Stex volume discs

[Alkaola 18]

Dear all,

After years of absence I'm planning on returning to SC! It is still the best game ever made (ofcourse not without the help of all our great BAT builders, modders and lotters). At some point I lost all my plugins when my PC crashed. Trust me that the plugin folder was huge. The thing is, I want to make it easier to start playing again without the need of downloading all these files over again. So I'm contemplating on purchasing the STEX Voume discs 2,3 and 4. Appearently easy to install and purchasing it serves another purpose as well: Supporting this great site. The question is: When I install the stuff from the discs I don't know what plugins are installed and what not. So for example, when I download a bat that's already in the package will i know it? Or do I only find out when I extract it to the plugins folder. Is there a thread where I can see what's in the STEX Volume discs?

Thanks, Alkaola

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Sorry, I don't think an index has ever been created, but I suppose one of the OCD types here might have done so.

 

In any case, the discs are exactly like the STEX.  You download and unpack the items.  I keep a separate downloads directory for anything I download from anywhere, so I always have a record of what I may be using.  Since my file system is a little different from NTFS, here is the part of my file tree that seems relevant:

 

├── Downloads
├── SimCity 4
 

The Downloads directory is further subdivided by source/purpose and there is a directory inside named SC4Downloads that pretty much mirrors the contents of my Plugins directory with exceptions as needed by loading and other needs.

 

Purchase of the discs is most certainly recommended, but organization of the used downloads is needed.

 

In any case, you will need a copy of the current NAM downloaded from the mirror.  Currently this is NAM 32.

[Alkaola 18]

@nonny Noose lol the OCD types. Maybe indeed some guy has rolled it out for us What's up with the NAM, it's easy downloadable from this site right? Thanks for the info, I will purchase the discs anyway and try to keep a better oversight in my plugin folder. In my mind however it's easy to know what's in it and what not for I will be certainly downloading more from the STEX exchanges. It's a waste of time to download BAT's that are already (without knowing) installed from the STEX Volume disc. And I believe extracting files that are already downloaded and installed can cause the game to crash right? I remember there was a program for that that changes the files in a way so that the game doesn't crash anymore. Forgot the name of the program however.  

 

[JessiLaurn 184]

Brief:  The NAM is full of win.

 

Non-brief:  The NAM is a complete overhaul of the networking system.  It includes everything from improved transit rates to changed capacities to things like ground light rail and el-over-road, a whole new highway system (that may or may not be to your liking), improved heavy rail with more realistic appearance, a slew of more gentle curves for damned near everything, etc.  The NAM is full of win.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The NAM is also supported, but only the current version.  Because of this, it is necessary to go with the flow and update with each new release.  The best thing that has happened lately is the fancy installer that can be run as often as you like to modify options and/or add segments.  I am currently running without three of the major pieces (RRW, RHW, GLR) because my current playing style doesn't need them.  The result is a much smaller controller.

 

In order to properly use the NAM you do need the Java Compiler (free) and not just the JRE.  The installer runs a compile to make the controller after all the options are set.

 

There are a couple of programs that can be used to vet your Plugins.  I think the one you are referencing is Rivit's SC4DataNode.  The other is the BSC Cleanitol program.