Hmmm...props dissapearing from lots?

[Indiana Joe 1,750]

I noticed a few days ago when I loaded one of my cities that in one area, all of the props had dissapeared from the building lots and all other lots.

There were a LOT of parks in the area so it was very easy to notice.  Anything that qualified as a building stayed on lots, but any external props like trees, walls, lights, etc. had all dissapeared.  Only the ground texture remained on all of the parks.  And it happened to all of these lots in only this one area (an irregular space that was at most 40 tiles wide).

So when I bulldoze the lots and replace them (or place new things) in that area they show up fine.  Anything that grows in a zone, however, shows up with the same problem.  This didn't seem like much of a problem; replace all of the parks (kind of a pain but not too bad) and just deal with the buildings missing props.  But when I load the city later, another area had suddenly been affected.

So now I am worried.  This problem has only shown up in this one city; but I don't know if it'll spread.

I run Windows XP Pro. Service Pack 3

I have a problem with low virtual memory most times when I run SC4; but Windows always has been able to stay on top of it for me.

I have 350 MB of custom content (probably pushing my single core machine)

The major thing I downloaded before I went to this city and had the problem was ace/voltiare airport set.  (RMIP and the two packs of terminals and jets)  I built an entire airport in the adjacent city before I visited the problem city again.  So that's one suspicion.

The only other major thing I've done is accidentally uninstalled Adobe Acrobat Reader.  I doubt that SC4 uses .pdf files though.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Tonnakin 2]

This problem sounds like the Prop Pox. I don't have a link to SC4 Devotion forums about this problem, as it was linked in an earlier thread about this problem on Simtropolis.

From what I know about Prop Pox, is that all props vanish upon entering the affected city, as you explained. Each time you load the same city, the propblem gets worse, and more props vanish in more areas. I also know that the "save file" of the city needs to exceed a certain size before developing Prop Pox, so it can only affect large cities.

[Livin in Sim 83]

Yes, it sounds like Prop Pox to me as well, and the thread on SC4D is here.  You may have to be registered to view it.

[psander5 195]

It does indeed sound like prop pox.

It has something to do with the number of props deleted in a city, and most commonly presents in large cities with lots of low density residentials, since these lots have lots of props and constantly re-develop... meaning that props are always being deleted.  The thread on SC4D explains in more technical detail.  

Unfortunately, as of yet there is no cure for prop pox.  Once a city presents with the bug, there seems to be no way to fix it.  I have first hand experience of the horror of this fact.  I'm a sufferer myself.   

 The bug is caused by modding pre-existing props in some way (check the above linked thread for techie detail), so one day it might be possible to vaccinate against it, but the props are difficult to identify and only a few known props have been identified so far.  There are definitely more out there that haven't been found yet. 

To compound the bad news, if you have prop pox in one city, it's likely that it will occur in any city you have that is large enough to reach the trigger point.  

[Indiana Joe 1,750]

Ah crap. I had a feeling when I first noticed the problem that I shouldn't save the city. I even exited and re-loaded it several times to see if it would go away. Finally I decided it probably was nothing so I went in and played as usual and saved. Now I've done that 2 or 3 times. All I did was spread the Prop Pox.

I'm glad it was identified, though. I'd never heard of it before now. What a way to find out, eh?

So this is definitely my problem. I have several huge parks in this city made up of 1x1 tiles, so I have more lots in this city than in any other one. Thanks, all three of you, and to Bap over a Devotion. Now I guess I bookmark that thread and wait for a cure...