Weird colored boxes when zooming out

[Rikujo 3]

Before Zooming

After Zooming Out

 

Based on the topic title and pictures above, i hope it's clear enough what my problem is. Also, this strange colored boxes appear in Maxis original fountains when i zoom out. These two pictures are enough, i suppose. Anyone knows what the cause of this?

I'm using the old but useful windows XP SP3, somehow this game won't work in my newer system and i just don't know how to set. the graphic card is SIS Mirage 32mb graphic card. I know this is a quite low GPU capacity but this is also a ten years old game, so i don't think the graphic card would be the culprit here. Or am i wrong?

[Adjiebrotot 94]

i think your graphicrules.sgr is broken.. can be fixed with download another player's healthy graphic rules... 

[Rikujo 3]

Was that your assumption or based on experience?

Sorry, 'cause in this case i have to be a complete skeptical.

[Thunderman 30]

Before Zooming

After Zooming Out

 

Based on the topic title and pictures above, i hope it's clear enough what my problem is. Also, this strange colored boxes appear in Maxis original fountains when i zoom out. These two pictures are enough, i suppose. Anyone knows what the cause of this?

I'm using the old but useful windows XP SP3 with SIS Mirage 32mb graphic card. I know this is a quite low GPU capacity but this is also a ten years old game, so i don't think the graphic card would be the culprit here. Or am i wrong?

 

Hmm a 32 mb videocard is very low! How long do you have this system?

If you have it for a very long time, then i do think your videocard is giving out on you...

 

Have you encountered this also with other games aswell? Like lagging, tearing in screens etc?

 

I've provided an healthy graphic.sgr and videocard sgr file for you in this post.

Backup your previous ones and try if it works.

 

You can find these files in your program files folder where the game is installed

Sgr files.zip

[Rikujo 3]

Hmm a 32 mb videocard is very low! How long do you have this system?

If you have it for a very long time, then i do think your videocard is giving out on you...

 

Have you encountered this also with other games aswell? Like lagging, tearing in screens etc?

 

I've provided an healthy graphic.sgr and videocard sgr file for you in this post.

Backup your previous ones and try if it works.

 

You can find these files in your program files folder where the game is installed

 

The game requirement clearly said that 32Mb graphic card is perfectly fine. In fact, it is recommended. The graphic card itself is quite old i must admit, last updated said 2009. But this game is from 2003, so i don't think my graphic card is outdated for the game use, yes?  For the prove, i'm playing several newer games that was released between 2004 - 2009 (GTA San Andreas, Torchlight, Warrior Orochi, etc) and it work just fine. Some of them in a medium graphic setting, though.

 

Anyway, thanks for the attachment file, i'll try it. BUT, will this .sgr file affect the game patch? Well, correct me if i'm wrong, like i said i must be a complete skeptical about this, do i need to update the game patch again after i install the new .sgr file? Or it's perfectly fine if i just copy and replace the original one at my root simcity folder?

[Thunderman 30]

No you won't have to repatch the game again.

 

The Sgr files (when loaded by the game) only tells the game which videocards to be recognised in order to display it properly

These are kind of instruction files so the game knows how to handle it all... It won't hurt your installation. 

 

But make sure to make backups of the old ones before placing the ones i gave you, just to be on the save side.

[Rikujo 3]

Thanks, but that's just made me wonder why the "instruction file" be the cause of those colored boxes. Is it because the instruction is incorrect or something, i don't know. Oh, well, i'll try to replace it and WILL certainly be back if that doesn't change anything. Thanks for your explanation, it's much appreciated. 

[Thunderman 30]

It can't hurt to try it out.

Let us know if it did or didn't solved your issue...

 

What i also just wondered was, did you recently (re-) installed the game? Because maybe there went something wrong during the installation process...

[Rikujo 3]

It can't hurt to try it out.

Let us know if it did or didn't solved your issue...

 

What i also just wondered was, did you recently (re-) installed the game? Because maybe there went something wrong during the installation process...

 

Hello,.

I tried and replace the original .sgr files and....nothing change. The neon colored boxes still appeared. I don't know what else could be the cause.

To answer your previous question, no, i never re-install the game. Or, maybe i should just completely uninstall then re-install the game to see if that change anything, but that's mean i need to re-patch the game,...hegh.. 

[Thunderman 30]

Well, after reading some other topics on this forum, i came across something that might be another solution.

 

I dunno if you have installed the "Texture Problem Fix", made by maxis???

You can find the fix on here: http://screwpile.wordpress.com/screw-pile-exchange-spex/maxis-files/

 

I checked the zip and there are no instructions to be found in it im afraid, so i don't know in which folder it has to be installed...

Just download it, and first find the location of the files of where they are and then make a backup of them and then replace them.

 

I hope this might fix your problem, if not, then reinstalling the game should be a last resort to do...

 

Btw, have you also tried to move your downloaded plugins out of the map and to see if the problem still exists then? If it doesn't then some plugin might be conflicting with them... in any way or another.

 

Im just trying to help you out here as i don't really know what might be causing this.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If it is a plugin problem, any plugins go in the Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins folder.  You may be missing the two default plugins BldgProp_Vol1, and _Vol2 which are needed to use in-game Maxis buildings as props.

 

On the other hand, it is possible that your GPU needs its options set so that the game can select the ones it needs.  To do this open your GPU control panel and set any 3D options (if any) to "application selected" or equivalent wording.

 

Have you tried running with software rendering?

 

The only other time I've seen fluorescent green buildings is when you are in traffic view mode.  Indicates a transit enabled lot.

[Rikujo 3]

If it is a plugin problem, any plugins go in the Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins folder.  You may be missing the two default plugins BldgProp_Vol1, and _Vol2 which are needed to use in-game Maxis buildings as props.

 

On the other hand, it is possible that your GPU needs its options set so that the game can select the ones it needs.  To do this open your GPU control panel and set any 3D options (if any) to "application selected" or equivalent wording.

 

Have you tried running with software rendering?

 

The only other time I've seen fluorescent green buildings is when you are in traffic view mode.  Indicates a transit enabled lot.

 

Well, i have both bldgrop1 & 2. But, i don't really think that could be the cause, because i remove all my plugins and leave nothing but those files yet the problem persist.

The software rendering didn't do the trick. I tried that too.

Oh, and i just notice that this colored boxes appeared only when in zoom 3, zoom 1, 2, and others are perfectly fine. What gives?

[Cyclone Boom 16,829]

Please could you state your game's version?

To find this, hover your mouse over your SimCity 4.exe, located in the "Apps" folder, at your game's installation directory.

 

A few other questions:

 

1. Are you running SimCity 4 Deluxe / RH or the standard "vanilla" game?
2. How long have you noticed this for?
3. Does it occur in newly created cities / regions?
4. Are you using a custom screen resolution or any custom shortcut commands?

[Rikujo 3]

Well, in case you didn't notice. The pictures above shows that the road there is using TULEPs included in the NAM. Which is means that my game is either 1.1.638 or 1.1.640. To be exact, my game version is 1.1.640.  And also have either Deluxe or Rush Hour for the NAM to work properly. To be exact, i have Deluxe edition. 

 

1. Question answered.

2. Not sure how long, but, it's quite a long time. I just remember and have the time to ask it now.

3. It occurs in every cities in every regions i'm playing no matter new cities or old ones

4. Hmm..not sure about this question, but, how do i know if i'm actually using custom screen resolution and custom shortcut commands?

[Cyclone Boom 16,829]

My apologies... I must have been blind not to notice the NAM turning lanes.
 

4. Hmm..not sure about this question, but, how do i know if i'm actually using custom screen resolution and custom shortcut commands?

 
Custom shortcut commands can be assigned to your game's desktop shortcut, in the "target" field.

For example:
 

 
They can be added after your game's target location (in green). A list of them can be found here.
 
For example a custom shortcut would be added by using: -CustomResolution:enabled -rWIDTHxHEIGHTx32
 
It might be worth experimenting with some of these commands -- as they can change how the game is rendered / displayed.

Also, before entering a command, remember to first add a space.

[Rikujo 3]

*snipped*

 

Custom shortcut commands can be assigned to your game's desktop shortcut, in the "target" field.

 

They can be added after your game's target location (in green). A list of them can be found here.

 

For example a custom shortcut would be added by using: -CustomResolution:enabled -rWIDTHxHEIGHTx32

 

It might be worth experimenting with some of these commands -- as they can change how the game is rendered / displayed.

 

Also, before entering a command, remember to first add a space.

 

After reading thoroughly the link you gave, i'm 100% sure that i'm not using any custom screen resolution and custom shortcuts command. I never touch and/or change anything to the game original setting (except the in-game setting), because i don't want to mess around with it. Esspecially, when i don't know exactly what it does to the game. You have any other thoughs about my problem?

[Thunderman 30]

Well, after reading some other topics on this forum, i came across something that might be another solution.

 

I dunno if you have installed the "Texture Problem Fix", made by maxis???

You can find the fix on here: http://screwpile.wordpress.com/screw-pile-exchange-spex/maxis-files/

 

I checked the zip and there are no instructions to be found in it im afraid, so i don't know in which folder it has to be installed...

Just download it, and first find the location of the files of where they are and then make a backup of them and then replace them.

 

I hope this might fix your problem, if not, then reinstalling the game should be a last resort to do...

 

Btw, have you also tried to move your downloaded plugins out of the map and to see if the problem still exists then? If it doesn't then some plugin might be conflicting with them... in any way or another.

 

Im just trying to help you out here as i don't really know what might be causing this.

 

Have you tried my previous option like stated above already?

[Rikujo 3]

Well. umm, sorry, i just don't know exactly where to put the file. I guess i'll try to uninstall the game instead. Thanks for all the help.

[Thunderman 30]

ok, well good luck make sure u make a backup of your plugins, maps, cities etcetera, so you can move them back in after re-installing the game ;-)