SC4 and Windows 8

[Schulmanator 5,787]

I am not super happy with Windows 8 anyway but the instability which SC4 exhibits with it is maddening. It was perfectly happy with Win 7 (as was I). Here's what Leech said in a message to me as a suggestion:

 

I have *"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -intro:off -w -CPUcount:1* in the shortcut for SC4, the -w to keep it in windowed mode so you don't end up needing to minimize it when you take pictures, and the -CPUcount:1 seems to keep it from randomly crashing for no noticeable reason. The quotes are necessary I think, the *'s are just to show what goes in the target box. (The part in quotes should already be there, though modified depending on where SC4 is installed on your computer)

 

I am not savvy in this area so I wanted to see what you folks think about this. He doesn't have Win 8 but says this works well for him. Has anyone done anything like this in Win 7 or 8? And if so, with what success? Is this something I should try? And is it as simple as changing the text in the shortcut?

 

Gracias mil veces!

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I think maybe having it fullscreen would help. Windowed mode has to work with the game AND the windows user interface at the same time.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

I am fine with not having it windowed. I have not done windowed before so I don;t need that. And I fear making SC4 mad... it is so touchy! I was wondering about the CPU thing and if the solution could be that easy. And will it work on Win 8.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Shortcut command line options are a good way of specifying how the game runs. Often it does require a bit of trial and error to see what works best for your system. The good thing is testing different options won't wreck the game in any way. I guess the only one to watch is -audio:off which will turn the game's sound off. To get the sound back, you'll need to first replace it with -audio:on

 

A list of commands can be found here.

There are launchers that can also start the game using these commands. But I don't see the need to use an extra piece of software for this. It is a personal preference though.
 
Here's my target shortcut as an example:
 

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1600x900x32 -f -intro:off -CPUcount:1 -d:dirextx

 
A breakdown from left to right:

• Custom resolution ability turned on.
• My monitor's resolution (1600x900), followed by 32-bit colour depth. 16-bit is an option, but makes the picture slightly more pixelated.
• Full screen set (-f).
• Skip the game's intro sequence straight to region view.
• Set to use a single CPU core.
• Run using hardware rendering. The alternative is -d:software for software rendering. -d:openGL is glitched so not recommended.

 

I suggest these are the main ones to look into. The CPU count parameter is really easy to apply, and will work with all versions of Windows. The number specified will determine how many cores the game will utilise. Actually, there was a discussion last year about whether the game makes use of more than one core. I think it was concluded it might do, however at the expense of stability. Setting to 1 core is a good start, which should make the game more stable.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

OK. I will give it a shot. Thanks

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Win 8 does not seem to have a shortcut tab on properties like the link you included shows. Where else might I find it?

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Yeah, that screenshot from the link is on XP.

 

Win 8 has the same option but it looks slightly different. Are you sure you've got the shortcut to start the game?

It's the "Target" box that's needed:

 

• Right click the shortcut > Properties
• Click the Shortcut tab
• The target box should be visible above "Start in".

 

If you can't see this, could you please post a screenshot?

[Schulmanator 5,787]

The shortcut and not the actual app itself? I have been using the app's icon...

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

Yes, that's correct. Parameters can't be added directly to an exe.

 

To use command parameters, executable files will need to be run from a shortcut.   (Or a command prompt terminal / batch file, but no need to do that).

 

Sorry that wasn't made more clear.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

OK now here's the stupid question (it would not need to be asked save for the fact that I just got Win 8 and I am both unfamiliar with it and do not like it)... where is the shortcut? Is it that tile thing on the front page or elsewhere? When I click it or right click it (the tile thingy) I don't get what I need.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I don't think tiles can work as shortcuts.

 

You will need to go to the desktop (I don't remember how you access it in W8... I just had that "thing" on a machine for 3 days before it drove me insane and I had to downgrade to windows 7), there you'll right click and chose to create a new shortcut. You'll then search for the simcity 4 executable file (should be in program files/Maxis/SimCity 4/Apps) (or "program files (x86)" if your pc is a 64bit machine.)  (all this if there is not already a shortcut for SC4 there, of course)

 

Once you have this shortcut you can go into its properties and add the options to the command line. The options will apply if you lauch SC4 by this shortcut, not if you launch it in another way.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

So, if I understand correctly, I need to (on Win make a shortcut and then open it and change its properties as mentioned above? Just making sure.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

So, if I understand correctly, I need to (on Win make a shortcut and then open it and change its properties as mentioned above? Just making sure.

 

Yes, that's it. That's the only way to add options to the command line. You have to edit the properties of the shotcut.

[Indiana Joe 1,750]

Just to make things perfectly clear, what you need to create is an icon on your desktop, exactly like you had on Windows 7.  You cannot edit the Target line from Windows 8's Start page (the one with the tiles)

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Just to make things perfectly clear, what you need to create is an icon on your desktop, exactly like you had on Windows 7.  You cannot edit the Target line from Windows 8's Start page (the one with the tiles)

Amen.  They really messed up by trying to be everything to everybody.  The baby (desktop user) got chucked with the bathwater, eh?  A laptop or desktop is not a tablet, uses different hardware even, and yet, ... and yet, ... there may be hope for them, someday.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Awesome! Mission accomplished. Thanks

[MandelSoft 2,769]

 

Just to make things perfectly clear, what you need to create is an icon on your desktop, exactly like you had on Windows 7.  You cannot edit the Target line from Windows 8's Start page (the one with the tiles)

Amen.  They really messed up by trying to be everything to everybody.  The baby (desktop user) got chucked with the bathwater, eh?  A laptop or desktop is not a tablet, uses different hardware even, and yet, ... and yet, ... there may be hope for them, someday.

 

Fortunately, there are third party "mods" for Windows 8 that push the Metro interface back and bring the desktop forwards, as it should be. Especially Classic Shell is really useful in achieving that (brings back good ol' Start menu, gets rid of the Ribbon and allows to start up in desktop before Windows 8.1 allowed that). My Windows 8 PC practically works like a Windows 7 PC and I like it that way: it behaves way more consistent.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

 

 

Just to make things perfectly clear, what you need to create is an icon on your desktop, exactly like you had on Windows 7.  You cannot edit the Target line from Windows 8's Start page (the one with the tiles)

Amen.  They really messed up by trying to be everything to everybody.  The baby (desktop user) got chucked with the bathwater, eh?  A laptop or desktop is not a tablet, uses different hardware even, and yet, ... and yet, ... there may be hope for them, someday.

 

Fortunately, there are third party "mods" for Windows 8 that push the Metro interface back and bring the desktop forwards, as it should be. Especially Classic Shell is really useful in achieving that (brings back good ol' Start menu, gets rid of the Ribbon and allows to start up in desktop before Windows 8.1 allowed that). My Windows 8 PC practically works like a Windows 7 PC and I like it that way: it behaves way more consistent.

 

 

Micro$oft really failed with that one. Thinking they could force a tablet interface on everyone's desktops pc.

[jswierc1 1]

I'm glad I cam a cross this. Is anyone else having an issue that once the game is finally loaded, the graphics are weird in-game? These huge gash-like things keep appearing across my screen and infrastructure and buildings kind of randomly disappear and reappear on me....any tips?

[Schulmanator 5,787]

I have seen some buildings disappear just recently myself...

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Answered in another thread today.

[Shark7 118]

 

 

 

Just to make things perfectly clear, what you need to create is an icon on your desktop, exactly like you had on Windows 7.  You cannot edit the Target line from Windows 8's Start page (the one with the tiles)

Amen.  They really messed up by trying to be everything to everybody.  The baby (desktop user) got chucked with the bathwater, eh?  A laptop or desktop is not a tablet, uses different hardware even, and yet, ... and yet, ... there may be hope for them, someday.

 

Fortunately, there are third party "mods" for Windows 8 that push the Metro interface back and bring the desktop forwards, as it should be. Especially Classic Shell is really useful in achieving that (brings back good ol' Start menu, gets rid of the Ribbon and allows to start up in desktop before Windows 8.1 allowed that). My Windows 8 PC practically works like a Windows 7 PC and I like it that way: it behaves way more consistent.

 

 

Micro$oft really failed with that one. Thinking they could force a tablet interface on everyone's desktops pc.

 

 

Especially when some of us older folks had never used a tablet before, nor had any desire to.  I just decided to skip windows 8 until they can come out with something I'm more familiar with.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

 

 

 

 

Just to make things perfectly clear, what you need to create is an icon on your desktop, exactly like you had on Windows 7.  You cannot edit the Target line from Windows 8's Start page (the one with the tiles)

Amen.  They really messed up by trying to be everything to everybody.  The baby (desktop user) got chucked with the bathwater, eh?  A laptop or desktop is not a tablet, uses different hardware even, and yet, ... and yet, ... there may be hope for them, someday.

 

Fortunately, there are third party "mods" for Windows 8 that push the Metro interface back and bring the desktop forwards, as it should be. Especially Classic Shell is really useful in achieving that (brings back good ol' Start menu, gets rid of the Ribbon and allows to start up in desktop before Windows 8.1 allowed that). My Windows 8 PC practically works like a Windows 7 PC and I like it that way: it behaves way more consistent.

 

 

Micro$oft really failed with that one. Thinking they could force a tablet interface on everyone's desktops pc.

 

 

Especially when some of us older folks had never used a tablet before, nor had any desire to.  I just decided to skip windows 8 until they can come out with something I'm more familiar with.

 

 

I heard the other day that there was a big chance they go backwards for windows 9

[CaptCity 4,753]

Having gone from WinXP to Win8 a few months ago, I can understand some of the frustration. Took a while to get used to it and, fortunately, SC4 seems to run fine on my system with only infrequent graphic anomalies. I do have a touch screen, so the 'tablet' effect is somewhat applicable, and I find myself taking advantage of it more and more. I did install Classic Shell but use it less and less.

 

Now, if I would just stop trying to touch the screen on my desktop at work... 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The way out of the current Windows 8 problems with their 'touch screen' desktop is very easy.  If all you do is play game, send/receive mail, browse the internet, and don't have any 'windows required' apps is to give Windows the gate and switch to the Swiss Army knife of operating systems.