so i've got some great custom content but i'm picky about the way i want it to show up. is there a way to take a building that i've downloaded and modify the zone on which it will appear? i got LEProp but it seems to let me change every other relevant entry except that one. do i need the full BAT editor suite in order to make this change?
also, am i correct in my understand that a .dat is a .desc, a .lot and a .model all consolidated into one package file?
1
modifying a RCI building's zoning density
Started by
rutulus
, Dec 14, 2011 - 10:17 AM
3 replies to this topic
#2
rutulus
-
- Member
-
- 7 posts
Freshman
Posted 15 December 2011 - 11:01 AM
more refined version of that question:
which tool allows me to determine on which zoning density a given RCI structure will appear: BAT, plugin manager or the LOT editor?
which tool allows me to determine on which zoning density a given RCI structure will appear: BAT, plugin manager or the LOT editor?
#3
Grumbs64
-
- Member
-
- 9 posts
Freshman
Posted 17 January 2012 - 05:45 PM
rutulus, on 15 December 2011 - 11:01 AM, said:
more refined version of that question:
which tool allows me to determine on which zoning density a given RCI structure will appear: BAT, plugin manager or the LOT editor?
which tool allows me to determine on which zoning density a given RCI structure will appear: BAT, plugin manager or the LOT editor?
I don't know about the three you mentioned, but I use SC4Tool to do this.
#4
cogeo
-
- Member
-
- 1,000 posts
Associate
Posted 04 February 2012 - 03:48 PM
The universal and most capable editor for all the above filetypes is iLive's Reader.
The file format of all the above is called DBPF (for database packed file). The .SC4Desc file is generated by the Plugin Manager (PM) and conains the exemplar of the (main) building. .SC4Lot files are generated by the Lot Editor and contain the lot exemplar. In the case of ploppable lots/buildings (parks, power, police etc), the LE adds a copy of the building exemplar in the .SC4Lot file. .SC4Model files contain models (3D graphics) and are generated by BAT exporting (rendering). A .dat file may contain anything, and yes, some custom content creators may have packaged in there the lot(s), as well as all its associated items, that is the building, the model(s) and even other special items, like LTEXT descri[tions (names, menu items etc), scrpits (eg for rewards), custom query dialogs, sounds etc although such items may be released separately, as "dependencies".
To change the zone types a lot (not building) may develop on, find the lot exemplar and modify the LotConfigPropertyZoneTypes property. Make something consistent with the building size and the lot's growth stage. I would also suggest that you set these on par with the Maxis buildings/lots, if you don't want to make it unable to grow, or growing like a weed. Take as an example the NDEX Richmand towers on the STEX. Excellent model, and the zone density is correctly set to high, however the growth stage has been set to 6! As a result, it grows all over the place. For such a tall building, with over 3000 jobs, the growth stage should be no less than 8, of course. If the building you want to modify will be allowed to grow on low- or medium-density zones, you must also include the higher-density zones as well, eg a lot allowed to grow on low-density zones, should also be allowed to grow on medium- and high-density ones too.
The file format of all the above is called DBPF (for database packed file). The .SC4Desc file is generated by the Plugin Manager (PM) and conains the exemplar of the (main) building. .SC4Lot files are generated by the Lot Editor and contain the lot exemplar. In the case of ploppable lots/buildings (parks, power, police etc), the LE adds a copy of the building exemplar in the .SC4Lot file. .SC4Model files contain models (3D graphics) and are generated by BAT exporting (rendering). A .dat file may contain anything, and yes, some custom content creators may have packaged in there the lot(s), as well as all its associated items, that is the building, the model(s) and even other special items, like LTEXT descri[tions (names, menu items etc), scrpits (eg for rewards), custom query dialogs, sounds etc although such items may be released separately, as "dependencies".
To change the zone types a lot (not building) may develop on, find the lot exemplar and modify the LotConfigPropertyZoneTypes property. Make something consistent with the building size and the lot's growth stage. I would also suggest that you set these on par with the Maxis buildings/lots, if you don't want to make it unable to grow, or growing like a weed. Take as an example the NDEX Richmand towers on the STEX. Excellent model, and the zone density is correctly set to high, however the growth stage has been set to 6! As a result, it grows all over the place. For such a tall building, with over 3000 jobs, the growth stage should be no less than 8, of course. If the building you want to modify will be allowed to grow on low- or medium-density zones, you must also include the higher-density zones as well, eg a lot allowed to grow on low-density zones, should also be allowed to grow on medium- and high-density ones too.
Edited by cogeo, 04 February 2012 - 03:52 PM.
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users
