Adding mods to the Origin version of SimCity 4 Deluxe

[Excentrik 4]

Hello, I am new to the modding community, and am having issues downloading and adding mods to SimCity 4. I have the digital Origin version of the game, and when I download and extract the Zip file for the Mods I want, there is no plugin folder under the Origins-SimCity folder in my documents. Therefore, I am not sure what I am doing wrong, or how to get the mods to show up in the game.

I have spent hours looking at previous posts regarding this issue, and watching youtube videos, but none of them show how to deal with my particular issue.

For example, I am trying to download user created regions with bigger maps.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

Hiya, @Excentrik

There'll be a couple of questions later about what version your digital Origin copy is, but let's start with some basics:

1. What Operating System and version are you running?
2. Do you have a SimCity 4 folder in your Documents?

[Excentrik 4]

I have Windows 10, and no I don't have a SimCity 4 folder in my documents, in fact I cant even find SimCity 4 and its folders at all on my computer, I have to go to Orgin-Application Settings in order to find the SimCity 4 folder. is this a problem?

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

Hi Excentrik, welcome to Simtropolis!

I've heard the Origin version has its own folder structure for the actual installation. However, I believe (though I'm not 100% sure) that there should be a standard folder inside your user Documents location at: \Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins

If there's isn't at this exact path, it might be worth creating it manually there with a structure of:

\SimCity 4

• \Albums
• \Plugins
• \Regions

Maybe try this first, and then there will be something important to check due to considerations with running the Origin version of SC4. Basically unless you've acquired the game from redeeming your original CD code via their reclaims process, the Origin edition of SC4 unfortunately comes unpatched and unpatchable.

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

Let's not panic yet.

My confessions first:

• I'm not familiar with Win 10. (But, I know XP and 7 very well and how to use the file explorer.)
• I don't know where your Origin version gets installed. (But afaik all versions wind up with a SimCity 4 folder in documents.)

And lucky for you, @Cyclone Boom is here to help too. We can pretty much carry on this convo in real time. If you think of something new to reply even after having just posted, feel free to post again. (No worries for now about having back to back posts.)

My next question is: Can you launch the game and get to the region screen?

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

I'm now in real time chat with CB so we'll combine our ideas and questions into one reply (from one or the other of us) to make it easier for you to keep track.

[Excentrik 4]

hey guys, um if I launch SimCity 4 its goes to the home screen, and then from there I can click play and then slect whether I want to start or create a new game. 

I will try and create the folders as cyclone has suggested and see if that works.

thanks and I really appreciate the help

[Excentrik 4]

In my Documents, there is a SimCity 4 folder, howver the folders under it are games, movies, and pictures. I have no idea why it is like this

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

My suggestion is to create a new region, name it MyTest, then start a city and name it First City. Save it then quit. Then look in that SimCity 4 folder and see if you now have a Regions and Plugins folder there.

[Excentrik 4]

also, is un-zipping, the same as extracting? im using WinRAR to unzip/extract mod files downloaded to my computer

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

Yes. Unzipping is the term used to extract files from a .zip file.

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

5 minutes ago, Excentrik said:

also, is un-zipping, the same as extracting? im using WinRAR to unzip/extract mod files downloaded to my computer

Yes, that's correct.

When an item is zipped (in a regular .zip file or a .rar file, etc), the extracting is the process of copying out the contents into their raw form. Since these archives compress the contents to save space, it means they'll be of a larger size. However that depends on the file type as to the compression ratio. By default Windows will open regular zip files, although at least here my experience of using Windows is it'll require a 3rd party application like WinRAR or 7-Zip to open those other archives.

[Excentrik 4]

but yeah there is no "Plugins" folder at all under the SimCity 4 Folder; which, I have to go to origin and then application settings in order to access the SimCity 4 Folder.

It looks like there isn't at all any kind of SimCity 4 folder in "My Documents" on my computer.

[Excentrik 4]

When I go to Origin to find the open directory, these are the folders, under SimCity

_installer

SimCity

simcitydata

simcityrecovery

simcityuserdata

[Excentrik 4]

However, under the folder 'simcityuserdata", there is a folder called "patches" is that the one?

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

14 minutes ago, Excentrik said:

However, under the folder 'simcityuserdata", there is a folder called "patches" is that the one?

To my knowledge, those aren't folders which are created in the installation of SC4, not even on the Origin version. From a search around it seems they're actually data directories for SC13 which is a separate game in its own right.

This is possibly asking the obvious, but have you successfully been able to start SC4 yet? If not, it might be how it first needs doing from where the user folders in Documents will then be created. Maybe try creating a new region and attempt a search for that as named. Then if you're able to locate the region (based on the named folder), this will reveal whereabouts the game is using as your local profile for both Regions and Plugins.

[Excentrik 4]

yeah, SC4 starts just fine, and ok ill do that search

[Excentrik 4]

yeah I did what CorinaMarie suggested and created a new city and region and searched for it in my documents and was unable to find it at all

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

How about searching your whole hard drive in case the Origin version places it someplace odd?

[rsc204 21,836]

Question 1) Are you sure it's SC4 you are using, not the reboot of SimCity from 2013, named just SimCity? Of course you may have both, but everything you are talking about says SimCIty to me.

SC4 does always create a special folder in Documents called SimCity 4, within which are subfolders, Plugins and Regions. If you don't have these, only 2 possibilities exist:

1. All of a sudden out of nowhere, and after 15 years, EA have changed things (seems unlikely).
2. Your computer is preventing these folders from being created. Or, settings from the installer have created them elsewhere.

So the very first thing we need to establish is what is going on, to do that, we need to find a Log File, which will tell us. In Windows file explorer, search all hard disks (not Optical Media or others) for the filename "*-config-log.txt". The * part will be the name of your computer, so varies, but using an asterisk Windows will find any matches for the rest. Once found, attach that file to a reply, we can then see it's contents and help you further.

:edit:

Also, you will find a further file "SimCity 4.ini" in the same location, that would also be useful.

[Excentrik 4]

Ok, so, Under Local disk(C:), under "Program Files", I finally found the SimCity folder

Also, im not sure anymore which SimCity I have lol. I just know the version I have has the cities of tomorrow expansion pack

[Excentrik 4]

wow, I just realized I have a completely different version

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

3 minutes ago, Excentrik said:

wow, I just realized I have a completely different version

So, it is the one called Sim City? Which everyone else calls SimCity 2013 (for the year it was released).

[Excentrik 4]

yes it is, SimCity(3013)

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

Ok. So there's really nothing in this thread to help anyone with SimCity 4. Would you like me to hide it? I can also reset your post count lower so none of the ones in here show in your total. Or I can just leave your count where it is.

Tis all up to you. The topic will scroll away eventually. Or I can make it go away now. Let me know.

[Excentrik 4]

umm I really have no particular opinion as to whether or not you reset it, so do what you feel is best lol.

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

It can stay. I have no objection.

[rsc204 21,836]

@Excentrik, do note that we also have SC (2013) forums here, the answer to your problem should hopefully be in this thread:

Should you still need assistance, feel free to reply there and we'll get back to you. It's just a case of having the right help in the right place, glad we worked out the crux of the issue for the time being.

[Excentrik 4]

ok cool lol. and thanks guys I appreciate your effort

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

1 hour ago, Excentrik said:

yes it is, SimCity(3013)

Right, so I'm afraid being a completely different game, SC13 isn't compatible with SC4 custom content. Don't worry about mixing them up though, and we can keep this topic here if you're fine with that. Since Origin messes around with installation paths, it does make it all more confusing than it ought to be.

As a word of caution about the Origin version of SC4, as I briefly alluded to in my earlier reply, the regular retailed edition (if not redeemed from a CD key) comes unpatched. Then worst still since the executable is layered with their DRM, it's completely unpatchable to do this manually. There's more info in this blog post, which also goes into detail about even the fully patched version being reverted to the borked version in some cases. So while Origin might be viable for SC13 or other games which were specifically designed for the platform, in the case of SC4 as a legacy game which EA no longer fully supports, it's probably worth keeping clear of buying it directly from them.

At this point if you're interested in purchasing SC4 from a digital retailer, I would highly recommend GOG.

This has the advantage of having a standard structure to the installation, and without using their Galaxy platform, there's a direct link to download (so the game can run standalone without anything like the Origin client). Even though they recommend Galaxy, it's better to not use it for SC4 to have more direct control over the installation.

Let us know if you're interested in pursuing that route and we can provide more details on how to go about it. There are seasonal sales when SC4 Deluxe can be priced as low as $4.99 at GOG. It's really considered the most future-proof version of the game since it comes fully patched and is compatible up to Windows 10.