JBSimio Inc.

[kimcar]

What a great work you have done again . Thanks again for your excellent work and for sharing it.

[JBSimio]

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!

Tiffany's Tea Shop



Weatherwax Pharmacy

See you next week!
JB

[Sim Shady]

pat yourself on the back jbsimio    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 

[Fledgeling]

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. 
 

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 . The growth stages are the only values changed, right?

[threestooges]

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. 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.

[simdad1957]

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

Have a good trip!!

[meinhosen]

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   

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.   

[Jasoncw]

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.   

[sebes]

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!

[EDGE4194]

I am also excited to see Westlake being dusted off. Can't wait for the final on this one as well.... 

[Bluebeard]

JB,
    The Pharmacy works great and it look alot better then that game clinic.Thanx

[Pat]

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

[JBSimio]

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... 

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!    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! 

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!     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

[JBSimio]

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:    



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.



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

[Pat]

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

[cammo2003]

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.

[figui]

wow, that entrance for the swan something is GREAT

mauricio.

[calibanX]

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? 

[JBSimio]

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.   

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.



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.





Still a long ways to go...

JB

[DFire870]

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