Strange Images in SC1.dat

[warrior 169]

Not really sure if this is the right place to post. I was looking through the SimCity_1.dat when I saw a png file that looked like a game UI button but I hadn't seen it anywhere, I scrolled up and down and found more images that looked like buttons but I hadn't seen. I was just wondering out of sheer curiosity if anyone knows what they are. And if they are "an ANT type of thing" like something that was left unfinished by maxis.

[archesrule29 0]

I'd like to see these images, so could you please post them for us all or provide which file route we should take. Thanks!

[autoVino 26]

Yes, there are lots of parts that look unfinished in simcity 4... like the extra terrain tool mod is actually somewhat finished versions of what maxis didn't finish.

[warrior 169]

Here are some of the images, if you want to see more open the simcity1 dat and look through the png files.

[gabry85 2]

I think these are buttons of the game when it was at its earlier stage development.

[warrior 169]

gabry: If that is so, not saying you are wrong, why haven't the been moved/replaced?

But you are probaly right, I looked at the official SC4 site and there were some of the icons there, from earlier stages of development.

I have no idea why there are seaport and airport buttons in the RCI menu ,as seen in the last picture.

[star.torturer 0]

zoned?? wooooo hehehe

that would have been better, air and sea zoned

Joe

[Swamper77 90]

The partial images with the menus and pointers are probably for tutorial purposes, but I see some of them look a bit "old".

The "(+)" with the red dispatch borders was supposed to be for dispatching ambulances. I saw a LTEXT file mentioning it at one point. Looks like they never implemented that feature.

As for the airport/seaport zone buttons, they are probably relics from the SC2K/SC3K eras when you zoned for those types and they automatically developed the buildings, runways, and piers.

-Swamper77

[LivingInThePast 364]

A lot of games leave leftover junk. They're everywhere, and some 'net digging on your favorite game would reveal something.

[warrior 169]

There's no way to kind of "reactivate them"?

[mrbisonm 1,622]

These are *leftovers* and *maybe's* There's a lot of this in many games, only around 80% of the gamefiles are actually used (in most pc-games). It is just like Microsoft windows XP......95.5% is leftovers and stuff that has been forgotten (or never will be used) and only 4.5 % of it we use.

[Bacon914 0]

Originally posted by: star.torturer zoned?? wooooo hehehe

that would have been better, air and sea zoned

Joequote>

Back in Simcity 3000 all the ports were zoned. I guess Maxis was partially  into SC4 development when they realized that zoned airports don't really end up looking right...

[Swamper77 90]

Originally posted by: warrior There's no way to kind of "reactivate them"?quote>

 For functions such as dispatching ambulances or having air/seaport zones that develop on their own, no. The only way to activate them will be to modify the EXE which is not allowed.

-Swamper77

[warrior 169]

I gathered things like dispatching ambulances and zoning aiports and ports wold be EXE controlled, I was thinking more about the menu, especally the Transit, being "reactivated"

EDIT: the buttons have an ID in their properties which tells the game which sub menu to "appear", does the ID link to something in the EXE or in the dats?

[Swamper77 90]

Originally posted by: warrior I gathered things like dispatching ambulances and zoning aiports and ports wold be EXE controlled, I was thinking more about the menu, especally the Transit, being "reactivated"

EDIT: the buttons have an ID in their properties which tells the game which sub menu to "appear", does the ID link to something in the EXE or in the dats?quote>

The EXE has set assignments for the menus. The properties just link icons to the menus. The DATs just hold all the images and other files so the EXE doesn't have to..

-Swamper77

[warrior 169]

Are we allowed to look at the exe but not change it or anything.

[star.torturer 0]

i doubt it, unless you mean looking at the file in windows explorer lol

Joe

[warrior 169]

OK I ll change it slightly: Are we allowed to look in the exe but not change it or anything.

[star.torturer 0]

No, as that is considered a breach of the EULA and it also means that you could steal their code for your own means.

Joe

[ssoross 0]

A little side note--

It appears that this may show the original "God mode" and "Mayor mode" buttons (the "hand" button from Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco and the little tophat guy button respectively). Believe it or not, I remember seeing these pics in early game shots. I could be mistaken, but they look familiar.

-ssoross-

[warrior 169]

star.torturer: I you watch a DVD there is nothing wrong with that, if you copy/eit and then distribute it, it is wrong/illegal, it is the same with the EXE (i would have thought) if you look at the EXE there is noing wrong with it, if you edit/copy it and then distribute it it is wrong/illegal. Is this right???

[star.torturer 0]

no, dvd's have no EULA's atached to them, read it and you will find out that you cant

and anyway, exe's are hard to read, they are compiled into c++/machine code, which is mighty tricky to decipher, never mind reverse engineer (im not saying its impossible tho)

joe

[prince_of_sims 0]

DVD's have EULA's, but they don't prevent the user from watching the DVD, or browsing the contents and exploring.

Same with SC4. GoaSkin and a few other modders delved really deep into the SC4 EXE. The SC4 Extra Cheats DLL surfaced as a result of these explorations. It is definitely against the EULA to distribute modified copies of the EXE, but you can modify it to your heart's content. However, a DLL-type approach would probably be a better idea (dll loads, grabs handles it needs from EXE memory, and modifies them). That is definitely NOT against the Maxis EULA as it's not a modification of the game EXE, but rather a plugin that enhances game play.

[Rymac91 15]

ok...odd timing for this...but....

you can see from this image that they are from a early point in development and the buttons are there.

[warrior 169]

But none of the transit buttons I posted , are there are there anymore images where you got that one EDIT: Umm...300th post...yay...posted on my wii.

[star.torturer 0]

ok sorry bout that, didnt realise, not read a EULA in a long time lol

Joe