Mac Update for Nightlighting Effects for BATs?

[UniAce 0]

I've seen it said a few places now that, at least for the PC version of SC4, one has to install an update in order for the nightlighting effects on BATs to work. For instance, see this quote from the readme of SimGoober's current Coca Cola building:

In order to see the nightlighting, you must install the EP1-Update 1 for Rush Hour/Sim City 4 Deluxe, and then afterwards, install the SC4-Update for nightlighting (note: you have to be logged in in order to see the download link). If this update isn't installed, you won't see any lighting effects on custom BAT buildings.

Does anyone know if we need some kind of update for the Mac version too? I looked at a few custom buildings at night in my city, and some have lights while others don't, but I don't know if that's because those without lights maybe just didn't have them programmed in by the lot designer.

Can anyone else check custom BATs on their Mac for nightlighting? I'm hoping that they just work and we don't need an update like the PC users, because I'm guessing that if we DO need an update for the Mac version... it probably doesn't exist! ...or maybe those PC updates are just a few DAT files or something that we could dump into the correct folder, if we can get them out of the exe file they're probably in, which we probably can't!

[kbooms1w 1]

Unfortunately, it's not a separate .dat file that can just be loaded into the plugin folders like the bldgprop.dat files , it's an actual update to the guts of the PC version of the game (i.e., Simcity4.dat 1-5). Because it updates these files, I don't believe it will transfer to the Mac version.

I've written to 3 different people at Aspyr about this update and received 2 BS answers and one non-response. Others have written them as well, but still nothing.

Sorry the answer isn't better. All I can say is keep bugging Aspyr.

[UniAce 0]

Okay! I've just written to Aspyr. Everyone else, PLEASE also write to them requesting an update so that we can enjoy nightlighting on the BATs like PC users! Here's the link to send Aspyr a request:

http://www.aspyr.com/contact.php?p_game_id=109

Here's the link to the official BAT page, that has some info about the BAT nightlighitng update (you can refer Aspyr to this page):
http://simcity.ea.com/coolstuff/bat/index.php

Let's band together and push for an update!

[kingarthur_kom 0]

You could also try posting about this at the insidemacgames.com forum. Some Aspyr employees monitor it once in a while.

[GoaSkin 2]

Aspyr promised an update since december 2004 and there is still no update. I don't believe that they are really working on it, possibly they examined it a bit but finally did nothing.

I tried to install the update for the PC version. Using Virtual PC I tried to run the update installer for the PC version. It wants to patch the simcity.exe too but the file is not existing on the Mac version. Patching the .DAT files only does not fix anything (I placed a dummy simcity.exe in the directory to force the updater to patch the .DATs).

[MojaveNC 0]

Two e-mail responses from Aspyr led me to believe that they will not be providing that update.

[GoaSkin 2]

Aspyr has a priority on porting other games. The work on Sim City 4 is over for them.

[Royal Jaguar 0]

I know I have not posted in a while, but this topic caugh my eye since I'm a mac user. I just sent thi letter to Aspyr;

I'm a little unhappy that you, Aspyr, have not made the BAT NightLighting update for Mac Users but you did it for PC users. If you think the update is not important to us, it is. First of all, just because mac users are a minority it shouldn't mean you can't make the same updates that PC users get for Mac users. Also, the ability for Mac users to download BAT buildings should also include for us to be able to see what they look like AT NIGHT. What's the use if you download a BAT building but can't see its lights at night? I know you, Aspyr, have not made the lot editor for Mac, but hey, at least make the BAT NightLighting Update for us Mac users with RushHour. We would all appreciate it!

I just hope they don't give me a BS answer.

[jpj_starfleet 3]

I got the same BS response from ASPYR just telling me to see support note #1006:

[UniAce 0]

jpj: for what it's worth, I was able to contact EA/Maxis directly and said that my serial numbers didn't work. I just had to proved them with a photo/scan of my CDs and jewel cases, and some personal info (address, etc), and they issued me a serial number that works on their site.

But as to that Aspyr support note: they claim that the files are compatible. But if the nightlighting doesn't work, then they really aren't fully compatible, are they? I'm going to call them on this, and I encourage all of you to do the same!

[UniAce 0]

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!

Check out the response I just got from Aspyr (pasted below).
Let's keep it up everyone! If we all voice our concern, maybe they'll actually come through with a patch! Please use the link I posted up above (third post in the thread) to contact Aspyr, and you can even reference Support Note 1006 using the link I did below. And don't forget to round up fellow Mac gamers!


**********
Aspyr Media Support Response
Hi Jason,

Thanks for playing SimCity4. We are aware of and currently looking into the issue. Thanks for the input, we always value the opinions of our customers.

Have a great day!
------
Aspyr Support Team


Original Question
According to Support Note 1006 for SimCity 4 ( http://www.aspyr.com/detail.php?p_support_article_id=1006&p_game_id=2 ), PC downloads of landmarks and cities ARE compatible with the Mac version. However, nightlighting for all BAT files does not work on the Mac version, as no update/patch was ever released for that. This is in direct contradiction to your claims of compatability. I and many other Mac Sim City 4 gamers would really appreciate it if Aspyr gave us the same level of support that our PC brethren receive. Please release a patch to enable BAT nightlighting. Thank you.

[Royal Jaguar 0]

Here's the reply Aspyr sended me:
Aspyr Media Support Response

Josei

We are currently looking into the possibility of creating a BAT update but, unfortunately, we cannot say when such an update might be released.

Thanks for choosing SimCity

[+Guest]

Howdy MAC folks and sorry for walking in your backyard but I feel this isn't just your problem alone and I urged all members of this community to send Aspyr a e-mail.

 

    I have already sent one and will continue sending e-mails until this matter is resolved. 

 

[negative352 1]

I said on an earlier thread that I sent an e-mail to Aspyr around fall last year, but they basically said they weren't going to do anything. I might e-mail them again just to add another perspective, so I'm glad we're seeing some progress (at least we can hope it's progress.)

[GoaSkin 2]

Possibly, the night-lighting may work on single custom buildings if you modify them a bit. There is a small number of BATs with working night-lighting (for example the NDEX subway transition). On train and car mods, the nightlighting works generally.

The night-lighting does not work on custom props of BAT buildings. On props coming from Maxis used on custom buildings the nightlighting is no problem.

Regarding the standard simcity DAT files, I detected that there is no special difference bethween standard and custom buildings. They are like usual lots but all packed to a few files. Every prop uses 20 3D models (for four directions in five zoom sizes) and the same kinds of textures for the coloring. So there may be a slightly difference in the properties of the 3D models generated by BAT and the 3D models coming from Maxis. The content of a 3D model are groups representing a 3D prop with a colored texture and a night texture overlied in night mode and a large number of numeric flags (size, positioning and many things else).

Possibly we have only to open a custom building (or sc4model) file with iLive and DataGEN and only to change a single number to make the nightlighting work for the modified building. But that needs much research.

Edit: I sent a mail to Aspyr to tell them what small change they have to do on the sourcecode (possibly only one line) and all what they answer: Thank you for your feedback. They'll still do nothing. Next try is to contact the german distributor for the Mac port (ashgames.com). This is a bigger company than Aspyr (more than 100 employees while Aspyr works with less than 20 employees).

[wks2003x 0]

Well, isn't this a depressing finding. Hi, everyone. I've been a member of simtropolis for a pretty long time, but I'm new to the Mac community. I recently decided to switch...my main reasons being that I was tired of Microsoft making ridiculous promises that they couldn't keep when developing new versions of Windows, plus I was tired of having to lug around a 9-pound laptop just to play SimCity.

Which brings me to why I switched to a Mac. The OS is more stable, more organized, easier to use, and more secure. Furthermore, my 4.6 pound PowerBook is just as powerful (if not more powerful) than my 9-pound Dell Inspiron. And these days you just can't find a lightweight PC laptop with a real graphics processor in it. I was always hesitant to switch to a Mac because I heard that Mac users always had to wait longer than PC users for software.

So I took the plunge and switched. And while I can sincerely say that I am still happy with my Mac, I'm pretty sad about my latest findings about SimCity 4. After confidently paying for SimCity 4 (for Mac), it's kind of sad to find out that there are so many issues with the Mac version of the game.

Maybe we should (as a community) threaten Apsyr to revisit SC4 and fix all the unaddressed problems or else we all boycott their games? Alternatively, maybe we could even push Maxis/EA to develop future SimCity games for Mac?? I'm sure they would get it right. Maxis should realize there are more Mac users than they think (and Apple's market share is slowly growing). I really want to abandon Windows completely and depend solely on my Mac, but Aspyr and Maxis are making it pretty hard for me to do that.

[GoaSkin 2]

Game companies mostly don't port their games to other platforms because they don't have any experience on that.

Before I bought me a Mac, I used Linux only for more than 5 years. There are many software companies who want to support other platforms than Windows but they don't have the know-how. Companies like Aspyr and LinuxGamePublishing do nothing but port Windows games to Mac/Linux for other companies and there are nearly only these two companies. Mostly, Aspyr creates the Mac ports and LGP the Linux ports.

Regarding the Linux ports the software companies are more lazy. Sometimes, they just create a solution to run the Windows software on linux with a built-in Windows-emulator. A luck that this is not possible on Macintosh systems because a different CPU is used.

[MojaveNC 0]

I'd rather go a different route - tell Aspyr that it's understandable that they don't want to provide updates after they've invested so much in just bringing us the game, and that we'd be willing to pay an extra 5-10 dollars to guarantee they'd continue supporting their product after it's been published and purchased.

[GoaSkin 2]

Who wants to pay for future updates? Possibly you and a few other people but never enough. Aspyr has no capacities for that. Employees are porting other games and all the games must not be too old when releasing or they can sell them only cheap.

That happened to the Linux port of Alpha Centauri. Lokigames needed so much time for porting that they had to sell the game for 5-15$ afterwhile.