How to download content with Windows 8 OS

[jswierc1 1]

Hey! So I'm new here, but love the SimCity franchise. I used to play SimCity Rush hour all of the time, but went to college, bought a Mac and fell out of practice. Well I splurged and bought a new desktop with Windows 8, and I got Rush hour downloaded (Though can't get the game screen to look right, as in not stretched out) and would love to be able to download new custom content again. However I can't for the life of me get it to download some of the awesome files here, does anyone have some suggestion or experience they'd be willing to share? Any help would be awesome, and sorry this is so long!

[Cool_Z 1,547]

Could you explain us better what your problem is ? Are you unable to download ? What happens when you hit the download button on a page ?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

If you have a 16:9 screen there is a fix for that.  You have to edit your game shortcut (switch away from the stupid tiles to the desktop) and add this to your command line (Target box in Properties):

 

-CustomResolution:enabled -r<hor>x<vert>x32

 

Where:

<hor> is the horizontal pitch of your monitor in pixels

<vert> is the vertical pitch of your monitor in pixels

 

Example:

 

-CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32

 

Options like this go after the final quote of the complete pathname preceded by a single space.  There must be one space before each option's hyphen.

 

Downloading is done through your browser (IE not recommended).  Using firefox or chrome, find the item to download on the STEX then just click the download button. 

 

It is a good idea to download this stuff into a separate C:\<your account>\Documents\Downloads folder which may have subfolders to indicate the author. 

 

These files are all compressed archives, and they need to be expanded for use.  They often contain files other than the actual plugins, such as documentation.  The usual format is *.zip.  These can be decompressed using the right-click menu and asking for the file to be expanded or decompressed.  *.rar files (rare) need additional software such as 7zip or winrar.

 

Move the plugin files only into C:\<your account>\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins in a structure that reflects the structure in your Downloads folder.  Plugin files have these extensions:

 

.SC4LOT

.SC4DESC

.SC4MODEL

.DAT

.DLL

 

If an expanded download contains instructions, be sure to follow them carefully.  If you miss a dependency or a selection of a mutually exclusive part, it won't work.  Special note on *.dll files:  these must appear in Plugins without a subfolder.

 

Some of the archives expand into *.exe files.  These are automatic installers, and you can safely just double click them to run.

 

If you have further questions on this, just ask.

[Prophet42 1,503]

Possibly check your security settings for your browser, windows and any virus software you have loaded.  Make sure that your settings are such that downloads are allowed or you have full admin rights set for your user profile.

[jswierc1 1]

I think this will definitely set me in the right direction, thanks guys

[jswierc1 1]

Ok, so I've encountered a new problem. What you guys said works, so thank you. But now my Graphics a re messed up. I keep getting huge gash-like effects over my map, streets and buildings randomly disappearing, etc. Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks again.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Remember this is a legacy game and will not respond kindly to modern GPUs.  In your GPU control panel set all the 3D controls to 'application selected' or equivalent.  Failing that you may have to run in software rendering which has the disadvantage of excluding custom content that has HD textures.

[jswierc1 1]

Remember this is a legacy game and will not respond kindly to modern GPUs.  In your GPU control panel set all the 3D controls to 'application selected' or equivalent.  Failing that you may have to run in software rendering which has the disadvantage of excluding custom content that has HD textures.

Great thanks! But um.....I don't really understand what you're talking about. I'm kind of pc illiterate which is obviously making this more difficult for me, haha

[Crazyforsimcity 23]

This game was not made for the use on newer computers like the graphics, hence it may have some compatibility issues with them, but you can try to configure your computer to special settings to try and make the game work properly, or just run better.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

 

Remember this is a legacy game and will not respond kindly to modern GPUs.  In your GPU control panel set all the 3D controls to 'application selected' or equivalent.  Failing that you may have to run in software rendering which has the disadvantage of excluding custom content that has HD textures.

Great thanks! But um.....I don't really understand what you're talking about. I'm kind of pc illiterate which is obviously making this more difficult for me, haha

 

Well, here is a chapter of MicroComputers 101 just for you.

 

There is a device that is part of a machine called the Graphics Processor Unit (GPU) and it has a control panel.  To access this gadget open My Computer (a windows thing) and find the icon that represents your GPU.  Right click on it and choose properties.  This should take you to the control panel for the GPU, but if not try a left click.  There is usually a page showing options for the GPU.  Find the 3D options and do whatever is necessary to set these options so that an incoming program can select them, rather than having them permanently set.

 

Now, if this doesn't work to solve your problems, try using software rendering.  You can force this by adding the option

 

-d:software

 

to the Target line in the shortcut that starts the game.  Remember to put a space before the hyphen and that any option goes after the last quote mark giving the program path.

[jswierc1 1]

Ok, this helps a lot, thank again. I realize that my computer is brand new and the game, pretty old, so I'm trying to keep my expectations low. I just miss the game! Thanks again!