JBSimio Inc.

[JBSimio]

Joan:  Thank you!

Matt:  Thanks!  I thought that you were probably referring to the roof pieces, but I just wanted to be sure...   I make all my sloped roof pieces the same way.  Here's a quick example of the method... this is a very simple one, but the theory works for just about any sloped roof whether it be a hipped roof, dormer, or whatever:

WARNING!!!  Brief Tutorial Adead!!! 


For the sake of argument... let's assume you have a simple shed you want to put a roof on.  Right now it looks something like this.  At this point, I will actually make the roof in two pieces, one for each side.  I do this by drawing a line in the top view.  Make sure the snap settings are set to 3D, and simply snap the line at each of the four "corners" of your roof.


When you click on your final vertex (whichever one you started with) it will ask you to "Close Spline?"  Click yes, and it should look like this.  You can also now see the first reason I use a line and not a rectangle.  A rectangle drawn in the top view will not follow the slopes... it will just stay on the same Z plane as the first vertex you snapped to.  A line actually follows the slope along any of the three planes.  More reasons to follow in a moment...


Usually, you'll want to have an overhang on a roof like this.  No problem... here's another advantage to using lines.  If you go to the modify tab on the right and then click the little plus sign next to your line, a small rollout will drop down with options much like the "Edit Spline" roll out.  For the sloped sections of the roof, simply select "Segment" and add a little overhang on each side.  The bottom of the roof works the same way, but as you can see, some math will be needed here.  (Although this illustrates the final advantage to using lines.  Moving vertices and segments around with a line will not warp the segments (for the most part) because the vertices are free to pivot, provided you haven't welded something else to them.)


Correcting the roof slope is just a matter of calculating the rise to run ratio of your slope.  My wall has a 4 meter rise from the bottom of the slope to the peak... and has a run of 5 meters.  Rise to run ratio = 4/5 = 0.8.  I'm making an overhang of 0.4 meters so I need to lower the bottom segment accordingly.  0.4 x 0.8 = 0.32... which is the distance I needed to lower this segment.  (I use this a LOT... it becomes even more handy when trying to notch out dormers, etc)  At this point, one side of the roof is done.  I extrude the piece (around 0.2 or 0.3 meters... whatever works for you) and then either clone and rotate it for the other side, or just make a second one, depending on what I'm doing.


And this is why drawing the roof in the top view is important.  The pieces will extrude straight up, leaving a crisp and clean point at the top.  (It's worth mentioning that, because there is no overlap here, this is a good source for light leaks later... I usually put a "ceiling" in somewhere as an added precaution)  From here, it's just a matter of dressing the edges with facia boards or whatever else you may want to do.

END brief tutorial...

Pat:  Thank you!  Ooooh... that smoke is much prettier than what I would have expected to see! 

Got a pretty good start on the base today.  After all the details around the upper floors, this almost seemed too simple.  I actually had to compare pictures several times just to convince myself that I wasn't missing a bunch of things somewhere!  Here's a look...



That's about all for now.  I'm hoping to get a start on the back portions tomorrow while I still have a little time to myself... 

JB

[threestooges]

So that's what I was doing wrong. Thanks Jon. I had used the line trick for my most recent attempt, but I think I made it in the left view (and consequently it extruded across leaving a nice flat spot to futz with). That's a good point about the overhangs too. Good little tutorial there, and thanks again.
-Matt

[Pat]

holly cow Jon that is wicked!!! OK I learned just today err yesterday on tuesday how to get textures Ive been making/tweaking and what not into the game and now I wish I could BAT!!! That wee little tut made sense to a point and then seeing the end results god man!!!

[JBSimio]

Matt:  Glad it helped!  I have a full "tutorial" somewhere from a different request that deals initially with bay windows and angled walls, but later with further roofing for such areas.  I can probably send it to you if you'd be interested.

Pat:  Thanks!  I saw that you were looking into the base textures idea.  Good luck on that!  It's actually a pretty easy thing to do, really. 

So I debated this for a while, and ultimately decided to go with the larger base.  I originally thought that this was a later addition to the Hunter-Dulin Building, but it turns out that it was actually the base to a whole separate office tower.  The upper floors were later removed and the remaining lower levels expanded.  By going with this version, I'll end up with a very urban 4x6 lot which should work nicely as a city block all on its own.  (It should also make the growth stage a littlel lower for the non-CAM users)  Here's an early teaser...



If you already know where this is going, discuss all you want... but lets hold off on any pictures for the sake of surprise, if you don't mind.    Obviously, there is a fair ways to go here yet... but it's a start.  I'll have to go back at some point to remove windows from the original building as well, but that's for another day.

JB

[rooker1]

Jon,
I am so excited....
This is great news indeed that you have decided to go this route.

Robin 

[threestooges]

Ah yes. I didn't know what the building was without its textures, but that is going to be a nice one. Will that smaller skylight be staying? As for the tutorial, if it's as good as the one you just made, I'd love to have it. I'll take all the help I can get, and it's always good to know more techniques.
-Matt

[Pat]

So the Hunter-Dunlin building is actually bigger building then thought?? Hmmm now that even throws me for a loop... Jon I am excited getting into textures and I just gotten my range so the textures I've been playing with I can actually work with and leave almost as a final draft...

The base to the extension is looking nice so far and I cant wait to see more of it!!!

[XiahouDun]

*preps plugins for a future addition* 

[JBSimio]

Robin:  Thanks!  I'm glad you like the idea.  The larger lot may be a little more limiting in terms of placement options, but I think the end result will be worth it.

Matt:  The skylight you see now will indeed stay.  Some of it will probably be hidden by the time I'm finished, and this is probably the only angle it will be visible from... but it will be there.  I've found the tutorial, I just need to convert it into a format I can send.  I'll PM you when I get the chance to finish that.

Pat:  Thanks!  No... the Hunter-Dulin Building isn't bigger than we thought.  This new section is in real life what's left of a completely different building.  Apparently, Wells Fargo (which, by the way, is the worst bank ever known if you ask me) used to have an office building there until they moved a couple blocks west.  At that time, the upper floors of the tower were dismantled, leaving the part that I'm trying to put together now.  Good luck with your textures!  I think the most important thing is to pay attention to the numbering system and how it relates to wealth levels.  That was the one thing I had some trouble with in the beginning.

XiahouDun:  I'll take that as a good sign then... thanks! 

Well, I got a little further with this.  Most of the new things here are still just roughed in, but here's a look...



I'm still trying to decide how to handle that side that I haven't finished yet.  I'm thinking that I may make that the "least visible" side of the whole lot... kind of like the back without really being the back.  (As if the other three streets are all busy enough to warrant good frontage, and this fourth side is more of a side street or alley)  It will all be closed in one way or the other... I just don't know how it will look yet.  I should have a fair bit of time during the upcoming week, so hopefully this will start to really take shape soon.

See you then...
JB

[Pat]

Jon that is looking real great tonight err Today lol anyways,

[threestooges]

No hurry on it at all Jon. School is keeping me plenty busy as is the MD world. Whenever you get the chance. Also, happy birthday. The entryway on that side of the building is just stunning. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but the detail on it and the depth is just amazing. The handrails are a nice touch too. As for the back side, I'm not really sure what to say. I don't know the RL building well enough, but I'm sure google maps might offer a decent street view for ideas. I'm sure whatever you come up with it'll turn out well with your usual attention to detail.
-Matt

[tag_one]

Wonderful progress on this beauty Jon Can't wait till you start texturing and nightlighting it 

[JBSimio]

Pat:  Thank you!  I'll pass on the birthday cat though... it would just make my eyes itch and burn anyway. 

Matt:  Thanks!  That second main entry took quite a while to fit together properly.  As for the depth, you're right... all the walls on this newer section are nearly 3 times as thick as my "usual" walls, which gives a lot of room for added depth fitting to a bank structure.  (Which is what the new section originally was)  Unfortunately, RL pictures of the building won't help on the side in question.  The real thing actually continues with a large arched glass skylight running from one street to the other with more buildings on the other side.  (I'm really only doing half of the real block here)

Tag_one:  Thank you!

It's starting to come together more and more.  I managed to get the newest piece closed up.  I ended up going with an internal utility area on the "back" side... but somewhat disguised.  I think I like the way it turned out.



I also wrapped up the secondary entrance on the north side of things.  (There should really be something similar on the west side, but I think I'm going to skip that)  Still a number of little details and minor fixes to go with everything seen here.  Once I get those things taken care of, I can start laying out the roof and you'll see (if you don't already know) why I was so excited about adding this whole section. 

JB

[Pat]

Jon looking so sweet there!!!    I love the closeup on the corner there wow!!!

[threestooges]

Interesting. So the walls are thicker on this one. That actually explains a lot with regard to the setbacks of the windows and all. The archways are good and the secondary entrance is a neat little addition too. I see what you mean about the skylight too. When I first looked at the area it looked like there was a separation between the buildings... go figure. I think it turned out quite well though.

As for the roof top. I know what's up there now, but I'm curious to see your take on it. Does the existence of those windows in the (for lack of a better description) center courtyard mean that they'll be visible in the end product? If so, I'm really interested to see where this goes, both in the regular view and with the nightlighting.
-Matt

[Orange_o_]

I like very much the size (proportions) of this building, and the idea whether it is an ilot in a district.

I have hate to see it with beautiful textures 

[rushman5]

i really, really like the fact that you included the entire site.  I noticed that you have one of the side gates on the ground level open; nice touch!  I am wondering if the center courtyard only goes 1 floor down, and if it does, why?  Just a curious question, although it looks a little goofy IMO.  If there is a bunch of utility on that "courtyard" it will looks nice, but perhaps you may want to create a modern glass roof or dig all the way to the first floor and plant a couple trees and a garden.  I am curious to what comes next in this project.

-sean

[Jmouse]

This is shaping up to be one of the best BATs I've seen, JB - I like this architectural style. The detail work is phenomenal, of course, but the explanation of various elements and techniques along the way is very helpful. Really anxious to see how the texturing turns out.

Later...
Joan

[JBSimio]

Pat:  Thank you!  I'm really glad you like it.

Matt:  Here's a little comparrison of the walls for you (and Joan too, since she also mentioned it):



These are cross sections of two different walls.  The wall on the right represents my "standard" thickness of 0.3 meters.  Notice the window centered on the grid line?  Compare that to the wall on the left, which is the lower floor of the new addition (with the arched windows).  The window is still centered on the grid line, and the difference to the "back" or "inside" of the wall is the same.  But you can see how much more there is to the left before getting to the "front" of it.  Not only is the main wall nearly twice as thick, but then the columns and details build out even further from there.

Orange:  Thank you!  It may be a while before I finally get to textures on this one, I'm afraid... 

Sean:  Thanks!  I actually need to change the gates a little bit so both can be somewhat visible, but I thought having one set open would make it easier to know what they were.  The center lightwell you mentioned should make a little more sense after this update.  It wasn't quite finished last time.  (Actually it still isn't, but more on that in a minute)

Joan:  Thank you!  I'm sure it's no surprise by now that I also like this style quite a bit.  Once again, I've bitten off more than I bargained for, but I hope it will be worth it in the end.

Alright... the time has come to stop keeping people in the dark.  For those who haven't seen or figured out what this "new addition" is all about, here's a view compliments of Google Earth:



Yep... I've had numerous requests to add a roof garden to one building or another and I just couldn't resist it any longer.  The fact that this one is so well done and sitting atop a beautiful historic building made it something I just had to try.  I'm not going to make an exact copy by any means, but I'll borrow heavily from the layout seen here.  This is what I've got so far...



The red pavers are just place holders and will ultimately become part of the texturing later.  For now, they serve as an indicator of what is "done" and what isn't.  The areas with the pavers are basically laid out the way I want them... lots of details missing, obviously, but it should give you the gist.  Anything without the pavers is still a work in progress.  I plan on actually "gardening" the whole roof on my version as opposed to just the half that is done on the real building.  The only part that I won't be including is the corner I've walled off above the utility entry in the upper left corner.

Anyway... that's about it for now!
JB

[Pat]

OOOOOO Jon I think I just died and went to heaven WOW!!!!