestly only guessing. I'll have to take a look what I go up there for Easter.
Rooker: Thanks!
Sebes: Thank-you! Don't worry about it... I tend to skip around a lot in the hopes of confusing everyone anyway! :D
The texturing saga continues. I've straightened out the boiler issues with the textures and lighting. I won't bother to show that one again, but it's been fixed. So I moved on to the athletic building tonight. No lighting yet, just the early textures. Still a few touch-ups here and there, but overall it's pretty good.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg182.imageshack.us%2Fimg182%2F359%2Fwestlakeactexturesdaywd9.jpg&hash=1bd2bd47ede6deef5cda308909409ccd00a0de7b)
I'm debating whether ivy will go on this one or not. There aren't many places to put it and I'm afraid if I just use it on the sides where there is room it will look dumb not having any on the front or back. So... we'll see.
In other news... (speaking of skipping around and confusing people)... I'm trying to wrap up my textures for all this stuff. So I finally went back and redid the track and changed it to the reddish that most people seem to prefer. I still have the original color as well and might release both, but I'm undecided on that just now. No soccer version just yet... still working to line that up properly... but it's coming, I promise!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg260.imageshack.us%2Fimg260%2F4322%2Ffootballtrackredbs0.jpg&hash=bd97b49afcde1fcbd557192d6ead0e1569e36fbe)
Ignore anything else on this picture for now... this is strictly a color test for the track itself. Nothing else has changed since the last time I posted a preview of this field. I still have the fixes in mind, just haven't gotten there yet. Will this track work for you?
JB
The building looks fine without ivy. I also agree that that might look funny (or too cluttered). Plus, it looks like a more recently built/contemporary building (compared to the others so far) and thus it would not have had time to grow yet. Secondly, in regard to the dumpster in the back, the board surrounding it look to be of a slightly lower scal than one would expect on a university campus (though it doesn't look bad). I also like what appears to be a loading dock next to the dumpster. however, (I'm not sure of truck sizes in relation to this building) but it looks like it might be a bit of a tight fit (which explains the posts on either side) but it seems like an awkward place to put a truck/semi. All in all it looks great. Can't wait to see what comes next.
&apls &apls Very nice design . The first feeling that i have when i see your building it`s warm and welcome . great job mate. &apls
WOW! I really love that building! It's amazing! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
And I also seem to prefer the reddish texture for the track! :P
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F209.85.62.25%2Fhtml%2Femoticons%2Fwub.gif&hash=5125f246113068d24016585dbc30f94e4babac18)
whoa, that is one awesome track field, looks just like the one i used to run on in HS. but the stuff i ran on was granulated asphalt, is it possible to change the texture to black too?
Oh, I do like the 'athletic' building! The red looks good on the track, if I remember correctly it's the same color as the track at the local college that was recently updated. &apls &apls &apls
Threestooges: I've yet to see a pretty fence surrounding a dumpster! :D The loading dock is a tight fit, but I think it's doable. Working in food service (the loading dock serves the caffeteria kitchen), I can say that kitchen deliveries seldom arrive on full 110' trailers anyway. I'll throw a prop in there just to double check, but I think it works. As for the ivy... I doubt I'll use it here for the reasons you mentioned. It struck me as a "newer building designed to look old" (I was suprised to hear someone else echo it so closely to be honest) which, as you said, wouldn't have ivy on it yet. Thanks for yet another well thought and considered post!
M: Thanks! I'm a big fan of that building too. The reddish stays no matter what!
Cali: Thank-you! I'm more accustomed to the surface you're talking about as well. See page two for a look at that version. I still have both at the moment, and if enough people want the darker, I will release that as well. So that goes for anyone else who wants to see the darker version live to game time... cast your votes here! ()stsfd()
Vicki: Thanks!
Keeping with the track theme for a moment longer... I finished the soccer textures today. Yes... I ended up making my own set. The Maxis ones just didn't fit right and adjusting the whole track to accomodate them seemed silly when I could adjust the field to fit the track. So that's what I did. The dimensions are exactly the same as the original... just shifted to fit an even number of tiles instead of an odd number. Here's a sneak peek at that version.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg163.imageshack.us%2Fimg163%2F9805%2Fsoccertracknewtexturesjl6.jpg&hash=49b6c1ef523aef4ef6912fc4ad335bcfe1febea0)
Same disclaimer as last time. This is far from finished and still missing a lot of props. (I may move the scoreboards entirely for this version, too) I'm only posting this picture for the ground textures at this point.
Cheers!
JB
Very very realistic. I freakin love it &apls
Glad the red texture is staying, because, quite frankly, that's the way it is in South Africa and I'll be more than happy with it! :P Also, on an aside note, we never have a soccer pitch / field in the middle of the track, here in South Africa, at least 9/10 times it's a rugby field. :P
Not that I'm asking for one, just informing you on how it looks here. ;D
Keep up the good work, and I'll be waiting, ever so patiently and devoted! I love your work! ;)
-M-
hi my friend how are you,i see you are still doing awesome work &apls
Man, I stay away (RLS) for two days and you get sooooo far ahead of me! Girls dorm is perfect, the ivy at my Doctor's office has been there for 20+ years.....and the trunks are quite small considering...covers a great deal of area but trunks are only 6" at the most. Love (platonicly) the athletic bldg. The fit for the loading dock mirrors the one's I have seen (and tried to back into) many a time.... Think that's why the good Lord invented hand trucks ;D. The only thing I would wish for on the athletic building would be a billboard out front advertising tonites game or concert.... am ambivilant on the color of the track, my school (back in the dark ages) had kind of a sickly light tan track.... I think that I would probably opt for the reddish tho', just for visual contrast. Will tell you am really waiting for the American football stadium.... ahhh sweet memories of youth...or something like that.
oops, i guess i missed that pic on page 2..sorry, anyways i would leave the reddish texture, it does make the detail more visible. and once again, awesome work &apls
Metasmurf: Thank-you!
M: Glad you like it, thanks! I've never seen a soccer field surrounded by a running track either, but I'm told it's quite common in Europe. I was thinking about a rugby field for the private school, actually... the problem is that I know absolutely nothing about it! Any chance you could point me towards some official dimensions and/or illustrations? No promises yet... but I'll certainly look into it.
Jacky: Hello... I'm fine, and you? Thanks... I try! ;)
Oldrogue: Thank-you! You pretty much confirmed two of my guesses... always nice to be sure. I'm not sure if a sign like you're talking about would be appropriate or not. I always imagine private schools like this one being kind of tucked away and not overly visible, in which case, I'm not sure who would see such a sign. It would probably be a separate prop anyway... hmm... I'll have to ponder that one a bit.
Cali: No problem... it was a while ago (I had to go back and find it myself!) That picture is zoom 4 compared to zoom 5, so the detail level is misleading. Both tracks are identical outside of the color.
Well... since I'm still on the fence about the original boy's dorm for Westlake, and since I couldn't seem to focus on any of the things I "needed" to be doing... I decided to make an alternate dorm today. I think this one will actually replace the old boy's dorm, which may become something else or may get left out entirely (I really don't know yet) Anyway... here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg63.imageshack.us%2Fimg63%2F6135%2Fwestlakebdpreview01ka7.jpg&hash=505d673225bec6db3af6876094b14a1b52b5b438)
It still needs ivy... nobody panic! :D I also have a couple lighting adjustments to make... but this is basically it.
JB
Oooooooooh! I also really like that! It almost reminds me of Pretoria Boys' High, the High School my boyfriend attended. :P
It's looking really good. &apls &apls
As for the rugby field, if you're really interested you can find gmax models and textures for some of the stuff here -> Click! (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=12634) and information on the dimensions (in the form of a diagram) here -> Click! (http://www.sportsknowhow.com/rugby/dimensions/rugby-field-dimensions.html)
If you do have the time then, and are seriously considering making a rugby pitch, it would be so perfect for me! lol $%Grinno$%
I can make a Boys' High here! ;D
Good luck with the endeavour, and I'm looking forward to more!
Regards,
- Marius
Wow, some really great stuff here. The red texture of the running track looks perfect to me.
M: Thanks for the links! I'll definitely take a look at those when I get a chance. (There are nearly 600 kids to feed this week... so it may be a while) Glad you like the new dorm.
C.P. Thank-you!
Well... I had hoped to have a preview of the ivy to show today, but that didn't happen. I got sidetracked and I completely blame Dolphin66 for that! :D She posted a lighting preview of something she's been working on and the warm glow was exactly what I'd been missing. So... thinking it would be a relatively quick adjustment, I went and started tinkering with my lights for the two dorms (not that there was anything wrong with them, but I felt the need to go better since these kids all come from very well-to-do and prominent families) before starting the ivy. Two hours later... ::) :D I finally started on the ivy! Needless to say... I didn't get it all done yet. I did get two plants finished in the front which leaves probably 4 - 6 more to make. So maybe tomorrow I'll have something to show.
JB
It's my pleasure (re: the links) and take your time with the bats! I know I'm enjoying the ride, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. :P
Good luck with your endeavours! ;D
Awe man, here we go again.
Tons more stuff to drool over.
Gorgeous stuff JBSimio!
JB- I have been watching the progress and am absolutely amazed. The buildings and the track are outstanding. Your work is deeply appreciated- thank you! &apls &apls &apls
stunning work :thumbsup:
Thanks to all of you!
Well I talked to the headmaster and he told the boys to get out of their rooms and spend some time outdoors. Apparently, they did a little gardening while they were outside. It must be warmer where this school is, because the ground here is still frozen! But I came back to find ivy growning all over the building... fully trimmed and everything! What a great bunch of guys!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg117.imageshack.us%2Fimg117%2F9782%2Fwestlakebdday01jw7.jpg&hash=d018884bb69e3c7927f64b84bfb80f6419272280)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2F8935%2Fwestlakebdnight01xe7.jpg&hash=2af41901ac763a8876076d08dde78eaa643086b1)
I'll have to get the grounds crew to fix up a couple spots around the basement trim, but overall I think the kids did a pretty good job. Any suggestions or can I call this one finished?
JB
I think the plants on the walls looks a bit "flat". Thats the only negative thing i have to add. Otherwise, spot on!
:thumbsup: Great add to your building . :thumbsup:
This looks fantastic and I'm positive when finished it's going to be a great addition to the game. I know I'll be using it.
&apls
Wonderfull, Ivy is just fine for me, and I want to commend you on the lighting for the set.....all of them seem to be just perfect.... :thumbsup:
wow, now thats a nice update, thank you for all your hard work into this ;D
Hi JB!
It's been a while since I last checked in here. Everything looks fantastic! I especially like the ivied walls... that is just superb.
Hope you're doing well, my friend!
Looking beautiful as per usual... It'll be great when this is done... I'm seriously over the Maxis University... Glad that someone is finally taking this on...
wow i am amazed great batting skills are u gonna lot this urself of get a lotter to lot it
wonderful buildings and great pictures at night! :thumbsup:
Metasmurf: Flat how? The "leaf" spacing is pretty random in all directions and I'm not sure I can push much further off the wall without creating more problems. Or is it more of a texutre thing?
Kimcar: Thank-you!
Rooker: Thanks! Ahhh... will I ever finish anything though? Sometimes I wonder... lol
Oldrogue: Thank-you! I like this newer lighting much better than version one of the girl's dorm.
Cali: And thank-you for the endless encouragement!
Nofunk: Thanks! Always nice to see you, my friend!
Cammo: I'm glad you like it. I need to point out that this is meant to be a private high school. The university (I shouldn't be saying this) project is still off on the horizon at the moment.
Derek: Thanks! I'm not sure if I'll be lotting this one or not yet. I've started some rough lotting, more for the sake of size than anything so far, and have some definite ideas, but it's too early to tell. There will actually be two options with this one. A) A complete (albeit large) lot with everything on it, similar to the university B) a modular set with individual buildings that you can mix and arrange however you see fit.
Bat: Thanks!
Nothing to show today, I'm afraid. My normal 8 or 9 hour day unexpectedly grew to 13 hours long so I didn't have a whole lot of ambition left when I got home last night. (I still have to decide if I'm firing anyone today over this... but that's a whole different story) I'm trying to clear the decks on some unfinished business at the moment. With that in mind, here's a quick rundown of what is coming in the (hopefully) very near future:
1.) School Pack - Volumes One through Three: All of these are in the final stages. One and Two were previously released, but are getting some updates on their way to the LEX. All three are in the final testing stage right now and should be out soon.
2.) SmalltownUSA - Collectors Pack: This is also a small upgrade to all 18 of my original Smalltown buildings. They will all now be BSC Tracking Enabled (BTE) and contribute to various reward chains. This also sets the stage for some possible future reward chains exclusive to the SmalltownUSA Series. I basically just need to finish updating the readme files with the proper links and then finish packaging everything.
3.) SHUR Project - some unknown name: Basically the same as number two. A redo of the previously released SHUR buildings with the same upgrades mentioned above. I should mention that neither of these two are upgrades to the buildings or lots. Meaning there will be no bulldozing required and anything you have built in your cities now will still work just fine.
4.) SHUR - Taft Building: This is in final testing and should be ready to go soon. I'll probably not release this until after the SHUR Project upgrade just to avoid any confusion.
5.) SHUR - Lockwood Arms: Waiting for me to finish the readme and then it's off for packaging.
6.) SHUR - Chicago Rowhomes: The foundations are holding me up on this one. I can't get them working the way I'd like. Still coming along, but not as easily as I had hoped.
7.) School Add On Pack: I'll be coming back to this shortly so keep an eye out here. Some decisions need to be made, and I'm a firm believer in letting the end user in on those decisions.
8.) Westlake Academy: 3 Buildings finished, 1 building 90% finished, 1 building 60% finished. That's all I can say at this point... lol
Whew! That's the first time I've laid it all out like that... it's almost scary to look at! No wonder I never get anything uploaded!!! :-\ Anyway, that's where we're at. As you can see, a lot of what I still need to do is behind the scenes stuff that I won't have pictures of anyway. So, if it seems quiet at times, that's probably because I'm working on the "boring stuff" that no one wants to see! :D
JB
Wow...what a list......tell me, what do you do in your spare time? I think (make that know) I will be interested to see the 'upgrades' to the small town series... In my new region they are 75% of my commercial districts.....cause I like small towns and the older feel.....and of course they are superb....but you knew that already :D
id say go with a modular university whats ur ETOC (estamated time of completion ) for all the school related stuff cuz i really wanna use ur stuff in gotham due to its flair and awsomeness
I hope everything turns out alright at work (incidentally, what do you do?) and that you get your desk cleared quickly (and efficiently). With everything you are working on, it is amazing to see progress on nearly all of them (and such good quality at that). It's not a problem that you aren't uploading now, all that that means it that soon there will be a load of them coming up soon. That will be worth the wait.
Wow, it sounds like you are very cloose to releasing some stuff. I can't wait.......
:thumbsup:
Robin :)
Don't fire your staff - just hire more so that you can build those cool stuff for us :D
(I am exited that I hit the 400 in your showcase!)
Any further progress on the schools?.Thanx
JB, I think you ought to check behind the Ivy to make sure those boys didn't hide 'contraband'!
And, if you are willing to call them 'done' then done they are!
Hey JB i would always be happy to see what you got.
from what i seen that you have shown us always is top
quality even though there is alot of work in progress
that what keeps me at least checking in on ya's - pat
welcome to page 11 and me at 200th comment made here lol
&apls
the Ivy is top notch!
Did you make it with an Ivy Generator by Thomas Luft??
Oldrogue: This is my spare time! :D Thanks for the kind words. Actually, going back through the Smalltown stuff was a bit of an eye opener for me... my modding was not all that consistent in my early days apparently. I don't think it was all that bad, but certainly could have been a little better. Oh well... nice to see I've learned some things since then!
Derek: Actually, I'm going with both. Volumes One - Three should be up quite soon, just some last minute tweaks and fixes. The Add On Pack and Westlake are still not far enough along for me to venture a guess that I would feel comfortable posting.
Threestooges: Thank-you! The short version of what I do is this: I'm the food service director for one of the largest YMCA camps in the country. Basically, I'm in charge of feeding anywhere from 300-900 kids every day depending on the time of year. Right now, I have two full service dining halls (with their own kitchens) open. Those are both year-round operations. During the summer season, I have a total of seven buildings to look after. Four are full service kitchen/dining rooms, one is a prep kitchen for trips and offsite meals, and two are satelite dining halls. There's a lot more to it than that and anyone who is truly interested in the whole "camp life" thing is more than welcome to PM me if you'd like.
Robin: I sure hope so! Thanks!
Sebes: Congratulations and I'm honored! I didn't end up firing anyone, btw...
Bluebeard: Good to see you again! The schools are in the final testing stages... hopefully very soon.
Vicki: They wouldn't do that would they? You're right... I'd better go check! :D
Pat: Thank-you! I must be doing something right, then!
SimFox: Thanks! There's an Ivy Generator? :o Well crap! Here I went making it from scratch and nudging boxes around until it looked right...
Still don't have anything worth showing pictures of, but I did get a few things done. The big thing (for me) was a small glitch with the bleachers for the sports fields. I was having issues with them needing to go through nearly an entire year before the prop cycle would actually display them. That has been fixed (as of today) thanks to some tips from BarbyW and is no longer a problem. They show up right away just like they should... and still turn on and off like they also should. I also spent some time consolidating files and getting things back to some sense of orginazation so I have a much better idea of where all these different projects stand.
Other things that have happened include (using the previous list)
1.) Hasn't had any problems in the last couple of days, so I think we're almost ready with that.
2.) Got lost in cyber space and was resent to BarbyW earlier today.
3.) D66 did the installers and is being tested as we speak.
That's about it for now!
JB
Hi JB,
I love the Ivy on that dorm.
But first of all, I really love your work. it has turned schools from a boring nescesity into a nice planning feature in my cities. in fact, your schoolpacks are partly to blame for the revival of interest in this game! :thumbsup:
I am very curious about your upcoming work, especialy Westlake academy. what kind of layout will you use for the grounds? a formal positioning like Columbia University? or a more campus tepe of layout? just curious :)
Strechnitz: Thanks... I'm glad you like the schools so much. The idea really grew from my original plan as a "small break from the other stuff!" Westlake Academy is going to have two versions. One will be a large campus lot with everything on it and arranged in a pretty formal way. The other will be a modular set with each building on its own lot that you can arrange any way you want. There will also be a bunch of filler pieces to help tie it all together.
Just a quick update today. I got the textures on the main school building. Still a lot to do... roofjunk, lighting, ivy, etc... but it's really starting to look like something now.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg106.imageshack.us%2Fimg106%2F4044%2Fwestlakeschoolsouth02ji1.jpg&hash=7e5d7cb514e61a0b2b132a3d5653c4fd462ba382)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg131.imageshack.us%2Fimg131%2F3998%2Fwestlakeschoolnorth02ui8.jpg&hash=d57e0a8f5e0f43ebf29dc83b3da39ccb0919d122)
Off I go to feed the kids! I have a small campus preview ready... but I'll post that when I get back later this evening.
JB
Looking really good! Can't wait for more! ;D
Excellent news we didn't loose another valuable member. &apls
M: Thanks! More on the way.... now
Bluebeard: Nah... never got lost, I just moved without leaving a forwarding address... :D Sorry if I caused you any concern!
OK... as I said, here is a preview of the full campus lot. (Not to be confused with the modular set that I haven't started lotting yet) This is still in the very early stages. I have very few props on at the moment, and even the ones I have will most likely change. I've just been doing this to make sure the building sizes are correct and that I have all the base textures I need made. So with that disclaimer, here we go:
Full Campus Overview:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg58.imageshack.us%2Fimg58%2F7153%2Fwestlakecampus05gh1.th.jpg&hash=7464960a023d8971bcb4f73869a851e07441591b) (http://img58.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakecampus05gh1.jpg)
The tennis courts aren't permanent yet either... just wanted to see how they looked there. The two dorms and the boiler are considered finished unless I find some kind of screw up down the line somewhere. And here are closeups of those three buildings:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg58.imageshack.us%2Fimg58%2F5233%2Fwestlakegdgame02uv7.jpg&hash=00a81458f14fe9680a42e3ca33ee0b0db3191103)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg360.imageshack.us%2Fimg360%2F2861%2Fwestlakebdgame01be4.jpg&hash=b7e3e7f5dc72ebb7d3b28838534b3c04a136beab)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg360.imageshack.us%2Fimg360%2F6880%2Fwestlakeboilergame01br9.jpg&hash=52a8afd7e48b6936d3e9a275b6e5b3617ff7d731)
That's all for now!
JB
JB, I am amazed that you have the time to do this kind of stuff (I wish you would cook for me - I hate to cook!) but I suppose it's nice to have complete control over something! And you should know that kids would do whatever the think they could get away with (and no offense - especially boys!)
Great start for the campus, (maybe darker pathways?)
so a release soon then thats awsome
Well Sir, very nice progress......When I look at the Main/Admin building, I can't help but think ....hmmm a few minor changes and that would be wonderful as an old English manor converted to a 22 1/3 star resort hotel on a grass slope overlooking a lake!
Do you think was too subtle? After all, since you have so much free time :D :D
But anyway, all is looking very nice in such a short period of time.
Marc: Crap! I didn't even notice that... but the real question is how in the world did you??? :D As for your further mumblings, I understand it perfectly because I figured that part out between your first and second edits. Now if someone can just teach me how to texture one side of a box different from the other sides, we'll be in business! The pathways are all reverse overlays... so changing those would be easy. Thanks!
Vicki: Yes, the pathways can be changed... I tried a couple other things last night, but nothing I really like just yet. You're right... boys will be boys won't they? (I'm not going to tell you what the headmaster found hidden in the ivy... let's just say a couple kids are no longer at Westlake!)
Derek: Yes... actually the "SHUR Project - Beginnings" might be today.
Oldrogue: Hmmm... 22 1/3 stars, huh? :D I'm sure Colyn will give this one of his famous CSX twists at some point... who knows what he'll come up with? Thanks!
Nothing to show today, but I did start lighting the athletic building. I got the exterior lights done, which was the easy part. I'm still fiddling with the pool area at the moment... I think I've finally gotten the effect I'm going for, but the brightness levels need fixing. It's kind of a slow process just because it takes so long to get a preview render! With any luck, I'll have something worth looking at tomorrow!
JB
I'm afraid there is some mistake in Marc's reasoning in case of crenelations...
I just don't see how shadows could have anything to do with it... both are in open sunlight so they should look exactly the same.
One reason for the difference may be the nature of geometry used - is a plane?
hi my friend,wow the detail is awesome this is fantastic work as allways
Hey, I found you! Good to see you are still at it JB. I will continue to follow this thread in mostly my lurking mode.
@Simfox...that there is a difference is obvious and Marc's explanation seems credible to me..I have had similar problems with BAT which have been resolved by smoke and mirrors. The lighting system in GMAX is pretty dire and full of bugs compared to Max.
@JB...The quickest way would be clone the crenelations and offset them very slightly in the Z plane, then apply the altered textures.
Hi JB,
Great to have both versions. ;D What will you do with your former design for the boys dormitory. the one with the dome? As a dorm I like your current building better. But it would be a shame to let the old one go to waste. You could turn it into a library or a later added administrative building. Perhaps you already found a use for it and I just missed that. hope you don't mind.
Strech
Great progress, It seems to be coming along very well. I have no sugestions, I like it just as is.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Simfox: Process of elimination leads me to go with Marc's original explaination. It's an extruded spline with an edit mesh modifier to create the taper at the top. One side of the ridge detail is an identical clone of the other side and both pieces use the same texture and mapping properties. There should be no reason for them to look different... but since they do, the Gmax rig is the only thing left.
Jacky: Thank-you my friend!
Buckbeach: Damn... you sure did! :D Kidding of course... nice to see you! Lurk all you like, but be sure to say hi from time to time.
Callagrafx: Thanks! I thought of that option, but the poly count is slowly becoming an issue (especially when I start adding ivy!) so I was checking for a better way if indeed one exists. I'll probably end up going that route in the end though...
Marc: I keep forgetting you don't model in gmax... I know that... but just keep forgetting! $%Grinno$%
Stretch: I haven't decided what to do with the old dorm yet. I'm sure I'll come up with something... just not sure what at this point.
Robin: Thanks!
For anyone who's interested... one of the updates is now on the LEX! "The SHUR Project Beginnings" includes the first four buildings I previously released over yonder. They have been updated with BTE and a couple new reward chains that will be used in upcoming things (if I ever catch up with the ideas in my head that is!). Enjoy!
JB
Well, I can honestly say that I have understood almost none of the messages betwee my last one and now ;D..... You know, I think I am really really glad I don't bat (even in baseball). I do find it captivating that as soon as a technical issue comes up....all the SC4 Guru's start helping.....I LOVE the atmosphere here at the SC4D......it is a real community......would talk more but gotta go download the Shur project......thanks in advance :thumbsup:
So, I had been on Simtrop wondering where had JBsimio gone? then, like a detective, i figured it out. first i remembered that you were part of BSC... then i remembered that BSC moved here, then i signed up here, and low and behold... you're here still working. It's nice to see that 1) you still have a huge following, 2) you still take the time to write back to everyone's responses, and 3) you're still coming up with incredible stuff.
this will most likely be my longest post in this thread because i'm commenting on your work since the beginning of February which i have just seen for the first time today.
The Boarding school and the football field are jsut incredible. nothing to say but that. The SHUR building you found a few month's ago is awesome (is it released yet? i'm still trying to learn this LEX thing). I love it. Those new Brownstone's are unbelievable. for my style of gaming they are perfect. i love the variety on them. that's one thing i still believe SC4 lacks (even though it's a wonderful game).
The only piece of what can even be called criticism on my part is, i'd love to see what they looked like wall to wall. i'm sure you can't do it this far in, and even if you could you might not anyway and as they are they are still very very nice, but when i saw them posted before you had in-game shots i assumed they would be wall to wall (W2W style) like in New York. But that's it. i'm glad that you're still plugging away at this and i'm excited for all your new releases.
i'll certainly be back again. keep it up.
Quote from: oldrogue on March 26, 2007, 11:46:46 AM
Well, I can honestly say that I have understood almost none of the messages betwee my last one and now ;D.....
Dito &mmm
But I do know that this is going to be a great campus lot. I do agree with Vicki that the paths are too bright (they hurt the eye!)... so looking forward to find out what you will be cooking there ;)
Callagfafx, Marc:
lighting rig in GMAX (or for that matter in MAX bat) is a joke, a bad one, but I still see no way how it may be responsible for this. Simply saying that you don't know why it is and that's why it has to be lights, or saying that you have similar problems before still doesn't explain it, and neither does it point the finger at the rig.
To my eye it looks the most like polygons (faces, normals) are missing. This could be result of many things. For instance if you forget to tick Capping in extrusion or due to some reason even if it is capped normals get turned/flipped so that on both sides they point to the same direction. If this is a case face would be invisible. 2-sided materials don't work even then you tick them in MatEd, because script explicitly orders backface culling during the export.
So if you wanna fix it check this option as well, cause I don't believe that putting any other texture will help. If I'm correct it isn't simple dark, itis invisible - and black you see it is something behind it. And faint line is top the edge of it.
Normals do sometimes get messes when polygons are created from splines and this have happened in MAX as well.
here is my "recreation" of the problem:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg152.imageshack.us%2Fimg152%2F2589%2Fjbxi2.jpg&hash=f2cd3834cc09ebe5ba58d31d3f53973dd6b08e65)
Anyway the problem is minor and the model is superb!
The only real reason to dig into it is to learn what exactly is causing it so to be prepared if the same will show up in something big...
Wow JB- you are amazing ;). Each building looks fantastic. I continue to patiently wait for this entire set. &apls
hurray! i thought you had disapeared from the BATing community JBsimio. I had fun reading all 12 pages of your thread :) Your new building looks AWESOME!!!
Oldrogue: Trust me... I know the feeling! There's been plenty of times I don't really understand something until I get home, open up the program and then get that, "Oh that's what they're talking about..." reaction.
Irfox: Wow... people are just coming out of the woodwork lately! Nice to see you. Thanks for all the kind words. For the brownstones, they were never intended to be completely wall to wall. The apartment I stayed in which inspired the whole project had a sidewalk between it and the next building... so they were close, but not quite together. That's the effect I was going for. The "gap" ended up being a little wider than I intened because the scale I used in the beginning was off a touch, but it's close. About the only way to make them truly wall to wall would be to arrange several onto one larger lot... much like Spa did with the set he made a while back.
Sebes: They really hurt? I thought they were kinda pretty... but probably not appropriate just the same.
Simfox: Now I'm not entirely positive if I simply cloned and moved the crenelation or if I rotated it 180 degrees in the process. I'll have to check, but if I did in fact rotate it, you might be on to something! You're talking about modifiers that I frankly don't have a lot of experience with, so it may take some time for me to find/figure it out, but I'll go have another look. Thanks!
Marc: I'm told that boolean can mess with the texturing in some cases, so I rarely use it outside of making LODs.
Edge: Thanks! And thank goodness so many people are patient around here! :D
Sim Shady: Nice to see you again as well! Thanks!
OK... this next shot isn't quite the finished version, but it's close. I finally got most of the lighting done for the athletic building last night. There are a couple places where it is too bright (the pool for example) but it gives you the general idea. I will say this is by far the most intricate lighting scheme I've ever come up with (probably why it took three nights to do)! Peace Church and School still holds the record for the most lights I've used, but this one just has a lot of little things going on beyond what I normally do. Hopefully it was worth it!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg95.imageshack.us%2Fimg95%2F8098%2Fwestlakeacnight01rk9.th.jpg&hash=883dcb12bfdd1705d71de9630d2e641ea8ba6587) (http://img95.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakeacnight01rk9.jpg)
JB
It's absolutley worth it! The building looks outstanding.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
All I can say is....see Rooker1's comment :thumbsup: &apls
This looks fantastic. That athletic center is very realistic looking. also, wanted to try out one of these new expression faces- ()lurker()... not sure what it means, but cool
Great night shots! &hlp
Forget about the hurting: it's a dutch expression that might not be translateable... ()sad()
This looks very cool, but I have one suggestion, about the lot. When you finish it, could you make it BSC Parks compatible? I know it's not actually a park, but I do think it would be helpful for those of us who make our own paths (or want to connect it to a park).
dang! did i mention your BATing skills seem to have improved! And your stuff was already so good. I mean the nightlighting and glass is absolutely topnotch. looking forwards to seeing this baby in my cities :)
JB, I don't think that the pool lighting is too bright! :thumbsup: I love the blue glowing out of the front window! &apls &apls &apls I have a couple of questions though; in the picture of the front of the building (the one in the upper left quarter) the pool windows glow blue, but 2 of the three skylights glow amber/yellow. In the upper right picture the one skylight lit is the one that's dark in the front view picture. Is that normal? Then in the lower left picture, the one skylight that is lit glows blue? And the picture of the back, none of the skylights glow at all? I'm sooooo confused!!!!! %confuso
Robin: Thank-you!
Oldrogue: Thanks to you also!
Irfox: Thanks! I think the smiley means I freaked you out and you're running away... but I'm not sure either! :D
Sebes: Thanks! The translation made perfect sense (we say it too)... I was just teasing back.
Eljacko: Thank-you! I'm not sure precisely what makes a lot "park compliant" but I can look into it.
Sim Shady: Thanks! I'm going to get shy and embarrassed if you don't stop soon! :D
Vicki: Thanks! I did dial it down just a little, but not too much. The different colors and light levels are caused by the viewing angle. The blue is the pool (which doesn't take up the entire room, btw) the yellowish is the lighting for the room itself. You see different parts of the room depending on which angle you're looking at. You might see parts of the pool, people in the bleachers watching a swim meet, or just the wall along the side (which is usually where it's darkest). Part of the tinkering is to try and make the dark areas not so dark... but there's going to be variation either way. I hope you're not more confused now than you were before!
Nothing to show today, but I do have good news. The crenelations on the main school are fixed. (Those who get nervous around BAT tech-speak should leave the room for a moment... go freshen your drink, reassure your wife that you'll only be a few more minutes, use the bathroom, whatever you need to do) For starters, the cloned pieces were actually rotated 180 degrees from each other. The faces were warped and actually noticable in the perspective view... although I had to zoom in and squint to see it, it was there. I tried to find a couple of the things Simfox mentioned, but didn't really get very far. So I just started trying things I knew. Fortunately, one of the first things I tried worked.... which was to just add a "smooth" modifier on top of the "edit mesh" modifier. I left auto smooth unchecked, and that was all there was to it. Now, don't ask me why that worked or even exactly what it does, because I'm not entirely sure of either answer. I use the smooth modifier quite a bit on concrete trim to crisp up the lines better, so I thought it was worth a try. (OK... everyone else can come back now)
I also got some of the lighting for the athletic building adjusted... couple more things to go and we should be there.
JB
Looking forward to the next preview! :)
About the BSC Park Base Texture, I'm sure you'll find some helpful information here -> Click! (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=349.0). I would also like it to be BSC Park compliant, if possible. ;D
Thanks and good luck!
Marius
I want you to know that I ALWAYS leave my auto smooth unchecked....... It's so annoying otherwise! ::)
Thanks for clearing up the lighting issue, but I didn't leave the room when you told me to and got all confused again! Fortunately I'm so old that I'll forget what I read in a few minutes! ::)
Jon, I've missed much, your buildings I've seen thus far (haven't been able to download if there are any as I can not axcess the Exchange, however, I really enjoy them and I think you're making great progress.
I'm sure you've missed much on my BAT thread as I have 2 near completed towers and a 3rd semi completed. All inspired from you, if it weren't for you I would never have attempted the BAT and I would've never become decent at it, thanks for inspiring me.
Keep up the good work and I'm glad you didn't fall off the face of the earth.
JosefBrisko135 - you are not registered on the LEX. You need to register there separately please.
Quote from: Fred_Ginger on March 28, 2007, 10:52:43 AM
I didn't leave the room when you told me to and got all confused again!
Same here.... dang, another nite without sleep thinking what the heck the guy was talking about %confuso.
Next time I will listen better JB and stay out the BAT-talk part ()lurker()
M: Thanks for the link! Turns out, I had the right idea in mind, but it's good to know for sure. Actually, that's the texture I've been considering for the paths lately anyway. (I'll try to show and updated campus shot this weekend)
Oldrogue: I'm not even sure what that means... sounds kind of dirty, though! :D
Vicki: I forgot most of what I said already too, so we're in the same boat. Just stay on this page for a while and it will all be fine!
Jose: Hey there! Actually, there's been a lot of show and little to download so far, but that should be changing soon. Get yourself registered and in on all the fun! ;) Sounds like I have missed some things over on your end... I'll have to go have a look sometime soon. What a nice thing to say... you truly flatter me. The legal team here at Monkey Around Productions also asked me to remind everyone that falling off the face of the earth could result in serious injury. Therefore, please don't try that at home. (I told them anyone stupid enough to try it at home deserves what they get... but as you can see, they made me say it anyway!)
Barby: Not that your post requires a response from me... but I hate leaving people out. So hi and welcome to the thread! ;)
Sebes: You guys sound exactly like my employees! "I know you said to do this... but I didn't listen and now I'm not sure how to fix it!" :D
Even though I tried to warn everyone, I feel bad for confusing the likes of Sebes or Vicki. So... here are some pictures that people can just look at with no thinking involved (if that's what you prefer).
I moved back to the main academic building and put some roof junk on top. I also started on the lighting. There is still quite a bit to do, but here is where things stand today. (The ivy will be the last thing... so don't concern yourself with that just yet)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg231.imageshack.us%2Fimg231%2F4493%2Fwestlakeabsouthdayra6.th.jpg&hash=99ce210b3b566f5945bfa5e4eea572f2a0e5f297) (http://img231.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakeabsouthdayra6.jpg) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg54.imageshack.us%2Fimg54%2F6003%2Fwestlakeabsouthnightlr4.th.jpg&hash=85448709f877c86dc1a8764ab46b821ae9675313) (http://img54.imageshack.us/my.php?image=westlakeabsouthnightlr4.jpg)
That's all for now... talk to you later!
JB
No problem! Glad I could have been of assistance!
The main building is looking awesome! I'm getting more and more excited about this project of yours with every passing day! :thumbsup:
&apls superub i love all yoiur work can wait for the school pack update
I think (oops, sorry, but since I got old and crotchety I don't follow instructions worth a damn!) that building is absolutely stunning! It would have been a treat to go to a school that is so lovely! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Psst... tell you a secret? In RL I have an small team of architects working for me and don't have a clue what they talk about - but fancy the result of their work a lot!
The main building is a dream! You're free to confuse me as much as you wish if this is the result. :thumbsup:
Actually, being confused isn't so bad...after a few years you learn to cope...I know that after practising for the last few decades.. :D
And since we are on the subject.... I also am loving following the progress of your work, and while I may carp about the wait...it is all in fun........and I didn't have my fingers crossed when I typed that.... ()stsfd().....
I think SimTrop is dying so I might move my thread here, but it's also going to be on skyscrapercity in the Tampa/St. Pete forum.
Anywho I mean every word, I don't think people realize how hard it is to make a low rise building look good unless they've attempted it.
SKy Scrapers are so much easier. Anywho! I gotta get to bed, I just finish a physics lab write up with my girlfriend, I gotta study my Analytical Geometry again. Peace!
M: Thanks! The park compliant texture actually seems to be matching up quite well so far with the campus layout. I want to render the athletic building tonight and get it on the lot before I try to get some updated pictures for that end of things.
Derek: I'm hoping maybe next week for School Packs One through Three.
Vicki: Thank-you! It's buildings like this that almost make me wish I could do the interiors as well. I can just picture all the wood work and built in cabinetry... Oh well, the outside is more than enough work as it is! :D
Sebes: Thanks! I'll try to keep the confusion to a minimum.
Oldrogue: Thank-you! And I know it's all in fun... that's why I feel the need to poke back... I don't want to feel left out after all! $%Grinno$%
Jose: I had a look at your thread yesterday. You've come a long ways... I really like what you have going at the moment. Good luck with the school stuff!
Nothing to show today. I think I finished up the lighting last night. It was such a pain because for every minute I spend actually doing something, I had to spend about 20 minutes waiting for the preview to make sure I did it right! So... this weekend I'll be doing some gardening around this building and there will be some pictures then.
To update a couple other things, the "SmalltownUSA - Collector's Edition" will probably hit the LEX this weekend. I'm hoping to get the School Packs up there before leaving for Easter next week also, but we'll see. The Taft Building will also be along in the next couple weeks. Once all that is done, I'll be back to four things: Lockwood Arms (the SHUR apartment building), the brownstone set, Westlake Academy, and the School Add On Pack.
Until next time...
JB
Wow....that sounds super. I can't wait to see the finished product on all these bats. Great work, It's really appreciated by me.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Robin: Thank-you!
Just a small update for the moment. I started gardening this afternoon and got three ivy "plants" finished. There could be as many as 10-12 plants before it's all done, but I wanted to get a preview shot before I got too far just to make sure they looked alright. So, I figured since I waited around to look at the previews, I might as well share them while I'm at it:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg339.imageshack.us%2Fimg339%2F3272%2Fwestlakeabnorthday02ia1.jpg&hash=82fc953376e90add8de8c7c0e0ad09db7b44ac7f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg339.imageshack.us%2Fimg339%2F2466%2Fwestlakeabnorthnight02nl2.jpg&hash=282f5f6e6991ff3d4320c1e0369702566e9899a9)
I haven't redone the brick textures yet, so these aren't "attached" to the wall at this point. I'm still debating what to do on the front side. Some of me things ivy on the entrance towers would look really cool... other parts think it would take away from what's already there. So... we'll see.
JB
Wow. the Ivy looks great. this building sort of reminds me of some Brown University buildings in Providence, RI (I used to live right accross the street). I know you're doing a boarding school, not a University, but either way, this is FAN-TASTIC. keep it up.
Holy Crap! &apls
very nice!
Irfox: Thanks! That's actually the second or third university this has been compared to. I think that's because the campus they shot the movie on (which is what started this whole idea) was actually a college in Virginia.
Marc: Yes, SimFox steered me in the right direction... although he hasn't been back to accept my thanks yet. Thank-you!
Bluebeard: Thanks! :satisfied:
Sim Shady: Thank-you!
Another small update today (for now... maybe more later) on the campus this time. Following the suggestions to change the paths and also fit in with the parks, I tweaked a couple things. I also got the athletic building exported and on the lot. So is this what people had in mind?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg337.imageshack.us%2Fimg337%2F9679%2Fwestlakecampus06ko6.jpg&hash=efd66b3de3dafd36e1e0153ef972b15074ffff8a)
That's all for now. SmalltownUSA - Collector's Edition might be on the LEX before the day is over. The school packs are going through one final test with Macintosh computers... so next week is still looking possible for those.
JB
Looks amazing! Really really amazing ;D However, i don't mean to be imposing or anything, but how do people make those road textures transit enabled to connect to a street like the ones at the top of your picture? I think that it really looks good when people do that, but not a lot of people do. Hmm, i bet it sounds like im spouting giberish... :D
wow totally amazing that uni is amazing and i love it
Ohh yeah.....superb and/or very nice...
Wouldn't be me tho' without a quibble..... the statue in the quadrangle(?) I would assume it is the founder of the skule and if so shouldn't he be facing the main building rather than the sports dept...... or did they make the final four?
As far as ivy up the towers goes, it would look good, but you would likely lose the visuals of the windows. The school looks much better with the new path textures and, as far as the statue goes, it seems its orientation would be fine if the academic building were behind it. That way, when walking up to the building, the students (or anyone coming from the rec center) will see it facing them. Excellent as always.
Sim Shady: Thanks! I don't know how it's done, but I intend to find out when I get that far! ;)
Derek: Thanks... but it's still not a university $%Grinno$%
Oldrogue: Thank-you! The statue isn't permanent yet either. Actually, about the only things that are "finished" on this lot right now are the paths and building placement... and even some of that is still up for grabs!
Threestooges: Thanks as always for your insight. (I was starting to get worried... where have you been?) I'm going to start doing the front ivy this afternoon (the back is finished) so we'll see what happens when I get there.
I just wanted to stop in and say that "Smalltown USA - Collector's Edition" is officially on the LEX! Much like the SHUR Project update, this is an upgrade to every Smalltown lot I've done so far. I believe that means 18 buildings in all! They are all included in BTE reward chains now and also form a basis for some upcoming rewards that will be specifically for the series. You will need my BSC Mega Pack for this download. Any other dependancies can be found in the readmes. Enjoy!
JB
Got 'em! Thanks! :D
No ways, I'm not just going to grab 'em and go! I want to thank you for your hard work and the effort put into this! It is really appreciated and it saddens me that I cannot in anyway repay you for it! &mmm
Good luck with your endeavours! And I'm supporting you all the way. *looks for pom-poms* :P
By the way, the campus is looking stunning! ;)
I've been a bit busy: applying for law school, exams, I'm an RA (resident advisor) which means it's my job to be on call in 2 of the residences hall (they are apartments on campus) and lucky me, I was on duty during St. Patrick's Day) but I've still been coming by to see what's new (usually I'm in a bit of a rush so I don't comment). I'll be sure to pick up the Collector's Edition. I think there are still 1-2 that I haven't dl'ed yet. I'll be back to see what you have next (and I'll make sure to speak up more often).
M: Thank-you for all that! It's always nice to hear things like that. Lurking in the Mayor Diaries usually gives me all the thanks I need!
Threestooges: I understand busy... sounds like you have a pretty hectic semmester at the moment. Good luck with your law school applications! Just stop in when you can... no worries.
I think the main academic building is done. I ended up with less ivy than I originally thought, mostly because there just isn't as much room for it on this building. There are more than enough windows and other detail work, that I think having ivy everywhere would just be too much. I could add more if necessary, but I kind of hope I don't need to. Have a look and tell me what you think:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg128.imageshack.us%2Fimg128%2F3564%2Fwestlakeabnorthday03jg4.jpg&hash=c3edec767153d3e4a61a588cf55e623a3dff1cd4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg141.imageshack.us%2Fimg141%2F4508%2Fwestlakeabsouthday03fh2.jpg&hash=bad383d155df8b5fc73a918fb1feb53d2111c4aa)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg128.imageshack.us%2Fimg128%2F7187%2Fwestlakeabsouthnight03sm8.jpg&hash=14559d921c93a415eaf04eb7b2b59ce15daea88e)
In other news... the Macintosh issue that has been holding the school packs up seems to finally be solved. Next week is looking better by the minute!
JB
marvelous... the brick paths are great and the ivy plants are art &apls
Oh my god :o we are in sc5 :o
&apls I just love it . &apls
geez i wish i could BAT like that &apls
Looking good :) If I were you, I would keep the ivy as-is, I think more of it would detract from the overall apperance of the walls.
:thumbsup:
The main building looks perfect, and the ivy is just right &apls. Thanks for the upload of the Smalltown- collectors edition. I've been eagerly waiting for that ()stsfd()
JB, the main building looks superb. It is easy to use superlatives, but I mean int. In my opinion the Ivy is abundant enough to soften the proportions and make the building less imposing for the freshmen. Yet used sparsely enough so it won't take attention away from the nice architectural elements.
in other words; what the others said ()stsfd()
Strech,
wonderful looking building! great work! :thumbsup:
me too, and/or also.....love it..... :thumbsup:
Vunderful! Vat else iz there to zey? :P
Well, I hate to nit-pick but why does the Ivy only grow on the right side (on the front of the building)?
Because it is the right side for ivy :D
Quote from: barbyw on April 02, 2007, 02:16:46 PM
Because it is the right side for ivy :D
Goddess, you are sooooooooo bad! ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Fred_Ginger on April 02, 2007, 02:14:12 PM
Well, I hate to nit-pick but why does the Ivy only grow on the right side (on the front of the building)?
To prevent the students from escaping from the religious education wing during a particularly trying lecture. :P
Fantastic work there my friend! The details you put in are just amazing &apls I wish I could go to a school that nice :P
Can't wait to see more!
You're best school yet! Perfect details, with the vines and ivy growing, brick textures...it reminds me of the school from "Smart Guy" Damn. That was an old show.
Holy buckets! I need to catch up...
Sebes: Thanks! I think the new paths arre definitely the way to go.
Antoine: Not that I know of... although Colyn said he's been testing SC5! :D
Kimcar: Thank-you!
Cali: Me too... if the monkeys in the basement ever rebel, I'm in trouble!
Meinhosen: Thanks. I was hoping not to make more ivy!
Edge: Thank-you! I'm glad the Smalltown upgrade was appreciated. Part of me wanted to change more, but I'd never get anything done if I tried to perfect all the old stuff.
Stretch: Thanks!
Bat: Thank-you! Glad you like it.
Oldrogue: Gracias! (I just felt the need to change languages for a minute)
DuskTrooper: Danke! (that was a German accent, right?)
Vicki: Well... will you look at that? I didn't even notice that to be honest with you. Does ivy grow better in shady areas? If so, that's my reason! ;) I wanted to spread it across the building but only had 6 good spots for it to grow from. I also didn't want it to be too bunched up in one place which makes 2 of those spots no good. I could switch the left side to the corner, but then it might look too "planned." Or I could just tell you that I don't really have a good answer for that... it just kind of happened.
Barby and DuskTrooper: I also like both of those reasons, too! :D
Iamgoingtoeatyou: Thanks! We need to find you a shorter name... lol
Eddie: Thank-you!
Whew... I hope I didn't miss anyone. Thanks to all of you for all the kind words. Not much has changed since the last pictures so I don't have anything else to show for Westlake at the moment. There are still a lot of little pieces to make, especially for the modular version. Personally, I picture a place like this in the a secluded hilly area, so I'm hoping to make some walls, stairs, paths, etc. I also have a couple other things in mind that I'm not ready to show yet.
In the meantime, here's a teaser of a new SHUR Building I'm tinkering with:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg372.imageshack.us%2Fimg372%2F4575%2Frauspreview01hu0.jpg&hash=04b3637e575e4a0660717d664ee153312312ef4f)
This is Rau's Furniture. It's based loosely on the Fiege Building which used to stand in my home town. Fiege's was also a furniture place, but the building is no longer there. I just always liked the shape of it, and this is my adaptation of that. Oscaar Rau's is an actual furniture store that still exists, so I went with that name. This is still very rough at the moment. The dimensions are probably not even right yet... I've never tried to make an angled corner building like this, so I'm in new territory for me here. This will be set up for wall-to-wall on the "straight" side. The rest of what you see is pretty much up for grabs! Kinda makes you wonder why I'm even posting a picture, doesn't it?? :D
The School Packs will be up soon!
JB
I love the direction you're going with this new building. it looks like it's going to be awesome. a real neighborhood landmark type structure. nice work. My one question... is there any way it'll be set up for diagonal roads on one side? it's an over-hanging lot how others have done it (Glenni for example). I was just curious as to whether or not you had that in mind? in anycase, it's really cool looking right now.
The Fiege Building is really great looking. I second Irfox's request. A diagonal lot would be very cool, Maybe you could back two lots, if that's not to much to ask for. I have always wanted to make an avenue split apart into one ways and place a building there. So I think this wouldn't be a 45 degree lot, if you know what I mean.
l l
l l
/ \
/ \
l l
l l
Not sure if the pic makes sense, But I would like to see the lot fit there in the middle.
What ever you decide will be fantastic for me. Your bats are always outstanding!
Robin :thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup: &apls
Irfox: Thanks! Reading over my original post, I see I didn't explain that very well, did I? Oops! Yes, I am planning for this to fit into a diagonal corner. That's actually why I'm not really sure if the dimensions are right or not. From what I do understand about it so far, the measurements have to be pretty specific to make it fit properly.
Robin: Thank-you also! I understand your diagram and I could look into a version like that as well. I'm not sure the angles would match, though. (Warning: Geometry discussion ahead!) Splitting an avenue in SC4 would still give you two 45 degree angles (in the version you "drew")... which is essentially a 90 degree corner like any other, only rotated. While I could easily rotate the building to fit that space, the walls would still form a 45 and not a 90 degree corner. So the two roads would spread out "faster" than the sides of the building... if that makes any sense. Of course if you split your avenue like this, the angle would be perfect:
| |
| |
| \
| \
| \
| |
JB
Right, I see what you mean. Still......I do wish there was more high quality diagonal lots. Both ways, the way I suggested and the way you are talking about. I hope to see what you can do, and if it doesn't work, that's okay too. I'll just have to wait patiently for more of these style lots.
Again, great bat.
Thanks
Robin ()stsfd()
JB, I like what you've shown so far of the new building! &apls And I'll consider your answer for the ivy. :-\
@The Goddess and DT: Har-dy har, Good thing you two are here to entertain us, without you we'd have to hire a comedy troop! $%Grinno$%
Must say that I like the "peek" at the new building...... I have always loved the "Castiron" building because of its uniquness comparred to the surrounding.... this one looks like it will fill that slot very nicely :thumbsup:
Hmmm, and I thought it was fun watching the construction of the Skulle ;D
I have to go and have a quiet nap now, I disregarded your warning and read the geo metry portion of your post......my head hurts..that's because it's plane that it's at an odd angle...right :)
Sorry...it's been a long day
OMG I love this building is increadible!!!!!!!
Robin: Don't get me wrong... I'm all for the idea (and will probably render it for both versions). I'm just saying the angles won't line up which means the walls wouldn't quite follow along with the road. To many, that might be a very small detail. It will work either way... just a matter of how particular you are about such things.
Vicki: Thanks! I also appreciate your "consideration"... let me know what you decide! :D
Oldrogue: Thank-you! Sorry to have confused you again... I've really got to stop doing that to people!
Jose: Wow... thanks! I didn't think it was quite that good, but I'm not going to argue with you either! ;)
I think I got the size sorted out. I also tested the overhanging idea (since I've never done it... just wanted to make sure I had it sorted out). With that out of the way... it's full steam ahead for this one. The size was off by a bit, so there were some definite changes to make. Here's the latest with everything all sorted out again:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg255.imageshack.us%2Fimg255%2F7294%2Frauspreview02mo7.jpg&hash=8dfde39f21e889de64a8f146cf8de719885b7700)
I should mention that the side you see in this picture is not the side from the first picture! First picture was West and South sides... this is West and North. Sorry if that means another nap for anyone! :D
JB
It looks like a chicago building I saw once, I don't remember its name but it looks just like this building minus the tower.
WOW Jb that is just awesome, Both buildings renditions are cool,
But the second one does it for me wow it stand out a lot more soo
its more uniquely designed!!! - pat
You are truly a Master of Design.Your lots have given my cities the kick in the pants they needed.Thanx for the updates and I'm so looking foward to downloading your next lot.Thanx &apls :)
Jose: Thanks! I have a feeling that this style isn't that uncommon... so there's probably some version of it in Chicago, New York, Detroit. Glad you like it!
Pat: Thank-you! There really isn't that much difference between the first and second versions, but I'm glad to hear that the changes I did make were the right ones!
Bluebeard: Thanks! Kicking cities is what I do... (or something like that)
Just a real quick update today. I'll be leaving town shortly, so this will have to be brief for now. I got the building "closed up" and started adding some of the extras. I'm not real happy with the fire escapes yet... they're in the right place, but I don't like the texture and I'm really not sure about the style yet either. The roof texture will also probably change. Basically... it's still pretty rough and a lot could still change, but this was as late as I could stay up last night!
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Talk to you later!
JB
I like this building. Very interesting shape!
This is really coming along great. I love it.
Robin :thumbsup:
I'm loving it ! It has a look special and I like this
Comming along very nicely.....I agree about the fire escapes....right church-wrong pew...sort of thing.......also love the contrast of the wooden front facade being that shade of green against the brickwork..... :thumbsup:
Very nice.... a building with a suprising shape. It must be very disorienting with al those corners: you can never tell what is the front and the back of the building ;)
I'm late (as most often ... %wrd ) , just want to congratulate you for the excellence of your academy . &apls &apls &apls
JB, this is simply amazing &apls
this pic....
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this picture is awesome. Top class ¡¡¡
Btw, do you plan on release a tuto about adding this lovey ivy .... :-\
im drooling over the thought of this being a diagonal building ;D Its looking good so far. The only thing i might change is the depth of the roof/ hieght of the rim around the top of the building.
If you ever wondered about your skill at this, wonder no more. Your work continues to amaze me (and many others it seems). Your new building looks like it will prove to be quite a landmark building. There are buildings out there with nice architectural features, but very few that I have found which use diagonals quite so well (and varied). This should be interesting to see lotted.
Metasmurf: Thanks! I've always liked the shape of this building too... I guess that's why I decided to give it a try! ;)
Robin: Thank-you!
Antoine: Thanks to you as well!
Oldrogue: Thanks! Yes... the fire escapes will definitely change.
Sebes: Thanks! All the corners do make it a bit confusing. Naming my pieces is turning out to be the worst. Things like "North Facade and South Facade" don't really work so well!
Badsim: Thank-you!
Jeronij: Thanks so much! To be honest, I'm not sure my "method" for the ivy is really the best in the world. I'll see what I can come up with and send you a preview. I'll let you judge if it's worth posting or not! :D
Sim Shady: Thanks! Looking at the tower, I think the roof decorations are a little too high. I'll fix that, too.
Threestooges: Thank-you!
I've got to be honest. The response to Rau's has really surprised me. I like how it's turning out, but I guess I didn't consider it to be anything that spectacular. I'm glad you all like it so much. I'm in Saginaw for the weekend, so there won't be any updates for a few days. In the meantime, there are a couple similar corner buildings around here that I hope to have a look at. I wish the Feige Building still stood, but it's been gone since 1994... and I've only found one picture of it so far. Judging from that picture, it's nothing close to an accurate rendition anyway! I think I'm done with the main building at this point. Next time I'll move on to the details... roof junk, shop dressing, all that good stuff. Until then, have a happy Easter if you celebrate it!
JB
That school building is something else, great work. I am looking at the scale of the tennis courts somehow they seem a little large in comparison to the building. Also without fences around the courts the school administrator's are going to have a fit having all the tennis balls hitting the side of their beautiful building. The players however will get plenty of exercise chasing their missed shots all over campus.
If you are interested in finding pictures of this building... my school has a rather unique feature. In our library's special collections area is a postcard collection of somewhere around 1,000,000+ postcards (I kid you not) from around the world, many of which have not yet been organized. If you are interested, just tell me the name of your hometown and I can poke around the ones they have organized (they have some pretty random ones around there) to see if I can find one to give you some additional perspectives (although I like how the building looks now).
Saginaw eh? My basketball team was eliminated from the playoffs by one of their high schools >:(
Nice work on the boarding school (acadamy?.. w/e its called now, sorry i'm too lazy to scroll through the first pages and find out). it's just stunning. the new building looks awesome. your smalltown and shurr buildings have really allowed for wonderfully dense downtowns and cities. especially combined with the works of Ill Tonkso, JasonCW, and Nofunk among others. really changing the game in a positive manor. thanks.
Buckbeach: Thank-you! Ah... scale... the bane of any BATter's existence! The problem is that Maxis had no consistency whatsoever in their scaling. This becomes very noticable when it comes to larger objects. The stadiums and universtiy are ridiculously small in comparison to a lot of things. While smaller things (like tennis courts) are really quite large. (Consider that a tennis court fits on a 2x1 lot... making it twice as large as half the single family homes that came with the game. Of course that leads to the debate where someone points out that the tennis court is the right size and most of the houses are too small. And so the circle continues to go around...) If anything... I'm concerned that the whole campus is going to look oversized when compared with the university. This may all be irrelevant, since the tennis courts (and almost every other prop) are only on the lot for the sake of "let's see how this looks." If they stay, I will certainly finish them off with fencing end such... but I don't know if they'll stay yet.
Threestooges: That sounds like a very cool feature. I might have to come find your school next month when I come to LA! To be honest, I don't really want to match up to the real thing anyway. Closer study of the picture actually reminded me that the tower was a separate structure built around the shorter corner building. The shorter building actually used to have a clock tower on it... and a bit of French influence. As a matter of fact... if you pull up on of my SHUR commercial buildings... the photo in the commercial query is actually of the short part! (I had known it was the same corner, but thought the short building was destroyed before the Fiege building was built... apparently I was wrong)
Sim Shady: Sorry, buddy! I'm sure it wasn't my high school, if it makes you feel any better!
Irfox: Thanks! I still call it Westlake Academy... but a lot of people seem to have different names/ideas... so call it whatever you like, I guess! ;) I'm glad the SHUR project continues to come in handy. We Michigan people seem to have something going for us anyway!
Still cold up here. I've finally had a chance to browse some of the MD's and "Show us your..." threads and must warn you that I now have more ideas. I also downloaded a bunch of new toys too... so it's hard to say which building spree I'll go on first. Either a BAT building spree or a game building spree... I guess we'll find out when I get home!
JB
Well, if you do end up coming, special collections is on the bottom floor (and you may need an appointment). It may be a bit quiet though (the school of course, the library is natually quiet) as the end of the school year is May 5.
They are here!!!
Ladies and gentlemen... Monkey Around Productions, a division of JBSimio Incorporated, is proud to announce the arrival of the following new attractions which can be found only at your neighborhood LEX.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg89.imageshack.us%2Fimg89%2F2429%2Fjbschoolpackvol01jy3.jpg&hash=85270a40fdeded2a182559dc7a0f01766bc78050)
School Pack - Volume One contains four elementary schools. This version has been updated from what was previously released over at ST. Upgrades include better menu descriptions and more accurate staffing levels. It is also the first (I believe) fully multilingual release. The schools themselves have not changed. You should delete any old versions from your plugin folders before installing this one.
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School Pack - Volume Two contains three high schools. This version has also been updated from what was previously released at ST. The upgrades are the same as Volume One, and the schools themselves again remain the same. You should delete any old versions from your plugin folders before installing this one.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg171.imageshack.us%2Fimg171%2F4074%2Fschoolpackvol3finaldz5.jpg&hash=21602c6053ebcedbe52367166a4e30ca07208af9)
School Pack - Volume Three contains three specialty private schools.
Holy Cross is a small combination church and elementary school, most suitable for suburban areas. It is a fully functional elementary school that also provides all the benefits that an ingame house of worship gives to your city.
Peace Church and Shool is a larger, more historic church and elementary school. It functions much like Holy Cross, except with larger capacities.
Manthey Correctional School is a combination school and jail. It is a fully functional high school, which also houses inmates with the hope of rehabiliting them. All three are rewards and each have their own conditions that must be met. More details on these requirements and also the school's information can be found in the readmes.
These upgrades came as the result of a lot, and by that I mean
a lot, of help from other BSC members. Andreas Roth provided the menu upgrades. He actually did this without any requests from me... he just thought it seemed like a good idea, I guess. The various translations were another idea that I can't really take much credit for. Ripplejet brought it up, Andreas Roth ran with it, and in all honesty, I did little more than look on with awe and gratitude. The following people provided translations: Andreas Roth (German), jeronij (Spanish), Kwakelaar (Norwegian), Marco Berzacola (Italian), Rayden (Portuguese), RippleJet (Finnish, Swedish), Serkanner (Dutch), vester_DK (Danish), wouanagaine (French). A huge thank-you goes to all of them. Kboomsw did all the Macintosh testing, which didn't go nearly as well as either of us had hoped for quite some time. Finally, while I may be a bit of a perfectionist, it is not always easy to find the desire or motivation needed to spend more time on "finished" business. However, the spirit of this community and the endless support I recieve from members here turn that aforementioned chore into something that I am happy and honored to do. With that in mind, the final thanks is to everyone that follows along and enjoys what I have to offer.
Now... "Go teach your sims something!" because "The power of learning compels you."
JB
****running to the LEX ***** %BUd%
&apls &prt
Very good work JB, I was already a fan of your schools before, so, it was a pleasure I could be of some (very little) help on contributing to this fantastic pack(s). &apls
&hlp &hlp
&hlp yeah &bis& ;D
omg these look so good ingame
I'm IN LOVE with that ivy covered building! You must tell me how you make your ivy! You must you must! :D
And the diagonal building is fantastic as well! Keep them coming- and I sure wish I had a hunk of your brain to work with! :P
Right on sebes heels to the LEX. %BUd%
Thanks goes to each and everyone who contributed to these packs. It is wonderful to see so many people come together to create. &apls
Incredible set. Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:
And waiting for that preview....your system will be 100 times better than mine, which is none ::) $%Grinno$%
Thank you so much for the school packs....all the hard work and love you and the BSC team put in is so very much appreciated..... :thumbsup:
Thank you all very much! It's nice to have them so well recieved. The really nice thing (at least in my mind) is that these were the last of the "redo" projects I had. Everything else from here on out will be new stuff. The Taft Building doesn't seem to be having any problems so far... so that should be next and hopefully in the near future.
I found a book at my parent's house with a bunch of old pictures of the city. This of course gave me more ideas (which I probably didn't need) so there could be a flurry of new stuff coming along. I also spent some time browsing the "Show us your..." threads, which gave me a couple more ideas. So who knows what might be next!
Nothing to show right now. I got back in town yesterday afternoon and then had to spend the next three or four hours catching up on all the work stuff I missed by daring to take the holiday weekend off. I'm sure I'll get something done tonight... but I don't know yet what it will be! Thanks again...
JB
Well JB what ever you kick get out next I'm sure it will be awesome and different.Havn't had the chance to give the Schools a whack yet do to my system went on a PMS kick.
Thanx for sharing your masterpieces. :thumbsup:
JBSimio, these are great school packs! They're perfect for suburban areas, because the in-game high schools don't really look like they fit in the suburbs, and the same can be said for the elementary schools.
I especially like the red schoolhouse, it's perfect for small farming communities.
Great updates on the schools, they were fantastic before, now they are..........hmmmmm........even better.
Thanks.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Just had a good look in game of the Schools and your other lots.Damn son you have talent and you put those over payed EA designers to shame. :thumbsup: &apls
Great job on everything so far my friend. my BATs are moving slowly but moving again. I've been semi busy. I just got nightlights on my buildings!
Wow!
The third Schoolpack is a veritable treasure. &apls I like them a lot. And the alterations on pack one and two are well worth waiting for. ;D your on your way of creating an entire tileset of your own :thumbsup:
Strech. (no t)
Bluebeard: Sorry to hear that your computer got a little fussy on you! I hope you didn't lose too much...
DFire: Thank-you! I tried to have a blend of urban and suburban styles. And the Lil Red Schoolhouse was set up with farming communities in mind. Sounds like I acheived both goals! :D
Robin: Thanks! I love watching you try to think of things to say... adds a touch of humor to my day! ;)
Bluebeard: I actually know a guy who used to work for EA... according to him, they're not a very good place to work at all. They bring programmers in for the next big project, work them to death, and then let half of them go. Maybe that's normal for the business (I don't know) but it doesn't say much for job security. I'm glad you like them, and thank-you!
Jose: Thanks! I'll have to go check your thread again. I imagine you keep plenty busy... lots to get ready for!
Strech: Thank-you! Sorry I've been spelling your name wrong. I always get mad when people put extra letters in mine, so you think I would know better!
Well... I got a fair chunk of the textures and lighting done on Rau's. Some of the brick accents need adjusting as they just blend in and disappear right now... but I'm mostly pretty happy with it. My gut tells me that something is missing, but I'm not sure what it is. Anyway... have a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg228.imageshack.us%2Fimg228%2F484%2Frausday01zc0.jpg&hash=741a320cec287ca67590835165a457a9d5c29d63)
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Any suggestions?
JB
I like the Rau as it is, But maybe it's the roof. because of the angle it sho'ws little of the wlls compared to square buildings. Perhaps if you turn the triangular section of the roof into a open terrace for a café or perhaps a relax area for the employee's of the offices in the upper floors. nothing to posh or fancy. just a break from standard roofing and bring a bit more life to it. Is that something your gut misses?
BTW don't mind the T :angrymore:. I'm holding no grudge or anything $%Grinno$% :thumbsup:
Strech
Just wanted to stop in and say thanks for the school packs. I love them! :thumbsup:
hello jon my friend,as allways you are doing excellent work
It's looks awesome and a small Garden area sounds nice with a Iron railing around the edge.A few tables and a few plants boom. :thumbsup:
R.u. planing to make this LOT diagonal? I'd love this.
Building: Simply beautiful! Great textures as always...
I agree with Bluebeard and Strechnitz about that triangle part of the roof. Maybe if it were just a belcony with some tables and chairs. Oh and what about an AC unit on the main roof? Other than that it is super marvelous! I will be adding this one to my collection for sure.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup: &apls
Other than the triangular terrace suggestion I think everything looks pretty good (aside from perhaps a non-store front entrance to the building (unless it's through the back)). Though it may be a few step early: Congratulations on another bat well done.
Looking very good my friend.....others brought up the points that I thought of...my
first thought was a large A/C unit...I like the idea of maybe some cheap looking lunch and smoke break accountraments on the roof........I see you've got the loading dock doors, but seeing as how this is a furniture store....maybe a bit wider &mmm....
as to the EA statement....worked with many huge corporations for a long time....that is SOP for most of them.....hire some newbie's and workem to death...or bring in a consulting firm to provide ...ummm consultants :P...and overpay them while working them to death (creates dissension in the ranks), or farm the job out to an overseas "sweatshop"....ahh well... c'est la guerre
Strech: The angle does mess with the normal views, but I don't think a terrace is the way to go. It wouldn't really fit this particular building (IMO) and seems strange to have in such a visible area as the front corner like it is.
Snorrelli: Thanks! Glad you like them.
Jacky: Thank-you! Nice to see you again!
Bluebeard: It seems to be a common idea, but I just don't think the terrace will fit this style.
FromTheAshes: Yes... this will be made for a diagonal corner lot. Thank-you!
Robin: Thanks! I tried an air conditioner... but have a couple other things to try yet too. We'll see...
Threestooges: Thank-you! You're right... there is no "apartment" entrance, which there probably should be. It's missing from most of my buildings, really. It will probably stay missing this time, but I've really got to start remembering that!
Oldrogue: I thought about a loading dock at one point, but wasn't sure where to put it. Then I forgot about it! :D I've added it in. We won't even get into a discussion about "corporate America" at this point... I could go for days! lol
Nothing to show today... thanks for all the suggestions. I started a few things and have a few more to try. Maybe something tomorrow.
JB
Ohhhh....ohhhhh, I'm jumping up and down &hlp....you said diagonal lot. &apls YAAAHHHHHH.
This is going to be great. Waiting impatiently. LOL
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
I think that you need to put something on that triangular area.
The store on the corner strikes me as being one of three things:
- A pub
- A pawnshop
- A convenience store.
If it were a pub, it'd make sense for the tower above to be accomodation. If that were the purpose, then I'd say a small garden, even if only with a few small grass areas and a few benches, would be the goer. It wouldn't need to be anything fancy, it just needs to fill the space - that's prime real estate right there, and in a real city it would either be used up by a garden or leased as a small cafe.
If it were any of the other two, any sort of miscellaneous mess would fit there. IMHO I'd go for the pub/hotel combination as that will fit in whether in an $, $$ or $$$ area (I've found even in higher wealth areas, there'll be a grimier pub).
As for the textures, they suit the building to a tee - great work! :)
Now, you probably didn't want to hear my view, but I'm posting it anyway. :P
Robin: Whoa... easy now! You're going to need a nap after all that! :D
Cammo: Of course I want to hear your view... that's why I have a thread! ;) This is meant to be a furniture show room with the companies offices above. That's what the real thing was, anyway. I have some ideas to spruce up the triangular area, but we'll come back to that hopefully tomorrow.
In the meantime... I got distracted while in Saginaw last weekend. I know... big surprise, right? ::) On top of that, Jestarr showed a rail barge he was working on and then agreed to make an alternate version for me. So... here is a sneak peak of what will be happening with that:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg92.imageshack.us%2Fimg92%2F3949%2Fgrainsouthbargewk0.jpg&hash=469f608dc0d4fc768eafef013a4370a60b30e5b0)
Obviously, there's a long ways to go yet. Most of this doesn't even have textures on it yet. It will probably be some sort of freight station... quite possibly a reward with the BSC farms... versions with either Jeronij or SG canals or no canals at all... You get the idea! It's still early, so who knows what could happen?
JB
Yah, you are right, shortly after that post I did dose /wrrd%& off at my work station, I think it was only for five minutes or so. Hopefully nobody saw me cause I'm going to blam it on you. When they see that awesome building and that it's going to be on a diagonal lot, I'm sure they will understand..........right? ;) right??!
Wow, another great one. Not sure myself what it is. But if it's industrial....I'll take it. Grain tanks for filling barges??? Looks great!!
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Very nice on the grain elevators....hmmm...ok will get a canal set....sheesh ;D
There is probably a thread here in SC4D that has this already, but I'm lazy and wanna you an off the wall question %confuso....Was playing the game yesterday and (once again) was struck by the difference in scale with so much of the content, both from Maxis and the custom stuff.....isn't there a thing in BAT (I've never looked in it) that would kind of keep measurements accurate as in feet and meters so that a 6 hotel sitting next to a two story church would look like it belonged.....I've noticed that your creations are very close to the same scale for everything, but , there are some really nice models out there that just look so very out of place! Did that make sense? Oh well...
Thanks for everything..
Duane
Pub with a garden on the roof sounds interesting
I dunno, seems that there are already lots of "pretty" things available for this game
Have you thought about making it have shops like a dry cleaner, a convenience store , a indian restaraunt. You know, places that are truly urban in character and would bring some life to the neighborhood
I think it would be cool if the roof did have something on it, but instead of a garden like every other building it could maybe be paved with tar and there could be a shed or something. I bet marcszar would have some good ideas about something like that
As for the grain elevator, that is too cool. I was just thinking though, could you maybe render it one way as a offset prop w/o the water under the barges. I think that way it could be made to work with real water and not canals. With something like that you could make a river port like what is found in oklahoma and the midwest where agricultural goods are the primary cargo.
Looks pretty spiffy. I am curious though, as to what the silos are dumping their load into in that picture (a barge?). Regardless of that, this is another thing for you that is really showing promise (I've only seen 1-2 grain elevators in the game and they are ok at best) so I will be looking forward to seeing the continued development. I would like to see it adapted for rai transport (but if nothing else, that's an easy tweak in the LE. One thing I did notice, is that the stairs on the side do not seem to quite reach the ground (unless there is a ladder that drops down that I can't see). It's always fun to watch these things develop. I'll try to come by a bit more often.
great progress, the barge is pretty cool imo. :)
The grain elevators look fantastic.. and very MidWest!
Man that is nice! God i cant wait to see that angled building on the LEX ;D Plz dont finish it up, then be busy so u cant release it like Marcszar lol. Talk about torture :P Looking forwards to seeing that new grain silo train station thingamajig too.
That's wonderful worker JB your is fantastic can't wait for more of your work.
Regards hydra &apls
Nice industrial project! You've never done any industrial BAT's before, correct?
Looking forward to the next update.
Cheers,
Kevin
Wow... what a response! &bis& Thanks everyone! Here we go...
Robin: Yes... I promise you a diagonal version for Rau's. The new one is a grain elevator for water and/or rail shipping. Glad you like it so far!
Oldrogue: Thanks! Yeah, the scale issue has been discussed ad nauseum on ST and probably this site somewhere. The way BAT is set up, keeping measurements is quite easy if not a necessity... so it should be simple to keep a uniform scale. The main problem is that Maxis did NOT use a uniform scale. Smaller structures tend to be exaggerated (think about the size of the bus stop, for example) and larger structures were scaled way down to make them take up less space (the major sports baseball field comes to mind)... basically Maxis scale is all over the board. The SC4 perspective angle doesn't help either... as it tends to make things look squashed and much shorter than they really are. This all means that different BATters most likely chose different things to compare to (if they compare ingame to begin with) and so the scale varies depending on what they lined up with. I generally try to use the same floor height for most things, although even then it varies to some extent. (Residential buildings are often shorter floor heights than commercial...) Does that answer your question... or did I completely miss the point?
Zaphod: Sorry... no roof garden for this one. I'm hoping to do a test render of Rau's this weekend and I'll show you all what I came up with then. I've thought about doing some of those types of businesses, but just never seem to get that far. A lot of my store fronts are generic enough that it would probably just be a matter of slapping the right sign on the right sized shop. Glad you like the grain elevator! I'd like to make a seaport version as well, but I'm not sure yet. My big concern is that PEG raised the bar so high with his self leveling and such... and then there's SOMY... don't even get me started on how good his ports are! So, I'm having a little performance anxiety! :D But we'll see what happens.
Threestooges: Thanks! Yes, that's a barge that Jestarr made for me. It will definitely be TE for rail, so no worries there. You're right... the stairs don't come all the way down. They're meant for maintainence/emergeny use on the elevator shafts, so I wouldn't want kids climbing up there. There will be a retractable ladder at the bottom of all that, but I haven't added it yet (I'm also missing a railing on the upper landing... note to self)
Tag_One: Thanks, but the barge is all Jestarr. I cannot and will not take any credit for that part!
Sebes: Thank-you!
Sim Shady: Thanks! I'll try not to get too distracted... I'm going to test render Rau's this weekend, so we'll go from there.
Hydra: Thank-you! And, since I believe this is your first post here, welcome to my little corner of the world!
Kevin: Thanks! You are correct... this is my first stab at anything industrial.
Whew... now I need a nap!
How about some new pictures, huh? I added some more details... catwalks, ventilation, closed up the main elvator shafts... this, that, and the other... I really don't remember what all I did! I also got the bulk of the truck loading garage done. You can also see the humble beginnings of the intake area. Those are the bins that trucks will dump into to start the whole process.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F7913%2Fgrainnorth01ts1.jpg&hash=2c0217ac32bab7d7726ee59583181dd057abf583)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F1533%2Fgrainwest02ai0.jpg&hash=9a5cbfbd986dd091b0f0b3e8bf5778141153ecdd)
That's all for now!
JB
ohhh........I like this more and more. It's getting bigger. I like big industrial lots.
No suggestions..................yet.
Robin :thumbsup:
Oh yeah, you got the point thanks so very much... it had just been driving me nuts!
Ok, nuts(er), and to top it off, I even understood your explanation.... :D....
loving the eleveator......and keep up the good work.....performance anxiety? nahhh, you are one of the best there is my friend....don't worry..... ;D
Robin: Thanks! Yes... this will be a pretty good sized lot by the time all is said and done.
Oldrogue: Thank-you! You're too kind.
OK... long story which I will try to keep short. (The lawyers said something about this story not being an acceptable substitute for any prescribed sleep medication which you may or may not be taking... I'm not real sure what they're talking about though!) I came home yesterday planning to fire up the old BAT and get some stuff done. To my horror, the computer decided to go on strike... no warning, no union negotiations, not even a picket sign that I could find... just up and walked off the job. So... I tried a couple things... but nothing seemed to work. Skip ahead to my trip to Best Buy to visit with the Geek Squad. They started working on things (I had discovered by this time that the hard drive wasn't completely lost) and I decided to wander around and drool over stuff I don't have. Apparently HP just rolled out a whole new line that had just come in that day... and doesn't actually go on sale until tomorrow or Monday. Well, Jon got excited... and talked them into selling him one early. To get to the point (I guess this wasn't so short after all...), I now have a new computer that blows my old one out of the water. :satisfied: :thumbsup:
After a number of hours putting things back in order, I got back to the grain elevator and now have some new pictures to show you. I also made the unexpected discovery that I now have a wireless internet connection at my house. This is more exciting than it may seem because I haven't had internet at home for over two years. But enough about me... here's some pictures:
First is the "intake building" back and side views. This is still little more than the basic shell... lots of details to come yet. But it's an idea of where we're going:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg265.imageshack.us%2Fimg265%2F2654%2Fgrainibeast01zo6.jpg&hash=8988a9ea129c045c219ba767082332feb314f328) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg265.imageshack.us%2Fimg265%2F1028%2Fgrainibsouth01ai1.jpg&hash=388e3beb0ddea5b279c21e2d88f6a3b397ca35d0)
Here is an overview of the whole complex at this point. The train hoppers are once again courtesy of Jestarr who has been a huge help with this project.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg400.imageshack.us%2Fimg400%2F1194%2Fgrainnorth02gb4.th.jpg&hash=6d4d5de19de2eb8d3c5b2cc9a16ec70659f813ed) (http://img400.imageshack.us/my.php?image=grainnorth02gb4.jpg)
More to come!
JB
OMG WOW JB I'm sooooooooo drolling here i think i totally need a new keyboard or a droll rag lol.
One thing i think that would be interesting is something with the barge idea is to leave it blank so
that plop-able water could be used cause that has made me think of some way i could use it.
Sorry that I'm rambling on here but wow I'm just in amazement by Grain elevator. BTW
BSC reward would be good i think? &apls &apls But anyways my hat off to you great work man - pat
hi jon hows you,now this is something different for you but you are doing so well with it as well,wonderfull work my friend &apls &apls
What do you get a man who has a new computer?
That's easy....a new career as an industrial batter :D
Congrats on the new pc...ain't that a fun experience ;D....and the elevator is looking mighty fine.
The grain elevator is looking real good JB.
One note- the rail cars from Jestarr you are using are coal cars. Grain railcars have covered tops. Here's a reference link (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=183539), link 2 (http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=183038), in case you're interested. And yes, I'm aware that's probably a minor detail as far as the overall lot is concerned... I'm just excited to see some more great stuff from you.
hurray for your new pc :) You scared the crap out of me when you said that you pc wasnt working. My first thought was "Not Buddybud 2.0! nooo" *whew*
Pat: Thanks! I seem to have an extra keyboard now if you need one! :D To be honest, I don't know a whole lot about getting this all to work with the various canal options or ploppable water just yet. It sounds like a good idea, but I don't even know if it can be done or not. I'll keep it in mind for when we get that far, though.
Jacky: Thank-you! Yes... it's a little departure from my usual style.
Oldrogue: Thanks!
Meinhosen: Thank-you! You know, I kind of wondered about the hoppers... glad you mentioned that. For the moment, they're only there for the sake of measurements anyway. But I'll certainly look into that... or try to bribe Jestarr some more since they are his models :P
Sim Shady: You think you got scared??? I was ready to cry myself to sleep... and it was only 2:00PM when that happend! :D
More pictures... I wrapped up the structure on the intake building. It still needs a lot of the little details... roof junk, access ladders, etc. But the hard part is done. I also made the conveyor systems which connect to the main elevator shafts.
First some views of just the new bits:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg75.imageshack.us%2Fimg75%2F8728%2Fgrainibwest01ba0.jpg&hash=9028ea434cd290595ac18d554c01dbcf5b716b26) (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg125.imageshack.us%2Fimg125%2F1796%2Fgrainibsouth02ut5.jpg&hash=17576b1217f9ad6c25f04090caa2a88bf158c3a7)
And now a couple angles of the whole complex again:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg75.imageshack.us%2Fimg75%2F6817%2Fgrainsouth02gk0.jpg&hash=12e6e4cdab06bdc6dc73391f4305b97c0c96ed2f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg400.imageshack.us%2Fimg400%2F5969%2Fgraineast01kj3.jpg&hash=ece81d75f210b1c3504cc12f6fee44584f16c580)
That's all for now!
JB
A new computer and a new zest for batting. It seems like you have made some great progress (and I'm guessing the new computer helps with that). Glad to know nothing was lost (or completely lost). The intake building looks great and it all seems to be coming together nicely (who knows what this will lead to next).
very well done...out of curiosity.....how large of a lot will it be.....?..
Hi JBSimio,
Nice to have a new computer, and gladly your harddrive wasn't totlay screwed up. So now you are going industrial? great. Is it going to be a reward?
Strech.
Threestooges: Thank-you! Yes, the new computer definitely helps. Generating these pictures takes about half the time it used to! &dance (I've always wanted to use that one somewhere!)
Oldrogue: Thanks! Hard to say for sure... but it's shaping up to be in the 8x8 range, including (I think) the SG canal pieces.
Strech: I don't know if I'd say that I'm going industrial... just trying my hand at it. I'm enjoying the change of venue, but I'm not sure if it will become a regular thing for me. Right now we are thinking about making this a reward with the BTE farms... but time will tell.
I decided to experiment with some textures today. My idea is to make this intake building look like the original building and that the rest of the complex grew from there. With that in mind, I went with a pretty dark and grungy brick for this part.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg20.imageshack.us%2Fimg20%2F3738%2Fgrainibtexture01gf7.jpg&hash=d49bd6e5e452d7859e34e77158f532af6c6e397d)
I'm not real thrilled with the pipes just yet. They look too flat at the moment. I also need to fix the painted on billboard... fade it out more and attempt to create some "peeling paint." Beyond those things, I'm pretty happy with how it came out... but that's just me. How y'all feel is the more important part!
JB
Though I have very little knowledge of grain silos and elevators, this looks pretty good. I like the deep color of the brick. Grundgy though it may be, it gives it a look that is perfect for back in the days when buildings were still made of brick. Regarding the pipes, it may be partly due to the silos themselves: they have a completely flat top with little detail for them (perhaps add a slope or something to it-make it a cone with a very small height). All around, it looks great so far (and will probably only get better form here). Well done.
Good stuff! &apls
I'm creating a BAT thread here because I'm starting to get sick of the lagg on SimTrop!
Check out my BAT thread here!
http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1009.msg28350#new
Very nice indeed! I once tried to make a grain elevator, failed miserably (as usual for me). But I like yours alot! definitely a needed building in sc4..
Looks good JB.
I don't show up here for a couple of days and I miss sooo much. Your computer just gets up and leaves (I hate when that happens), you get a new one and the building now looks almost done and without my input. LOL
Actually, I don't think I would have had any suggestions. It looks perfect.
Now that you are on the textures for the building, I do have an opinion there if you don't mind. I love the brick work (my favourite) but the silo and the pipes, not so much. I agree with threestooges about the cone shaped top, that may help. But the colours don't seem right. Can you make the pipe work look more like marcszar's duct work on the Coleman and Son's building? I think that maybe a wise choice. Also the silos could be painted white, but still dirty and rusted, (aged) if that's possible.
Anyways, great work and my suggestions are just that.....sugesttions.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Hmmm tend to agree with Rooker on this.....the pipes...most of the elevator pipes I've seen ..the overall impression has been well used and rusty.....aside from that...my datpacker finger is getting itchy ;D
haha, don't you worry, I just meant seeing you make an industrial building for the first time. I don't expect a range of buildings. Rest assured on that. $%Grinno$%
I like the dark brick. But does the billboard not stand to low on the wall to be seen by people on the street? With the flat roof in front of it. you need to stand perhaps 200 feet or more away not to have ones view on the billboard hindered by the building in front of it.
Strech.
Thanks, everyone! I'll have to come back to make proper replies later. In the meantime, a number of people have asked me about this "camp stuff" I keep talking about. So I put a little something together for anyone who is interested in what I do and where I live. If you'd like to check it out, you can see it all here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1026.0).
JB
Very nice tour, thanks.
Robin :thumbsup:
Before I catch up on the personal replies, I have two things to say. First and foremost is a big thank-you to everyone who commented on the camp tour I posted. I really enjoyed doing it, and was happy to see some of the reactions it brought out. (It's actually getting a little recognition from the bigwigs here... so this could get even better!)
Second, I feel I should apologize for my recent disappearing act. The tour took a bit more time then I expected. Then the weather finally got really nice and I spent a bit of time trying to put my yard back into some sense of order. After the ice storm we had in January, that was far more work than a yard this size should really call for! In the process, I got stung by a bee for the first time since I was four! One of the very few times in my life that I decided to walk around outside barefoot, and I go and step on a bee! Aren't they supposed to be flying around in the air?? :angrymore: The good news is that I'm not as allergic to bees as I was 28 years ago... which means I didn't die or need a doctor. The bad news is that my foot is all swelled up and hurts like a... well, like something that hurts a lot, put it that way. So there are my excuses... take them or leave them! :D
Anyway... response time:
Threestooges: I'm glad you like the textures, thanks! Regarding the silos, I think it is the pipes and not the silos. Below all the responses are a couple refernce pictures I've been using. Have a look and tell me what you think.
Frankie: Thank-you!
Hydra: Thanks to you as well!
Robin: Thanks! The textures are definitely up for debate at this point, so any feedback is always welcome. My thoughts were to have the silos be of concrete (poured or preformed, however they make them) and the pipe work painted. I was worried that plain metal piping would be too much given the amount of pipes. But, as I said to Threestooges, have a look at the pictures and tell me what you think.
Oldrogue: Same response as Robin, I guess... lol
Strech: The bill board definitely needs some adjusting. The whole elevator shaft may still get reworked actually.
JBSimio: Oh crap... that's me! Nevermind...
So, as I mentioned above, I haven't really worked on this at all since the last update. But here are some shots I was using for reference. It kind of gives a better idea of which style I'm shooting for. I know there are many ways I could go with textures and all... but this is what I had in my head when I started making the thing. Of course, it's not set in stone... so feel free to argue your case for or against!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F9903%2Fgrainelevator02ci7.jpg&hash=bea00769c73025de81184e41887735592c5407e9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg247.imageshack.us%2Fimg247%2F949%2Fgrainelevator04au1.jpg&hash=5c2e332a4745cea39c2dc19dac9d648737b2a0a1)
I should get back in the swing of things in the next day or two, so expect a "real" update then!
JB
Ouch, that's gotta hurt. Well, at least you didn't sit on the bee! (My sister was at a birthday party, and sat on a bee which was on a swing. :D)
Anyways, this new building looks great, and is just another step to making rural areas more realistic.
First, great stuff with the camp update. They should use that for their advertising (on and off the web)... and send a small stipend your way (heh heh). RL issues are never something to apologize for, I myself have been gearing up for my final exams in a week. I have been looking at the silos you've made and their inspiring pics. One thing I noticed was that the supporting structure in the rl shots is more dense (as opposed to the slim thing around yours), another seems to be the relative size of the pipes entering the silos (larger in model-but could be a result of higher needed capacity). One last thing, is that the rl silos have a railing around their top (giving them something extra on the top) whereas these seem a bit plain. Looking forward to what comes next (both with the bats and the camp).
Hope your foot gets better quickly.
The tour was awesome, I want to go camping there. LOL
As for the silos, I'll wait to see what comes next. I see now why you did the way you did, according to the RL pictures you added.
Robin :thumbsup:
Wow JB, I can sympathize, I'm also allergic to bees, but haven't been stung by one since I was a teen - about 50 yrs ago! ;D
I'm not going to say anything about the silos - being a city girl ;)
I'll just sit back and watch now....
Dfire: Good point... I'd much rather hobble around for a few days than not be able to sit down! Glad you like the grain elevator and welcome to my little thread!
Threestooges: Stipend? LMAO... you don't know the camp world very well, do you? They don't pay for anything if it can be helped! :D You're points are all good ones. The pipes I did make a larger diameter, but mostly just so the details would show up in the game. I'll explain the rest of what I did in a minute. Thanks for your feedback!
Robin: Thank-you! We have a family camp week (actually two of them) in the summer. Camp... it's not just for kids anymore... ;)
Vicky: Yeah... I think I got more nervous about what my reaction might be than anything else. I'm just glad I've outgrown the allergy at least a little. I used to be a city boy myself, so I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants on this one!
OK... here's the update. I reworked the piping for the intake building. I raised everything up higher (which also means that the elevator shaft is now taller) and added a bend in each pipe where it meets the silo. I added the railings and a ladder. I also retextured the billboard so it looks more faded and is also higher up on the wall. The only thing that is out of date on this picture is the texture for those railings and other metal work in that area. In the "finished" version, those textures will match the other two ladders.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg451.imageshack.us%2Fimg451%2F3687%2Fgrainibtexture02ud2.jpg&hash=909224c999c15bf78e7727af8be52d5a55283de4)
I also started some texturing on the main silos. The railing on these is the texture I just mentioned, which may give a better comparison (actually the other ones are fixed in this picture too!) My thought for the walls on the main building is that I will make them some kind of corrugated metal... probably painted some neutral color. The silos will be concrete (as they are now) and the piping would match the ones on the intake building. Might be hard to visualize, but does that sound like a halfway decent idea?
Anyway... Jestarr also made some new grain hopper cars. I didn't even have to bribe him... actually I hadn't even gotten around to asking about them yet. Maybe he stopped by here and just went to town on his own, I don't know. Regardless, I really like them and am forever in his debt. I put them in the next shot for another size check so you can see them too.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg87.imageshack.us%2Fimg87%2F442%2Fgraineast02dw1.jpg&hash=c99ab8f7c734f408b2eee37579e27619834f0a7f)
That's about it for now!
JB
PS... the Taft Building should be ready before the end of this week. The Lockwood Apartments will probably be next, but maybe not until I get back from my upcoming trip.
Lol i have this feeling that when you release this every rural cj is gonna have this BAT in them :thumbsup:
Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuchie JB thats not fun at all. its that time of the year the bees are coming up out of the ground its warmer and nicer and well ouch. I really did love the tour and them pics did finaly come threw. these last few updates are great i cant wait to see the final project - pat
That looks really cool JB keep it up my man!
The railings make it look much better, and so too does the fact that the separator (part where it breaks from 1-4) is above the scaffolding instead of inside as it previously appeared. I figured the stipend would be hoping for a bit much, but what the hey, it never hurts to ask (until they ask you to do an addition for it... which wouldn't be bad either, we would hopefully get to see more too). The overall look is really coming together. With the train cars in the pic for scale, it seems that this will be a massive structure. Well done again.
Great work, I think it now looks fantastic and have no suggestions. The railing on top of the silos did it for me. Everything looks perfect.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Wow, Jon. It's been too long since I last checked in! The grain silo looks incredible!
Also, Rau's is gorgeous... I already know where to place it in my city. =)
Hope you're doing well! I'll try to stop by more often.
Modeling is great!
My only slight greavance would be with texturing... it is way to dark, I think. Even on the totally black background at places things just drope to the black hole. even in the shadows this shouldn't realy happen.
Sim Shady: Thanks! That would be fun to see!
Pat: Thank-you! Most of the swelling is gone now, and it just feels more like a deep paper cut now.
Jose: Thanks! I haven't forgotten your thread... I'll get back there soon!
Threestooges: Thank-you! Yes... it's a pretty big place. Probably 8x8 when all is said and done.
Robin: Thank-you!
Nofunk: Thanks! Good to see you as always. Rau's is giving me a little difficulty at the moment, but it's getting there.
Simfox: Thank-you! I was wondering about dark or light... I'm still trying to find the balance between grungy without being overly dark. I figure once I find grungy, making everything lighter will be a farily minor adjustment.
So... not a whole lot of time at the moment. I'm meeting with a bride shortly who is getting married in three weeks but doesn't seem to understand that if I don't get some information soon, she won't be having any dinner at her reception!
In the meantime, I got some more done on the grain elevator. I'll explain things later if necessary, but for now here are the pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F5884%2Fgrainelevsouth01mv7.jpg&hash=b516ea1ac18cc038e6f66188e8e1858d59a879aa)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F5448%2Fgraineleveast01fm4.jpg&hash=513833ccbf462e1ce7dc7d1c64610fac1ffdb386)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg151.imageshack.us%2Fimg151%2F3323%2Fgrainelevnorth01xo8.jpg&hash=f865d1f67c03baa4966810d8584ae4ce3623faa8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg246.imageshack.us%2Fimg246%2F9931%2Fgrainelevwest01he5.jpg&hash=63a75e09bee182743dfe5f14bd329ea174b90765)
More to come!
JB
great job JB great job i love your work !
That is looking very good JB! :thumbsup:
Very well textured. Nice building. :thumbsup:
:o OOOhhhhh............I see rust, I love it!!!! This project just keeps getting better and bigger. I can't wait to see what the lot will look like. ;) Not trying to rush things, but I am getting very excited. ;)
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Gonna convert that to lofts as they did in Oslo , too? :D
Nah, just kidding, great work though, excellent texturing!
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamigo :o !!!
I havent stopped around here in a while, and I see I have missed some real outstanding models. That grain elevator....WOW ??? !!!
Please, dont stop :thumbsup:
wow jb- simply amazing detail. not much much to be said other than wow. %BUd%
Astounding attention to details. Well done. &apls &apls
keep up the great work :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
This is amazing! I love that brick texture! Fo sho.
try to get those textures to me as soon as you can okay JBsimo and great work on the bat absalotly breathtaking
&apls &apls &apls JB stunning as allways love the pipe work on the grain evelator - pat
Derek: Thanks! "I your work" too... whatever that means ()what() :D
Sebes: Thank-you!
FromtheAshes: Thanks!
Robin: Thank-you! Rust is always good in these situations, I think.
Glenni: Welcome to the thread! They converted a grain elevator into lofts?? Glad you like it.
Jeronij: Muchos gracias! Te quedes mas? Mas? Por el amor de Dios... (Sorry if I spelled everything wrong!) Thanks... I'm glad you like it!
Edge: Thank-you! Rumor has it that I specialize in details... so yea me!
TeaCat: Thank! Welcome to you as well!
Jose: The brick texture really is just modified from some of the schools I did... so you've seen it before! ;)
Derek: Patience my friend... I'm trying to plan a vacation here, for heaven's sake! I PMed you a link just before I started this.
Pat: You kind of snuck in here while I was typing! Thank-you! Still a little fine tuning to do on the pipes, but it's getting there!
OK... kind of a mixed bag of little things today. I'll stick with the grain elevator first. I wanted to do one last size test for the rail area, so I rendered the conveyor systems to make sure that there was enough room for the tracks and rail cars to pass underneath. The good news is that it seems to be fine... perhaps a little tight, but it'll work whether I change it or not. I do need to adjust the signal boxes and line them up better, but that should be about it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg83.imageshack.us%2Fimg83%2F6223%2Fgrainconveyortest01me0.jpg&hash=6399a10c6741a07b34bd34847d9e205c208edebb)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg183.imageshack.us%2Fimg183%2F1470%2Fgrainconveyortest02bj6.jpg&hash=1061b8c0278431eefeabd4a0cea22e31141bae3c)
I also finally got around to rendering the academic building for Westlake Academy. I didn't really do anything else with the lot, but I figured I'd show it to you just to prove that I haven't forgotten about it!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg183.imageshack.us%2Fimg183%2F3152%2Fwestlakecampus07ac7.jpg&hash=d0ce27cdf5093d06f1c27f371e45ea6d707a78c6)
That's about it for now! I'll probably get a few more things done, but next week is going to be pretty busy. I leave for California again a week from today, so I have a lot of work to cram into next week! So, we'll see what I can get done in the meantime.
JB
WoW that grain elevator is fantastic - cant wait to see it in game as well as your new acadamy - Super work keep em coming &apls &apls
LOL JB i know im terrible like that heheeh. wow me some more why dont ya's, you so rock i love the Westlake Academy that is just stunning man keep up that hard work and btw have a blast in Cali - pat
I am so glad that you did not forget the Academy.... as neither did I :thumbsup:
That is superb texturing on the grain elevator, and Westlake is... breathtaking! I can't wait to place this in my cities!
" Glenni: Welcome to the thread! They converted a grain elevator into lofts?? Glad you like it. "
They sure did! :D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi80.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj179%2FGlenni91%2FBAT%2520pics%2FGrunerloekkaStudenthus3.jpg&hash=ff2bbd11fab15af61d0b14227fdc2fc6824301f9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi80.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj179%2FGlenni91%2FBAT%2520pics%2FGrunerloekkaStudenthus1.jpg&hash=3d0eb107819fea760e029123f38afd96a707fb37)
And here's my old crappish attempt at it :P
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi80.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fj179%2FGlenni91%2FBAT%2520pics%2F1Grunerloekka_studentflats1-1.jpg&hash=3e25c5406022254f8c6d19a50dd3ee2cdf6d9de7)
JBSimio: Just out of curiosity, are you planning on releasing that grain elevator without the canal? It's a beautiful model that I believe can go both ways, with or without canals.. &mmm
@ Glenni if you think that is crap i would most defintely like to see what you call awsome - pat
Very Nice buddy!!! Keep that up!
As I mentioned on the BSC board, the grain elevator has come along nicely. Westlake is looking superb.... not that I would expect anything less from the king of historic North America. Should look nice once the grounds have been landscapped. I wouldn't worry too much about the clearence for the rail. If it'll fit then that's good enough imho. Enjoy California!
Glenni: That's insane! I can't imagine the economics of renovating a grain elevator into residental housing working out. I find it hard to envision a situation where there wasn't more money to be made by knocking the elevator over and starting from scratch.
that grain elevator looks awesome
please tell me your making a version without the canal though. I mean it looks awesome but it could go equally well with just rails, as often in tiny towns the grain elevator is by the old depot is a landmark for miles around
I have to agree with Zaphod, I would love to see a canal version and a rail only version.
First PEG's rural stations, then BSC farms, now JB's grain elevator...whats next, 19th century homes? No wait, c.p.'s done that.
If there's a wooden elevator in the future the 19th century/early 20th century farming communities would be very, very believable.
Just my two cents.
Cheers,
Kevin
Wow... so much to talk about! Here we go...
Citynut: Thank-you! That means a lot as I think the first industry I ever downloaded came from you.
Pat: Thanks! Imagine what it will look like when I find all the right props...
Sebes: No... I haven't forgotten. It just took a while to work up the will to finish the LOD work for the building. Now that's out of the way, things should move along a bit better again.
Nofunk: Thank-you my friend!
Glenni: Wow! That's pretty cool. Like Spa, I can't quite grasp that being economically feasible... but I really like it. I wish developers were more willing to spend their money saving worthy structures instead of knocking them down, but that's a whole different rant that I'm not going to go into. I think your version is off to a nce start. Is it something you're still working on?
Frankie: Thank-you! Yes, I think I mentioned at the beginning of this project that there will be versions with SG canals, Jeronij's new canals, or no canals at all.
Jose: Thanks!
Spa: Thank-you! I'm still searching for the "right" trees to use on Westlake. I want to make this one a bit "special" compared to my other schools.
Zaphod: Thanks! Yep... no canals will happen. There might (and I heavily emphasise the word "might" at this point) also be a full seaport version as well. But that's still up in the air right now.
Kevin: There probably is a wooden elevator in the future. I've been sitting on a few pictures of one from the late 1800's that probably tops out around three or four "stories" tall. It's a pretty simple structure and I'm sure I'll make it for the SmalltownUSA series eventually.
Nothing new to show you today. I got a little sidetracked by another project that I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss just yet. (Maybe I am... I'm sure someone will mention it if I'm wrong) For now, I'll just say it's part of a multi-team effort that plays in quite well with some of what I'm already "known for." (Don't you just hate it when people do stuff like this?) ::) :D
I'm hoping to have something to show for myself later tonight. Depends on how late I stay in this office, I guess!
Six days and counting!!! &dance
JB
No,unfortunately it isn't, i'm not sure if i even have the model any more. &mmm
but heh, i will probably do it again some time :P
And BTW, this isn't the only one. there's actually two Silos in Oslo converted into lofts, there's also one in Molde converted into fashionable apartments and shops /offices
- Conversion from silo to student housing cost around US $18m
We have two silos in Copenhagen converted into lofts too:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg252.imageshack.us%2Fimg252%2F589%2F2824islandsbrygge355fa2zz5.jpg&hash=30ce39a52a538a8da64b556e44eea2feeb5d79de)
The white one in the middle, where they have made the lofts inside, and the round one in the back, where they also have add a structure to the outside.
Here is a better picture:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg255.imageshack.us%2Fimg255%2F8724%2Fbryggebro118d5e9nx0.jpg&hash=91f710f2573ce2c910c8f0a696539080f7a69f34)
In fact the red house in the front is an old warehouse from the 19th century converted into apartments or offices too.
Realistic, pratical or not, it's is cool and very different. I wander how much they cost to buy?
Robin ()stsfd()
Hey Jon can you send me some of your brick textures I would like to use them in my brick buildings and stuff, because it definatly is an excellent texture :)
The school is looking like a REAL school now!! haha Can't wait for it.
I just noticed your conveyor assembly update. It looks great. The academy looks pretty good too. Hope you enjoy your trip to CA (if you are making your way to the LA area, the weather is supposed to be quite nice (70s and sunny). Enjoy your trip (whatever it is for), and I'll look forward to what comes next.
Sorry guys. This week has not gone anywhere near as planned. I had more than enough to keep me busy already in the plan... and then a couple employees got sick, so I added a few more things to my list. Let's just say that I haven't felt like doing much of anything by the time I finally got home these last few days.
I had no idea converting old silos was that common! Cool pictures, and I thank you both for sharing.
Jose: Of course I can send you some textures! PM me with some details of what you need. Your best bet is to pick a building that I made with the brick you like. That way I'll know which ones you're after.
Threestooges: Thanks! Yes... I'll be in Huntington Beach primarily and probably a couple days in North Hollywood as well. It's mostly a vacation, but there could be a little business involved... new developments that are kind of up in the air right now. I'll wave as the plane makes it's landing approach!
Talk to you all when I get back (if I don't get a chance to before I leave yet)...
JB
Hi JB,
I've missed this thread in my regular posting recently &mmm bád Strech.
In Europe at least it is quite normal to redevelop old warehouses and silos into appartments. In Rotterdam (holland) the harbour activities shifted towards the sea. and the old harbour warehouses(the pretty or monumental ones) were and are being converted into anything from student housing to exclusive lofts with every possible luxury. The rest is torn down for redevelopment.
Good luck with your work, now that it has become so hectic. :thumbsup:
Strech.
hi jon my friend awesome work you are doing as allways &apls
Hope your trip went well. Also, I hope that everything is well with you. It's been a bit quiet around here, so I hope to hear from you soon (and see what you've been up to recently).
Just wondering, is JBS still active or has he gone on to the happy hunting grounds of ex SC4 players. Its been awfully quiet around here recently
He is overwhelmed by RL but still around.
Somewhere, JB published a tour of the camp he is an administrator at. I imagine this is the "busy" season for him and he will return to more "full time" BAT'ing in August or September.
Cheers,
Kevin
dang when i saw new posts in here i thought he was back...hope ur enjoying camp stuff jbsimio :party:
Quote from: BigSlark on June 19, 2007, 03:46:45 PM
Somewhere, JB published a tour of the camp he is an administrator at. I imagine this is the "busy" season for him and he will return to more "full time" BAT'ing in August or September.
Cheers,
Kevin
Yeah, that kind of work does tend to be highly seasonal, so that would explain alot.
Well... this is LONG overdue, and I apologize for that. Thanks to those who asked for your concern. Summer camp season is in full swing (has been for a couple weeks) and I have been ridiculously busy since coming back from California. If I get home in under 11 hours, I consider it a good day! On top of that, there is a good possibility of some rather large changes in my near future which is eating up what little extra time I have. They are good things, but I'm not at liberty to discuss them publicly just yet... so I'll have to leave it at that for now.
Barby probably picked the perfect word when she said, "overwhelmed." Needless to say, I haven't really gotten anything done in this part of my world lately at all. (Nolan... I just need a solid hour to finish your stuff which I'm hoping to get sometime this week... sorry for the delay!) In the meantime, I just wanted to post something here to say that I am in fact alright, I haven't disappeared or lost interest, and I will be back at some point. Again, I appreciate all of my "fans" (that still just sounds strange to me... but I guess it's accurate) and your concern. This schedule shift is so normal in my mind that sometimes I forget that there are people who don't know about it!
Thanks for you patience!
JB
It's good to hear you are well and that you are keeping busy (better busy than bored I think). Hope everything works out for you as you hope it to. When you do have time, I've gotten into the bat myself (bridges mostly) and was wondering if you be able to show how you make your ivy (or say where you found out how). Take you time, and take care of everything that needs to be done. Have fun at camp, and good luck with those not-yet-public matters as well.
JB good to hear the Great news soon to come and have some fun too dont forget that - fellow camper pat
No worries, Jon. I know all about life getting in the way. I haven't updated my own BAT thread in almost a month!
Glad to hear you're keeping busy, and I'm curious about the possible news!
Greetings oh Mr Sir.....I see that you've been (like myself) a no-show around here for a while....just got some reading done on your thread....can't (but will) wait for your return. Best of wishes to you in the real world, and will pray all goes well with the gnu...oops knew...hmmmm...nu stuffs happening....
PS if I don't write as much, is a physical thing, don't mean I'm not keep an eye on yah....
Duane
Hey JBSimio! Hope the camp season is going well for you. I just wanted to pop in and say I'm a huge fan of your work, and I'm looking forward to seeing you BATting again soon! The school packs are probably one of the best things I've ever downloaded, so thank you for all the hard work.
*Walks in with a can of Pledge and a handful of dust rags*
Good Lord this place got a little dirty! %confuso Ahhh... there's the lights. So how's everybody?
It's way past bedtime so I'll keep this short for tonight. I'll explain this tomorrow (later today)... for now, let's just say this is the very beginning. More will definitely follow. In the meantime, please enjoy the following teasers:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonSquare_Preview02.jpg&hash=136265b279dae6a125ed5c0869e2a3992e053335)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonSquareTwo_Preview02.jpg&hash=0bf40baed692658219c045eb7ef8dca8383b5c05)
Welcome back and as always, thanks for all your patience and kind thoughts over the summer! I really appreciate it.
JB
Glad to see you're back. I assume the campers have gone home and the dining halls have been squared away for the winter?
Let me guess what these buildings are...student apartments for a modular university campus? How close am I? ;D
Looking forward to more of your great creations!
Cheers,
Kevin
Could be a small motel too, but I guess we'll have to wait to see. Good to see you back JB. I always look forward to your creations but I agree, the modular university project will be much anticip :thumbsup: ;Dated.
First of all, welcome back and I don't think things are too dusty or dirty. We tried to keep everything clean for you. hehehe
How was your summer and all the campers?
As for the new BAT, it looks great and I'm not even going to guess. I'm going to sit back and wait to see what you have for us next. ;)
Robin :thumbsup:
BTW, what ever happened to this stuff
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg135.imageshack.us%2Fimg135%2F9991%2Ffoursouthdaypreviewnd7.th.jpg&hash=0126fa1fc60796c633b02b2639aba1b115cac2ba)
or this
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F7609%2Fbrownstonefirekt9.jpg&hash=a23cfcec7cde830730f27cf2908c60cf605acc50)
and this one
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F7782%2Fbrownstonerubbleel0.jpg&hash=bffcb6c5d0901b4386c311fd6531d78981f5c539)
:(
Yes indeed! Wlcome back JBSimio!
But you know that already don't you. ;D
Strechnitz
Quote from: rooker1 on September 25, 2007, 07:20:17 AM
BTW, what ever happened to this stuff
I had forgotten about these rowhouses...what did happen to them?
Cheers,
Kevin
Welcome back JB! Glad to see that the campers didn't drive you to madness ;)
Quote from: JBSimio on September 24, 2007, 10:21:29 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonSquare_Preview02.jpg&hash=136265b279dae6a125ed5c0869e2a3992e053335)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonSquareTwo_Preview02.jpg&hash=0bf40baed692658219c045eb7ef8dca8383b5c05)
Looks like the dorm(s) I stayed in when I was a freshman in college.
Kevin: Thanks! Yes, the "extra" five kitchens are all locked up and I'm back down to my usual two again. We'll continue to have school groups for Outdoor Education through the winter. You're fairly close actually.
Simdad: Nice to see you again as well. Thank you! I hadn't even thought of it as a motel, but it certainly could be.
Robin: Hello and thanks for keeping things tidy! :D Summer went pretty well. There were a lot of new staff this year, so it was a little more hectic than usual, but the kids stayed happy and fed so that's all that really matters in the end. Yes... the row houses. Still in the pipeline, I promise. I need to dig several things out and finish sorting and packaging.
Strech: Thank you again! ;)
Meinhosen: Thanks! The kids tried, but it didn't work!
Hmmm... judging from the responses, I've really made a name for myself based on the school stuff, huh? I agree these could easily work as student housing (and probably will find their way their somehow), but that isn't really my intent. I'm basically starting a new series that I've dubbed the RUSA Project. As many of you know, I always tend to do things in series and collections. I do it for the sake of variety (why make one school when I can make four?) and also to make it easier to find things. Back on the STEX you can still find any SHUR building just by typing SHUR in the search box. This series is a pretty large departure from my usual style in that the buildings will not be nearly as old or historic as my other work. RUSA stands for the Repetitive Urban Sprawl Apartments Project. I noticed a gap in the area of low rise apartments (especially in medium or high wealth) that are the backbone of suburbia. People have the single homes and commercial buildings covered, but there aren't too many of these. So I decided to start making some. The two I've shown are on the low end of the scale, they will get prettier. LOL The plan is to make these available as single unit stand alone lots (making the modular apartment complex or student housing easy to do) and also as residential mega lots with an entire complex ready to grow.
The many projects that I had going are by no means dead. This is just a simpler type of modeling (for me) that I can do when I need a break from the ultra detail of the historical styles. I can whip these mid 70's type apartments out in a matter of hours vs my usual time frame.
So there you have it. More updates to come. And I really am going to make a concentrated effort to clean up the outbox and get some of these older projects into your hands as soon as I remember what still needs doing to them all!
JB
He's back, and he means business. The apartments look pretty good. When I first saw them, I was half expecting you would be modelling summer camp cabins/buildings (which may be a project for later). THe apartments look great so far. Add some more windows on the sides, and another (partly underground) floor to the second apartment and you'll have my sophomore year apartment housing (see this (http://www.lmu.edu/Page9054.aspx) link). Anyway, it's good to see you back in the BATting arena. I can see these having a place in my city quite soon. Glad to see the camp experience didn't take too much out of you...kids can be very energetic (especially around meal times). Looking forward to the next update.
Yeah what ever happen to these?
Quote from: rooker1 on September 25, 2007, 07:20:17 AM
First of all, welcome back and I don't think things are too dusty or dirty. We tried to keep everything clean for you. hehehe
How was your summer and all the campers?
As for the new BAT, it looks great and I'm not even going to guess. I'm going to sit back and wait to see what you have for us next. ;)
Robin :thumbsup:
BTW, what ever happened to this stuff
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg135.imageshack.us%2Fimg135%2F9991%2Ffoursouthdaypreviewnd7.th.jpg&hash=0126fa1fc60796c633b02b2639aba1b115cac2ba)
or this
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg175.imageshack.us%2Fimg175%2F7609%2Fbrownstonefirekt9.jpg&hash=a23cfcec7cde830730f27cf2908c60cf605acc50)
and this one
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg150.imageshack.us%2Fimg150%2F7782%2Fbrownstonerubbleel0.jpg&hash=bffcb6c5d0901b4386c311fd6531d78981f5c539)
:(
Threestooges: I've thought about making a modular summer camp since I started BATting... lol. I've never started the project for a number of reasons... the biggest of which is transit textures. Maybe with some of the newer ones it could work, but who knows if it will ever happen? Thanks for you comments and nice to see you again!
Fantnet: My previous answer was what happened to them.
QuoteYes... the row houses. Still in the pipeline, I promise.
Just a quick update for now. I made a couple more color variations just to see what they would look like. I still haven't fixed the windows or done the lighting on any of these (now six) models... I also plan to tone the white siding down a touch... but beyond that, I'm pretty happy with them at this point.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonBrown_Preview01.jpg&hash=5d252a26ede351c4d244c9edcb2fa63c4920bc3f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonRed_Preview01.jpg&hash=18b782ef2261b627e1a1b86dc923667fc1c23a96)
That's all for now!
JB
Welcome back JB- you have been missed! You are correct that there's definitely a need for these, i have thought so myself several times. They look great :thumbsup: Looking forward to the continuation of your awesome work
Would it be possible to convince you to create a texturing tutorial (or have you ever thought about it)? I've been tinkering with the BAT (bridges and a building of two) but working with/picking textures and effectively using them is not something I have picked up yet (nor really have the time to research it in depth now that I'm in law school). You seem to have a great sense for textures (especially so for the types I've been using) and the tutorial section can always use more info. The buildings look pretty good too (by the way) heh heh. Take a peek into the rural renewal project (also in the bat projects group I think). It has some good texture for dirt/gravel paths. Take care. I'll look forward to seeing the next step.
whooo lets partay!!! Welcome back ;D
Yeah, we definitely need some of this stuff. There aren't many of this "suburban walk up" kind of thing.
This one looks very housing commish (I've seen homes in a similar style out in some nearby suburbs and they're pretty much all public housing places. You hit the nail on the head with the one having the green trim and white panelling (I've seen this EXACT colour scheme used on said housing commission places, in fact, these look so close in style (though not actual form) to the actual buildings it's not funny.
In the same way, as others have said, they could easily pass as a cheap motel, student housing... Don't forget the requisite half-broken Hills Hoist (clothes line, which are actually very common here in Australia, even in middle class homes) in the backyards...
I've also seen similar buildings in larger campgrounds originating from that period (there's a kinda local one which doesn't have many of them left due to a bushfire going through there, it's now very modern and sleek for the most part). Just a thought. ;)
Edge: Thank you! I'm glad they will be useful.
Threestooges: Thanks for the kind words. To be honest, I've never even remotely considered doing a texture tutorial. My methods, while they seem to work fine, are probably very tedious to most because of software limitations. I'll gladly help you in any way I can, but I doubt a full blown tutorial by me would help that many people in this area! $%Grinno$% I checked out that thread... that stuff looks amazing! I have so much to catch up on now.
Sim Shady: Thank you! It's good to be back! :party:
Cammo: Thanks! These first couple are definitely on the lower end of the wealth scale, there's no doubt about that. As for all the other options, I'll probably put a prop pack together with these so people can do whatever extras they might want to do.
More later (when I'm not supposed to be working!)
JB
Firstly, welcome back! ;D You have been missed, that much we can be sure of, and I am looking forward to what you have in store for us! :thumbsup:
Secondly, however, I would like to ask what happened to the Private School / Campus project of a few pages back? :) I remember following that closely only to have it disappear into obscurity... &mmm
Thirdly, and finally, I do like the Rowhouses! &apls
Great to have ya back JB. :thumbsup:
M: Thank you. It really is good to be back. More answers in a moment.
Bluebeard: Thanks! Nice to see you again as well!
I don't really have anything new to show right now. I'm fine tuning a couple things, and although they're simple fixes, they're a bit time consuming. I should wrap these two models up tonight I hope. In the meantime, since people keep asking what happened to this or that, I figured a quick recap is in order.
Taft Building: this SHUR project building was basically finished before summer. I just need to double check if it was CAMified, and it should be released very soon. -released October 9, 2007!!!
Lockwood Arms: Essentially the same story with this one. -released October 19, 2007!!!
The Row House Set: This originally stalled out because of foundations. I'm about ready to abandon that idea and just move forward. Even if I do, it will take a little while to get these ready. A LOT of organizing and packaging needs to be done and they still need a good thorough testing. I've not run into any problems with them personally, but a set this size should really have several looks to be sure. -in testing
Westlake Academy: I'm waiting for a block of time to render the main school. Then I have a number of other pieces that I haven't started yet. So it's still very much a work in progress.
Rau's Furniture: This is the diagonal corner building. It's also waiting to be rendered and then the special lotting can begin. This may be a while too because I don't know how to do it yet!
Chelsea Mill's Grain Elevator Most major modeling is finished, but there is still a long ways to go on this one. I'm not even sure what all still needs to be done until I look at it again. -lotting in progress
I think that covers all the current unfinished projects.
JB
*Edited to update project status
I'm double posting only because I'm going back on topic now. I wrapped up one of the two building versions. The windows have been resized and fixed and all the lighting and extra "junk" is on the building. So here's a peek at all three color variations.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonTwo_DayNight01.jpg&hash=35f889741db53cbf984126e47fdcfb6a40256e82)
I should be able to wrap up the smaller version tomorrow night when I get home.
JB
As always JB excellent. :thumbsup:
I like how you can see the furniture and the lites are spot on.Thanx for sharing. &apls
The new buildings look great. As for the recap, all sounds great, except for the row houses. :'( I will test these for you. I hope you can finish these. I was really looking forward to these if you remember all my excitement at the time.
Anyways, your stuff is great and what ever comes next, I'm sure I will DL it also.
&apls
Robin ()stsfd()
Jon only if you could see my jaw drop and hitt the floor... WOW those housing units look like an apartment i had at one time wow, talk about a dead ringer... Ohh almost forgot to say welcome back and im glad the campers didnt drive you nuts....
Bluebeard: Thanks! I can't lie... I cheated on the furniture, but I'm glad to hear it worked! :satisfied:
Robin: Thank you. And now I'm going to do something I've never done since I started BATting. I'll guarantee the row houses before Christmas (and that's with a lot of padding)
Pat: Wow! Thank you! I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the welcome as well. It's nice to see y'all again.
Just a small update for now. I finished up the smaller version of this one. The only other significant change are the furnace vents that I will also add to the larger one. If there are no objections, I'm considering these ready to render at this point.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStrattonOne_DayNight01.jpg&hash=a46a82406c33578cfd9ad95f076d371f854b942e)
There are at least four more of these complexes coming... we all know I can never keep things simple anymore!
JB
Ohh, very nice! Those furnace vents are the icing on the cake, along with the obligatory satellite dish. Good thinking. :) I agree with Marc about the electric meter texture, and varying the position of the small vents sounds like a good idea as well (there are a tad too many vents at the center of the roof now). The subtle lighting adds a great atmosphere.
Jon those are looking real superb.... the vents are in the correct spot as well as the meters... So go for it :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
OMG,
I've lived in those apartments. LOL I love um. Very realistic. The placement of the electic meters and the vents are dead on acurate. Perfect. There are these same buildings not 5 miles from me.
---Gaston
wow :o - i forgot how much i missed you!
JB,
What ever happened to that grain elevator your were working on? Seems like the last time you posted pics of it all it looked like it looked like it was ready to be lotted. Just curious.
Love the new apartments!
Marc: Thank you! Truth be told, I'm using 50's era billboards as floor textures! :D I kept meaning to fix the texture on the electric meters and just forgot, so good reminder! The roof vents I kind of did on purpose because I figured they just use the same set of blueprints every time anyway, but for the sake of visual appeal, I have mixed them up a bit.
Andreas: Thanks! I answered everything else already... ;D
Pat: Thank-you!
Gaston: Thanks! Apparently I chose the right name for this series, because it seems like everyone has seen these buildings somewhere. Just goes to show how boring suburbia can be... but I won't go into that! $%Grinno$%
Edge: Awww... I'm blushing, thanks!
Meinhosen: Oops! I forgot to mention the grain elevator didn't I? I have to go back and check on that one. I think I was done with the textures, but I'm not positive. If that's the case, then I need to break it apart and render all the pieces. Not sure what the time frame on it might be right now.
OK... since the first set of apartments is basically ready to render, I've moved on to round two. Here's a sneak peak at the next one. It will have the same brick and siding feel, although not necessarily the same color combinations. The bulk of the modeling is done on this one and I will should have time to texture it tomorrow.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Preview01.jpg&hash=9c8f09393b56b803fbc85dd9f5eef3709be4b30e)
In other news... the Taft Building is getting a final look to make sure it's ready to go. The Rowhouses are packaged and testing should start soon. Have a good night (or morning... afternoon... lunch? where ever you live!)
JB
QuoteHave a good night (or morning... afternoon... lunch? where ever you live!)
LoL Jon its a funnie thing you say that, i just got done eating some great local pizza yumm....
the newest one Jon is looking very good and cant wait to see a further update on this - pat
Pat: I had local pizza for dinner too! :shocked2: Wait no more, my friend.
Couldn't seem to fall asleep tonight, so I finished off the textures and lighting. I think this one might be done unless I forgot something. I'm not sure if there will be another color variation for this or not. So far I haven't thought of one that really makes sense without repeating the same thing over and over... so we shall see.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Preview02.jpg&hash=f1bb324839ccd47b39989c07d504039a01b20974)
The only thing I'm not happy with on this is the trim around the windows and siding. It's a little darker than I really want, so that will still change. Other than that, I'm always open to suggestions.
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on September 29, 2007, 10:13:18 PM
The only thing I'm not happy with on this is the trim around the windows and siding. It's a little darker than I really want, so that will still change. Other than that, I'm always open to suggestions.
JB
Thats the thing, though. Apartments like this all look the same, regardless of where you are in America. A few color variations are all that's needed, JB.
While I know these are for your camp project, I would like to suggest that you do a giant CAMelotted complex, with ten or more buildings, a pool, and a clubhouse/office.
I once lived in such a place...*shudder*.
I can't wait to see more.
Cheers,
Kevin
Kevin: Yes, they do all look the same... but I still need a couple more color schemes to play with. Camp project? These are exactly what you suggested. I'll make stand alone single lots as well as some large CAMelot complexes.
Here's a second color variation of Arbor Woods:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Red.jpg&hash=d2b7815564b3751abd7ff014e9161696564c2818)
And then this is a preview of the next one. It's not completely done yet, but the main building is there. There's also some fine tuning where the building repeats itself because I quite honestly cheated for now just to represent what I'm aiming for.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FPheasantRun_Preview01.jpg&hash=a217c54ef2cefb367d77300eb9f92d804f122c99)
The idea (HOPEFULLY) is to have these step down a moderate slope. I'm not entirely sure if this is possible yet because of the foundations. I'm sure it can be done somehow, but we shall see. It may need to be broken in two with some tricky LOD work to make it work... I don't really know much about sloped lots yet. But regardless, there will be something similar to this.
That brings us to three complexes now! (The first one, Stratton Square, just has two building variations)
Also, to finish Meinhosen's answer... I checked the Grain Elevator out. I need to do the lighting and adjust a couple things. So that's where we stand on that one.
JB
Looking forward to these. You have a knack for doing the things most sorely missing from the game, and this is one of them. Really like the texturing too. Great job.
Chris
Quote from: Chrisadams3997 on September 30, 2007, 10:57:17 AM
You have a knack for doing the things most sorely missing from the game, and this is one of them.
Indeed! I wouldn't know what to do without your schools anymore, it's such a great set. :) The RUSA stuff is developing very well, and I hope that someone who knows something about making buildings slope-friendly will pop in soon.
Chris: Thanks! I'm glad you like them. I guess I just like making the stuff that nobody has bothered with yet. I prefer to do more historical stuff, but this makes a nice change of pace for now.
Andreas: I still laugh every time I think about how the school packs started. All I did was see an old one room school house and thought, "Hey, that would be good for Smalltown." Then look what happened! ;D
Many of you know this, but I suffer from a form of BAT ADD that is very similar to Jestarr's. ::) ;D I should have come home from work and finished off the building I just showed. But Nooooooo... not me! That would be too easy and make too much sense. I made another building instead.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEvergreen_Preview01.jpg&hash=73d697a6c74dcf9dcc0431e09479032a27db9182)
No textures yet, but I have them mostly figured out. It will be almost all siding. The only brick will be the red wall at the entries. I still have to finish off the roof trim and add all the little "extras," but this is the bulk of it.
JB
*EDIT: I spelled Jestarr's name wrong... he would have killed me! LOL
BAT ADD?
*shakes and scratches head*
Never would have guessed that one... you only have, what is it, eight open BATting projects? :P
Thanks for the answer on the grain elevator, too. I didn't know if you had scrapped it when you wrote that list of projects (since you hadn't included it). However it goes, I'll be eager to see all the great new stuff you have planned once it hits the LEX. Everything's looking great!
hmmm if thats the case is their devotions ADD? or is that just addiction?
This is EXACTLY what i have needed since, I dunno, forever?? I would estimate at least 30% of the housing stock in my town are those types of apartments.
and if you do not release these in a timely manner, I will travel up to where you live and beat you with my computer mouse steve seagal style ?$%kar&%h
Quote from: JBSimio on September 30, 2007, 06:48:32 PM
Andreas: I still laugh every time I think about how the school packs started. All I did was see an old one room school house and thought, "Hey, that would be good for Smalltown." Then look what happened! ;D
Oh boy, I know that feeling. :D When I was asking at SimForum if there was someone who could create a small standalone frontend for my SimCity Building Database, I never imagined that this frontend (which was created by simrolle in less than two days) would grow into the thing that is known as SC4Tool these days...
This pack is going to be great. It all looks awesome so far. And thanks for the update on the Taft house and the row house pack. These things I have been wanting for a very long time. ;)
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Meinhosen: Not to worry, the grain elevator is still coming at some point. I'm a little worried that it may be too big, but we'll see.
Pat: Yeah... I think that's just an addiction. You should probably go to a meeting or two. ;D
Zaphod: I'm glad you like them! I should warn you that I have a wireless mouse, so I could just chuck it at your head before you get within beating range. Just so you know! :D
Andreas: Why do we all do this to ourselves? Maybe we are the ones that should be going to meetings!
Robin: Thank you!
Nothing new to look at just yet... I added all the extra junk to Pheasant Run and just need to do the lighting. I'm hoping to finish that and the textures for this newest one tonight. Although I have to work late all this week, so my time will be a bit limited again for the next few days. We'll see what happens.
The Taft Building did end up needing a few tweaks to CAMify it... and is being retested now. The row homes have also been sent out for testing. Lockwood Arms should be entering that phase rather soon too. With any luck, I'll start clearing out some of this backlog in the near future!
JB
That is some great news JB,
Good luck with it :thumbsup:
Strechnitz.
Great to see you back, love yor new work.
Strech: Thanks! I'm almost starting to feel bad that this stuff has been sitting around for so long... so it's definitely time to fix that problem!
Fledgeling: Thank-you on both counts!
OK... let's got back to Pheasant Run for a moment. I finished up the modeling and lighting. I also made another color scheme just for gits and shiggles. I'm not sure how I feel about the second colors just yet... it may end up in the junk pile, I don't know. Keep it or skip it opinions are most welcome... vote now or forever hold your peace (or hold your peace until it's too late and then complain later... whatever you want to do, I'm flexible) Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FPheasantRun_Preview02.jpg&hash=3916a6796c848ddac056ccddf017e4e8c45f8b4e)
I also finished modeling and texturing Evergreen Hills. At this point, let me just say that, yes, I am totally making these names up as I go along. But did you ever notice how, at least here in the US, all these apartment complexes have some sort of nature inspired name to them? I think the developers just want to remind everyone of what USED to be there before the bulldozers came! ;) ;D But I digress... (what else is new, right?) I still need to do the lighting for this one, but here is the latest:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEvergreen_Preview02.jpg&hash=8e800c0921f4f0630783c1c4181621c75926faed)
So that brings us up to... um... I lost track already. Time for a list:
Stratton Square - 2 buildings, 3 colors
Arbor Woods - 2 colors
Pheasant Run - 2 colors
Evergreen Hills
OK... that's what it brings us to. I have two more in mind still... and if I make the mistake of going to Rent.com again, I'll probably find some more! *sighs* Here we go again! $%Grinno$%
JB
Welcome back :)
this pack is looking great! :thumbsup:
Jon just some stunning work here wow... oh i will go to a meeting if you will lol :D
These things are looking great. However, I have one question about the last one you showed (Evergreen Hills I think), the gray one with green shutters. Are those sets of doors at the two parts that stick out, and if so, who gets the room above where the window is? I live in an apartment of a somewhat similar design (called The Cape...cape cod style/color creative huh?) and the buildings do have some symmetry there. Perhaps you could split those center windows into two narrower ones and make each of those rooms into half rooms or something (or I could just be making a bunch of extra work for you... I hope that's not the case). I like the green-yellow combination, but the white-dark red seems like it would belong more on a little old victorian house... I would certainly use it though, but I do think of a victorian when I see it. Glad to see these things are coming together so well.
-Matt
Jason: Thank-you! I hope you're doing well... nice to see you again!
Figui: Thanks! Glad you like it.
Pat: Thank-you! We could always just start joint therapy or something too... :D
Matt: (if I may call you Matt) Splitting the windows wouldn't really be that difficult at all. The way I envisioned these was that one door leads upstairs and the other enters the first floor apartment. So the window above is just over that staircase... perhaps a planter ledge or something. Yeah... I'm still not sure about the red yet either... but you did just give me another idea.
So now I have three more in mind! LOL
JB
Of course you can call me Matt. Your explanation makes sense. The way I had envisioned it was that each unit was a 2-story. However, I do have another question (or comment...whatever it is): in regard to the placement of each chimney... it seems that there are four units, but only three chimnies (or eight units if there are doors on the back side too) and from what I've seen, apartments are largely designed to be fairly modular... something seems off with the positioning/number. There is something I'm curious to know, if I may ask, regarding your textures (I've been fiddling with the BAT myself and am looking for tips)... do you find a texture in each of those colors or do you use a generic texture and alter it with the BAT? Hope that made sense. I'll be curious to know what idea I've produced, I'll be waiting for the next update.
Matt: You're absolutely right about the chimneys and I still need to change them. (There are doors on the back as well, by the way) It was just getting late, to be honest. :D In regards to the textures, some of it depends largely on the material (brick, siding, paint, etc) but I don't actually do much altering in BAT other than size. I hear there are ways to alter colors within BAT, but I never really learned that way, and now I'm just used to my way of doing it. The flip side to that is I do have some generic textures that I just shade and tint in PhotoFiltre and then save... eventually I end up with a LOT of different colors to play with. Does that help somewhat? Anything I can help with, just let me know!
OK... this isn't the new idea just yet, but I modeled yet another building. I have to say that this is probably my least favorite building style of all time, but I couldn't leave it out just because I hate it. It's practically a requirement for the time period... so here you go:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Preview01.jpg&hash=66fb535067ce367d68dbd63600fd8716a1f48c2f)
I'm not sure about the slope on the upper half of the roof yet... it may be a little too steep. I'm still mulling that over. I also need to do the porch and all the other little stuff.
Still interested in votes on the red trim color scheme from the last page...
JB
Jon Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang that is still looking good... aint that from the 80's or something like that lol... what are you thinking for the porch a small awning looking thing over the door or ? ? ?
Pat: Thanks! I'm kind of glad you like it, but then again...
The latest building got corrupted while I was finishing up the textures on it. I thought I had a backup from before tonight's work somewhere, but apparently I thought wrong. >:( I wasn't really having much luck getting it to look right anyway... so I may or may not redo the building. We'll see.
On a positive note, I did make a second color (pale yellow siding) for Evergreen Hills. I'll show some shots of that when I finish the lighting tomorrow.
JB
aww shucks Jon that sucks but hey at least you gotten a new sidding outta of the deal...
That's too bad, sorry to hear about that. I don't know how long you spent on this BAT, but I'm sure it's very fustrating no matter what. I hope you will try to remake it. Sometimes the second time around things turn out better. ;)
Robin ()stsfd()
Pat: How did you know that the new siding color came out of this building? That's amazing!! :D
Robin: It is definitely annoying. I should really count myself lucky as this is only the third time it's happened to me. By my standards, I didn't lose a ton of time really... maybe 3 or 4 hours, much of which was just figuring out the roof angles.
I'll probably remake the building tonight. My attitude yesterday wasn't so hot after the workday ended, and having the file eat itself was just the last straw. Since I have all the textures made for the building already, it really shouldn't take long to remake it at all.
More tonight (when this 12 hour day is over)
JB
Yay 12-hour days... good times... but hey, at least you know exactly what you plan to do when you remake the building. Sorry to hear that the first one went away on you though. I'm glad to hear you'll be making them again. Even though they aren't the most appealing, there are a number of them that I have seen in the LA area. I'll still be looking forward to the surprise you have in store too. Take it easy JB.
-Matt
Just browsed through the last couple of pages in this thread.
Boy o Boy, more great stuff to look forward too.
JBSimio, when ever your stuff is released, you know I'm gonna use it!
Continued beautiful work.
Its so ugly its one of the greats &apls
I hope you don't worry to much about the chimneys and just release these
Matt: Yes... I did in fact make it again. Your "surprise" is still coming!
Pvarcoe: Nice to see you again! Thank you!
Zaphod: I guess that was a compliment! LOL Not to worry... chimneys don't take too long to move!
OK... couple things to show tonight. First is the second color for Evergreen Hills. This also shows the chimneys in their proper place and the lighting. Not much else to really say about this one. I think it's pretty much done though.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEvergreen_Preview03.jpg&hash=41b9f0ff1f6e665af9fbdcfa2e991c4716a01e9d)
Next up is Camalot Apartments. I'm still tinkering with a couple things... mainly the roof textures and trim around the dormers. I'm having trouble getting the shingle sizes right on the two different slopes. But this gives a much better idea of what it's supposed to look like when it's all said and done.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Preview02.jpg&hash=4fde5c30ccc01e779a7e04cbbf93b462ebe7f2d7)
That's about it for now. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.
JB
Wow.......Now that looks great. I have no suggestions, except hurry up and finish these beauties.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Great new projects. I like the houses.
Strechnitz
Just being curious. what are your plans with westbury academy?
Very interesting. They sort of remind me of JaWood's old town home and apartment complexes.
Quote from: DuskTrooper on October 05, 2007, 07:32:54 AM
Very interesting. They sort of remind me of JaWood's old town home and apartment complexes.
That's what I thought too.
looks nice. &apls both
These models look so much like the standard issue small apartment buildings here in the east coast of Canada it's not funny. Excellent work as always and I look forward to using these great buildings in game. ;D
Robin: Thank you! I'm getting there, I promise...
Strech: Thanks! Westlake Academy is still being worked on. I actually got the main academic building exported a couple nights ago. I could probably finish the one lot fairly quickly, but I have a lot of little pieces and props to make for the modular part of the project. I'm still working on it, just don't have anything worth showing at the moment.
DuskTrooper: I had to actually go look for them to see what you were talking about! :D Thanks... and welcome to the thread!
Jason: Since it's the look I was shooting for, I guess that's good then! :D
Figui: Thank you!
Simdad: Thanks! I guess the beauty of these is that they're so darn generic that they can fit just about anywhere.
Just a quick update tonight. I think I finally got the roof pieces sorted out and put the finishing touches on this one.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Preview03.jpg&hash=8fa96e4737b707ef0dd5b93cd19d65f6d998b1e6)
I've also sent the first couple apartments to Cycledogg, who offered to make foundations for me. Hopefully I did everything right for that part of the deal and I won't have to fix things later! In the meantime... tonight's sunset was pretty nice:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2F003.jpg&hash=fee30d766a3aa899f2ce58f6d3e38c07860afb99)
See y'all later!
JB
I really like the siding textures on that one- and the subtle night-lighting is great. :thumbsup:
I'll be waiting for more. ;)
nice sunset ;D
Travis: Thank you! So as to avoid making you wait too long, here is "more." ;D
Figui: There are one or two advantages to living where I work!
So I've been putzing around with what Matt probably didn't realize he was requesting at the time. I've always loved Victorian architecture, but because many of the details are so small, I never really made much in that vein. I thought I'd try making an apartment complex with some Victorian influences in the hopes that the larger scale would help make some things a little more noticable.
The following disclaimer was provided by the lawyers at JBSimio Inc. and Monkey Around Productions: Please note that the following building and its architectural features are merely inspired by classic Victorian architecture. It is in no way meant to be an accurate reproduction of the time period in which this style of architecture was popular in the United States. As the aforementioned building was imagined to be constructed in the mid 1980's using the building materials and methods of said era, it would be impossible to assume that the style was faithfully represented therein and therefore would translate thusly into the 3D model currently under discussion. That being said, JBSimio Incorporated (and its subsidiaries) hereby absolves itself from and will not be held liable for any errors or omissions based on technical merit that may be anticipated by making reference to the term "Victoian architecture." Any said errors and/or omissions can and should be traced back to the builders and developers (whether they be real or mere figments of the overactive imagination of the company's president and CEO) who originally erected the structure in the admittedly cheap, prefabricated, and shoddy habits inherent in suburban apartment construction over the last several decades.
Man... I hate it when the lawyers get involved! Awfully long winded, aren't they? I think they're just trying to remind everyone the the building has some Victorian styling and influence, but that I've taken a number of liberties to make whatever I feel like making. ::) Anyway... here's a look at what I have so far. Front view on the left, and rear view on the right. No textures or anything like that yet.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FVictoriaMeadows_Preview02.jpg&hash=6fb7dbc7c99db370aca81e07546c28fbc6bb4399)
More next time!
JB
Looks amazing as always :thumbsup: The fine details are really making this stand out.
this looks interesting :) as always excellent work at this one :thumbsup:
Jon that is soo looking sweet... curiouse to see what texture you use...
Looks like a good start to a "request" and it'll be interesting to see just how detailed it gets. On a somewhat unrelated note, your lawyers seemed to have missed something in their writing (yes I read it all... I'm a law student, what can I say?). When they absolved themselves and the corporation of liability they refer to 'Victoian architecture' they missed the 'r' I guess that's what they get for being wordy. I do have one last question regarding BATting; I'm working on one and I've been tinkering with the lighting, and it looks pretty good (I think). However, when getting it into the game, none of the lights I've added show at night, but the model retains its daytime lighting and continues to cast shadows. Is this a problem you've encountered, and if so how did oyu solve it? Can't wait to see the continuation of the Victorian. Take it easy.
XiahouDun: Thank you! And welcome to the thread if I'm remembering correctly!
Heblem: Thanks! Do I owe you a welcome as well? It's getting too late for me... :D
Pat: Thank-you! I have a couple texturing ideas in mind, but to be honest, I'm not entirely sure where I'm headed with this just yet!
Matt: The details are really going to add up when I get to the roof trim. Ahhh... stupid lawyers! My only excuse is that, as a company with no profit, we can't really afford a stellar legal team. I'm sort of dealing with Bill Murray in Wild Things as opposed to Anthony Lord from Silent Witness. (Anyone who gets both of those references probably has ADD as bad as mine! ::) :D) To your lighting question: I've never really had any troubles, but here are a few things you can check. (I'm assuming that you have the "nitelite" prefixes added if your preview renders show up properly.) If you are making a prop with the model, you need to make sure that the Lighting property is set to True. It defaults to False in the PIM... you can change it under the Advanced tab in the PIM when you are first making your desc file. If you're making an actual building, make sure you've given the game a minute or two to catch up. Apparently it takes the city a month or two to get power to a newly plopped building. Also keep in mind that the game's default lighting doesn't show up as well as it will in your BAT previews... so if the lighting is very subtle it may just be hard to see. Hopefully that helps... if not, feel free to PM me for an email address and I can have a look at the files if you'd like.
OK... I got the building pretty much closed up now. The roof took me forever! There's still a long ways to go... but first the picture:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FVictoriaMeadows_Preview03.jpg&hash=34a08d1573862324749ed85015a1d1ab25872ea6)
Things that will definitely change include: The hip roof over the side bays. It seemed like a cool idea at the time, but it's just too small to look right. I need to do something with the trim around the rear corner balconies... just haven't decided what yet. The third floor window over the main entry needs to be repositioned a little bit. And I think the whole thing needs to be a little wider on the front and rear views.
I also still have to do all the roof trim. Then it might be time for all the little extras, interiors, and textures.
Until next time,
JB
Jon that is looking really great!!!
Yeah good!!!I put this in my new french district!!! :thumbsup:
JB,
These apartments look amazing! &apls
Thanks for doing a range of structures that's been missing from the game.
Cheers,
Kevin
nice building &apls
i'd like it in my cities ;)
Pat: Thanks!
Adept2Rock: Thank you! I usually get myself tossed out of the European districts, so that's nice to hear! :D
Kevin: Thanks! I'm glad they will be useful.
Figui: Thank you!
OK... this isn't the hugest update in the world, but I did manage to finish my fixit list from the previous post. I widened the whole thing by only 4 meters, but I think it made a huge difference. I also fixed the window, roof, and trim. I got a decent start on the roof trim. Some of it I'm very happy with, some of it... well, not so much yet. But here's a look at where we stand now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FVictoriaMeadows_Preview04.jpg&hash=4f63d7844142b11e4021d89ead45f6ba0304a4c8)
Since that wasn't much of an update, I'll make this post a little more worth while...
SHUR Taft Building
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F6382%2Ftaftgamedayfx9.jpg&hash=936746ac24cbf88976be6b07793a9765cafe6ebc)
It's on the LEX somewhere... probably near the beginning right now!
Actually you can find it here (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1225)
Have a wonderful evening and whatnot!
JB
Jon i got my copy and im proud to say im the 3rd to download.... wow im excited to get shur taft :thumbsup: &apls
Jon,
I have a quick question...will the SHUR be made CAMpatible in the near future?
The Hammond Building grows a lot for me and when I only have "low rise" buildings growing elsewhere.
I like the apartment revision, it just looks better now.
Cheers,
Kevin
Hey JB, this is a question from those of us who opted out of CAM - is a CAMpatible building not CAMpatible with a non- CAM game? I would be very sad if i couldn't use these buildings. Actually that's a pretty big understatement!
And another thing- i have to reset my password whenever i log in, because whenever i try it with my old password, it says username is not found, but if i reset my password i can log in. So i will not be posting much but i do check up this thread alot!
So I love all your buildings, I actually need these apartments in my cities because even seeing them, there is no way I think I could play without them. And I don't even have them yet. I cant say how much I am looking forward to putting these in my cities and rebuilding the plugins folder that was lost when my hard drive crashed – these will be the bones of my downtown smallish Midwestern cities when I get around to remaking them.
Sorry for the long post but I don't know when I will be able to log in again.
P.S.
Would understand if your tired of 'wat about...' questions but I have one more that has not mentioned. The field and track for your school pack.
Thanks again!
The expansion of the building does look better. The only comment I would suggest for it this time is to widen (or just uncrease the number of) the railings on each balcony. The straight poles (as they look now) seem a bit contemporary/polished and not quite within the victorian style. Though that could change with a good texture too. It's amazing just how quick you can put something like that together and how good it looks too.
In reference to the BAT lighting issue, I took a couple pics in game one game year after plopping it. All lights have the nitelite prefix, they show up fine in the test render, but as you'll see in the pics, something is odd when it goes in game (perhaps I'll just try another export... I have some finishing touches to add anyway).
day (http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3530/fergusaug17311191908395ge1.png)
night (http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/7773/fergusaug24311191908418el7.png)
(didn't want to clutter up the page and take away from your actual work. Note that the shadows exist in the night pic as though it was day. Thanks again for your help on this.)
JB you are 1 heck of a artist. &apls
Quote from: Fledgeling on October 09, 2007, 10:02:12 PM
Hey JB, this is a question from those of us who opted out of CAM - is a CAMpatible building not CAMpatible with a non- CAM game? I would be very sad if i couldnt use these buildings. Actually thats a pretty big understatement!
CAMpatible buildings are those that have been modded with the "X" Tool.
They are perfectly in line with in-game Maxis buildings, and grow perfectly well whether you have the CAM or not. :thumbsup:
Pat: Thank you! I'm glad to finally release something again!
Kevin: I hadn't really considered going back through the older stuff for CAM because I thought it was all small enough not to really matter. However, I didn't take the Hammond Building into account when I thought that. You make a fair point and I will take a look at it.
Fledgeling: To expand on RippleJet's answer (which is exactly what I was about to type... lol), for the Taft Building, having CAM or not will make no difference. The highest growth stage, which is the CS$$ version, is still stage 8 which will grow without CAM. (Actually, I haven't gotten CAM installed yet either due to my absence over the summer.) That's a little strange about the password thing... did you ask our wonderful host about that? I'm glad you like the new apartments. The athletic fields and the rest of the add on pack has been gathering dust. The textures were released with the BSC Texture Mega Pack Vol 2... but that's about it so far. Travis has been doing some great fields lately so I'm not sure when I may return to that project.
Matt: Thank you! Their are actually more railing spindles there, but the JPEG compression is washing them out. While you're probably only seeing 3, there are really 7 there. I'll take a look at your pictures when I get home tonight and get back to you on that part.
Bluebeard: Well thanks! And you are one heck of a supporter... which is always greatly appreciated!
RippleJet: Thank you. It's good to see that I would have given the right answer even though I am a bit behind on all this "new fangled" stuff! :D
Just catching up on some replies for now. I should really do some work! More to come later!
JB
So, I'm gone for a couple of days and you already have another building in the works. This is going to be one $*%%'va collection.
I really like the roof on this last one. Very realistic and I love the styles.
&apls &apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Robin: Thank you! I'm glad you like them!
I'm having a bit of a hang up getting the textures the way I want them for the Victoria Meadows building, so I took a little break from it. In the meantime, just to prove that I haven't abandoned anything... here are a couple very early lighting shots from the grain elevator:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_DC_Night01.jpg&hash=cb27c397e5ea64a66fe200c5229c850dd365dd94)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_DC_Night02.jpg&hash=bf2d2f5ccf4ffce337d9ed5d05d2c74e21f71175)
Still some adjustments to make, although I am going for a little bit of a harsher effect this time. Overall I'm pretty happy with it. I love how the light plays off the different distribution pipes! No it wasn't really planned... I knew they'd get something, but I didn't expect it to look as cool as it does (in my opinion anyway!)
JB
Wow! Seeing that elevator made my day... that's twice you've managed to do that this week (the newly released SHUR building was the other). Aside from that- everything you're working on is looking good. :thumbsup:
&apls I love it, it looks just like the ones that completely dominate the landscape here in the upper midwest, though there are *nudge* no canals *nudge* up here at all. Looks great.
Meinhosen: Thanks! Glad I could help!
Fledgeling: Oh this is going to dominate alright... it's about 13 stories tall! (Oddly enough, it's the tallest building I've made to date actually) No canals? Which part of the midwest are you in? My house in Akron (when I lived there) backed up to part of the Erie Canal. This was specifically built for a canal, and I have no plans of changing that. I may make a non-canal version, although I'm not sure what I would do with the barge loaders in that case. I really don't want to make two models of this if I can avoid it. So we'll see.
I did some more work on the lights and was all set to show you an update, and then "disaster" struck... twice. First, I'm at work now... so much for putting an end to my 17 day streak. Second, I developed a massive light leak somewhere that I haven't been able to pin down yet. It's extra strange because it's in an area that hasn't changed since the pictures last night. So... I'll have to hunt that down when I get home. Hopefully I'll have something to show tonight.
JB
Alright... I know I'm double posting in my own thread, but I figure if I'm not allowed to do it, then who is? $%Grinno$%
So... the cancelled day off kind of sucked, but y'all don't really want to hear about that anyway. The good news is that I fixed the light leak. I still have no idea why it happened, but I did manage to work around it anyway. I'm pretty happy with most of the lighting effects on this one. There are still some things to tweak and do, but this is getting fairly close to done. Here's a couple night shots... medium quality renders for anyone keeping score at home.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_NorthNight01.jpg&hash=45f0abe758fd1dac366b6f7e4587d3e8b3e66241)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_EastNight01.jpg&hash=04d5b4c8932b1770502235f6ec7c5dde7c3029cf)
Before anyone gets too excited by my phrase "fairly close to done," I should probably clarify that a touch. The modeling is pretty close to done. I then need to break it apart into (probably) five pieces and get them all rendered so that they'll fit back together. That doesn't include rendering the rail and barge props. Then there's lotting to do. As I've never done industrial before... that could take a while! So... fairly close could take some time.
In other news... two SHUR projects are now in testing. Lockwood Arms will probably come out first... maybe another week or two. The SHUR Brownstone Set is also being tested now. This will probably take longer as there is a lot of stuff in it... 14 lots, maybe 30 models... but it's on its way.
Adios... Guten abend... um... actually I'm out of languages already, sorry
JB
Well, despite the list of things left to do, it's looking great so far. I like the lighting on the walkways. Speaking of lighting... I think I might have figured out why no lights were showing up on my little project... it figures that it's always the easy solution: the lights were turned off (dang it) though I'm not sure how they got turned off. So that should take care of that problem. Getting back to the topic at hand, that building should look pretty good on a lot. Are you planning to put the canal right down the middle or on the outer edge? If in the middle, have you thought about a bridge between the two sides aside from that walkway?
Guten Morgen!
Is this the Christmas decoration, or do they actually have this kind of lighting around the top of the silos and the pipes? ;) The interior and door lighting looks awesome, though.
Matt: Thanks! I'm glad you were able to get your lighting issue sorted out. My plan is for the canal to run along the left side of the second picture. Rails will run through beneath the two conveyor systems to the right of the main silos in that same picture.
Andreas: Guten Tag! Wie gehtes Ihnen? (sorry if my spelling is a bit rusty) To be honest with you, I don't know if that lighting scheme is "normal" or not. I put it along the pipe initially because that's also a catwalk and I thought there should be some kind of light there. Then I just extended the idea to the other building as well. I guess we'll wait and see what others have to say. It is easily removed if the idea is voted inappropriate.
Nothing else to look at just yet... more to come later though (unless I get called into work again!)
JB
JB: heh, the Dakotas... its fine though. The Dakotas we have all road and rail, so i thought it wouldn't hurt to ask hehe. The barge loaders would work for filling trucks too!
Eh, I tried, lol.
As for the lights, I have to say I have never seen any lighting like that on the 100+ grain elevators I have seen. Normally people are not allowed on the catwalks at night.
These structures are so common out here, but the high structure is almost always sparsely lit, but there are often bright floodlamps in the lower base to illuminate the areas for loading\ unloading, and it seems you have done a pretty good job of that. I know in simcity we love spectacular structural lighting, but that is not common on these structures in real life, because, well, theres nothing up there you need to see at night!
'cept the top, which might have blinkey lights 'cause they are the tallest buildings in the state.
PS. the login problem is solved.
I have a thought for perhaps making some striking night lighting
what if it had a company logo(perhaps a bit faded and old fashioned), and that this logo was illuminated a bluish green vapor light. To be fair, that may seem out of place in a rural enviroment. But for large grain terminals found in urban areas, like near ports, something like that may not look that out of place.
Fledgeling: Ahh... I suppose there aren't too many canals there, huh? :D Thank you for the lighting answer... that was exactly the information I was hoping to get. I can't promise I'll use it just yet, but at least now I know what the correct thing to do would be! The other loading areas will probably be lit in the lotting process to avoid goofy looking prop issues.
Zaphod: Actually, I have a thought fairly similar to what you're saying that I'm toying with. I'm not sure if I'll get it to work or not which is why I haven't shown it just yet. With a canal set up, I'm kind of picturing this in a semi-urban setting anyway... so we'll see.
While I ponder the lighting situation, ADD struck again! Try not to act so surprised! So here is the beginnings of another SHUR building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStearns_Preview01.jpg&hash=e8c543d76e08692e52cbeb55e61ce7d1c8e57b2a)
Nothing overly special, but it should make another nice filler building. It's based (very loosely as usual) on a building I saw in Fort Worth, TX last month. Did I ever mention that's where I was right before my return? Probably not... but I was. I digress... sorry. This should end up as a 2x2 W2W midrise. I'm not planning to make it a corner building, so I'm trying to decide if I should "dumb down" the sides a little or not. The textures aren't final, but they're close.
JB
Jon,
Great new SHUR building and I love the grain elevator.
I'll be watching the LEX...
Cheers,
Kevin
If it's not too much extra work for you, I would suggest not dumbing down the sides. It is a taller building so if it was taller than a surrounding building, it should have something to show (especially so if it was standing solo for whatever reason). It's a good start and I'm always surprised to see how dast you can put these together. What's the back part going to look like where the roof line is open?
Kevin: Thanks! I'm glad you like it. It came together pretty quick, actually. ;D
Matt: Actually, dumbing the sides down was more work, but I think I found a happy balance. I left the upper three floors alone and just trimmed back the lower floors. The back looks like this (I just didn't have that wall in place earlier is all)
So... um... yeah. I think this one is ready for lighting now. We'll call in the Stearns Building just for gits and shiggles. I have a couple very minor tweaks to make, mostly around the back with some trim pieces, but I think this is done.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStearns_Preview02.jpg&hash=34275b0ecbf4ff1cc370a9f9fb93016f2c21c9ad)
Done unless I really missed something that I'm just not seeing. And we all know that happens... probably more than it should... but who's counting?
Have a great evening!
JB
You're whole shur project is just amazing. The quality of content that you have introduced to the game is mind blowing. Can't wait to add this one to my collection ;D
JB thanx for the update.Your lots are well worth the wait. :thumbsup:
Sim Shady: Wow... high praise indeed! Thank you! At the rate this one is going, you may not have long to wait (for once!)
Bluebeard: Thank you! I'm always grateful for the patience people are willing to give me around here.
So... I kind of played hooky today, but don't tell anybody! I think the Stearns Building is pretty much finished. I touched up a few things here and there, added a few more details to the store fronts, and then lit the whole thing. Unless anyone sees something that really screams for a fix, I may still get this rendered and on a lot before the day's over.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStearns_Prewiew03.jpg&hash=03777666350690c9b2873ab7033053bc4827091b)
I'm still pondering the lights on Chelsea Mills Grain Elevator. I have a pretty even split on votes right now. So the big question is, "Should the lights along the railings stay or go?" One side says it's not realistic (which I completely accept and understand) while the other side says it makes for a nice effect anyway. Your input would be appreciated.
Thanks!
JB
Of coarse you have something new for us......it is after lunch, eh. First of all, the building looks awesome and the night do too as well. Great work my friend.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on October 15, 2007, 09:59:46 AM
I'm still pondering the lights on Chelsea Mills Grain Elevator. I have a pretty even split on votes right now. So the big question is, "Should the lights along the railings stay or go?" One side says it's not realistic (which I completely accept and understand) while the other side says it makes for a nice effect anyway. Your input would be appreciated.
Try to get rid of every other light - maybe that does the trick and it won't look like a Christmas decoration anymore. :)
Perhaps you could have the lights show up like that from November to January? Because I've seen quite a few grain elevators that have lights like that for Christmas. Although if you can't have them appear for that amount of time I say just get rid of them.
The only reason I can of for using the lights is for safety.Now unless folks are going to be walking up there I say it's your call.
JB it's your lot so time to step up and whatever you do will be fine. :thumbsup:
Robin: Are you comparing me to Jestarr now? ;D I'm glad you like it, thanks!
Andreas: That was actually what I did the first time around before the pictures you've seen. The lights done that way looked too sparse to be of any use, so I doubled them to what you see now.
DFire: While it would be very possible to do that, it would be a ton of work because of the way the lights fit the building. I'd either have to include two complete models of the building (which would make for a rather large file) or render the Christmas lights separately and try to squeeze them in there somehow. Frankly, that option is more effort than it's probably worth.
Bluebeard: I know it's my lot... but I was hoping for some kind of definitive vote. :D But, since that didn't happen...
The extra lights along the top of the grain elevator are gone. There is still one more piece to this that will hopefully up the "Oh wow... that's cool!" factor instead anyway.
In the meantime... the Stearns Building is lotted, which is never very tough for these wall to wall buildings, and off for testing. There are three versions for this one. R$$... stage 7, medium density; CO$$... stage 6, medium density; and a CO$$ Plop. The trees you see are not on the CO$$ growable version. Here's a couple ingame shots just to tide you over:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStearns_GameDay.jpg&hash=61bedf3b308f26f6cdda46557463900c1d1c4380)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStearns_GameNight.jpg&hash=66760a026a6ebad7814a85eb14b48803017ebe71)
I'm not sure what I feel like working on next, so tonight's update (if there is one) will be somewhat of a surprise for all of us!
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on October 16, 2007, 12:47:07 PM
Andreas: That was actually what I did the first time around before the pictures you've seen. The lights done that way looked too sparse to be of any use, so I doubled them to what you see now.
Well, I think the thing that bugs me most is that the lights appear to be attached to the handrails. That's why "Christmas lights" came into my mind first. ;) If I would design such a catwalk, I'd either put up normal lampposts that light the path from above, or I'd use lights that are mounted just a bit above the floor level (i. e. like the lights that you find next to the rows of seats in a cinema). But after all, it might be better got get rid of them entirely - for a rural setting, I don't expect that much activity around a silo at night, at least when it comes to maintenance (and that's what the catwalks are used for primarily, I assume).
Oh, and let me say that the new building looks most excellent in the game. :)
Andreas: I know what you mean. I actually started with the lamp post idea, but that really looked silly... anyway, they're gone now either way. And thank you as always!
So um... I told you that I didn't really know what was coming next, right? I think I may have gotten a little carried away...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_Preview01.jpg&hash=cb2ed8ab5db86eb582e49d16974eac183428bfed)
Obviously it's in the very early stages. I really just wanted to make sure the size would be somewhat manageable before I got too far. It's a touch larger than I intended... a hair over 5 tiles wide when I was shooting for around 4 - 4.5. To be honest, I'm not even sure what it is yet! Probably a hotel or and apartement building. The paler red will actually be balconies. So, yeah... is anybody interested?
JB
In the completed project or in a room? It looks like it's off to a good start. I'll be able to give a more insightful comment as it develops, but in the meantime, how goes the victorian? Haven't heard about it in a bit. I'll be looking for updates though, whatever they may regard. One last thing, what's this I hear about this first birthday bash?
oh sweet ;D This looks like it could turn out to be very awesome :) Red brick hotel right?
Heh, well, I figured it would be more trouble to do that. And the Stearns building looks great in-game, can't wait for it to be released.
As for the new building, first thing that popped in my mind was that it looked like a hotel (a historical and very nice hotel of course).
-- John
I love it, looks great so far but I am really trying to curb my enthusiasm a little bit.
Because, well, I do love all these new projects and all, but of the 14 projects you have featured to date here, only one, the Taft Building, is currently available for download (yes I went through and tallied everything) . Because we are spectators, we take whatever we get and are damn grateful for it! But im trying not to get overly excited here for understandable reasons that I may not see it up for a long time. Not that that's a problem. Its not. But honestly I would prefer to see some of your other buildings up on the LEX than an entirely new project.
But i also really enjoy your new building alot too.
hey JB.
I love the way the Stearns has developed into his current form. It will fit in nicely into my cities :thumbsup: Not that that should be your aim, but it is good news for me. ;D
The new facade is very intriging. will you make it a modern building or a SHUR building? I believe a SHUR type of decoration would go very well with this facade. dark brick and perhaps slim rectangular sandstone collums on the balconies. and perhaps a massive Waldorf Astoria-esque entrance in the centre of the hotel.
love to see what you will make of it. ;)
Strechnitz
this facade is looking great! i'd say the same as DFire870:
Quote from: DFire870
a historical and very nice hotel.
Matt: Thanks! I know it's not much to look at just yet, but it's already on a life of its own! I've been having trouble getting the textures on the victorian to look right. All the other apartments are waiting on foundations from someone else anyway... so it would just be waiting in line even if it were finished at this point. Birthday bash? That sounds like it could be fun! What are your plans for that?
Sim Shady: Thank you! I'm leaning heavily towards the hotel idea too. Due to it's size, it would probably make a pretty high stage CS building.
John: Thanks! The wait shouldn't be too long.
Fledgeling: Glad you like it! While I understand your frustrations (I'm not sure about the number, but it's irrelevant really) hopefully you also understand that some of them are waiting on help from other people and not completely within my control. I can also say that at least three are very close... within 1-3 weeks depending on the release in question. I'm aware (and feel somewhat guilty) of my current backlog, and am honestly trying to catch up. Many things involved in catching up just don't warrant pictures in here is all.
Strech: Thank you! It will probably have more of a SHUR look to it. It just depends on how quickly the details start to stack up. Given the size of this one, I'll have to be somewhat careful to keep it in check or I'll never get it exported.
Figui: Thanks! I think you all are onto something there.
Just catching up on some responses for now... I should go pretend to work for a while!
JB
Heh I know. I know the number means little but I thought it would be good for visualization. I also remember you saying that cycledogg was doing the apartments foundations- and I'll bet that will turn out fantastic. But I have been following different bats for awhile by many different people, and often if a bat drops off the radar for a significant amount of time, I have seen it fall through the crack (but not you, usually). I know you have said many times that they are still on, but heh, its hard to shake that reaction sometimes.
Fledgeling: Yeah... I know what you mean. My problem is my attention span is awful once the initial modeling is done. It's not that I don't like doing the finishing stuff... it's just that I enjoy the modeling part best. So I have to be in the right mindframe to do the other parts... which is where the delays begin to pile up.
That being said, I was definitely in the right frame of mind today and got a pretty good start on grain elevator. The model is split into (hopefully) five pieces. I say hopefully because I don't know for sure yet if I'll be able to get two of them to fit back together seamlessly or not. Then there are the rail cars and barge pieces, etc etc ad nauseum. But enough blabber... here's a picture of where I'm at so far:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_Lot01.jpg&hash=12618bde671df7f96efc0266ea4c7a409f37c6ac)
Don't tell me it looks a little bare either... I haven't gotten that far yet! :D Four pieces done (in 7 renders)... one more to go (plus the barges)
JB
I like what I am seeing so far. The only thing I have noticed is that the yellow pipe from the small building doesn't appear to cas a shadow on the silos of the larger building (though that may just be the angle). Who said I had any plans for a birthday bash (coming from the guy with a gift-wrapped box in his sig)? It'll be interesting to see what happens in the coming days (weeks) though. Anyway, good luck with the lotting (in my opinion that almost seems to be a bigger process than the actual BATting if you want it to look good, but then again I'm not that good at it) I'll be curious to see where it ends up.
that red thing is kind of cool
Anyways, the design immediately makes me think of that AmSouth postmodern tower that JosefBrisko was batting a long time ago. Really, with some polished granite sides, modern glass, and a shiny metal roof, this could make awesome suburban midrise, like maybe some sort of nice hotel in an edge city. I'm just drooling over that, because it looks like just some things that for some reason have absolutely no representation in the game, just like those cool apartments you are making
I like old brick buildings but it seems a bit wide to be in a older urban setting(wouldnt fit in a normal block), so I guess thats why the modern idea came about.
Sorry If am being a pushy jerk making all these "suggestions", its just that I keep getting all sorts of ideas and ...I cant help it %BUd%
Quote from: threestooges on October 17, 2007, 04:24:19 PM
The only thing I have noticed is that the yellow pipe from the small building doesn't appear to cas a shadow on the silos of the larger building (though that may just be the angle).
Unfortunately, this cannot be changed, since props cannot cast shadows on other props (or models in general). With some clever lotting, this could be covered, though (i. e. by putting some small bushes around the silo or something like this).
Matt: Yep... what Andreas said. It's one of those little game quirks that really can't be avoided I'm afraid. In this particular case, the main building will hide that anyway, but there may be a couple other spots to hide later.
Zaphod: Nothing pushy about it. The whole purpose of having a thread is to gather ideas and suggestions, after all. I'm still not sure where this one is headed, so we'll just see how it turns out.
Andreas: Um... I guess I just wanted to acknowledge your presence! Hello! :D
I ran into a bit of a snag with the grain elevator. I didn't plan my measurements quite right and the canal and rail pieces don't line up as they should right now. So I have some adjusting to do and fixes to make. In the meantime... I'm off to the dentist. (...and there was much rejoicing) More to come later!
JB
So after mentioning the snag, this morning turned out much better than last night did. Snag resolved... a re-render here, couple new pieces there, and what do you know? Sometimes I just get lucky! Here it is... all the major pieces in place and (mostly) properly fitted.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_SouthLot02.jpg&hash=ec39b802d0fc24894be9176c05df950669dff3c1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_EastLot02.jpg&hash=47d4d1a3653116745240f5bcc852dc83c58c5263)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_NorthLot02.jpg&hash=eda0eaad100fc063a4b554a495858382da0cdc70)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_WestLot02.jpg&hash=439f5f853604e9470c958da280008deca9b7f425)
One more major component to add and (hopefully) one final render for the main building before the true lotting can begin. I want to take a moment to thank Jestarr and SimGoober for making their models available. Jestarr made the barge and rail cars special for this... and SimGoober released his canal template once upon a time, which enabled me to make the pieces I have now. So thanks to both!
JB
Nice! :shocked2: That looks really great JB! ;D
Wow, that looks fantastic indeed! :thumbsup:
Magnificent. You have done a wonderful job! &apls &apls &apls
that's really great :thumbsup:
btw: any chance of seeing a cal's canal version?
M: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Andreas: Thank you also! I knew you liked it a long time ago. :D
Fledgeling: Thanks!
Figui: Thank you! As of this moment, there are no plans for a version with Cal's... I don't have the parts or the right versions to render for his. That could still change... but who knows?
So... I got the last part of modeling finished. I made a family of three large signs (neon or otherwise) to sit on top of the building. They're totally random, and if you really hate them... they're fairly easy to get rid of in the Lot Editor. A large silo like this in my hometown had (still does actually) a big neon sign up top with a rabbit that "hopped" across the sign... so I kind of thought I'd try the idea. I don't really remember what the rabbit had to do with anything, so don't ask me. Anyway... here they are:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrain_SouthLot03.jpg&hash=80c9a096dad17c53bc6d2d95c7709de24f729f5b)
And then here is also a small update on the hotel. I say small because it doesn't really look like a whole lot, but it took a while to get this far. The textures (what few there are) aren't really perfected yet either... just for visual right now.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_Preview02.jpg&hash=f4790bb739a3e264807ddc30c7c1e6d71559520b)
I still haven't come up with a main entry yet... so ignore the gaping hole for now! ::)
JB
OMG, Chelsea Mills! Big coincidence - I was making a box of Jiffy Corn Muffins this evening. ;D
Excellent work. I like the variety of signs you'll be providing. Did you actually create one with a rabbit hopping across? The hotel is really coming together, and that does show quite a bit of work in it. Do you have a name for it yet? One thing I had a question about, reagrding the lotting and modding for the game, do you do it all yourself or do you take advantage of what all the BSC has to offer? I was looking for some tips as I slowly start to move further into the BATting arena.
This would be perfect for my industrial districts... :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on October 18, 2007, 09:25:05 PM
I don't really remember what the rabbit had to do with anything, so don't ask me.
Michigan Bean's...Jack Rabbit Beans Preservation Online (http://www.nationaltrust.org/Magazine/archives/arc_news_2006/060106.htm)
Ardecila: :D :D That's funny! I love it when people catch on to the names I use. Lawyer's Disclaimer: This model is in no way affiliated or meant to represent any structure owned or operated by the Jiffy Corporation in Chelsea, Michigan. It just happens to 30 miles down the road, that's all. Nice to see you again!
Matt: Thanks! No I didn't try to recreate the rabbit sign. I would have either had to learn how to animate something or set up timed props which would have changed too slowly to make any sense. I don't have a name for the hotel yet and am open to ideas. As for lotting and modding, I often try to do as much of it myself as I can. I ask a lot of modding questions when necessary, but prefer to learn it if possible. The great thing is that the help is always there for the asking... and somebody always seems to know.
Mickebear: Thank you!
Payce: Hi Mom! Send money! :D That's what it was... I remembered beans, I just couldn't remember what they had to do with rabbits. Thanks for that!
Looks awesome JB and the signs are a great touch.
How is the "Testing" coming along on the other lots?.Thanx
Bluebeard: Thanks! A couple signs have changed actually... and there's four now instead of three. They'll also be set up in a way that you can remove one or more of the ones you may not want... or even all of them and you'll just have no sign at all. As for testing...
Lockwood Arms has been released! You can find it here (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1245). Enjoy!
The Stearns Building should be up in a couple days, give or take. The Brownstone Set could use a bit longer... maybe a week or two yet for those.
As far as the Grain Elevator goes... I've got the files all basically organized, props done, some timed, some in families, etc etc etc. So we're basically into the lotting stage on that one. I'm honestly not sure if I'll be lotting it or not yet... so I'm not going to give an estimate there.
As for the unnamed hotel... I'm still plugging away at it. I've got nearly all the trim work done that doesn't involve windows on the front side. The windows will go much quicker because there's only three sizes. This other stuff changes sizes all over the place and takes a while. Here's a look for now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_Preview03.jpg&hash=891aafe91e956f1584c5ddc7b94ca981879bdeb3)
Til next time,
JB
As I said, it's looking better all the time, with every new detail I'm not sure if there is a particular style you are going for (or what material the building will be made out of) but if you are open to suggestions on the entryway, I think a half circle rotunda type thing where the guests would drive up through (if that's not clear and you're interested, I'll try to scare up a pic). As far as names go, I haven't thought of anything quite yet, but I'll keep thinking.
It's probably a bit late for this suggestion, but I'll make it anyway:
Regarding the signage on the mill, I'd change the font. Comic Sans doesn't quite work there...
I also think that running the signage along the roof (as opposed to stacking the two words on top of each other) would look better.
Just my NSHO.
Thanx JB for the update.
The Lockwood Arms looks awesome can't wait to download it.Thanx :thumbsup:
wow, that wasnt the building i was thinking would be on the LEX this weekend. Awesome nonetheless :)
the hotel looks stunning
Matt: I'm still not entirely sure what style I'm going for either, to be honest. The railings are meant to look a bit like wrought (sp?) iron, lending an older look... but a lot of other details so far say "new building meant to look old." I think the window treatments will go a long ways towards finally deciding that. I think I understand your suggestion, but a picture never hurts if you have one handy.
Cammo: Not entirely too late, no. I left the font alone for the red sign... it's the closest to neon tubing I could find without modeling every letter. The green neon is actually gone entirely and replaced with a more standard lit sign look. As for the sizes on the signs... well, that part is too late, sorry! :( Thank you for the feedback!
Bluebeard: No problem! Thank you!
Sim Shady: Thanks! Which building were you expecting? It's still only the beginning of the weekend too, you know... ;)
So... I'm home from work already, and I think I'll go play with the hotel that has no name. I shall return later...
JB
I love that hotel, i cant wait!
Woo new releases! Thanks a bundle, i love lockwood arms. I have only one questin though- why growth stage 7? That kind of limits the building's use in small towns.
Hi JB.
I love the lockwood arms. I look forward to see it grow in my cities.
And the grainelevator is nearing completion. Its nice to see those different parts come together.
And last but not least. The Hotel is looking better and better with every update. I like the way you are going with that bat. I hope that you find inspiration for a fitting name :)
Strechnitz.
Fledgeling: Thanks! The hotel's getting there bit by bit. About the stage 7, (and Ripplejet can correct me if I get this wrong) even though it's not a CAM dependant building, it still needed to fit into that mold. So if you're not using CAM, the stage will seem too high because you don't have the extra stages to work with. Unfortunately that becomes really noticable on buildings around that particular size. I probably should have made a "non CAM" version, but honestly didn't know that was still an option. Might be worth an update later.
Strech: Thank you! I'm glad you like all this stuff. The grain elevator actually "reassembled" better that I thought it would... or more easily might be a better phrase. I'm still looking for a hotel name... but given the size, I think I still have plenty of time! :D
Speaking of the unnamed hotel... today's marathon session really makes it look like something now. I'm starting to get pretty excited about how this is coming together. First the latest picture:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_Preview04.jpg&hash=34573224f7b51d1ab382e81822155719daf2ab45)
Yes... you can see my trick for making interior shadows now! :D There is still a ton to do, but the front is really starting to shape up nicely... now if only it had an entry. Just for kicks, I jotted down some of the numbers... this thing is really getting big on me. There are 326 windows and 44 sets of patio doors... and those are just the ones that are filled in. That doesn't include any of the open holes that aren't framed yet. I have 6 different glass textures and 3 floor textures. The glass will all get adjusted once the building is completely closed in... so it probably doesn't show up real well just yet. But in the end, it should make a lot of variety in the windows. The poly count is already pushing 130,000... so I'm kind of afraid of what will happen when I work around the other three sides. But I guess that's why I got a new computer a few months back!
JB
It's should have name.So how does the Swan Hotel sound?. :thumbsup:
I like the new hotel. :)
Is there going to be a base? It looks like there should be a one or two story limestone base added to the bottom.
Edit: 20th post!! &bis&
:thumbsup: Its ok - for some reason lockwood seems to be better placed in a larger city anyways to me, despite is low height. I do hope, however, that your more recent apartments like Camelot & such, are able to grow in us non- CAM'ers small towns- I think that's where they would look best. Unless you have a way for us regular joe's to fiddle with the growthstage adjustment &idea ?
I really like how the hotel is coming along- it reminds me of one I saw (abeit much smaller) in Hot Springs... what was it called... Sioux Empire hotel (theres a idea ;))? Or am I thinking of another name entirely... whatever it was something along those lines. Like the one in hot springs, I think that would look great in rough-cut sandstone. Or brick. A warmer color would be best for that, I think. Of course im downloading it no matter what color it is so it doesn't matter to me.
Man i just love your hotel. I cant get this one building from maxis out of my head. I think that same white and red brick color scheme would look fantastic on your hotel
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F8128%2Fbuldingcf8.jpg&hash=6c4bc1936e117a11b2f26b3bef30672bab4e8f5e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F5140%2Fbulding2gw4.jpg&hash=cc3495f4d574f3b247b7da81c9711fbd82f1cac6)
srry for taking up space in your thread with these pictures
That's a Maxis building?!? Holy cow! Maybe I need to figure out how to CAMify some of these better models... $%Grinno$%
Back to Jon's regularly scheduled updates...
Cheers,
Kevin
No way that can be a Maxis lot. $%Grinno$%
Dang how did you ever that to grow?.
lol has no one ever seen this?? its like my favorite maxis building in the game. you need HUGE population to get it. stage 8 chicago, r$$$ it dilapates easily though...
Bluebeard: Hmmm... if I combine the two suggestions I've gotten so far, we have The Majestic Swan... that could work. Maybe even put a couple "swan busts" up along the roof? &Thk/(
Jason: Thanks! I was debating a full base and you sealed the idea now. &apls for your 20th post... I've mailed a cake. ;D
Fledgeling: The RUSA apartments will have a couple options. There will be single building lots, which should certainly be friendly with or without CAM... there will also be some larger megalot type complexes which will almost definitely need CAM to work. If you have SC4Tool, you can easily adjust the growth stages, although care should be taken lest you upset the game's balance. I'm definitely using a nicer red brick for the hotel... but that's all I really know for sure so far.
Sim Shady: I'd never seen that one either... but I see I'm not alone! :D That's a nice one. I'm glad you like what's coming!
Kevin: Updates? If you insist...
I couldn't leave this alone... I'll probably pay for it tomorrow! But I got sucked in like I always do when the results start going the way I like them to. So here's where we now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_South01.jpg&hash=ff7f5f6e2fd68a5a599562a8ca48b049460e9ccd)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_West01.jpg&hash=7449e6b189722f0b392fd5214282e6f19c1f3fd4)
I closed off the hole in preparation for the aforementioned (great word... doesn't get used often enough) base. The building is fully enclosed now and I'm pretty happy with the roof overall. The dormers probably need to be a little lower, but that's an easy fix. Still lots of details to add and adjustments to make. In case you're keeping score at home... there are now a total of 892 windows! With the base added, this will top out at 14 stories, making it my largest building to date. The grain tower is roughly 12... otherwise I think Taft and Hammond were both 9. So I got a little carried away... what else is new?
JB
JB looks excellent so far.
The Majestic Swan sounds like a great name.Thanx for the update. :thumbsup:
I think the name would sound better the other way round - The Swan Majestic -'Swan' being the hotel chain and 'Majestic' this particular hotel. Then after everyone raves about this hotel, as they're sure to do with it already looking so good, you'll be able to follow up with The Swan Imperial, The Swan Lakeside etc.
Quote from: zero7 on October 21, 2007, 06:49:36 AM
I think the name would sound better the other way round - The Swan Majestic -'Swan' being the hotel chain and 'Majestic' this particular hotel. Then after everyone raves about this hotel, as they're sure to do with it already looking so good, you'll be able to follow up with The Swan Imperial, The Swan Lakeside etc.
You know what's crazy, I was thinking the
exact same thing earlier and almost posted it! :o
But yes, I'll second that. :)
Zero I think your on to something. :thumbsup:
wow i love the roof job you did there ;D
is it going to remain a green copper? i hope so.
Ooh, great job on the hotel so far! Although I think the green roof needs to be lightened up a bit, it seems a little too bright. And I also like the suggestion Zero7 made about the name.
Sim Shady, I love that Maxis building! I can't get it to stop growing in my downtown area. :D
-- John
great &apls
the hotel is developing GREAT!! and i love that roof
"Swan Majestic" sounds good to me
"Swan Majestic" has my vote too. Please include a PLOP for those incorrigible of us who prefer to make "designer" cities. Great work as always. &apls ;D
Quote from: simdad1957 on October 21, 2007, 09:03:56 AM
"Swan Majestic" has my vote too. Please include a PLOP for those incorrigible of us who prefer to make "designer" cities. Great work as always. &apls ;D
Is "designer" cities an actual SC4 community term? if so it is sort of a city that is built in like a "sandbox" form?
- JB - would it be hard to create instead of traditional gargoyle, maybe the Swan Hotel Co. should put their world famous Swan Gargoyle or something either at the entrance or at the two peaks of the building, or something...lol
Bluebeard: Thanks! The name is definitely staying...
Zero: I like that name a lot! Thank you! Are you suggesting that I make more of these? Hmmm... I have a bad feeling there might be another set coming... :'( :D
Cammo: Vote counted... thanks! I'll have to mark this page for the credits later...
Sim Shady: Thank you! I'm hoping to find a good tarnished copper texture, yes.
DFire: Thanks! The roof doesn't actually have any textures on it yet... that's just a color marker so I remember what I'm trying to do.
Simdad: Thank you! I will definitely include a plop version for this, yes.
Baconrocky: Welcome to the thread! Nah... that wouldn't be to hard at all really. Something like this perhaps?
Here's the latest:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_Preview05.jpg&hash=d8bcdaea5dd64911070c706cc58ab4fdff7dec17)
I adjusted the dormers a little and added some chimneys (which now need a small adjustment). I added some swans... which makes the name officially "The Swan Majestic." I started on the base. There's some things I like about it and some I'm not so sure about yet. The texture isn't permanent, although it's closer than I expected it to be. I'm not sure if I want to keep the porch or lower everything to more of a street level entry. Right now, with the steps, it's kind of a story and a half base even though the overall height would be enough for two floors. I don't really know how I feel about the "office" windows in there either. I thought it would be good to break up the front so it's not all huge windows, but I'm not sure if I like the result or not. Anyway... keep the suggestions coming!
There will be more later... ;)
JB
Thanks for the welcome, ha, anyways, the building looks very swell, if you're looking for a way to spruce up the bottom level you could always add a Resturant, since most hotels have one. I am curious, is The Swan Majestic a 5-Star Hotel?
Well now, the Swan has really taken off (pardon the pun). I agree about the smaller windows being necessary to break up the front a bit, but for such a hotel, it seems like the interior should just open up to the visitor as soon as they walk in the door. It does seem to do this just coming in off the entryway though. I can see those windows connecting to offices of the staff and perhaps a store or something, but somehow they still seem a bit small. I like what you chose to do with the base (it works with the building better than what I was suggesting... which you may have a pm about since I didn't want to clutter your thread). Perhaps you could remove one section of them to make room for a sign (every sim needs to know what hotel it is) unless you planned to put that elsewhere, but that's just a suggestion as well.
Might I suggest dumping the steps and going street level and placing a nice canopy.Just a thought and thanx for the update. :thumbsup:
i love the base, but it lacks that refined touch of details that makes buildings so great. I suggest you add some kind of ornate detailing around the windows and change the texture on the outlaying parts of the base * the pillar things sticking out*
Also some kind of canopy could look really good.
great job so far &apls
Jon that is wonderful and most beautiful Swan Majestic hotel..... wow anther one i cant wait to grow in my city... Ohh speaking of which i grew Taft building i was soo excited to see it grow in my city.....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2F8686%2Fwyestergrowsataftbuildiic9.jpg&hash=d2675831e7992e6790e6e6fee478c72c6be6cf5b)
OK so i cant wait to grow Swan Majestic ;D
Figui: I apologize for missing your response earlier... thank you! And I'm glad you like the roof... it was kind of a new thing for me.
Baconrocky: The larger arched windows on either side represent the restarant... or banquet hall... or whatever you want it to be. 5 Stars? That is also up to you, my friend! ;) I just make the buildings... y'all can do whatever your imagination provides from there.
Matt: Thank you as always for such considered feedback! Some of the trim around the windows got lost in the new textures, that's been fixed and helps to "enlarge" the look of the windows somewhat. I haven't decided on a sign or placement yet, although I would think it would be fairly discreet and understated on a hotel of this stature. I saw your PM and I still may incorporate that type of idea as an alternative... but I'll go into that if and when the time comes.
Bluebeard: I was initially concerned with the steps as well. A number of people on the BSC board suggested that they fit the building style quite well and I tend to agree with the reasoning I heard there. As for some kind of covered entry... that's the "maybe" option that I will toy with later. Thanks!
Sim Shady: All the textures are still rough at this point, and will certainly get better. There are still a ton of details to add as well. I'm just kind of getting a feel for the arrangement of the base at this point. Thanks for the feedback!
Pat: Thank you! And thanks for the picture... it's always great to see the things in action, so to speak!
Speaking of releases...
The Stearns Building
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStearns_GameDay.jpg&hash=61bedf3b308f26f6cdda46557463900c1d1c4380)
You can find it here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1247) on the LEX!
In other news... I worked on the back of this a little bit. Again, there is a long ways to go with everything... but here's the latest:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_Preview06.jpg&hash=1bc454e5529f969835c0dea16f9e9fbfc7aa6cb4)
Autumn has certainly arrived here in Michigan...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFallColors02.jpg&hash=4c5c21709432517653c5214e744e3ce5711e5c26)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunset_Oct21.jpg&hash=60c723a8439d4615ce96424c9a121d2f40ce569f)
... and the sunsets just never get old!
JB
JB I'm amazed that you can sit in front of a computer with a view like that.Oh almost forgot the back of the Hotel looks great.Thanx :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on October 21, 2007, 06:14:22 PM
I apologize for missing your response earlier...
there's no problem about that
Quote from: JBSimio on October 21, 2007, 06:14:22 PM
And I'm glad you like the roof... it was kind of a new thing for me.
and it's getting better with those chimneys..
i like how's getting the back, and the steps on the entrance fit very well imo.
I like the back. Good detail for the service area. I have two questions though: what era is the building supposed to be from, and how many tiles will it sit on (both building and lot)? The reason I ask is that it seems a bit thin. The garages seem like they would occupy 1/2 the length of the building perhaps interfering with the grander areas that the arched windows are (theoretically) showcasing inside the building. Also, if I may offer additional signage input, I can see it being placed over the doorway, in a somewhat similar way to the Waldorf-Astoria in New York: just the letters themselves (just placed right on the bulding) though that seems tricky to pull off (knowing what I've done with the BAT). Or perhaps a small(ish) brass plate to one side of the entryway. My, but seem to get wordy with these posts, hope you don't mind. Take it easy and I'll be looking forward to the next update.
Looks good. The Swan Majestic looks good... would've thought Majestic Swan would've worked, because you could've had Majestic Seagull, Majestic Kiwi, etc :P
Just wondering: is there any chance of a Civic set to go along with your schools?
(such as hospitals, police stations and fire stations...)
Just a suggestion. :P
As for your grain elevator, there are some excellent free fonts on the Internet that maybe you could use. Try the Scripts section here: http://www.dafont.com/
Oh wow,
This really looks good! The Majestic really looks swell. I like the swans. that is such a nice deco feature. I like the entrance you have made for the hotel as well as the roof :thumbsup:
I am not being a very harsch critic now am I? :D the truth is that I simply love every detail on the building. I do have one suggestion however. the parts with oficewindows look quite bare and a bit out of place in the front facade of a hotel. you use expensive floorspace for offices which are usualy on the side or the back of the building. The front desk needs little extra officespace. May I suggest that you convert for instance 2 out of three parts of expensive floorspace with office windows into profitable reatailspace? for luxury boutiques and or perhaps a barbershop, all with direct street access. what do you think of that? you could give the boutiques the same height in glass accept not with rounded tops but with square ones. perhaps a nice variation. well that's my suggestion ;)
I agree on the steps for the front entrance. they do fit the building/period perfectly. I'm not sure on a canopy, but it might look good. I look forward to the textures you are going to use on this one. :thumbsup:
I myself am already constructing the park on which the Swan Majestic in Strechnitz will offer her views ;D
oooh a chain of hotels. that would be nice &apls may I suggest a corner variety called the Swan Apostolic? :P that would be ideal for my holy city of Simeonopole ;D
Strech.
Bluebeard: It is a nice view, isn't it? I only have to turn my head to see it... so I don't miss too much.
Fibui: Thank you!
Matt: What era? Normally I have an answer for that question, but not so much this time. Maybe late 30's to early 40's... ish? :D Old enough that the details still mattered, but recent enough for some "newer" practices to exsist. (I'm honestly just winging this one) As for size... the footprint is currently 80x27 (exactly believe it or not) which is just a hair over 5 tiles wide and not quite 2 deep. The finished lot will be 6x3 or 4 I'm guessing. I was thinking about the base last night (no wonder I'm so tired today) and I may change it somewhat... I don't want to say much yet, but I'll try some things when I get home and show a comparrison tonight. That may or may not change a couple things. The lettering sounds like a decent option... the brass plate is the direction in which I was leaning already... so we shall see. Thank you again! (And don't worry about wordy... look at me after all!) ;)
SA: Majestic Seagull? :D I'm glad you like it! For other civic buildings, I have a couple ideas kicking around, but nothing that would make a full set the way the schools were. I have a Smalltown police station... maybe a rail depot... possibly a couple SHUR stations of various types. They're all just ideas right now though. I'll check out the fonts. Thanks for the link!
Strech: Thank you! I'm still toying with the front. I may try your alternate large window idea though... thanks for that. I want to keep the symmetry broken, and I'm afraid of reintroducing it by mistake. I'm honored that you are already making a site for this! Plan for 6x4... I think that will be pretty close to the finished version. Again with the chain, huh? *sighs and wonders what I got myself into... again*
Thanks for all the feedback as always. I'm going to go pretend to work for a while
JB
Very nice work on the back of the hotel. As far as the front is concerned, I'm undecided. In my nearest city, Leeds, there's a hotel called The Queen's Hotel which is from a similar era to yours and fronts straight onto the street (it also has a covered side entrance for cars to pull up to) and has a fairly plain facade, but then those arches look like a very good location for the hotel to have a restaurant or cafe-bar that opens onto the street. So either would be appropriate for the building and would work equally well in-game.
You could always toss a coin! $%Grinno$%
:o
Zero: Thank you! While I do consider the arched windows to be a restaraunt for the hotel, I'm not sure if I want to open it to the street. I don't have a real good reason for that, but it just doesn't feel right to me. The covered entrance idea may still come into play... time will tell.
Nofunk: It really is a nice sunset, huh? Or did you mean the other pictures? :D
OK... couple things to show tonight. First is a very small update on the front. I tried the idea Strech mentioned... I think it will stick in some form, although the details aren't necessarily final yet. The windows are still open to suggestion or change, but I like the overall look.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_South02.jpg&hash=86eaf7ed9817d680db3cb6208bd72150e6b9fd3b)
That's all for that so far... I still have to finish up the details and trim things out more. On to the back...
I changed the overall size of the base. My first thought was to add one column's width to the front and back... but I hated the way that looked. So I doubled up on the back alone instead, which I'm pretty happy with. I don't want to change the overall width at all unless I absolutely have to. Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSunrise_North.jpg&hash=83cfa091a1e753f0c4bccc635f35a3209f06dc9d)
The extra space in back does a couple things (in my admittedly over-active mind) First off, it makes it look as if the building were modified at some point in its life. Say it changed hands or got saved and the base was redone at that time. That allows for any style differences and also justifies the underground parking structure (which also now has enough room to be semi realistic). Second, it gives me some more space to play with because this just isn't complex enough yet! $%Grinno$% I'm thinking maybe a patio and pool area up there... which every hotel should have, but where do you put it in a tight urban setting? Anyway... the change definitely puts us in the 6x4 category now.
Critique and suggest away my friends!
JB
Well that looks great. I like the new design for the windows, the larger square ones look good. The pool wouldn't be a bad idea. From the texture you've shown I was thinking a fair bit of roof junk would be present (though, since there is a subterranian structure all of that kind of stuff can be kept down there and just have a few vents sticking out) but now I can see a good pool/patio parhaps a restaruant/bar if the weather of the area permitted it. This'll be a great addition when it's done, and it's amazing to see how it's developed from what it started as.
-edit- allow me, on the basis of your post just below, to see if I may give you some comparative thoughts. I liked the original base as it made the building feel as one whole unit (perhaps because that's the way I've seen it from the start) and the new base makes the structure seem a wee bit off balance. Unless there is a plan in the works to use the whole area (for a pool etc), I would suggest that you take in the overhang by about half of its current length.
()sad() i kinda liked the old base better ()sad()
o well, idk what the roof of your extension should look like, gl :)
Sorry... I should have mentioned that both bases still exist right now, so by all means feel free to cast your vote for the original or newer size. I resaved this newer version separately so I can easily go back if need be. I meant that post to be more of a compare and choose type of thing, but failed (quite miserably) to say that part...
I blame my father for my forgetfulness when I speak. He, in turn, blames the same habit on his mother... who became very forgetful towards the end. It's kind of a running joke between the both of us now. I'm only telling you this because I know he'll read it at some point and probably laugh. Then I'll call later in the week and get yelled at for it... which is just part of the fun. :D
I'll shut up now... but seriously, if you have a preference, please let me know.
JB
I like the more narrow base better. Also, the building looks like it was built in the 20s, and during that time underground parking garages were not uncommon. I'm also trying to see how the massing of the building would fit into an urban environment, and I can't really see it. But to be honest, I don't think there should be an alley side, I think it should take up the entire block. You'd still have some utility stuff (not as much as there is now), but it would be more finished.
Jon why dont you do both of them and have 2 releases???
Quote from: patfirefghtr on October 22, 2007, 10:00:57 PM
Jon why dont you do both of them and have 2 releases???
I knew that someone would suggest that. ;) Although it looks nice, the parking garage entrance probably wouldn't work for the small base, as it would take up a large space in the area where a restaurant or similar might be located. On the other hand, it looks great on the large base, and quite a few hotels have a larger base to accommodate all the stuff that usually is located in the ground floor (lobby, offices, restaurant, kitchen, bar, rooms for the staff). For a building with a "historic" touch in a downtown setting, the smaller base works better, though.
Great work JB! I especially like the revised and updated version as it looks a lot more realistic! Great job here! :thumbsup: ;D
i'd go with pat's suggestion ;)
personally, i prefer the thin one, as it looks more "historic", as andreas said.
Matt: Thank you! I'm glad the newer windows worked out. I agree with the off balance observation... in a lot of ways I still like the original base better overall myself.
Sim Shady: Thank you for you input!
JBSimio: You have a real tendency to ramble on about nothing, you know that? :D
Jason: They had underground parking in the 20's already? Such a progressive era! Thanks for the suggestions!
Pat: Yep... I saw that one coming
Andreas: It really was just a matter of time, wasn't it? :D Thanks for the thoughts!
M: Thank you!
Figui: Thanks for your opinion. I tend to agree... ;)
Chances are good that I will end up keeping both versions. A few very minor changes, and the smaller base could fit on a 5 tile wide lot... it would actually be a W2W building that way! (Not that I'd expect anyone to use it that way, but who knows?) I'll just keep tinkering in the meantime.
JB
Hmmm...if you are adding a pool or whatnot, Are you thinking it being outdoors or in a class atrium-kinda-thing?
I think you might be looking at two releases here, JB! Personally, I prefer the narrow base, which will really add to that old urban feel, and I agree with Jason that it would look great filling out an entire block. At the same time, I think the extended base looks good and makes sense as well. If you released both, I would end up using both.
In any event, I can't wait to see more!
I just realized how much this looks like a tower in houston, which is grimly enough a gigantic nursing home....
anyways great job, can't wait for it to be out
Baconrocky: I'm not really sure just yet. I've considered both, but haven't tried fitting anything in yet. I want to have a minimum impact on the facade itself, so I guess it will be whatever accomplishes that goal. Thanks!
Nofunk: I do believe you're right. I've begun to treat it that way too. So for now, I'll concentrate on the downtown version and come back to the larger base later. Thanks!
Zaphod: A nursing home? That's unfortunate! Thank you!
So... as this has turned into two different hotels now, I'm going to stick with the smaller base until that is finished and then come back to the larger base later. With that in mind, I reworked the base a little to fit it onto 5 tiles instead of 6 (sorry to anyone I "lied" to earlier) and added in most of the trim work and details that I wanted to add. Then I started texturing. Keep in mind, many of these textures are still very (in some cases VERY) rough. I'm mostly still testing things... color combinations, sizing, etc etc. The roof still needs a lot of work... the brick isn't what I intended, but I kind of like it... the base is pretty close... you get the idea. Anyway... here's some pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_SouthTexture01.jpg&hash=63d734a5542e2dad79993317ece2ca74161ea2ed)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_WestTexture01.jpg&hash=89d80bdffd73eaafb07d6df739887002d101d7aa)
Suggestions always welcome... just remember this is the very first texture preview. ;)
JB
Jon LoL and leave it up to me to say it too.... OK back to this newest pics wow!!! I agree with you about the bricks it does look good and i think you should really think about keeping it the way it is.... The roof green could be a tad bit darker green sorta like this PD in Riverside IL, i used to go past this station all the time on my way to my grandpas house....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fpics3.city-data.com%2Fcpicc%2Fcfiles30203.jpg&hash=10308fe5f7939e29a84df35f32415d146737fc70)
JB you really out did yourself this time. :thumbsup:
Jon,
This hotel is amazing. I'm looking forward to it meeting a lot and growing in a city or two of mine.
Cheers,
Kevin
Looks phenomenal. &apls I admit I prefer the smaller base myself. &mmm
Can I give a suggestion? Its on lighting. You know how most hotels always keep their hallway and lobby lights on at all hours of the night? You should do that, for realism. The middle windows on the side, and wherever you think your hallways would be... should all be lit. Every floor. Plus the lobby... kind of understand what im' talking about? I think it would be realistic.
I like it. It fits within the height limits of brick buildings, so the texture seems fine. The only suggestion I have would be for the roof. I think that it should have just a touch more blue to it to bring out the oxidized copper look. Splendid job.
I think the brick texture's fine, the only thing lacking really is a slight gradient to make it fit in properly. Otherwise, that brick colour will work well in-game.
I will second what threestooges said about the roof though.
soooo great!!!
The textures look great JB. even if they are test textures only, I like the way this one is going :thumbsup:
I espescialy like the details and sculpted reliefs over the windows of the plinth.
Strech.
Pat: Thanks! Maybe it's just the picture, but the roof you showed looks more like slate to me. I really like that building though! The roof texture will definitely change either way.
Bluebeard: Thank you! I was kind of thinking the same thing. I really need to stop raising the bar on myself like this! :D
Kevin: Thanks! The lot for this version should be very easy actually. The second version may be a different story... but we're not there yet anyway so why am I even talking about it?
Fledgeling: Thank you! And of course you can make a suggestion... that's the whole point of this thread! I will certainly take stairwells and hallways into account when I start lighting. I'm dreading that process already...
Matt: Thanks! Yes, the roof is really just a texture I slapped on for now to see what needed to be done. It will change along with the dormers.
Cammo: Thank you! You're right... I haven't added the gradient yet either.
Figui: Thanks!
Strech: Thank you! Does the swan show up over the side door alright?
Thank you for all the feedback everyone... I really do appreciate it. In this case it was all stuff I knew, but it still helps to know that there aren't other things that I hadn't seen myself. On a personal note, I also was just looking at the LEX to see how the new releases are doing and I was suprised to see that I'm creeping extremely close to 10,000 downloads already. It's always great to be here, but that little "extra" that I saw was quite flattering... what an honor! So I just want to say thank you to everyone that enjoys these so much!
JB
Nice job JB! MIssin' your stuff, then go on line and see bunches of it! It's crazy, I love it.
No JB,
Its us who should thank you man! ;)
I mean it is you who give us reason to download your great stuff, time and time again. &apls
When you reach the 10000 mark The Stroponian Empire will host a party in the Swan Majestic for you :thumbsup:
The swan is visible, but it could use a bit more contrast. For I fear its details could get lost ingame.
Strech.
JosefBrisko: Thanks! Nice to see you again, my friend!
Strech: Woohoo! I build a brand new hotel and already you want to trash it with a giant rockstar party! :D I adjusted the textures a little bit, but I still want the swan to be fairly subtle. Hopefully this helps a little though.
Alright... texture preview number two. I added a gradient to the brick, darkened the base slightly, redid pretty much the whole roof, and tinkered with the windows a little more. Many of the differences are honestly rather subtle, but I believe they all helped. All in all, I think things are good now.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_SouthTexture02.jpg&hash=a5b358633def3f9428b90f0e44fb569e3cad69f4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_WestTexture02.jpg&hash=49d13eb2e022300bf82a5d94a7b083c3d7eb8c5e)
Lighting comes next, unless there's something I completely screwed up or missed!
JB
*EDIT: Ignore the sign for now... it's really different already! ::) :D Actually... it looks more like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Sign.jpg&hash=72f016356d0ea80d4334cdcd4ce9f7b00ff77d5c)
:o
EH you startled me with that flashy signage! I think the improved one is perfect, because it fits the old downtown theme much better. I have nothing more to add, its coming together nicely!
Okay, a couple of last-minute things. First, if you want to do large signage, a better route would be to put the signage along the roofline, as shown below. Second, a row of flags jutting out diagonally-upwards from the entrance would give a real "hotel" feel.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthomashawk.com%2Fhello%2F209%2F1017%2F400%2FEssex%2520House4.jpg&hash=27396697ef1896baa6b18a0a0b6749cbaa5f872d)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2F6076%2Fcongresshotel001tc9.jpg&hash=3bf95c82951bdcdb407b2bc48284a1e085ca61ed)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg88.imageshack.us%2Fimg88%2F8742%2Fplazahotelflagsoct27cz9.th.jpg&hash=4d5fbec1c28cb3de512052215ee46b29b0db8580) (http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=plazahotelflagsoct27cz9.jpg)
Jon- it's looking fantastic, but I can't help but feel there should be some sort of canopy or overhang on the front entrance (imho). This will look great in downtown areas. :thumbsup:
I like the sign in its newer (slightly understated) form. I also agree with ardecila about the flags. If you can make that look good it would really bring the entrance alive.
I just crapped myself! :o The swan majestic looks amazing! i mean those textures are just dead on. congratz &apls &apls &apls
If you are going to add Flags, can you make them from multi-countries (I don't think thats a word) anyways, then it can blend it to any sort of City, alittle easier :)
Great!
This little change on the base made the swans way more visible :) I like the way the textures turned out as wel as the edited sign. imho this baby is ready for lotting although you could indeed add some flaggs and a roof sign.
if you do add flags perhaps chain/logo flags would be nicer than i.e. US ones. so that the hotel can find its way in other MD's more easily. just a thought ::)
Strech
Flegeling: Thanks! Yeah... the first sign was just an idea that didn't really work for me. Didn't mean to scare you! :D
Ardecila: Thanks for the pictures! I'm not really sold on the large sign anyway to be honest... and with this roof, I'm not sure it would look all that great anyway. I'm just not sure I could pull off the flags without it ending up as something that looked like a blob on a stick! $%Grinno$%
Edge: I've kicked the canopy/awning idea around since the base started. I could either put it where the sign just landed... or at the very top of those arched windows which would be fairly useless that high up. So I don't think it's going to happen this time.
Matt: Thanks! The problem is me making some that would look good... :D
Sim Shady: Thank you! (now go clean yourself up!)
Baconrocky: That's the other problem with the flags... there aren't any props at that angle (that I'm aware of) so I would have to include them in the building itself. The only way to make a variety at that point is to render the whole building multiple times.
Strech: Thank you! I think I've already covered the rest of you comments... ;)
I'll try to get a lighting preview sometime this evening. Thanks again for all the feedback!
JB
The Flags are a great idea but save yourself and try to create a Flag for the Hotel say something with a blue background with a swan.Because if you do 1 countries flag then alot of folks will get bent.
A simple sign along the top will do nicely.Thanx JB for the update. :thumbsup:
Actually, if I understand what baconrocky was suggesting (and I hope I'm corrected if I'm wrong) is that, instead of multiple buildings, just many flags in front with one for each country (one US, one canadian, one from the Netherlands, South Africa, Uruguay, Australia, etc) to kind of give it that international feel. One additional question I have as a separate matter: what height do you use for a story in the BAT? I seem to be having some interesting scaling issues (it looks fine on its own in game, but huge next to a basic house). I'm sure however you decide to finish up the front it'll look fine, but I still think the flags are a good idea.
I can't say a negative thing about this building!
Quote from: threestooges on October 26, 2007, 02:33:44 PM
one for each country (one US, one canadian, one from the Netherlands, South Africa, Uruguay, Australia, etc) to kind of give it that international feel.
thanks threestooges ;), we're usually forgotten :(
$%Grinno$% $%Grinno$%
Bluebeard: Thank you! I tried my hand at a generic flag this afternoon and the result was... um... pathetic? laughable? disasterous? You get the idea.
Matt: I understood the suggestion, it's just that the method for doing so isn't that simple. It's actually a dead end anyway, because, as I have now learned... JB can't make flags. :( As for scale... it is truly the bane of this whole process. Maxis scale is all over the board depending on what they were making. I've found that 5 meters works pretty well for commercial buildings, 4.5 for residential... but there are definitely exceptions to that as well. It's usually a good place to start though.
JosefBrisko: Thank you!
Figui: So as not to upset Uruguay... I'm just going to leave every country out! :D
OK... this is the first stab at lighting. I lost count of how many lights are in here, so don't ask. Some adjustments definitely need to be made, but first the picture:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_SouthNight01.jpg&hash=7e3ab3d75d733f0ed0ae5faacdfb9b65f90fd62f)
You can't really tell, but there are currently exterior fixtures for every balcony. I will remove all but the top couple floors, because they really don't show up anyway... and where they do show up, they just look distracting. I need to fix the same lights on the 12th (or is it 13th? depends on how you count the base I guess... second from the top anyway) floor where they are sandwiched between the windows (no doors). The reflection off the glass is terrible if the room is also lit up... like the upper right corner. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with it. I may tone the overall intensity down just a bit, but not much. I also have some last minute "junk" to add... patio chairs, vent pipes, etc etc. But that should just about do it for this one!
The Grain Elevator (for you curious souls out there) is in Jestarr's more than capable hands for the lotting as we speak. So it hasn't been forgotten, I'm just not doing anything with it at the moment.
I'm headed to Chicago in the morning. More to come Monday (I'll probably have some serious ADD again by the time I get back too!)
JB
I think you've mastered the lighting thing. There's nothing I can really add except for perhaps increasing the intensity of 1st floor lights on the sides of the buildings. I know the window design blocks a fair bit of the light from that angle, the light just seems dim when compared to the rest of the hotel. Have fun in Chicago. We'll be here when you get back.
Wow. Were you always so good with day/night window detail or had I just forgotten? No I hadn't forgotten those are some of your best yet! Iincredible, phenomenal, etc!!!
And thanks for the update on your other lot, appreciate it.
Dang if you are going to chicago, does that mean we won't see this building on the lex this weekend? :'(
alas, such thing were always meant to tease you for a bit, then get released :P
looks really really good. I would follow the others advice in turning up the floor lights a bit.
One more... this is a medium render on the side. I had tried to take a short cut on the base because the doors were too bright, but I just succeeded in making the other windows too dim. I think I've fixed that already. I'll reply for real when I get back.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_WestNight01.jpg&hash=b5498e48c87aa0c492b0f44dcbbc560a6caf8500)
JB
looking great!
have a nice time in chicago,
see you on monday.
Mauricio.
Jon that is wonderful.... WOW.... Have fun this weekend in the windy city and get some great chitown inspiration while you are there.... OHHH watch out for white castle they are the slidders for a reason hehehehe :D
The lights are looking really good.
I was thinking that the grooves on the roof should be more frequent though.
Matt: Thank you! I've fixed the first floor lights... cheating never seems to work for me! ::)
Fledgeling: To be honest with you, I haven't changed many of my lighting techniques in a while. The trick here was all those different floor and glass textures I mentioned in the beginning. The results were even better than I expected and it gave a lot of variety to the lighting.
Sim Shady: I have 4 more hours to get it to you this weekend... which means the answer is no. $%Grinno$%
Figui: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! I did come home with some new pictures (I still have several from my last trip that I haven't gotten too as well)... and completely avoided White Castle! :D
Jason: Thanks! I played with the ribbing on the roof for a while... too much closer just creates that crazy line effect (I hope you know what I mean because my descriptive powers aren't too good tonight!) so I'm just going to stick with what I've got.
Alright... a couple last minute options for the entry.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Sign02.jpg&hash=fb1fdd14da356dd6aed2d2ce5957d70572a3343e)
Feel free to cast your votes for any of the combinations I've shown, but I'm past making anything new for this anymore. The flags aren't going to happen because I suck at them... I couldn't come up with a built in overhang that I really liked either. So this is it... or I can go back to the previous "signs" over the doors. Or some combination of the two... now's the time to pick and choose.
I'll probably be back with a new preview.
JB
JB, its not polite to tell people that they are starting to forget $%#Ninj2 ()stsfd()
The new sign looks great but I like the small one that I cant read better so if/when I rename the building into something else... &Thk/(.... i wont have a giant granite slab mocking me from behind ??? $%Grinno$%
A Chicago... I loved driving through there. Never stopped for a visit when I was a yong kind driving cross-country with his parents because they were so scared of big city people. I can vividly remember my father screaming "DON'T POINT AT PEOPLE IN CHICAGO - YOU WANNA GET SHOT!!!!???" – in the car.
i think the swan majestic is done. :thumbsup:
Hmmm Jon you know by now i barely have anything negative to say but honesty is always the best policy and the green awnings over the door distract from the beauty of the entrance way IMHO... Unless that is on the side entrances then OK no problem.... I am glad however you totaly avoided the "sliders" lol... Look forward to see what you cook up with the Swan Majestic next - pat
I like the addition of the awnings. However, the sign in its current form seems a bit out of place. The building has such a clean line of separation of the granite/cement and the brick, and the sign seems to break it up a bit. For this I have two suggestions (look out). 1: Put the Swan Majestic type on the lower part of the awning (written along the bottom part of it). 2: Lower the existing sign so the break in the line isn't as severe (perhaps lower the height of the arched windows and use the space for the sign). Whatever the result, it has been really interesting (and informative) to watch this come into being. Well done.
i like the sign where it is now, but the awnings &Thk/( ... i don't know why, but i'll take them out.
Mauricio.
I love where you put the sign, although the awnings look funny where they are. They might look better at the top of the windows, or maybe no awnings at all.
The hotel looks fantastic, and the nightlighting is amazing. Great job as usual. :thumbsup:
-- John
Holy eff man, that is so nuts! Keep up the crazy good work!
I say yes! to the sign, but eh... to the awnings. ;)
Fledgeling: No... that's not what I meant. I was just explaining how I did it for anyone who might be interested. ;) I looked and pointed at all sorts of people this weekend and didn't get shot... maybe I was just lucky? :D
Sim Shady: I think you're right... almost!
Pat: Thanks for the feedback. I tend to agree with you on the awnings actually.
Matt: Thank you also for the input. You never fail to provide some "food for thought."
Mauricio: Thanks! The awnings are no longer with us.
John: Thank you! I'm so happy with the lighting on this one.
JosefBrisko: I love crazy good work! One might even call it Sofa King great... (but I wouldn't do that because that would be on the edge of decency a little bit, and I work with kids after all)
Nofunk: Thank you for the thoughts!
I really do appreciate all the input and feedback. I kind of got the feeling that at this point, I'm really just chasing my own tail on this thing. So I ended up just going back to what I had before the last picture. The new sign was a tight fit at best and any further adjustments meant moving and changing a lot of different things. And I wasn't real thrilled with the awnings anyway. So it was back to the clean, albeit somewhat plain, look to the main entry.
It took about 6 hours to render this evening and then I discovered a couple surprises when I ran a test lot through the game. The first thing is really annoying, but I'll get over it. I have been misquoting the size of this building the entire time. It's actually 82 and not 80 meters wide. Big deal, right? Well, kind of... because it doesn't really fit on five tiles that way. I have to have six tiles wide after all. All this really means is that it has a little extra room on either side, so it's nothing I'm going to mess with. The second thing is a small light leak that didn't show up in the preview renders for some reason. I need to go back and fix that and then render again... maybe overnight tomorrow.
No cool pictures this time, although I've got about three different buildings I'm tinkering with at the moment. Something will probably be ready enough to show tomorrow. Have a great night!
JB
I thought it was time for a couple SmalltownUSA buildings again. Here's a sneak peek at one I started. I'm calling it Tiffany's Tea Shop. Still a fair bit to do yet... but you get the general idea I think.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FTiffanys_Preview01.jpg&hash=d4654825f9b34fad1d3af883a985c68a187238b1)
This will be a 2x2 corner building. That's about all there is to say about it so far! :D
JB
Alright a new project. And great looking one at that. This looks very good so far. I can't wait to see what brick textures you are going to use.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
JBSimio:
Are you planning to releasing all your new bats at one time?
i really like the smalltown usa series, and this new building is looking great :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Robin: Thanks! How do you feel about these bricks? :D
Fantnet: All at once? I thought about it, but decided most people wouldn't appreciate a 70MB download! :D No... various things are in different stages at the moment. Some are just plain not even in my hands right now. All the apartment buildings are getting foundations made by someone else... the grain elevator is getting lotted by someone else... the hotel is going to be rendered when I go to bed... and so on. I just figured why stop and wait when I can do something else?
Figui: Thank you!
Here's another quick look at Tiffany's. It's mostly done really.
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I have a couple final details to add to the dormers... once I figure out what they'll be! I also need to brighten up the windows and a couple other things and do the lighting. Any other thoughts?
JB
%BUd%
Jon- I am so excited! ST is my favorite building series. It looks great- i love the corner turret thingy and the blue trim.
I hope there are more to come.... &hlp
Well, I recall some interesting experiences with this in the past, but the short side of the building has a bit of a gap between the windows that's just calling out for something...ivy perhaps (though not something really seen too often on buildings like these); or something to fit in there... with the density of the windows and other features of the building, it just seems to be missing something. I'm sure it'll turn out well whatever happens with it.
:thumbsup: It looks great. As all the town i have ever really been near are small towns... this will fit great in my style. But i have a question. Why are the purple beams the same color as the base on wich they sit? They are very well done and detailed, but i have to really look to see that. Perhaps a different shade to stand out... or another color entirely would make the pop?
I'm really excited to see an expansion to the small town series. It suits my building style perfectly and between you and Spa, there is an excellent variety of buildings becoming available for use.
I don't know if you recall, but at some point about six months ago I suggested that a physician's office or a pharmacy would make an excellent addition to the small town series. There really isn't a lot of variety to the "clinics" available on the STEX or the BSC exchange. It would actually be interesting to make a pharmacy, but mod it as a clinic (for the doctor's offices on the second floor). What do you think? ()what()
When i saw your building, like threestooges my thoughts immediately went to ivy or something of the sort to fill the gap on the side walls. Doesnt seem to fit in there, but the wall still feels lacking.
other than that... :satisfied: very nice!
Hey Jon Tiffany's is looking real sweeeeeeeet.... So does this derive from Breakfast at Tiffany's Song [linkie] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakfast_at_Tiffany's_(song)) by a chance? I'm thinking about the song from 1995 and not the movie from 1960'ish..... Im excited to see anther Small Town building coming wooooooohooooooo.....
Yeah, I agree with Pat... Breakfast at Tiffany's sounds familiar. As soon as I saw this BAT, I was thinking 'Breakfast at Tiffany's?'
It looks good, though. :P I'll definitely find a place for it. You know, we need diagonal SmallTown stuff, now that I think of it. :P
Edge: Thank you! Please calm down before you hurt yourself though. :D
Matt: Thanks! I actually left that space on purpose to reflect the possible fireplaces from the chimney. Of course, I didn't line the chimney up quite right either. ::) That's also the wall that would get covered up in most cases as well. I'll nudge some things around and see if it can be a little less noticable.
Fledgeling: Thank you! I'm still tinkering with the exact shade of blue, but it's meant to be a one tone type of thing. It's not all that uncommon for all the wood detailing to be painted the same color like that. I'd show some examples, but I'm at work... I'll try to remember when I get home.
Simdad: Thanks! I do remember the clinic discussion actually. It could easily be done. It would really be a matter of just picking a building to do it with since there isn't really anything specific about a doctor's office. They generally just move into whatever building is handy at the time I think. Maybe one of the next couple will be it.
Sim Shady: Thank you! Since I answered the gap in the wall question, I'll just continue... ;)
Pat: Thanks! You crack me up! You can't talk about the song and not the movie... the song is about the movie! It's also quite possibly the weakest argument for staying with someone I've ever heard. "Remember we saw that one movie that we both kind of liked? See? We do have something in common... we can't break up now!" :D
SA: Thanks! Diagonals you say? I was waiting for Pekko to perfect his methods... and then I dropped off the face of the earth for a while when he did. One of these days, I'll study up and then make a few.
Thanks for all the comments! More to come later,
JB
Update time! First the bad news... I need to render the hotel again. A bunch of textures randomly dropped off for no apparent reason. It's nothing that really needs to be "fixed," it just means I have to do it over. Needless to say, I have nothing to show with the hotel at this point.
Since I didn't have a lot to build, I'm fairly sure I finished Tiffany's Tea Shop. I added some trim for the dormers, adjusted a few textures and colors, made the blank spot on the wall a little more tolerable, and then lit it up. Unless there are any real show stoppers, I'm ready to hit the export button for this one.
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I'll give y'all some time to scream "WAIT!!!"... in the meantime, I may be back with the next one later. Hasta something or other!
JB
:thumbsup:
Interesting wood color. I think i like it, i cant recall any other structure in the game custom or otherwise that color. &hlp It rocks!
Looks ready to me :satisfied:
Finally a decent place to get my tea.Thanx JB :thumbsup:
hit the export button!
that tiffany's is really nice :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Jon omg you crack me up lol..... hehehehe.... &apls :thumbsup: You know upon further looking at Tiffany's it soo looks like a business i have here in town well at least for a wee bit longer of a GLiCK's location in Downtown Rhinelander.... Heck i will have to go and take some RL pics its that amazing how close the Tiffany is to Glick lol....
Tiffany's looks great! It reminds me of some of the buildings in nearby Fredericksburg (which of course is a small town). I can't wait to see what you come up with next.
-- John
Fledgeling: Thank you! I've used this blue a lot, but never so much of it at once. I'm glad you like it.
Bluebeard: Thanks! I'll talk to Tiffany and see that you get a freebie now and then. ;)
Figui: Thank you!
Pat: :D Ah Rhinelander... how is the hodag these days? I'm trying to remember where Glick's is exactly, but it's not coming to me at the moment.
John: Thanks! The next one isn't ready to look at just yet. I kind of got carried away with details that are really too small and now it just looks messy.
Just a quick preview this morning. The light leak for the Swan Majestic is still there, but it's rather minor and doesn't even show up except for the closest zoom level. I slapped it on a temporary lot and put it in game anyway just to see what it would look like:
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So the big question at this point is: Can you find the light leak and is it bad enough to go back and keep trying to find and fix it? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!
JB
JB I don't see no stinking leak. ;)
Art isn't suppose to perfect so I think it's time to move this awesome hotel to the next step. :thumbsup:
I like that tea shop a lot. It would fit in well in a UK setting, and with the clean brick texture it looks like something built in the 90's in the UK ;D
Is it that thing at the top left part of the top floor? If it is, it's not apparent, if it's not, then I can't find it. It'll be interesting to see this thing lotted.
I presume the light leak is just under the roof line. If so, it is so inapparent as to be inconsequential. Don't worry about it. You can drive yourself nuts with perfection and absolute perfection is usually not worth the trouble.
I look forward to seeing this beauty properly lotted. The entrance to the hotel is absolutely begging for a driveway turnabout in front. I can also see decorative flower gardens in the front of the building; on either side of the driveway. I can't wait for this to be finished.
Getting back to the doctor's office/clinic discussion, you are quite right that any building could serve as a doctor's office. Many of the older physician's here in Moncton actually have their offices located in older houses close to downtown that have been converted from former private residences. Younger physicians however tend to locate their practices in office space located on the second floor of pharmacies. The pharmacy usually gives the physician discounted rent on the office space but in turn, the pharmacy benefits from being "just downstairs" from the doctor and tends to make out like a bandit on prescription fees generated from the patients. This is the reason why I suggested the possibility of a pharmacy/doctor's office as a potential "clinic".
Tiffany's Tea Shop is really "cute" small-town feel, but it is lacking life...it looks too plain, perhaps a sign somewhere saying what it is...or planters under the window?
Bluebeard: Thank you! The next step is underway...
Toxicpiano: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
Matt: I think you might be one of the few people who found it! Which tells me that I don't need to worry about it and can move on.
Simdad: Thanks! The first lot preview will follow shortly. Your thoughts about the pharmacy make sense. I do have one drugstore in the series already (the first release actually) but that won't stop anything. I've already got a name... so I just need an idea for the building (which I may have too, but I haven't started playing with it yet)
Baconrocky: Thanks! I'll see what I can fit in there somewhere.
Here are a couple of shots for the first lot attempt on The Swan Majestic. I'm fairly happy with it so far.
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I'm sure there are still some things it needs and a few things that might come back out... but that's what I have at the moment. Suggestions always welcome!
JB
I spotted the light leak as well. :P I did have to look pretty close to notice it though, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. You're actually lucky that it is where it is - I think you can sorta palm that off.
I love the way the light spills out on to the balconies by the way. Very subtle.
Liking the lot as well. I wouldn't mind a more "urban" lot also for the narrow building, as I can easily imagine fronting the back to a "laneway" (which would simply be a street). If you don't feel like doing that, then it's OK, I'm quite happy to do tweaking with the LE.
Oh, and don't forget to do CAM versions! There's at least one CAM user that would love to have this in their cities (ie myself).
The Tea Shop looks great, can't have too many corner buildings (corner lots are something Maxis neglected alot).
Yeah, I wasn't imagining any grass or anything on the lot. It sounds like you'll be making a smaller lot too though?
Cammo: I will be making a smaller lot, yes. This is the 6x4... the "ultra urban" version will be 6x3. It will be CAMpatible for sure... the smaller lot might be CAM only depending on where the stage falls.
Jason: I wasn't either at first... but then again, I rarely have a set plan in mind. I just let stuff happen as it will. But yes, there will be a smaller lot as well.
Since I was having a bit of a lot editor day... Tiffany's Tea Shop is basically ready. No big surprises here. The lot looks like just about every other SmalltownUSA lot. Simple and easy to make! :D
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Tiffany's will be in testing by the end of tomorrow. The Swan Majestic may go in by the end of the weekend, but that's pretty tentative at this point.
JB
JB your Smalltown USA series is the only reason I'm enjoying working on my rural areas. I have to say too, you are a machine! Soooo many works of art on the way. Thank you for your work.
Oof! Your thread moves too fast for me!
I was going to say that, since you were going to re-export anyway, you could always scale the hotel down slightly (97.5% in the x and y directions -- it would be virtually undetectable) and it would fall within 80 m, but looks like you've already exported again!
Regarding the light leak, after carefully studying the BAT, I found it, but man, it's really nothing to worry about.
I *love* the new tea shop. It will fit in perfectly with the sections of my downtown that feature your Smalltown BATs!
LoL Jon gezzzzzzs i miss a day err well most of yesterday in stopping in here and i miss alot of progress wow.... If the light leak is by the pipe then its hardly noticable, if that aint the case well shoot i agree with what matt (3stooges) said you cant see it all.... The Swan and Tiff's is perfect my friend i wouldnt change anything any more on those 2....
Back on pg 32 my pic i showed you about the Riverside PD that is copper roof.. My mom told me, cause i had to ask her lol.... Next time she is in that area she promissed to get me pictures of the PD and the Water Tower that is there as well, it looks like a midevil castle tower... The Hodag got dressed up for holloween and now hes donning his hunters hat getting ready to hunt himself a nice turkey.... So hes doing pretty good now sitting in front of the chambers doors... As far as GLiCK's is concerened, there on the corner of Brown and Davenport street...
Jon you have a good one and will see you next time - pat
gezzs not only did i bring you over to page 36 but made the 700th post too lol....
the swan majestic looks really nice, but i have some suggestions (if you don't mind):
- i'd make the car entrance a bit narrower, it just need to be the width of one car (or limousine), maybe i'd let some space between the first step of the stair and this entrance.
- i'd not use trees in front of the main entrance, maybe some bushes or, more likely, flowers.
i also had not imagined a lot that "fat", i'll be waiting for the narrower version ::)
anyway, this is great job, i'd like to see the majestic in some of my cities however you decide to finish it :P
till next time,
mauricio.
Caliban: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy the set.
Nofunk: Thanks! I thought about scaling it down to fit, but I had the lighting done already and I've run into problems when I do it that way... I don't know why exactly so I just try to avoid doing it.
Pat: Thank you! Man, that Hodag certainly stays busy! I didn't know he was a hunter... :D
Figui: Thanks! I don't really want to change the driveway because the next step down looks more like a path than a driveway to me. I'll definitely do the narrow version, although it will be much more stripped down... which is why I'm dressing this one up a little more.
Thanks for the comments! I'm stuck at work forever today so I don't know that I'll get much done when I finally get home tonight. We'll see what happens...
JB
I like it but please dont leave the non-CAM people out too :'( with all these "CAM only" lot stuff. I know CAM is a bsc darling but they have essentially created two kinds of development types that can sometimes be mutually incompatible -- sometimes on sc4 devotion its all its either compatible with CAM or not compatible to put on the LEX at all. Most simcity users, total, dont use cam even though many people here do. Cant you make 2 versions for each?
Hmmm, let me see ?
You could do you own version of it. You only need Maxis Plug-in Manager (PIM) and Lot Editor (LE)
CAM clean out in data and even out the data in a way Maxis should have from the beginning. Some lots have a way to big Garbage "production".
Or vester you forgot to high of job rate and residental stats too... Jon i hope you can at least play a little bit and we'll see you later today or tomorrow - pat
Quote from: patfirefghtr on November 02, 2007, 12:27:15 AM
Back on pg 32 my pic i showed you about the Riverside PD that is copper roof.. My mom told me, cause i had to ask her lol.... Next time she is in that area she promissed to get me pictures of the PD and the Water Tower that is there as well, it looks like a midevil castle tower...
Oh, Riverside... how I love you. In my mind, it's one of, if not THE most beautiful suburb in the US - right up there with Chevy Chase, MD and the Country Club District in Kansas City. Of course, it comes at a price - Riverside has
crazy rules and regulations. My parents lived there right after getting married, and they had an ordinance forbidding overnight street parking. On the biggest blizzard of the year, my dad's battery died, forcing him to leave his car in front of his building overnight. In the morning, he awoke to find a $150 ticket. They don't mess around - he was eventually able to appeal and overturn the ticket, but apparently it was a real pain.
JB, the hotel is amazing! It's too bad that it came out 2m wider than expected, but I can easily fix that via the Occupant Size property. I also love Tiffany's to death - it looks very much like something I would see in Winnetka or Park Ridge or some other Chicago suburb (well, not the purple parts, but it's close).
Fledgeling: Not to worry, my friend. This lot size is stage 7 and fine with or without CAM. If the smaller lot ends up higher than stage 8, I'll make a non-CAM version of it also. Honestly, once the lotting is done, making multiple versions is pretty painless for me to do, so it's no problem.
Vester: Well, yeah... there's that option too. :D
Pat: I did play a little actually!
Ardecila: Yes, the size really never changed, I just misread and got the wrong number fixed in my head. I sat here confused when I couldn't put it on a 5x lot... then I went back and looked and had that, "Aw crap!" moment. I'm glad you like Tiffany's and I'm not surprised it looks familiar to you. The picture I was using (we all know I don't reproduce, just borrow inspiration) is a building on Armitage in Lincoln Park. I forget the cross street, but it's just east of Sheffield and the L. The color really should have been more of a blue grey... but I couldn't get the mix right and kept ending up with just grey.
OK... I played with the hotel some more. This is still the larger lot, so anyone holding out for the urban version just bear with me until I get there. I didn't change a whole lot style wise, but I replaced most of the standard Maxis flora with the custom stuff that looks so much better. I also cleaned up the parking lot and "hid" the dumpster area a little better.
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I'm pretty happy with this version now unless there are some suggestions. I'll probably move on to the smaller lot next.
Tiffany's has entered testing.
Jestarr has done some amazing things with the grain elevator and I'm so excited about how it looks now.
I think that covers things for now,
JB
Hi, JB.
I must say that you never cease to amaze me with the depth and breadth of your talent. I believe it is time to declare you my new (well, once again as you've always been a) favorite BATter. Your Smalltown USA series is one of my most favorite to use and your SHUR project is absolutely stunning.
Thank you for sharing your talents with the SC4 community.
Regards,
Gary
LoL Jon im glad you got to play a little lol.... As far as the lot, I wouldnt change a thing cept for dumping the street lights in the back... Maybe using SG parking lot lamps if you used anything from that prop pack might be an idea?
You've done it again. Stunning... absolutely stunning. The flowering bushes long the front are very stately, the hidden dumpster area looks realistic too. I'm glad that you didn't try to fix that light leak. It is small, and it took me a while to find it. It almost blends in to the area too... it looks like exterior patio lighting. Speaking of lighting, I have another BAT question for you. I've been trying to get it to work, they show up in the preview renders, but not when I export them, or in the game. Has this ever happened to you?
&apls its perfect! :)
wow &apls
i'm glad you took off the trees in front of the entrance, and also you replaced the maxis flora with this seasonal flora.. this is perfect :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Gary: Wow! Thank you so much! I truly appreciate that.
Pat: I'll have a look for those lamps. Thanks!
Matt: Thank you! I'm glad we were able to sort out your lighting issue... let me know if anything else crops up.
Edge: Thanks!
Figui: Thank you! The trees made a huge difference.
I haven't been in much of a lotting mood today, so I started another Smalltown building for a "break." I plan on using this as the clinic option that Simdad mentioned the other day. So here's an early peak at Weatherwax Pharmacy:
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This will be another corner lot... 1x2 this time. It should also fit for a w2w on both sides... no alley this time. That's about it for now really...
JB
Thanx JB for the Hotel update. :thumbsup:
The fence around the dumpster is a great idea but those trees in the middle of the parking lot well....
Did you ever considering using Peg's lighted trees?.
Thanx for sharing these awesome lots. :)
Ha ha! I love that for a "break" you start a new BAT. :P
You should take breaks more often... it looks great!
LoL Jon i do agree with Nofunk... WoW to take a break bat some more lol.... SG parking lot lamps are in bsc mega pack sg vol 1 i do belive... Have fun batting Weatherwax Pharmacy and see you soon - pat
Bluebeard: Thanks! I put the trees in back just to make it a little more "presentable." While it's not an area the rich folks would see too much of, they might still get lost and wander back there. I hadn't really considered Peg's lighted trees because I needed pretty large ones to anchor the building, and I think most of the lit trees are pretty small... correct me if I'm wrong on that last part.
Nofunk: :D Yeah... what can I say? To me the BAT is one thing... lotting is another... modding is another. There are certain parts of all three that I enjoy (some obviously more than others). So when I get tired or bored of one of them, I just move to a different one. I'm glad you like it though!
Pat: Thanks! I'll take a look at the lamps and see... I can't really picture them at the moment.
Here's an update on Weatherwax. It's pretty much closed up now.
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I'm not quite sure how I feel about the tower roof just yet. I'll probably brown it up some so it matches better. I still have to make the brick textures... then it will be on to the extra junk (awnings included) and lighting. Enjoy your extra hour tonight! (for those in the US anyway... the rest of the world already had theirs I think)
JB
Excellently done. Even with the flat color on the building it looks like it's ready to go. PEnding the brick texture, I would almost leave the tower as it is. The green is a nice contract to the rest of the colors (more brown might make it blend too much with the rest of the tower/brick). Two questions for you (yes more questions): what are the dimensions of your windows in the pharmacy (the basic ones)? Also, in regard to my BATting follies: I do have the night maps present in the model file, but they still don't show in game... any ideas what I'm missing?
Oh, wow - another Armitage-style building (one of my favorite places in the city).
My only problem is with the roof texture. Isn't that just a standard Maxis texture? Gravel roofs aren't used very often on older buildings because of their weight - an asphalt/sealcoat texture would be more appropriate. A silver-colored coating is common over asphalt roofs so that the roof does not absorb the heat from sunlight and raise cooling costs.
Armitage/Bissell
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F2504%2Farmitagebissellqi7.jpg&hash=8e0c193988c811ee51e77d9f70ef25956ad78692)
Wow, Nice JB. The Small Town projects on the side are looking pretty. ahaha, I like the bay//bow windows, are they supposed to be wood or like metal? (just curious) - and do you see yourself making some non-corners of that style?
Matt: Thanks! I tried a different texture for the tower roof that I think I like (I've looked at it so many times, I really don't know anymore!). The standard single windows on this have an opening of 1.2 x 2.6. I'm really not sure about your lighting issue at this point. It almost sounds like you're missing the Maxis update, but I seriously doubt that coming from you. There is a bug with props and lighting if the prop is touching the edge of a lot... but that wouldn't apply if you're using it as a regular building. Whatever it is, it sounds more game or modding related as opposed to an export problem.
Ardecila: Good point about the roof (it's not a Maxis texture, by the way... but that's not the point). I'll have a look and see what else I have that might fit. You may see some more Lincoln Park inspired stuff down the road. If I'm in Chicago, that's usually where I stay. I agree... it's a great part of the city and the architecture there has some of my favorite styles. And it's just such a vibrant area... I could easily live there if I ever do the city thing again.
Baconrocky: Thanks! The bay windows on both of the last two are wood work. I'll definitely make some non corners again. I find the corner buildings a little tougher to fit well, so I wanted to experiment with those first. Now I can easily borrow pieces to make the regular ones.
I think this one is finished other than the roof textures mentioned above. Here are the day and night shots:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWeatherwax_DayPreview01.jpg&hash=c10f50d6779fa737e16cf1cd1c461a401171479d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWeatherwax_NightPreview01.jpg&hash=f80a6446f77954da038b6e0f046a08d3397321f1)
Any suggestions before I wrap this one up?
JB
Ardecila: Why, that looks like the Carbide & Carbon Building in your avatar!
You can get some of the best shots of the city from the penthouse of that building... if it's open.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm1.static.flickr.com%2F183%2F417666966_9cb015b903.jpg&hash=5f122bc58f2f7de8da0cbbc605e18f9211388a19)
Also... (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nofunk/417667913/in/set-72157594582339131/) ;)
JBSimio: That building is great!! I've wanted to model some Chicago buildings too, and this makes me want to even more.
Well, you're right, the brown does seem to fit in better with the building... but I still kind of liked the green, but then again, even bronze/copper buildings start as brown before weathering so it does work with the building. Now then, in regards to your second point... which maxis update are you referring to? I've downloaded so many things I can't remember what I have (or perhaps still need). I know it's not the edge of a lot thing either (both building and prop versions (doing some troubleshooting) were smack dab in the middle to the lots). Thanks for your help on this.
Jon thats looking real good imho... Keep on going on that my friend - pat
Nofunk: Thanks! Looks like you got some nice pictures yourself.
Matt: I'm glad you like it, thanks! The update(s) are the standard ones mentioned in nearly every download. Here are the links: <a href="http://simcity.ea.com/update/index_update.php" target="_blank">EP1-Update 1</a> and <a href="http://simcity.ea.com/coolstuff/bat/index.php" target="_blank">SC4-Update</a> If you've been seeing lights on other BATs, then this probably isn't your problem either... but who knows?
Pat: Thanks! I kept going...
I rendered and lotted this today. There are five versions in all... CS$$ and CO$$ grow or plop for each, and then the clinic.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWeatherwax_Lot01.jpg&hash=3916b80caddc15d11addec3ce52771be34442f14)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWeatherwax_Lot02.jpg&hash=f465394c9ef8c177514779902f79b6eec5c54b58)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWeatherwax_Clinic.jpg&hash=5a41dede2168a5a061d44a03746917064ee5e37f)
The clinic has all the same costs and stats as the Maxis version, but with double the coverage radius. Basically, the same as the other Smalltown civic buildings. I double the coverage just so it can serve the farms better... the capacity is still just as small. It's not meant for dense populations.
I'm still toying with the smaller version of the Swan Majestic... but so far I'm not happy with what I'm getting. Maybe I'll get something worth showing soon.
JB
The growables/ploppables are great to have on their own, but I really like the idea of the functional clinic. The building itself fits right in, and the fire escape (though I thought it looked a bit odd sticking out like that on its own) fits in so well with that alley way.
Thanks for the links, but unfortunately they give me 404 errors... but yeah, I can see lights on all BATs except the ones I make...but I will figure this out. I'm not going to let a little thing like BAT brownouts keep me from doing this, especially when lights add so much to a building.
Jon that looks real good... I soo cant wait to get ahold of them....
Matt: Thanks! I still wanted to give options for both commercial zones so you can fill the demand you need most that way. The back porches took a little bit of thinking to make sure I didn't box people in actually! It's still possible if under a couple situations... but it will have to do.
Pat: Thank you! I'm hoping several things won't be much longer. Give me another week or two and there could be anywhere from 3 - 5 releases from me if all goes well.
Well... I don't know if this is "worth showing" or not yet, but I'll throw it up here anyway. I'm much happier with the smaller version of this lot than I was earlier, but I don't know. I have a feeling I'm not going to like this size no matter what happens, so... here we go...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotNorth03.jpg&hash=be9668ac07e50f687e2523eb77621bb7e7030e0d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotSouth04.jpg&hash=abb4f39d476c04d06c64cce13a2a5bfe2de15cb2)
There are cars in back as well as people hanging around out front... I just didn't time the pictures right. Here's the issue with this lot size: It's just big enough that it needs some trees and such to fill the space, despite the cries I can already hear of "too green!" The only other option is if I make it 6x2... but that won't leave much room at all on either front or back (less than half of the space you see on the sides, actually) So there is the dilemma. Since I'm happy with the first lot and only making this one for other people, y'all tell me which of those two options you would prefer.
JB
That's a fantastic clinic. There are far too few choices in small town civil service buildings.
wow, the clinic and the growable and/or ploppable looks really nice in-game :thumbsup:
i do like how the swan majestic is looking so far, but i thought it was siting on a smaller lot (i'd like so) so as roads run very close to the building.. both in front and back and on both sides..
i like it anyway.. :thumbsup:
mauricio.
i would prefer to see a 6 by 2
everything looks amazing :)
My first thought after seeing the front of the building, was that it should be closer to the road. If it works (if the textures are available) I think it would be interesting to see the front steps right up against the road (keep the hedges) and that could perhaps squeeze it onto a smaller lot. Also, one thing that might be interesting to try is to move the building to the corner of the lot, using the other side as the access to the back (I have no idea what that would look like, but I'm trying to think of a way to balance the building on the lot if the position is changed). Interested to see what you'll come up with.
-Matt
The pharmacy/clinic looks great. I hadn't really envisioned the building being four stories high but hey, I'm not doing the BAT therefore I have no right to be fussy. The style is very interesting, especially the balconies in the back and this certainly will provide some visual variety to the game. Being able to "hide" a clinic in a typical downtown setting will be great. The Maxis clinics just don't do it for an older downtown streetscape and there is far too little variety in the clinics available on the STEX/BSC LEX. Keep up the good work!
CalibanX: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.
Figui: Thanks! The hotel is on a smaller lot, maybe just not as small as you had hoped. I can bring the streets closer on the front and back, but the sides cannot really change.
Sim Shady: I'll give 6x2 a try, but I'm afraid it will look dumb with the streets so close on the front and back, while not close on the sides. Thank you!
Matt: Thanks! I will try moving the building against the street and see what happens... that might work out.
Simdad: Thank you! I hadn't really intended to make the clinic a large building either at first. I started this building without knowing what it would be, and then thought it looked pretty good for the clinic idea. So it kind of came about a little backwards I guess.
Nothing to show at this point. I've had some things come up that will throw a pretty large wrench into the week... so there may not be much progress after tomorrow. More on that tonight when I get a chance to do a proper update.
JB
Couple things to look at this time. I made a few small changes to the 6x3 lot to open the front up a little more. It also helps to kind of hide the sides a little too. ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotSouth05.jpg&hash=f747ff81c240686ed245705cdacb296516f05a6c)
In other news... I tested the 6x2 idea. It fits, but there isn't room for much else at all. I could maybe add some things to the sides (although I have no idea what they might be), but that would honestly be about it. So what you see is pretty close to the finished lot if I keep this idea.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotSmall.jpg&hash=aa6180f8163d8218d002be04d39cd466e78a6b2b)
I may not get too much more done this week. I was originally scheduled to leave town on Sunday for some corporate "fun" %wrd and seminar type stuff. However, I now have to leave town on Wednesday for a family issue before going on to the seminar thing. So... where I planned on being gone for a couple days, I will now be out of town for a week instead. In the meantime, since this was unexpected, I have a lot to cram into the next day and a half to be ready to leave. So it may be a little quiet here. Don't worry... it won't turn into another disappearing act! ;)
Talk to y'all soon,
JB
idk about the rest of you, but i still like the 6 by 2 lot over the 6 by 3
enjoy your trip!
On behalf of the entire staff here at Monkey Around Productions (a subsidiary of JBSimio, Inc.), I would like to join the rest of the BSC in saying...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrownstone_Med.jpg&hash=e76171dad11c4e7207b5a08cc6366e337d188d26)
Happy Birthday, SC4 Devotion!!! (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1270)
JB have a safe trip and thanx for sharing your awesome lots. :thumbsup:
Thanks for these JB. I'll give them a good workout ;D
Safe travels.
JB: I'm just noticing that this building is similar to JasonCW's Mary Hotel... Were you inspired by this?
I am absolutely in love with it.
Sim Shady: Thank you for your vote. I've kept all three lot sizes.
Bluebeard: Thank you! And I'm glad you like the lots.
CalibanX: Thanks for your comments here and on the LEX!
JosefBrisko: Thanks! I noticed that when I started the brick textures. It wasn't intentional, but they do bear a spooky resemblence, don't they? I was actually inspired by a much newer building in Fort Worth, Texas. I liked the form a lot and thought it would look good with a historical spin.
Here are the "final" versions for all three lot sizes. I'll leave final in quotes in case something really doesn't work, but for the most part I consider them finished. They are in testing as of tonight so any changes at this point will be minor. Anyway... on to the pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotLG_Final.jpg&hash=f6e918e23a9487c8f447396bd59c2adb4f74432e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotMed_Final.jpg&hash=96618e19c62032a05ade08ac2ea629983bf52a28)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotSM_Final.jpg&hash=65c9104e3f11e270aa27549669df97562602c816)
6x4 is at the top... 6x2 at the bottom.
Have a great evening, all!
JB
Jon omg im so having a great evening now.... Thank you so very much for showing off this wonderful work on the Swan Majestic.... I so cant wait to play..........
Pretty spiffy. The combination of the three really works. I also like the tables on the side of the building... a nice extension of the restaurant. Good to see the brownstones out (now I just need to find some time to play with them (and the game generally... law school keeps you busy). Take it easy and I hope the family thing and the seminar work out well.
Pat: Lol... I'm glad I could brighten your evening! :D Thanks!
Matt: Thank you! I can imagine learning how to speak as redundantly and convilutedly (is that even a word?) as possible takes lot of time! :D Hopefully you'll get a bit of a break soon.
I ended up with a little extra time before I have to leave the house. So... just for kicks, I thought I'd prove that no project has gone forgotten. This doesn't mean it will be ready anytime soon because there is still a long ways to go with this, but...
Does anyone remember Westlake Academy?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_FullLot_1107.jpg&hash=cf271fb5a0fdc99f503f88d3a977ce91fc6f68cd)
The front of the Athletic and Student Center
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_ACFront_1107.jpg&hash=e6a1dffc068686b22863fe00dc9fc9a204ee5d21)
The front of the boy's dormitory
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_BDFront_1107.jpg&hash=0767c746d7771a22682dc3d202a930cb5a9d1999)
The front of the girl's dormitory
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_GDFront_1107.jpg&hash=071bfc845cbf73819f2ab11130e3192939a34ddb)
As I said, this is still in the very early stages and many things could and probably will change. But I thought y'all might like to see what's been happening with this.
Stay tuned... there is one more update to come before I leave... :satisfied:
JB
Well, you sure are dusting off some oldies, huh Jon? Thank goodness! I *LOVE* Westlake!! Holy crap!!
What a great work you have done again . Thanks again for your excellent work and for sharing it. &apls &apls &apls
The people here at Monkey Around Productions are nothing if not an enthusiastic bunch. When the news of a birthday celebration first arrived at our offices, well... let's just say the staff was excited. I don't think it would be stretching the truth to say that there was much rejoicing. However, the timing was less than perfect and the lawyers warned against overextending resources and the liabilities that could result from being unable to deliver as promised. As a result, JBSimio, Inc. only committed to one birthday gift at the time. I'm not sure how many of you faithful followers are aware of this, but most of the company staff don't really care for the legal team. With an attitude of having something to prove, the enthusiasm I mentioned way back in the first sentance of this post kicked in and several unplanned gifts were produced. So... with even more rejoicing... the staff at Monkey Around Productions would like to continue wishing everyone at SC4 Devotion a Happy Birthday!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FTiffanys_Game01.jpg&hash=953eb28a5811c4196864e3c7fd69906e89786c02)
Tiffany's Tea Shop (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1273)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWeatherwax_Lot01.jpg&hash=3916b80caddc15d11addec3ce52771be34442f14)
Weatherwax Pharmacy (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1274)
See you next week!
JB
pat yourself on the back jbsimio ;D You're doing an amazing job here! Seriously i am super grateful for everything you are doing. Thanks so much for making the 6 by 2 lot :)
I checked the LEX and was shocked to see how many buildings [by you] were there. So I had to come over and say thank you very much. Your time and effort is much appreciated. My smalltowns... no, heck my EVERYtowns are going to benefit greatly from all this. The brownstones were a big (very good) surprise to see up there and now several more..! Im very very happy you have released so much of your work... and to see the academy is still getting attention.
The academy! Not only do I remember it, I never forgot it! Thanks for your continued updates and releases on some of your older projects, its greatly appreciated.
:sunny:
EDIT: I also just got the sc4tool so now i have figured out what to do to modify CAM buildings to the default growth stages &bis&. The growth stages are the only values changed, right?
Jon,
Convolution isn't caused by the law, just when you start adding hypothetical facts to it. Kind of amazing such a seemingly simple phrase can cover so much... and this is just the first semester. The academy is off to a good start, and I'm glad to hear you've decided to continue with it. I'm not too sure about the flowers at the base of the boy's dorm... at least at my school they would be at bit sparse in some places where people found it to be easier to use the window opposed to the door. As I've mentioned, I went to a small school near LAX (Loyola Marymount University) so I can only imagine what it must be like in some of the larger schools, but again I digress. It's off to a good start. Secondly, I'm glad you're able to disregard certain lawyer's opinions... those new releases are quite well done (on time, and under budget). They are a nice addition to the celebration.
-Fledgeling:
I think more than just the growth levels were changed; but you can find out everything you need to know about the CAM in their thread here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?board=185.0). It seems like it might take some work, but these buildings seem worth it. I'm sure JB can offer more insight though, but that topic should be a good place to start.
I am surprised at how quickly Weatherwax Pharmacy was released. Excellent job and thank you very much for following up on my suggestion re: the clinic!!
Just a suggestion for the Westlake Academy. Many private preparatory schools have a religious affiliation of some form (such as Rothesay School here in New Brunswick which is Anglican). At Rothesay there is a chapel located on the inner quadrangle which, although relatively small, has a prominent position on the campus grounds. I think it would be reasonable to consider including a chapel at the Westlake Academy as well. Just a thought ;D
Have a good trip!!
Thanks JB! Your creations have really livened my smalltown downtowns and small urban centers. I'd award you karma, but those convenient buttons seem to have disappeared. Oh well :P
Big thanks! Your stuff is definitely a reason that I'll make every effort to stop by and see what's new on the LEX. :thumbsup:
Westlake Academy is looking good. I have to say about the lotting though, that your buildings are more on the realistic side, and that the lots textures are very Maxis-SC4-Candylandish. I think it would look better with a more muted grass texture and a more refined walkway.
For the hotel (I guess it's kind of like Mary Hotel, lol, I hadn't realized it) it looks like you need to make some custom LODs to get the props fitting the way you want them.
Looking good. :)
Westlake is back from the attic! Great. That will an absolute hit on the Lex.
I prefer the 6x3 Swan lot - and if I might say: I think I like the 5 november version more as the "final" one...
And the pharmacy will come in very handy in larger rural communities. Thanks for sharing!
I am also excited to see Westlake being dusted off. Can't wait for the final on this one as well.... :thumbsup:
JB,
The Pharmacy works great and it look alot better then that game clinic.Thanx :thumbsup:
Jon I havent forgotten about West Lake and man is she loooking real grrreat!!!!!!!!!! Between Westlake and Swan wow talk about some high profile projects.... btw i hope you are having some fun while away - pat
Nofunk: I guess it seems like I'm pulling out the oldies... but I'm really just catching up on all the stuff the got dropped over the summer. I'm glad you like it!
Kimcar: Thank you!
Sim Shady: Well thanks! I patted myself on the back and ended up pulling a muscle in my shoulder. Apparently I'm getting older... :D
Fledgeling: Thank you for all your kind words. I'm glad you like Westlake. As for the growth stages, technically speaking you're correct. You could just change the growth stage in SC4 Tool and that would do the trick. Threestooges has pointed you to an excellent reference though, and I strongly recommend you look there. Ripplejet explains (and understands) the finer workings of this much better than I do, so that is the best place to start. Changing the growth stage works, but without checking the ratios or adjusting the occupant numbers, you can end up really throwing the game balance out of whack... especially if your changes are large ones. (Like changing stage 7 to stage 4 or something)
Matt: I never called the law convoluted... just the lawyer's jargon! :D Actually, I still have that campus map you sent me somewhere on my computer. I know what you're saying about the flowers... but I like to think these rich prep kids are better behaved than that! $%Grinno$%
Simdad: Thank you! I'm glad you reminded me about the clinic and was more than happy to do it. I toyed with the chapel idea almost from the beginning of the Westlake project. In fact the boiler was originally intended to be just that until it took on its own life. (I think a lot of people don't believe me when I say stuff like that... but I digress) I agree that a chapel would certainly be appropriate but then I kind of ran out of room. I may still make one as a modular piece... I've kind of been itching to do another church anyway.
Meinhosen: Good to see you again! Thank you for the compliments.
Jason: Thanks! The grass and walkway textures for Westlake really got decided a while ago when it was requested to make them match the BSC parks. I don't even remember who all asked for that anymore, but I know it came up a couple times. I can't really change the grass at this point because of the textures I already made and released last Spring in preparation... and then the delays came. Hopefully, by the time I finish adding props and such, there won't be such a glaring difference and things will flow better. I guess we'll find out though... ;)
Sebes: Thank you! I had to look back to see what the Nov 5 version was already! :D I'm guessing you meant the third tree, which I really only took out because it seemed like it covered up a lot of the building.
Edge: Thanks! I hope to wrap Westlake up in the near future... but that's the best I'm going to try and say at this point.
Bluebeard: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! The trip wasn't really a fun one... but it went as well as could be expected for what it was.
Alright... no pictures just yet, so I figured I'd do one of those "Where we stand now" lists. This may not include everything. Feel free to ask if there's something I don't mention that you're curious about. These are the projects that are foremost in my mind right now:
Chelsea Mills: Jestarr made a great lot for the canal version. I would still like to tinker with it and see if I can come up with a non canal version. No guarantees just yet, but I'm going to try. Beyond that, it is completely modded, packaged and ready to go. So really, I just need to play with a second lot.
Westlake Academy: You basically saw the progress for this one. I still havent started the modular lots yet, although I'm hoping those will be a little quicker to do. There are a couple unseen pieces for this project as well that I'll show when we get that far.
The Swan Majestic: The building has tested fine so far and will probably be the next release. I will still come back to the second version with the larger base and more suburban feel... but that will be a separate thing and won't hold this version back. Look for this one soon.
The RUSA Project: Cycledogg finished foundations for the first set of apartments shortly before I left, but I haven't had a chance to look at them just yet. I'm sure everything is fine and I will start rendering all the models soon. At that point, it will be a matter of getting the other foundations made and then lotting things. I still haven't decided whether I will release these separately or as one package (like the brownstone set) so I can't really guess at a timeline just yet.
That's all I can think of off hand. I have at least two more Smalltown buildings bouncing around in the back of my head... another SHUR midrise... and a couple more SHUR apartments too. So tonight's update could be about anything! It will be a surprise for all of us, I guess!
JB
OK... so it's later now and I have a couple things to show, although not really as much as I had hoped.
I played around with the grain elevator for a while and got nowhere. Wrapping rails around both sides of this isn't as simple as I had thought and I'm frankly just not in the mood to mess with it right now. So I packaged up the canal version as it is and sent it off for testing. I do plan on coming back to it sometime to make some other options, but I really don't want to delay this any longer than I already have. In the meantime, here is the lot that Jestarr came up with: ()stsfd() &apls
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I personally love it! I got an even greater appreciation for how much he did when I opened it up in the lot editor and saw all the props and things. Please don't praise me on this one... go visit his thread to pass along the ooo's and ahh's! ;)
I also started redoing the base for the suburban Swan "insert final name here." This won't really look like much yet, but it took a while to retexture and fit things back together on the base itself.
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I'll probably go back to Westlake tomorrow again. I just didn't feel like messing with the LE anymore by the time I finally gave up on the grain elevator! Have a great evening...
JB
Jon that is a great tease there on the swan ______.... I cant wait to see what comes with either the grain elevator or swan.... Looking good so far and im sorry your trip wasnt a fun one this time around - pat
That grain elevator lot does look excellent. I'll make a small comment, but I think a slightly modified version with a bunch of shrubs and grass in place of the canal would probably do for the "ordinary" lot.
Westlake is looking excellent. and the Swan stuff is looking magnificent.
wow, that entrance for the swan something is GREAT &apls
mauricio.
Beautiful works in progress. I'm looking forward to Westlake especially. There aren't enough well designed colleges in the game. I've downloaded most of your buildings JB, and I love 'em all. Do you ever get a chance to actually play the game? Are your artistic skills as well suited to designing CJ's as they are to designing buildings? ;)
Pat: Thanks! There's another teaser coming up in moments... ;)
Cammo: Thank you! The only problem I have with your suggestion for the "ordinary" lot is that it leaves the chutes (for the canal barges) hanging out over nothing. It may not be a lost cause just yet... but we'll see.
Mauricio: Thanks!
CalibanX: Thank you! Westlake has always been a private boarding school in my mind, but so many people keep calling it a college that I'll probably end up releasing it both ways. I play now and then, but my potential CJ skills would be questionable. Every time I start a city, some new and wonderful thing comes out and I get distracted and end up starting all over. :D
I was definitely having an ADD day today and have a couple things to show this time. First is another teaser for the Swan "I-still-don't know"... I have it labeled as Swan Conference Center right now, but I kind of doubt that will stick. Anyway, this is the beginnings of that roof top pool I mentioned once upon a time.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Atrium_Preview01.jpg&hash=760fa0b9532e14e27779c0531d8e99c55daf6893)
My thought is to have a sun deck or something off to the left and then some "hidden" roof junk to the right. There are a lot of details to add inside and outside the atrium, but the pool is there. I also have a bit of "cleaning up" on the original hotel tower to do. But it's a start anyway.
Next up is some progress on Westlake. I ended up changing all the lamp posts because they didn't light up. There are some stand alone light cone props, but I just couldn't get them to line up very well. I just really felt the need to have some working lights, especially in the center. So, unfortunately, SimGoober's lamps got the axe (I really liked the look of them too). I also started some gardening in the quad.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_QuadDay_1115.jpg&hash=16ea92c2ec5015a92ba9af99df98a3c72418cee9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_QuadNight_1115.jpg&hash=14ed4e00bebdeb624be6178eb536fe147657620b)
Still a long ways to go...
JB
I love that sun room with the pool, it's a great touch for a suburban hotel. I also like the new expanded entrance.
Westlake Academy is looking great, and I can't wait to see the modular lots you'll make for it.
-- John
The central quad of the school is incredible. The design of the flowers is very stately (almost makes me wish that brick texture extended itself in some way to the parking lots... but those look fine on their own). I also like the fact you chose to add working lights. With the well done lights in the buildings, it would be a shame to have the rest of the lot dark. I also like the pool on the hotel. However, I think the framing of the cover could be a bit thinner. In relation to the windows, those things look pretty hefty. Would it also be possible to make one without the cover (I know the render takes a while, but that would be great for the warmer regions. Also, looking down the page while writing this, I noticed the elevator and swan addition. I'll take your advice and pass the compliments on to jestarr, but I should say something about the entryway thing (its actual name eludes me at the moment). I like the name along the sides of it, and the flower bed is a very nice touch (did you model each of the flowers, or is that some sort of texture trick?) but I think the name should be featured more prominently in the front of it somehow (but then again, it's not done yet, so I can't say too much yet). It's pretty amazing the quality you have and the speed with which you create it. Well done. It's also good to hear the trip didn't go too badly either. Take it easy.
licking my lips here, yum yum Jon some mighty tastie stuff here.... Hey have you by a chance tried to add one of Pegs lite cones to SG lamps??? that might be an option if you dont like those lites.... heres what im thinking a small shot from LE.....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg263.imageshack.us%2Fimg263%2F5984%2Flepicforjonse2.jpg&hash=57b84bc2978b5c9e488ec41f3dd018c6c46bb1cd)
btw that is "peglite_ShortLite-NoCone---StreetLight"
great progress on both lots JB.
I like the flowerbeds and the overal look of the Westlake campus. just a question I believe you started with different buildings for the dormitories. will you add those to the complex or have you discarded it/them. just curious.
And the covered driveway and the swimmingpool look very good. on the swan ... "conference centre" and "I don't know" are great working titles :D you could stay in the majestic theme. than you could name it Imperial, Metropolitan, Cosmopolitan. etc. although I would reserve the "Imperial" for a bigger hotel if you'd plan on making one. or you could use titles as Bellevue or Bellair. Hope these help to make up your mind :)
Strech.
Swan Plaza wouldn't be a bad name for the hotel. :P
It looks great, though.
John: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks! The quad wasn't actually too hard to do thanks to some great props by Dolphin66. For the hotel, I may try an open air version although it will take some tinkering. The textures would be way to bright without the glass right now. Too beefy? Hmmm... I thought I actually got those proportions fairly close. I'll play with it a little more. The flower bed on the carport is actually modeled in there. For the name, I will probably have some sort of sign at the driveway. I might still get it on the building somewhere, but I don't really know for sure yet.
Pat: Thank you! Peg's light cones look very close in size to the ones I tried already. The problem is that in the game the cone doesn't hit all the lights at every rotation (actually different ones depending on the rotation) and raising it up high enough to cover all 5 lights wasn't a good look either.
Strech: Thanks! You're right, the original boys dorm was completely different. I still have the model, although I can't remember now if I ever finished it or not. It (and a couple other things) may still get used for the modular lots. I kind of like the "Metropolitan" idea... hmmm. I already have plans for the "Swan Imperial" so that's not an option.
SA: Thank you! Swan Plaza has a nice ring to it as well.
LoL Jon after i posted last night i went and played, I was gonna come back and remove that thought as i found out the same thing lol... But hey its scary to know that it seems we are on the same lite link lol :D
Pat: Dear Lord... that is scary!!! ;)
More progress on Westlake... and a number of different areas to look at. Let's start with the latest overview, shall we?
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It dawned on me after my update last night, that I had never finished the back of the Student Center. So I did that first. Before anyone asks about the fancy street lamps along half the driveway and not the other, there is a reason for that. My thought is that it would be a semi-public area for visitors and parents coming to events in the Student Center... but beyond that curve to the loading area, it really isn't. So that's why (that doesn't mean I'm right... it's just my explaination!)
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Next up is the spot I'm really not sure about just yet. The pond fills this area quite nicely and creates kind of an informal place for the students to relax. At the same time, I'm not sure if it's really a good fit or not just yet. If it stays, I'll dress it up a bit better (and fix the sparkle effect which I know is overflowing right now) Votes for or against this idea are most appreciated.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_GDRear_1116.jpg&hash=e9df1f3ac38fbae14cf56e1dcf598950e494c062)
Around the corner a little bit to the back of the Academic Building. I still feel like the shaded areas need something... but I don't know what just yet. Or maybe they don't really need anything at all and I'm just crazy. Y'all can be the judge there too.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Back_1116.jpg&hash=53377dfa19b11bf10f6557dc04aaf46d5f47fd52)
Finally, I started (key word... started) on the front. I like the large flower beds and the variety, but they might be a little too informal. I'm not entirely sure yet. Still a fair bit to do here, so don't bother telling me it needs trees. ::) I know this... but just haven't gotten there yet. :D The statue is another thing that may not last long. It may change to a different one... or it may just go away completely. It's very much a work in progress up in this area still.
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That's it for now. Maybe more tonight... we'll see. I actually have the weekend off, so a lot of things could get accomplished in the next few days! Suggestions are always appreciated.
JB
The water feature puts the "lake" in westlake.
westlake academy is getting really nice imo.
looking at the overall view, i think the lake shuld be a little smaller.
about the shaded areas, i think its right as it's now.
and about the front, i like the flower beds, but i'd change that statue for two statues, one on each side of the path.
just thinking loud ;)
mauricio.
With the position of the lake, maybe it should be renamed "Eastlake". ::)
Anyways, there should be a few more trees, and the pond is a nice touch, although it looks like it's missing something.
Oh, and I didn't see them before, but I really like the vines on the buildings, it gives it that special old-world charm.
-- John
Jon WoW that is something else there!!! My god man you truely are ADD overdrive lol.... I truely cant think of thing to change..
Fledgeling: I'm going to assume that means you like it... :D
Mauricio: Thank you! I'll see if there's a slightly smaller pond to choose from. The statue will almost definitely change the more I look at it, but I don't know what it will change to just yet.
John: It could be Northlake too... only I know which way this is really facing right now! :D (actually, it is facing south... but it was more fun for me this way) There will still be more trees before it's done. I'm glad you like the ivy.
Pat: Thanks! Speaking of ADD...
I have the basic deck on the back of the Swan "still to be decided." I also reworked the wall where the atrium meets the hotel... meaning the door and steps are there now and the old windows have been removed where necessary. I'm thinking that the lower deck will be a sun deck with lounge chairs and maybe a few planters. The upper deck will be a concessions or bar type area with a couple tables and stuff.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Sundeck_North.jpg&hash=7b0a3c863a9941d4cb6ab4a3b4c5ef42aa5b9d30)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Sundeck_East.jpg&hash=e358de198eb20cbf1ca09cae0af20f1648ab7143)
These are medium quality renders this time. I wanted to check the lighting with everything in place to make sure the atrium still showed up as planned. I've also already fixed the deck boards on the upper deck so they match the lower size better.
JB
The academy is looking just super.
I'm not sure about the lake.
Given it's size, it may be positioned a little to close to the building.
But overall...Wow. Beaautiful work!
...Just saw the update on the hotel. What a nice atrium.
That looks real good JB
I like the lake and I don't think that it is too large at all. Mount Allison University, near me in Sackville NB, has a "swan pond" on its campus and is one of the defining features of the institution. Maybe all the your pond needs is a swan or two (LOL). Wait; didn't Herbert Maloney, the owner of the Swan Group (including the Swan Majestic) go to Westlake Academy? Maybe that's where the "swan" name in his corporation comes from! Hmmmm, he did spend a lot of time spooning with his future wife down by the shore of the pond.
Don't mind my aimless wanderings. Excellent job as always.
Pvarcoe: Thank you! The pond is still under consideration, but I think it will stay in some form or another.
Simdad: Thanks! I love your tie in with Herbert Maloney! I actually didn't use a name in that story line yet, so that could still get worked in somewhere. I always smile when the stories behind the buildings get some attention.
Marc: Thank you! I considered leaving the quad completely open with some benches along the paths, but it just looked too plain to me.
I dug around the old Westlake folder a little and found the building the Strech was talking about. At least I think this is the one... ::) It's not completely finished yet, but it doesn't need much. This is Centenial Hall:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_CH_Texture01.jpg&hash=49331a0c848a0b0163d760c8958d1132e142c9fa)
This one was actually based loosely off my freshman dorm in college by the same name. It actually caught fire that year. I was coming back from my late night job at Perkin's around 3AM and smelled smoke coming out of the room 4 doors down from my own. Two other guys and myself ended up being the heroes that woke everyone up and emptied the building. Stupidly enough, we were all so intent on pounding on doors and getting people out of bed that none of us ever thought to simply pull the fire alarm! Just my fun fact for the day...
Anyway, this really just needs lighting and ivy to be finished and could easily find its way into the modular set.
JB
Cool building. Alway nice to hear a small real life story behind it. Great to hear you saved people from a fire :)
LoL Jon yea that probley would have saved some time and smoking on your behalf to pull the alarm, But hey gotta love having some fun ;) .... Anyways I think you really should have Centenial Hall included in the modular set i think it would make a fine addition to it....
For some reason or another, that building reminds me of a prison.
that Centenial Hall is great :thumbsup:
and the update of the swan something is nice too!
mauricio.
Tag_One: Thanks! I should mention that the fire didn't do a whole lot of damage except for smoke, but we did all have to move out for a while.
Pat: Thank you... I'm glad you like it. Too bad you hadn't been in Minnesota around 1993 or 94... :D
Vester: I can see where you would get that idea. Hopefully the ivy helped that perception a little.
Mauricio: Thank you!
I decided I might as well go ahead and finish Centenial Hall up so it would be ready when the time comes. It took a little longer than I had hoped because I had this really goofy light leak on the ivy. I have no idea what was going on there, but it's fixed. So here are the finished day and night shots for that one:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_CH_Day.jpg&hash=d6fc80744028e0770e1e4f58026e27e4e232d9a0)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_CH_Night.jpg&hash=fe4b0511b1f77f6e0d88fa7a7e5b0ebcb17f7d4b)
I also spent a little more time with the campus lot. I think I'm getting pretty close to finishing! :o Most of the front is finished and I just need to do around the left hand side behind the boy's dorm.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Front_1117.jpg&hash=a44c1ea33c95f559ed43adf1e18c0412e564e071)
I changed the statue in front and then switched the one in the quad as well so they wouldn't be the same. I'm starting to add some "life" to things. I also made some minor changes around back, but nothing worth showing a new picture of yet. I did look for alternate ponds, and the only thing I found that might work is about half the size of the one I've got now. Personally, I'm thinking that may be a little too small... so we'll see. I may be back yet tonight depending on what I decide to play with next...
JB
Westlake is looking awsome and I am really looking forward to the modular lots. My personal opinion is that the pond could be part of these modular lots, rather than right next to the dorm. It's all up to you. Keep up the good work on Westlake and the Swan(s)!
My, but you have been busy. If you haven't made a final decision on it yet, I like the pond in it's last shown, large state. The flowers in front of the main building are great like that. Not too wild, but certainly full. Unless you've alreayd changed it and I haven't noticed, the pool covering when shown next to the deck looks really good. I know you said you made some changes around the back of the main building, but if the lamps and benches are still the way they are in the pic with the shaded areas, I would suggest switching the lamps with the benches (such that from the back entrance there is a bench in front of each of the stairs). I hope that made sense, but if not, please let me knwo and I'll be happy to clarify my rambling. Hope things are well for you.
Jon you are Smokin okin today OMG man..... I can barley keep up on the updates lol..... Actually i was in St Paul in 94 for my grandpa's 50 reunion for the 91st infantry division... Anywho you know vester does have a good point about Centennial Hall looking like a prison wing... Hmmm I have a thought, are you turning the mod academy into a singular dat or are doing all the buildings separate??? I wouldn't mind turning Centennial Hall into a prison complex and using the Boy's dorm as part of it as well lol...
GrizzlyBuilder: Welcome to the thread! I'm glad you like what I'm up to. I can definitely include a "pond lot" for the modular. I'd really prefer to keep in on this campus, if for no other reason than it fills that space so well. Because of where it's situated, that area doesn't lend itself well to anything "functional" and this is the best option I've come up with so far.
Matt: Regarding your suggestion for the back of the academic building, I ended up flanking the steps with one of the white flowering bushes on either side. The lamp posts shifted to the outside of those bushes and the benches slid over just a touch to make space. I hope that makes sense? I have changed the pool and deck area, but you won't see it until I get done typing this... :D
Pat: I could always slow down a little... $%Grinno$% Packaging for the Academy will be a chore to say the least. Most likely, I will release a prop pack before hand which includes all the models for Westlake and possibly condenses the loose prop dats from School Packs 1-3. That's my plan right now, but it's hard to say for sure as I have no idea how large that file might be. Everything is still loose right now, although I can tell you that my current Westlake folder sits at 3MB with more still to be added!
See what happens when I get a day off? The monkeys in the basement have gotten quite a workout today... thank goodness they've been unseccessful at unionizing! That's right... one more picture to look at tonight!
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I think this should just about wrap up the major work back here. I have a few tweaks to make, but I think most everything I wanted for the deck area is there now. I still need to put some vents and such over the parking garage. I also haven't lit the pool area yet. The rest of the lighting is basically done from the first version and will just need some pieces moved here and there. It's possible I'll get the modeling finished before I leave for Thanksgiving. Even if that happens, lotting won't begin until afterwards. Then again... I have tomorrow off too! :D ;)
JB
Jon didnt i just stop in here lol.... WOW them monkeys have to be exhausted after the work out you given them today lol.... 3MB already wow!!! So have them monkeys thought of a name for the "Swan _____________" if not i have a small brain fart of "The Swan Royal"?
That actually makes perfect sense. Those bushes seem like they would fit in quite well there. The pool deck area looks amazing (do you model those planters and such yourself, or do you have some source for them? Either way, it all looks really good. To add to pat's suggestion, I would just add an 'e' to the end: Swan Royale (James Bond springs to mind for some reason). One other thing that I noticed that the hotel could use (unless I missed it...) is access to the side of the roof area above the parking garage for maintenence (a door from the pool area or something). In case you don't get a chance to swing by here before Thanksgiving, have a happy one and I'll see you next time.
Really nice looking buildings there! Also the newest is looking fantastic! Great work! :thumbsup:
%BUd%
wow jon- you have been on quite a roll! Everything is looking good. I love the addition of the furniture to the hotel deck.
Westlake is looking awesome and can't wait for the modular set. :thumbsup:
Pat: Fortunately, my work position gives me access to large cases of bananas at a pretty good price! :D I kind of like the Swan Royale (adding in Matt's idea as well)... I think we're down to The Swan Royale or The Swan Plaza now.
Matt: Thanks! The plants themselves were modeled by SimGoober (as were the tables and chairs actually). I just pick my own textures and resize as necessary and then build the boxes around them. I haven't done the roof access yet, but I will. I'm hesitant to put that off the pool area, but we'll see what happens.
Bat: Thanks for stopping in! Glad you like everything.
Edge: Thank you!
Went out on the back porch this morning and thought this would get a chuckle...
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As the weather turns colder, all the swans on this lake (about 13 last year) seem to make their way over to my end. They usually stay fairly spread out during the summer, with a pair on the north tip... a couple pairs on the west end, etc. For reasons I haven't yet figured out they all get together in the late fall and spend the winter primarily over here on the east end. Maybe it's just because all the geese have finally left... I don't know. The swans and ducks seem to get along fine together, but the Canadian geese seem to be disliked by everyone (myself included). It looks like we may be up to 15 now as the two on the right are definitely young swans.
JB
whoa that are a lot of updates with beautiful pictures. I love the envy on the jail uhh Centenial Hall :P
Also great to see some people on the paths of the university. It looks very great now. can't wait to download it.
The bar on the Swan looks also great. The only thing that caught my eye is that there are a bit to much chairs imo.
Tag_One: Thank you! I was wondering about the number of lounge chairs, too. I'll thin them out a little bit more.
I think I might be done with the full campus lot for Westlake! &bis& Unless there are any major things that just flat out don't work, this might just be it. Here is a day and night overview:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_OverviewDay_1118.jpg&hash=f74faebaec88e99a428d10425ccb7300ca458bc7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_OverviewNight_1118.jpg&hash=973d80d9c1c6091a0d0119c13df8fa231808b7fa)
This next one doesn't show anything different really, but it's probably one of my favorite night shots for the campus:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_QuadNight_1118.jpg&hash=de7f3fff2fccb0125988fc94887b555f58d034ad)
Finally, as a way to show some individual views of things... keep and eye on your mailbox. The recruiterment department has begun accepting applications for the next school year.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Postcard.jpg&hash=e0c601931b696859abdbc2676e3122c8f7f59226)
:satisfied:
JB
The final result for the full lot is amazing JB. simply wonderful and in tune with your hard work on it.
I look forward to seeing it in the LEX. :thumbsup:
Great to see the centennial building again :)
I will have to check if the Westlake is the right place for my little nephews. they deserve only the highes standard in education of cours (the little spoilt brats) :P LOL!
Strechnitz.
Woohoo! Westlake looks fantastic. I like the smaller pond with the gazebo on the left side as well as all the trees. I already have an area planned out for it in my region. :P The hotel looks great too, I think "The Swan Royale" would be the perfect name for it.
And you better not work those monkeys too hard, they might go on strike. ;)
-- John
&apls
Great to see the lot's practically done for Westlake. :) :) :)
I do have one suggestion though: it'd be nice if you were to use the BSC Parks base texture, if only for the sake of flexibility.
&apls :thumbsup: It looks great. I cant think of anything that could improve what you have done with the campus
Looking grand! When I saw the first pics, I wondered "Hopefully he used seasonal trees.", but now that I've seen the promo pic, I know that you did. The ponds fit in really well, and I also like that night closeup shot you posted a lot! Personally, I'd probably change a few minor things, but it won't make the lot "better" or anything, just a bit different. :)
Hello, Jon.
I must say that I am quite impressed with your Westlake Academy! You most certainly have the gift of BATting bestowed upon you. I must be honest and tell you that I envy your being able to BAT and have most certainly learned its intricacies and idiosyncrasies. I really do believe that Westlake will be the perfect compliment to make SmallTown USA the perfect University Town -- at least those are my plans once you release this jewel.
Thank you for all of the pain-staking work of creating this beautiful set of models as well as for setting them in such a very nice lot. I do look forward to your releasing it and placing it in my region.
Regards,
Gary
Strech: Thank you! I'll discuss your brats... er, nephews... with the headmaster.
John: Thanks! I gave the monkeys a bit of a break this afternoon. ;)
Cammo: Thank you! It is BSC park compliant... not to worry. Actually, that was always the intention, I just grabbed the wrong texture by mistake.
Fledgeling: Thanks!
Andreas: Thank you! I'd honestly be surprised if people with the know how didn't make their own tweaks really. I've finally come to the realisation that my lots aren't going to work perfectly for everyone, but that there are also more than enough people that now can fix that themselves. It kind of takes the pressure off a little bit! ;)
Gary: Thank you! You have such a great way with words... I'm always happy when you stop by. I'd love to see your mix of the Smalltown buildings with this someday.
I was getting ready to make some of the modular lots when a (not really new) idea popped back into my head. I'd like some input, if you would please. Most of the buildings for the modular set will be non-functional anyway. There will be the main academic building which will function like a private school or university. Beyond that, everything else is honestly eye candy which only makes sense as part of the whole school. So the question is which makes more sense for you, the end user: Make all the "outbuildings" plain landmarks that will always be in the menu? or Make them rewards triggered only after you have placed the first piece... the school in this case?
Any thoughts?
JB
I guess I always assumed that the modular lots would be rewards triggered by the main building. I can't think of any examples right now. Do you know what buildings will be modular buildings will be, and can you tell the breathless crowds?
Looks awesome JB.
I say go with the Landmark idea. :thumbsup:
I'd say to make them rewards triggered after the main building is placed... If people want to use them without the main building they can just use the "you don't deserve it" cheat.
-- John
Hi ya's Jon,
hmmm I like the idea of the rewards triggered for this reason. One is that not all of a campus is built right away, that comes threw needs of the school. Two speaking of needs of the school, I think the landmark idea is blah honestly, why is back where i was saying about the needs, example of say a sci tech building needs to have students and uses in sci tech to be usable by the school right? OK now Third thought is that the residental halls need residents right, so why not make it so it has residental? Alright Finaly over all the school parts should contribute to the whole and be school like functions... So that is the thougth there on West Lake....
About the "Swan" i was orginaly trying for Royale and when i did spell check it came back OK so yea but at least Matt picked up on it and thank you to you Matt for catching that... OK now with the newest thought about the plaza part here is me brain fart on that "Swan Royale Plaza" its a combo and catch all phrase for it... I hope my ramblings made sense and if they didnt please pick my brain.. Talk to you soon - pat
&apls Jon
westlake looks great!
i'd say make the "outbuildings" rewards.
and the swan royale :thumbsup:, the pool area and the deck is nice
mauricio.
GrizzlyBuilder: Thanks for your vote! The rest of your answer continues below... ;)
Bluebeard: Thanks! I was beginning to think you'd disappeared again... I hope all is well.
John: Good point about the cheat... thank you!
Pat: Wow! I have no idea what the oomph you're rambling about! Somebody get Pat a drink or a valium or something... :D (Sorry, my friend... I couldn't resist) If I'm following your ideas correctly, there are a couple flaws that I'll address now and the rest will hopefully be included below. If I make the dorms functional residencies, then they can ONLY be growable residentials. As such, there's no way to trigger them as a "reward" and they could grow anywhere at any time. (I'm 95% certain that's the correct answer... someone will correct me if I'm wrong) Regarding the "sum as a whole" idea... it's possible, but perhaps not ideal. There seems to be a bug with the way schools function. If you put two schools of the same category side by side, one generally gets used while the other does not. There isn't an even split where half go to school A and half go to school B. This recently came up during PIM_X development and I'm not sure what the final result is or will be for it. Now, it could still be done where the buildings each have small capacities and it seems to work alright. **EDIT: This bug may not apply to the university lots, but that is unclear at this point.**
Mauricio: Thank you!
All right... I still don't have anything to show. This is more of an idea sharing post. I'll start by saying what I have in mind for the modular set. Keep in mind, these are all ideas at this point. It's possible that some of them won't be possible, or that things may change as we progress. (That's my disclaimer... the lawyers didn't even have to pressure me into it this time!) ;) So here we go...
Academic Building - This will be the base lot and will trigger everything else as a reward. It will be modded as a private school or as a university (read probably both). Capacities and costs are yet to be determined. This may be a reward itself using criterea similar to Maxis university or private school... but I'm not sure about that part yet.
Dorms - There will be at least three. Centenial Hall, plus the two used on the full campus... Summit Hall and Hill Crest. These will almost definitely be eye candy landmarks. There may be one or two others as well, but time will tell.
Student Center - Also from the full campus. This may be modded as a minor league stadium to reflect basketball games or something similar.
Boiler/Maintanence Building - From the full campus. Possibly modded as a small power station to make the campus self-sufficient.
Library - Modded as a library. You haven't seen this building yet ;)
Chapel - Possibly modded as a small church. I haven't even seen this one yet ;)
Those are the definite buildings as of now. There may also be one or two more class room buildings. The idea of a modular and growable university has been kicked around by myself and others for a while now. I may use this a springboard for that idea. In that case, additional packs could be added separately as they are finished.
Moving on to the filler pieces. I'd reccomend the BSC Parks base set for most of the paths. In addition to what is already out there in various sets, I intend to make the following "campus specific" lots:
The Quad - A couple different versions and sizes will be offered
The Pond - Same as above with a couple options
I'm open to other suggestions. (Don't ask for pieces of the school add on pack here... some of it may find its way in here as versions taylored to the reward chain concept) In fact, I have one or two other sports related ideas in the works that will find their way here eventually.
Finally, here are some other thoughts that I'll let y'all give some feedback on.
- Would it help to release driveway and parking lot pieces like those that I used on the main campus? I know there are lots of parking lots out there, but I'm not so sure about driveways and access roads. If yes, then some lots could have minimal parking (or not) that is then connectable. If no, then I would try to make all lots with no parking whatsoever.
- The BSC Parks for the most part do not use the large seasonal trees. Would it be best to match the campus lots to the park sets with respect to various trees and flora, or stick with whatever looks best for the individual buildings?
- Keeping in mind that this will serve as a "starter pack" with updates to follow, is there anything major that I'm missing that should be considered for "must have" status from the beginning?
- Would there be interest in ivy clad walls/fences to match the campus buildings? Or are there enough of these out there already too?
I think that's enough for now. I'll have the notebook close to my computer, so your ideas really do count! I'm only asking this many questions because I want to make sure that the end result provides what you need.
JB
Westlake is looking amazing, JB! &apls It looks like we're in the midst of another of your famous projects, but I'm not complaining. $%Grinno$%
A few suggestions, for what they are worth...
I think the Academic Building should be a reward that triggers the others. This will keep menu clutter to a minimum until we're ready to build.
You are correct that residentials must be growable. They don't work otherwise. Eye-candy would be fine, but you may want to think about doing something similar to the way barracks are handled in the SNM series. They are landmarks with Cs jobs, so they still provide some function. You could also make growable versions in addition to the landmarks for folks that really want true residentials. If you choose an uncommon lot size, it is fairly easy to force the game to build these as long as you are also using the BSC No Maxis Files mod.
I love the idea of the Student Center being an athletic facility of some sort. This will provide some nice landmark effects and/or park effects - in addition to some residential cap relief, I hope!
The idea of a Maintenance Building that acts as a small power plant is brilliant.
As far as your questions...
I think the driveway and parking lot pieces would be a good addition. This will let folks really design a modular academy.
I think the flora for the lots should be whatever you feel looks best. It doesn't have to match the BSC parks set. As a matter of fact, I think it would provide some nice variety if it doesn't match completely. They should look good together, but not the same - if you know what I mean. I love the idea that you can use the BSC parks to complete the campus. I think they are perfectly suited for that use.
And lastly, I would LOVE to see some ivy-clad walls. Yes, there are a lot of wall sets out there - but I can't think of any that quite match that description.
With all these lots, we may need to call on Diggis for some of his MML magic.
Fantastic work! I can't wait to see what you think up next...
Wow, you have done so much work over the weekend. I didn't have much time to look over the threads here this past weekend. Now I wish I had. As for the pond, you know I already siad I didn't like it. But if it were to stay I would try some kind of path around it. Than it may look like it belongs.
Robin :thumbsup:
One thing to consider when making functional lots for the modular approach: Each facility that provides jobs would need road access, so you can't simply plop it "in the middle of nowhere", only connected by BSC or other park paths. So for the full flexibility, most of those lots would have to be eye-candy landmarks or parks indeed.
JB,
The main building should have an upgradeable capacity. When capacity is met the main building would upgrade and an additional reward building would become available. The reward buildings would simulate the increase capacity. This process could repeat until you have a giant sprawling campus.
If you need any photos or ideas I live in Bloomington, Indiana home of Indiana University. Go Hoosiers.
JB, a stand- alone Boiler/Maintanence Building would be fantastic. I was actually hoping for something like that but i thought it might be too much bother so i didnt say anything. Thats fantastic news!
And everything else looks great too :P
ScottFTL: Thank you and welcome to the thread! The first lot will definitely trigger the rest, although that doesn't really do much for the menus... there would still be greyed out icons in your way. ;) Thank you for your answers and preferences. I agree and think there will need to be some type of MML before all is said and done.
Robin: Thanks! There's really not enough room for a path around the pond. I feel like a path would also take away from the natural look and turn it into an over landscaped "water feature." This isn't necessarily a bad thing... but it's not what I have in mind.
Andreas: Road access is a good point. I've wished since this idea started that there was some way to make a street mod that would only take effect around these lots. I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way though. I guess that's the next question: Which is more important or desirable - total flexibility or functional lots?
Shiftred: I agree with your idea, although I'm not sure it can be done automatically. The whole purpose of future add-on packs would be to mimic that grow as necessary idea. Considering that a school over capacity can trigger a strike, it stands to reason that this could be tracked and used to trigger a reward as well. I'll have to look into that before I can say for sure though. Great pictures! I'll let you know if anything specific comes to mind. Thanks!
Fledgeling: Thank you! I'm glad you like the idea.
So... the reminder from Andreas should really be considered as the "voting" continues. Any functional pieces would in fact need some kind of access. I would have no problem mixing streets into my own campus and using the driveway pieces as well... but that's just me.
In the meantime... I made the small chapel. Kind of a New England-ish look, although made with the same brick as the other buildings. Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Chapel_Day.jpg&hash=d78e34236935bd4855e0b691905ab1cc555608fe)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Chapel_Night.jpg&hash=7dbd3e2d49786874d692ef7f90f9343afa56fbe8)
That's it for tonight... I'm up much later than I should be already! ::)
JB
LoL Jon.... I know i was kinda rambling on there a wee bit... But you did hit the answer right on the head... I didnt know there was a conflict with schools like what you descride... Also about the residental factor, I had was thinking about ploppable res, but then after you said that it would grown in places that it shouldn't.. So thats when it dawned on me about the ploppable bug, grrrr i feel like a NoOb lol... Love the progress and see you next time Jon - pat
The chapel looks great my friend. And I would go with the reward method, that sounds much better. It sounds like when this is done, it could be very big. ;) I like very big lots.
&apls &apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Awesome church JB. :thumbsup:
Jeez you are really a batting machine, every time I look here you've created something new :thumbsup:
Pat: Thanks! Glad I answered the right questions so far... ;)
Robin: Thank you! The reward method is the way I'm going to go. I've decided that much anyway. You're right, this is going to end up being a pretty large project. I started a punch list today and I think I'm around 35-40 lots for the starter pack.
Bluebeard: Thanks!
Tag_One: I tend to get carried away sometimes... I should probably go and see a doctor about that when I get the time! $%Grinno$%
This probably won't look like much yet, but I started a few of the modular lots. All I've really done so far is put the paths in and make sure that the building fits properly. I'm leaning towards keeping the building lots as small as possible with only the minimum decorations. The larger each lot becomes, the less flexibility you'll have to personalize the area. That's my thought process anyway...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Academic_LotPath.jpg&hash=d4a151155f8866a7d3002c860b0fd05c41048354)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Dorms_LotPath.jpg&hash=f33b63900e09e21d0c5b65e8d5a4c7b43005475a)
The main building is 7x3... two dorms are 3x3 and the other is 3x2 at this point. Obviously, I'll do more with them, but do these sizes seem appropriate?
I also started a little bit on the driveway pieces. There will be others to come, but these were the easiest ones to just get out of the way. There are two pieces with parking along the side. I think this is somewhat common near campus buildings where there isn't room for a full blown parking lot. I even remembered a TE piece to help tie things together!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Driveways01.jpg&hash=d0b93250988a6e640a58c61cc627914cb82cd3c3)
Looking ahead a little. I made a list of what I hope to include in the initial starter pack. There will be 9 or 10 buildings. Hopefully all the necessary driveway pieces to fit most situations (I figured around 20 or so for this alone). And somewhere between 5-10 filler pieces or paths that don't exsist elsewhere already.
That's it for now...
JB
Jon my god that is amazing there!!! I can't wait to see what you further devolp here... You are a true master mind.....
Pat: Thanks! I'm not sure about amazing or mastermind... but I certainly appreciate your enthusiasm! :thumbsup:
I think I'm done with driveways and parking lots for this. When I say "done," what I really mean is that I have the basic pieces that I want. I'll add some further props and such to them, but I figured it would be easier to see this way first.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Driveways02.jpg&hash=ca4d25ba8f498e4f24976b1a39b37ff077ecbc57)
I ended up with 18 in all. They are as follows:
1x1 Straight Driveway - TE 1x1 Straight Driveway with Wide Path
1x1 Straight Driveway 1x1 Straight Driveway with Wide Path Crossing
1x3 Straight Driveway 1x1 Straight Driveway with Narrow Path
1x1 Corner Driveway 1x1 Straight Driveway with Narrow Path Crossing
1x1 Driveway - T Junction 1x1 Parking End Piece (access one side only)
1x1 Driveway - Cross Junction 1x1 Parking Filler Piece (open on two sides)
1x1 Straight Driveway with Parking 2x2 Parking Lot End Piece (access one side only)
1x3 Straight Driveway with Parking 2x2 Parking Lot Thru Piece (open on two sides)
3x3 Parking Lot End Piece (access one side only)
I think that should cover the on campus driving needs. Further suggestions are of course always welcome.
In the meantime, all of us here at Monkey Around Productions would like to extend the best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to all those who will celebrate the holiday this week. Even if you don't celebrate the holiday this week, I hope you have something to be thankful for. But just in case you don't....
The Swan Majestic
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_LotLG_Final.jpg&hash=f6e918e23a9487c8f447396bd59c2adb4f74432e)
Available here (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1332)
Have a great evening!
JB
Quick and professionally done. You sure do have a knack for this. The modular lots seem to be off to a good start, and it's good to see the Swan Majestic available to the public (and quickly too). The parking lots are nice too. I really like the path connector pieces. If you haven't already wrapped them up and moved on to the next project, would it be possible to make a corner/T-lot that features parking spaces as well? I'm not sure what all is required for that, but I think it would add an extra level of realism to the larger lots. Happy Thanksgiving to you too. Enjoy the holiday and I hope you don't need to hit the stores the next day (unless you happen to like that).
-Matt
Matt: Thank you! You caught me just before bed... ;) Nothing for the modular set is anywhere near wrapped up yet, so don't worry about that. I'm not entirely sure I follow your request, though. Are you asking for the driveway parking similar to the 1x3? Something like this?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Driveway_CornerParking.jpg&hash=9e587b8128c97b4f5137649b9c65f0892d370f6d)
If so, then yes... I can easily include both. The textures already exsist so it's a matter of 30 seconds to do that. If that's not what you had in mind, then could you elaborate a little more please?
I have no intention of participating in the Wal-Mart trample your neighbor festival! :D
JB
That is pretty much what I'm looking for. If it is possible though, I would like to see parking available on both sides of the corner. As far as the T goes, yes, pretty much just like that. Have a good night, and if you do have to go out on Friday, try to avoid being a victim of cart rage. I just plan to let the food settle and work on my outlines for finals (yay 2 weeks away...). Take it easy.
-Matt
Your modular school set is going to be great hit, my friend. You have really out done your self on this one. I can't wait to get my greedy hands on this one. I think I have a neat little idea for a set up in my city... ::)
The parking lot pieces could use some life. What about adding some timed vehicles for parking on the straight pieces to simulate driving. Maybe even add a diagonal car to simulate going to a parking space. ;)
The Swan Majestic looks marvelous. You really have done a great job on this BAT and all the lots. &apls
&apls &apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
JB,
We are very blessed to have a person of your talent with us.You have a gift and we thank you for sharing it was us.Happy Holidays and Thanx. :thumbsup:
Matt: I'll have to see what I can come up with for your corner idea when I come back home. I know there's nothing like that for this style of driveways, but I agree that it would be a nice thing to have. Enjoy your break!
Robin: Thank you! "Life" is still coming as I said. I just wanted to put the basic pieces up so people could see what they were and point out any missing things that could still be added. To simulate driving I'd probably need to retime some of the props myself. As they're set up now, they stay there too long to make much sense.
Bluebeard: Thank you for your very kind words!
Just getting some replies in while I have a chance.
JB
Jon you are wonderful, OK i will lay on the down low with the high praises but come on man you rock!!!.... Just so you know if havent seen it yet on the Swan Majestic LEX page the dependecy list is all bunched together and it does make it a bit of a challenge to look at all the dependency's.... Those parking lots are looking real sweet Jon and you did such a great job on them... BTW thank you so much for stopping in on me that was a big shock this afternoon ;D... Have a safe and Happy Thanksgivin - pat
edit Jon, i went back into the LEX Details for the Swan Majestic, I now see that my comment posted not once but a total of 3 times, is there a way to delete 2 of them at all??? Trust me i didnt do that and also i know the dependeny's are listed in the readme but I love to check before i Download a lot ;)...
Hi Pat! I noticed that the dependancy list got smushed together, but I really don't know why or how to fix it. Maybe my html is wrong somewhere, but I'm not sure. Last I checked you actually fainted 5 times! But I don't think that I can delete comments... I'll have to go check. Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. I'm waiting for the snow and ice that you've probably been getting all afternoon over your way. ;)
JB
OKies Dokies if there isn't anything that cant be done on both accounts ooh well siiiigh.... Fainted 5x's lol no wonder why my head really hurts lol.. All I've been getting is a little flurries here and there, nothing major at all, but i bet mother nature has yet to show her vindictive side lol....
4 pages of great new updates in one week (ok, and some comments). How do you do that? I cannot keep up with only reading this stuff, imagine....
Great progress, on the Westland and Swan. One thing though: the bid pond, where you want the students to relax, should have some more space arround it, maybe also a path and some benches. Or is it my own age that wants that? :-[
Hello my friend, been a long time, just went thru the last couple of pages and am really enthused about the skule...For one thing have never been really happy with the in game university and this sure looks much much better. Can't think of anything somebody else hasn't mentioned yet but will think on it.....oh, maybe one of the parking lots with a bus stop function? Most students seems to have a need to ride the public transport often and the faculty and workers are the drivers in many "in city" big schools.....oh well....
Pat: We only ended up with an inch or so of snow over on this side of the lake too. Much less than the doom-sayers predicted! ::)
Sebes: I added benches near the pond shortly after taking the last set of pictures actually... I knew I had forgotten something! As I've said, I really only have two choices for the size so that part won't be changing. I'm glad you like the rest of it!
Oldrogue: Always nice to see you! I could certainly add a few bus station props to some of the driveways. I probably won't make them fully functional for the same reasons that many buildings will be strictly eye candy. Mostly issues with road access and such. I like the idea though, thank you!
OK... first of all, I hope everyone had a great holiday. My 3 year old nephew pretty much wore me out! His newest favorite game seems to be football... with his own personal set of rules of course. "Football" actually consists of the two of us chasing around in circles and tackling each other in the living room. It also seems that a tackle is the same as a touchdown because once we were on the floor he would say, "Touchdown... Collin State!" I only scored one touchdown in three days. I must suck at football! :D
I had another go at the two additional driveway pieces that Matt suggested. I also made a set of wider campus paths. These will match up with the paths that come off the front steps of several campus buildings. Once again... these are just the basics for now. Additional props and things will come later. Still just trying to get all the basic pieces sorted out at this point.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Paths03.jpg&hash=6868b1f04de905a0c97463c59d97cf51485758ba)
Since the starter pack list has changed slightly... here is an updated (abbreviated) list:
Buildings
There will be a total of ten. Three will be trigger buildings... yes, there will be choices for your first building! One is naturally the one you've seen all along. The other two haven't been started yet, but they will both be smaller. There will also be three dorms, the Student Center, Chapel, Library, and Boiler. All these are done except the Library.
Driveways and Parking
Total of 20 pieces. All have been shown at this point.
Campus Paths and Filler Pieces
The 8 wide paths shown above. There will also be the quad and pond pieces still to come which will add 4-6 more pieces. The walls will probably fit in here too.
So the lot total for this pack has swelled up into the 40-50 range now. To summarize , I basically have three buildings to make yet. I also have a few more props that to finish in addition to the wall pieces. That may sound like a long ways to go, but it's probably not as bad as it seems. Depends on how RL goes the next few weeks...
JB
JB,
It all looks and sounds awesome.But on a side note how is the church coming along?.Thanx :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on November 25, 2007, 07:21:02 PM
So the lot total for this pack has swelled up into the 40-50 range now.
:o
the driveways look nice! so the buildings you has showed yet!
mauricio.
This sounds awesome. Great work. I hope MML's are also in the works for it ;)
very nice......and am looking forward to seeing the finished product....your work just gets better and better
Glad to hear the holiday went well and that the football injuries were kept to a minimum. There were a few young ones running around my grandparent's place (sons/daughters of my cousins... I don't know what that makes me relative to them. An uncle is the brother of one of the parents, but I'm not sure about cousins). It's really interesting to see a new generation growing up. Now then, onto the update.
The new parking tiles are just what I was looking for. Will it be possible to place things in game in the open corner of the corner lot or do you already have something in mind? The paths you've created will be a nice addition as well. The selection of buildings is excellent, and I like that there will be the choice of three trigger buildings.
It seems like you have a bit on your plate already with the new buildings etc, but I thought I would throw another suggestion your way in the event you wanted to add just a little bit more. I don't know how practical it would be, but in the wide-narrow transitions, there is a straight one, one with three narrow paths, and a two narrow path 'T'. Something that isn't there though are "single left" and "single right" options or straight w/ left and right options as well (again, eloquence eludes me... let me know if the descriptions make any sense, but please do not feel pressured to make these, this is merely a curious observation and not a request).
Take it easy.
-Matt
Jon i know that feeling the naysayers where screaming and i do mean screaming our first major snowfall and we only got what lol.... Anyways Jon I love those paths and they are turning out very great and its worth the 40 or 50 so lots needed for this Massive project... me hats off to you sir...
Bluebeard: Thank you! The church is part of the set for use as a campus chapel. I can easily make a stand alone version of it as well.
Mauricio: Thanks!
Existent: Thank you! Some form of MML is almost a necessity this time around, yes.
Oldrogue: Thanks!
Matt: Second cousin once removed... maybe? I'm not sure either. I will have some sort of prop in that bare corner. I think I understand your path question and will show a picture this evening to confirm we're on the same page. If I'm thinking correctly, the textures already exsist which makes it very easy to do.
Pat: Thank you!
In other news, the grain elevator is getting fairly close to being ready. So that may be up in the near future...
JB
Thanx JB.
The Church would look awesome as a stand alone. :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on November 26, 2007, 06:54:29 AM
Bluebeard: Thank you! The church is part of the set for use as a campus chapel. I can easily make a stand alone version of it as well.
JB
Ah. Glad to hear it. Even if you didn't do that I would likely have done so myself.
LOL @ the 3 year old nephew. I've never understood why NFL insists on a
touchdown being simply getting into the touchdown zone.
Then again, I'm used to rugby union and league, where grounding the ball is necessary. I also watch AFL (which is fast, frenetic, and a little bit crazy. Even the refs don't get the rules sometimes! :D) but there's no in-goal area for that sport, you just kick it between the posts (there being four posts at each end. The two centre posts are where you want to aim - 6 points. Inside the other posts gets just one point (a "behind").
Yeah, we have the "weird" sports here.
We also love cricket in this country. Especially when it's England losing. :D
Bluebeard: Consider it done then! It won't be ready any sooner though, just because all these models will be a large prop pack anyway. I'll probably make the stand alone a Smalltown church... since I don't have one yet. ;)
Cammo: I don't know why the term is touchdown either. I've never really watched the AFL to be honest... and cricket? I still don't get it. :D
Matt: Is something like this what you had in mind?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_WidepathT_Matt.jpg&hash=10850904cf2f8f666aca63a624504c49794bf61f)
I tried to start one of the alternate "Old Main" buildings yesterday, but just wasn't really getting into it. I tried to finnish a couple half-done Smalltown buildings as well... but I wasn't really feeling into that either. So let's just completely shift gears for a minute, shall we?
I had recieved Cycledogg's first foundation a few weeks ago, but frankly got so sidetracked that I never got around to having a look at it or testing it. I decided that I'd better do that today so I could "approve" it and get the other foundations going. So here is a what that looks like:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStratton_BrownGame01.jpg&hash=3d50b864cb7d843f9d6f71dd431a826c9f105573)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStratton_RedGame01.jpg&hash=85b2fa13fe7277aa2a7860998031eb7e42d55fdf)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStratton_TanGame01.jpg&hash=0648f93bd2300733656fa200d7652ad3dea45547)
I know that the tree is cutting into the building of the middle picture... I'll fix that. These lots were thrown together rather quickly and need a little more life to them yet, but it gives the general idea. That's all for now. I have to go on another exporting spree to get some more of these apartments ready. ;)
JB
I hadn't seen those apartments yet, very nice and will use them alot when they are released.
JB thanx for the church.The wait will be well worth it. :thumbsup:
&apls foundation looks good, cant wait to see more apartments. Is these that i find the most exiting in your lineup since the schools (but i love all your work), thanks!
That's exactly what I was trying to describe. I'm glad you made it (hope it didn't take too much time). The apartments look great, and the foundations are a good touch. The only thing I would suggest altering (if it isn't any trouble) would be rails at the top of the stairs (including the stairs for the first floor... boy that sounded strange). In the first pic especially, a fall would be pretty nasty. I'll be interested to see these in their finished form.
nice foundation!
and i agree with you Matt (threestooges), the stair in the first picture look dangerous $%Grinno$% (although i don't know how they would look like on flat terrains &Thk/()
other than that, the building is great, and i like the variations in colours :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Oldrogue: Thanks! There's a whole bunch of these apartments floating around about 10 pages back or so... somewhere back there, I don't remember anymore! ::)
Bluebeard: You're welcome!
Fledgeling: Thank you! Although I really had nothing to do with how the foundations look... that was all CP.
Matt: Took hardly any time at all. The textures were already made, so it's just a matter of slapping the lot together. Adding railings to the foundation (which is what those stairs are part of) usually ends up looking wierd because they inevitably get buried in the ground at the bottom. The ground basically forms around the foundation and there's no way to know where it may end from one lot to the next.
Mauricio: I agree with you both... but the only way to really make it look good would be an enclosed railing wall (if that makes any sense) and even then it's a goofy look. I chose some rather extreme slopes to test on too. Hopefully, most people wouldn't have that large of a difference! I'm glad you like the buildings though!
Just a quick preview of the next Smalltown building... more of a filler lot than anything really:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FTripwired_Preview01.jpg&hash=eeae500068d70f1b974e4b16d9af16245a4bebf8)
This will probably be a clothing shop of some sort. There's still a little work to do around the back and on the roof, but it's pretty close to finished really. Just a way to clear my head for a day... ;)
JB
Yeah, I thought about that as I was writing. You're right about the slope thing too. I actually had some time to play the game tonight, and the slope I build on aren't that bad. The new building is off to a good start. It actually looks like one of the buildings in Orange where I go to school (I'll see if I can take a pic). Hope everything is going well for you. Take it easy and I'll see you next update.
-Matt
Jon wonderful stuff today you have done!!! &apls :thumbsup: Ive been playing most of the day and when i got back home from work and i got the Swan to grow i was so excited to see it grow....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg524.imageshack.us%2Fimg524%2F8533%2Fnorthcomptongrowsswanmauz2.jpg&hash=234c1794d62b4c041177eb74388d71f4705bcdee)
Quote from: JBSimio on November 27, 2007, 10:00:34 PM
Just a quick preview of the next Smalltown building... more of a filler lot than anything really:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FTripwired_Preview01.jpg&hash=eeae500068d70f1b974e4b16d9af16245a4bebf8)
This will probably be a clothing shop of some sort. There's still a little work to do around the back and on the roof, but it's pretty close to finished really. Just a way to clear my head for a day... ;)
JB
yeah! &apls &hlp
Quote from: JBSimio on November 27, 2007, 10:00:34 PM
Just a quick preview of the next Smalltown building... more of a filler lot than anything really:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FTripwired_Preview01.jpg&hash=eeae500068d70f1b974e4b16d9af16245a4bebf8)
This will probably be a clothing shop of some sort. There's still a little work to do around the back and on the roof, but it's pretty close to finished really. Just a way to clear my head for a day... ;)
JB
I don't know what it is, but the building feels too short. Perhaps you should scale it up a little (if the floors look a bit tall compared to other buildings after doing so, you can easily palm it off as "high ceilings"). :P
Matt: I'm glad you like it! It's actually another Lincoln Park building from that same area in Chicago... well sort of. I suppose I should say that was the inspiration. We all know that I hardly ever make real life buildings... I just beg, borrow, and steal! :D
Pat: Thanks! And congratulations on getting your own hotel! &apls ;)
Edge: I'm glad you're excited... or just happy... or whatever that meant! :D
Cammo: I know what you mean, and I'm pretty sure I know why it looks that way too. This is why I try not to make 1 tile buildings that are three stories tall! The height and width end up being nearly identical and fool the eye. (That's my opinion anyway) I'll try to stretch it a little more, but I'm not sure that it will do much good without stretching too far. We'll see though.
So... it got a little quiet here for a couple days. I've been picking away at various things, but haven't had much worth showing. I think I was just having one of those weeks where nothing really comes together. I started both of the alternate "trigger" buildings for the university... but I'm not thrilled with how they're going so far. I did finally get somewhere today while I worked with the library... so that's what I have this time.
Here's the preview:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Library_Preview01.jpg&hash=88ce366b1b5cd5c52766fde594850d01c20fcf46)
Obviously, it's still an early shot... but it's coming along. The style is different from the other main buildings, but I think that's pretty normal for most universities. Very few campuses are built all at once after all. The color palette will stay the same as the others to keep some sense of uniformity. That's about it for now... maybe another update later if I get that far. ;)
JB
Watch out for the steps....
where are they..... ?
Looking forward for the progress.
LoL Vester, But you have a wonderful point that would be a hellova drop there...
Vester: Steps? Hmmm... that's not a bad idea at all! Thanks! :D
Pat: Yes... I'd hate to have the OSHA people out here writing me a fine.
Steps seemed like such a good idea that I decided to put some on the front... and a few on the sides as well. Then I figured, "Why stop there? How about a roof??" I thought a brick texture would lend the thing a little more realism... and then I made a feeble attempt at putting a statue out front too. I did this last part mainly so I could laugh at myself later... and then thought y'all might enjoy laughing too!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Library_Preview02.jpg&hash=2b5b2f07169ab18504a3d95fa038e7f360a8f47d)
I still have a lot of details to add. Roof junk, ivy, fix the floors inside... lighting. I may change the roof to make it a little steeper, but I'm still debating that. I'm also considering something else around the back basement area... maybe some mechanical venting or some such thing. But overall, the main building is set now. (I think)
JB
Love the style and size of the front steps...I actually like the statue placed there....needs a pigeon or two tho ::)...I agree about the back... something small that would add a little "in use" look to it. I can't really put it better than that right now.....Looks great overall tho..
It looks good so far (especially now that the first step isn't so much of a doozy), but looking at it from the side, the steps seem a bit long. It may just be the perspective, but they almost seem longer than the building itself. I would suggest shortening the top 'patio' part so that the stairs start closer to the columns. Other than that, the basic structure looks pretty good. I'll be looking forward to the details though. Take it easy.
-edit: I agree with ardecila's suggestion below. Or even as a separate set of stairs on the side, next to one of the existing ones.-
A set of stairs that goes down a 1/2 story from ground level would look nice in the back. Basically an access to the basement.
Also, maybe some windows in window wells, or some short windows that end at ground level?
Duane: Thanks! I've removed the statue for now. I'm going to either place it somewhere else on that landing, or else it will be a prop somewhere out front on the lot.
Matt: Thank you! I shortened both landings a little which I think helped.
Ardecila: The steps are there now... thanks for confirming the idea! ;) I didn't do basement windows this time because I always end up covering them up with shrubs and such anyway. I might still change my mind on that... who knows?
I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment, so I'll just post the update shots and explain stuff later when after I go feed some people.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Library_Day01.jpg&hash=c09aff2a3ece7bdeb9978609673d277533858cb3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Library_Night01.jpg&hash=baf128e45fc30dfb17d8c64dc7db3e9bd0d5a06a)
Now I'm off to work for a few hours!
JB
The library looks nice, although it does need quite a bit of ivy to match the other buildings. I will fit in well with the chapel, and dormatories. On a side note, may I put out the idea of a neoclassical "main" trigger building to counter the Jacobethen current trigger building. Perhaps something along the lines of the Wren Building at the College of William and mary in Williamsburg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wren3.jpg
Sorry, I don't don't quite get the concept of posting pictures.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fc%2Fc4%2FWren3.jpg&hash=7cb41fdb4abbb354d9436f3999de8cf48c5b6f4a)
Here you go, GrizzlyBuilder.
I was in Williamsburg in August, William & Mary and the whole town are beautiful. I even got the meet the President of the College's cat, apparently he wanders around town and has an official W&M collar so everyone knows who he is!
I have really close friends who live there, one is in graduate school at W&M.
And yes, the Wren Building is amazing. Ahem Jon... ::)
Cheers,
Kevin
BigSlark, love the story of the cat....won't show it to my cats, they will want me to wear a collar showing I belong to them....That is a great building too, even if not on jons campus, it would sure look nice in the game.
Jon, the library is looking very good...like the basement steps....a good addition... You sure do put in a lot of work on your projects....it is much appreciated by all of us.
Duane
The library looks great! Can't wait to see the ivy on it, since you make the ivy so realistic. Although, the library looks too boxy, but that's just me.
And Kevin, that story of the cat is great. It kinda reminds me of one of my cats; she thinks she's the empress of the house and will go and sleep wherever she pleases, including the dog beds. :D
-- John
I love this library JB. It's coming along well. I actually liked the statue...maybe not on the stairs, but these old college campuses always have statues.
Be well.
Jon that is looking soo very good.... Im glad you avoided the OSHA fines as once they nail you, you never fall off their radar lol.....
i really like how's going the library :thumbsup:
i like the steps and agree that a statue should go somewhere near a library (he would be Cervantes in spanish speaking countries $%Grinno$%)
mauricio.
Grizzlybuilder: The landscaping crew has gotten the ivy to grow now. I couldn't get your link to work, but I found a couple pictures anyway. That looks like a very possible project at some point... thank you!
Kevin: I was down there in high school... which, alas, was a while ago. The cat may not have even been alive then! :D We'll see what happens. I'll have to find some more (and closer) pictures to do it justice first.
Duane: Thank you! The "work" is always worth it. Frankly, I enjoy doing it... and I still smile a little whenever somebody says "Good work" or something along those lines. This is work? Really? :D
John: Thanks! It is a bit on the boxy side. I originally planned on a rather different shape... but then it didn't happen. What can you do?
CalibanX: Thank you! The statue will find it's way in here somewhere. I still have it... if nothing else, I'll make a prop out of it and use it that way.
Pat: Thank you!
Mauricio: Thanks!
Alright... first I need to explain my previous update. I decided not to change the roof. I shortened both landings on the front steps which I think helped with the overall size. I could make the steps a tad steeper and loose a step or two if it still seems necessary, but I personally don't think so. I lightened up the windows a little and also the brick texture. (I accidently overdarkened it the first time around) I've also added the ivy now. I kept it to a minimum this time just because the walls are rather "crowded" already. That third floor ledge also makes it hard for the ivy to grow around. (You can see a spot I still need to fix)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestlake_Library_Day02.jpg&hash=15efb83605ae0ead86f6a186549b24a815e512fd)
As for the other two trigger buildings, I kind of have plans for both of them already. The W&M idea has peaked my interest and I'll probably do something with it, but I doubt it will be in the "Starter Pack." One of the buildings is based off of my college's "Old Main" and will be the smallest option. It's a three story T shaped building with a central tower... almost a little Victorian influenced. I don't have any pictures handy at the moment, so you'll just have to wait and see. The other one is going to look a little like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCityHall.jpg&hash=26aca48c7d2c6954ea35be3ffdb6a2a81b2b0cad)
This was actually the original city hall for my home town. It burned down a LONG time ago and I stumbled across the pictre in one of the historical books. I thought it fit rather well. My version won't be exact by any means, but I will borrow heavily from this.
That's all for now!
JB
Looks great so far. I'd love to see a sandstone building, there's so few of them in the game, and it's such a lovely material - I know it well because most of our significant historical buildings are made of the stuff and they look FANTASTIC.
Just a thought, not an order. :D
The revamped library looks great, I'm really, really looking forward to this set's completion.
I think I have some photos of Wren Hall, if not, its the only Christopher Wren building in the Americas and I'm sure that some has to have a website about it.
As for old college buildings, here's Millsaps' Old Main, built in 1890 and burned in 1914. I must admit that the building that replaced it is much more stunning, even if they did take out the stained glass windows 50 years ago.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.phimuepsilon.org%2FPictures%2F1914%2520Old%2520Main%2520building.jpg&hash=9fd4dc2ada60d7bd4efd761d0d8a7724c0913dc7)
Old Main, c. 1890
I'll have to take some photos of Murrah Hall this week, its front has some amazing Doric columns and it has huge windows.
Cheers,
Kevin
Cammo: Thanks! I've also noticed that lack. My problem with making them is that I just don't have many good sandstone textures to work with. My previous attempts have always come out looking rather flat and lifeless. One of these days I'm bound to figure out the trick, but I haven't gotten the hang of it so far.
Kevin: So that's the Old Main that burnt down, huh? I still have the link you sent me a long while back for Millsaps. I actually looked at Murrah Hall initially for the library. Based on that single picture, the front facade looks great and I'd love to see more pictures if you're going to be taking some.
With a few minor tweaks, I'm calling the library finished. So I got a start on one of the alternate trigger buildings. This is what I've borrowed from the picture I posted last night.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSaginawOldMain_Preview01.jpg&hash=915f2f0b1bde6a8c11a6d4a7bf7c28055e1e97e8)
The walls depicting the side wings are just there for the sake of showing how the porch fits in. The size of either side is still very much up in the air, so don't look too closely at that part just yet. (Yes, I know I haven't put the steps on the porch yet... let OSHA show up, I'm not scared!) I don't have a name for this one yet... and I'm not real sure what kind of final form it will take just yet. Overall it will probably be about 4x3... compared to the 5.5x3 of the Westlake building.
Thoughts and suggestions (or names) are always appreciated. I know it's an early shot to be picking at, but who knows what I may have screwed up already! ;)
JB
Jon wow that is stunning progress here and this is Oneida County Court House (http://www.co.oneida.wi.gov/county/app/docs/oneida/200710221307539412340.html) built in 1908, Just follow the link to it... Whats stunning is the county just paid a tone of money to have the dome stained glass redone!!!
Hey Jon,
Wow, I have missed so many great new stuff. the building set is becoming huge and wonderful! I love the chapel, and the library, and the new trigger building is looking very promising too.
Just a question, do you also plan to make a rectory/villa for the rectr and perhaps a building with appartments for the resident teachers? I don't know if that is common for american academies. so I am just curious. :)
Strech.
Jon, the facase on the new building is (to borrow a phrase from Pat) Stunning...man that could be the centerpiece/focal point of a whole city! Can't think of a name off the top of my head....well, Fred's Bar & Grill just wouldn't fit! Pat, I love the Oneida courthouse....we have a neat one in my hometown, Prescott, Arizona....fact is it's the focal point for all of downtown...I'll have to dig up a decent pic of the plaza...Isn't it neat how almost all Americans are so very proud of their local courthouses? The old buildings I mean....almost every little town in the country has a building that the county couldn't even afford to look at in today dollars, yet the people sacrificed and built these beautiful edifices.
Oops, rambing again &ops
Pat: Thank you! Oneida County does have a great court house! I remember seeing it at some point during my time up there. That's great that they redid the stained glass. Michigan's capitol building recieved a similar treatment when they restored the interior of the grand rotunda. I'll have to see if I can find some pictures of that.
Strech: Thanks! I don't think that is all that common here in the states, but it isn't unheard of. I'll make a note for one of the later additional packs.
Duane: Thank you! I suppose that makes sense, since the inspiration was city hall at one point. It is too bad that civic buildings don't get the architectural attention that they once did. City halls, libraries, court houses... they all used to be symbols of prosperity and sources of pride. Almost like saying, "Look how great this place is!" But, money conquers all it seems and now function is the main concern. I better stop rambling myself... ;)
I made a fair bit of progress this afternoon. I'm not entirely sure where I'm headed from here though...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSaginawOldMain_Preview02.jpg&hash=76e0943046386747402d77282ccda765035541e2)
I'm trying to decide whether to close the building up as it is now or make it a U shaped footprint. If I close it, I'm worried that the roof will just be overpowering... and most likely way too high (it's a rather steep pitch this time). On the other hand, if I go with the U shape, I'll probably need to widen the front facade somewhat to make things fit together and still look decent. Then there's always the option to just go from three dormers down to two on the sides... that would be closer to the size I originally mentioned last night (it's closer to 4x4 right now), but I think that might make the sides a bit empty looking. So I guess this is all a very long winded way of saying that I just don't know what I'll do yet! Any thoughts?
JB
Jon,
Great work so far! I really, really like this building.
Check out this building's design, Jon. It has "light wells" so that the stairways didn't need any additional lighting, it was built in the 1920's as the Chemistry, Biology, Geology, and Physics Hall at my college. Sullivan-Harrell Hall (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=32.322165,-90.180588&spn=0.001562,0.00339&t=k&z=19&om=1)
When the building was renovated in the 1990's the took out the 1950's additions that bridge these light wells and the natural light in it is amazing.
Cheers,
Kevin
This is off to a nice start. I would cast my vote for making it U-shaped. Maybe add a nice area out back, some tables and the like, for the students to use between classes. The only thing I don't have an opinion on yet is how deep to make it. Given that the roof will be fairly steep, taking it back too far would make it seem cavernous, and might not fit well with the rest of the set. I think taking it back for one dormer might work. Two question for you this time: do you have any plans for the patio at the front of the building; and what is the best way to make things like letters and numbers in the BAT? I'm curious to see where you take this one.
-Matt
The new buildings are looking good. By the time you're done, full universities will be buildable for the first time.
Makes me want to make a college town. :)
this building is looking sooo nice. :thumbsup:
and i'd go with the u- shaped footprint.
mauricio.
Kevin: Thanks! I love these links you keep adding. If I'm not careful, I'll start getting too many ideas... and Lord knows that's the last thing I need! :D
Matt: Thank you! I tinkered around with the depth a couple times and I think I'm happy with it now. I don't have any definite plans for the balcony just yet, but I'm thinking about a seating area/roof garden of some sort? Maybe... :-\ I use the text tool for most lettering. I set it to fit whatever space I need and then scale it up (vertically only) about 130%. You can then extrude that by itself for lettered signs or even do a spline edit for the carved look... much the same way you would add window openings. (That's actually how I did the date stone for this one)
Jason: Thanks! You know how long I've been brainstorming this idea... so I'm glad to finally be getting some real progress on it. And because it's open ended, it can be added to as long as the ideas keep coming.
Mauricio: Thank you! U shaped it is!
I sorted out the footprint with a few minor adjustments. The center portion is slightly wider now. I started to do a small height test with parts of the roof and then I got a little carried away. One thing led to another and now most of the roof is in place.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSaginawOldMain_Preview03.jpg&hash=48646b0672fb8363ca397f4daccb1bbba23df39c)
And then I arrive at another "issue." I like the roof pitch by itself quite a lot. It is definitely steeper than my other ones but I think it fits the building pretty well. However it kind of buries the clock tower now. I can either change the pitch or stretch the tower a bit higher. I'm leaning heavily towards the second choice. And yes, I'll fix the areas where the roof cuts into the tower details while I'm at it! ;) Anyway, I wanted to open it up to suggestions at this point before I get too much further. Lots of details to do and the back wall needs to be made yet too, but it's coming together much better than it was last week!
JB
Hey Jon,
Man those stepped roofs are great, adds a neat look..I agree with stretching the tower up a little...maybe just a scale 6 feet or so...not much. The U-shape is what I would have sugested if I had gottne back here soon enough. Out of curiosity, are we going to need external dependancies for the University? No problem if we are, just kind of curious.
Kevin, is your school in Mississippi? If so is it Starkville?
Duane
JB, judging from the picture the real building's slope did not end at a peak, but was chopped off ¼ to 1/5 of the way up for the side portions. &sly You should do that, and scale down the slope in the center, perhaps shortening the back not by changing the slope but bringing the back end of the u closer to the front so you can get a smaller area and thus a correspondingly shorter final peak - perhaps by stepping the final story of the back end of the U in a similar fashion to the front, giving an illusion that the back is thinner (but it wont really be) and a shorter peak without messing with the slope or the scale.
Hi Jon,
Wow. you are making terrific progress on the 1884 building. And it's great to see that you have made it a U shaped building :) I agree with oldrogue. It adds so much more character in my honest opinion. :)
You could change the roof into a mansard roof like fledgeling suggests. But I quite like the current one. The tower is "fat" enough to stretch it and make it a bit taller. or you could insert a floor with open bellfry windows or something like that.
In any case I would suggest to make the tower taller.
Strech.
Jon,
I think I like Fledgeling's idea of making that section narrower to lower the over all height of the roof. You could still make the tower higher, though. ;)
You are just going crazy with this project, I love it.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
This is looking fantastic! I have been looking for a grand county courthouse for my region and this will work perfectly. in the pic of the real building the peak of the roof comes in under the halfway mark on the tower, so the tower should definitely be taller. The real building didn't really seem to have steps at the entrance, but i hope you can work in some dramatic steps at the front.
&apls
Honestly, I'd change it to a mansard roof like on the original photo. You don't find hip roofs that crazy except on luxury suburban homes. Plus, you can add those fun little spires at the corners of the rooftop!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg460.imageshack.us%2Fimg460%2F1219%2F6494560ju4.jpg&hash=3e2707996cb24ec7f598f5f51e5f6b2b47d5374f)
Duane: Thanks! There will be some external dependencies, yes. I don't have a full list yet, but it will probably be very close to the list from the Swan Majestic with the addition of some BSC Park sets.
Fledgeling: I believe you're right about the original building's roof, but I didn't end up doing that just yet. I tried making the center portion with a smaller roof, but then ran into the problem where the peak was right at the back of the bell tower, which didn't look so hot either.
Strech: Thank you! I scaled the tower up a little bit more. It didn't really take much and I think it did the trick.
Robin: Thanks!
Ardecila: Aack!!! Anything but suburbia!!! :D I tried this idea first... and still added the fun little spires anyway. It's still open to change though.
I had a wonderful morning today! I spent two hours at the dentist getting prepped and fitted for two crowns. Then I spent a while just letting the one side of my mouth do whatever it wanted thanks to the novacaine or whatever he used. So I thought, "What better way to pass the time than to sit here and BAT while I drool all over myself?" And that's just what I did...
I stretched the tower another half a story and fixed the little details to fit the roof line better. Then I did the back wall and porch. I still haven't come up with a staircase for the front yet. I've had a couple ideas, but none that quite fit the size I need for the path. So I went back around and started adding the finishing details on various areas. Which brings us to right about here:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSaginawOldMain_EastSouth01.jpg&hash=782e72107332bd879eaaf3e4c6e9bc77564f038d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSaginawOldMain_WestNorth01.jpg&hash=231f1b5fc10bdf72a9d5db7512e569c93a6d20ad)
I'm not sure if I want to continue the crenelation detail on all the smaller dormers or leave them as is. I think it might be a bit much if I do all of them. I'm also still debating side entrances. Still a fair bit to do, but I'm going to need to think of a name before too much longer. So far it's just labeled as "Saginaw Old Main" :D
JB
wow, love the details you have yet added &apls &apls
i'd say you don't need to add side entrances, but that's my opinion &Thk/( :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Jon, I was thinking I'd agree with the no side entrances...but then back in time wouldn't they have had a top floor fire escape on one or both sides?
Racking my brain but can't help with the name unless ... given the date of construction...something to honor Abraham Lincoln?
Ah well.....will look forward to the next update and hope your teeth don't hurt when the novacaine wears off &cry2
I would leave the crenellations as-is. If they maintained their height, they would look off, but even in small form it might still be too much. I like the stairs from the back, but as for the front I have no suggestions. That weathervane at the top is a nice touch though. Glad to hear the post-dental numbness was able to be used so well. I'm using the dead spots (when I just have to put down the books) in my studying for law finals to tinker with the BAT a bit more. Thanks for the tip about the text tool. I've seen it in passing before, but never really noticed it (obviously, hence the previous question heh heh). Who knows, with the time in between semesters, I might open a thread here to get some feedback and pointers. Hope the pain isn't too bad from the dental work, and I'll see you next time.
I'll do a proper reply when I haven't stayed up way past my bedtime... %confuso
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It still doesn't quite fit properly, but it's close. I just thought I'd post it now to see if I'm headed in a good direction lest I continue racking my brain for something that looks like poo... If this is a workable solution, I plan to add some kind of built in planter, statue, land scaping something or other between the stair cases. The red is my measuring stick for the path... so you can see I'm still a touch too narrow right now. Your thoughts?
JB
Hey Jon the progress for the front steps is looking decent and I do have to say you are heading down the right stepps lol....
Just wondering is this something like the way you are planning for the pathway...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg458.imageshack.us%2Fimg458%2F7720%2Fsaginawoldmainporchtestpg3.jpg&hash=0d633bfdc4fccece993de59e83046b2bc60246cb)
then having a statue sitting in the middle or more by the back wall???
I would have to second Pat's idea, however, I would suggest just a Y made with right angles: straight down, straight to the middle, then down with a fountain or something in the resulting rectangle. If you want to keep the curve, I think it might be interesting to see full curves (I'm not sure how it would fit with the angularity of the building, but it would be interesting to see).
Quote from: threestooges on December 05, 2007, 10:31:58 PM
I would have to second Pat's idea, however, I would suggest just a Y made with right angles: straight down, straight to the middle, then down with a fountain or something in the resulting rectangle. If you want to keep the curve, I think it might be interesting to see full curves (I'm not sure how it would fit with the angularity of the building, but it would be interesting to see).
i couldn't agree more ;)
mauricio.
Mauricio: (Part One) Thanks! I'm leaning towards no side entries as well.
Duane: Thank you! You're probably right about the fire escapes, although I've gotten away with skipping them on all the other buildings so far. So I'm not sure if I'll add them here or not. If I do, then I'll feel like I need to go back and redo all the other ones... which I can't say as I'm thrilled about. :D
Matt: (Part One) Thanks for the opinion on the crenelations. That's kind of what I was thinking and it always helps me to have things confirmed by someone else. I skipped over the text tool for quite a while too before I finally had one of those "let's see what this does" moments.
Pat: Thanks! That's not really what I have planned, no. The red is the size of the full path which matches up with the wider paths I showed textures for earlier. I do plan on adding something between the stair cases so the path would essentially "end" at the base of the steps.
Matt: (Part Two) I foresee two problems with what you describe, although I won't rule it out until I've tried it. If I make a right angle with each stair case, they'll either need to be pushed out even further to the sides to allow room for a T path in between. I also think the open space between the porch and the lower steps would end up looking quite narrow and crowded. As for the full curve... well, that's just more geometry than I feel confident in knowing! :D
Mauricio: (Part Two) Why in the world did I start another response? See above... ::) :D
Thanks for all the feedback. I'm at work for now, but I'll have some more to show this evening I'm sure.
JB
I really like the angle of the steps, it contrasts well with the buildings angles and yet still fits perfectly (!?!)...
I see what you mean about the fire escapes....oh what the heck, lettem jump :o....seriously the only reason I would consider them on this building is the size of the building and to highlight a side view.
Yeah, I kind of forsaw some potential problems when I was describing it too. But if it worked out, it could look pretty good. As far as the curved staircase goes, I agree with you about the geometry thing; it's doable, but takes quite a bit of time. I will be interested to see how it comes out though.
Oh my :P this is looking too good :thumbsup: Reminds me about Smithsonian Institue / Museum, I've seen it only at games (and recently burned it to ground when playing Act of War $%Grinno$% ), but it still great building.
"burned it to the ground" Man that was really rude.... :D
Duane: Thanks! I'm hoping the ivy will be enough to give the sides a little more visual interest. If not, maybe I'll give the poor kids a way out!
Matt: How does this one grab you? ;)
Krio: Thanks and welcome to the thread! Usually, I ask people to make at least three posts here before they start burning stuff... but that's just a personal preferrence of mine. :D
I think I finished up the porch area. I also added a little more trim work on the roof (and then forgot to do the tower roof... oops!). I also added the initial textures.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSaginawOldMain_Preview04.jpg&hash=4c527ca571b50ff3b8a581d9a896f7eb18da77d2)
I think we're getting close now. As far as I can tell, I still have roof junk, ivy, and interior work before calling this one finished. And then we're down to one more building to finish the set!
JB
One more building and off to the test line it goes. :thumbsup:
lovely &apls &apls
mauricio.
&apls with the textures the green of the crenelations is a perfect contrast....and the pigeon roost....er...statue is just right in the planter (?) area. I'm now in the officialy excited stage.....
Oh, and since they're kids, let'em climb down the ivy, after all they're more athletic than old (inappropriate term)s like me....and anyway, being college kids they've prolly snuck out of their dorm rooms that way anyhow ::)
Nice work (I'll still call it that) Jon
JBSimio: Remember making those driveway/path lots? And the fact that to have function as C$$ (or whatever) the outbuildings of Westlake Modular need road access?
Well, solution for parking lots: the SAM - variation #1
Solution for pathways: Ped Malls!!
One last thing: if you are going to make an ivy walls set, PLEASE make sure to make a gate lot TE'd for street traffic, or a lot where the wall has an open gate and a wall segment on a 1x1 tile. that way, access to the REAR of the academy can be RESTRICTED. those gate lots could also have little gatehouses, perhaps?
wall/gate lot idea:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FWall_Lot.jpg&hash=7ae454eeffa56d5eec225d5a14667188620289c3)
NOTE: This is something i whipped up in a minute or 2 in a program called Solidworks. It is meant to get an idea across.
Sorry for jacking your thread, but i needed to say this and words wouldn't work and the picture did.
Amazing is the first word that comes to mind! :thumbsup:
Cheers,
Kevin
&apls very nice. the stairs are awesome. Good work Jon :thumbsup:
Very nice JB. I like the placement of the stairs, and the statue looks perfect. This is a beautiful building.
It's looking great JB.
Can't wait for that set.
Bluebeard: Well... sort of... :D I still have quite a bit of lotting and modding to do as well. But we are getting closer...
Mauricio: Thank you!
Duane: Thanks! Try not to get too excited though. Remember what happened last time? $%Grinno$%
Dragonhardz: Hmmm... I'm not sure if it's that simple or not. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know a lot about the inner workings of SAM, so it could be possible. If someone can tell me that there is a way to make functioning "streets" that will only look like campus driveways on campus (and then teach me how to do that), then you may be onto exactly what I've hoped for since the very beginning of this idea. Ped Malls wouldn't really solve anything as they only provide an alternate access to a building or lot. Street access is still needed or it won't function. With that in mind, I'm not sure I see the point there. I'm not turning down either idea at this point, I just need more information and/or knowledge before I can make any type of decision. As for the gate... consider it on the list!
Kevin: Thank you!
Edge: Thanks to you too!
CalibanX: Thank you as well!
Pvarcoe: And thank you also!
I'm in the midst of my first 12-13 hour day right now with the other one being tomorrow. So, I probably won't get a whole lot finished this weekend. I did want to respond to the SAM/Ped Mall idea right away though in the hopes that someone who knows more about those things may stop by and could answer better than I can.
Until I finish cooking...
JB
Well Jon.....
Don't work to hard on these long days...
and don't worry....I've taken my meds so won't get to excited :D
Unless of course the voices tell me to &mmm
the SAM has a varition on the street texture that is a parking lot texture. ped malls would work if the outbuildiings had, say, commercial function. all that would need to be done is make a mass-transit lot (subway, bus, el-rail, etc), most likely bus, and just mod it so that it does not visibly produce bus automata. the cobblestone pedmalls would work fine for that.
however, if you wish to go with the driveway/path set you have already constructed, that's your decision.
it is your lot, not mine ;)
Jon that is looking real good and with the flora and statue in the middle back section.... Thank you for clearing up the confussion before about the path way....
Well I think that statue thing works out quite nicely. As far as your SAM questions go I would recommend talking with jplumbley or diggis (they are two of the members, among many other, who I know have been working on it). Since you have the textures, it should just be a matter of creating the necessary files for it. I haven't been keeping up with the recent developments, but I'm sure they can tell you what you need in the SAM thread (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1617.540). I just finished my Civil Procedure final today so I'm a bit pooped (but at least I got what seems to be the toughest one out of the way first), so I'll keep this (somewhat) short today. I think all that is left is a few things on the patio and that should wrap it up nicely. With 12-13 hour days, make sure you get some rest, you don't want to get run down this time of year. Have a good weekend.
-Matt
Duane: I tried not to get too carried away. The nice thing is that prime rib and turkey both just sit in the oven and cook themselves! :D
Dragonshardz: Now I'm even more confused. If SAM already has a texture you like, I'm not entirely sure what you're asking for. &mmm I'm still looking into the ped mall part. I'll have to look into the bus stop thing as well. Different automata are spawned in sometimes strange ways, so I'll have to see if a bus stop can be made without busses.
Pat: Thanks! And you're welcome! :)
Matt: I'll talk to jplumbley shortly and see what can or cannot be done. Glad to hear you're wrapping the semester up! I nearly forgot about dressing up that balcony. Thanks for the reminder!
Between cooking and serving and carving and whatever else I've done for the last couple days, I managed to get most of the ivy in place. It needs a few touch ups... particularly in the back where it repeats a little more than it should... but that shouldn't take long. I also added some roof junk and a few more details here and there:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_SouthWest02.jpg&hash=95c22fcc0972886d3182e11ea53b829258282605)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_EastNorth02.jpg&hash=4c10046285d1249faaeef8f956d6eb5a670d146d)
In other news... this building finally has a name! I just decided to pay homage to various friends I have scattered all over the place now. "Olson" is one of my good friends that I see in California. "Ahlers Memorial Library" and "Conger Acedmic Center" (which is the one I haven't built yet) are the other two LA friends.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_Sign.jpg&hash=9cfcfb16fbd7967124ca1391dd0ca3a9db3b184c)
Oh but wait! There's more! Here at Monkey Around Productions, we have very strict rules about overtime. The biggest rule is that any time I personally have to work more than ten hours in a given day, the monkeys are also required to put in at least one extra hour each. The consequences for breaking this rule can be extreme and I have been known not to order bananas for over a week in such times where disciplinary action was deemed necessary (and approved by those pesky lawyers)! With that in mind... I'd like to present you with
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FChelseaMills_Day.jpg&hash=2a873361bd69f50127254dc2c1c4756f46285cfd)
Chelsea Mills Grain Elevator (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1367)
Have a great evening!
JB
Very nice ;D
dizzying array of dependencies, but all worth it!
Jon that is very very very ooh did i say very great??? Chelsea will make a truely great addition to New Castia Region ooh and You are truely skilled here and the progress on Olson Hall and that sign is wonderful... The bronze trim gone green is superb!!!!!!!!
Dang man, you do bats faster than I can read :D
Your work is awesome.. Also I'd like to get a job like yours where you get 5 hour lunch breaks.. I know you can't be doing that on a REAL lunch HOUR! LOL
ok, JB, i'll explain through pictures as soon as i get home. right now i'm borrowing my cousin's computer...
Very nice Jon....to quote Pat....very very nice....guess I've got to (sigh) play the game today to see that new grain elevator I just down loaded &apls &apls &apls &apls and thank you by the way.
Duane
Sim Shady: Thank you! Yeah... it's a large lot with a fair amount of empty space on it. What's a guy to do? ;)
Pat: Thanks! Your enthusiasm always brings a smile... I really appreciate it. Just thought you should know... :)
SC4Boy: Thank you! Five hour lunch breaks? You forget that I'm the guy who feeds everyone during their lunch break. If I get a lunch at all, it happens around 2PM and lasts until the first peson comes in my office to ask about dinner... or roughly 10 minutes. :D
Dragonshardz: No hurry... given the size of this project, I think there's plenty of time still!
Duane: Thanks! Sorry I'm making you play more... shame on me!
So... I think it's done! I hope so anyway. I'll let y'all decide that part for sure. Here are all four sides for the Olson Academic Center, day and night:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_SouthWestDay03.jpg&hash=79b22930e743241309ec649bca149c05326691dd)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_EastNorthDay03.jpg&hash=ca33d177d3fccdfca2dc63723c9c9b0eb0819b85)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_SouthWestNight01.jpg&hash=c4a9b2b3254db42045b89477eee5dfa7330fd9ef)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FOlson_EastNorthNight01.jpg&hash=5092fe95f1295f601753842503a4ff7d1e7440b1)
In other news, I was thinking I needed some props to place along the various campus paths. I'll probably make them into a random family for more variety. (Having a trash can on every straight piece of pathway would kind of suck, if you ask me.) I'm hoping for about five or so... one will be a trash can, and then these two.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCampusProps_Preview01.jpg&hash=27d3195410ce45210d1def0670dfad36fd7f41e0)
The top is one of those emergency call boxes to the poor drunk freshman can call campus security when the frat boy won't take no for an answer. :D The other is a bulliten board for all those fliers that everyone likes to pin up all over the place... "stop the war," "boycott Wal-Mart," "come to our party and get hit on by frat boys"... you get the idea. I'm open to other suggestions at this point. They should be smallish things that you would find along the various walkways around campus.
That's all for now...
JB
Jon that is fantastic and I think your done with it as well IMHO!!! aawww shucks im glad i bring a smile to at least someones face....
:)
Some other thoughts for the pathways
1.) Bench
2.) either additional piece but a place to rest on the grass, IE a picnic spot...
Other then those 2 thougths i dunno?? Either way Jon you are doing a great job!!!
Quote from: JBSimio on December 09, 2007, 06:43:44 PM
So... I think it's done!
::) ::)
Olson Academic Center is great &apls
i agree with Pat about the benches and i would add lamp posts if there aren't anyone yet.. (although i think lights should not appear randomly, just appear allways or never..)
great job as allways
mauricio.
Olson Academic Center looks fantastic! One little thing I noticed though, it may just be me, but the clock on the tower looks a little small, considering there's a lot of empty space up there.
Anyways, I like the emergency call boxes and the bulletin boards for props, although most of the time the bulletin board is emptier than the light poles. :D
I think a bench would be a good idea for another prop, since I've seen those around my college campus. I also think some lightpoles would be good, and possibly trees/flowers in planters.
-- John
Pat: Thanks! A bench? Well that was so obvious I feel like an idiot now! &ops
Mauricio: Thank you! You're right and I should have been more specific. Lamp posts will be a more controlled prop.
John: Thanks! I think the clock fits alright... if you look back at the picture I started with (page 44, I think) you'll notice some bare space up there as well.
I wanted to pop back in and clarify my thoughts a little better about the prop ideas. Lamp posts are a given and will be evenly spaced as much as possible. I can't really include trees in the "random" idea either, because the seasonal trees are made up of more than one prop. A prop family can only call one prop at a time... and it would look pretty silly if there was only a tree there from April until July and then it disappeared. :D So I guess I'm looking for ideas of the more random things you see around campus. The ones that aren't everywhere, but just scattered around here and there. Does that make any more sense than my original post? Probably not... I should really just give up and stop talking.
While we're on the subject of idea gathering, I'll go ahead and throw another one at you. I'm fast approaching the point where "JB's Modular University" will no longer cut it for a name. I have a couple ideas that are very name specific... but, alas, I have no name yet. (Westlake Academy is going to be strictly for the full campus lot.) So, what I would like to do is gather some ideas for the official university name. Once I get a decent selection, I'll narrow the selection down and let everyone vote. The winner will get... um... I don't know what just yet... so it will be a surprise prize. But there will be something! ;) Before you start throwing ideas my way, a couple "ground rules."
- The name should be somewhat generic so that it applies to as many areas as possible. -I'm from Michigan and North Carolina... don't suggest Ohio State or Duke unless you want me to stop responding to you entirely! :D
- I would prefer a "University of ---" or "--- University" type of format if possible.
- The abbreviation for the name should be acceptable and non-offensive. -no Fordham University, etc. Sure it may be funny, but come on
- While not required, feel free to include a mascot and/or graphic (school seal, crest, etc.), slogan, whatever else... to match your name.
- When thinking of names, consider the fact that the name will not just be in the campus itself, but also on everything released for the project. So it should be somewhat unique and recognizableto avoid potential confusion. -I will release these with titles much like I do for my other series. ie. SHUR - Swan Majestic, or SmalltownUSA - Tiffany's.
I think that covers everything. Let the brainstorming competition begin!
JB
Winterton University. (just to get it in there) :thumbsup:
Jon dont feel like an idiot noooo tisk tisk, you are by far from that, its just that you forgot and that happens.... I will submit a name a wee bit later, Im gonna have to think of a dandy one!!!
The Olson Academic center has developed into a true beauty JB :thumbsup:
And concerning the name of your modular university... Why ask this when I have a free morning? :D Here's my entry for the contest ;D LOL
I can't find of an offensive meaning for the abreviation of CU except 'See you' so I think I'm safe here. And the name Clayhurst is actualy inspired by Westlake. really? yes! My first association with Westlake was Westpoint. the American military academy. So I took the name of the British military academy, Sandhurst. and turned sand into clay. Just like point "was perhaps" changed in lake. :) Perhaps, the explanation dumbs it down a bit, but there it is. My inspiration for this little contest.
I will start with a couple of drafting posters. To inspire girls and boys in highschools all over Simnation to become a true Clayhurst Wasp!! :D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg411.imageshack.us%2Fimg411%2F3115%2Fgraduationhomebc4.jpg&hash=3bc6ed65498b76dd3cfc8b2f1cbba81b3306bdb8)
For the future lady students...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg411.imageshack.us%2Fimg411%2F7233%2F20070914oxfordoverlwah3.jpg&hash=51050cc3440f5343c6c0875f64f4b8dac8e340a1)
And for the future fratboys.
As you might have guessed, the Mascot for the Clayhurst is a wasp called "stinger" and coincidentily that is also the nickname for the Clayhurst fratboys...don't ask me why.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg411.imageshack.us%2Fimg411%2F3647%2Fclayhurstlogomn5.gif&hash=b9d4367ab51e1873e3b1b862a4e79d1d3d1132d3)
The University of Clayhurst logo. In my opinion the cartouche with the capital C would be a good looking yet simple logo. very recognisable. (And if it is the winning bid it could easily be transfered on a building as a logo in my humble opinion.)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg411.imageshack.us%2Fimg411%2F9456%2Fclayhurstcrestyc7.gif&hash=8920b225cd8975212f24f762e2fb9c137e46e804)
Here is the old Crest of Clayhurst. It is used asthe sign for the "Clayhurst Alumni Club". Whose members are all poud wasps. And again, just like the Clayhurst logo above you can see the motto of Clayhurst University. 'Ipso Scientia Potestas Est' or 'Knowledge itself is power!'
Quite a fitting motto for an institute of higher learning I thought ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg411.imageshack.us%2Fimg411%2F6730%2Fclayhurststingersys2.jpg&hash=cb4c0d4d0276f52fbb3577c4de4af2f899811922)
And last but not least, the logo of the Clayhurst Stingers. The rewarded Rugby team of Clayhurst University. as you can also see on the poster above. Naturally their logo is also decorated with their beloved Stinger. ::)
Well, that's it really. Hope that you all like it.
Strech 'stinger' nitz. :P
Hey Jon, nice job wish I could think of something to nit pic on, but oh well, there is always the next time :P.
As for small randoms ..... fire hydrants, bike racks, cheerleaders!
As my other brain cell is out for it's monthly flossing, will have to wait till it gets back for a University name...
Don't tell Strech, but I really like his idea though.
Duane
Super work Jon. This is coming along very well.
Robin :thumbsup:
Hubert did you get that one logo from University of Wisconsin by a chance lol... Well that shoots out my one logo, don't want to have any repeats...
OK so here is my submission to the University Contest....
University of Whitewater Rapids
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg106.imageshack.us%2Fimg106%2F4535%2Fuwrcrestxn4.jpg&hash=46997cb3f11c9b857f6a9f17d5c079bd7a76229e)
Add poster for UWR
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Leading edge for technologies at UWR
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg148.imageshack.us%2Fimg148%2F6242%2Ftechnologiesxe7.jpg&hash=ac5d1254b55ce2d1a4dfe2136d122b4dd5c2ad0b)
QuoteHubert did you get that one logo from University of Wisconsin
Why yes indeed I have ;D And I loved it's simplicity :) I am sorry that you can't use it now. :(
I also like your Whitewater entry :)
Strech.
hehehe well Hubert you know they say great minds think alike and you did the logo sooo much more justice!!! Thank you for the compliament :)
Ooh, I quite like the university contest. Hopefully I'll be able to submit an entry either today or tomorrow.
-- John
Yeah, um, I got nothing.
Diggis: Thanks for the suggestion!
Strech: Wow! Talk about raising the bar! Thank you for what looks like quite a bit of thought and everything else that went into your idea!
Duane: Thanks! Bike racks and fire hydrants both sound like good options.
Robin: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks for your entry! I really like that second picture with the rapids.
John: I'll be looking for your thoughts then!
Dragonshardz: Well, um... that's OK too! ;)
RL kind of took a couple pot shots at me the last couple of days. We've been having some very messy weather with rain turning to ice turning back to rain turning to maybe snow later... ad nauseum... since Sunday evening. The school groups that were supposed to be coming to camp yesterday officially cancelled their plans as of this morning. So, I've been kind of running around trying to figure out what's happening... what to do with the food I already have on hand... who still needs to get fed... all that fun stuff. This is all my rather long-winded way of saying that I don't really have anything new to show at the moment.
I did get the Ahlers Memorial Library and Olson Academic Center rendered last night, but I haven't had a chance to test lot them yet. I also made a start on the final "Conger Academic Center," but I didn't really like it much. I often find that starting a brand new building right after finishing a very detailed building gives me troubles. I tend to think that the new one is too plain of "flat" looking, when half the time it's fine... I just still have all the ornate stuff still lodged in my head. I think the last one is going to have a dome though... I can tell you that much. Kind of like the University of Notre Dame in Indiana... although not quite so guady. (I don't mean that in a bad way... it's a beautiful building... just that I'm not going to make it quite so distinctive) I figured that will give three central buildings... one with a central tower, one with a clock tower, and one with a dome. Anyway, we'll see what happens when I get home later. With any luck, I'll have a preview to show this evening.
Keep the names coming!
JB
Great news Jon, you just take your time and take care of RL first. ;)
Robin :thumbsup:
I'm probably the only one posting who doesn't know the answer to this one.. but can you stack the 4 seasons of a seasonal tree and then identify the stack of 4 trees as a "prop"? then gather sets of these sets of 4 into a "family"?
Quote from: SC4BOY on December 11, 2007, 12:50:22 PM
I'm probably the only one posting who doesn't know the answer to this one.. but can you stack the 4 seasons of a seasonal tree and then identify the stack of 4 trees as a "prop"? then gather sets of these sets of 4 into a "family"?
No, it doesn't work that way. You stack those four seasonal props onto each other, but they are still four individual props, and behave like that. So if you would put the trees into prop families, the summer oak might "magically" turn into a fall elm and then a winter cottonwood, followed by a blooming chestnut tree. ;)
Hey JB!
Finally got around to making my picture to illustrate the idea i had earlier about the SAM and Ped Malls.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi234.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee71%2FDragonshardz%2FUniversity_Example.jpg&hash=55dac31bc026b02f2bbcfdef2be29a41ecb3f156)
The parking lot is a street with the SAM Beta 1 - Texture Variation 1 - Parking Lots. This would be easier, save menu space, and be easier to find than yet another icon. the Ped Malls are the cobblestone textured ones, but any version could be used really. these would provide access to the school buildings (but the main one would have street access), which could have a slight amount of commercial jobs. The subway stop (realized that after looking through Swamper77's creation threads that if it is a bus stop, it WILL generate bus automata and nothing can be done about that. also there isn't a subway stop in the pic, forgot about that :-[) would be nothing more than a way for the sims to get onto the pedmalls. according to the NAM readme, there MUST be a mass-transit building adjacent to the pedmalls for the sims to access them.
Does the picture explain it better?
Robin: Yeah... unfortunately RL always has to come first. ??? :D
SC4Boy: Andreas basically answered the question already, but it is something I had tried to figure out myself at one point. There are some rather unfortunate limits to what can be done with props, I'm afraid.
Andreas: Thanks for covering that. Actually, I thought if you tried to put timed props into a family, you would end up with a fall elm that would simply disappear and leave you with nothing when winter came around. Not that it helps this discussion specifically, but I wonder if you can use the RKT4 exemplars to at least get a "two for one" deal when it comes to prop families... &Thk/(
Dragonshardz: OK... I see where you're going now. Although, it honestly still brings me back to the question of what you're asking me to do then? If the SAM textures are there... and the Ped Malls are there... then by all means use them. The whole point of this project is to mix and match whatever works best for each particular person. Nothing says you have to use the paths and driveways I'm making. Or am I still missing the point?
I started tinkering with the final building this evening. I'm not entirely thrilled with it just yet, but here is the first preview:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview01.jpg&hash=65ce0737370db5c77273b433ae332d84acddeb0c)
Right now, it's shaping up to a situation where the dome woule be off-center in one direction. I suppose that could possibly work, but it sounds pretty strange to me. So we'll see what happens tomorrow.
In other news... I did get the library and Olson AC on their lots. Both are 5x4 lots. They could have fit on 5x3, but that would have left nearly nothing on the front of each one. Darn oversized porches anyway! :D
That's about it for this time,
JB
my point is that since the SAM can be used for parking lots and the pedmalls for building access, it's really unneccesary to build driveway and path lots. all i can do though, is try to influence your decision.
Maybe the best bet would to make the driveways and paths optional in an installer... &idea
that's about it.
Like the new center's start jon....the front porch makes it look like a slightly earlier era...will it have been historicly the first building of the campus? Offset dome don't sound all that good to me either :(... I like the basic shape of the building tho.....is it going to be bigger than the others?
Stay warm...and we can have a nice pot luck with all the left over food you have &apls....of course you'll have to come and get everyone.... ()stsfd()
You know what Jon i feel like a dork i didnt even see that you replied to the entries at hand yesterday when i poked my head in here but you know what im glad i waited a bit cause good things come to those of us who wait for it... I do love the idea that you was probley be going for the Norte Dame look but now that im seeing what you started hmmm it has great potential!!!
Quote from: JBSimio on December 11, 2007, 08:32:44 PM
Andreas: Thanks for covering that. Actually, I thought if you tried to put timed props into a family, you would end up with a fall elm that would simply disappear and leave you with nothing when winter came around. Not that it helps this discussion specifically, but I wonder if you can use the RKT4 exemplars to at least get a "two for one" deal when it comes to prop families... &Thk/(
Well, to be honest, I never tried that, but I always assumed that once the season changed, the game would simply pick one of the available props from the family, so the prop for a seasonal tree would change over the year. I
think you are able to use those "semiseasonal" props (as Cycledogg called them) in a prop family, though. They are set up in a way that you only have to place one prop (and thus only using one ID), but the game calls a second model that is specified in the prop exemplar file once it's triggered by the date (or whatever). This would allow you to use summer/winter or summer/fall trees, creating a bit more randomness compared to the standard props. But true seasonal trees look better, of course. ;)
Dragonshardz: Well for that matter, the game already has a university and a bunch of other buildings that you can pretend are part of it, so this whole project could really be considered "unnecessary." ;) (Don't take that the wrong way... I'm not trying to be a jerk about it... I'm just saying) But that's not really the point. The point is to try to provide for as many playing styles as is feasible... and frankly not everyone may want to use Ped Malls (for example). As I said, you can easily keep what you want and delete what you don't want. I don't know how the packaging is going to be finished yet, but plenty of people can attest that I am organized almost to the point of being anal about it. Whatever the final installer does, it will be very simple to find and delete anything you may want to get rid of.
Duane: All three of these trigger buildings are supposed to have kind of an "Old Main" feel to them. The original Westlake one probably fails miserably on that part, but these things happen. ;) I have a couple new ideas that should hopefully re-center the dome. Right now, the building is aiming towards the same lot size as the Olson building was. But it's still early... so we'll see!
Pat: Thank you! No need to feel like a dork though... unless of course you want to! Then by all means, do what you do! :D
Andreas: I've never actually tried it either, I just based that guess on the fact the a family calls one single prop at a time. I'm not sure if it pays attention to the display time or not. I agree that the full seasonal trees are infinitely better. The thought just led me to wonder about the RKT4 exemplars and whether that would work in a general kind of way. (Imagine that... me going off on an unrelated tangent!) :D
Just catching up on some replies for now. I'll have more later today when I'm done feeding the stranded staff members here.
JB
Quote from: Andreas on December 12, 2007, 04:34:52 AM
Well, to be honest, I never tried that, but I always assumed that once the season changed, the game would simply pick one of the available props from the family, so the prop for a seasonal tree would change over the year. I think you are able to use those "semiseasonal" props (as Cycledogg called them) in a prop family, though. They are set up in a way that you only have to place one prop (and thus only using one ID), but the game calls a second model that is specified in the prop exemplar file once it's triggered by the date (or whatever). This would allow you to use summer/winter or summer/fall trees, creating a bit more randomness compared to the standard props. But true seasonal trees look better, of course. ;)
I would have thought that if you used standard seasonal tree in a prop family it would call the one tree, and then only display it for the season and then not display anything as it is still calling that tree. It wouldn't pick another one, otherwise we could make all seasonal trees a single family, comprising of 4 trees, one for each season.
Good point, BUT the ingame university isn't modular...
Like I said, your project, your choice. Nuthin' I can do about what gets sent out and what doesn't. ;)
Offset dome...*shudders*
Diggis: That was always my understanding of things as well.
Dragonshardz: Don't worry... I'm going to change some things so that the dome will fit properly! ;)
I didn't have a whole lot of free time today, so I doubt there will be an update for the Conger building (CAC) tonight. I did tinker with a couple different "quad" areas though. I also got the two latest buildings on their initial lots. This doesn't look like much yet... but here's a sneak peek.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Quad01.jpg&hash=90e82684d8f672bf8e94a83f3bb22a0ecc297a6e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWL_Quad02.jpg&hash=683b9b8f6429b54ea07906fcc39ea46b10369b31)
I basically just wanted to check the textures (I had to make a couple of them)... and the overall sizes. The first one is a 7x7... the second is 7x9. I added the buildings so you can see how the paths line up and all that fun stuff. I could easily shave 2 tiles off each direction, but that would mean no paths going along the sides of the buildings to connect with the quad itself. I opted for leaving room for other paths. But maybe the other way is perfectly OK... I don't know. I'll probably make a couple more variations... and of course there will be a lot of props added and stuff yet.
JB
My first impression is I like both sizes....like the paterns that you have created with walks.....will be eye catching to say the least.....for something like this...size don't really matter (!) because when it is implemented by a mayor it will be a "special" project. Speaking of that...do you realize how many varieations we're going to see in the Pictures Competion :thumbsup:. I find when I am building a specific area with growable I tend to keep the zones fairly small....whereas when I am plopping a project......I tend to throw out my mental rules of size and go for the overall appearence of the the area.....oh well...looks real good anyhow...
Don't forget to rest between work and batting. :)
Jon OMG that is looking so wonderful and dont worry i wont feel like a dork... Man talk about mouth watering!!!
Duane: Thanks! I tend to agree with the size part. Some of these campuses can be pretty huge sprawling places.
Pat: Thank you!
I got a little more done on the Conger AC. I'm kind of veering off from my normal working order for some reason. In some ways, this may not look like a whole lot, but I've done a lot of the little details that I normally would have saved for later. Anyway... the dome is back to being centered now. ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview02.jpg&hash=c12d8337bc4e0477d0516660bac1c42b3d4854be)
I haven't figured out quite what I want to do with the sides yet. I also changed the posts on the front porch... but I might go back to the greenish painted look after all. I'm not fully decided on that one yet either. That's about it for today...
JB
Sorry I haven't been around too much lately, but finals are in progress now, so that takes some time (law school finals are interesting...in a good way though). The new academic center is looking pretty good. I like the porch in its current design and those two things at the bottom of the stair are a nice addition. The dome should bring this whole building together, but it's looking pretty good now.
Jon you are soo welcomed and that is looking very good...
I think the grass texture that the diagonal roads (and marrast's embankment fillers) use would look better with your BATs then that really green one.
I think so far the modular lots he has shown us are simply test lots
Matt: I'm glad you like it, thanks! I hope your finals are going and continue to go well!
Pat: Thanks again!
Jason: Yes, so you've mentioned. Like I said, the textures are made to match up with the BSC park sets. The choices for a full set of reverse overlay textures (to make the paths with) is pretty limited to begin with and this one is IMO the best of those choices. They pay their grounds keepers very well at this school. ;)
Dragonshardz: At this point, yes... they're all just for placement and sizing. All the finishing still needs to be done.
I put a fairly decent dent into this one today. I got the sides done... except for porches. I finished up the gutters... added a few more details here and there... did some other stuff I don't remember doing anymore. I also started on the dome:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview03.jpg&hash=42db10ee80ce8a5aac193a5f4d3bee2610dbeeda)
Ignore the textures for now. To use a page out of Jestarr's book... "They're just for the visual." In all honesty, I haven't got any idea of what I'm doing for a color scheme up there yet! Any ideas are more than welcome there. I still have to come up with a topper for the whole thing... and the overall size strikes me as a touch small right now. It's a start anyway... :D
JB
A flagpole perhaps?
Hi Jon,
Looks pretty good....I like the dome, but my first impression was "too small" .... hmm great minds ::).... flagpole or weather vane? Oops fone call....atcha later.
Looks very accurate to a Baltimore-style university house. Very realistic, ecspecially those squares. I think that, after you do the main buildings, a few 'modern' styles would fit as well. Many campuses have brutalist or post-modern styles in buildings like Libraries, Auditoriums, and other buildings built in the '60s and '70s. Keep up the fantastic work, and don't get too overwhelmed with the university idea-we're gonna be happy with any and everything we can get!
Dragonshardz: I was thinking about that too... I'd definitely need to taper the finale a bit for that, but it could happen.
Duane: Thanks! The more I look at it, the more I think it's too small as well... darn!
Rushman5: Thank you! I'm not real fond of doing any brutalist styles... but I've been cruising around Google Earth and have tons of cool shapes for the next wave of dorms and more modern class room buildings.
I decided to let the dome sit for a few minutes. I'm not really looking forward to redoing certain parts of it... and I still haven't come up with a good color scheme for it anyway. So I'll come back to that tomorrow. In the meantime, I took the Swan something or other back out for a lighting spin:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_AtriumNight01.jpg&hash=e19df3e0240ff3fcfc2c05012d396ea9b06dd117)
There are several issues that I need to fix. Normally, I wouldn't even post this picture yet... but it took an hour and a half to render this preview and I was bound and determined to use it for something! :D First, and most obvious, is that I forgot to move the lights for the base. Oops! :P The back lights are there... they just happen to be buried inside somewhere. Second... I was trying to make the light spill out of the atrium and onto the roof and deck. Instead, it looks as if I succeeded in creating a halo around the top... and that's about it. >:( I guess I'll fix that too. I still have to relight the front and finish the bare corner of the roof. That's where things are at for the moment anyway...
JB
The courthouse in my home town has a 5 foot long fish as a weather vane on it's dome, built in 1907.
Jon,
Next time I'm on campus I'll get a picture of the ugliest brutalist building I've ever seen.
Thankfully its encapped by a pair of Neoclassical early 20th century brick buildings.
Keep up the great work on the next iteration of the Swan Majestic.
Cheers,
Kevin
You have to wonder what those people where thinking of at the time of Brutalist Architecture. I for one would much rather have more harmonious neoclassical or neogothic campuses.
The dome looks good and I think that a white marble, or limestone, texture and color scheme would look good, contrasting to the red brick of the current campus.
lol, yeah, I think I've said that about the grass a while ago. I actually say that whenever I see a lot of that grass, I don't like it very much. :D
Jon the Swan _________ is looking Wonderful, I love how the pool area is lit up and the lite spillage i do see in the front there, It does look a tad bit weird with the lite coming up from the pool and highlighting the area by the windows...
Hello Jon,
I love the way the Swan looks at night. the pool is really lovely. With a few tweaks on the lights it looks ready in my eyes :)
The Conger is progressing very nice. I very much like the sides already. and the entrances are very nice too.
I have a few suggestions on the dome. I would indeed opt to broaden the dome so that it fills out more of the square footprint. I love the balustrade on that though. very nice. ()stsfd()
I would also make the drum underneath the dome taller. Because the large volume of the building underneath it will otherwise overcrowd and drown the dome. which would be a shame sice it is a very eyecatching part of the building.
If you broaden your dome you will alos have plenty of room to top it of with a second smaller drum and cuppola supporting a decorative windvane like the pic underneath. I hope it gives you some inspiration :) But never the less everything is better that the gaudy golden dome on the RL version. :)
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Strech.
Shiftred: A fish?? That's a new one on me! Thanks for showing that... :D
Kevin: Thanks, glad you like it!
GrizzlyBuilder: I would agree about the building styles. I'll be changing the dome over to some kind of brick or stone later today.
Jason: *shrugs* It will be a pretty common texture for this project, but you can keep asking me to change it as long as you realize I'll keep using it anyway! ;)
Pat: Thanks! I'll make some changes for those lights and try it again.
Strech: Thank you! I personally love how the pool turned out... it's just the area around it that still needs a little help. I plan to make the dome slightly larger in all directions, although I'm not so sure about adding a second tier as you've shown. I like the look, but I don't know if it's right for this one.
Just stopping by for a moment while at work. I'll have things to show later this afternoon or tonight. In the meantime, I'm still taking entries for the naming contest. So far there are three choices from Diggis, Strech, and Pat. Talk to you later!
JB
Can't wait to see what you do with the dome Jon...I won't quote it , but like what Strech said about raising it....after all, the "rl" builders would have wanted to show it off from ground level and back then something a tad bit ostentatious wasn't a bad thing. Ummm an odd thought just struck me (actually all my thoughts are odd), how about an eagle with wings spread for the top of the dome?
Duane: Wait no longer... An eagle would probably look pretty cool, but I don't know if that's the school's mascot yet! :D
Here is attempt number two for the dome. Not much more to say than that really.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview04.jpg&hash=5a307d70ba4fa9657b20e552c172ff410727cf86)
I added some dormer windows too. I think this fits better, no?
JB
not bad at all jon it looks pretty good though im a sucker for stained glass instead lol... If your wondering what im babbling about here Look at these pics [linkie] (http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=slv8-dyc&va=rhinelander+courthouse&sz=all)
Well JB, I won't be giving you an elaborate presentation re: the name for your modular university like the other candidates did but I will give you a couple of choices, both of which I think are noble and elegant possibilities.
(1) - St. Swithins University; named for an English bishop (died 862 AD), feast day is July 15th, shrine is (or was) Winchester Cathedral before it was destroyed. I know the name from the British TV show "Doctor in the House". The show was from the early 1970's and followed the exploits of a group of medical residents at a fictional British teaching hospital called "Saint Swithin's". It was hilarious and made medicine look like so much fun that it influenced me in my decision to become a physician. I always liked the name St. Swithins. It sounds both exotic and somewhat ridiculous.
(2) - Mount Forest University; A fairly generic name. There are a couple of universities here in the Maritimes that have "Mount" as part of their names (Mount Allison University & Mount Saint Vincent University). I don't know why this is because neither university is anywhere near a mountain. It could be that "mount" has something to do with the perception of achieving higher education. In any event, the word "mount" here in the Maritimes is somewhat associated with universities and a university education. Again, I think this is a noble name for a university and is somewhat unique.
Jon, I love the new dome.....very nice, just the perfect size....hmmm are you going to paint the inside like the Cistene Chapel? ::)
I remember "Doctor in the House" Great show, hadn't thought of it for years....it didn't influence me to me a Doctor...however I've been sick several times since then.....so maybe it influenced me to be a patient!
Ok, I'll shut up now &mmm
PS....Like the Name of St. Swithins also...or just to be PC about it....how about "Swithins Univ"
OK - It sounds like two votes now for St. Swithins ;) This might be the start of a successful write in campaign!!
BTW, Did you know that two of the original scriptwriters for "Doctor in the House" were John Cleese and Graham Chapman from "Monty Python". I didn't discover that until today. This would certainly explain the quirkyness and unpredictability of that show. Gotta love English humour; so self depricating and irreverent!
I guess many college campuses have a lot of mid-century brutalist structures because many exploded in enrollment during the 1950's through 1970's as a result of the GI bill and baby boom
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To be honest I love buildings from that era.
personally I would love to see some mid-century university buildings available in simcity. At least one would bring some genuinity to the game, take it away from that picturesque feel.
Pat: Thanks! I know, I know... Rhinelander has a pretty dome on the courthouse. I'm sticking with my greenish copper look this time though. ;)
Simdad: Thanks for the entries... and also the background for them both! I'm partial to one more than the other right now, but I'm not at liberty to discuss that right now. :D
Duane: We've actually brought on a few extra part-time employees (monkeys, of course!) to paint the interior of the "grand rotunda." This leaves me more time to worry about the stuff that you'll actually see... :satisfied: ;)
Simdad: Well, they're all write-in's at this point! Monty Python? Well then it's got to be funny!
Zaphod: Later additions to this university pack will definitely have some more modern buildings in them. Some might even be brutalist... who knows? I get pretty bad at differentiating architectural styles past the 40's really... they all just get lumped into my personal category of "newer stuff!" :D
OK... I have a couple things tonight. First is another look at the Conger AC. I got the initial textures finished... and basically wrapped up the exteriors:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview05.jpg&hash=2c991f5ee839c177d2defcb25a49fce6a2ec1166)
I didn't put any chimneys on this time because it started to look to "busy" up on the roof. That may still change, but we'll see. Outside of that, I think it's time for the usual ivy and lighting marathon and that should do it!
In other news... I made a second go my lighting issues:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Atrium_North02.jpg&hash=fe22ddb62e068f1f76c093d7c0b1a8bfc44ae5e3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSwan_Atrium_West02.jpg&hash=0d4bd42bf638a9bce32ab613675919b1b2a26c6f)
These are medium quality renders, by the way. The effect still isn't quite what I was hoping for, but I think it looks pretty good as it is. (Frankly, my mental picture of what this "should" look like is probably just ridiculous anyway!) I still need to finish up the mechanical area and then check the front again to make sure I didn't miss something there.
Have a great evening (or morning... afternoon... or whatever you have where you live)
JB
Jon i think i need the medics myself hollllllllllllly crap!!!!!!!!!!! Stunning just ever so the swan what ever is perfect i think and the lites are fixxed 100 fold better and the conger ac is looking like a killer ;) But you cant blame a guy for trying to push his own domes lol... Anyways have a good nite my friend and see you tomorrow - pat
Jon
What Pat said I "DITTO"! Seriously, the textures are perfect on the Conger, the green sets the whole thing off perfectly.....and the monkeys didn't do a bad job on the inside dome either ()stsfd()....wow, on both structures..
Duane
Those textures are impressive, they fit just right! I also am enjoying the new garage nightlights on the Swan ----. They look so urban while the Swan looks so. . . old style - I love it!
BTW, looks like this building going up just five minutes away from me.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.presidentialpartnersllc.com%2Fimages%2Fgallery%2Flg_water.jpg&hash=f04e36bc76237c8aadb29f863ed70f71576e2a7d)
Quote from: rushman5 on December 16, 2007, 08:44:36 AM
Those textures are impressive, they fit just right! I also am enjoying the new garage nightlights on the Swan ----. They look so urban while the Swan looks so. . . old style - I love it!
BTW, looks like this building going up just five minutes away from me.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.presidentialpartnersllc.com%2Fimages%2Fgallery%2Flg_water.jpg&hash=f04e36bc76237c8aadb29f863ed70f71576e2a7d)
- I really like that low rise builing to the left of it :P, but the one being built is interesting too
I guess one could call it "interesting" but I find it pretty ugly!!! lol
wow Jon, Conger AC looks sooo excellent, the textures are great :thumbsup: and the swan something lighting is really nice :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Pat: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. To be honest, I really like the idea of a stained glass dome (not for this building, but in general). I'm just not sure how well it would look in the SC4 world. I remember having a lot of trouble getting a decent look on the windows for Peace Church and School... and even though it looks OK, it still isn't very "realistic." The idea has definitely been filed in my "things to maybe try some day" box.
Duane: Thanks! Indeed, the monkeys earned a couple extra bananas this week. ;)
Rushman5: Thank you! The Swan I-really-need-to-name-it-soon is actually inspired (I love that word because it could mean anything really) by a building I saw in Fort Worth, Texas. I think it's actually an apartment building downtown. I do see a few similarities to what you've shown.
Baconrocky: I noticed that one too! :D
SC4Boy: I think the tower has some pretty redeeming details, but I really dislike the base.
Mauricio: Thank you!
Well... I had every hope and intention of showing you the final pictures of the CAC today, but old man winter apparently had other ideas! This weekend is known as "Winter Reunion" here at camp. Basically, all the kids from summer camp are invited back for a... wait for it... winter reunion. They have some activities planned and all that good stuff, but it's mostly a pretty lowkey chance for everyone to just hang out and visit. Then everyone was supposed to go home after lunch today. That was before it started snowing last night. This morning we had close to 8 inches on the ground with more still falling out of the sky. It was also a very windy day and the drifts quickly became an issue as well. So... basically there are 200 kids on camp right now that should have gone home but instead got snowed in. This means that Jon had to scrounge up enough food to feed all these poor, newly homeless, children. Normally, something like this is merely frustrating and more annoying than anything else. In this case, our holiday shut-down "starts" today after the kids go home... meaning I have very little food on hand at the moment. So I spent about 10 hours at work today and eventually found enough stuff to make dinner tonight... and also the needed breakfast and lunch tomorrow. I didn't spend a whole lot of time at home, though. Speaking of home... remember the drifting snow I mentioned? I came home this evening to find a nifty 2 1/2 foot drift in front of my door! Living on the east end of the lake can be fun sometimes! :D
Wow... talk about a long story! I swear, I have no focus whatsoever tonight. My point is that I didn't finish the building today, but I did get the lighting done. So here it is:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_NightPreview.jpg&hash=1abe2faec8c9e3a26d6f3513e258aea031211b19)
Maybe tomorrow will be better... I should probably find my shovel so I can get out of the house though.
JB
PS... Welcome to Page 50?!? :o
&dance &bis& &dance
Makes me glad we don't get snow here in winter. :D
I mean, there are plenty of unprintable words we can use to describe snow. :P
Well Jon, now I know why I live in Arizona....I mean here where I am might get 6 to 10 inches all winter long...and that's in a "heavy snowfall" year..... :D....Once upon a time I lived about a mile from Lake Erie so know what you mean about lake effect snow.
Love the contrast between the porch light and the dome lights... nice touch.
Hang in there, Spring is only 4 months away ;D
We got the same storm here in the Maritimes as you did, only 36 hrs later. We got 24 cm of snow here in Moncton whipped around by 90 km/hr winds. Mother nature threw in a little rain and freezing rain for good measure. What a mess.
You Yanks blame all the cold weather on us Canadians, but I swear that all the biggest winter storms all come out of the U.S. Midwest or up the Atlantic seaboard. I'd rather have a little cold weather than a nor'easter; at least you don't have to shovel it!
BTW Shadow Assassin, there are many words to describe snow, many of them unmentionable. The Inuit (Eskimos) actually have about 20 words for the different varieties and states of snow. Of course with global warming, there are invasive species arriving in the Arctic that the Inuit have no names for at all; honeybees for instance.
haha.. no it only drops by thru us in order to wreak havoc on its way to you after its spent its worst here.. :)
they come usually via Alberta (alberta clipper) or saskatchawan (saskatchawan screamer) .. and dutifully make a clockwise swath thru the US and only get to you if they havent' already blown all out... hehe
SA: There's still a small childlike part of me that gets all excited by the big snow storms. But, for the most part, I'm with you and would be more than happy to move back south and away from winter.
Duane: We don't get too much lake effect snow in this part of Michigan... we're just far enough east of that "line." I just meant the little lake I live on that creates that nice open area for the wind to really grab hold and throw snow at my house! :D I'm glad you like the dome lighting!
Simdad: I never blame snow on you guys up there... just cold temperatures! ;) Many of the biggest storms we get here come up through Illinois and Indiana actually... just like this one did. The storms coming out of the northwest usually fall apart trying to cross Lake Michigan.
SC4Boy: Depends on which part of the country you're in, I guess. :D
Anyway... we were able to send the kids home today, which means I am now home myself. I'll probably have an update to show later this evening. In the meantime, I took a couple quick pictures to show the state of my yard after all this mess. Keep in mind, there was no snow cover at all before this started on Saturday night.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDec17_Backdoor.jpg&hash=a98067c50eb4f072cc2b057fa8845090801e245d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDec17_Lake.jpg&hash=13ec02b2cab6333e3ccf3a2e05e7927512ab1769)
Now that I've shown the pictures, I can go shovel myself a path to the house! ::) :D
Talk to you later,
JB
That's exactly why I'm happy living here in Texas. :D The bad part about almost never getting snow is that we get ice instead, and when that happens, the city pretty much shuts down.
Although, there was that one snowstorm in 2004 where the Gulf Coast of Texas got a few inches of snow on Christmas Eve. Oddly enough, here in Austin we didn't get any while the place where we used to live (Corpus Christi, on the coast) got 6 inches of snow. It was quite a sight when we went down there the day after Christmas, since we saw snow on cacti, palm trees, and the beach.
-- John
hello jon i see your still doing awesome work my friend &apls &apls
Jon looking lovely and all.... Im sure glad we dodged the snow fall up here wow but i would kill for more pretty snow like that!!!
John: I remember that from living in North Carolina too. Even a weather forcast that used the word "snow" would send people running to the grocery store to stock up on bread and milk. We had one good storm while I was there that gave us about 6 inches of snow and the entire city of around 400,000 shut down for two days... school didn't start again for a week. $%Grinno$%
Jacky: Thank you! It's nice to see you again!
Pat: It's pretty... but the drifting is getting out of hand. :D
I think it's done... but maybe not quite. I added the ivy and made a few other changes which I'll explain in a minute:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview07.jpg&hash=f7526d13cb0e84199944dffc48cb60ea24c536c5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview08.jpg&hash=62d06355cf554874aeaf43313f0b33668066dcdc)
I brightened the dome lighting just a little bit. I got rid of the back porch and made the front porch larger. The reason for the larger porch is the paths. I realized that every other "main" building for this set uses the wider of the two path sizes for the main entry. This is also reflected in the way I set up the quad lots. This one would have used a narrow path in the front, which I really didn't want to do. Widening the stairs meant widening the porch (it looked really bad otherwise)... so that's what I did. It still may change... I'm not sure if I'm really happy with the overall look it created. Beyond that issue, I think this one is just about done. Any final thoughts?
JB
You have developed quite the eye for this style lot.. nice job.. The front porch is much nicer than the original and the detail is impeccable as usual.. I'd like the dome brighter still, but hey whatever.. :) .. it is whatever you're after of course.. I'm not a big nightlighter anyways.. and lots of ppl do make em go overboard, so your restrained approach is appreciated..
:thumbsup: &apls
I like the overall look of it much better now. The wider porch seems to fit the "massive" style of the building better. I really like the great green gooey gob of ivy on the front corner....like it and the building have been there awhile. Man this set is going to be something when all it's all together and in a city. Wow....good on ya' mate.
:D &apls :thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup:
Jon I cant find a think wrong here or add anything at all!!! I do real like how you brighted the lights around the dome as it gives it a better feel i think!!! Also I dont blame you for getting frustrated with the drifting snow exspecialy if you have to dig yourself out of your home each and every morning.... See you soon - pat
And something I forgot to mention.....congrats on the 50th page...but to me, a more mind numbing type stat is over 15,000 reading of the thread...wow.... &apls
SC4Boy: Thank you! To be honest, I'd like the dome a little brighter myself, but the sills beneath the vents are already starting to "glow." If I add much more, that will really become obnoxious in a hurry!
Bluebeard: Thanks!
Duane: Thank you! I think this is the thickest ivy I've done yet... :D There seems to be a large difference of opinion on the porch though. Everyone here seems to like the large version... most of the BSC prefer the smaller version. :-\
Pat: Thanks! It got just warm enough today that I think the snow will stay in place now... At least I hope so!
Duane: I noticed that today too... I'm rather blown away by the idea if I think about it too much though.
Speaking of which... what better way to celebrate the 1000th post than with a big honkin update? :party: &dance :party: Lots to see and do... so everybody settle down %%Order?/ and let's get to it: (Sorry... I'm on smiley overload tonight... I'm trying to quit)
I started lotting some of the other buildings this afternoon. I'm not calling any of these done quite yet... but they're probably pretty close. I'm still trying to find the line between having enough detail and still leaving things open enough to make them as flexible and "user friendly" as possible. That seems like it would be easier, but I'm finding out it really isn't. Every time I add a path I have to ask myself how many people would or wouldn't want that path there... and then decide if it's going to stay or not. Same thing with filling open space... it would be easy to fill a tile or two with parking, but what if somebody doesn't want a parking lot anywhere near that area? This is all just my way of saying that these lots may not progress as quickly as normal... and that it's a little tougher than I thought. :D (Oops... there I go with the faces again!)
Boiler:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Boiler01.jpg&hash=ae42a6254fde0226b07d140595f9f66be06794b8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Boiler02.jpg&hash=0bbe1c60eeb2cc9b9c63c2aa6e81840f3855aae3)
There are cars in the lot... they just weren't showing. I felt justified in putting a lot here because of the garages and need for staff parking.
Chapel:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Chapel.jpg&hash=3b20daeebe2439f1bf3707a29012b1003a22fd22)
This one is probably finished... there isn't really room for much else. The offset tree came in rather handy here and should work well no matter what kind of path you connect to later.
Student Center:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_StudentCenter_Front.jpg&hash=a849a72dbc7445ee329fc3acddd478c7151136f1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_StudentCenter_Back.jpg&hash=e42dbfc2897caaf36bd19596fd7612ac5945cd09)
This one definitely needs some more work. It still seems kind of empty to me. I'm just not entirely sure what else to use yet.
Finally... I'm starting to confuse myself with all this. To avoid a repeat of my brownstone set when I just completely lost track of what I was doing, I started my own set of lists that remind me what needs to be done where. This page is just for the buildings... :D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FPunchlist01.jpg&hash=f51cba90907b7d84d37a1f54b0ca41378fcb5b3c)
EC = Eye Candy versions... Func = Functional versions. So, yes, there will be options for most buildings whether you want functionality or not. I'm also including prop versions of every building whether I actually use them or not... for all you lotters out there. As you can see, I still have a lot of red to work through. And this is only the page for the main buildings! There are other pages for all the path and road pieces... not to mention the walls and other props that have been or will be made. Kind of makes me question what I've gotten myself into!
JB
Jon you gotta love opening a can of worms there lol!!! But you know what it keeps you busy errr i mean them monkeys busy :D..... If you need any lotting help im more then willing to give you a helping hand &apls &apls OK there we go lol naw really I wouldnt mind helping out a friend!!! besides you did a perfect 1000 post honor and hmm anything for the 1001???
Pat: Thanks! I think it will keep me less confused if I keep with the lotting... I get lost easily otherwise! %confuso :D
While we're in lot reviewing mode... here's one more shot to take a gander at. I think all the driveway pieces are finished!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_DrivePark_Final01.jpg&hash=95240417258722bf8a205d47c95450037e7bae38)
There are one or two props that will be added to a couple of these just as soon as I make them. There will also be a couple special "entry" drives as discussed earlier. Beyond that, I think this is the full set. There are 19 pieces total. They're all "nuetral" lots... they cost $10 to plop but that's it... no bulldoze or maintainence costs... no extra benefits either.
A couple other features to mention while we're at it. I decided to take the BSC parks system one step further with the placement arrows. Since there are several different entry and exit points, I color coded everything. There are three colors... yellow for narrow paths, green for wide paths, and purple for driveways. Hopefully, this will make it a bit easier to line up the more mixed pieces (like where a path crosses the driveway). Also, these lots will get counted as campus pieces as part of the tracking system that will be part of this whole thing. Different types of lots will mean different things... but most will count for something.
In the words of BadSim:
To the next...
JB
Very cool recent updates. The chart really does show how in depth this project is, and with the way you work, all that red should disappear pretty quickly. The only thought I have regarding the offset tree on the chapel is that it prevents placement on roads (but then that's not what it's intended for, and that woul dbe an easy change in the LE if necessary so no worries there). I like the idea of different color arrows. That would be useful on a few lots now, but it'll be worth the wait for yours. Congratulations on 1000+ and I'll look forward to the next update.
&apls :thumbsup: Jon that is wonderful......
Maybe the student centre could do with some students? :P I would suggest some people sitting on benches, or on the grass in groups.
These look great and I look forward to adding them to my cities (If I ever get to play again)
Great chapel there and nice parking lots!! :thumbsup:
JB DUDE!! You're awesome.. a real asset to the community!! :thumbsup: Thanks thanks thanks.. very nice work and the arrows are gonna be SWEEEEEET! &bis& I hate plopping lots just to find out how to plop the lots! ?=mad)= hehe
Matt: Thank you! A lot of the red is there for the modding parts. It could still take some time to get through as "modding" includes everything from budget items to queries to MML setup to multi-lingual. I did try the chapel against a wider path and a driveway piece, but I did not try it against an actual street or road. I'll double check that and thanks for pointing it out!
Pat: Thank you!
Diggis: There are clusters of people on the lot... I just snapped the picture at 3AM game time. Apparently they were in bed already! What kind of college kid is that? :D You'll never play again... you're doing the MML's for this... you just don't know it yet! ;)
Bat: Thanks!
SC4Boy: Thank you! I found that I was getting confused already when plopping these... and considering I set them up, that seemed like a bad sign. So I hope the color coding will help somewhat.
Nothing new yet... (it's only 8:30AM for crying out loud!)... but I may have something later this evening. I have a pretty full day of running around so I can leave tomorrow. Talk to you later!
JB
JB, I would be happy to do the MML's for a set like this. Or at least incorporate them into Daeleys Menu thingy. Once i figure out how. ()what()
Goodness, I go to bed early one nite, and look at this, I missed a whole page! This is amazing Jon....that's about all I can say... Have a great day and I will try and stay awake long enuff tonite to catch your next update. ::)
Diggis: I would certainly appreciate that! Honestly, my hope is to use Daeley's new mod for this as I believe it offers more sorting options. I'm not entirely up to speed yet either, but we can definitely talk about that elsewhere when the time comes.
Duane: Thank you! I hope you didn't stay up too late waiting after all...
I ended up spending a lot more time away from home than I thought yesterday. My morning errands took longer than expected... and then I spent some more time at the dentist. I spent the evening nice and numb again but my internet was spotty at best. Hence no update last night.
I did make a final change to the Conger Academic Center that I can show you:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Preview09.jpg&hash=bac055d61b9a0ec0f218d8cb818f037752845a3d)
I took the porch back to its original size but also made the depth a bit smaller. I changed the stairs so that they would fit the smaller porch and yet still allow for a wider path. This is finished and ready to go now... but it will have to wait until next week. I'm now up north doing the family Christmas thing so there will be nothing new to look at for a bit.
Talk to you soon,
JB
Jon its all good and you enjoy your christmas break and have a very merry one at that as well!!!
The curved stairs are great, but more importantly, Merry Christmas. Enjoy the family fun, and we'll see you when you get back.
Have some egg nog for me and have a happy, restful and peaceful Christmas break with your family. ;D
Pat: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks to you as well!
Simdad: Thank you... I'm a huge fan of egg nog, so I'll be more than happy to follow up on your "request!" :D
I've spent a lot of spare time on Google Earth the last couple days gathering ideas. I drew out the last three "quad" type lots which will be simple to put together once I get home. These will be smaller... 5x5, 5x5, and 5x3. I also started drawing up a couple ideas for upcoming additions. (I have 5 more dorms in mind already!) But don't worry... I won't start any of those until this first part is finished.
I will be posting a poll shortly to vote on the university name. There are images on page 47 that were part of a couple of the suggestions. Please vote for you favorite name, and realize that I may take some liberties with any images once the name is decided. (In other words, it would be better to vote by name rather than by pictures... lol) I'll leave the poll up for one week... so voting will close next week Sunday.
In the meantime, I want to wish everyone the very best. This community means a lot to me and enjoy my time here very much. Thanks to the many people involved in making and keeping this site the great place that it is. And many many thanks to everyone who makes this such a fun way to spend my time. There are many who stop here to offer encouragement, those who offer suggestions and advice, those who teach, and those who lurk. Whatever you do when dropping into my little corner here, you've undoubtedly played some role in the enjoyment I get out of this thread and the community as a whole. So I thank you all again. Have a very Merry Christmas and the best wishes for the New Year to come!
Jon
A question: are the paths BSC park trail compatible? It'd be really cool if the textures changed depending on what path pack you have installed.
Nice job on the CAC. :P
SA: They most certainly are, yes. Thank you! ;)
Super work Jon and Merry Christmas.
Robin :thumbsup:
Thank you for inviting us into your little corner of the community and the work you do for it. Just in case I don't have the chance to swing in tomorrow, Merry Christmas to you too.
Robin: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks!
I had a great Christmas... I hope everyone else did as well. I'm back at home now, although just about to leave for work for a while. I got the initial layouts for the final quads finished. Here's a quick look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad03_06.jpg&hash=434468efce27e463e6fdda7dd00d9ad777682e9f)
I need to adjust a couple of the textures as I see I'm off by a pixel or two in some cases. So I'll fix that and then move on to the final lotting of all the paths. The driveway pieces will probably be sent off for testing in the next couple days.
Thanks to those who have voted so far... and if you haven't, you still have until Sunday! ;)
JB
Welcome back Jon, and a belated Merry Christmas to go with an early Happy New Year ::) Looking good on the quads.....I'm already stareing at them to see which ones I'll use first......sheesh.
Looks like a great layout to lot. I really like your stuff so far. :)
Jon Looking good and i cant wait to see how the voting turns out!!!
Duane: Thank you! I made a variety of sizes to fit the different buildings I have at this time. Feel free to use as many as you want! ;)
Tag_One: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! The voting is turning into a pretty tight race so far... I'm very interested to see how it pans out myself!
This should be the final picture for the driveway pieces, I think. It probably doesn't look like a whole heck of a lot, but it honestly represents about 3 hours worth of finishing touches.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Driveway_IconsAndArrows.jpg&hash=fb7d298cd59cc494479933271237d464dded9bc2)
As you can see, I made the menu icons for all the pieces. The menu descriptions will also clear up anything that isn't clear in the pictures. I also thought I'd make a quick demonstration of the color coded placement arrows while I was taking pictures. Hopefully, that part makes a little more sense now. I did make one change on that corner piece after these pictures... the lamp post is now on the outside of the curve instead of the inside just as an attempt to prevent the lamp posts from getting too close together. (It's bound to happen somewhere depending on how you arrange things, but it should be at a minimum.) The next step for these is getting them out of my hands for translation for multi-lingual (like the school packs had) and then MML's of one sort or another.
That's all I've got for tonight... more tomorrow sometime!
JB
Doesn;t look like much? Are you kidding? You've created a whole parking system, redesigned the trail arrows to clear up the confusion of orientation, thought of things like lamp placement, and made a full series of clear menu icons too. Congratulations on another great addition. You have a great attention to detail with these things (something I've yet to develop in the BAT), and I have to give you credit, you've inspired me to actually open a BAT thread (which I should hopefully get around to in a day or so). Any suggestions for someone getting into the BAT creation thing? Glad the holidays went well.
-Matt
Dude! You're righteous! :) even translations?? Awesome.. polished and an MML too!! Hehe.. you're setting a tough standard.
Yay!!! I exported the final building this morning! %BUd%
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FConger_Lot01.jpg&hash=e621a6fec2d28db9f2c56b938d3277ff6f900b1c)
I'll find some way to cover up the path sticking out behind the steps, nobody panic! $%Grinno$%
Gotta go for now, but I'll catch up on replies later,
JB
That looks fantastic man. I would suggest a couple of columner English Yews to hide the path. Something like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dkimages.com%2Fdiscover%2Fpreviews%2F802%2F20051679.JPG&hash=d256d9e2856f1fb76f630063562389f3013f8a32)
Dang JB you really are amazing.I think a few bushes will hide the path and if you can't well I think we can overlook it. :thumbsup:
What happen to the Swan family?.Didn't they donate enough to the University to get there name on the list.Thanx for the update. :)
Now that I'm safely at work... :D
Matt: Thanks! I meant more that the driveway picture didn't look all that different from the previous driveway shots... but point taken! ;) I'll keep an eye out for your new thread. My humble advice would be to start small and plan on learning a lot as you go. Every new project I take on teaches me something new... but I'd have given up long ago if I tried to start with something on this scale!
SC4Boy: Thank you! I thought that if the elementary and high schools rated translations, then a university definitely would! :D
Diggis: Thanks! I actually had something very similar to that BATted in, and then removed it in the hopes I could get away without it. If need be, I'll just have to put it back and render again.
Bluebeard: Thank you! No one ever suggested the Swan family for a university name... I'm sure the Malhoney's (I think that's the right name... I'll have to review notes now) will find their name on something eventually though.
Got some people to feed. Next on my list is finishing up any props I need to use for the path lots. Then it will be time to finalize all of those. Since I still have a bit of "behind the scenes" type stuff to prepare before I can really start lotting, there may or may not be anything to see for that tonight... depends on how the evening treats me when I get home.
JB
Rumors have it the Swan family cut a large check for the New Library but I'll have to check with the University President. ;)
You should be a Game Designer not feeding people. :thumbsup:
Wonderful progress here jon....the little pink bushes on the paths are the perfect accent. Sure looking forward to the next installment...
It's Herbert Maloney who owns the Swan Group of Companies and yes, rumour has it that the Swan Group did donate significantly to the last university endowment campaign. Now Herbert does not necessarily expect to have a building named personally after himself but he would not be adverse to having a building named "The Swan Centre" somewhere on the campus. Good advertising for the corporation! ;D
BTW, I can't believe how quickly you came up with the driveway puzzle pieces for the campus. Excellent work! If your cooking at the camp is only half as good as your Batting skills you should be paid twice as much! :D
LoL simdad and BB you to are all to funnie hehehe.... Jon looking real good there!!!!
The paths look great and it was a very good idea that you moved the lamp post to the outside corner. Small detail, but it will look better in the end for sure.
That building looks great and as for the path , I have no worries that you have something great in mind to hide it.
Have a Happy New Year.
Robin :thumbsup:
Bluebeard: The family did in fact make a pretty sizable donation recently. It is earmarked for future construction at this point... (read "something in the next pack") ;)
Duane: Thank you!
Simdad: Ahh darn... I was off by one letter! :D It probably comes as no surprise that I sit on a couple of the university boards, and I believe the Swan donation will be used for the "Swan Centre for Business Studies"... or something to that effect. I'm thinking a newer classroom building to house the "school of business" but who knows what that might look like just yet. Thank you!
Pat: Thanks!
Robin: Thank you! I hope your New Year goes well too.
I worked on all the path pieces this evening. There are now a total of 14 for this part. I ended up making the normal sized paths even though they're repeats in a way. I thought it would be easier to keep the campus feel that way. Here's a look (two views of the same thing just because of the trees)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_PathLots01.jpg&hash=af6d8a8c514965efa397e240c0b2b94d65b37486)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_PathLots02.jpg&hash=5572c874f04f2bef43c586290e7250459de038b5)
Seeing them all together like this, I saw a couple minor changes to make. Too many of one tree and not enough of another... things like that. The "main" prop family for these includes the notice board, trash can, bench, security phone (which didn't show up on any of them, naturally) and a news paper box. I'm still on the fence about adding shrubs or flowers of some sort along these. I'm afraid that if I "line" all the paths, it would be a bit too much. Maybe just at certain corners as accents? I don't know...
My other big question at this point (and I'm sure it will be brought up anyway) is the lamp post placement for the wider paths. I imagine a lot of people may not like that, and it's still very much open to debate at this point. Now, before you accuse me of being completely nuts, there is a method behind why I went and stuck them in the middle of the paths like I did. My reason for doing it this way was to keep the spacing of the lamp posts consistent from one tile to the next. If I put them on one side of the path, many of the wide path junctions wouldn't be able to have any lamp because of this spacing. So that's my thought process explained... and now I'm open to any other suggestions.
JB
&mmm That looks like that will be a lot of spaces on the landmark or park menu. I hope this is gonna have that menu management lot thing.
About "over-doing-it" with flora, I would just hold back, and if people really want more flora then what you have included right now, they can plop extra flora in the game.
Everything is coming along amazing! :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on December 27, 2007, 08:44:16 PM
Simdad: Ahh darn... I was off by one letter! :D It probably comes as no surprise that I sit on a couple of the university boards, and I believe the Swan donation will be used for the "Swan Centre for Business Studies"... or something to that effect. I'm thinking a newer classroom building to house the "school of business" but who knows what that might look like just yet. Thank you!
JB
Business studies would likely look either brutalist or modern. It'd be fairly utilitarian. Besides, you need to work out a way to include that one "ugly" building that EVERY University campus has... :P
Sim Shady: I do believe that an MML set is going to be made for this, if not a menu mod thingy (Daeley's been tinkering again...)
jon- you continue to amaze, and my anticipation is going to cause something to burst! :D
I love the trees you chose for the paths, and and the color-coded orientation arrows you put on the parking lots.
&apls
Hmmmm goooood! I would vote for the hardly any shrubs or flowers, looks good the way it is ()stsfd() As far as the lamposts, perfect, I would think they would be at the natural gathering and meeting points, where they would be the central feature (next to the co-eds ;D).
I agree with the minimum floral decorations too.. no matter what you put in there, it will be wrong for someone's setting.. either they are too warm, too cold, etc.. similar to the "palm tree debate"
Sim Shady: Menu management? Hmmm... why didn't I think of that?!? :D I think you're right about the flowers and I probably won't include much for this part of the set. Thank you!
Cammo: My imagination tells me that the business center will probably be a more modern style of some sort. There will be some of the required ugly buildings too. But don't lead me astray or we'll get ahead of ourselves again! ;)
Edge: Thank you! Don't burst anything now... we're finally starting to get close on this one! :D
Duane: Thanks! While we're on the subject of central features, let's not forget about sorority row... (do I detect yet another hint of things to come? ::) )
SC4Boy: Thanks! And I agree... that sounds like the right way to go here.
Well, nothing to show at the moment. (Stupid work anyway!) I can say that all the driveway pieces made their way across the ocean last night for translations. Andreas is also remaking the menu icons since I didn't quite get them right and my imaging capabilities just aren't that great. I'll probably tackle the quad lots this evening. Hopefully you can see those later.
JB
This is just fantastic JB. Everything is top notch. I haven't posted in a while, but I've been lurking. I'm looking forward to building an awesome college campus with this. I'm already thinking about posting to a possible new forum topic... 'Show us Your College Campus!' Thank you again for this!
CalibanX: Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing what other people come up with on this one myself.
Well, I got the two 5x3 quads done this evening. Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad3x5_Preview01.jpg&hash=fac0071598da198d18b9137dded118e3e564c78e)
If anything, I think they might be a little too busy... but I'm not sure yet. There isn't really a whole lot else to say about it at this point, so I'll move on.
Speaking of building, I thought I'd take the idea out for a mini-spin, just to see how things were coming together. It may look a little odd since half the lots are unfinished, but it showed me a couple minor things to reconsider:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_ModularDorms_Test01.jpg&hash=4a7746b995d65e49ba765bfd277f4cddcd46496d)
This picture does do a pretty decent job of showing the prop family in action along the paths. The crowds disappeared just before I snapped the picture, but I realized that I have them placed way too often right now. So I'll have to fix that either by taking them off certain lots or making another prop family to randomize whether they show up or not. Beyond that... it's just a picture to show how things fit together.
I have a wedding to cater tomorrow, so I doubt I'll get a chance to do much here until Sunday. Have a good evening!
JB
The lots looks like they are coming together nicely. The triangular ones do look a bit busy. I would suggest thinning the trees a bit (1-2). The round, flowering bushes look out of place there. They're either too formal for the surroundings, or just that there aren't any others nearby. It's all looking pretty good though. Good luck with the wedding. Catering is always an interesting experience. I'm sure it will go well.
-Matt
Have a good time (?) catering tomorrow....would join you, but am seriously alergic to weddings $%Grinno$%...and I am now (officially) starting to get excited about putting together a university in my capitol.....hmmmm good
LoL Duane thats so funnie.... Jon I love how the phone both turned out and I hope you have fun cooking tomorrow for the wedding.... Will see you on sunday..
In the US nowadays you rarely see that kind of phone booth anymore.. on campus they are usually solar supplemented phones for emergency help only (just a phone on a pole.. usually marked by a blue or red light). The pay phones are in the dorm common area. Not many students use them anyways since every student comes with a cellphone permanently stuck to their ear.. :) And the pay phones that are there are just the mount-on-the-wall type.. no more booths. Pay phones appear almost nowhere anymore other than bus stations, airports, etc.. Try to find one anywhere else and you're out of luck.. even the ones you do find are usually card operated.. a real coin phone is rare now.
It doesn't look busy to me. Maybe the people are moving between classes or it's their lunchbreak?
As for the phones, even though they're not in use anymore, it still fits in just fine. I mean, you never know what the science department are cooking up, anyway...
Matt: Thanks! I took out one tree, which I think helped somewhat. I'm still undecided about the flowers at this point.
Duane: I don't know if fun was the right word... but everything went alright, anyway. ;)
Pat: Thanks!
SC4Boy: The phones are security call boxes. I know they're much bulkier than the usual ones would be, but the slimmer "pole with a blue light on top" would be so small in the game that you'd never be able to identify it. Frankly, I'm so used to pay phones being gone, that it never crossed my mind how similar this looks to one until you mentioned it. Funny how quickly we forget as time marches ever forward, isn't it?
SA: I think the people moving part is even better now...
I spent most of this afternoon making a (rather large) set of prop families to better manage the crowds. I probably went a little overboard because that's just what I do... but we'll see as I test them a little more. Basically I have two sets of families now. One set is mainly for the 1x1 path lots and gives a one in four chance of a crowd showing up at all. It turns out that 1 in 4 is a bit too litte, so I'll try 1 in 3 next. They are divided up by morning, midday, and evening... and the crowds last around 4 hours at a time. The other set will always have a crowd show up, and it's just a matter of which size and how long they stay there. There are the same 4 hour intervals as well as 12 hour intervals (which is what the standard Maxis crowds use). Anyway... here's a look at what that does on the same two quads I showed Friday. The game time for these are 8AM, Noon, 4PM, and 8PM... in that order:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad8AM.jpg&hash=5c62bb7222338acbed195b8921c497dab7947334)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_QuadNoon.jpg&hash=935014fea6301ec22f248d08a5bf40db77464d88)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad4PM.jpg&hash=b9e36997aed5aeff39c971c66d3264d888497fdc)
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I'm still tweaking the settings, but the effect is there. I'll fine tune it a bit more and it should work even better once everything gets sorted out.
That's about it this time,
JB
JBSimio,
These look great! Because there are already so many lots that are compatible with the BSC parks, would you consider either releasing this as (or releasing a second bunch) with the BSC choose-your-own texture, so that we could like our university to our city parks too?
Just a thought... These are really well done, can't wait to use them!!
One other question (that you may have already addressed... Since this has so many pieces, are you going to make (at least?) one of the university tiles functional, so that the university will truly work as an educational asset for the city, or are they all going to be eye candy?
As far as I know, they're compatible with the choose-your-own texture set, and a number of the university buildings will be functional - I don't know which ones will be functional, though.
Nice job on the parks, JB.
Looking good JB. This is just a random thought but have you considered a plop student protest lot? You know a grandstand and a bunch of militant idealists listening aptly below.
Before I do the replies, I need to back up to what I should have posted yesterday... but forgot. &Thk/( &ops
The voting for the university name is now closed (was last night already). Thank you to everyone who voted! The response was a bit more than I really expected and it was really fun to watch it progress. Congratulations to Diggis!!! &apls Winterton University has won the voting and Diggis has won... the right to make the MML's? :D To be honest, I got so sidetracked with work this week that I haven't yet finalized the "prize." I have a pretty good idea... but the "official announcement" will have to wait a couple more days. I extend my apologies for that. The lawyers also feel that I should forward some paperwork to avoid any complications, but I've decided to ignore them today. Anyway, thanks again to all who participated with the suggestions and the voting!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled update already in progress in some time zones...
CabraBuitre: Thank you! Yes, every lot for the university packs will use the same interchangable textures and be BSC Park compliant. As for the functional lot question, that's a little more complicated, but the easy answer is yes. Many buildings will have functional as well as eye candy versions. In most cases, the academic (or classroom) buildings will function much like a college or university lot. Outbuildings will have various functionality depending on what they are. The library will funciton as a library... the maintainence boiler will function as a power plant... etc. The only buildings that will have no function whatsoever are the dorms. I'll make a complete listing again of which buildings do what when I begin the final lotting for them.
SA: Thank you!
Spa: Thanks! Hmmm... a protest lot, huh? I hadn't considered it, but it sounds like a fun idea for a future addition. I'll have to dig through the game files and see if I can find the riot effects and somehow turn that into a prop.
OK... lots to see today. I got two more of the quads done today. I won't show all four times of day again, but rest assured that the effects are there. Here is a look at both of the 5x5 lots. These are both around noon on the game clock, which is when they are the busiest.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad03_1200.jpg&hash=ccc1980ad6c7ca1282d2ea8b696189cc3dc397f9)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad04_1200.jpg&hash=76ae85cc0c4ec2e301c7174b7146ad56f4221ac3)
I also made some adjustments to the 1x1 path lots and I think I found the right mix now for the students coming and going. The paths don't seem overly crowded, but there is definitely plenty of life and movement going on. This time I will show all four views during the day. These are again at 8AM, Noon, 4PM and 8PM in that order:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Paths_0800.jpg&hash=37b4943dc858c57b9d9729f732e471436d3aa9c5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Paths_1200.jpg&hash=2c79f3fce89ead26b72c356f2873c479a757027a)
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(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Paths_2000.jpg&hash=b48163d4809de4461e34b5daf9fa6e5965a0331b)
I know the trees look really crowded on these right now, but I'm not going to worry about it just yet. I doubt that you guys will really cluster them together quite this much. We'll see how it looks once all the other lots are finished. That's about it for now...
JB
Those walkways look great! I can picture other uses for them as well. I look forward to using this whole project once it's done. Man, you've really progressed since you started with the Smalltown USA project. Later dude.
Don't forget the *($*&^*^& crime problem for large lots.. might make sense to make SOME building (security or guard shack or whatever) that functions like a police kiosk
Great job with the lots. I think the people placement is pretty good. If anyone wants more or less they can just replop but this seems good for the average use. Even without the crime thing that SC4BOY mentioned I think a public saftey (P-Safe) building would be a neat addition (someone has to answer the calls from the emergency boxes after all). But that may be getting ahead of the project. As for the 1x1 lots, I think the tree density is good the way it is. It may be more dense than the quad lots, but then quads are usually meant to be more open. Good work on all of this.
I can't wait to blow up my Maxis university and replace it with Winterton U in a custom layout.
It is looking Fabulous JB, just super work :thumbsup:
Great work on those paths. I think they're also great as park lots in suburbs. Don't worry about the trees, If you think it dense you haven't bin to the Netherlands. In my town there are trees every 3 meter (10 feet) allong some paths :)
TopCliff: Wow! It's been a while... nice to see you again. Thank you!
SC4Boy: Patience my friend... I thought about the security thing, just haven't gotten that far yet.
Matt: Thanks! The more I played around with plopping the lots, the less concerned I became with the trees. There's little chance I'll change them after all.
Pvarcoe: Thank you!
Tag One: Thanks! That's a lot of trees in your town! :D
I finished lotting the final two quads today. Since I've shown so many of these now, there isn't much to say about them anymore... so I'll just shut up and put the pictures in here:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad01_1100.jpg&hash=8fe77741841249d379b3f9eedc6701927343a56f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Quad02_1100.jpg&hash=3b52fc8f1ee009289e252e32108a0cd37a0fccfd)
I'll try to finallize all the path and quad lots today or tomorrow and then send them on like I did with the driveway pieces. Next up will be the building lots! Nearly a year later, I finally feel like this thing is going to make it...
JB
That second one reminds me of Harvard. I like how there's a kite flyer. Maybe he's a long lost relative of Ben Franklin.
Jon you are doing a fine job there!!! BTW Happy New Year
Wow.. you're getting heavy into it.. :)
Glad to see you're not resting.. hehe
TopCliff: Thanks! Yeah... the kite flier is there for research! That's the ticket... ;)
Pat: Thank you! Happy New Year to you as well!
SC4Boy: Thanks! I'm just trying to get this thing done... nap time can wait! :D
Well let's see here... things are happening all over the place right now. The menu icons for all the path lots are just about done. That part of the project is finished except for translations and MML now. That brings us back to the buildings.... so that's what I worked with a little more today. Here are all three dorms, front and back:
Centenial Hall
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Centenial_Front.jpg&hash=6dcf1f9aeeafc49163d291e2df5e3d5c47374d05)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Centenial_Back.jpg&hash=3b61a7391a8894c4d0b9cb3a88193e9191989185)
Hillcrest Hall
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Hillcrest_Front.jpg&hash=16eb26644867a9957f12b796fae440f07a76620d)
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Summit Hall
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Summit_Front.jpg&hash=251a0d8f5e88aad3764de58281fe39e51e61e02b)
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These three are the "eye candy only" buildings. I need to finish modding them and they will be done. If I'm reading my lists correctly, that leaves me with the three main trigger buildings left to lot. After that, it will be a lot of modding and finishing touches left to go. This whole thing could go into testing before the end of the month... depending on how things go. But there I go getting ahead of myself again. Any thoughts on these lots?
JB
The lots look great. I'm seeing a lot of inspiration here from Fordham University in New York. Now, where's the Mess Hall? :P
Happy Gnu Year Jon, Lot's of progress for these....sometimes it blows me away how fast this seems to flow for you....good feeling isn't it. everything is looking fine, and I sure can't find anything to quibble about. :thumbsup:..love the ideas of a) security b) using the paths as part of something else (I'm a big fan of creating riverwalks)....
Duane
TopCliff: Thanks! It's funny that of all the universities I did look at and pull inspiration from, Fordham was never one of them. I never even thought to look at it for some reason. Now I'll have to go do that. The mess hall is actually in with the student and athletic center a few pages back. (For now)
Duane: Thank you! Happy Gnu Year to you as well.
I lied earlier about what I had left. I forgot all about the library. So now that's done too. Here's a quick peek at that one...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Ahlers_Front.jpg&hash=e7c21dcc253435ec2b455de03690bb418efc4fac)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Ahlers_Back.jpg&hash=d5377de66d172d05833a3fdd60f5527d4f1507fa)
Now I can go start on the main classroom buildings... :D
Maybe more later,
JB
I like the brick choice. It's dark, depressing, and possibly claustrophobic. Reminds me of Harvard. :P I can actually see that library working as a standalone too. For some *cough*Smalltown*cough* somewhere in the USA. :P
Looks awesome JB.Maybe it will be done by Valentines day. :thumbsup:
amazing!! :thumbsup:
TopCliff: Thanks! I wasn't really going for "depressing," but I'm glad you like it either way. :D I can see a lot of these as stand alone, really... I'm sure that will happen with a few of them.
Bluebeard: Thank you! Valentine's Day would be nice... but I'm going to shoot for March right now. It will be a nice surprise if I'm early that way. ;D
Fukuda: Thanks! And welcome to the thread!
I love being on vacation... I'm not sure if I mentioned that or not. Sure it's cold and we got around 9 inches or more of snow in the last two days, but look how much I can accomplish when people aren't calling me every 5 minutes! :D I got two of the trigger buildings lotted... that leaves one to go! Here's a look:
Fuhrmann Academic Center - 7x3
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Fuhrmann_Front.jpg&hash=1c6905b7e55f950747a400ce4c3d6e8f9e76d87a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Fuhrmann_Back.jpg&hash=36b26e8f665a99c3b9a932c959b8488e94e7bc60)
Olson Academic Center - 5x4
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Olson_Front.jpg&hash=f95ec74945bd4e78ac95f0c8790b42526180fc85)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Olson_Back.jpg&hash=6e6125f5b003cc5d0d8cf994c6b3f0c2569a0b07)
The Conger Acadmeic Center may be finished before the day's over... it really depends on if I have to export again or not. I'll find out fairly soon...
JB
Dude, that first building is almost an exact replica of the main building at Fordham. Let's see if I can find a picture. Oh, and, uh, I'll take that fifty bucks considering I was your name consultant for *cough* one of your *cough* most famous projects. *cough* :P
Ooh, great job on the buildings! The Olson Academic Center would look great as a courthouse and the library would look good as a city hall.
I also like the quads, reminds me of the typical open spaces in universities that have a zillion pathways going every which way. :D
-- John
Thanx JB.
March sounds good it will be worth the wait. :thumbsup:
What else can I say besides excellently done? The dorms look great and so do the main buildings. For some reason though, the big round bushes at the back stairs of the Fuhrmann Academic Center look a bit plain/out of place on their own (hope that made sense). Have you tried continuing the bushes from the back wall to the end of the stairs? Aside from that, everything looks great. As usual, I'll be looking forward to more.
-Matt
Jon simply amazing im droooooooling here and i need a bucket and bad for all that drool lol!!!
The Olson Academic Center actually looks like a high school in my area:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mishawaka.k12.in.us%2Fmhs_files%2Fimages%2FMHSphoto.gif&hash=9344ba840dc69fefe9b387fab8d25aca5c68a4a4)
lovely lots Jon! The buildings are great and the lots fit them very well. :thumbsup:
Wonderful work Jon &apls
The lots are very nice. It will be great fun to puzzle them into a great campus. You have outshone the original maxis campus threefold if not more!
And I actualy like those buildings so it is a heartfelt compliment my friend ;D
Strech.
This is one incredible project you have here. Lots of people are going to be creating some awesome universities with this.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
TopCliff: Your check is in the mail to... um... some address. I hope it was yours! The Fuhrmann (first building) is actually a combination of Marygrove in Detroit and a building I saw in movie (it's somewhere in Virginia, but I haven't been able to find the school yet). The Olson (second building) is based on the original city hall in Saginaw, MI which burned down many moons ago.
John: Thanks! I'm thinking about giving the Olson another set of textures and making a city hall with it eventually.
Bluebeard: Thanks for your patience! ;)
Matt: Thank you! I changed the white flowering bushes to an evergreen instead. I had tried continuing the shrubs, but they really don't fit well... I'm still tweaking that one, so I may find something that works yet.
XiahouDun: I really like that central tower. Thanks for posting that!
Tag One: Thank you!
Strech: Thanks! I always liked the Maxis university too... I just hated the scale and the fact that you couldn't really do much with it.
Robin: Thank you!
Well, I'm still tweaking a couple things... flowers mostly... and trying to find some other flora that is a little more subtle. So some of these lots may have some minor changes, but nothing too huge. In the meantime, here is the last one!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Conger_Front.jpg&hash=ce4fb059f53f01d9955e7ac2b4c2395037c14d8e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Conger_Back.jpg&hash=62ead65565cbbe80eb773844da60f66778e2d331)
Also, just to prove that I hid the path as well as I could, even when the trees are bare...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Conger_PathHide.jpg&hash=67e28d73614d7e55bb4135e9ab555d250512d22a)
That's about it for now,
JB
Great work Jon. This one is looking done to me.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Interesting building. Is that some sort of old observatory on the roof? Anyways, thanks for the check. You know what, I will find a good picture of the main building at Fordham. You'll see. ;)
The rsult is simply lovely, Jon.
So when does the poll end?
Strech.
I don`t post on your work often, but i really enjoy what your doing. Thanks a lot :thumbsup:
@Strechnitz: the poll IS over.
Robin: Thank you!
TopCliff: I got your PM, and I definitely see the resemblance. I modeled the dome loosely off of Notre Dame University in Indiana. I just didn't really want the obnoxious gold leaf all over it. :D As to whether it serves a funtion or not? I'll leave that up to everyone else! ;)
Strech: Thanks! The poll actually ended Sunday... I just haven't been able to figure out how to take it down yet. ::)
Kimcar: Thank you! I've seen you lurking a couple times... nice to see you say hi.
Dragonshardz: Indeed it is... ;)
Well, I don't really have pictures to show this time. I spent most of the evening modding everything. Don't get too excited, but I'm getting close to the end of what I know how to do at this point. All the queries are done and placed where they belong... ditto for the query sound effects. I have about half of the slope settings redone. I have most of the item orders sorted out. Basically, I still need to finish those last two things and go over the functional modding and I'll be ready to hand them off for good to the wonderful people that can do what I don't know how to do.
What does that include, you ask? All the translations, all the MMLs, and the reward chains for the major buildings. Not a long list really... but it's still a lot to do considering how many lots there are.
I'll try to compile an update for tomorrow that shows everything to be included in the final package... I figure it would be nice to see it all in one place for a change!
Have a good evening,
JB
It's weird how you modelled something after Fordham and didn't even realize it. I think I may know of some good buildings to add to your campus. I'll see if I can find pics. Later dude.
JB, these look really great! I especially like the dome on the last pic... It reminds me of coupola at Old Main from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (my alma mater). Yours is a bit bigger, but... here's Point's logo:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg296.imageshack.us%2Fimg296%2F4994%2Fimagesex0.jpg&hash=748fac3bdb52f6807f9277d24fb3d2808d26dd1f)
And a pic of the orig:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg296.imageshack.us%2Fimg296%2F7333%2Foldmaintreesea6.jpg&hash=3126e3ad274f1fdaa8b0453c84defe9e235fffe3)
Keep up the great work!!
Lookin good Jon.....you have everyone here drooling and planning....
Duane
Jon how many lots in total are there for the complete package deal??
TopCliff: It is rather odd... although I still maintain that I modeled it after this one: ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FMarygrove.jpg&hash=b88e9db99bc516c6325d8935c194d0cdaae0a2c5)
CabraBuitre: Wow! That's pretty similar too... this is getting a little spooky now. I actually know exactly where that one is too.
Duane: Thanks! I hope I'm not ruining anyone's keyboard! :D
Pat: Um... well I had to count first. The grand total is 56 lots. Plus the all inclusive Westlake Academy lot (which I've now decided will be a separate release). They break down like so...
I was going to do a big graphic update with everything included. I actually took the pictures and then realized just how many pictures that would really be. So rather than bog down the page with pictures that are in this thread somewhere, I'll just do a rundown listing of everything to be included in the starter pack.
Driveway and Parking: 19 lots total. They vary in sizes including 1x1, 1x3, 2x2, and 3x3. All have a plop cost of $10 and bulldoze of $0. They are basically nuetral lots that act primarily as eye candy. They will be counted into the total number of campus lots, which I think will be part of the determining factor in university expansion.
Path Lots: 14 lots total. They are all 1x1. Plop cost of $5 and bulldoze of $0. They are basically the same as the driveway lots in their purpose.
Quad Lots: 6 lots total. There are 3x5, 5x5, 7x7, and 7x9 lot sizes. Plop costs vary by size, but essentially it's $5 per tile... bulldoze of $0 again. They will provide some park characteristics, but are essentially nuetral lots again. Like the driveway and path lots, they are counted into the campus lot total.
Building Lots: 17 lots total using 10 building models. All buildings are rewards that cannot be built until the first trigger building is unlocked and built. They are all counted as campus lots as well as campus buildings (which is a separate category when it comes to future expansion)
- Conger Academic Center: 5x4 lot size. This is one of the three trigger buildings. It will function as a university classroom and serves to unlock all other buildings in the set. You will only be able to build one of the three functional classroom buildings. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Olson Academic Center: 5x4 lot size. This is one of the three trigger buildings. It will function as a university classroom and serves to unlock all other buildings in the set. You will only be able to build one of the three functional classroom buildings. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Fuhrmann Academic Center: 7x3 lot size. This is one of the three trigger buildings. It will function as a university classroom and serves to unlock all other buildings in the set. You will only be able to build one of the three functional classroom buildings. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Ahler's Memorial Library: 5x4 lot size. This will function as a library would. You will only be able to build it once. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Student and Athletic Center: 5x4 lot size. This will function as a minor stadium would. You will only be able to build it once. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Student Chapel: 1x2 lot size. This will function as a house of worship would. You will only be able to build it once. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Campus Boiler and Maintainence: 2x3 lot size. This will function as a working power plant. You will only be able to build it once. There is also an eye candy version that can be built as often as you wish.
- Centennial Hall: 3x3 lot size. This is an eye candy dorm.
- Hillcrest Hall: 3x2 lot size. This is an eye candy dorm.
- Summit Hall: 3x3 lot size. This is an eye candy dorm.
There are a few general things that I'm still working on at this point... call them "yet to be determined" for now. This basically means that I'm not sure if these next things will happen for sure or not yet, but I'm hoping so.
Don't be completely fooled by the term "eye candy." While these versions will not provide jobs themselves, they will hopefully still serve some purposes. These purposes may include additional EQ boosts or creating commercial demand (among other things) depending on the building in question. And of course, they all get counted when it comes time to expand later.
I think that covers everything I can think of at this point. I've probably forgotten something... so feel free to ask away if I did.
JB
The detail is amazing I just keep looking at the pics and I'm blown away. :thumbsup:
I say you should at least name a building after it. Fordham Hall, or something. Uh-oh, power's going on and off . . .
Jon that is wonderful list and Im sorry that i made you think today lol... But you know curosity killed the cat deal hehehe... Anyways Im excited to see what "eye candy" gets a defintion of and how you will work that out.... watching with intent here...
That list alone is impressive. When the pack is released, it'll be a monster and a great addition to the game. Plop and bulldozing costs seem alright, but what about monthly cost issues, will they exist or is the college going to pay for itself? Congratulations again on your progress so far.
Bluebeard: Thank you!
TopCliff: I'm already making a list of names to use for part two... you might be surprised by what I have in mind already. ;)
Pat: Not to worry... I've been thinking a lot the last couple of days. Modding will do that, I guess! :D It was about time to put it all into one comprehensive list anyway... it helps me to remember the overall picture.
Matt: Thank you! The monthly cost issues are still part of the "yet to be determined" areas. I'm about to touch on part of that now...
I've often mentioned that there are large parts of this project that go beyond my knowledge and understanding. To that end, there has been a lot of very helpful discussion today about what may or may not be possible. Some brief updates to the "maybe" issues I mentioned earlier can now be given. It appears that it will be entirely possible to give any building the normal education benefits (like EQ boost and others) without the need for road connections or even budget lines. I'm still undecided whether that means the benefits should be free or not... but it can be done. I've also known (from School Pack Vol 3) that we can mix and match various civic benefits. Meaning the athletic center isn't confined to only stadium like benefits, but could also provide the EQ boost as well. (This will come into play even more down the road)
We're also looking into ways to make this more of a regional part of the game, versus the standard city tile. I don't want to go into too much detail about that yet, because it still needs some looking into, but there are some things out there that make it seem plausible. Call that a bit of a teaser idea for now... because that's as far as I'm willing to go so far! ;)
JB
I'd be interested in the Cliff Toppington Athletics Building very much. ;D
Great work you're doing here JB. Your school packs raised the "standard" in my opinion, so I'm sure this pack will become the most downloaded Universtity Pack and will crop up in cities all over the place.
I look forward to watching the development further.
Quite the list Jon, amaizing how it seems to be "taking on it's own life" as you go long isn't it.....I had been curious about the regional aspect as I was thinking about this myownself....always seemed so odd to me to have so many "major" universitys in a region....I mean I know it happens in real life to a certain extent, but....oh well....anyway, have drapped my keyboard in towels to absorb the drool so all is well....have a good weekend.
TopCliff: Oh you would, huh? Hmmm... ;)
Paroch: Thank you! I'm not sure how much more there will be to look at for a while. I've finally gotten to the point where all the remaining work is "behind the scenes."
Duane: It really did kind of blow up in my face, didn't it? :D It feels good to finally be getting this one completed... this idea has been bouncing around in my head ever since the first school pack started taking shape.
Well... I was supposed to continue modding today. Which I did... for about an hour... ::) Then I decided that I had done too much modding lately and allowed the ADD to take over for a day. I've mentioned expansion packs for the university several times. I've also said that the building variety will only continue to grow. Different styles... sizes... uses... all that good stuff. With that tiny introduction, here is a small taste of things to come:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDormMSU_Massing.jpg&hash=e39c96b5dafe1b8d05e1f5fd8f8713c2426d732f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDormTower_Day02.jpg&hash=6976e706ffa52a8bb1bb12fbc308baf8c364d425)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDormTower_Night02.jpg&hash=38a7602f7dc86cce71918096792f20a4edd5d8dc)
Obviously, the lighting needs some work still... so we won't bother discussing that part. These will both be dorms. I have a total of 5 already planned for "Part Two"... along with a number of other things. I won't say much else just yet since I'm supposed to be finishing "Part One" right now. I'll get back to that tomorrow, I promise. Just my little break for today... :D
JB
Wow... you're at it again. The first building reminds me a bit of the most recent dorms at my undergrad (though not really) and the second set is great. I really like how you took the time to change light colors for the different rooms (all I will cay on the lighting front for now). The little details like that are part of what makes your BATs exceptional. I'm glad you took a modding break. It certainly seems to have produced good results. I'll see you next update.
-Matt
hi my friend how are you doing,i se your still doing awesome work here excellent stuff. &apls
Those two dorms for pack 2 look very promising Jon.
The multiple styles and shapes will make the variety in possibillities so great. working with this set will reduce repetition to a minimum :thumbsup:
Strech.
Great job on the two dorms! The second one reminds me a bit of Jester Hall, located here on the University of Texas at Austin campus, but Jester Hall is much larger... So larger that I've heard plenty of stories from students who lived there about getting lost in the building.
I can't wait to see what the other dorms will look like.
-- John
I take it those are dorms. ;D I wouldn't mind doing a midterm with a tenth floor view. Maybe soem modern buildings would be good, like for chem labs and architecture classes. Besides, I don't need a whole building for me. I'll just take a massive statue of me in front of the university. :P
Well Jon, you sure managed to pust my "intrigued" button with those new buildings....I agree about the lights...perfect.
Matt: Thank you! The first dorm is inspired by some I saw on Michigan State University's campus. (Gotta love Google Earth!) To be honest, the lights are all exactly the same... it's the floors and window glass that vary. I found this to be a nice little trick while working on the Swan Majestic.
Jacky: I'm doing well, thanks! I hope you're the same. It's always nice to see you stop by.
Strech: Thank you! That's my hope, anyway... ;)
John: Thank you! The second one is kind of based on my old college campus... although my version is much taller. 12 stories instead of 4 to be exact... :D
TopCliff: I'll get to the more modern classroom buildings eventually. Unfortunately for you, I'm terrible at making statues! ::) :D
Duane: Thanks!
Well, once again, I have no pictures to post... but things are coming along. I've been tweaking and testing the education benefits today. I now feel safe in saying that every eye candy building will provide a small educational boost. The classroom buildings will still be the main source of learning, but the extra buildings will all help somewhat as well. This basically means that as the school grows, the education benefits continue to add up. I'm also trying to work out the cap relief aspect of things. The Maxis university provides some pretty significant numbers for this, so I'm working to find a balance to grow into those numbers and eventually exceed them as the school grows.
The other functional buildings are next on the list. These may or may not be dual function... depending on what they are. A funtional boiler will certainly still function as a power plant (as I've said), but it remains to be seen if I can add education benefits to that as well. We shall see.
Finally... about the naming contest. In talking with a couple people and looking through the LEX, I've decided not to go with Winterton University as planned. I saw several things already bearing that name... as well as actual people. :D I've already talked to Diggis, and he doesn't mind a bit if the name doesn't get used. He is still getting his prize and I think you'll really like the building he chose to be made for the next edition. As University of Clayhurst was the second place vote, I'll be using this for the official name. I've also talked to Strech about things and he's letting me use some of the graphics he suggested. I'll show you more of that next time. I hope this doesn't disappoint anyone too much...
JB
Forget the statues then! Just put posters of my face on every building that say The Dean is watching you . . .
Great building Jon. Especially the night lights. Imo they don't need further tweaking. The lights at the entrance are on the bright side, but are realistic. Those places are mostly brightly enlightened with TL-light. Especially in those cheaper build student flats.
Jon wonderful stuff and great looking things to come from pack 2 err 1 or 2 i dunno but i do know either way i cant wait to get ahold of "University of Clayhurst".... With that said I dont mind one bit and Im happy either way that uni has a great name to live up to...
Good evening JB
regarding the name of the university, I think "Clayhurst University" would be a little less cumbersome than "University of Clayhurst". This is just a suggestion, but please give it some thought.
I'm glad to see the progress you are making on the second dorm pack for the university. The models all look very good. I was a little surprised to see the hi-rise model and was a little concerned that it might not fit into the overall theme of the university but I suppose universities do grow over time and therefore most campuses do encompass a variety of architectural styles as well as buildings of different sizes. Heck, my (and Spa's) old alma mater in Halifax has one residence (Fenwick Place) which is 30 stories tall! It's a real eyesore to boot! I can't wait to see your brutalist modern campus buildings when you get around to doing them!
TopCliff: You crack me up... :D
Tag One: Thanks! You make a good point about the lights... I may turn them down a touch, but not as much as I thought.
Pat: Thank you! I'll try not to make things too confusing... $%Grinno$%
Simdad: Thanks! You're right... it certainly wouldn't fit with the theme so far. I have some gaps to fill in yet. But also as you said, every campus seems to have a couple of those buildings that just stick out and make you wonder what they were thinking. The name will mainly be something to upload under... so I'm not sure that it will make a whole lot of difference which way it goes. But I'll bear it in mind.
Here's a quick update on the second dorm. I've been going back and forth to it whenever the modding side of life makes me want to break something. This isn't completely finished yet... but it's pretty close.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDormMSU_Day01.jpg&hash=c0c4934cecdeff5dbbf44fdc100f1f957ba0f6f2)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDormMSU_Night01.jpg&hash=a11b39f16033a2af1e2d616e18876cec16a8a7f3)
I still have to work on the center section roof... figure out some sort of roof access for the dorm wings... a few little things here and there. But there it is for now. More later... as long is my internet doesn't crap out again!
JB
Looks great. Reminds me of a Klingon ship sort of. Actually, looks like someone ran honeycomb through PhotoShop and ended up with something weird. It's good that I bring humor to an area that isn't necessarily funny. :satisfied: :-\ %$payas)( /&HiPP/% %BUd% :party: &bis& Later. :P
Quote from: TopCliff on January 07, 2008, 12:29:54 PM
Looks great. Reminds me of a Klingon ship sort of.
I was thinking the TIE Fighters/Bombers from Star Wars actually :D
Excellent night lighting on the dorms. I would suggest maybe having a few more on, and put shades covering a few of the windows for those modest college students
Very accurate. May I sugggest some "renovated" flats from older style biuldings? Say, Georgian or Greek Revival? Many colleges have those as well. These modern dorms are stunning!
Looking great. BTW, an easy way to economise on time spent BATting may be to add a simple texture variation, particularly to that one with the two tallish towers. Do a version in "depressing concrete". :P
I do like how that version looks though, so keep it (it does a good job of creating variation but the brick texture will tie it in with the rest quite well.
Also, I agree with the others who say the lighting's fine - really, it is.
BTW, did I mention how well your stuff looks with Gizmo's day/night mod? I kid not, it looks amazing!
Of course as you know from my previous comments, I think your stuff is TOP NOTCH!.. not to mention megaprolific.. ;) I do agree about the "shades/blinds" on lighting though. It just isn't realistic to have glaring light like the old bare bulb hanging in the middle of the room.. heh.. Put some soft/diffuse into it I'd say (spoken keep in mind by someone who hasn't a clue.. )
Looking real fine Jon....pretty much agree with what everyone else says about the lights and styles....
I love the new buildings JB. You are a fast worker. I have to say that those semi-circular dorms look like prison cell blocks. If you put three or four of them in a symmetrical pattern, and added an admin building, you would have a great looking penitentiary :thumbsup:
Awesome work as usual!
Quote from: calibanX on January 07, 2008, 08:17:51 PMI have to say that those semi-circular dorms look like prison cell blocks. If you put three or four of them in a symmetrical pattern, and added an admin building, you would have a great looking penitentiary
Maybe that should be his next project. I can see it now: Allici Basin Correctional Facility . . . :P
Jon all i got to say :thumbsup:
Sometimes 60's dorms feel like prison cells with their drafty windows, non-functioning HVAC systems, and that strange smell that's somewhere between mildew and stale beer...
Cheers,
Kevin
QuoteSometimes 60's dorms feel like prison cells with their drafty windows, non-functioning HVAC systems, and that strange smell that's somewhere between mildew and stale beer
What really hurts.....I lived in some in the 60's when they were brand new and they still frelt and smelt the same.....sheesh. &mmm
Yikes! Looks like I missed a few things while the network was down again...
TopCliff: Nice array of smileys! I actually ran a honeycomb through MSPaint... that's why it looks so wierd! :D
XiahouDun: Star Wars was my first thought too. I'll turn on some more lights... and I'll try some curtains of blinds of some sort too. Thanks!
Rushman5: Thank you! Unless I'm not understanding properly, it sounds like you're talking more about off campus student housing... but I'll see if I can find some ideas.
Cammo: Thanks! I tend to shy away from texture variations just because they still look like the same building to me. That's not to say I won't do it... but I don't like to call it a whole new building either. I've often wondered how these look with Gizmo's mod... thanks for mentioning that!
SC4Boy: Thanks! Unfortunately there seems to be a very fine line between "soft" interior lighting and lighting that just doesn't show up in the game. I'll tinker with it a bit more and hopefully it will get better... ;)
Duane: Thank you!
CalibanX: Thanks! They do kind of look like cell blocks, don't they? Maybe a nice psych ward? :D
TopCliff: Aack!!! Just what I need... another project! $%Grinno$%
Pat: All I have to say is... "Thanks" (I couldn't find the darn smiley for it though)
Kevin: You make a good point there... :D
Duane: Wow... now I'm depressed on your behalf... :D
OK... first of all... I just wanted to prove that this second building is based on something other than Star Wars. ::) So here is the view I was looking at when I decided to make them:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FMSUDorms.jpg&hash=064fadc8ae928ebb5550208d911b156f9aec6ee7)
I spent a lot of today modding again. I ran into a few snags that ended up being more stupid than anything else. I basically spent most of the day trying to find out where I went wrong... and came to find out I had it right the first time and just changed it anyway. &mmm But that's all better now, so there's no need to go into it any further. I've nearly finished everything I have left to do with this set. I will pass the files on shortly for the translations and final testing. In the meantime... I thought this would make for a fun little "progress picture"
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Query.jpg&hash=703c0bb3400401921d83ffa6ef89da0132d1127d)
Have a great evening!
JB
that foto is sure a wild campus...which one is it? and looking good on the Conger stuff....easy to read and quite nice....I had an uncle who had a wingman (fighter pilot) in WWII whose last name was Conger, looking to it for that reason also.....
Beautiful, just beautiful. I do have a suggestion for the Latin phrase though, being a Latin II student.
Caedes ullus spera pro universitas pacis quod benevolentia obviam vir utpote 1887.
If anybody knows the translation, you'll see the irony, although the translation was a little hairy.
Jon that is just wonderful and btw how do you make the query window?
being away for some days made me read a couple of pages, but it was worth the time i spent :thumbsup:
the "progress picture" is great, and the dorms for pack 2 are also great.
mauricio.
Duane: Thanks! That picture is a small piece of the campus at Michigan State University. It's a huge campus... I'm told it's listed as one of the prettiest, but I'm not sure who makes those lists. It's in East Lansing if you're curious to look it up.
TopCliff: Thanks! I took 4 years of Latin in high school... but I have no idea what you just said! :D
Pat: Thank you! Daeley wrote a tutorial about queries a long time ago that I still have somewhere. It's probably still on ST, but I'll have to find the link. There is also a tool by Ilive called the UI Editor which I find quite helpful. I'll scout around and see if I can find them for you.
Mauricio: Thank you! Good to see you back! ;)
I took the lighting suggestions and tinkered with both dorms a little more. After a little trial and error, this is what I came up with:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FDormMSU_Night02.jpg&hash=9458651e91fc1cbc3a5fa6bcb05054802956d011)
It was a little tricky getting the size of the blinds right. Too tight and the light was completely blocked... too big and it didn't look like anything. But I think the end result was worth it, so thanks for the suggestions! I did the same to the tower dorms, but they take too long to preview so you'll just have to take my word for it. :P
I had a couple false starts for a new classroom building today, but nothing felt right just yet. So there's nothing new to show tonight. On the other hand, I officially passed the entire university starter pack over to the Andreas and Ripplejet today. They'll be working their magic for the reward chains and multi-lingual pieces. All of which is another way of saying this project has finally come far enough to leave my computer! %BUd% &bis& %BUd%
Hopefully I'll have something fun tomorrow...
JB
Looking good! If I remember correctly, it means Giving society more problems than it needs since 1887. Maybe you should run it through a translator. You know,, I like the mdoern dorms, but some really good ones are at USCB. Great ugly dorms there.
That looks unspeakably amazing. Seriously better then I could ever imagine. I'm in awe of your talent &apls
The blinds look great with the nightlighting! It adds a bit more variety than just regular lights.
And I looked at the campus on Google Maps, and all I can say is the university must like having oddly shaped buildings on their campus. Although I can see how it was named as one of the prettiest, with all of the trees and such around. And it's spread out, which can be a good thing.
If you want some inspiration for some more modern dorms, take a look at the University of Texas at Arlington's dorms. There's two new ones on the east side of the university that are relatively new, and they don't look like generic boxes. :P (The roofs aren't flat either, they're slanted)
-- John
I'm liking the query ou have created. The furniture in the nightlights is an excellent touch as well.
DUDE!!! Those window lights are majorly better looking .. NICE WORK!!
That pic you have of the campus is pretty typical IMO for a large campus.. almost all have "evolved" over time and are kind of ramshackle in their development over the years..
Jon, you've taken the night lights to a new level.....from "ohhh look at the pretty colors" to..."wow, those people should close the blinds" Nice work.....
TopCliff: I'll pass on the translator... I've been out of high school for too long to really care much about translating Latin anymore. :D USCB? Southern California Berkley... State Colorado Boulder... South Carolina Bog... I don't recognize the letters, sorry. ::)
XiahouDun: Thank you! I'm going to start blushing... :D
John: Thanks! Yes, there are a lot of odd shapes on MSU's campus. I'll have to take a look around Arlington for some more ideas, thank you.
Rushman5: Thank you!
SC4Boy: Thanks! It's definitely grown and spread out over time. It's also a pretty major agricultural research school, so they have a lot of facilities all over the state... farms, stables, and the like.
Duane: Thank you! I have to admit, it turned out better than I really expected it would. :D
I couldn't really stay focused very well today... probably the dentist's drugs again. I think I have three different buildings going right now, but I finally picked one to stick with for a little bit. Here's a sneak peek:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FLawSchool_Preview01.jpg&hash=a1926a85c4622b0711b13b685c4fe1e35c97a306)
This will be one of the second wave trigger classrooms. I think I'll call it the law school... I'll pick a permanent name eventually. Still a lot of details to add. I also need to figure out exactly where the rest of the entries will be. I was mostly trying to get the overall shape sorted out first... which I think I'm pretty happy with now. This should end up being around 5x4 again... same lot size as the Olson and Conger buildings.
JB
Wow, you continue to impress :o
As for names, if you are looking for a joke one, what about something like Hsu & Wynn, Sumey, or the Courtney School of Law. Or could do like Notre Dame has and just name it after the school itself.
Seems like it has been a while since I last posted here (what with school back in session) and look what I come back to... cool. I like the design of it so far. I'm curious to see what will happen with the roof area and the texture that it currently has on it. Have you considered placement of the law library in the facility or will it be a separate structure? Either way, I'm sure you could find some willing donors (Dewey, Cheatum and Howe to name three). Looking back through the updates, the costs for the first string of triggers looks pretty good ($250 for 1700) and the dorms have really turned out well. As far as TopCliff's USCB statement, he may be referring to UCSB (which is University of California: Santa Barbara) which has some interesting towers that I believe are dorms. Isla Vista (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_Vista)though has pretty much become the college town around there though (I used to live in Santa Barbara... it was always interesting to see the pictures in the paper after the annual Halloween Party-see the link). Tangents aside, great job. I'll be curious to know what is next and also to see what you do if/when you make the school of Science or Engineering. Hope all has been well with you. See you around.
-Matt
Hello JBSimo,
you really are delivering a constant flow of impressive buildings! Great talent!
I have a suggestion for the "star-wars" dorm: the floar of the main hall seems a bit repetetive (correct spelling?). Probably due to your texturing technique, which really works well in rest of the building! But the big front windows do destroy the achieved effect in my opinion. Maybe another texture fits better, or even some simple models. Also it wouldn't be unusual to have some brighter lights and not too much furniture in the entry area. That in combination with some "normal" floor texture like could help removing the repetition.
Wish you the best,
sco
Jon wow that is something else!!! OK kewl anything will help far as UI is going...
Quote from: XiahouDun on January 10, 2008, 09:20:42 PM
As for names, if you are looking for a joke one, what about something like Hsu & Wynn, Sumey, or the Courtney School of Law. Or could do like Notre Dame has and just name it after the school itself.
Hsu & Wynn? Hmm, that reminds me of the mayor of Austin. His name is Will Wynn. :D (Seriously, it is!)
Jon, that looks amazing, you continue to impress me and everyone else. And a law school sounds great. As for looking around UT Arlington for some more ideas, you probably won't find any. :P Other than the two newest dorms on the east side, there's really only one other interesting-looking building in the entire university. Most of the buildings are as generic as they could get.
-- John
Hmm, for the law school, why not call it Noe Hart School of Law? :P
If ever you add a facility for business, call it Mooney & Grabber Business Faculty or something :P
SA don't you mean Money and Grubber? :D $%Grinno$%
Just trying to put a play on words there. :P
How about the classic... Dewey, Cheatum & Howe?
The way sims drive......the skule needs to turn out alot of lawyers.....but on a less serious note......you realize that this also calls for a medical school complete with the obligatory hospital.....
How about the Payup Fronte School of Law? Oh, and UCSB is University California Santa Barbara in pristine Goleta, California. Here's a list of names I came up with for the law school:
Grabyerr Munny & Runn
Coover, Oop, & Thamerder
Taekit & Scramme
Gitmunn, Eeh, Frum, Yor-Eks
That's all I have right now.
If you decide to make a teaching hospital for the medical school that was suggested above, you might want to name it after the childrens hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The hospital was named after a major benefactor; Izaak Walton Killam. This of course made it the Killam Hospital (no lie!!, I spent eight months there in clerkship, internship and residency). ;D
Yikes! It looks like I missed a lot this weekend... I guess I'd better catch up on some replies.
XiahouDun: Thanks! Nice naming suggestions... I like the first one especially. :D
Matt: Thank you! I haven't really decided if I'll make a separate law library or not... although I'm leaning towards yes on that one. More about that in a moment. I'll have to take a look at that link when I get home later. The roof isn't actually on the building yet... what you see is just the "attic floor."
Scorer: Thanks! I had noticed the tiling effect on that floor (and the first dorm too for that matter) and will certainly fix it before all is said and done.
Pat: Thank you! I'm sorry I don't have that link with me at the moment... hopefully when I get home. My apologies for the delay.
John: Thanks! Well, generic isn't always a bad thing... and every college seems to have a couple very nondescript buildings somewhere.
SA: :D The business school is already spoken for by the Maloney family and the Swan group.
Existenz: Either one fits, really! :D
CalibanX: :D
Duane: Stop giving away the secret plans! ;) I've got a medical school/hospital planned... although it probably won't be in pack two yet. Again, more on that in a moment...
TopCliff: Nice names... :D
Simdad: Killam Hospital? That's hilarious! (And definitely going to get used!)
So I've taken a short break at the moment. I was in and out of the house a lot this weekend and when I was home I actually thought I'd play the game for a change! :o I finally got around to adding CAM and the new NAM with all its goodies... and basically went on a huge downloading spree on Friday trying to get caught up. I've missed so many cool things! So that's kind of what's been going on here the last few days.
In other news, Clayhurst has completed its first stop in Germany and should be headed to Ripplejet's house soon. He'll be helping with all the reward chains and the translations... both of which are way beyond my abilities.
I'm still thinking some of the reward chains through and trying to decide how they'll finally work out. I'm thinking there may be some things that are "special" rewards that are more of a "branch" instead of just a link in the chain. The hospital is a prime example. I don't want to force someone to choose between medical school or law school... but at the same time I don't want to force them as part of the chain either. So they may become rewards that have their own set of benefits, but aren't essential to further growing the university. (I hope that makes sense!) All just thoughts and ideas right now...
I'll probably have more tonight when I get home,
JB
What? Playing the game! Not sure if thats allowed! :D
But, I must admit it sure is a good way to spend time isn't it......
Looks like while you were away, us mice did play.... ;D.....anyway, glad to see you had a good weekend and looking forward to your next post...
Jon you played the game whaaaaaaaaaat :o omg that is scary lol.... I bet you had a blast camming and namming and did you sam? lol its no problem when ever you can get to it dont worry.... cant wait to see what you are cooking around with next though
Duane: It certainly is a nice way to pass the time... I'd nearly forgotten! :D
Pat: I actually did not SAM yet... although I'm doing a lot of farms right now, so I may try out the new dirt road textures soon.
I don't have any visual updates again tonight. I had a 13 hour day today and the same coming up tomorrow again... so I probably won't get much modeling done again until Wednesday. I did manage to work out some small things here and there that are a little more "future" oriented. I'm also in the process of cleaning up some older files. I got all the queries finished that I forsee needing for any future university packs... and am also in the process of hammering out the final reward chains for the future expansions. I'm trying to do this now so that everything gets organized properly from the beginning. One of the "problems" I ran into with the school packs was the little additions that meant these tiny prop packs uploaded with each new school pack volume. It wasn't really a bad thing, but it just got messy. So I'm trying to avoid that this time.
I'm also taking this opportunity to clean up some of those past "messes." In the near future, those of you that keep a watchful eye will probably see just about every single one of my LEX releases get updated. This will be the result of my cleaning process. I'm pulling all my queries into one place... pulling small prop packs together... that sort of thing. I'm hoping to do this in a way that will keep the need to redownload things to an absolute minimum. In fact, I think the only thing you may have to download over will be my first mega prop pack. Most of the updates will just be for the readmes to point to new dependencies. Cleanitol should take care of the rest. I'll make sure to keep you updated here when that starts to happen. And, if there is any confusion at that time... this will be the best place to ask! ;)
JB
that is awsome Jon and good to hear as well!! Sorta like a relaunch as you will right?
@Jon: That sounds a lot like me - modding stuff for weeks and months, but some day, you'll decide to play a bit - but not for long, since...
Quote from: Pat on January 14, 2008, 04:10:23 PM
Jon you played the game whaaaaaaaaaat :o omg that is scary lol.... I bet you had a blast camming and namming and did you sam?
... I did that (trying the SAM), and after five minutes, I thought "That needs some serious modding!", so I quit the game again and started creating type 21 exemplar files to make it pretty (see the SAM thread for a picture). ;)
Anyway, I already praised your work elsewhere (and I'm glad that I had some first-hand experience with it already), so I can only repeat myself that this is magnificent stuff, kudos! :)
Pat: Probably more of an early spring cleaning than a relaunch... but it should straighten out a few things that I didn't fully realize last year.
Andreas: Exactly right, yes! I'm rather glad that I can't mod transit systems in particular or I would really never get any playing time. There are several things I'd love to do, but since I don't know how I can happily move on. ;) And of course, thank you!
Those are interesting plans jon.
It seems that Pack 2 is right on steam. :)
Strech.
BTW Killam Hospital does have a ring to it, a bit morbid but... ;)
Strech.
I have GOT to make sure that when I place Killam Hospital...that it's across the street from a cemetary!!!!
I wouldn't exactly call your past efforts 'messes' but am looking forward to their relaunch. Also Clayhurst's appearance on the LEX. Take care................Anne
Strech: Thanks! I already have more than enough planned to finish Pack Two... it's actually going to be a matter of deciding which ideas make the cut and which ones will wait for Pack Three or later.
Duane: Brilliant! :D
Anne: Thank you! OK, maybe not "messes"... but still not quite right. Sometimes I'm just too picky for my own good... ;)
Pat: I didn't find the query tutorial that I originally learned from, but I was able to find this (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=149&threadid=88393&enterthread=y). It's very extensive and actually has some things in it that I think I learned along the way much later. There is also a link there for the UI Editor. Hopefully it will make a nice start for you, and let me know if I can help in any way.
Speaking of queries... with the help of Barby and Ripplejet, I ironed out the last couple kinks in a "major" query used on most of the eye candy lots. This is the one that will also help keep track of your university's size. (Which will come in handy over time, trust me)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FUniv_Query02.jpg&hash=1345c957e3aa3f5ceefb7d4a856d7eff953a703e)
I've also managed to finish any queries that I plan on needing for future packs. With those items finished, everything has now been sent off for the rewards and translation portion of the project. I can't say how grateful I am to all the people involved in helping make this thing what it will become. These finishing touches are what will take this from simply a massive set of lots to a working, expandable system. That would never have happened without people like Andreas, Ripplejet, Barby, and many others. So consider this my public thank you to them!
JB
Jon that is just awsome and when i get home from work tonight im gonna have to look at it further and Id apperciate any help as i dont know if you knew i've finally started lotting for LBT ;D... So yea Im excited to really push myself even further and I hope to learn from the best there Jon... &apls :thumbsup:
Looks great dude. Keep up the good work! But, next time, maybe post something I could make a joke out of. I mean, I need to make a living here! :P
I may have to redo a few of my cities just to get these into my game. Well worth it though, its really turning out great. &apls
A quick side question, did you ever release the football field you showed on the first page here? $%#Ninj2
Pat: Glad to help! I am by no means the best, but I've made a fair share of custom queries and would be happy to do whatever I can.
TopCliff: Sorry buddy... I have a hard time being funny after cooking for 13 hours. I'll try to do better tonight since I'm only working for 9 hours this time... ;)
XiahouDun: Thank you! The football field is another one of those projects that I never really finished. The textures made for it have been released, but the props are still sitting on my HD at the moment. Maybe now that I've learned a few more modding tricks I can look into that one again.
Hmm. A school of accounting: Bluddy, Will, Suckem & Dry [ignore the & and ,s and you've got it :P]
Even though it's well, a school of accounting.
But it's all up to you of course. Love the quad, by the way.
Very impressive! :thumbsup:
Is there a school of architecture? Whatcha gonna name it? hint* hint*
Jk buddy lol :)
SA: Nice one... :D I hadn't actually considered a school of accounting yet. Although something like that might fall under the "business school" umbrella? So many things to consider...
JosefBrisko: Thank you! Funny you should mention that...
I thought I'd take a rather dramatic jump from my normal styles and try something completely different. I started this with the Swan Centre for Business Studies in mind, but as it progressed I thought it would lend itself really well to a school of design. So here is a very early preview:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArchitecture_Preview01.jpg&hash=0fbe749864b37d3064de0a19a04b5b2d5b307454)
I thought a huge skylight be kind of cool for studio space. That part will definitely stay in some form. I'm pretty happy over all with the elevations on the left hand side (which is south)... but I'm not too sure about the west elevation yet. The three story curved glass was something I just wanted to try (mostly to see if I could pull it off or not)... and while it looks pretty good, I'm not so sure it fits. Even for a showy type of design building, it may be a little overboard for a campus setting. Any thoughts about that?
Still a ways to go on this one, obviously. I haven't really done anything with the law school since the last picture either, but I'll get back to it when the historical mood strikes me again. We all know it shouldn't take too long for that to happen... :D
JB
I think its quite good. Especially for a design school. On my undergrad campus, our arts building had an interesting design too that didn't match anything else on campus. It's the Fritz B. Burns Fine Arts Center (http://i.lmu.edu/imap/lmumap_production/index.html) and if the link doesn't take you right to it, just look for it on the map. Interestsing pics.
I would say keep the skylight and the curved glass. It's a great touch and serves an art studio well. As far as it looking off, I would suggest raising the angled part up (an amount equivalent to the grey cement piece just below it) as, from the side, it looks a bit short where it meets the lower part of the wall. I love the staircase too. Put a garden below it and it might add another artsy/design touch. Can't wait to see more progress on this one. Good luck with it.
-Matt
That's really cool. I like it a lot. I can't wait to see it further. Those stairs are really crazy! So its going to be 3 storeys? or are you adding on?
Very nice Jon....so far would fit perfectly for a school of design....figure that whatever patron had funded it, they would want a "lot of bang" and recognition for their bucks ;D.....I really like the glass areas...both the skylite and the entryway....seems to work well for me......would be nice to have some seasonal trees just outside the entrance for the ambiance.....agree about the staircase..really cool...actually if you add one more from another angle you could have an Escher type affect :D.....oh...and am also curious about the final number of stories.......hmmm just had a random thought......most of the other building have domes to set them off .... this works without the dome because of the entryway....I think that's what I mean anyway %confuso
Jon,
I like the design as is. The top floor is part of the studio, the second is a gallery, and the bottom floor is some sort of student gathering area.
How's that for justification? :p
This project is looking great in general, keep up the great work and I look forward to playing with it all! :thumbsup:
Cheers,
Kevin
I'd say ditch the curved glass. The rest of the building is sharp angles and corners, and the curves just don't fit.
Besides, curved glass is very hard to make work in SC4.
Love the rest of the building, though.
-ACE
Jon, the library I sent you has a curved glass wall around the back. It can fit in very well. Personally I like it.
Don't worry about it "looking different".. universities and government buildings in general (especially local governments) are the major "users" of completely "whacked out" designs.. I'm sure it makes them feel "academic" or "progressive" Every major school that I know of has a core of "theme-ish" formal or older style buildings with various completely whacko things scattered around..
Matt: Thank you! I liked those pictures a lot. It's too bad there weren't a couple more of them as that looks like a very interesting building. I'm absolutely keeping the skylight. It probably will get raised a little bit more, but I just roughed it in for now.
Josefbrisko: Thanks! The stairs took me forever to get sorted out. I'm actually not quite finished with them yet either. I think I'm going to top out at three stories plus the skylight, but that could still change.
Duane: Thank you! Good point about the building's donor.
Kevin: Thanks! That justification sounds good to me! ;) I'll try to remember that when I get to the interiors.
ACE: Thanks! Actually, the curved glass was easier to do than that skylight was. Getting the arches to match up while also on an angle (and figuring out what that angle in the first place) took me a bit of head scratching. :D
Diggis: Does it? I saw the curved bay window on one side. I tried to look that up on Google Earth, but the satellite coverage isn't very good right there. I'll have to try another search just for images.
SC4Boy: Looking different was never an issue. I wanted that... I just wanted to be sure it still match while it looked different.
personally, i like the way it looks with the curved glass
mauricio.
Jon Dont change a thing on that building cept maybe textures lol... Naw kiddin aside I love the curving and it give that a more realistic feel to it..... Cant wait to see more!!!
Hey Jon,
I like the new building. The style is refreshing and I believe that it will work wonderfully with the already existing structures.
I particularly like the shape of the stairs and the glass walls. very 80's contructivism. although that's probably not what you call it in the US :D
Strech.
Cool looking library. If you want a new age library, somewhat modern, but represents the classical theme of the school, I have just the thing. Expect numerous pictures in a PM sometime soon.
Mauricio: Thanks... I think the curved glass is going to stay.
Pat: Thank you! Does adding more walls count as "changing stuff?" If so, then I apologize... :D
Strech: Thanks! I don't know what we call it in the US really. I was never much on keeping different style names straight in my head. ::)
TopCliff: Thank you... I think. This isn't a library, but I'll be watching for your PM anyway! ;)
I played around with this a bit more. I finished off the skylight area and then started around on the north side. I wasn't really thrilled with how it came out and then, after looking closer, I realized it's really not going to work at all. Since it's all going to change anyway, I won't show that side just yet. Here's the same views as before just to show the part I did get finished:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArchitecture_Preview02.jpg&hash=fe7f442ed0a872138ca14b3026206a75ed87da5e)
The main problem with the staircases and "courtyard" that you can sort of see is that it won't line up with anything the way I have it now. Trying to get this on a lot in its current shape would be no fun at all. So I'll have to try again tomorrow...
JB
Couldn't you use the BAT to make either sidewalks or some kind of small concrete courtyard pads to help connect it more naturally to your lot textures? Something like a patio with some furnature so you could kind of imagine it would be a place students would go to on a nice day to study or have some kind of group gathering like a club. Could have it open ended, or maybe fenced off with a small step to the lot textures.
Sorry to hear the stairs aren't working too well (I like XiahouDun's suggestion) and I hope that, whatever you come up with, the stairs keep their interesting form in some way. Also, with all that flat roof space, I hope to see some nice sitting areas up there. I'm glad you liked the building, I'll see if I can find you some more pictures of it. Take it easy.
I echo both what Eric and Matt said about the patio and no that dont count but what will if you mess with those wonderful stairs!!! lol &apls great job jon and looking real good with the finishing off of the walls....
Well it need not line up with the paths, no layout of any campus or city is perfect, not even Clayhurst.
On a sidenote, In northern Europe many Gothic buildings like cathedrals and cityhalls and such have a perfect simmetry apart from one or two little things. That was done deliberately. They strongly believed that God was the only perfect entity and symetry was seen as a form of perfection. So striving for perfection was seen as an affront to God, and so they purposely brok symetry to show that they were only human. BTW it goes beyond human hypocrisy, they knew they could build symetrical if they wanted to. But it was a strange votive. Those views changed with the renaissance though (luckily) ::)
But why did I type this? ??? Oh yeah, to back up XiaHouDun's patio/square idea. then your lovely stairs come out on the patio's and you only have to line the patio/square up on the paths. :)
Strech.
Well Jon all I can say is I agree with the above statements.....even Pat's... :D
XiahouDun: I certainly could do that, yes. I try to avoid BATting in sidewalks for a couple reasons. First, I have a very hard time getting the textures to match up with the ingame sidewalks. Secondly in this case is the fact that we're using the interchangable BSC Park textures... so I wouldn't know what to match up to anyway. If all else fails, I probably will just add a patio a step or two above ground and line things up that way... but it's kind of a last resort right now.
Matt: Thanks! The first set of stairs won't change either way... the second set is what I need to move around a little more to get things to fit. I'll definitely get to some "patio junk" eventually, but I like to leave that until closer to the end so it's not all in the way the whole time. ;)
Pat: Thank you! I think I already answered your other comments, so I'll just keep going... :D
Strech: Oh no, not perfect... but I don't think a stairway should just ranomly end in the grass either. :D I'm not going for symmetry either... I just need to adjust for the set size of the game tiles. I had heard that "affront to God" idealogy before... and as you say, thank goodness we don't worry about that any more. Most of my buildings would really make God angry otherwise! :D
Duane: Wow! Even Pat, huh? :D
I may have given the wrong impression last night. I have no intention of "ruining" the stairs or making one side a mirror image of the other. In fact, my hope is to actually offset the entries on either side of the building. To do this, I just need to keep the spacing correct to match with the textures available. For example, if I put the south entry at x=0 meters, then the north entry (ideally) should be at x=16 meters since one game tile is 16 meters square. There are of course textures where the path isn't prefectly centered on the tile which gives me more options, but ultimately the path needs to leave the lot centered on a tile so you can connect it with the other pieces. The problem I have right now is that I'm not even close to any of those options. My differential between the two entries at the moment is something like 6 or 7 meters... which doesn't line up with anything. :D The original staircases from the first pictures are set properly and won't change... it's just the new set (which wasn't all that interesting anyway) that I need to tinker with.
I know that was a rather long explaination that half of you probably don't care about anyway, but I felt like typing something, so there you go! ;D Hopefully it will all make more sense later this evening as I'm about to put the monkeys to work right now. More to come...
JB
Hehe, your buildings are so symmetrical, I'm surprised your computer hasn't been struck by lightning yet! Nah, I'm kidding. Expect a PM soon.
Why not just BAT up a lower patio area that will extend to cover the needed area (kind of like an overlay texture, but part of the BAT itself) that way, the path could enter wherever it was needed. I know that it'll all turn out well though. Looking forward to what's next.
TopCliff: :D That's so true... I'm just a sucker for order, I guess. Thanks for the picture... I'd love some more if you can find them.
Matt: That is still the back up plan if I have to. I don't think it will be necessary though... "$Deal"$
So I tinkered and I nudged and I rearranged... and then realized I forgot something! :bomb: I'll worry about that later though. The main thing is that the south and north sides are perfectly lined up in all directions now... as is everything else I've added today. Maybe I'll post a picture with the paths roughed in later (just to show what I was talking about) But anyway, here's a look at today's progress:
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You can see I put the start of one more set of stairs in the south east corner. I'm not entirely sure if I'll be using it yet or not. It's a bit of an tight fit right there and most of what I've tried so far either looks forced or just tacked on as an after thought. So we'll see if that lasts or not. Besides that, I put the floors in just to brighten up the windows... they still need to be textured and fit around the glass wall. Lots of details to add yet, but the main shape is finally there. It doesn't look anything like what I originally expected... but I like it. ::)
JB
I like the stairs in the southeast corner. I know lots of universities where buildings have back entrances and stuff. Keep up the good work.
TopCliff: Thanks! Here's another look...
I got a small staircase to fit in the newest corner. I still have to add some supports here and there, but I need those in a couple other places too still. ::) Here also is a rough look at how the paths all fit together...
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Have a great night!
JB
Looks great &apls
It actually makes me think the mess hall at Notre Dame for some reason. ???
That looks awesome JB!! :thumbsup:
Can't wait till this is released
I really like this....for some reason this building really grabs me (by the ears) and forces me to look at it in detail......that's a home run in my book. &apls
The paths look great. I think you forgot one though: what about that last staircase adjacent to the westernmost one? Looks good. Actually reminds me of the University Village at UCSB (University California Santa Barbara). I'll find some pics for reference.
Is it the right time to ask, what will be in the expansion pack?
The Design School look great, and I think that I speak for all in saying the paths look awsome.
XiahouDun: Thanks! I looked for the mess hall at Notre Dame, but haven't found it yet. I'll have to try again when I have a little more time.
AlfredJones: Thank you!
Duane: Thanks! I've asked the monkeys to stop grabbing peoples ears and to try guiding them gently by the hand instead. We'll see if they listen... ::)
TopCliff: Thanks! I didn't put that one in just because I know it's a custom texture I'll have to make later. This shows existing textures that I wanted to use as much as possible. Thanks again for the picture! I can definitely see some resemblance.
GrizzlyBuilder: Thank you! I'm not entirely sure what will make the second pack yet... although there will be more than one expansion. The best I can do is tell you what I know right now...
Since the question was asked, here is the minimum of what will be included in Pack Two:
- More Dorms - Somewhere around 3-5 of them of various sizes
- Classroom Buildings - At least three, which will act much as the first ones do
- Campus Security - Campus Police and Fire stations
- Landscaping Walls - There will definitely be fence like versions of these and there might be retaining walls as well
- Entry Decorations - Miscellaneous gates and signage for the driveway entries into campus
That's what I have for definites right now. There will almost certainly be other supplimental buildings, but I'm not at a point to say which ones just yet. They could include additional libraries, common areas, or "vendor buildings" (like food courts with brand name restaraunts for example)... just to name a few ideas. I know that's probably not the most helpful answer, but that's all I can say with any degree of finality so far. I'm still gathering ideas and sorting priorities... not to mention keeping up with the final touches for the first set.
JB
The only thing I can think of is to make about ten different buildings that go on campus and are nothing but Starbucks, Peet's Coffee, and Seattle's Best. ;D
Quote from: JBSimio on January 19, 2008, 11:07:33 AM
XiahouDun: Thanks! I looked for the mess hall at Notre Dame, but haven't found it yet. I'll have to try again when I have a little more time.
They don't really look alike, but for some reason I just keep thinking that building. It just has the feeling that this building is where the students eat and hang out.
http://studentactivities.nd.edu/venues/lafortune/
Maybe its the stairs :D
Brilliant design, why dowsn't a university hire YOU?
Jon I've ran out of words to say here.... &apls
TopCliff: Hmmm... wouldn't that just be some of the many restaraunts aready available? :D
XiahouDun: I can actually see what you mean. It kind of reminds me of some sort of student common or rec building too.
Rushman5: Thanks! Probably because I don't have one of those fancy pieces of paper to prove I can do stuff... I think people call it a degree? Something like that... :D
Pat: I hope that's a good thing. I'll mail you a dictionary and thesaurus though... just in case. ;)
Quote from: JBSimio on January 18, 2008, 06:10:54 PM
So I tinkered and I nudged and I rearranged... and then realized I forgot something! :bomb: I'll worry about that later though.
Perhaps you remember this little aside. The thing I forgot to do while lining up all the paths was to factor in the glass wall portion. It was off by quite a bit... a little too much to work around really. Unless of course I wanted to start that whole end of the building over... $%Grinno$% Here's what I came up with as an alternative:
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For the most part, I think I like it. I like the curved glass too and will probably use it somewhere else, but this fits quite well IMO. Still a few tweaks to do if I keep it, but that's a "wait and see" type of thing. Basically, I have two options to offer for feedback. I can keep the old version and just not have an entry on that side. (There isn't enough room for patios or any of those past suggestions either, so don't ask. ;) ) Or I can use this new version. What do y'all think? Let the cursing of my name begin... :D
JB
I never said anything but the curved glass did look a little off. I would say to use it elsewhere and keep this 'new' look.
LoL OK no problem Jon!! :D Looking with and with out the curved glass in front of this praticular building my overall thought on it is pretty decent and I can't wait to see what you will use that curved glass on...
Oh Oh....here I go again agreeing with Pat.... :D.....actually he said what I wanted to say ...but was much quicker on the draw with it...... I will look forward to something with the curved glass tho....cause that is soooooo neat.
Looks good. Maybe you could also just make a big brick silo full of coffee beans for the students. We all know they need it.
The result looks very good JB.
I like the way it has worked out.
:)
Strech.
hey, an idea: curved glass on a starbucks building!
Dragonshardz: And so it shall be... thanks!
Pat: Thank you! I have an idea of where a similar feature might go... but we'll see about that when the time comes. ;)
Duane: Thanks!
TopCliff: A brick silo, huh? :D I suppose I could hide that in the agricultural school somewhere... ::)
Strech: Thanks! The new look is growing on me too.
Dragonshardz: Everyone keeps asking me to make coffee buildings... I don't even like coffee!! :o :D
I got a lot done today, although for some reason it doesn't really feel that way. Probably because everything in today's session was just time consuming type stuff. I got the textures mostly finished... the lighting is about 85% done... and the major modeling is done. Here's a look at the DeBussy School of Design: (who better to name it after, really? have you seen what this guy can do?)
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"But Jon... it looks so empty!" Well of course it does... there's nothing inside yet! ;) The next step is to add all the "life" inside and outside on the patios... people, benches, whatever else randomly pops into my head at the time. I still have some tweaking to do with the lighting inside the skylight and glass wall areas. I also have a few more details to add here and there. Nothing huge... but it will be another one of those tedious things to finish when I get there. Other than those things, this is just about wrapped up. Anything else I'm missing (besides a coffee maker)?
JB
Coooool. University buildings? Look like dorms.
Superb, absolutely superb. I can't see anything that needs adjustment, as far as I can see, it's ready for the details. The name is quite fitting. I've seen his work (though strangely, I've yet to comment in his thread) and it is amazing. Regarding your current model, I like the satellite dishes and the ladder, nice touches. Out of curiosity, is that square near the lower dish the entrance to the roof? or is there another ladder I haven't noticed? Looking good as always.
Night lighting is simply amazing :o It seriously has taken this from a great BAT to one of the best ever &apls
Very nice school Jon :thumbsup: I like what you've done with the stairs, it looks very special. My only suggestion is that you could give the orange nightlights a bit more intensity. Not much, but a bit :)
Don't know why I was worried, the new entrance looks stunning. Though I do hope we get to see that curved glass on something soon. Excellent name too. :thumbsup:
Me....I want to enrol at the DeBussy Design School ;D I think we also need the JBSimio School of 3D Design for Games as an adjunct to the DeBussy School. ;)
Jon, the building looks fantastic. The name is very fitting, his work is simply amazing. What I like about the building is at first it looks like a generic university building, then you see the stairs that go every which way, and then BAM! You see the glass atrium which tells you it's anything but generic. :P
-- John
&apls &apls Still amazing work you do . The nightlighting is just perfect and nice desighn too. :thumbsup: Great job
I'll go with the consenus here Jon....stunning building.....like I said before....can't put my finger on any "one" thing that makes it stand out...just a whole lot of things that combine for a really standout piece of art.
so there....
Looks great. One of your best buildings for this project. Maybe add a statue or some art, I dunno. Later.
I'm really enjoying the skylights. I also like the faded brick texture, it looks like Washington Hgih School
Man we gotta hook you up with some of the glass textures that Paulvmontfort or Simfox are using on their buildings. Gotta say, I love how everything has come along :thumbsup:
Flame1396: University buildings indeed! The latest dorms are a few pages back though... ;)
Matt: Thank you! Here are your details! The square you mentioned is meant to be a trapdoor type of roof access, yes. I didn't think the usual "stairwell shed" would look very good on this one at all. :D
XiahouDun: Thanks! I really like how they turned out as well.
Tag One: Thank you! I turned up the interior lights just a bit more.
Xxdita: Thanks! I'm sure it will make an appearance somewhere... ;)
Existenz: Thank you! I'll need to get a bigger ego before I can make a JBSimio School... :D
John: Thanks! This evolved into much more of a showcase type of building than I originally anticipated. I'm glad you like it!
Kimcar: Thank you!
Duane: Thanks! I'll take it... :D
TopCliff: Thank you! A modern art sculpture of some sort would probaby be very fitting. Hmmm...
Rushman5: Thanks! The brick textures for the university buildings and Washington High School are pretty close now that you mention it. Which is kind of funny because they were both made totally separate from each other. Oh well... stranger things have happened... :D
Sim Shady: Thanks!
So I should have been in bed a while ago... but sometimes I get a little carried away. I think this one is pretty much finished. There are a couple minor things I want to fix, but nothing huge at this point. I tweaked the lighting a bit more... added some people and other stuff inside and outside. If you look close enough, you can see some models in the studio. I was going to make a model of this model inside and set up that wierd endless mirror thing... but then I slapped myself and also gave myself a lecture on needless silliness. Once I got through with my self-imposed time out, I finished all the railings. That part took forever and is probably why I'm still awake right now. But it needed to be done and I like how it turned out. So here we go...
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That should just about wrap things up for this building. That makes three... ;)
JB
Looks like another one well done. As far as needless silliness goes, just because there is no need doesn't mean there shouldn''t be any... I've seen many buildings with a model inside (granted it would be difficult/impossible to see here and it would be an interesting render to have the endless mirror effect). The railings really make the patios stand out an I like the desks inside (though I'm sorry to see that the curved glass didn't make the final cut of this one... and I'm sorry to admit that it took me this long to notice with all the new developments distracting me) but as long as it makes it into another BAT then it should work out. Have a good night and get some sleep. Out of curiousity, where do you get your people models (or do you make them yourself)?
Looks much better now :thumbsup: I love the way the interior looks, it also great that you can see the details of the wooden floor :)
First of all Jon....needless silliness is what life is all about... ()stsfd().....and I should know....love the railings also....when set against a campus background they should standout very nicely. A point of curiosity on my point...will the lot have much shrubbry surrounding the building....or be more subdued? I would think the latter would porbably be the case in this instance.....but that's just one silly opinion..... ::)
PS...you are so cruel.....getting us all excited about release two and it's still a while till the original comes out....sheesh....
Nicely done. The details look great.
Another JB masterpiece. :thumbsup:
&apls :thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup:
Jon that is just wonderful!!!!!
wow jon- you've really outdone yourself with this one! &apls
Matt: Thank you! The people models are actually courtesy of SimGoober. I don't recall if they were a public release or not, though... I'll have to check that part.
Tag One: Thanks! I'm glad you suggested I do that.
Duane: I guess it's a good thing there is no ban on needless silliness... I'd imagine if there was, I would end up in jail for life. I don't have many plans for the lotting yet, but I think it will be a bit more subdued than others. Rather than cruelty, I prefer to think of it as demonstrating that the wait won't be as long for Pack Two. ;)
Xxdita: Thank you!
Bluebeard: Gracias!
Pat: Danke!
Edge: Merci!
Whew! It's a good thing there wasn't another response there... I nearly ran out of languages! :D Sorry there was no update last night. I got a little sidetracked in a very interesting discussion and spent a lot of time looking at and reading about urban decay... I got depressed at what I saw, which in turn made me angry. There was a lot of fist shaking and muttering directed at "the man"... I considered calling my congressman, but I figured he's probably "the man" too and so it wouldn't have helped any... I mumbled and shook my fist some more... I considered calling the president, but he's definitely one of "the men" and I don't really like him anyway... and then I think I moved on.
I scrapped the Matthew Edgren Law School and started over on it. There wasn't really anything wrong with it, but I was shown some pictures that I liked even better. The overall shape of the building will be the same, but it will have a slightly different look to it. I didn't get far enough to post a picture last night, but there should be something this evening for sure.
Until then,
JB
PS... The man didn't really get me down that much. It is an upsetting subject, but I probably dramatized my reactions just a tad. More of that needless silliness, you know? :D
I just caught up on your thread and my what a lot I've missed. Amazing skills you have &apls &apls
this did stand out to me though ::)
Quote from: JBSimio on January 20, 2008, 09:49:11 PM
Dragonshardz: Everyone keeps asking me to make coffee buildings... I don't even like coffee!! :o :D
Shall I put the kettle on and make a nice cup of tea for you :D :D
you deserve it :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
LoL derry....
Jon dont you just love "the man" hehehehe OK I go now before I get shot at.... BTW I hope I can come back and see the progress on the newer version???
Derry: (if I may) Thanks! And I will gladly partake in a cuppa... :D
Pat: Come back anytime... you can see the newer version starting now. ;)
So I started over on the law school yesterday, like I said. Between now and then, I think I've gotten back to roughly the same point as where I left off the first time. First a look... then some explainations:
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For starters, I hate the main entry. It seemed like an idea worth trying... but it seems that I was sadly mistaken on that part. So that will certainly change. I'm not entirely happy with the textures on the first floor yet, although I've already tinkered with them an awful lot. I just can't quite get it nailed down. The blank spots along the sides and around back will be secondary entries of some sort eventually. I'm not real sure how the roof is going to look just yet, but rest assured you won't have to look at the warped attic floor. (Don't ask why I tiled it if it's not going to be seen anyway... these are just the things I do to keep people guessing)
I've taken to naming the buildings for pack two after various SC4 people... just because I can. If you remember back to the dorms, the taller towers are Payce and Rooker Halls. The Star Wars dorm is Stropon Hall. Then we have DeBussy School of Design... and now Matthew Edgren Law School.
TTFN!
JB
Should have made the law school in the shape of a dollar sign . . . it would've seemed more fitting. :P
Yeah you university is so funny!I look at there, and i think is so realistic!I need a university like this! &apls
Jon ty, BTW what do you hate about the main entry, I think it gives it a classical entrance look... I think you have it warped for the fact of age, as we all know the attics of all old buildings the floor is never ever perfect lol....
Hi Jon, I like the new look...the columns and classical feel are stupendous. My only thought on the main entry is the size of the doorway, but replacing just the door, wouldn't work with leaving the windows like that...hmmm....but something more grand and imposing for the enrty? oh well....all I've got to do is kibbutz.....I'll let you do the hard work :D
Later
Duane
Jon (If I may :) )
And yes you can ;)
I love the new pics.
As you say you hate the main entry, may I make a suggestion?
As your windows on either side of the door are rounded which complement the solid sturdy style of the building how about a compounded (recessed) doorway using the same style as the windows?
Some examples of what I mean can be found here (http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/romanesque.htm). Hope this may be of some help to you. (Wouldn't the Gananoque look great as the chapel for the uni?)
Looking forward to seeing how you tackle this problem of yours
but in the meantime hope this helps
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Regards
Derry
ps Winterton University sounds good to me ;)
I know i have not actually responded here lately at all but i have been checking to see the progress periodically and i just have to say it looks phenomenal in all aspects, you have put alot of work into this and its going to be huge!
Actually, as i have been following for awhile, i just have to ask as this has been nagging me: how huge is this? All those buildings if used at once are going to take up a massive amount of real-estate. Not that this is bad, but im just wondering, how far are you exactly planning to take this project, in terms of buildings and classes? Because while this project passed the point for me awhile ago as to be too prohibitive for me in terms of space dedicated to one thing (but i am on and old laptop, so don't feel bad) im wondering how far exactly it has yet to go? How much is enough? You gave a ballpark estimate awhile ago but left open the suggestion that there will be more forthcoming.
Thats not a negative post, just an honest inquiry.
Quote from: TopCliff on January 23, 2008, 07:59:55 PM
Should have made the law school in the shape of a dollar sign . . . it would've seemed more fitting. :P
And it also should be in a neo-classical style, circa 1972.
TopCliff: Perhaps a Simoleon sign would be even more appropriate? :D
Adept2Rock: Thank you! I wish I would have gone to a university like this... :D
Pat: There's a lot I don't really like about the main entry right now to be honest. That whole first floor wall is set back too far. I feel like the arches don't really match the rest of the building at the moment. And also the way the elevation is set at the moment would make the porch pretty low... which also doesn't seem to fit the style to me.
Duane: Thank you! Yes... the doors will definitely change. Something grand is certainly in order... I just have to find what that might mean.
Derry: Thanks! (and of course you may also) You seem to like the arches, I see. Hmm... &Thk/( That link is excellent! Thank you!
Fledgeling: Thank you! Nice to see you again. No offense taken at all... it's a very legitimate question that I haven't really explained very well. How far I take the project is honestly impossible to say... I've purposely designed features to make the whole thing as open ended as possible. At the same time, I've tried (and will continue to try) very hard to make things very optional in that you can use the expansions if you want to, but won't necessarily need to. "How much is enough" is quite honestly and literally up to each person. The Maxis university provides a number of benefits to the city... including park effects, mayor rating, civic jobs, demand cap relief, and of course the EQ boost (the education that makes your sims smarter). All these benefits are included in the three "starter" classroom buildings, although they are slightly lower than the Maxis version. For the sake of this discussion, I'll limit myself to the cap relief and EQ pieces, as I feel these are the two most important things anyway. One of the classroom buildings will provide between 70-85% of the cap relief provided by the Maxis university. (It varies by the size of the building in this case.) It will also provide half of the EQ boost campared to Maxis. Maxis gives an EQ boost of 30... I've used a boost of 15. Any and each additional building will provide an additional EQ boost of 5 points. Additional cap relief will be provided only by more of the functional classroom buildings. So, in the case where space is an issue... you could plop a total of 4 buildings and have the same education benefits as a Maxis university provides. The cap relief aspect would admittedly take up a little more space to get on equal footing, but the second classroom building will put you well above what Maxis provides... which I consider a fair enough trade off. I hope this rambling response actually answers some of your concerns. If not, feel free to ask again or additionally and I will gladly try to make things clear.
SA: A neo-classical dollar sign? Y'all are starting to worry me a little bit... :D
I haven't really gotten much further on things yet, so I don't have any new pictures at this time. I may have one before the night is out... otherwise I hope to have a fair chunk of time this weekend to work on things.
See you then!
JB
Gezz you redone all schools game ;D Great for us . The only people who not gonna like it , it`s the sims students $%Grinno$% Great work as always :thumbsup:
jeez you sure have big plans for this modular university set. Whats more is that you have followed through with most of it! &apls &apls &apls :satisfied:
Just when I thought this couldn't get better you go and redo that building beyond what I thought even possible. It looks truely amazing.
And dibs on any athletic facility being named the Dun Arena $%#Ninj2 :D
Kimcar: Thanks! I guess I have come full circle with this whole education thing, haven't I? Yay me! :D
SimShady: I tend to have too many big plans... I'm glad this one is finally seeing the light of day though!
XiahouDun: Thank you! Dun Arena has a nice ring to it... ;)
I didn't get quite as far as I had hoped with this today, but there are reasons for that. A few of you may remember last summer when I mentioned some potential big changes. It seems some of that may finally be coming to a head. More on that in the next few days...
In the meantime, I managed to get most of the roof pieces put together and in place. There are still a few tweaks to be done here and there, but this is the general idea of how the building will top out. I tried a second main entry, but didn't really like it much more than the first one... so that just looks like a blank wall for now. I have another plan that I'll try tomorrow. Here is tonight's progress for now:
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Have a great evening!
JB
WOW! I've just combed through here, and you're doing some magnificent work here, my friend! I can't believe how great these buildings look! Keep it up!
Honestly, Jon, I'm running out of compliments here! This looks fantastic.
Have you considered extending gabled roofs to the backs of the friezes? That might be a nice detail to add.
Can't wait for this university pack to be released!!
Nofunk kind of sums it up for me also......man it's hard to think of new superlatives for your work.....wish I could think of something constructive to add to the project "$Deal"$, however since I can't will sit back and enjoy your creations..
I remember the talk about big changes.....aahhhh a little intrigue always livens up an old man's time.........
droooooooooolin... Jon that is all I got to say lol!!!
I like what you've got here... but the roof seems like it's missing something...
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Interestingly, this building looks a little like the courthouse in my home town, Wheaton, IL...
Here are a couple of pics:
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This courthouse was converted to a college, National Louis University, for about 10 years. The area is now being modified for some high end condo's... pretty neat IMO!
Btw, this building is on the national register (DuPage County Courthouse, third from the bottom) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Registered_Historic_Places_in_DuPage_County,_Illinois).
Wow, it's been a while since I've commented here. The law school is a very stately building. The name's not bad either (thanks). However, if I may make a suggestion: the F. Edgren School of Law (F being the initial of my last name and Matthew just sounding a bit odd, but either way, really cool school). I'll be interested to see what ends up happening with the front entrance. I agree with CabraBuitre about the roof seeming a bit bare (but, knowing you, I have the feeling there's more to come). I'd like to leave a more detailed message, but I'll take a look back through the previous versions before I do that.
As great as always, although I like this one a bit more than you others. :thumbsup:
I think this building needs some chimneys and maybe a nice spire on the roof :)
Thundercrack: Thank you! I have no intentions of stopping anytime soon... :D
Nofunk: Nice to see you again and thanks! I probably will make some gables as you mentioned. Right now I'm still debating a lot of the extra stonework on the back side, so I'll probably wait until I figure out whether that will stay or not.
Duane: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! I'd mail you a towel, but I'm starting to wonder if any of these packages are actually making it to Wisconsin or not... :D
CabraBuitre: Thanks! The roof isn't finished yet... I still have some detailing to do eventually. I like that court house... reminds me a bit more of the Olson building I did for the first set.
Matt: Thank you! Since it's your name, I won't argue if you'd prefer the F instead. ;)
Tag One: Thanks! There will definitely be some chimneys... maybe some small dormers as well. I'm trying to stay away from any kind of large spire or dome on this one though. I just don't want to overdo it with those... :D
I think I finally have a front door on this! It's probably not quite as grand as I had hoped for, but I think it fits pretty well. I also managed to get the two rear entries finished. While I was at it, I touched up a bunch of random things here and there.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FMELaw_South03.jpg&hash=1034bb6ec271efb9a2d9e494ddcdb8d55febcb2b)
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I still have two side entries to add, but those shouldn't take long. The back sides of the three wings still need some adjustments made, but it depends on whether I keep all the columns and extra stonework back there or not. The back side of a building wouldn't normally have that much detailing on it, but at the same time I'm starting to wonder if it really is the back side. This is almost turning into a building with two front sides instead. So we'll see... I don't know yet. Still a lot of detailing to do everywhere. I'm hoping to have some statues or gargoyles up on the final tower area of the front as well, which is why that may still look a little blank. We'll see how that goes... ::)
JB
lookin better Jon.....I think the front door looks much better....like it where and how it is......bout the only thing that would make it look more impressive would be a metalic texture like huge brass or copper doors which wouldn't be practical......oh, that and maybe a couple of The Swiss Guard Pikemen flanking it ;D......hmmm how big a lot is it going to be on.....?..... an avenue on the "front" side and a street on the the opposite or mabey opening directly onto a quad? more and more possibilites.......this project of yours is certainly causing alot of us to sit and daydream about what we will do with your creations. :thumbsup:
Looking good. I like the idea for a clock tower or something. And, perhaps a parking lot full of Jaguars and Mercedes would be appropriate as well. :P
LoL I wonder too Jon but anywho anyways, you amaze me with your talent and how well you can really depict something Kudo's to you my friend....
just curious, I was wondering if you were working on those apartment things from way back? or were those released?
Anyways, nice bat. It really looks like it could work as an "old main" kind of structure. Maybe it could be one of the dominating structure on some sort of central quad, along with the other buildings you've worked on and maybe some kind of black sheep modern thing.
re: the "Dun Arena", you might be interested to know that here in New Brunswick there actually is a Sir James Dunn Arena in the town of St. Andrews by-the-Sea.
Also re: the "Killam Hospital"; when I was an intern in Halifax, one of the residents that I worked with was a Dr. Barry Death who did spend some time at the Killam. He insisted that his name was pronounced "Deeth" but we all called him Dr. Death behind his back. Not surprisingly he chose a rather benign specialty (physical medicine and rehabilitation). I'm pretty sure that most patients would not want to hear that their surgeon's name was "Dr. Death" ;D :D
To get completely off topic, there was a group of of orthodontists in Halifax when I was in training whose names were Drs. Precious, Darling and Lovely. For a while they also had a fourth partner whose name was Dr. Brilliant.
All of this is true!!
It seems, simdad, in that case, the occupation chose them, rather than the other way around. :P
There's something missing from the law building... where's that sense of expensiveness? It just doesn't... loom... much to me. :P
Duane: Thanks! I'm not real sure on the lot size yet, but it's shaping up to be closer to the Fuhrmann size... around 7x4 or 5.
TopCliff: Thanks! You can put as many parking lots as you like in that area. That's what this whole "modular" thing is all about! ;)
Pat: Thanks you!
Zaphod: Cycledogg was working on foundations for the apartment sets, but hasn't been around a whole lot lately. Then they kind of took a back seat when I started making the push to get the starter set for this project finished. They'll resurface eventually, I'm sure.
Simdad: There's so much coincidence in your post that it scares me a little bit! What in the world goes on up there in Halifax anyway? :D
SA: There's a lot missing still... I know what you mean, though. Nothing about this building is coming easy this time around. I'll get there with it sooner or later.
I decided to do a bit of lotting this morning. I wanted to get a couple of the newer ones done so I could include the textures in the first pack and maybe avoid having to update it later. These are basically done, although I'll have to export the dorm again. Stupid light leaks! ::)
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The landscaping is pretty minimal on these, which I felt was appropriate for the more modern look of the buildings. And by the way, the driveways are not part of the lots... just there to get power to them. There's a few little tweaks to do here and there yet, but nothing major I don't think. I may set up the other dorm to export before I leave for work this afternoon, but I still have to fix a couple things with that one. So it depends on how far I can get with that.
JB
Nice. Those dorms look like they could go anywhere, not just a university. I can't wait to make my own university. Oh, and isn't there going to be a hall or building named after me?
The law school is great! It's huge and dark, perfect for a law school. :D The lotting on the buildings looks good too. I'd be jealous of anyone who gets to go there, because of all the greenery (that's one downside to going to an urban university, too much concrete and asphalt).
I agree with Leo that the dorms could go anywhere. Payce-Rooker Hall would look good as a public housing project, with a few tweaks here and there.
-- John
TopCliff, I think we all want something named after us. don't worry, JB will probably make enough stuff for the uni pack for us to have things named after us.
But I think Jeronij needs a bulding first, he is the person who made this site.
These buildings looks absolutely spectacular, my friend! And congratulations to those who got the naming honors, too!
Wow, at first I thought those dorms were too thin, but I went on Google Earth and they really are that thin.
TopCliff: Thanks! Patience my young friend... I have to make the right buildings to fit with the right names... ;)
John: Thank you! I guess being in Michigan, I'm just very used to seeing trees everywhere. These towers may very well make an appearance as R$ growables as well... just with some different lotting.
Dragonshardz: Good to see you again! Yes, Jeronij needs a building... tough name to work with though... :D
Thundercrack: Thank you!
Jason: Good to see you again too! Yeah, gotta love these shotgun dorms... a hallway with a room on each side, and that's it. Back when a dorm room was just a room... :D If anything, I'd say the space between the towers is probably a bit much, but I let the paths dictate that part for once.
So I don't have anything new to show tonight. I have the other dorm set to render shortly. I thought I'd have a go at that set of ivy covered walls that had been promised a while back. It seemed like an easy way to be productive. Unfortunately, I either still don't know how to make foundations, or I don't know how to mod them properly. I somehow ended up with a self leveling lot. &sly So I guess I'll come back to that later... ::)
In the meantime... I have personal news. Most of you faithful readers know that I'm the food service director at a YMCA camp. This is essentially like a kitchen manager anywhere else, except that I have several kitchens instead of just one and also have no sales or profits to worry about. I find out how many kids are coming each week and I make sure they get fed while they're here. What I probably have never bothered to really explain is that I don't technically work for the camp. I actually work for a management company that the camp contracts with. This company runs food service for school districts, camps, colleges, vending operations, "meals on wheels" programs, corporate cafeterias, etc etc etc. I've actually been with them for a little over 8 years now. OK... that's the background. (Getting a little long winded again, aren't I?)
My news is that sometime in the next 3-5 months, I will be leaving camp and Michigan. I'm going to be transferred into one of the college accounts (rather ironic, huh?) sometime before summer. The exact time frame is still a bit undetermined for a couple reasons. The biggest reason is that the company needs to hire someone and then I need to train them to take my place here. I'm not sure specifically which college I'm going to just yet, but it will most likely be somewhere in California. We have at least two there right now that need directors and there will probably be a couple more by next fall... so it's hard to say for sure at this point. I should have a better idea about that part in another week or so. Anyway... that's my big change coming up. It's a good thing really. While I enjoy the camp life, I've done it for quite a while now and it's started to burn me out a little bit. I'm ready for something a little different with maybe a little more structure to it. There is also a lot more catering involved where I'm headed, which is something I've always enjoyed but don't get to do much of here. So yeah... there you have it. I guess I'll be trading snow like this for earthquakes... :D
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JB
Coming to California? Hehe, enjoy!!! Sounds cool. And, I'll be patient. See you in California dude.
Congratulations, my friend! It's always nice when you can get a bit of a change in your work without having to go through the hassle of actually getting a different job. I wish you all the best, and good luck in the Golden State!
Congratz! Now you can enjoy 70 degree winter days like me :P
Hope this dramatic change doesnt make you feel like stopping your amazing work here!
Very good news Jon...congrats now and don't forget to tell us when you find out which part of California you'll be in.
On a side note.....Jeronij....could use a computer science building..or maybe a campus nursery (after all, he has to manage all of us here on this site...so......)
Anyhoo...like the new lots today and have good Monday.
Duane
Hmmmm.....Rooker Hall, very nice. I do like them very much. The entire project is incredible. I hope the end is in sight soon, as this will make a dramatic change in everyones university districts. Could change the whole DT Core. ;)
Robin &apls :thumbsup:
Jon WoW No more COLD what will you do with yourself lol.... Congrats my friend Im very excited for you and hope you get a good university to go to.... Speaking of which talk about Karma or was this planned??? :D :D lol Love the new lots and im really getting antsy here waiting for the new school to come to simnation...
Jon,
Fantastic work you did on the doorways :thumbsup:
Fits in much better with the overall look of the building I think :thumbsup:
Congrats too for escaping the cold and best of luck with your new job. I spent 17 years in the catering business as a hotel manager but it burned me out and while it was work I loved, the stress and the hours took their toll. Good to see that you are enthusiastic still, but remember to take time for yourself too. ;)
Work to live not the other way round $%Grinno$%
:satisfied:
TTC
Thank you for the name. You knew I stayed there (in the original 4 story blgs.) for 3 years? &scl()
These are looking awesome JB :thumbsup:
That has always been something that lacked in simcity. The universities were way too small ;)
Sorry you're going to have to suffer California (or the populace anyways.. ;) ) but I'm sure you'll adapt.
The buildings look good.. I love the dorms or whatever.. those are typical "hi-rise" dorms often ereccted in the 70's and 80's dorm booms..
The hi-rises here at THE Ohio State University ;) are the Lincoln and Morrow towers.. they aren't quite your style IMO but you might take a look at em sometime.. I'm sure they are well represented on the net.. I haven't looked though. I didn't attend via those towers, but once stayed in them as part of a seminar I attended for a week or so one summer .. it was a bit of a trip
Good luck in Calfornia, I've been there several times and you can't beat the weather (although you may have to contend with earthquakes, mudslides and wildfires depending on where you are). Personally I like northern California better than around L.A. (although San Diego was nice).
At this time of year, I sometimes wish that my mother (born in the USA) had applied for dual citizenship for me before I had turned 18 years old. Another 25 cm of snow in Moncton today (sigh); my back aches and I'm running out of places to pile it.
Holy buckets! Quite a bit of response for a "non-update"... :D Ready? Set? Go...
TopCliff: It certainly sounds that way. Napa and Fresno are both on the list, but I'm not sure what the others are...
Thundercrack: Thank you! This company has always offered a lot of variety... I've been involved with 7 different camps since joining them. It's nice to be able to change jobs without actually having to change jobs... &Thk/( :D
SimShady: I'm definitely looking forward to the weather, yes. I doubt that I'll be stopping this anytime soon... if anything, I'm liable to get overstimulated again. ::)
Duane: Thanks! I'll be sure to mention more details as I get them. Computers or some tech building sounds like a good idea.
Robin: Thank you! To be honest, the "end" is nowhere in sight for me yet... but the time when everyone can start building is still looking pretty good. I think we're still on track for March.
Pat: Thank you! This was a very unplanned coincidence between the two things. The talk of this possible transfer has been going on for a while, but it had nothing to do with this project. Maybe I should have returned to it sooner! :D
Derry: Thank you on both counts! I worked in restaraunts for about 5 (maybe 6?) years before I got into this aspect of things full time. The pace and stress were certainly higher, but I enjoyed it. I still love what I do... which is good, because I'm not real sure what else I'm qualified for... :D
Mom: No problem! Actually, I don't think I knew that, although I suppose I should have guessed. (For everyone else... the shape of Payce/Rooker Hall is based on a dorm where both of my parents and I attended. The real thing in this case is only four stories tall, but the layout is pretty similar.)
AlfredJones: Thank you! I agree and I'm glad to hear they will be useful.
SC4Boy: Thanks! I've enjoyed my visits to California quite a lot, although to be honest, they've been very limited trips. I'm sure it has it's good and bad points, just like anywhere else. I recognize those names from Ohio State (O how I hate...lol), but I'll have to have a look for some pictures.
Simdad: Thank you! I haven't been to northern California yet, but I've heard many good things about it. My time in state has been limited to the LA area... mainly northern Orange County and the Hollywood Hills areas. There were parts I really enjoyed, and others that were almost a little disappointing. We've been fairly lucky with the snow here so far... not much at once, just cold.
Whew... thank you everyone for all your kind words and wishes. I'm honestly a bit flattered and amazed. I think this kind of thing is what takes this community to a whole different level than others. That honest comraderie that has nothing to do with the subject we're all really here for but so many people feel just the same. It's such a great atmosphere to be a part of and I thank you all for making this site just what it is.
Speaking of what we're all really here for... I've got some things to show tonight! The work day ended up being significantly longer than I had planned on this morning, so no real modeling got accomplished today. I did however manage a few other things.
First up is the walls. My problem with the foundations was indeed an issue so small and obvious, that I felt like an idiot. They now work as I had hoped, at least so far. Here's a very early look:
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My hope is that the ivy will look decent regardless of how high or low the wall ends up being. Still a little tweaking to do there, but it's close. The circle highlights an issue I fully expected, but am still hoping to fix somehow. Basically you are seeing the concrete cap from one lower lot bleeding onto its neighbor lot. There are easy ways to fix this, but they would make the lots a little tougher to work with... so I'm hoping to come up with another solution. Eventually, I'm hoping to make 3-5 different versions of this. Different ivy patterns to break up the repetition mainly. So far this is just testing the concept.
Moving on... I also lotted the other dorm. I didn't plan the paths at all for this one, and it seems I lucked out. They lined up pretty well. Here's a look:
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This is a 5x4 lot. I'm considereing doing a 45 degree version of this one as well... maybe setting up a lot with two buildings on it. I'm not sure yet, so we'll see.
I realized that I forgot to mention a couple things about the other two lots. Payce/Rooker Hall is a 5x5 lot... and DeBussy School of Design is also a 5x5 lot. I also forgot to snap a night game picture of DeBussy (I was still mad about the light leak on Payce/Rooker at the time) so here that is:
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I think that covers everything at this point...
JB
Those look fantastic. And, no joke, but those walls look EXACTLY like the ones at my school. With the vines and the red brick, it almost makes me feel like I'm suffering another History lecture on the importance of Delphi. Good job, keep it up.
I need to put off work on my city until I can get my hands on this :D I already have the perfect area for it picked out $%#Ninj2
Screw EA with another SC we have JB and his awesome masterpieces. :thumbsup:
Well Jon...all is looking very good...starting to develope the "sweaty palms syndrome" for the univ tho :D I am a native Arizonan and have lived just about everywhere.....but grew up (for a fixed value of grown up) in California.....it is a beautiful state in many ways....with a ton to offer....quite a lifestyle change tho.....and if you've only seen the fringes of LA you havn't seen Californina....you will certainly enjoy it...
JB, only YOU would move from Michigan to California to lead a more "structured" life... :D
Many people move to sunny locales to escape the perceived sense of commitment and obligation they feel pressing down on them in the cold North. Personally, I have zero problems with the weather here.
I do hope you are ready to pay taxes like mad :P
Actually i dont think theyre that much worse than other states, but thats not what i hear from my californian friends :P
Well, I guess you're going to be one of the few people that are actually moving to California. :D
In reality though, California is great. I can definitely say that California (specifically either the San Diego or the San Jose area) would be the second place I would want to live in the US after Central Texas. Every time I've been to California (which has only been like 3 or 4 times, but still) I've loved it. Although I'm not too surprised, considering many people from Northern California have moved to Austin.
-- John
Well, it's been a while, but let me just say great halls, and great walls. The ivy looks pretty good with the slope, and I'm sure you'll get the cap thing hidden. They look pretty good in their two segment sections, but have you tried it in 1 wall segments? Also, are these walls set as props (and if so have you made them slope-conforming with the PM)?
I'll be curious to find out where in CA you'll be making your home. Out of curiousity, if you wish to share, which food service company do you work for?
Take it easy, and I'll be back by sooner this time around.
-Matt
Jon just beautiful and most sweet walls there and strophon hall..... Yuppers you should have lol
Whoa, Stropon Hall looks absolutely amazing, my friend! Keep up the fantastic work!
That is looking awesome JB :thumbsup:
Cannot wait until these are realeased $%Grinno$%
TopCliff: Thanks! I'm sorry to be dragging up memories of History class, though. That was always my least favorite subject in school... although now it fascinates me! Go figure... ::)
XiahouDun: Thank you! I hope the wait won't be too much longer.
Bluebeard: Strong words indeed... thanks! I agree... who needs EA anyway? Let em milk all they can out of the Sims... :D
Duane: Thanks! I have a lot to learn about the western side of our country. I've been in nearly every state from Minnesota, Iowa on down and east... but west of that is still pretty foreign territory for me.
Ardecilia: Nah... I'd leave the camp world for a more structured life. California just happens to be where the company told me I could go. I will admit that getting more sunshine than Michigan sees will be nice though. Cold isn't so bad... it's the grey that I'm tired of.
Sim Shady: That's what I heard to, but I guess I'll find out for sure soon enough.
John: I can't really compare Texas and California very well. My only experience with Texas was in the Dallas/Fort Worth area... which I found to be extremely boring and repetitive. But, that was a single one week trip, so it would be unfair to even judge at this point... :D
Matt: Thanks! I'm considering breaking the walls so they will step up at each section, but I'm not sure. It adds another set of "issues" if I do so, but that doesn't mean much yet. Right now, the walls are actually set up as a building with its own custom foundation. The company I work for is called Taher, Inc... based out of Minnesota.
Pat: Thank you! I'm not sure what "I should have..." but I'll try to remember to do so next time... ??? :D
Thundercrack: Thank you!
AlfredJones: Thanks!
Alright... sorry about the sounds of silence around here (hello darkness, my old friend...) but I spent the last couple days feeling pretty lousy. I think I spent roughly 40 hours asleep over the course of two days. I can't say as I enjoyed it all that much... but that probably isn't a big surprise to anyone. Anyway, today I managed to get the law school lit and added a few more finishing touches.
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I need to turn the interior lights up just a little bit more, but beyond that I think it worked out. I have some final details to wrap up yet... including some statues/gargoyles in the front and a couple other things. I'm not real happy with the chimneys just yet but I'm not entirely sure why. Outside of those few final things, I think this one is just about done.
JB
That looks very nice ;D
The night lights look epic :thumbsup:
Should look awesome once you get some gargoyles on it
AJ :)
I've said so much recently, the only thing left for me to say is this.
A.
W.
E.
S.
O.
M.
E.
:P
If the proposed gargoyles are designed to invoke imagery of lawyers, make sure they look like snakes, vultures and rats! :P
LoL Jon my bad i should have said in response to your last reply to me that would have cleared it up and Im sowwies I didnt say that.... OK anyway back to topic here is that the progress is looking real sweet here and the night lights lighted and you know what dont worry about sleeeping its a must and to feel better its fine :thumbsup: &apls :thumbsup: &apls
Night lights are very nice....and Sometimes I feel like I sleep for a living.....so don't worry bout that.... ()stsfd().... it ain't bad once you get used to it....and this is from a guy that considered anything over 2 hours a nite as wastefull...sheesh how times change.
Hey! I love the tag line under your avatar!
"Making education better one building at a time."
:o That is so incredible. The details are mind blowing. &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Dude that looks amazing. If you're doing a business college, you should check out UTampa's Sykes Business College (One of the highest ranked business colleges) I'll post some picks if you like.
Try rotating the chimneys 90 degrees. It seems like they take up a fair bit of the width of each section as it is now. They might seem to flow better with the building when rotated. I don't have any suggestions for gargoyle types, but I'm sure you'll come up with something appropriate. When you make the Business and/or Economics building, It would be interesting to see a bull and bear respectively. The lights on the back area of the building seem a bit strong (they look like they are reflecting off of the frames of the doors/windows) but aside from that everything looks great.
AJ: Thanks!
TopCliff: T-H-A-N-K-Y-O-U! ;)
Simdad: I was thinking more along the lines of the justice lady with the scales... but your idea sounds better! :D
Pat: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Duane: Thank you! I don't really feel guilty... I definitely needed it. Whatever I had knocked me out for a couple days is all.
Mom: I thought the signature line was funnier, but what can you do? :D
Robin: Thanks! The details are also starting to really slow this one down. The previews for this take nearly as long as the previews for Payce/Rooker towers did.
JosefBrisko: Thank you! I'll have to do a little searching for that one. If you have pictures handy, feel free to PM them.
Matt: I'll try rotating the chimneys. The lights in back are just hitting the tops of ledges harder than they should be... it should be a pretty easy thing to fix though. Thanks!
Just a little teaser for the evening...
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I won't say what it is just yet... y'all can guess if you want to. A lot of details will show better when it's textured... but this was just something I started playing with after my last post. "Extra credit" if you can guess what it's based off of already! (I'm starting to let this education thing go to my head, aren't I? I'll knock it off.)
JB
That's either going to be the Main Hall, or some sort of monument thing in the middle of alls this, like that clock tower Ii showed you.
It looks a bit like MSU's Auditorium. The larger version of the pic is too big to show here, but the link is below.
http://maps.msu.edu/interactive/images/buildings/auditorium.jpg
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I'll venture a guess that its either the campus stadium or recreation center (has a very similar look and feel to the Notre Dame field and the Joyce ACC).
Quote from: JBSimio on January 31, 2008, 08:19:48 PM
Mom: I thought the signature line was funnier, but what can you do?
Oh, I totally agree about the signature line, but the tagline was just so appropriate for what you are doing. Hey, maybe soon you can say "Improving education one meal at a time."
Jon, I think the new "wazzis" is the psychiatric wing of the "home for retired teachers"....or maybe not. ::)
library???
TopCliff: Nope... no monuments underway yet.
Nicodeme: Welcome to the thread! (and to SC4 Devotion for that matter) I hadn't stumbled across that picture, although I wish I had. You're the closest to what I'm doing with your guess. &apls
XiahouDun: It could easily work as a rec center so far, as well.
Mom: Ugh... I don't want to drag work into this too often! :D
Duane: Hmmm... a psych ward could be a really fun post modern building. :D
Mightygoose: Nope... although I can see that one too.
I'll admit that picture wasn't much to go on, but Nicodeme actually came very close. This will be the Performing Arts Center or some such name. It will probably house some classroom and practice space in addition to the main theater. The part I'm working on so far is the main formal entry to said theater. Here's a little bit more:
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That's about it so far. This one could take a while... I'm already starting to confuse myself with this one and I haven't even gotten past the front walls yet! ::) Most of what you see now will be some type of lime stone finish. The few textures that are on so far are place holders more than anything else, so don't get too excited about that just yet.
JB
Oooh, a performance center! I can't wait to see what it looks like, and from the picture you just posted, I can tell already that it's going to be fantastic!
Jon that is looking real sweet and I do agree with I take it is your mom what she said about "Improving education one meal at a time."
Looking very nice indeed JB :thumbsup:
When will this project ever stop??!! $%Grinno$%
This style reminds me of what some might call colligate gothic and the best example I know of that is the University of Saskatchewan
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wow thats a pretty university!
It's looking better than the MSU Auditorium. :)
I'm a long, long time lurker and have always admired your work and am glad you're influenced by the great architecture that's in our state. Sorry to be losing you to California, but you're definitely upgrading from Michigan. Keep it up!
Very nice and detailed again :thumbsup: You're becoming a real BATting machine :P
thats a really beautiful university there in Sas...er Sascet.. unh Canada.. :D My college had maybe 5 building when I went to it back in the '60s...sheesh....
Jon....great work....and this is sure a fun thread btw.... don't cha love how everyone is getting involved? Hope so anyway ;D
Thundercrack: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! That is actually scarily (is that even a word?) close to the company's real slogan... "Nourishing the minds of the future" or something like that. ::) By the way, I'm rather disappointed. There's a feature in this latest building just for you and you didn't even mention it! ;)
Hogmeister: That is a very impressive looking school. I see quite a few elements that I used in some of the early buildings for this project. I wonder where those steps go off to the left in the first picture... %confuso
Sim Shady: Um... nevermind. You weren't talking to me... :D
Nicodeme: Thank you! I get ideas everywhere, but there is definitely a midwest feel to a lot of what I make.
Tag One: Thanks! I seem to go in streaks, I think... :D
Duane: Thanks! I always enjoy this thread... that's why I keep showing up here! ;)
Well this one is progressing, although somewhat slowly so far. It took me a while to get the angles right today, but the main auditorium is basically closed in now. I could probably stop right here and call it a building... and I probably will make a version with just the theater for "non-university" uses. Here's a look at that part:
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The orange doesn't necessarily mean brick this time... although parts of it might be. I just switched colors to make it a little easier to see what I was doing. Anyway... since this will be for the university, I felt the need to have some classroom and rehearsal spaces, so I added on. My hope is that when this is finished that's exactly how it will look too... like it got added on later. This is pretty rough, but it's just to give an indication of where things are headed:
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I'm sure quite a bit of the classroom pieces will change as I start adding them in for real, but that's about it for now.
JB
The Auditorium looks very authentic, the business school is suitably imposing, and the modern buildings are sadly extremely realistic (why can't they ever make a building that blends with the prevalent architecture?)
Do you have any idea when original part university and/or the westlake will be released?
Keep up the good work, we are all bowing at your feet.
I like the idea of having the Auditorium/concert hall as two seperate entities.....methinks one could manage to use both in a city....
Great work on the new hall. I also like the little bridge you've thrown in there (something you don't usually see) and I like it. It may just be that there are no visible doors/windows yet on the back part, but it seems like the entirety of the structure might flow better with the main hall turned 90 degrees (clockwise) so that anyone (students or patrons) could both approach from the front and still have easy access to the majority of the building. However, it looks like it'll be a great building either way.
OK now I feel like a total Dork here Jon and Im sowwies I didnt even notice, and if Im thinking right the Dome in the center at the front entrance area right?
btw welcome to pg 67 Jon.....
GrizzlyBuilder: Thank you! I'm still shooting for a March release of the initial university pack. Please don't bow... I appreciate it, but it makes me feel a bit awkward too... :D
Duane: Thanks! I'm sure several of these buildings will find second or third homes somewhere.
Matt: Thank you! I'm still tinkering with the overall shape of the buildings. Right now I'm a little concerned about the total size too, so we'll see what happens.
Pat: I'm not sure how one becomes "sowwies" or what that even means... :D But, yes... the stained glass skylight is for you. Thanks for turning the page! (on a long and lonesome highway... east of Omaha...)
Well I started on the classroom sections. This probably doesn't look like a whole lot yet, but I'm just kind of working my way around right now.
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The curved wall has made a new appearance... although not in the way we all expected. ::) I thought it would work well there for a larger rehearsal area... like a band or choir room? I don't know, but I like it. I still have some details to add around the new entry... but that's where it will be. Anyway... lots to do, but there it is for now.
JB
Ooh, a drama center? I see a lot of great work here. Now you just need some spiky haired students smoking pot behind the building. Actually, bad idea. Let's keep the stage family friendly. So, what's the first showing going to be? Perhaps Of Mice and Men would be a good choice. Later.
Quote from: JBSimio on February 02, 2008, 12:22:27 PM
Well this one is progressing, although somewhat slowly so far. It took me a while to get the angles right today, but the main auditorium is basically closed in now. I could probably stop right here and call it a building... and I probably will make a version with just the theater for "non-university" uses. Here's a look at that part:
Don't forget that a theater still needs storage space, changing rooms, offices etc.
And an open courtyard, like in a bad Hilary Duff movie, so all of the students can jam for no apparent reason.
I really like the main theater building.
If you removed the classrooms from your Drama Centre, it would look very much like Convocation Hall at Mount Allison University here in Sackville NB. I'm not sure the classroom space is really necessary as this function could be provided in other buildings on campus (eg - the Fine Arts Dept.) and this would allow the overall footprint for the building to be a lot less. This might improve flexibility in plopping this building with relation to other buildings on campus......just a thought. Hope you don't mind some (hopefully) constructive criticism.
Keep up the good work.
&apls :thumbsup: Jon tha t is just wonderful there.... I do thank you for the stained glass dome it sits perfect there!!!
Regarding other buildings:
Maybe the dorms should be R§ housing with built-in bus stops - after all, students tend to walk around campus.
I'd make the law school serve as a mini-Bureau of Bureaucracy.
Other possible departments include Agriculture, Engineering (good for I-M), Computer Science (good for I-HT), Education (good for your schools), and Environmental Science.
Nice work.
Quote from: JBSimio on February 02, 2008, 12:22:27 PM
Hogmeister: That is a very impressive looking school. I see quite a few elements that I used in some of the early buildings for this project. I wonder where those steps go off to the left in the first picture... %confuso
Here is what you asked for, Chem labs, lol
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and here is an old view of the back of the building from a distance
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I really like the arts building, and the additions of the classrooms from it look good too.
Am i right in seeing a sunken courtyard there? I do hope so as it definitely adds that extra special touch.
Great work mate &apls
regards
Derry
Jon haven't seen you around for a few days and I hope all is well.... Did you get that move or are you bogged with RL??? Let us know either way pease...
@ Hogs love those buildings :thumbsup:
Magnificent progress, my friend! And I agree with you on the curved wall, too. It does look great!
TopCliff: Thank you! I was thinking the first production may be "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" since that was the one I participated in during my college years. (OK... actually my college year!)
Diggis: A fair point, thank you... I'll remember that when I come back to the stand alone version.
Xxdita: There will be a courtyard area in the U shape of the classrooms... it probably doesn't show up too well just yet though.
Simdad: I debated having separate buildings and I still haven't entirely decided yet. Part of my decision so far is based on keeping the reward chains as simple as possible (although they're not going to be "simple" in the best case anyway). Separate buildings would probably add more work to that aspect of things, but we'll see how it progresses. Since no one has successfully guessed yet, the actual theater is based loosely on the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. (I hope that's the right name... ::) ) And I never mind constructive criticism. Frankly, that's the whole point of having this thread! ;)
Pat: Thank you! I'm glad you like the skylight. I think I'm going to deepen the colors a little bit on that. The lighting for it should be pretty distinctive too if I can pull it off.
Witry: Good ideas, thanks! I decided not to make the dorms growable just because there's no single good way to make them grow in the right places. I'm not even sure if bus stops can be added to a growable residential lot. The Bureau of Bureaucracy idea sounds good and I hadn't thought of that one yet. Your thinking about the other departments falls right in line with some of my eventual plans, and I'm sure you'll see some of those very ideas in time.
Hogmeister: Wow! From those first pictures you posted, I never would have envisioned the final result at all. That's a lot of additions over time. It's very interesting to see how they pulled it all together. Your photo library never ceases to suprise or impress me. Thanks for posting those!
Derry: Thank you! You definitely see a courtyard, although it isn't sunken at the moment. Now that you mention it though, I'm quickly warming to the idea. It would make a nice compliment to the sunken garden area from Washington High School too.
Pat: Answers to follow... ;)
Thundercrack: Thank you!
I apologize for the lack of updates this past week. The job transfer is progressing rather quickly and I've been a bit bogged down lately with that and a few other things thrown in just to make life interesting. The simple part of the story is that the cold/flu/whatever-I-had a couple weeks back is still kicking around and I keep having employees call in sick. So I've had some pretty long days at work due to that little bug that refuses to go away.
In the moving department, there have been a few developments also. The plan at this point is for my replacement to be hired no later than the end of February. This part of the process is all happening at the corporate level. I'm not interviewing or taking part in any of the hiring process... which is exactly the way I want it really. Many of my employees don't seem to believe me on that part and keep trying to ask me who it is going to be and so on. I keep saying I don't know anything about it and that I'm not involved in that decision. And still one or two have threatened to quit if it ends up being this person or that person... then they stare me down waiting for me to "admit" that I really am involved. ::) So I remind them (for the umpteenth time) that I have nothing to do with who gets hired to take my place and if they want to quit at that time, it's completely up to them. Anyway... replacement hired by the end of the month... and I will be moving no later than April 1st. It could be a week or two sooner, but that depends on how much time I need to spend training the person who takes my place here. This is a little sooner than I originally expected and I've been rushing around trying to get some last minute things wrapped up. I have several more dentist appointments to squeeze into the next six weeks which I finally got set up today. I also still have to find a place to live and figure out how to move everything there, but I can't really do that yet because the final destination hasn't been decided. It's narrowed down to three or four places, but I won't know exactly which one for another week or so. So that's where things stand at the moment.
I'll try to get some updates here and there, but it will probably be pretty hit and miss for the next little while. Time isn't on my side right now and when I do have time, I'm usually too brain dead to do much BATting. I have been playing the game a little bit lately, so maybe there will be some pictures in the "Show us your..." threads soon. :D On the plus side... catching up on this thread has given me the itch to work on this building a bit again, so maybe I'll have something later tonight or tomorrow again.
JB
Glad to see you're doing okay Jon. And it seems that sickness is going around -- a few weeks ago one of the schools in the area had like half of the students not attend school one day. :o
Anyways, the move sure is happening fast... Is the company paying for the move? Just wondering since the two most recent times my family moved (Phoenix, AZ to Corpus Christi, TX and then Corpus Christi to Austin, TX) the company paid for the entire move. Of course, that's not how all companies do it but I would think in your case this would be true.
-- John
So glad you are back Jon.... now I can quit worrying :thumbsup: I sure hope you get lots of rest before the move, cause that will be a tiring experience....I've moved many many times in my life...and love being set down in one place now.... best of luck and will be curious where you end up in Calif. Not as curious as you tho :D. have a good evening and bat 200 new things to release tomorrow ()stsfd()....or maybe go to bed and sleep...your choice ;D
Jon im glad you are still kickin and great to hear that the move is progress pretty fast... Just remember you need to make time for yourself OK promiss me that, dont want you to get burnt out to fast... take it easy and looking forward to anything you throw my way..........
John: Several schools in this area have had the same problems lately... gotta love flu season! My company will pay for the move... but unfortunately it's always done on a reimbursment basis. So I'll have to come up with the money initially and then wait around to get it back eventually. ::)
Duane: Thanks! I didn't mean to worry anyone... it's just going to be a bit hectic around here for the next couple months I think.
Pat: Alright, alright... I'll try to sleep at least two nights each week from here on out! :D
I have a little bit of an update tonight. I managed to get the classroom sections of this one closed in. It's still fairly rough, but the general layout is in place now.
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I added a "basement" level surrounding what will eventually be a sunken inner courtyard. I still have a lot of work to do before that will really take shape so it may not be too easy to see it just yet. I'm a little concerned with the overall size of this one so far. Not so much the size itself, but just the fact that the classrooms are so plain looking at this point. It's probably not unrealistic, but it just seems boring to me so far... especially for such a large building. I'm sure I'll find a way to mix things up eventually, but I just haven't figured it out at this point. I was going to try to texture some of the main theater, but didn't get that far yet. Most of the grey areas on the front will be textures I need to make from scratch... which is always a very time consuming proposition for me. That will come maybe next time. Anyway... that's about it for now...
JB
:o &apls Thats all I can say :D Looks really good. Can't wait to see the courtyard.
lookin good jon......this one is getting to be kind of special...
Jon,
That is absolutely spectacular. I love the sunken courtyard idea, and the entrance just off that area is a great spot for one. As for the classrooms looking a bit plain, I would say leave them that way. Anything too fancy might detract from the main auditorium, and I would advocate dressing up the courtyard and surroundings to spruce up the buildings. Put a couple of tree planters down there for students to congregate under or maybe a fountain (or perhaps I'll pipe down and let you do the creative work). Glad to hear things are progressing with the move and that the company will (eventually) pay for it. Flu season does seem to be getting going. You'd think people in law school would stay home when they are ill (unless is a dastardly plan to infect others so that THEY are forced to miss class... nah) and so far I've avoided it (knock on wood) but boy are people in my class hacking and coughing up a storm. Sorry I haven't been around to comment lately, but law school (and the job hunt) have been keeping me busy. Glad to hear that you are doing well though (and that you'll at least be getting some sleep). Take it easy, and I'll talk to you later.
-Matt
LoL Jon you are funnie.... Im glad you are promissing to at least sleep 2 days a week (snickering)..... So lemme guess you are worried about the overall Lot size after you are done with this am I understanding this thought or did i loss something here?
If the first part is correct that you are worried about the lot size, may I now ask why? Is that this going to one of the bigger lots or what? Sorry for asking so many questions but Im just trying to get a better grip on things ;) Either way I love the idea about the sunken courtyard and I cant wait to see how this takes shape...
BTW welcome to pg 68....
Pat...I didn't realize it till you mentioned it...
Hmmmm this project of Jon's is what...let's see 2 for sure releases.. about umpteen buildings..... (umpteen is math nummer...means many/lots).... parking lots, walk ways ... all of this stuff (including co-eds...and he's worried about the size of this building! Pat, does this sound to you like this paticular building with lot might be really really big.....? :D :D
XiahouDun: Thanks! With any luck, I'll have a courtyard to show this weekend sometime...
Duane: Thank you! As usual, I'm getting carried away again... ::)
Matt: Thanks! You make a good point about detracting from the main theater... maybe it won't be such a bad thing after all. I plan to have some planters around the transition from street level to the sub level, but that's as far as my vision goes so far! Good luck with the job hunt my friend!
Pat: Initially I was a little worried about the lot size itself. It will probably be around 6x6 or 7x7... most of the other single building lots are 5x4 ish... with a couple in the 7x3 range. So it's not that far out of line, I guess. No, my main concern is that there is so much building with out a lot to look at yet. Does that make any sense? It's probably just me getting worried about nothing... who knows? Thank you!
Duane: Umpteen translates into 14 buildings (at last count)... and I lost track of the number of lots! :D
So I was browsing some of the threads last night and saw some that a number of people were asking about midrise buildings. It was said that there is a pretty large gap where we jump from 5 stories up to around 20 with very little in between. I know a couple of the SHUR buildings have fit into that area... but I only have three or four of them too. So I was digging around and discovered something I had started and then basically forgot about.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHurst_Preview01.jpg&hash=4f20b46c4b16b29111642f0af34a79d26e13aedb)
This is the Hurst Building... 10 stories tall on a 2x2 or 2x3 lot. Not quite wall to wall, but a very tight fit none the less. It still needs some work to finish it, but not a whole heck of a lot. I know... it doesn't even have a door yet! (They're over rated anyway) It's another one of those decievingly simple looking buildings, but I kind of like it. Would anybody be interested in seeing this in the near future?
JB
Yes please! 10 floors of character, excellent idea. This is exactly the type of building that used to exist in many an American city and has been demolished in droves to be replaced by more 'economical' glass and steel boxes with zero charm. Perhaps it needs a utility block on top to house an elevator motor and central aircon fans to indicate a refurbishment and of course some satellite dish equipment and that's probably about it. ;)
OOOO oooo OOO I would I would lol..... Jon so lets see if the translation is clear now @ 14 buildings and Umpteen lots, does that sound right ;D :D....
Quotethere is so much building with out a lot to look at yet. Does that make any sense?
Jon don't worry that does make alot of sense now.... So i guess I can say next is dont worry and lets see where the vision goes ;)
Yeah Jon...I sure would have a use for the Hurst building.....so much character and like you said deceptive in it's construction....works for me.
Hogmeister: I couldn't agree more! I'll take a city full of historic character over glass boxes any day. I hadn't gotten to the roof block yet, but it's there now. I threw in a satellite dish too since you asked. ;)
Pat: I'll try to get this in your hands sooner than later then! :)
Duane: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
As I said, there wasn't a whole lot more that needed to be done for this one. Since I slept on Sunday and Wednesday nights, I went ahead and mostly wrapped this up. The textures need a couple more tweaks and I think the interior lighting could be just a touch brighter... but unless I'm missing something, this could get rendered tomorrow.
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The texture tweaks will just be to try and bring the brick work out a little more. You can see it now, but I think it may be a little too subtle in some spots. I don't really remember where this building came from. It's a picture I took... but I can't recall where I was at the time. The more I look at it, I also notice that it is very similar to the Stearns Building. Double windows separated by overly wide columns... a fairly beefy header between the second and third floors. I'll have to put them side by side just to make sure I didn't make the same building twice. ::)
JB
Thanx JB for the update.Your awesome lots have made this game more fun to play.Thanx for sharing. :thumbsup:
Wow love that Hurst building, as has been said it has so much character. I also mourn ( :'( ) the advent of glass and steel buildings. A city has to have some character to it! :)
Very nice jon....alternate name is the "Not so Sterns" Building..... I'll go now $%Grinno$%
Oh now that a nice sized building that a lot of people will be interested in :thumbsup:
love the reworking of it (ie the additions and textures) and will be looking to get this as soon as poss in my plugin folder :thumbsup:
regards
Derry
Bluebeard: Thank you as always for your kind words!
Existenz: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Duane: Thank you! "Not so Stearns Building"... :D
Derry: Thanks! The wait for this one shouldn't be too terribly long (for once) ::)
I made the adjustments that I mentioned last night... or this morning, whenever it was... and then decided to just hit the export button and get this road on the show. It sits on a 2x3 lot and has CO$$ grow and plop versions. The growable is stage 6 so no CAM will be needed... but it is of course CAMpatible. Here are the ingame pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHurst_LotDay01.jpg&hash=50c1ea01bf3c9da9442dbb8c3ccfc81644e2132e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHurst_LotDay02.jpg&hash=7bda0e87f9043b503f07b78d7f5abee3aa6b0758)
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I've uploaded this for testing already, so give it a week or so and it should be ready. :thumbsup:
JB
Looks very nice indeed, reminds me of what was once called Real Estate Row in St Louis
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Most of which has now been lost
Hogmeister: Thank you! That looks like any number of American cities around the teens or 1920's. It's a shame so little of that still exists. The buildings in the foreground and also the back right side look particularly interesting.
Continuing with my clean up lost and forgotten things, I believe I posted a preview of this next one at some point, and then kind of ignored it for a while. So I decided to spend a little more time with it this afternoon and finish it up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FKittys_Day01.jpg&hash=f7f101cd75771181d04b178e915b1b11ebffcfed)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FKittys_Night01.jpg&hash=8bbd2d5302adf78c70668cf3ef42123e695991a6)
Just another filler building for the SmalltownUSA series... Kitty's Klothes (unless something better comes to mind) I need to turn the lights up again... not sure why I keep doing that lately. ::) That's about all there is to say for this one...
JB
Hey, JB.
It has been quite some time since I've posted in your thread. Nonetheless, as I have been able, I have kept up by reading yours and others posts in it.
You never cease to amaze me with the depth and breadth of your talent in BATting. You know how I feel about your Smalltown USA series. I cannot praise them and their amazing beauty and usefulness enough. I also have enjoyed your SHUR project, am very much looking forward to the release of your University pack as well as continue to be interested in your other projects.
I envy you in your ability to BAT and believe you to be one of the premier BATter in the SimCity community. Thank you for sharing that talent with us and giving us such beautiful creations to use in our cities.
Regards,
Gary
Quote from: Vandy on February 16, 2008, 04:12:46 PM
I envy you in your ability to BAT and believe you to be one of the premier BATter in the SimCity community. Thank you for sharing that talent with us and giving us such beautiful creations to use in our cities.
Right there Jon, Gary has summed it up right in a nut shell... I think that is the best words one can descride your abilty's.... I love Kitty's Clothes and I think that name is perfect.... Now I will sit and wait patiently for the scrutineers to finish tearing it apart and hit the LEX lol......
Ooo, more Small Town USA buildings ;D I have a city that has an entire downtown area that is nothing but your buildings (and one SG restraunt). I have the perfect spot to place this one in the city too.
A quick question about your windows, what do you set the transparency at? I've been trying to do some seethru windows like you have, but just can't make them look as real.
more little gems from the maestro himself :D :D
oooh goody
:satisfied:
TTC
Vandy said it all my friend.......wow......
&apls
Gary: Thank you so much! It's always nice to hear from you and I appreciate your kind words. You truly flatter me, but I suppose it would do me little good to argue with you either. I hope you're doing well. Lurk as much as you like, but please say hi from time to time (with or without making me all embarrassed!) ;)
Pat: Thank you! I'll try to export Kitty's before I leave for work tomorrow.
XiahouDun: I'm glad to hear this series still has such a following... thanks! For the windows, I usually set the opacity between 70-80 depending on that particular glass texture. For what it's worth, I usually set Specular Level around 50 and Glossiness around 25. It all depends on the texture of the glass and also the floor behind it.
Derry: Little gems are always good... makes me feel like I actually accomplish something now and then! :D
Duane: Thanks!
One more from the cellar... I had started this a L - O - N - G time ago and just never really came back to it. I've thought about reviving it several times, but never did. Looking at it today, I realized that it was probably because I knew I'd have to start over from scratch. Which is exactly what I did. This is a very early preview, but the sides and back will probably go fairly quick. This is the Brooks Building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_Preview01.jpg&hash=257187ba4540126a4450445b807016656a44db90)
I've always wanted to get this one in the game because of the proportions. It's 12 stories (maybe not much to some people... but in terms of my buildings that's pretty tall! :D ) but should fit on a 1x3 or 1x4 lot. I like the narrow street elevation combined with the height and depth. Anyway, that's just my rambling thoughts. Either way, I promise to finish it this time! I kind of needed a break from the huge "projects" anyway... so a few single buildings are a nice refresher for me. ;)
JB
Well, the Brooks Building looks splendid so far, my friend! I can't wait to see more progress on it!
Take care!
Dustin
1x3 would be best for it, since all buildings of that height in-game are generally on _x2 or _x3 lots.
Thanks for the info. Should really help me with my next house since it has an open window in it.
Dustin: Thank you! Here's a little more progress for you... ;)
SA: Well now that I have the side walls in place, I can comfortably tell you that it will in fact fit on a 1x3... there won't be much room left, but that's what it will be.
XiahouDun: You're very welcome. Let me know if I can help as things progress.
I got a little bit more done with this one. The sides went pretty fast as it was just a matter of fitting things together and then using that nifty array tool to go up the levels. Here is a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_Preview02.jpg&hash=70adbdfc1a3122af5e02379f5a080b6dcde98962)
The bare walls on the first floor will not stay that way. I just ran out of time to do anything with them just yet. Oddly enough, the real building (in Jackson, MI) is just bare brick on one side for the first 3-5 stories where there used to be another building. It's rather dingy looking and you can still see where the steps and such were in some places. This one also reminds me a lot of Jasoncw's Vinton Building (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=17240&v=1) which is in Detroit. The texturing will be quite different, so I'm not too concerned... just something I noticed.
Anyway... I have to go feed some children...
JB
Jon
What wonderful progress too :thumbsup:
Some Green tea
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to calm the mind and senses (after dealing with the kids :D)
I envy your skill with the BAT and wish I could do such similar things. The Brooks building looks fab so far
and is just the type of thing I need more of ;D
Quote from: JBSimio on February 16, 2008, 09:51:53 PM
Derry: Little gems are always good... makes me feel like I actually accomplish something now and then! :D
I kind of needed a break from the huge "projects" anyway... so a few single buildings are a nice refresher for me. ;)
JB
I can understand this completely, sometimes its best to put the "huge" projects aside for a week or two and do something different,
Good for the mind and us too :D :D ( as we get new stuff ;D ;D)
looking forwad to how this great building all comes together ;)
:satisfied:
TTC
This is your true calling dude. We call more, more, MORE!!!
Jon just perfect and I cant wait!!!
Lookin real good jon...your building's are sure used in a lot of SimNation I love the the new building and have spots for it in mind already.
One of the things I like about this tall thin building is the way you could make it be side and/or end on to the street, as those large arched windows on the end could easily be considered part of an expansive lobby. It wouldn't go amiss as a wall to wall building. :thumbsup:
Derry: Thank you! Actually, it was only 40 kids tonight... so that's a walk in the park compared to what I'm used to. ;)
TopCliff: Thanks! More is coming... "someone" has been funneling me some pretty cool pictures.
Pat: Thank you!
Duane: Thanks! I saw your pre-edited post and would love that as well. I'll try not to leave the spot in your city blank for too long.
Hogmeister: Thanks! I suppose I could alter one of the sides a little bit to make it more workable as a corner building, although it wouldn't fit the normal setback on the sidewalks that way. It will definitely fit a wall to wall setting pretty well.
I came fairly close to finishing this up tonight. Still a few things to do and fix, but I'll explain after the pictures:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_Preview03A.jpg&hash=4e4eda91622661c317ad4d55e3f69c3fde79e1c1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_Preview03B.jpg&hash=a855a6b3fc1d16e0040637f94ee0636a74f2fc5f)
I tried something a little different with the roof this time... instead of the usual brick block, I thought I'd make it look added later (or maybe rebuilt for whatever reason) as more of an aluminum shed. Obviously the walls are too dark, but that is an easy fix. I originally planned to make the bricks darker but I like how they turned out... so the other walls will get lighter. I'm not real happy with the roof on the sheds yet... it looks more like something from a farm than the top of a brick building. So I'll tinker with that some more too. Unless the whole idea is deemed terrible, in which case I'll just make something entirely different. What do y'all think?
Other than that, I need to mix up the glass textures (they are all the same right now, but I'll change that to 5 or 6 different ones), add a few more trim details, and then lighting. I guess I also need to decide if I should make one side a little more "street friendly" as Hogmeister mentioned. Any preferences on that part?
JB
Wow, that looks great, my friend! I like the shed you added on the top, too. Excellent job!
I like it with its current short street side, but I also think that a version with the broad side facing the street would be a nifty thing to add to the game. I like the roof building in its current style/shape but I agree that the texture could use a bit of adjustment. I'm not sure why the door to the larger part is on the opposite side from the access stair (I'm guessing that's what that little hut is). It seems a bit inefficient to have to walk all the way around. If you fed the children half as well as you BAT, then they had a feast. Also, in regard to your pic competition post, I know what you mean... on that section of the 1 (if I recall correctly) it starts to get a bit industrial around the ports. It's not too far (as LA goes) from where I live (just south near the 405/55 interchange). I'm not sure how a 10-lane road can grind to a halt quite like the 405 (though I hear that is from early development plans not quite working out... a few freeways were never built and the 405 became a funnel of sorts). I should wrap this up before I get on a tangent. Great work. I'll look forward to seeing this lotted.
-Matt
Hi Jon- It's been awhile since I commented, but I regularly follow this thread. I love the Hurst (?) building! It definitely fills a need in the game. As usual, I am always excited for a new Smalltown building. As far as the new building goes- I'm not sure about the "barn" on the roof :D , and the long side should be more "street friendly". Thanks for sharing your creations with us- your hard work is appreciated! &apls
Quote from: threestooges on February 17, 2008, 10:51:27 PM
I'm not sure why the door to the larger part is on the opposite side from the access stair (I'm guessing that's what that little hut is).
I agree with Matt's logic on this. I can only suppose it's to create some visual interest on that side of the utility block although you could place some grill work or vents along that side for supposed ventilation and even some skylights along the brow of the roof for more interest.
after some time since my last comment here, i must say wow and very nice buildings you're working on.
i apreciate your work on buildings in the range of 10-20 stories :thumbsup: and also your work on those tiny buldings such as Kitty's Clothes.
mauricio.
Dustin: Thank you! I hope you'll like the shed even better now... ;)
Matt: I compromised on the street faces, which I'll explain below. I knew as soon as I did those renders last night that someone would think that was a stairwell. It wasn't my original intention, but I certainly see the effect. I've added another door to that side of things. I had a look at the map and I see what you mean about the 405 being a bit of a funnel. It's hard for me to imagine LA not building freeways... there were supposed to be more?? :D
Edge: Good to see you're still around here! I'm glad you like the new buildings. I've fixed the barn... ::)
Hogmeister: I added some exhaust fans just for fun.
Mauricio: Nice to see you again too! Thank you, and I have a couple more in the planning books for the 10-15 story range.
So I fixed the shed... different roof and lighter walls. I also added the roof junk and some other details here and there. I mixed up the windows a bit and lit things up. I made one of the sides "street friendly" as it has been called, but still left it fairly basic to keep the W2W option available. Hopefully this will work for either setting. Here are all the views:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_SWDay01.jpg&hash=9f5ff6ca226c3d8822c23c9a58ee5f01ce5bb3c5)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_NEDay01.jpg&hash=10fe3a31c52db6f5f02f6ea71b91c421465577b6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_SWNight01.jpg&hash=ce4439e1efae50517d27778a149fbb6f122db639)
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I think that's all there is to say about this one. Any last minute thoughts before it heads to the lotting department?
JB
Quote
Any last minute thoughts before it heads to the lotting department?
yes: perfect :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Impressive indeed. &apls
Loving it.
Yea one tiny tidbit Jon, Ummm what was I going to say ohh yea lot it and get it into my game now lol.... Just wonderful there Jon!!!
Very nice Jon....I like the "cowshed" Will add something to an aerial view of the towns (as if we got any other kind of view ::)) If I can remember how to post from Imageshack will try to get couple downtowns up here tonight or tomorrow....
Enjoy your evening
Mauricio: Thank you!
Fledgeling: Thanks!
Pat: Thank you! It is next in line...
Duane: Thanks! I thought it would be a nice change anyway. I'll keep an eye out for your pictures.
Well before I got too carried away, I figured I had better wrap up that Smalltown building. So I got all set to lot it... and then my phone rang. Apparently, the person who was to cook dinner tonight never showed up. Since there was no one else scheduled to work with her, this did not come to my attention until the group showed up to eat and started wondering where everything was. %bur2$ So I had to go (back in) to work and throw dinner together... which of course ended up being late... and then clean things up afterwards. It probably goes without saying that I was less than thrilled.
Anyway... once I got back home (again) I finished up Kitty's Klothes. This is now in testing alongside the Hurst Building. Here are some in game shots to tide you over ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FKittys_Lot01.jpg&hash=1b1b46b0cb05a88a57ee96c67b98a1aba58f965b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FKittys_Lot02.jpg&hash=268e2a07327d30e11a08bf672440375aaf9b1b43)
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That's about it for now. I'm pretty excited about the next one, but I probably won't start it anymore tonight. So I guess that will be tomorrow's fun.
JB
looking really nice in-game :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Sorry to hear about that dinner thing. Just wondering, but what did you throw together at the last second? Did you make a massive McDonald's run and take everything out of the wrapping? Oh, and that new building looks great. Hope you have a better day tomorrow dude.
ooohh... &mmm thats sucks for you sorry &mmm
Your latest small town building looks nice
Thank you for showing the backside of the street scene, the differing depths of the buildings adds a perfect sense of reality to the panorama and for me is one of the great benefits of wall to wall small commercial lots, loads of interesting visual variety. &apls :thumbsup:
Sorry to hear of your troubles, my friend! I hope everything worked out in the end for you! As for Kitty's Klothes, it looks great!
Can't wait to see what you've got to show us next!
Dustin
Looks good there jon....will like having the additions.
Anyway, these turned out to be the only "main street" type pics in my albums right now...and thought you might enjoy seeing your handywork....
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Hopefully they are acceptable as a showcase
mauricio: Thank you!
TopCliff: Actually... I just made some pizzas up real quick like. :D Thanks! (And today was a little better.)
Sim Shady: Thanks!
Hogmeister: Thank you! I'm glad I decided to leave that picture in after all... I had almost decided to skip it but then figured, it's already done... might as well post the thing! :D
Dustin: Thanks!
Duane: Thank you! Thanks also for posting those pictures. It's great to see how seamlessly the Smalltown buildings match up with Spa's great ones. They combine together so well. I really like your town square... I have a very similar set up in my "Smalltown, USA" test city. I'll have to dig up a picture of that one sometime.
Well today certainly went better than yesterday, although it still ended up being longer than I had hoped for. Just means I didn't get a chance to start on the new one yet after all. I did however manage to get the Brooks Building lotted and almost ready for testing:
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This picture isn't quite accurate, but close enough. I originally tucked the building to one side of the lot for that second street elevation idea. After looking and thinking about it, I decided that wasn't really necessary, so the building is now centered. The difference is pretty minimal really. I just need to finish the readme for this one and it will be ready for testing. As far as the other two are concerned, I realized I made a couple minor (yet stupid) mistakes that have now been fixed. I caught them before the scrutineers did... so I only feel like half an idiot anyway! ::) More next time...
JB
Looks great. Brooks Building would make a great corner building. Good to hear your day was better. Now, concerning those pizzas. Were they typical cheese and pepperoni, or did you go for the classic Sicilian style? ;D
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: 2 thumbs here Jon and I really think your chugging along nicely....
The Brooks Building is looking fantastic there, my friend! Great work!
wow i dint even know you had this brooks building in production. nice job on it, it looks great!
I'm liking what I'm seeing. I think the only thing that might possibly add to the building would be a water tower atop the building (but that might almost make it a bit crowded). Excellent work with the extended street side, and I'm just now noticing the arched windows above the doors on the short side. Believe it or not, according to my roommates in undergrad (civil engineering students) apparently (if I recall correctly), if you are looking at a map of the LA area, there should have been 1-2 more east-west freeways between I-105 and I-10 that connect I-405 and I-5, a continuation of the 91 all the way to meet the 405 (right now it just turns into basic streets) and then one north-south somewhere in there. The idea was to have a freeway (N-S or E-W) every 2-3 miles. Oddly enough, the freeway system appears to follow old street car routes (believe it or not, LA used to have a fairly decent mass transit system) and has helped to give rise to the allegedGreat American Streetcar Scandal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy). Interestingly, this is also referenced in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_framed_roger_rabbit) (the part that leaps to mind is Judge Doom's speech at the end where he talks about the "Red Car" (Pacific Electric Railway if I recall correctly). But that is going off on a rather wide tangent.
I must commend you on your BATting/lotting skills. Your buildings are always so well done and the lots compliment them nicely. Just those few bushes and a few people really bring it to life. I could use your advice on a building I'm working on that I will probably post a pic of shortly in my BAT thread. It may just be the size, but it's not quite working for me yet.
Sorry to hear about the emergency rush to work (those types of calls are always the worst) but it sounds like you were able to bring it to a good ending (and pizza always hits the spot). Hope you've been able to get some rest since then. Take it easy and I'll see you next update.
-Matt
Nice work going on here these are looking great. :thumbsup:
I love the way you have grouped your 3 classic turn of the century towers together, they really work well as a group, brimming with character. :thumbsup: &apls
TopCliff: Thank you! Since dinner was already late before I even arrived, I stuck with cheese and pepperoni... ;)
Pat: Thanks! I've got two thumbs here as well... rather convenient in my opinion! :D
Dustin: Thank you!
Sim Shady: Thanks! It came out of a very long hibernation actually... ;)
Matt: Thank you! Civil engineering projects gone awry is a subject that has always interested me. Detroit has many similar stories with the freeway system... things that didn't get built... ramps made in preparation for things that never happened... all that stuff facinates me. I always try to keep the lots for these two series pretty simple. Part of it is just a lack of space for extras anyway to be honest.
Hydra: Thank you!
Hogmeister: Thanks! My first grouping was actually rather amusing. I had the Hurst and Brooks Buildings switched around to show the corner possibilities for the newest one. But it looked like one of those cell phone commercials. "More bars in more places." :D
I started a new building today that I'm honestly pretty excited about. For those of you who don't know, Hogmeister is like a photo library. He had posted a general shot of St Louis years ago... just as a little side comment really. I mentioned how much I liked the looks of one of the buildings in that picture and the next thing I knew, there were about 15 pictures of that one building waiting for me. As we all know by now, I don't generally do proper recreations... and I don't really plan to do one this time either... but I'm going to stick fairly close to the original this time just because I like it so much.
Anyway... here is what I've done so far:
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This is the Bruder Building... named after the Bruder Building in St Louis, MO. Sadly, this building was torn down and no longer exists... but I'll try to fix that at least for all of us! ;) This will be a 12-13 story building on (probably) a 3x3 lot. What you see right now is floors 3-10 on what will be the front side. The sides will be slightly shorter, so there will most likely be an alley or something behind this one. I don't really know if it will work out as a wall to wall building yet, although so far I'm leaning towards no on that one. That's about it for now...
JB
N-I-C-E!!!
You do a great job in this field. Don't stop what you do. EVER. That's an order.
I'm not familiar with the Bruder Building in St. Louis, but if it's half a great as your Bruder Building, I'm sure it was a sight to see! I can't wait to see more of your creation, my friend!
Keep up the fantastic work!
Dustin
Great job on the last slender building Jon, we need more of those in the game. And the new building looks great too. All of these turn-of-the-century buildings make me want to build a downtown entirely out of these. :P
Anyhow, looking at all of these buildings you've recently done, I realized that you might be interested in one particular building here in Austin. It's the Driskill Hotel, and it's the oldest hotel in the city (built in 1886). Anyhow, I know you don't really do recreations, but I figured you might be able to use some of the architectural details on it for a later building. You can Google the name for some pictures.
-- John
looking nice :thumbsup:
and your previous pic with your 3 buildings is great and as said above me, makes me want to make an entire neighborhood with them ::)
mauricio.
TopCliff: Thanks! Aye-aye sir! ;)
Dustin: Thank you! To be honest, I had never heard of it either until Hogmeister showed his picture. Here's a look at "what started it all" for this one... (It's the building in the foreground)
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(This is Hogmeister's picture... not mine... I'm assuming he won't mind my using his link)
John: Thanks! I took a brief look at the Driskill Hotel. That certainly looks interesting... I may have to dive deeper into that one sometime down the road.
Mauricio: Thank you!
Just a very brief progress shot. This may be a little bit of slow going as there are so many little setbacks and things. The third floor walls are actually out slightly further than those above... the same goes for the bottom two floors which I've just roughed in so far. It's not a huge deal, but it tries to confuse me a bit more than usual. ::)
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Off to bed before Pat yells at me... :D
JB
Wow thanks for the Steetcar story. I had no idea about such a thing, and Im a pretty big History buff. Shame that such a thing happened, amazing the corruption that has continually pervaded American society throughout history...
I love what you are doing with Bruder Building JB ;)
-SimShady: Well, it is only a theory and speculation, still it is sad to see what LA transit used to be (streetcars from downtown LA to Santa Monica, etc).
-Jon: That building is off to a great start (no surprise there) and so far looks dead on. I like the little details too. Knowing how much time things like those can take from experience... well done. Ramps made in preparation for things that never happened? That must be a sight to see. At any rate, I'll keep an eye on this. Good work.
-Matt
Quote from: JBSimio on February 20, 2008, 08:57:49 PM
Off to bed before Pat yells at me... :D
Glad I'm not the only one who has that problem, lol.
Looking good JB, the more I look, the more I see, the more I like.
Sim Shady: Ahh... another history buff. I've become one, although I absolutely hated the subject in school. Thanks!
Matt: Thank you! The details are certainly slowing things down somewhat... although not too badly. It's just that there are so many different "standards." The double windows in the center portion are plain... those on the side panels have extra details... those on the third floor have other details... etc. There are some very interesting things with the freeway system in Detroit... I'll try to find some photo examples. One of the stangest sights for quite a while was the 4-stack interchange for I-75 and I-696 north of the city. I-696 was the last main freeway to be finished but the interchange was built much earlier as part of an improvement (resurfacing or widening or something) project on I-75. So it just sat there leading to nowhere for years.
Hogmeister: Thank you!
Well, I'm off to sit in the dentist's chair again this afternoon. It's quickly becoming my second home... but the nice thing is that everything will be done before I leave the state. I'll probably have some updates to show tonight when the drugs wear off... unless I short circuit my computer by drooling all over it! :D
JB
Well Jon this is looking quite nice...I guess from the response that you might want to start a "mediumtown USA" series ;D . I do agree with the others that these will fill a much ignored niche that is nevertheless very important....Have lived in many cities and the mix of 'downtown' buildings is always fascinating....that's because it is a mix. One of the things that has always bothered me about SC is the downtowns that are all modern...that just doesn't happen....unless you live in a city that went thru a big boom in the last 30 years....like Dallas or Houston....they have mile after mile of new high rise, that would be interesting if there were only a few of them...but get lost in the shuffle when so many are together.
And on the tangent...the Red Car story has always fascinated me.... from what I understand General Motors was the real mover behind getting the transit system demolished. In the "Book" LA Confidential..not the movie... that is one of the themes...the corruption behind that whole bag of worms.
Anyway, enjoy the Dentists :D and don't forget to wear a bib while bating this evening.
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Oh wow. Thats it really in a word. Great work, looking forward to seeing Bruder building eventually turns out.
Dentists - oooh hate 'em had to go today myself so I know how you feel ;)
:satisfied:
TTC
LoL Jon I would never yell at you :D cept doing darn good here :thumbsup: &apls
Duane: Thank you! I agree that the older midrise buildings seem awfully under represented in the game. I guess I just like to be the unofficial "niche filler"... ::) I've read a few things about the downfall of street cars (or mass transit in general really) as well. It's always interesting to try to sift through things and try to figure out what really happened. Of course, there are so many facts skewed towards different viewpoints that it's probably near impossible to ever really know. But still interesting just the same.
Hogmeister: Yep... that sums it up pretty well! :D
Derry: Thank you! Today's visit was a rough one... I think I'm developing a tolerance to the numbing agents or something... :D
Pat: Thanks! I know... but I had to poke fun somewhere in that post. It just happened to fall to you... sorry. ;)
I got a little further with this today. The base went fairly well, although I've skipped the main entry for the moment. The upper two floors were a bit more of a job, but I think it's getting there.
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The upper concrete textures in particular are probably too dark at the moment, but it's hard to tell until I decide on some brick textures. I'll probably go back and finish the entry tomorrow and then start in on the 13th floor... which also begins to serve as the massive cornice around the top of this one. That's about it for tonight!
JB
You have really captured the heart of this building; it's your eye for detail that makes all the difference combined with real talent :thumbsup: :) . It amazes me that they pulled this building down 20 years ago and much of the site is still a vacant lot, that's the sort of action that really kills a city, when are they ever going to learn.
It's incredible the details you have put into this one. It looks just like the picture.
Hogmeister, not only do you have a lot of pictures but you have the history to go with them.
Robin &apls
awesome building, looks alot like some of the older ones in boston ;D
details are fantastic JB. &apls
The detail around the top looks great Jon. :thumbsup:
Oh man...this one is going to get special treatment when it comes time to place it.....at first glace..."oh a midrise" then you notice the detail (both of the RL and the model)....a real attention getter....I think I'll have my simpapers put prospective clients on notice that this will be shown by appointment only and we will be selective about the sim-companies that move in ()stsfd()
Jon, Duane summed it up best :thumbsup: Its all good and I dont mind at all, when ever you feel the need to pick on me go for it ;D
Hogmeister: Thank you! It really is sad to think of how many buildings have been destroyed for little or no real reason. Such a waste... to put it mildly!
Robin: Thank you! The details make it much more confusing to work with, but the results are so worth it.
Pat Riot: Thanks! I imagine this style could be found all over the place. At the core, it's really a fairly generic building... until all those details everyone seems to like. :D
Diggis: Thanks!
Duane: Thank you! I guess that means I'll have to be pretty selective when I write the story for this one too. ;)
Pat: Thanks! I'll try to spread the picking around a little though... I'd hate to single you out like that! $%Grinno$%
Well, I didn't get as far as I had hoped today. For starters, I think I might have taken a nap... I'm not completely sure if I really fell asleep for a few minutes or not though. :D Then I spent a while trying to plan a rather confusing trip in July that included coming back to Michigan for a class reunion and then going to England for a bit before heading back to "Unknown city," CA. (I don't recommend trying to plan a trip without a starting and ending destination by the way... it's kind of a waste of time) But I did get some rough prices sorted out for now anyway. Then there was this really cool sunset tonight, so I had to drop everything and stare at that for a while.
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Then at some point, I finally decided to start working on the building some more. Talk about ADD, huh? :D Anyway, the upper cornice/13th floor is giving me fits at the moment, so I'm leaving that off for tonight. I did manage to get the main entry mostly finished. I also did a lot of minor tweaks here and there. Then I did a little math and realized that I could make this a W2W corner building after all... or at least close enough to get away with. So I added two more columns to the east side and refit everything for that.
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I think this is going to end up being sort of a U shaped building... although one side will be shorter than the other. Hopefully that will make more sense in a day or two. Until then... have a good night!
JB
This is really progressing well. I like the idea of a "U" shape. And your attention to details is amazing.
Those upper floors just add so much class to what you've already made. This is one building I really want :thumbsup:
Have a good kip mate ;)
:satisfied:
TTC
hi jon hows you doing my friend,i see your doing awesome work as allways &apls
This is looking better by the day, so much progress, I am well impressed. The main entrance is excellent and I eagerly await your decision on the final shape, after all, it's got to fit in with the game and be an outstanding asset to do justice to all your hard work. I have been saving your previews and expanding them to study the details, there is so much good stuff to see. &apls :thumbsup:
don't worry i get ADD moments all the time. My favorite one i was argueing with my friend and in mid sentence i just said "O! are you going to eat that or can i have it?".
building continues to look awesome, and that entrance is great.
Derry: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.
Jacky: Hi... nice to see you! Thanks!
Hogmeister: Thanks! This picture is just for you then... look familiar? ;)
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Pat Riot: Thank you! Yeah... that sounds like something I would do. This is the story of my life on many days: :D
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I spent most of the morning finalizing the shape for this building. I'm pretty happy with how it fits together so far. Next, I need to decide how many details to carry over to the rear sections.
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The "roof" is just there for a visual right now. The final roof will still be another level higher. I'm still trying to work out the final cornice... maybe I'll be ready to show that part by tonight. (I hope)
JB
Oh yes indeed, its fantastic. Thankyou. &apls :thumbsup:
Jon its all good :thumbsup: Hmmm I love that shinny Icon hehehe, btw that angle on the building OMG OMG WOW how in the world did you pull that off??? Buder Building is jugging along very nicely.....
THats prettty freaking incredible!~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! &apls
lol :D
damn....impressive work JB &apls
Mike: I thought you might like that one. It also goes to show how much detail still gets lost in the game view. Why do I keep doing this to myself?!? :'(
Pat: I've used that icon as an avatar in other places. (Hmmm... that gives me an idea actually) That angle is just the perspective view in BAT twisted around. It's not an actual render at all. ;)
JosefBrisko: Thank you! Nice to see you, by the way. ;)
Pat Riot: Thanks!
OK... I think I finally got this 13th floor cornice to look like something usable. It's still not quite what I had hoped for, but I'm satisfied enough with it to continue on. Besides that, the roof is now the right shape and size and I even went ahead and put it in the right place! :D
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Next up is a test of sorts... I could use a little feedback and opinions if you all don't mind. I'm planning to square off the back to some extent, but I'm not sure how far to go with it. Here is the example:
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The blue box represents my first thought and still the direction I'm leaning in. If I square it there, it still leaves some room for an alley and loading areas or whatever else in the back. The red box is an alternative that could also work well. I would cover most of what is left of the lot if that's the one I go with. So what do you think... blue or red? Also... two stories or three for the base in the back?
Next up is to finish wrapping the upper three levels (the new cornice being one of them) around the rest of the building. The other levels in the back will be a little more plain looking.
JB
Blue box and two stories.
I certainly agree with the blue box...and probably 2 stories but will have to think on that for a few moments. Loved the street view...wow...
Looking very good Jon. Lots of wonderful little details. Just a thought, have you considered keeping the red box and leaving the blue as an interior courtyard? I don't know if it would actually work or be appropriate for this type of building, it's just a thought.
My eyes popped when i saw the details on your latest update, its astounding and will look great with the maxis high density buildings from the same period. The blue has my vote also. Cant wait to see how this turns out!
I really like Spa's thought on having a interior court yard that would give this building a certian class... Otherwise if you dont go that route Id do blue box and 2 floors...
*faints*
The detail you've managed to convey is simply ASTONISHING.
What are you thinking of making it?
Most of it would obviously be office, but the large windows on the bottom two floors would lend themselves to retail uses. which if you use the blue box will be an excellent explanation for the larger 2/3 floors (just to be different I'm going 3 floors).
Of course it could also be a bank. Which would explain the larger two bottom floors (customer service desks etc).
Another note, it might be an idea to have a couple of (smaller) side entrances on each of the sides. I can see myself relotting this one into a Central Subway Station.
id say keep just the red box...make it look like a modern extension.... 2/3 floors.
I am all for the courtyard idea, it gives employees a private break area. This would make a nice medical plaza as well. Reminds me of the building my chiropractor's in.
Dragonshardz: Thanks for the input... I think that's what I'm going to end up with.
Duane: Thank you also!
Spa: Thanks! I really like the idea of a central courtyard a lot. Unfortunately, I would have to model it all to make it look right for shadows and such... and the way this is beginning to lag already, I'm not sure I could get away with it. I'll have to save that idea for maybe something a little shorter.
Fledgeling: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! I like the idea as well, but alas it wasn't meant to be this time... &cry2
Cammo: *throws water and administers smelling salts* Thank you! The lower floors are definitely modeled to look like shops. I think outside the main entrance, I also have 5 other shop entries on the two street sides of the building. (Or is that not quite what you mean?) I'm not sure what the final lot will be for this yet... I'll probably do both CO and CS versions.
Mightygoose: Hmmm... I hadn't thought about making it a later addition. :-\
Xxdita: Maybe mod it as a very old hospital? Hmmmm (again)....
Thanks for all the ideas everyone! I really do appreciate it. For now, I continued with my original thought for the back... although that doesn't mean anything for sure just yet. The end result does look a little smaller than I expected compared to the rest, so we'll see.
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I still need to add some utility doors and all that other good stuff back there. The small alcove will be a loading dock of sorts. I also finished the upper floors around the entire building. I know that keeping all that detail on the back is probably a bit unlikely in the real world, but I think it lends itself well to the game view. That's about it for now... I'll probably get the other floors filled in and maybe start the interiors a bit so the windows stop looking so dark... so maybe one more look before work this afternoon.
JB
Jon looking real nice... Hmmmm Bruder North Hospital, that would have a decent ring to it???
Small detail that's probably get lost in the render, but have you thought about adding wires connecting the two sides of the light well? A lot of older buildings have them for stability.
-ACE
Pat: Thanks! It's certainly worth thinking about... and I haven't made a hospital yet either... &mmm
ACE: I hadn't thought about that, but I will definitely look into it. Thanks!
Well, the building is finally closed in now! I started adding some of the details around the back and finished that part off. I may change a couple things around yet as I'm not completely happy with the loading dock at this point. I also started mixing the glass up with the newest windows around the light well. I haven't done those top three floors yet though... or anywhere else on the building. Finally, I added/tweaked some textures and got all the floors in. Floors are usually the easy part, but there are 5 different sizes this time because of the way the building changes at each of the cornice pieces. I ask again... what was I thinking? ::) Anyway... here are the latest:
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I'll probably work on the interior walls and/or all that darn window glass after I go feed some people. You'll notice I just scheduled myself this time... apparently it's safer that way. %ban% :D
JB
I know this may sound weird, but I think that a more orange-ish brick texture like the plain one you have right now would fit the building better than one of your dark brick textures. Great work so far. I may hae some pics of buildings around here you may be interested in for this type of project.
Great work the building is very detailed and I'm sure it will look even better with the final wall textures. I also loved the perspective of the first image on this the previous page. When the building is ready could you make such a shot again? :thumbsup:
oh and have I already said that I like the roof texture very much ;)
I like where you put the loading docks, though I'd hate to be the truck driver who has to deliver stuff to the building...
Anyways, I can't wait to see what you'll do with the roof, you'll probably put in two or three stairwells due to the shape of the building, right? And the building looks great, as usual.
-- John
I like how the loading docks are now, but I do have some things to suggest...
I think the skylight down there on the bottom of the back is weirdly placed... the shadows would certainly be so dark as to not justify the cost of putting a skylight there... seems like a useless place. Infact, in early times the middle parts of buildings like these were also convenient places to dump garbage by lazy people... still is... in bigger cities before modern sanitation and collection the stench from refuse that collected in those areas would be pretty bad. I think a very light dusting of rubbish on the roof that has the skylight now would be a great touch. Shoes, and whatnot.
The extension of the top floor moldings to the inside area also seems weird. Not in an area that would really justify the cost of putting it there, if you get my drift. I think they should end after the roof notches you have in the back.
TopCliff: Thanks! That doesn't sound wierd at all... I'm planning on a lighter color scheme, although I'm not sure if orange will be part of it. Right now I'm leaning towards a rose and cream combination. I had a look at the pictures you pointed towards... I'll have to see what I can do with those. The second one looks like fun. ;)
Tag_One: Thanks! I'll definitely do another perspective shot at the end, although the larger textures (like the main walls) may get a little wonky in that view. The roof texture is actually from Spa... no tweaks even needed for this one!
John: Thank you! Yes... that second bay is definitely not recommended for full semis! :D I'm not sure what I'm going to do to the roof just yet, but there will certainly be more than just the central utility block this time.
Fledgeling: Thanks! I'm not real sure about the skylight either... just testing things out really. I actually haven't even cut a hole in the roof for it yet, I just plopped it on there to see how it would look. :D Hmmm... trash on the roof? That would be something different from the usual SC4 look all right. As I said earlier... I know the top floors normally wouldn't be fully treated all the way around. I did it mostly because of the viewing angle. The other reason I'd rather not change it is the way the wall steps in and out as it goes up. The notches you mentioned are only 0.5 meters wide... the vertical swing from the 9th floor up to the 13th is 0.3 meters. Basically any flat wall spanning that area would be really noticable and just look strange. The only way to get around that is to continue the cornices around but not the detailing... which also just looks kind of strange to me.
This update probably won't look like much... I'm really not sure why I'm even posting a picture of it! ::) I got all the window glass mixed up... much like the last couple buildings, there are 7 different glass textures. (Did I mention this thing has 609 windows?!? And that's counting all those double windows as one window instead of two!) Anyway... this will definitely slow down some now. It took almost two hours to un-group and re-group all the pieces to isolate the glass. I'll need to do the same with the brick before I can start sizing and making the textures for it. And the same goes for any other textures I still haven't done. I shudder to think how many different brick textures this will actually need... ()lurker() But I digress... oooo shiny!!! Oops... sorry... :P
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Until I get something else worth showing...
JB
That looks great. It's definitely going in my cities once it's done. And yeah, the second one is pretty cool. Under renovation too. Later dude.
Looking good there JB.
You were certainly busy today Jon.... &apls .... love the way this is looking.... The loading dock works for me..seen tons of them like that around the country like the touch of the skylight also...the roof texture is perfect....way to go...
gezzzs I walk away from the computer for a few hours to try and board op a race that is still not finishing up dang So. CAL weather at Auto Club 500 gaaah ohh sorry jon to vent but man you have truely been busy and hopefully before 2am (cst) i will get home
TopCliff: Thank you!
RebaLynn: Thanks and welcome to the thread!
Duane: Thank you!
Pat: Huh? :D Thanks! (Hope you managed to get some sleep)
So here as a very early texture preview. I'm pretty happy with the rose coloring, but as for the lower two floors? Well... let's just say not so much yet. They're definitely too yellow/dirty/dark/I'm not sure just what, but I'll figure it out eventually/not what I'd hoped for. So that will get fixed. It also goes without saying that I haven't made my way to the upper floors just yet... but they'll be the same colors as the base.
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I didn't really change any of the modeling this time... just added textures. There is still roof junk and details to be added. I also haven't decided about that skylight just yet. Finally, I'm still tinkering with Fledgeling's suggestion to get rid of the upper details inside the lightwell. I may have hit on something that will work for that without sticking out like a sore thumb. So we'll see...
JB
I don't get what you dislike about the lower two floors textures. They look great to me, however textures are my achilles heel so don't pay attention to any texturing advice i give :p
the model looks great, and you've got a good start on the textures!
I'd say deepen the red texture, and then saturate it a little. I may be a horrible BATer, but I'm a great PhotoShopper, and textures I know. Looks great, it really does.
Looks good to me, but what do i know. It's way better than I can do.
hmmm....you know it looks pretty cool with the orangeish teture up top. stands out y'know?
EDIT: after looking at it definitely change the orange to the yellowish texture on the bottom. And it actually looks good, the pale rose and odd yellow/white.
Humm you know I think I actually prefer the yellower shade on the bottom to the rose bricks. The two may be just too dissimilar in color to go together on a single structure of this type more than a problem in with the colors themselves... It would be interesting to see this building's bricks just a tad darker yellow in shade from the bottom two floors. Because, you know, the human eye can detect more shades of yellow, more subtly and more reliably than any other color, :satisfied:
Actually either a rose shade or the yellow on the bottom are quite different from most brick structures in the game, so they both are good.
Quote from: dragonshardz on February 25, 2008, 04:57:08 PM
hmmm....you know it looks pretty cool with the orangeish teture up top. stands out y'know?
EDIT: after looking at it definitely change the ornge to the yellowish texture on the bottom. And it actually looks good, the plae rose and odd yellow/white.
actually i don't think hes started texturing the top yet ;) :thumbsup:
So many new things during my absence!
Jon, your work keeps me hooked every time. I like the office buildings you have made. indeed midrises are a bit sparse amidst the hordes of skyscrapers and 3storey dwellings. but never fear, you're here eh? :)
I love the Buder building. A simple corniche inside the lightwell would make more sense in the way of why throw money on walls noone will see from the outside? but if you keep them there who woud complain? In both situations you won't find me complaining.
about the base textures. why not go for something different and clad the first two floors in terracotta tiles? you could go for basic red or a colour glaze type?
Strech.
Actually the lower two floors look fine to me.....kind of like ...well an older building on the fringes of the ritzy area...once grand but hasn't been washed and scrubed for many a year...if you want to change the front..then maybe leave the backside that way....did that make sense? but at the same time.. :D .. I kinda like what Strechnitz says....terracota hmmmmmm......
Wow excellent progress there Jon :thumbsup:
Now the rose colouring looks really good to me and would love to see that stay, as for the lower floors, well the yellow is really good in my opinion but
Duane's suggestion of leaving the front like that and darkening/changing the back is a really good idea. As too is Hubert's suggestion of placing terracotta tiles but that would be my second choice.
Many older buildings in london have recently being cleaned but to save money the only cleaned the front or visible bits that the public would see.
This would be even more noticable on this type of building where the 'well' would not be cleaned. but whatever you do, this is one wonderful looking building you are making and I would be more than pleased to see it grow in any of my cities.
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this I think you deserve just for spending 2 hours grouping and ungrouping the windows, let me know when you need a refill when doing the walls :)
:satisfied:
TTC
i like how the rose and yellowish looks on the building :thumbsup:
i think it's ok as it's now, and maybe make the upper floors the same rose color and let only the first two with that yellow.
hope that makes sense :P
mauricio.
This is coming along very nicely, my friend! I don't mind the textures at the base, but I can't want to see what you find for them. I'm sure it will be even better!
Dustin
Holy crap! I must be on to something to get so many responses... :D
Pat Riot: Thanks! The lower floors were just a little too bright for me. I think the latest adjustments helped though.
TopCliff: Thanks! I think the second version of the rose texture is more saturated, but now it may be a bit too much. Photoshopping is not my strong point, so I'll take all the tips I can get there!
RebaLynn: Thank you! Don't be so hard on yourself... sometimes I just luck out. ;)
Dragonshardz: I hadn't actually started the top yet... but I have now! :D
Strech: Thank you! It took a lot of shifting and tweaking, but the excessive cornice is gone now. I think the transition is presentable now. I ended up having to remake the brick textures because of it since I didn't have enough height built in for three extra floors. I made the brick pattern a little more subtle on the base, so maybe we could pretend it's terracotta too... or not... I don't know anymore... :D
Duane: I think I fixed the dingy problem... and I dirtied up the back a little more too.
Derry: Thank you! The rose is here to stay... as long as I didn't mess it up this time around. Thanks as always for the cuppa too!
Mauricio: Thank you! I did a brief test run with the rose on top, but I didn't really like the look. With a couple more tweaks, I think this will work out pretty well though.
Dustin: Thank you!
Whew... now I'm too tired to update! And anyone who just gave up and left after that sentance apparently doesn't know me very well! :D I got a pretty fair bit done today. As I mentioned, I got rid of the extra "gingerbread" inside the light well. It took a while to fit everything back together, but it all worked out pretty well in the end. I then had to redo the rose colored brick textures, but forgot to write down exactly how I made them last night... and since I don't have good layer capabilities, that meant starting over. I got close, but it's not quite what it was... now I just need to decide if it's better or worse. ::) I also tweaked the base color and finished the upper colors. I have one or two small adjustments to make up there, but it's almost where I'd like it to be. Finally... I added most of the shop fronts (although there are a few tweaks there yet as well). I think that sums it up:
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And... as requested by Tag_One... ;D
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That should do it for tonight,
JB
Hey, my friend!
I just noticed that you have "Buder" Building on the front instead of "Bruder" Building. It looks fantastic, though, however you spell it!
Dustin
Wow, I hadn't noticed the beveling on those corners before... amazing detail, JBSimio. I'm almost inspired to start playing this game again, if only to use this stuff.
-ACE
That looks amazing! I love the street level view too. I think now that you've done a few of those you'll be seeing a lot more requests from now on for street level views. :D
I was wondering though, why is that area in the back the same rose color as the middle floors of the building instead of the yellow-ish texture?
-- John
..... &apls That fits in the downtown area of pretty much every city except the absolute smallest.
A fantastic BAT, I like these old styles called "Chi" and "NY" in the game. I regret that I've already finished the cities of my region that include American highrises. :-[
But I have to mention that ... hmm ... "Buder" may sound a bit vulgar for Austrians, especially Viennese. $%Grinno$% Sorry for that, but I couldn't deny myself to note that. ::)
Quote from: DFire870 on February 26, 2008, 07:03:44 PM
I was wondering though, why is that area in the back the same rose color as the middle floors of the building instead of the yellow-ish texture?
Usually, the lighter areas are sandstone, marble, or some other facing material; it's more expensive than just brick, and so is only used where there is aesthetic value. Thus, the back of older buildings is considerably plainer material than the front.
-ACE
The textures are perfect. Don't change a thing about them. Perfection, thy name is Buder.
Simply amazing work. I have to be hard on myself, or I won't have a good reason to improve :)
I love it, I eat my words on the color thing! It looks great together.
I hope i didn't sound presumptuous in my last reply. I was a little worried afterward it sounded a bit... ya know? Sorry 'bout that.
:D LoL Jon you are just that loved man!!! Cause you do such fantastic work on all of your stuff....
Dustin: Yes, I realized that I miswrote in my first couple posts about this building. The actual name was the "Buder Building." Oops!
ACE: Thank you! The beveled corners actually serve a purpose in the game view... I've found that they make shadows on the cornice pieces to give them a bit more depth.
John: Thanks! You're probably right... I'll have to make this preview all the time now... ::) ACE already correctly answered the question about the back of the building... and his reasoning is exactly why I did it that way.
XioahouDun: Thank you!
N1: Thanks! I'll try an make enough of these to inspire a new region for you then! :D I'm just going with the actual name of the building... so the Austrians will just have to understand. ;) Although now you've got me curious about what it means...
ACE: Yep... that's why alright. I always take it as a good sign when someone else can explain why I did something... especially when they're right! :D
TopCliff: Thanks! I'm still going to tone down the highlights at the very top just enough so they don't slap people in the face... but otherwise I'll leave them alone.
RebaLynn: Thank you!
Fledgeling: Thanks! No problems with the last post at all. I just realized that I accidently skipped you in my previous responses. Sorry about that... but it was just an oversight, not a payback. ;) Actually, I didn't know that about the color yellow until you mentioned it. Kind of a fun fact that could come in handy sometime.
Pat: Awww shucks... thank you!
I'm at work right now, but I thought I'd try to catch up on responses while I had the chance. Maybe this way I won't get as confused and miss people again! :D Talk to y'all later...
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on February 27, 2008, 07:20:32 AM
I'm just going with the actual name of the building... so the Austrians will just have to understand. ;) Although now you've got me curious about what it means...
Well, you could translate "Buder Building" as ... :-X ...
brothel.
A kind of dictionary, where you can find the standard German meaning of Viennese expressions:
http://members.aon.at/berri/wienerisch.htm
In this case, the standard German translation is quite understandable for English speakers. ;D
Sorry for that childish notes. ::)
Ah Jon...looking very very good... I keep looking at it to try and find a nit to pick...and nothing....sheesh....congrats on the progress so far...
Is the midrise building group going to be a full sized series?
Oh and to N1-2888 Thank you for the translation and the linkie.....I was really curious.... and the notes arn't childish...one of the beauties of the SC4 community is learning the rest of the world.
Quote from: JBSimio on February 26, 2008, 06:52:02 PM
Mauricio: Thank you! I did a brief test run with the rose on top, but I didn't really like the look. With a couple more tweaks, I think this will work out pretty well though.
well, i must admit this one is perfect :thumbsup:
mauricio.
Jon you are soo welcomed and its soo true too.....
aww damn....i love what you did with the lower floors. This is going to be a classic JB! ;D
N1: Thank you for the explaination! I can see how that might turn a few heads... :D I suppose I could always go with the original name of "Missouri Pacific Building," but I think I prefer the inside joke now!
Duane: Thanks! I don't think it will be a full series of its own. These will all fall under the SHUR umbrella. I've just been in the mood to do a few of them in a row is all.
Mauricio: Thank you!
Pat: Then thank you again! (Now stop flirting with me... it's getting wierd) :D
Pat Riot: Thanks a lot!
I think I've wrapped up most of the exterior touches. I have a couple adjustments to make now that I had a closer look, but nothing drastic. I split up the awnings and signs so they don't interfere with the vertical columns. I need to move the corner sign in a little more so it doesn't stick out quite as much. I added fire escapes, roof junk, stairwells and an elevator shaft. I think the stairwells will probably move... I'm not real fond of where they sit right now. I also need to make them less clean and more ignored looking. Beyond that, I think it's time to move inside and turn on some lights. Here are all four sides:
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And now I must be off... the boss shows up tomorrow. Maybe he'll finally tell me where I'm going in a month! ??? I mean, I like surprises and all... but this is just getting silly. :D
JB
Excellent work, just magnificent. Maybe he'll send you to the nice warm Valley . . .
Nice job with the roof junk and the fire escape! For the stairwells and elevator shaft, you should try using a different wall color as the rose color stands out too much and it is too clean looking. Of course, some grime could change that...
As for surprises, at least your boss won't wait until the very last minute... Like, at the airport. :D Although, you never know...
-- John
I think the stairwells may be a bit large. Try lowering them about .75 meters and adding stairs down to the door; I've seen this setup on several roofs, and it would make them look much more proportional to the building.
Other than that, a bit of grime is all they need. Loving the fire escape, by the way. Like how it crawls right over the upper-level detailing.
-ACE
Nice work the roof look fantastic.
Looks fabulous, JBSimio! Absolutely incredible!
LoL Jon you silly willy lol :D :D :D Anywho WOW!!! The details are great and the corner sign is perfect...
Wow! congratulations, 75 PAGES! &apls &apls &apls
You are an all time great in SC4 BATing :thumbsup:
The building is looking fantastic!!!
And congrats on 75 pages!! &apls
Jon, I got here late and just read all the other comments....so my comment is
Ditto
and very nice also.....good luck on the destination......
he'll probably ship you out to russia or saskatchuwan ;D
looks great, you gotta love generic old school american buildings. ;)
Quote from: Pat Riot on February 28, 2008, 02:47:16 PM
he'll probably ship you out to russia or saskatchuwan ;D
No, JB's going to California he just doesn't know exactly where in CA.
TopCliff: Thanks! Fresno and Bakersfield were both on the list, so you may not be far off. ;)
John: Thank you! I've toned down the brick on the roof somewhat. It's starting to feel like the last minute already given the length of this move... but who knows?
ACE: I shortened the stairwells a bit, but I'd rather not "bury" them if I can avoid it. I've seen it too, but I don't have much room up there with the level below. Thanks!
Hydra: Thank you!
Dustin: Thanks!
Pat: Thank you! :D
Sim Shady: Thanks! I pity anyone who decides they want to start reading this thread from scratch now... :D
Bat: Thank you!
Duane: Thank you!
Pat Riot: I wouldn't put it past him somethimes... ::) Thanks! (And yes... I do love them)
Dragonshardz: And the way it's snowing out right now, I can't wait either! ;)
Well yesterday's work day completely sucked... but we'll just ignore that. It is work after all and I couldn't find anything in the handbook that said it was going to be fun all the time. So let's just move on, shall we? I started lighting this last night. I made a pretty good dent in what needed to be done, but I haven't finished it yet. Unfortunately, I sprung a couple leaks somewhere along the line that I need to track down and fix. For some reason there is light coming up through the roof on some edges... and a couple shops are spilling over into the ones next door. Hopefully niether one will be to hard to fix, but the previews are starting to take quite a while to generate... so we'll see. I have a pretty long day today, so I may not get back to this again until tomorrow.
Until next time...
JB
Hey Jon...sorry bout the work day yesterday...but like I say about my part time job.....'they know how I am, and they still want me to sign in....so it's all their fault anyway' Doesn't really help much except when I say it to a customer! Hang in there......Fresno? Ohhh.... a hint...go for Vladivostok :D Acutally lived near there..not bad...most of Calif can be pretty nice.....later guy.
Jon that sucks you had so much troubles yesterday but at least today is a new day!!! So any word or words where you are going?
Sorry to hear about your work troubles, my friend, and also the bumps you've encountered with the lighting, too. I hope that it's not to hard to straighten out!
Dustin
work probs, light spilling ( better than Tea spilling) - well you know my solution :)
Thats right - a nice hot cuppa and a bit of SC4.
till the next time
Derry
Work, I can't help with, but light spilling ... make sure all your wall, and ceiling joins overlap, just slightly.
Duane: I'm not sure why they still let me in either, but they do! :D Vladi-what? ???
Pat: No words yet (part of what made the day sucked)... but obladi, odlada, life goes on bra la la... you get the idea... :D
Dustin: Thanks! I think I got most of it worked out...
Derry: Mmmm... cuppa... thank you! :thumbsup:
RebaLynn: They all do... many of them multiple times actually. Unfortunately, it seems that once you get way up in the number of lights (and I'm around 400 or so with this one), they start to have a cumulative effect. It's not supposed to happen with "cast shadows" and walls and ceilings and such things, but time has taught me that it does. Once that happens, the overlap isn't always enough. (This also seems to happen with really high intensity settings by the way)
OK... I almost finished the lighting. There are a couple things that are not quite right yet... but given how long it takes to generate these previews now, these are the pictures you're getting! :D First the pictures, then I'll describe what will change.
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Things that will be fixed (so you can save your fingers some typing)... The light bouncing off the interior corners of the lightwell. This is just overspill that needs to be toned down. The skylight will be gone. It sticks out even more now that it's lit and I don't like it. (This will also get rid of the horrendous glare near the roof in that area too, so don't worry about that) Finally, the shops look a bit too empty when lit, so I'll find a way to fix that. Other than those things ;) is there anything else I seem to be missing?
That's about it for now...
JB
The nightlights and all the other details ...
Incredible! &apls
Other than the bright strip of light behind the skylight (which you mentioned already) I actually like the skylight. But if you think it needs to go, so be it.
i like the way it's looking :thumbsup:
and agree that the skylight should go.
great building!
mauricio.
It has been a while since I last posted here, but you have certainly been busy in that time. I wasn't sure about the choice of brick/stone color, but it really works on this building. The storefronts are nice but as you noted, they do look a bit bare at night (shouldn't be too bad to fix though for someone of your talent). The clock on that sign on the corner is a nice touch and overall the building looks very clean. It may just be that I haven't looked at it long enough, but I don't notice any major light leaks (or any other issues at all). Well done on this. Next up, how have you been? I had a trial brief due for class on Wednesday so I haven't been able to keep in touch as much as would be nice. Any further news on the CA position? I'll keep an eye out for new updates around here (Spring Break just started for our school so I get the week to relax (aka: catch up on everything that's been sitting in the background)). Take it easy.
-Matt
Jon looking real good there and I cant think of anything else to add other then what you allready know....
BTW 76pg's and 1500 post, congrats to you for having a hot thread here Jon!!!! and also thank you soo very much in pushing over the 350 mark in Picture donation challenge....
Expertly done, I cannot think of anything that you could do to improve at this point besides what you already mentioned. ()stsfd()
That is a gorgeous result Jon :thumbsup:
Apart from what you want to change I would not change a single thing!
Strech.
About the only suggestion I might make is that the main entrance could use a bit of oomph in temrs of lighting (but having toyed with the BAT it's likely because of deficiencies in said tool that you've not done so). In fact much of the ground floor could use it. That's about it, though. Even without it'll probably be fine.
I like that this has a slightly dirty (but still well maintained) look to it. Even well maintained buildings of this age look slightly dusty and you've conveyed that perfectly. There's a really fine line between conveying age appropriately and basically trashing a building, and I think you've managed to walk it successfully.
lighting is very realistic! you even have the time lol. Cant wait till this beauty is done &apls
Jon- wow &apls ! My eye immediately went to the sign on the corner- nice touch. The lighting is awesome. Fantastic job :thumbsup:
N1: Thank you!
RebaLynn: I got rid of the skylight. I was never really sure about it, and the lighting (even fixed) didn't do anything that screamed "Keep me!" so off it came...
Mauricio: Thanks!
Matt: The brick colors are a bit different from shades I usually use, but I like the end result. The light leaks got fixed before I posted the pictures... you would have definitely seen them if I had let you. ;) Sounds like you're about due for a break and I hope you enjoy it! Things here are moving along, but slowly... still no definitive news yet, which is getting a bit frustrating at best.
Pat: Thanks! Wow... 1500 posts! Thank you to everyone!!! &dance
Fledgeling: Thank you!
Strech: Thanks!
Cammo: Thank you! I added some exterior lights around the base... hopefully that helps because frankly I've run out of other ideas otherwise. :D I'm getting better and walking that tightrope between "aged" and just "dirty"... it's probably why some of my past buildings fit so well in many people's ghetto shots even though I didn't intend them to be. :D
Pat Riot: Thanks! Yes... it's always 6:43 apparently... :thumbsup:
Edge: Thank you!
Well, I made what I hope are the final tweaks. I got rid of the skylight... toned down a few other lights in the back including the loading area... added a little more life to the shop floors... and added some exterior lights around the base. I think this should wrap things up for good this time. Here are some updated shots, just because I'd hate to leave the former ones as the final look! ::)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBuder_SouthDN.jpg&hash=8f55fde79d8b4d60fca8e1dee432b2cb8d0393b2)
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Don't ask me what's next... I have a few buildings in mind, but I'm still trying to decide which one it will be. Until then...
JB
Jon looking good there and your welcomed!!! So now the easy part is lotting and modding right and the off to masses ehh? What ever you do next Jon it will be great, so dont worry!!!
Hi, Jon.
Quote from: JBSimio on March 01, 2008, 10:38:23 AMWell, I made what I hope are the final tweaks. I got rid of the skylight... toned down a few other lights in the back including the loading area... added a little more life to the shop floors... and added some exterior lights around the base. I think this should wrap things up for good this time. Here are some updated shots, just because I'd hate to leave the former ones as the final look! ::)
JB
I can't speak for anyone else, however; looking at the pictures you've posted of your latest building left me asking why I couldn't just jump in my monitor and walk in the door of this exquisitly designed and executed building.
Jon, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Your BATting skill is incredible! When you create a model, it isn't just a nicely done "thing". It is a work of art -- a materpiece.
I know that I am certainly going to enjoy putting this great new building into my cities. Thanks for sharing this wonderful talent of yours.
Regards,
Gary
Hello, I have a random question...well maybe two. After you finish a project, where does it go next? like what stage is in between you completing the project and it going on the BSC exchange? Secondly, awhile back I remember you were working on a furniture store or something along those lines that was suppose to work with diagonal corners...what ever happened to that? - hope my questions aren't so "odd-ball" hehe, thanks!
Well, that just looks magnificent, my friend! Absolutely magnificent! I simply cannot wait to see what you're going to do next!
Dustin
Looks just fine with out the skylight .. maybe you can find another project to use it on :)
Pat: Thanks! Yes... the lotting and modding for these are usually pretty quick for me. In fact, I finished both this morning! ;)
Gary: Thank you so much! I wish I could have seen more of the interiors for this building... I can only imagine the details in the front lobby. I wouldn't mind trying to step in there myself if the building still existed.
Baconrocky: I love random questions! :D Part of where it goes next depends on what it is. In most cases (like this one), I'm able to handle the modding and everything myself. Then it gets sent out for testing... done by many of the same people who act as scrutineers for the LEX candadacies. They double check to make sure I didn't miss anything and that it all works as it should in the game. For bigger projects, like the university set, there are a lot of other people involved to help with the things I don't know how to do... reward chains, translations, and the more complex stuff. I believe you're talking about the Fiege Building. I actually pulled that one out a couple times in the last few weeks. I really just need to get the measurements right so it fits cleanly into the diagonal corner and then it will be finished. It hasn't been forgotten, but I made the mistake of putting the alley entrance on the angled side of the building which is making things more painful than they should be. :D
Dustin: Thank you!
RebaLynn: Thanks! I'm sure the skylight will find its way onto something eventually. A lot of my failed ideas seem to do that sooner or later... ;)
I exported the Buder Building last night... and woke up this morning just in time to see it finishing up. I should really learn how to sleep in one of these days! :D I finished the lotting and modding of it this morning and it is now off for testing. Here are some in game shots:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBuder_LotDay.jpg&hash=a48daf0ef64d6770405f111a03c2936c9e6755a0)
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This is a 3x3 corner lot with three versions. CO$$ grow and plop... and also a R$$ grow. Both of the growable versions are stage seven and the plop version has CO$$ jobs and everything else like the growable does. I think that's all for now, but there should be more later... ;)
JB
looking excellent in-game :thumbsup:
those two buildings together... wow. i want them :P
mauricio.
It looks great. It looks good enough not to just be a corner lot, IMHO. Pure corners have so much competition!
While we are on past projects, whats the progress on your apartments?
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Have not heard of it for awhile.
Jon that would be a good thing to sleep in once in awhile!!! I cant wait to get ahold of the buder buildings :thumbsup:
Yes, the apartments will be necessary for off-campus housing for the students enrolled at your university :P.
Seriously Jon, I don't know how you are able to pull off such wonderful creations so quickly!! I'm sure that you already have a million things to do in RL, especially with your impending move to the other side of the country. How do you do it?
Mauricio: Thanks! You're wait is half over... ;)
Fledgeling: Thank you! I can easily change the lot setting if testing shows that it is too hard to grow. The apartments got stalled out by foundations. I think I now have a grasp on how to do that myself though, so I may be able to breathe new life back into those but it probably won't happen until after I move. Because of the way I plan to release all the various RUSA apartments, that one still counts as a large project instead of just individual buildings... so they're on the back burner for a little longer, I'm afraid.
Pat: Oh I slept last night... just not so much this morning! :D
Simdad: I'm sure the apartments will get a lot of use that way, so I really do need to get them finished. My secret right now is a boss that fails to provide me with any information which would help me make the upcoming move happen. Since I don't have the information, there is little I can do other than sit here and be mad at him all day. As BATting is a great relaxer for me... the circle works to everyone's advantage (except perhaps mine in about four more weeks!) :D
OK... I have the next building picked out. Thanks go to TopCliff for the original point in that direction and also again to Hogmeister who sent me some wonderful pictures today. For some reason, I have a lot of trouble finding good reference pictures. I don't know if I just look in the wrong places or what my problem is... (Don't tell me to go to Emporis... I know about them. Their pictures help a little but honestly not much... I can't actually download them or just flip through them either which makes it very tedious to switch viewpoints) But anyway... I'm not real sure why I'm spending so much time talking about this new building when I don't have anything to show you yet. Hell... I haven't even
started it yet!!! ::)
However... you may be interested to know that the monkeys have finally gotten around to finishing something again!
The Hurst Building (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1539)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHurst_Advert.jpg&hash=7d0bd35f732f7db233036da4861000aead4ea68a)
Enjoy!
JB
Downloaded/installed :thumbsup:
I used the night windows settings you mentioned on one of my houses, and it really helped make it stand out (even though there are shades behind the glass, still gave a nice effect). Middle house here (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1807.msg125359#msg125359) if you are interested in seeing.
The Hurst Building is great, I already have it downloaded and installed and will check it out in-game later this week.
And it's funny that Fledgeling asked about the status of the apartments, because today me and my mom went to downtown Austin to look at condos for me to move into, and we looked at condo complexes in the area, and one of the complexes (which used to be apartments) looks just like the ones you made Jon. :D I wonder if it's a sign... (Which I hope so, because I really liked them)
-- John
XiahouDun: I'm glad that helped somewhat then!
John: Thank you! Now I'm a bit curious which ones they resembled... :D
I got a small start on a new one tonight, but it was a very small start. Nothing really worth showing at this point, to be honest. But I thought that before I went to bed, I might as well keep things moving along. So... I'll just throw something else in the mix!
Kitty's Klothes (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1540)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FKittys_Advert.jpg&hash=04f4c18ffafea387a279ad2aa119d9f97dd7e46e)
Have a good night!
JB
Two great uploads in one day ;D Turned out to be a very good weekend. :D
Nice one.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freesmileys.org%2Fcustom%2Fimage%2Flaugh%255E_%255Etimes%255E_%255E3%255E_%255E1%255E_%255EJon%2520you%2520RoCk%2520and%2520R%2520GrEaT%21%21%21%255E_%255E.gif&hash=0d6b62cd3f9da26954beb807672bcfc2129d1bfe) (http://www.freesmileys.org/custom)
that is all i got to say ;)
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err I just noticed his sign on that King whooopsi ummm lets say it should say "praise me" lol :D....
Have to agree with Pat on this one, my friend! There's no disputing it.
&dance %BUd% ()flower() &apls
yay! ()stsfd()
Also agree with the others! Great work there! :thumbsup:
XiahouDun: Thanks! I'm glad I could play a small part in that... :D
RebaLynn: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! So, you're saying my ego is getting out of hand, is that it? :D
Dustin: Thank ou!
Edge: Yay indeed! &bis&
Bat: Thank you!
Alright... now everybody settle down... %%Order?/ You don't really have to settle down if you'd rather not... I really just wanted to use that smiley for some reason. :D I started on the new one... again... today. I actually started yesterday, but didn't really like what I had come up with. So I started over. This is still a pretty early look and quite a bit will probably change, but here's what I've been up to:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview02.jpg&hash=d29db90347e79fd1f704f629ebcaefe1ab6b40a6)
Not really to much to say about it just yet. It will be another corner building although it won't be wall to wall this time. I just couldn't make it fit without screwing up the proportions of the building... so this one will just have to stand alone a little bit.
JB
ooo more generic American buildings ;D
you rock JB!
How about Simnation Polytechnical University?
LoL Jon naw Im not saying that at all hehehehehe, what I am saying is you deserve all the praise ;) Yuppers thats it and nice start there!!!
Praise be unto you, that looks fantastic. (I just wanted an excuse to use ye olde English)
I hope very much so that this shall make a very interesting structure, and will be very much delighted herewith to watch it develop, for watching you develop these works of art is pleasant unto us.
A building like that is one that deserves to stand on its own. Those are some rather large arches. I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll fill them in. In other news, that little office building I've been working on... I decided to take your advice with the windows. However, it will require enough remodelling that I'm just going to start over. Hope all is well with you and I'll look forward to seeing this develop.
-Matt
The Brooks Building (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1542)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBrooks_Advert.jpg&hash=61466407efad83c7f1c7b8cbb5a30206d57eaffb)
I'll have to catch up on replies later, sorry... in the meantime: Enjoy!
JB
Jippy! the brooks will make its way to my business quarters soon &apls
The new building looks very nice too. I especialy like huge groundfloor windows and the extemely slender colllums on the corners. Just goes to show they have no support purpose what so ever, just deco.
And everybody knows I LÓVE deco! :D
I wonder what you will do with the top of the building and what type of textures you will use.
But time will reveal all those :)
Strech.
:o
can't wait for your latest few buildings. I know schulmanator would love your monkey around logo :D
Wikked work Jon &apls &apls
kitty's klothes and the Brooks building are simply awesome.
Will go very well indeed in my cities as does everything else you've done so far :thumbsup:
And the start on the new building is great. Will be interested on how you deal with the upper floors ;)
Not much else to say so I'll pop off and make us a cuppa :D :D
:satisfied:
TTC
Jon just wonderful here!!! The brooks building will fit in nicely in my commercial area's as well, thank you again!!!!!
Your work gives our cities a human scale that steel and glass towers just cant match. &apls &apls &apls
OK... now that I'm not running out of the house like I was this morning, I can try to catch up here.
Pat Riot: Thanks! I like to rock...
NASCAR Guy: What? ???
Pat: Well, alright then... I guess I'll take it. Thank you!
Fledgeling: We here at JBSimio, Inc. would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for your kind words and sentiments as you have so eloquently expressed them.
Matt: Thank you! The entry for this one is a rather staggering three story arch. I'd love to see what that looks like from the inside. I'm sorry to hear you'll have to start your building over, but hopefully it will be worth it in the end. (Hopefully it will also go quicker for you the second time around and not be as painful as it sounds!)
Strech: Thanks! The corner pieces are certainly decorative, although there is enough bulk in the squared off portion to bear the load... it's just notched out a bit. I'm headed towards a limestone like finish... but that's a ways off. The top floors aren't even close yet... there are 3-4 more floors above all this that will form the crown.
Pat Riot: I'll try to keep the waiting time down. I kind of like the new logo too... ;)
Derry: Thank you! I'll gladly partake in a cuppa with you!
Pat: Thanks! (and you're welcome too!)
Hogmeister: Thank you!
Whew... I hope I didn't miss anyone. If I did, rest assured the lawyers will come and straighten things out later. But for now... on to the update!
I filled in the center windows on the 12th and 12th floors. I fixed a bunch of things with around the base... the shop windows, the columns between them, added some details, whatever else I fixed down there. I started adding some of the many cornice pieces. Um... what else? Fixed the corners where they transition to the brick... and also roughed in some of the rear walls just to give an idea of where this is headed.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview03.jpg&hash=550199ed2dacf61afea6293d44b07b79f1a06bc2)
There are quite a few details that aren't very visible right now. They'll show up much better when I start texturing, but for now I'm only using 3 shades of grey to represent everything that will be limestone. So... a lot of things are blending together right now. But it's coming along...
JB
Missed me!
Nice work. And I think I am starting to get the hang of this texturing stuff. With master's like you for insperation, I have to keep driving harder and harder.
Jon looking real good here sir!!! &apls :thumbsup:
Hmm....for the stores, any chance you'll ever put in some big brand names, like Starbucks, Burger King, McDonalds, Victoria Secret, etc...
I know, I read somewhere that you once said that you wouldn't because you have a small-town theme, but it looks to me the buildings you have been creating lately are suitable for much larger cities...and I think its more realistic to have those sort of stores.
On another now, this building is my favorite so far! :satisfied:
I'm not too worried about starting the thing over again. It had a few design problems that sort of plagued me from the start and now I know what to avoid. It served as a good learning experience so it is already worth it. It should go faster, and I think I may try to keep it to a 3x3 this time around (the first one was around 4x4). Also, in the spin I'm putting on the building, do you have a good way to make a hedge, or is it just a rectangle/cylinder with a texture? It's my spring break now so I'll probably have some time to run it through.
Congratulations on the release of the Brooks Building. That's a keeper in my region for sure.
Lastly, I'm looking forward to seeing what limestone looks like on that building. For as many details as I can see now, the fact that there are more that are hidden is just amazing for this building. Also, what's the latest on the concert hall/performing arts building for the school project?
Hope all is well. See you next time.
-Matt
Well like I said before, I love deco! ;)
The progress is looking very good, and I like the sound of limestone. Good luck with the rest of the building :thumbsup:
Strech.
limestone...thats old school ;D
Small detail, but I love the corner entrance. Just like the other one, this has some great detailing.
RebaLynn: Well naturally I missed you terribly... but I did respond to you the last time you were here. ;) I hardly consider myself a master at textures... they're still the hardest thing for me to get right... but thank you!
Pat: Thank you!
Baconrocky: Thanks! I don't know if this one will get any brand names or not... but I may start doing it on some others soon. It's still not a look I'm overly fond of, but it could happen at some point.
Matt: Thank you! You can see a lot of the details, but they don't show up as well as they should just yet. I probably didn't say that as well as I meant to. The concert hall (and basically all of Pack Two) is kind of on hold for the moment until I get moved and resettled. Right now, I know where everything stands... and I don't want to lose my place when my free time is so up in the air. For hedges, the best way I've found is a method SimGoober uses. It essentially involves making a bunch of small boxes and scattering them in the general form you want. I know that's a crappy description, so I'll explain it to you better when it's not so far past bedtime. :D
Strech: Thank you!
Pat Riot: Yeah... I'm kind of old, after all... $%Grinno$% I'm glad you like the corner entry. It's not part of the real building, but I kind of liked the idea.
Well, I managed to get the 14th floor added... at least the limestone faces anyway. It took a lot longer than I expected. Keeping all the measurements right for this part was a lot more confusing than I had hoped. There are just too many darn pieces for that cornice that turns into a ledge. At the same time, I discovered that the brick parts I roughed in yesterday are the wrong sizes... so they've been left off until I get back to changing them. Anyway... here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview04.jpg&hash=3c1a822f2f94adce6d9fac3a13f9720fc2cededb)
Next up is the penthouse level... I think I lied when I said how many floors I had left to go. The penthouse (floor 15) will basically be the last one, although it will be a bit taller than the floor heights on the rest of the building. But anyway... I'm babbling... so I'll stop... right about now... really... I'm going to shut up...
now
JB
It's looking great so far ... I think textures are probably the harest part of making BATs, and it is the single thing that makes all the difference.
Quote from: RebaLynnTS on March 06, 2008, 05:07:30 AM
It's looking great so far ... I think textures are probably the harest part of making BATs, and it is the single thing that makes all the difference.
See I beg to differ. I enjoy the texturing easily as much as the modelling. Maybe it's weird. ()what()
I did not say it wasn't fun or rewarding, it is ... I just find it harder to get right. I admire those that do it well, and seem to make it look easy.
Jon is one of them that makes the whole prosses of Batting to Texturing look so easy!!!
Wonderful progress there Jon &apls &apls
Love the sound of limestone and the details I can see at the mo look great.
Nice work :thumbsup:
Laters
Derry
RebaLynn: Thank you! Textures definitely make or break things, I agree. The only part I really have a hard time with is when I have to make textures from scratch (like I will for this one)... my imaging software is pretty limited so everything takes me a lot longer... :D
Diggis: I enjoy doing it... but it's something I have to be in the right mindset for I think. There's no "maybe" about it when me and weird get together... ::)
Pat: Again with the flirting... you're going to have to meet my parents soon at this rate! :D But thank you!
Derry: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
I made a bit of a push this evening to "top off." It's still a bit rough and some things will certainly change, but the penthouse has taken its general form now. I also managed to fit the tower portion of the back walls together now. The base (which is a monster at 7 stories) is still nothing but a box right now. There are still tons of details to do in back, but you can at least see where I'm headed now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview05.jpg&hash=86dd2bb53c52bf09c0cab478e11265a2005ae2eb)
I'm not real happy with the roof pitch just yet. I like the total height, but I think it slopes too far and gets too narrow at the top. So that will change. I still need to finish dressing the roof as well. I'm also thinking about making that flat space around the penthouse into balconies or something, but I haven't decided that part just yet. Sooner or later, I should probably go back downstairs and finish the front door too while I'm at it... ::)
Have a good evening!
JB
Oooooh psssst Jon you terrible OK so when is dinner lol $%Grinno$% Sorry I couldnt resist!!!! Anyways lovin the progress there..
wow
i like very much the overall look of the building, and agree with you about the roof.
mauricio.
The roof reminds me of the Munsters' house :)
Not that it is a bad thing, looks great.
Great progress there! And that building is looking fantastic, JBSimio! :thumbsup:
I don't like the small roof in back. IMHO this could look better left flat. Maybe a terrace?
I like it. I like it a lot. I personally don't think the rooftop is too narrow and I think it fits the building quite well. The balcony idea would look good too. Fancy little decoration around the base of the roof (mind showing a close up?). The bush technique sounds like it makes sense, but a full description would be a good thing too. Good work as always.
Crappers, this is a really nice one Jon.
I really like the textures, and I agree, the top of the roof may be a little narrow.
Looking forward to this one!
As much as I'm looking forward to the University pack, I'm absolutely loving these "sidetrack" BATs...
I'm absolutely loving the details on these. Lots of little details that keep you looking but not ridiculously intricate. It's a very tight line to walk, IMHO, but I do believe you've nailed it. :)
Pat: Hehehe... I don't care when dinner is as long as I don't have to cook it. I do enough of that already! :D
Mauricio: Thank you!
RebaLynn: Thanks!
Diggis: Something about that roof doesn't look quite right to me yet either. The pictures I have do in fact show it as a hipped roof so I'm not sure what it is I dislike about it. My guess would be that they went to the trouble of a sloped roof to enclose some elevator mechanics or something up there... but I don't really know.
Matt: Thank you! I'll get a close up of the roof details for the next update. I'll also send you a PM later about the shrubs.
Pvarcoe: Thanks! So far, the green painted areas around the base are the only things with any textures... but I'm glad you like them! :D
Cammo: Thank you!
No update just yet. I'm kind of on a "pack up the house" kick at the moment. Knowing my attention span, that won't last forever so I though I'd better do some things while I have the motivation. ;) Unfortunately, for you that are wondering, this does not mean that I finally recieved any news >:( ... it just means that I feel the need to be prepared.
Anyway... I wanted to stop by and mention that I was browsing the LEX last night and noticed that I recently topped 20,000 downloads. Also the Swan Majestic, which has been my most popular "single" building went over 1000 right around the same time. So I just want to say thank you to everyone for your support. (Sounded kind of like a campaign slogan, didn't it? ::) ) But I truly do appreciate it and thanks again! ()flower()
those numbers must be pretty high for devotion, since theres what, 6000 members?
The roof of the latest BAT is awesome. Your BATs are so boston-esq ;D
Pat Riot: Hmmm... I don't think I've even done anything from Boston yet... :D But I'm glad you like it, thank you!
Actually, Pat made me curious about downloads here. I don't normally pay a whole lot of attention to the download numbers, but I still have my math geek moments, so I averaged out the top four uploaders to see where I might fit in. Quite frankly, I was a little intimidated to compare myself with the heavy hitters... and the results honestly surprised me. Here's a look... just for gits and shiggles:
- 1. Colyn: 112 uploads ... 122,252 downloads ... average of 1092 downloads per item
- 2. BarbyW: 108 uploads ... 101,731 downloads ... average of 942 downloads per item
- 3. SimGoober: 98 uploads ... 145,562 downloads ... average of 1485 downloads per item
- 4. Jestarr: 84 uploads ... 106,087 downloads ... average of 1263 downloads per item
- 28. JBSimio: 17 uploads ... 20,178 downloads ... average of 1187 downloads per item :o
I'm not going to lie... looking at that blew my mind. So thank you all once again!
Now enough of all this "I'm not worthy" stuff... let's get to what we really came here for, shall we? I got a fair amount done today in both the packing world and the BAT world. I'm slowly creating an obstacle course in my living room so that I can have fun tripping over boxes the next time I wander into the kitchen in the middle of the night. When I wasn't working on that, I focused on detailing the roof. I made a few changes to the penthouse in general to make the setback from the front a little less. This also changed the roof size enough that I no longer feel the need to really change the pitch anymore. I added the dormers, ribbing, and most of the finishing details up there as well. There will still be some roof junk and stuff eventually, but otherwise it's basically wrapped up. I got some more of the windows in the back, but there is still a ways to go there. I still haven't gotten back to the lower levels at all...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview06.jpg&hash=79e06c3465e62521a02efe91cd4636915f779f57)
The roof textures are just place holders for now. I'll probably change them a bit when I get to the other textures. Also... at
Matt's request, here is a close up of the detailing around the base of the penthouse roof:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_RoofDetail.jpg&hash=fcf22cc02d41a96f93949ecf32f97be244282551)
It's really just a bunch of 4 sided lines and arches pieced together... then there is a smooth modifier thrown in to crisp up the edges which also helps with shadows. Fairly simple when you see it like this, but it's small enough that it in game view, the eye imagines more detail than there actually is. (Fun trick isn't it?)
Have a good night!
JB
I would have never thought to do detailing like that... Looks great :thumbsup:
The download number don't surprise me that much. Quality sells and you do a great job. In regard to the detailng, you're nuts (in a completely good way of course). That detail pic really gives insight to what you put into your projects, and gives me ideas of what I can do with mine. You're right though about it making the eye perceive more detail. Thanks again for the pic, and I'll keep an eye out for the next developments. What you have so far looks great. Good luck with the move when it does happen, and good luck with those midnight living room navigations. Take it easy.
-Matt
Im intrested to see what goes under that huge arch. good work JB, bet your glad i encouraged you to check your numbers eh?
XiahouDun: Thank you! I think I started experimenting with that particular effect when I was doing the Peace church and school. It doesn't always work and varies a lot for the desired effect. The detailing on the crown is completely different and had to stay separated into multiple pieces. So it all depends...
Matt: Thanks! Me? Nuts? Well there's something I suppose we all knew already anyway... :D
Pat Riot: The numbers were indeed an eye opener. Your wait for the main entry is over, too. ;)
I finally got back to some of the lower parts of the building. I added the main entry and most of the trim around it. There will be a little more to do, but not a whole lot. I'm also toying with an idea to make this side closer to a w2w setting. So I tried something that I'm not real sure whether I will keep or not yet. Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_South01.jpg&hash=fbf52aef87f7a83751dbbc4df51cbcfdd31d0062)
The strange thing is that, even though this was a complete afterthought, the extension would actually make for a perfect fit on a 3x3 corner lot. I just got lucky there and really wouldn't need to make any adjustments or resize anything. The back is just roughed in for now for a visual. Anyway... what does everyone else think? Yay or nay on this idea?
I also decided I might as well do the street shot and beat everyone to the punch. I also just figured that since the entry is so deep, this would be a nice way to see what will get covered up more in the game angle.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Street.jpg&hash=468ce04ff7597dc7aa9b3dfccc87fb19ceca952b)
That's about all for now...
JB
nice details! fro the edges and windows, woah! can't wait how you detail the back side ;D
lovely!
i'd go for the w2w setting
mauricio.
Quote from: JBSimio on March 09, 2008, 12:39:34 PM
That's about all for now...
That could be taken as an understatement.
I most say you keep amazing me, time after time.
Please do keep it up.
I am definetely not slobbering allover myself when i look at that last one.
okay, i am. ;D
I fell off my chair when I saw that..that..BEAST! It's huge and offensive (in a good way). ;D
If you make it as W2W building, then it will be the best W2W ever &apls
Outstanding, my friend! And I agree--I think the W2W would make it even more amazing! But either way, it's simply outstanding!
Wow Jon....I stay away for a few days and look what you accomplish....wonderful... I might have missed it in fast reading thru to catch up...but where did you get the inspiration for this beauty?
Heblem: Thank you! I started on the back today. Not nearly as many details (thank goodness!), but still a few interesting things to look at.
Mauricio: Thanks! I'm keeping the idea for now... so we'll see if it lasts until the end! ;)
Vester: Thank you! I'll try to keep things rolling a bit longer yet... :D
Pat Riot: Ummmm... thanks! Here's a towel though... :D
Krio: I'm sorry you fell off your chair, but I'm glad you like the building. The building won't be a full w2w no matter what I end up doing... just the first three floors as shown. The tower portion will still "stand alone" either way.
Dustin: Thank you!
Duane: Thanks! TopCliff actually sent me a link on this one. It's in Sacramento and used to be known as the Cal Western Life Building. It is currently being rennovated and renamed as the Citizen Hotel.
Well, I managed to get a fair chunk of the rear elevations finished this evening. There isn't a whole lot back there, but then again... it's the back so what do you expect? :D There are a couple interesting features where the cornices continue here and there...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_East01.jpg&hash=7b0906616014675065e9a9f8ece0eb5fc39c94b0)
Obviously, I haven't done the lower three floors yet. But pretty much everything above that point is finished in this view. Well... everything with the exceptions of roof junk and that undecided balcony idea. So there you have it...
JB
I can definetely see some possessed the ring/the amityville horror girl on the highest rooftop :D
looks awesome JB this is awesome, every last detail is perfect.
Looks fantastic, I cant see any way you could improve the model!
Very sweet. I love the details.
Lol PAt Riot your previous post was priceless.
Amazing job on this one JB ;)
One word
Woah :D
Yet another classic has been born &apls
Quote from: Hogmeister on March 11, 2008, 12:51:28 PM
Yet another classic has been born &apls
I have to agree here. Excellent work, as always, my friend!
Dustin
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg152.imageshack.us%2Fimg152%2F2651%2Fkaffe06ut5.gif&hash=b712f75428e987c8f6b0e93298c7ff4cbdaf43f8)
Is the least you deserve with your latest endeavor's with the BAT, obstacle course building and midnight excursions.
I like the development into a 3x3lot/w2w lot.
This is the type of building that needs to "show itself off" and a corner setting as the start of a nice w2w section ..... yes I can see it now :D
And the detailing trick :thumbsup: which fools the eye &apls
yep I think I like this :D :D
Regards
Derry
Pat Riot: :D Maybe I should put a jumper on the ledge too... ;) I'm glad you like it!
Fledgeling: Thank you!
RebaLynn: Thanks! Oddly enough, I originally expected this one to have fewer details than the last... but apparently I was wrong! :D
Sim Shady: Thank you!
AlfredJones: Thanks! (also one word) ;)
Hogmeister: It's been a slow birth... but hopefully it will grow up quick!
Dustin: Thank you!
Derry: Oooo... tea AND a donut? &dance Thank you!
No update tonight... I just frankly wasn't in the mood. In the meantime...
The Buder Building (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1550)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FBuder_Advert.jpg&hash=14b7facbf2209162dbc2ec997344d83c571c85d4)
Enjoy...
JB
Hope all is well. Sorry I haven't commented here in a while. School's back in now (that was a quick spring break), and it's right back into things. The arch area of your new building turned out well, and the back is coming along nicely. I like the balcony idea but I think the building also looks fine as it is (how's that for an opinion?). My only thought with it would be that it might look out of place, being a commercial looking building and all. Good to see the Buder building out to the public (I may have to start making denser downtowns now). Let us know when you hear news on the move, and I'll see you next update.
-Matt
The legend that is JBSimio... someone has had the audacity to comment on your sig:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimgs.xkcd.com%2Fcomics%2Fmorning.png&hash=d376992c0e6d3a9dcc9e7b9e112d12806e118c46)
Its looking great here, as always... that big building is ACE especially that AMAZING roofing detail, and the buder building: mmmmmm releases
Joe
Lookin good Jon.... your attention to detail is mind boggeling....or maybe my mind was just naturaly boggled. :D
Yay!
;D It looks great jon, can't wait to see it on the lex.
@star.torturer: LOVE that comic.
Jon, your BATs are great. I haven't commented in a while...
...shame on me...
...but I have been lurking and the only thing preventing me from downloading all of what you've released are the stupid Parental Controls on my computer.
[Snarky OT]And to anyone who says, "I know how to remove them", can you remove them through not being an admin on the computer and not having the admin password? No? I didn't think so.[/Snarky OT]
Cheers, Jon!
~~Dragonshardz~~
Ask the admin to download them for you :)
Havn't been here for a few days and the last Models before Buder Building looks excellent.
Reba I don't think admin give in that fast.
Reba, the admin's my mom. and it's not that i can't download, but i can't run installers. and my mom gets annoyed when I ask her to run installers for SC4. She thinks i spend too much time playing it.
Quote from: dragonshardz on March 12, 2008, 04:26:50 PM
Reba, the admin's my mom. and it's not that i can't download, but i can't run installers.
I see ... in that case I am going to start including a non-installer zip file in all of my uploads.
Matt: Wow... that was indeed a short break! I hope you were able to enjoy it. I may ultimately leave the balcony idea alone... unless I decide to go with a hotel option for this, in which case I would probably still add them. I'm hoping for a large update on the move this weekend. There are a couple things happening today and yesterday that should hopefully make some decisions final. We'll see...
StarTorturer: The audacity, huh? How dare "someone?" ?$%kar&%h :D I like that cartoon a lot really... thanks for posting it! And also thanks for the kind words.
Duane: Thank you! My mind should be good and boggled by the time this one is finished too... ::)
Pat Riot: Thanks! It's getting closer...
Dragonshardz: Thank you! I hope you'll be able to get some use out of the new toys soon. ;)
RebaLynn: I know you weren't talking to me... but I try not to ignore people... so Hi! :D
Hydra: Thank you!
Dragonshardz: My mom thinks I spend too much time on this stuff too. Luckily, I live 100 some miles away and she doesn't really say much about it... :D
Well... my original hope was to finish all the exterior modeling on this tonight. I didn't quite make it. I came fairly close, but there are a few more things to do. Picture first... explainations later...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview07.jpg&hash=9ab3ee96a0583e6f9c6f73c005b2c4b426f8ad31)
I added an early version of the brick I'm thinking of for this one. It may still change depending on how well it matches up with the limestone... but we'll see when I get that far. I finished off the lower portions of the back... a couple tweaks here and there yet, but nothing major. I added some fire escapes and started with some of the other texturing in back. (Adding variety to the glass, some of the stonework, stuff like that) The floors are in, but no interior walls just yet. Frankly, most of major changes in this update are first run subject to change type of things... but they're enough to show where things are headed.
JB
To tell you the truth, I didn't know a week could go by so fast (but I got caught up with most of what I needed to get done) and had the time to fiddle around with another bridge (or two) and I did enjoy the time off. The brick doesn't look too bad, but I almost feel like there should be a second fire escape somewhere. The two sets going down the back are good, but they seem a bit insufficient to handle a building that size (though building codes may have been a bit lax at the time it was built...). Quick question for you: do you use a texture for your glass, and is there a way to have something appear opaque during the day yet translucent/transparent at night? Hope the news on the move is good, and I'll look forward to seeing what else you have in store for this building.
-Matt
Sorry JB, I didn't mean to ignore you ... just got caught up in the moment. I really like what you are doing, and I know how tough all those little details can be. I am working on a house, with some very intricate detail work, and man is it boring :)
Matt, I know one way to it. Make two versions, and make them into timed props, one shows at night one during the day. There may be another way, so best to see if anyone else has any more ideas.
Impressive. I'm not really sure what else to say, your latest SHUR works have absolutely amazed me Jon. I think you are the master of the early 20th century BAT.
As always, I'm looking forward to what you come up with next.
Cheers,
Kevin
Great progress. I am not certain about the balcony, but it is really :-[ ... I cant think of the word I want.
Oh! Its really nice &sly ... *generic positive comment*
I should sleep now...
Matt: My original idea for the fire escape was to acually wrap it around that elevator shaft so it could be accessed by both wings... but it looked far too big that way. The reference shots I have only show one fire escape (and I figured that I got away with just one on the Buder Building as well) so that's what I went with. We can just pretend that the stairwells have been fire proofed during rennovations to bring things up to code. ;) For the glass... yes, I use several textures actuall and just mix them around. To my knowledge, their isn't really a good way to do what you're asking in Gmax... but Callagrafx is much better at that stuff than I am, so you might want to ask him. Depending on what it is you're trying to do, there can be some work arounds. If you're talking about windows in general, you can set the opacity level fairly high (like 85-90%) and it will show rather opaque in the day view. If you light from the inside, the light will still show through the windows at night as long as they're bright enough. It's a tough balance though because if the lights get too bright you'll end up with leaks everywhere.
RebaLynn: No need to be sorry... I wasn't picking on you, just responding anyway. ;) I actually enjoy doing the details... it's always an interesting challenge to see how intricate things can get and still have them show up in the game. But after a while, especially on the bigger buildings, it does add up and get a bit tedious. The timed prop idea would certainly work, but it's probably not the best solution if Matt is talking about windows. First it requires making two complete model files which instantly doubles the file size... generally not worth it except in very special instances. Second, turning the whole building into a prop means going with the invisible building trick... and that's been discussed more than enough lately so I won't rehash it here. However, if it's something like a sign or smaller feature that can be easily "attached" to the side of a building... then the prop idea is a very good route. It all depends on what you're after.
Kevin: Thank you very much. I already know what is coming next and it will be much simpler than the last couple have been. Almost like break time for me! :D
Fledgeling: Thanks! By "balcony," are you referring to the fire escapes? Or just that you don't know if I should turn that ledge into balconies? Or maybe the three tiny balconies in the corners on the south and west sides? I'm so confused now... maybe I should sleep too! :D
Just thought I'd answer comments for a minute. That, and I just didn't really feel like working yet! ::) I probably ought to though...
JB
Evryone needs a break once in a while.
Hey Jon, I am really getting to appreciate how your batting skills have grown over the last year. As you know, I love the early stuff and use it all the time....however the latest creations are just ...hmmm to be understated.. a cut above.... and that doesn't do them justice.
Anyhoo, this new {insert name here} is looking great.
first of all, the roof textures are perfect. I don't think it is possible to do any better than the ones you have. The brick looks good too, it looks like it may be tiling, but it's not bothersome tiling, its good looking tiling. And of course those fire escapes are crazy good.....but you already knew that :D
Whole thing kinda reminds me of the Hotel Bethlehem, even though i doubt the are similar in design.
WoW I leave for 5 days for a family emergency and come home to find more wonderful stuff from Jon!!!!! &apls &apls &apls Bravo Jon just Bravo and I love the detailing on the new building as well, exspicaly the stair case!!!!
well Jon, found this old post card and for some reason thought immediatlely of your Shur project....... :P
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg216.imageshack.us%2Fimg216%2F1264%2Fmagrowcp3.th.jpg&hash=7c673cae4fcc4ba61b55cc9d5d8e770dc389ad50) (http://img216.imageshack.us/my.php?image=magrowcp3.jpg)
Oh...and welcome back Pat...hope all is well.....
RebaLynn: Yeah... I've heard that breaks are good. I should really look into that sometime... :D
Duane: Thank you! These last couple have really pushed me into some different areas, which is apparently a good thing! ;)
Pat Roit: Thanks! Today's textures aren't as good yet... but they're a start. I did notice one spot where the tiling shows up along the sides, but that shouldn't be too hard to cover up next time I tweak the bricks.
Pat: Thank you! I was actually wondering where you went. Good to see you're back and I hope everything is alright.
Duane: I think I can see why that might happen... :D That's a great collection lined up there!
As I mentioned, I started tinkering with the street side textures this evening. I'm not real happy with them yet, but here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview08.jpg&hash=1912f9c1ea875d1d76eb8c6f375efd829038d9c3)
The untextured pieces kind of get in the way, but I'm sure you get the idea. Right now, I feel it's too bright, too yellow, and the "blocks" are oversized and not as subtle as they should be. I definitely have some adjusting to do... but I figured I would show them anyway because the details are starting to pop out a little better now. Actually, the big job was taking everything apart and arranging all the pieces into the right groups again... so the evening wasn't a total loss anyway! ::) Things should look better tomorrow night (I hope)
JB
looking good!
i'd agree it's too bright and about the size of the "blocks", but (again) i really like how it's looking.
mauricio.
well it may be a little bright....but I love the basic color scheme.....
You shouldn't have to darken it a lot, and I would not make the bricks to much smaller, or (as you probably know) they will just blur into i single color. Finding the right size for bricks has been a real chanllenge for me, I ended up going with about 2.5 times the actual (relitive to the model). I want to thank you for the info on how to make those fancy details, that info will help me to make some pretty nice Wrought Iron Fences.
I think it looks smashing!
And I think it is of right brightness. It is a bit tricky to judge against black background, it makes everything appear much brighter then it would in game.
Can you save this render as a PNG with alpha and superimpose it over typical cityview?
I really like this with the lighter brick. Nice change from the red. And the detail on the lower windows is great. :thumbsup:
I like the bright color it gives good contrast to the dark green windows and matches the roof perfectly. Brick size is good too, 3 bricks per window. kinnda reminds me of a building I once saw in Jerusalem. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Mauricio: Thank you! I actually retract my initial reaction on the brightness level... but I still plan to change the "block size."
Duane: Thanks!
RebaLynn: I still want the blocks to be oversized, but not by as much as they are now... maybe 75-80% is what I'm thinking. I'm glad the detail tips will help. I find myself using various sided lines and such more and more for things now.
SimFox: Thank you! The black background doesn't usually throw me off this much anymore... but this being a whole new color scheme for me, the differences caught me off guard. I actually made a medium render and plopped it in an old city. I'm much happier today with things than I was last night.
Couchpotato: Thanks!
Soulstealer: Thank you! I'm still going to change the bricks slightly... and make them a bit more subtle.
I let the computer run while packing up some Tupperware (Mom keeps me well stocked with it) this afternoon and did a test render to check the colors. To be perfectly honest, I was pleasantly surprised. I now think that the shading itself is fine the way it is... just the finer details need some tweaking. But that's my opinion, and of course the whole purpose of this thread is to get yours... so here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_GameTest01.jpg&hash=98250d9dfc19aaab5eeb75e5fa71ead0ae9746b1)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_GameTest02.jpg&hash=0c275bab729a06dd56f5457eaf4fc5e2f20de00d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_GameTest03.jpg&hash=2d0f4ffb63428fd71c80a75baf8879f9c5f64cfa)
(No comments on my city building... this is a pretty old downtown that I chose because I knew it had the Maxis buildings in it that I wanted to compare against.) :D I included a shot of the back to get a final idea of the brick textures too. I also just plopped that block to test the w2w transition... which I'm quite happy with. So there it is... I'll probably start tweaking and finishing the limestone tonight. With any luck, this could be exported before the weekend is over.
JB
Super job Jon. I like it alot and don't see any reason why you should change anything about it.
Some closer pics would get me a little more excited about it though. I want to see your incredible talent for the finer details. ;)
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Man, those colors are perfect in the game.......That will look soooooo good next to a "Central Park"....
@ Duane and Jon thank you guys, like I said im glad to be home to follow you work here Jon!!! I do love the ingame comparision shot and the coloring looks damn good Jon!!! I like it as is personaly ;)
Robin: Thank you! I didn't do closer pictures because most of the details weren't textured yet... :D But here's some now...
Duane: Thanks!
Pat: Thank you! And it's good to have you back! ;)
I basically wrapped up the texturing today. There are a few things that need to be tweaked, but nothing major at this point... just some bright and dull spots to adjust mostly. I added most of the roof junk as well. There may still be a few things here and there to add, but for the most part, I think the exterior is finally finished!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview09A.jpg&hash=8b6950e2e3f3464efd787995dd64ddcf4b330e23)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Preview09B.jpg&hash=e26cf78a0419129f72a573ff1b20e1220a28dac5)
I plan to work on the interiors and lighting tomorrow. If I'm missing anything major (or minor, I suppose) speak now or forever hold your elbow!
JB
Do buildings like this have any electical boxes, and such on the outside, or is it all inside?
Other than that, everything looks nice.
One of the better res BAT's I've seen lately. It is res, right? If it is I would make use of the balcony. open a couple or more of french doors and do an upper class balcony. Just my humble opinion.
Great Job!!! :thumbsup:
Looking good. I think the limestone should have more peach in it though.
I'm holding my elbow--it looks great to me!
Jon, this looks wonderful. And yeah, it really should overlook a nice park.
wow. those textures are gorgeous. And the roof junk is spectacular, not many people would want to put the effort in to add that stuff up there, me i would have just put a cone up there, called it a satilite, and called it done :D
Jon I dont see anything else that needs to be added here at all, I think its great as is... SO I guess Im holding my elbow lol
Jon, I'm so sorry.....but I keep letting go of my elbow.....it's either that or spill my coffee! Can't wait for this one...it is spek tacky lure
If I held my elbow, I couldn't finish work on my fences .. so .... anyway, keep up the great work.
RebaLynn: Frankly, I don't know a building this size would have meters on the outside or not. I don't think I'm going to mess with it this time though...
Soulstealer: Thank you! I'll probably make a residential version, but it was intended more as a commercial office.
Jason: Thanks! Millions of peaches? (Peaches for free?) I added an overlay... although it's pretty subtle. Why do we call that color peach though? It looks nothing like a peach. Did the peaches just get jealous of the other fruits like oranges... plums... avacados? Now I'm going to be up all night... :D
Dustin: Thank you! I hope you haven't been holding it this entire time... ;)
Xxdita: Thank you! The park is up to you then.
Pat Riot: Thanks! The roof junk really didn't take that long... half of it is stuff I just use over and over again.
Pat: Thanks! Please... (this is for everyone) feel free to let go of your elbow and go about your normal routine. :D
Duane: Thanky u (or something like that)
RebaLynn: Thanks! I'm glad somebody didn't bother to take me seriously... :D
I'm pretty sure this is just about done. I have one or two minor things to add... but nothing that will have a huge effect on what you see here. So here are the last shots before it gets in a game near you (well... near you if you live in Michigan for now anyway)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_SEDay.jpg&hash=e4f5602813cab1fcfc2be8c19d693329212bc28b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_NWDay.jpg&hash=9fdfa6215fcb9392ea551bb258d743a45770d15d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_SENight.jpg&hash=ff55fb03b31198fb8c7032f5aec47292351c974a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_NWNight.jpg&hash=86aafb4a138c2289ebf0fb0daa976c6ec5967577)
Have a great night!
JB
so peachy ;D
another quality work from you. Thank you. &apls
OK OK OK I will let go of my elbow now lol.... Jon wow!!!
Does Pennsylvania count as Michigan? No, I guess not...Looks absolutely grand, my friend! But then again, they always do around here!
Dustin
SHOOT!!! I just love what you have been doing around here lately ;D I mean i love your university and small town stuff but this Skipjack stuff and urban mid/highrises is my favorite kind of stuff to play with in SC4 :D
Thanks for making so many ownage BATs ;D
I cant think of any other term to describe this one than: Sexy Beast.
:D great work jon.
WOW! I really don't know what else to say.
Soulstealer: Thank you! I had a feeling that pun would be used eventually... :D
Pat: I didn't mean you had to really... I'm not trying to run your life or anything... I just thought it would help. :D
Dustin: Thanks! It will find it's way to Pennsylvania in time as well, I promise.
Sim Shady: Thank you! I'm more than happy to lay down some ownage now and then.
Pat Riot: Thanks! Sexy Beast, huh? Well slap me around and call me Susan! :D
RebaLynn: Thank you!
The Citizen Building (which is what I finally decided to call it) will be exported tonight.
Once upon a time, back in the day (which was a Wednesday by the way... in case you've ever wondered about that), I promised that I would make a Five and Dime that was requested. I finally got around to it (or maybe just remembered it? but I digress) today. It's a pretty simple little Smalltown building, but every town needs some fillers. Actually, I had almost forgotten what it's like to make a building start to finish in a matter of hours! ::) So here it is...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRascos_Preview01.jpg&hash=60774989ecc165f4bce6aa55466f0cdba21cebc7)
I'll probably add a couple more things here and there... maybe an HVAC and some electric service in back... but this is pretty much it. (And yes... this is my idea of "taking a break.")
JB
LoL Jon that is an intresting way of taking a break lol!!!!! But it does look real good :thumbsup:
:D
good new building. looks like a military recruiting place.
I like how the sign lights up.
Jon,
Wow, and thanks, you captured it perfectly.........nifty and keen and...ummm pretty darn good also... &apls :thumbsup: &apls
Pat: Thanks! What can I say? Neither rust nor David ever sleep... apparently you can add me to that list as well. :D
Pat Riot: Thank you! Now that you mention it... I bet a lot of these dime stores turned into recruiting offices when they closed. ;)
RebaLynn: Thanks! Those are actually just 5 free spots shining down on an angle. The white lettering just picks it up really well in this case.
Duane: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.
I made a couple tweaks, and since it's so darn small I figured I could afford another picture. So here is the final version:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRascos_Preview02.jpg&hash=f10f9ae9e8fc908a8be6345bdd13d20db153c6e8)
Since we're visiting Smalltown for a moment... does anyone else remember how I used to mention a train station every now and then? I thought maybe it was time to do that. Unfortunately, the Victorian style that I decided to go with is not very well suited to the infamous SC4 angle. What's even dumber is that I knew that... and went right on ahead anyway! ::) Here's what I mean:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrandTrunk_Preview01.jpg&hash=3363f44eea3c0c6b18b39b7d4a66c2b2dfb51eff)
Rather disappointing so far... but I feel quite sure that I will get over it. I'll just keep going with this anyway... mostly because I think the next level will still provide enough visual interest to make the thing worth doing. So there may be more to see tomorrow. Well... there will be something to see tomorrow no matter what. I just don't know which building it will be anymore. I'm exporting the two most recent ones tonight...
JB
Jon that looking rather good there soo far and I like the victorian style you are going for... You still do get to see the angles a little bit...
Try squashing the overhang a bit; that might expose more of the detail.
But yeah, that sort of thing is inevitably diminished in SC4.
-ACE
New smalltown stuff... I cried tears of joy :D
Quote from: XiahouDun on March 16, 2008, 08:38:39 PM
New smalltown stuff... I cried tears of joy :D
so did I! %BUd% &dance I am excited about the train station and am looking forward to see how it turns out.
Pat: Thanks! Yes... the very bottom of the piece does show up, but the bracket part (which is the more interesting portion... naturally!) is entirely hidden. Oh well ::)
ACE: Changing the roof pitch (squashing) won't really help any. Shortening it helps show more of the walls, but of course makes the brackets smaller too so they stay just as hidden as they were. The only thing that would really work would be to have the bracket supporting about 1meter of air below the roof. :D I'm alright with a cheat on the engineering here and there, but that's just a bit too obvious. ;)
XiahouDun: I'm glad you like the idea!
Edge: I'm also glad you like it... sorry I made both of you cry though! :D
Nothing to show right now... I'm just eating lunch at work and bored. :P I exported the Five and Dime as well as the Citizen Building last night. I checked them this morning and both renders were successful so I'll probably have some in game pictures this evening after I get the LOTs put together.
JB
I know that is the most intresting part of the detail there Jon.. I do agree that supporting air would look a tad bit off lol, either way I will stay tuned for the update later tonight....
you could support it from the top. $%Grinno$%
Jon, love the train station....but not enough of an engineer to even venturea guess at what would help the angle....the only thing I thought of was making the supports a brassy/gold color that would stand out....but back in those days the supports if metal would have been a wrought iron, so that idea don't really get it.
Love the dime store. the tweaking went well (I've never said that to another human being before :D )... can't wait to see it along alot of little main streets.
Have a good one.
Duane
Pat: Yeah... let somebody else hold the air up. I just don't have time for stuff like that! :D
Diggis: :D I suppose I could at that... ::)
Duane: Judging from the one picture I have to work off of (which is admittedly a black and white from who knows how long ago), the brackets actually look to be wood, but I'm not positive. I'm sure some textures will help, but for now I just won't worry too much about it. Glad you enjoyed the tweaking. (That sounded more wrong than your comment! :D )
Well, I managed to get both LOTs finished... and also all the modding. I have to write some readmes and these will head off to the testing department on the third floor. (OK... I made that up. I have no idea where the testing department is. They prefer I don't go there.) First up is Rasco's Dime Store. This is a 1x2, CS$, stage 3 growable with the usual plop version thrown in for good measure.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRascos_Lot01.jpg&hash=817fdce13a4dec9f7ea5ee5d82eab27e0a38061e)
And then we also have The Citizen Building or Apartments depending on which version you use. Three versions... all 3x3. CO$$$, stage 7 growable or ploppable or R$$ stage 8. They all look pretty much like this.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_LotDay.jpg&hash=683d74e986a29eb611acffb8cccac4be53b72efa)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_LotRear.jpg&hash=0b3226827f2adc11ef85b92822513ce78f5b7bd2)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_LotNight.jpg&hash=58ef426667876023800f1f671d38000eb49b8d1e)
Thus far my progress. :satisfied: I'm going to go have some green beer. Or maybe just Mt. Dew... who knows? :D
JB
Go for the green beer being Paddy's Day and all that :D :D
Wikked what you have done mate &apls &apls.
Awesome work since I last popped my head in the door :D :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
I chose mountain dew, but then again im 14 :D (32 ounces of dew might be intoxicating though :party: ?=mad)=).
happy saint patricks day (or as they say in ireland "Saint Poorigs Day" ) and great work on both buildings. You have quickly become one of my favorite batters.
HI, Jon.
I see you've been busy at work with more fantastic creations. The detail you've been able to "pacK" into the "The Citizen Building" is just incredible. I really look forward to my chance to use this beautiful model. Really, Jon, it is a beauty.
As for your 5 and Dime store, I've got to tell you that this has brought back such memories for me. I grew up in a small town in Kansas -- Russell to be exact -- and there were two stores that "anchored" the downtown area (all five blocks of it). One was the Ben Franklin's 5 Cent and 10 Cent (more commonly known as the 5 and Dime store or just, Dime Store) and Duckwall's Department Store. Both were your typical (for the 60s) variety stores where you could buy a wide variety of dry goods, merchantile and electronics items.
Seeing your "Rasco's Dime Store" has really brought back these fond memories and I will certainly enjoy this addition to your Smalltown, USA set.
Thank you.
Regards,
Gary
Jon just a perfect update!!! So did you go beer or Dew??? I know I did me a beer, just not St me day if I didnt lol.... I truely love how the Citizen Building has turned out...
That is one impressive building Jon!! :thumbsup:
Cannot wait to use this one.
Looking forward to more ;)
Wow. I have to say, while the big ones are great, I like to see a few more additions to the Smalltown series. The dime store looks good and the station is off to a good start. One thought I have for the roof support thing would be to make the roof just two sides (instead of wrapping around as it currently does) and adding a decorative flourish to the open end (I'll see if I can find a pic or two to show what I mean). It might require a redesign of the floorplan, or could be used for a smaller station, but it could help show off the design of the roof supports.
Derry: Thank you! I didn't end up going anywhere after all as it started raining shortly before I was about to leave. Since it was only about 37F (3C)... I didn't really think green beer was worth the walk in that! :D
Pat Riot: Thank you very much! I've got some Mt Dew right now as a matter of fact... ;)
Gary: Thank you! We used to have a Ben Franklin's here in town up until about 5 or 6 years ago. I'm not sure if it was the same chain or not though... this was more of a craft shop. Your little list of items for sale made me chuckle a little bit because the story I put in the readme (written before your post) has a similar list. You'll understand when you see it... :D
Pat: Thanks! I hope St You day treated you well... that's kind of nice that you get an extra holiday all to yourself like that!
AlfredJones: Thanks!
Matt: I may look into leaving one side without the wrap around, but I won't really know until I get to the other sides. Actually, the roof in general is giving me all sorts of headaches on this one...
This is a pretty small update really, but I have been tinkering with the Grand Trunk Station off and on. Time is becoming a bit limited, and there are just so many little detail pieces for this that it's coming along pretty slowly right now. The main roof is also giving me all sorts of trouble. The top ridge line stays centered, but one side starts lower than the other does... throw in a couple dormers and things just get confusing. But I'll sort it out eventually. Here's a look at things now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FGrandTrunk_Preview02.jpg&hash=4fba41b5fc3ed7e0ec8dee53f7554c24ebe119e7)
This will probably be it for a few days. I'm headed up north for the weekend starting tomorrow morning. I hope everyone has a good Easter... or just a good weekend if Easter isn't your thing! :D
JB
Have a fun trip, and i can't wait to see the progress on the new BAT.
I like your transformation from one niche (smalltown BATs) to another niche (small city mid-rises) wiht those fine details on the Citizens building
Jon take it easy and have this easter!!! Hoppy Easter to you my friend!!!!
The second story is looking great. It reminds me of a place in Buellton, CA (1/2 hour or so north of Santa Barbara on US 101) called Peasoup Andersen's. It's a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch when you're on the road (and yes the soup is good). I can't find a good picture to show what I mean, but I think they show it in the movie "Sideways" if you've seen it. At any rate, I'll be interested to see this turn into a station. Hope your weekend is relaxing and we'll see you when you get back. Happy Easter.
-Matt
'allo Jon,
Enjoy your Easter weekend.....hmmm, Ben Franklins is the same chain...when they saw the way that dime stores were dying out, they carved a niche for themselves in the craft industry (isn't it amazing the amount of mostly useless trivia we carry around with us :D).
Matt, I remeber Peasoup Anderson's from many years ago.....never caught on to eating peasoup (much to my mother's chagrin) but remember liking the restaurant.
The station looks like it's coming together nicely, my friend!
And a Happy Easter to you, too!
Dustin
Wonderful new building there, JBSimio! Also a Happy Easter from me to you!
Really nice rural train station JB, looks very authentic. It reminds me of the train station in Kensington P.E.I. near where I grew up. Happy Easter ;D
This grew in one of my cities yesterday:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy171%2Fbarbyw%2FGRV%2FCitizenBuilding.jpg&hash=6947bdaf816c43dd32981830a39ba66d8940ace0)
Looks good, doesn't it? :thumbsup:
It really is amazing. You have been producing excellent BATs for quite a while now, but you really have hit this phenomenal run of late where everything you do ends up just looking absolutely amazing in SC4. Thanks!!!
It sure does, Barby! That's one of my favorites, I think, and it looks fantastic in the game. Excellent work, Jon!
Dustin
I agree with Sim Shady.....kind of the same thing in baseball when a player is "In the zone"...... incredible string of "home runs". &apls
RebaLynn: Thanks! It was indeed a very nice weekend.
Rushman5: Thank you! I like to mix things around somewhat... it keeps me from getting bored! ;)
Pat: Thanks! I hope you had a great Easter as well.
Matt: Thank you! I don't think I'm familiar with that movie... although I don't tend to retain stuff like that very well, so who knows? :D
Duane: Thank you! So they are in fact the same chain, huh? I actually guessed right for a change! I can't say as I ever liked pea soup either... I love peas, just not all mashed up into soup.
Dustin: Thanks!
Bat: Thank you!
Simdad: Thanks! I can never seem to find enough variety for smaller and also rural or semi-rural looking stations... so hopefully this will fit in that area.
Barby: Thank you for posting that! I always enjoy seeing what other people do with these buildings. The surroundings in your shot are nothing like what I would have envisioned, but it looks great... and that's what makes seeing other people's cities so interesting.
Sim Shady: Thank you very much!
Dustin: Thanks again! :D
Duane: I'm glad I could find the zone then... and honored that you and others think so.
I'm back at home now after a nice extended weekend. I was keeping up with threads while away, but didn't really see much need to post very often. I did find out a couple things about my upcoming move during the past week, so I guess I'll go into that ever so briefly. I start training my replacement on April 1st... and I will leave camp for good on April 15th. At this point, I'll be going to the Detroit area (Southfield for those of you that are on more familiar terms with it) to work with and learn from one of the company's other college accounts. That will last about two or three weeks... and then I'll move... well, somewhere. And, no, I
still don't know exactly where... ::) Since I'll be living in a hotel for anywhere from 2-6 weeks, I decided it was time to finally break down and buy a laptop. At least I won't completely lose touch with the world that way. I doubt I'll get too much more BATting done for a while. I'll be able to do it, but time will probably not be on my side. I
may start an MD during that time... it seems that there are a few (crazy) people who would like to see me do that... just because I can play the game in shorter sittings without getting completely lost. But we shall see...
That's about all I have for an "update" tonight. However, there is always...
Rasco's Dime Store (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1565)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRascos_Advert.jpg&hash=04e2d6043e50af44bd749d4ad05216673624223a)
As always... enjoy, and have a good night!
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on March 24, 2008, 03:56:09 PM
I can't say as I ever liked pea soup either... I love peas, just not all mashed up into soup.
So this is another thing we have in common? I don't drink coffee, and I don't like pea soup, although I love peas in general. It's getting kinda eerie, really. ;)
Jon, I haven't commented in a while, but I love the Bruder Building. It's my most favorite building that you've produced so far. It's one of those buildings that has that big city feel to it, but it isn't too large so it still kinda has that small town feel to it. And the limestone finished it off perfectly (and I love limestone buildings, as they seem to use it for everything here in Texas from city halls to rest areas).
Rasco's Dime Store looks great too, you can never have too many W2W American-style small town buildings. ;)
-- John
living in a hotel for 2-6 weeks sounds fun :D
looking forward to that release, as dfire said, never too many of that type.
Jon I did have a good easter thank you, by the sounds of it you had a good one too?? upto 6 weeks living in a hotel ooooo yea I so don't envy you as I had to do that after yes I had my own fire instead of running into it I ran screaming out of it like a girl lol... Red Cross was my savior then... Hmmm now the next thing that sounds like it will good and be very good is a MD by you!!! I can't wait till next time - pat
Welcome Back Jon....and ummm you'll never guess what I am going to download as soon as I finish this msg ;D. Thank you my friend.
well, all I've got to say, is it depends on the hotel as to how your time will be spent....back in the days when I did that sort of thing...there were no "suites" for hotels...it was sometimes a joy to find a hotel that didn't charge you for keeping their cockroaches in your room :D.
Would look forward to a md from you........but, I'm not going to tell you that cause I don't want you to get embarassed!
Thanks again my friend
Andreas: This really is beginning to get a little strange... suppose we meet in England and discover we're actually twins?!? :D
John: Thank you! I was always afraid of making my own limestone texture in the past... now that I finally have a good base to start from, I would imagne that you'll start seeing a few more of them from time to time.
Pat Riot: Well that release is out... hence the big billboard. ;) Fun, huh? You seem to have some pretty strange ideas of a good time, then... :D
Pat: I had a very good Easter weekend, yes. Spent a night at my sister's house... with a custom wake up call from my 3 year old nephew which involves his jumping on the bed until I pretend to bounce around and fall out. I also help with the Easter breakfast at my old church every year, which is a lot like working on vacation... but I enjoy it.
Duane: I've spent my share of time on the road as well... but I think this would be my longest stretch at one time. I don't mind the idea so much... but it would be much better if I knew what was happening after the hotel. ::) I honestly think an MD from me might be a bit disappointing... I'm nowhere near as detail oriented with city building as I am with individual buildings. ;)
JB
Barby,
We can I find that building of to the right? Thanks
Quote from: BarbyW on March 21, 2008, 08:51:41 AM
This grew in one of my cities yesterday:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy171%2Fbarbyw%2FGRV%2FCitizenBuilding.jpg&hash=6947bdaf816c43dd32981830a39ba66d8940ace0)
Looks good, doesn't it? :thumbsup:
Great stuff Jon :thumbsup:
I really like the dime store, nice little building &apls
Enjoy your hotel stay and hope that all works out well for you on the job front :thumbsup:
regards
Derry
Fantnet: I'm afraid I don't have your answer, so we'll just have to wait for Barby. Glad you stopped in, though!
Derry: Thank you!
Nothing really new to report at this point. I was playing the game a bit last night and will probably do the same again soon. Just no major inspiration in the modeling world for me at the moment. I tinkered a little here and there... but nothing major. So in the meantime, I thought I'd just keep the release party rolling along...
The Citizen Building (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1568)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCalWest_Advert.jpg&hash=dc405accd78113c400b7b7dfa89fafd2d9962f8f)
Enjoy! I may have more later if I get bored with packing... :D
JB
:o &dance &dance &dance
^A photo montage of me while viewing your last post. Time to download!
&apls &apls &apls
Looking real good here Jon!!!
*unlurks*
Hey, I really love the latest release of yours, except for ONE thing that annoys me (and this probably comes from personal taste); the ROOF! The rest of the building is spectacular; well aged, but for a nice old building, it should have an old patina textured roof IMO; here, it looks too new. Is it possible for you to release a version 2 with a patina roof? That would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
thats actually a really cool idea dusktrooper. i hadn't really thought about it but the roof does look kinda newish....
Pat Riot: Oooo... I love a good montage! So pink though... did you get a bit sunburned during spring break? :D
Pat: Thank you!
DuskTrooper: You know... at one point I had every intention of going back to dirty up the roof texture a little more. Then I got distracted trying to get the other textures right and quite frankly forgot all about it. Unfortunately, it wasn't off by enough for me to notice again. I can probably do a second version... but I'll have to see what the new laptop can handle before I give a timeframe for it since everything will have to come from that in about two weeks time.
Mightygoose: He does make a pretty good point... ;)
Nothing new tonight really. I've been working on a few things, but I none of them are ready to be revealed at this point. Tomorrow should bring some pictures though. In the meantime, thanks to everyone for the kind words you've left on the LEX. I appreciate it!
JB
Really great work on your buildings, Jon! Nice! :thumbsup:
Excellent. I can wait; patience is a virtue. ;)
Bat: Thank you!
DuskTrooper: Feel free to remind me if the wait gets too long... I'll be the first to admit that I tend to forget things a lot. (I can hear my dad laughing as he reads this already)
I still haven't had a brainstorm that sorts out the roof on the rail station I was working on... so I decided to make something a bit simpler for now. I will definitely go back to the other one at some point, but for now this seemed like a good way to make sure I have the measurements and all that good stuff right anyway. Sort of a trial run, if you will. This is a pretty basic station based off of one on Long Island. Apparently there are a bunch of these little ones there, so I'll probably do a couple of them just for variety in the rural areas. Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSeaCliff_Preview01.jpg&hash=cf3a0505e149fd638791c21febb787e169f530c8)
I need to fix one or two small things and then add some lights, but I think this is pretty much it unless there seems to be stuff missing. The building itself would fit on 3x1 tiles. Add some tracks and you get a 3x2 version. I'll probably also make a 3x3 with parking in front as well.
JB
I'm off to bulldoze my current rural train station :D
Great work, Jon! I love this station, your Smalltown Series needs a few stations like these. Could you do a clapboard variety from a standard midwestern plan as well? (Paging Hogmeister, paging Hogmeister...)
Keep up the great work! :thumbsup: &apls
Cheers,
Kevin
Jon that is looking real wonderful and I cant wait for this to hit the LEX!!!
havnt had spring break yet, because massachusetts weather is so messed up they moved it to the end of april so it wouldn't be sleeting cats and dogs. :D
The rail station is a great start, and i hope you know (sadly) the highlight of my day will be plopping your latest in my city.
Don't forget to make a diagonal version!
Um.....Please?
:thumbsup:
~~Dragonshardz~~
Looks great, Jon! I think the parking lot would be a good idea, too. Can't wait to see it!
Dustin
Quote from: XiahouDun on March 27, 2008, 02:59:51 PM
I'm off to bulldoze my current rural train station :D
Agreed. ;) The train station looks great, and like Kevin said, this would work great as a part of your Smalltown series.
And about the hotel... When we first moved to Corpus (that was like, 14 years ago and I was 5 at the time) we had to live in a hotel for a few weeks. It wasn't too bad though, because we had some nice views of the beach.
-- John
XiahouDun: Well... I still have to either learn how to mod a rail station of con someone into doing it for me. :D You may want to wait a little bit longer before you get too carried away. ;)
Kevin: Thank you! This is definitely a Smalltown lot waiting to happen. My first station was going to be done with wooden siding, but I'm sure I can find something else for that too.
Pat: Thanks!
Pat Riot: Still sounds better than the highlight of my days lately! :D I guess you have a while to wait for your break then... Michigan is cycling threw them right now. I have no employees to put on the schedule next week! &sly
Dragonshardz: As of this moment, I will no longer forget a diagonal version. ;) As long as it can be done that is.
Dustin: Thank you!
John: Thanks! I'm sure the hotel thing won't be so bad... I think it's just the fact that I'm not sure how long it will be for that bothers me. But what can you do?
I'm glad this seems to be a popular idea, because here's another one! :D It's mostly just a different variation on the same theme... the styles are very similar, but the detailing hopefully sets them apart from each other. This one is even smaller and could actually fit on a 2x1 if I wanted it to... but I doubt I'll actually do that.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEastWillis_Preview01.jpg&hash=5c6ee4b0733c4cc117d14bfecefb1826b0c64a3e)
There are still some finishing touches to add for this one. Then I'll go back and light both of them. With any luck, I should be able to finish both of these over the weekend and get them exported. After that, we'll see how lucky I can get with making them function. ::)
JB
Now those look good. I think the only thing that I would suggest for the first station, and maybe the second, would be some luggage or crates or something for the long distance traveller, unless of course they're meant to be commuter stations only. You are doing something I have been meaning to do (make some smaller scale stations) but haven't due to a lack of spare time recently. Law school is fun, but it keeps a person busy. Incidentally, where do you find the time for all of this? I could use a few time saving tips. I do have one question on the smaller one though. Do you have a plan for that bare wall on the second floor? It looks like the perfect place for a sign or something. Good to hear there is some certainty with the upcoming job now. Hotel life shouldn't be too bad and I hope the training is an interesting process. Take it easy and I'll talk to you later.
-Matt
jon- i love the stations! &apls as usual, i am patiently waiting for release ;) &hlp
Jon very good looking on that one as well!!!
Matt: Thanks! I don't really have a specific use in mind for these. I still have some final touches to add to both platforms, so adding a bit of clutter can easily happen then too. The bare wall you mentioned is indeed reserved for a sign of some sort, although the more I look at it, I'm worried that it may still look pretty empty... but we'll see.
Edge: Thank you! I"m glad you like them!
Pat: Thanks! We actually came to the conclusion in my BSC thread that the second station is cute. Several people are waiting to take her out and show her a good time. Personally, I just love the way her roof fits... mmmmm! :D
Talk to y'all later!
JB
Jon I could say it but this is a PG site lol, so here is the clean version Smart alek lol :D Naw I know I opend the doors for that one... Thank you for the good laugh this morning Jon and do Look forward to more from ya's...
Really like the stations Jon....I think the 2 story one a little better..... they sure are going to be usefull in rural and suburban areas.
No empolyees for next week.....oh my....you shall be busy! If I had know of your plight beforehand I would have sent some of my cats to help out :D
Hang in there buddy.
Duane
Love the stations, they are exactly the style and size for what I do now, small New England towns. Perfect.
Pat: In all honesty... I set myself up for that one last night. Your comment just happened to be close enough that I carried the joke here too. :D Here's what
really happened... (as requested by the lawyers, names have been changed and/or removed to protect the guilty)
Quote from: Jon on March 27, 2008, 07:28:39 PM
Here's another one... even smaller! ??? It's so freakin cute though, isn't it? :D
To which one response was...
Quote
Exactly, what's a nice station like you doin' in a thread like this? :D
...and another was...
Quote
I bet I could show that station a good time... :D
So you see... the joke's really on me this time, I just tried to pawn it off on you! :D
Duane: Thank you! I suppose "no employees" was a bit of an overstatement, but I am down 4 or 5 people out of an 18 person staff. ::) Oh well... going out with a bang, I suppose.
Fledgeling: Thanks! Glad they'll come in handy.
I think I have finished both of these now. Added a few things here and there and did the lighting, but that was really about it. Here's a look...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEastWillis_Preview02A.jpg&hash=848be56a9ecd04f8ac98393d742d54bd4981e7b7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEastWillis_Preview02B.jpg&hash=acfc0f39cec687ba2f8468432115d2d2e601df07)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSeaCliff_Preview02A.jpg&hash=4168fada561707ed07a6edf6ed01f6d4d39aa682)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSeaCliff_Preview02B.jpg&hash=05948d75868b56601edc37d9d09bbb411a04b493)
In other news, my laptop arrived today already! So I'll be able to actually start transferring everything over to that during the weekend, which will be much better than having to rush it at the last minute as I expected to do. :satisfied:
JB
LoL Jon but what if I said I agree those stations are looking soo sexxxxxxy hehehe, oh that is great news that you can transfer everything this weekend to the laptop!!!
I am really looking forward to the release of these. The lighting is good, I like the small suitcases etc. adorning the platforms, but I'm still curious about the small station and that sign. It still looks bare, or the sign looks too small, though it does look to scale with the building. Glad to hear the laptop has arrived and I hope it works out well for you. I also hope the labor shortage works itself out too. If anyone could handle it, I'm sure it would be you. Take it easy.
-Matt
Cute things are very annoying. Theres this house in my town that is about the size of the box guitar hero is shipped in, and everyone things its cute. I think its very ugly. however, your cute station is not very ugly. but it is not sexy either, so don't get any ideas :D
enough ranting, awesome station &apls
&apls &apls Beautifull work as always . You really are a great batter . Keep it up :thumbsup:
Great work on the fire station there! Also wonderful lighting! :thumbsup:
Looking forward to more...
Lookin good Jon....on the (cute & kind of provocotive) small station, I like the ramp and agree with Matt that maybe a small "something" on that wall would look nice also....maybe an advert for the Scottish Inn & Pub down the street :D
Congratulations on the new laptop, my friend! I hope all the transferring works out for you. And the stations look splendid, too!
Dustin
I think you need something else next to that sign. There just isn't enough visual interest for it being a front facade wall. Perhaps a window on either side, placed opposite of the ones in back?
Other than that, excellent work. Once more, you fill a needed niche.
(CML suggestion: Uber Niche-Filler.)
-ACE
Pat: Thanks! I did manage to almost finish with the laptop... I'll just need to update my works in progress before I pack up the other one for good.
Matt: Thank you! I thought about putting windows in the front, but one of them would have a vent pipe going right through it and simply having one just looks bad. So, I figured "boring" is better than "bad" and just left well enough alone.
Pat Riot: I don't know why I started that... I can't stand the word "cute" either. Don't worry... I'm really not attracted to the station, we're just friends! :D Glad you like it!
Kimcar: Thank you!
Bat: I'm glad you like it... although I made the fire station over a year ago. ;)
Duane: Thanks!
Dustin: Thank you! My transfer cable wasn't cooperating, so the process took much longer than it should have, but it got done eventually.
ACE: Thanks! Perhaps that is a side facade... who knows? :D
Both of these stations have been exported. BarbyW was kind enough to mod them for me and I think Ripplejet is taking a second look at them. As soon as he is finished, I'll get them back and finish the lots. They might be ready sometime next week. In the meantime... things are getting a bit hectic around here, so the updates may be a bit more sporadic for a while. I have some things I'm working with and I'll be around when I can be... but don't worry too much if I'm not. I'm sure I'll have plenty of time once the house is in storage and I'm in a hotel. ::)
JB
Jon you take it easy bud, one thing I would expect is in the mean time is that MD you promissed to start lol... No really take your time and I will take anything I can when I can get it cause it comes from you, I know its good....
I feel so guilty now. I missed your greatest work being made!!! AAAAAAAAAAGH, the guilt, the guilt! Anyways, I really like the new buildings you're making, remind me a lot of Lexington and Concord. At the same time, I feel so honored that one of my photos inspired you for your best building to date! Keep up the good work dude.
So...I heard you had fun adding some industrial lots of a certain BAT genius to your pluggins. Those load times for the game starting to get funkay long? :P
Hope your schedule clears up soon because i have an addiction, to your awesome bats! I think i need to go to rehab...for corny jokes :D
Pat: Well... you asked for it! :D Covington (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274) is here...
TopCliff: I was wondering where you've been! Don't feel guilty... I'm glad you like it. Thank you again for the original link. I still have plans to use at least on more of them, so you can redeem yourself then. ;)
SimShady: I did indeed go on a bit of a spree yesterday... Jestarr and Spa were the major players in that little party, along with others here and there. Load times are still fine... my plugins went from 1.02GB to 1.11GB after repacking everything. No sweat here! ;) I'm sure they have meetings available if you're ready to face your problems... :D
Yeah... I finally bit the bullet and started an MD. Check it out if you're interested. I'll probably spend a lot more time playing the game while on the road as opposed to BATting for a while. I'm not taking a complete break or anything, but I'm realizing that keeping all the BAT things organized will be pretty difficult unless I want to drag my filing cabinet along with me to the hotel. ::) All it really means though is that this side of things will probably be restricted to smaller and simpler projects for a bit. But that may be a good thing because I can finish them faster! :D
JB
Jon if you didn't understand my babble in your MD, I'll translate it here lol.... I love it and you are truly gifted sir!!! BTW smaller and quicker bats ain't bad at all, I think it will give you a fresh break from the University project....
those buildings look like some rail stations on RL2, victorian style if i'm not wrong, but whatever,they look awesome!!! you know the way :thumbsup:
Yeah, I was a little preoccupied with another site for a while. Now, back to the heart of the matter, I know of somoe great buildings that only your pure awesomeness could handle making. Does that make sense? I hope so, because you're about to get a very long PM. ;D
Smaller and quicker BAT's; lets see..... that should mean more small town stuff. Yippee!!!!!
Have fun with your move. I imagine living in a hotel for the next six weeks will get kind of tedious but you will keep occupied with your new laptop I'm sure. Take care.
You SELFISH SELFISH man! How can you do this to us?? Play the game more than make stuff for us?!? I am disapointed in you.
:P Have a good time at the hotel!
PS: Have you thought about making a cj b/c i think you would be a god at it
Sim Shady Covington is here... (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274) <---- that is Jon's MD and I do agree he is so far very much a god at MD'ing........
Shoot, you've already exported it. I was going to say the longer station could have used a couple of seats between the stairs onto the platform and where the building starts (on the platform, of course). Too late, oh well. I was also going to say that a longer version of the long station with some uncovered platform and a couple of props for extra platforms might be handy (to make a couple of varieties of 2-platform stations with).
Actually, on that note, a small, nondescript station wouldn't be a bad idea IMHO.
(can you tell I'm obsessed with trains and general train infrastructure yet? :D).
Regardless, you've done an excellent job with these and they'll probably find their way into some of my rural towns.
oh i didnt realize you had a cj in the works ;) If i had posted my post a few days sooner i would have seemed prophetic in my prediction that JB's ownage would extend to cjing, b/c it does
Pat: Thank you for your kind words in both threads! I think I've got things sorted out enough now to finally start doing some stuff again.
Gn_elugim: Thanks! Both of the stations are from some pictures taken on Long Island in New York if I'm not mistaken. I'm glad you like them.
TopCliff: Well, it's good to see you back either way. Thank you! I saw your PM, but that was a while ago... so now I have to go check it again to remember what was there... ::) :D
Simdad: It probably will translate into a few more Smalltown things. You won't know it from this post... but there are sure to be some on the way.
Sim Shady: I know... I'm a jerk sometimes! I can't help it... :D And thank you for your second post as well!
Cammo: Thanks! I can easily make some extra platform props, yes. And given the size of the model, it really wouldn't be too much to export the station again after adding some benches. I just have to check to be sure I transferred that file onto the laptop... otherwise it really will be too late.
So... I haven't updated this in a while. The reasons are probably pretty obvious, so I won't bother going into everything. Suffice it to say that I'm now living at the Holiday Inn and running across an expressway to get to work. (OK... not literally... I use the overpass, but it sounded funnier the other way) I've done a fair bit of catering this past week, but today I had a chance to start something new! %BUd%
This will be another SHUR building... 11 stories on a 3x3 lot I think. It's based off the Rookery Building in Chicago. I don't have any links handy at the moment... but Flickr has some really good pictures and the interior lobby is also incredible. (I highly recommend doing a search... I promise it will be worth it) Anyway... here is the humble beginnings:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_Preview01.jpg&hash=ab576ab06688b8c33922f52d110e93fdc88bd619)
This is floors 3-10 except in the center where the 11th floor is already in place. There are a lot of details to be added, but the dimensions are just about what I was hoping for. There isn't a single texture on this yet, but it's "color coded" to show the different pieces. This may be a bit of a challenge simply because there really isn't any accent color for the building... so we'll see how well the details stand up when I get that far. That's about it for now...
JB
Looks great, I like the detailing on the windows and the curved mid-section. Another great SHUR-creation!
Yes, great details on that nice texture!! :thumbsup: Great beginning on that building.
Haven't been around for a bit, such is life ::)
but you have achieved great things since i last visited.
those stations look superb, I can already see a spot to use at least one in my minds eye :thumbsup:
Good start to the Rookery Building too and thanks for the advice to check it out
Very Impressive :thumbsup:
Till the next time
Derry
Looks like a wonderful start of another fabulous building :thumbsup:
Looks great dude. It reminds me of a Maxis building though . . . I forget the name, but I think it was also based off the Rookery Building. Good luck with it.
OMG OMG OMG WOW!!! Jon you've updated your bat thread sweeet, I will be doing my research when I get hom on the Rookery building and from what I see I know I wont be disappointed......
Welcome back my friend.....good to see you devoting your time to two of the things that mean the most to me.....food and SC4...I'm not really sure that is the correct order tho ::).
Enjoy everything and know that many of us are with you in spirit, we all wanted to come in person, but at the last minute it was decided that the fights for the restroom would be too distracting to your batting!
I heard from my godmother who lives nearby there that extensive renovations are coming to the rookrey building. It really is a neat building, and i have no doubt you can do it justice in its recreation JB ;)
Excellent choice, the Buder Building needs some more companions. :thumbsup:
nice start :thumbsup: i ahve myself to start with buildigns that size too.. but frst i'll have to finish the mods i'm working on $%Grinno$% &hlp
Caspervg: Thank you! There are a lot of things about this building that really interested me... the curved windows being just one of those.
Bat: Thank you! You sure do seem to like those untextured walls! :D
Derry: Thanks! I really have to find out what happened to those stations... I kind of lost track of them, to be honest. &ops
Tag_One: Thank you!
TopCliff: Thanks! I don't recall seeing a Maxis building like the Rookery... but it could very well be in there somewhere. I know there are still Maxis buildings that I have never used! ;)
Pat: I'm glad you were so happy! Sorry I kept you waiting (again)... ;)
Duane: Thank you!
Sim Shady: Thanks! It's good to hear that the real building is still being well kept. I really like it and will have to go see it next time I'm in Chicago.
Gn_leugim: Thanks!
Things have been a bit quiet over here lately... oops! Actually, I found that I have trouble staying motivated to BAT on this laptop. I don't know if it's just the smaller screen or the key board or what... but I just can't go for long stretches like I did on the home computer. I am still tinkering with things, though... so don't think I've disappeared or quit in favor of "other threads" :D
Anyway... here's an update on the Rookery Building. Most of the front elevation is in place now. I still need to finish up a little bit with the main entry and add the roof trim around the top... but most everything else is there.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_Preview02.jpg&hash=20fa972c4c18ad242c9962600473251ec7270009)
For those that really know this building, you'll soon see that I will be taking some liberties with this one. Especially with the sides and the back. So all you purists will either have to curse my name or just remember that I never really do recreations... ::) I'll probably get a fair bit more done this weekend, so there will be more to see much sooner this time!
JB
Very interesting building. Let us hope these monthly updates don't become habit. Keep up the great work, and let me know if you want any more "inspiration".
Jon looking real grand here sir and no needs to worry about keeping me waiting as they say all the good things come to who wait!!!
Don't you love taking liberties? I find it easy to recreate somthing perfectly for about 10 minutes, then doors turn into windows, windows turn into walls, then walls turn into untextured planes...alright, thats an exageration, but still.
I love this building, but, considering I love your other work, thats no suprise. Anyway, how is the hotel living going? :D
For those that really know the building, there may be some issues, but for people like me who have never seen the real one before, this looks quite good. As usual, I'll be waiting for the next update of it, but no hurry. As Pat noted above, good things come to those who wait, and for this one, I'm certainly willing to wait a bit. Hope things are well and that hotel life isn't too bad. Take it easy.
-Matt
TopCliff: I honestly don't intend to make them a habit, but with everything going on lately it's hard to say what will happen anymore! :D I already have a backlog of inspiration, but you'll never hear me turn it down either... send away if you want to!
Pat: Thank you!
Pat Riot: Thanks! I always take liberties... I find that perfect recreations just get too tedious for me. Plus, I don't have to worry if I can't find pictures of a certain side of the building that way! :D
Matt: Thank you! Actually, hotel life has turned into dorm life. Apparently my company's inability to make decisions was costing them too much money! ::)
I managed to mostly wrap up the front elevation today. The roof trim took forever to sort out, mainly because of all those circular corner pieces. But I'm pretty happy with how it all turned out. I started on the sides, although it probably looks like a lot more than it really is. I mostly just figured out the dimensions and then copied and moved in pieces that I could steal from the front! :P I'll have to come back and make the new stuff next time...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_South01.jpg&hash=475e46d65ccf9738abaf43d25a43506e62bfedfd)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_West01.jpg&hash=ee842c276653ce90b25907257de408303eac4d82)
Next time I'll try to have an illustration of the two choices for the building's final shape. I'm still debating that part... so y'all can just help me decide. ;)
JB
That . . . is pure awesomeness my friend. How big do you think this will be, 3x3, 4x4? No matter how big it is, I'll be using it fo show. Later amigo.
&apls Another Landmark building for any city. Stately, and impressive. Can't wait to see it in the game!
Stunning Jon just simply stunning me hats off to you!!!
Hi Jon,
I've got so into Covington that I kinda forgot you also have a brilliant BAT thread over here! The Rookery Building is looking good - I'm very impressed with it. I just wonder how you manage to run a great MD with BIG updates plus do this as well.
However you do it - well done &apls &apls &apls
The "couldn't find pictures of a certain side" was the best excuse ever, until the invention of the latest google earth. Every other resource is put to shame by the 3d buildings they have, or at least the ones they did in boston.
Its a good thing you don't do 100% recreations, because I doubt anything in real life could be as awesome as your BATs (cept maybe 111 huntington :p) good job on the Rook'.
Leo: Thank you! The plan is for this to fit on a 3x3... and it's right on the edge of that now, so it will be close (also known as W2W) :D
Baconrocky: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks!
Paul: Thank you! To be honest, I haven't really been doing too well at juggling both threads so far... the MD took over for the past month or so while I waited for that BATting urge to return. Now is when we'll see if I can keep up on two fronts or not... ;)
Pat Riot: You have a good point... but it ruins my excuse, so I'm going to pretend you never said it. :D Thanks for the kind words!
As you may have noticed, I called some of the monkeys back to work. Just because the headquarters of Monkey Around Productions is in total disarray doesn't mean that they should have all this time off. I got tired of giving away free bananas, anyway...
That was basically my not so clever way of saying that I have a second update (in one day, no less!)... I managed to finish off the side elevations for the most part. There may be one or two minor changes to make, but nothing too huge. I didn't get around to the comparrison bit that I mentioned earlier, but that will come next time.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_West02.jpg&hash=b9db413121f7f01e778fc0636be945cc96836961)
And there you have it...
JB
more good work. I was thinking you were gonna do a Odd from Sweden and have El Rail tracks go through those black holes, but this is even better ;D
Pat Riot: Thanks! No tracks running through this one... although that gives me a couple ideas for later ;)
Here is that comparrison I mentioned...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_OUTest.jpg&hash=8b9ba10c981b04822025f1cf17a74e61f0938be6)
There are some advantages to either option. With the O Shaped version, it would indeed save some modeling in the light well, but that also means there would be less to see. The U Shaped version would show everything on certain angles and the large skylight (which is part of the real building) would be visible. Obviously, this is just roughed in... there are some details that will come about in time no matter which option I go with, but I did this just to get a feel for how much or little would be visible with the two choices. Please feel free to cast your vote now... ;)
JB
Pure awesomeness dude. Don't worry, I'll find some interesting photos for you with my new camera. Laterness dude.
U for me. although the o looks good to :thumbsup:
First, let me say that the development so far is great. I'm not sure if dorm life is having any effect (or what dorm life actually means aside from living at the college) but it looks like you're keeping up with both pretty well so far. I don't recall having seen you do an O-shaped building yet, so that might be good for something new, but I have never really liked that look personally (like that's a reason to knock a style) even though it has been used by a number of buildings. The U-shape would get my vote but I'll be interested to see which way you go with it. Make those monkeys earn their keep. Take it easy.
-Matt
O for me as there are quite a few U's and L's knocking around now....
hmm Jon I like both of them so I guess im just partial here lol
Leo: Thanks dude! I'll keep an eye out for you...
Pat Riot: Thanks for your opinion!
Matt: Thank you! Dorm life just means that it is my temporary home now instead of the hotel. It didn't really change much of anything though. I haven't done an O shaped building... and I'm still considering it, despite what this update may look like.
Mightygoose: Thanks for the vote! I agree with your reasoning, and it is a compelling reason to go that route... I'm just still not sure if it's the right look for this one or not.
Pat: Thanks... you're no help whatsoever! :D (That is completely untrue... but I think you'd start to worry if I didn't pick every now and then...)
Well, so far I'm sticking with the U shape... although that honestly doesn't mean much just yet. I spent a LOT of time just sorting out the circular stairwell, which I thought was just such a great feature on this building. Unfortunately, much of the detail gets lost at this size, but I still like the look of it. I also roughed in the interior light well, just to get an idea of the layout.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_North01.jpg&hash=e0fa81a4e42ceb2d946e0edcec7d499d63d970b9)
At this point, I'm still not completely sure that I'll end up with the U... despite how it looks right now. Keeping the O shape really wouldn't cut off much of that stairwell anyway... and it would save a lot of modeling for other areas. It would also be truer to the real building... so it still might end up that way. I guess I'll know for sure when I start putting that back wall together! ;)
JB
Wow such improvements &apls
You have been busy and personally I'd prefer the O in stead of th U.
As you say you would still have some of the details.
Either way it will fit in well whatever you choose :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
Maybe throw a sunroof on it like its a lobby? Or you can call an audible on the whole building and say that its a hotel, then throw a pool in there, or the sunroof over a pool (A hotel I stayed at in Chicago had an indoor pool like that).
Maybe two versions of the building? The O and the U? Anyways, it looks great, and with summer coming up, I'll actually be able to use your great work! By the by, who said you could use dude, dude? Dude is my thing, my schtick as Dangerfield would say. No respect I tell ya', no respect. Later . . . dude . . .
Or, you could be really brave, and make a half blown up wall :D It looks great, if your looking for a different design you could always do a U-O hybrid, with the first 5 floors being O and the last 5 being U. Its your call (with lynn doyle" on CNN) :thumbsup:
How about a really long o shaped building, that has the entrance duplicated on the center of each facade. It would probably be something like a 3x6/6x3. You'd be able to see more of the light court, but would still not need to model that blue roof.
Also, three tiles deep can be a strange block to zone. You'd have to have 1x1s and 1x2s on the rest of the block, and it probably wouldn't form a good looking wall to wall street wall. With a 6x3/3x6, it would take up the entire block, and you wouldn't have that problem. The facade could potentially be too busy, but I think that would depend on how it looks after it's textured.
Either way, the building is looking really good so far. :)
How about something like this?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi95.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fl151%2Fcallagrafx%2Fjon.jpg&hash=c2c3e5b4f89995eea399a3bfab6a55f9be6382d2)
Lee did you whip that up or did you just merely photoshop it??? Jon you know what that is soo very true there and I was beginning to wonder what has happening lol... It does look good but I stinks Lee might be unto sumtin there???
Hi! Great work you are doing here.
I have a questions wonder if you may help me...
The issues concerns the LOT of your SWAN Majestic building/lot (CS$$$8_6x3_The Swan Majestic.SC4Lot)
For some reason I don't get the normal query window for 6x3 Grow lot When I hover the query tool over it I do have normal brief description, but once I click on it nothing happens.
I've opened the lot in iLive Reader, but I just don't know what should be done to fix this problem. The Lot Exemplar does seem to have Query Exemplar in it...
From what I can see this is a CAMeLot - it has Cam occupant groups in there...
If it is a CAMeLOT you will need the CAM Essentials for the queries to show up. Do you have them? I believe they are included in the latest editions of the BSC Essential Files -> Click! (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=443)
Well, I've got it working.
And to be honest am a bit upset over the entire ordeal.
To get query window working I had to download the 5Mb (6,21mb in Plugin folder) prop pack, despite the fact that I don't need anything else from there. I think it is a bit excessive.
Also when I finally got the coveted query window to work here is what I saw:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi040.radikal.ru%2F0806%2Fb1%2F7990bff30b0c.jpg&hash=06be319ef463df2a42af64c1487e879105388352)
tell me if that is a reasonable way of presenting information?
The buildings are excellent (both Swan and particularly Citizen, although I think night lighting isn't on the level of modeling there) but the query window and push of the rather fat dependency package that basically contain no true dependencies is a bit upsetting...
I hope you woldn't take this as a personal or any other attack... but I think it is an issue worth looking into...
Please, please, please do not start another tirade against dependencies...the BSC essentials file is required by nearly all BSC uploads, so it's hardly a worthless download for the vast majority who use BSC work on a regular basis. If everyone were to include all query graphics in their uploads, their files would be even bigger and the combination thereof would be much much bigger...by sharing a common file it keeps the plugin folder size down and easier to manage, especially when the Essentials file is updated.
This thread's being watched and any spiral towards a flamefest aimed at CAM or dependencies will be dealt in the appropriate manner %BUd%
You can probably open the the files in iLive and start deleting things. There's also a query tutorial around here somewhere (I think it might be on the LEX) that would teach you how to delete what you want removed. It would also teach you how to revert the entire query back to one of Maxises standard ones which would actually be very easy. It could also mean the elimination of that dependency all together.
Jason:
Well, I have found out the process (reverting to Maxis default query) by myself already. Downloading huge dependency file and then spending tons of time deleting content from it - it is kind off silly, don't you think so? I just don't understand the proinciple of putting together some of the packs. And seriously doubt the need of huge varieties of most of the props.
Cal:
Goodness Gracious Me! Will you ever learn to read message before starting writing angry reply?
Where did I mentioned the BSC Essentials. So let's just drop it. Anyway I wasn't really asking you, my question was addressed to JBSimio. If you don't even care to read message why do you bother to write?
I believe the policy is straight and simple: if you don't like it, don't download it or modify it yourself
-MOD EDIT-. All content here is released, as far as I know, on a take it as is or leave it basis.
Quote from: SimFox on June 02, 2008, 11:56:28 AM
Jason:
Well, I have found out the process (reverting to Maxis default query) by myself already. Downloading huge dependency file and then spending tons of time deleting content from it - it is kind off silly, don't you think so? I just don't understand the proinciple of putting together some of the packs. And seriously doubt the need of huge varieties of most of the props.
I think this is quite uncalled for and the BSC dependency debate has been worn by now.
Although I may agree, lets keep this civil by not adding comments we dont need to see on this site. - JP
I like the trick with the circular staircase. It's a somewhat smaller detail, but it really adds to the look. I have to say, I like Lee's little adjustment (good photoshop there) and if you decide to go with an O shape, there wouldn't seem to be much lost in the way of time adjusting the model.
-edit- Removed. Comments no longer necessary.
At any rate, I hope progress on this continues to go smoothly. I would be interested in seeing the O shape just roughed up to better picture it, though I could probably just fiddle with photoshop to get the idea. Hope to see the next update soon, and to hear some good news about the living quarters soon. Take it easy.
-Matt
Quote from: SimFox on June 02, 2008, 11:56:28 AM
Cal:
Goodness Gracious Me! Will you ever learn to read message before starting writing angry reply?
Where did I mentioned the BSC Essentials. So let's just drop it. Anyway I wasn't really asking you, my question was addressed to JBSimio. If you don't even care to read message why do you bother to write?
You really never cease to amaze. How can my post be construed as "angry"....more like exasperated. You post an attack on Jon and his choice on how he decides to implement his own work and a veiled attack on the use of dependencies and then have the gall to dictate what I can and cannot post? And I simply posted to ensure that this thread does not degenerate into another extremely tedious debate on the use of dependencies, as you've tried to do twice now. Now, if you'd have read the description before you'd loaded it, then you would have realised it required the CAM, so who's writing without reading now?
*cough*
so.....about those JbSimbio BATs..... ::)
although, i must say cal, simfox clearly stated he was not attacking Jon.
There are enough off post topics in this thread already. I please all the members to keep the good forms and go back to topic. If someone feels the need to discuss anything outside JB's excellent work, feel free to send me a PM.
Thanks for your understanding.
Derry: Thanks... I'm still undecided right now. Which is probably why there hasn't been another update yet! :D
XiahouDun: The real building actually has skylight covering the entire lightwell. It was added later, and I'm really not too fond of that particular look, although I have considered it.
Leo: To versions is always an option... but I probably won't go that way. This one is going to be a pretty long render by the time it's finished and I doubt I'm going to want to render it twice. I only steal people's lines when I want to poke fun at them... :D Don't worry, I won't be using it often... ;)
Pat Riot: Good point... blown up buildings are always popular! :D Someone else had suggested the hybrid idea, which I tried, but didn't really like the look of.
Jason: I'm hesitant to do another 3x6 to be honest... and I think you're right that it may end up looking too busy at that size. As far as the size... you could easily make a 3x3 block. Otherwise, the past several SHUR bats I've done have been 3 deep and I know there are plenty of others out there, so I really don't think it would be all the tough to zone around. It's actually an extremely tight 3x3 right now so a lot could still change at this point too. I'm glad you like it so far... thanks for the comment and ideas!
Callagrafx: Hmmm... it doesn't really solve any of my dilemmas, but I do like the look of it. Gives me something more to think about... ;)
Pat: Lee always seems to make me work harder... supposedly it's part of his charm, but I personally think that's open to debate. :D
Matt: Somewhat out of turn... but thank you! I'm glad you like the staircase as I truly do feel that it is one of the most interesting features of the real life building.
Simfox: As you've already discovered, the necessary query was in my prop pack. Sorry I didn't get a chance to answer sooner...
In response to everything else that followed... ::)
It might not make much sense now... although it may be worth remembering that the file in question was released nearly a year and a half ago. At the time, it made perfect sense since it was the only dependancy required for roughly 40 different lots. It has also been, with a few exceptions (Swan Majestic being one of the exceptions... naturally :D ), the only dependency needed for every SHUR and Smalltown release since then. Which basically means that if you have anything from the SHUR or SmalltownUSA sets... it's fair to assume that you will already have the same dependancy in question. All that being said... the queries included in my mega pack (along with several other ones scattered here and there) are scheduled to be merged with the next version of the BSC Essentials. (Contrary to popular opinion, they aren't actually included there as of yet) As the SHUR and Smalltown sets have evolved over time, it became obvious long before this discussion that requiring the mega pack for the newer releases was not really the best way to go anymore. This will be changed in time... although since the matter is a fairly large group effort, I can't give an exact time frame for when that might happen. Rest assured that when it does happen, I will explain any changes pertaining to my files here in this thread.
In other news...
Actually there is no other news, really. I've been a bit sidetracked with that crazy little thing called life over the last few days and haven't made any worthwhile progress on the Rookery since the last update. I appreciate all the suggestions for the building and will definitely be trying some things out over the next few days. You'll see the results shortly after I do... ;)
JB
Well, keep on keeping on dude. And don't mind any criticism: if anyone's gonna complain about Citizen Hotel, it'll be me since I wake up to it. :P Keep up the good work, so on and so forth.
Wow, looks like I missed something ??? So lets just pick this thread right back up huh?
I was thinking about your university you were working on earlier and was curious of something; are you going to include sports fields in a similar style? I'm still waiting (impatiently because they looked so amazing) for updates ;D
I was also curious if you were planning on making any more education buildings planned in the future. I've been using your school packs almost exclusively since I first downloaded them :thumbsup:
::) interesting activities abound in this thread recently. Looking forwards to more works, so please smack that thing you call life on the side of the head and treat us to some BAts eh :P
Quote from: JBSimio on June 02, 2008, 06:19:10 PM
Pat: Lee always seems to make me work harder... supposedly it's part of his charm, but I personally think that's open to debate. Cheesy
Don't think I didn't notice that...I'll get you back in July :D :D :D
Leo: Thanks! I've decided to keep on... um... doing whatever it is I do &Thk/(
XiahouDun: I've been toying with a few ideas for university sports, but I don't really have anything definite in mind just yet. Funny you should mention additional school packs... ;)
SimShady: I give that thing called life a stern lecture and a good what-for... it has promised not to do that again, but we'll see how long that lasts.
Lee: I never expected to get away with it... I'm looking forward to July! :D
So I don't seem to have any ability to focus at all right now. That probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to anyone here, though. I'm still experimenting with the back of the Rookery Building... but it's going pretty slow at the moment. The reason for the delay is that I'm so undecided that I'm actually building three complete rear facades. The "roughed out" versions just weren't enough for me to make any kind of decisions... so I'll make them all and then go from there.
In the meantime... as I've been playing the game, I've come to the conclusion that I still don't have enough schools. Many people have commented that school buildings often define a neighborhood, which I completely agree with. I'm quickly discovering that I still don't have enough variety to do a good job of making that happen though. I really only made one historical looking elementary school... so there aren't many options for older urban areas at all. Same with the high schools... I really only have one "suburban" looking one (and even that's a very debatable description). So.... I started digging around for the models and ideas that didn't make it into the first 3 packs, and came up with enough to make at least 2 more packs. (Don't get too excited just yet... probably 3/4 of that is still in the idea or photo stages) I can say that Schoolpack Volume 4 will have four or maybe even five more elementary schools and Volume 5 will include at least three high schools.
Here is a look at the one closest to completion at this point.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSouthElem_Preview01.jpg&hash=cd5e88e087bf3b8d4becfa088db26eec8ed4053e)
It's a fairly generic elementary school, but I think it will fit in well for some of those more "inner city" type areas. The smaller piece on the back is some sort of later addition... maybe a caffeteria or something? I still have a few things to fix and finish, but it's pretty close. I'm considering a separate gym for this one, but I'm curious if that would even be desired by anyone or not. Anyway... that's about it for the moment. Any feedback is always appreciated... for this building or the pack descriptions in general.
JB
I know what you could do with that back rectangle thing. If you extended it outward a little, it could be a cafeteria. Anyways, the dark brown stone fits the inner-city theme you want for it. Keep up the great work dude. Actually, dude, doesn't fit your awesomeness anymore. You are now Your Dudeliness. Later, Your Dudeliness.
New school looks great. It reminds me of this one high school I saw out in the middle of nowhere in Ohio. It was literally in a cornfield, but looked brand new and really high tech ??? And the area in the back could be enlarged just a little bit and it would look perfect as a gym. :thumbsup:
QuoteAnd the area in the back could be enlarged just a little bit and it would look perfect as a gym. :thumbsup:
I concur- the windows there look gym-ish already. :P
Looking forward to more, Jon. :thumbsup:
Looks nice, the bricks seem a little big though, perhaps scale them down a little bit?
While I'm sorry to hear of the slow down with the Rookery Building, I'm glad it's giving you the time to create some more schools. This first one does seem to fit the urban bill. As far as an external gym goes, I would like to have this building on its own on the lot, but an external gym would be something visually different from your other schools so far, and would probably look pretty good. With that said, I'll be looking forward to new updates to see how development is progressing.
-Matt
Glad to hear that you are going to do some more schools. You can never have too many. I agree that a school can help define a neighbourhood and it will be good to have a variety of schools in my cities (you have already done a lot to rectify that in any event)!
In addition to inner city schools, it might be nice to have a "regional" elementary and/or high school available for small farming towns. They might have playing fields and gymnasia available and should also have a large geographic coverage area (although not necessarily a huge capacity). What do you think?
ah neat that looks like the school I went to when I was in 5th grade (living in a small GA town then)
have you though of varying the age and architecture of the additions? Like there might another building like a cafeteria which dates to the 60's or 70's and has few if any architectural similiarities.
wheres the outhouse? :D
great start JB.
Leo: Thanks! I'd really rather not make that first addition any bigger than it already is. I appreciate the new title! :D
XiahouDun: Thank you! I actually made a second addition for the gym. The first would be far too short, and raising the height "inside" the older building just wouldn't have looked right.
Travis: Thanks!
Caspervg: Thank you! I made the newer bricks a touch smaller... I hate it when I get my math wrong! ;)
Matt: I'm still tinkering with the Rookery... just not getting very far at the moment. The separate gym idea may have been a little misleading... I meant just an unattached building, not necessarily a completely separate lot. I ended up attaching it anyway... so I guess it doesn't matter anymore. :D
Simdad: Thank you! I did include a "regional" school in Volume One actually. Handley Consolidated was modded to cover an entire medium sized tile, but still had the capacity of most local schools. I'll probably do the same with another more modern looking elementary in this next set... and I still need to do a high school that way. (Unless I just completely missed your question... in which case I'll try to catch it next time)
Zaphod: Thanks! I did vary the brick textures used on the additions, although the differences are probably a bit too subtle at the moment. Also the windows are completely different styles from the older portion.
Pat Riot: Thanks! It's actually an inhouse... and surprisingly enough, it's inside. ;)
Added a gym... tweaked a couple other things...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSouthElem_Preview02.jpg&hash=9278f350079e4210480336bf94d2320ff3ed0bdf)
I have a few more textures to fix and then need to do the lighting. I'm still trying to decide what to do (if anything) with that blank interior wall seen in the upper left view... I could make a separate gym entry there, but I'm not sure about it yet. Beyond that, I think this is just about done unless I've made a major mistake somewhere.
JB
Ah, it was actually me who was misleading. I understood what you meant; I just couldn't respond properly. What I was trying to say was that there is the potential for two versions. One narrow lot for the tighter spaces and one with the gym addition for those cities with a little more room. As it is now, it looks pretty darn good though. As for that blank interior wall (I assume you are referring to the tiny narrow one by the chimney) I would suggest, if anything, putting some power/water meters there.
-Matt
JBSimio
What is the progress of your other residential and commerical bats?
Hi Jon,
It's been a while since I dropped by here (too busy typing posts in Covington ;) ).
That school is looking good. But you have always been the master with schools. I really enjoy creating a school in-game and your Bats are usually at the heart of them. And I'm looking forward to using this beauty.
As for that blank wall...... in my opinion you should leave it as it is. Maybe there is a climbing wall or climbing frames on that wall on the inside. Or maybe a squash court. Sometimes a blank wall is the right answer.
If it was an school in England, I'd be tempted to have a goal painted on the wall. The junior (elementary) school I attended (just a few years back, of course) had such a wall with a goal painted on it, plus a couple of "bullseye" targets. Great for shooting practice! Shooting with a football, that is, of course.
But Jon, whatever you decide, that building will be popular.
Keep em coming,
Paul
What is this rubbish?! Indoor restrooms?! IMPOSSIBLE!
Witch! Witch! hang him! %confuso
in all seriousness, looks great.
Quote from: JBSimio on June 08, 2008, 08:53:54 PMI started digging around for the models and ideas that didn't make it into the first 3 packs, and came up with enough to make at least 2 more packs. (Don't get too excited just yet... probably 3/4 of that is still in the idea or photo stages)
Can I just say,
YAY!!! Your school packs are among the best additions to the game ever! ;D
Hey Jon that is looking pretty good so far, one thing I would suggest is given the gym a more of a balloon style for the roof, most commonly for like Bowling Alleys as that would allow more seating cap...
Quote from: JBSimio on June 13, 2008, 12:30:54 PM
I'm still trying to decide what to do (if anything) with that blank interior wall seen in the upper left view... I could make a separate gym entry there, but I'm not sure about it yet.
Meters, propane, etc. Utilities stuff. My middle school was set up fairly similar, and the inner asphalt courtyard held all the mechanical crap the school needed.
Glad to know you're doing more schools. Let me know if you need any reference pics for suburban / modern rural schools, 'cause I've got tons.
-ACE
Sorry JB, I forgot about Handley Consolidated. I'm glad to hear though that there will likely be a new regional elementary school and regional high school in your upcoming school packs.
By the way, whatever happened to the modular university pack that you were working on several months ago? Things have been pretty quiet recently about that project.
Cheers ;D :thumbsup:
Matt: Thanks! I actually meant the large wall on the side of the gym... but those ideas could work for either one.
Fantnet: Could you be more specific, please? I don't think I have any major commercials in progress at the moment besides the Rookery Building. The only residentials I can think of would be those suburban apartments I was working on... in which case, they're on hold until I get my desktop computer back again. I don't seem to have them on the laptop... and I doubt I'll be moved into a place where I can get the other computer until August.
Paul: Thank you! Actually, perhaps backing up a couple basketball hoops against that wall might work very well. Not exactly what you were saying, but the connection made sense in my head! :D
Pat Riot: A witch? Next you'll be accusing me of turning you into a newt, I suppose! (I know... I know... "You got better.") :D Thanks!
Girlfromverona: Thank you so much!
Pat: Thanks! I think if this were a high school I would certianly expand the gym up and or out... but since it's an elementary, I'm not going to worry about it too much.
ACE: Thank you! I'll gladly take any pictures you'd care to send. Use the PM if you're so inclined and thanks in advance! ;)
Simdad: The university pack is lost somewhere in the land of translations at the moment. There is a bit of a traffic jam going on that Clayhurst unfortunately became a part of. It's still coming... but I'm not real sure when just yet.
Well... I tweaked a few things here and there... added some lights and basically wrapped up Helen Krump Elementary. I still have a few last minute things to add and change, but nothing major. Just a couple final details and lighting tweaks.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSouthElem_Preview03.jpg&hash=73c817ea1ca75a92b7d17f11f94f0fc8c645597f)
Speaking of more modern buildings... here is the humble beginnings of the next one.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestwood_Preview01.jpg&hash=bb6ee1e48c8c1b16e85d9791536055a49cfa5610)
This is the second elementary... and is one of the candidates for the regional school. It should end up being a 4x4 lot in the end. The colors are just to show contrasting elements... but don't mean much more than that yet. Not a whole lot else to say about this one yet, but I thought I'd throw a sneak peek in just for kicks.
Have a good night!
JB
Jon that is looking real good there and me bad I didnt catch that this was a kiddie school lol sorry bout that.... :thumbsup:
:o ... &apls Seriously awesome on the night lighting. My one suggestion would be to maybe take the lights on the outer gym wall and have them shine down a little further.
Well, my mistake again (gee, I hope that doesn't keep happening). Though I'm not sure if you've made a final decision, if it the larger wall on the gym I'd say leave it blank. I like the stlye of the new building, and the large assembly area as I'm tempted to call it (we had a large central room like that in my elementary school used for general purposes) is a neat feature. I'm sure I'll come up with something a bit more eloquent to say as it develops, but for now, it certainly looks good.
-Matt
Thats an interesting school, will turn out great. what is the space in the middle? A courtyard?
Very nice start :thumbsup:
It is amazing how quickly you make these quality buildings!
You are a machine!
Pat: Thanks! No worries... I was really just trying to make my lack of motivation sound reasonable! :D
XiahouDun: Thank you! The lights on the sign were one of the tweaks I had in mind, so consider it done.
Matt: Thaks! I've basically decided to leave that wall alone. The peaked area in the middle of the latest one is the gym... the "multi purpose room" (as we called it at my school) is in place now and should pretty much point to itself. ;)
Pat Riot: Thanks! Nope... gym... but there will be a school with that idea coming up yet.
Alfred.Jones: Thank you! I think some people would disagree about the speed thing... but such is life.
This may or may not be my last update for a while. I have to get on a bus in about an hour to go up north (Petoskey, Michigan for anyone who may be interested). I'm not sure what the internet status will be at this place, so if it stays silent here for a while, you'll know why. Long story short... I no longer work for the company that was going to transfer me. I basically got "downsized" (that's the polite term). I finished there on Friday and would have been unemployed until I got a phone call and temporary offer for the next month. So off I go again...
Anyway... I closed up the newest school. Still lots of details to add, but this gives you a pretty good idea of what it will look like:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestwood_Preview02.jpg&hash=7d5c22de3dba4f90b7bb1d333ebcc3675f5e2da2)
That's about all for now... I'll either talk to y'all from Petoskey, or I'll talk to you from England in a month! :)
JB
Wonderful design Jb, the facade looks modern and then the barn style roof makes it look old school. excellent! :thumbsup: &apls
The school looks great. I think this may be one of your best to date (and that's a difficult task to achieve). I particularly like the little bowed out window section at the back (cafeteria?) and the subtle elevation changes of the roof. Sorry to hear about the RL thing. I can't believe they would let you go like that, though if I read it right, they're offering you a temporary job again? Whatever happens, I'm sure it will work out for the best. Until the next update, I hope things are otherwise well for you and your family.
-Matt
Depending on how you texture it and add some details, that could be any civic building. Could be a community center, a clinic, anything. I know this will be one of your schools, but perhaps any variation like a civic center would work too. Keep up the great work Your Dudeliness.
This latest one look like a middle school near me &apls Oddly enough, the curved ornate section is to the back ???
Jon looking very good there!!! So England as in the other side of the pond? Sweet I do hope you will have a great trip!!
i'm back again.. sorry to hear that of getting "downsized" &mmm.
on the other side, your latest designs are looking really good and i'm looking forward for their release (whenever that happens)
btw, a footbal (soccer) goal painted on the wall would be a must be on any empty wall in any south american "Helen Krump Elementary" :P as paul (paroch) said, but whatever you come up with it's ok..
mauricio.
Now that you mentioned modern schools... =P
I do want to see a modern secondary school (at least 1) as there seems to be none in the current pack. However, Lincoln Elementary seems to be quite modern in comparison to the other three in the same pack.
Vancouver here does have numerous new schools, especially in the outskirts of the city.
- Allan Kuan
JBSimio? Tackle a modern building? No way!
It looks awesome though. Can't wait to see more.
And have a nice time up in beautiful Petoskey. I must admit I'm jealous: I haven't been up north in years!
Hey Jon,
I have a suggestion for the back of the building you based off the Rookery building. I recently stayed at this magnificent hotel in Spokane, Washington, called the Davenport. It was built in 1910 and the inside is just gorgeous. The outside is even better. Anyway, my suggestion is maybe to add a large patio deck.
You can sorta see it here in this pic.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwashingtonlink.org%2FThis_week%2Fthisweek2007%2Fimages%2Fpotw08_23_07.jpg&hash=4248afa54b2e3764e1c2bdb62ebfb1e919aec6dc)
I can get more pictures of the building for you, but I can't get to the actual patio anymore (You can only access the guestroom floors if you have a key). Below is a pic I took from my room when I was there.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.glopol.net%2Fimages%2Fdavsm.jpg&hash=f6db3ca433683c1b3ab12c18017b3267cc46045f)
Really nice work here, JBSimio!
Pat Riot: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
Matt: Thank you! Yes the curved wall is part of the caffeteria (in my mind, anyway! ;) ) The temporary job that I'm at right now has nothing to do with the company I had been working for... I'm completely finished with them now. I'm not too concerned about things working out eventually... I seem to have several options in the works so far.
Leo: Thanks! To me, many newer civic buildings look pretty interchangable, like you said. So I guess if this one does too... that's a good sign! :D
XiahouDun: That is a little strange... this school was actually based off of a single picture I found that includes a few pieces in the front. The back is completely fabricated... ;)
Pat: Thanks! Yes... England as in where the British people live (unless of course they move elsewhere, I suppose)
Mauricio: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.
Allan Kuan: Thanks! You're right, I really haven't done a modern high school yet... but I definitely intend to for Volume Five. Washington HS was probably the closest so far... but even that is an older school that has been added onto several times. I always considered Parkside and Lincoln to be about the same time period.
Nofunk: I know... let the craziness begin! :D I haven't been to this particular camp in nearly 5 years, so it's very nice to be back here. It's gorgeous, although still pretty cool temperatures so far.
Nicodeme: I like that building a lot. It actually reminds me a bit of the Buder Building in shape and size... but there are still some very interesting differences. I may have to file that one away for future reference. Thank you!
Bat: Thanks!
Just a quick update for now... as you can see, I do indeed have internet up here, but I haven't had a whole lot of time so far. I did manage to get some rough textures on the new school (which doesn't really have a name yet), and I'm pretty happy with most of them.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestwood_Preview03.jpg&hash=b2d9fc432ebe2f641219843ee44787bdb858a289)
I think the "red" will be a little bit brighter... and I'm not real happy with the gym roof yet. There are a couple other tiny things here and there... but otherwise I think lighting will finish this one off. Any other suggestions?
JB
I'd love to see the picture. Would be incredibly bizarre if it was the same school :D
Textures look great. As for the name, how about a president, like Harrison Elementary?
Building looks excellent. Textures... well, the walls are nice. I especially like the effect on the curved wall.
As for the roof -- the base texture looks great, but there seem to be splotches of red and green diffused over the image. Is this an optical illusion? (I'm aware that's a possibility.) Because you wouldn't realistically see colors like that on a roof (unless they have an incredibly bad mold problem.) Try toning the colors towards earthier tones -- brown, dark orange (leaves -- this is a low roof, after all), maroon, etc. Water damage would usually give you darker tones; maybe a bit of brown coloring, but not bright green.
Y'know, not to be pedantic or anything... ::) I spend too much time on Google Earth, 'tis all.
-ACE
yeah more schools! It looks awesome jon. The texture coloring of the roof is unusual, but I think i like it it. I like the current shade of red, and in fact the "sedate" look of the colors seems to really fit.
If one of those options is modelling for movies, you might have an idea there. The school is looking pretty good at this point. The roof textures seem a bit dark, and the main roof seems to have some noticeable circles on it. I agree with ACE about the green color too. I don't think it should disappear entirely, but perhaps tone it down a bit. I don't know if shingles are the right way to go with the gym roof, perhaps something metallic, sheet metal or something like that. Also, the lighter red seems like it will work well, the building as a whole right now looks a bit dark. To follow up on the naming thing, I like XiahouDun's suggestion, and continuing with the presidential thing, might I suggest Ford Elementary? Looking forward to seeing the lighting. It looks like there may be some interesting textures inside for them to show off. Until the next update, take it easy and keep us posted on the RL stuff.
-Matt
maybe for the roof of the gym try to make the ungrap UWV texture abit small (the squares) that actually looks kinda big... as for the entire model it looks great and nice choose of textures too ;)
If you're looking for a name for the school, I suggest Laura Secord Elementary. You know who she is don't you; the lady with the cow who snuck through your lines to warn our militia that you Yanks were invading us at Lundy's Lane during the War of 1812. She helped to save Canada and now has a whole line of confectionary stores named after her thus ensuring her immortality!! :D :P
I really like that school.
As a modern school, it seems like it would be named after a recent important figure in education, society, etc. Like MLK, Jaime Escalante, Maya Angelou, etc. Either that or some vague 70's suburbia name like "Briarforest Shadows Elementary"
Anyways, I know you probably don't like to be bugged, but you had some other modern buildings, apartment complexes, did you abandon the project or are they sitting on someone else's hard drive waiting for modding?
The modern school is kinda small to be a regional one (maybe more of a community one).
We will need a larger building if it were to serve large areas or communities.
As for high schools, here are some images of a modern school that I have seen quite frequently:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fe%2Fec%2FBurnabyMountainSecondarySchool2.jpg&hash=a2f9c04fe1cb459d90c9e802e204fbc51d9fa5b7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F7%2F73%2FBurnabyMountainSecondarySchool.jpg&hash=379d142579e53d0edcca0df5d7ce376b051ab02a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsd41.bc.ca%2Fschools%2Fsecondary%2Fimg%2Fbby_mountain_blg.jpg&hash=8eaf6bf7dce5c2999be7bcb0cbf9a502994aabf2)
And some modern university buildings...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.maps.ubc.ca%2FPROD%2Fimages%2Fphotos%2F166_a.jpg&hash=9170035394decfa38bf1171a17178cbc25d1d170)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.maps.ubc.ca%2FPROD%2Fimages%2Fphotos%2F529_a.jpg&hash=513a9bc24ef195334bc31cbace3fbf98f8331cc0)
And here's an elementary school pic:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffcweb.sd36.bc.ca%2Fschoolwebsites%2FWhiteRockElem-Web%2F024F5E11-009867AD.4%2Fnewschool.jpg&hash=713faa393000553e7b0307857cfe72c4309d477b)
Does anybody else have pictures of modern school buildings that they have seen?
- Allan Kuan
That's looking really great, JB!!! Can't wait to get it into my cities. &apls
XiahouDun: Thanks! To be honest, I'm not even sure where the real life school is... I just found the picture on a Google search. ;)
ACE: Thank you! I didn't add any red or green to the roof... although I was experimenting with a couple effects, so I suppose it could have happened somehow. I redid the textures either way... hopefully they're a little better now.
Edge: Thanks! I brightened the red brick just a little... but that's about all.
Matt: Thank you! I had been leaning towards a sheet metal roof already... and then I got another suggestion to change the roof altogether, so that's what I ultimately did.
Heblem: Thanks! I guess the roof texture advice is outdated now though... ;)
Simdad: "You yanks?" I'm pretty sure I'm not quite that old... :D Thanks you for the suggestion though!
Zaphod: Thank you also for the naming ideas! As for the apartments... as I mentioned not too long ago, those got left on my other computer which is currently in storage until I find a permanent address again.
Allan_Kuan: Thanks for all the pictures! I suppose it depends on what kind of "regional school" you want it to be. I think that this size would be fairly realistic (at least by game standards) for a consolidation of rural districts... but probably not appropriate for combining 3 or 4 different "suburbs" into one district. I do have one significantly larger elementary in mind yet... so we'll see what happens. Modding is still a long ways off at this point.
Girlfromverona: Thank you!
I made a few minor texture tweaks and some pretty obvious changes to the gym. I think the pictures speak for themselves... so here you go:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestwood_Preview04.jpg&hash=51fd42db87ac4362f43b13e58b4d689c3b93281b)
I'm not entirely sure about the gym's new roof texture. I think it needs a little tweaking yet. Beyond that, I should be just about finished with this one after the lights unless there are any last minute suggestions.
JB
hi JBSimio...just wondering if you could check this thread out. i thought you may have an opinion. its just about me being unable to bulldoze 1 of your school lots. its never happened before, or after....just this 1 time.....thanks!
http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=5103.msg162188;topicseen#msg162188
The roof texture do look better, and the metal roof texture works well. I liked the pointed roof more than the current version for some reason. All in all, it looks great though. Good work as always.
-Matt
Quote from: jmdude1 on June 27, 2008, 07:27:08 PM
hi JBSimio...just wondering if you could check this thread out. i thought you may have an opinion. its just about me being unable to bulldoze 1 of your school lots. its never happened before, or after....just this 1 time.....thanks!
http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=5103.msg162188;topicseen#msg162188
You were given a solution and a link in your thread.. you have generated an "immortal lot" .. most likely by plopping a mall texture or similar onto the school lot.. it is a well known issue and the solutions are straightforward.. though possibly not fun.. :)
Wow, impressive bat JBsimo.
I like your texture, excellent work.
Well, there's red and green in the roof because I put red and green in the roof when I made the texture. ;) I was still figuring out colors at the time. JB must have adjusted the texture and somehow brought the colors out, and then reverted back to the original. And don't ask about the giant waffle shapes. :)
I think your roofs deserve their own custom textures, especially if you're going to use a texture that was never that great in the first place. The base texture is MaxisAsphaultRoof.jpg, which comes with the BAT and is in gamepacks/textures. A tutorial for customization is here]http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=58309&STARTPAGE=12]here (http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=58309&STARTPAGE=12), though it's missing it's pictures. The part about woodchips isn't necessary, but the important part is the dirt.
Jmdude: Glad to see you were able to work things out somehow. I'm glad you like the packs!
Matt: Thank you! The photo I based parts of this one on did indeed have a peaked roof... but I kind of like the new version better. If history is any indication though, I'm sure the idea will show up again somewhere! ;)
Earth Quake: Thank you!
Jason: THAT'S where that texture came from! ::) It's been so long that I couldn't remember where I got it from anymore. I always rather liked the "waffle shapes" to be honest with you. I'll definitely check that thread. I rarely make my own textures from scratch... I usually need a good base to start from and then modify from there. (My imaging skills still aren't what I'd like them to be) ;)
Well the lighting on this one is done (I think). It's pretty simple... but here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWestwood_NightPreview.jpg&hash=d90dcb90ea120d4945712c44cd24fcda909ada31)
I had hoped to have the beginning of the next one ready by now, but life did not cooperate very well this week. Hopefully I'll be able to get a start on it Monday. Until then...
JB
don't worry, we can wait =P
I know how RL can be painful sometimes... >.<
- Allan Kuan
Jon,
The lights look good. Simple nightlights are what a school should have (unless they've started night classes...year-round goes to the next level). Though I did like to pointed roof, I have to admit the curve is beginning to grow on me. Sorry to hear things aren't cooperating as well as they should, but hopefully they will improve soon enough. Enjoy the 4th weekend and I'll look for your next update.
-Matt
It's looking very great there! And great work on that school! :thumbsup:
Well, two or three years can do that. :)
I definitely think custom roof textures would add a lot to your (or anyone's) BATs.
dear JBSimio Inc.
iv been lurking for quite a while and i have a few question id like to ask. 1.) when is the university going to be released and are you working on a new school pack.
FYI your projects are amazing i cant wait to see your stuff released
Hello JBSimio and thank you for all the work you are doing. I tried your 3 packs of different schools, dowloaded the 2 depencies but still have a missing part : the entrance of all schools. Could you tell me what textues (or other) are used there, or what plugin I need to check ? Thank you very much :)
Edit : Parkside and Lil Red show properly, others all have the "square brown thing" instead of this entrance (or half of the thing).
Allan Kuan: Thanks! RL isn't being too painful... just much busier than I expected it to be this summer.
Matt: Thank you! Things are actually going pretty well up here... it's just a very (and by that, I mean "ridiculously") hot kitchen to work in. I guess that's the chance I take doing what I do though... :D
Bat: Thanks!
Jason: Considering that I've forgotten half of yesterday already, I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad about forgetting something from 3 years ago, huh? :)
Devlyn Myers: Thank you! The university will be released when all the translations are finished. I can't be any more specific than that because I'm not the one doing the translating... ;) As the last several posts may have indicated, I am indeed working on School Pack Volume Four right now. Volume Five is also coming to a computer screen near you!
Scorpiomaker: I can't be entirely sure without seeing a picture of your problem. My first guess is that you may be missing the "One Flag Many Nations" mod by PEG... although this doesn't usually cause brown boxes. Most of the building models are pretty self contained, so I can't imagine why you would be able to see part of the building but not the entrance. If you can show a couple pictures, I'm sure we can staighten it out though.
I've started the third (of five, I think) elementary school for Volume Four. There are a lot of details to add... but this gives the basic shape and size of where we're going:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEisenhower_Preview01.jpg&hash=2db39115bc30f2401db9d04921ca9dfdef958455)
Not much else to say at this point. I'm not sure when I'll have the next update ready. I'll be working straight up until I board a plane for England next week. After England, I'll be in California until finally coming back here to northern Michigan on August 1st. I'm sure I'll be around before than, but I have no idea if I'll get any "work" done... ;)
JB
I like the shape, very interesting.
interesting, although maybe still small to be considered a new suburban-type-development school. Probably would be more classified as a rural community school with the last one?
- Allan Kuan
Eisenhower looks really good :D Reminds me of Bittersweet Elementary School near the high school I went to. Only thing you'd need to add before I would call it inspired by is a planetarium dome.
I like how it is shaping up. You have a good eye for these irregular shaped buildings (or at least some good pictures to work with). Either way, it looks like it is off to a good start, just make sure you put an HVAC unit over the cafeteria. Take it easy, and stay hydrated.
-Matt
Chrisadams: Thanks! I just figured an unusual shape would be a good way to set this one off. Especially since it's a pretty generic look in most other respects.
Allan kuan: I never really intended it to be a large school... just another one for variety. I suppose you can classify it any way you like depending on where you place it. ;)
XiahouDun: Thank you! No planetarium dome this time... but it gives me yet another idea for later. :)
Matt: Thanks! Actually, I didn't have any pictures for this one... just made it up really. Your HVAC has been added (although I still might move it)
Not a huge update by any means, but I did manage to get the bulk of this one finished. It is a pretty simple building, really. I still need to come up with a roof texture that will actually fit the different angles and levels. A few small adjustments here and there... some lights... and that should be about it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEisenhower_Preview02.jpg&hash=05d9049237ba93ffeb7e31fc5e4fca2f30f0cce8)
And now it's time to go wander around on the beach for a while! :D
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on July 23, 2008, 10:13:21 AM
I still need to come up with a roof texture that will actually fit the different angles and levels.
heh...done that a few thousand times...Whenever I model myself into a texture corner like this I render a top view and use that as a shape basis for the texture...if the bounding box of the object matches the texture, the fit usually is a close one.
Hey JB!
I've been following your BAT projects for a long time, especially the school packs, and I just wanted to say thanks to you for creating such awesome education-focused content for the game. Being a fellow Michigan resident (southeast, near Milford), it's nice to see something good come out of our rather depressing state ;) . I'm looking forward to seeing some updates when you get back into the swing of things! One can never have too many schools!
-Tony
Also, check your PM inbox, I might have sent you something a while back that may help.
Hey JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
like the schools; it all looks goods, looking forward to their release
later
Jack
Very nice :thumbsup: I like your bats al lot &apls
Thought I'd drop by this thread to see how things were coming along... That latest building is looking fantastic! Great work. :thumbsup:
Callagrafx: Yeah... I had basically planned on doing that. Unfortunately, I still suck at making my own textures... so it's proving a bit more difficult than I had hoped. ::)
Tony: Thank you! I did get your PM from a while ago... sorry for the lack of response. I was fairly tied up and in the middle of nowhere for most of the summer. I'll certainly reply in the next couple days though.
Jack: Thank you!
Arthur: Thanks!
Girlfromverona: Thank you!
Well... it's been a while since I did much of anything here. In fact, last time I was here this thread was in a different place! &ops Thanks for all your patience... and welcome to some new faces! As I mentioned, I haven't finished up the roof texture for Elementary School #3 (did I even name that one yet?)... but I will do so shortly. I thought that since I hadn't really touched the BAT in a while, maybe I should start with a building to get myself back in the swing of things. If I had any type of attention span, that would mean starting on Elementary School #4... which would also be the last building for School Pack Vol 4. However, I think we all know me better than that by now! :D
This is a very early view of one of the high schools for Vol. 5. I'm calling it Reed High School for no other reason than because I felt like it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FReedHS_Preview01.jpg&hash=2db31e32dd8af8d3bacf286469178a0ef0bedb2b)
The idea is that there was a very traditional school that got expanded in a huge way. What you're looking at right now would just barely fit on a 4x4 lot... and there is quite a long ways to go. By the time this is finished, it will probably be in the 9x6 range (which I think is what Peace Church and School ended up being). I still have to finish the additions on the east side... and I haven't even started the addtions on the west side yet. So... as usual, I decided to complicate things as much as possible right from the beginning! :'( :D
More to come...
JB
Hey JB,
very nice schools, I may even download some in the future, as currently my sc4 life is minimal.
on another point: Posts: 666, scary huh :D
Joe
Looks great Jon, I really like the floating roof out the back. :D
nice school my friend &apls
Jon your back at the bat YaY!!! Is that a fire exit i see flying in the middle of no where or I should say in between 2 bricked up windows?
Joe: Thanks! Yes... I was a bit devilish for a minute there. :o
Shaun: Thanks! Floating roof? We it is a bit more modern of a school... but I finished that part off anyway. ;)
Arthur: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! The door to nowhere is actually a teaching aid used to educate students on contentment. Picking what's behind door number two is not always the wisest choice! (Actually it's going to be roof access... for another floating roof)
Had a bit of a marathon session today. It took a lot longer than I had hoped to get this far, but those curved walls were an absolute nightmare to sort out for a while.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FReedHS_South02.jpg&hash=8b5a7dcb180ee21e0085ab9a7c0502c94ee918b3)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FReedHS_West02.jpg&hash=fc9dcb67a1221fc8bb7256b72433c4955be10c17)
I'm pretty happy with how things have turned out to this point. It will probably take me the bulk of my next session to finish off this side and close everything in. Then I'll move back to the other side. My guess at the lot size is looking to be a bit too small... think more along the lines of 10 or 11 tiles wide!
JB
10 or 11 in tiles size jon that aint small lol.... I will remember to never ever pick door number 2 lol.... It seems though that your nightmare has paid off and the curve turned out pretty well IMHO!!!!
Wow you've been busy Jon. The high school looks great and that curved wall looks like it will be worth all the work put into it. 11 wide will be a heck of a lot, but I'll be sure to make a space for it. Did you base this one off a particular school (or collection) or are you just building as you go? I've been tempted to try the latter version one of these times, just to see where it leads. No worries about the change up of building order either, it's always interesting to see what you're up to no matter what category it falls into. It also means more school packs for us when they're done. Glad to see you're back at the BAT. Take it easy.
-Matt
very nice progress &apls
Your bat is looking super my friend
It's looking great, but one small nitpicky thing...
The old building has no main entrance door! Even a small school would have had some way in!
I'm sure you've already thought of this, but just stating I have noticed it. :D
Wow, looks like I missed an excellent building in development while I was gone &apls
Wow I love this new BAT, can't wait for the release! ;)
Great work here JB! Lovin' the school. ;D
Just wondering about those textures . . . as you seem to not be replying to my PMs. If you could just send the bare textures over, that'd be sweet. :)
i wonder if i am allowed to make this alive... again... $%Grinno$%
but anyway... wondering if there is any update so far to the schools project?
- Allan Kuan
Pat: You're right, this will definitely be my largest high school. I have a request that one of them be more geared towards smaller cities, so maybe I'm just balancing that idea out? I don't know. Glad you like the curved area!
Matt: Thanks! This one is actually based off of a single picture I found... which is actually more of an artist's render drawing type image. I really liked the building a lot. Unfortunately, it's built on a bit of a hill and I have no way to really make it work that way, so a few things have to change.
Arthur: Thank you!
Simpson: Thanks!
Cammo: Yeah... I know there's no door to the older part. I'm going to say it was either A) never actually an older part, but just made to look that way or B) removed during the remodeling process to avoid confusing the kids. :D
XiahouDun: Thanks! Nice to see you back again.
Fatsuhono: Thank you!
Tom: Thanks! I sent you some textures again... I assume you got them?
Allan: By all means, bring the thread to life! I don't have any proper updates just yet, but I should have some things to show later this week.
As you've all probably realized by now, my usual summer absence has extended a bit longer than normal this year. For those who don't know, I moved to northern California about three weeks ago. I finally have a house of my own again for the first time since April! Along with this is a new job... which ended up being another camp after all (not the college environment I had originally planned on) Needless to say, all this has kept me extremely busy over the past month. I just got the last of my boxes from Michigan a few days ago, so I'll finally have my usual computer back up soon. I'm still trying to settle in and finish unpacking. I also am limited to internet at the kitchen right now until I can get the house hooked up. So... updates may still be a little hit and miss, but things are coming back together. I hope to return for good very soon.
Until then...
JB
Jon,
Glad to hear the move and all is complete and that things are starting to settle down again. Interesting that you're at another camp (perhaps a BAT series... yeah, you have enough to do as it is, but it might be neat). Where is it if you don't mind my asking? No worries about the updates, you'll be back at it soon enough, and when that time comes, I'll be waiting.
-Matt
Quote from: JBSimio on October 20, 2008, 11:13:17 AM
XiahouDun: Thanks! Nice to see you back again.
Likewise ;D
Apparently I was so distraught by your absence that I started modeling schools also :D
LoL Jon that is something else to know that I guessed something correctly for once lol...
yeah me too, I was lamenting the possible loss of those really realistic apartment complexes ;)
But no anyways, I'm glad your finished moving. That's something I used to hate as a kid, because along with the other major issues with moving such as coming to a new place and losing all your friends, etc, I always felt like my parents purposely made me wait forever to get the computer unpacked so I could play Simcity 2000 :P
SmalltownUSA - Collector's Edition:
This release includes every lot made for the Smalltown, USA Series in 2006. They have all been updated with BTE and are now included in various reward chains. There are also a couple new reward chains specifically for this series. No changes were made to the buildings or lots in this upgrade, so no bulldozing is necessary. Please use the "remove list" included with this zip and delete everything listed before running the installer... or let BSC Cleanitol TM do the hunting for you. Additional information can be found in the readmes for each building.
Note I do not get a "remove list" with my download Waiting to update this until I hear from you.
Matt: I've thought off and on about a set of "camp" buildings for a long time... but who knows it that will ever really happen or not!
XiahouDun: Distraught? I feel terrible now! But, if it inspired you to start making some stuff, then it can't be all bad! ;)
Pat: :D
Zaphod: I'm still not sure about the status of those apartment complexes. The move created some issues with my desktop and it remains to be seen whether the RUSA stuff will survive or not. I may be lamenting the loss myself... but I don't know yet. :'(
Tidalpool: Oops! It seems that when I did my latest updates for the new dependencies that I forgot to include the Cleanitol list. My apologies. I have updated the lot... but the list is also attached to this post to save you a little trouble. Sorry about that!
&hlp Thanks for being so prompt!!!!!!!!!! &apls
Quote from: JBSimio on November 13, 2008, 11:56:19 AM
XiahouDun: Distraught? I feel terrible now! But, if it inspired you to start making some stuff, then it can't be all bad! ;)
Don't be so sure, you haven't seen how bad it is yet :D
Bad Jon forgetting the Cleanitol list geeeezs Cali is getting to you man!!! hheehee :D
Tidalpool: You're welcome... I do my best! ;)
XiahouDun: Hmmm... alright then... :D
Pat: Yes... all the lounging around in the sun is really starting to get rough... ::)
Zaphod asked about those apartment buildings I had made roughly a year ago... (a YEAR?!? that long? yes... time has flown, hasn't it?) I thought they might have been lost forever with the computer issues I had during my move, but I found them on a back up disc and figured it was probably time to do something with these before I lose them again! So... some of you may be interested to see this one...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_LowLot.jpg&hash=63d2ee280fe9daa0f335b5fd2e3b591488c5c38e)
This is the low wealth version of Camalot Apartments... very early lotting at the moment. There is also a medium wealth version, but it hasn't grown for me just yet.
Oh but wait! There are others which are a little further along in the process. From the city of Covington (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274)...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_24-05.jpg&hash=d5b287e957b8d9e0082f3879bdc818b414b7f0b7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_24-06.jpg&hash=c7de40a0932872e9d167dce9c0cb050986ee21bf)
As you can see, Stratton Apartments has two building variations, each with three color combinations. Add the low and medium wealth options... carry the one... divide the pie (or something like that)... and you end up with 12 lots just for this! And there will be some mega lot "apartment complexes" before it's all said and done.
All of these will be released separately, so Stratton will probably be the first to get finished. The larger lots are all that still need to be done there... which shouldn't take too long. Camalot and Arbor Woods will be following very closely behind... then there are two more after that which shouldn't be all that far off either.
See you soon,
JB
Jon, Wow ! these flats look good my friend, great work !
The lot is good too. &apls
Arthur.
I love those 3 apartment buildings. I am glade they survived the calamity. Cannot wait to get my hands on these.
To much time that i didn`t reply on your work sorry. Love those apts mate. &apls &apls Very nice to see them in game cause we have some around here in RL. Very very well done :thumbsup:
&apls &apls
man, this is too good to be true. My friend's apartment could've been the inspiration for the Stratton apartments(His place is really nasty too :D)
Sorry for getting too excited here, I don't want to jinx you
Mmm... pie... Oh wait.. apartments. I was waiting to see what would happen with these things. I was excited when I saw the Stratton Apartments make their debut in Covington, and I'm glad to hear they've survived any computer troubles. Both buildings are looking good so far, and it'll be worth the wait once they're released. Hard to believe it's been almost a year, but it's been a fun ride to follow. Here's to many more years to come.
-Matt
Great apartments Jon :thumbsup:
I do like these apartments alot and they are very slope friendly.
Great work.
Robin :thumbsup:
Mmmmmm I see I see something great in here! &apls
On a serious note, these will most definitely be a "must have". :thumbsup:
LoL Jon see what happens when you leave all the snow behind lol... Dang those apartments are looking real good!!!
I love the apartment/townhouses. Shocking right, I like something you made? :D
Arthur: Thank you!
SimNation: Thanks! I'll get back to them again soon when I'm in the lotting mood again.
Kimcar: Thanks!
Zaphod: Thank you! I'm glad you like them!
Matt: Thanks! Yeah... they've gotten lost way too many times. ;)
Tag_one: Thank you!
Robin: Thanks! The SF part is what keeps setting me back, to be honest. It will be worth it in the end, but I don't do it very often and it's really slowing the process.
Karin: Thank you!
Pat: I saw enough snow back in Michigan last week to last me for a good long while! :D
XiahouDun: Thanks!
I have some larger blocks of time on my hands right now... which is always idea for BATting. I'll get back to the apartments soon, I promise... but while I have the time, I wanted to revive something else. Maybe you remember this one?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_South01.jpg&hash=475e46d65ccf9738abaf43d25a43506e62bfedfd)
Well... I finally got the back put together too...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_North02.jpg&hash=0687a385654d7c06bb2b769d95e69d590f4fb336)
I'll be changing the mechanical room on the roof (it's way too small at the moment) but beyond that, most of the major modeling is done for this. I still need to add roof junk and do all the textures. I started in on some of the windows (over 500 so far, and that's without the front or sides!) and floors, but that's about it so far. Anyway... I really want to get this one done because I'm already very excited about the next SHUR building! ;)
JB
That is looking very good there Jon. I recall you showing me the RL pics of this building, so am looking forward to seeing the textures added.
I think the semi circular staircase as the back is the icing on the cak for this one - just really adds something extra special.
Ah yes, this was another good one. The spiral staircase is an excellent touch and I love the curvy details in the front at the top. Looking forward to seeing this one done, and to see what you have in store for the next one too. Happy New Year Jon.
-Matt
Paul: Thank you! The circular staircase in the back was the feature that turned this into a "must do" for me. The initial interest was based on the bay windows at the shop level with the stone columns... but then I found pictures showing the staircase and it was all over from there! :D
Matt: Thanks!
I've spent the last couple days beginning the textures for this one. Having let this one rest for such a while, it's taken me a lot longer than usual to break this back apart and figure out what I named all the pieces again! (I'm actually curious this time just how many individual pieces there are... I may just completely break it up to see) There is still a little bit of modeling to be finished, but nothing major at this point. This is still a pretty rough preview and a lot of things need adjusting, but it gives an idea of where things are headed.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_Preview03.jpg&hash=78b1b5d39069d38985435b4f75b616488a6251a0)
I'm thinking the overall color is too dark (or maybe just too brown) making it look more like some of the Maxis tenament high rises that nobody likes. :D So I need to fix that somewhat... and then make all the little detailing pieces jump out a little more. I knew going in that this was going to be a tough one just because there really isn't an accent color to provide contrast. So I need to tinker with things some more to make them stand out despite being the same color. It's coming along though.
JB
Wow! This one's looking fantastic, Jon!
Personally, I like the brown color, too, though I'm sure whatever you come up with for it will be absolutely stunning.
I do have a question--how big is the lot for this one going to be? I went back over your previous posts but didn't see anything.
No matter the size, it's going to be great!
Dustin
I think something orange-brown would look nice =)
and yeah... i think there were several huge brown tenements that Maxis made xD
- Allan Kuan
Jon I trust you no matter what sir!!! that is my final word here on this building otherwise I am loving the progress you do got!!!!
I don't think it is too dark or too brown at all. I think the color might be a bit washed out (giving it that tenament look), but I like how it's coming together. Perhaps a bit bolder, more saturated brown might work. Either way, I'm sure it'll look amazing once it is done.
-Matt
Very nice factory Jon, A lot of great details you put here my friend ! &apls
Wow ;D That is just stunning! Can't wait to see the finished product!
Dustin: Thank you! I think the brown ended up being alright once I worked on the accent colors a bit more. This should fit on a very tight 3x3... but I may go 4x4 with it. Not really sure yet! ;)
Allan: I didn't really want to go too orange. Historically, this is based off of Chicago's oldest surviving skyscraper and I really didn't think orange would fit that particular time frame.
Pat: Well then, thank you!
Matt: Thanks!
Arthur: Well it's not a factory... but I'm glad you like it anyway! :D
Kant: Thank you!
Alright... it took a little longer to wrap this one up than I had hoped. I think it's just about there now though. I ended up tweaking the accent textures enough that I didn't change the brick at all and I'm pretty happy with how that turned out. I have a couple lighting things to fix... mostly the circular staircase (which you can't even tell is lit up right now!) and the main entry. For some reason, the revolving door isn't allowing light to shine through right now, so I need to figure that part out yet.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_SWDay01.jpg&hash=beb46d7614b6b23e33e20f02afb5188a9430337a)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_NorthDayNight01.jpg&hash=365a5bfe2ed5a5df68b1a826f943c7069856a7cd)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_SWNight01.jpg&hash=d080052600df1f7ff2baf904b977dafd71d0fd3c)
Other than those couple of things, I think this is done... unless of course I've missed something! ::) In the meantime...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview01.jpg&hash=b6c51bab69e1be5ad41ce247775d76e3f7f711a8)
It probably doesn't look like a whole lot yet, but it's a little sneak peak at the next one. This is floors 4-19 of what will eventually be 22 or 23 stories tall. The Hunter-Dulin Building is an oldie from San Francisco and has been on my list for quite a while. I figured now that I live here, I ought to go ahead and do something with it! :D Unfortunately, pictures of the front have been hard to find so far... probably because of a couple taller buildings right across the street... so I'm sure I'll get a litte inventive with this one. The final lot will be 4 wide by I'm not really sure yet... the depth will depend on what I do with the base.
Til next time,
JB
Looks great! Really looks like there is quite a bit of detail there on the inside in the night shots. Is the circular staircase that rounded portion on the back-inside? If so, I think it will look just about perfect once that is lit up. :D
As a St. Louisian I appreciate your recreation of the Buder Building one of the many architectural gems that this city has lost, but there are plenty of other buildings in St. Louis that you should consider making (Still standing and demolished). ;)
I really like how the Chicago Building has turned out and can't wait to see it on the LEX
Speaking of the LEX when do you plan on uploading the university set, it looks great in your MD.
Wow, Jon! I'm used to being impressed when I stop in here, but you never cease to amaze me, my friend!
Excellent work, as always! I'll be waiting eagerly to download!
Take care!
Dustin
I love how that building looks. The textures,the style, and the nightlighting remind me of JasonCWs stuff which I am also a big fan of. Has that Maxis look but with greater detail that I like top notch work.
Been keeping an eye on your continuously-amazing work lately hoping to pick up some tricks that will improve my limited skills. I haven't improved a bit, but I've thoroughly enjoyed watching your creativity at work! :D Not surprisingly, I have a huge collection of your BATs in my plugin folder, and now I have reason to hope for more.
Thanks for sharing your work in progress with us along with the finished products.
Later...
Joan
Bloody well amazing, my friend. Keep it up.
Cheers,
Kevin
Well Jon here's something (http://www.bayarearadio.org/schneider/111suttr.shtml) or
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fen.structurae.de%2Ffiles%2Fphotos%2F1%2F100km023%2Fpict5343.jpg&hash=fca6794677a970ec73f7a877a5c03f2b3ceeac11)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg75.imageshack.us%2Fimg75%2F120%2Fhunterdulinat9.jpg&hash=3fbcbc20a39d4cd9d95654553c2dcf146522161c)
I hope those might help you out in some way for Hunter Dulin....
pat
Hey Jon,
&apls
The building looks great Jon, but I have a little question for ya. Does the LOD fit tight over the roof of the middle lower part of the building? I have an idea....
Great work on this one. &apls
The Hunter-Dulin Building looks like a great next choice.
Robin :thumbsup:
Wow! Those look great! &apls &apls
I cant wait to see more. ;D :thumbsup: &apls
-un1
Welcome to page 96!
Kant: Thank you! The interior details are really just a simple trick of the floor textures. ;)
Pknitty: Thanks! I really enjoyed the Buder Building as well. I've noticed that St Louis is a pretty good place for older buildings, so I wouldn't be surprised to find another from there at some point. The University set will make its way to the LEX eventually, but I don't have any concrete timeframe in mind just yet. In the meantime, you can always find it on the DVD. :thumbsup:
Dustin: Thank you! The final lighting tweaks are almost finished, so I'm hoping to get the Rookery finished up sometime next week.
SimNation: Thanks! I'd add Nofunk and Spa to that list too and I'm honored to be part of it.
Joan: Thank you! Feel free to ask for any specific hints you'd be interested in. In the meantime, there will always be more as long as I can keep some sort of focus... :D
Kevin: Thanks! I'm bloody glad you like it! :D
Pat: I had seen that website and the first of your pictures, but that second one will definitely come in handy for the base. Thank you!
Robin: Thanks! I haven't actually fitted the final LOD yet. I wasn't planning on a tight fit over that section, but it wouldn't take too much to get reasonably close. It kind of depends on what you have in mind, I suppose. I can definitely do a rough notch out of that lightwell with no trouble though.
Un1: Thank you!
Well, the Rookery Building is almost finished. I have a rather long weekend of work ahead of me (starting in about an hour), so I'm hoping to get that wrapped up and exported on Monday. In the meantime, I made a little more headway with the Hunter-Dulin Building. It's starting to look like something now... ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview02.jpg&hash=315317893cbfd3b97774e4da8315bc2020c860d9)
Since Pat posted a picture, you can see that the upper floors are a bit more involved with set backs (it's even worse around the back!) so it's sort of slow trying to get everything lined up. But we'll get there eventually... :D
JB
Hey Jon,
Well my idea....I seem to always be thinking "ghetto" and I thought a nice chalk outline, garbage, or other smaller toy props might look good on that lower roof.
Side note...As many of you know I wasn't very creative when I made my username. &ops Rooker is my family name, and my Uncle has a small barn on his property that he calls the "Rookery". It basically stores all the "man toys" and is for making his beers and wines.
Anyways, if the building is named after me, I thank you and if not I hope my little story above was interesting.
The Hunter-Dulin Building is coming along great.
Robin :thumbsup:
I can't stop drooling! These buildings are simply beautiful Jon :thumbsup: &apls
I sowwies Jon to throw in a curve ball here.... I just hope I wasnt to much a pain in the royal when digging up the pics for ya's.... BTW the progress is looking nice there and I cant wait till next week to see more!!!
pat
Robin: Hmmm... I guess that also helps me with whether or not to make a residential version of this one! :D I'll definitely notch that area out... although your props may end up floating just slightly above the roof (shouldn't be too noticable though). I'm glad you like the Hunter-Dulin Building! As for the Rookery Building, that's a great story but I can't give you credit this time. From "cityofchicago.org"...
Quote
It takes its name from a temporary City Hall and water tank that stood on the site following the Fire of 1871. A favorite roost for pigeons, these structures were referred to as "the rookery."
Tag_one: Thank you very much!
Pat: I'm not sure what you're sorry about, but I'll gladly forgive whatever it was! :D Like I said, that second picture will be most helpful when I return to the lower floors of the building. Actually, looking closer, I see a lot of similarities between the base of the Hunter-Dulin Building and the Citizen Building I did a while ago... maybe that's not so strange since both buildings are in northern California though. Either way, thank you again!
I got a little further with the "penthouse" levels in the last couple days... mostly by staying up much later than I should (kind of like right now!)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview02B.jpg&hash=f8a9cbb73f8aaa3e729c6113e5e3100821a30b50)
Unfortunately, as I prepared to put the rear portions of these floors together, I made the very irritating discovery that I screwed up. My measurements were off by just enough that there is currently no way to fit those final pieces properly. :'( The good news is that I think I've got the solution sorted out... the bad news is that it will probably take me several hours tomorrow to fix everything. Oh well... what are you going to do? Lucky for me, tomorrow is a short workday! :D
JB
Ouch, that bites! But I'm used to spending hours on something that doesn't work out - all a part of learning for the lesser BATters like me! ;) I'm confident you'll be able to work it out, though.
Later...
Joan
Sorry about the troubles. But it looks great thus far :D
That must be so annoying. &mmm
This building is looking terrific, though, and I can't wait to see the finished version! :thumbsup:
Joan: Yeah... I was definitely a bit bummed, but it's all taken care of now. :thumbsup:
Kant: Thanks!
Girlfromverona: Thank you!
So I spent most of this afternoon fixing what I screwed up... and then finishing off the back portions of the penthouse floors. Here's a look at where things are at now...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview03A.jpg&hash=fa15628e73be9cc970f24ecb52e3c50271819464)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview03B.jpg&hash=df44c64319758244b93403e478e065a0ce0b5cfa)
Who ever said mosaics are just for Mayor Diaries? :D If you're just checking in for (hopefully) pretty pictures, feel free to stop reading now... that's pretty much the entire update in a nutshell anyway! If, on the other hand, you're curious about what went wrong and why, the rest of this post is for you... ;)
You may be comparing today's image with the one from last night and thinking, "But Jon, I really don't see a difference there! What was really so terrible that needed to be redone?" Well, in all honesty, I probably could have fudged a couple other sections and just moved on. But it meant losing some details that I really didn't want to lose. Here's what happened:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_ProblemCorner01.jpg&hash=6f203375735bf7d62febd82731a1d85f1de10e46)
The main issue stemmed from the way this corner fit together. I originally spent a fair bit of time just making sure things matched up on the front and the sides, but neglected to take the back into account... which is when things started to fall apart. There are a number of elements in play here... the columns need to match up with the lower floors on both facades, there is a small set back between the 19th and 20th floors, and there are 3 different sized window "clusters" to take into account.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_ProblemCorner02.jpg&hash=3684f1174145f17349a024d7434e21ac99a09397)
The red lines show where the innermost edge of my corner columns originally ended up in relation to the corners of the lower floors. The green lines show where they were supposed to be. Actually, I knew this even when I started making this area, but I didn't think it was that important since all three sides were lined up anyway. It wasn't until I got to the north facade that I realized how finely tuned this would need to be. So the question became, how to get those upper columns where they belonged without ruining everything else. I couldn't just make that little corner bigger because then there would be no room for the windows labeled as A... I couldn't just slide things around because then the other columns wouldn't line up.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_ProblemCorner03.jpg&hash=84f269ab7b4b9680283bf455fae341bcdfadefba)
And this is the trouble section on the north facade. Column B and C needed to line up and Column A cannot move any further to the left than it already is (at least not until I make all the changes I ended up needing to make). In addition, I needed to keep the single windows between columns A and B, which there wouldn't have been enough room for by simply sliding things closer to A. So... what did I end up doing? First, I made the 20th floor setback slightly smaller which gave me a little more room on that small window in the second picture. Then I made all the columns slightly thinner (a difference of only 0.2 meters) which also added some space to the right of that same window. Finally I was able to nudge the wall on the left closer to the small window. All these things combined bought me an extra 0.65 meters... or just under half the width of a single window on this building... which was just enough. It actually still isn't quite as accurate as it should be, but it was enough to make the pieces fit. Then it was just a matter of going all the way around and making the changes to all the columns and corners.
Anyway... that's the long version of the story. You know, in case you were ever curious about what goes into these things. (Or in case, heaven forbid, you think there are things to be learned in this thread!) :D
JB
Glad to see you were able to work through the misfit - I knew you could do it. It's very interesting to see those views in progress and to read about the creative aspect. I wondered about the windows when I first saw three windows on that upper floor taking up the same amount of space as two on the floors below it. I noted the different shapes as well which, IMO, speaks of an older architectural style.
I've no doubt this will be yet another highly-anticipated and widely-used BAT.
Later...
Joan
P.S. Love the roof. I had a Formica counter top that same color in my kitchen one time - we moved not long afterward. :P
Quote from: Jmouse on January 12, 2009, 04:27:04 PM
P.S. Love the roof. I had a Formica counter top that same color in my kitchen one time - we moved not long afterward. :P
LOL! Classic. :D
Glad you managed to fix the problem, JB. This is one magnificent looking building! :thumbsup:
Joan: Thanks! The 19th floor (with the triple windows) is unchanged... its' one of those features that always seem to make these types of buildings interesting. God bless bright yellow formica! :D
Girlfromverona: Thank you!
Switching back for just a moment... I think this is about as good as the lighting will get. I've been tinkering with the circular staircase for the last couple days (off and on, of course) but this is about the best I've come up with. I think the problem is that there is no floor to shine light onto.. so I'm shining light on a wall that isn't visible from every angle...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_Preview04.jpg&hash=d71d9f36175b6342796339d05cef5ab121750445)
Either way... I'm going to set this up for exporting when I go to bed toninght. Hopefully, there are no last minute demands... :D
JB
That looks fantastic JB!
No last minute demands from me :D
That is awesome :o
Wow, that was some impressive "nudging" to get all that to fit right. It looks beautiful. I hadn't noticed the details before of the people on there. It looks incredible!
As for the other building, I think the circular staircase lighting is sufficient and I sort of like that it is subtle. But on the off chance that you still wanted to make it brighter, would it be terribly tedious to go ahead and model floors for the entire thing?
I love these both these buildings and cannot wait to see them available! :D
The night lights look fine to me. As for last-minute demands, just let me know when and where to DL!
Later...
Joan
Put me down for Joan's last-minute demands, Jon! Fabulous work, as always, my friend!
Dustin
Hey JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
Enjoy your work, barely broke in the last school pack, now I find more to observe. You must have some sort of source to get all those architectural details... to create them would have to be so time consuming.
The 'encasing' for the spiral stairs is really good and I hope it does show up I'd like to study it further. I am something of a frustrated architect gone mechanical designer technician.
Seeing some of the chosen subjects 'preserves' a number of architectural sensibilities of the past and making it alive in this new media. Its kinda odd that a game would act as an archive of sorts, ya know?
Jack
Hey Jon wow what a wonderful progress on the Hunter Dunlin!!! I see you had some troubles, but alas knowing you I knew you would solve it and kick it in the rear!!!
Now on the other building looking real nice there for sure dude lol :D ;) I couldn't tell if you gotten the turn doors to light up?
I, too, like the subtleness of the staircase lighting. Great work! &apls
Alfred.Jones: Thank you! I'm glad you like it!
JoeST: Thanks!
Kant: Thank you! All the nudging took a fair amount of time, but it all worked out in the end. For the Rookery Building, there are floors modeled in everywhere except that circular staircase! :D The reason being the way the windows follow the steps up as they go around the curved wall. The only way to really add any floors there would be to model a staircase. My past experience shows that modeled interior stairways usually just create more shadows, making the lighting just as difficult. So... it will have to be what it is this time. &mmm
Joan: Thank you!
Dustin: Thanks so much!
Jack_wilds: Thank you! The circular staircase is actually fairly simple from a modeling standpoint. It has the window with a sill below and a header above, the wall, and a thin column between each section. That's essentially it... then it was just a matter of stepping the windows up as they wrap around. To be honest, I do end up creating most of the detailing for each building. Trying to borrow pieces and then make them fit perfectly takes just as long as it does to make them from scratch, really. The statue reliefs on the Hunter-Dulin building are an exception, though... I borrowed those from SimGoober. ;)
Pat: Thank you! Unfortunately, I didn't get much further with the lighting around the revolving doors either. They're a little better, but not by as much as I had hoped.
Girlfromverona: Thank you!
No pictures tonight, but I just wanted to stop by and catch up on replies. The Rookery Building is finished, lotted, and shipped off to one of several top secret testing facilities operated by the BSC. I ended up getting a little carried away with lot options this time around... it just seemed like such a versatile building! There are CS$, CO$$, R$, and R$$ versions... sizes vary between 3x3 and 4x4... stages run from 6-11. There are plop versions of the CS$ and CO$$ as well. The CS$ version is probably a stretch in all honesty, but I thought it might be a good way to deal with the demand for that which never seems to go away! If all goes well, you may be able to have this one for yourselves in a week or so.
Til next time,
JB
Jon good news and I cant wait for my copy ;) Sorry that you wasn't able to get the lighting the way you had wanted but I bet it does look good though knowing you!!!
Pat
Pat: Thanks Pat!
Back to the RUSA Project for a moment... it took a while for the smarter people to teach me this, but I think I finally managed to understand enough about sloped lots to make an apartment complex work (sort of)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Complex04A.jpg&hash=313f72597092f0eed923ab9f963d115bf0cdb05b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Complex04B.jpg&hash=42c5aa30939b9de7fdf58feee81525f524d2c4a4)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Complex04C.jpg&hash=293e0e452312c2e8622d05f20de4f41e07cb8e06)
These are all the same lot. The first two are different rotation of the same place... the third one is actually on a much gentler slope. I didn't "prep" the land at all before zoning the lot (which is 6x5 by the way) simply because I wanted an extreme situation to look at. I would expect that most people using a lot of this size would probably smooth things out some first, resulting in a parking lot you could actually park in! :D It does show that a larger growable lot like this will work fairly well. There are a couple issues with where the porch of the building meets the porch of the foundation... this is basically a design flaw on my part. I'm still trying to decide how important of a problem that is (and whether it needs to be fixed or simply ignored)... so any input there is appreciated. ;)
JB
Nice to see they can grow with such crazy slopes &apls
Well, I have seen parking lots in San Francisco that look equally dangerous (see pic below), so it's not all too unrealistic, actually. ;) The foundations look great, and I don't mind if the porch is a tiny bit off in certain places - even Maxis buildings look rather odd in certain places...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg206.imageshack.us%2Fimg206%2F7866%2Fsfparkingdn1.jpg&hash=500cf5bbf973b1e1fe8a3fbe2a5b8801f675ea23) (http://imageshack.us)
Those apartments look great! I am impressed that they do look so natural on the slopes. That is something I have been afraid to attempt. Nice work :D
The apartments look great to me, JB. As for the parking lots, I'd rather have the slope-friendly buildings than flat parking lots. And you're going to have to show me the problem with the porch - I don't see it! ::)
Absolutely terrific work - gotta' love it...
Joan
I REALLY hope you release those apartments, something that's long been missing from SC4.
Always something new to see, and always something to learn (yes, I said learn). Still a bit confused about what all went on with the tower whose name eludes me, but perhaps looking at it in the morning might help. I would be interested if you could point me to the sources you used for your slope designs. That is a technique that would be useful to know. Hope all is well with work and family, and I'll keep an eye out for further stuff.
-Matt
SimNation: Thanks! They're honestly much more forgiving than I expected.
Andreas: Thank you! I've seen some of those parking lots too, although the spots that really scare me are where people are parked on the street facing downhill! (There are big reminders everywhere around here to turn your wheels into the curb :D )
Kant: Thanks! The slope friendly part is what has been holding these back for so long... it's nice to finally be getting somewhere with them.
Joan: Thank you! The most obvious porch glitches are along the sidewalk running up the middle of the lot in the third picture. (But it's also fixed now, so you won't see it again anyway ;) )
WillG: Thanks! I REALLY plan to release them starting very soon. ;)
Matt: Thank you! Looking back over that post, I really didn't do a very good job of explaining the penthouse issues on the Hunter-Dulin Building. The majority of my help on the slope designs came from Cycledogg and Jmyers on the BSC board. I'm still not comfortable enough with it to make my own foundations... and I honestly only have the most basic knowledge of how the different slop properties impact what a lot can and can't do. I'll always try to be of help, but I don't know how much good that will really be in this case! :D
I've packaged up the Camalot Apartments and sent them off to yet another of those top secret testing facilities. In the meantime, I got a start on Arbor Woods this afternoon. These are the 3x2 medium wealth (which is the only wealth level this time) version. I'm going to try to get a good start on some mega lot complexes still tonight...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Lot01.jpg&hash=f33823627117612ade1580ca723a8488762caf46)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Lot02.jpg&hash=069a2552368bb73fa748f1da512e9e87cc6d960f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Lot03.jpg&hash=3e2bee2be6888f943d0bc77e27081804c8b2243c)
As you can see, I'm still testing these on the most ridiculous slopes I can find. I figure that if they work here, they should be no problem for the people who actually plan ahead for them. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the front steps are even allowed to overhang the lot into the sidewalk a little bit.
More to come later,
JB
*EDIT... it's later! :D
Just a little test of concept:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Complex01A.jpg&hash=cfab4855c8db63ab954b4969dcedca00a320216f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Complex01B.jpg&hash=f5fa4b67885d879b64e71d14bacf5985a17b2714)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Complex01C.jpg&hash=feffab45a70b6807d1bdaed18cec41f9e56beab8)
You're actually looking at 5 different lots here. I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if I tried to make a large apartment complex in pieces. In theory, they could each grow separately, or be grouped together in the hopes that they would grow properly. In reality, it would probably require tons of patience (and bulldozing) to get this result... and the individual pieces have the potential to look pretty dumb all by themselves. So... I don't know if I'm really going to continue with this idea or not. But I thought it looked cool, so I posted some pictures. :D I may tinker with this some more... I don't know... ;)
JB
I disagree with you, they look super cool and you should keep the project and perhaps do some more of the sme kind. They look very suitable for mountain villages with steep slopes, where most of the other lots look weird. ;)
Quote from: JBSimio on January 20, 2009, 08:15:28 PM
Andreas: Thank you! I've seen some of those parking lots too, although the spots that really scare me are where people are parked on the street facing downhill! (There are big reminders everywhere around here to turn your wheels into the curb :D )
Ah, you mean those:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg164.imageshack.us%2Fimg164%2F2199%2Fsfparking2kh6.jpg&hash=b3185697f81d17ce550479030fd97ad743651469) (http://imageshack.us)
I don't want to be the delivery guy - there must be a mess inside that van, with everything piled up at the front wall of the box. :D
Those new lots look excellent as well - and I also like the large ones. It would surprise me if they'd grow that way on their own indeed, but what about making a 12x12 mega lot instead? The only real limit is the number of props and textures that can be added, but I don't think you'll hit that limit soon with your setup.
Yes, these lots would be great if they were abnormal, unused spaces, such as 4x12 or 7x13. That way we can get rowhouses to grow where we want and these amazing apartments where we want them, specifically. Excellent work on slope-friendly, I am very impressed.
The details you've included on the BATs is superb. Clever way you did the stair areas with the lattice behind, too. The buildings do need to grow in groups and the methodology for that is beyond me, but it looks like you're getting some good suggestions.
Later...
Joan
Rayden: Thanks! Don't worry... I won't be abandoning the whole project by any means. Probably just the "complex in pieces" idea will get tossed out. There are five different apartment buildings (actually six if you count the two styles for Stratton Apartments), most with different color combinations... so there are plenty more on the way. Stratton Apartments and Camalot Apartments are both in testing now... Arbor Woods is the current one... Pheasant Run and Evergreen Hills are still coming. ;)
Andreas: Thank you! The scary thing is that it looks like that truck is full of seafood! Very messy, indeed... :D I initially avoided a 12x12 lot just because of the crime bug. I know Ripplejet found and advertised a solution to that a while ago... but I still wonder if there are enough proper police stations out there to call it a "fixed problem" for most people. But... then I decided that I'll just make the 12x12 lots anyway. ;)
Rushman: Thanks! I'll have to tinker with some of the more uncommon lot sizes that you mentioned. It's really all a matter of making them fit and still looking alright. We'll see what happens though.
Joan: Thank you! The lattice work, and everything else to do with the foundations (which in this case is the cream colored parts below the porches) is all thanks to Cycledogg. He made the foundations for all of these and I can take no credit for how good they look. All I can do is be happy he did such a great job on them! Growing a bunch of the single building lots is not easy to do... especially because they are such common sizes with plenty of competition. (I found this out in Covington real quick... I don't know how many of SimGoober's rowhomes I bulldozed waiting for that last "right" apartment to grow!) Growing a mega lot is the easiest way to go... provided you zone for it and have the demand. That's where this next idea comes in...
Speaking of SimGoober... I had what I thought was a fairly cool brain storm at work today. Then I came home, looked at the BSC board and found a comment from him in which he suggested exactly what I had been thinking about. Instead of just one lot with a bunch of buildings on it, how about making a "series" of mega lots that will upgrade through different growth stages? That way, you can zone them early and still have something grow there even if the demand isn't that high yet. A lot this large, you'd either have to let it sit blank for a while, or the game would just break it apart into smaller lots anyway... but if the lot is mostly empty, it has a lower stage, and therefore it can grow earlier... and then upgrade with your demand. (At least I think that's how it works! :D) So here's a little teaser with that in mind...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Phase1.jpg&hash=1a93f8d5e506fec3c3900f1d5611f1e769348c88)
Arbor Woods - Phase I: 12x12 Stage 1 lot, three buildings, R$$ - 418
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Phase2.jpg&hash=4d1a5a7eae9f635191268393718456460c3d5ec9)
Arbor Woods - Phase II: 12x12 Stage 3 lot, six buildings, R$$ - 834
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Phase3.jpg&hash=ca63e0e1e54e1b6d32867f5a09eb41754835d724)
Arbor Woods - Phase III: 12x12 Stage 5 lot, ten buildings, R$$ - 1387
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Phase4.jpg&hash=7f661ff81fadc5922091e2e0165615d2af6717e4)
Arbor Woods - Phase IV: 12x12 Stage 6 lot, sixteen buildings, R$$ - 2218
Obviously, these are completely undressed (cover the kid's eyes!) test lots at this point. Truth be told, they're plopped... but the values listed are pretty accurate for what the growable versions would be. Ultimately, the bare undeveloped parts in the earlier phases will be wooded or something to mimic a complex started on the edge of town. As they upgrade, the woods get cleared and more buildings are added. That's the plan anyway. Because this could easily become a long process... I'll probably start releasing the single building lots first and making the mega lots into a later release. But in the meantime... I'll keep tinkering with this idea.
JB
JB,
You sir are a bright, shining star. These would be awesome lots if you can pull it off. Backtracking a little bit with the uneven terrain, I am just waiting to see the next picture where the earth has opened up and swallowed all signs of civilization :)
Looks very good :D I've been thinking lately that SC4 needs some appartment complexes. One thought; if it were possible, would you be for Transit Enabling? Oh, and should have a building somewhere near the middle that is the apartment office too, just to add some realism.
Now that I see this, makes me want to model some of the apartments around me and throw them in the game the same way $%#Ninj2
These will not be transit-enabled because if they were, they would not upgrade at all. Transit-enabling prevents lots from upgrading like normal RCI lots.
-Swamper
Jon OMG WOW!!! fracking amazing sir!!!! WOW!!! I honestly have no words to truly express what I am thinking here at all... I do have one suggestion though when you do the first stage with a few buildings on it when lotting would it be possible to have a field look to it? I mean like you know the farmers look where there is still some corn growing and some muddy look to it...
That is just a thought I had for the Stage 1 and for the stage 2 - 3 maybe throw in a construction sites or building foundations? The final stage I think the middle would look great with a pool and patio area sorta like what you showed on 20th @ 10:15 PM cst...
OK so I found my train of thoughts of what to say lol... I hope I didnt sound like I was rambling to much but dang I love the idea of upgrading Arbor Woods Residental!!!! I cant wait to see more!!!
Patrick
I had a feeling that was the case Swamper, just wanted to check and make sure.
Those upgradable lots.....freakin genius. Simgoober is a think-tank in his own right. Excellent concept and beautiful (so far) execution.
What a wonderful idea, JB - beautiful slope-friendly apartments that grow in response to R$, $$ and $$$ demands. As somebody once said, "What will they think of next!"
I've seen many apartment complexes in RL that develop in just the way you described. You've already thought of the pool/patio and dumpster lots, and I'm sure you'll get many more good ideas. I've no idea how props fit into an overall in-game process like this. Since they don't grow - at least none of mine ever did ;) - I wonder about adding things over time or allowing room for them. For example, a fence and fancy stone signs at the entrance might look good in the $$ stages. And in the $ stage, I'd plant some weeds and wildflowers on the undeveloped lots if I could.
I really like all the apartments you've made, and this particular project is especially exciting.
Joan
Projectadam: Awww shucks... thanks! I'm fairly confident that it can be pulled off in some form... but there are a couple details I need to learn before I can say what that final form might be. That uneven terrain is actually the "Big City Tutorial" from the Timbuktu region that shipped with Rush Hour. I use it a lot for testing residential lots just because it's one of the few larger cities with lots of demand that I don't have any custom content in (I never save it when I'm done checking things). It really is quite an eye opener to see how far we've come with slope mods, isn't it? ;)
XiahouDun: Thanks! I'm still considering a leasing office building or something along those lines... it really boils down to if I want to make 5 of them or try to come up with something generic enough that it would fit any of the complexes. :D
Swamper: Thanks for adding that. I rarely remember to TE the things that I really could (some school driveways would have been a good idea!) anyway... ::)
Pat: Holy buckets! I'm really glad you like the idea so much! And thank you for all the extra ideas. Some of them were already in my head... like the pool/patio area... but there are a couple others that I hadn't thought of which I really like. The farm fields are a great idea which I am completely planning to use now. Some construction underway also sounds good depending on how things shape up. Maybe on of the complexes could switch color schemes half way through as if they just got a new paint job? Who knows... so many possibilities! ;)
Rushman: Thanks! It's kind of scary to think that I was having the same ideas as one of the masters like SimGoober! (I suppose that could be taken a few different ways... but we'll just leave that alone and assume it was the humble compliment to him that it was meant to be) :D
Joan: Thank you! You're right in that props don't grow... there is some relation to the wealth level of the lot which helps to determine if a certain prop will show up though. This process is actually a little simpler than that. Basically, all I'm trying to do is use the game's growth stages to my advantage. The "upgrading" here is nothing like the upgradable seaports... instead each phase is an entirely new lot set to a higher growth stage. It can still be completely random though. It's exactly like when the Maxis "small cottages" lot grows into the Maxis "two story house"... the difference here is that the next lot in the sequence isn't something entirely new. Instead it's an extension of the previous stage. My hope is that making these lots in sizes that few (if any) other people have used will make it more likely that my sequence is the only option for that lot. (In reality, the whole lot will still go to that blank construction phase in between each upgrade) Going back to the props... this means that I can leave things off the early stage lots and add them to the first lot that seems appropriate.
There are still a few things to be answered before I'll know for sure how well this may or may not work. I'd like to make different wealth levels a part of this as well... but that may complicate things a bit more. The biggest thing I want to avoid is any possibility that the lot could go "backwards." It would be nice to have low, medium, and high wealth versions of these... but I'm not exactly sure how the growth stages are impacted when a lot goes from R$ to R$$. I'd hate to see a low wealth Phase III "upgrade" to a medium wealth Phase II! That just seems kind of silly... but I'm not sure about that yet. Worst case is that there would be a complete series that begins as low wealth and passes through medium wealth on its way to high wealth. The only drawback to this would be that you could never have a "finished" complex in low wealth. It's either that or each series is one wealth level only. So... we'll see.
No real new progress tonight. I played with some ideas and changed to a six stage series... but I don't really want to start a bunch of lotting until the issue above is sorted out. I just wanted to stop in and give a little update anyway. ;)
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on January 22, 2009, 11:16:02 PM
Swamper: Thanks for adding that. I rarely remember to TE the things that I really could (some school driveways would have been a good idea!) anyway... ::)
Jon,
You can transit-enable plops without any issue, other than they may change the slopes of the nearby roads when they connect to them and cars will be stopping at the new intersections. There have been various arguments over transit-enabling lots. Some want the TE'ing done so the lot's driveways will connect to the roadways. Others will say that the extra intersections will slow down traffic and affect the Sims' commutes. Personally, I rather not have lots TE'd so I can place them where I want to and not affect the slopes of the nearby roadways.
-Swamper
Normally I'm against them too, but a lot that size with the drives just kinda begs for it :D
Xaihou Dun,
I hear you, but it would prevent his project from upgrading through the various phases if he did that. It would be stuck at whichever phase developed for eternity. Best not to for this project ;)
-Swamper
LoL Jon I know aint it scary me with some Ideas lol... Gaaah what is this world coming to hehehehe Anywho I like the idea there about the "Maybe on of the complexes could switch color schemes half way through as if they just got a new paint job?" now that would be interesting to say the lease... But other then switching models on that point how would it work to change the coloring?
How about all the $$$ are one lot size, such as 9x9, all $$ are one size like 9x10 and all $ are one size like 10X9. This way they would be "compatible?" I dunno, but the issue you raised is certainly a head scratcher.
We'll come back to this shortly, but in the meantime...
The Rookery Building (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1950)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRookery_Advert.jpg&hash=e350249089960eef959e8fa685a26709a9ed1cc3)
Enjoy!
JB
Beautiful JB. The night lighting turned out really well, especially on the first floor. It really looks like there is something in there and that it's not just a texture on the floor.
Jon simply amazing!!!!!
JB, that building is just superb - like all your work! The night lighting is exceptionally good - shows off the detail in the windows and especially at the entrance. In fact, the entry reminds me of some oldies but goodies that once ruled downtown Houston. Too bad they're gone in RL, but wonderful to have things like that in game!
Later...
Joan
Swamper: Yeah... I know that plops don't really present a problem for making the driveway TE. I just meant that never remember to do it! :D
XiahouDun: I agree that is would certainly look better... especially, as you say, for something so large. Unfortunately, it's just not going to happen in this case.
Pat: To be honest, switching the building models is exactly how that idea would work. Camalot Apartments would be the exception, but all of the other apartments I've made for this set have at least two color schemes... so it would be fairly simple to just swap them out somewhere along the line. (It would also save a little work in that I wouldn't have to make double the number of lots to cover each color) ;)
Rushman5: Making different sized lots would certainly work, but it would also limit the usability of the lots somewhat. (Experts like Ripplejet or Barby can correct this next part if I'm wrong, but...) The main reason for making different growth stages and different wealth levels on the same lot size is so that the lot is still viable regardless of how the city evolves around it. If I made a 12x12 lot that was only low wealth, then it would never be able to adjust to its surroundings if everything around it grew into high wealth. That lot would always remain "poor" even though the rest of the neighborhood got better. In most instances, we don't really have to think about it much because there are so many different buildings which use the same lot size. (Consider how many 1x2 residential lots have been made over the years) Because I'm intentionally trying to use lot sizes that haven't been filled much yet, I need to pay a little bit more attention to the extra possibilities.
Spa: Thank you! The first floor texture is a bit of a new one which worked out really well. I think all the bay windows and columns helped create extra shadows and things down there too.
Pat: Thanks!
Joan: Thank you! Considering that there were several things with the lighting that just never ended up going my way, it still turned out pretty well. Sadly, buildings like this are getting harder and harder to find in the US... I wonder if we'll ever learn that bulldozing is not always the best way to grow.
I haven't had a whole lot of time lately, so there isn't a lot in the way of updates right now. I did make up some very basic test lots to experiment with the idea of Phases for the apartment complexes. I've run a couple tests so far, but until I get a little further in the process, there isn't much to be said.
I also started in on the roof of the Hunter-Dulin Building. Depending on when I can get back home today, I'm hoping to have an update of that later tonight. I haven't started on the base yet, mainly because I'm still debating which base to do. The original building has a base which uses the same shape and size as the floors above it, which would put the building somewhere in the 4x2 or 3 size. However, there is a later addition which left the front pretty much unchanged, but added quite a bit to the back (including a roof garden) and ultimately filled the entire block. I like the new version quite a bit, but it would make the overall lot more of a 4x5 or even 4x6. Any votes? (Please don't ask for both... I'm not ruling out the idea of both just yet, but that answer really wouldn't help me much! :D )
JB
4x5. Although there aren't any 4x6 lots, the 4x5 lot is more common and there are less lots available for download as a 4x5. In addition, a 4x6 is unnecessary because of the abundance of 4x4 and 2x2 lots, which would make it square. That is my thought and current problem in the city I'm playing in right now. Good to hear you aren't just wingin the stage growth thing and really planning it out. That kind of effort makes a download worth the wait.
-sean
Rushman5: I'm not sure if going all the way down into the 4x (or even 6x) lot size will work all that well for this. Lots that size wouldn't allow for very many buildings... and even fewer options for arrangement. No, I'm definitely not winging it... this is a pretty new concept for me that I really want to make sure I understand before I go messing around with it too much. :D
Back to the Hunter-Dulin Building just for the fun of it... I've been tinkering with the roof the last couple evenings. It's coming along slowly, but things are shaping up fairly well.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview04.jpg&hash=bd859395103054e5c331fe5b20d3ae952d1e2cb4)
I think I may have gotten the pitch wrong. It really should be steeper... which I'm hoping will also make enough room for the dormer I'm currently missing on either side of the front elevation. It shouldn't be a difficult fix, but it will probably take some time... again... &sly The details along the roof lines just aren't showing up very well at all right now, but that should get much better when they're textured. But for now, that's about it... ;)
JB
lol, i actually meant 4x5 for the Hunter-Dulin, but thats ok. I especially like the steep roof pitches. Its good to see your highest building to date being heavily detailed. How big of a file, 5mb? ya know what, it doesn't matter. Size doesn't matter, its the quality that counts. :P
Ooh, nice roof on that there building! :thumbsup: I disagree about its slope though. I think it's fine just how it is. ;) But hey, it's your building.
Rushman5: Oops... sorry about the confusion, then! :D Heavily detailed? Yeah... I got a little carried away (again!) I have no idea what the model file size may end up. The GMAX file is just under 23MB right now... but that doesn't mean much of anything really. The GMAX file for the Rookery Building was 19.5MB... the model file ended up around 1.1MB. I'm glad you like it!
Deathtopumpkins: Thank you! I changed the slope to make things fit as they were intended (for the most part... ;) ) It wasn't a huge change, but just enough to make the difference I needed.
The roof... the roof... the roof is all finished! We don't need no water, let the... um, nevermind. Actually, the roof is far from finished, but it is closed up at this point. Lots of final detail trim to add, but that's for another day (or two or three).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview05.jpg&hash=6f040189a8a245b1c74e2c3590c0437f0c86f3b4)
Not much to say really... so I think I'll just quietly ease my way out of here...
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on January 30, 2009, 12:18:15 AM
The roof... the roof... the roof is all finished! We don't need no water, let the... um, nevermind. Actually, the roof is far from finished, but it is closed up at this point. Lots of final detail trim to add, but that's for another day (or two or three).
Heh, should I call Pat in then? In all seriousness though, this building is turning out great. So much detail spread around it. In regard to the (not sure what to call them) the little peaks that stick up whose roofs extend into the main one. What method do you use to get them? The easiest way I can figure leaves a flat spot on top, and I haven't found a fast way to get quick ones with a peak. Nice work as usual. Take it easy Jon.
-Matt
As I have said before Jon, this is going to be a great one.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
hehehehee hey now I heard me being called lol $%Grinno$% :D looking good there Jon....
OK, changed my mind! :P The roof looks even better now! :D And the level of detail continues to amaze...
Matt: Thank you! Are you asking about the roof peaks themselves or something to do with the trim? If you can circle what you're looking at somewhere, I'll gladly explain how I made it. ;)
Robin: Thanks!
Pat: Thank God you got here when you did! The whole place was about to go up in some kind of wierd graphic smoke! I'm glad you like it.
Deathtopumpkins: Thanks!
A couple people keep mentioning details on this one. I have to say that the more I study pictures of the real building, the more and more I really love it. Not only are the details astounding, but the overall fit and flow of the building is just incredible. I'm beginning to think that this is the most perfectly designed older high rise I've ever come across. (And considering some of the beauties I grew up near in Detroit and Chicago, that's saying something!) But enough babbling... the roof really is finished this time! Still a few minor "roof junk" type things to add at some point, but there will be very little of that anyway. Here's another nifty little mosaic for you...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview06A.jpg&hash=73fd3e189d45c62b780bf916687b355928f56a41)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview06B.jpg&hash=459d963f3bf462116344d85aa7a3cc84f44797af)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview06C.jpg&hash=e54b1a22f2301c788638d824e124c9775238aa26)
I have some fixes to make on the lowest floor seen here (which is actually the 3rd or 4th floor) and then I'll finally get started on the base for this one!
Til then...
JB
Superb, JB!
Later...
Joan
Jon,
I suppose a pic would help. There are other examples in the pic, but they are covered with the green decorations. I am basically wondering how you create the roof pieces to get the crisp point to the roof that is circled there.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg4.imageshack.us%2Fimg4%2F1595%2Fjbsroofquestiontv7.jpg&hash=a4e0dbd69e4c5004cfaefa23c1a53db09a9138a5)
Now then, in regard to your recent pic, that is amazing. If that is just the tower, I am really looking forward to seeing the base. Amazing work on an amazing building.
-Matt
LoL Jon hehehe I guess I still got it in me to save the day aye ;) Looking good!!! Oooh you said smoke hmmm,
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm1.static.flickr.com%2F148%2F412594713_8fc1fa4a53.jpg%3Fv%3D0&hash=49847265bd8cfcd23fc9edab17487ba0d244280b)
Joan: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks! I thought that you were probably referring to the roof pieces, but I just wanted to be sure... ;) I make all my sloped roof pieces the same way. Here's a quick example of the method... this is a very simple one, but the theory works for just about any sloped roof whether it be a hipped roof, dormer, or whatever:
WARNING!!! Brief Tutorial Adead!!! :D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRoof01.jpg&hash=39f003e1b6253ef2712891f071726509cd3006cc)
For the sake of argument... let's assume you have a simple shed you want to put a roof on. Right now it looks something like this. At this point, I will actually make the roof in two pieces, one for each side. I do this by drawing a line in the top view. Make sure the snap settings are set to 3D, and simply snap the line at each of the four "corners" of your roof.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRoof02.jpg&hash=384706f682417e292d19dc816a305c58123c8ba0)
When you click on your final vertex (whichever one you started with) it will ask you to "Close Spline?" Click yes, and it should look like this. You can also now see the first reason I use a line and not a rectangle. A rectangle drawn in the top view will not follow the slopes... it will just stay on the same Z plane as the first vertex you snapped to. A line actually follows the slope along any of the three planes. More reasons to follow in a moment...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRoof03.jpg&hash=480ba33c603befa242cdddc6e269c577adccb350)
Usually, you'll want to have an overhang on a roof like this. No problem... here's another advantage to using lines. If you go to the modify tab on the right and then click the little plus sign next to your line, a small rollout will drop down with options much like the "Edit Spline" roll out. For the sloped sections of the roof, simply select "Segment" and add a little overhang on each side. The bottom of the roof works the same way, but as you can see, some math will be needed here. (Although this illustrates the final advantage to using lines. Moving vertices and segments around with a line will not warp the segments (for the most part) because the vertices are free to pivot, provided you haven't welded something else to them.)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRoof04.jpg&hash=92974895abc171176eb34eddd2a2699d8212e7c6)
Correcting the roof slope is just a matter of calculating the rise to run ratio of your slope. My wall has a 4 meter rise from the bottom of the slope to the peak... and has a run of 5 meters. Rise to run ratio = 4/5 = 0.8. I'm making an overhang of 0.4 meters so I need to lower the bottom segment accordingly. 0.4 x 0.8 = 0.32... which is the distance I needed to lower this segment. (I use this a LOT... it becomes even more handy when trying to notch out dormers, etc) At this point, one side of the roof is done. I extrude the piece (around 0.2 or 0.3 meters... whatever works for you) and then either clone and rotate it for the other side, or just make a second one, depending on what I'm doing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FRoof05.jpg&hash=40b104c04702e0e174ccbdd790868d3cdb321927)
And this is why drawing the roof in the top view is important. The pieces will extrude straight up, leaving a crisp and clean point at the top. (It's worth mentioning that, because there is no overlap here, this is a good source for light leaks later... I usually put a "ceiling" in somewhere as an added precaution) From here, it's just a matter of dressing the edges with facia boards or whatever else you may want to do.
END brief tutorial...
Pat: Thank you! Ooooh... that smoke is much prettier than what I would have expected to see! :D
Got a pretty good start on the base today. After all the details around the upper floors, this almost seemed too simple. I actually had to compare pictures several times just to convince myself that I wasn't missing a bunch of things somewhere! Here's a look...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_South07.jpg&hash=1bc3421e48cce8a5dd9d4e0b119fad62a1c68027)
That's about all for now. I'm hoping to get a start on the back portions tomorrow while I still have a little time to myself... ::)
JB
So that's what I was doing wrong. Thanks Jon. I had used the line trick for my most recent attempt, but I think I made it in the left view (and consequently it extruded across leaving a nice flat spot to futz with). That's a good point about the overhangs too. Good little tutorial there, and thanks again.
-Matt
holly cow Jon that is wicked!!! OK I learned just today err yesterday on tuesday how to get textures Ive been making/tweaking and what not into the game and now I wish I could BAT!!! That wee little tut made sense to a point and then seeing the end results god man!!!
Matt: Glad it helped! I have a full "tutorial" somewhere from a different request that deals initially with bay windows and angled walls, but later with further roofing for such areas. I can probably send it to you if you'd be interested.
Pat: Thanks! I saw that you were looking into the base textures idea. Good luck on that! It's actually a pretty easy thing to do, really. ;)
So I debated this for a while, and ultimately decided to go with the larger base. I originally thought that this was a later addition to the Hunter-Dulin Building, but it turns out that it was actually the base to a whole separate office tower. The upper floors were later removed and the remaining lower levels expanded. By going with this version, I'll end up with a very urban 4x6 lot which should work nicely as a city block all on its own. (It should also make the growth stage a littlel lower for the non-CAM users) Here's an early teaser...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview08.jpg&hash=deb9a8eb60ac8dc21dc2b844a5ab6baf01008db4)
If you already know where this is going, discuss all you want... but lets hold off on any pictures for the sake of surprise, if you don't mind. ;) Obviously, there is a fair ways to go here yet... but it's a start. I'll have to go back at some point to remove windows from the original building as well, but that's for another day.
JB
Jon,
I am so excited.... &hlp
This is great news indeed that you have decided to go this route.
Robin :thumbsup:
Ah yes. I didn't know what the building was without its textures, but that is going to be a nice one. Will that smaller skylight be staying? As for the tutorial, if it's as good as the one you just made, I'd love to have it. I'll take all the help I can get, and it's always good to know more techniques.
-Matt
So the Hunter-Dunlin building is actually bigger building then thought?? Hmmm now that even throws me for a loop... Jon I am excited getting into textures and I just gotten my range so the textures I've been playing with I can actually work with and leave almost as a final draft...
The base to the extension is looking nice so far and I cant wait to see more of it!!!
*preps plugins for a future addition* :D
Robin: Thanks! I'm glad you like the idea. The larger lot may be a little more limiting in terms of placement options, but I think the end result will be worth it.
Matt: The skylight you see now will indeed stay. Some of it will probably be hidden by the time I'm finished, and this is probably the only angle it will be visible from... but it will be there. I've found the tutorial, I just need to convert it into a format I can send. I'll PM you when I get the chance to finish that.
Pat: Thanks! No... the Hunter-Dulin Building isn't bigger than we thought. This new section is in real life what's left of a completely different building. Apparently, Wells Fargo (which, by the way, is the worst bank ever known if you ask me) used to have an office building there until they moved a couple blocks west. At that time, the upper floors of the tower were dismantled, leaving the part that I'm trying to put together now. Good luck with your textures! I think the most important thing is to pay attention to the numbering system and how it relates to wealth levels. That was the one thing I had some trouble with in the beginning.
XiahouDun: I'll take that as a good sign then... thanks! :D
Well, I got a little further with this. Most of the new things here are still just roughed in, but here's a look...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_North09.jpg&hash=e035e93fa96cfca2b671c99e3e979b8b1fe76dbe)
I'm still trying to decide how to handle that side that I haven't finished yet. I'm thinking that I may make that the "least visible" side of the whole lot... kind of like the back without really being the back. (As if the other three streets are all busy enough to warrant good frontage, and this fourth side is more of a side street or alley) It will all be closed in one way or the other... I just don't know how it will look yet. I should have a fair bit of time during the upcoming week, so hopefully this will start to really take shape soon.
See you then...
JB
Jon that is looking real great tonight err Today lol anyways,
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.jellymuffin.com%2Fimages%2Fhappy_birthday%2Fimages%2F109.jpg&hash=5ec5e0d03f137446c3bab112e72c4f5a7ab563c0)
No hurry on it at all Jon. School is keeping me plenty busy as is the MD world. Whenever you get the chance. Also, happy birthday. The entryway on that side of the building is just stunning. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but the detail on it and the depth is just amazing. The handrails are a nice touch too. As for the back side, I'm not really sure what to say. I don't know the RL building well enough, but I'm sure google maps might offer a decent street view for ideas. I'm sure whatever you come up with it'll turn out well with your usual attention to detail.
-Matt
Wonderful progress on this beauty Jon :thumbsup: Can't wait till you start texturing and nightlighting it ;)
Pat: Thank you! I'll pass on the birthday cat though... it would just make my eyes itch and burn anyway. ;)
Matt: Thanks! That second main entry took quite a while to fit together properly. As for the depth, you're right... all the walls on this newer section are nearly 3 times as thick as my "usual" walls, which gives a lot of room for added depth fitting to a bank structure. (Which is what the new section originally was) Unfortunately, RL pictures of the building won't help on the side in question. The real thing actually continues with a large arched glass skylight running from one street to the other with more buildings on the other side. (I'm really only doing half of the real block here)
Tag_one: Thank you!
It's starting to come together more and more. I managed to get the newest piece closed up. I ended up going with an internal utility area on the "back" side... but somewhat disguised. I think I like the way it turned out.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview10.jpg&hash=c314ede326ef8d24f9a6d943c2f6a90a54d9945e)
I also wrapped up the secondary entrance on the north side of things. (There should really be something similar on the west side, but I think I'm going to skip that) Still a number of little details and minor fixes to go with everything seen here. Once I get those things taken care of, I can start laying out the roof and you'll see (if you don't already know) why I was so excited about adding this whole section. ;)
JB
Jon looking so sweet there!!! :thumbsup: I love the closeup on the corner there wow!!!
Interesting. So the walls are thicker on this one. That actually explains a lot with regard to the setbacks of the windows and all. The archways are good and the secondary entrance is a neat little addition too. I see what you mean about the skylight too. When I first looked at the area it looked like there was a separation between the buildings... go figure. I think it turned out quite well though.
As for the roof top. I know what's up there now, but I'm curious to see your take on it. Does the existence of those windows in the (for lack of a better description) center courtyard mean that they'll be visible in the end product? If so, I'm really interested to see where this goes, both in the regular view and with the nightlighting.
-Matt
I like very much the size (proportions) of this building, and the idea whether it is an ilot in a district.
I have hate to see it with beautiful textures &apls
i really, really like the fact that you included the entire site. I noticed that you have one of the side gates on the ground level open; nice touch! I am wondering if the center courtyard only goes 1 floor down, and if it does, why? Just a curious question, although it looks a little goofy IMO. If there is a bunch of utility on that "courtyard" it will looks nice, but perhaps you may want to create a modern glass roof or dig all the way to the first floor and plant a couple trees and a garden. I am curious to what comes next in this project.
-sean
This is shaping up to be one of the best BATs I've seen, JB - I like this architectural style. The detail work is phenomenal, of course, but the explanation of various elements and techniques along the way is very helpful. Really anxious to see how the texturing turns out.
Later...
Joan
Pat: Thank you! I'm really glad you like it.
Matt: Here's a little comparrison of the walls for you (and Joan too, since she also mentioned it):
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FWallThickness.jpg&hash=08ca3e83a56157e867ebc857ee1563b37d4cec20)
These are cross sections of two different walls. The wall on the right represents my "standard" thickness of 0.3 meters. Notice the window centered on the grid line? Compare that to the wall on the left, which is the lower floor of the new addition (with the arched windows). The window is still centered on the grid line, and the difference to the "back" or "inside" of the wall is the same. But you can see how much more there is to the left before getting to the "front" of it. Not only is the main wall nearly twice as thick, but then the columns and details build out even further from there.
Orange: Thank you! It may be a while before I finally get to textures on this one, I'm afraid... :D
Sean: Thanks! I actually need to change the gates a little bit so both can be somewhat visible, but I thought having one set open would make it easier to know what they were. The center lightwell you mentioned should make a little more sense after this update. It wasn't quite finished last time. (Actually it still isn't, but more on that in a minute)
Joan: Thank you! I'm sure it's no surprise by now that I also like this style quite a bit. Once again, I've bitten off more than I bargained for, but I hope it will be worth it in the end.
Alright... the time has come to stop keeping people in the dark. For those who haven't seen or figured out what this "new addition" is all about, here's a view compliments of Google Earth:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Google.jpg&hash=4b7790477fc9275d55cce63d5e7799eea254d69f)
Yep... I've had numerous requests to add a roof garden to one building or another and I just couldn't resist it any longer. The fact that this one is so well done and sitting atop a beautiful historic building made it something I just had to try. I'm not going to make an exact copy by any means, but I'll borrow heavily from the layout seen here. This is what I've got so far...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Preview11.jpg&hash=d4f73928127e44172af80046a05d105e19e7d0be)
The red pavers are just place holders and will ultimately become part of the texturing later. For now, they serve as an indicator of what is "done" and what isn't. The areas with the pavers are basically laid out the way I want them... lots of details missing, obviously, but it should give you the gist. Anything without the pavers is still a work in progress. I plan on actually "gardening" the whole roof on my version as opposed to just the half that is done on the real building. The only part that I won't be including is the corner I've walled off above the utility entry in the upper left corner.
Anyway... that's about it for now!
JB
OOOOOO Jon I think I just died and went to heaven WOW!!!!
... Yum :o I definately approve :thumbsup:
Fabulous, I love it. &apls
That is amazing Jon! :thumbsup:
:o
Absolutely stunning........
This one is fast becoming one of my favourites and you aren't even finished.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Jon, you inspire me and at the same time make me want to quit BATting, heh heh. Your attention to detail is amazing as always, and I love the fact that you're going to do a roof garden. Every time you show an update, I think it could be ready for release, but each update always has something more. This will have a prominent place in Greenacre when the time comes. Also, thanks for the visual aid for the walls. I really need to get back to BATting on a regular basis. You keep giving me ideas. Looking forward to seeing the garden take shape, and also your method for populating it with plants.
-Matt
:o amazing stuff jon (as usual :))
Yes, just a big work on it! &apls
OOhhhh! I get it now. It looks very detailed. I really like that rooftop trellis. I am wondering- are you gonna draw your own trees or use cp or simgoober's? I think that you should craft your own, and also include them as separate props. But thats no request. I am looking forward to you sculpting of the roof.
-sean
This just gets better and better. Love the railing above the door. Also appreciate the roof tute very much and enjoyed seeing the illustration of how you made the walls.
Later...
Joan
Pat: Thanks! I feel horrible for causing your death and I'll miss you terribly... but at the same time, I take comfort in knowing that you are now in a better place. ;)
XiahouDun: Thank you!
Earth Quake: Thanks!
Alfred.Jones: Thank you as well!
Robin: Thanks! Right now this is fast becoming the most frustrating holes I've ever dug myself into! $%Grinno$% But I think it will be one of my favorites when I get done, too.
Matt: Thank you so much for the kind words. It's very true, I could have called this finished about three updates ago, but NOOOOOO... I had to just keep right on going... :D The plants will probably be the last thing I add... possibly even after the textures are finished. Past experience with growing ivy on the university buildings has taught me that lag will become a big issue when the green thumb kicks in.
Edge: Thank you!
Sciurus: Thanks!
Sean: Thank you! Simgoober was kind enough to share some of his plant models a while back, so I will probably use those as a starting point... although they'll be heavily modified and edited by the time I'm done. I doubt that I'll make separate props though for a couple reasons. First, they'll be so customised to fit the various planter boxes that they really wouldn't fit many other applications. Secondly, most of what I need will be flowers and shrub, of which we have so many good options already. (CP... Simgoober... D66... MJB... just to name a few)
Joan: Thank you! I really liked the curved trellis when I saw it and figured that part defitinely needed to stay.
Thank you all for your kind words and support! No new pictures today... I just wanted to catch up on some replies. Time will be in pretty short supply this weekend so I doubt I'll have much worth showing until Monday to be honest. In the meantime, since nobody else has said it and now that we're near the bottom anyway... welcome to page 100!!! :D
JB
congrats on page 100 :thumbsup:
or should i say 100 pages of exceptional bats :)
(especially this last one)
dave
Hello again! I am back, and wow this all looks so awesome. Incidentally, whatever happened to the university?
Quote from: dragonshardz on February 14, 2009, 10:58:24 AM
Hello again! I am back, and wow this all looks so awesome. Incidentally, whatever happened to the university?
The University of Clayhurst is available on the LEX DVD, Volume 1.
Cheers,
Kevin
and...not on the LEX? I really do apologize for asking questions doubtless everyone knows the answer to, but I haven't visited the site in a while so am rather behind.
EDIT: yup looks like its DVD-exclusive. Phooey.
Quote from: dragonshardz on February 14, 2009, 04:46:35 PM
and...not on the LEX?
There have been mentions several times that some content is DVD-exclusive... I guess now I know what one of those things is.
Hello JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
I'm really liking the developing structure and its details, the garden -its amazing... :thumbsup: how do you do it? what design software do you use and does it have a steep learning curve? I have alibre, design-cad/turbocadv14 and vector-works will any of these work? where do I start in really learning to bat and is there an overview to the process and then rendering, converting then converting it to game play -too many ()what() ... and by the way where is this building? did you find it on your journeys? Sorry I missed the college/university poll I would have voted for U of WR, just because there is UW whitewater here. ::)
Later
Jack
Wht ever happened to robot jones JBSimio? It's been months! :o
Sorry for my ridiculously long disappearing act everyone... just to prove that I haven't completely abandonned the Hunter-Dulin Building:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_North12.jpg&hash=1bcd4beb6f2ef163fa6c28c87710bffa800364f7)
Not a huge update in terms of looks, but all the little pieces for this roof garden are quite time consuming. Little by little, I'm starting to get it pieced together though... ;)
JB
Geez, I can't wait for this building! The anticipation won't stop building! However, I believe one shouldn't rush perfection, so don't rush this, okay? ;)
Jon you been gone??? Who would have dunk it lol.... No all kidding aside here its good to see the Hunter Dunlin progressing along pretty good there!!!
Nice progress on this beauty Jon! I love the amount of detail you put into it :)
We knew you'd be back. You are a master of detailing JB. That roof looks quite luxurious.
Geoff
TopCliff: Glad you like it... but you're right, the wait could still be a bit for this one. Nice to see you again!
Pat: Thanks! I wasn't really gone... just took an extended and unexpected break. :D
Tag_one: Thank you!
Geoff: Thanks!
Bit by tiny bit...
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I do have a plan for the unfinished corners, so we'll see what happens with those next. Today I managed to make the fountain, add benches and lamps, and laid out the shorter leg of the roof garden. All the shrubs and small trees will come eventually, but probably not until the last thing. This model is quickly becoming hard to work with and past experience with ivy says that adding too many plants now will just make this lag horribly.
More to come...
JB
With or without plants, this is a lovely building which is highly anticipated by your many fans! :)
Later...
Joan
sweetness there Jon and BTW did you see my comment in the Voting thread for the next MD you know ;)
That does look rather complicated, Jon! Take your time - I'm sure it'll look stunning once it's finished. :thumbsup:
Jon! This is absolutely beautiful! It's funny to find you making this building too, because I noticed it while I was in San Francisco last month and it really stood out to me. I love the roof garden and I'm glad to see you're taking the time to model it.
Keep up the good work!
fantastic work jon &apls &apls
Now that is looking good. It's a good sign when things look great even before any textures are applied. Little details like the trellis and fountain really add to the patio and yet things still seem fairly open for as much stuff as the area seems to have. Excellent progess.
-Matt
Joan: Thank you! I really need to finish this up lest I annoy all those fans more than I usually do! :D
Pat: Thanks! I did see that comment, yes... thank you for that as well.
Girlfromverona: Thanks! The hardest part is just keeping the views straight in my head. I have to keep hiding things so I can see what I'm doing... then unhiding them to make sure I did it right... hiding them again to fix the stuff I didn't do right after all... well, you get the idea! :D
Nofunk: Wow! It's great to see you again, sir! How are you these days? I had a chance to visit this building recently (you know I live very near SF now, right?) and it really is a great gem downtown. It was really cool to be able to walk around the roof garden and see some of the parts I just couldn't get pictures of. Oddly enough... I'd been considering this building for months before I even moved out this way!
Jacky: Thank you! It's very nice to see you again too!
Matt: Thanks! There is a lot up there, but it's such a large area, that crowding really isn't a problem. The final test will be with all the plants done to see how much ends up getting hidden behind trees and such... but that's for later.
I think I finally have all the major pieces in place now. There are definitely a few details to add and some things to fine tune... but this should be the last of the big changes as far as modeling goes.
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The next (very daunting) step will be to start breaking this apart for textures. That could take some time... but I happen to have some coming my way next week, so we'll see how far it gets.
Til then,
JB
Looking forward to the textures! Good luck :thumbsup:
Looks phenomenal so far!
Question: Do you usually work on more than one BAT at a time?
Also, when you say "break apart for textures," what exactly do you mean? Is there a tutorial that outlines the steps of how to do something like that?
JBSimio, I'm a great admirer of your work, and this is no exception. Beautiful building choice and even better modeling. Can't wait to see this bad boy textured!
-Pingangster
Tag_one: The process is slowly beginning... ;)
Benvolio: Thank you! Yes, I generally have several things going at once... it's part of what I always just call BAT ADD. :D (It also helps when I get stuck on one building to sometimes put it aside and work on something else for a bit) By "breaking apart," I basically just mean ungrouping all the things I've done while making the model. Especially with larger and more complex models like this one, I generally group things by side elevations while I'm modeling... it just makes it easier for me to hide the pieces I don't need to see at times. The drawback to this method is that when it comes time to add textures, I have to pull all those groups back apart so I can get at the individual pieces again. For example... all the window frames will ultimately get the same texture, but right now those pieces are stuck inside all sorts of different groups depending on their location within the building. Not sure if I explained that all that well, but I hope it helps somewhat. If not, let me know and I'll try again next time! ;)
Pingangster: Thank you very much! I notice this was your first post here... welcome to SC4 Devotion!
A couple things don't show up as well as they should because of the JPEG compression... but I'm just going to let this one speak for itself, I think:
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&dance
Heheheheeee!
JB
Hello JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
A real big WOW and a :thumbsup: ...its really shaping up into good project... well done on all levels. The gardens look so good I'd like to take a walk in it and see all the varieties planted there... ;D
Glad that RL gave you a breather to get caught up on these projects, its been suspenseful... have you been walking the Clayhurst campus lately?
Northwoods has been rather wet with frost-dew and rain today so I thought I'd send enotes instead... :D
Peace and health from the woods
Jack
You have no idea how much I'm fanboying over this new model :D I can't wait!
Jack: Thank you! I'm quite happy with it so far... hopefully it will get even better. ;) Been foggy here in the redwoods... but definitely no frost! I haven't worked much on the next installment of Clayhurst buildings lately, but they'll probably be next on my list.
XiahouDun: Thanks! I'm getting pretty excited about this one too.
The textures are coming together little by little...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_West16.jpg&hash=da563537505990b30377c93194a4004a04000301)
Just a few more things to do on the roof and then I'll start in on the main walls of this section.
Til then,
JB
excellent and responsible amount of flora on this building. I can only hope clayhurst p.2 will be on the lex server, not CD
Rushman: Thanks! I can only hope that Clayhurst EP1 happens before next year at this point... :D
Well this part is just about wrapped up...
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I will definitely make some adjustments to the marble wall surrounding the roof garden. I'm also not too thrilled with the upper level textures (the section above the arched windows) yet, but I can't put my finger on what might be wrong. I've tinkered with them too many times for one day though... so I'll come back to those tomorrow. After that it will be time to tackle the main building!
JB
gaaaaaaaaaaaaasp wow jon that is looking wonderful!!!
Wow JB. The textures are fantastic. I love the foliage too. I'm excited to see this come to conclusion.
Geoff
Brilliant work Jon. Might I ask how you modelled/textured the hedges (the ones with the little white flowers around the edge of the patio)? Amazing work. This will certainly have a place or two in my cities when it's ready.
-Matt
That building is beautifully, majestically marvelous! Great work. :) I admire those roof gardens, it is positively beautiful. You should create some parks. :thumbsup:
Wonderfull progress. The wall texture is a little too green for my taste.
Very historical appearance. Perhaps, a little darker or more pronounced red along the top of the balcony though.
Pat: Thank you! Now please take another breath... :D
Geoff: Thanks! It's getting ever closer...
Matt: Thank you! The hedges around the outer edges (heh heh... that kinda rhymed!) are modeled using the same technique I use for ivy. Basically... they're a bunch of very small boxes scattered around within the outline of the hedge. SimGoober actually wrote a little tutorial about this long ago... I'll have to see if I can dig it up for you. At that point, I actually copied the same hedge... removed the middle pieces... and enlarged it just slightly. The first hedge gets a darker texture and the copy gets a lighter one.
Citycapitalizer: Thanks! To be honest... I really hate modelling plants, so I don't see a lot of parks in my future. ;)
Vester: Thank you! Can you be more specific about which walls please? I presume you don't mean either the black or the red marble... but that still leaves the lower walls (with the arched windows)... the upper walls above the arched windows... or the cream colored walls around the lightwell and roof garden. I'm guessing you mean number two (which I'm still not completely satisfied with either), but just to be sure I'm not missing something else... :D
Rushman5: Thanks! I bet that's what I meant when I said, "I will definitely make some adjustments to the marble wall surrounding the roof garden." ;)
Alright... I still don't consider the texture I mentioned last night and now to Vester to be perfected, but I think it's a little better anyway. In the meantime, I couldn't help myself and decided to light this section up before moving on to the main tower.
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There are definitely some adjustments to be made here, but I'm pretty happy with it for a first try. I'll tone down the light from the lamp posts a touch... fix some repetition behind the large arched windows... and possibly add a few lights to the darker areas of the roof garden. I really think that should be it for this section though! :o Maybe I'll actually start on the tower for real next time... but then again, who knows?!? :D
JB
oi who knows only you Jon lol.... Any ways about the lights on the lamp post what about a more yellowish color? otherwise Jon daaaaaaaang!!!!!!!
love the "there but not extreme" amount of lighting on the atrium. Its subtle and just enough to notice, but not too much. In other words, perfect!
I love the way this building looks. I hope (if CXL is good) you will move on over to that game when it releases $%Grinno$%
I agree with the lighting situation, nearly perfect &apls.
I love all your creations! Keep up the great work :)
Mmm , nice baby that you have done &apls &apls. I find the nightlighting just perfect. :thumbsup: Nice choice of building too.
Fantastic looking stuff, there. I really, REALLY like the nightlighting on the roof... this building is a great example of what can be done with a roof to make it exciting. No doubt about it, this building will stand out!
And thanks for the explanation... very helpful!
Pat: Thank you! I'll come back to the lighting tweaks later... I just got ahead of myself for a minute there! :D
Rushman: Thanks!
SimNation: Thank you! I don't really see myself ever moving away from this game, to be honest... ;)
Citycapitalizer: Thanks!
Iamgoingtoeatyou: Thank you!
Kimcar: Thanks! This building has been on my list for quite some time... it will be nice to finally finish it though! :D
Benvoliothefirst: Thank you! I'm glad the stuff from the other day helped too.
So, I've spent the last couple days making more textures than I think I ever have. This has been a tough one for me because most of those textures needed to be from scratch... never my strongest ability. I usually have premade brick textures that I can then tweak to the right colors or whatever, but this building is mostly stone and marble faced so... I've been struggling a bit. I've managed to get three sides done up to the 19th (I think) floor. I'm mostly happy with it so far... a couple things to fix here and there, but all mostly minor. Here's a look:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_South19.jpg&hash=0a8d0396c2ff27cbf2e01bee8e2506f0e1fa665a)
More to come...
JB
Wonderful work Jon! Both the textures and the nightlights are wonderful. Rendered separately the small building with the garden would make an excellent CS$$$ shopping mall... ;)
Me thinks I LOVE IT! I can't wait to see this baby finished! ;D
cough cough wow!!!!!!! Jon that is looking sweet me likies!!!! Even though I got my new toy now and just did a little relotting yesterday, even though playing is a different story well I too will never leave SC4 its my first love ;)
Hello JBSimio, Jack wlids here...
Trust that all is well and good for you in RL. Exceptional texturing, -like the tweeking done on the roof :thumbsup: Its really coming together.
So then, what is this building again ::) - didn't find the post that intro'ed this project...
...what is it, where is it, was it built for, how old is it, why is the lobby low building built like it is, -is because its built alongside other structures and is it historical ()what()
Its still chilly in the northwoods having had another hard freeze and another next week over the full moon, it'll be summer here eventually :D
Jack
LoL Jack don't hold your breath too long about having summer here in the Northwoods lol hehehe well at least I aint as I am in Rhinelander ;)
Tag_one: Thank you! I'm still hoping to render this all as one building... but it is very possible that I may have to split it in two pieces. I like your idea, but the only problem would be the two "back" sides where the buildings meet. I don't really have any intention of going back to remodel those sides as stand alone buildings. I suppose I could just slap a different texture on to make a mural of that wall though... &Thk/(
Serebii: Thanks! This one has been going for so long that I frankly can't wait until it's finished either! :D
Pat: Thank you! I've been with SimCity since the very first one came out while I was still in high school. Sure there have been a couple affairs on the side... but they always leave me unfulfilled and I find myself crawling back to my only true love. Thankfully, she always welcomes me home! ;)
Jack: Thanks! Things are going well here. Summer is a bit slow to arrive here in the redwoods this year too. It must be hot somewhere in the interior valleys, because the fog has been rolling in off the ocean every afternoon for a couple weeks now. Definitely still sweatshirt weather in the evenings here. ;) I had to do some digging back to where I introduced this building, and you're right... I really never said much about it:
Quote from: JBSimio on January 08, 2009, 12:43:03 AM
The Hunter-Dulin Building is an oldie from San Francisco and has been on my list for quite a while. I figured now that I live here, I ought to go ahead and do something with it! :D
So here's the rest of the story... gleaned mostly from information provided by BSC's "resident researcher," Hogmeister. Incidently, Hogmeister is a fine example of some of the wonderful people I've gotten to actually know since joining the BSC. We've had many conversations via MSN and he's a great guy who has sadly gone quiet again recently. I hope he's doing well...
The Hunter-Dulin Building itself, which is the tower seen above, is in the heart of downtown San Francisco on Sutter Street at the corner of Montgomery. It opened in 1927 and served as the west coast headquarters of NBC for the next 15 years. At 24 stories tall, it was one of San Francisco's tallest buildings upon completion. The steep roof is still a defining and prominent feature in the bay area skyline.
Now the second building was actually a bit more confusing. I had originally thought it was a later addition to the Hunter-Dulin building, but in fact it was at one time another completely seperate tower. Originally the Crocker Bank Building, it later became the administrative headquarters for Wells Fargo bank at the corner of Montgomery and Post Streets. In 1921 the base of the building was extended north along Montgomery Street where it ultimately met up with the Hunter-Dulin Building. The tower was remodelled (horribly) in the 1960's when original sandstone facing on the upper floors seemed to be in danger of falling away from the building. Sometime in the 1980's... Crocker wanted to build a new tower and galleria further west on Post Street. The city gave him air space in exchange for dismantling the upper 11 floors of the remodeled building at the original corner location. The banking branch was then topped by a roof garden with the new tower and galleria joined to the west side of the building along Post Street.
I actually had a chance to visit this site a couple months ago. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the galleria took the place of a former alley or narrow street, as the entire block is fairly long now. The Hunter-Dulin building sits at the northeast corner of the block and the new Crocker Tower is on the southwest. Between the two, running the entire length from Sutter Street (on the north) to Post Street (south) is the three storied galleria topped by a barrel vaulted skylight. It's basically like a small urban mall with shops and a staircase to the roof garden. The main lobbies of both the Hunter-Dulin and the Wells Fargo buildings are exquisitely decorated and both very beautiful examples of 1920's granduer. It's one of the few "SHUR" buildings that I've actually been able to visit in person and it was really cool to be walking around on that roof garden right before I started to make my own version here.
Anyway... there's a long historical post about the real buildings. I had kind of a lazy day yesterday, so I have nothing new to show at the moment. I'll probably continue texturing later today when I get back home... so maybe I'll see you all again tonight!
JB
Later on in the day... ::)
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I need to lighten these newest bits just a touch, but for the most part it turned out pretty well. I still have the minor tweaks from last time to fix as well... mostly the small arch trim pieces are getting lost. The roof and the back brick sections are pretty much all that I have left after that! :thumbsup:
JB
Beautiful!! Keeps getting better and better.
-Pingangster
Wowza - that's amazing. Utterly amazing. The modelling is gorgeous, and I love the textures; I am totally looking forward to seeing this finished! &apls
Pingangster: Thank you!
Madhatter: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
It seems that I enjoy frustrating people to no end by showing pictures of things while I work on them... and then never finishing anything! :D This is long overdue... but I thought I would try to fix at least some of those problems. So with that... JBSimio, Inc. and all subsidiary companies sincerely apologize and offer the following as tokens of humble gratitude for your patience.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FStratton_Advert.jpg&hash=1018094efea7f59eceb445e68805e11ddd07f3a6) (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2085)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCamalot_Advert.jpg&hash=5b0475436b11506aa65160ed384a9176962d6ad6) (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2086)
Click whichever one you like best... or click them both... it's all up to you! (Finally!!!)
More next time,
JB
Off to download right now sir!
It's always a good day when one of your creations hits the LEX.
:thumbsup:
A very nice treat indeed JB. If this is what happens when you feel guilty then you must feel guilty more often.
Thanks for your hard work!
Geoff
Jon, I am so glad you returned to these. The Navy uses very simular buildings in Hampton Roads for dependent housing, so I will certainly employ them, though I may relot to suit local influences. Thanks for good work, as always.
Thanks, Jon! They're beautiful!
Joan
Jon, those could not have been better timed for release. These are just what I was thinking of for my GRV challenge. Now I just need to find a way to get them in there. Glad to see these have finally been released. Also, great history on the Hunter-Dulin building, and the textures are excellent.
-Matt
Thanks everyone! There are three more of these coming in the very near future (I was in a hurry to get the last couple up for scrutineers earlier), so hopefully that will give me enough time to get the Hunter-Dulin Building finished! :D
I should mention that all five of these apartment buildings are currently the smaller lot versions. Some of you may remember the idea of making much larger lots which ultimately "grow into" full complexes. I haven't abandoned that idea yet... but those will happen at a later date. So for now, most of these are simply single building lots.
Shoreman: Relot all you like... there are also prop versions included in all of these if you want to make your own larger lots. Just be careful with the different foundations and such... I tried to label clearly, but feel free to let me know if there is any confusion. ;)
Time for bed...
JB
long overdue, but always a welcome addition to the jbsimio line, very nice work on the apartments!
-sean
Magnificent work.
I really like the choice of textures.
And this new pack of appartement building are just perfect. &apls
Vivien.
Jon MAP is sooooooo evil for releasing these while I am 1500 miles away from my sc4 computer gaaaaaah!!! But it gives me incentive to go home lol.... Man Montana is soooo very beautiful, I so see why Vicki's Uncle moved here in the first place!!! The progress on The Hunter Dunlin is coming along pretty good there!!!
JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
imagine my surprise to find something neat BATs on the LEX in a long while show up. It all looks good and is just what I needed outside Oskaloosa. Everyone seems to have covered the superlatives pretty well so I'll just add :thumbsup:
Jack
Download. Thanks they are great &apls &apls
Wes.janson: I'm glad you like them!
Geoff: Thanks! The only problem is that I don't know if I have time to feel guilty more often... :D
Shoreman: I always planned on returning to them eventually... ;)
Joan: Thank you! (and you're welcome too)
Matt: Glad they will come in handy for you, my friend! The Hunter-Dulin Building is a pretty amazing place... I think I've learned more about this one than any other I've done.
Sean: Thanks!
Vivien: Thank you so much!
Pat: Sorry to get you all excited at the wrong time. :D My condolences to you and Vicki... although at least you get some gorgeous scenery along the way.
Jack: Thank you! Glad you like them!
Kimcar: Thanks!
The textures are just about finished...
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I have a few tweaks to make to the red roof tiles yet... they're a bit too small and indistinct. I'll probably also tone the color down just a little and mix in a few more "off color" tiles as well. Beyond that, I'm pretty happy with the rest of everything. And yes... I cheated on the back wall at the bottom, I know. But it's all going to be covered up anyway! ;)
More later...
JB
Stately. The red roof is an excellent touch, and I'll look forward to seeing the finished texture.
-Matt
I'm speechless. Even better than I imagined it would turn out.
Matt: Thank you!
XiahouDun: Thanks!
Well... I think she's about finished! %BUd%
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I got all the interior walls in there today as well... so all I really have left is the nightlighting. After that, I'll make a few last adjustments to the roof garden and then put the whole thing back together and see what happens.
In the meantime... feel free to click this picture if you're interested! ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FArborWoods_Advert.jpg&hash=a927247012ede639685423470dc358fb35d4e8f8) (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2089)
Enjoy!
JB
Hello JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
Incredible, :o I like the roof tile detail, I hope it looks just as good in my city as it appears...
Thanks for the RUSA Arbor Woods (arbor-woods funny :D is it 'tree-woods' or 'wood-woods' in literal verbage, is it rather a 'oxymoronic' expression or is it a dry attempt for funny or is it just a good name, just teasing keep the name)
I like the other models as well; this ought to do just as well in my towns... :thumbsup:
thanx
Jack
Great work as usual Jon :thumbsup:
Wow, Excellent work JBsimo.
I really love the roof texture, just perfect.
And the Arbor woods appartement is beautiful.
Vivien.
Hi JBSimio: First of all: I just LOVE you work! Please never ever stop batting!!!
Second: I was so stunned by the one version of the Swan Majestic Hotel with the pool, sundeck and the large entrance. But I've never found it released. So, what happend with it? Was it released somewhere here or on simtropolis and I just missed it? All I could find was the more "simple" version of the Swan Majestic.
Thank you so much for making SC4 nicer for all of us and keep on batting!!!
Regards
XiaoCai
Jon I fnally made it home and just downloaded the apartment sets!!! I soo cant wait to get in game and play with them!!! BTW was you able to figure out the idea I gave with the upgrading lot or is that still in the works?
Jack: Thank you! I'm very pleased with how this one came out. Yeah... Arbor Woods might be a bit of a redundant name, but what can you do? In naming these I was really just following the trends I had noticed in suburban apartments of my past. It seems like they always give them these picturesque, nature inspired names... almost as if to remind you what they bulldozed to build the place! :D
Tag_one: Thanks so much!
Vivien: Thank you! Arbor Woods isn't quite my favorite out of the series, but I was happy with the way it came together.
XiaoCai: Wow... thank you very much! I'll keep going as long as I'm able to, nothing to worry about there. ;) Ahh yes... the suburban version of the Swan Majestic. It's still sitting on my hard drive right now. I haven't quite finished it... although I honestly don't remember why not or even what I still need to do to get it ready. I'll have to dig that one up and see what it would take to get it out the door and into your computer.
Pat: Welcome back, my friend! I'm glad you like them. The upgrading idea is still a work in progress. I honestly need to just sit down and do some in depth testing to see if it will work the way I hope it will. In the meantime, I thought I had held these up long enough and wanted to get them out as is. The larger complexes can always come later as an additional option.
Well... I'm up ridiculously late waiting for the arrival of an international employee for the summer. The flight was due in San Francisco at 10:52PM (Pacific Time, of course)... but the person who was to bring her here called saying that the flight wouldn't arrive until right about now at 12:30AM. Once they get out of the airport, it's anywhere from one to two hours driving back up here depending on traffic over the Golden Gate Bridge! I might still be waiting for a while since I need to get her settled into staff housing and all that fun stuff. So... while I was waiting, I thought I'd try to finish up the Hunter-Dulin Building! :D
Here's a look at the back now that the textures are all finished up:
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And then Jon said, "Let there be light." And it was so...
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And Jon looked upon his creation and said... well... he actually just kind of gave a giddy laugh and didn't say anything because there is no one else in the house right now. Once I stopped the excited, albeit rather creepy, chuckle of delight, I came to the conclusion that I obviously need some sleep if this is how I'm going to react to things. Oh well... we all know I lost my mind round about the time I started making university stuff anyway! :D
More to come...
JB
:o sorry I have to pick up my jaw from the floor
Night view is really splendid. I love your fabulous job.
I suppose that the lotting will be (I hope for it ^^) perfect!
Vivien.
Jon the Hunter has turned rather amazing!!! I am glad you are still toying around with the upgrading option there and man its great to be home that is for sure.... BTW did you really ever have a mind to lose?
This structure is so cool. :o I can't wait for it to be released. Great work! :thumbsup: &apls
Quote from: JBSimio on May 24, 2009, 01:21:09 PM
Nofunk: Wow! It's great to see you again, sir! How are you these days? I had a chance to visit this building recently (you know I live very near SF now, right?) and it really is a great gem downtown. It was really cool to be able to walk around the roof garden and see some of the parts I just couldn't get pictures of. Oddly enough... I'd been considering this building for months before I even moved out this way!
You're in CA now? That's awesome! It's so incredible out there. I'm doing really well; I just started working for the state, finally putting my planning degree to good use.
The building is looking amazing, but that's no surprise coming from you. The textures are spot-on and the lighting as always it top-notch. I can't wait to see this on the LEX!
Io_bg: Oops... sorry about the jaw! I hope it didn't hurt too much! :D
Vivien: Thank you! The lotting for this one will actually be pretty simple as there won't be much room on the lot for anything else. ;)
Pat: Thanks! Did I ever have a mind to lose? Fair question... probably not!
Citycapitalizer: Thank you! I just need to find some time to get it exported... hopefully not too much longer.
Nofunk: Thanks again! Yes... I moved out here in October and I absolutely love it! The weather and the scenery are just amazing. Congratulations on the new job! I'm glad things are going well. Just be careful of that crazy boss of yours... I can never figure out what Jenny G is thinking anymore! :D
As I'm sure many of you know, it is getting to be about that time of year for me again. I'm hoping not to disappear entirely like I've done in summers past, but I'm sure things will slow down for the next couple months. The Hunter-Dulin Building is pretty much ready to go... I just need to get a few final touches in and then render the thing. It will end up coming in two pieces... and both renders are bound to be overnight ordeals.
In the meantime... all of us here at JBSimio, Inc. would like to send their best wishes for the summer months.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FPheasantRun_Advert.jpg&hash=751f2b8b909afef15e409500265c17b0177f4834) (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2111)
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Click the picture of your choice and let the sprawling suburbia take you away... or bore you to tears... whichever you prefer! :D
Enjoy!
JB
Thank you for these JB. I promise to put them to good use :thumbsup:
Take care.
Geoff
Those apartments are hideous, in a good way ;). Very much needed for any suburb. And I can't wait to see the Hunter-Dulin jewel hit the LEX! :thumbsup:
-Pingangster
Lovely apartments, definately a great appetizer.... :thumbsup:
Excellent way to welcome summer Jon. I'll see what I can do with these (shouldn't be too hard).
-Matt
Hello JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
Trust that all is well and good for you on the west coast... be glad and fortunate in the new job; as I am beating the bushes, the dead horses and the pavement for gainful employment something almost any thing, not having my vehicle and phone makes all the harder; reaching a crisis of 'not knowing what to do next' %confuso ()sad() but I digress, not writing to cry or be a bummer &mmm ;)
At any-rate, thanks for the 'pheasant run' and the 'evergreen' apartments, they will make good additional residentials for the sims to look over. :thumbsup: I'm anticipating the 'hunter-dulin', it should be something to study and appreciate.
Trust that you keep in touch over your summer months... enjoy :sunny: :party:
Jack
Quote from: JBSimio on June 22, 2009, 04:25:06 PM
Oops... sorry about the jaw! I hope it didn't hurt too much! :D
:D
These apartments are great, I downloaded them. Great job on them.
Geoff: You're welcome... I'm glad you like them!
Pingangster: Thanks! I think they're pretty hideous myself, actually. It just proves that I don't always make only the things or styles I like... I just try to fill the gaps when I find them. ;)
Tamorr: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks! I had hoped to send you a little gift for the latest GRV challenge, but I ran out of time... so hopefully these will make up for it! :D
Jack: Thank you! And you're welcome! I hope things will turn around for you soon, my friend. I had a few moments of panic last spring when I was "down sized" by my employer of nearly 10 years. I'm very aware of how fortunate I was to find something else as quickly as I did... the fact that it's in such a great location has just been an extra bonus for which I can be extremely thankful.
Io_bg: Thank you!
Just a brief update to keep everyone in the loop... I managed to export the tower section of the Hunter-Dulin building last night. (Took about 14 hours or so) It was just wrapping up when I had to leave for work this morning, so I won't know for sure if it was a completely successful render until I get home later this afternoon. Edit: Part one looks good in all zooms and angles! Provided the first piece is all set to go, I'm hoping to export the other half while I sleep tonight. With any luck, I'll have this on a lot and out to the scrutineers by the first of next week (possibly even tomorrow if I'm really lucky!)
After that... who knows? It could be back to school time... maybe back to college... Smalltown, USA... maybe even some top secret project that nobody else even knows about... the list goes on and on! You just never know what the monkeys in the basement are going to come up with next! ;)
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on June 25, 2009, 10:20:15 AM
After that... who knows? It could be back to school time... maybe back to college... Smalltown, USA... maybe even some top secret project that nobody else even knows about... the list goes on and on! You just never know what the monkeys in the basement are going to come up with next! ;)
LOL! Things are never dull around here. $%Grinno$%
Girlfromverona: Oh heck no! Where would be the fun in that?!? :D
Well guess what? The Hunter-Dulin Building is alive and well today! &dance
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This is a 4x6 CO$$$ lot... stage 7 growable or ploppable option as well. Pretty simple lotting really... there wasn't room for much of anything anyway! I should be able to wrap this up in the next 12 hours and have it in the scrutineering mailbox sometime later today. :thumbsup:
JB
moin JBSimio,
looks great, ...
can't wait to get my hands on it!
are you doing your buildings out of your imagination or are there based on real ones?
cheers
b_schlurf
Hello JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
<lab noise, electrical cracking, thunder, lightning flashes with Professor and Igor looking on, the switch is flipped and then>
"IT LIVES..."
<exclaims the maniacal professor laughing gleefully at his accomplishment>
<a giddy Igor looks on laughing slightly, rather clueless as to what is happening>
<meanwhile back at the Examiner downtown Gotham, our intrepid hero...>
a fantastical telling of the 'Hunter-Dulin lives' by Jack wilds :D
Jack :satisfied:
Quote from: beutelschlurf on June 26, 2009, 09:30:28 AMare you doing your buildings out of your imagination or are there based on real ones?
On an earlier page, Jon revealed that the Hunter-Dulin Building is a real office building in downtown San Francisco. Many of his other buildings are often inspired by what he sees in real life, but aren't recreations of real buildings (for example, the recent serires of RUSA apartment buildings).
Awesome work, Jon! I can't wait to find a place for Hunter-Dulin in Nyhaven.
B_Schlurf: Thank you! As Zack pointed out, many of my buildings are inspired by something. I've never quite done a true recreation, although this latest building is probably as close to it as I'll ever get. ;) Usually, I see something I like and use the pictures as a starting point but I always reserve the right to change things as I go along according to whatever little whims I have that day. :D
Jack: An excellent retelling indeed... it almost spooked me a little bit! :D Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice, Aquaman prepares a peanut butter and jelly sandwich because he can't do... well much of anything really. ;)
Zack: Thank you! I'm very happy to have finally finished this one.
It's been a fairly busy day already here at world headquarters. The Hunter-Dulin Building is officially up for the scrutineers to play with... and I've already started down a completely different road (so to speak). You may be wondering what the next big thing is going to be around here... or you may not be wondering at all. It's also possible that you don't consider any of the happenings in this thread to be "big things." Regardless of your answer to the ramblings of the previous two sentences, I'm going to show you anyway. :D
I've been hanging around 3RR a bit lately, and our good friend David has inspired me to do a couple updates:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB_Test01.jpg&hash=68ba36cd359a9f88729bf1bc7f507dc7a0471def)
Just a very early proof of concept shot... but this could turn into all sorts of fun little things in the future!
More to come...
JB
Quote from: girlfromverona on June 26, 2009, 12:04:00 AM
LOL! Things are never dull around here. $%Grinno$%
That's what happens when you hire monkeys.
You know...when you make those, instead of just having the shop fronts be in a prop family, you could make the entire buildings prop families. Have an invisible building and the "real" buildings can be in a prop family so that the length of alley area varies. Of course, the alley junk would have to be modeled with the buildings, to a point, so that we wouldn't have alley junk halfway-submerged into buildings.
Exciting stuff, Jon! Those are the first fractionally-angled buildings I've seen made, and even at this early stage, they're looking pretty good. I look forward to seeing what more you do with this concept.
In other news, I've just started teaching myself to BAT (with 3ds Max) by following the various tutorials on the ST Omnibus, and I've hit a bit of a wall, so to speak, because I have no textures. Yours look great, so I'd love to know where to get you textures. I imagine that for recreations like the Hunter-Dulin Building, you probably make a few of your own, but for all those you get from other sources, where do you shop for them (if you buy any libraries)?
Thanks,
Zack
Quote from: JBSimio on June 22, 2009, 04:25:06 PM
Pat: Thanks! Did I ever have a mind to lose? Fair question... probably not!
LOL!!! anyways Jon I do have to say that the seeing the Hunter done is amazing!!!! Also your work on FAB is also amazing to see you breaking the rules of the grid!! ooh hey about the mind situation, roughly how many hours did you spend on the Hunter?
moin JBSimio, moin woodb3kmaster,
to JB: i think the idea having buildings along fractional roads will be great! i follow every step from you! ()stsfd()
to woodb3kmaster: i hope JB don't mind to help you out a bit, ... i usally use http://www.cgtextures.com/ (http://www.cgtextures.com/) (have in mind that you can only use 15 mb in 24h before you can download again), apart from that, have a look in the WWW, sometime you just have to type in "brick" or "wall", and google will come up with nice pics you can easily use for textureing ... ;)
cheers
b_schlurf
That's a great website, B_schlurf! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I'd still like to know where BAT masters like Jon (if I may be so flattering) get their textures, though... I'll just wait for him to reply :)
Quote from: beutelschlurf on June 29, 2009, 12:56:31 AM
to woodb3kmaster: i hope JB don't mind to help you out a bit, ... i usally use http://www.cgtextures.com/ (http://www.cgtextures.com/) (have in mind that you can only use 15 mb in 24h before you can download again), apart from that, have a look in the WWW, sometime you just have to type in "brick" or "wall", and google will come up with nice pics you can easily use for textureing ... ;)
Well you really don't need the big textures. In the final bat, you can't see a different, only in the rendering time.
I have few sites I can recommend: Mayang's Free Texture Library (http://www.mayang.com/textures/) and Arroway Textures. (http://www.arroway-textures.com/)
Jon: Like your new concept. Keep it up.
I compiled a few Google Images photos for some school suggestions. I love your School Packs, so I thought I'd do something for you.
http://rapidshare.com/files/250922207/School_Pictures.zip.html
JB only, please download. If it is downloaded 10 times it is deleted.
Mom: I'm pretty sure I'd have the same problem with or without the monkeys! :D (Actually, now that I'm making so much banana bread, the monkeys are starting to get hungry so that could be part of the issue)
Dragonshardz: Thank you for the thoughts! Making each individual "building" a seperate prop family is still an option I'm considering. There are pros and cons to both ideas, really. Shop fronts would be easier, just because each family would be roughly the same size. This makes it much simpler to have things line up properly when cycling through a prop family. The downside to the idea is that the backs of the buildings would never change, as you've mentioned. The entire building is a little trickier (more tricky?) to get lined up properly if the sizes vary a lot. It can certainly be done, but it's not nearly as simple. The other advantage to this idea would be that the lots would be slightly more slope tolerant as well. I haven't come to a firm decision either way just yet, so we'll see how things go. :thumbsup:
Zack: Thank you! Welcome to the insanity producing world of BATting! :D To be honest, I still use Gmax... so I won't be able to help much with 3ds Max... although I know Vester, Diggis, and Cal (among others I'm sure) are great sources of information for that. As for textures, the links provided are probably some of the best ones for starting points. I haven't downloaded many textures for quite a while now, and to be honest I've forgotten where many of my "originals" came from. I tend to find some good basic materials (bricks, shingles, etc) that will tile well and then modify them for my own use as needed. I'm also not the greatest image editor in the world, and so I let the building model do a lot of the work for me (as opposed to the true texture gods who can go the other route). If you have any questions, feel free to send a PM and I will be glad to help in any way that I can.
B_Schlurf: Thank you for adding that link! I'm glad you like the new FAB idea... hopefully I'll be able to find the time for a whole bunch of them!
Vester: Thank you as well! I hope you don't mind that I just volunteered your expertise! :D
Tracker: Thank you for the pictures! I downloaded them yesterday with no problems. I only had time for a brief glance, but I think there are definitely a couple ideas there for the next school pack.
It's been a very busy week here for me. Anyone who has followed my threads in the past knows that summer is a crazy couple months in my world (regardless of which part of the world I happen to be in!). Summer camp is in full swing and my free time is quite limited, so there may not be a whole lot to see here for a couple weeks. I'm definitely picking away at different ideas, but it's slow going at this point. I have a little time coming up this afternoon and tomorrow, so look for something later this weekend!
Til then,
JB
We interrupt the program already in progress to bring you the following important message:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHunterDulin_Advert.jpg&hash=c0341d56717af0042d4dec14dbfbf64759a95383) (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2120)
(If you click the picture, something cool will probably happen.) Thank you... we now return to your regularly scheduled updates.
Happy United States Day! ;)
JB
Awesome work!
(If you click the picture, something cool will probably happen.) Thank you... we now return to your regularly scheduled updates.
Happy United States Day! ;)
JB
[/quote]
I think Dad was expecting fireworks to shoot out from the roof of the building for the 4th of July. But I can see this generating a lot of excitement.
JON OMG WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Sorry I am soo excited to see the Hunter available and in time from me coming home too lol.... I hope you have a safe and Happy 4th!!!
Thank you kindly, sir! :) Well worth the wait and absolutely, perfectly gorgeous.
Later...
Joan
Hello JBSimio, Jack wilds here...
I am enjoying the 'Hunter-Dulin' building... &apls however its rather frustrating that I can't close-up enough to study some of the details. &ops I see the roof tiles, the 'roof fence' <do you know what its really called?> and other architectural details, well done. The night lighting is really good however the 'night' in my sim world is more like a bright dusk, so its rather a mute effect. Trust you are having a pleasant 4th... :sunny:
Jack :satisfied:
&apls &apls Another great work that you have done. Thanks a millions for your work my friend :thumbsup:
Hey Jon...Look who's back.....it's been a long year, but am feeling better....just wanted to say hello to you first...now will go and spend a whole lot of time seeing what you've been up to ;D
Hope your world is going smooooooooth
Duane
Mom: Fireworks probably would have been a pretty cool idea... but then Dad would just complain about the noise anyway! :D
Pat: Thank you, my friend! I hope you're summer is going well in the northwoods.
Joan: Thank you! It was definitely a long wait... I think I need to quit trying to outdo myself for a while. ;)
Jack: Thanks! There are times where it would probably be nice to have that extra zoom for some of these buildings... but then I wouldn't be able to cheat on some of the details as easily either. I'm not sure about the technical term for "roof fence"... crenelation, or something like that, maybe? &Thk/( I was never very happy with night views in general until I got Gizmo's night mod last year. Most of my lighting is now geared towards that, to be honest.
Kimcar: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.
Duane: So nice to see you back! I hope things are going well for you... and have fun catching up! ;)
Still tinkering with the FAB lots a little bit. I just realized that I never updated the first building I showed... so I'll have to come back to that one. In the meantime, I made another one that looks something like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB02_Preview01.jpg&hash=c474fe82fc44f0f92cedadc2d88422e826d83aa5)
It's not quite finished yet, and there are a few tweaks needed here and there... but you get the idea. I borrowed another original Smalltown, USA facade (Hamilton's Jewelry) and then made the other storefront based off of a corner grocery store here in Occidental. This will actually be a 2x2... I'm thinking ahead to corner lots. More on that next time! I just didn't want people to think I'd left all together... ::)
JB
That's some nice work JB. I'll be looking forward to seeing these on the roadfront.
Nice work, and interesting concept. I especially like the roof on the taller unit; very realistic, and unique.
Meinhosen: Thanks! I'll be playing with these off and on when I need a break from the bigger projects. ;)
SimGoober: Thank you! The upper roof is a texture from Jestarr which I really like.
Speaking of interesting concepts...
While in France last week, there were some small shops that got me thinking. They were built into a hill, and while the "front" of the shop might have been 3-4 stories tall, by the time we got around the switchback to the other side, the same building had another entrance in "back" on what would now be the top floor of the building. Shaun (Diggis) and I got to brainstorming and decided this was certainly a doable idea and might be a fun little thing to have. So... here's a quick little proof of concept test:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHillSide_Preview01.jpg&hash=659fc4346efbd72c202d4ef4e5937cd38ee1216e)
Obviously, there are a couple glitches and things that need fine tuning. But the idea seems to work out pretty well. These are basically done by using the 15 meter hole digger lots to get a proper alignment. Then it's just a matter of overhanging lots and other nifty little tricks to bend the game to my will. ?$%kar&%h So what do you think? Would anyone else be interested in such a thing?
JB
Quote from: JBSimio on August 12, 2009, 05:30:59 PM
Would anyone else be interested in such a thing?
Oh yes, definitely! Especially if one can have multiple colours and styles in a neat little row! ::) ;D
' :thumbsup:
Not only do you put together some of the greatest BATs known to the community, but now you're putting together some of the most cutting edge concepts known to the community, as well!
You put new meaning to the word "pioneer," Jon! Excellent work, my friend!
Dustin
I think it's a great idea and I would love to see lots of buildings like that :thumbsup:
i would love to see more buildings like that. ive often thought of this myself but ive never tried making a bat before.
they would look great when building on slopes. excellent work!
I have seen split-level buildings in the U.S. as well, so this is a welcome development. Nice work, Jon! :thumbsup:
Not only am I interested, I AM PUMPED for the lot. I was actually just thinking about this concept for waterfront lots. Sometimes you do not have the room for a road to be level with a waterfront lot and I was thinking it would be great if the building could be multiple stories with the front of the lot connected to the road at around 265.5m (I believe that 250.5m is the height that most water lots are placed) but the backside is level to the sea level. I am thinking about restaurants mostly that usually have an outside deck kind of like the ones below (not the best picture but somewhat illustrates the idea) and I know I have come across these kind of lots all along downtown Chicago (not the ones shown below but the ones I am describing). :D
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Nice work, I like the house with different height of entrance.
That's a cool idea, I've seen such a building in my country. :)
moin JBSimio,
i looks like a good idea to me, having such buildings, allthought there don't seem to fit in my cities ;D ... still think for european villages it's a great thing to have!
cheers
b_schlurf
This looks like an interesting and unusual development. How about a 5 or 10 pack of these buildings with both residential & commercial?
Looks very promising Jon! Now if we could only have these on a 1x1 lot... &Thk/(
We were considering ways of doing that.... something like having the min/max slopes being the same. It's worth experimenting with. We discussed this last week, as I have started work a similar idea for deep canals.
M: Well of course there will be different colors and shapes! When was the last time you saw me do just one of anything?!? :D
Dustin: Oh my... thank you! I'm not sure about pioneer or cutting edge, but I'm glad you like the idea, my friend!
Metasmurf: Thank you!
Jmdude: Thanks!
Metarvo: Thank you as well!
Projectadam: Thanks! My thinking hadn't progressed as far as waterfront lots yet, but I think I know exactly what you're talking about. I honestly don't know much about making water lots, but I like the idea and it certainly bears looking into! :thumbsup:
Leodido: Thank you!
B_Schlurf: Some of these may have a little bit more of a European feel to them. I know that most of my stuff tends to be very American looking, but I'm going to try to make some of these a bit more "generic" if I can.
Citycapitalizer: Thanks! 5 - 10 sounds like a good number so start with. ;)
Merijn: Thanks! Technically this is a 1x1 lot... but I'll get to a real answer for you in a moment. ;)
Shaun: While reading through the comments (here and on the BSC board) this morning, I had a little brainstorm.
What kind of brainstorm, you ask? The really scary kind. High winds, thunder and lightning, torrential downpours, and the occasional tornado thrown in just for good measure. Once all that was over, I came out of the house only to discover that it had landed on Ronald McDonald... and he was wearing a pair of Marv Albert's shoes. There were little people there and they kept telling me to follow the yellow brick road... ::)
Sorry. I may have gotten a bit carried away there. What I was actually thinking is that I may have gone about this the wrong way. When Shaun and I had talked this over last week, I kept thinking of the lower portions of the building as the "front." Therefore, we decided that the best way to do this would be a flat tile at the lower road which would become the 1x1 lot. The building then overhangs the "back" and buries itelf inside the slope leading to the upper road. It all made sense and seemed to be the only way to be certain that the upper entry would line up properly and not just become a door floating 4 stories above the ground. The drawback is that it also would make growables a bit tricky to control... to the point where I wasn't even sure it would be worth trying.
However... what if we made the upper road the "front" of the lot? That entry will always line up properly and everything for the lower street level just becomes a foundation for the lot. The lot can actually become 1x2 (and the 1x1's the Merijn mentioned would also be very possible) and you could even smooth out the slope if you so desired. The hole digger lots would still be the best way to line up the roads for maximum effect, but if this were to grow in a different setting, it wouldn't look completely out of place. (Actually it still might if the windows ended up halfway in the ground, but you get the idea.) If I remember correctly, a building exemplar levels itself (within the defined building size) to the highest point of the lot (prop exemplars work a bit differently) which in my example would be the edge of the upper road. I'm not positive about that part though... hopefully an expert can step in here and confirm or deny that theory.
I'll try to experiment with this method a bit when I have some time, although it may not be until early next week.
JB
Oh no not torrential downpours, I thought we had enough of that last Thursday :P
The method you describes will probably work. The building will indeed line up with the highest point, everything underneath it can be a foundation. However, you do not have to make the foundation separately like you do with normal building foundations. For my slope friendly buildings I include the foundation with the building and render it as one piece. Everything under the z=0 line will be covered by the lot textures in the game unless the ground is lower as 0 feet. Benefit of this method is that you don't get annoying seems between the building and the foundation. However you have to make the LODs as close as possible on the lower parts of the building. Otherwise you'll get some 'nice' effects, especially if you use custom LODs ::)
I could certainly put these to use JB. This could lend itself to all sorts of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings should you decide to run with the idea.
Geoff
Hmmm... things got a little quiet over in the "general offices" of JBSimio, Inc. The education and city planning departments have stayed busy... but not so much here. Time to change that a little bit. How about a few new FAB ideas?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB_ShopFronts01.jpg&hash=efe3f76ace37d81d11b5c6085bbec40f8fb90eb6)
The upper building is a corner for orthogonal to wide FAR intersection. It takes up roughly 2x2 tiles of road frontage... W2W on both fronts. Most of the modeling is done for that one, it just needs textures. The lower two are just shop fronts waiting to be rounded out. The left side is 2 tiles wide (still some finishing touches to add to that one)... and the right side is a 1 tile wide frontage.
I'm in Michigan for Christmas (remembering what it's like to have subzero temperatures and all that fun stuff!) and then L.A. for New Year's... so there don't expect any quick work here. I'm mostly trying to get some models roughed out while I have the ideas, I'll come back to the textures and finishing touches later when I get back home. So for now, this is just a little peek to prove that I haven't completely abandoned the idea. ;)
Merry Christmas to everyone!!! (in case I don't get back here before then)
JB
Great to hear from you Jon.
Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!
Robin :thumbsup:
Robin: Thank you! I'll be spending New Year's in Los Angeles and I have every reason to believe that it should be a happy one for sure! :D
Managed to make a couple more corner buildings... or at least get a pretty good start on them anyway:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB_ShopFronts_02.jpg&hash=7e336169762cb50334f914db979fb17d62eebeca)
The first is another outside corner, just faced the opposite direction from the one above. This one also only takes one tile along the FAR road instead of two. The second is a 2x2 inside corner (the first I've made so far). I obviously have to finish closing this one in, but I like the way it's coming so far. The idea is for the orthoganal side to be more of a "side street" front... not quite as polished as the main street front. Hence the apartment entry and bare spots (which will probably have advertisements of some sort) in the walls.
I'll probably have more in the next few days. Texturing and other finishes will not happen until I get back home in January though. ;)
In the meantime, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
JB
Merry Christmas Jon! Nice work on the FAR angles here. I was wondering when we might see a few of these. Up to your usual standards too. Enjoy the trip to LA too.
-Matt
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Good Luck with this project, its super exciting!
Huzzah! My pestering worked! ::)
All kidding aside, these new FAR buildings looks excellent! These buildings would look good in any city.
One question; is it possible to make a park that conforms to the FAR, i.e. prepo's Triangle Park Set? Not trying to sound needy, but I'm sure there are many people who can find a use for them.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday, Jon, and we'll see you next year!
~ Dan
Oh yeah, this is going to be good. Very, very good! As usual. ;)
Later...
Joan
Matt: Thank you! It's a nice change to make several small buildings in one day... rather than one building that takes weeks! :D
Baconrocky: Thanks! Merry Christmas and New Year's to you as well.
Dan: I'll let you take the credit if you'd like to! :D Truth be told... my parents have a book of old postcards from towns around Calumet, Michigan (once a major city in the late 1800's thanks to the nearby copper mines) which had some very "inspirational" pictures. I'll have to hold off on the park idea for now. I can't remember what those even look like off hand... much less how they were made... definitely something I'll look into though.
Joan: Thank you!
I don't necessarily plan to make all new buildings for this project... and I started to recycle a couple original Smalltown buildings today, but they're not quite ready to be seen yet. In the meantine, I closed up all the new buildings I made over the last couple days, so here is a little update on those:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB_ShopFronts_03.jpg&hash=3eb2adb77a2b89e8888b557cdf7e93a011590d7c)
Not entirely sure about those porches and such on the back of the left hand building. I've seen a lot of apartment entries done this way on older converted buildings, but it seems a bit bulky here. I may remove it and save the idea for a two story building where it won't be so overwhelming. The right hand building is basically finished. I'll make the yellowish half a wood sided building which was there first... and that serves as my explanation for the unusual treatment to the rear entry there. ;)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB_ShopFronts_04.jpg&hash=7380287701000dc8f8dbcb5013d1fa840fb5a93a)
I'm very happy with how this one came out. For a rather small building, it ended up having a lot of different things to look at... not sure how or why, but I'm glad it worked out that way! I didn't add the roof junk to this one yet, but it won't change things too much.
Until next time...
JB
Love it JB. I wish I had your skills. It looks like so much fun.
Geoff
very very very nice my friend
Hey JbSimio, Jack wilds here...
Trust that you had a good Christmas at home with a sufficient fill of snow. Here it rained %confuso of all things -melting most of what snow we had, snowing in blizzard fashion beginning only a hour west of here. The weather folks said if the rain was snow we'd have over 12"... go figure ::) weather in WI. Enough with the weather...
Really like the new downtown buildings as they have a period look when down-towns were the town center. Are these also the proposed colors scheme... as it would brighten up a couple of my down-towns. Its looking good, sorry if I don't have anything 'earth-shaking' to contribute beyond this ;)
-in spite of all the plazas made, a typical downtown square with a clock or a period bandshell or city gardens, hing that would suit being placed in front of a court house or city hall or is more small town civic minded in design... the closest to what I have in mind are Pegs squares but not quit... if I was clearer the ice would be muddy... ;D
Happiest and fulfilling of new years
Jack
Wow, I've been away for a while and been missing some great stuff. I'm really excited now :D And motivated to go work on my stuff again.
Jon- I am always excited when I see new buildings from you and these are looking great. Have fun in LA :party:
What happened to these?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg452.imageshack.us%2Fimg452%2F9125%2Frauspreview03yx4.jpg&hash=4e2ad9743a85db1997345934c994444104278e93)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FSeaCliff_Preview01.jpg&hash=cf3a0505e149fd638791c21febb787e169f530c8)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FEastWillis_Preview01.jpg&hash=5c6ee4b0733c4cc117d14bfecefb1826b0c64a3e)
I am also curious on what is the status of these non-University projects! I am still eagerly waiting some of these! haha - Also the diagonal American-style W2W buildings you were experimenting with!
%confuso *replaces a couple fuses and blows the dust off*
I got a little (or a lot) inspired while in London, but haven't had a whole lot of time since being home to do much with anything here. I've been picking at this in small doses for a week or so now... and I finally thought I had enough to make it worth looking at:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHotelRussell_Preview01.jpg&hash=14d9cdb8600994d066db72945d86cfa4e761ffe9)
No textures yet and still a long ways to go... but just a little teaser for the moment. I'll be back much sooner and answer the long standing questions then. ;)
JB
I do see the inspiration.
Great start!
Indeed good start, high level of details ;)
hello there... long time no hear... trust that all is well and good with life over there in CA...
I'm here in WI hoping that the early frost/ freeze doesn't ruin my gardens... and waiting, watching for the EP1 to be released any day now :satisfied:... but with the release of NAM 2011; it should keep me busy for awhile :D
Jack
Wonderful work as always, Jon. What kind of building will it be? It could go nearly any direction at this point, from an apartment to a fancy office building. With a marquee over the door and a few adjustments to the entrance, maybe it could be a theatre. But you know, it might actually look good as an institute of higher learning. I know where you can get come really nice-looking brick commons. ;D
Your models are always a pleasure to see, and I thank you for sharing a sneak peek with us...
-Joan
Excellent work my friend! &apls &apls I haven't seen your work for a long time and I'm happy to see some of it! ;)
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Hmmmm, looks promising.
That's beautiful right there. I can see the English style in there, but that balcony reminds me of some things I've seen in Italy (specifically Venice) ((and specifically pictures, as I've never actually been)). You certainly found a fine bit to show us, and I'll be waiting to see where it's going to go from here.
Also, side note, did you ever finish those train stations shown at the top of the page here?
-Matt
How did I miss this? Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.
looking good. :)
Nicely done! It looks very much like the Hotel on Russell Sq.
If so, good luck with that beast (and I can take it off my to-do list :satisfied:)
welcome back jon- you were missed! the teaser looks awesome so far, can't wait to see the finished product &apls
Arne: Thanks! I had a feeling you might recognize this one... ;)
Girafe: Thank you! Yes... there are almost too many details on this one which is certainly part of the slower than normal progress.
Jack: Thanks! No frost in sight here... in fact it's been hotter the last few days than most of the summer was!
Joan: Thank you! The actual building is actually a hotel. I'll probably also make a residential version as well before all is said and done.
Guillaume: Thanks!
Art: Thank you... I think? :D
Matt: (threestooges) Thanks! I'll get to the train stations in a moment.
XiahouDun: Thank you! Sorry if I caused any unecessary discomfort! ;)
Aaron: Thank you!
Matt: (mattb325) Thanks! It is indeed modeled after the Hotel Russell in London. I have very few pictures of the sides or back though, so I'll be inventing a fair amount. Might be a good idea to wait and see before crossing it off your list! :D
Edge: Thank you!
OK... so I had this update ready last night, but thought I should probably go to bed instead. Now I find myself with a couple extra minutes at work and figured I might as well do it now. (Don't tell my boss... which is myself... OK?)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FHotelRussell_Preview02.jpg&hash=f297974afb85b32259fe2375af21653943d7acf6)
This represents the final width for the font of the building... which is just a hair over 6 tiles. As you can see from the corner towers, there will be an additional three floors above most of what I've finished so far. (I also have to do the bases for said towers, but that's pretty obvious.) If you're really paying attention, you'll probably notice that this is much smaller than the first picture I showed. I originally made things a touch bigger than normal in the hopes of including more of the details. Unfortunately, as this grew, I quickly discovered that it was WAY out of scale... so I scaled everything back in BAT before rendering the preview. I'm hoping I can get away with that (which I don't normally like to do) rather than start the whole thing over! But we'll see how that ends up.
As for the older projects at the top of the page... I managed to locate the Feige Building (meant for a diagonal corner) but I'm really not happy with it anymore. I would be much better off scrapping what I showed and simply starting over. Not sure when I'll get to that, but it is back on my list. The FAB buildings that people asked about are also still floating around waiting to be finished. I have a couple ideas about that project which may cut down on the number of different lots, but I have to experiment a bit before I say more than that. Finally, the train stations have completely disappeared, I'm afraid. I haven't been able to find them anywhere and have no clue what happened to them. I can't even remember if they were finished or not to be honest. &mmm I'll keep digging when time allows, but I wouldn't get your hopes up too high.
That's all for now,
JB
incredible ! its a treat to the eye.. too bad that color scheme couldn't be the final as it gives it a neat look... quite the project
Quote from: JBSimio on September 21, 2011, 12:03:21 PM
Matt: (mattb325) Thanks! It is indeed modeled after the Hotel Russell in London. I have very few pictures of the sides or back though, so I'll be inventing a fair amount. Might be a good idea to wait and see before crossing it off your list! :D
I have you tried Google's streetview ?
I love your details, I need to step my game up, and fin some highly detailed buildings like this to bat. :)
Wow JBSimio, did I missed that much since I looked in your thread the last time.
Your working fast man! &apls
-Ernst
Simply amazing... I've got the impression to go back to London! &apls &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Hmmm... I seem to have disappeared... again!!! Feel free to yell :angrymore: chastise "$Deal"$ and maim ()testing() as you see fit. At the risk of sounding like a broken record (since broken CDs just don't really play anyway) I'll offer my apologies one more time on the off chance that y'all have even a tiny shred of faith left in my ability to post more than once every six months. ::)
Anyway, I'm actually on a break from work as we speak (type and read?) so I wanted to get back into some things here. (In case you're curious to know just how far behind I am, let's just say I'm aware of the new NAM but still haven't had a chance to download it!) I can't really make any progress on the building shown above because it's stuck on my computer at home and I'm not there right now! I was in Los Angeles last week and am now back with the family in Michigan, but I forgot to move that building to my laptop. So, in the meantime, I thought it was about time to finish up some older projects.
Perhaps you recognize these?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB02_Day.jpg&hash=51f113aebecdd11e4e633288ead78fa14c7208c6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB02_Night.jpg&hash=3714c3075bd144f0645a93424b5518c4cda5d41d)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB04_Day.jpg&hash=1cf78286e04f829392d45ccdc2a8263c0c68d580)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB04_Night.jpg&hash=99b8aed06029f70748eb0ed0bed186a44a5a575f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FFAB05_Day.jpg&hash=3737104e256ef4a691de78425dcf69e7cb004154)
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These are three (of a definite eight) corner buildings for the FAB series. Last time I showed these, they were incomplete and not textured... now they're done. Eventually, I want to have two buildings for each of the four situations: Outside corners Right and Left as well as Inside corners Right and Left. Hence the eight choices.
You may be wondering what happened to the FAB models that don't sit on corners. They are still coming, but I think I'm going to change my plan for how I go about them. Rather than fill the menu with a gazillion (which is a lot, by the way) different lots for all situations, I'm going to take a prop family approach and make multiple store fronts to fit on the same buildings. That way, I can just make 1, 2, 3 tile wide lots facing right or left and that will be it (mostly). The rest will be random store fronts to make up the variety.
Anyway... that's where things stand for now. More on these next time. Until then, I wish everyone the merriest of Christmasses!!!
JB
Looks great my friend and I'm happy to see that you are bating again, it's great to see a legend bating again. :D
great news that youre back again. the FAB buildings look great and using prop families is a great idea, rather than having a gazillion (yes, that is a big number!) lots.
keep up the great work, merry christmas, and i look forward to seeing what comes next.
6 months or whenever Jon, it's good to see you back at it; besides 6 months of dust really hasn't done anything to hurt the product. I'd almost forgotten about these, but it will indeed be nice to see them in the game. Hope you stay warm back up there. Merry Christmas.
-Matt
Welcome back Jon. Even if we hear from you every six months, always looking forward to whatever new things you create.
Welcome back! Nice looking buildings there!
Very glad to hear from you JB as i was really beginning to wonder... ()testing() [and thats for being pokey in the matter ::) $%Grinno$%]
and to pick about something [trying to be cheeky -teasing, but hope it comes across as such; as, I'm aware of the standing rule and patience] where and when is the UofC ep 1&2 gonna show up %confuso :'( is there a game plan... is time to kick some butt ???... :satisfied: ok, I hollered, its off my chest...
Merriest of Christmases Jon and Go Packers Go!!! ;D
Jack of the snows
[its melting as I type, its a brown Christmas Charlie Brown]
Wow, i did really remeber them!
I like the progresses, but there are some things i'd like to point out:
First building from top:
-You might want to work on the bitmap youve used on the roof of the first building from top.
Right now the bumps, discolorations, stains etc. are a little bit too noticeable.
Maybe a darker bitmap would fit better, and provide some nice contrast with the (relatively) light brick facade of the building.
-Speaking of the bricks of the first building, maybe it would be a good idea to add some contrast there.If the fact that the roof is "a roof" is too noticeable, the bricks have the opposite problem.
Second building:
Very nice building!
-In which material is it's facade clad? Bricks? Stone? Plaster? personally i can't tell.
-The flashing fascia at the top of the building- did you texture it or is it still untextured?
If the first option is the right one, then it looks a little bit too saturated, and it kinda stands out too much.
-The roof has the same problem of the roof of the first building...it seems too small for this type of building, and the roof cracks are way too noticeable.
-Are you really sure that that kind of large entrance would stand there right below the corner curve?
Maybe some smaller bays would be (more probably) used there...
Oh, and would you mind to consider making a taller version of it? Maybe it could match with the tall, non-corner FAB building you've shown when you started this set of buildings.
Third building:
The flashing fascia stands out too much a bit too much- i think it is the same situation found in the 2nd building.If it is textured, you might try to tone down it's saturation.
The stains on the roof might be a little bit too noticeable, and maybe the roof itself could be made lighter or darker.
I really like those buildings, and i'm glad you returned working on them.
It been a long time Jon! :D But it's always a pleasure to look at your creations! &apls I hope to see you more often stopping by there... ;)
Guillaume :thumbsup:
:thumbsup: Jon you may or may not remember me lol but man no matter what you do its always a master piece sir ;)
Welcome back JB. You just go ahead and work on whatever project you have at hand. It's great to see your work no matter what it is.
Happy New Year.
Geoff
Your buildings still amaze me every time I see them. I hope some day my talent is up to par with your's. Everything you make looks so clean and real, its just awesome :D &apls