Graphics settings

[chris_route0901 0]

Hi i need a help with graphic tweaks with sc4. I bought a new laptop and installed my sim city applied the updates and im having a poor graphics. Im using windows 7, i5, Geforce Cuda GT555m 2 gb, and 6gb ram (it comes also with Intel HD graphics card) . I was expecting that it will run smoothly but it didn't. I also tried to edit graphic rules.sgr but i can't save it, it always save as a txt file. i have 1600X900 resolution same as with my sc4 settings im also using the hardware rendering. any tips? thanks

[jacksunny 741]

Well the first thing you can try is switching your simcity graphics settings from Software Rendering to Hardware rendering and vice versa. The other thing you should do is change your graphics card settings to "Application Selected" or something similar. The will ensure it runs the way the game wants it to.

[Moskva 75]

I am afraid you're having trouble because you probably have a 64 bit system, don't you? If so, that's the point. In fact there's no reason your hardware cannot support max settings. Just to begin, you can put on medium the shadows quality, shadows are tremendously GPU taking on any game, just lower the quality of them, will go much better.

Then, to trying solve the 64bit compatibility issue (if you use 64bit), right click on SC4 icon, select properties. Now, in compability, make it run like Windows 2000, then check in the last 3 options out 5 you can see after the OS type settings, the first two, resolution and colors, are matterless, for what i know. However i don't make sure this will work, there must be a lot of other OS-issue too, since not everyone is able to run SC4 on Win7 even if 32bit or 64bit.

If you're getting constant crashes, here's a good thing, Run as Administrator helps. Then also open Task Manager (holding at same time ctril+alt+canc), select the processes, right click on SC4.exe (or whatever it is) then secelt affinity. Now you should see the cores number, you know SC4 has problems running on dual/quad core machines. Then deselect all cores BUT one. It will slow down the game a little but it is kinda necessary to prevent constant crashes.

  Edited March 29, 2012 by Moskva  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

It doesn't matter what your system bandwidth is. I run a 64-bit system with no problems having to do with that. The 32-bit libraries are present and handle the game very well.

Your resolution is not one of the ones allowed by the game without the exception option on the command line for it. You need the following two options as a minimum:

-CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x32

To implement these, right click on your shortcut and select properties (or whatever) and edit the target line to include these items after the final quote mark. Note there must be one space after the quote and consequently before each hyphen. Options are like a word in a sentence.

You can prevent crashes somewhat by adding -CPUCount:1 as well, and get rid of the start up movie with -intro:off

My resolution is different from yours, but here is my complete command line for your benefit:

"C:/Program Files/Maxis/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -d:software -CPUcount:1

All on one line, of course, in spite of the web page folding.

Crashes to the desktop you will always have on newer machines. They provoke a queue overrun bug that earlier machines did not. You can minimize this by using the in-game save (CTRL+s) frequently and certainly after you've done something you'd rather not do over. I certainly do one after I've changed the piping layout or done some serious zoning.

I force software rendering due to a problem with my system. You probably don't need this.

[chris_route0901 0]

Hi Thanks for your replies, I just reinstall the game at C:\Program Files, and switch to software rendering. It has some improvement but still i didn't get the usual graphics i got from my old laptop which is lower specs but anyway i will try your advices and i'll let you know if there are improvements.

By the way i have 64bit system.

  Edited March 29, 2012 by chris_route0901  

[Moskva 75]

It doesn't matter what your system bandwidth is. I run a 64-bit system with no problems having to do with that. The 32-bit libraries are present and handle the game very well.

Your resolution is not one of the ones allowed by the game without the exception option on the command line for it. You need the following two options as a minimum:

-CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x32

To implement these, right click on your shortcut and select properties (or whatever) and edit the target line to include these items after the final quote mark. Note there must be one space after the quote and consequently before each hyphen. Options are like a word in a sentence.

You can prevent crashes somewhat by adding -CPUCount:1 as well, and get rid of the start up movie with -intro:off

My resolution is different from yours, but here is my complete command line for your benefit:

"C:/Program Files/Maxis/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -d:software -CPUcount:1

All on one line, of course, in spite of the web page folding.

Crashes to the desktop you will always have on newer machines. They provoke a queue overrun bug that earlier machines did not. You can minimize this by using the in-game save (CTRL+s) frequently and certainly after you've done something you'd rather not do over. I certainly do one after I've changed the piping layout or done some serious zoning.

I force software rendering due to a problem with my system. You probably don't need this.

This is wrong, the 64bit does have a bad influence on the game. Not everyone esperienced this problem but a lot of people with 64bit systems are having issues, so there must be a connection between certain 64bit systems and the game. 64bit is better for gaming, but it's like using a new directx with an old game, it can happen it is incompatible. Also i'd like to know why the intro movie would cause crash, this is new but i cannot see relations between the two.

@ Chris, did you change to Windows 2000 in compatibility mode and selected only one core (each time you run the game) in task manager? Those are very important, i truly resolved most of my problems with SC4 doing those. Just give it a try, this is the computer, try as more as you can to solve a problem, so advanced but also so backward .

  Edited March 29, 2012 by Moskva  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

It doesn't matter what your system bandwidth is. I run a 64-bit system with no problems having to do with that. The 32-bit libraries are present and handle the game very well.

Your resolution is not one of the ones allowed by the game without the exception option on the command line for it. You need the following two options as a minimum:

-CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x32

To implement these, right click on your shortcut and select properties (or whatever) and edit the target line to include these items after the final quote mark. Note there must be one space after the quote and consequently before each hyphen. Options are like a word in a sentence.

You can prevent crashes somewhat by adding -CPUCount:1 as well, and get rid of the start up movie with -intro:off

My resolution is different from yours, but here is my complete command line for your benefit:

"C:/Program Files/Maxis/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -d:software -CPUcount:1

All on one line, of course, in spite of the web page folding.

Crashes to the desktop you will always have on newer machines. They provoke a queue overrun bug that earlier machines did not. You can minimize this by using the in-game save (CTRL+s) frequently and certainly after you've done something you'd rather not do over. I certainly do one after I've changed the piping layout or done some serious zoning.

I force software rendering due to a problem with my system. You probably don't need this.

This is wrong, the 64bit does have a bad influence on the game. Not everyone esperienced this problem but a lot of people with 64bit systems are having issues, so there must be a connection between certain 64bit systems and the game. 64bit is better for gaming, but it's like using a new directx with an old game, it can happen it is incompatible. Also i'd like to know why the intro movie would cause crash, this is new but i cannot see relations between the two.

@ Chris, did you change to Windows 2000 in compatibility mode and selected only one core (each time you run the game) in task manager? Those are very important, i truly resolved most of my problems with SC4 doing those. Just give it a try, this is the computer, try as more as you can to solve a problem, so advanced but also so backward .

I have not seen this argument about 64-bit processors for a long time, and it is not really valid. MS will allow you to download and use DirectX 9.0 c from their site free. This is the directx version to use that has been found to run best with the game. You can have the current version and this retro version concurrently available.

Also, if you are going to set compatibility (not necessary with Windows 7) set it to XP. Windows 2000 is essentially the server version of XP, and all that extra overhead isn't needed.

You must make certain you have the latest version of whatever operating system you are running. Avoiding updates is some form of slow death wish. If your hardware is not up to this, then reload XP SP3. There is a 64-bit version of XP or you can run the 32-bit version.

If all this is just to solve a fuzzy graphics problem, try running the DirectX diagnostic in the run box (dxdiag). You maybe have some kind of frog in your hardware/software graphics set up. Does your driver support that resolution?

John C. Winterton, CCP

Professor of Computer Science (retired).

P.S. I just remembered that if you are looking at the screen in the sixth degree of magnification, it will pixelate. This level is for UDI only, and objects in the game are only rendered for views 1 to 5. These zoom levels are fixed.

[Moskva 75]

64bit libraries work just differently from 32bit libraries. Meanwhile it is agreeable they're better in general, they're not necessarily better for old programs, or in this case games. Everything new and better can still be a problem when comes to be used with elder programs, i think the words would just be wasted, yourself know a lot of stuff that used to worked good on previous OS and now they're buggy, like tons of games. This is the case. If you don't have any problem with 64bit libraries or you're lucky or perhaps you've some setting helping you to avoid problems. However it doesn't mean this problem doesn't exist, it does and it is valid and many people are affected by it, google is your friend just do a quick research "SC4 64bit". Between someone saying just "the problem doesn't exist" and a mass of people stating the opposite, i think i am staying with the mass. I had installed SC4 on two machines both with 64bit and had problems, then after i switched to win2000 and did the other changes, most went smoothly. I also remember before these two 64bit machines i had it on XP and Vista, both 32bit, and it was working just better.

[chris_route0901 0]

It seems my Sc4 is running much ok now compare to my first installation with my new system. But still i did not get the better graphics with my old system i use to have, but i must say im contented now . I install the Sc4 in C:\Program Files and type this "-CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x64" wow i got the full screen now compare before which is not. Thanks for the tips

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

@Moskva: I have both 32- and 64-bit libraries on my machine, and the program loader discriminates and loads the appropriate library. If yours does not, you should try and find out why.

Starting with Vista the Program Files folder was split to add Program Files (x86) for 32-bit programs (why, I can't imagine since the information is in the program header.)

[sghi 12]

Try these: https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/topic/41518-fixing-slowness-with-hardware-rendering/

Hey everyone, I think I've stumbled across a fix for the slowness with hardware rendering. Open "Graphics Rules.sgr" in your SimCity 4 directory and add the <span style="background-color: yellow; ">highlighted line</span>, and remember to turn hardware rendering back on:

<div> </div>

<div><code> property useSecondStage       false  # Default, overridden below in most cases.</code></div>

<div><code> property texBindMaxFree       4   # To stop thrashing, plus a little pad.</code></div>

<div><code> property dirtyRectMergeFrames 6   # Default, for low-end card.</code></div>

<div><code> property TextureBits          32  # mostly just for preview -- everything else</code></div>

<div><code>                                   # should be DXT</code></div>

<div><span style="background-color: yellow; "><code> property usevertexbuffers false</code></span></div>

<div> </div>

<div>My hardware specs:</div>

<div style="margin-left: 40px; ">Intel Core 2 quad-core Q9300 @ 2.5 GHz</div>

<div style="margin-left: 40px; ">8 GB RAM</div>

<div style="margin-left: 40px; ">NVidia GeForce 8800 GT with 512 MB RAM</div>

<div style="margin-left: 40px; ">Running windowed at 1920x1080.</div>

<div style="margin-left: 40px; "> </div>

<div>Before the fix, scrolling performance was about 1 FPS. After the fix it was significantly smoother, at least 20-30 FPS.</div>

<div> </div>

<div>Can other people give this a try and see if it works? Hardware rendering looks slightly better since better texture filtering is used (whereas software rendering uses nearest filtering which gives noticeable aliasing artifacts).</div>

It helped me a lot!