How To Install STEX BATs, Lots and Maps

[BLBeck 0]

 

Please help! I downloaded the BAT (unzipped) and pasted it in the plugins folder. Now how do I use the building in the game? I cant find it. I checked all the menus.

 

Which BAT exactly are you talking about?  If it was a growable version, it will not be in your menu - you will have to zone RCI and wait for it to grow (assuming all the requirements are met).

 

Uhhh... I dont know. Where does it say?

[CaptCity 4,914]

When you say "the BAT" are you talking about the program that is used to create items added to the game or are you referring to a particular item you downloaded from one of the exchanges?

 

if you mean the Building Architect Tool (BAT), that does not go into the Plugins. It is a pack that goes into Gmax - which you will need to install first. If you man an item from the exchange, the name of the BAT is more than likely the name of the listing.

[BLBeck 0]

I have a problem. I downloaded several buildings but they wont light up at night. I downloaded some maxisnite and darknite (when they have the choice). All the rest of the buildings that I didnt dwnload light up.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I have a problem. I downloaded several buildings but they wont light up at night. I downloaded some maxisnite and darknite (when they have the choice). All the rest of the buildings that I didnt dwnload light up.

 

 

You need to update your game if you don't see the nightlights.

 

 If you have a Cd version you need to install a first update (638), it corrects some bugs and stuff, here it is : http://www.fileplanet.com/133672/130000/fileinfo/SimCity-4:-Rush-Hour-v1.1.638.0-Patch-[uS]

 

and here is the patch to see the nightlights : https://www.sc4devotion.com/maxis/SC4Update4BAT.zip

[raven3501 1]

when i install simcity 4 buildings it works, but when its night theres no lights on the new building i would install D:

[CaptCity 4,914]

when i install simcity 4 buildings it works, but when its night theres no lights on the new building i would install D:

 

Be sure the download is supposed to light at night. Not all do. if it is, then you might need to update the game. Check here for the correct 638 patch if you need it. If not you might just need the BAT patch mentioned in the post above yours.

[raven3501 1]

captcity how do i update my game?!?

[waltersn 1]

How do you download the new mods for Sim City "2013"? I have the Mac version..

 

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

How do you download the new mods for Sim City "2013"? I have the Mac version..

 

Hi there,

 

may be of help.

 

They are downloaded from the STEX the same way as SC4 mods -- just click the green button and follow the on-screen instructions.

But with them being separate games, installation is in a completely different folder.

[KonstantinII 1,106]

How to Render STEX Maps

SimCity 4 can create new regions from grey scale jpeg files. It does so by interpreting 256 shades of grey into a "height map", with shades closer to white being higher and shades closer to black being lower. A medium grey represents sea level.

Once again installing STEX maps is quite a simple task that is very likely to be mistaken in the Simtropolis community for a hard task to do.

First off create a new folder in the My Documents/Simcity4/Regions and name it whatever you would like the region to be named (I will name it Long Beach). Next, please download the .jpg to the folder you have created, My Documents/Simcity4/Regions/Long Beach (i.e.).

You should see "config.bmp". You need this for the region in-game to be configured correctly. Install this also to your My Documents/Simcity4/Regions/Long Beach (i.e.), make sure to rename it "config.bmp" once it is in your folder.

Next you are ready to render your map to your SimCity 4 game. Now, go to the open region icon, then find your region folder you have named, once the region has loaded you should see a whole region of plains, this is normal. Hold Shift+Alt+Ctrl+R to open up a window of your folders. Navigate to find your region which should be in the My Documents/Simcity4/Regions/Long Beach (i.e.). Now, click on the jpg file, it should show an hour glass, this is normal, and then it will begin rendering the map, you will see it loading, small city, medium city, and large city tiles for the whole process of rendering. This will take any amount of time, resulting from your computer speed or the region size.

Some last quick things to know: The default location for the maps if you can not get the region to work in the My Documents/Simcity4/Regions location, try using the C: Documents and Settings"UserName"My DocumentsSim City 4Regions location for all of the steps above.

 

I want ti produce maps for Simmars. I did all the steps, instead substituting Regions folder for Regions_SIMMARS, and loading the map while the Simmars was running. I was able to produce Valles Marineris and Olympus Mons successfully with this method. After that I tried other maps but Simmars crashed halfway during the loading stage and data is not saved. I tried to reinstall Simmars but that doesn't work.

I want to produce maps for Simmars. I did all the steps above, substituting Regions folder for Regions_SIMMARS

[tsubanaks 0]

I have a problem with importing downloaded maps. I have the 2014 Mac App Store edition. I've done everything up to the point of rendering the map in the game, but I can't import the .jpg file for some kind of a glitch. Does anoyone know how to solve this problem? Screenshot: http://tinypic.com/r/oaofvp/8

[MirkoB82 0]

i have downloaded and installed some most evaluated and downloaded props in STEX, but the game continues freezing randomly. how can i recognize which props cause the problems? i have SC4 Mac AppStore version.

[santino 0]

I cant download the museum mod

[CaptCity 4,914]

I cant download the museum mod

 

Welcome to Simtropolis...

 

​A little more information would help. What is the item you are trying to download (name and/or link) and what is happening when you try? Are you able to download other items?

[Pangonia98 2]

Welcome to Simtropolis...

No, you don't need the BAT or Lot Editor to use custom content. A couple things to check...

First, when you say "extract", you mean that you "unzipped" the downloads before placing them in the Plugins folder. Zip files won't be read by the game.

Second, what specific items are you trying? You may have downloaded what are known as "growables". These types won't appear in the menus.

 

So what are we supposed to do then?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

This seems out of context.  What are you trying to do?  Which game?  This is the SimCity 4 section.

[Pangonia98 2]

This seems out of context.  What are you trying to do?  Which game?  This is the SimCity 4 section.

 

SimCity 4

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Looking back in this thread for a page, I don't find a request from you.  So here's a general sort of answer:

 

After you have successfully downloaded a package from the STEX you should find that it is an archive file, usually a *.zip.  If you did not choose a location for the download, I believe Windows will place it in a folder called Documents\Downloads.  (I don't run Windows, BTW).

 

Using Windows Explorer, access the Downloads folder and locate your file.  Right click on it and choose the option to expand the archive in the same folder ("expand here").  This will create a new folder with the same name as the archive.

 

With Windows Explorer move to that folder and open it.  You can now see the contents (files) and there are several possibilities.

 

1. The download is a lot:
   1. It is a single file with type *.dat -- move this file into an appropriate sub folder in Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins
       
   2. It is several files of various types.
      Move only the files with extensions *.dat, *.sc4lot, *.sc4desc and *.sc4model into an appropriate sub folder in Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins
       
   3. It is a file with type *.dll -- move this file directly under the folder Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins
       
2. The download is a map:
   1. There is a file with extension *.sc4M -- Using SC4Terraformer or SC4Mapper expand this file into a region in your Documents\SimCity 4\Regions\<region name> folder.  You have to create the folder.
      
       
   2. There are two files: config.bmp and *.jpg.  The config.bmp is the layout file.  The *.jpg is a grey-scale reverse image of the region.  Proceed as follows:
      1. Create a new folder in Documents\SimCity 4\Regions\ with the name of the new region
          
      2. Move both files into this new region folder.
          
      3. Open the game and open this new region.  It will show up flat and green.
          
      4. Press CTRL+ALT+Shift+r which opens the map renderer.  You get a file dialogue box.
          
      5. Navigate to the *.jpg file in the new region folder and select it by clicking on the icon to the left of it.  The file name should appear in the file box.
          
      6. Click OK.  The system busy hourglass shows the render has started.  This may take a long time depending on the size of the region, the number of tiles in it, and the power of your system.  Go for coffee at least.  This process cannot be interrupted.  Hands off!
          

 

Other files you may find in an archive are generally documentation.  If one of them is called README, be sure that you have read it before you do anything else.

[simsim543 0]

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

Can someone give me advice or something?  I don't know if I skipped over something, but for the past year or 2, I've been wanting to install mods such as Aaron Graham's.  So, i go through the installation process with every recommended step.  I go into sc4 and they never appear, whether it be low, medium, or high density, they never show up.  I try installing them a couple times, and the same result occurs.  Please help because ive been building up grunge/new york style cities and most of the mods i want and need, i cant install, and its really bothering me.

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

If the buildings don't show up in the game's menus, they'll be growable RCI versions. This means you'll need to reach the requirements (in terms of demand & stage caps) for them to build. Buildings which have a higher stage and more occupants will not grow at first. It'll take a while to build up your population before the caps are met.

 

For the higher stages of residential & commercial, you'll need to zone high density. Also, another requirement is to meet the "water supply cap". If a tile doesn't have a water supply, development will be quite limited.

[simsim543 0]

Thank you!!!!!!!

i tried what you said, and it worked to some extent, i guess i was working on too many independent regions, and when i opened some neighboring regions and started again, with connections and all, some of the mods i had hoped for appeared.  i will work farther on this but thanks for the much needed help!

[amyc077 0]

Hi - Another Newbie - Simcity4 Deluxe (rush hour) - on a Mac 10.10.    I installed my first Mod... NAM - so in my documents/Simcity/Plugins folder I now have a folder "Network Addon Mod" and one that is "z_NAM" - I downloaded/extracted/installed all while Simcity was not running.   When I launch my game, excited to have some different road choices.. I have nothing new.  What did I do wrong?

 

I downloaded "NetworkAddonMod_MacOSX_Installer".  extracted it using Keka, then double clicked on "NAM 32.1 Mac Wrappper".  This automatically put those two folders in my Plugins folder.

 

But, launching my game (I downloaded it from Mac App Store) - I have nothing new. 

 

Thoughts?  Thanks!!!

[Benster123 0]

Where do I find the config.bmp file? Do I download it along with the jpg file? If so, why do some maps have only the jpg file? Ex: 

[6StringShaman 112]

Hi, all

As of late I've DLed a few multi part BAT zips.

Can someone tell me the proper way to make these files work in- game.

Thanks so much!

Best,

H.

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

Hi, all

As of late I've DLed a few multi part BAT zips.

Can someone tell me the proper way to make these files work in- game.

Thanks so much!

Best,

H.

Hi there,

If I remember correctly, you can place all archives in a new folder, then extract using a file manager like 7-Zip.

Otherwise, could you give an example of one you're having trouble with?

[raynev1 1,887]

I have a question about certain files associated with a few buildings I have downloaded , like .sav and Thumbs.db files . What are they and do they need to be in my plugins folder or can they be discarded . 

Thanks in advance , Ray

[apple616 1]

I need some help please.  Downloaded some BAT buildings and I cannot get the lights to come on at night.  I know I need the BAT.  I cannot find a site to download the file.  I have the gmax.  Everything is updated.  I just made a contribution to this site and got the 3 cd's which renewed my interest in SC4.  I just can't find a site for the BAT.  As you know the maxis/SimCity site is no longer in business.  It passed away at a young age.  HELP.

apple616

[rsc204 21,866]

I think you may have confused the BAT tool with the Update 1.1.640.0 for SC4 which is needed for lights on custom content to work. SC4Devotion has hosted all the original Maxis files since the demise of the official site.

[apple616 1]

ok I will check it out but I may be back.  I thought after reading some of the text files on bat bldgs. that bat had to be installed.  Bear with me.  I am no freshman.  I am a card carrying AARP member.  It is getting a little hard to keep up with all the new stuff out there.  My first PC was an IBM 8086 with 512 kB of memory using DOS version 1.0.  State of the art back in 1983.  I was in my mid 30's than.  Still like to game.  Had SC4 since it came out in 2003.  Again thank you and   yes I am getting up there.  This is a great site.

  Edited December 5, 2015 by apple616  

[velos66 2]

Japanese RCI BAT

So I just downloaded a bunch of cool looking Japanese residential commercial buildings. Some are growable some not. So even after unzipping to my plugins folder, I am wondering how do I stop SimCity 4 from building the default low wealth Residential commercial building?

The reason is I am not seeing the Japanese RCI Bat growing or building. 

Using Buggi extra cheats, i can plop them down but i dont want to do that all the time. I would prefer them to grow by themselves but not mix with Maxis original BAT.