LOT EDITOR graphics listing

[spokelips 21]

I know this might already have been asked somewhere in here somewhere. but I couldn't find it...

 

QUESTION:  Because of the very numerous SC4 graphic listings (trees, cars, benches, etc.) a designer can use in the Lot Editor (LE), does anyone know if anyone has ever published a PDF, etc. which has the SC4 code # along with its graphic shown next to it?

 

It sure would make it a lot easier to use the LE if we could see what options are there  to use.  I know it would be a lot of work, but the results could be REALLY handy!

 

Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Ken

W.Va. USA

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

In ten years plus of play, I've never seen one.  It would only contain the default items and not any custom content.  Are you volunteering to produce this?  It would be a boon to everybody.

[spokelips 21]

In ten years plus of play, I've never seen one.  It would only contain the default items and not any custom content.  Are you volunteering to produce this?  It would be a boon to everybody.

Sounds like an idea.  My problem is that is there an easy way to display the objects easily?  I do have time on my hands...

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Have a look at SC4Tool.  You may find it to be what you are looking for.

[spokelips 21]

This prg seems a bit too much for what I was thinking of doing. I might still try it out.  I can always delete it.

 

I'm thinking of setting up a spreadsheet which would contain as many default props as I can find, a small graphic showing what the prop looks like and a cross-reference setup for all of the lots and props.  It would take a bit of time, but hey, we waited this long......

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

I was thinking you might find the source of data you need in SC4Tool.

[spokelips 21]

     I D/L'ed and ran this tool.  I gives a LOT of info...maybe too much.  I still think daily about the best way to present this info so that us casual users out there can use the Lot Editor without becoming frustrated.  If I go ahead with this project, it will most likely be in a spreadsheet format - with the graphic of each default game lot on one side with the default props pointed out and the listing of each prop shown on the other side.  I've done one so far (for myself) and it seems to be what I would like if someone else had done it.  I surely don't want to spends months doing this if it will all be for not, so I'm going to go a bit slow.  Maybe I could post a screenshot here when there's enough to show.

 

     This is what I'm thinking it will be like:

          1.  A screen grab (cropped of course, but large enough to see clearly) of each default lot on the left side

          2.  Each different prop in that lot would have a line connecting it to a reference number (#001, 002, etc.)

          3.  Each reference number would have the SC4 code listed as well as a short description.

          4.  The props would have to be separated into areas trees, people, cars, etc. to make it easier for a LE user to choose from.

          5.  The complete listings would have to be fairly simple to go through and read to make any of this worthwhile.

 

     If users think this would be a complete waste of time, please tell me now before I go any further.  I'm retired, so I have time to do this, but I don't want to be wasting time either.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

You may develop a new slant on this, and if it keeps you busy why not?  You are not the only one on this board who is retired.

[spokelips 21]

Here's a screen grab of what I have in mind.  Shown are the first 2 default game lots brought up in the Lot Editor.

 

Pls let me know what you think.  If it's okay, I'll continue.

 

 

While doing this, I realized that there's almost no way to list every prop and then go back and separate them into their different categories.  I don't have that much time left - lol.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Suggest you keep an index by hexadecimal key.  You have the same prop with two different numbers.  105 & 109 are the same.

 

Not a bad idea to get a handle on prop families as well.

 

This is going to be a lot of frustrating work, and I, personally, would not undertake this.  Retired means retired, period.  I spent most of my working life immersed in computer stuff.  Now I just use computers for relaxation and fun.  I see this project as being a lot of repetitive checking and drudgery. 

 

Why not take up something recreational like sailing or flying?  I am unable to do these things any more, but I was a serious yachtsman for about 40 years.

[NCGAIO 562]

Any help would be appreciated. 

 

Ken

W.Va. USA

Well ... just to save you from having all that work 

 

The Tool - 

 

Props List - The Prop & Texture Photo Catalog

Has Maxis and many others but it is necessary to be registered to browse them

[spokelips 21]

This is why I asked for comments.  I didn't want to get too far into this and then find out it has already been done.  I will check out the posts and see what they have.

 

Thanks!

[spokelips 21]

Suggest you keep an index by hexadecimal key.  You have the same prop with two different numbers.  105 & 109 are the same.

 

Not a bad idea to get a handle on prop families as well.

 

This is going to be a lot of frustrating work, and I, personally, would not undertake this.  Retired means retired, period.  I spent most of my working life immersed in computer stuff.  Now I just use computers for relaxation and fun.  I see this project as being a lot of repetitive checking and drudgery. 

 

Why not take up something recreational like sailing or flying?  I am unable to do these things any more, but I was a serious yachtsman for about 40 years.

Noony - I know about the duplicate listing(s), but early on in the thing, I decided on going ahead and doing it anyways - the hex # is the same, so I don't think it would hurt.  I thought about separating the families, but since I would be doing 1 lot at a time, I would have to complete all of the lots and then go back and create families, move listings, etc.  At least, using my idea, a LE user would know what the prop looks like in a prop setting.  Besides, there are a lot of combinations of different props to get 1 graphic (Ex.: tree and a base - maybe on top of a wall - 3 different props).

 

I used the 100+ numerical reference instead of the hex (which is included) because it seemed easier to me to do it this way.  Think about it - what difference does it really matter if they are listed twice?  All the listing does is show what a prop looks like in a lot graphic, instead of all by itself (which can be a bit limiting).

 

I'm really not defending here what I'd like to do with this.  Here's my reasoning - when I first loaded LE and tried to edit a lot, I had no idea of what was available to add, change to, etc.  With something like this, it might just make it easier for the beginners (like me) to create something new and worthwhile - BUT - If it would take forever to accomplish and nobody would ever use it, there's no sense going on.

 

propviewer_01.zip (on here) does a fine job from what I've seen, if you want to view stand alone props.  But - how high and/or wide are they compared to other props?  Can someone figure out how to combine 2, 3, 4 or more props to make something new?  This is what I was thinking when I started.

 

Ooh, it's getting a bit late, so I'm going to get off here and edit a few of my cities before hitting the sack....later.

 

Ken

[paeng 2,527]

Hi Ken,

 

this would be quite an effort...     Valiant - yes... Worth your time and effort - hardly...

 

Specially your approach of doing it lot-based seems to be heading for a bottomless pit of redundancies... If you look at any of the existing listings (or just in ILive's Reader), there are fewer props than you might expect, but they are used over and over again, in countless configurations. To list each and every instance like you show in your spreadsheet excerpt above would in the end probably be more confusing than a straight commented text-listing.

 

 

If you really want to do a sort of prop-catalog - maybe make a series of lots (like 3x3 or so) and populate them with default props. That way you could group them in meaningful batches, and without redundancies.

 

 

Paeng  <=  another retired 'trooper' 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Ken, a noony is a quickie at lunch time.  I hope that was a typo.

[spokelips 21]

Ken, a noony is a quickie at lunch time. I hope that was a typo.

Noo

Nonny...lol. Sorry about that. It was late at night and I was getting tired after posting my way-too-long reply.

Ken

[spokelips 21]

Hi Ken,

this would be quite an effort... Valiant - yes... Worth your time and effort - hardly...

Specially your approach of doing it lot-based seems to be heading for a bottomless pit of redundancies... If you look at any of the existing listings (or just in ILive's Reader), there are fewer props than you might expect, but they are used over and over again, in countless configurations. To list each and every instance like you show in your spreadsheet excerpt above would in the end probably be more confusing than a straight commented text-listing.

I see what you mean. I might change the way props are listed. That's why I put a pic up here for comment.

If you really want to do a sort of prop-catalog - maybe make a series of lots (like 3x3 or so) and populate them with default props. That way you could group them in meaningful batches, and without redundancies.

Paeng <= another retired 'trooper'

[spokelips 21]

Update:  I listened to you guys and finally checked the number of lots listed in the LE and decided not to do a listing/description the way I really wanted to.  It could be done, but especially because of the all the graphics I had planned to include, the filesize and the time to do it would be overwhelming.  I D/L'ed the file Prop-pics.zip and  checked it out.  It was well done, but no file descriptions for each props (at least not that I could see).  I may contact the author and see if I could get permission to expand on his listing.  Worth it???

[DonVitoCorleone 20]

Love the idea- but even with help as mentiond it could be brutal. Perhaps as mentioned you have one for your most popular/most used ones.

For reference- while not nearly as time-consuming but still alot of work- I've been downloading and organizing all "good" (rated 4.5ish+) buildings into categories to plop all in a row, screenshot, then label. This would be a huge potential visual catalog for ploppers out there. While there is the online guide st 3000 buildings so far I think- I wanted one where I cN see all buildings layed out in scale.

Same concept but with buildings. Not a help to you but same idea.

If you do undertake this project fullsteam - I would offer my services.

[spokelips 21]

Don,

 

Yes, it can be a daunting task, but since I've been retired for 2 years now, I have a bit of time on my hands and what better way than to have a prop listing made up so others can see what's available without a trial and error method?  Like I said earlier on this, I wanted to have each lot shown and then identify the props belonging to that lot - but the number of lots changed my mind. I'm not THAT devoted - lol.

 

I'll keep your service offer in mind when I get back on this quest. Thanks!!

[KonstantinII 1,106]

What about those green diamonds?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Green diamonds indicate an animated prop.  Take a look at Lawn Chair Larry.

[DonVitoCorleone 20]

I know this isn't exactly what you were looking for- but this is a nice graphical prop pack catalog at sc4devotion.

https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=13364.msg411188#msg411188

Not the cure, but if you weren't aware of this post might it help?

Cheers for the effort though.