Did someone test playing SimCity 4 on Windows 10?

[Gray_Lensman 3]

At the crux of the Steam/Origin problem is that they changed the game slightly to add their DRM systems to them. If you are a normal user who does not intend to mod anything ever, great, it will likely never affect you.

However, some users report difficulties with making these versions work with the custom content tools like the SC4 BAT (Building Architect Tool) because seemingly it won't validate the .exe from those vendors. This makes some sense, since those tools themselves have not been changed to look for any modified .exe although owning neither version I can not say how accurate this really is.

 

Under my STEAM installation, I have installed

1. SC4Bat

2. SC4Terraformer

3. SC4Mapper

4. SC4 Landscape Designer

5. ILives Reader

6. SC4PIM

7. Lot Editor

All of them start up and work just fine except I'm not too proficient at using them yet. The ONLY alteration I have run across that gives me problems is STEAM taking over the Shift-Tab key combination. Once you get into heavy SC4 menu usage (mostly after installing the NAM), you miss the ability to go backwards in the menus.

[ffstg24 10]

I don't want to log in to some site to play a game I own.

Ah well, I see... Bought if for 5€on Origin now. Generally, it works fine but sadly it's crashing as much as on Windows 8, probably due to the amount of mods I have installed. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

You should have a look though your mods suite using this method.  It is a good way to review all your plugins.

Alternatively, go to SC4Devotion (LEX) and download Rivit's Datanode program which is very good at finding conflicts.

Frequent crashes are usually due to not testing all new plugins when they are first loaded.  It can be annoying and expensive, but I assure you it is necessary.  Much of the custom content just doesn't play together.

[Gray_Lensman 3]

Thanks for the advice! Maybe I'll buy it then, have to find the best price I guess. 

Steam and its restrictions

 What exactly did you mean? To be honest, I didn't come across any annoying restrictions there. But if you warn me like that, I'll rather consider to buy it somewhere else then 

My main objection to DRM sites is the privacy one.  I don't want to log in to some site to play a game I own.

Once I set Steam to Offline mode, this is what I get whenever I startup any of my games. I have gone well over a month choosing "Start in Offline Mode" to start my games without ever logging into Steam. The ONLY reason I ever log on to Steam is to check for updates and browse occasionally for a game that might be on one of their frequent 50% to 75% off sales. edit: (or play one of the grandsons head to head in Civ !V)

[rsc204 21,866]

Under my STEAM installation, I have installed

    <everything basically >

All of them start up and work just fine except I'm not too proficient at using them yet. The ONLY alteration I have run across that gives me problems is STEAM taking over the Shift-Tab key combination. Once you get into heavy SC4 menu usage (mostly after installing the NAM), you miss the ability to go backwards in the menus.

I am totally inclined to say the same is true of Origin, except for the lack of direct experiance. Yet some users do report this as being troublesome and seemingly they could never fix the problem. I suspect in these cases a bit of playing around in the registry of just understanding the differences in how the Steam version is installed (i.e. as part of the Steam folder instead of in Program Files directly) would be enough to resolve the problems. But I've come across those who vehimently state otherwise.

I agree Steam is not a vicious form of DRM like some which are more akin to spyware. But nonetheless it is there, just as Nonny feels too, that's enough for me to have a problem with it more as a principal than anything else. The security checks on disk-based games in a way is DRM too, again very light and with reasonable intentions, not that any of the games using it are free from piracy as a result . Yet here we are facing a situation with Windows 10 where that very DRM might cause the premature death of many game discs that would otherwise still work. I'm not saying it will happen, just that it can and has happened.

I think what really made me think about the lifetime of games was the end of the Sega Dreamcast's lifecyclye, still my #1 console. So many of the internet based games had server IP addresses hard coded as part of the discs. When Sega left the console market, the servers were killed off pretty quickly. Some games had something still to offer in 1p mode of offline multiplayer, but others basically became useless overnight. Interestingly, the community kept many of the games that did not have such hard coded-IPs going for years to come, I believe some are still active. In the case of Phantasy Star Online they even bought the IP addresses from Sega to keep the servers going. But I realised then the cost of such unnecissary or just plain lacking in foresight restrictions placed on games. I can simply never like, endorse or en-masse buy into DRM, however gentle and fluffy it may be. The simple fact is some people will pay, others will pirate, forcing DRM upon me when I'm paying is actually quite ridiculous.

[art128 4,622]

However, some users report difficulties with making these versions work with the custom content tools like the

SC4

 

BAT

(Building Architect Tool) because seemingly it won't validate the .exe from those vendors.

 

What do you mean by this? I've been using the steam version of SC4 since I broke my CD many years ago and never encountered any problems with any of the tools (SC4BAT, 3dsmax, Lot editor, reader, whatever) since these will read the my documents folder and not the program files one, no? (Running on 7 Ultimate SP1 64Bit)

 

The ONLY alteration I have run across that gives me problems is STEAM taking over the Shift-Tab key combination. Once you get into heavy SC4 menu usage (mostly after installing the NAM), you miss the ability to go backwards in the menus.

You can disable the steam overlay by right clicking your game in the steam library, properties and uncheck "Enable the Steam overlay while ingame" in the general tab. I've done that since the beginning and I am able to use the backward option.

  Edited August 6, 2015 by art128  

[rsc204 21,866]

 What do you mean by this? I've been using the steam version of SC4 since I broke my CD many years ago and never encountered any problems with any of the tools (SC4BAT, 3dsmax, Lot editor, reader, whatever) since these will read the my documents folder and not the program files one, no? (Running on 7 Ultimate SP1 64Bit)

As stated above, I've had discussions with users who swear blind it just doesn't work under Steam, that's all. I'm not stating it as fact, in fact I always thought this was not so likely, seemingly this is the case from your's and Gary Lensman's comments.

[Ganaram Inukshuk 906]

I'll be adding to the list of user experiences by saying the following:

• Windows 10 installed as planned, all programs and data kept intact
• CD-based SC4 does, in fact, refuse to start as predicted due to SafeDisc being missing
• Gmax (as far as opening it up; I never tried opening, saving, or exporting because I didn't have anything to test out) is unaffected
• Reader is unaffected
• Landscape designer works
• Lot Editor will still choke if you have a lot of plugins, but is unaffected otherwise; I ask someone to try this as well, but clear your plugins first
• Zoo Tycoon 2 Ultimate Collection, another game I have that's dependent on running a CD, does work; there could be a cutoff over what CD games work and don't or it could be a different thing altogether, but I can't say for sure. (Update: this is likely an age cutoff ZT2UC's a 2008 game.)

  Edited August 7, 2015 by Ganaram Inukshuk  

[Gray_Lensman 3]

 

The ONLY alteration I have run across that gives me problems is STEAM taking over the Shift-Tab key combination. Once you get into heavy SC4 menu usage (mostly after installing the NAM), you miss the ability to go backwards in the menus.

You can disable the steam overlay by right clicking your game in the steam library, properties and uncheck "Enable the Steam overlay while ingame" in the general tab. I've done that since the beginning and I am able to use the backward option.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I've been trying to figure out how to disable that annoying overlay for several games, but it really irritated me with the SimCity4 NAM menus.  Now, I can Shift-Tab backwards thru those long NAM menu choices when I fat-finger the TAB key.

[jlt122 46]

Well I've researched and been to the Microsoft forums, facebook etc.. and found that Microsoft took out the secdrv.sys driver before launch. According to some beta testers it was there before the final build of Win 10. This came from the Microsoft forums in their support section. So after reading from different sites and here, I went ahead and downloaded SC4 deluxe from Amazon it is DRM free and even though I made backup copies of my plugins & such. I found that it wasn't necessary to do so. Why? Because, when you delete your old sc4 off your drive it will ask if you want to save your cities. After I downloaded and installed the online version it ran like a charm, no problems, I didn't have to re-install NAM or anything. Also their version of sc4 deluxe is the newest so you don't have to patch it either, incase anyone ask. However I did try to open my sc4 traffic simulator that came with the NAM and found that it is giving me the same problem I had with windows 7. I remember where the link is to override the Admin line and cannot remember at the moment if it was here or on sc4devotion that a gentleman gave out the line to enter in. I think I might have saved it on my pc in my notes but anyways, the point is you will need to get the game online to use it in Windows 10 sad to say. I've had on disc since it came out and on 3 different computers. I'm still keeping them though no matter what. Good luck and I hope this helps.

[jt11 7]

I have Windows 10 and I would say that SimCity 4 is running much better on 10 so far than it did on 8.1. I am running the Origin version (which is the most recent version) because I had issues on Windows 8 and all that EA would do was give me a free copy through origin. I can play everything on the highest settings and it runs as fast as a game from 2004 can and the fastest/best quality I've ever been able to get out of it.

A side note for those who don't want/like origin. If you contact EA they will likely give you a free copy if you are having issues on windows 10. You do need origin to install the game but you can uninstall origin after that. All that origin does past that point is act as the client for online play and check for update. SimCity 4 is not online and I can't imagine that EA will have any updates anytime for it.

[TekindusT 3,809]

OK, I guess I'm going to need some troubleshooting with that. Installed Windows 10 (a decision I'm regretting already), and now I can't play SC4... If I simply click on it, it denies my access and tells me to enter the system with admin privileges. But I'm the only user of my computer and my user account has admin privileges, checked it.

If I try to "execute with admin rights" (or something like this) I get the typical dialog "are you sure of that?" and when clicking yes, it won't start. Any advice? Sorry if a question like this is answered on this thread's previous pages, I'm just kind of desesperated.

  Edited August 24, 2015 by TekindusT  

[_Michael 2,681]

OK, I guess I'm going to need some troubleshooting with that. Installed Windows 10 (a decision I'm regretting already), and now I can't play SC4... If I simply click on it, it denies my access and tells me to enter the system with admin privileges. But I'm the only user of my computer and my user account has admin privileges, checked it.

If I try to "execute with admin rights" (or something like this) I get the typical dialog "are you sure of that?" and when clicking yes, it won't start. Any advice? Sorry if a question like this is answered on this thread's previous pages, I'm just kind of desesperated.

Is your version of SC4D from a disc, as they don't work. You need a digital download.

[TekindusT 3,809]

OK, I guess I'm going to need some troubleshooting with that. Installed Windows 10 (a decision I'm regretting already), and now I can't play SC4... If I simply click on it, it denies my access and tells me to enter the system with admin privileges. But I'm the only user of my computer and my user account has admin privileges, checked it.

If I try to "execute with admin rights" (or something like this) I get the typical dialog "are you sure of that?" and when clicking yes, it won't start. Any advice? Sorry if a question like this is answered on this thread's previous pages, I'm just kind of desesperated.

Is your version of SC4D from a disc, as they don't work. You need a digital download.

Too bad we're in ST and it would be against the rules posting what I have in my head right now... 

Thanks for the info, Michael, anyways!

[Gray_Lensman 3]

@‌TekindusT

Did you by chance try installing to a custom folder (NOT including .../Program Files or .../Program Files (x86))? In other words install directly into something like C:/SimCity 4 and NOT C:/Program Files (x86)/SimCity 4

This of course assumes that Windows 10 still uses the goofy .../Program Files sub-folders.

[Odainsaker 2,137]

As others have found, it may be more basic than that:  the final release of Windows 10 left out the file secdrv.sys, secretly ending at the last minute legacy support for the older SafeDisc and SecuROM DRM schemes.  Older disc-based games using SafeDisc or SecuROM will no longer work, as their disc-based DRMs fail to run correctly without the discontinued Windows system file.  A number of Maxis games, including SimCity 4, used that old DRM software on their discs, and legitimately purchased SimCity 4 discs are now simply no longer compatible with Windows 10.  Our precious 12-year-old discs are now laser-colored coasters.

Microsoft is claiming that leaving out older SafeDisc and SecuROM support makes Windows 10 more secure, while the original makers of the legacy SafeDisc and SecuROM also no longer support their old software.  The legitimate options Microsoft suggests is to ask your favorite game developers for patches for older games to remove the outdated and unsupported DRM (EA lol), or repurchase all your game discs again as digital downloads (ka-ching! $$$).  Ironically, even while giving the system security talking point suggesting that Microsoft will not backtrack on this issue, Microsoft reps went so far as to suggest players could pursue the less-legitimate options, Which Must Not Be Spoken of Here.

 

[rsc204 21,866]

OK, I guess I'm going to need some troubleshooting with that. Installed Windows 10 (a decision I'm regretting already), and now I can't play SC4... If I simply click on it, it denies my access and tells me to enter the system with admin privileges. But I'm the only user of my computer and my user account has admin privileges, checked it.

If I try to "execute with admin rights" (or something like this) I get the typical dialog "are you sure of that?" and when clicking yes, it won't start. Any advice? Sorry if a question like this is answered on this thread's previous pages, I'm just kind of desesperated.

Is your version of SC4D from a disc, as they don't work. You need a digital download.

Too bad we're in ST and it would be against the rules posting what I have in my head right now... 

Thanks for the info, Michael, anyways!

Nonetheless I've thought about it, I know it would work

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The non-DRM version of this game has been downloadable from the regular vendors (Amazon, GOG, GamersGate) for some time.  Further there have been sales where this version (1,1,641) was available for as little as $5. U.S. or less.

I am sorry, but I think the time for crying in our beer about the old CD version has passed.

[rsc204 21,866]

I hear you and kind of agree with your point, unless say for example you had a shelf full of such games (Safedisc was fairly standard), that now all needed such replacements, it would get costly quickly, plus some titles were simply not re-released either.

I don't think MS will change their stance here, providing Win10 numbers are in the right direction, they won't care a damn about what consumers want in it. The security argument is total bull, otherwise they'd have removed or updated those files ages ago - that or they knowingly left security holes in previous Windows systems to keep compatibility? Why do you think they were in every preview version?, I struggle to believe it's anything except trying to hide this from users until the last minute. These are the same people you trust to auto-update your OS and have the ability to snoop on every part of your computer usage?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

It is truly sad that they have taken this dog in the manger attitude.  Surely, if safedisk was some kind of security hole it could have been plugged without discontinuing the capability.  This is simply a matter of programming, and I've yet to see any operating system that couldn't be fixed without removing functionality.  I wonder what they saw as the cost of the fix compared to the loss of users that will inevitably result as people start using operating systems (mostly versions of Linux) where this is not a problem.

Has anyone successfully dual booted Windows 10 with any edition of Linux? 

You can run the CD version under Linux/wine using any decor up to Windows 7.  I have and it works fine, but my disks are now beyond use.

Of course one of the most interesting features of GNU Linux is that the entire source code is available under the Gnu Public Licence which is free.  Most Linux distributions are without charge to the private user.  One just has to take the bull by the horns and spend a day or two swatting it up, and you'll never miss Microsoft.

Oh, and one thing more:  You don't have to run in supervisor state (Linux Super User) for any application programs I have.  This "run as administrator" nonsense is exactly that.  They have screwed up their system security and don't seem to know how to unfix it.

  Edited August 25, 2015 by A Nonny Moose  
Additional comment.

[_Michael 2,681]

Well, I'm pleased to report, that SimCity 4 is working very well in Windows 10 on my Mac. All I can says prepare yourself for SC4 CJ entries.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Excellent.  Do you have a dual boot with OS/X or a dedicated MAC with Windows 10?

[_Michael 2,681]

Excellent.  Do you have a dual boot with OS/X or a dedicated MAC with Windows 10?

I've got a dual boot and SimCity 4 works great. Just like it was on a Windows PC. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Good to know.  The latest MACs are on the x86 platform, so it should be able to run just about anything.

[jwhdj12 0]

OK, I guess I'm going to need some troubleshooting with that. Installed Windows 10 (a decision I'm regretting already), and now I can't play SC4... If I simply click on it, it denies my access and tells me to enter the system with admin privileges. But I'm the only user of my computer and my user account has admin privileges, checked it.

If I try to "execute with admin rights" (or something like this) I get the typical dialog "are you sure of that?" and when clicking yes, it won't start. Any advice? Sorry if a question like this is answered on this thread's previous pages, I'm just kind of desesperated.

TekindusT,   I just installed Windows10 and nothing is the same.  SimCity Crashes about 2 or 3 min. into the game... i too need to fix this.

A friend (not a game player) IT man at work, told me to uninstall everything and reinstall again.  I did not do it, I went to the internet to find the right answer and ended up here.

[rsc204 21,866]

To be fair to the IT guy, it was a reasonable guess, but indeed not specific enough most likely.

Sounds to me like you need to disable multi-core when running the game, most of the information here is also applicable for Windows 10. More specifically check Important Setup Steps / CPU Count.

[timmie 988]

You could try to run it with a launcher, for example this one. That way you can set the affinity to 1 core in an easy way.

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

The ONLY alteration I have run across that gives me problems is STEAM taking over the Shift-Tab key combination. Once you get into heavy SC4 menu usage (mostly after installing the NAM), you miss the ability to go backwards in the menus.

It doesn't seem that anyone's mentioned this yet, but you can change this key combo to any other combo you want in Steam's options.

 

Bonjour,

Hello, posting game cracks here on Simtropolis is strictly forbidden (strictement interdit).  

 

[MintberryCrunch 83]

I play Sim City 4 on Windows 10 and have no problem. My computer also has a dual boot with Ubuntu Linux. But I've never tried to play it on that -_-

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

If you have it running on W 10, there is no reason to run under wine/Linux.  I, on the other hand, do not even have a copy of Windows (any version) any longer.  Big update to OS/X today (El Capitan).  Good luck to the MAC users.