New Tagging Convention for Mac Compatible BATs

[c4bl3fl4m3 405]

So while all BATs can be used on the Mac, there's 2 main issues that pop up: the nightlighting issue & the transit capacity issue on transit BATs. Up till now, the tag "mac compatible" was used for either of these issues, which means you might get a transit station that has the capacity issue resolved, but doesn't have nightlighting. Although this may be a small issue, my taxonomy compulsion demands clarity.  (Also, I feel "mac compatible" may confuse the newbies, who might get the idea that the rest of the BATs can't be used on the Mac.)

I propose we have some new tags to go with "Mac compatible":

FMC -> Fully Mac Compatible. Nightlighting and transit capacity both work (if transit mod) (Idea for FMC from @Hamish, fellow Mac user who always makes sure their BATs are fully compatible. )

NMC-> Nightlighting Mac Compatible. Nightlighting works, uncertain or no about transit (if transit mod)

TMC-> Transit Mac Compatible. Transit capacity issue resolved, uncertain or no nightlighting.

 

Thoughts? Should I just go ahead and do it? Am I the only one who cares?

 

[xxdita 1,097]

As far as tagging goes, I think it would be prudent for a MAC user to take the lead on such a project, as Windows users just don't have the ability to test such things. Some models, especially older ones, don't have nightlighting enabled at all. But since not everything is open 24/7 anyway, that's never bothered me. I even kinda feel bad that we can't mod ChikFilA to close on Sundays. 

[xxdita 1,097]

Also, since Aspyr is working on the 64bit version of SC4 for MAC, now would probably be a good time to get in contact with them to request that the Nightlighting patch be included in that release. 

Ideally, any new retail version of SC4 would have all official updates included, since the original Maxis Exchange site has been unavailable for quite some time. 

[c4bl3fl4m3 405]

5 hours ago, xxdita said:

probably be a good time to get in contact with [Aspyr] to request

From people working with them previously, what's the best way to get in contact with them? (Do we already have some kind of relationship set up with them? Do they know us? Like us? Hate us? Do we have some kind of liaison?)

[c4bl3fl4m3 405]

5 hours ago, xxdita said:

prudent for a MAC user to take the lead

Oh, I was just thinking that as us Mac people use files, we can put a note on the ones that work and how they work. I wasn't thinking a formal project to go through the database. I was more or less asking permission to just start doing this.

Part of the issue is... while I have a Mac, I don't have Parallels (etc.) so I can't see what a file looks like on Windows. And not everyone has a screenshot of a file in night mode. But the transit bug issue is easy enough to spot; no one makes a station with a 5 Sim capacity!

[rsc204 21,808]

On 2/8/2020 at 6:11 PM, c4bl3fl4m3 said:

From people working with them previously, what's the best way to get in contact with them? (Do we already have some kind of relationship set up with them? Do they know us? Like us? Hate us? Do we have some kind of liaison?)

Google the company and try to find someone who liases with customers to speak to. It may be they can point you in the direction of who to talk to.

Honestly, if you manage to find someone to speak with, I seriously doubt anything will be done about these issues. It's not like they don't know about them, they just never patched them. I think some people confuse keeping products working so you can continue to sell them, such as the Catalina/64-bit update, with the game being supported. It's not been supported or updated, except to keep it working, since the original release, I just don't see why suddenly after 17 years this would change.