must have mods

[strategic impact 0]

I've been a big fan of the sim city series, and i started playing it again, after the wonderful news, a new sim city game. But as i started playing SC4, i found it a little boring, just a little, so is there any mods i must have, like graphic, traffic, buildings....

[robloxkiller 25]

ooh yes the racial demand mod and the money tree

[heavy_discipline 1]

SPAM and NAM are both essential. I believe there is a passage in the Omnibus with must haves?

_edit_

Here it is.

  Edited October 10, 2012 by heavy_discipline  

[RepublicMaster 428]

Try this site it has a good list of pretty much everything with links! Id Recommend the NAM and the RHW looks good too

[k50 427]

Welcome to Simtropolis, I'm K50

As far as mods go, the NAM (Network Addon Mod) is absolutely a must, if you click "ST/Exchange" and then search for it you should find it... I can't get a link because the exchange doesn't work for me at the moment. The RHW (Real Highway Mod) is similar to the NAM but you shouldn't download that until your used to the NAM because it's very intricate, way more than the other roads and highways that come with the game.

Graphics mods are very rare if they exist, a good number of the well-known journals in the City Journals section are made by people who have a grasp of Photoshop or GIMP.

As far as buildings, there are thousands upon thousands of them, what were you looking for in particular? It would be impossible to list them all

[heavy_discipline 1]

Graphics mods are very rare if they exist, a good number of the well-known journals in the City Journals section are made by people who have a grasp of Photoshop or GIMP.

I know over at the LEX there are graphics mods which completely replace the original Maxis files; I haven't used any myself though. There are some pretty cool water replacement mods and stuff as well, including ploppable water and intricate canal systems.

  Edited October 10, 2012 by heavy_discipline  

[T Wrecks 10,210]

No mod is a must without any condition.

A mod can become a must under the condition that you want to do something you won't be able to do in a satisfactory manner without a mod.

So the question to ask is: What do you want? What exactly do you find a bit boring? What would you find interesting? And where and in what way does the game prevent you from turning your plans into reality? Then you can search or ask for a mod that will alleviate or eliminate problems, and open up new possibilities.

If you ask so unspecific questions, you will be bombarded by a hodgepodge of totally different mods... some for cheating, which may or may not be your intention, some for making better farms and rural areas, which may or may not be your intention, some that radically change the number and logic of growth stages, which may or may not be your intention, and so on.

If you head off to download all those in a rush, I can almost see your next question - it will probably be in the "bugs & technical issues" section.

I recommend you get some clarity concerning your actual intention first, then you will be able to ask a specific question, and this in turn will make it possible to find a satisfactory and relevant answer.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

And take some time to read the pinned threads in this list. A lot of things are discussed and many questions answered. If you become an inveterate SC4 player you may want to have it along with the new game from EA, which is looking much broader in some aspects and limited in others.

[chimeran 208]

Recommended :

SC4 Update : http://sc4devotion.c...ndex.php?page=7 ... depending on version

BAT Nightlights : http://sc4devotion.c...dex.php?page=14 .... Update 1.1.640.0 ... it will be first one under Recommended Downloads

The update must be installed first, then the BAT nightlights

NAM, Network Addon Mod : http://sc4devotion.c....php?lotGET=851 ... requires registration and login for download

NAM Hotfix : http://sc4devotion.c...php?lotGET=2787 ... requires registration and login for download

You need NAM installed first before you install the hotfix

CAM, Colossus Addon Mod : http://sc4devotion.c...php?lotGET=1008 ... requires registration and login for download

BSC Cleanitol : http://sc4devotion.c...c.php?lotGET=97 ... requires registration and login for download

Cleanitol is a must have program, while it is not a mod it will save you a lot of frustration when installing mods that have redundant or outdated/obsolete dependencies

SC4 Terraformer : http://sc4devotion.c....php?lotGET=731 ... requires registration and login for download

Most maps here on the STEX are in SC4M format that can only be opened and installed with SC4 Terraformer

Building Props 1 & 2 and Day of Peace Mods : http://screwpile.wor...ex/maxis-files/

These are mainly dependencies but will save you from the dreaded brown box on most mods

Gizmo's Dark Nite Mod : http://gizmo.webspac...ods&sa=daynight ... requires registration and login for download

or

SimFox Day Nite Mod : .... located on the STEX

The day/nite mods are up to you and while they are not essential mods some buildings require or will look better w/a dark/nite mod.

As far as graphics are concerned it is a matter of personal choice, there are many mods that can alter the terrain, the water and the rocks, you can even have a snow covered city if you wish.

To address buildings, the choices are limitless. While the STEX has some quality BATters if you want highly detailed building then the LEX is for you. Word of warning, most of the buildings on the LEX almost always have dependencies but they tend to be of higher quality. My personal favorites are SimGoober and Matt325 who are excellent BATters and most of SimGoober's work can be found here on the STEX while most of Matt325's work can be found on the LEX.

If you want to spice up your cities with better vehicles then there are more choices here on the STEX but be warned that some replace the default vehicles in the game so you must be careful when installing them and pay attention to the readme's.

  Edited October 15, 2012 by chimeran  

[jacksunny 741]

ooh yes the racial demand mod and the money tree

Absolutely not. The money tree is completely unnecessary. Use the extra cheats .dll if you need more money.

SPAM and NAM are both essential.

I have to disagree with SPAM being essential unless you zone a lot of agriculture. If not, it's just a waste of space and an unnecessary increase of loading times.

I also have to disagree with CAM being an essential mod. I don't use it, and the game is fine without it.

[jdenm8 362]

I personally don't see the SPAM or CAM as compulsory either. However, it's better to install the CAM before you start a region as the game can bug out if you use it in an established region.

As for the SPAM, the creators haven't historically been very interested in proactively ensuring that it works with other stuff (How on earth can you release a "highly recommended add-on" and not make it compatible with the RHW?). I use the BSC ones which provide a ton of trackable statistics which the SPAM doesn't and never will as well.

  Edited October 11, 2012 by jdenm8  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Each to his taste.

I use SPAM, and I recently loaded the RHW and will probably drop it soon because I really don't have call for it. I am not into American-style "freeways" but simply consider the content of RHW a curiosity. As for lots of statistics, who cares? This is a game and I am not that immersed it it that I want to know about every jot and tittle in it.

Speaking of taking up a lot of space that I don't put to good use, I will drop the RHW and its friends as soon as an outstanding issue is resolved.

[SimCoug 5,973]

I'm curious how SPAM is not compatible with the RHW? I've never had a problem with playing both mods at the same time.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

I'm curious how SPAM is not compatible with the RHW? I've never had a problem with playing both mods at the same time.

Let me add my own curiosity to this. This crossed my mind yesterday after I got off the net. I can't think of anything in SPAM that would matter to a limited access expressway, except the SPAM controller which everyone is cautioned to not use with the NAM.

[z1 566]

I'm curious how SPAM is not compatible with the RHW? I've never had a problem with playing both mods at the same time.

Let me add my own curiosity to this. This crossed my mind yesterday after I got off the net. I can't think of anything in SPAM that would matter to a limited access expressway, except the SPAM controller which everyone is cautioned to not use with the NAM.

That's it right there. As long as you don't use the optional SPAM traffic controller, there should be no conflict with the RHW.

[Shortsonfire 67]

I personally don't see the SPAM or CAM as compulsory either. However, it's better to install the CAM before you start a region as the game can bug out if you use it in an established region.

If you install CAM to an already established region and it doesn't bug out on the first play, would it ever run the chance of bugging out in the future? Also, if I don't have anything zones built yet (just zoned on pause so nothing has grown) or if the city is just roads would that be a problem?

[z1 566]

If you install CAM to an already established region and it doesn't bug out on the first play, would it ever run the chance of bugging out in the future?

Generally, no. If you want to be absolutely safe, just make a copy of your region before you convert it to CAM.

I think that in general, the developers of CAM were simply being very cautious in advising users not to convert existing regions to CAM. I converted an entire region to CAM, more than a dozen cities, and never had a problem, I played each city for centuries afterwards, and still no problem. When I informed the developers of my experience, they eased back on their cautioning, quoting my experience to others.

[Shortsonfire 67]

Generally, no. If you want to be absolutely safe, just make a copy of your region before you convert it to CAM.

I think that in general, the developers of CAM were simply being very cautious in advising users not to convert existing regions to CAM. I converted an entire region to CAM, more than a dozen cities, and never had a problem, I played each city for centuries afterwards, and still no problem. When I informed the developers of my experience, they eased back on their cautioning, quoting my experience to others.

Great! Thanks! I try to backup my region once a week or so, so hopefully this works!

[likmd 5]

hmm..

got to say that NAM and RTMTV are a must have. these improve the residents travel or commute time. for me, one of the main enemy of the game is commute time and these mods are just amazing.

[lew1984 231]

I also recomend the Network Add-on Modd (NAM) it adds so much to the game :-). I removed the Real Highway/Network Widening mod though as they are very complicated and not very practical to use for first time users (these are downloaded as seperate addons to NAM). There are so many road/Highway and junction types to tab-cycle through its unreal... However if you are patient and have the time you can use RHW to make some interesting highways :-).

I also like the various trail parks that are available as you can create some custom parks and give your cities urban gardens a really personal and more intresting touch than maxis standard plopss. I also download anything that is asian themed so I can make asian cities lol.

  Edited October 17, 2012 by lew1984  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The only mod I consider truly essential is the NAM. However, RTMT runs it a close second. Beyond that, I occasionally enhance a more or less completed city with the SAM to improve the look of neighbourhoods where streets are the main network. This, of course, needs the SAM Stoppers as well.

What mods/lots you add to your Plugin pack is up to you. I do recommend the Extra Cheats .dll because it greatly enhances your ability to diagnose path problems (DrawPaths/HidePaths) and to avoid financial crises (moolah).

I have little patience with lots having many dependencies. I use the BSC dependencies, but tend to avoid everyone else's. It becomes too much of a duck soup to try to manage all the different suites while avoiding conflicts.

Funny thing. My Plugin suite is less than 1GB, and slowly growing as new lots that I like appear. I think I will use my new (experimental) account to do a no-plugins run with the game to see if I can stand it. I suspect I can't really live without NAM.

[lew1984 231]

I have little patience with lots having many dependencies. I use the BSC dependencies, but tend to avoid everyone else's. It becomes too much of a duck soup to try to manage all the different suites while avoiding conflicts.

Funny thing. My Plugin suite is less than 1GB, and slowly growing as new lots that I like appear. I think I will use my new (experimental) account to do a no-plugins run with the game to see if I can stand it. I suspect I can't really live without NAM.

Im having this trouble lol... I have spent a lot of time cutting down my dependencies and files as it takes a long time for SC4 to load... down to 1.45gb (it was over 3gb!). Its a bit of a minefield because so many mods need dependencies and i'm not sure what goes with what anymore... Trouble is can't play SC4 as standard I need the NAM also :-).

  Edited October 18, 2012 by lew1984  

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

One develops a playing style dependent on some of the custom content. I've also discovered that I can't live without the SPAM either.

[lew1984 231]

I have that spam mod also as I think it adds a lot to the agricultural elements of the game, I'm not out of control on buildings though I usually stick to Asian themed temples to add an eastern feel to my cities and a few HK buildings from HK asia bat team.

I had the CAM briefly but I think it made it a bit too easy, or at least a bit unrealistic in terms of RCI demand... I like the challenge of balancing and attracting high wealth commercial etc, but with the CAM installed early on I had RCI demand through the roof lol.