Lot Editor - Help

[RippleJet 36]

emilin: No apologies needed!

Your prop exemplar refers (by a property called "Resource Key Type 1") to a model. That model is probably in a separate .SC4Model file.

Place that .SC4Model file into your root plugin directory, and open the Plugin Manager.
Drag the model onto the type of building you want it to be and edit the values given. This will create a .SC4Desc file, which contains the info needed for that type of building.

Then, open Lot Editor and open an existing lot of the same type that your building will be. Replace the building on that lot with the building you created (the .SC4Desc file) and make whatever changes to the lot you want (textures and props).

Remember to "save as", otherwise the existing lot you opened will be overwritten. This will in turn create your .SC4Lot file.

Both the .SC4Desc file and the .SC4Lot file can then be further edited with SC4Tools or iLive's Reader.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Thanks RippleJet for that concise and correct reply. I hope you don't mind me throwing in another bit: You can also take any prop from a prop pack by simply slapping the prop pack DAT into your root plugins folder and following the steps RippleJet outlined so correctly. The only little drawback is that some of these prop packs contain so many props that your Plugin Manager will show a rather long list which can make it hard to find just the item you are looking for.

[emilin 2]

Thanks a lot, both of you. That's exactly what I needed to know.

[justintime 8]

Can someone help me.

I can't get Simcity.com to let me log in,so i can't download it.

P.S.someione help me get LE.

[Silur 3,304]

Hi, justintime

You can download LE only from Simcity.com. You must have legal SC4 and registration from Simcity.com.

Thanks.

[justintime 8]

I CAN'T LOG IN!!!

Anyway,i did find a website where i could download it.

[CarmineHilton 6]

When I want to change the size of a lot, it always adds space in the front.

So -> I want to change the depth of a lot, but I don't want to add it in the front but in the back!

What do I do?

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Move everything where you want it after making the lot bigger. Sorry, but I don't know a way to avoid that. The LE just insists on aligning everything to the top left (or back left).

[FlyingFreeze2 0]

Um.. One Question, How do you make a lot without replacing one in the game?

[lolebagels 0]

Um, question: I'm trying to edit another person's lot, but when I try to save as, it says I have an object extending beyond its bounds. Does this include an object extending over the road thingy on the side? And, what are the pink squares with arrows on them?

Thanks alot to anyone who replies =D

[NetPCDoc 1]

FlyingFreeze2: The quick answer - using the Lot Editor - use the save-as button. For the long answer - I know there is a tutorial somewhere in the simtropolis forums.

lolebagels: On save-as - in my limited experience - textures may extend past, but actual props (as opposed to prop-effects) can't - in any direction (including over the road side); The pink squares with arrows on them - actually pink overlays with a single arrow - indicates a TE (Transit Enable) property is present on that tile, the arrow indicates the orientation (rotation) of the property.

-NetPCDoc

No detail is too small to be micromanaged.

[BarbyW 40]

Originally posted by: NetPCDoc FlyingFreeze2: The quick answer - using the Lot Editor - use the save-as button. For the long answer - I know there is a tutorial somewhere in the simtropolis forums.

lolebagels: On save-as - in my limited experience - textures may extend past, but actual props (as opposed to prop-effects) can't - in any direction (including over the road side); The pink squares with arrows on them - actually pink overlays with a single arrow - indicates a TE (Transit Enable) property is present on that tile, the arrow indicates the orientation (rotation) of the property.

-NetPCDoc

No detail is too small to be micromanaged.quote>

 

With regard to objects extending beyond the boundary, nothing at all can be placed outside the lot boundary including textures but things to check are:

1. that the building sits inside the lot and when you select it you can see the white surround completely within the lot;

2. that the direction arrow on the props sits within the lot boundary. Often when placing walls/hedges etc the direction arrow is outside the lot so if it is rotated through 360 and re placed on the edge it will solve the problem.

If you want to relot a transit enabled lot to a different size, the transit enabling must be removed first if it does not sit inside the new lot size. The easy way to do this is in SC4Tool.

[RippleJet 36]

lolebagels,
the lot you opened might be one with an overhanging building or prop.

The LotEditor doesn't allow overhanging buildings or props, but eg. in iLive's Reader it is possible to change the size of the lot and thus create overhanging buildings and/or props (that are wider and/or deeper than the lot, or placed so that they overhang an edge of the lot). If that is the case, then you cannot edit that lot in LotEditor anymore.

You would have to increase the lot size in LotEditor in order to be able to save it.

Or, the more difficult way, which requires some modding knowledge:
It is possible first to reduce the size of a building or a prop in Reader to fit within the size of the lot. This way you would fool LotEditor that the width and/or depth of the building is smaller than it really is. The property you would have to change in the building's exemplar is called Occupant Size.

Which one was the original lot, btw?

[BarbyW 40]

@Ripplejet: I didn't go into that sort of detail as I thought that if lolbagels was new to this it might confuse him/her. This is more advanced stuff as you no doubt know:-)

[RippleJet 36]

Touche, Barby!

However, as I said, that was the more difficult way which requires modding knowledge.

I think lolebagels is capable of deciding his own level of knowledge (I didn't go into details about how to use Reader, so he won't have much use for the advice unless he is familiar with Reader).

[rocky10 0]

How do you place props on the top of buildings in lot editor?, lets say an industrial smokestack effect that i want to place above a chimney, i can only place such props at ground level.

[RippleJet 36]

Welcome to Simtropolis, rocky10!

Keeping down your <Ctrl> key while clicking the Up and Down arrows will move the prop 0.1 m up or down.

Keeping down both your <Ctrl> key and your <Shift> key while clicking the Up and Down arrows will move the prop 1.0 m up or down.

[rocky10 0]

Much thanks, greatly appreciated

[ActivationEnsues 0]

I'm trying to create some individual lots from the University Reward building set so I can create my own expanding University District.

I want to replace a building on an existing lot with one of the props (Classroom, Library, Science Hall, Humanities Hall, etc), but am only getting an abbreviated list to choose from, never including the University props.

How do I solve this problem?

[Sam 163]

Make sure the lot is big enough. If the building is bigger than the lot in any dimension it will not show on the list.

Also make sure the lot is of the right type. Only suitable buildings for the lot type you have chosen will show in the list. For example, you won't be able to put a hospital building on an R$ lot. It is the building which determines many of the ingame characteristics of the lot. For example plop cost, monthly costs, building families etc. But you still need to choose a lot that is of a suitable type for the building you want (eg wealth and purpose matching)

[NetPCDoc 1]

Hello ActivationEnsues,

Might I inquire - are you looking on the BUILDING list or on the PROP list - in the Lot Editor?

If you haven't already acquired them - you may want to get the two "buildings as props" prop packages from the official EA site?

Once you have the two "buildings as props" packs properly installed in a plugins folder - you should see all the University Buildings in the Props List; with a much shorter (maybe just one item in the) list under Buildings.

-NetPCDoc

No detail is too small to be micromanaged.

[ja/att 61]

I have downloaded highway signs off the STEX made by nycsc4 and tinkered with them on the BAT to change their names to fit my own towns. But for some reason after I plug it into the PM under the park section the DESC file doesn't show in the LE as a building or a prop item...............

[RippleJet 36]

When opening a lot in LE, you will only see buildings that are of the same type as the lot (if the lot is a residential lot, you will only see residential buildings, etc.).

Since your building (highway sign) is a "park building", you should open an existing park lot (large enough to fit your sign) and replace the "building" on that lot with your sign.

Then "save as" to create a new park lot (that won't replace the lot you started with).

[polakko 0]

 Welcome. Why possibly this me wants to open LOT is such a window leaping? What's the problem?

And another question. Where from to be textures road?

Sorry, i'm $%&^! with Lot Editor

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/5483/loteditorrj0.jpg

[jplumbley 5]

Hello,

I have a question about Lot TGIs.

What I have noticed lately while I have been creating lots, is I get a different Group ID. Now, I know that the Type is always the same but, now I am wondering if the Group ID is tied to the different RCI types and wealths or is this allowed to be any random number? If this can be any number is there any special numbering system used by creators so that their lots exemplars do not conflict with others or is it just a free for all?

Thanks in advance.

[ja/att 61]

RippleJet, tanx, you are correct but I have tried that prior to my posting, the sign still does not show in the LE.

[RippleJet 36]

ja/att, I could take a look at that sign of yours if you'd like to. I would need your SC4Model file and any SC4Desc files you've created. Send me a PM if you're interested and I'll send you my email address.

Originally posted by: jplumbley Hello,

I have a question about Lot TGIs.

What I have noticed lately while I have been creating lots, is I get a different Group ID. Now, I know that the Type is always the same but, now I am wondering if the Group ID is tied to the different RCI types and wealths or is this allowed to be any random number? If this can be any number is there any special numbering system used by creators so that their lots exemplars do not conflict with others or is it just a free for all?quote>

I've always thought LotConfiguration Exemplars have the same Group ID, 0xA8FBD372. Is Lot Editor assigning other numbers for you? Or are you talking about Building Exemplars (which may have random GID's)?

[jplumbley 5]

In response to RippleJet:

The group IDs seem to be according to wealth type or occupancy type.  Right now I have only been making R$, R$$ and R$$$ growables.  Each having a different group ID after, I created a lot using a MAXIS template.  

Group IDs created when saving:

R$ = A8FBD372

R$$ = AD4BA465

R$$$ = D24B97BD

All the lots I have created, grow in SC4 with no problems.  These are Lot Exemplars, not Building Exemplars.  I am wondering if these group IDs are set in stone for each Occupancy Type or if it is possible to change these without causing issues.

[SkyLined 0]

Hi all,

I'm creating props from .SC4Model files. I'm using the SC4 Plugin Manager to create .SC4Desc files by dragging the models to the "props" entry in the tree. All this works fine. I now have .SC4Desc files for each .SC4Model.

My problem is that most of my new props do not show up in the Lot Editor. Does anybody know what might cause this and how to solve it?

Let me know if you want to see an .SC4Model/.SC4Desc combination that doesn't show up and I'll email one to you. 

Cheers,

SkyLined

PS. Dunno if this is a know issue, but I found that if you put an "&" (ampersant) character in the description in the XML entry of an SC4Model (using ILive Reader), the SC4 Plugin manager will not show the SC4Model in the list, putting this in the XML entry will reproduce the issue (brackets replaced):

[sC4PLUGINDESC Name="Example & Example" ...

Also, it appears that if you use "&" characters in the name of an SC4Model file, they are converted to "_" (underscore) characters when the SC4 Plugin Manager generates an SC4Desc file. This means the SC4Desc will not point to the right file and thus doesn't work. This is taken from the XML entry of an SC4Desc file created by making "Example & Example-0x5ad0e817_0x9321637c_0x30000.SC4Model" into a prop (brackets replaced):

[PROPERTY ID="0x00000020" Value="Example _ Example"]

[PLUGIN ResKey="0x5ad0e817-0x9321637c-0x00030000" File="Example _ Example-0x5ad0e817_0x9321637c_0x30000.SC4Model"]

[powl 12]

Hey Batters,

i am going crazy over exporting my first building.

I modeled my building in gmax, it is supposed to be a police station.

But it doesn't matter if i now make a police station or a landmark out of it (in the PM),

if i go to the lot editor, i can create whatever i want  - start a new lot or change the existing fire station - my BAT won't show up in the LE. Not if i want to insert it as a prop, nor if i want to exchange an existing building. Actually the building button in my LE is never active, so it never allows me to put a building on any kind of lot.

what's wrong, what am i doing wrong?

Please help. Want to share my new building! It's gorgeous, hehe

regards,

powl