SimCity 4 STEAM Version Crashes

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

I need help, and I'm not liking it.

So for my sc4, I inserted the startup options line (quick intro, windowed mode, etc), and after the quick intro, the game just crashes after 5 seconds

-> I have messed around with my plugins and its not the cause

-> I even REINSTALLED the game but it still happens

-> Not my regions, not the cause

Help me please and thank you!

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

Edit, Gosh dang it

I haven't played it in about a day and a half. it didn't crash, but when I started a new city on an existing region and did a few things, it exited/crashed

Ugh, now that stuff I did on the new city is gone...

[twalsh102 1,601]

OK, we could use a bit more specific information to be able to target possible fixes, rather than just throwing things out there in the hopes of getting it right.

We have no way of reading your mind, so have no idea what etc means as far as startup options.  Just to verify, you now can get to region view, and can start a new city without the game crashing.  Is this the case?  "I started a new city on an existing region and did a few things, it exited/crashed"  Something as simple as plopping a lot with a malformed exemplar can cause the game to crash to desktop (CTD).  So again, not being able to read your mind, "did a few things" doesn't give us a whole lot of information to work with.  Do you remember what you did, or what occurred in the game, just prior to its CTD?

How exactly did you ascertain Plugins, and regions are not the cause?  Did you try starting with an empty Plugins folder?  Did you try a Regions folder with nothing but the default regions?  Did you try a different region?

The only true way to determine whether the problem is the game (or possibly startup options), or is something tied to custom content, is to try and start the game with an empty plugins folder, and with nothing other than the default regions that the game creates.  And then try and get past the point where the game has previously crashed on you, with no external content.  If you are able to do this, then it's most likely the problem isn't the game.

OK, just read your other posts about trying to get CAM installed.  So it appears that you have previously had the game running successfully without crashing.  Is this the case?  If so, then anything you've changed/added (new lots, new mods, changes from default startup options, etc.) between the time it was working correctly, and when it started crashing, is suspect.

 

[rsc204 21,804]

Totally agree with @twalsh102, some more information would probably help out a lot.

However, if I had to make a stab in the dark, the issue is going to be one of three possibilities:

1. You need to add into your start-up options the following:
   -CPUCount:1
   This prevents the game from using more than one core of your CPU. SC4 is totally unstable otherwise on a modern computer.
2. You are using the NAM, and hovering a puzzle piece/starter over a TE Lot, which will instantly CTD every time. Install this fix to resolve the issue. In fact, install it even if you don't think that's the problem, everyone should have this:
3. GPU/Rendering Issue. Not really likely, since you've managed to get into the game in the first place. But if the other two suggestions don't resolve the issue, follow the instructions here:

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

Oh shoot, I didn't receive notifications from this post, ok @rsc204 , @twalsh102 .. I have tried the game with no custom content, didn't work. 

The startup options line i have inserted is: -intro:off -CPUcount:1 -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 -wx32 -CPUPriority:high

rsc204, Its somewhat possible its #2 on your post

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

I installed #2, tabbed sc4, it works, but, it still crashes 5 seconds after the quick intro...

[rsc204 21,804]

When you say it crashes just after the into, are you saying you can't get into the game?

In which case, that's not #2, that'll be #3, almost certainly a rendering problem caused by a incompatibility between your GPU (Graphics Card) and SC4. This is an old game and modern cards don't always work too well with it.

Again in the launch options, try adding the following:

-d:software

This takes your GPU out of the equation, by offloading the GPU tasks onto the CPU instead. If this works, check out the tutorial I linked to before. Ideally, you want to get proper DirectX Hardware rendering working instead. But if that's not possible, Software rendering is there as a fall-back.

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

Just ADD that line? Dont take anything out? @rsc204

[rsc204 21,804]

Yup... these commands can get quite long, but think of them as the equivalent of tick boxes, only in this case you have to manually define them verbosely. It doesn't matter how many you have, providing you don't use the same command twice with different switches. For example, trying to set two different resolutions.

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

@rsc204 Omg it worked! adding the -d:software did the trick! Was able to successfully make a city.

[rsc204 21,804]

Yeah it's a common enough problem, glad you are on your way.

But as I said before, be wary here, Software Rendering is not ideal, it's meant as a last-resort option to ensure the game works. It's worth checking out the post I linked too under point 3 above, because with a few minutes effort, you may be able to fix the incompatibility.

Do you happen to know what VideoCard your PC has? Also which version of Windows are you using? Between those two factors and the actual driver installed for your videocard will determine if you can make Hardware Rendering work. This will provide a smoother experience, with better visuals and even make the game run more optimally overall. Since SC4 is very CPU intensive, giving the CPU extra work (software rendering does this), is undesirable. Sometimes however, it can't be avoided.

[Fantozzi 4,064]

Sorry, off topic - but may I ask what does the command -CPUPriority:high  do?

[rsc204 21,804]

Tells Windows to prioritise the thread used by SC4 over other threads in relation to CPU RunTime.

Actually, this isn't really necessary. If you've a multi-core CPU (most people have), any other applications would send their request to a separate core anyhow. So long as you are using a modern OS that is optimised for multi-core support, it makes little difference. Actually, it can have the opposite effect to the intended one... so another application needs CPU runtime but it's placed in the queue after SC4, in theory that could cause a system-level crash under certain circumstances. By and large it's best to let Windows handle which applications to prioritise at any given time. Either way, it would have extremely marginal, if any, performance benefits, so it's not worth bothering with IMO.

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

But step 3 looks REALLY outdated

Back in 2009? Idk...

[rsc204 21,804]

Why would the information change? The problem came about because the game was coded/released in 2003. Eventually newer hardware simply stopped being correctly detected in some cases. For example, if you've an ATI card, this is almost certainly necessary.

Obviously trying to restore Hardware rendering is optional, only you can decide if that's worth your time/effort. Not to mention, some systems will simply never work with SC4/DirectX. For example, Intel integrated graphics on modern Core i systems have very poor DirectX support for older DX7 games (like SC4). If you are using Windows 7/8, I can almost categorically tell you that you'll have to live without it. However, it does seem Windows 10 systems with the same hardware fare much better.

But, if you've an NVidia or ATI card, it's very rare I hear of a setup where hardware rendering can not be made to work. If manually telling SC4 about your GPU doesn't help, then perhaps a different driver revision will work. Often older drivers are better here, because the problem is a lack of compatibility with legacy features. Something that is often removed to better support newer games. Of course, if you are also playing the latest titles, you probably won't want to mess with them to improve the performance of SC4. It's all a balancing act, depending on your hardware, drivers, OS and system usage.

Also, muddying the waters, there is a third way, OpenGL. If DirectX doesn't work (default), OpenGL rendering would be better than Software. But support for that is flaky, but people do have success with it. The switches are as follows:

• -d:DirectX
• -d:OpenGL
• -d:Software

However, if no switch is present, the game will default to DirectX mode.

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

I have windows 10, with intel

[rsc204 21,804]

When you say that, with Intel, do you mean your computer has an Intel Processor or an Intel Graphics Card? Actually, most likely the graphics chip is part of your processor.

What really matters is do you have an additional "dedicated" graphics card also in the machine? Check device manager (just type Device Manager into the Search Box), see what is listed under "Display Adapters". Perhaps you could post what's listed here?

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

Idk, But honestly I really want to move on from this, thanks for all the help :DDDDDDDD

As long as it runs, its all funs. 

[rsc204 21,804]

No worries... as I said previously, not everyone cares about graphical fidelity.

Just one thing you do need to be aware of. So called HD mods will not work with software rendering. This doesn't affect HD buildings/props though. But any mod with a texture over 256x256 in size will cause a CTD when trying to open a city. Most commonly that means Terrain, Rock, Water and Beach mods with hi-res textures.

[CorrivalRhyme 0]

I guess good thing I don't have any of those, I was looking at terrain mods, but yeah okay.

[rsc204 21,804]

It doesn't mean you can't use these mods, just that you can't use HD ones. So for terrain mods, that excludes you from using:

• Gobias' Berner Oberland
• Gobias' Sudden Valley
• Lowkee's Appalachian
• Orange/TSC Pyrenean.

However to my knowledge, all the other terrain mods out there would be fine. The same applies to the other mods I mentioned, so long as the textures remain within the 256x256 limit (i.e., not HD ones), you will be fine. If in doubt, you can always try them out. If the game simply CTD's on startup, you know it's not going to work. This won't cause any harm either.

[CorinaMarie 29,556]

On 10/11/2016 at 8:15 PM, rsc204 said:

It doesn't mean you can't use these mods, just that you can't use HD ones. So for terrain mods, that excludes you from using:

• Gobias' Berner Oberland
• Gobias' Sudden Valley
• Lowkee's Appalachian
• Orange/TSC Pyrenean.

In my current project I've run across another for your HD list:

• Runamuck's HD Terrain MOD v1