Original Content Removal

[karaku 2]

Hello, I have been working on content removal mods for SimMars but have found that many of these mods can be used in different ways by different people.  I have already released two priliminary versions on the STEX so that I could get some initial feedback and allow the SimMars developement team to have something to play with.  Now I have revamped, restructured and expanded the removal system and would like help in deciding what and how this should be released.

Currently I have restructured my past two releases into one with added content.  Much of this content is directed at FULL GAME modders however different aspects can be used by many different people.  This includes lot editors that want to clear up their lot menu to users that only use custom lots and dont want the original Maxis lots on their menus.

Obviously I would prefer to leave it as one big project with different parts sectioned off for easy inclusion/exclusion.  I will therefore close my past two releases in favor of this, more stable version.  If others feel strongly enough that I should do otherwise I may change this.

Lastly I could use help with documenting this stuff if anyone cares to throw in helpful suggestions (especially if those "suggestions" are complete, well-formed paragraphs).

Below is the documentation.

Attached is the current system itself.  After some discussion I'll post it on the STEX.

The Maxis Content Removal System

By Karaku

Introduction:

This set of plugins strip from the game much of the Maxis provided content for SimCity 4.

These mods are intended for experienced game enhancers or whole game modders.  I will not be held responsible for any trouble or loss caused by these mods.  That being said I have tested these mods and have not found any further problems (other than those I have already corrected).

Most of these mods have been designed to allow them to co-exist with your existing cities.   This means that by installing them existing buildings will continue to function.

All of the plugins that remove lots are disabled by default.  They are stored in compressed files within their respective subfolders.  Simply unzip the files if you want to use them.

Remove Maxis Buildings

These mods allow you to clean up your menu space.  They remove the normal OccupantGroups properties from the building exemplars and replace them with only the basic groups needed to function in game.  Any existing buildings should remain in your city and you should no longer see those buildings on the menu.  The same goes for any growables, those that were there before the mod will continue to function but they will no longer grow.

Please see the “Readme.txt” file located in the “Remove Maxis Buildings” subfolder more details.

Remove Maxis Plugins

The first thing that I’d like to point out is... yes, this set of remove mods are unnecessary.  They remove content that can easily be removed by removing a few plugins from their respective locations.  Nevertheless these plugins were requested by the SimMars team to aid in insuring as much external content is removed as possible.

These mods remove alot of the Official Maxis content plugins.  Maxis supplied these for download on the Official SimCity4 website.  “The Living Mall” was one of the first Official Maxis Plugins having shipped with RH.  I kept this plugin separate from the rest as it is installed automatically by RH and most the target audience will likely have it.  The other plugins I will list below, are all lumped into a single DAT.  I made separate dats to remove the Lots and Scripts for these plugins if you so desire.

63 Building

Brandenburg Gate

Parthenon

Schloss Schoenbrun

Temple Expiatiori

Arc de Triomphe

Seoul City Hall

Seoul Soccer Stadium

Globe Arena

Air Force Base

Kunjungjon

Nam

Dae Moon

Grand Central Station

Capitol Records

Stonehenge

San Francisco City Hall

Taipei Art Museum

Adler Planetarium

Mayflower Port

Rockefeller Center

Sobchak Lanes

Shorty Burger

Luckys Hang Ten

Remove Maxis Ordinances

These plugins disable the Maxis ordinances.  While not terribly useful by itself there is also provided an override folder wherein lies a compressed file that contains a dat file for each of the Maxis supplied ordinances.  You can use this as a simple base for modding the complete ordinance set.

Remove Maxis LotConfigs

These mods remove the Lot Configuration exemplars from the game.  It is important that you not use these plugins when running preexisting cities unless you are sure you do not use any of the lots.  If the game can not find the Lot Config information (when the plugin is installed) undefined behavior may occur.

Removing the Lot Config information is useful for Lot builders.  When removed the lots no longer show on the LotEditor menu.   This reduces clutter (especially all those R,C and I lots) in the list.

Remove Maxis Reward Scripts.dat

This mod located in the root of the Content Removal System folder in a compressed archive removes the script commands from four different game scripts that register ALL of the reward buildings.  This disables the pop-ups telling you when you receive a reward.   Without disabling the scripts you can still plop the reward when you receive it.  The scripts are lumped together in a single file because internally they really don’t hold a structure that is easy to select which scripts you want and don’t want.  The ambitious could modify the scripts to select exactly the rewards they want enabled.  Again this release is primarily intended for whole game modders.

Customizing the Removal Mods

Using Ilive’s Reader and the wonderful tutorials available at www.simtropolis.com you can easily open these dats and cut out just the pieces you want.  Be careful, test thoroughly and read over the tutorials and forums until you completely understand what to do (hint: right click the exemplar and ‘save to patch’.  Oh and make backups of EVERYTHING.  I will certainly not be held responsible for any mishaps – you have been warned.

quote>

The Maxis Content Removal System

Each dat removes a different portion of the maxis buildings from the menu.  Below is a detailed description of what each dat file removes.

Remove Maxis Civic.dat:

    Police, Fire, Schools and Medical.

    This includes the large versions of schools, etc that are unlocked like rewards but do not actually appear in the rewards menu.

Remove Maxis Commercial.dat:

    All Commerical growables.

Remove Maxis Industry.dat:

    All Industrial growables (including agrigulture).

Remove Maxis Landmarks.dat:

    Everything that appears in the landmarks menu.

Remove Maxis Parks.dat:

    Everything under the parks menu.

Remove Maxis Ports.dat:

    Removes the Seaport and the Airports.

Remove Maxis Residential.dat:

    All Residential growables.

Remove Maxis Rewards.dat:

    All of the special rewards.

Remove Maxis Transportation.dat:

    This removes all of the lots under the Rail and Misc transportation menus as well as the ferry terminal.

Remove Maxis Utilities.dat:

    Removes power plants, water buildings and garbage buildings.

Furthur subsets of lot removers can easily be created using the iLive's Reader.

These dats were based initially on those provided by FavreKev04's Remove From Menu Mod.  I made some minor changes to as to how the removal was accomplished, restructured the files and added a few missing pieces (including the growables).

quote>

[Constantina 5]

It is worth pointing out that Default buildings are 'glued' to the vital game system files, making it hard to change without damaging it. Good work. Well done.

[black_coat 1]

Out of curiosity, why have these packages been locked in STEX?

[karaku 2]

For several reasons which I should probably explain..

The package available in this thread superseeds them.

The package in this thread is not ready to be posted on the STEX (I would like to make a few more adjustments).

This package works differently and is inherently safer allowing preexisting buildings to stay (in most cases).

So, I will update the STEX entries as soon as I have completed this version. Until then please download this version if you would like something to use.