Graphics Chunking

[tomthepro 0]

 Hey Everyone,

I took a look to see if this had been posted already but didnt see it.

My game has been chunking graphics for quite some time now.  Initially it was not doing this, but my hard drive crashed, and when I reinstalled theere was this bad graphics chunking problem.

It looks like this article here:

http://greginthedesert.net/2003/07/sim-city-4-mini-review-and-graphic-problems/

Anyways Im on an intel imac with ATI Radeon HD 2600 Pro.

Any ideas?

[joshriddle 29]

I had that problem too, and I had all my settings set to high, try setting the renderer to hardware if at software, and if at software, hardware. Currently mine is running at hardware at a Radeon 4550 and I don't have a problem.

[tomthepro 0]

For those intersted here is the fix:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=392190

It did work!!! I was highly impressed

For iMacs with the ATI Radeon HD 2600 you need to go into the main application folder, then "SimCity 4 Data" folder :

1. Open "Video Cards.sgr" with TextEdit

2. Locate the end of the list of "vendor "ATI" 0x1002"

3. Add this line to the end, but before the word "end" :

card 0x9583 "Radeon HD2600"

4. Save and close.

5. Open "Graphic Rules.sgr"

6. Locate the ATI rules, near the bottom like so:

stringMatch cardIdentity "*7?00*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*8?00*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9000*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9100*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9200*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9300*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9400*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon VE"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon Mobility"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon FireGL"

7. You will add just one line:

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon HD2600"

8. It should look like this:

stringMatch cardIdentity "*7?00*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*8?00*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9000*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9100*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9200*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9300*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "*9400*"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon HD2600"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon VE"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon Mobility"

stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI, Radeon FireGL"

9. Save and close.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Congratulations.  I don't think I've ever seen an edit of those files before.

[SC4BOY 21]

Yes this issue has been covered many times over the years (even recently). I don't have a comprehensive list, but here's an example thread that contains the info. 

I did this kind edit when I installed my game on the new pc about 2004 or 5. Most people don't have to fool with it but that "image tearing" is one symptom of a problem. This is not necessary for most people, but personally I would not install SC4 without making those changes simply as a matter of completeness. Those file entries obviously are so out of date that an install is much more likely NOT to find any of those conditions instead of FINDING them..

In fact I have deleted most of the data in those "decision trees" as it doesn't apply in virtually any modern install. I only put specifically info on my specific card/card type. I leave only the tree stubs so it will complete without error.

[gkaytaz 0]

That fix also applies to the problem where cars and pedestrians "phase in and out". It looks like the problem affects (modern) Radeon card users.