Modding residential building capacities

[Morlow 23]

Hey all, I am cranking SC4 up again after probably 5 years of hiatus and one of the first mods I want to do is to decrease residential building capacities (manually). I remember going through a list of all residential buildings and just typing in the capacities manually but I don't remember at all how I did it. I know there is a residential halfer mod but I plan to download residential buildings also. Any help?

Also, what is the mod called that significantly increases the distance people are willing to drive?

[Morlow 23]

So I think the PIM is what I'm looking for but I don't see a Download button on the page at all!? https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2260

Am I blind or is it not available for download any more?

[mattb325 28,892]

You need to be registered and logged into the SC4 Devotion LEX to download files from there

[SimCoug 5,976]

is also capable of altering residential building capacity. If you are trying to get the population number closer in line with realistic levels, keep in mind that this is a simulation and it may just be easier to half the actual population numbers (in your head). By altering all the residential numbers, the simulation may respond in ways you aren't expecting. You may be interested in reading post.

[Morlow 23]

Hmm I am sure iLive Reader is not what I used before to edit the buildings. I specifically remember a very simple list of catergorized buildings on the left and all I had to do was click on each building and change the capacities by typing in the number I want. It was very simple, similar to the Maxis PIM but I can't seem to edit any of the default buildings with the Maxis PIM. When you clicked on each building it had all the stats listed and changeable just by clicking on them.

[jdenm8 362]

You're talking about PIMx. Register at the LEX (https://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/) then follow that link above to download it.

[Morlow 23]

Ok I just downloaded PIMX and got an error saying I was missing some files. I found them on the internet but it still says I am getting errors when I try to launch it. Here is a copy of the text log that it says to refer to to see the error.

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "SC4PIM.py", line 1, in ?

File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 96, in ?

File "wx\__init__.pyo", line 45, in ?

File "wx\_core.pyo", line 4, in ?

File "wx\_core_.pyo", line 12, in ?

File "wx\_core_.pyo", line 10, in __load

ImportError: DLL load failed: The specified module could not be found.

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "SC4PIM.py", line 1, in ?

File "SC4PIMApp.pyo", line 117, in ?

File "SC4IconMakerDlg.pyo", line 7, in ?

File "SC4Data.pyo", line 2, in ?

File "S3DReader.pyo", line 2, in ?

File "S3DViewer.pyo", line 3, in ?

File "Numeric.pyo", line 91, in ?

File "multiarray.pyo", line 12, in ?

File "multiarray.pyo", line 10, in __load

ImportError: DLL load failed: The parameter is incorrect.

Any idea what causes this? I tried running as admin and creating a shortcut but neither worked. I know nothing about programming or anything of the sort so that error may as well be Greek to me haha. I am running Windows 7 64.

  Edited October 11, 2012 by Morlow  

[z1 566]

...I am running Windows 7 64.

And that, unfortunately, is your problem. PIMX has not been updated to run with Windows 7 SP 1; its author has not been active recently. Your best bet is to run PIMX in a virtual machine that runs Windows XP or Vista.

[Morlow 23]

...I am running Windows 7 64.

And that, unfortunately, is your problem. PIMX has not been updated to run with Windows 7 SP 1; its author has not been active recently. Your best bet is to run PIMX in a virtual machine that runs Windows XP or Vista.

Ah. Any suggestions for this? Never messed around with one of those before.

[jdenm8 362]

While the Author hasn't been active in ages, there has been an update for it to allow it to run under 64-Bit Operating Systems. It's basically a recompilation of multiarray.pyo, but under Python 2.3 and on Windows 7 64-Bit instead of WinXP 32-Bit.

Download from the first post here: http://sc4devotion.c...08710#msg408710

This is a bug in all of Wonanagaine's tools (SC4Mapper, SC4SaveGame Explorer, etc.), sticking this file in the main directory of the tool will fix it.

  Edited October 11, 2012 by jdenm8  

[Morlow 23]

While the Author hasn't been active in ages, there has been an update for it to allow it to run under 64-Bit Operating Systems. It's basically a recompilation of multiarray.pyo, but under Python 2.3 and on Windows 7 64-Bit instead of WinXP 32-Bit.

Download from the first post here: http://sc4devotion.c...08710#msg408710

This is a bug in all of Wonanagaine's tools (SC4Mapper, SC4SaveGame Explorer, etc.), sticking this file in the main directory of the tool will fix it.

This works! Thanks a lot! But I can't seem to figure out how to edit values in the program. I can see all the building statistics but can't make any changes.

[jdenm8 362]

You should just be able to double-click on the property you want to change, unless there was some kind of lock put into the Public version to prevent unbalancing.

[Morlow 23]

Hmm yeah every time I try to type anything it just gives that error beep. Double clicking on properties doesn't do anything different than just single clicking. I tried all the right click options other than "Convert to RTK0 or RTK4". Not sure what that will do and I don't want to break something I can't fix haha. Is this maybe a different version than what I need?

[Morlow 23]

I've been fiddling around again today still trying to figure out how to mod the Maxis buildings and I have found what I am looking for in iLive Reader. I can type in the capacities I want but I can't find a way to save my modifications. The changes revert after I close Reader even if I hit the Save button. I know it has to be possible to edit and save Simcity1.dat but I can't figure out how. Anyone know how I need to go about saving my changes?

Here is a picture of where I am at right now. Do I need to use the Save as DAT button?

For some reason the list of the building names on the left is invisible too, if anyone knows how I might be able to see that.

http://www.flickr.co...low/8092587700/

Ok I was able to get the list to show up by loading Simcity1.dat again and I somehow saved my progress once but I can't replicate it again. I really don't understand the need to make something as simple as saving so complicated. Hitting Save should save your progress...

  Edited October 16, 2012 by Morlow  

[z1 566]

You don't want to modify the SimCity_1.dat file directly. Instead, use the Patch facility in the Reader to create your own plugin. See for details.

[Morlow 23]

Ah, definitely never would have figured that out myself. So any buildings I edit will overwrite the Maxis stats for the building? I changed the price of the coal power plant and only the one I modified showed up in game so I guess so.

Seems like this is going to work! Thanks a lot for all the tips. I'm on my way to making everything how I want it.

  Edited October 16, 2012 by Morlow  

[Morlow 23]

I do have another question. Is it ok to make changes to buildings that are already built in a city? And if I make the changes and load up the city will the changes be in effect immediately? I'm sure I will find some things I want to change once I get further into a city.

[z1 566]

I do have another question. Is it ok to make changes to buildings that are already built in a city? And if I make the changes and load up the city will the changes be in effect immediately?

It depends on the changes and the buildings. The biggest thing to remember is never make changes to a building that has a slider in its query (such as most educational and health buildings) if the changes affect what the slider controls, unless you bulldoze all existing instances of that building first.

If you're talking about RCI buildings and just want to change their capacity, you can do that, but the change will affect only newly grown or plopped buildings. There's no way to change the capacity in buildings that already exist without bulldozing them. This is also true of most properties in most lots.

[NCGAIO 562]

To some modifications you can also use the SC4Tool that is much more easily and can be downloaded here.

SC4Tool (English) 2.2.7

To run on Win7 is needed this patch - SC4Tool W7 Compatibility Patch

For XP - (As System or emulation) can use the tools Ilive ...

LEProp 1.62 - http://community.sim...50-leprop-1-62/

iLive - Building Tweaker (0.8.4) - http://community.sim...-tweaker-0-8-4/

In this case it is necessary to have installed the Microsoft V C + + to use them

  Edited October 17, 2012 by NCGAIO  

[Morlow 23]

I do have another question. Is it ok to make changes to buildings that are already built in a city? And if I make the changes and load up the city will the changes be in effect immediately?

It depends on the changes and the buildings. The biggest thing to remember is never make changes to a building that has a slider in its query (such as most educational and health buildings) if the changes affect what the slider controls, unless you bulldoze all existing instances of that building first.

If you're talking about RCI buildings and just want to change their capacity, you can do that, but the change will affect only newly grown or plopped buildings. There's no way to change the capacity in buildings that already exist without bulldozing them. This is also true of most properties in most lots.

Thanks. I was just talking about RCI buildings so that's good to hear!