CAM - Colossus Addon Mod

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Welcome to Simtropolis, ajaxboy.

Some general advice: Before you reply to a thread, READ. The first post in a thread often contains useful information - in this case, a link to where you can find more information and download the CAM. The last few posts are also something you should read in any case. In this case (as so often), similar or identical questions have already been asked (and answered), and more information has been given. This thread is just two pages long, so it should really not be a problem to check for yourself which information has been given before you ask. Instead of waiting for an answer, you'd have the CAM installed and running by now. In this case, check RippleJet's signature (it appears several times on this very page and contains a large graphical banner that takes you to the place where you can download the CAM), or check the first post in this thread, which also contains a download link.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Welcome to Simtropolis, ajaxboy.

Some general advice: Before you reply to a thread, READ. The first post in a thread often contains useful information - in this case, a link to where you can find more information and download the CAM. The last few posts are also something you should read in any case. In this case (as so often), similar or identical questions have already been asked (and answered), and more information has been given. This thread is just two pages long, so it should really not be a problem to check for yourself which information has been given before you ask. Instead of waiting for an answer, you'd have the CAM installed and running by now. In this case, check RippleJet's signature (it appears several times on this very page and contains a large graphical banner that takes you to the place where you can download the CAM), or check the first post in this thread, which also contains a download link.

[diamonddog_74 32]

Originally posted by: RippleJet

Ploppable buildings are not affected in any way by the CAM, so you can leave them if you like.

The only thing you need to remember is that the capacities of ploppable offices usually are smaller than the corresponding capacity of growable CAMeLots of the same size. And in some cases the garbage pollutions and water consumption may be set too high.quote>

So, does this mean I can keep only the ploppable versions of all those beautiful Stage 8 office buildings I've downloaded? If so, I'm fine with that.

I'm starting a new region, and thought it'd be a good opportunity to try CAM. I downloaded the manual, downloaded and updated any dependencies for the CAMelot Starter packs, and now I'm weeding my plugins folder for Stage 8 growable office buildings. If I can keep just the ploppables, that would be fantastic. Some of those buildings (NDEX, et al.) are just too nice not to have, and if I can still use them without mucking up the CAM-enabled game, I'll be very happy.

Once they are listed as CAMpatible, can one just replace them with the new version?

[diamonddog_74 32]

Originally posted by: RippleJet

Ploppable buildings are not affected in any way by the CAM, so you can leave them if you like.

The only thing you need to remember is that the capacities of ploppable offices usually are smaller than the corresponding capacity of growable CAMeLots of the same size. And in some cases the garbage pollutions and water consumption may be set too high.quote>

So, does this mean I can keep only the ploppable versions of all those beautiful Stage 8 office buildings I've downloaded? If so, I'm fine with that.

I'm starting a new region, and thought it'd be a good opportunity to try CAM. I downloaded the manual, downloaded and updated any dependencies for the CAMelot Starter packs, and now I'm weeding my plugins folder for Stage 8 growable office buildings. If I can keep just the ploppables, that would be fantastic. Some of those buildings (NDEX, et al.) are just too nice not to have, and if I can still use them without mucking up the CAM-enabled game, I'll be very happy.

Once they are listed as CAMpatible, can one just replace them with the new version?

[Timewarptrio 0]

I want to install CAM, but I don't understand what growth-stages are. Is it how some buildings are progressively bigger than others? And, how is the game changed with these extra growth stages?

[ajaxboy 1]

thanx but who says that then where is that download link

[zahrul3 472]

The Colossus Addon Mod has been released today.

Development of growable (RCI) lots in SimCity 4 is based on a property called Growth Stage.

In SimCity 4 (Vanilla and Rush Hour) residential and commercial lots are available in growth stages 1 through 8.

Industrial (including agricultural) lots grow in stages 1 through 3.

The Colossus Addon Mod extends these growth stages to:

· Residentials: 1 through 15 (9 through 15 are new)

· Commercials: 1 through 15 (9 through 15 are new)

· Industrials: 1 through 10 (4 through 10 are new)

· Agriculturals: 1 through  7 (4 through  7 are new)

For questions and downloads, please visit the CAM Board

@ajaxboy: there you go

[LegoDino77 0]

Hello, Im not new, but im not so good at this game, and ever used mods, I dont understand what this mod does! (I use steam version, does it change anything?)

[Jasoncw 11,841]

When you start your city you get small buildings, and over time the bigger buildings replace smaller buildings.  Every building in the game has a "stage", and higher stages will replace lower stages.  For example, a stage 5 building will replace a stage 4 building.  But a stage 3 building will not replace a stage 4 building.  The stage is based on the number of jobs it has and how big the lot is.

 

The game by default has 8 stages.  Stage 8 buildings are the biggest skyscrapers.  But even though they're big buildings, there are still plenty of bigger buildings on the STEX, and they're not even *that* big (they're just normal real life buildings, not fantasy mega skyscrapers), but because in the default game there are only 8 stages, everything at the high end of the spectrum gets shoved into stage 8.

 

And then another aspect of this is that at any given time there is a % breakdown of what mix of stages should exist in your city.  For example, at a certain size, only 5% of your buildings may be stage 8 building.  And as your city gets bigger a higher percentage of your buildings can be higher stages.

 

Anyway, all these things combined means that as far as the game is concerned, all stage 8 buildings are the same, even though one might have twice as many jobs as the other.  The stage system falls apart at stage 8.

 

What the CAM does is it adds extra stages, so that the process of larger buildings replacing smaller buildings, and the % of different sized buildings that are allowed in your city, continue to function naturally at stages higher than 8.

 

The CAM also smooths out some modding mistakes Maxis made with their buildings that cause some of them, like Wren Insurance, to grow too much.  It also changes the way the simulation works a little bit so that the growth of your city is more gradual (by default your city will plateau, then it will pass a threshold, then there will be quick explosion of growth that will then quickly plateau until you eventually surpass the next threshold, etc.)

 

 

Basically, if you like to play with big cities with skyscrapers, you should use the CAM.  If you like to play with smaller cities with not very many skyscrapers it's not very important, but it still might be worthwhile.

 

If you do get it you have to make sure that when you download buildings off the STEX that they are "CAMpatible".  Since stages 1-7 are basically unchanged, anything that's not a skyscraper should be CAMpatible.  If it's a big skyscraper you'll have to check to see whether or not it is.  Something that is stage 9 or higher is called a "CAMeLot" because it only works with the CAM.  And then there are industrials, which always need special CAM versions.

 

 

Anyway, at SC4Devotion.com there's an entire forum dedicated to the CAM, and explaining what it is and stuff, and that's also where you go to download it. 

[waybig 35]

Aren't most large buildings these days "CAMpatible" because many batters are using the PIM-x tool?

[Jasoncw 11,841]

Yes and it could also be the case with large buildings that people modd them using PIMX and don't realize that they've made a CAM only (stage 9+) building and don't mention it in their descriptions.

[AntonyW 0]

Yes and it could also be the case with large buildings that people modd them using PIMX and don't realize that they've made a CAM only (stage 9+) building and don't mention it in their descriptions.

Been away for a while, focusing on the new simcity 2013 and I found it not as enjoyable as SimCity 4.

Last time i play it was 2012, and the mods were not as much as now.

Just to make sure, so the new buildings I've seen in STEX, it is CAMpatible am I right?

 

[Jasoncw 11,841]

The only way to make sure is to download it, open it in one of the modding tools, and check what the building stage is. Otherwise the answer is the same as it was in the other posts.