Making a Custom Foundation

Please PM STomnibus for any questions about this article.


NOTE: Tutorial is for users who know the basics of GMAX/BAT, Plugin Manager, and Lot Editor already.


Introduction


Before you start this tutorial you will need to make sure you know the basics of GMAX/BAT. If no, then please try this tutorial to help you in making a simple house.



A foundation is the 'block' you see under a building when its placed on a slope.

These are made simply by making a 'block' the exact same size as the lot itself. In this tutorial, I will show you how to make your own foundation for a 1x1 lot. Let's Go!

• Open the BAT
  
• Make sure all the settings are correct.
  
• Go into Top view (hotkey 'T')
  
• Since we are making a foundation for a 1x1 lot we will need to make the foundation model a 16x16 'meter' block (16x16 little squares).
  
  
• Select the 'Rectangle Tool'
  
• Start in a corner and drag it out till it is an exact 16x16 square
  
• Center the rectangle on the XY axis.
  
• Add the 'Extrude' Modifier and set it at '-55' so that it will go below the plane.
  
• Texture it if you feel necessary.
  
  
• Now we must set it up for Rendering.
  
• Go to the BAT Section and open up the Parameters Rollout.
  
• Refit the LOD's
  
• Select 'Foundation' under MODEL TYPE
  
• Now go to the Export Rollout and Select 'High' and click EXPORT
  
• This won't take too long because its just a big block.
  
  
• When it finishes, close out of BAT and open up the Plugin Manager
  
• Select your file and drag it into the "FOUNDATION" category (above "Prop")
  
• Give it a name you will remember and apply changes, click ok, exit Plugin Manager.
  
• Now open up the Lot Editor
  
• Open up the Small Flower Garden.
  
• Open up the Foundation Selector and find your foundation.
  
  
• If it is not on there, then make the lot a 2x2 and then it should appear. When you select it, set the lot back to 1x1 and don't touch the foundation menu anymore. Save the lot as a new file. Exit Lot Editor.
  
• Open up Simcity 4 Rush Hour (RH required) and open up a new city.
  
• Do some terraforming so you will have slopes, cliffs, etc.
  
• Give the city a name and find your 'modified' flower garden.
  
• Plop a 10 of them in a 2 row 5 column system on a slope. you should be able to see your foundation.
  

  

  
  
  
  
• That's it, good job!