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Pingyao
Sep 20, 2007, 3:44 PM
I thought it was about time I made a thread here for a virtual city I'm currently constructing (in spare time, purely a hobbie), called Chrisheem. I'm using Cinema 4D as the modelling software and Google earth for the original map.

Basically I picked a spot (its actually Gwadar in Pakistan), and started superimposing my own city on top of a real place. I built some existing buildings first, and created approximate terrain. All the buildings facades are a combination of handdrawn and photoshopped textures.

This is a map of the city.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/Cityplan2.jpg

the following renders are how the city looked about 5 months ago.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYA.jpg
/\ View from Chrisheem Hill looking north.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYM.jpg
/\ Skyscrapers of Midtown. The tall building is the International Finance Tower 238m.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYG.jpg
/\ View from International Finance Tower 54th floor observatory.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYE.jpg
Looking up the International Finance Tower.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYD.jpg
/\ East bay looking at the Midtown cluster.

I will post regular updates

FREKI
Sep 20, 2007, 4:48 PM
Awesome job mate!

Mocholate
Sep 20, 2007, 5:26 PM
very cool ,

could do with some more colour

Dac150
Sep 20, 2007, 7:22 PM
The layout is a little non-consistent, but overall nice job.

rbowk
Sep 20, 2007, 8:14 PM
sweet

bbeliko
Sep 20, 2007, 9:11 PM
thats what i call realistic

Aleks
Sep 20, 2007, 10:38 PM
I love it. It's so realistic. I would suggest that you make the International Finance Center a little less looking than...well the International Finance Center in Shanghai.

I love the shape of the city. Some really neat things can be done with a city that shape.

Pingyao
Sep 20, 2007, 10:47 PM
Thanks for the comments.:) I agree about the lack of colours, although it is in a desert. I did attempt to put trees in, (some of the later renders will have palm trees) but they began to crash the programme, so it may stay bare.

The layout is a little un-consistent I agree. I made it more un-planned, as I wanted it to look like it had developed over time, rather than have an overall grand masterplan.

Yes the IFC Tower does look like its namesake, frankly its a rip off. In fact the designer is being sued by the Shanghai architect as we speak!

Austin55
Sep 20, 2007, 11:02 PM
very nice,as i said at SSC:yuck:

finnaly a staunton rival for textures!

Aleks
Sep 20, 2007, 11:11 PM
Oh, so this tower is real? I thought you made it up! I think trees would be awesome. Are you going to make it like Dubai where it's gonna pop UP like crazy or just build over time?

Oh, also you should include things like height and floors count, even what the building is used for.

foxmtbr
Sep 21, 2007, 5:40 AM
Friggin' sweet job! :tup:

Pingyao
Sep 21, 2007, 7:31 AM
No The IFC Tower is imaginary - I was joking! I'm sure if this was really built there maybe a few cross words from the Shanghai architects, I don't think they'd really sue.

Floor count and use, oke doke, thats a good idea...

International Finance Tower.
238m - 780ft
54 stories
Contains Chrisheem Industries Bank, an Investment company and auditors.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYB.jpg

Austin55
Sep 21, 2007, 12:32 PM
thats very nice,I love sony though!

Pingyao
Sep 21, 2007, 2:20 PM
You like the Sony Centre LOL! That was supposed to be a bland 80s box! Just for you:

Sony Centre
122m 401ft
25 stories
Sony Corporation Middle East Headquarters, shared with Gazoil

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/Sony.jpg

Aleks
Sep 22, 2007, 2:27 AM
You didn't answer my question (sorry if I sounded like an asshole in that statement). You don't need to add too many trees just paint some places green or add textures so that the city looks more tropical. I like tropical:rolleyes:

Austin55
Sep 22, 2007, 3:28 AM
I like it! its not very boxy,and the bright color is nice.

Pingyao
Sep 22, 2007, 10:50 AM
In answer to yuor question, yep, totally would like the city to become more colourful. Trees or not, coloured facades are a good idea. I like tropical too, but this is pretty arid area effectively in a desert. However the cities council are promising to bring moe colour and greenery for the citizens.

It will be more of a Dubai type skyline I think, with buildings sprouting all over, although at the same time I want them in specific areas. I.e midtown, downtown and the Al Hamed Enterprise Zone, see map.

Aleks
Sep 22, 2007, 3:30 PM
Wait. Do you have you use a rendering program to make the buildings look real?

Oh, and I like your idea of keeping towers at specific places. I do that in my city but it's not as organized as your. I only have 1 neighborhood but I'll make more.

Patrick
Sep 23, 2007, 7:37 AM
I've seen your city before in SSC, and I must say It is among the most realalistic I've ever seen. :yes: Please continue.

Pingyao
Sep 24, 2007, 7:28 AM
A few more renders.

This is the 'Bayside' under construction. Built in the northeastern tip of Midtown.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYI.jpg

Bayside
165m 541ft
37 Stories
Mixed use developemt, Luxury apartments top 23 floors, commercial office space below.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYJ.jpg

Dac150
Sep 24, 2007, 7:16 PM
It doesn't get more realistic than that.

Pingyao
Sep 24, 2007, 9:50 PM
Thanx for all the nice comments:)

Aleks0001 in answer to your question, I use Cinema 4D which has its own built in render engine. Its pretty good, I use a medium kind of setting, as the more detailed you go, the longer it takes to render. The most important thing though is the radiosity pass, as I find that really increases the semi-realistic feel to the renders.

The other key thing is to render multipasses i.e radiosity, shadow, reflection etc and then bring them into photoshop to tweak and adjust.

Austin55
Sep 24, 2007, 11:44 PM
nice! sorry to go off topic,bt is cinama 4d free? Anyway,I like the renderings

Mocholate
Sep 24, 2007, 11:54 PM
Nice :cool: i have seen your city in SSC also , but it looks nicer here :D
How long have you worked on your city?

Aleks
Sep 25, 2007, 2:54 AM
It's nice, so realistic, and I haven't seen your city in SSC because I never visit it!

Anyways, you should have a master plan or something similar before the city goes out of control!!! Have a plan, that way if you need big blocks you just get rid of some small streets which just confuse the city.

Pingyao
Sep 25, 2007, 8:02 AM
Thanks.

Cinema 4D is unfortunately not free. I first played about with it using a free version on a cd with a magazine (Do under-estimate free software with mags), that was a good intro. I have the semi-pro version, I think it was £800-1000. Theres a hell of a lot on the software, I've only just touched the surface.

The city has been under construction on and off, for about 8-9 months.

The cities masterplan is vague, although there is now stricter control on where towers are built. They are designated to three areas, Midtown (what I've posted so far), Downtown to the south and the Al Hamed area to the north. It is planned rather chaotically, but that kind of makes it more interesting.

This is the early construction pics of two new towers on the shore in Midtown - Ocean Heights.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYN.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYO.jpg

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb117/chrisjewiss/CGICITYP.jpg

Dac150
Sep 25, 2007, 6:34 PM
The scenes are so realistic. Its like I'm actually viewing a live construction site.

FREKI
Sep 25, 2007, 10:32 PM
Awesome - very realistic looking!

Aleks
Sep 25, 2007, 10:35 PM
So wait. You bought a 1000 dollar-ish program to satisfy your mind? That's hella money for that program but it's really good. My camera cost 1,000 dollars but I take pictures that can be sold!! Did you pay for it yourself?!!!!!

Oh, by the way your city is really nice and like Dac said, it looks like a real construction site!!

Pingyao
Sep 26, 2007, 6:59 AM
Well technically it is about £800-1000, but thats the point I don't know exactly, as I spent - ehem - significantly less. Lets just say if I went to the shops here it would cost that. Have you ever been to the electronic's shops/markets in Bangkok. £5.00 a CD!

Aleks
Nov 4, 2007, 1:55 AM
What happened to this city? I liked it.

Goothrey
Nov 4, 2007, 4:57 AM
What happened to this city? I liked it.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=489499&page=8

verticalextropy
Nov 4, 2007, 4:40 PM
I SAW IT IN SSC AND I LOVED IT!!!
Actually it was one of the first citie I've fallen for, before I knew sketychup. I actually donwloaded Cinema 4d just because I wanted to make PC cities after watching yours!"!!
Best thing's that ever happened to Baluchistan.
Congrats again and again.

P_D_: I believe there's a foreign Chinese Army statiuon on that peninsula IRL but google maps covers it (at least that's what says on globalsecurity dot com)

Aleks
Nov 4, 2007, 7:46 PM
hmm... I saw it on SSC too but I don't think it turned out as I hoped it would. The supertalls look like existing towers, they are way too block and go straight up. The quality is nice but the architecture isn't as good as I hoped it would.

Peter
Nov 7, 2007, 6:44 AM
the realism of this city is unbelievable. awesone job Pingyao!

sfguy
Dec 1, 2007, 11:24 PM
Very cool! The buildings in this look so realistic.