[2008] Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager - Forum Archive

[kaos78414 24]

Custom farm fields

I was making a farm field to use with a farm I'm making, and I realized that there was only a save not a save as when you are working on farm fields. Does this mean there is no way to use a custom farm field with a farm without overwriting the default maxis ones? Could someone guide me as far as making custom farm fields and assigning them to certain farms?

[Sim shady 12]

Try checking some of the threads in the Lot Editor and Plug-in Manager thread. Honestly I would be suprised if you couldnt create new fields without saving over older versions.

[kaos78414 24]

Yeah I've been searching for awhile but I can't really find any answers. I know I'm going to have to use the reader to change some numbers around I just have no idea how to do this... I was hoping I could find a step by step tutorial for it. Basically as it stands now I have a couple props I'm going to use for the farm fields, and a model to use for the farm lot, but I haven't gone on from there because I don't want to miss anything. I figured I'd create the farm field first but I noticed it would save over the maxis fields, and now I can't find a solution. Where would I make the lot without saving over the maxis ones? Do I start with just a regular I-R lot? *confusion*

[kaos78414 24]

Does anyone know? I mean I've been searching for two days now and cannot find anything on this.

[kaos78414 24]

ugh... i cannot figure this out for the life of me and sorry to bump this topic yet again but you know what? theres gotta be someone out there who could explain to me how exactly i get a growable farm field working without replacing the default maxis ones. i mean the BSC team did it with their farm fields... i need to know how!! =[

i mean could someone tell me what exactly i change in the .desc or whatever in the reader for the field to be a field, and then what i change in the farm for the farm to use that field, (because you can only use maxis fields with the lot editor)... this is eating away at me ... im steadily becoming crazy. lol. heeeelp

[Jasoncw 11,940]

Bumping is just rude and will make people not want to help you.

I've moved this to the lot editor & plugin manager forum, since this isn't about BATs.

If no one else answers, you can send a PM to barbyw at www.sc4devotion.com.  She should be able to help you.  Good luck with your problem.

[BarbyW 40]

I am surprised that there isn't anyone who can help here. I am dealing with this and willpost at SC4Devotion.

[Husinho 0]

How to make a lot appear in the Airport Menu?

I am bating some airport terminals and stuff and tried to make a lot an airport lot, but unfortunetly in the game it does not show up in the airport menu. How can I modify this, so is will actually turn into an airport lot an will show up in this menu?
thanks a lot for your help guys

[Andreas Roth 616]

You have to change the occupant group property to "Building: Airport". Be careful with this, though, since some lots have more than one occupant group entries, so make sure the current ones are not needed or have to be kept for the proper functionality. If you post a list of the current occupant groups of your lot, we can tell you which ones you need to change.

[wisegolem 0]

non maxis buildings as props

Hello,

I'm searching for the way to convert a non maxis building as prop, in order to put several "buildings" in the same lot.

Don't know if it's possible... It seems to me that I read something about this but I can't find where...

[Sam 163]

If you have the model file and it still has the xml file inside it, you can just use the Plugin Manager. Put the model file in your root plugins folder (the My Documents one, not the Programs one). Then start PIM. It should default to the list of models in your root plugins folder. Near the bottom of the tree on the left you should see a prop option (expand the branches of the tree if you don't see i). Drag your model file over the prop option and drop it. You'll then see a pop up with some properties you can change. Make any changes and save it. Then you should have your prop descriptor file in your root plugins folder as well.

Remember it will be a dependency of any lot you put it on, and the model file will be a dependency of the descriptor file.

Sometimes the xml will be missing from the model file and this method won't work, but try this way first. It will even work on model files packed into one big prop pack, as long as that prop pack is in your root plugins folder and the xml files are still in the prop pack.

Hope this helps.

[wisegolem 0]

It helps !

Thanks for that.

I guess it means I can't share my LOTs including this new props because nobody has such a props on its computer...

[RippleJet 36]

Originally posted by: wisegolem It helps !

I guess it means I can't share my LOTs including this new props because nobody has such a props on its computer...quote>

 

Yes, you can!

With your lot you must include the prop descriptor file (SC4Desc) that you created in PIM.

That's only a small file describing it as a prop, with some properties, e.g. the name you gave it.

The descriptor file doesn't include any models. It is only pointing to the model file's address.

The model file itself is the one you are not allowed to include in your upload.

Instead, that must be pointed to as a dependency (don't forget to do this).

Those who do not have the model dependency would instead get a brown box...

[wisegolem 0]

Ok, seems to be clear and complete now... Perhaps somme results soon on the STEX...

Should I have the BATer agreement to use his Bat as props in public release ? Of course I nevertheless credit him for the job...

[Sam 163]

Its polite do so, but not strictly necessary, provided you give them full credit in your description and do not include their model file in your download (but link to it as a dependency).

[wisegolem 0]

Ok. Thanks.

[PrivetDan014 0]

A problem with buildings.

I'm just a newbie for this Lot Editor tool thing. I didn't took much of a tutorial, just learned it by myself!

Although I do have this problem with my self-made buildings, it makes the game crash! All of them! My Lot Editor works just fine, except in one 16 x 21 landmark I made, it loses some base textures and some overlay textures, this annoys me because i have to do it all over again!

So please, help me! I need the buildings!

[Evil Weasel 88]

Doesn't help one bit. There's nothing in the tutorial about changing the lot type (landmark/residential/etc)

[Sam 163]

Gee thanks, I think my response pretty well covered the first two questions the OP asked.

As for the rest of it there's no such thing as a landmark residential or residential plop. Not one that works as residential anyway. Commercial and industrials can sort of work as plops, but residentials do not function as the sims can't get out of the lot to go to work so the lot abandons.

If you want to convert between other types then simgoober has written a tutorial in the omnibus. But its modding, not lot editor work. There's no simple solution like press a button and convert between lot types (yet). You can find simgoober's tutorial here: Making A Functional Landmark Lot (https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=140&threadid=76236&enterthread=y)

[f_prior89 0]

No sub categories in Plugin Manager

Hi!

I'm pretty new to this, but I'm trying to convert one .sc4model file and one .sc4desc file into a lot.

As I have understood, from this guide https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2585.0, I have to send the files to a sub category called Prop under the Descriptors category..

The problem is I have no sub categories at all, and I have tried to upgrade the game already..

If anyone here knows what's wrong I'll be very grateful!

[farmer-alex 2]

I dont know the answer to your Question, sorry.

But this is not the right place to post your Question...

[f_prior89 0]

Originally posted by: farmer-alex I dont know the answer to your Question, sorry.

But this is not the right place to post your Question...quote>

Okey, I have now looked at the problem closer and I believe it has something to do with the properties.xml file.. Where can I find it and where is it supposed to be?

About the topic being in the wrong place, I know, but I have no idea how I create the topic in the right category. Is there any way I can move the topic?

[krbe 193]

How to create a topic in the right category: Determine the right category; in this case the subforum "Plug-in Manager". Click "Create Topic". If you were unable to read "Plug-in Manager" in the subforums list, wouldn't "SimCity 4 General Discussion" be more appropriate? It's even more prominent.

[annabellelin 2]

Flickering

Sometime ago a kind soul helped me with this same problem but I've forgotten what they said.

After 3 weeks or so of not using LE, when it finishes loading the screen starts flickering.  I haven't changed the computer in any way except to load the game Syberia, (which I removed).  It was working fine before that time.  I had the same problem when I first received this new Dell laptop, and I believe someone told me to click something but as I said, I've forgotten exactly what.  I've tried changing all the compatibility options to no avail.

Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.

[annabellelin 2]

If anyone else should have this problem I found the answer, I had saved it in a huge file of LE material.  Downloading the night light upgrade from the ea website will solve the problem.  For some reason I had deleted it with some other files.  When I put it back, LE worked fine.  Hope this will help someone else.

[mrbisonm 1,622]

Half Water and Half Land

Half Water and Half Land, is that possible on one tile without having to create an overlapping prop?

I would like a texture lot that I can plop on the *inbetween* space of water and land, just about where the waves are.

Thanks for the info.

mrb

[Sam 163]

No, its unfortunately not possible. A single tile lot cannot be transitional between land and water. It must be either one or the other. However if you have a two tile lot, and make one tile with a land or water constraint, then the second unconstrained tile can be transitional.

For these kind of lots I've always used mutli-tile lots and some tetris-like laying out. It keeps the brain cells active. With multi-tile lots it's possible to have a texture on one tile which is intended to appear on the transitional tile, and no texture on the constrained tile (usually a water constrained tile, so your terrain mod can be shown to full effect), but you need the Reader to remove the texture from the constrained tile. I tend to use these kind of lots quite extensively in my cities.

[SC4BOY 21]

you may have "floating lots" that can have a basis on water OR land OR both.. and you can build with it accordingly.. but if you want BOTH you'd have to make the same lot with 2 setups.. two lots if you will .. and use the one you want at the location you want it.. .. or perhaps I don't understand what you want?

[mrbisonm 1,622]

Thanks both of you, but I'm not sure if I understood this twotile stuff. Anyway, here is a picture of what I would like. I tried a twotile lot that has both water and ground on it and it doesn't plop on the yellow tiles somehow. No way to plop it anywhere.....lol.

I suppose the only way to have something over the yellow area is an either water or ground lot with overhanging props, right?

[tungston 19]

There must be a space tile between a land tile, and a water tile. That is for the coastal tile, it is neither land, or water.

Edit:  The "Pedestrian Malls" will plop on those tiles, but won't show up on a diagonal tile.