Hellken's Lots

[Hellken 1,658]

Here's a set of warehouse industrial lots.

These are 10x9 industrial lots based on bripizza and JES warehouses.

A large warehouse hangar. 

 

A warehouse in a desolate winter.  

These grow in the game. I have a problem. I did not do the exemplars right. I started with a base industrial landmark lot. So the growable lots end up having landmark attributes. (Initially, I ended up with some odd behavior in-game after deleting the landmark exemplars in the growable files. That did not work so I discarded that.) The files below are test files. Despite the filename, the GROW and PLOP (Landmark) files are identical (for now).  I need advice to fix the growable and landmark exemplars. If you want to view the exemplars the files are attached below. 

 

Dependencies:

EN_IKSK2812_PropSet_v1.dat ( Available at bripizza's website: https://www.bripizza.net/sc4/2812IKSG/2812IKSG.html#sk )

BSC Mega Props - JES Vol01.dat

BSC Mega Props - JES Vol03.dat

BSC Mega Props - JES Vol04.dat

BSC Mega Props JES Vol 05.dat

BSC Mega Props - JES Vol06.dat

BSC Mega Props - JES Vol07.dat

BSC Mega Props - JES Vol09.dat

PEG_CDKN_SubmarineBase_RESOURCE.dat 

 

 

bripizza_warehouse_relot_Hellken_test.rar

[Hellken 1,658]

I need someone to help me with modding the lot, query, and stats. The lots do grow (as you can see). But when you query them, the lots still retain the landmark query and properties. That's not what we want. 

Anyone interested? 

[Jasoncw 11,839]

I don't have the most experience with this kind of thing, but I believe that if you remade the lots properly using PIMX, to get the stats right and everything, you could then use the Reader to copy and paste the lot design from the old lot onto the new lot.

[Hellken 1,658]

On 7/29/2019 at 11:34 AM, Jasoncw said:

I don't have the most experience with this kind of thing, but I believe that if you remade the lots properly using PIMX, to get the stats right and everything, you could then use the Reader to copy and paste the lot design from the old lot onto the new lot.

Hi thanks for your reply. Do I really need to remake the lots from scratch on PIM-X? (I have always had trouble getting that to work on my system properly). Would making a new "dummy" lot with the same lot dimensions on PIM-X (to get the stats right) then copy & pasting the stats into Reader do the same trick?

 

*I did these on LotEditor.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

6 hours ago, Hellken said:

Would making a new "dummy" lot with the same lot dimensions on PIM-X (to get the stats right) then copy & pasting the stats into Reader do the same trick?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, this is the technique that I'd recommend. This is particularly handy if you need to keep the line for the building exemplar itself (e.g. when you made a new .sc4desc for it, but want to copy over the old lot design). Makes it easier to locate the line that belongs to the building.

The only downside is that the LE will store a preview image that shows the barren dummy lot even after you copied all the lines/properties over. If you want to update the preview pic, you need to open and save the lot in the LE again because the LE generates it when saving.

[Hellken 1,658]

On 7/30/2019 at 6:52 PM, T Wrecks said:

Yes, absolutely! In fact, this is the technique that I'd recommend. This is particularly handy if you need to keep the line for the building exemplar itself (e.g. when you made a new .sc4desc for it, but want to copy over the old lot design). Makes it easier to locate the line that belongs to the building.

The only downside is that the LE will store a preview image that shows the barren dummy lot even after you copied all the lines/properties over. If you want to update the preview pic, you need to open and save the lot in the LE again because the LE generates it when saving.

Thanks. So I followed your advice and created a 'dummy' lot. 

I notice the growable 'dummy' lot created in PIM-X does not have all the exemplars. For example, "Capacity satisfied" is not present in the .SC4LOT file...

 

...but it is present in the .SC4DESC file:

Should I just copy all the exemplars in the .SC4DESC into the .SC4LOT file? 

 

[Jasoncw 11,839]

Yeah, the .SC4Desc contains the more general stats, while the .SC4Lot contains information more specific to that particular lot, like the lot design and the stage number. It's done this way so that you could take one .SC4Desc and have multiple lots sharing the same .SC4Desc, without duplicating those stats.

It doesn't matter what is in which file, the game will load everything in both. The files are container files and the extensions are decorative (whether it's a .SC4Lot, .SC4Desc or a .DAT, they're all actually the same). So if you want to merge them together that's fine.

But anyway, regardless of where the exemplars are located, you just want to edit/replace them with the new stuff.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Yeah, I'd suggest keepin the properties where they are because this makes any subsequent edits easier. The structure is actually pretty logical:

• The lot file holds all the visual information - what building and which props and textures to display at which position, orientation, and elevation? What lot size and max/min slope? Where does the road need to be so that the game knows which side is supposed to be the front?
• The desc file holds all the techical information - how many jobs/occupants, what tilesets, how much power/water consumption, how much pollution, which query UI to display and query sound to play, and so forth.

This structure makes it easy to tweak and re-purpose buildings and lots. For example, let's say you want to turn a static landmark into a hospital, but would like to keep the lot: Simply make a new hospital .sc4desc, put it on a new dummy lot with the correct size, and then delete all visual properties of the dummy lot and copy the ones from the old landmark lot over - and bang, you're done.

[Hellken 1,658]

@Jasoncw @T Wrecks Thank you both for your advice. It's been really helpful.

I got this error message on SC4 PIM-X after copy-&-pasting in iLivesReader. What exactly is the error? 

******************* ERROR *********************
in examplar 0x6534284AL 0x39B20D4FL 0x1ACCFA07L
located in C:\Users\~\DOC~\SimCity 4\Plugins\bripizza_warehouse_relot_Hellken_test\IM$$2_10x9_bripizza_EN-2812_IKSK_verC-1_Hellken_GROW_c93a9180.SC4Lot
0x27812810:{"Occupant Size"}=Float32:3:{Width: 0.5, Height: 0, Depth: 0.5}
*************************************************
********************* ERROR *********************
in examplar 0x6534284AL 0x39B20D4FL 0x1ACCFA07L
located in C:\Users\~\DOC~\SimCity 4\Plugins\bripizza_warehouse_relot_Hellken_test\IM$$2_10x9_bripizza_EN-2812_IKSK_verC-1_Hellken_GROW_c93a9180.SC4Lot
0x27812851:{"Pollution at center"}=Sint32:4:{Air: 0x0000000A}
*************************************************
********************* ERROR *********************
in examplar 0x6534284AL 0x39B20D4FL 0x1ACCFA07L
located in C:\Users\~\DOC~\SimCity 4\Plugins\bripizza_warehouse_relot_Hellken_test\IM$$2_10x9_bripizza_EN-2812_IKSK_verC-1_Hellken_GROW_c93a9180.SC4Lot
0x68EE9764:{"Pollution radii"}=Float32:4:{Air: 0}
************************************************* 

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Unfortunately I'm not familiar with PIM-X at all. I simply create a suitable lot using the good old vanilla Lot Editor. "Suitable" basically means I delete everything, add only the desired building, and fill the tiles with any base texture, then save.

Then I note down the exemplar ID for the new building exemplar, e.g. 0x12345678.

In the next step, I open the lot in iLive's Reader and delete all the LotConfigProperty... lines with 16 reps (i.e. the building, the props, the base and overlay textures). Then I copy these properties from the old lot over.

The only problem at this point is: I have now copied over the exact lot design, but the line for the building still points to the old .sc4desc / building exemplar.

So I enter the line and replace the last hex value with the exemplar ID of the new building. This means that all positioning information (orientation, X/Y position) remains in place, but the game will use my new .sc4desc.

Then I re-index and save. So far this process has never failed me.

If you'd like to try it out but my description was too rushed and unclear, don't hesitate to say so, and I'll see if I can whip up some screenshots.

[Hellken 1,658]

On 8/6/2019 at 5:26 PM, T Wrecks said:

Unfortunately I'm not familiar with PIM-X at all. I simply create a suitable lot using the good old vanilla Lot Editor. "Suitable" basically means I delete everything, add only the desired building, and fill the tiles with any base texture, then save.

Then I note down the exemplar ID for the new building exemplar, e.g. 0x12345678.

In the next step, I open the lot in iLive's Reader and delete all the LotConfigProperty... lines with 16 reps (i.e. the building, the props, the base and overlay textures). Then I copy these properties from the old lot over.

The only problem at this point is: I have now copied over the exact lot design, but the line for the building still points to the old .sc4desc / building exemplar.

So I enter the line and replace the last hex value with the exemplar ID of the new building. This means that all positioning information (orientation, X/Y position) remains in place, but the game will use my new .sc4desc.

Then I re-index and save. So far this process has never failed me.

If you'd like to try it out but my description was too rushed and unclear, don't hesitate to say so, and I'll see if I can whip up some screenshots.

I use LotEditor most of the time. PIM-X does not always work 100% on my system. (It has  a strict memory limit. Although you can select which plugins to load, it is still a crippling issue especially if I am doing a big lot.) Getting the exemplars right from a Ploppable to Growable (or vice-versa) is the problem. If you have screenshots that would be useful! Thanks. 

 

                                                                                                                                

I created a new 'growable' dummy lot and copy-pasted the exemplars into the lot. I am sure I must have done something wrong because the lot was unreadable in PIM-X and Lot Editor.

So I had to re-do the exemplars again. I used a backup copy of the lot. Then I edited the exemplars in iLives Reader directly (by comparing them to similar lots). 

 

I am not sure about the purpose of some of these exemplars: "User Visible Name Key" and "Plugin Pack ID". Some growable lots do not have them but I am not certain if I should keep or delete these. 

Is "Item Description Key" for Plop Lots only? Perhaps I should delete that.

                                                                                                                                             

Anyway, here are the updated versions of the lots. Anyone can test these out. Tell me if it works. Report any bugs or errors. 

 

 

bripizza_warehouse_relot_Hellken_test_v02.rar

[Hellken 1,658]

BTW, I am having trouble editing the Ploppable Menu text. I am trying to insert custom text descriptions for the lot. Can anyone advise? 

[markussaage 762]

Hi,

according to your screenshot, you used another exemplar file to create your new lot, right? I can tell, because the IID from your lot file C93A9180 is different from the exemplar values "User Visible Name Key" and "IteM Description Key". You should delete both of them from your exemplar file and create new ones by using iLive's LEProp tool. That's what I use. You'll find it here:

Unfortunately this tool has a little bug. It works just fine, but when you add a "Name" to your SC4.Desc or SC4.Lot files, you need to SAVE and CLOSE it all the way right away, or your just entered name won't be saved. The same goes for the part, where you can put a "Desc." into the field. Right away press the "Apply" button, followed by the "SAVE" button, and then close the tool completely. Otherwise your inforation you just put in won't be saved, and you'll have to start over again. A little minor issue, which kinda bugs me, heh, but what the heck?! There are worse problems than that, right? BTW: those descriptions will create the so called LTEXT files in your lot file. That is, what you wanted, right?!

EDIT: Question: You've got BriPizzas original .SC4Model file, right? When you used PIM-X to create your new lots, why didn't you use the actual warehouse model to do that? Drag and drop the .SC4Model in the appropriate industrial category you want to create. With this, the new created lot will get all the right values right away and you don't have to adjust them later in the reader, because a Dummy with the size 0.5x0x0.5 won't create any jobs anyway... from there you can start and you can adjust all values to your liking using LEProp, or iLive's Reader. I use them both . Confused? I bet! No worries, we'll help you out!

EDIT: I've downloaded your test file. There is a problem with the very first GROW file in the .SC4Lot file. When you open it in the Reader, you'll see. The PNG file is damaged, it shows no picture at all, and you have an UNKNOWN in this file, which shows nothing but weird symbols. Something went terribly wrong with that GROWABLE lot file, probably while saving. I would start over with that one and do it again. Just in case. But don't worry, you don't have to do ALL work again. Create a new .SC4Desc and .SC4Lot file in PIM-X, and then copy all values from the OLD .SC4Lot file into the NEW .SC4Lot file. Don't forget to "Reindex" the files after every change. That's essential.

More confused?! I bet!

Kind regards!

 

[markussaage 762]

Hey there,

I took the freedom and recreated your first growable lot (the broken one) with BriPizzas .SC4Model in PIM-X AND LotEditor. Just quick copy and paste, just the way you did it to show you, how a fresh created growable lot looks like. Feel free to to use it and play around. When you open the file in the Reader, you'll see two LTEXT files which are usually used to create different language descriptions inside a lot file. Those are done with the LEProp tool I mentioned before. Any questions? Please let me know!

Kind regards!

Warehouse_A1_Test.zip

[Hellken 1,658]

On 8/18/2019 at 7:34 PM, markussaage said:

Hey there,

I took the freedom and recreated your first growable lot (the broken one) with BriPizzas .SC4Model in PIM-X AND LotEditor. Just quick copy and paste, just the way you did it to show you, how a fresh created growable lot looks like. Feel free to to use it and play around. When you open the file in the Reader, you'll see two LTEXT files which are usually used to create different language descriptions inside a lot file. Those are done with the LEProp tool I mentioned before. Any questions? Please let me know!

Kind regards!

Warehouse_A1_Test.zip

Hi Thanks!. I actually saw your post back in August 2019. I forgot to thank you. I don't have enough time for SC4 due to real life commitments so this was much appreciated!

[markussaage 762]

18 hours ago, Hellken said:

Hi Thanks!. I actually saw your post back in August 2019. I forgot to thank you. I don't have enough time for SC4 due to real life commitments so this was much appreciated!

You're very welcome! My pleasure!

Kind regards!