Useful Information For Newcomers To Simtropolis!

[joelpiecowye 0]

If anyone could help i would be really happy.

I have simcity 4 deluxe edition and i downloaded items like NAM, buildings, roads, areas and such in plugins like i am suppose to and i dont see the things i downloaded ever. NAM doesn't work and i cant see momument s that i should be able to choose. PLEASE HELP IF YOU COULD.

thanks

[joelpiecowye 0]

i hate to double post but i still can't get it. I downloaded a couple more stuff and it still doesn't show up on the game. help if you could. I will try anything.

[CaptCity 4,861]

Downloads come in zip files. Are you 'unzipping' the files and then placing the unzipped items in the My Documents\SimCity4\Plugins folder?

Also, NAM comes with an installer. After unzipping and running the installer program, the files should be in the Plugins folder. Hope this helps.

[joelpiecowye 0]

thank you soo much it finally works.

[WillsCity 0]

Need some help, trying to download NAM, when clicking on the 'download' link nothing happens. No popup window or anything. I have the built in Windows XP SP2 pop up blocker which I turned off but still nothing is working. Any suggestions...? Thanks!

[Mikeaut1 261]

Did you try restarting your computer? I don't think it is a problem with the site. Try restarting and seeing if it will work.

[Neddiggis 1]

Originally posted by: WillsCity Need some help, trying to download NAM, when clicking on the 'download' link nothing happens. No popup window or anything. I have the built in Windows XP SP2 pop up blocker which I turned off but still nothing is working. Any suggestions...? Thanks!quote>

 

there seems to be a problem here with the link.  Please try www.SC4Devotion.com and use the LEX there.

[WillsCity 0]

There is something wrong with this site regarding the NAM. I found other post with people having the same problem as me.

Anyway, got it from SC4Devotion.com, thanks for the help!

[The Lord Ring 0]

If someone can help me somehow by teaching what files go where?

I down load files from simtropilis and not to sure where everything goes.

For example...does a DAT file go in the Plugins folder? How about LOT  files and GMAX. I assume most of them do but can some one give me a short answer as to where what goes?

Thanks.

[redbull75 1]

The OP says to select radical custom in the NAM traffic plugins, however the april 08 version does not have this option. Commute times are driving me crazy, which of the pathfinding options is the best to use??

[redbull75 1]

Guess I'll try once more for some help....Which of the NAM pathfinding options works best for different city makeups? No commute time threads actually break it down or make suggestions... And i'm curious as to why there are so many options in the first place. It seems if a commuter needs to go from point A to point B, they could simply measure the shortest route combined with fastest transport and that would be that.

[Rooivaulk 0]

Where is the actual download button a typical BSC exchange thread? I always get directed to a BSC page for dependencies and such, and I cannot find the actual button to press to downlaod...Please PM me with replies in case I lose this thread....

[Sam 163]

Most of the BSC dependencies are not on this site, they are at SC4 Devotion. To download from there you will need to be registered with the exchange for that site. Once registered, for each item there should be a More Information / Download link. You have to go to the More Information listing for the item, not just the summary in order to download. When you get to the detail page, there is a link called Download Here.

[Matt650 0]

I can't find what file to download the stuff on Simtropolis. Can someone help me?

[Chris_P_Waffles 0]

For some reson i cant download anything from the programs list. The only thing i can download is the NAM. I wanted to download the Super clean air act thing for my city but it dosnt work.

[stormlover 16]

"Radical Custom Special" does not show up on the drop down menu. I've installed the NAM twice and seen the following: one large drop down box with most of the upper boxes already checked and many lower boxes unchecked. There is one section with options for "Automata" (what that means I have no idea) - that has the word "Radical" in one of the options but it doesn't say "Radical Custom Special" there or anywhere else. Further, since virtually everyone is using this mod, I think a more detailed documentation of each section might be warranted (at least on the unchecked box sections.)

I (and surely some others) play a conservative/realistic game without need or want of "radical" changes to any game objects. Your description suggests "Radical Custom Special" is something we all need. This may be so - but it would sure help to know what it means.

I applaud your extraordinary effort with SC4 projects but hope you understand the frustration the non-experts regularly deal with.

If "Radical Custom Special" is in the download it has escaped me twice. Possibly I'm missing something entirely - but after two tries, I'm left with nothing but confusion, bewilderment....

As always, LOL!

I look forward to an answer a.s.a.p. because I'm starting over fresh and want to do things as correctly as possible.

Thank you,

Tim in Cape Fear, NC

[Sam 163]

I assume that you read the Readme of the NAM January 2008 Update and followed its instruction to install the June 2007 NAM first, because the Radical Custom Special is one of the options available in the June 2007 NAM. When you click on it in the installer it even explains what it is. The team did a great job on the installer.

quote>

quote>

If you don't want radical, then choose one of the other less radical options or even the Standard option:

[stormlover 16]

Allow me to apologize for not reading the instructions properly. I'm an avid reader of books and essays and am accustomed to "scan reading" when in a hurry - a habit that clearly needs be abandoned when it comes to such technical things as are done here. Oh what a pain the newbies can be! (I understand and appreciate what the veterans go though - for I've been posting in internet groups (social, scientific and political) regularly for 13 years now and have seen it all, ha-ha.)

If I may one small final request on the NAM.... seeking efficiency and realism combined, what do you think would be the best options to select?

Thank you and sorry for the trouble. (I just completed my profile - and I guess you'll understand why I selected "Wile E. Coyote" lol!)

Tim in Cape Fear, NC

[Sam 163]

Originally posted by: stormlover

...

If I may one small final request on the NAM.... seeking efficiency and realism combined, what do you think would be the best options to select?

quote>

The best option depends on what you like and what your computer can handle, and also to some extent your experience in city building. There is no one option that can be said to be "best". That's why there are lots of different options.

I use one of the "Perfect Pathfinding" settings, but my computer can handle that. If you have a lower end computer or play big cities you may find that perfect pathfinding puts too much strain on your computer's resources and makes the game run too slowly or causes other problems. If that happens then you should try one of the less perfect options.

I usually also pick one of the increased capacity options if I'm playing a region with big cities because I think Maxis set the values way too low, and didn't really plan for people to have cities much above a few hundred thousand sims. Then again if I'm playing rural regions I don't really need the increased speed or capacity and a lower or normal setting may even be better in that case.

If you are a purist, then you might want the Standard option.

Some people as you have seen like the Radical Custom Special, but everyone has their own preferences, and that's why it comes with so many options.

[stormlover 16]

Thank you Sam; I guess I'll start with a perfect route 2X setting for starters (reinstalling the file at a later time if needed should be okay I would guess.)

As for the earlier reply --- after further research, it only added to my confusion. I went to the download section and there was nothing indicating I needed to install the old version first; further, the readme file on the NAM tells me to UNINSTALL the old version first!

"Since many things have changed compared to the last version of the NAM, it is highly advised to uninstall the current version first. The original NAM download comes with an uninstaller, which is either available via an entry in the start menu, or by double-clicking the "uninst.exe" file in the NAM installation folder. If you have modified the NAM files for yourself, please make sure to backup them to a safe place, so you can apply the changes to the new NAM installation later."

Apparently I second-guessed my reading ability to quickly.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but I would say the title post in this thread is outdated - and is causing unnecessary confusion. The heavily highlighted in red "Radical Custom Special" refers only to the old version - a version we're told to uninstall before loading the 2008 update.

This is still confusing because the 2008 update would seem a full version and not just an update - otherwise, why are we told to uninstall the 2007 version? You can't update something you've uninstalled!

What the heck is going on?

Thank you,

Tim in Cape Fear, NC

[Sam 163]

Ok sorry about that, I got mine from SC4D previously (it looks like I did my complete re-install just days before the new version was released - bummer). But if I've now found the file you seem to be downloading it does seem to be a full version (did you get the April 2008 version from the Modds and Downloads section?), but if you are using that one, then it does have all the traffic controller options near the bottom of the list of choices. Its just that Radical Custom Special no longer seems to be one of them.

The NAM has been through many editions, and you will notice that the OP is dated September 2007. However the NAM on the Modds and Downloads section is dated April 2008. I think its probably a fair bet the options changed in the last update and the reference in the OP is now out of date. I think they did a fairly radical revision to the mod the last time.

I apologise again.

[stormlover 16]

No problem Sam. The confusion stems from lack of maintenance of threads - this entire thread should be completely removed because the first post is outdated and misleading (it yells at you to do something that can no longer be done.)

Anyone going to the download page will see the NAM as the #1 file.

If there's a reason to start a new thread (sending people to the download page) fine, otherwise I hope to see this thread vanish pronto!

Thanks again for your assistance. Don't be surprised to see an IM from me about strategy/style!

Cheers!

Tim in Cape Fear, NC

[CTFx 0]

Edit: NVM

[notmymail77 0]

is step by step method for making the cars last longer? (that is, not constantly dissapearing?)

[Mikeaut1 261]

Originally posted by: notmymail77 is step by step method for making the cars last longer? (that is, not constantly dissapearing?)quote>

If you have the NAM installed, you can control how long you want your cars to stay on the road. I usually use the 24x radical plugin that keeps my cars at rush hour on my streets for 24 hours, 7 days. It's a good effect to use when taking pictures for your city journal.

[notmymail77 0]

another quick question. for some reason, some of the items in my plugin folder have a little red arrow pointing to the left next to them, causing them to not work in-game. examples are the NAM and the euro street texture mod, as well as various lot plugins. the arrow icon is similiar to that shown next to unactivated plugins in the simcity 4 startup manager. i am not currently using the startup managter to start the game. could this have something to do with it?

PS where can i find this menu to make the cars last longer? thanks!

[monkeyturtle 0]

Where might I look to find out more about dependencies and the benefits of lots?  Can those things be found in game, during editing or only with the utmost skill?

[Sam 163]

Monkeyturtle: for custom lots the creator of the lot should list all the dependencies and the lot functions in either the STEX description or the readme. Dependencies should always be listed by a creator, but if they don't list the functions, then you need to work it out from the kind of lot they say it is. For example, if they say its a park lot, then it will have the properties of a park, you would not expect it to have the properties of a school for example.

For ingame lots you would probably need to use the prima guide, or SC4 Tool has a database of the ingame lots.

I hope this helps.

[monkeyturtle 0]

Sam, I appreciate it.  That does help.  You wouldn't know if custom files in the lot editor can be deleted do you?  I am not finding them in my plugins folder and find no mechanism to delete them in the lot editor.

[Pinoy30 0]

does anybody know where i can download the file "SC4 Mapper"?? tried looking in here can't find it. thanks appreciate it.