Weird Hardware Mode Problem

[sam10037 18]

Hi everyone!

 

So over the summer I bought a fast gaming computer and decided to play Simcity 4 on it. It works perfectly but only on software mode. When on hardware mode, the region map and in game map is stuttering and shaking. Playing on software mode for a while wasn't too much of a big deal (you had the occasional crashes but that's ok) however recent terrain mods (LK Appalachia Mod) do not work on software mode. This dilemma has been quite irritating as I've been trying everything to make it work. I want to use hardware mode. 

 

I've been following this guy to try and make it work:

http://attendthis.net/cba/tutorials/article/4-simcity-4-getting-the-best-performance-and-eliminating-ctds/

 

This is my target: 

"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" \ -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -CPUCount:1 -EH:off -intro:off

 

Notes:

On software mode the buses appear in RGB boxes. Weird bug I just noticed playing the game. 

I've uninstalled and reinstalled my Simcity 4 into my Program Files rather than Program Files(x86) as I saw a forum that it eliminates many bugs on Windows 7 by doing that.

 

Specs:

AMD Eight FX-8350 4.0ghz 

16 gb DDR3 RAM

Sapphire Radeon 7850 2gb GDDR5

 

Thanks! 

[Ro-Bo 183]

If I'm not mistaken, HD terrain mods and HD automatas needs to be played in hardware mode. Avoid HD stuff if you want to play on software mode.

[C_B-A 0]

You could try some of these tips, it worked for me.

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

This is a legacy game.  Your machine is like taking a sledge hammer to a gnat.  However, with that command line you should probably be OK.  Hardware mode can be forced with -d:directx or software with -d:software with the target.  I keep two versions around as scripts.

 

Notwithstanding all the wonderful toys your machine has, you have to make it look like it is 2003.  At that time things were not as advanced in the GPU area.  GPUs were essentially frame buffers.  So you want to make sure that your setup on the GPU allows the loading program to select the features it needs.  Most GPU systems have a set of options for this, notably the 3D ones that can be set to 'program selected' or equivalent wording.

 

When you installed the NAM (31.2) it should have installed the 4GB patch to allow the 32-bit program to address more memory.  That plus the 2 GB of DDR5 on your GPU should make the program run in hardware mode like greased lightening.  If you are willing to do an internal save (CTRL+s) every ten to fifteen minutes or when you have done something you want to keep, you should be able to run in hardware mode.  Tuning the command line is pretty individual to machines, I have found.  You might have to monkey with it a little more.  Here is the link to the whole set.

 

Now, about scrolling and zooming.  Don't scroll with the mouse if you can avoid it.  Click on the mini-image in the GUI to move to where you want to be if it is any distance away.  Zoom using the numeric keys 1 - 5:  There are only five POV images.  Zoom 6 is a kludge for UDI and just pixelates on some machines.  These techniques limit the number of false redraws and maybe cuts down on the possibility of a CTD.

 

With my old trooper of a machine, I can run either software or hardware mode, but I've found I prefer software mode because of some outstanding glitches in my system that seem to be in the Windows Executive (wine) under Linux.  If you consciously avoid HD stuff, you can do the same. 

 

HD graphics are nice, but didn't exist when this game was written, so it can't handle those big bit maps in software mode.  It is a matter of wanting to play, or wanting to have a pretty picture.  The guys who can successfully run HD stuff have done both a good and bad thing.  When making custom content you have to consider the universe of discourse and not do something that excludes the use of your work by people will less fancy gear.  The retro-capability of software is something of a hot button for me as I was once the software chairman for a large user group.

 

I hope this is helpful.  Have a good game, and good luck with your tuning.