Simcity4 LAN 0.9..announced

[stamp 4]

Hello all,

 

As you all are aware.. Simcity4LAN 0.9 has been announced.  It is not finished.. but it is in development.  Release date is TBA.

 

If you havent been following up, 0.8 is already out.  NO THIS IS NOT ONLINE. it is only network based only sorry guys.

 

but i am taking steps in this release to make the conversion to Simcity4ONLINE as quick as possible.  I am already thinking out the hurdles and techniques used to achieve this.  Stay tuned for updates!

 

Simcity4LAN is being developed solely for the purpose of being able to overcome the hurdles of fileswapping over a network, validating which cities do and do not get passed, and to get the UI down.  Simcity4ONLINE will be come right after Simcity4LAN if i get a good enough response

 

Simcity4ONLINE will be a joint venture between a client executable and online web application.  If you want more info go to this site:

 

http://sc4lan.vcs-online.com/viewtopic.php?t=5

http://sc4lan.vcs-online.com/index.php

 

dont forget to post your comments!

[stamp 4]

Hey all, just a quick update:

 

I have fully integrated xml db saving now

 

The SImcity4LAN will now be in two parts.  Simcity4LAN Server (Mandatory) and Simcity4LAN Client (Optional)

 

 

The server version mainly oversees and administrates everything

The Client version will start out by simply showing whos playing what, and allow you to add City Journal Entries, along with being able to view others.  Later on, Deals will be integrated into the client version.

 

City Journal Admin Editing is completed (the app can now edit City Journal Entries)

 

Next on the list:  Simcity4LAN Client, more editing/adding/deleting tools, to make city journal viewing as Robust as possible.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

This is a GREAT project! I loved to play SC2000 NET together with a friend of mine; and before that was out we used to make a city map and decide who was to build on which side... then we woulkd take turns in building our side and handing the saved city over to the other player on a diskette... *lol*

It would be sooooooooo great to have a LAN / Internet option for SC4, too... so I could host a region on my server, a friend would join my game, and we'd buiild happily along.

Thanks for developing this and good luck! If I were any good at what it takes to create such a mod, I'd gladly offer my help, but unfortunately...

Well I'm gonna give you some moral support at least, then. Not to forget, a bunny!

[JohnB 66]

Awesome idea. When I first bought Sc4 I was under the impression that there already was an Sc4 online. Remember to do something about the dependencies that the players will have to have so that the right lots show up.

[greyveil 37]

I agree johnb and will be following the development of this project closely, you might think of writing a routine that checks the plugins dir (or a subfolder) to make sure the client has all the plugins the host does, just a thought.

[stamp 4]

Quick update:

Xml integration fully installed
City Journalling is now in beta (meaning, its in there )
Now developing Simcity4LAN CLIENT for entering City Journals

Just a note:  For Simcity4LAN to work, the server will have to put a file, MIDAS.DLL into its system32 directory for the new database engine in Simcity4LAN to work properly.  This is a requirement. You can look up the documentation, and even download the midas.dll yourself here:

http://www.distribucon.com/midas.html

My version of MIDAS.dll (Just a version earlier than on the web) will be packadged with Simcity4LAN. But if you wish, you can download the latest and greatest version.  I attempted for many tedious decaminutes to have it embedded in Simcity4LAN, but with no avail.

What else is there.... Oter stuff i dont want to mention and surprise ya.

[Superchan 23]

when is the program coming out, and are you still working on it.

[stamp 4]

Update!

I decided to skip simcity 4 lan 0.9 entirely, and jump to Simcity 4 Online! I have been successul in my attempts to make the program upload / download city files, and i am very happy :D:D Thanks to Simvision for hosting my test files!

One thing that has been mentioned to me is Plugin collision. That is, people having plugins that are different. to solve this issue, i have added a mod management tool. basically, when you first start up Simcity 4 Online, it will download all the cities, settings, and plugins from the server. after that, it will rename your current plugin folder to something else (TBA) and create a new plugin folder with the mods that the server decided.

And i now show you a glimpse of what the UI for the Setup wizard of the Simcity 4 Online Client!



FYI: at this time, Simcity 4 LAN is discontinued until further notice.

[JohnB 66]

Beautiful work Stamp. I would have no clue how to make a UI from scratch like that. You are one heck of a programmer. I love your method to solve the people having different plugins problem. Pure genious. 

 

If you pull this off. You will be famous at Simtropolis.

[BarbulaM1 38]

Awsome work there stamp, the SC community has needed this for a long time. And with the sudden burst of multiplayer after UCS2, it will be great. I hope to open some sort of hosting for these Online games via your client.

Kudos to you

[flamesrock 6]

I'm working on a similar program:

http://simcitysphere.com/simnet

slightly different approach, as it incorporates some elements of region census, but it is coming along nicely.

[Vlakhaas 13]

Why have you scrapped the LAN version ... here in our part of the world playing ONLINE is almost impossible. Second thought ... the ONLINE VErsion could possibly run from a Intranet Server ?

 

[Masked_Avenger 0]

Now I think that this is very cool. so far I'm giving you a thumbs up

[stamp 4]

Quick question...

Did you want the program to create a new region for you(Using the name the admin the region) , or you create a new region yourself and you set the program to point to it? From a programming perspective.. its not much different.

[newy2 0]

wow amazing work, didnt have a clue bout this[:0]

 

 

[TheCrybKeeper 301]

Hmmm, I never have played a thing on-line, not even cards. But the idea and concept are interesting enough, I may give it a go.

 

So I vote yeah, I would play it.

[Nenitosoyyo 19]

What can ou do in SC4 Online, like is it different, like can you build cities with others or only view them and stuff.

[stamp 4]

Simcity 4 ONLINE has been released...

Here

[decola 0]

omg omg omg

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Wow, that's great news! Now if only RL didn't have me in its grip... *sigh*

[Mr. Cortez 11]

Okay, I am all for it (I can't wait), but do I need a dedicated server, or do I download a program or what?!

Tell me! Tell me NOW! Just Kidding...

But really, what do I do?

[SamFlash 0]

Great Idea. Everybody could build the parts they were most interested in and all together you would have an awesome region.   How do you plan to settle conflicts over who is building what? 

[IGGYMAN 101 1]

At last, I will play simcity 4 with my friends around the world just log in.... startup with 500,000 simoleons.... what about the prepaid card? Prepaid card will buy on my nearest stores for only $ 2.00 in 20 hours?