JBSimio Inc.

[threestooges]

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

[callagrafx]

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?

[Pat Riot]

*cough*

so.....about those JbSimbio BATs.....

although, i must say cal, simfox clearly stated he was not attacking Jon.

[jeronij]

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.

[JBSimio]

Derry:  Thanks... I'm still undecided right now.  Which is probably why there hasn't been another update yet! 

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...    Don't worry, I won't be using it often...

Pat Riot:  Good point... blown up buildings are always popular!     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. 

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  ), 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

[TopCliff]

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. Keep up the good work, so on and so forth.

[XiahouDun]

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

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

[Sim Shady]

  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

[callagrafx]

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 

[JBSimio]

Leo:  Thanks!  I've decided to keep on... um... doing whatever it is I do   

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!   

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.



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

[TopCliff]

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.

[XiahouDun]

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.

[Travis]

And the area in the back could be enlarged just a little bit and it would look perfect as a gym. 

I concur- the windows there look gym-ish already.

Looking forward to more, Jon.

[CasperVg]

Looks nice, the bricks seem a little big though, perhaps scale them down a little bit?

[threestooges]

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

[simdad1957]

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?

[Zaphod]

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.

[Pat Riot]

wheres the outhouse? 

great start JB.

[JBSimio]

Leo:  Thanks!  I'd really rather not make that first addition any bigger than it already is.  I appreciate the new title!   

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.   

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...



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

[threestooges]

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