[2009] Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager - Forum Archive

[ford-prefect 5]

Could somebody please help me with this? Surely ONE person on the entire site knows how to do this. Thanks again!

[tungston 19]

It's hard to know the problem without more information. 

In the LE, is the lot big enough for the building?

What properties did you assign in the PIM?

Which landmark are you customizing?

[ford-prefect 5]

The lot is defenitely big enough - What I basically did is I took SimGoober's building in the "models" section of the PIM, dragged it to the landmark section, and pretty much left the file be except altering stuff like name, plop cost, pollution, etc., but nothing I would think pertaining to its status as a landmark or anything. In the lot editor, I took the sphinx landmark, as I've seen suggested, and successfully converted a few landmark buildings I found when I replace the sphinx, but it doesn't seem like all of the buildings I made landmarks in the PIM show up in that menu. Is there something that could prevent it from showing up in that menu even after I make it a landmark in the PIM, or is it maybe something with the building I can't fix, or am I just missing something obvious? Thanks again.

[sithlrd98 66]

Maybe this will help? https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=6495.0

Jayson

[tungston 19]

Originally posted by: ford-prefect

The lot is defenitely big enough - What I basically did is I took SimGoober's building in the "models" section of the PIM, dragged it to the landmark section, and pretty much left the file be except altering stuff like name, plop cost, pollution, etc., but nothing I would think pertaining to its status as a landmark or anything. In the lot editor, I took the sphinx landmark, as I've seen suggested, and successfully converted a few landmark buildings I found when I replace the sphinx, but it doesn't seem like all of the buildings I made landmarks in the PIM show up in that menu. Is there something that could prevent it from showing up in that menu even after I make it a landmark in the PIM, or is it maybe something with the building I can't fix, or am I just missing something obvious? Thanks again.quote>

Try making the wider, and if necassary longer.  You can always reduce the size once you get the building on the lot.

[Madame Mayor 4]

Lot Editor question

Hello, all! I have a question about the Lot Editor, I don't want to dive in over my head.

Is it possible to change the writing on billboards, like the Welcome To sign to the name of my city instead of Las Vegas?

The Custom Lot Type Name Here, and the Parks menu Open Grass Area which is really a parking lot or a gas station sign that you can't read until you plop it to Shell sign? If you have to use Save As, do you have to delete the original so it doesn't show up twice in the menu?

There are crowd lot plops with beach, plaza, and grass, but is it possible to remove the base texture and plant crowds on already existing beaches, plaza, and grass?

Thanks for any help!

[tungston 19]

Moved to the Lot Editor, Plugin Manager forum.

[Jumpthefence 74]

Unfortunately, you need the Building Architect Tool or 3DS Max, plus modding software to change things like that.

-Changing the name of the city on a sign is easy if you have the BAT/3DS model file. All you have to do is replace one component.

-You would have to create a Shell sign in BAT/3DS, which is also not incredibly difficult. "Save As" creates a new model and the original will be fine.

-No. But, a good alternative is to take the crowd prop and place it off center in the BAT, then change the occupant size¹ in the ilive reader, build the lot, delete the base textures with modding software and it will work when placed next to the beach, plaza or grass. It sounds like a headache, and that's because it is. But if you know what to do, you can do it.

¹Occupant size is another way of saying how much space an item takes up in the lot editor. For example, if an item is the size of 4 squares but you need it to fit on a single square, simply change the occupant size.

I hope I helped. Although I probably just confused you.

[_marsh_ 1,118]

Help with Lot-Editor

I need help,

After I get a the lot I want, I save it, but when I reopen the file, the old file comes up again,

does it just creat a duplicate file somwere?

If so is there i way to just delete the old lot and replace it with the new one?

marsh

[tungston 19]

The new lot won't show up in the Lot Editor until you exit the Lot Editor, and restart it. If you used the "save-as" then you will have both lots in the plugins. If you used just the "save", then the old lot will have an old extension. I think either way the new lot will be in the Plugins mother folder.

[_marsh_ 1,118]

Thanx! it worked, but it only works for one lot at a time, is there any way THAT can be fixed?

[yodadrummer 6]

its the weirdest thing...im on my lot editor trying to change some lots and i am having the same problem as you....i get online to see if a forum has ever been created to help with this problem and it was...marsh and i both had the same problem at the same time...it just blew my mind....simtropolis had this forum in current discussions on main page....

[tungston 19]

Originally posted by: _marsh_

Thanx! it worked, but it only works for one lot at a time, is there any way THAT can be fixed?quote>

I am not sure what you mean, you can edit more than one lot at a session, but they won't show the changes until you exit the editor.

I am going to move this topic to the Lot Editor and Plugin Manager forum.

[ford-prefect 5]

I've had this exact same problem as well - how do you check the wealth property? And what would I do to fix it?

[tungston 19]

You should be able to edit the property with iLives Reader, and maybe with SC4Tools.

[Glenni 1,447]

Could i have some help with making some certain lots?

Right, title may be a bit misleading but what i actually need is someone to decribe how the grounds of  a Japanese Hakuto Shrine is supposed to look like.

i originally made this for the member Moshi on Simtropolis, but seeing as i haven't seen him in a while, i have no idea how to do the lots for these, i have tried searching but i always get bad pictures that rarely show how the whole ground or indeed lot of the temple should look like.

What i have so far is 4 different variations of a Hakuto Shrine, two stone lamps and two wish walls.

If anyone here who is Japanese and know these things, or anyone with any sort of knowledge of Japanese Hakuto Shrines could tell me how i am supposed to set up the lot(s) that would be great, as i want to make this accurate.

And it would be a great deal of help if anyone could draw a simple plan for me  (even a mspaint one could do i guess).

[mr.v 40]

how to create lot with farm(i-ag) demand mod?

i've created 1 lot (flat grass lot) and i want this effect i-ag demand

how to create lot with i-ag demand?

i can create lot with r$$$ or cs$$$ but i-ag demand is not in any editor.

need help.

thank you

ps. attached file is r$$$ demand +1000000 for fix very very low r$$$ demand with unknow cause.

[JayStimson 212]

This is easy to fix although it took me almost a year before I stumbled on the solution.

Assuming you know how to use Ilive reader simply change the "building foundation" property value in the building exemplar and in the lot exemplar to 0x194B1000.

This is the ID for the maxis default "null" foundation.

[JayStimson 212]

Not sure what you consider the "standard dock" but Pegasus has a couple of decent docks as props that are included in his stex releases. Not sure which downloads specifically (he has so many waterfront creations) so you'll just have to hunt like I did.

Otherwise, you can make your own. I've made a couple of them for my own use.

You can create whatever you need using the BAT tool (gmax) which is not too difficult to learn. However, for your "dock" to work over the water without the "maxis waterbug" showing up, you'll need to make skin-tight custom LODs (which is fairly easy to do). Check the BAT tutorials. Good luck.

[Evillions 552]

Buildings grow easier

Just wondering, how do you make growable grow like weeds?

[earwax_man 18]

Use a demand mod with a no maxis mod

The Plopmatic 9000 is a good demand mod

[Sam 163]

Originally posted by: earwax_man

Use a demand mod with a no maxis mod

The Plopmatic 9000 is a good demand modquote>

There's no need for that. Besides I think Evillions is wanting to know for his SimMars lots, and not everyone who uses SimMars is going to want to use a demand mod. I certainly wouldn't.

Also, this is a creator forum, not a how to play the game forum. Different responses and strategies are needed for the different points of view..

Also there are problems that prevent lots growing that no demand mod will cure, so as far as a creator is concerned you should never rely on someone having to use a mod to get your lots to work, they should work straight out of the box, and it's the creator's job to ensure this is so.

Evillions:

How readily something grows depends on a lot of things, including how the particular player plays the game. For example, I have some lots that are very difficult to grow for me, yet someone with the same mods as me has them grow like weeds. Likewise, another lot grows like a weed for me yet another person rarely or never sees it.

One recomendation: never combine high growability with high flammability. The results are spectacular but unfortunate. I speak from experience there.

All that being said, how readily something grows depends on:

  - The cities needs - a city that does not need R$ will not grow R$ lots no matter how weed-like you make them.

  - The dimensions of land parcel available - if the player has only zoned 2x2 spaces and the lot is 2x3, then it is not going to grow

  - The job/residents a city needs - the simulator picks a lot that best suits the cities requirements.

  - The competition in the plugins folder - if your lot is R$2x2 and the user has a lot of R$2x2 lots with the same (or similar) number of residents/jobs) then your lot has a smaller chance of growing. On the other hand, if you make your lot an unusual size and there are not many other similar lots then your lot has a higher chance of growing (provided the player zones the correct size). For example 1x5 lots are unusual, so if you make your lot 1x5 and the user zones 1x5 and there are no other 1x5 lots in the plugins, then your lot is the only one that can grow. (If your city doesn't need it though, then it still won't grow)

  - And lastly the ratio of jobs/residents to surface area of the lot.

However, the most important thing to remember is this:

You must keep the jobs/residents within the Maxis tolerance for that growth stage. Each growth stage has a normal (tolerable) range of jobs/resident numbers. If your lot is outside the tolerances for its stage it will not grow. Ever. The best way to stuff up your lot and stop it growing is to mess with this ratio. This is the trap that people fall into over and over again.

When you make your building descriptor (sc4desc) file using the Plugin Manager, The PIM looks at the volume of your model (based on it's LODS, so messing with the LODS or the occupant size really screws this up), and it calculates the number of residents or jobs that would be appropriate for a building of that volume. Most of the time the PIM is correct, and you shouldn't have to worry about it. It also calculates other properties based on the building volume. Some of these like garbage and power usage you will need to correct because the PIM often gets these wrong, but be sensible about it.

When you put your building (with its number of jobs/residents) on a lot using the Lot Editor, the LE looks at the number of jobs/residents, the model volume and the surface area of the lot (in tiles, eg 2x2 tiles = 4 tiles). It then assigns a stage depending on that ratio (1-8 where 1-3 is low density, 4-6 medium and 6-7 high). It also sets the lot flags correctly so that the lot grows on the appropriate zones. Again it is best to leave it alone as it gets it right most of the time.

Once this has all happened and you have your basic lot (before you get carried away with the decorating), you should test it for growth in a variety of cities of different kinds, particularly those that need the kind of lot you have made. See how well it grows and if it needs some tweaking. Again, test it in a variety of cities, remember it will grow differently in each one. Also when checking your city, remember if your lot is R$2x2 stage 2, then you should have a city that needs lots of R$2x2 stage 2 lots (you might have high residential demand but if your city is beyond the stage for 2x2 stage 2, then you won't see it grow much even if your lot has perfect settings, so test in a suitable city).

If your lot needs tweaking, tweak the jobs/residents by a tiny amount. If your lot has 15 residents and it doesn't grow well despite perfect city conditions, then tweak the jobs/residents up or down by 1 or 2. If you tweak it by too much, you will put it out of the tolerable ratio and your lot will not grow. If your lot is bigger, say 1500 residents (naturally, by PIM, not modded), then you can try tweaking it by a bit more, say 10 or 20.

Re-test and see if your lot grows better.

The other alternative (and normally the better one) is to tweak the lot dimensions. Firstly its easie and quicker, and secondly it is harder to make a serious mistake.

But remember, different players will naturally see the same lot grow at different rates anyway. Your main goal is to ensure your lot does grow if conditions are correct.

[speed285 1]

Planes on the runway approach

Hello, my English is not good, sorry.

To begin: greetings to all.

my question is: how do I put planes on the runway approach, as if waiting to take off?

Thanks, I await your responses.

[Sky Guy 163]

You need to download props like tabi's on the LEX, then use the lot editor to make them look like they are taking off- its the only way.

Edit: by the way welcome to simtropolis!

[speed285 1]

Thanks for the welcome, I have written before by the limitations of language. It has long subscribed to the WEB.

Greetings.

[speed285 1]

I downloaded the plugin and do not appear Tabi, I put jets anywhere in the airport, without being associated with a gate.

I need help.

[Gogman 1]

Bat model wount fit in my lot

Another strange question.  I downouded kmz model from Google scetchup and converted it in to 3ds model and made it as a BAT. But when in Lot editor I try to replace old building whith my new model it doues not move in to lot teritory- it moves arround it but wont go in. Its depictded clearly in to picture attached. What I must do so the model moves in to lot borders?

[Andreas Roth 629]

You need to center your model in gmax first. As you can see in the LE preview, the grey box is at the lower border of the lot, while the actual model is somewhere far beyond the upper border, creating an "offset model". This is useful in some cases, but obivously not here.

[Gogman 1]

And how do I exactly center that model?

[simcity4fan12 13]

In BAT, simply move the model where the origin(the area where the 4 black lines meet) is in the center of it.