JBSimio Inc.

[JBSimio]

Flegeling:  Thanks!  Yeah... the first sign was just an idea that didn't really work for me.  Didn't mean to scare you! 

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!   

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... 

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

[Bluebeard]

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.
   

[threestooges]

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.

[JosefBrisko135]

I can't say a negative thing about this building!

[figui]

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

[JBSimio]

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! 

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:



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

[threestooges]

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.

[Fledgeling]

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.

[Sim Shady]

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 

looks really really good.  I would follow the others advice in turning up the floor lights a bit.

[JBSimio]

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.



JB

[figui]

looking great!

have a nice time in chicago,
see you on monday.

Mauricio.

[Pat]

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 

[Jasoncw]

The lights are looking really good.

I was thinking that the grooves on the roof should be more frequent though.

[JBSimio]

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. 

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! 

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.



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

[Fledgeling]

JB, its not polite to tell people that they are starting to forget   

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...   .... i wont have a giant granite slab mocking me from behind              

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.

[Sim Shady]

i think the swan majestic is done. 

[Pat]

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

[threestooges]

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.

[figui]

i like the sign where it is now, but the awnings ... i don't know why, but i'll take them out.

Mauricio.

[DFire870]

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.

-- John