Lot Editor - Help

[Slowhand 0]

Ahh, thanks so much dhopeii. I got my building in. It works perfectly now.

But now, another question and problem...

How do you rotate the building/prop so it faces the road?

I placed the building on the right-hand window in LE within the lines of the lot, but in the left-hand window, it shows the building overlapping the road. How do I solve this?

[dhoppeii 12]

No problem Slowhand.  Glad you got it to work.

To rotate a prop all you need to do is use the page up and page down buttons.

 

There is a helpful little LE guide that came with the program.  You can find it in this location on your computer:

 

C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Lot Editor Manual.htm

 

 

Near the end of the document, it lists all the keyboard shortcuts......very helpful indeed.

[Slowhand 0]

Thanks, but one more problem. I put the building right near the edge of the road, but within the lot on the right-hand side window. But in the left-hand side, it doesn't appear right.

Seen in this pic:

[dhoppeii 12]

This has something to do with the way it was rendered.  I don't have any experience with .gmax and the rendering process, but more than likely it wasn't in the right spot while being rendered.  If it is a prop, it can overhang the lot up to half way.  Buildings can't do this BTW, they must be totally within the lot boundries.  In this case, don't go by what you see on the right, go by what you see on the left.

[tungston 19]

Date: 11/26/2005 2:52:42 PM Author: Slowhand Thanks, but one more problem. I put the building right near the edge of the road, but within the lot on the right-hand side window. But in the left-hand side, it doesn't appear right. Seen in this pic:

quote>

The LOD's where not fit right before the scene was rendered.  They need to be refitted before the rendering is done.

[Fearandir 0]

Ok, this must be the DUMBIEST question ever... But everytime I try to change one of the downloaded lots (from this amazing STEX thing), the Lot Editor keeps telling me that The lot you have chosen cannot be edited because it uses items from SimCity plugins or expansions packs that are not installed on this machine.
It happens to me with almost every downloaded lot: Marrast, MTRT...
Please, somebody tell me how to open and edit those lots with the Lot Editor!!!

Thanks a lot

[tungston 19]

Date: 12/28/2005 9:58:39 PM Author: Fearandir Ok, this must be the DUMBIEST question ever... But everytime I try to change one of the downloaded lots (from this amazing STEX thing), the Lot Editor keeps  telling me that 'The lot you have chosen cannot be edited because it uses items from SimCity plugins or expansions packs that are not installed on this machine'. It happens to me with almost every downloaded lot: Marrast, MTRT... Please, somebody tell me how to open and edit those lots with the Lot Editor!!! Thanks a lot

quote>

I am not familiar with the lots you mention.  Can you edit any other lots?  It may be that the ones you are trying created in files just so you can't edit them.

[HONG KONG 74]

have a problem with the LotEditor.

I want to change growable CostomLot's according to my desires. And the original thereafter delete. I select thus save and replace then my file with the original download. But, if I want to regard my changed Lot in the editor, I always get an error message. (I use LotEditor_ 1.0.12.0)

With ploplots I don't have however this problem.

 

Please help me!

[Fearandir 0]

Thanks tungston for the reply.
There are some lots I can change (i.e. JRJ seawalls) but others don't, as the MTRT bus stations, or the Marrast overpasses or train stations.
Thing is I want to change some stupid things about each one, not just violate their copyright and post the lots as something new... So, I don't know how to get access to them, but I need to
Thanks!

[tungston 19]

Date: 12/29/2005 12:28:20 PM Author: Fearandir Thanks tungston for the reply. There are some lots I can change (i.e. JRJ seawalls) but others don't, as the MTRT bus stations, or the Marrast overpasses or train stations. Thing is I want to change some stupid things about each one, not just 'violate' their copyright and post the lots as something new... So, I don't know how to get access to them, but I need to Thanks!

I tried one of the Marrast train stations, and had no problem.  I could not find mtrt, so if you list the lots by name I will try them.

 

EDIT:  do you have the bldgprop_vol1.dat, and vol2 files from simcity.ea.com?

 

[Fearandir 0]

Date: 12/29/2005 4:25:20 PM
Author: tungston

EDIT: do you have the bldgprop_vol1.dat, and vol2 files from simcity.ea.com?

quote>
Errr... nope. Is that the problem?

Oh, yeah, and many many thanks for your help!!

EDIT: I have the SimCity_4_Building_as_Props.dat and the Rush_Hour_Buildings_as_props.dat, put it under the plugin folder (i tried the My docs/Simcity4/Plugins and the Maxis/Apps/Plugins) and things keep not working. Would you mind telling me where to put them? Thanks!

[Swamper77 90]

Fearandir,

The lots you are trying to edit are transit-enabled, meaning you can connect the game's networks to them. You need to download the latest copy of the Lot Editor Program from Maxis. You have an older copy of the program, which doesn't know how to handle lots that are transit-enabled. Their latest version can handle such lots and represents the transit-enabled tiles as purple overlays, which cannot be edited by the Lot Editor.

If you have installed the BAT plugin for GMAX, there is a zip folder added to the Apps folder of the game's directory that you installed it to. This version can edit lots that are transit-enabled, but it will not be able to edit the purple tiles. You will need a program such as DatGen or the Reader to edit these tiles.

-Swamper77

[Fearandir 0]

Thank you Swamper77!!
It all worked well as soon as I installed the contents of the LotEditorforBAT.zip.
I don't know what to do with the BuildingsasProps.dat files, though... If you could tell me where to put 'em, I'll be glad.

Thanks again, and Happy New Year!!!

[tungston 19]

Date: 12/31/2005 10:49:25 AM Author: Fearandir Thank you Swamper77!! It all worked well as soon as I installed the contents of the LotEditorforBAT.zip. I don't know what to do with the BuildingsasProps.dat files, though... If you could tell me where to put 'em, I'll be glad. Thanks again, and Happy New Year!!!

quote>

They go in the My documents simcity plugin folder.

 

Have a good New Year too.

[kckseminarian 0]

Greetings!

I am new to using the Lot Editor, but when I open certain lots (ie. most Landmarks, Civic bldgs, etc) to make changes, the SAVE button is disabled. If I understand correctly, I need to use Save and not Save As... in order to override the lot in SC4. My changed lots

 

Any help on why the Save button is disabled or what I may be doing wrong?

 

Thanks,

 

kckseminarian

[MasterPlanMan 1]

That's just the way it is. Some lots you can not overide. By using save as you will generate a new lot.

[officer 6]

My apologies if this has been asked before but, is it possible to put two overlay textures on one tile?. I'm just wondering because I downloaded a lot and it did have two on the same tile, but as soon as I clicked the tile, one of them the disappeared. Your help will be greatly appreciated .

[Swamper77 90]

It is possible. Rotate the overlay to the position that you want and then press D while it is over the tile you want it on. Then click to place the overlay. However, the overlays might not appear in the game as you have placed them in the Lot Editor.

-Swamper77

[officer 6]

ok, thanks for the info, lol - we meet once again .

[pursoo 0]

wondering if anyone knew where I can find bldprop_vol1.dat. I looked all over the ea site and I don't see it anywhere.

[onlyplace4 603]

You'll find it on this page ... there are two downloads there on the left hand side of the main text panel ... one for Rush Hour and one for SC4 ... of course you need to be registered and logged in to get at them ... but I'll assume you are registered there

[onlyplace4 603]

A little curiosity I have just come across. On some occasions (not always), when I save a Lot from the LE and then use the Lot in-game I find that one of the base texture tiles will revert to green grass at certain zooms (usually the closest two). I have re-installed both sc4 (and all it's patches), and the LE, and this still occurs. Any thoughts or ideas as to what might be causing this?

Thanx in advance

Mike

[T Wrecks 10,209]

As a matter of fact, yes. It can happen when you simply place a new base texture on a tile that was already occupied by a base texture. If this is the case, the game may randomly switch between both textures. The same happens when you place two overlay textures over another that overlap each other.

Solution: delete any existing base texture before you add a new one. Try it, I hope this will help.

[onlyplace4 603]

TYVM ... did it ... worked like a charm

[**matty** 0]

Hey how do you get the lot that you made into simtropolis. I know the way to do it except i don't know where the file is located. Can someone please help me.

[onlyplace4 603]

If I read you correctly **matty** you've made a lot that you want to upload to the STEX.

You will find the Lot in your My Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins folder. If there is a custom model that you have made on the Lot you will have three files ... the *.SC4Model, *.SC4Desc and *.SC4Lot files (the * of course referes to your file names). You need to put these three files into a zip file with any readme you have created, and it is that zip file that you will then upload to the STEX. You should also take an in game picture of the Lot so you can post that too.

Now go to the STEX and click on Upload to the Exchange (the fifth link on the left side), select the type of file you are uploading from the drop-down list, and then enter all your details on the next page. The most important things here are the three bottom fields where you give the filenames for the picture(s) and zip file you are going to upload.

When you have all the relevant details entered simply click on Proceed and a few minutes later your Lot will be on the STEX.

Hope that helps. If you get stuck, drop me a PM and I'll be happy to help

[T Wrecks 10,209]

If you're smart, then your plugins folder contains nothing but the lot you made and all required dependencies anyway. Making custom stuff with a full plugins folder is a bad idea. It can cause fake dependencies to be reported for the lot (which can confuse people), or you might use props and textures that are installed on your system, but not on other peoples' computers because you may have all sorts of prop and texture pack among your plugins.

Before you release anything, run the dependency scanner of SC4tool over the lot. Better still, if it's something ploppable you made, empty your plugins folder, put only the lot you made into it, start the game, plop your lot and see if everything appears correctly. Once you're at it, take a decent in-game screenshot and use it to show off your creation on the STEX.

I will never quite understand how people manage to upload ploppable lots where the building (or half of the props) are missing, and with a tiny Lot Editor screenshot, when all it takes is 5 minutes to start the game, plop the lot, check for errors, take a picture, and exit.

[onlyplace4 603]

Originally posted by: T Wrecks

I will never quite understand how people manage to upload ploppable lots where the building (or half of the props) are missing, and with a tiny Lot Editor screenshot, when all it takes is 5 minutes to start the game, plop the lot, check for errors, take a picture, and exit.quote>

5 minutes huh? Man that has got to be a slow PC

Couldn't agree more though. Amazes me when we get pics of Lots in the Lot Editor, or uploads with no pics and simply "Sorry, couldn't get a picture". Not only does it immediately put me off downloading, it makes me ... well, you don't really want to know that

[mjig_dudy 11]

i made a building on bat but now the lot wont get any bigger than 1 square is i increase the size in the bat it will simply tak part of it and use that

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Can you explain that again slowly and clearly? I can't really follow you... You change the lot size in the Lot Editor. Your question sounds like a BAT question to me, and in that case, you should post it in the BAT Workshop section. Then again, I really don't understand your post, sorry.