SC 2013 - Bigger Maps Mod - Progression Error

[Wastedfun 2]

Sorry if the title seems a bit mis-leading, this is not a working mod, only a discussion on the progression of figuring out how to modify the game files to allow bigger boxes to build cities in. 

 

I am currently digging through and playing with with different package files in attempt to find a way for bigger maps, and I think I have found a path to follow...But I get an error...

 

Mind you, this is not "I have a solution", this is only a path to try and fail till I can get it right. But I can not even fail because the program crashes (so in context, I am Failing at failing ).

 

This is what I have found in one of the packages. I have found the same lines in multiple parts, and I think if I can change them in all locations to match, I may be on the right path. However, my only knowledge of this SimCityPak program is self taught. And the best way I have found (perhaps the only/correct way) to makes changes and save them is to make the changes I want, clear filter, select all types and export to a new project file and then rename to the original...Is this correct?

 

When I do this on file named: SimCity_RegionTerrain1.package, which seems to host many configurations for the bounding box's, it gets only 83KB into the file before it crashes....

 

 

I have tested doing this without even changing anything, same outcome....

 

 

Any help? Maybe another modder has tried these settings and found ineffective? 

[CapTon 592]

The bounding box is not what it seems at all I just know it's not the limits of something.

 

 

Bounding Box - Bounding box that defines the dimensions of an object

 

Not entirely sure that that determines the "bounding box" of the city tiles.

[Wastedfun 2]

The bounding box is not what it seems at all I just know it's not the limits of something.

 

 

Bounding Box - Bounding box that defines the dimensions of an object

 

Not entirely sure that that determines the "bounding box" of the city tiles.

Which is why I wanted to trial and error it to see what it did. But I can't export the new file without crashes it seems

[CapTon 592]

Yeah :/ some things just can't be done in SCP. But it's still a great tool

[Brazilian Joe 1]

I don't know if the bigger maps dream will ever come true. 

 

Devs stated that they couldn't commit the resources for that, because it would impact deep design decisions, and was not feasible.

 

It may be a simple case of bad scaling and the simulation would only run well on uber-machines, so they decided against optimizing everything for this to happen. 

 

It may have been a political decision on comitting huge resources for either bigger maps or offline mode, and it was decided on offline mode because of the core of the community and modding. A hard decision, but if I had to pick one, I think I would have picked modding + offline too. 

 

It may also be that there are too many objects of some type or types just make the sim to go out of sync and crash, or go bananas. Traffic for instance, may go apeshit with too many roads. traffic problems are bad in the current city sizes. imagine the gridlock on larger maps. 

 

Traffic AI is not scripted, so it's not accessible via modding. There may be a few knobs to turn, but not much.

 

I would love to be proven wrong though!

[kinneyj09 4]

Hey you might benefit from these files. Back when I was into this game I decided to attempt the same thing, Bigger Map mod using a trial and error system. Here is my copied notes for my attempts:

 

Sim city mods log

Mod 1:

Ex: took original SimCity_RegionTerrain0.package and changed city plot points on x and y axis under 0x00b1b104-0xf0e2e39c-0x2b9c480c ID.

Res: cities moved correctly, wonder if they are all attached to each other

Ex: contined by moving city plots further away

Res: cities did not move correctly, cities are attached by the regional road

Ex: continued by finding a city box view, and editing it group id is 0x03e421f0-0xbf054698-0x8238c400

Res: cities moved with region roads again, cities move corresponding to whatever boxes are loaded. They switched from land to water depending upon the newly defined plot points in the regionterrain0 package.

Ex: Regional roads in Cape Trinity moved out id: 0x03e421f0-0xc2a9c48f-0xa6e0f548 overwrote orginal file accidentally. Imported back into simcitypak

Then changed 0x03e421f0-0xc2a9c48f-0xbeb168c1 another region file then imported

Then changed 0x03e421f0-0xc2a9c48f-0x7560250b another region file then imported

Same 0x03e421f0-0xc2a9c48f-0x73bba1b5

All done only in 16 bit files, could not find region roads in 32 bit files

Res: terrain edited for regional roads but roads were not placed

Ex: doubled all property sizes of 2048 and 128 to 4096 and 256 in 0xc2a9c48f  of RegionTerrain Package property files

Res: Cities moved but no bigger sizes, game ran fine though

Ex: simcity_prop files in app changed to 2048

Res: nothing

Ex

Here are so more copied notes:

 

Simcity Bigger Maps mod plan and information

Folder to mod is RegionTerrain0

Regional maps are static and only for asthetics

City maps are parents of regional maps

Regional maps are divided up between four 4*4 blocks for resources

Cities are in their own format of 2*2 called 2048 by 2048 in game code (meters?)

Regional maps can be edited by editing image from black to white and raising heights

            City  should be edited same way

            An all white/black image creates completely flat area

City maps include all resources, water, desirability etc

            Regional maps do not contain this

City plots are from the static “white box” seen in debug mode early in game

            City plots then are giant moving boxes?

References to 1026, 1027, etc refer to specific cities

            http://pastebin.com/ExhAXrcc

Reference of which cities and regions have which IDs

            Name:                        Region Group:                      Region Setup Group:
Cape Trinity               0xc2a9c48f                            0xf0e2e39c
Discovery Delta          0xbc357a2b                           0xcb1d7b64
Edgewater Bay           0xa0b60dde                           0x83831425
Horizon Archipelago   0xd01fa985                            0xd27e9966
Missing Region           0xe0183d94                          0xce729093
Reflection Atoll           0xe41a82b8                           0xce70523b
Sunrunner Bay           0xdb25018c                           0xe37a36c3
Titan Gorge                0xc04182e4                           0xcb1178df
Viridian Woods           0xb12de348                           0xb5fdd017
Whitewater Valley       0xbeaf0510                            0xe4dd8a2b

 

PROP files

Instance Name:                       ID:

Region Container                    0x51e7a18d
Desirability Height Map            0x277bd429
Desirability Two Height Map     0x6682666b
Grass                                      0xfd3d2ed9
Water Table Height Map          0xae71a653
Terrain Editor                          0x0a20698b
Soil Height Map                       0x196fc73d
Oil Height Map                        0x9b2bb418
UNKNOWN                              0x6e741c4c
Height Map                             0x3babb8db
Coal Height Map                     0xad03ba05
Forest Height Map                  0x06f082fb
Tessendorf Water                   0x2ffd7eed
Ore Height Map                      0x02843a04
UNKNOWN                              0x59504252
UNKNOWN                              0x494f8678

In addition, there is a region setup file in its own group (10 different groups) which I believe specifies the configuration of the region. Right now,
it looks like this instance controls the number of cities and their position in the region.


Instance Name:               ID:
Region Setup                  0x2b9c480c

Another reference

            Region Container Instance Cape Trinity (0x00b1b104-0xc2a9c48f-0x51e7a18d)

Property:               Name:                                                   Value:                                                               Comment:

0x00b2ccca           kPropertyDescription                            region
0x00d83e60          UNKNOWN                                            0                                                                        Unused in EB
0x00feaab3           UNKNOWN                                            1024                                                                  Unused in EB
0x0db8ba9b          soilEcoMapBrushes                              Soil Height Map (0x196fc73d)
0x0db8bb68          waterTableEcoMapBrushes                   Water Table Height Map (0xae71a653)
0x0df6bbfb            forestEcoMapBrushes                           Forest Height Map (0x06f082fb)
0x0dfb11b9           oilEcoMapBrushes                                 Oil Height Map (0x9b2bb418)
0x0dfbf3b0            coalEcoMapBrushes                              Coal Height Map (0xad03ba05)
0x0dfc05a2           oreEcoMapBrushes                                Coal Height Map (0x02843a04)
0x0e16be1a          Sea Level                                              -870
0x0e4de6fa           desirabilityEcoMapBrushes                   Desirability Height Map(0x277bd429)
0x0e575eaa           desirabilityTwoEcoMapBrushes            Desirability Two Height Map(0x6682666b)
 

0x136779e8          UNKNOWN                                            2                                                                       Unused in EB
0x16e99a37          UNKNOWN                                            5                                                                       Unused in EB
0x20add454          tessendorfWater                                   Tessendorf Water (0x2ffd7eed)
0x2687c033          UNKNOWN                                            0x176a607a                                                      Link to encoded

                                                                                                                                            instance in SimCity_App.package

 

0x280180ba          UNKNOWN                                             6
0x4ee97f5b           Region Name?                                       257369091
0x4eefa9af            UNKNOWN                                             1
0x4ff14b81           UNKNOWN                                              40
0x5e3d16df           Region Crop Size                                  8192                                                                 Possible values

                                                                                                                                                                 8192, 16384, 32768

0x6ba258be          UNKNOWN                                             60
0x6f543362           UNKNOWN                                             1
0x8141336a          UNKNOWN                                              Unchecked
0x81cec2cc           UNKNOWN                                             0                                                                       Unused in EB
0xa3d7cfa6            UNKNOWN                                            Unchecked                                                       Unused in EB
0xae81608c          UNKNOWN                                             Checked
0xb0aab5b1          Region Map Size                                    32768                                                            

0xc65465d9           brushes                                                 Height Map (0x3babb8db)
0xd004c58b            grass                                                    Grass (0xfd3d2ed9)
0xd1e2f179            UNKNOWN                                             Unchecked
0xedb0e3ae           UNKNOWN                                            0x55af4890                                                    Link to encoded

                                                                                                                                            instance in SimCity_App.package

0xfb7a85a0             Region Setup                                       Region Setup (0x00b1b104-0xf0e2e39c-0x2b9c480c)
0xfe9d3901             UNKNOWN                                           0

Change every file size for every map to grey, same size every map and totally flat region.

Smallest size: 0x00b1b104-0xe37a36c3-0x2b9c480c group id under region terrain Region is Sunrunner Bay

 

 

 

 

 

Plan:

Find smallest region= Sunrunner Bay

Identifying city identifying code from ProcsKalone

White images is higher elevation, black lower http://www.simcity.com/en_US/blog/article/building-edgewater-bay

            All white images for everything or copy/paste image from region into city maps for same maps.

            For example, three cities plus one great work

            Eliminate two of the cities, plot other cities on a graph and place the one remaining away from great work area

Do not worry about resources

Make city bmp as big or bigger than before.

            Example: 2048*2048= 4194304 m squared

            Double size by 4096*4096=16777216

Another aspect to consider is instead of having a bigger map we simply have a way to zone outside the city. With the BOC Mod already available we can put every set of buildings outside the city limits except RCI. I know ProcsKalone attempted zoning outside the city at one time but encountered role backs. Hoping he can bring this back with the introduction of offline play.

[Wastedfun 2]

Thank you for the notes!

 

After studying the original, posted coords values, I can confidently say that they should not have anything to do with the city size. 

 

Reason: Looking through multiple locations for each size map and each map have more cities than the next, the numbers don't add up to always have only 4 coords listed in each. 

[shanemitch333 14]

I hope Bigger maps will be possible because I just run out of things to do in those small squares I mean its fun but the fun doesn't last as long as it should and if it is possible I will play for hours  

[kinneyj09 4]

Thank you for the notes!

 

After studying the original, posted coords values, I can confidently say that they should not have anything to do with the city size. 

 

Reason: Looking through multiple locations for each size map and each map have more cities than the next, the numbers don't add up to always have only 4 coords listed in each. 

Correct the Coordinates literally refer to where the giant box known as the city is located. The X,Y, and Z axis all graph where exactly the city boxes are located. On one experiment I changed all coordinates of the city boxes and moved them around the region. Remember that the region is simply for looks, merely a part of the background of your city. Think of it this way:

 

You lay four pieces of paper on an empty desk.

 

The desk represents the region, flat and simply the background for the pieces of paper

 

The pieces of paper are all set apart in a certain manner predetermined by where you sat them

 

If you change the coordinates or move the paper then all other pieces of paper move with the new coordinates

 

Similarily if you change the location of more than one piece of paper in the city boxes simply move in coordination with them.

 

Whenever you move one city box a certain direction all other city boxes move with them.

[Wastedfun 2]

 

Thank you for the notes!

 

After studying the original, posted coords values, I can confidently say that they should not have anything to do with the city size. 

 

Reason: Looking through multiple locations for each size map and each map have more cities than the next, the numbers don't add up to always have only 4 coords listed in each. 

Correct the Coordinates literally refer to where the giant box known as the city is located. The X,Y, and Z axis all graph where exactly the city boxes are located. On one experiment I changed all coordinates of the city boxes and moved them around the region. Remember that the region is simply for looks, merely a part of the background of your city. Think of it this way:

 

You lay four pieces of paper on an empty desk.

 

The desk represents the region, flat and simply the background for the pieces of paper

 

The pieces of paper are all set apart in a certain manner predetermined by where you sat them

 

If you change the coordinates or move the paper then all other pieces of paper move with the new coordinates

 

Similarily if you change the location of more than one piece of paper in the city boxes simply move in coordination with them.

 

Whenever you move one city box a certain direction all other city boxes move with them.

 

Yeah I found that they all move together by a few test's. Very frustrating. 

[InvisibleMatrix 1]

I think if you guys could reduce the size of the models, roads etc we could actually have a "bigger" city. Isn't that simpler? And to detail i'm just new to this..

[Nicistarful 49]

It would be even harder, cause it is a core game element. And editing something like the boundaries size would be REALLY easier than modding the engine.

[SEZUSC 3]

There is a Mod in Work:

http://simcityforum.de/board6-simcity-2013/board126-neuigkeiten/4260-simcity-stadt-grenze-mod-ank%C3%BCndigung/

[SAGGG 47]

(Long, awed pause) Oh, man. Dare I hope?

[ImRadek 4]

Maybe this will work !

[ice444 1]

I hope this is the silver bullet we need.

[Wastedfun 2]

that will be a topic to follow....

[russell612 0]

Oh gosh so excited for the mod! WHEN IS IT GOING TO RELEASE?!

[N34rly 1]

He say's it gives more Information in few day's The text sounds very good and i think, they would be an nice mod for us!

[ColdMoney21 2]

In order to make bigger cities, shouldn't the region map be built for that? For example is it possible to somehow import a completely flat region onto SimCity and start a city from anywhere with no boundaries? I've seen videos where people are plotting outside the boundaries on pre made regions but the graphics are all glitches up. (Roads look wierd)

[Wastedfun 2]

In order to make bigger cities, shouldn't the region map be built for that? For example is it possible to somehow import a completely flat region onto SimCity and start a city from anywhere with no boundaries? I've seen videos where people are plotting outside the boundaries on pre made regions but the graphics are all glitches up. (Roads look wierd)

I don't know the method, or i would be still trying to do it. 

 

If I had to assume though, I think that the maps will be a copy of the old ones with only one city box that spans the size of the map. 

[Mechalic 26]

I was reading online about the failed and 'dare I not mention' flop that was Simcity Societies.

 

Now I know it was made by Tilted Mill and varies so greatly to the current and previous Simcity games, but it had city size restrictions as well, and I was reading a modding page that said : 

How do I get rid of map size limits and building caps?

SCS's default map size is 256 with a buildings limit of 1500; this is done primarily for gameplay stability reasons as the game is an unfortunate system resources hog.

To change the building limit, go to Program Files\Electronic Arts\SimCity Societies\Data\XMLDb\Constants and open up Constants.XML. Use the search feature on your XML editor to go to <Building Constants>. There you can change the limit.

To change the map size, go to Program Files\Electronic Arts\SimCity Societies\Data\XMLDb\Game\Random Map and open up the RandomMap.XML file. Note that you can only change the map size to multiples of 256. In other words, the next map size is 512, then 1024, and so on.

Be warned that setting higher limits can push your system quite a bit; do this only if your system is up to it!

 

Now It's been ages since I played that game, but where city sizes of a similar scale? 256.. Is this something we should be looking for? It's probably useless information, but just contributing where I can.

 

Mechalic

[Mechalic 26]

Based on this twitter post, i'm going to be looking for a figure of 2048 in the files

 

Ocean Quigley ‏@oceanquigley  29 Jan 2013

@Shadowclaimer @Pascal_Maas 2048m x 2048m to be pedantic.

•  Reply 
•  Retweet 
•  Favourite 
•  More

Details

[migamin 38]

At first i wanted to correct your '256' value but you did get it yourself

[Snorp09 5]

If you want to edit bounding box update to the latest version other wise your out of luck I know I can edit I just don't know how to go about make them bigger.