Graphics Option Panel Ineffective

[GrandpaKim 7]

I have been reading through the Bugs & Tech forum looking for solutions.  I did find some, like "-f" in my target string to get rid of that clunky window, but the most puzzling problem persists.

When I first started playing SC4 just a few weeks ago I was able to set the graphics to whatever I wished or at least as much as allowed by the options panel.  I added NAM and all worked fine. I added  "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c START "high priority sc4" /high" and all worked fine for a short time.  About the same time I investigated cheats.  I'm pretty sure I didn't  actually use one, just looked to see what was possible. 

Then I noticed clouds where previously there were none.  I noticed my tooltips had changed, they were now black and white.  Distinct shadows had appeared.  I checked my graphic settings and nothing had changed:  clouds unchecked, color cursor checked, shadows low.  Didn't matter how many ways I manipulated these settings, turned off and on the game or computer, the actual graphics would not change.  It's like the graphic options panel is just decorative.

Then I saw a suggestion to change to software rendering.  My first impression was that it fixed the problem!  But no, the clouds and shadows were gone along with the annoying window but now I had waves (yes, that's unchecked too) and still black and white cursor.  To my surprise when I checked the graphic options only 2 boxes were checked:  software rendering and 16 bit color.  No, no, no, it should be 32 bit, I never touched that, and I can see no on screen difference from 32!  All other boxes were empty.  I mean all the high, medium and low boxes were unchecked.  I've opened and quit the game a number of times now and this is how the graphics panel appears when I start up.  I laboriously though uselessly recheck the boxes to my liking, including returning to hardware rendering without the slightest effect on the graphics.

This problem does not have any effect on gameplay but it is freaky.  I have no real idea where my graphics are set right now.

My specs:

Windows 7 Home Premium

4 - Intel(R) Core (TM) i5-3550 CPU @ 3.30GHz

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560

My current target string:

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c START "high priority sc4" /high "D:\Games\Sim City 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -f -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -

r1920x1080

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Hmmm.  Sounds like you may have been corrupted.  Try deleting the file "SimCity 4.cfg" in your user area.  This is the file that remembers your settings from one session to another.  Bring up the game, and set your clouds and shadows to where you want them.  I don't think you need to use the high priority setting and I notice that you are missing the -CPUCount:1 parameter which stops attempts to multitask.

Bearing in mind that I am using Linux and the slashes are the other way, here is my command line if it will help you.  Good luck.

"C:/Program Files (x86)/Maxis/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe"  -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -d:directx  -CPUCount:1 -f

Notice that this uses the option to force DirectX.  If you really want software rendering change it to -d:software.

On my system, BTW, I'd have to use the O/S nice command to force dispatcher preference, but I've never needed it.

[GrandpaKim 7]

Damn!  Unfortunately that didn't work.  I deleted the SimCity 4.cfg, started the game and reset my preferences but they didn't hold.  The next time I started up the same blank graphics panel confronted me.  Software rendering and 16 bit checked, all else blank.  Worse, now I have low detail on all my lots.  Looks rather barren.  Clouds, waves, cursor still as I don't want them.

For the time being I will reinstitute the deleted file.

Changing game or audio settings do work immediately.  When I change the graphic settings (or game or audio) the "date modified" time does change on the SimCity 4.cfg file so something is registering.

Edit:  Just started it up again.  Reinstituting the deleted file failed.  I did notice the "date modified" time changed as the game loaded.  I don't know if that is normal or not.  I'm beginning to think a reinstall is in order.

Solved!  Some damn sloppy work by me on Graphics Rules.sgr and Video Cards.sgr.   I should know better.  I've had to do the same sorts of things with MS Flight Simulator and you have to be precise!

  Edited November 4, 2015 by GrandpaKim  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

^ Well, computers don't argue.  They do exactly what you say.  Good that you have fixed your problems. 

When dealing with detail stuff with critical syntax, it must be very carefully done because any slight hiccup will cause trouble.