NAM 42 Now Available

[Tarkus 6,933]

The NAM Team is pleased to announce the release of the 42nd edition of the Network Addon Mod, NAM 42.



Download Link

STEX (Cross-Platform)


RELEASE NOTES

In memory of Paul Pedriana, Lead Programmer for SimCity 4, who passed away in July 2021 from a sudden heart attack while cycling. Thank you, Paul, for everything--we wouldn't be here without you.

Before you run off in excitement to install the new NAM version, please make sure to read this (short) document first, to ensure the best Network Addon Mod experience.

Note that without the 4GB Patch being properly applied to the game by Windows (and Linux/WINE) users (or the use of the "Low RAM/No RHW" Controller option for users on lower-spec systems/32-bit operating systems), the game will crash to desktop. The installation for the NAM on Windows has changed, as there is now a batch file (NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.bat) that users should run to begin installation, which will automate the 4GB Patch process. macOS users should continue to use the .jar file, and since the macOS version is a 64-bit application, the 4GB Patch is not required on macOS.


REQUIREMENTS
 

• Java Runtime Environment (available from AdoptOpenJDK--a 64-bit Windows copy of JRE 11 is enclosed in the download)
• [For Windows Users running the 4GB Full NAM Controller and RealHighway (RHW) System]: NTCore 4GB Patch (included in download (4gb_patch.exe) with new automated installation (NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.bat), or available from NTCore)
• A copy of SimCity 4 Deluxe/Rush Hour. Windows/Linux copies must be updated to at least Version 1.1.638. (GOG and Steam digital copies are already at Version 1.1.641 and ready to use with the NAM.) Only the Steam version of the Aspyr macOS port is supported on macOS 11 (Big Sur) and later, as the App Store version no longer supports mods, due to Big Sur's sandboxing changes.

INSTALLATION AND GENERAL NOTES
Before beginning the installation process, if you have used a previous version of the NAM, make sure you remove it before proceeding further.
To install the mod, if you are on Windows, open NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.bat to begin the installation process. This will begin with the process to install the 4GB Patch on the game, and then move onto the actual NAM installation process.

On macOS, open NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.jar to begin installation.
On Linux, open NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.sh to begin installation.

Note that the NAM is packaged in an installer, and simply dumping the contents of the download into the Plugins folder will not install the mod. Doing so will only slow the game down, and none of the NAM's menu additions will appear.

Note that the NTCore 4GB Patch is REQUIRED if you are running the Full NAM Controller ("4GB Full" options in the installer), which is required to use the RealHighway (RHW) system. If the installation procedure is begun via NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.bat, as is the new recommended procedure, the 4GB Patch should be automatically applied to the game. Otherwise, the patch can be found inside the download, or downloaded directly from NTCore here, where further instructions on use of the patch can be found. Also due to this installer change, the NAM Controller Compiler is no longer run as part of the installation process.

Users will have an option to install one of two pre-built NAM Controller options, the Full "4GB" option, which has a substantial size and requires the 4GB Patch and a 64-bit operating system, or a "Low RAM/No RHW" version that does not require the 4GB Patch, and does not include the code for the RealHighway (RHW) system, the most expansive feature in the mod. The "Low RAM/No RHW" version should be used by those with 32-bit operating systems (i.e. Windows XP), less than 4GB RAM, and/or by those not using the RHW. Users wishing for further customization of NAM Controller size can still run the Controller Compiler manually, as it is available in the download.

Users wishing to simply use the NAM's Traffic Simulator improvements should skip the main NAM Installation and instead load up the Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool (TSCT), which is in the folder of the same name. The tool itself is "TSCT.jar", though may be easier to open using the batch file ("TSCT.bat"). Note that the TSCT also requires the Java Runtime Environment.

COMPATIBILITY

The Network Addon Mod, in its current form with the full slate of installation options, is designed to run on systems with a 64-bit operating system and more than 4GB RAM. Most modern PCs should be able to comfortably run the mod. It is possible to run the NAM on 32-bit operating systems, and/or systems with 4GB or less RAM, by selecting a smaller feature set (minus the RHW) and the "Low RAM/No RHW" NAM Controller option, or manually compiling a smaller NAM Controller using the Controller Compiler.

At least 1.2GB of hard drive space is required, in order to fully unpack the installer, but actual installation size may run from as little as 1.7MB to as much as 850MB, depending on the options chosen and if one selects to manually run the Controller Compiler after installation.

The Network Addon Mod is compatible with the following versions of the game:
 

• A) Retail Windows disc copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe OR SimCity 4 with the Rush Hour Expansion Pack, updated to at least Version 1.1.638.
• B) Retail Windows digital copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe OR SimCity 4 with the Rush Hour Expansion Pack (Version 1.1.641), from all digital retailers except Origin (i.e. GOG.com, Steam, Amazon).
• C) Digital Windows copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe obtained redeeming an existing CD key (not purchasing) through Origin Customer Support.
• D) Retail Mac digital copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe, purchased through Steam, or, if on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or earlier, the App Store. (NOTE: Platform-specific technical support for the NAM on macOS is extremely limited).
• E) Retail Mac disc copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe, running on macOS/OS X Version 10.6 (Snow Leopard) or earlier. (NOTE: Platform-specific technical support for the NAM on macOS is extremely limited.)

The Network Addon Mod is NOT compatible with the following versions of the game:


 

• F) Retail disc copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe OR SimCity 4 with the Rush Hour Expansion Pack that have not been patched (Version 1.1.610 or 1.1.613).
• G) Retail Windows digital copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe purchased from Origin
• H) Copies utilized as part of EA Play (formerly Origin Access)/Xbox Game Pass.
• I) The App Store version of the Mac port, if running on macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later.
• J) Retail disc copies of non-Deluxe SimCity 4 (sometimes marketed later as "SimCity 4 Classic"), without the Rush Hour Expansion Pack (Version 1.0.272 or earlier)
• K) Pirated or cracked copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe OR SimCity 4 with the Rush Hour Expansion Pack.

What should I do if the NAM installer rejects my copy of the game?


The new NAM installer (introduced with the NAM 37 Release Candidate) no longer runs a version check. However, it is strongly recommended that users check the version they are running, as unpatched copies can be unstable. Version 1.1.610 and Version 1.1.613 are NOT supported. In Case F, the solution is simply to install the EP1 Update 1 patch, which can be downloaded from from Simtropolis here or SimCity 4 Devotion here. To determine the correct SKU version for your copy of SimCity 4, find the installation directory, and look in the subfolder named sku_data. Alternatively, one can simply try all the SKU versions of the patch, until one works.

For Case G and H, see the section about Origin here.
For Case I, changes Apple made to the "sandboxing" system with macOS 11 (Big Sur) have effectively made it impossible to play the App Store version with any kind of mods or plugins. We recommend you seek a refund and instead purchase the Steam version of the macOS port. Users still running the App Store version on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or earlier should still be able to install the mod, though with more difficulty than the Steam version, due to the reliance on sandboxing.

For Cases J and K, it is recommended that you purchase a digital copy of SimCity 4 Deluxe (NOT from Origin).

New Features for NAM 42
 

• The long-awaited 3-Level Crossings for the RealHighway (RHW) system have been added.
• The Network Widening Mod (NWM) networks now have vastly improved stability, including in tight situations. Note that some intersections have been rotated as part of this process, and may appear to be in the wrong position upon loading. Simply clicking these situations with the appropriate network tool with re-orient them.
• RHW FLEX Width Transitions (FLEX-WTs) are now available, supporting over 200 possible network configurations with only 5 FLEX Pieces, with vastly improved slope tolerance. To use the FLEX-WTs, simply connect the desired networks into each end of the transition.
• The RHW FLEX Height Transitions (FLEX-HT) have been expanded to include a new 1-Level 90° Curved version, which presently supports L0-L1 RHW-2, L0-L1 MIS, and L0-L1 RHW-4.
• RHW FLEX Neighbor Connectors (FLEX-NCs) are now available, supporting every RHW network, including the L1-L4 elevated networks.
• An RHW Basketweave FLEX Piece has been added, allowing for ramp crossings in tight quarters, presently for L0 and L1 RHW-4.
• An RHW FLEX S-Curve has been added, allowing support for L0-L2 RHW-2 and L0-L4 RHW-4.
• Draggable Smooth Diagonal S-Curves have been added to the Road, One-Way Road, OWR-1, RHW-2, and MIS networks, along with the ability to make a Street version via the existing Diagonal Street FLEX/Helper Pieces.
• The Road Roundabouts have been overhauled, with revamped textures, a new center island prop, and support for new intersection combinations with Road, Street, One-Way Road, RHW-2, and MIS.
• The NAM's Bridge system has undergone a revamp, with a new file architecture, a new OWR-3 Thru Truss bridge, various cosmetic fixes for bridges at various lengths, and pathing corrections to the RHW-6S Compact Box Girder.
• Several new large, multi-line stations for the Hybrid Railway (HRW) and RealRailway (RRW) networks have been added.
• The Diagonal Streets textures have been revamped.
• Stop-controlled "rural" intersections have been added: Road x Road +, Road x Road T, Avenue x Road +, Avenue x Road T (Avenue-Thru/Road-End), FTL Type 110 x Road +, and FTL Type 110 x Road T (FTL-Thru/Road-End). To add stop control, transition a Road to Street one tile before an intersection, and then cross/intersect it with Street. Limited support was provided for these in previous recent releases, and any such existing intersections will need to be rebuilt.
• A long-standing issue with the RHW-8S Type E1 ramps, when overridden from the bottom of the ramp, has been corrected.
• The Canal Addon Mod (CAN-AM) now has improved automata generation, as well as improvements to station functionality.
• The RRW Slope and Tunnel Parameters section now has three options: Maxis Default (which now changes the tunnel models to match the RRW), Moderate (the new default), and Strict (the only option previously).
• Various stability issues with the ERRW Viaduct crossings with RHW networks have been addressed.
• A shell script has been added to the installation package, to improve the user experience on Linux (thanks to Durfsurn.
• Various LHD path fixes for the RRW and Avenue Roundabouts have been incorporated.
• The draggable form of the RHW-8S Type D2 Wide ramp has been stabilized.
• An option to remove "legacy" RHW menu buttons from the Highways menu has been added, along with general Highways menu improvements. The "Compact" RHW-6C-to-4 Transition Puzzle Piece has been disabled from the Legacy Width Transitions menu, due to conflict with other items.
• The Single-Tile Roundabouts have undergone revision, and may need to be rebuilt in existing cities.

DOCUMENTATION

For more information about NAM installation and this release, please see the "Read First" document, enclosed in the download (0-read-first.html) and available online.

The remainder of the documentation can also be consulted online at: sc4devotion.com/namdoc


Please note that NAM 41 and earlier have been discontinued, and are no longer eligible for any form of technical support.

Thank you all for your continued support--hope you enjoy!

[Naomi57 2,985]

Lots of exciting features there.  I'm especially looking forward to the Basketweave and the 3-Level Crossings.

Just wondering, I've got a couple NAM 36 cities built with the old L2 Viaduct Rail puzzle pieces.  Do they need to be rebuilt with ERRW when I upgrade them to NAM 42?

Also, are the old Viaduct Rail puzzle pieces still accessible, in the event of making changes to those old Viaduct Rail systems?

[TheMurderousCricket 5,085]

36 minutes ago, Naomi57 said:

I've got a couple NAM 36 cities built with the old L2 Viaduct Rail puzzle pieces.  Do they need to be rebuilt with ERRW when I upgrade them to NAM 42?

I had a simmilar problem with NAM 39. After going for a full install instead of the "lite" version, all my avenue level crossings disappeared. 

So I'm certainly interested in the answer as well.

[Flann 1,709]

2 hours ago, Naomi57 said:

Lots of exciting features there.  I'm especially looking forward to the Basketweave and the 3-Level Crossings.

Just wondering, I've got a couple NAM 36 cities built with the old L2 Viaduct Rail puzzle pieces.  Do they need to be rebuilt with ERRW when I upgrade them to NAM 42?

Also, are the old Viaduct Rail puzzle pieces still accessible, in the event of making changes to those old Viaduct Rail systems?

There weren't any changes made to the puzzle piece viaducts, they will continue to work.  You could convert to draggable viaducts if you want to, L2 functionality should be pretty much the same as the puzzle pieces.  L1 is lagging behind still.

[Tarkus 6,933]

8 hours ago, TheMurderousCricket said:

I had a simmilar problem with NAM 39. After going for a full install instead of the "lite" version, all my avenue level crossings disappeared. 

So I'm certainly interested in the answer as well.

If they were Avenue x Avenue +-intersections, that's likely because you had the Legacy Avenue Turn Lanes Plugin installed previously, but didn't check the box in the installer for the subsequent install (it's not checked by default).  It's a common issue.  Given that the bit that really makes the Legacy ATL tick is the INRUL modifications, I may merge the "harmless bits" (the textures, paths, etc.) into a core file that is always installed, such that things don't completely disappear in that event.

-Tarkus

[AsimPika3172 1,148]

Is time for enjoying NAM 42 right now! 🥳️

[Naomi57 2,985]

I found two Secret Weapon videos for NAM 42:  

SimCity 4 NAM 42 Secret Weapon #1 – 3-Level Overpasses for the RealHighway

• Look for them towards the end of the Highways and Ramps Menu
  •  - FLEX 3-Level Overpass (default)
  •  - FLEX 3-Level Overpass (2-tiles wide)
  •  - FLEX 3-Level Overpass (3-tiles wide)
  •  - FLEX 3-Level Overpass (4-tiles wide)
• Use the RHW Disconnector to remove stubs when appropriate.
• The 1-tile piece stabilizes diagonal ramp crossings next to RHW mainlines.
• Use the 2-tile piece over multi-tile RHW mainlines.
• The 3-tile piece can be used with or without medians on the RHW mainline.
• All pieces support RHW-4 and MIS as diagonal networks.
• Drag the crossing networks and watch the overpass come to life!
• All pieces support network elevations L0 to L4.
• Make directional T-Interchanges and Stack Interchanges with ease.

 

 

[Naomi57 2,985]

SimCity 4 NAM 42 Secret Weapon #2 – Under the RealHighway FLEXWidth Transitions (FLEX-WT) menu item:

• Five FLEX-WT pieces for every kind of width transition.
  • FLEX-WT for Same Network Type (S to S / C to C) - Lane Drop Version:
            - RHW-10S ► RHW-8S ► RHW-6S ► RHW-4
            - RHW-8C ► RHW-6C
            - RHW-3 ► RHW-2
            - RHW-4 ► MIS
  • FLEX-WT for Different Type Network (S to C) - Symmetrical/Wishbone Version: 
    Transitions include lane drop, lane gain, or lane equal varieties, depending upon the Starter Piece used on each side of the transition, e.g.
            - RHW-6S ► RHW-8C
            - RHW-8S ► RHW-8C
            - RHW-10S ► RHW-8C
  • FLEX-WT for Different Type Network (S to C) - Compact/Shift Version: 
    Transitions include lane drop, lane gain, or lane equal varieties, depending upon the Starter Piece used on each side of the transition, e.g.
            - RHW-8C ► RHW-6S
            - RHW-8C ► RHW-8S
            - RHW-8C ► RHW-10S
  • FLEX-WT for RHW-2/3 to RHW-4 - Compact/Shift Version: 
            - RHW-4 ► RHW-3 ► RHW-4
            - RHW-4 ► RHW-2 ► RHW-4
  • FLEX-WT for RHW-2/3 to RHW-4 - Symmetrical/Wishbone Version:
            - RHW-4 ► RHW-3 ► RHW-4
            - RHW-4 ► RHW-2 ► RHW-4
• Each direction widens or narrows independently from the other.
• Handles all possible S-to-C transitions.
• In-line FLEX-WTs are slope conforming!
• Both of the FLEX-WT S-to-C Transitions enable C networks to connect to S network bridges.
• Handles width transitions on elevated networks L0 to L4.
• The Compact/Shift FLEX-WT for RHW-2/3 even handles the double-decker DDRHW-4 to RHW-4 transition!

 

 

[RobertLM78 1,598]

Lot's of stuff that i personally don't use, but that  said i'm excited about the additions to RRW. 

Perhaps @rsc204 and i can resume our project making a puzzle piece for diagonal ERRW crossing TiA. 

[watercitymadero 805]

Thank you very much NAM Team, really thank you for all of this. The best team.

[Max4k 727]

I think I screwed up and clicked on SimCity4_4GB_Patch_Script_V3.bat first.   That ran ok and said patched, but then when I clicked on NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.bat and said it could not ..failed.

Did things the old way, and manually applied 4G patch, and ran the Java version,  the 4G was selected during install.

 

-- My main question is, when I click on the Highway menu and check NAM version it says -  NAM 42 RHD Full Controller

Version 41 said Full 4G Patch or something

[Flann 1,709]

3 hours ago, Max4k said:

I think I screwed up and clicked on SimCity4_4GB_Patch_Script_V3.bat first.   That ran ok and said patched, but then when I clicked on NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version42.bat and said it could not ..failed.

Did things the old way, and manually applied 4G patch, and ran the Java version,  the 4G was selected during install.

 

-- My main question is, when I click on the Highway menu and check NAM version it says -  NAM 42 RHD Full Controller

Version 41 said Full 4G Patch or something

Tarkus can confirm, but I suspect that's just a difference in the text description of the controller.  The NAM controller itself would have no way of knowing whether or not the executable is patched, so if you've followed the instructions and successfully patched the exe (which i believe you have, since your game did not crash upon loading full NAM controller) you should be worry free.

[Max4k 727]

There a new folder called z_NAM Controller_RHD_4GB_Full , so it appears good.    No crashes, just wanted to be sure.

 

- Actually, 1 issue with Version 42 is I can't DatPack the folder and get an error. Before did not have any issue and Version-41 ok to pack

 

 

Failed
comp= None
C:\Users\xxx\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\Network Addon Mod\z_NAM Controller_RHD_4GB_Full\NetworkAddonMod_Controller.dat
0A5BCF4B-AA5BCF57-10000002
original size 400970183
filesize 400970183
lencontent 400970183
originalpos 4720714
destpos 96
gaine 0
UNCOMPRESS
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "datPackerApp.pyo", line 2701, in OnStart
  File "datPackerApp.pyo", line 2358, in RecurseAllFilesFull
  File "datPackerApp.pyo", line 2454, in BuildIt
  File "datPackerApp.pyo", line 2200, in WriteADat
  File "datPackerApp.pyo", line 1919, in Copy
MemoryError

 

 

> Think might be issue in itself and cant even pack solo

 

[rsc204 21,859]

As a Mac user, dat-packing NAM is not optional, I had no problems with JDatPacker doing this.

ironically perhaps, maybe you should apply the 4gb patch to SC4 DatPacker, this patch is generic and gives a memory boost to all 32-but apps. I’ve found for heavy jobs it’s handy for quite a few modding tools to have this patch too.

it could also be that the controller is already big enough it should remain a separate file. I’ll report back if it is working for me under Windows later. But the app mentions that file and a memory error, so those would be my best guesses right now. 

[Lucario Boricua 7,048]

When I DATpack the NAM, this is the file structure I use:

1 Core

2 Each first level Network Features folder gets packed separately (currently yields 11 files)

3 Additional Transit Stations

4 Automata Controller

5 DataView Options

6 Miscellaneous

7 Bridges

8 Texture and drive side support

9 Traffic simulator

z_NAM Controller (as unpacked folder)

 

This does a much better job at preserving the file architecture, while ensuring that the DATpacking programs don't get overloaded. Make sure to keep your unpacked version of the mod handy, in case you want to do modifications or need to add patches or fixes.

[rsc204 21,859]

Just to update that I had no problems using SC4 DatPacker to DATPack my full NAM install into two or three DAT files.

So I would expect either your system itself is having resource issues or otherwise that the 4GB Patch (applied to DatPacker .exe) plays a role here.

That said there are good reasons for leaving the controller separate, like if you wanted to switch between the Full and NoRHW controllers. Not to mention, the RUL2 file is now so large (Full Controller), it ends up in it's own DAT anyhow, so DAT Packing it has no benefit.

[dmn 134]

Outstanding mod. A must-have. A quirky install for me. The cleanitall did not take everything out and although I manually went in and deleted EVERYTHING, somehow the NAM 41 install was still there. I simply deleted the file and everything works fine. Thanks for another great mod!

[rsc204 21,859]

Just note the CleanUp function in the installer is neither Cleanitol nor can it remove your previous NAM install. From NAM 37 onwards, users should delete or otherwise move the previous Network Addon Mod folder, before running the new one.

[Max4k 727]

On 9/16/2021 at 8:09 PM, Lucario Boricua said:

When I DATpack the NAM, this is the file structure I use:

1 Core

2 Each first level Network Features folder gets packed separately (currently yields 11 files)

3 Additional Transit Stations

4 Automata Controller

5 DataView Options

6 Miscellaneous

7 Bridges

8 Texture and drive side support

9 Traffic simulator

z_NAM Controller (as unpacked folder)

 

This does a much better job at preserving the file architecture, while ensuring that the DATpacking programs don't get overloaded. Make sure to keep your unpacked version of the mod handy, in case you want to do modifications or need to add patches or fixes.

 

Which program are you using to do this ?  I've been using SC4 Plugin Packer 2008 and have had no issues so far.  Only issue, I keep a folder in root called Industrial and don't pack that because some of the IRM Truck props don't show up, so don't pack that folder.

This program only shows what to pack that is in root directory of Plugin.   Do you have those 1-9 folders outside of the NAM folder and in Root directory of Plugins ?  and just keep z_NAM in the NAM normal folder.   I may try that method or 4G patch on the packer program.

I keep a full backup of my plugins to be used in My Documents\__Pre-DataPack folder before moving that exact copy to Plugin directory to be Packed and modified.

[Lucario Boricua 7,048]

19 minutes ago, Max4k said:

 

Which program are you using to do this ?  I've been using SC4 Plugin Packer 2008 and have had no issues so far.  Only issue, I keep a folder in root called Industrial and don't pack that because some of the IRM Truck props don't show up, so don't pack that folder.

This program only shows what to pack that is in root directory of Plugin.   Do you have those 1-9 folders outside of the NAM folder and in Root directory of Plugins ?  and just keep z_NAM in the NAM normal folder.   I may try that method or 4G patch on the packer program.

I keep a full backup of my plugins to be used in My Documents\__Pre-DataPack folder before moving that exact copy to Plugin directory to be Packed and modified.

All these files go inside your Network Addon Mod folder when they're ready for use. Since I'm often swapping them around between NAM testing and different regions I play with, I have them labeled with the NAM version, drive side direction and texture set. Say, right now I'm alternating between NAM 42 official RHD-US and NAM 42 official LHD-EU. And yes, I'm using DATPacker 2008, haven't been as successful with the JD DATPacker.

When packing, I create a dedicated Plugins folder to do the packing, in which case the 1st-level folders go in Plugins, I pack them, and then I move them to their intended folder for use.

[Max4k 727]

Got another question, is there a difference between doing NAM install with High and the Traffic Simulator itself ?

I have 2 High files in my NAM folder but when I messed with the Traffic Simulator it said High but the top part defaults to Medium.  Are these 2 different things ? Even if I pointed to the folder with the High, not sure which of the 2 is needed, it still said Medium.

My question is based off Road/Street/HWY Capacity that has the chart for High.

On the Simulator that defaults to Medium, it looks like this is for Car use vs Mass Transit tweaking.

[Ill_face 0]

I am completey lost.  Ive read but I dont even know what to do with the 4gb patch wants its installed.

[Tarkus 6,933]

9 hours ago, Ill_face said:

I am completey lost.  Ive read but I dont even know what to do with the 4gb patch wants its installed.

If the 4GB Patch has been installed (more accurately, applied to your SimCity 4.exe--the .bat file takes care of this by finding your game install directory via the Windows Registry), then there's nothing else you need to do with it.  If it hasn't been installed/applied properly, you'll know instantly when you try to load up a city if you've installed the full version of the NAM Controller (without the 4GB Patch applied to the game, it'll crash to desktop immediately).

-Tarkus

[Addamere 0]

I'm having issues post-installation.

I read the accompanying documentation and to my understanding I followed the instructions. I first installed the JRE; then, I ran the .bat to install Version42 on Windows; then, I clicked through the tabs, selecting the default options. The command prompt claimed installation was done, and there were no errors. 

Attempting to load a city tile from the region map has the game just hang on loading, and eventually Windows recognizes the game has stopped responding. What to do?

AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

I'm using the Steam version of SimCity 4 Deluxe, and have never prior to this installation installed any mods for SimCity 4.
 

[Oldshoesbro 0]

4 hours ago, Addamere said:

I'm having issues post-installation.

I read the accompanying documentation and to my understanding I followed the instructions. I first installed the JRE; then, I ran the .bat to install Version42 on Windows; then, I clicked through the tabs, selecting the default options. The command prompt claimed installation was done, and there were no errors. 

Attempting to load a city tile from the region map has the game just hang on loading, and eventually Windows recognizes the game has stopped responding. What to do?

AMD Ryzen 5 2600X 
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

I'm using the Steam version of SimCity 4 Deluxe, and have never prior to this installation installed any mods for SimCity 4.
 

I am having this very same issue on a totally fresh GOG install. 4gb patch is applied (as far as I know, there is a backup of the exe created automatically), NAM installer reports no issues, game loads, but becomes "Not Responding" on city load. Cities load without NAM enabled.

EDIT: I suspect the 4gb patch isn't installing successfully despite the .bat command prompt saying it was? It appears that I'm able to load cities with the mod installed with the low memory option and the un-patched .EXE.

Further to this, I can load cities, mod enabled, with an allegedly patched .EXE, but only using the low memory NAM install option. The 4gb NAM install still crashes.

  Edited October 14, 2021 by Oldshoesbro  

[Addamere 0]

6 hours ago, Oldshoesbro said:

I am having this very same issue on a totally fresh GOG install. 4gb patch is applied (as far as I know, there is a backup of the exe created automatically), NAM installer reports no issues, game loads, but becomes "Not Responding" on city load. Cities load without NAM enabled.

EDIT: I suspect the 4gb patch isn't installing successfully despite the .bat command prompt saying it was? It appears that I'm able to load cities with the mod installed with the low memory option and the un-patched .EXE.

Further to this, I can load cities, mod enabled, with an allegedly patched .EXE, but only using the low memory NAM install option. The 4gb NAM install still crashes.

I have found that manually running the 4 GB patcher that comes with the download fixes my issue. 

[Tarkus 6,933]

@Addamere and @Oldshoesbro, at least per all the reports we've gotten, running the "full" version of the NAM Controller without the 4GB Patch applied to the game will cause it to immediately crash-to-desktop (CTD) upon trying to load a city tile.  If the game is merely hanging/freezing and going into "application not responding" in Task Manager upon trying to load a city, rather than immediately CTDing, that's a different issue, and one that's not necessarily 4GB Patch-related.

We have had a few people report issues with .bat file either not find their SimCity 4.exe, or failing with the patching, and we're not really sure why that's happening (particularly as the details we've gotten from the people reporting it have been sparse).  The .bat file is designed to read the Windows Registry to get the game's installation folder, and then automatically apply the patch to the .exe file--that can fail if one happens to have multiple copies of SC4 installed (common among those who have switched from disc to digital), if one attempts to run the .bat more than once in a minute (the .bat looks at the timestamp), or if they're on 32-bit Windows (the registry keys are different, and 32-bit Windows can't utilize the 4GB Patch properly, anyway).

I'd also generally recommend choosing "Run as an Administrator" when opening the .bat, as it may be that Windows doesn't think you have enough permissions otherwise.  The various versions of the game install to either somewhere in Program Files (x86) or, in the case of the GOG version, GOG Games, which often need Administrator privileges to edit in any way.  The 4GB Patch utility may alter the timestamp and produce the backup file even if it fails (such as in a permissions situation), so we've found over time that this isn't necessarily a reliable way of knowing if it was patched properly.

Beyond that, the game is, generally speaking, going to load slower with more Plugins.  A full-blast NAM installation is going to run somewhere north of 1GB, and almost 400MB of that is the RUL code contained in the NAM Controller, which tells the game how to place the transit networks.  There's millions of lines of code in there--enough that it'll cause CTDs upon loading a city without the 4GB Patch.  The "LowRAM/NoRHW" Controller trims it down to about a million lines.

If you're on a lower-spec system, particularly with a lower amount of RAM, and/or have a lot of other processes running, that'll impact things, and also potentially cause slower loads at the very least.  For reference, I'm running an AMD Ryzen 7 1700 with 16GB RAM on Windows 10 Home 64-bit (and am operating on a standard hard disk, not an SSD), and have about a 4.5GB Plugins folder.  My initial load is noticeably slower, though very much worth it for the amount of content I gain, and it's very rare it freezes up on me unless I have a bunch of other processes running, or did something really screwy in game (which sometimes happens if you do weird things with it as much as I do).

We've generally not recommended people use DatPacker or JDatPacker to condense the NAM files down (mainly because it can cause tech support cases with people not removing their old files when upgrading to a new version of the NAM), but that can help with the load times as well, with your Plugins folder across the board (provided you remove the uncondensed versions and store them somewhere safe, so that you'll still have them, but the game won't be loading duplicate files).

-Tarkus

[RETHY 0]

Please help me 

I couldn't instal the NAM 42 because i cannot understand the instructions

I mean, I selec the .bat file and active the 4gb_patch, but after that nothing happens

I start the game but the NAM is not installed 

Whats I am not doimg?

Someone please teach me how to instal this NAM, easilly

Thank you

[Lucario Boricua 7,048]

First off, welcome to Simtropolis!     

Second, the current NAM version as of this post is NAM 44, that's the link you'll find in Simtropolis, SC4 Devotion, and ModDB. Check that you have that one if you downloaded it prior to late March 2022.

Thirdly, make sure you have either the OpenJDK or the Java Runtime Environment installed on your computer (a version of this is provided as part of the installation package). The NAM installer is a Java application, which requires these files installed. Once done, try using the batch file. If it still doesn't open the NAM installer, you'll need to use the manual procedure.

For the manual procedure, you'll open the 4GB patch application (4GB_patch.exe). Open the patcher, look for your SimCity 4 installation folder (where the SimCity 4.exe application sits) and apply the patch. Also make sure you're removing any previous NAM versions from Plugins. You'll then open the NAM installer directly, select your options, hit install, and let the installer do its magic. Let us know how it goes!