Spa's Atlantic Retreat

[spa]

Sean: Yeah I know what you mean. I actually thought about making two families, one flipped forward and one flipped backwards since it can kind of work from either side. That said, I have seen bay windows in the back of houses too. Don't worry they're medium density. Thanks for the congrads.
Matt: Practice practice practice. It's all a matter of time really. You get what you put in. The biggest thing that helped me was leaning on the SC4 community. Feedback from experienced batters and tutorials helped a lot. One of the biggest mistakes I think new batters tend to make is picking something really challenging for a first attempt. The best way to learn, in my opinion, is to pick something fairly simple like a small house or shop. Working from photos is a great way to train the eye. If you have photos, you can reference them while you're batting. By working from photos, you'll include details and features that might otherwise be missed and avoid, some, mistakes. If you have a quality camera, you can even use digital photos to make the textures. That saves a TON of time. Hope that helps.
Simnation: Thanks
Iamgoingtoeatyou: Thanks. The multi-colour and "Victorian" style is probably the trigger for the San Fran connection.
C.P.: Thanks. Can't beat a big leafy backyard!

Well I promised a while back I would be releasing my latest batch of old commercial buildings. They'll be on the exchange shortly, but before I let them toddle off into the big world I want to finish up #7, the Imperial Theatre from Saint John, New Brunswick. I started this a year ago, but kind of lost interest for a while there. I'm now dusting it off again so incase you missed it the first time, here's a pic of the real thing:

Pretty classy old building and the pride of Saint John. The only problem is the modern addition that has been put onto the back of it is damned hideous. Anyway, the last time I showed my version it consisted of just the entranceway. Well the front has come together and besides texturing the windows and putting on the very top parapet, the front is pretty much done. Check it out.

Still lots to do of course. I can't consider any of the textures final until I see how it looks with windows. In particular, the first floor corners may need some adjustment as may the brown on the main parapet. I'm planning on taking this one back to the past when it comes to the sides and back. I just can't bring myself to replicate the modern addition. So it's going to be a bit of a fantasy for the rest of it.

[spa]

No takers eh. Well here's where thing now sit mid-weekend.

The basic structure is pretty much done at this point. The roof is obviously the biggest missing element right now. I'll need to put some equipment up there and an access point. On the back of the building, I'm planning on including two or three loading bays. The idea is that the area with the clean new bricks was added on to modernize the place (that's where I'm assuming the stage and behind the scenes stuff sits). This is pretty much fantasy since the addition on the real thing is far more intrusive. Compared to my earlier preview shot, you might notice a slightly different feel to the building in terms of massing. That's because I scaled it down on all dimensions by about 10%. I noticed when I mocked it up in game that the place was just a little too big. It'll now blend in a little better and I think it was something that was defiitely needed. By the way, does the grafitti tag work? Anyway, there are still some other details to take care of, but this one is coming along.

[tag_one]

Wonderful as always Samuel! The facade of the building looks very nice. will you make this a CS$$$?

[Jack_wilds]

Hello Spa, Jack wilds here...

I really like your work, particularly the Atlantic retreats... the 'B&B' buildings are fun to look at and would make for a refreshing addition to some of my cities.  Most of your work as adorn my 'cities' as small town and rural creations.  Hope to be able to dl these latest projects to add giving my Sims even more to gawk at  . 

Jack

[spa]

Tag: Thanks. This one will definitely be Cs$$$.
Jack: I'm glad you like my stuff. There will be more to choose from in the near future. My batch of old commercial buildings is almost ready (Imperial Theatre being the 7th). After that it'll be a batch of old residentials. I have most of them picked out, but not started yet. So Dundas Terrace will be a little while since I only have it and the Church Street apartments finished. Anyway, they'll be something new soon.


As mentioned, I have been tinkering with the Imperial Theatre. Below is where things are now at the start of my long weekend; I work a compressed schedule so every second weekend is a long one (I'm not back to work until Monday).

As you might have noticed, after a fair number of comments, I toned down the purple bricks. It's funny, I never thought of them as purple. I clipped them from my photos of the place and they just looked old to my eyes. Anyway, they're now red. I also added some beige to the front bricks and stonework so that it's not so white. It seems to fit and makes it look a little but more like masonry. I'm really pleased with that result. Also on the front, the little lights have gone up on the 2nd floor and the interlocking stonework is in on the corners. Around the back, I have finished the loading bays/back door. The one thing I haven't figured out yet is whether I'm going to put windows on the very top of the modern addition like there are on the older part. I'm kind of tempted to do so with the idea that the upper floors might hold offices or other behind the scenes type stuff (you wouldn't want windows in the actual theatre). I might just have to put them in and see how it looks. At this point, I think I'm ready to tackle the roof. I think this one could be done this weekend.

I have been alluding to the horrible modern addition that they built on the real thing for a few posts now. I feel like I need to share it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a photo of it in all its horribleness. Seems no one takes pictures from that vantage. Here's one of my photos from when I was in Saint John two summers ago. You can kind of get a sense of the awfulness, but there is nothing to compare to the view from the very back!

Pretty tacky eh? IMHO, it's an architectural atrocity. I guess though it was better than losing the whole place.

[rushman5]

Please, leave the BAT how it is.  Don't ruin a marvelous building with that crap facade thing.  Looking good.  It might be a little too red.  It almost looks pink IMO.

-sean

[spa]

Rushman: Don't worry I won't be including the modern tackiness

Well I have finished the building and I rendered it last night. Here's how it looks in game, finished, and on a lot.
Front/Back:

Sides:

The roof turned out to be a real pain. I find with roof textures they either come together really easily or they end up taking several frustrating hours. This one was the later. After tinkering all the way through the Brothers Grimm I ended up just chucking the gravel texture I was attempting and went with old reliable tar paper. Even that though was tough to get a shade that would work with the facade and bricks. Anyway, the roof feels done at this point.

The night lighting on this one wasn't too hard given that there are basically no windows anywhere except on the front. Below is how it turned out.
Night:

I like the marquee

There is one thing I had to do with this one that was different from my usual works. I ended up using the lighter maxis pavement texture instead of the darker version that is on all my other lots. I opted for the lighter version because it has overlay textures (the dark one doesn't). Using my regular texture, the pavement ends up going up the side alleys, which looks kind of strange. With the lighter version's overlays, however, I can make the sidewalk almost flush with the front. Below is what I mean.


The tradeoff is that this one will look slightly different when up against alleys on my other lots. I don't think it's a big deal though. Just a minor difference. In some ways, I think the lighter version actually fits the building better since, apart from the old brick, the building is fairly light coloured.

Seems fairly minor, especially since most of it will be shaded in built up areas. Anyway, unless there is any last minute suggestions, this one is finished.

[Jack_wilds]

Hello SPA, Jack wilds here...

A earlier post post was complaining over the 'red-pinkish-purple-ish' hues-color of the brick...

I'm wondering if its to do with all the process of posting it here and it probably appears more pinkish-purple-ish' than it really is.  Also thinking  that when it appears in a city it will have a slightly different in color/texture than what the post conveys... am I making sense  ?  perhaps the brick was on special for this reason when the contractor got it to install and the said contractor made a little better profit...   

What I would like to have considered is an alleyway from the front to the rear service area.  A number of bats have rear service areas with out any means of getting back there  unless its made.  Do you know if there is a single-one way-TE'd alleyway or ally set that would serve access to these rear areas?  just thinking aloud... It also looks like a wrap to me, adding the rear doors and details made come to life.  Like it in its facade detail and texture. 

The more I look at the church street apartments the more I like 'em... is there a story about them as well, where there located are they just a neighborhood structure or did appear in other places as well... A corner lot appears to have three apartments is that one of the lots?, will the apartments be 'lotted' as they appear for the dl?  too many inquiries so I will stop...

cold in the northwoods 
Jack 

[girlfromverona]

I love the Imperial Theatre! It's one of my favourite ever BATs of yours. 

[rushman5]

Looks fantastic, i like the minor trash and alley props as always.  The roof is well done.  In particular, the steam vents for kitchens is a nice touch, I hope to see them on later BATs of yours.

-sean

[magee_b]

WOW Spa! Great to see you pick this gem back up. It looks spectacular 
Drove past the Imperial today actually as I was making my way around the slushy streets of Saint John.

[kimcar]

  Great work spa. I like the front of this theatre . Good choice 

[magee_b]

The interior of this place is just stunning. In case you have never had the privilege:


Edit: Also - For roof stuff, you could have a look at this - http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=45.272662~-66.057705&style=a&lvl=19&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

[spa]

Jack_wilds: You're right. Preview renders against black backgrounds look different than in game shots because of the colour palette (black versus SC4's sunny pastel like world). On accessing those rear alleys, many of my bats don't have ways to get back there, but they're designed so that when you link them all up alongside one and other, there will be one consistent alley that can be accessed at the first cross street. I have done two bats, Paddy's Brew Pub and Video Difference, that have narrow alleys along the side of the building so you can get to the rear alley mid-block. Eventually I plan to do a few more like that. I don't plan though on getting into lotting an alley set and transit enabling it.... Although maybe one day Right now I'm into making residentials. The Church Street apartments don't have any big story or anything. I just noticed there are several old duplexes at the intersection of Harvey and Church Streets in Halifax that were obviously built at the same time by the same people from the same plans. Since I first noticed them, I started seeing a few others around town, but the others I have spotted are all stand alones. At Church and Havery there is a real cluster. A local historian would probably know more about them, but, unfortunately, I really don't. I just think they look sharp. I have lotted them as 1x1s, 1x2s and 1x3s. I didn't make any mega lots. The pictures you see are just a bunch of them grown next to each. It helps give the appearence of a mega lot because the lotting is consistent and I made corner 1x1s. Anyway, I think I hit all the points in your comment
GirlfromVerona: Thanks. It turned out not bad in the end
Sean: You will see those vents reappear. I keep all of the roof stuff I make in one all inclusive file so that I can reuse stuff. It's why, if you look closely, you'll notice a few objects on the roofs of my bats are actually the same. The vents on this one were actually made when I was working on Morse's Tea so this is technically their first reuse!
Magee: I thought you might like that I finished this one. Only need Simdad to chime in... maybe he's feeling down that I did a Saint John bat before one from Moncton When I was in Saint John, I unfortunately never got a chance to go inside. My friend and I poked our heads in, but they were setting up for something and weren't taking any tours. It does look pretty amazing. Next time I'm in Saint John I'll make sure to stop in. Maybe if I let the Theatre's management know I made their building I won't be denyed a tour!
Kimcar: Thanks.


Well the Imperial Theatre is done, so I'm back to making small, but dense, historic residentials. I had a fair bit of free time today so I motored through one, an old rowhouse building from Halifax's Inglis Street called Knightsbridge. Below is a picture of the real building:

I really don't know how this old rowhouse got the name Knightsbridge. Halifax has been a very British city for much of its history so if I had to guess, I would venture that it was probably named for the Knightsbridge area in London. Inglis Street is located in Halifax's traditionally wealthy South End so it makes some sense that Halifax's colonial aristocracy would name a building in the wealthier end of town after a wealthy part of London. That said, there use to be a significant stream called Freshwater Brook only a hundred or so meters from the building (the old stream now flows through pipes underground) so maybe there was a once a bridge near the spot. The whole building was recently converted into high-end condos and had a discrete modern addition added off the back of the building, safely out of view from the street. There are still two condos currently for sale, but they're kind of pricey by Halifax standards. Here's the link http://www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=7598719 incase anyone is interested in checking out the interiors. Anyway, below is what I have come up with.

Not a whole lot left to do actually. The roof, glass, back porch and lighting is all that remains on the basic model. This one won't be a regular 1x2. It's 10 units across (about 2/3rds of a SC4 tile) so it won't work as regular stand alone wall-to-wall. I'm going to have to set it up as terrace block, just like the real building. I'll make as many copies of the basic model as I need to fill a lot and I'll modify the ends on each side to look like proper corner units. I'm basically going to use the same approach I went with when I made Garrison Woods. Anyway, based on how quickly this one happend, I'll probably haver a render of a least one of the models at some point this weekend.

[threestooges]

Glad to hear the Imperial is done. That was a neat one to watch come together. These little units look good too. Curious to know what the actual scale of each unit is. Basic math (at 3:30am) told me it was about 2m (2/3*16=10m 2 units per section and 10 units total (front and back) 10m/5sections=2m/section) which seems a bit narrow, but that may just be my math tonight. I like the modelling of it though, whatever the scale. It looks like it'll turn into a very nice lot (as usual).
-Matt

[spa]

Matt: Thanks Matt. I'm afraid I missed a few turns in your 3:30am math (your 3:30 is better than my anytime!). I think you're right though. In gmax these are 10 meters (units) across. A Sim City tile is of course 16 so about 1 and 1/2 per tile. The problem is that 16 can be awfully wide for some styles of rowhouses. At 16 across, everything tends to get wide rather than tall. Maybe the image below will help


First off, incase you didn't catch it, this week is release party week. I'm sending a bat a day out into the wide world. Kingsway Shops 2, the Roy Building and the J.W. Johnston Building are now available on the LEX. I have been fairly busy lately, but I have found some time to pick away at Knightsbridge Terrace. Below is where things sit.

It's actually a lot of surface area to cover! Both the windows and the roof textures took quite a while to make. For variety I'm working on all the possible variations of this building at once, but I'm back on the idea of having most of it in game as props so that it is easier to make more varied and different sized lots. On the back, obviously the windows still need to be done. I'm going to add some random deck items (some of my bbqs, plants and chairs) and I'll vary the mats. I'll also be adding some windows to the side walls and some big old chimnies on the roof. Depending if I'm sick of it or not, I might try some other colour variations, maybe a light yellow and a peach. We'll see what the weekend brings.

[rushman5]

this not only fits in with New england styles, but resembles many new mixed-income communities here in baltimore.  Perhaps you could differ the depths between the units to giving a slightly staggered look like this:


It would not be 100% accurate, but is variation players are constantly looking for.

[girlfromverona]

First off, incase you didn't catch it, this week is release party week. I'm sending a bat a day out into the wide world.

Awesome news! I've grabbed the first three already - can't wait to see what's next on the release schedule.

Knightsbridge Terrace is coming along well, too! 

[threestooges]

Nice work, and congratulations on the Release Party. I have a few of those shops that will be opening for business in Greenacre shortly. Now then, my 2:30 mind sees where the confusion that crept into my 3:30 math came from. When you said it was 10 units across for 2/3 of a tile, I thought units meant number of residences instead of meters. Your explanation makes perfect sense now. It looks like you have a few variations in the works, and I'll look forward to seeing how they'll come together. Well done as always.
-Matt

[Orange_o_]

it seems to me very realistic, very well.

You could maybe personalize more the various houses, by adding flowers or identical curtains on an apartment