Spa's Atlantic Retreat

[toxicpiano]

Ah yes I just remembered. I was in Toronto and Ottawa the other week (2000 mile tour of Ontario), and saw a lot of Garrison woods style houses  Oh and a lot of Tim Hortons. Also, Rogers seems to own half of Toronto, lol.

[spa]

Toxicpiano: Both are fun cities! If you happened by Cornell that would be Garrison Woods style central for Southern Ontario. This is actually the first summer in several years that I won't be in Toronto. I kind of miss that. Halifax is great and I love it here, but it is fun to visit really big cities.

Just a quick update today. The votes are in and the white bricks won out. They now go up to the top. I'm pretty pleased with the result. Below is where things stand.

I have started on the roof junk. I'm planning a few vents and one more hvac on the blank concrete panel (the second hvac will be smaller than the main one already up there). I have also come up with a name for the place. Since the building is from Calgary, I'm going to call it the Lougheed Building after Alberta premier Peter Lougheed. After I finish the roof junk I just have to sort out the windows and roof textures. I'll update again when I have some more significant work done.

[spa]

Not to bump my own thread or anything but the Lougheed Building is now basically done, barring any suggestions. Below are pictures of the final version from all angles.











I think it turned out fairly well. Interestingly, the graphics glitch that always plagued me (those splotches) are here on my new computer... but they only comes out at night! Strange.

I used the new plugin tool to set everything up. First time using it and I'm very impressed. Talk about a time saver! When it's released it's going to open up modding and editing to those without the the patience to pick at properties in the ilive reader or sc4tool.

[bat]

That's a wonderful looking building, spa! Great work!

[Krio]

Excellent work spa, Lougheed is the second most Maxis looking building, what I've ever seen first one was some Middle Eastern hotel building.

I got few questions, do you combine your buildings in LE or do you also create all chairs and flowers too?

[toxicpiano]

Yummy! I don't supposed you have ever heard of the blue mountain ski resort? It's like a gated community, all built in alpine village style (Fake and and like a toytown basically). Seemed to me to be very un Canadian... Are there many gated communities in Canada?

[Pat]

Spa that is looking really great 
What does it say on the side i cant quite read it all that well?

[spa]

Bat: Thanks
Bengt: Thanks. Most of what you see was made in the bat. However, the outside stuff around back isn't mine. The rose bushes on the left are simgoober's, the hedge next to the tables are from CSX, the outdoor lamp posts that fit in so well are from the BSC misc prop pack and the large bushy garden with the evergreen tree in the middle is from Swi.
Toxicpiano: I haven't. Gated communities are not very common in Canada. They do exist but for the most part wealthy Canadians haven't fled behind iron bars and security guards yet. Although from what I have heard they are more common in Western Canada, particularly in BC and Alberta. One of my profs (Jill Grant) at Dal is actually studying gated communities in Canada and I believe has published a few articles on them. Search for her if you want to know more.
Pat: Thanks. On the side above the doors is the building's civic address, 1809 4th Street SW. It came out fairly blurred which is kind of good in a way since people can really imagine it says anything

So keep an eye on the exchange this week. I'll be uploading a new bat each night. First up the Clay Cafe, but it's just the first of 7. Enjoy.

[Pat]

Sweet spa i look forward to the 7 day release party woohoo 

[simdad1957]

Looking forward to the next week of plenty. I love fooling around with small town stuff (although the current city I'm working on is a metropolis) and your creations fit in so well with JMSimio's stuff. Also, your focus on Atlantic Canada is a huge bonus!!

[mightygoose]

that building is fantastic... very maxis but i love it.

[magee_b]

Bat: Thanks
Bengt: Thanks. Most of what you see was made in the bat. However, the outside stuff around back isn't mine. The rose bushes on the left are simgoober's, the hedge next to the tables are from CSX, the outdoor lamp posts that fit in so well are from the BSC misc prop pack and the large bushy garden with the evergreen tree in the middle is from Swi.
Toxicpiano: I haven't. Gated communities are not very common in Canada. They do exist but for the most part wealthy Canadians haven't fled behind iron bars and security guards yet. Although from what I have heard they are more common in Western Canada, particularly in BC and Alberta. One of my profs (Jill Grant) at Dal is actually studying gated communities in Canada and I believe has published a few articles on them. Search for her if you want to know more.
Pat: Thanks. On the side above the doors is the building's civic address, 1809 4th Street SW. It came out fairly blurred which is kind of good in a way since people can really imagine it says anything

So keep an eye on the exchange this week. I'll be uploading a new bat each night. First up the Clay Cafe, but it's just the first of 7. Enjoy.

I am assuming you are in the architecture & planning faculty? Community Design perhaps? I was looking into that before taking a turn for education at UNB. Great work, I love following your progress. All the best.

- Oh and if you get a chance, next time you're in Saint John you should consider doing some of the fine buildings there. Market Slip/Prince William St. would be fine additions 

[spa]

Pat: Thanks
Simdad: I'm glad you're enjoying them. Two more Atlantic Canada bats to come this week!
Mightygoose: Thanks
Magee: Yep. Planning actually. Funnily enough I know someone who is just about to start education at UNB. The Maritimes is such a small place. I actually really liked Saint John. The old buildings in the city aren't just still there but they are there as a consitent streetscape. Halifax's heritage buildings, except on Barrington, really tend to exist in isolated pockets. Parts of Saint John are like a museum piece. The little alleys were very cute. Still, I did find it disconcerting to find so few modern buildings. I did come away with a ton of photos of the city, but I have 100s of potential bats sitting on my computer so I can't promise that anything will come of it anytime soon.... That said the Imperial Theater and the HSBC downtown branch (curved building across from the anchors) are both pretty tempting. Thanks for the comment.

So as you have probably seen I'm releasing my banked bats this week. I'm also going through my models folder looking at almost done bats and contemplating moving them along. One that has been getting attention is the Sovereign Building. Remember that one? No? This is where it stood in April (the last time I did anything on it).

It was all done except the roof and window textures bogged me down and sapped all the fun out of it. After a few months off though I'm ready to finish this one up. Below is a new preview render of just the front with the new glass textures that I have made with techniques borrowed from Jasoncw.

Much more lively now eh. We'll see how things go but this one could be heading to the render this weekend.

[cammo2003]

This is probably going to sound irksome, but I think there's a bit too much variety in colour in the first, second, and third floor windows in this one. It works well on the other BAT, but I think the concept doesn't quite work for such large windows. I do think there needs to be some colour up there, though. Perhaps faking blinds might work? I guess it's a matter of personal taste, though. Either way, it'll likely end up in my plugins folder. 

I think it might be worth considering a different roof texture as well. It just blends too much with the edging... perhaps less brown?

The ground floor, however, is something else! The increased level of detail is excellent. It's just enough to give it life, but not so much that it's overwhelming.
I also like the idea of the signs in the windows on the first floor though.

I love the sign sticking out of the first floor, by the way.   

[spa]

Cammo2003: Thanks for the feedback. I think the windows stay at this point I have just spent too much time on them and there is only so much a guy can stand. I have ditched the old roof texture. You can see the new one below.


So the Sovereign Building is pretty much done. I did all the windows in the same style as the front, made a new roof texture and tinkered with a few other textures slightly. Below is where things sit.






I'm thinking, besides a plop, I'll also make a Co$$ version. I'm heading to Newfoundland for a week on Wednesday so this one likely won't be released until I get back. However, I'll likely have the laptop with me so I might come back with one or two new bats just needing to be textured (I don't texture on the laptop).

[simdad1957]

Try not to jig too many squid while you're in Newfie but I hope you try some flipper pie, cod tongues and fish n' brewis

Have a good trip!, you might find some additional BAT inspiration in St. John's if you go there. Very interesting architecture. I have often said that if St. John's were on the mainland I would consider living there but as it is, St. John's ranks up there with Fairbanks AK as the most isolated major city in North America.

[rooker1]

I love the latest addition, Sovereign Building.  Great work my friend.
Have a great trip.



Robin   

[Pat]

Spa looking very good indeed 

[jacqulina]

excellent work and details

[bat]

Wonderful work on that building, Spa!