SimCity 4: Rush Hour (Graphics Issue)

[Featherlight 0]

I have done so much research prior to this post, you guys have no idea. I read the sticky, and probably every other piece of information I could find. But still, no resolve. So if there is, somewhere, a post that resolves this issue, then re-direct me to it. Do NOT, however, tell me something like, "I'm sure this has been resolved somewhere else." Then delete my post. It would be easier at that point to just answer my plee.

The problem is this. I can play the game wonderfully, but larger buildings appear as black or blue/green/red "silhouettes". As if anything moderately large in size is not being rendered entirely.

And avenues do not appear at all. Aside from their foliage.

I am currently running a...

Alienware Area-51 m9750 notebook PC

4 Gigs of RAM

Dual boot Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows XP Pro x64

512mb nVidia 8700m GT

Intel Core 2 DUO 2.00ghz CPU

Direct X 10

SimCity 4 and Rush Hour have both been updated to the latest patch.

All my hardware has up-to-date drivers. Especially my chipset, audio, and display drivers.

I run the game at a custom resolution of 2048x768 via the "-introff -w -r2048x768" extension to the shortcut on my desktop. However, I have tried all available in-game resolutions and nothing changes.

I have tampered with all the settings within the game. They are irrelevant.

Is there no way to fix this?

Please limit the image size to 800x600, or 600x800 pixels.  You can edit the size of the images in the edit window, by right clicking on the image and choosing "Image Properties".

tungston

[antsel 841]

I had the same problem about 2 years ago. A simple reinstall will solve the issue.

This is the thread I started:

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=92730

[Amtrak7 2]

What rendering mode are you using?

[Loney 22]

Try reinstalling SC4, I think some of its internal files got corrupted. I have experienced this problem before and a reinstall fixed it.

[Featherlight 0]

I tried re-installing, but during the installation I got an error stating it was unable to copy the file named "SimCity_4.dat" from the CD. Could this be rellivant? Because I DID get that message the last 3 times I installed it. I have SimCity 4: Rush Hour installed 4 seperate times. My desktop has it, My Notebook has it twice (dual boot), and my sister's notebook has it. The only computer that ever ran it without the glitch is my desktop. And when I was installing it, no error never came. It installed and plays just fine. Also, the 2nd disc is very scratched up so I think that's the reason it can't transfer the file.[Deleted by tungston]

Please do not ask for game files here, it is not allowed.

tungston

[Featherlight 0]

Originally posted by: Amtrak7

What rendering mode are you using?quote>

I've tampered with the "Hardware" vs. "Software" rendering options and neither of them produce any posative result. None of the in game settings do. I'm pretty sure it's that "SimCity_4.dat" file having a problem because of damage on the CD.

[antsel 841]

If the deal is with the CD and the SimCity_4.dat file, I'm sorry to say it, but it seems like you might have to buy a new copy. Good news is that you'll be able to keep all your plugins and all your regions. SC4 is about 6 years old now, so you should be able to find a copy for cheap.

[chocolate_city 93]

This peculiar incident happened with me also... and it turned out that I was using CDs from different countries... My disc one stopped working after a while and my friend from Germany while visiting lent me his.. after using his CD1 and my USA Cd 2 I got the same thing with the building not "rendering right" but also my avenues were all weird too.. could this be happening to you?

[mylipho105 2]

Originally posted by: Featherlight

I have done so much research prior to this post, you guys have no idea. I read the sticky, and probably every other piece of information I could find. But still, no resolve. So if there is, somewhere, a post that resolves this issue, then re-direct me to it. Do NOT, however, tell me something like, "I'm sure this has been resolved somewhere else." Then delete my post. It would be easier at that point to just answer my plee.

The problem is this. I can play the game wonderfully, but larger buildings appear as black or blue/green/red "silhouettes". As if anything moderately large in size is not being rendered entirely.

And avenues do not appear at all. Aside from their foliage.

I am currently running a...

Alienware Area-51 m9750 notebook PC

4 Gigs of RAM

Dual boot Windows 7 Ultimate x64/Windows XP Pro x64

512mb nVidia 8700m GT

Intel Core 2 DUO 2.00ghz CPU

Direct X 10

SimCity 4 and Rush Hour have both been updated to the latest patch.

All my hardware has up-to-date drivers. Especially my chipset, audio, and display drivers.

I run the game at a custom resolution of 2048x768 via the "-introff -w -r2048x768" extension to the shortcut on my desktop. However, I have tried all available in-game resolutions and nothing changes.

I have tampered with all the settings within the game. They are irrelevant.

Is there no way to fix this?

Please limit the image size to 800x600, or 600x800 pixels.  You can edit the size of the images in the edit window, by right clicking on the image and choosing "Image Properties".

tungstonquote>

Your problem is very similar to me, but there is little difference:

1. Building are normal at the time of the smallest zoom view

2. Building now changes to green or red or blue (but only fountain and parking garage space) when i set less than two maximal zoom. It's my problem.

My SC4 smoothly play, no freeze. But the specification on my pc is less than your:

Processor: AMD Phenom X2 1.8GHz

Processor L1 Cache: 256KB

Processor L2 Cache: 1024KB

Processor L3 Cache: 1024KB

RAM: 2GB DDR2 800MHz

VGA: ATi Radeon HD 512MB DDR2 800MHz

Storage: Baracuda Seagate 160GB

Display: Advance Digitals HD 1440x900 True Color

OS: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 Final (i use the latest version of Windows XP and that's when Windows Vista is first released)

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Welcome to the conversation.

First, when you quote a message like the one in your post, please change the images to links.  It makes it much easier to get to the meat of your problem.

You don't say how much swap file space you have.  This might make a difference and it might not.  Right-click on My Computer and follow the Advanced tabs to check this out.  With your machine, I'd suggest you take over the swap file and set both maximum and minimum to 4095MB.  With luck you won't get a fragmented swap file.

Did you install go OK, initially?  If so, try a reinstall, but completely wipe out the Program Files/Maxis/SimCity 4 folder first.  Your plugins and regions will be preserved by the install, but if you have any doubts, copy them to your desktop.

The program works best with DirectX 9.0c.  You can install that, or the DirectX package on the distribution disks.