SC4Terraformer, a tool for regional handterraforming

[simzebu 20]

It's giving me not found errors when I try to download it.

[wouanagaine 84]

I thinks that because Ynterboy is actually in the process of uploading the V.06 and he may have discard the previous one.

So just wait for him to post the new link

[DarkLoki 0]

Sc4Terraformer 0.6 has been released!

Before downloading please read the following information:

DirectX - Microsoft directx team releases a new version about every two months so you should be sure you have the latest version. If you get an error about d3dx9_26.dll you do not have the latest version installed.

You can download directx from the following locations:

http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/directx.html

or

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx

Instalation - All you have to do is open the downloaded installer and follow the instuctions on screen. After the installer you can open the program in the start menu like this:

Start->All Programms->SC4Terraformer->SC4Terraformer V 0.6

This is an external program and does not change anything within simcity.

Please note you use this program on your own risk, you should make a backup of your region and read the included readme.txt

Now you can download SC4Terraformer .

{this is an outdated version and you can no longer download it}

I only provide hosting for the program and i'm the official tester but all the credit should go to wounagaine as he is the one who coded Sc4terraformer.

Have Fun!

[xXSim_EdXx 0]

thnx for this tool!!!

[wouanagaine 84]

First thanks to Ynterboy for providing us a direct link, testing and hosting SC4Terraformer

---

QUICK FACTS ABOUT V.06 FOR THOSE WHO DON'T READ README FILES!!!

Included is a config.bmp region.ini and genesus.SC4M so you can test import of full elevation. The region is from my CJ Genesus (https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=75404) and I used the columbus mod, so waterLevel is 135.

To test it:

  create a new folder in your My documents\simcity 4\regions\ and copy the region.ini and config.bmp in it.

  launch SC4Terraformer and load that region, and specify 135 as waterlevel

  Import the Genesus.SC4M

  The region should be ok.

v.06 change/bug fixes

bug on the mouse cursor when edge scrolling fix ( I hope )

Mayor mod is now 100% reliable ( thanks to Karybdis )

Import/Export of full elevation range

Ask you to save if not done and you're about to quit

visual clues about the lock/unlocked cities in the report

Visual clue about the city you select in the report

added unprotect all/protect trees/protect mayor mod buttons in the report

about box with hyperlink to simtropolis

statusbar added

On saving, warn you and let you decide what to do if you have terraformed a city with trees or building and not locked it

Smooth/rough filter mathematicly correct

All zones tools way faster (except erode water )

---

STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL

And here is a small step by step tutorial for using SC4Terraformer based on v.06 but many things apply to v.05

launching the SC4Terraformer form you start menu you will get

then you will be prompt to choose a region ( here we choose SAN FRANSISCO as I think everybody has it )

then you will be prompt for the waterLevel as it may change from different mod, here we let it to 250m

the loading process start showing which city is currently loading

once loading process is finished, you will get a report for existing cities and some prelocked accorind to mayor mode or trees planted in god mode ( the last one is not 100% accurate )

Here we decide to create an island in the large city ( identified by the yellow square ) so I unlock it

ok first minor bug, i need to change the warning message as the mayor mode is now 100% accurate but the tree in god mode is not

then the main screen will show up

So i choose the 'mountain tool' and set a big radius

ok second minor bug, the status bar report Make Mountans classic instead of Make Mountains new

then I click and hold the left mouse button for a while and moving a little, the mountain show up

The actual texture will be recalculated in a separate thread, so it won't show correctly colorize for a short period.

The texturing process start when you release the mouse button ( as in SC4 )

We are please with this one so we decide to save

or you can press CTRL-S

You will be warn that it is an alpha version so that may corrupt your file, but let's take some risk and press yes

( make a bakcup copy of your region folder before )

Then a strange box appears, that's because we try to save a tile where there is trees, so you are prompt to choose what to do, I choose to remove the trees and save

Now we start SC4 and load the San Fransisco region

WHAT NO CHANGES ????, well no changes in region view for now, maybe on next version

so we load the city

And yes our pretty island is here !

now we save and back to region view

and SC4 has updated the region view

I hope this tutorial is not too basics but writing it step by step will make it clear for everyone.

Thanks and take care

[mightygoose 92]

this looks soo awsome superduperwowza

[logins 0]

I downloaded V.05 last night, and V.06 just a few minutes ago. I updated my DirectX, and made sure I had the .msvcp71.dll file installed. When I attempt to open the program, the command prompt window opens, runs for moment, then generates some sort of import error related to a DLL or device? The window closes automatically so fast after the error I can't read the message. Is there anyway to "freeze" the window so I can read the error? FYI - I have a lot of downtime at my job and I am running on Win98 with a "generic SVGA II adapter. At home I was able to get V.05 working fine with just the DirectX upgrade.

[Atomic Dragon 0]

This is something that should have been in the game all along...bout time! Good work!

I would be asking too much if it could generate terrian randomly based on chosen criteria.

[wouanagaine 84]

mightygoose thanks

logins heu well, I'm not sure this can run on Win98 and I'm pretty sure that it can't run on a generic SVGA card.

for seeing the message, you can do the following

Start menu->execute->cmd.exe

once the dos command open, at prompt type:

c:

cd "\Program files"

cd SC4Terraformer

SC4Terraformer.exe

this way the console window won't close and you can tell me which error you got

edit: see you edited post, I'm quite sure your office system can't run the tools. Hopefully you can run it at home.

Atomic Dragon Cute avatar. maybe one time but I have done a lot of generation terrain program  and never come to a good one. Perlin noise, fbm or fractals are not that good for SimCity . But the idea of isolines from SC4Boy is the one I will write for sure

Thanks for your feedbacks, suggestionsn comments and testing

Take care !

[logins 0]

Thanks for your help. I was able to get the error message:

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "SC4terraformer.py", line 3, in ?

ImportError: DLL load failed: A device attached to the system is not functioning.

I don't have issues running the game or the lot editor and such.

[wouanagaine 84]

logins at line 3 I load the directX stuff, can you check you have a file call dxEngine.pyd with a size of 360 448 bytes. If yes that means DirectX 9.0c can't initialize himself ( at least with the features I need ). To be sure that's on your office pc ? And I'm quite sure that Direct 9.0c does not run on Win98

and the Lot editor or SC4 don't need DirectX 9 that's why you can run them without problems

Edit : Time to go to bed for me, feel free to post you bugs comments feedbacks, I'll look at them tomorrow

[simzebu 20]

region read

.\FrontEnd.cpp (189)3DERR_INVALIDCALLCreateDevice

.\FrontEnd.cpp (189)3DERR_INVALIDCALLCreateDevice

.\FrontEnd.cpp (189)3DERR_INVALIDCALLCreateDevice

.\FrontEnd.cpp (189)3DERR_INVALIDCALLCreateDevice

Ok

I got this message in the prompt when the program stopped responding.

EDIT: I reopened the program, and told it to unprotect all. Now it works. I checked the prompt, it still says all tha stuff, but the program seems to be working.

[jasperdeman.nl 1]

Originally posted by: wouanagaine jasperdeman.nl, well I do this for thanking the simtropolis community, as I suck doing lot or bat or map, and as I rock and enjoy coding and that's remember me my days when I was a professional game programmer , especially the battle with bug I can't reproduce on my test pc

for your suggestions

A) do you mean flatten a tile to a certain height or add a certain height to the tile ?

B) This will require a lot more code if you want a copy/paste with random selection, or I can do a clone tool ( like the one in photoshop ) that will be more easier

quote>

 

Thank you for your reply!

A) I meant the last one, add a certain height to a tile.

B) Here i actually meant the clone tool, couldn't find the word or way to describe it.

Good Job!

[tothe175854thpower 0]

This tool is a great idea, and will be revolutionary for advanced mapmakers to the average Sim City player. Everyone will be talking about it once it is available for download and will be like a whole new dimension in map making.

[prince_of_sims 0]

ok, this is the first time i've tried this program (shame on me), but i do have quite a few bug reports, and one or two suggestions. but first, my PC specs:

Specs:

AMD64 3000+ Processor O/C'ed to 2.25 GHz

1GB RAM

Radeon X700 256MB Graphics Card with latest drivers

Windows XP Service Pack 2 with latest updates

DirectX 9.0c updated yesterday

Bug Report

1) Takes forever for the command window to execute anything

2) I get an average FPS of 2 while using the program, which renders it pretty close to unusable. I have a pretty good graphics card, so I don't see why I should get 2 FPS

Suggestions

1) I've noticed that if the user makes an error while selecting the region directory, the program totally closes. It would really be better if instead of closing, it opened another Browse window for the user to fix the mistake

2) Give the user the option of turning off shadows. This would really help those with low-end machines (i think)

As i haven't really had a chance to test the program, i can't give you any more bug reports.

[dedgren 830]

Jeez, we have some smart people here at ST.

Hats off to you! What a great contribution to the community.

[Firebird 40]

HOLY [edited], THIS IS SO COOL!!

[bixel 1,224]

WOW, excellent work. I am very interested in this. SC4.5

[NightlinerSGS 1]

OMG this is so awesome!

However, I have some suggestions:

1) An option to turn off the shadows... shadow recalculating takes forever (even on a fast PC, prince_of_sims)

2) An option to show the City borders. Would make terraforming in already developed regions much easier.

[Ofitc 4]

this-is-the BEST! excellent, man, Maxis really needed to add this one.

[bourneid 13]

this thing is great....Being a compete idiot (read my prevous post conserning no effect...didnt open the cities first and save..D'oh) at terraforming...but this makes it simple and beleive it or not...so much faster then even trying to make a reagion in photoshop.

One reqiest.....in a future update...are river tools going to be included in some form...?

also...will version 6 save to the same location as 5...or uninstall that first?

[statusquo80 4]

wouanagaine the new version is great, thanks! Also thank you for being so accommodating to everybodys suggestions and for providing support for those who are having problems with the program.

[trueplaya8892 0]

wouanagaine you need an icon for sc4terraform to make it stick out on the destop or in the programs menu

[trueplaya8892 0]

wouanagaine i've just worked on an icon using the splash screen that loads up at the beginning of sc4terraform to make an icon...tell me if u want me to upload it to u.

sry for double post

[mtbrocket 2]

I will have to test this out, as it looks very promising.

-Dan

[wouanagaine 84]

Hi all

just to a quick post to tell you I have read all your post, and I'll focus on resolving bugs. seems that they are all related to the same thing and occurs and low end or medium pc. I'll try to reproduce but I will code blindy as I got a quite high end system.

Thanks for your time, patience and feedback

[tchaos713 5]

Holy mother.....unbelieveable!!!! I can't wait to try this out...

[anubis89 108]

amazing mod... it's unbeliveable like tchaos already said

great work

[mathieu_schrifve 0]

Hy Everybody

I have just download your soft because it seems to be very cool. I have download the DirectX9.0c and install it before intalling the terraformer but the Version is d3dx9_27.dll and not d3dx9_26.dll. Could you do something for this problem ? Or should I install an other version of Directx ?

Thanks for your help !

[Daddy-O 1]

The features sound impressive. I am going to give this a try.

Thanks!

You might want to update the first post to include the link to v0.6 and future versions.  It is easier than reading through all the post to find the latest link.

I can't wait to use this tool!