The .sc4 files structure...

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I was wondering if someone had already tried to look into the .sc4 files (in 11 years there's a chance someone has) and if there has been some kind of editor or tips about what does what inside the file.

 

[Cyclone Boom 16,903]

There's the SC4Savegame Explorer (support thread). The link to the tool is at the bottom of the first post, along with an updated version. This update will require SC4D forum registration to download the attachment.

How saved cities are coded, it means there are some limitations. The main one being the components are mostly read only, and can only be decoded, not modified. So in that respect it's more of a viewer than an editor. The tool is useful to display information from .sc4 files, revealing the objects that make up a city (props, flora etc). Some of this information can be used to determine whether a city is affected by prop pox.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

Thanks !!

 

No modifications ? I was thinking it could be a way to allow residential plop, by inserting the buildings in saved cities instead of ingame.

 

I never plop, but that was just an idea I had. 

[z1 566]

Well, some modifications are allowed.  For example, deleting the prop subfile is a crucial step in temporarily eliminating the prop pox from a city.  But various other modifications are effectively prohibited because man subfiles are protected by checksums.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

Well, some modifications are allowed.  For example, deleting the prop subfile is a crucial step in temporarily eliminating the prop pox from a city.  But various other modifications are effectively prohibited because man subfiles are protected by checksums.

 

Yes. I guess a building is not only designed by the lot ID but also must have the number of sims living in it, their jobs, their wealth, the fact it's brand new or not etc etc etc... if one of those don't match it could corrupt the save