JBSimio Inc.

[DFire870]

The library looks great! Can't wait to see the ivy on it, since you make the ivy so realistic. Although, the library looks too boxy, but that's just me.

And Kevin, that story of the cat is great. It kinda reminds me of one of my cats; she thinks she's the empress of the house and will go and sleep wherever she pleases, including the dog beds.

-- John

[calibanX]

I love this library JB. It's coming along well. I actually liked the statue...maybe not on the stairs, but these old college campuses always have statues.

Be well.

[Pat]

Jon that is looking soo very good.... Im glad you avoided the OSHA fines as once they nail you, you never fall off their radar lol.....

[figui]

i really like how's going the library
i like the steps and agree that a statue should go somewhere near a library (he would be Cervantes in spanish speaking countries )

mauricio.

[JBSimio]

Grizzlybuilder:  The landscaping crew has gotten the ivy to grow now.  I couldn't get your link to work, but I found a couple pictures anyway.  That looks like a very possible project at some point... thank you!

Kevin:  I was down there in high school... which, alas, was a while ago.  The cat may not have even been alive then!    We'll see what happens.  I'll have to find some more (and closer) pictures to do it justice first.

Duane:  Thank you!  The "work" is always worth it.  Frankly, I enjoy doing it... and I still smile a little whenever somebody says "Good work" or something along those lines.  This is work?  Really?   

John:  Thanks!  It is a bit on the boxy side.  I originally planned on a rather different shape... but then it didn't happen.  What can you do?

CalibanX:  Thank you!  The statue will find it's way in here somewhere.  I still have it... if nothing else, I'll make a prop out of it and use it that way.

Pat:  Thank you!

Mauricio:  Thanks!

Alright... first I need to explain my previous update.  I decided not to change the roof.  I shortened both landings on the front steps which I think helped with the overall size.  I could make the steps a tad steeper and loose a step or two if it still seems necessary, but I personally don't think so.  I lightened up the windows a little and also the brick texture.  (I accidently overdarkened it the first time around)  I've also added the ivy now.  I kept it to a minimum this time just because the walls are rather "crowded" already.  That third floor ledge also makes it hard for the ivy to grow around.  (You can see a spot I still need to fix)



As for the other two trigger buildings, I kind of have plans for both of them already.  The W&M idea has peaked my interest and I'll probably do something with it, but I doubt it will be in the "Starter Pack."  One of the buildings is based off of my college's "Old Main" and will be the smallest option.  It's a three story T shaped building with a central tower... almost a little Victorian influenced.  I don't have any pictures handy at the moment, so you'll just have to wait and see.  The other one is going to look a little like this:



This was actually the original city hall for my home town.  It burned down a LONG time ago and I stumbled across the pictre in one of the historical books.  I thought it fit rather well.  My version won't be exact by any means, but I will borrow heavily from this.

That's all for now!

JB

[cammo2003]

Looks great so far. I'd love to see a sandstone building, there's so few of them in the game, and it's such a lovely material - I know it well because most of our significant historical buildings are made of the stuff and they look FANTASTIC.

Just a thought, not an order. 

[BigSlark]

The revamped library looks great, I'm really, really looking forward to this set's completion.

I think I have some photos of Wren Hall, if not, its the only Christopher Wren building in the Americas and I'm sure that some has to have a website about it.

As for old college buildings, here's Millsaps' Old Main, built in 1890 and burned in 1914. I must admit that the building that replaced it is much more stunning, even if they did take out the stained glass windows 50 years ago.


Old Main, c. 1890

I'll have to take some photos of Murrah Hall this week, its front has some amazing Doric columns and it has huge windows.

Cheers,
Kevin

[JBSimio]

Cammo:  Thanks!  I've also noticed that lack.  My problem with making them is that I just don't have many good sandstone textures to work with.  My previous attempts have always come out looking rather flat and lifeless.  One of these days I'm bound to figure out the trick, but I haven't gotten the hang of it so far.

Kevin:  So that's the Old Main that burnt down, huh?  I still have the link you sent me a long while back for Millsaps.  I actually looked at Murrah Hall initially for the library.  Based on that single picture, the front facade looks great and I'd love to see more pictures if you're going to be taking some.

With a few minor tweaks, I'm calling the library finished.  So I got a start on one of the alternate trigger buildings.  This is what I've borrowed from the picture I posted last night.



The walls depicting the side wings are just there for the sake of showing how the porch fits in.  The size of either side is still very much up in the air, so don't look too closely at that part just yet.  (Yes, I know I haven't put the steps on the porch yet... let OSHA show up, I'm not scared!)  I don't have a name for this one yet... and I'm not real sure what kind of final form it will take just yet.  Overall it will probably be about 4x3... compared to the 5.5x3 of the Westlake building.

Thoughts and suggestions (or names) are always appreciated.  I know it's an early shot to be picking at, but who knows what I may have screwed up already! 

JB

[Pat]

Jon wow that is stunning progress here and this is Oneida County Court House built in 1908, Just follow the link to it... Whats stunning is the county just paid a tone of money to have the dome stained glass redone!!!

[Strechnitz]

Hey Jon,

Wow, I have missed so many great new stuff. the building set is becoming huge and wonderful! I love the chapel, and the library, and the new trigger building is looking very promising too.

Just a question, do you also plan to make a rectory/villa for the rectr and perhaps a building with appartments for the resident teachers? I don't know if that is common for american academies. so I am just curious.

Strech.

[oldrogue]

Jon, the facase on the new building is (to borrow a phrase from Pat) Stunning...man that could be the centerpiece/focal point of a whole city!  Can't think of a name off the top of my head....well, Fred's Bar & Grill just wouldn't fit!  Pat, I love the Oneida courthouse....we have a neat one in my hometown, Prescott, Arizona....fact is it's the focal point for all of downtown...I'll have to dig up a decent pic of the plaza...Isn't it neat how almost all Americans are so very proud of their local courthouses?  The old buildings I mean....almost every little town in the country has a building that the county couldn't even afford to look at in today dollars, yet the people sacrificed and built these beautiful edifices.

Oops, rambing again

[JBSimio]

Pat:  Thank you!  Oneida County does have a great court house!  I remember seeing it at some point during my time up there.  That's great that they redid the stained glass.  Michigan's capitol building recieved a similar treatment when they restored the interior of the grand rotunda.  I'll have to see if I can find some pictures of that.

Strech:  Thanks!  I don't think that is all that common here in the states, but it isn't unheard of.  I'll make a note for one of the later additional packs.

Duane:  Thank you!  I suppose that makes sense, since the inspiration was city hall at one point.  It is too bad that civic buildings don't get the architectural attention that they once did.  City halls, libraries, court houses... they all used to be symbols of prosperity and sources of pride.  Almost like saying, "Look how great this place is!"  But, money conquers all it seems and now function is the main concern.  I better stop rambling myself...

I made a fair bit of progress this afternoon.  I'm not entirely sure where I'm headed from here though...



I'm trying to decide whether to close the building up as it is now or make it a U shaped footprint.  If I close it, I'm worried that the roof will just be overpowering... and most likely way too high (it's a rather steep pitch this time).  On the other hand, if I go with the U shape, I'll probably need to widen the front facade somewhat to make things fit together and still look decent.  Then there's always the option to just go from three dormers down to two on the sides... that would be closer to the size I originally mentioned last night (it's closer to 4x4 right now), but I think that might make the sides a bit empty looking.  So I guess this is all a very long winded way of saying that I just don't know what I'll do yet!  Any thoughts?

JB

[BigSlark]

Jon,

Great work so far! I really, really like this building.

Check out this building's design, Jon. It has "light wells" so that the stairways didn't need any additional lighting, it was built in the 1920's as the Chemistry, Biology, Geology, and Physics Hall at my college. Sullivan-Harrell Hall

When the building was renovated in the 1990's the took out the 1950's additions that bridge these light wells and the natural light in it is amazing.

Cheers,
Kevin

[threestooges]

This is off to a nice start. I would cast my vote for making it U-shaped. Maybe add a nice area out back, some tables and the like, for the students to use between classes. The only thing I don't have an opinion on yet is how deep to make it. Given that the roof will be fairly steep, taking it back too far would make it seem cavernous, and might not fit well with the rest of the set. I think taking it back for one dormer might work. Two question for you this time: do you have any plans for the patio at the front of the building; and what is the best way to make things like letters and numbers in the BAT? I'm curious to see where you take this one.
-Matt

[Jasoncw]

The new buildings are looking good.  By the time you're done, full universities will be buildable for the first time.

Makes me want to make a college town.   

[figui]

this building is looking sooo nice.
and i'd go with the u- shaped footprint.

mauricio.

[JBSimio]

Kevin:  Thanks!  I love these links you keep adding.  If I'm not careful, I'll start getting too many ideas... and Lord knows that's the last thing I need!   

Matt:  Thank you!  I tinkered around with the depth a couple times and I think I'm happy with it now.  I don't have any definite plans for the balcony just yet, but I'm thinking about a seating area/roof garden of some sort?  Maybe...    I use the text tool for most lettering.  I set it to fit whatever space I need and then scale it up (vertically only) about 130%.  You can then extrude that by itself for lettered signs or even do a spline edit for the carved look... much the same way you would add window openings.  (That's actually how I did the date stone for this one)

Jason:  Thanks!  You know how long I've been brainstorming this idea... so I'm glad to finally be getting some real progress on it.  And because it's open ended, it can be added to as long as the ideas keep coming.

Mauricio:  Thank you!  U shaped it is!

I sorted out the footprint with a few minor adjustments.  The center portion is slightly wider now.  I started to do a small height test with parts of the roof and then I got a little carried away.  One thing led to another and now most of the roof is in place.



And then I arrive at another "issue."  I like the roof pitch by itself quite a lot.  It is definitely steeper than my other ones but I think it fits the building pretty well.  However it kind of buries the clock tower now.  I can either change the pitch or stretch the tower a bit higher.  I'm leaning heavily towards the second choice.  And yes, I'll fix the areas where the roof cuts into the tower details while I'm at it!      Anyway, I wanted to open it up to suggestions at this point before I get too much further.  Lots of details to do and the back wall needs to be made yet too, but it's coming together much better than it was last week!

JB

[oldrogue]

Hey Jon,

Man those stepped roofs are great, adds a neat look..I agree with stretching the tower up a little...maybe just a scale 6 feet or so...not much.  The U-shape is what I would have sugested if I had gottne back here soon enough.  Out of curiosity, are we going to need external dependancies for the University?  No problem if we are, just kind of curious.

Kevin, is your school in Mississippi?  If so is it Starkville?

Duane

[Fledgeling]

JB, judging  from the picture the real building's slope did not end at a peak, but was chopped off ¼ to 1/5 of the way up for the side portions.  You should do that, and scale down the slope in the center, perhaps shortening the back not by changing the slope but bringing the back end of the u closer to the front so you can get a smaller area and thus a correspondingly shorter final peak - perhaps by stepping the final story of the back end of the U in a similar fashion to the front, giving an illusion that the back is thinner (but it wont really be) and a shorter peak without messing with the slope or the scale.

[Strechnitz]

Hi Jon,

Wow. you are making terrific progress on the 1884 building. And it's great to see that you have made it a U shaped building I agree with oldrogue. It adds so much more character in my honest opinion.

You could change the roof into a mansard roof like fledgeling suggests. But I quite like the current one. The tower is "fat" enough to stretch it and make it a bit taller. or you could insert a floor with open bellfry windows or something like that.

In any case I would suggest to make the tower taller.

Strech.