Just installed game -- what mods/add ons should I get?

[CLS77 0]

Hey everybody,

Just reinstalled and its been a long while since I've played or searched for mods. Now that I'm starting fresh, what addons/mods should I get for the most enhanced, realistic, etc. play? Just looking for the essentials (and I know there is a section entitled that, but it was hard to decide even there)

Thanks!

[erikfloan 1]

Network Addon Mod (NAM) is a must-have. You'll find it in the "Modds & Downloads"-menu at the top of this page. The "Functional Landmark"-modd is also a good choice (let your citizens work in your landmarks). You'll find that also in the same menu as the NAM.

Good luck!

[CLS77 0]

What exactly does the network addon do?

[nerdly_dood 26]

A bunch of REALLY GOOD new highway interchanges (press tab to choose), roundabouts, diagonal streets, splittable avenues (use rail or elevated rail) and highways, ground light rail (aka GLR, a ground level version of subway and elevated rail), road intersection turning lanes, avenue intersection turning lanes, and you can turn an avenue into a pair of one way roads without an intersection, just make sure they are pointing the right way. There's more too

[nerdly_dood 26]

like elevated roads and avenues and regular "heavy" rail...

Even if you are nerdly, I think you  could have found the edit button.  N_O_B.

[dolsson 0]

I also like the realism of a slope mod and for eye pleasing, change the water color with a water mod and maybe a terrain mod to add a few snowcaps. And another nice feature of the NAM is that you can modify traffic/commute settings if you wish.

[A Nonny Moose 8,263]

Halt, cease, and desist! 

I agree you should have the NAM.  After that, take a stroll over to Bugs and Technical Issues and read the sticky thread titled "Plugin Mania".

Selection of plugins depends entirely on you.  There are a couple of bug fix downloads you might want (e.g. The Opera House fix), but after that, you must choose what you intend to do to get the most fun out of this.

[Jazzmaster 716]

You may also want the fabulous CAM (Collosus Addon Modd) at www.sc4devotion.com...

If you read through the very large manual, it'll do wonders, but if not, I don't know what to tell you...

I suggest you learn how to play the game without too-much custom stuff first, or it may be a bit overwhelming. I went like 2 months without downloads, perhaps a Maxis download or two. But that's entirely up to you. Have fun, but try not to just download, carve out a name for yourself!

-Yoshiisland

[doorknob60 11]

Ya, the CAM looks like a good mod but it has a crap-load of dependencies. And of course, make sure you get the NAM.

[LarksTonguesInAspic 28]

CLS77: The nam is a modd that adds flexibility and versatility to your transit systems, partially through the use of custom "puzzle pieces" to create infrastructure not originally included in the game. Among the most notable parts of it is the addition of Ground Light Rail (GLR) and double-decker road and transit combinations.

since the nam is already thoroughly recommended, I would have to say that, running the game plugin-free for a little while really is the best way to get a feel for it, you will ultimately understand the plugins and modds better. IMHO I would start with upgraded transportation lots, like raphaelninja's penta-functional station or brendaxne's monorail stations and/or one of the query modds to greatly increase the information available. The Lot Editor and building props vol. 1&2 from Maxis is extraordinarily useful as well.

[Jazzmaster 716]

Originally posted by: doorknob60 Ya, the CAM looks like a good mod but it has a crap-load of dependencies. And of course, make sure you get the NAM.quote>

 

The CAM itself doesn't need any dependancies, but obviously you'll want the 'camelot" downloads.  As for the many different dependancies I'd say you were thinking of the "mass packs"?  These are pre-existing uploads that were "camified" to meeet CAM standards.

-Yoshiisland

[LivingInThePast 364]

The biggest thing is to not go nuts with the plugins. If you download every building in sight that looks cool, then your menus will unmanageable messes and the game will run as slow as SimCity 4 running on a 386. The plugins will conflict and crash, and your city will fall into ruin.

I learned all that the hard way.