simpeg-forum-threads SPAM - Crops

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

 

'mators..

[Zelgadis 638]

I like the look of this so far. So, tell me, do you have to install the entire mod or can farms be had on an individual basis?

ISF

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

The new crops will replace the Maxis ones. The idea is for this to be a complete replacement mod for I-AG and I-D and will be designed to complement the MTP (Mountain Theme Pack) series.

The MTP will not however be compulsory.

[Zelgadis 638]

Cool. Question #2 in that case: Do you have to destroy all your old farms and I-D before installing the mod?

ISF

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

The crops will update automatically.

The new farms will show up when they grow.

[lalippi 7]

Looks very very good and Adds great value to the game!

[Pegasus 2,825]

Originally posted by: abcvs

The crops will update automatically.

The new farms will show up when they grow.quote>

That is primarily correct. But... (there's always a "but", dang it...) the SPAM is a tad more than just a visual update to the game's default farm lots. The SPAM will, in many ways, redefine how the farm lots work... and much of that will be driven by the new crops that replace the old game-default crops.

The default game actually only includes a small handful of crops; lettuce, apple & orange trees... and cows and horses. That's it. So in SimCity, the Sims can order a steak, orange juice, apple pie... and a salad.  But that's about it.  So we plan on expanding that menu a bit.

In doing so, the default lots will not include any of the new crops. So they will continue to look and operate correctly after the new mod is installed, but they will be limited. Players will most likely want to bulldoze them to allow the newer, more versatile farm lots to develop.

* Also note that in the game, when props are re-arranged on a lot or new props added, the existing lot must be replopped in order to show those changes. The SPAM will be redefining and changing all of the game-default farm lots... as well as adding significantly more.

The SPAM will also be changing how the farms work by separating them into 2 classes; flat-land farms and hillside farms.Some crops can only be grown on flat land... while others are more often seen on hillsides or sloped terrain. So we are designing farm lots that will develop only on flatland... or only on hillsides. This will give the player some added control over what type of farm will develop based on how the player terraforms his/her city.

Technically, the SPAM is the Industry-Resource (IR = farms) replacement mod for the MTP. It will use the MTP Super Mod as a dependency. But this does not limit it to use with the MTP only. It can be used to replace normal farming in non-MTP cities as well. It will also be divided into numerous files with instructions on which files can be included or excluded to turn various features and options on or off.

[Teaser Alert]

The SPAM is the prelude to the proposed MTP-IND Replacement mod which, like the MTP RES & COM Replacement MODs, will replace all game-default growable lots and buildings with MTP versions. The MTP-IND, however, will dramatically change how we zone and develop IND.. and will be tied directly to the SPAM as the industry in the MTP will be largely based on agriculture.

[Jamonbread 222]

This looks so cool! Would I be able to use this mod with other farm addons I already have?

[Monay 0]

I can't wait for it to be released on the STEX and The PLEX! This is exactly what I was hoping for! It's much more realistic than the Maxis farms. Thanks for sharing and for coming to simtropolis!

[kingdiz_55 12]

It's really nice that someone's taken the time to try to mod something new and on a scale that hasn't been done before (at least to my knowledge)

[JayStimson 211]

Excellent. More high quality crop variety.

[Pegasus 2,825]

Originally posted by: Jamonbread

This looks so cool! Would I be able to use this mod with other farm addons I already have?quote>

Some yes... and some no.

Any farm custom farm lots you already have should continue to work fine. Ploppables for sure... and probably most growables.

However, any farming mods you have installed may not work. The jobs increaser mod should work... but the SPAM lots will be more labor intensive (more jobs) so you may not need it.

If you use the mod that promotes development of custom farm lots by turning off the game default farm lots, that will definitely not work. The purpose of that mod was to get rid of the game default farms because they are boring. The SPAM will replace those boring lots... so you won't want to turn them off.

Any other farming mod that alters how the farm lots work will also probably not work. The SPAM will redefine how the farm lots function so anything that gets in the way will probably get plowed under.  

[guystupois 1]

I don't think SPAM is a good name for a massive mod... Maybe PPAM, for Pegasus Productions Agricultural Mod, or just add the additional P, and its a seller.

Also, it sounds like the SPAM gross burger stuff...

[Jamonbread 222]

Thanks for the reply, very valuable information. It looks like I'm in the clear for SPAM! Bring it on

[hamsterTK 93]

What a great time for my laptop to be sent away for repair(the screen literally cracked in half without reason, turns out its a common defect). Thankfully it is under warranty still and I have other ways of getting online.

I love the scale of these crops, i.e you can actually see them and what they are in Simcity.

I guess we can also have everything needed for our sims to open a brewery. Hope that doesn't include the corn though lol

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

I guess we can also have everything needed for our sims to open a brewery. quote>

I can assure you that Pegasus is not planting hops, rye, and barley to make Mama's old fashioned vegetable soup.  

Well, maybe a little barley for the soup...

Actually, now that we mention it...   Pegasus does make soup...   probably what he is planting the 'mators for.

[Pegasus 2,825]

Originally posted by: hamsterTK

 I love the scale of these crops, i.e you can actually see them and what they are in Simcity.

I guess we can also have everything needed for our sims to open a brewery. Hope that doesn't include the corn though lolquote>

Most of the crops are also "seasonal". They will change throughout the year.

We have chosen crops that are bit more MTP-ish than many traditional crops... crops that would crow at higher elevations or just in a more remote-rural type area. The fact that many of them are also key ingredients for producing alcoholic beverages... may not be entirely coincidental.  

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Originally posted by: Pegasus

The SPAM will also be changing how the farms work by separating them into 2 classes; flat-land farms and hillside farms.Some crops can only be grown on flat land... while others are more often seen on hillsides or sloped terrain. So we are designing farm lots that will develop only on flatland... or only on hillsides. This will give the player some added control over what type of farm will develop based on how the player terraforms his/her city.quote>

So you found a way to make it work? I've made a farming expansion pack for myself, but the slope settings I made get ignored completely.... both some farms and farm fields are restricted to a minimum slope of X, but they keep developing on perfectly flat land nonetheless. This sucks big time. 

On another note, are you planning to depart from SimCity's "One field, one farm" approach? I'm just wondering because that's what I did in order to reduce the effect that any rural village ends up being dwarfed by all those (sometimes huge) farm buildings growing out in the boonies - one of the most notable shortcomings of farming in default SimCity IMHO.

[Pegasus 2,825]

Originally posted by: T Wrecks

On another note, are you planning to depart from SimCity's "One field, one farm" approach? I'm just wondering because that's what I did in order to reduce the effect that any rural village ends up being dwarfed by all those (sometimes huge) farm buildings growing out in the boonies - one of the most notable shortcomings of farming in default SimCity IMHO.

quote>

Do you mean zones that just contain crops... no structures?  If so... I hadn't thought of that. But its an interesting idea.... that I have no problem stealing.  

Abcvs had cooked up the idea of a just having 1x1 lots that contained a small produce stand or even just a truck loaded with crates... that I thought was a good idea. The more variation the better.

* The biggest problem with the game's farming system is that Maxis just didn't take it very seriously... and/or just ran out of time. There are only 24 (or so) default lots, just 7 farm buildings and the only crops are lettuce, fruit trees... and more lettuce. With a slight chance  of cows or horses.

Its also possible that they only intended it to be used initially when first starting a city...  the way Chicago was probably a one tee-pee town when it first started out. But plant a little corn, cook up some 'Shine... and WAM!!  A Toddlin' Town!!  

As to the development on slopes, I'm not too worried about farms designed for slopes developing on flat land. Those will still look normal. We just don't want flatland lots developing on hillsides. I hadn't encounter any issue with the lot config min and max slope being ignored yet... but we have just started testing. I'll keep an eye out for it though. Thanks for the tip.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Abcvs had cooked up the idea of a just having 1x1 lots that contained a small produce stand or even just a truck loaded with crates... that I thought was a good idea. The more variation the better.quote>

* The biggest problem with the game's farming system is that Maxis just didn't take it very seriously... and/or just ran out of time. There are only 24 (or so) default lots, just 7 farm buildings and the only crops are lettuce, fruit trees... and more lettuce. With a slight chance  of cows or horses.

Its also possible that they only intended it to be used initially when first starting a city...  the way Chicago was probably a one tee-pee town when it first started out. But plant a little corn, cook up some 'Shine... and WAM!!  A Toddlin' Town!!  
quote>

This is one of the biggest challenges to overcome, in playing the game primarily in rural mode...    the 'game engine' is quite happy having farms, as long as you have low wealth uneducated sims living nearby...    but if you want high wealth sims to move in on 'lifestyle blocks' they start demanding all the modern conveniences that you get in the city, nice parks, schools, universities, public transport...    and they complain bitterly (abandon) if they have to travel more than 6 grid squares to work...    which of course makes it kinda tricky if you want a high wealth mountain lodge up a long gravel road 20 miles from town...

I believe that the original game creators did expect us to play the game by starting with a few farms, and then slowly but surely upgrade everything, eventually ending up with a city full of skyscrapers, high tech industry and a space shuttle port...    without using the unlock all rewards cheat...    

So what happens if you want to stay in rural mode, but progress to having high wealth residential?

Well in my humble opinon you need to 'fool' the game into thinking that you are building a modern city... and work with the game engine rather than against it.

If that means installing the odd subway that looks like a pine tree and boulder...   then so be it...

Just don't tell Pegasus...    I don't think he really approves.  

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Originally posted by: Pegasus

Do you mean zones that just contain crops... no structures?  If so... I hadn't thought of that. But its an interesting idea.... that I have no problem stealing.   quote>

Exactly. I've made all my "farms" (in a technical sense) look like ordinary "fields". When I need farm buildings, I use ploppable I-Ag lots that I made myself.

This way, you can have rural settings that look just like one farm surrounded by multiple fields - and everything is even 99% functional (except for that "cheated" farm plop). This is what the eye sees. What the game sees is a multitude of farms that offer jobs - just like playing vanilla style.

Originally posted by: PegasusAbcvs had cooked up the idea of a just having 1x1 lots that contained a small produce stand or even just a truck loaded with crates... that I thought was a good idea. The more variation the better.quote>

It is. Especially with regard to farms (not fields!), variation and customization to each user's specific liking is easy to achieve.

What everybody needs to have all bases covered is the fields. No matter which farms you use, any field could grow, so you want to have that field in your plugins folder.

However, the farms can easily be offered as modular and alternative packages - (A) invisible farms, (B) 1x1 farms with small buildings, © All American farms, (D) European farms, (E) ploppable farms - and users can mix and match as they see fit. Use the invisible ones plus ploppables. or invisible plus European plus 1x1, or American plus 1x1, but no invisibles or ploppables...

Originally posted by: PegasusAs to the development on slopes, I'm not too worried about farms designed for slopes developing on flat land. Those will still look normal.quote>

Depends... you see, I have a European point of view. Our farmland looks pretty much like this: Wherever there is flat land, you'll see grain and vegetable fields, or pastures. Wherever the land is too steep, all you will see is pastures, wine, and forestry.

That's why I had planned to restrict all forestry stuff to sloped terrain - it's just not that typical for plains where I live. I mean, Germany is a tiny country - when you have six square inches of flat land, you use it for something more valuable than trees. You can grow trees elsewhere, where it would be too hard and expensive to grow wheat.

Wine is also something that's typically grown on (sometimes very steep) hillsides in Germany.

However, my experience was that the slope settings got completely ignored.

Originally posted by: PegasusWe just don't want flatland lots developing on hillsides.quote>

This, in turn, is something I haven't tested that much yet. 

[iuri99 48]

Wow, just a sugestion, I'm not completly informed about MTP project.

But the project is a lot confusing because have a loot of updates, i never know what is the newest pack, and is hard to find diferent types of houses searching only by theme.

My sugestion is create a complete Pack in Zip, with ALL current props, mods and add-ons, only in a single pack.

Help fans to find what they want, and can provide support to sc4 moddelers know about what is done and what need to be finished.

Only a sugestion =]

[3dpuzzlemaster 20]

This is a very good idea and it is looking very nice! This might have been answered before, but I just want to make sure:

Would this be compatible with the maxis farms that I modded(only the lots) and some farm fields I made that do not replace them using Lot Editor?

[iuri99 48]

I think isn't comaptible, not sure. But I recommend block maxis buildings.

[TheCityCentral 33]

Question: You say that it replaces I-Dirty, So how will this work in my Urban Cities where their is lots of I-D?

(I don't exactly want their to be Billy-Bobs Corn Farm next to The Emcom computer production center, I don't think anyone does.)