Stage 1: brainstorming ways of converting the game, collecting models, closed circle (except for public forum), no publicity
Stage 2: approaching makers of relevant material in the SC4 community to contribute their models and/or time to the project, still brainstorming no doubt, still collecting, I will make the site link public and have a public updates area (the site will need to be refined a little before this)
Stage 3: with a good idea of what we have and what we need this will be the time for batting and lotting to begin in earnest, publicity will become paramount with active threads at ST and SC4D as well as letting people know in the other major sites, I am confident that once people see good progress shots, and get the impression that it's actually happening, then there will be plenty of contributors.
Stage 4: actually putting all the pieces together and testing within members.
OK, slight change of plan. What isn't working for me in the current approach is that I am too removed from the game itself. The way I was proceeding earlier may have been less thorough, but at least it was practical and theory. So now I am thinking more along the lines that I was when I first started this site; to proceed to essentially finished lots and bats and start the putting together now, and as we go. What this will mean for other members is that they can start playing straight away also, and thinking about what needs doing. The advantage I have now compared to when I started the site though is, I now have a better understanding of what's needed to make it all work. To make this process easier I have decided to concentrate on the urban side of things for now. Lots of W2W, no many props needed, quite a few models already available etc. But it will also be much easier to convert the game, with far more facilities available in cities (and the high density will be based on the facilities biggest cities if the time). We also need some good images to promote this with and rather than spread ourselves too thin it might be best just to concentrate on one zoning type, so it can start to look like we may have something (which of course we will). I am busy for much of the weekend but expect some new progress early next week. Thoughts?
Ok, just kidding. I fully agree that the construction of 'ready to use' lots should go hand in hand with everything else. Just today I was thinking that in 2 weeks of work we hadn't actually produced anything . Since I wouldn't even know where to start at creating bats, I'ld propose leaving that part to you. Once you're done with a building you send it over and I'll give it a go making the lots. But instead of concentrating on just one zoning type, lots of W2W, religious and civic (education, health), towers and ramparts (security, fire) would be my strategy to start with.
Just one thought tough. What do think about asking BarbyW for a couple of ID groups? That way our work would be compatible with everything else.
I already have a range, I will divide off parts of it for those without one already (there's plenty). When I say just one kind of zoning, remember that I'm proposing that the zoning types (LD, MD, HD), will be what divides city from village. So focusing on the HD means all the RCI civics and everything else within a city. It's just more straightforward and requires less modification of the game. This will be the meat & potatoes of the whole project; and I've even thought about just making it urban initially.
As for the process, I will make the empty lots complete with building, then you can arrange the building on the lot and add props etc.
Certainly with the LD/LW lots, I am taking the suggestion of ionionion's, and making all lots have no base textures. Probably with the MD as well but I'm not sure about in the cities.
In cities, what sort of places would have actually had ground on which to place props?
As for the zones, agreed. Arranging stuff sounds good to me. Why would you want to make LD/LW without base texture? Plenty of places. The ones that stood right on the street mostly had some space around the back.
The reason suggested for the lack of base textures, which sounds good to me (but admittedly hasn't been tested yet), is that then the chosen terrain mod will show through and all the houses will have the same base (rather than a patchwork type effect).
I fully agree that the construction of 'ready to use' lots should go hand in hand with everything else. Just today I was thinking that in 2 weeks of work we hadn't actually produced anything 
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