Show us What you're Working On

[Kiwiwriter47 473]

HAPPY 2021 TO EVERYBODY!

[davide1983it 5,426]

@mattb325 with https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=725 i've error: i can't do a preview and when export i have error

 

But i finded the error. I've download the BAT_Texture_Problem_Fix and now it's ok  I can find the building

 

 

[Simmer2 23,831]

SM2 FAST is now available for download here

[mattb325 28,891]

32 minutes ago, davide1983it said:

@mattb325 with https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=725 i've error: i can't do a preview and when export i have error

 

But i finded the error. I've download the BAT_Texture_Problem_Fix and now it's ok  I can find the building

 

 

Hi davide1983it: does your post mean it is fixed, or  is it still giving an error?

Error code 4 is a quite rare one, but literally means only one of two things

Error #4 - Error rendering thumbnails.
•   Running out of memory.
•   OS error.

If it is still returning an error, apart from restoring the previous camera rig and ms files (which was still giving you errors), I am not sure what else can be done.

[MissVanleider 1,851]

After some of the things shown with custom content, I'm slightly embarrassed to show what I'm working on but here goes.

My idea was to convert some of the really brilliant CP Early 19th Century tenements to better suit my purposes. Some of the larger ones (the 3x3 lots) are quite heavy on the dirt texture and whilst that's fine for where CP imagined they would fit, for me it makes growing them in pleasing configurations in game quite difficult. I want these to be some the largest buildings in my small town-European themed environment. apartments for avocado munching, cycle-to-working young professionals rather than tenements for grizzled lumberjacks in North America.

In an environment such as the one I am building buildings like this would have been gentrified and would be on or just of main street in a village / small town that has been there for hundreds or thousands of years. Therefore the 'this town will be nice when it's finished' dirt trails and parking lot looks a bit strange in a more 'urban' (albeit low-rise) setting.

Literally all I plan to do is replace the dirt texture with a Maxis concrete texture 0x258xc2000 (as shown below). I use this texture as my sidewalk texture so it will all look quite uniform when I place it like this in game.

My questions:

1) The concrete texture could be better replaced with a maxis texture that would then be overwritten by the excellent SWN mod by MGB. This would mean if I ever changed texture in future, these buildings would take the new texture. My question is - which texture ID to choose in the LE for this purpose? -  0x258xf2000 looks like a candidate, but so do a lot of others!

2) Because I still want the original lots, I am currently opening them in the LE, changing the textures where I want to (and now I think of it, European-ing up the car selection a little) and then giving the files a new name with 'save as'. I then plan to open my new lots in PIM-X and then do one of two things:

2A) (easy option - I think) Change all my new lots to non-functional landmarks so I can just place them where I want. This way I can grow a few of the original CP lots and then place my landmark lots around to create a visually consistent environment for taking pictures etc. It will also prevent any conflicts because I'll just be working with an entirely separate lot from CP's original one (I think).

2B) (harder option - I think). Let my new lots grow in game as zoned residential. However, I don't know the behavior this will cause, as never been prepared to do something like this before. 

I assume because I have just copied the CP lot, my new version will either grow in the exact same circumstances as the CP original version using the desc file for it and just be an alternative possibility for what may grow there, or (and I think probably more likely) not ever grow at all. I'd need to create a fresh desc for the new lot and I will need to enter values into PIM-X to make this happen. Since I've only ever really used PIM-X to do stuff like change tilesets / Occupant Group I'm keen to find out if I'm getting myself in way too deep here:

A steer on approximately what I'd need to do, or a link that explains the process would be great. I've found quite a few tutorials, but often these are for either replacing existing content or for creating wholly new content rather than for my lazy, copying CP's Homework approach.  

 

[11241036 5,115]

@MissVanleider

As for your first question: If you have installed my Concrete Sidewalk Mod, there's a file called LotEditorBaseTextures.dat. (To install, just put it into your Plugins folder, to uninstall, just remove it and all affected textures will revert to their original state.) This replaces 3 Maxis base textures in LE that look exactly like the 3 default Maxis sidewalk textures. In fact, 0x258f2000 is being used on many Maxis and custom lots. As for MGB's mods: I don't actually think they should interfere with whatever LE texture you are using, I'm not aware of him making a sidewalk mod. Tagging him @rsc204 for more info, if necessary.

As for your second question: What about a mix of both 2a and 2b? You would have an option for both residents and jobs, if necessary. I'm frequently making ploppable lots with jobs with buildings that are difficult to grow, such as diagonals or oddly shaped buildings. I also, for just such an occasion as you mentioned, wrote a tutorial on how to use building blockers to control what grows in your cities. A bit technical and sounds overwhelming, but, in fact, you do not need to develop blockers for every lot in your Plugins folder - only for some chosen ones if you prefer so.

I also recommend making your own building exemplar files, you can edit them in any way you want, and they won't interfere with any of CP's lots. I usually use Reader, with it you can simply copy the building exemplar, give it a new instance (right-click on the exemplar file and choose "Generate new instance"), and then alter the values in accordance of how you want them. Reader is very technical and shows hexadecimal values which can be annoying, but imo it's the best to use if you can learn it, and it can perform a lot of actions.

[davide1983it 5,426]

8 hours ago, mattb325 said:

If i use "TB2_CameraLightRigHuge_fixed_v1" i can't do a preview and export buildind and i've error 4


Hi davide1983it: does your post mean it is fixed, or  is it still giving an error?

Error code 4 is a quite rare one, but literally means only one of two things

Error #4 - Error rendering thumbnails.
•   Running out of memory.
•   OS error.

If it is still returning an error, apart from restoring the previous camera rig and ms files (which was still giving you errors), I am not sure what else can be done.

if i don't use CAM

[MissVanleider 1,851]

3 hours ago, 11241036 said:

I also recommend making your own building exemplar files, you can edit them in any way you want, and they won't interfere with any of CP's lots. I usually use Reader, with it you can simply copy the building exemplar, give it a new instance (right-click on the exemplar file and choose "Generate new instance"), and then alter the values in accordance of how you want them. Reader is very technical and shows hexadecimal values which can be annoying, but imo it's the best to use if you can learn it, and it can perform a lot of actions.

Thanks for this. I think I've hit a bit of a wall in my understanding though.

I've now edited the lots that I wanted to change in the old fashioned LE. They now look how I want them to look, and I have a folder with all the original lots, plus my new lots which I have added MVL to the file name using the 'save as' function in LE. I have spawned 19 brand new lots all called MVL-'original LOT name'.

The original CP set contains all the original lots (30-something), plus 3 .DAT files. I can open these .DAT files in the reader, but now I'm confused in terms of how I'm supposed to copy this information and generate a new instance which will relate to the SC4 lot files that I have just created. I'm assuming that because the originals were all released together, there are just these 3 big DAT files which carry all the information for the original lots to grow. Therefore maybe I need to do something different in order to make my new lots come to life?

I can edit the lots that I have created in the reader as well, but the typical information that I'm used to seeing there is obviously actually somewhere else - possibly still referenced to the 3 original CP .DAT files - or perhaps referenced nowhere.

For the moment I will just store my edited lots away safely so they can't break anything in SC4. Image of another one of the new lots included below:

[rsc204 21,866]

3 hours ago, 11241036 said:

Maxis and custom lots. As for MGB's mods: I don't actually think they should interfere with whatever LE texture you are using, I'm not aware of him making a sidewalk mod. Tagging him @rsc204 for more info, if necessary.

I remember making the custom mod for you, but I don't remember exactly which concrete I would have used.

If you kept the file with MTRDK in the name, that should override the Maxis Sidewalks used on lots, with your sidewalks. The main $, $$ and $$$ Sidewalk textures being 25901000, 258f2000 and 26060000 in the image below:

The benefit of lotting with these Maxis Sidewalk textures, is that such overrides are automatic, i.e. if you install a new sidewalk mod (with the right textures), all your lots would be instantly transformed to match.

As for the concrete used, I'd either of used 258c2000, 258d1000, 25fb1000 or 25fb1100. If you look at the Base Textures in PIM-X, hopefully it would narrow it down for you. Otherwise make a 1x4 lot, place once of each type of concrete on each tile, then plop that in game parallel to a road/street etc. You'll quickly be able to see which of the four matches your sidewalk. But please do let me know, I'm think of making a proper SWN release for it, I did like the effect.

3 hours ago, MissVanleider said:

I assume because I have just copied the CP lot, my new version will either grow in the exact same circumstances as the CP original version using the desc file for it and just be an alternative possibility for what may grow there, or (and I think probably more likely) not ever grow at all. I'd need to create a fresh desc for the new lot and I will need to enter values into PIM-X to make this happen. Since I've only ever really used PIM-X to do stuff like change tilesets / Occupant Group I'm keen to find out if I'm getting myself in way too deep here:

Your copy will grow under the same circumstances, which is no bad thing. It shouldn't use the original .desc file, instead it should put a copy inside the SC4Lot file, because that too will need a unique ID as your Lot does. This is easily checked in Reader, you'll see two Exemplar files, with the Exemplar Type Properties of Buildings and LotConfig.

PIM-X will re-calculate the values very easily, open the Building(s Exemplar), right click on it and select Recompute As... Provided the Occupant Size and Building upon the lot is accurately sized, everything is done automatically. I suspect CP may have done that already though, it's probably not necessary to do it again.

3 hours ago, MissVanleider said:

A steer on approximately what I'd need to do, or a link that explains the process would be great. I've found quite a few tutorials, but often these are for either replacing existing content or for creating wholly new content rather than for my lazy, copying CP's Homework approach.  

The best guide I know of is the official manual, although it can be a bit technical. But PIM-X is a very powerful tool that makes most common tasks like this, way easier than they ever were. That said, I wouldn't get hung up on copying anyones "homework". The simple fact is, almost all modding involves taking a template, copying it for re-use and where necessary modifying things. If you are only doing these for personal use, I wouldn't worry too much about it, just edit the lots (or a copy as you've done) and you've what you want.

I recently used the PIM-X Recompute As function to convert a bunch of lots into CAMeLots, although the process is really no different. During which I figured I'd switch on my screen capturing software, with the intention of uploading a tutorial on this to YouTube. It's been sitting on my HDD 10 days while I lack the motivation to do all the editing stuff, but it should be my next upload. I really want to expand into the basics of the modding tools, now I can finally capture video in Windows. So if you get stuck, maybe keep an eye out for updates to my YouTube channel (link in my signature).

15 minutes ago, MissVanleider said:

The original CP set contains all the original lots (30-something), plus 3 .DAT files. I can open these .DAT files in the reader, but now I'm confused in terms of how I'm supposed to copy this information and generate a new instance which will relate to the SC4 lot files that I have just created...

...Therefore maybe I need to do something different in order to make my new lots come to life?

The LotEditor should do this automatically (see my earlier post)

15 minutes ago, MissVanleider said:

I can edit the lots that I have created in the reader as well, but the typical information that I'm used to seeing there is obviously actually somewhere else - possibly still referenced to the 3 original CP .DAT files - or perhaps referenced nowhere.

If you attach one here (or send it with a PM), I can take a look to see if it's missing something. If it is, either the .dat files remain a dependency for your new lots, no big deal there. Otherwise, if we really need them, it's no harder than a copy/paste and re-ID job to make them independent.

Personally I'd recommend using LE least you can, obviously no Save As exists in PIM-X for example. But other than assigning Water/Land properties or a few niche options, PIM-X does everything else and has far less restrictions.

[MissVanleider 1,851]

36 minutes ago, rsc204 said:

I remember making the custom mod for you, but I don't remember exactly which concrete I would have used....

Annoyingly the MTRDK file did not make the transition to my new machine. However, I can confirm that it was 258c2000 that was used for the texture of the custom SWN you made (which did make it to the new machine) and hopefully below image should demonstrate that everything worked - at least enough has worked to allow it to grow in game and match my sidewalk.  

If you need anything to assist with making the maxis concrete a general release for SWN I'm obviously happy to (try to) help. Your guidance has always been so helpful over the years.

Your posts above emboldened me to load up SC4 with my new lot files included. I used the maxis texture 0x258xf2000 where I could on my new lots, but actually not so much of the lots was base texture, the dirt road texture was the overlay texture in a lot of cases, so I have just looked for something that works that's concrete. I think the image below demonstrates though that where relevant, the use of this maxis texture was the correct choice.

In the below picture, we can an original CP lot with dirt road and American cars below the road, and my new one with my sidewalk texture and European cars above the road.

Very happy with the way it looks and I can't see why I wouldn't just want to have both sets of lots available to me, I can always demolish if the texture looks out of place when it grows. If I'm bold enough I may eventually change the 'gentrified' version to R$$, as that makes more sense (and the exemplar is contained in the lot, rather than in CP's original desc files), but for now I think I'll be happy just seeing these grow in my little town and not worry too much about how it all works.

Thanks for everyone's help. This should keep me quiet for a while! 

[20huskies 4,699]

Sports bar for a stadium neighborhood.  Tribute to SC2000 default team names and of course to Simtropolis’ emoji.

[mitsos 12,966]

Big day for me. Finally managed to transfer the game to GOG using my super pc and installing NAM 39. Now the game loading faster and so far i haven't experienced crashes. Here is the progress of Metropolitan Expressway expansion. With new NAM there is a lot more traffic 24/7. Feeling super happy

 

 

[sejr99999 8,370]

this old game just keeps getting better and thanks to GoG it has survived the transition from WINXP and WIN7 to WIN10 and perhaps beyond   the custom content just keeps coming and the quality remains high   thanks to all who contribute and those who keep playing  and all the newcomers who keep joining   wishing all the best in the new year

[rsc204 21,866]

1 hour ago, MissVanleider said:

Annoyingly the MTRDK file did not make the transition to my new machine. However, I can confirm that it was 258c2000 that was used for the texture of the custom SWN you made (which did make it to the new machine) and hopefully below image should demonstrate that everything worked - at least enough has worked to allow it to grow in game and match my sidewalk.  

It was so long ago, I maybe had to make the lot overrides manually and stuck them into another file. 

1 hour ago, MissVanleider said:

If you need anything to assist with making the maxis concrete a general release for SWN I'm obviously happy to (try to) help. Your guidance has always been so helpful over the years.

Thanks but nope, all automated here from making the textures to packing them in a nice installer. It’s been 90% ready for a very long time, just didn’t finish ‘polishing‘ things until the summer. I seem to recall whilst liking the lighter concrete texture, the darker one gave better results. Now I know what to use, I can set everything to run tonight. Probably worth upgrading to the official version too *nudge nudge*. If nothing else, I’ll know what’s in what file then!

[bch0899 1,203]

New city, working on houses in Guadalajara Mexico. 

[mattb325 28,891]

A couple of years ago, I made a series of car yards, and I was asked if I would do a more retro american styled one. I finally got around to it...

It's an old pontiac dealership from long beach california (it has since been replaced by a cvs drug store, lol)

[The British Sausage 5,449]

A new year and a new mosaic!

 

 

 

[davide1983it 5,426]

i will add more light on window

[mitsos 12,966]

51 minutes ago, The British Sausage said:

A new year and a new mosaic!

 

 

 

The details are stunning. I was wondering what's rock mod that you are using?

[matias93 7,535]

Finally working on the northern side of my central city tile.

North is left here, and the newest development is this strange looking rail loop, that allows passenger trains coming from the sunken line to descend into the industrial areas at the riverside: in a few months I got almost thousand sims commuting that way, relieving the main line and the bus traffic from the central station to the industries below.

The underdeveloped terrain in the right is still somewhat complicated, so I'm procrastinating on it: I planned a big farmer's market, with more warehouses than street stalls, but the terrain has a slight slope that makes everything a bit more complicated. Also, I need to balance the filling of empty spaces in between with a tight budget on park effects; this intends to be a working class neighbourhood, after all!

[Kloudkicker 4,565]

2 hours ago, The British Sausage said:

A new year and a new mosaic!

Holly molly that is one very long and beautiful mosaic. I thought it never was going to end. Very nice job!

[Barroco Hispano 26,931]

2x4 Church

1x1 Spanish House (I still have to add the dirt mask).

 

@The British Sausage I want to make an MMP version but I don't know how to make an MMP light up.

 

[MissVanleider 1,851]

@The British Sausage That is absolutely beautiful. I'm taking notes! are the lots circled in red totally custom? or downloadable as I don't think I have them, intrigued by the house on the stilts particularly!

[Rott 2,398]

Does anyone know what is going on here, I'm trying interior omni lighting to give it some effect, it's working fine in the room I intended it to but it's having some really goofy unwanted effects as you can see: 

 

That weird lighting on the roof and a few other places obviously needs to go, I just have no idea why it would be there when I have an interior floor and walls that I figured should be containing the omni light source to just the lower right room?

[mattb325 28,891]

@RottThere are two possible causes.

1) The most likely....in the area where you create the omni light, make sure the 'cast shadows' checkbox is selected

2) Make sure that your roof and floors are actually snug to the walls (either by using the snaps, or just overlapping the roof piece) which will stop the light leak.

[City_Slider 2,716]

1 hour ago, Barroco Hispano said:

I want to make an MMP version but I don't know how to make an MMP light up.

Im sure, someone catch ya up :-)

[bch0899 1,203]

1st Guadalajara house is coming along. It will be apart of w2w houses three on a 2x2 lot.

[The British Sausage 5,449]

2 hours ago, mitsos said:

The details are stunning. I was wondering what's rock mod that you are using?

I don't use a rock mod, the rock textures come from the Sudden Valley terrain mod.

 

1 hour ago, Kloudkicker said:

Holly molly that is one very long and beautiful mosaic. I thought it never was going to end. Very nice job!

It is the longest mosiac I've created so far strictly because of the hilly terrain and how visually, in the isometric view, it takes up more of the screen.

 

1 hour ago, MissVanleider said:

@The British Sausage That is absolutely beautiful. I'm taking notes! are the lots circled in red totally custom? or downloadable as I don't think I have them, intrigued by the house on the stilts particularly!

Took me a while to find these but these are CSX buildings as lotted by barbyw. A great outer-suburban house/housing to have!

https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=866

[Flann 1,709]

2 hours ago, MissVanleider said:

@The British Sausage That is absolutely beautiful. I'm taking notes! are the lots circled in red totally custom? or downloadable as I don't think I have them, intrigued by the house on the stilts particularly!

 

26 minutes ago, The British Sausage said:

Took me a while to find these but these are CSX buildings as lotted by barbyw. A great outer-suburban house/housing to have!

https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=866

Since British Sausage didn't mention it, the other red-circled one is mattb325's 'Cascade'

https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3683

[Rott 2,398]

1 hour ago, mattb325 said:

@RottThere are two possible causes.

1) The most likely....in the area where you create the omni light, make sure the 'cast shadows' checkbox is selected

2) Make sure that your roof and floors are actually snug to the walls (either by using the snaps, or just overlapping the roof piece) which will stop the light leak.

This was some stubborn light, neither of those could get rid of it, no clue what it could have been, it seemed to mess up the night light on the windows too, and only seemed to affect objects I extruded, but thanks for the recommendations anyway. Thought I was making progress on lighting then THAT happened, too bad because I was really liking the way it light up the particular room it was in too...

And just to show HOW stubborn this light was:

I moved the roof back so far it was through the back wall, even that didn't stop it