simmars-forum-threads Mod Workshop

[Shoji_sim 9]

For now, you have to download it seperately, it's in bdswim's files on the SMEX.

...

...there was something on my mind lately, that because before anyone can actually start to build houses on mars, they would need a temporary shelter. And also they need some sort of food & water supply before the first agricultural industry/imports start. So I was thinking whether or not, before the first roads, zones, buildings and the other lot, the player must build a special building. It does not require power (the building has its own generator). You can place as many as you want, but they will be no use. Maybe it would be called a "support center" or a "start station"? Just a thought, as always.

[timcravey 168]

I lost your private topic thread, Swat, so I've posted this here -

I am making some progress in modifying THL's Green Beaches Mod to fit with the Mars Terraformed theme.

This terrain requires the SimMars Mars-terraine.dat (essentially as a rock mod), THL's Sandy Desert Mod, and the edited Green Beaches mod (raising sea level from SimMars 0m to 75m). It was kinda hairy changing the sea level in a region that was already settled (250,000 Sims) but they really didn't seem to mind.

You can see that even at 75m, there is very little water surface. Can you give me some pointers on how to convert JPEG into FSH so I can work on the textures? This is actually very pleasing terrain but I would like to change the water surface and maybe some of the rock.

[Ledah2445 6]

Why there is a water !

[Shoji_sim 9]

We're all, or at least I think, planning to set the mod at the time when terraforming has melted a bit of the polar ice caps, so there's water.

[timcravey 168]

Actually, I want to put 3 different terrains in the next beta - the original, with all red rock and sand and frozen water; terrain 2, with some water but still no green; and terrain 3, which will be approximately what you see above. Terrains are not easy to mod, though; and I think Swat has started back to school too so e has limited time. Water will probably come from the poles but also may be imported from Jupiter and Saturn.

[Shoji_sim 9]

Interesting...

I guess you can choose which terrain you want, right?

[AndisArt 2,067]

Originally posted by: Shoji_sim

We're all, or at least I think, planning to set the mod at the time when terraforming has melted a bit of the polar ice caps, so there's water.

quote>

That's not correct. SimMars has been set from the beginning in a hostile environment, although terraforming has begun (this was introduced into the conept to make the atmosphere less hostile than it is now to allow more flexibilty in designs). This is stated in the SimMars concept. The appearance of water hasnt even been discussed before. Our firestations and fire itself has been replaced with decompression, leak & seal etc. All suggesting that there is still a low atmospehere pressure. Water will only form if the atmosphere pressure is high enough. This is theorized to occur only after bacteria and algea have been introduced, which itself would happen after stabilizing the magnetosphere to allow the atmosphere to stay put, then transforming the atmosphere to increase heat.

Tim, I assume you mean imported from the moons of Saturn or Jupiter.

How are you planning on making three different terrains available to the players? How wil they be able to switch/choose?

[Shoji_sim 9]

I think they would choose in the installation process.

[Ledah2445 6]

I Was busy Creating a another SimMars Terraforming Tools

[Shoji_sim 9]

Really?!? Is it done?

[Ledah2445 6]

No its so many of them are unfamiliar to me

[Shoji_sim 9]

I 'm still awaiting whether or not my control centre idea is OK...  

[Shoji_sim 9]

I've drawn a few designs for power line poles:

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-8/1344639/SM%20power%20lines.BMP.jpg

Once you've looked at them, you can take a little survey here:

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229PGMSLLWJ

[AndisArt 2,067]

We are looking for someone who can program an installer for Beta 3.

help me to check if this is complete:

The installer needs to

- create a folder "Sim Mars" in My Documents

- copy all game content into this folder, including the .exe of the launcher but not the music files

- create a short-cut on the desktop to the .exe of the launcher

- create an uninstaller

- create Start-Menu entries

- install the music files into the "Radio" folder

[AndisArt 2,067]

Tim, I tried the program you suggested that can create installers. It's all pretty much straight forward.

I have one problem regarding the SimMars Music installer tho:

It is supposed to copy files into the SimCity 4 installation directory.

There is an option in the installer to set either a registry key or .ini file to locate where SimCity 4 was installed.

I'm a bit lost here. I tried to find a registry key for my SC4 installation (on Vista) but could not find it either in Current Machine/Software, nor in Current User/Software.

Anyone can help out here?

Where is the SC4 install path in the registry?

-------------------------------------------------------

Also, iLive has released a new version of the Reader! Go here:

https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=10417.msg315358#msg315358

[timcravey 168]

Here is how I configured it --

Naturally the other files would be pointed to the Plugins folder.  I haven't yet found a way to install both from one .exe, but maybe it's best to leave them separated as many people choose not to use the music files.

Can't help you with Vista protocols - I still have to holler across the street for help with XP.

Yes, I've seen the new Reader, but it's still a bit shaky according to reports.  I'll give it go though.

[AndisArt 2,067]

Hm, setting it to "Program Files" is tricky as not everyone chooses to install in that folder (me for instance I used to install all my games onto a second partition D:\). So I assume only if SimCity was installed in Program Files the installer would install correctly.

Also VIsta has two different folders for default: "Program Files" and also "Program Files x86" (or something similar, not sure what the difference is)

So it needs to be set thru the registry or maybe .ini file work too, to make sure the installer will find the correct path for all users.

Re: separating the installers. I think I cud manage to have the installer run both, mod and music.

I'm a bit torn between what to do for the release. On one side the music is part of SimMars and shud be included, on the other side we need to think of the file size (and we are talking 200 MB for Beta 3 and 100MB for the music).

[AndisArt 2,067]

Andreas Roth replied to me saying that the registry entry for Vista/Win7 and Windows XP is different.

The installer program only accepts one registry root key. Sounds like a problem.....

I was thinking of this as a possible solution, without using the registry:

We can easily set he main installer for the mod files to install the files in "MyDocuments". Since files HAVE to be installed there we can put this as no option (where to install).

For the music installer we can ask the user to locate the SC4 installation directory and set the default to #Program Files#/SimCity 4 (which is likely the install path for the majority of users).

For all users that the default is not the installation directory they can just locate it themselves.

[warrior 169]

Sorry i did not reply, the Program Files#/SimCity 4 is the best way of doing this, though you need to try installing with the installer on a 64-bit OS and see if it installs into C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files (x86) (the latter being the correct location on 64-bit OS)

Changing the install location is considered a more advanced thing, so if the user changed the install location of Simcity then they are bound to know they have to change the installers.

[AndisArt 2,067]

I have created a mod that replaces "city" with "colony" throughout the game. It will be included in the Beta 3 testing files which I will upload internally today for testing.

[AndisArt 2,067]

We are currently attempting to create an .exe file as a launcher program for SimMars.

The launcher should make it possible to start SimMars individually from SimCity 4.

This is done by having a folder called "SimMars" in your "My Documents", which will be renamed to "SimCity 4" upon launching the .exe file. The original "SimCity 4" folder will be temporarily renamed until the game is exited.

We already have a file that does exactly this. However, there is one big issue with it: The program does not check if any of the subfolders of either "SimMars" or "SimCity 4" are in use / open and if they are it creates issues (probably Windows is preventing the folder from being renamed because it is in use).

The use who created the .exe has been out of touch and until we can fix this we're sitting on a ready Beta 3 pack which we cant release...

Would anybody know what we can do?

Maybe recommend a program we could try?

[timcravey 168]

Have you tried asking over at SC4D? Maybe someone over there could help.

[AndisArt 2,067]

the mod list in first post has been updated.

new/updated entries of wanted mods:

- MAXIS rewards still generate pop-up windows and news ticker messages, we need a mod to disable/remove this

- mod that replaces all references to "Airport" with the word "Spaceport"

- fixing reward pop-ups: We have modded all rewards with working LUAs, for some reason when clicking to built the reward from the pop-up message nothing happens

- mod that changes color of reward popup window from blue (MAXIS) to redish (SimMars)

- new grafics for UI needed for replacing several symbols (trees, port, airport and more, contact andisart for more details)

[AndisArt 2,067]

the mod list in first post has been updated.

new/updated entries of wanted mods:

- MAXIS rewards still generate pop-up windows and news ticker messages, we need a mod to disable/remove this

- mod that replaces all references to "Airport" with the word "Spaceport"

- fixing reward pop-ups: We have modded all rewards with working LUAs, for some reason when clicking to built the reward from the pop-up message nothing happens

- mod that changes color of reward popup window from blue (MAXIS) to redish (SimMars)

- new grafics for UI needed for replacing several symbols (trees, port, airport and more, contact andisart for more details)

[AndisArt 2,067]

I managed to get rid of the people animations (most of them anyway).

Also I made a mod that disables all cars except the Mars rover.

And I fixed the Mars ordinances and added a few new ones.

Also I changed all airport references to spaceport.

[AndisArt 2,067]

Maxis reward popup messages fixed.

Trees removed from Mayor and God mode menu.

SimMars rewards can now be build from popup message.