Armagin commuter station help/fix

[powpowhunter 0]

I really love these commuter stations, but I'd like if the platform lots were not functional- they seem to cause routing/path problems when they behave as functional stations. I'd like the main station to stay as it is, and the rest of the platfrom lots to be eye-candy. I have tried, but just can't figure out how to do this on my own in the lot-editor. Can someone help me out?

I've searched for Armagin, but can't seem to find him active in any of the forums here or SC4D. Asking here instead of ressurecting threads from 2010.

Link to STEX files here:

Thanks in advance for any help you can give, including references on how to do this on my own.

[Indiana Joe 1,751]

If the creator was contactable, I would drop a line with the NAM transit station team and they have a whole process for fixing and adjusting stations to work properly.  Since that's not the case (last active 4 years ago on SC4D), the stations can't be re-released, so you'll have to make any changes on your own.

 

What you can do is change the properties of the buildings in the necessary SC4LOT files.  You'll need the

 

What you want to do is change the building type (which is what decides what the lot does: whether it's a train station, a park, or whatever).  But you still want to reference the models used on these stations.  So you open up the .SC4LOT file of one of the stations.  Click on the second Exemplar entry to bring it up in the right pane.  Now open up some park lot you have in your plugins and find the matching Exemplar (it won't have the exact same info in it, but it will look similar).  Copy and paste the Exemplar from the park file into the station file.  Right click on the station exemplar and "Copy Entry ID".  Then "Paste Entry ID" onto the newly copied park exemplar.  This will match it up with the station lot file.

 

 

 

Then you want to delete at least the following three properties from the pasted park exemplar and replace them with the matching properties in the station exemplar (copy and paste).  You can replace more things, like the Icon ID, if you want the lot to have the old icon, etc.

 

 

Once you've replaced the properties, you can go ahead and delete the entire station exemplar entry.  After doing this, right click in the left pane of the station file window and "Reindex" as well as "Rebuild Directory File."  This is vital to patch up the file so it will work.  Don't forget to save!  The lot should appear next to the park lot you copied files from.

[Ganaram Inukshuk 906]

Since that's not the case (last active 4 years ago on SC4D), the stations can't be re-released, so you'll have to make any changes on your own.

You actually can re-release the station; the only files you need to care about is just the exemplar, nothing else. Redistributing just that is on part with a re-lot. That's how all of the NAM station fixes are handled.

[powpowhunter 0]

You actually can re-release the station; the only files you need to care about is just the exemplar, nothing else. Redistributing just that is on part with a re-lot. That's how all of the NAM station fixes are handled.

^This sounds much easier than the first option. I had half-heartedly tried in the lot editor before, but could never even find the file. I'll wait a day or two for a reply to see whether this is something that someone else (that knows how) may be interested in fixing and redistributing, or if not I'll give it a go on my own. 

The problem I experience is that with multiple active stations lined up next to each other traffic seems to get very confused.

 

[Ganaram Inukshuk 906]

This sounds much easier than the first option. I had half-heartedly tried in the lot editor before, but could never even find the file.

That's because Lot Editor won't help you at all with this exercise; the only tool that will is the Reader.

[Indiana Joe 1,751]

 

You actually can re-release the station; the only files you need to care about is just the exemplar, nothing else. Redistributing just that is on part with a re-lot. That's how all of the NAM station fixes are handled.

^This sounds much easier than the first option. I had half-heartedly tried in the lot editor before, but could never even find the file. I'll wait a day or two for a reply to see whether this is something that someone else (that knows how) may be interested in fixing and redistributing, or if not I'll give it a go on my own. 

The problem I experience is that with multiple active stations lined up next to each other traffic seems to get very confused.

 

 

All he was saying was that you can publicly share the exemplar file after doing exactly what I described.  I wish you luck in waiting for someone else to do it, but if you learn the process, it will be very helpful to you in the future.  

[powpowhunter 0]

If the creator was contactable, I would drop a line with the NAM transit station team and they have a whole process for fixing and adjusting stations to work properly.  Since that's not the case (last active 4 years ago on SC4D), the stations can't be re-released, so you'll have to make any changes on your own.

 

What you can do is change the properties of the buildings in the necessary SC4LOT files.  You'll need the

 

What you want to do is change the building type (which is what decides what the lot does: whether it's a train station, a park, or whatever).  But you still want to reference the models used on these stations.  So you open up the .SC4LOT file of one of the stations.  Click on the second Exemplar entry to bring it up in the right pane.  Now open up some park lot you have in your plugins and find the matching Exemplar (it won't have the exact same info in it, but it will look similar).  Copy and paste the Exemplar from the park file into the station file.  Right click on the station exemplar and "Copy Entry ID".  Then "Paste Entry ID" onto the newly copied park exemplar.  This will match it up with the station lot file.

 

OK. I'm giving it a go. But I'm already running into trouble. I've got one of the commuter station files up in 'Loaded DAT', and a different eyecandy railway platform lot as well (I assume this should work for when you say 'park'). I'm a bit confused as to which I should copy- it reads that I should copy the eyecandy over to the functional lot, since I want to remove the functionality, but then you describe it the other way 'round. Either way, I can't seem to copy either one over to the other. I copy entry ID from one, paste entry ID to the other, but nothing changes in the display. Same exemplar name, type, etc. etc. different between the two files.

What am I missing?

This is the lot whose behavior I'd like to emulate:

[Indiana Joe 1,751]

You want to "Copy Files (CTRL + C)" instead of "Copy Entry ID."  The IDs are like the names of the files.  I tried my best to describe it step-by-step, sorry if it's confusing.  You want to take the exemplar file that you are viewing there from your eyecandy lot and paste it into the Armagin station lot.  It will at this point have TWO of these files.

[powpowhunter 0]

You want to "Copy Files (CTRL + C)" instead of "Copy Entry ID."  The IDs are like the names of the files.  I tried my best to describe it step-by-step, sorry if it's confusing.  You want to take the exemplar file that you are viewing there from your eyecandy lot and paste it into the Armagin station lot.  It will at this point have TWO of these files.

Yes, OK, that worked. I copied the file across, generating two exemplar files. I copied and replaced the three lines you had highlighted, from the original into the park file, as well as the Item Icon line. I then deleted original exemplar, reindexed, rebuilt, and saved.

Unfortunately it still seems as though the lot is transit enabled when I tried plopping it again.

It is getting late enough that I will have to try it again (earlier) tomorrow evening. I'm too tired to post screenshots or a text file of the changes now. If I try the whole process again fresh tomorrow maybe I'll get it right.

Thank you for all of you help though. You've put me on the right track- I just need to get the details sorted out right.

[powpowhunter 0]

Original exemplar file:
ParentCohort                0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000    
Exemplar Type    0x00000010    Uint32    0    Buildings    
Exemplar Name    0x00000020    String    0    commuterstationopen    
Bulldoze Cost    0x099AFACD    Sint64    0    0x0000000000000064    
Occupant Size    0x27812810    Float32    3    16,5.22399998,7    
Resource Key Type 1    0x27812821    Uint32    3    0x5AD0E817,0xB8D3DA55,0x00050000    
Wealth    0x27812832    Uint8    0    None    
Demand Created    0x27812841    Uint32    12    Jobs $,0x0000005F,Jobs $$,0x00000005,Jobs $$$,0x00000000,Amenities $,0x0000005F,Amenities $$,0x00000005,Amenities $$$,0x00000000    
Pollution at center    0x27812851    Sint32    4    0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000    
Power Consumed    0x27812854    Uint32    0    0x0000003D    
Flammability    0x29244DB5    Uint8    0    0x0A    
Query exemplar GUID    0x2A499F85    Uint32    0    0x4A565D13    
Exemplar Category    0x2C8F8746    Uint32    0    0x0C8FBD07    
MaxFireStage    0x49BEDA31    Uint8    0    0x01    
Plop Cost    0x49CAC341    Sint64    0    0x000000000000012C    
Pollution radii    0x68EE9764    Float32    4    0,0,0,0    
PluginPackID    0x6A871B82    Uint32    0    0x58DA6D63    
Building foundation    0x88FCD877    Uint32    0    0x00000000    
Item Name    0x899AFBAD    String    0    Modular Commuter Station Platform    
Item Description    0x8A2602A9    String    0    A place for commuting sims to wait for trains.    
Item Icon    0x8A2602B8    Uint32    0    0x58DA6D63    
Item Order    0x8A2602B9    Uint32    0    0x00000001    
OccupantGroups    0xAA1DD396    Uint32    5    Building: Transportation,Building: Rail,Building: Strikable Transit,Building: Taxi_Maker,Building: PassengerRail    
SFX:Query Sound    0xAA1DD397    Uint32    0    0x2A55BD56    
Water Consumed    0xC8ED2D84    Uint32    0    0x00000000    
SFX:Default Plop Sound    0xC9B93A56    Uint32    0    0x4A5EC571    
Transit Switch Point    0xE90E25A1    Uint8    20    Outside-to-Inside,All Sides,Walk,Walk,Outside-to-Inside,All Sides,Drive Car,Walk,Outside-to-Inside,All Sides,Ride Train,Walk,Inside-to-Outside,All Sides,Walk,Ride Train,Inside-to-Outside,All Sides,Walk,Walk    
Transit Switch Entry Cost    0xE90E25A2    Float32    0    0    
Transit Switch Traffic Capacity    0xE90E25A3    Float32    0    3000    
Lot Resource Key    0xEA260589    Uint32    1    0x58DA6D63    
Budget Item: Department    0xEA54D283    Uint32    1    Mass Transit    
Budget Item: Line    0xEA54D284    Uint32    1    0x00000001    
Budget Item: Purpose    0xEA54D285    Uint32    1    Mass Transit Switch    
Budget Item: Cost    0xEA54D286    Sint64    1    0x000000000000000A    

Copied, edited, and reindexed and rebuilt, saved file:
ParentCohort                0x05342861,0x07BDDF1C,0x00000002    
MiscType1    0x00000000    Sint32    1    0x00000000    
Exemplar Name    0x00000020    String    0    commuterstationopen    
Bulldoze Cost    0x099AFACD    Sint64    0    0x000000000000000A    
Occupant Size    0x27812810    Float32    3    1,0,1    
Resource Key Type 0    0x27812820    Uint32    3    0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x0E110000    
Wealth    0x27812832    Uint8    0    High Wealth    
Pollution at center    0x27812851    Sint32    4    0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000001,0x00000000    
Power Consumed    0x27812854    Uint32    0    0x00000000    
Flammability    0x29244DB5    Uint8    0    0x00    
Query exemplar GUID    0x2A499F85    Uint32    0    0x0A562A05    
MaxFireStage    0x49BEDA31    Uint8    0    0x00    
Plop Cost    0x49CAC341    Sint64    0    0x000000000000000A    
Pollution radii    0x68EE9764    Float32    4    0,0,0,0    
Item Icon    0x8A2602B8    Uint32    0    0x58DA6D63    
User Visible Name Key    0x8A416A99    Uint32    3    0x2026960B,0x0A554AE0,0x00000000    
OccupantGroups    0xAA1DD396    Uint32    2    Building: Civic,Building: Rail    
SFX:Query Sound    0xAA1DD397    Uint32    0    0xCA9B8233    
Water Consumed    0xC8ED2D84    Uint32    0    0x00000000    
SFX:Default Plop Sound    0xC9B93A56    Uint32    0    0xEA5EC59F    
Item Description Key    0xCA416AB5    Uint32    3    0x2026960B,0x0A554AE0,0x00000000    
Transit Switch Point    0xE90E25A1    Uint8    6    Walk,Ride Train,Drive Car,Ride Train,Ride Train,Walk    
Lot Resource Key    0xEA260589    Uint32    1    0x58DA6D63    
Budget Item: Department    0xEA54D283    Sint32    1    0xC921CEEB    
Budget Item: Purpose    0xEA54D285    Sint32    1    0x00000000    
Budget Item: Cost    0xEA54D286    Sint64    1    0x0000000000000001    

 

But, when I plop the lot, even in a previously unused region (but with testable population, e.g. "Berlin") the lot still acts very much as a functioning train station.
Any ideas?

 

[rsc204 21,865]

There is an easier way, albeit a little longer.

 

Go into your PIM and create a new exemplar (park would be fine) for three of the 4 model files in the package, I'd recommend keeping the stationentrance as your station, so just redo the others.

 

When you've your three new .sc4Desc files, create three new lots, each with one of the 3 new models, but now the new lots will no longer be transit enabled, mere eye candy.

 

Ditch the three old lots (the ones you remade) and the sc4Desc files and replace them with your new ones, you will need to replop any lots you already have after this. (you may also want to ditch an errant .sav file in the package too, this could cause problems).

 

Whilst you're at it, since it looks like you can use the reader, change the station lot (original one) according to this information to ensure it's up to modern NAM standards . These properties are in the building exemplar that's integrated with the lot, but you may want to change the matching .sc4desc file for the model as usually it's set there too.