How to make timed props?

[Edvarz 1,984]

Hello!

I want to make some timed car prop families for my lotting project out of the cars contained on the LBT Mega Prop Pack, I would like them to work like Maxis residential and commercial car prop families. Can somebody be so kind to point me to a tutorial? Or maybe tell me what kinds of properties do I have to edit? I have ilive's Reader, SC4 Tool and PIM-X.

Thanks in advance!

[CT14 2,486]

I've been digging around meaning to do this as well.

I found this tutorial about timed props (attached to first post, may require login...)

https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4789.0

There is of course the basic prop family tutorial which I can verify works well:

http://www.wiki.sc4devotion.com/index.php?title=Tutorial:Creating_Prop_Families

And an even shorter but also good one:

https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=128.0

I am thinking it should be possible to follow the timed prop directions, then the prop family directions. I am not sure if there is a single tutorial that covers everything, yet.

[Edvarz 1,984]

@CT14 Thanks! you do need to be registered at SC4D to download attachments, fortunately, I have an account over there, I also found a link to this thread, that has further explanation on RKT's. I shall experiment and see if I manage to accomplish what I want.

As for the prop families, if you have PIM-X they are much easier to create (you just have to click on a menu and enter your IID range and you're set), also, I think it has a "Convert to RTK4" option, so it should simplify that process as well. Also, if you have used the Reader, then I believe you have the .dll files that PIM-X needs to run.

I don't believe there is anything problematic with converting a prop to RKT4 and then adding it to a family, but then I am new to this kind of advanced modding. If there isn't a complete tutorial, then it would be nice to have assistance from more experienced modders, so let's see if one of them replies to this topic.

[rsc204 21,804]

The crux of timed props is simply converting the models to RTK4. But if you don't want to cause prop pox, you must make sure when editing the RTK setting, to use a unique set of IDs for the new props, NEVER override props with RTK changes.

Once you have an RTK-4 value set, then it's simply a case of telling the game when to turn a prop "on" and when to turn them "off" again. If you want a good simple example, take a look at Girafe's Bike Props, which I modded to disappear at night.

Here is the RTK-4 value for one of them: 0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x27812821,0x5AD0E817,0xE314676B,0x00030000

If these were RTK-1 models before, then the RTK value would only have 3 groups of digits, the Type, Group and Instance of the model. However, SC4 can switch between models or states, so the two values is red simply mean "State 1" and "State 2".

State one here is given the TGI 0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000 which is a null key, i.e. an invisible model.

State two, the second TGI, after 0x27812821, is the same as the original TGI of the previous RTK 1 value. It's useful if making many props, to copy/paste these RTK values into a spreadsheet or similar before you start, so you have a reference. Also, using Copy/Paste avoids many mistakes which might take a long time to unravel.

Then just add a new property, "Prop Time of Day". In the example, I've entered 6,20 which makes state 2 appear from 6h to 20h, i.e. the bikes only show between these times.

Prop families and Timed Props can be combined without anything special needing doing. Just add the prop family as you usually would. Again, in my example file I pointed to, these props are in a family, so they would be a good base to use for new props. In case you didn't know, just copy my exemplars and use the Readers random ID function (right click, Generate new group and instance). Save the new file at this point. Then edit the RTK properties and anything else you need for your props. Note that in practise, the only part of the RTK-4 you need to change is the Group ID, since the Type and Instance ID's of almost all models are the same.

[Edvarz 1,984]

@rsc204 Don't worry, I read about prop pox being caused by making timed props without giving them new TGI's when doing my "research". I have to admit, when I first thought about making timed cars I wanted to override the ones on the original pack so the lots that used them would be retroactively affected, I only ditched the idea when I decided it was worth remastering all those lots alltogether. So I'll generate entirely new props with different exemplar names and ID's anyway, I won't need to copy and paste Exemplars in the Reader.

I'll take a look at the RTK's from your bike props and check how they are modded, I'll also look at SHK's and Maxis' car clusters to get a general idea of the different times I want the cars to appear on.

I assume then, that the steps would be:

1) Create the exemplar on PIM-X and take note of the TGIs (copy and paste them in notepad)

2) Convert it to RTK-4 (on PIM-X?)

3) Open the Reader and set RTK-4 values 2, 3 and 4 to 0x00000000, and values 6, 7 and 8 to match the TGI of the RTK-1 model (which I have on notepad).

4) On Reader, add the new property "Prop Time Of Day" and set it to the time I want the prop to appear on (say, 7,20 for commercial clusters and 21,7 for residential ones)

5) Save the exemplar and close the Reader

6) Add the prop to a family on PIM-X (I have been given my own IID range, no worries)

For steps 3-5, I can refer to the tutorial on the link that CT14 posted.

Many thanks for the information! I'll try it with a test prop and see what the results are.

[rsc204 21,804]

Well you could do all that. But I wouldn't. I never leave the reader when I'm working, it's just quicker if you know what you are doing.

Copying prop exemplars (or any others for that matter) is a fundamental part of modding. So if a prop is how you want it, just copy the files and edit them accordingly. It will end up with much less work.

SHK Prop Timing groups are:

tz1 - 0600 - 1200
tz2 - 1200 - 1800
tz3 - 1800 - 0000
tz4 - 0000 - 0600
tzs - 0700 - 1900

[vortext 573]

Converting the props to RKT4 with PIMX is easier imho since you won't have to bother with step 1 or 3. Here's how I'd go about:

1) in the Reader copy/paste the original RKT1 prop exemplars into a new file, select them all, right-click and generate new instances. Save file.

2) open SC4PIM and convert them to RKT4, and add the prop family while at it. Save file.

3) open in the Reader again to add the Time of Day property to the exemplars, and use the analyzer to set the correct times. Save once more.

[TakemeThere 5,833]

I have a question which is similar but not exactly the same. Rather than creating an entire new thread I'm asking about it in this thread since it's another form of a timed prop. I'd like to create a prop which is visible after selecting it from the menu but disappears soon after the Lot has been plopped. A number of SFBT props do this and looking through those files in reader the only difference between them and ordinary props are the additions of the following;

"PropInterval" set to "0x10000000"
"PropDuration" set to "0x00000001"
and "PropStartingDate" set to "0x0D, 0x01"

When I copy and paste these into my file the prop becomes previewable but it does not disappear after being propped. Seems I'm missing some additional step(s).



 

[rsc204 21,804]

The process is much the same as highlighted in this thread. The props need to be modified to RTK4 because this tells the game what to display for the two (or more) states. Sounds like you've left the prop as RTK1, therefore there is no alternative model (in this case a blank one) to switch to.

[TakemeThere 5,833]

That would definitely be the missing step, thanks. I didn't know they needed to be modified to RTK4, heck never even knew about that option. You mentioned this can be done in the reader, is it a simple process or is there a tutorial on how to do it? Can it also be done with the PIM or only PIM-X? Currently I only have the PIM but I understand that PIN-X is much better in many respects and I would use it if I could find it. Problem is can't seem to find it on the exchange or the LEX. Might there be a download link out there somewhere?

[rsc204 21,804]

For how to setup the prop as RTK4 in Reader, simply see my first post in this thread above. It is possible to convert them using PIM-X too, which can be found here.

[Fantozzi 4,064]

Seems I'm too stupid to get 'Simulator Data Interval' set right. My props work well for the period of one year but then, in the next years cycle, they don't reappear again.

My setting is:

Simulator Data Start: 03,01

Simulatur Duration: 113 (hex, until first of december)

Simulator Data Interval: 38 (hex)

 

Or has the Interval to match exactly the Simulator Data start or ... maybe I simply don't understand what the interval is good for?

 

[EDIT]

In the tutorial by simoncrie given in the link by @CT14 it's said:

"

In the "Values as text" field at the bottom of this window, enter

the number of days between repetitions of the change (the special

time) e.g. 365

 

Must confess, I don't understand well. First of all - a year in sc4 has 365 or 366 days? February in SC4 has 30 days, so I end up with 366?

So if you want to set up something that happens twice a year, you can enter two different start dates? And you set the intervall to 6 months. But if you can only set one start day and one duration - you can only have one repetition once a year - so where's the need to set the time between repetitions? With setting a start date you already define the interval: once a year. You can't define an intervall twice a year with the start day first of may, as there is only one first of may in a year. Really - don't get the meaning of this property. With marking 3 points on a straight line to define a certain distance ... this seems 'overdefined' to me.

[rsc204 21,804]

There are different properties depending on when you want things to appear. Let's start the other way around... what exactly do you want your prop to do and when? Knowing that, it's easy to advise the best way of going about it.

Also for mathematical reasons, I believe SC4 only has 365 days. Since it doesn't do leap years and other complex stuff.

[Fantozzi 4,064]

Man, this was a hard one.

If adding the property  'Simulator Data Interval' by default Reader sets the Rep counter to 1. But the default should be '0'. At least Reader did this to me or I made a mistake I cant reproduce. Setting the rep counter on ' Simulator Data Interval' back to '0' did the trick for me.

 

For the value of 'Simulator Data Interval':

for an annual event it doesn't seem to be important if you say repeat it every 100 days or if you say 'repeat it every 300' days (as long as the total (duraton + intervall doesn't exceed 365 days). This value seems to become more interesting if you want to define an action only to happen every two or three years as you would set then an amount of ~720 or ~1080.

But in fact to me the event started always on march, 1 - no matter if I did put 50 or 100 or 365 days as 'Simulation Data Interval'.

The props simply didn't reapear because of the false rep counter in Reader.