It's been a while

[CHRHN 0]

Hello everyone. Lately I bought Cities XL 2011 over Steam, and I found it quite fun. In the start, at least. I don't play it much more now, since I have created a big city and have pretty much tried anything. So I just remembered back at SimCity 4. It's been about 4 years since I have played it, and since I have last visited this website. So please help me:

Are there still someone out there playing SimCity 4?

Is this still an active community?

Is there still being released things regularily in the ST EXchange?

What should I download from the ST EXchange? I forgot all of the essential things.

Thank you.

[Eʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ 273]

Hey CHRHN.

Many people still play Simcity 4. And Simtropolis is still a massive active community based around Simcity 4 and other city building games. On average there are around 500 active users on this website at any given time with over half of that being members.

Even though the game was released years back, files are being uploaded to the STEX daily so there's no worry about fresh content.

Anyway, as for essentials: The NAM, RHW (mac version here) and Extra Cheats DLL are the first things you probably want to install. Then download the SC4 update and maxis files from here. Then you can check out the recommended mod list and start downloading some buildings from the STEX. If you're having some trouble downloading I would recommend checking this article out.

Hope this helps!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

and Welcome to Simtropolis

I suspect we are the flagship for SimCity 4 these days. Certainly the EA site has been throttled down, and I think it is on 4800 b.p.s.dial up. Forunately there is a mirror at SC4Devotion, one of the links the previous person gave you.

You should take a walk in the Omnibus and the City Journals sections.

In my view, SC4 is no longer a game, but an artistic canvas on which you can spend hours of creative enjoyment. Have fun.

[Zeth 23]

my view, SC4 is no longer a game, but an artistic canvas on which you can spend hours of creative enjoyment.

Yeah, this is pretty much correct, I think.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

my view, SC4 is no longer a game, but an artistic canvas on which you can spend hours of creative enjoyment.

Yeah, this is pretty much correct, I think.

Actually, now that I think of it, it was never a game. It doesn't have any way to win.

[TheeLord 42]

I also am just picking up SC4 after about a 4 year break. What are some other really well developed addons that are available now? One of the reasons I quit before is because I had soooo much junk in my menus in-game it was nearly impossible to play so I am just going to start with a clean slate of addons.

-Is there a dirt road addition to the NAM now?

-What is the best seawall pack available now?

-Has anyone ever figured out how to add more tilesets to the game in addition to the 4 available now from Maxis?

-I saw people in youtube tutorials using hotkeys to cycle through different orientations of puzzle pieces from addons, is this an addon, or just a feature of the NAM etc...?

-Is it still impossible to plop properly working residential buildings?

-In some of the downloadable region maps I saw something about a tool needed to use the map, what is this exactly?

-Is there any sort of tool to make organizing addons simpler?

  Edited September 12, 2011 by TheeLord  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I also am just picking up SC4 after about a 4 year break. What are some other really well developed addons that are available now? One of the reasons I quit before is because I had soooo much junk in my menus in-game it was nearly impossible to play so I am just going to start with a clean slate of addons.

-Is there a dirt road addition to the NAM now?

-What is the best seawall pack available now?

-Has anyone ever figured out how to add more tilesets to the game in addition to the 4 available now from Maxis?

-I saw people in youtube tutorials using hotkeys to cycle through different orientations of puzzle pieces from addons, is this an addon, or just a feature of the NAM etc...?

-Is it still impossible to plop properly working residential buildings?

-In some of the downloadable region maps I saw something about a tool needed to use the map, what is this exactly?

-Is there any sort of tool to make organizing addons simpler?

I don't have all the answers but here is what I can contribute for you:

The NAM version 29 is the one that is current. The Street Addon Mod (SAM) contains textures for streets including dirt roads. The NAM now has many extensions which are dependent on it, and you would be wise to review this forum. This has a relatively large learning curve, and I suggest you create a new blank region (sandbox) to play in until you get the hang of things.

TryPegasus productions for shore line stuff. There are others as well.

Don't know if there are new tilesets. There are certainly lots of growable lots on the exchanges.

Cycling through various puzzle pieces with the Tab/Shift Tab keys is a standard mechanism which is used by several add ons.

Plopping a residential lot that has been created with the BAT still doesn't work.

Besides the in-game renderer for prescribed maps, there are now some tools written by others. Check out this thread.

I believe there is an organizing tool, but it doesn't run on my machine (I am on Linux). I simply do it manually by keeping two directories: A Downloads directory on an external disk containing everything I download from anywhere, categorized in sub-directories and the same structures as necessary in my Plugins directory within my <user>/Documents structure. If you hunt around, you will find a post where I set this out recently. The sub-directories are the key in my case.

That covers the stuff I can tell you. Welcome back, and good luck. Oh, and have a walk through the Omnibus.

[TheeLord 42]

I also am just picking up SC4 after about a 4 year break. What are some other really well developed addons that are available now? One of the reasons I quit before is because I had soooo much junk in my menus in-game it was nearly impossible to play so I am just going to start with a clean slate of addons.

-Is there a dirt road addition to the NAM now?

-What is the best seawall pack available now?

-Has anyone ever figured out how to add more tilesets to the game in addition to the 4 available now from Maxis?

-I saw people in youtube tutorials using hotkeys to cycle through different orientations of puzzle pieces from addons, is this an addon, or just a feature of the NAM etc...?

-Is it still impossible to plop properly working residential buildings?

-In some of the downloadable region maps I saw something about a tool needed to use the map, what is this exactly?

-Is there any sort of tool to make organizing addons simpler?

I don't have all the answers but here is what I can contribute for you:

The NAM version 29 is the one that is current. The Street Addon Mod (SAM) contains textures for streets including dirt roads. The NAM now has many extensions which are dependent on it, and you would be wise to review this forum. This has a relatively large learning curve, and I suggest you create a new blank region (sandbox) to play in until you get the hang of things.

TryPegasus productions for shore line stuff. There are others as well.

Don't know if there are new tilesets. There are certainly lots of growable lots on the exchanges.

Cycling through various puzzle pieces with the Tab/Shift Tab keys is a standard mechanism which is used by several add ons.

Plopping a residential lot that has been created with the BAT still doesn't work.

Besides the in-game renderer for prescribed maps, there are now some tools written by others. Check out this thread.

I believe there is an organizing tool, but it doesn't run on my machine (I am on Linux). I simply do it manually by keeping two directories: A Downloads directory on an external disk containing everything I download from anywhere, categorized in sub-directories and the same structures as necessary in my Plugins directory within my <user>/Documents structure. If you hunt around, you will find a post where I set this out recently. The sub-directories are the key in my case.

That covers the stuff I can tell you. Welcome back, and good luck. Oh, and have a walk through the Omnibus.

Thanks Moose! I'll check all that out for sure.

[flowmarta 0]

What remarkable question

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Plopping a residential lot that has been created with the BAT still doesn't work.

Actually, it DOES work, but it requires a bit of patience, and the know-how of how to do it

[Halen Of Dania 350]

(more posting on old topics yay ! ) . anyway great explanation nonny I accutaly didnt know that part wich suprises me

p.s my keyboard is being uncoperative today so excuse my mistakes

[jacksunny 741]

Plopping a residential lot that has been created with the BAT still doesn't work.

Actually, it DOES work, but it requires a bit of patience, and the know-how of how to do it

That how would be zoning and letting a residential building grow first.

[CHRHN 0]

Okay, thanks everyone for your answers. It is a bit hard to start out again, but I think that I'm starting to get hooked. It is not really the actual city building theme about this game that makes me want to play it, it is the architecture of the buildings and the infrastructure. That's why I can't be bothered to play any more Cities XL 2011, because it is all about trading and such. You'll know what I mean if you have played it.