PlugIns Not Working

[TyDye 0]

Hello all. I'm new to downloading things like plugins for games and I'm having some issues. Some of the most popular downloads on Simtropolis that I want to use in my city aren't working entirely. Such as brown boxes instead of the building, missing walls or an entire building missing. I've checked the dependencies and the readmes and for the life of me I can't figure out what's going wrong. Any advice? Thanks!

[meister1235 92]

Have you run all the installers and extraced all files to mydocs/SimCity 4/Plugins/?

Checking for all dependencies again maybe resolve some boxes as well.

And do you have the 2 Updates installed?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Plugins are not for the computer unaware.  There are several issues:

 

1. Your game must be at least up to build level 1,1,638.  1,1,640 for custom night-lights.
    
2. Plugins arrive as archives, usually *.zip.  These have to be expanded outside the plugins folder then the appropriate elements moved in, namely *.sc4lot, *.sc4desc, *.sc4model, *.dat and *.dll.  *.dll files require that they be placed under the Plugins folder with no sub-folders.
    
3. Before installing any new lot, you must first make sure you have all the listed dependencies (libraries) loaded.
    
4. If a download expands to a *.exe, this is an installer and should be run to place the plugin.
    
5. All custom content unless otherwise documented are placed in C:\<your account>\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\
    

 

I don't know how often I have said this, but I will continue with it until everyone at least knows the mechanics.

[glazert 89]

You have to watch out for dependencies of dependencies issues. In other words it may not be enough to download the listed dependencies for the original items you downloaded but you should check whether these in their turn have dependencies. This can sound tedious, but it it more likely to arise when you are downloading mods for the first time, and you are likely to find that that this problem decreases as certain common dependencies are installed.

 

As A Nonny Moose has pointed out to others before, it may seem tedious but it is worth downloading items one at a time and testing them (for example in a "sandbox" city set aside for the purpose.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I have almost stopped downloading things with dependencies I don't already have.  A "No dependencies" note on a download is pretty much a guarantee that I will take it.

[joshua43214 8]

As much as I love Simtropolis, this is very much a "buyer beware" site.

 

You have to be especially wary of anything that is traffic enabled like bus/train/etc stations. Some of them are not set up correctly and will do things like stop trains, or pedestrians can't get on or off the bus. Search the Stex for "extra cheats," and download the plug in. Anytime you download a traffic enabled mod, you should hit cntrl-x to pull up the cheat window and type DrawPaths, and make sure everything looks kosher. Then you should use the route query tool ingame and watch the lot for a good while to ensure that folks are using it properly. I learned this the hard way when I discovered that a very popular set in in-avenue tram stations where totally broken.

 

Also be wary of things that have other buildings as dependencies (some are ok). Most modders make all the major stuff from scratch, and then either use one of the popular dependency packs, or make their own. There are some folks like Paeng who relots a lot of buildings, and his stuff is some of the best out there. So just be wary.

 

Lastly, head over to www.sc4devotion.com and register there and then follow the link to the Lex and register again there (you have register twice, weird yes). Unlike Simtropolis, they do not allow random uploads. Each uploader has to go through a process to be allowed to upload. All downloads from the Lex come in an installer to make sure they go into the right place, and most use a thing called Cleanitol to remove old or conflicting bats. Uploads are required to have links to dependencies, and they have a new system that actually tracks the dependencies of mods. Most importantly, they track all your downloads, so you can see at a glance if you already downloaded a dependency.

 

They do not allow any kind of "cheats" or unbalanced mods though, so you will still have to come here for super power plants, and miracle air cleaners. The site is not perfect, and I still get some stuff missing dependency links, but folks are good about posting links to in the comments.

 

I get about 80% of my stuff from the Lex, You will find a lot of the same stuff here that is there, but there old files are locked so you are more likely to get an up to date file.

 

The other place very worth checking out is SimPeg

You will have a hard time finding better looking bats anywhere than on SimPeg.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Pretty much covers the ground.

 

The important thing to remember is that there are only so many slots for plugins in the game.  This is a very large number, but some of them get reused inadvertently because there actually is a limit in 32-bit space.  There are more plugins available than slots, so trouble can result if you pull one that conflicts with another your already have.  This is why we always recommend sandbox testing of all new plugins individually or in sets so that you have some control over what you just got.