The Leaving / Returning Thread

[This is my name 13]

Peace to all of you!

I return, but only to say where I am now. I am on DeviantArt right now. I am sorry that I did not contribute much here recently.

My account, and whatever I've linked there is kids-friendly. However, beware of inappropriate content when you surf DeviantArt.

https://qayyum94.deviantart.com/

[vailo 13]

Hiya. It's been several years since I've visited! It's been a nostalgia trip scrolling through everything again.

It's neat to see that some familiar names are still around- and sad to hear that A Nonny Moose has passed.

My most poignant claim to fame has been this old thing (below). Besides that, one embarrassing time when I asked for advice on how to curb my sleepwalking habit (it stopped naturally).

I'll probably be stopping by every now and then, considering how much I liked the game and the forum back in middle school! (That and I have a copy of Cities: Skyline that won't run on my Macbook. Opting to get a custom built computer with that post-collegiate salary money soon, haha)

 

[adsii1970 85]

I am heading to North Carolina in the wee hours of Monday morning and won't be back until Thursday evening. I will be doing a research and survey trip (work related) at the Guilford Courthouse Battlefield National Park. So... that means I won't be on the forum from Sunday, March 4th through Friday, March 9th around 8:30 a.m. CST.

(I will be able to check in periodically on my smartphone, just won't be lurking in the background like I normally do)

[blade2k5 1,523]

I will not be very active here for the foreseeable future as I got some rather stunning news yesterday.  Last Saturday night (July 2) my wife got what we thought was the flu and spent the next three days vomiting until we suspected this was more than just a simple bout of the flu and had her taken to the hospital.  Turns out that she had a growth in her private area and the sharp pop of pain she felt on Saturday was in fact from it rupturing due to the growth.  Then came the crushing diagnosis from her doctors.  Turns out she has cervical cancer and it's terminal.  She has 2 weeks to 6 months to live and the cancer has spread to other parts of her body, making chemo and/or gene therapy useless.  The only thing we can do is make her as comfortable as we can while she receives hospice care once she returns home from the hospital tomorrow (Saturday July 14).  The real kicker about all of this is that Thursday (7-12) was her 59th birthday with my 54th Friday (7-13).  Not exactly the birthday presents we were expecting this year.  I'll be back as soon as I can and re-start my cj and have an interest to play SC4 again.

[catty-cb 4,381]

Hi @blade2k5

My very deepest sympathies on your news ... I do unfortunately have some idea of what your wife is feeling at the moment as I was diagnosed with Stage 3C breast cancer back in February in my case as the cancer is hormone-receptor positive the hospital decided surgery, chemo, etc was worth trying ... about the only advice I can give you is treat each day as it comes and not worry about tomorrow ... I know easier said than done at a time like this.

I started taking Clinical Turmeric as soon as I got the diagnosis, I'm not saying it is a cancer cure or anything like that ... probably psychological but I do feel better for taking it.

Cathy

 

 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Man, Blade, that is really terrible.  The same exact thing killed my mother in law several years ago at a far too young an age.  It's a devastating diagnosis, and you have my profound sympathies.  Same to you, Catty.  Fight on.

[blade2k5 1,523]

Thanks to both of you.  She's home now, but has been sleeping since, so I haven't been able to talk to her yet.  It doesn't look good right now and I don't think she'll make it through the month.  It's very hard watching her waste away so fast after 32 years together and 31 of those married to her.  Never thought I'd be alone without her at 54.  Have no idea where I'm going to go or what I'm going to do.  I'm just lost without her.  I also haven't slept for 2.5 days now, just can't shut my mind down to fall asleep.  To say I'm devastated and shell-shocked would be an understatement.  My emotions are all over the place and don't know whether to cry or break something as I've never had a death in the family affect me this way.  I don't think I'll get over this one as easily as the others.

[catty-cb 4,381]

Evening @blade2k5

......  I been sitting at the computer trying to think of a response to your last post ... to be honest no amount of sympathy on my part is going to provide any comfort at this point, but maybe telling you about my father's death many years ago  ... might help ... not sure to be honest so I've put it in a spoiler field

Spoiler

 

... back in the mid-nineties he went off to see the emergency doctor as he'd been having stomach problems when he never came home we rang the doctors and was told they had put him in ambulance and sent him straight to the nearest hospital, when we got to the hospital we found he was in surgery and when the surgeon came to see us afterwards it was to tell us it was terminal bowel cancer, the surgery hadn't been done to get rid of the cancer just give him a week maybe two so he could put his affairs in order and say goodbye to family and friends .... the hospital transferred him over the hospice as he wasn't ever expected to go home again ....anyway the hospice asked him what could they do to help him and Dad said "well I'm not going to die just cos the hospital says I should ... so treat me"

The hospice doctors had a meeting and put him on massive doses of steroids, made it clear to Dad it wasn't a cure but it might slow down the cancer, he came home a week later ... he lived another nine months and died peacefully at home.

 

Cathy

[blade2k5 1,523]

1 hour ago, catty-cb said:

Evening @blade2k5

......  I been sitting at the computer trying to think of a response to your last post ... to be honest no amount of sympathy on my part is going to provide any comfort at this point, but maybe telling you about my father's death many years ago  ... might help ... not sure to be honest so I've put it in a spoiler field

  the past (Reveal hidden contents)

 

... back in the mid-nineties he went off to see the emergency doctor as he'd been having stomach problems when he never came home we rang the doctors and was told they had put him in ambulance and sent him straight to the nearest hospital, when we got to the hospital we found he was in surgery and when the surgeon came to see us afterwards it was to tell us it was terminal bowel cancer, the surgery hadn't been done to get rid of the cancer just give him a week maybe two so he could put his affairs in order and say goodbye to family and friends .... the hospital transferred him over the hospice as he wasn't ever expected to go home again ....anyway the hospice asked him what could they do to help him and Dad said "well I'm not going to die just cos the hospital says I should ... so treat me"

The hospice doctors had a meeting and put him on massive doses of steroids, made it clear to Dad it wasn't a cure but it might slow down the cancer, he came home a week later ... he lived another nine months and died peacefully at home.

 

Cathy

It helps and it sounds like your father was a strong man.  Cancer is a nasty disease, I've lost a grandmother in 1980 and my own father in '99.  My grandmother's death affected me deeply because even though she was a drunk, she was always sweet to me.  My Father's death didn't bother me to much because I felt he got what he deserved, he drank 48 of the 59 years he lived and should never have had children, me included.  He nearly destroyed any relationship I had with aunts and uncles and all of my cousins, but thanks to his death, the doors opened and those aunts and uncles and cousins all accepted me for who I was, not my father's son, meaning I didn't follow in his footsteps.  I waned to be nothing like him.

I've dealt with emotional pain all my life, this is nothing new, just much closer to home.  Thankfully I had the resolve to not follow in their footsteps and went out and made a family of my own without the booze.  I don't think I've touched alcohol in more than 30 years and don't drink at all, even socially.  Of course people nowadays, friends, some family don't understand that, but then again, they don't and can't understand what I went through growing up.  So, I'll get past this emotional turmoil like I have all the others, this one will just take longer than most.  After all, I've been with this beautiful woman for nearly 2/3's of my life. 

Oh, I did manage to get some sleep last night, about 9.5 hours worth and my mind is clear today, unlike yesterday.  Amazing what a little sleep will do.

[catty-cb 4,381]

Evening

First of all good to hear you got some sleep, secondly

22 hours ago, blade2k5 said:

It helps and it sounds like your father was a strong man.

I think stubborn would be more accurate, had a rummage around and this was taken about a month before he died

he was an ex-army paramedic and was of the firm view that the only reason one should ever do a parachute jump out of plane was if it about to crash.

I have a great deal of respect for people like yourself that can ... not put the past behind them because its always there in the background of your mind, but have the strength of character to say that's not me or how I want to live my life and have the courage to do it and keep doing it. 

Cathy

[Empowered One 41]

Hello everyone, sort of back since YEARS (testing the waters since a lot has changed). Accidentally stumbled upon the name of my account after having forgotten it after so long. Really surprised my account hasn't been deleted after being gone for so long (I've not checked how long its been since I've last posted)

 

I just felt like playing the game again but still looking for the disks atm.

 

Sad to see Moose has left the earthly realms after I left. I have no words...

 

EDIT: *looks around at his old forumposts* I have no recollection of this place. last post was in 2015. Feels like a lot longer.

[CorinaMarie 29,574]

1 hour ago, Empowered One said:

Hello everyone, sort of back since YEARS (testing the waters since a lot has changed).

Welcome back.

 

1 hour ago, Empowered One said:

Really surprised my account hasn't been deleted after being gone for so long

We did have a discussion about a year ago of maybe pruning the inactive members database, but even then it would only be those with no posts or file reviews or any type of content. We've hopped to a couple of different servers since you were last here and have a really good home now so it's not a big strain on our resources and as such the purge prolly won't happen any time soon, if at all.

 

1 hour ago, Empowered One said:

I just felt like playing the game again but still looking for the disks atm.

If you find your discs you'll prolly also want to read: Windows Update KB3086255 blocks SC4 from starting

 

1 hour ago, Empowered One said:

Sad to see Moose has left the earthly realms after I left.

I only got to chat with him for a few months, but I too feel the loss.

[Empowered One 41]

3 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Welcome back.

 

We did have a discussion about a year ago of maybe pruning the inactive members database, but even then it would only be those with no posts or file reviews or any type of content. We've hopped to a couple of different servers since you were last here and have a really good home now so it's not a big strain on our resources and as such the purge prolly won't happen any time soon, if at all.

 

If you find your discs you'll prolly also want to read: Windows Update KB3086255 blocks SC4 from starting

 

I only got to chat with him for a few months, but I too feel the loss.

Thank you for the welcome ^^

 

And also thank you for the heads-up regarding the Winderps update.

 

I've found my rush hour disk and my sc4 strategy guide. Still looking for the disc of the main game. At this point I'm tempted to just buy it again on steam.

[CorinaMarie 29,574]

1 minute ago, Empowered One said:

At this point I'm tempted to just buy it again on steam.

That would work just fine unless you ever plan to use the DAMN Manager. There happens to be an ongoing topic about the trials and tribulations due to Steam's unorthodox installation location. (Topic if you are curious.)

I'd highly recommend the GoG Version which happens to be on sale at this very moment.

[Empowered One 41]

14 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

That would work just fine unless you ever plan to use the DAMN Manager. There happens to be an ongoing topic about the trials and tribulations due to Steam's unorthodox installation location. (Topic if you are curious.)

I'd highly recommend the GoG Version which happens to be on sale at this very moment.

I never got to a point where I thought I needed such a tool. So fingers crossed I won't need it now!

 

Awesome! temptation to just buy it on GOG rising...

[CorinaMarie 29,574]

4 minutes ago, Empowered One said:

Awesome! temptation to just buy it on GOG rising...

The really good part about GoG's is that it's totally DRM-Free and you can play the game without an internet connection. While that is possible with the Steam version it's not the default. Also with Steam you have to jump thru some hoops if you want to pass command line parameters to the game whereas with GoG's you can just edit them right into the Target line of the shortcut.

[Empowered One 41]

2 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

The really good part about GoG's is that it's totally DRM-Free and you can play the game without an internet connection. While that is possible with the Steam version it's not the default. Also with Steam you have to jump thru some hoops if you want to pass command line parameters to the game whereas with GoG's you can just edit them right into the Target line of the shortcut.

Oh that is great to know as well! I made an GOG account just to ask if they wanted to add an old fav of mine; Holiday Island. They didn't have iDeal (dutch way of internet banking) back then and didnt have any plans to add it. I just checked and they have changed their stance and added iDeal! Which is awesome since I have bad experiences with PayPal and don't have a creditcard. This might just be the tippingpoint

[CorinaMarie 29,574]

9 minutes ago, Empowered One said:

This might just be the tippingpoint

If you tip in the direction of GoG you will get a file named setup_simcity4_deluxe_2.1.0.9.exe (at least that's what mine is called). Be sure to make an extra copy or two of this file on external media whether burning it to a CD or DVD or copied to a flash drive or two. Btw, it contains both of the official Maxis patches already updated in it and the installation sets the -CPUCount:1 for you by default. (Without said parameter, the game will go crashy-crash now and then.)

Also, regardless of who's version you buy, you'll want to get SC4Fix.dll which prevents a crash when using NAM and accidentally hovering a puzzle piece over a Transit Enabled lot. That file is also updated to prevent Prop Pox as well as revive any saved cities you might have which were infected with same.

[CorinaMarie 29,574]

@Empowered One Here's a quote from a different topic, but will quite relevant to you should you get the GoG version of SimCity 4:

4 hours ago, Cyclone Boom said:

It sounds like you've installed the "GOG Galaxy" application which is the equivalent of how Steam has a local games client library. Basically it allows all purchased titles to be managed in one place, and as a means of receiving the latest updates and for any online based interactivity. Checking my GOG account just now and there is a rather hidden option to download the installer directly. This can be done by expanding the dropdown as I've highlighted green below, instead of clicking the inviting big blue button.

As follows:

Then it'll reveal the URL to access the installer:

As shown this is 1.1 GB in size, and fully patched based on the 1.1.641 version reported.

The executable can be downloaded and installed to run standalone, from where it should provide the default installation structure without needing to depend on GOG Galaxy each time to start SC4. Also to allow a Target Line to be set from a shortcut as @rsc204 explained, just how it works with the original disc based version.

 

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

I just love GOG.  Also, welcome back, Empowered One.

[Empowered One 41]

11 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

@Empowered One Here's a quote from a different topic, but will quite relevant to you should you get the GoG version of SimCity 4:

 

That is a very good tip since I got impatient and bought it on gog.

 

...And I just found the disk of the main game.... But atleast I have backup access to the game I guess XD

 

EDIT:  I just installed and noticed there are 2 plugin folders. 1 in documents and 1 in the programfiles. which one do i drop the mods again?

  Edited September 8, 2018 by Empowered One  

[CorinaMarie 29,574]

2 hours ago, Empowered One said:

I just installed and noticed there are 2 plugin folders. 1 in documents and 1 in the programfiles. which one do i drop the mods again?

99.997325% of the time you'll want to only use the one in Documents. One exception is that SC4Fix.dll. I place that one in Program Files (tho it'll work in the documents one). For it in particular, be sure it's in the Plugins folder itself and not a sub folder of plugins. For all others (in documents) sub folders are fine and very much encouraged to help you organize your stuff. A good folder structure now will save you from headaches later on.

[Cyclone Boom 16,852]

Another possibility you may wish to consider is the Extra Cheats Plugin. Like the SC4Fix this is a DLL file and as @CorinaMarie said must be placed directly in the root of your chosen Plugins folder (not in any subfolders). This adds several other commands which can be accessed from right clicking the cheats box (once revealed using Ctrl+X).

According to the loading order, anything placed inside the Program Files Plugins folder will be processed before any in Documents. Personally I'm also someone who only places both mentioned DLL files in there. Since when testing without custom content, I can then rename my Documents Plugins to a temporary name (so it gets ignored), and run SC4 with an empty set. The game will create a brand new empty Plugins folder in Documents should one not be present. With the SC4Fix and Extra Cheats DLL files still being present though, I consider anything inside Program Files integrated as part of the game's default "vanilla" setup.

I concur about highly recommending using the Documents Plugins for everything else. Given the DLLs can still be placed in the root of there too, it's a personal preference really, and I don't believe there's anything to be gained performance wise either way. Seeing as it's the game's installation directory, one consideration is anything placed in Program Files Plugins will be wiped out if ever deciding to uninstall SC4. As good practice for the entirety of your Plugins and Regions, regular backups are therefore a very smart idea.

[blade2k5 1,523]

It's been a  couple of months since I last posted and on Sept 5, my wife succumbed to her cancer and passed away while I was holding her hand.  It's been a rough 6,7 weeks now, finances are still up in the air...had to hire a lawyer to get this house sold so I can have some cash to live on for a few years.  I'm already 7k in debt due to Diane's death, so that money for the sale is needed in the worst way.  Hopefully by early next year, I'll have this place sold and can breathe easier and take the long overdue vacation home for a couple of months next summer.  

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

It is great to see you again, although it would be better if it were under better circumstances.  You have my condolences for your wife's passing, and I hope things work out for you in the coming months.

[TheCrybKeeper 287]

So, here I am, back after 4 years or so. Just browsing around and trying to see who is still here. I know about the Nonny Moose's passing, since I have been here under a different profile last year. There is much, I probably do not know about. The site looks nice!

Hello, everyone in Simtropolis!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Yes, welcome back!  We hope you'll enjoy your new visits here!

[catty-cb 4,381]

My deepest condolences @blade2k5

I am so sorry to hear your news I had been praying that you and your wife would have had more time together, good luck with selling the house and your plans for the future.

Cathy

[blade2k5 1,523]

On 11/1/2018 at 4:03 AM, catty-cb said:

My deepest condolences @blade2k5

I am so sorry to hear your news I had been praying that you and your wife would have had more time together, good luck with selling the house and your plans for the future.

Cathy

Thanks.  Funny thing happened.  The same day you posted that, I got a surprise friends request on fb (I mainly use it to keep in touch with family and old schoolmates).  When I checked it to see which unknown person was sending a request this time (I get them daily) or if another old schoolmate has accepted a request from me.  Turns out it was neither.  When I saw the name it was like I was hit by a thunderbolt, actually made my heart skip a couple of beats.  Yes, this name was significant and a major, major seismic event in my life.

The woman's name who sent the request was one I had been told about 21 years ago by my father the last time I saw him.  Before I tell you who she is, let me first tell you I knew instantly this was that person, but sent a message asking specific questions and all the answers matched what I knew.  Ok, now the reveal, this person happens to be my 1/2 sister Jennifer Lee, 2 years older than I am, share the same middle name along with two 1st cousins who also carry that name.  Don't know who this Lee person is or what side of the family he was from, but we four were were the first 4 out of 5 births for my generation, but one infant died at birth.  

Turns out we share the same father, but she never got to meet him.  I thought about looking for her, but not knowing if she even knew that the man who raised was not her daddy.  Didn't want to turn her world upside down.  Turns out she knew who her father, his name is on her b.c. and wondered if she had any siblings out.  She did a dna test with Ancestry. com and found the old man.  She also found he had had a son 2 years after she had been born named Troy.  It took her a while to find me on social media.

All this two months after my wife died.  Now suddenly I have a sister I've always wondered about (dad told me about her when I was 7 or 8) nearly all my life.  It was that last day I saw him that I got her name, saw a photo of her not to long after she was born.  so, it's been a wild week.  Oh, the icing on the cake?  I also gained four nephews.  I'm good now.  I might even be a Great Uncle, haven't found that out yet.  Oh, baby pictures, no doubt about it.  We're brother and sister, we look exactly alike as infants.

So yeah, I'm over the moon.  I have a sister, never had a sibling before.  But I'm good, real good.  She's already mothering me.  I'm not complaining.  Kinda nice.  Just thought I'd let you all know my miracle after my tragedy.

[catty-cb 4,381]

That's great news I'm so pleased for you