How to: Make your own Mods

[mike3775 2]

This might sound stupid, but I read through this and was bored last night and tried to have some fun with the ireader for the first time.

I figured out how to change the monthly funding for various stuff(for fun I took a Hydrogen/fusion plant and made it only $50 a month, instead of $10,000) and doubled its power capacity.

When I looked through the fire/police stations, I noticed two area's for monthly cost, and when I lowered that for fun, the range of the station also dropped big time. I took a Large hospital from $1,200 a month to $50, but the radius dropped to a block radius. Why did that happen?


I wasn't planning to use these in the game as it takes some fun out of it, but was playing around just having fun. What variables would I need to change to get the Hospital to keep its radius but only cost $50 a month?

[ikedogg05 0]

Hey thank you so much for these tutorials!

Would you be able to teach us how to give landmarks, or parks, or rewards jobs? I have the landmark employment lots but I would love to be able to give ALL the landmarks jobs, and the rewards jobs too. That would be so0o0o0o0o sweet if you could do that for me. Thanks again!

[Nightraven436 0]

I looked through the tutorials but I can't get the Reader to work. When you say to click on something like radius effect or plop cost to edit it, where can I find these? Everything listed under Name is listed as unknown and everything else is just a line of letters and numbers, except for Data type. So I have no idea what I am editing. That is why I have not started yet. Some help would be greatly appreciated.

[funforfree99 5]

I guess it's time for me to answer.....

 

first to ikedogg05:

 

I personnally am unsure as to how these modds are done, but I will look into it and give a more detailed reply some other time.

 

and to nightraven436

 

are you sure you have the newest version of the reader?

 

8.2c is the newest version I think. Your problem could come from this old reader, the properties showing up as unknown is the biggest hint. The letters and numbers I'm guessing look something like

 

A345CEFF

 

These are hexadecimal numbers and relate to different spects, such as model resource keys, or relate to a value, such as in monthly cost.

 

Check other exemplars and see if this problem is inherint, if possible a small screenshot of the readere screen would be useful.

[Nightraven436 0]

I wouldn't know how to take a screenshot and to post it here. But, if it is really needed, you could give me some instructions and I'll give it a try. I looked at the guide Tropod has up and my Reader menu looks just like the ones in the screenshots. I also found the files for the options menu. The only problem is that everything is unknown. I looked at the other exemplars and they all have the same problem. And, yes, it is the latest version. Oh, and another thing, I tried downloading it again and it didn't help.

[ikedogg05 0]

I know exactly what Nightraven is talking about. I wanted to mod buildings so i downloaded the reader. Well I had no clue what the heck was going on because evrything was listed as unknown. So I was puzzled for a long time. I redownloaded the program and the same thing was there. So I just downloaded the older version instead (7. sumthing). And evrything was fine. I'm not quite sure but I think something is messed up with new reader.

[Nightraven436 0]

Thanks ikedogg05. I'll have to try that. I automatically went for the latest version since I thought it would be the best one, but if I can't get it to work I'll have to go for an older one. I hope it works. The capacity and radius of some of these civic buildings are so ridiculus compared to real life ones that I have to change them.
I have to put an elementry shcool every few blocks if I have huge resedential areas.

[Nightraven436 0]

Yes! Victory! It really works. The older version 7.9 is working for me. Everything is defined. It's wierd becuase I'm doing the same thing for both readers but the newer one can't get the names down.

[ikedogg05 0]

I think it seems liek that the newer one is just unfinished or sumthing along that line. The values and all that are right but it seems like someone just didn't give them names. I don't know, I'm probably wrong but who knows.

[candycosmonaut 0]

Hey Guyz,
can anyone point me in the right direction?
Im looking for the/a program that allows you to write descriptives for individual buildings that appear when you click on them with the query tool. I may already have it on some of the programs Ive downloaded, but I can't seem to find it.
I think Ive had a good look around the forum, but still can find a specific pointer.
If you havent guessed, Im really new to this and am not 100% sure what Im dealing with ....
but I like the feeling !
and of course thanx to the Modd Squad
for these programs and tut's
for without them
there wouldn't be that "feeling"

hungrily,
CC

[Tropod 144]

Those of you having trouble with the latest version(s) of the Reader; i.e every single Properties is "Unknown"; you need to download the Properties.xml
file (& make sure you unzipp the file) & then make sure the Options in the Reader (where it says, "XML Properties file") points to this Properties xml file. Close the Reader, reopen it and everything that is named should appear.

[Equinox 1,209]

I'd like to do the same thing, CC, and it's a custom query tutorial you're looking for.  I want to change the rollover query, though, if that's possible...?

[ScLu 3]

What do I type for the directory of the downloaded Properties.xml file?

[Nightraven436 0]

Thanks for the input Tropod, but clocknane(I think that is his name) PMed me and I got the latest version running after I downloaded it again.

[ikedogg05 0]

Thanks a lot tropod!




...*waits patiently for funforfree99 to respond to earlier question*

[iMacWin95 0]

I've got a problem.

1. There are no trees in the Examplar Analysar File. Do you mean the Navigator?

2. Even in the Navigator, I can't expand the Ordinances.

3. I can't find Large Fire Station in the Civics Section...

 

I have the 0.8.2b version, btw.

[funforfree99 5]

hmmm, I was sure I replyed to this.......

 

ikedogg05

I'm looking

 

iMacWin95

some questions for you

 

what O.S.? What computer type (bah confusing me with imac AND win95)?

 

Have you loaded the correct ,dat?

Are you sure ?

do you have the properties .xml mention above?

 

is Tropod around to help out?

 

[ikedogg05 0]

Well it's been about two weeks now and I've done a lot of research on how to add jobs to buildings. It seems as if the people who know how to do it don't want to explain because it is sort of complicated. No need to worry though because I found out a way to give jobs to my created lots. However I still need to find out how to make a custom query. I took the Query GUID from the landmark employement lots so the query's for my lots all say Landmark Jobs. It would be helpful if you could tell me how to create a query for custom lots. I read a reply to a post from GrampaAl and he said somthing about UI files. I have no clue what a UI file is.

[Tass 0]

If you open up a lot with a custom query in the Reader, you will see a UI file. Select it and you will be able to see how it is made, you can also make changes to it from this view. I copied a UI into a lot of mine, then edited everything the way I wanted it. What info to show, where to show it, custom colors and fields etc. Is pretty selfexplanatory really and not that hard with a bit of trial and error.

[funforfree99 5]

I'm sorry... I feel quite bad now.

 

I've been quite busy and real life unfortunately comes before modding as it pays money.

 

I know I promised research and I know I screwed up.... Please forgive me.

 

This is my first time on this site in about a week, thats why there has been no posts for a while.

 

Sorry I can't be more help, maybe when things calm down a bit I'll return...

[ikedogg05 0]

Oh it's ok i don't really care. I'm actually glad you didn't post because I really learned a lot when i was expirementing. The only thing I'm still having trouble with is the custom query. You guys must think I'm stupid because a few people have told me what to do already. I just have no clue what the heck they are talking about. Do I need the newest reader? And the only place where I found anything that seemed close to what they were talking about was in the navigator part. But evrytime i edit the text there it dissapears when i click on something else.

[funforfree99 5]

A new day, A new tutorial

 

This is my first one in months so I may be a bit rusty

 

1. Open your reader, simcity_1.dat, and pause. We won't be using exemplars today...

 

2. Click filters on the reader toolbar, uncheck all, then check UI (User Interface)

 

3. After the files are sorted, click on one until you find what you are looking for. (If you are making a lot there will be a reference in the exemplar file to UI)

 

4. In the preview window you should see a graphic, with the UI item in it, and Code in a table above it.

 

5. Look in that code, under the caption heading for the text you want changed, double click it and edit it in the window that pops up

 

6. either add the edited UI file to a .dat patch or save your simcity_1.dat

 

 

For those who have asked about a single area for these tutorials they can now be found in the omnibus.

[ikedogg05 0]

Ok, everytime I try to save over the Dat, it doesnt save it. And when I try to save it to a dat patch, nothing happends and it doesnt save that eather. But something tells me I'm not doing it right. Just based on past expirences, I'm probably not doing it right. Sorry that I'm so stupid.

Oh, and sry for not responding for a while.

[dlf 0]

I LOVE this i haven't tried the mega ordiance yet but after i reinstall simcity 4 i will
inface i haven't tried to make a mod at all, but THANK YOU for doing this if the mega ordanice gets rid of pollution then i will be VERY happy.

[dlf 0]

This EXACT thing happend on www.simcity4.net if i posted in a thread until i said like u know u can post in it again, about no one would post in it was getting annoying, here or on any forum i DON'T want to keep posting u guys can post again.

[funforfree99 5]

Lesson ? (I lost count)

Heading towrds other things, the LUA files

 

1. load up your reader, load simcity_1.dat,

2. click filters, uncheck all boxes apart from LUA

3. Look for wildlife.luaearching and typing in wildlife or looking yourself for 15453)

4. read through what is here, its mostly obvious, and much more straightforward than exemplar editing, but it's equally as powerful stuff, also it's much more dangerous and more likely to crash you machine, so I must STRONGLY suggest that you make a .dat plugin instead of saving your file.

5. To edit: click edit. Make your changes, click apply, right click the LUA file and click add to patch. Click patch at the top of the screen, then click create dat, save it in your plugins folder.

 

some suggested changes for wildlife.lua:

 

set avoid roads to "false"

set avoid lots to "false"

 

Basicly these will make wildlife move towards your cities, great for rural areas.

 

change the numbers that are beside times to higher numbers

 

[4.0] = 0.1, can be changed to [4.0] = 3.0,

to make animals apear more often in forests

 

speeds can be changed

 

all sorts of info for animals can be changed in this one file, look into others if you want, but be careful with what changes you make.

 

 

 

[funforfree99 5]

----___---IMPORTANT---___----

CREATING A .DAT PATCH

This method should be used from now on whenever the guide says save

1. Right click the exemplar or file you are editing and click add to patch
2. return to the window you see when you have first started up the reader
3. Click patch (it's at the top of the screen on the toolbar where analyser is)
4. click add to .dat
5. save it as a file you will recognise


To make further changes open the .dat patch in the reader instead of simcity_1.dat

----___---IMPORTANT---___----

[MC6Ash 4]

I know you allready explained how to change capasity of a school, but please can you tell me again. I didn't really understand the first time. this is what I want to do. I want to make my own school, so, I have the lot, but how can I decide how much money I can get from it, and how many students and teachers it holds. please can you try to tell me what to do?
sincerely,
~MI5Ash~

[xcalbier 43]

first you need the ilive programe
then luanch it and click open at the top of the program after its launched.
looking in the smaller box that there you will seee simcity file click that then click props then look for your school lot there then dobble click it and then at top of box click analizer then your file will load then you should see two files on left hand side click on the top one and look on the right hand side you will see lots of different file names there.
start scaning down the list .Capasty user visable. clicking on this will bring up a smaller box the lower number is what to change using hex .
you also need to change the capisty used value as well to the SAME number as the other in order for it to show up right.
this is number of kids in the school.
next is EDCUATIONAL BUILDING click on that value thats radies of ( how big the circel is). just change this to 1111 and the school will cover very close to half a mediem map and mabby even a little more.
FINLY the last value on that list is Buget item cost of click on this value and rember aloways using hex change to what you want.
Ps changing this value has been known to cause a sliding buget problem were the cost rises or lowers by its self without you changing the cost of schooling in game building. This concludes all you need in order to change your school. Ps i hope you can under stand all i have writen here. and hope you know what hex is.

[MC6Ash 4]

ok, I downloaded the 5 ilive files, and I opened each one, and opened the Simcity file, but I don't see a file named props. only, ..., Apps, English, Fonts, Lot Editor Manual, Plugins, Radio, Regions, SimCity4 updates, SKU Data, Support,, video, then under it, it shows two buildings, one says, eauninstal and the other, SC4_conecttoweb
and no, what is hex?

thanks for the help.
~MI5Ash~