[2011] Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager - Forum Archive

[James Kevin 21]

BAT tool help!

Help! I need to configure the lot editor and google sketch up! How do you rotate props in the lot editor?? How do you work google sketch up??

HELP!

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Help! I need to configure the lot editor and google sketch up! How do you rotate props in the lot editor?? How do you work google sketch up??

HELP!

Forget sketch up. Converting from that to the BAT is a really difficult thing, and doesn't save you from texturing your model in the BAT.

The lot editor doesn't need to be configured. You need to be aware that if you have a lot of plugins, you can get overflow trying to load it, and you should move all the irrelevant plugins out of the way while you are using the LE. Be sure you get the BAT version of it.

Pick up gmax, and run their tutorial to get comfortable with it. When you download it, get the help files and the tutorial, and install the whole works. Follow the prompts to get the install key from turbo squid. Then make the mace in the tutorial. It is good training.

Download and install the BAT, and remember it is a gmax gamepack. The grid gets changed from 10 x 10 meters to 16 x 16. Use the BAT tutorial in the Omnibus, but do not post the resulting bulding on the STEX. Pay particular attention to textures for night lights.

This is a three to four week project, and you can't rush it. It is very important that you understand everything you do. If you are back to school this week, you will probably only be able to work on this periodically. If you complete this by Christmas you'll have done well. Take your time and do it right the first time. You won't want to try and find the time to do it over.

The home and end keys rotate.

Look forward to seeing your first BAT. Try to avoid Bauhaus architecture. Have a look at some Bucky Fuller and Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. Surprise us.

[WalkerBD1 8]

Lot stats.

I'm planning a lot and need to change some of the stats. Such as power, water, jobs and so forth. My questions is what are the best tools to use and are there any tutorials that show how to do this? I've look myself, but the searching for specific things doesn't always work. So hopefully the community will be willing to help out a humble lotter?

[Jack³ 291]

You can use the plugin manager which is pretty simple. There is also SC4Tool, and my favorite, Ilive's LEProp. LEProp is really simple and easy. Just search those on google and you will probably find them.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Plugin Manager suggests horrible default stats; I wouldn't stick to those.

The best way is always the hard way: Export your building, plop it between similar Maxis buildings, and then use the query tool in SC4 as well as SC4Tool's Building Database to check out the stats of the most similar buildings. This should give you some valuable pointers. It's the way I do all my stuff.

I have also made a little Excel spreadsheet that contains all the values to which I tweaked the BATs I use, and often the original values for comparison. I just tried to find it on the STEX, but apparently it has either disappeared or I'm too stupid to use the search function.

[Kifflom112 355]

Lot Editing?

I want to know how to lot edit peoples BAT's lots as well as Maxis lots but where do I get it, and How do I use it? Tutorials would be good, but make sure I get some personal help from somebody who has used it too?

[jacksunny 741]

All you need is the Lot Editor, and you can't edit the model.

[The Avatar 1,089]

Well, I have absolutely no experience in BATting/Lotting, so I cannot give you first-hand training. However, I can provide some links to tutorials:

Here is a Basic Lotting Tutorial by Evillions

Here's another by jack3oh3

[Yarahi 1,823]

Here is a couple of more tutorials on the subject

[Jack³ 291]

LEProp is just so simple and visual. It lets you edit power, monthly cost, monthly income, wealth, water usage, and so much more.

[Ion_Cannon 677]

A very quick question.

I understand how overlays and base textures work, but I can't seem to rotate them. How do I do this? I presume it's just a simple keyboard command.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

Funny enough, if I started the LE right now, I'd probably press the correct keys, but when asked like this (not on my PC right now), I'm not entirely sure. It's either PgUp/PgDn or Home/End, I think.

Btw, you will find a Lot Editor manual in your SimCity folder. It contains all keyboard commands.

[Ion_Cannon 677]

I thought I had already pressed all those keys, though looking at my keyboard I may have been pressing the other set of page up page down keys, thanks for the help

[mdhsc4 5]

PgUp/PgDown work for me in the loteditor. Home/End rotate stuff in-game.

[motchatos 0]

i can't remember

[jayo 44]

Growable Lots

Hi, I've just come back to Simtropolis after a 4 year hiatus. A few of you may be aware that back then, I re-lotted some of Gascooker's houses in to ploppable park LOTs.

When I came back to Simtrop, I noticed a few requests to make the LOTs in question growable. How I should go about do that? Is it possible to edit a LOT that has already been made into a ploppable park into a growable residential LOT? I'm aware of how to import BATs into the LOT editor through plugin manager and doing it that way, but If I've already made the LOT and they are NOT my models, so how would I changes the properties of the LOT to make it growable?

Thanks in advance.

[James Kevin 21]

Lot Editor Help!

Help! I need to configure the lot editor and gmax! How do you rotate props in the lot editor?? How do you work google sketch up??

HELP! (By the way, the end and home keys DO NOT ROTATE! Help!)

[z1 566]

Page Up and Page Down. See the Lot Editor Manual (which comes with the program) for more commands.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Page Up and Page Down. See the Lot Editor Manual (which comes with the program) for more commands.

Forget sketch up. Learn to use gmax via the tutorials. There is no royal road.

[jacksunny 741]

The Omnibus gives a lot of info about the Lot Editor and BAT. Google Sketchup is a widely used program, typing in Sketchup Tutorial or similar on Google or YouTube should come up with plenty of results.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The Omnibus gives a lot of info about the Lot Editor and BAT. Google Sketchup is a widely used program, typing in Sketchup Tutorial or similar on Google or YouTube should come up with plenty of results.

Converting a sketchup model doesn't save much in creating a BAT model. The BAT is a gmax gamepack and you have to convert your sketchup model to some compatible form, which means you still have to place your textures on the model before you can export it to the editor for use. You might also not have the correct mesh format when you've done the conversion.

It doesn't matter a tinker's patootie if sketchup is nice to use or more modern. You are dealing with a set of legacy programs. Google didn't exist when this program was released.

[applegeek13 0]

Lot Editor doesn't open.

So, I finally downloaded the Lot Editor from SC4D, as the EA website wasn't working with my computer. I also downloaded the B.A.T. from there. I installed gmax, installed the BAT, and installed the Lot Editor, but everytime I go to open the Lot Editor, it opens a blank black window, then goes nonresponsive, then crashes. I've tried reinstalling it, but it's not working. Any thoughts?

[hittwice99 619]

Although I have not experienced this problem myself, I recommend you check the following:

First of all, find (or create) your Lot Editor shortcut, go to properties and check the 'Compatibility' settings. You may need to adjust these settings depending on what operating system you are using.

Try emptying your plugins folders (if you use custom content), and close any open programs. It is also worth double checking to see if 'LotEditor.exe' is correctly installed in your C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\ directory.

If it still won't open, try running the Lot Editor in software mode and changing the screen resolution it is run in. To to this, go to your LE shortcut and add the following commands in the 'target' box.

[code]-d:soft -w -rWIDTHxHEIGHT[/code]

Replace the words 'WIDTH' and 'HEIGHT' with your monitor's standard resolution. For example:

[code]"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\LotEditor.exe" -d:soft -w -r1600x900[/code]

If this still doesn't work, could you please provide some screenshots (e.g. of errors) or any additional information, as this would greatly help to narrow down and hopefully identify the problem.

Hope this helps,

hittwice99

[eddiev 0]

Trouble with street lights

Hello everyone,

I have been a member for a few years now (new account) and I was wondering if someone could assist me by answering the following question:

How do I get illuminated light cone props to appear in the game at night? I have the BAT update that allows custom BAT's to light-up at night, but for some reason light cones and street lamp mods do not seem to work. I have always had this problem, but it never really bothered me until now.

Thanks,

Eddie

[elar 0]

i have same problem.my lights don't work.

[BaseCA 0]

Help? How to extract model file from simcity1.dat

I am sure this topic has been raised before, but i haven't been able to find it. I am a newbe at creating lots and would like to know how to extract the model file from a lot which i created in LE. The original 4x6 residential lot was from simcity1.dat, which I modified in LE to 6x6, changed the building and added additional props. This was saved into My Docs\Plugins as a SC4LOT file. The final intention is to create a ploppable 'landmark' or 'reward' lot with jobs.

...any suggestions?

[hittwice99 619]

Have you made sure the lot containing the light cones is powered? Usually, power is required for these types of props to function. Also they may be timed, meaning they only appear / function at certain times. Try selecting the 'automatic day and night cycle' and observe if they automatically turn on at night.

If they still don't work, it might be worth trying an alternative light cones set - here are a few examples:

LRM Prop Pack 2

BSC BAT Props - T1 Vol 3

BSC BAT Props and Textures JENX Gare du Nord

[mrbisonm 1,622]

You don't need to extract the modelfile. Simply get the Buildings as Prop Vol 1 and 2 and you get all the Maxis models in LE. Or use the SC4PIM to create a LM .desc file with jobs.

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/topic/18609-get-your-maxis-files-here/

mrb

[BaseCA 0]

You don't need to extract the modelfile. Simply get the Buildings as Prop Vol 1 and 2 and you get all the Maxis models in LE. Or use the SC4PIM to create a LM .desc file with jobs.

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/topic/18609-get-your-maxis-files-here/

mrb

Thanks for reply. I have both bldgprop_vol 1 and 2 in my plugins. I can access the 'lots' and the 'buildings' in LE but when I save the file it always saves as a SC4LOT file. I am attempting the steps in this tutorial;

and require a model file to begin making a ploppable lot. Which SC4 program would you recommend to be able to save the model file independant of the lot file?

[mrbisonm 1,622]

Which SC4 program would you recommend to be able to save the model file independant of the lot file?

The SC4 PIM which is available on www.SC4Devotion.com can make a new descfile (not extract the model file though), but then you are able to make it anything you want .You have to register on the site and to the download section to gain access to the LEX downloads.

Open this program and choose the simcity1 dat file. You will have to wait until it loads all the maxis files, might take awhile, all depending on the speed of your computer.

Then find the model that you want and draw it over the LM with jobs, give it a name and save. It will create a .desc file.

Open it in the LE. Now you can make a lot that is a ploppable LM with jobs (functional LM). Then open the ilive Reader and alter the amounts of jobs you like, if it is necessary.

Sounds complicated but it ain't, even for myself.

Good luck

mrb

  Edited October 27, 2011 by mrbisonm