Boggy1's Quick Guide to All Things Custom Content!

[Eggy 8]

I knew the methods of nitelites THANX.

[Boggy1 45]

Updated!

Anyone got any other suggestions?

[thesherminator 19]

boggy1 is a legend thanks man

[cinzbenz 3]

Boggy:  Thank you so much for this guide.  I can see you put a lot of work into it, and it's certain to be helpful to many many SC4 fans.  It's so well organized and full of great information.

[Timmystwin 201]

if only i had seen this before i started building stuff

[timcravey 169]

Thanks Boggy -- very useful topic. I point it out to folks all the time, but I have to agree with Cockatoo-210893 about the Lot section. This line in particular --

"A LOT file is a custom content, like a building, that is created using Maxis' LOT Editor. They only use the Maxis-made buildings that came with the game"

-- is not accurate. I often re-lot downloaded custom content; I may even download prop packs or models just so I can create new lots.

[Sourtoe 0]

Fantastic!  Unfortunately, I cannot devote as much time to SC4 as I would like and have been fumbling around here for several months.  You put all the answers for a newbie right there.  

 

[hmm 17]

When I reformated my laptop and reinstaled all my plugins, I couldnt figure out why my nightlights wouldnt work on any STEX/LEX building, then along came boggy and this great guide. Was searching for weeks for those files, and its all here in one page.

This guide is a huge help for newbies and oldtimers who seem to have a bit of memory loss as well! Thanks again Boggy!

[Solarpower44 0]

Thanks alot. This REALLY helped me!

[janky11223344 0]

will the buildings be in the landmarks section?

[SimHoTToDDy 2,939]

Depends entirely on the building. Try reading the description on the thing you are downloading.

[DCMetro34 577]

Originally posted by: janky11223344

will the buildings be in the landmarks section?

quote>

It differs. Most buildings you download will be in landmarks, but there will also be some lots in parks and other menus. But, yes, mostly they will be in landmarks.

If you are not seeing the buildings you download in the landmarks menu, make sure you extracted the files into this directory: My Documents --> Sim City 4 --> Plugins. Also, if there is any installer, make sure you run the exe file.

[Boggy1 45]

Good suggestion. I shall add it into the guide.

[Ropeh3ad 0]

Good guide for us newbies....

[tschrage 0]

Great guide! Thank you! This was an immense help in getting my game up to snuff.

[cdpierce727 0]

Thanks for this great guide...really has helped me get started with the game. Get's a little boring without any downloadable content.

[B33Rm47 1]

Thanks for the help on nightlighting, I really needed it and now they work! Great info!

[Sango007 0]

um i cant get the bldgprop_vol1.dat and bldgprop_vol2.dat files to download...

[gecko001 2]

I followed the guide for the SKU1 and BAT updates, and all files except one match the updated byte values shown above. I actually ran the two updates twice now, trying to get the updates fully installed. The one file which does not match is (of course) SimCity_1.dat. Mine is at 144,589,077 in size (whereas it is supposed to be 144,596,245 bytes). More troubling is that when I click on the Properties, the version shown is 1.1.610 (not .638 or .640).

The patchlog shows this error re: SimCity_1.dat: "Old File not found. However, a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents do not match."

Two things are odd about my setup: First, I have the program files installed to a different (non-default) location. However, since the SKU and BAT updates apparently find this directory with no problem, I don't think it is an issue. The second odd thing is that I always run SC4 using a CD emulator program ("VirtualDrive") so that I don't have to have the physical disk in my machine all the time. I did not modify the exe at all; it is not hacked in any way. And again, since the SKU and BAT updates modified the other files (such as SimCity_2.dat) successfully, I don't see this how this virtual CD thing would be a problem. I suppose a third odd thing is that I've tried to run the updates twice.

I was thinking of completely de- and re-installing SC4, but thought I'd ask for advice before going to that extreme. (btw, would de- or re-installation delete my My Docs plugins folder?) Sorry for the long post, and TIA.

(edit: I meant to include this: I can play the game: it is not "broken" in that sense, but I sometimes experience some odd behavior and don't know if it is due to some thing or plugin I did, or is it that I'm not up-to-date on the base files)

[gecko001 2]

I followed the guide for the SKU1 and BAT updates, and all files except one match the updated byte values shown above. I actually ran the two updates twice now, trying to get the updates fully installed. The one file which does not match is (of course) SimCity_1.dat. Mine is at 144,589,077 in size (whereas it is supposed to be 144,596,245 bytes). More troubling is that when I click on the Properties, the version shown is 1.1.610 (not .638 or .640).

The patchlog shows this error re: SimCity_1.dat: "Old File not found. However, a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents do not match."

Two things are odd about my setup: First, I have the program files installed to a different (non-default) location. However, since the SKU and BAT updates apparently find this directory with no problem, I don't think it is an issue. The second odd thing is that I always run SC4 using a CD emulator program ("VirtualDrive") so that I don't have to have the physical disk in my machine all the time. I did not modify the exe at all; it is not hacked in any way. And again, since the SKU and BAT updates modified the other files (such as SimCity_2.dat) successfully, I don't see this how this virtual CD thing would be a problem. I suppose a third odd thing is that I've tried to run the updates twice.

I was thinking of completely de- and re-installing SC4, but thought I'd ask for advice before going to that extreme. (btw, would de- or re-installation delete my My Docs plugins folder?) Sorry for the long post, and TIA.

(edit: I meant to include this: I can play the game: it is not "broken" in that sense, but I sometimes experience some odd behavior and don't know if it is due to some thing or plugin I did, or is it that I'm not up-to-date on the base files)

[SC4BOY 21]

Originally posted by: gecko001

More troubling is that when I click on the Properties, the version shown is 1.1.610 (not .638 or .640).

The patchlog shows this error re: SimCity_1.dat: "Old File not found. However, a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents do not match."

... second odd thing is that I always run SC4 using a CD emulator program ("VirtualDrive") so that I don't have to have the physical disk in my machine all the time.quote>

The emulator is the problem. It is a "crack" from EA's perspective. The patch will ONLY take if it is EXACTLY the file installed from the install CD. ANY modification, no matter how tiny, will stop the patch. Install and patch directly from (and running from) the CD and you will have no problems. You can re-install without losing any custom content, but may be wise to make a backup first just in case.

[SC4BOY 21]

Originally posted by: gecko001

More troubling is that when I click on the Properties, the version shown is 1.1.610 (not .638 or .640).

The patchlog shows this error re: SimCity_1.dat: "Old File not found. However, a file of the same name was found. No update done since file contents do not match."

... second odd thing is that I always run SC4 using a CD emulator program ("VirtualDrive") so that I don't have to have the physical disk in my machine all the time.quote>

The emulator is the problem. It is a "crack" from EA's perspective. The patch will ONLY take if it is EXACTLY the file installed from the install CD. ANY modification, no matter how tiny, will stop the patch. Install and patch directly from (and running from) the CD and you will have no problems. You can re-install without losing any custom content, but may be wise to make a backup first just in case.

[gecko001 2]

Huh. I'd never have guessed that the CD emulator would have such an effect. (Truly, I've done nothing to the Maxis .exe or .dat's) Sounds like I have five things to do.  I should (1) backup my My Docs SC dir (and the little custom content from the SC plugins dir, e.g DAMN menu), (2) uninstall SC, (3) re-install, then (4 and 5) apply first the SKU then the BAT update. Thanks for taking the time to help/advise me. 

[gecko001 2]

Huh. I'd never have guessed that the CD emulator would have such an effect. (Truly, I've done nothing to the Maxis .exe or .dat's) Sounds like I have five things to do.  I should (1) backup my My Docs SC dir (and the little custom content from the SC plugins dir, e.g DAMN menu), (2) uninstall SC, (3) re-install, then (4 and 5) apply first the SKU then the BAT update. Thanks for taking the time to help/advise me. 

[gecko001 2]

 OK, so I backed up, uninstalled, and reinstalled. I was at build 638 after the SKU update, and at build 640 after the BAT update. So, my version problem was finally fixed. But being on a laptop, I could not resist loading the VirtualDrive play disc. I played for some time, but at some point experienced a CTD. That was when I remembered that SC4 randomly crashes on dual core machines unless you set the processor affinity. And THAT was when I remembered using Imagecfg.exe to permanently set the processor affinity. I went ahead and did so, and only realized afterwards that that program updates one of the SC files when setting the affinity. I checked the "SimCity 4.exe" and sure enough, the time/date stamp on the file had been updated. The byte size of the file is correct; just the time/date stamp was changed. 

I'm willing to bet that the SKU/BAT update problems I had previously experienced were due to this. I bet, to the update programs, having the 'wrong' time/date stamp automatically is translated as "file contents do not match". The reason I'm going through all this explanation is to say: I do not *think* it was the emulator which screwed up my ability to update. I am inclined to think it was when I permanently set the processor affinity using Imagecfg. I think that, even though the file "SimCity 4.exe" file size was unchanged, it was still "hacked" from the Maxis point of view (having a time/date stamp in 2010 instead of 2003 or 2004 or whatever it is supposed to be).

So, if SC4BOY is reading this: I think you were dead-right about the "any modification" messing up the updates, I just tend to think it was the the permanent setting of processor affinity rather than the emulator which was the root cause. 

Once again, thank you for helping me: I'm golden now.

[gecko001 2]

 OK, so I backed up, uninstalled, and reinstalled. I was at build 638 after the SKU update, and at build 640 after the BAT update. So, my version problem was finally fixed. But being on a laptop, I could not resist loading the VirtualDrive play disc. I played for some time, but at some point experienced a CTD. That was when I remembered that SC4 randomly crashes on dual core machines unless you set the processor affinity. And THAT was when I remembered using Imagecfg.exe to permanently set the processor affinity. I went ahead and did so, and only realized afterwards that that program updates one of the SC files when setting the affinity. I checked the "SimCity 4.exe" and sure enough, the time/date stamp on the file had been updated. The byte size of the file is correct; just the time/date stamp was changed. 

I'm willing to bet that the SKU/BAT update problems I had previously experienced were due to this. I bet, to the update programs, having the 'wrong' time/date stamp automatically is translated as "file contents do not match". The reason I'm going through all this explanation is to say: I do not *think* it was the emulator which screwed up my ability to update. I am inclined to think it was when I permanently set the processor affinity using Imagecfg. I think that, even though the file "SimCity 4.exe" file size was unchanged, it was still "hacked" from the Maxis point of view (having a time/date stamp in 2010 instead of 2003 or 2004 or whatever it is supposed to be).

So, if SC4BOY is reading this: I think you were dead-right about the "any modification" messing up the updates, I just tend to think it was the the permanent setting of processor affinity rather than the emulator which was the root cause. 

Once again, thank you for helping me: I'm golden now.

[dtork7696 0]

it wont let me go to the apple website or whatever for those brown boxes and dependencies links

please help

[CaptCity 4,868]

Originally posted by: dtork7696

it wont let me go to the apple website or whatever for those brown boxes and dependencies links

please helpquote>

The links my needed updated. Do you mean these (Link)?

[kdog3055 3]

Thank you for this guide. It has enabled me to solve some problems and enjoy the game.

[Kon T 0]

WOW! I love this!!