SimCity 4 Lore

[Alejandro24 575]

On 7/30/2025 at 7:47 AM, Haljackey said:

Can you elaborate more on this? What should the title be? Let me know and I can add it as well.

Sure, I'll detail a little bit more:

SimMars/Memories of the Colonists, I didn't see that SimMars was already listed, however Memories of the Colonists is a spinof of SimMars developed by @Terring for "terrestrial" environments.
Jupiter, Aurora and Poseidon mods, they're mods to include sky effects, weather and water effects to the game, as far as I understand and correct me if I'm wrong this is the predecessor to the current weather mod or at least was released before.
Linux compatibility, either via Wine or Proton, the game is totally playable, including mods, using these compatibility layers.
BRT for the NAM, since the version 32, the NAM includes the possibility to build Bus Rapid Transit networks using an adaptation of the RHW which also included stations.

[Redacted]

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

5 minutes ago, Alejandro24 said:

pirate copies

I'm kind of thinking we should sanitize this part and either not mention it at all or make it so vague as to be useless. Over the years we've banned peeps for talking about pirating the game. I'm not going to that extreme, but I'm thinking we'll be better off with no discussion of it.  

[Alejandro24 575]

5 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

I'm kind of thinking we should sanitize this part and either not mention it at all or make it so vague as to be useless. Over the years we've banned peeps for talking about pirating the game. I'm not going to that extreme, but I'm thinking we'll be better off with no discussion of it.  

Got the idea, but I don't think it is necessary to sanitize. Getting a licensed copy of the game has become easier with Steam and another platforms, fortunately, mostly of the software out there have been following this pattern.
I'm talking about a time, more than 10 years from now, when getting a legitimate copy was either really expensive (even the used ones) or really hard to find. Piracy was a real thing for many of us, and getting around it to get full features in the software was a part of the experience. 

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

Just now, Alejandro24 said:

Got the idea, but I don't think it is necessary to sanitize. Getting a licensed copy of the game has become easier with Steam and another platforms, fortunately, mostly of the software out there have been following this pattern.
I'm talking about a time, more than 10 years from now, when getting a legitimate copy was either really expensive (even the used ones) or really hard to find. Piracy was a real thing for many of us, and getting around it to get full features in the software was a part of it.

I agree it does fit in as lore. Let's see what other peeps say about including it in the public topic. (I have no objection to your answering the question in private since we don't see that.)

[CaptCity 4,705]

On 7/30/2025 at 6:50 PM, CorinaMarie said:

...Let's see what other peeps say about including it in the public topic...

MY opinion only... so take it for what it's worth... 

The only 'lore' related to SimCity 4, piracy, and cracked versions of the game was that fact that websites took steps to ensure that those topics, reasons, or explanations were not allowed due to understandable and possible consequences. Yes, it did exist and folks tried to rationalize it, but the websites took steps to keep it off the public forums for obvious reasons. Publicly explaining the 'why' or how to do it or where to get it (as the above post does) isn't, in my mind, part of the 'lore' because it was not presented to the general public and mainly existed behind the scene.

So, I guess that's a long-winded way of saying that, as long as we have the rules in place against discussing piracy, it shouldn't be discussed publicly. To me, the 'battle' against piracy is the 'lore', and the reasons for it or how to do it aren't. Fine line, maybe, but...

Who knows... in another 20 years from now, the discussion about 'what is lore' may become lore...

[Haljackey 17,291]

This is a place where we can get a little spicy, but not too much. If we're referring to the past and isn't really something valid anymore, I think its ok to mention just for record-keeping's sake. It happened- it was an event- it is therefore history / lore. 

I can certainly add your other items, but a condensed / brief mention regarding pirated copies is something we can include, at least in my opinion. I remember people asking for NAM support using these versions for instance- once we found out what they were using, we ended any conversations right then and there, for example.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Something to add (if it isn't already there!) is that Maxis invited Simtropolis (a few of the admins) to an in person event, I think for SC2013. There was a thread about it where they shared pictures and talked about the experience. 

I forget if this was from that event or an earlier event, but iirc Dirk promised Will Wright in person that Simtropolis wouldn't support SC4 piracy (this is why I remember it now). Which it never would have anyway, but I guess it came up and the promise was made. 

You'll have to get confirmation that those things actually happened though because I'm fuzzy on the details. Just don't ask me to remember the names of people from high school. 

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

19 hours ago, CaptCity said:

Publicly explaining the 'why' or how to do it or where to get it (as the above post does) isn't, in my mind, part of the 'lore' because it was not presented to the general and mainly existed behind the scene.

Agreed. Also, I've chatted with CB and we are staying the course of not discussing it.

 

21 hours ago, Alejandro24 said:

Got the idea, but I don't think it is necessary to sanitize.

We see your point, but this is one where we'll overrule your decision so go ahead and remove the whole part about Nightlights on the Pirated copy of the game in your post above. ( This is now an official admin ruling. We aren't making a big deal about it, but do want it removed.  )

 

9 hours ago, Haljackey said:

I can certainly add your other items, but a condensed / brief mention regarding pirated copies is something we can include, at least in my opinion.

Let's go with very brief (if mentioned at all) or the version @Jasoncw mentioned and ST's stance completely against pirated copies of the game and no support given to peeps with same.

[Haljackey 17,291]

2 hours ago, Jasoncw said:

Something to add (if it isn't already there!) is that Maxis invited Simtropolis (a few of the admins) to an in person event, I think for SC2013. There was a thread about it where they shared pictures and talked about the experience. 

Dude, there's a whole interview on the ST youtube channel

I thought about including it when I first made the list- maybe in the Honourable mentions area as its not SC4-related lore.

---

EDIT: I added it as a honourable mention

EDIT 2: Oh geez a lot of my pics were featured as good city design in SC4 to draw from for SC13's design. if you thought that game was a massive disappointment- you can partially blame me  

  Edited July 31, 2025 by Haljackey  

[Lucario Boricua 7,027]

One amusing piece of lore, from Simtropolis at least, is the Show us What you're Working On thread! For many years, especially during the slump of SC4 activity following the debut of Cities:Skylines and the Network Addon Mod's crisis period between NAM 36 and 37, this became the only place where Simtropolitan SimCity 4 mayors would post their updates, barely touching the topic-specific showcase threads. This happened due to a collective mindset of convenience meeting resignation--why bother posting the screenshots on the dedicated topic where 'no one' would notice, as opposed to publishing them where everyone's guaranteed to be present? This required an overhaul of the site, which removed the pinned status of the general showcase thread and started marketing the other threads to distribute the activity more evenly across the site.

 

 

[Alejandro24 575]

2 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

We see your point, but this is one where we'll overrule your decision so go ahead and remove the whole part about Nightlights on the Pirated copy of the game in your post above. ( This is now an official admin ruling. We aren't making a big deal about it, but do want it removed.  )

I have redacted the paragraph in the detailing post. I won't anymore put in discussion about this, however I consider that not mentioning it in the lore (specially being a game +20 years old, please put that in perspective) is a partial scope and leaves in dark those people who had its first contact and experience with the game in the aforementioned way.
Final words.

 

At least there is still BRT in the NAM, I guess...

[Haljackey 17,291]

1 hour ago, Lucario Boricua said:

One amusing piece of lore, from Simtropolis at least, is the Show us What you're Working On thread! For many years, especially during the slump of SC4 activity following the debut of Cities:Skylines and the Network Addon Mod's crisis period between NAM 36 and 37, this became the only place where Simtropolitan SimCity 4 mayors would post their updates, barely touching the topic-specific showcase threads. This happened due to a collective mindset of convenience meeting resignation--why bother posting the screenshots on the dedicated topic where 'no one' would notice, as opposed to publishing them where everyone's guaranteed to be present? This required an overhaul of the site, which removed the pinned status of the general showcase thread and started marketing the other threads to distribute the activity more evenly across the site.

 

 

 

Wow, you and I view this thread differently... perhaps because I was the creator. I already have a blurb on it:

Show Us What You're Working On Being a one stop shop, making other 'show us your' threads a ghost town.

---

Kinda a double edged sword, eh? I'll merge yours with that if it's ok?

How does this sound? I left out the bit about the NAM crisis because that's deeper NAM-team specific lore (for the most part)

Show Us What You're Working On- For many years, especially during the slump of SC4 activity following the debut of Cities:Skylines, this thread became the only place where many members would post their updates, barely touching the topic-specific showcase threads. It turned the thread into a one stop shop, making other 'show us your' threads a ghost town. Why bother posting the screenshots on the dedicated topic where 'no one' would notice, as opposed to publishing them where everyone's guaranteed to be present? This required an overhaul of the site, which removed the pinned status of the general showcase thread and started marketing the other threads to distribute the activity more evenly across the site.

 

1 hour ago, Alejandro24 said:

I have redacted the paragraph in the detailing post. I won't anymore put in discussion about this, however I consider that not mentioning it in the lore (specially being a game +20 years old, please put that in perspective) is a partial scope and leaves in dark those people who had its first contact and experience with the game in the aforementioned way.
Final words.

 

At least there is still BRT in the NAM, I guess...

I for one think it's still worth mentioning the pirating / illegal downloading / torrents in some way, however like you I won't put any more discussion in it other than a placeholder. Perhaps a staff member would want to tackle filling it in so we don't overstep?

For now I just put:
 Pirating / Illegal downloading / Torrents- A rather spicy / dark part of SC4's history, but absolutely worth mentioning lore-wise

[nos.17 5,112]

7 minutes ago, Haljackey said:

I for one think it's still worth mentioning the pirating / illegal downloading / torrents in some way, however like you I won't put any more discussion in it other than a placeholder. Perhaps a staff member would want to tackle filling it in so we don't overstep?

For now I just put:
 Pirating / Illegal downloading / Torrents- A rather spicy / dark part of SC4's history, but absolutely worth mentioning lore-wise

I do think this is worth mentioning too, if not for the fact that it's really not that spicy and it's pretty straight forward. How about something like:

 

Pirating / Illegal downloading / Torrents - The major forums take a strong anti-piracy stance and do not provide support for these versions of the game. For a long period, major torrents were distributed without the EP1 Nightlighting patch, rendering these versions of the game largely incompatible with custom content.

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

10 hours ago, nos.17 said:

Pirating / Illegal downloading / Torrents - The major forums take a strong anti-piracy stance and do not provide support for these versions of the game. For a long period, major torrents were distributed without the EP1 Nightlighting patch, rendering these versions of the game largely incompatible with custom content.

I'm cool with that.  

[PlanetOfHats 506]

Someday I'll deserve lore. Someday... someday.

Ulisse might be able to fill in more blanks here, but does the Alliance of Independent Nations fit the bill as Simtropolis lore? It's its own thing now, but it seems like a lot of the early members came by way of SC4 and evolved into a self-contained alt-history group later.

[Haljackey 17,291]

3 hours ago, PlanetOfHats said:

Someday I'll deserve lore. Someday... someday.

Ulisse might be able to fill in more blanks here, but does the Alliance of Independent Nations fit the bill as Simtropolis lore? It's its own thing now, but it seems like a lot of the early members came by way of SC4 and evolved into a self-contained alt-history group later.

Currently it's yes to both.

You're mentioned (@'d) for the Dr Vu spoof account!

Alliance of Independent Nations / AIN is mentioned in the CJ union lore entry as an example. In fact, @Ulisse Wolf helped me writing that blurb. If you think it's worth a separate mention, can you give me something to work with and I can add it?

---

 

By the way, I've added a ton more in recent days. If you haven't checked the list in a while, there's a lot more items to read up on

[zahrul3 471]

I remember that 2015 - 2019 dead era of Simtropolis!

Barely any traffic to city journal posts and forum threads; only the modding and CC community had forum activity and Reddit was the primary conduit for showing your creations, aside from the Show Us... thread

[Zeratai 83]

I want to propose to include the Twitch Channel ClassicAdam https://twitch.tv/classicadam despite his channel description says “I play a variety of games”,  I’ve only seeing him streaming SimCity 4 for days (for example his stream right now has being live for 1 day and 13 hours straight. What’s intriguing is that he is live for almost every single day but he doesn’t actually play the game, his streams are just shots of his cities with the camera mod (pretty sure before camera mod he did the same but with the 4 classic perspectives of the vanilla game). Despite me trying to find out who he was or if anyone knew him via a Reddit post, I got no answer or the typical “let the man do his thing” reply. Is just that I find him very intriguing 😅

[Zeratai 83]

I also want to nominate is0padre formerly samgoogolplexian, he had various SimCity let’s play series (solitude, pinecastle, building trifort) that focused on realism and functionality, it forged my playstyle, I remember he stepping out of SimCity 4 and moving to skylines because sc4 was to complicated to mantain, also his region getting affected by the prop pox (tho he being able to save it) killed entirely  his will to continue playing the game 

[Haljackey 17,291]

On 8/9/2025 at 10:53 AM, zahrul3 said:

I remember that 2015 - 2019 dead era of Simtropolis!

Barely any traffic to city journal posts and forum threads; only the modding and CC community had forum activity and Reddit was the primary conduit for showing your creations, aside from the Show Us... thread

So you're saying SC4 basically got a renaissance in 2020 around the pandemic? I do have an entry for that spike in activity. Things were slow post-Skylines release for sure, but I think we found our niche after some players 'came back' to SC4.

 

---

 

On 8/9/2025 at 7:19 PM, Zeratai said:

I want to propose to include the Twitch Channel ClassicAdam https://twitch.tv/classicadam despite his channel description says “I play a variety of games”,  I’ve only seeing him streaming SimCity 4 for days (for example his stream right now has being live for 1 day and 13 hours straight. What’s intriguing is that he is live for almost every single day but he doesn’t actually play the game, his streams are just shots of his cities with the camera mod (pretty sure before camera mod he did the same but with the 4 classic perspectives of the vanilla game). Despite me trying to find out who he was or if anyone knew him via a Reddit post, I got no answer or the typical “let the man do his thing” reply. Is just that I find him very intriguing 😅

 

On 8/9/2025 at 7:28 PM, Zeratai said:

I also want to nominate is0padre formerly samgoogolplexian, he had various SimCity let’s play series (solitude, pinecastle, building trifort) that focused on realism and functionality, it forged my playstyle, I remember he stepping out of SimCity 4 and moving to skylines because sc4 was to complicated to mantain, also his region getting affected by the prop pox (tho he being able to save it) killed entirely  his will to continue playing the game 

 

Does Classic Adam have a Simtropolis account? I can @ him in the honourable mentions area if he does. I haven't seen his stuff but I don't really watch SC4 stuff on Twitch so I can take your word for it.

The simtrop account for is0padre is @Moonraker0. I can add him

You did remind me to mention Saus Tatar- he has made some good shorts and things. His simtrop account is @bhmantan. 

[bhmantan 2,045]

7 hours ago, Haljackey said:

You did remind me to mention Saus Tatar- he has made some good shorts and things. His simtrop account is @bhmantan.

thank you for the mention!

on another note, I visited this thread a few times before, and each time there seems to be more items added to the list
to the point it's a bit hard to know what's recently added without going through all the items again

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

1 hour ago, bhmantan said:

I visited this thread a few times before, and each time there seems to be more items added to the list
to the point it's a bit hard to know what's recently added without going through all the items again

I've given up on reading the updated list.  

But once it's called finished, I'll have another read thru.

[bhmantan 2,045]

34 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

But once it's called finished, I'll have another read thru.

I was going to do that too, but seeing how it goes, it seems like it'll never really get to the "finished" state lol

Maybe I'll just set a certain schedule, like once a month, to check on this thread

[Haljackey 17,291]

I keep adding to the list as more comes to mind or I get sent information. I thought about making a changelog or reply with a new post for changes but I don't want to double post or anything.

 

I do select the edit check mark but I think that just makes a note of when things were last updated. You'd have to pull up a old revision of the page somehow and run a webpage comparison or something.

 

--

 

Regardless, the list would be mostly complete now I'd say. Give it a read if you haven't checked it for a while.

 

Some items can be expanded sure, but the amount of new stuff added has slowed down to a trickle. I think I've emptied my mind here after all the years playing the game- wanted to dump it somewhere for others to find.

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

22 minutes ago, Haljackey said:

I thought about making a changelog or reply with a new post for changes but I don't want to double post or anything.

That would be way too much work for you. I agree with your current method.

 

22 minutes ago, Haljackey said:

I do select the edit check mark but I think that just makes a note of when things were last updated. You'd have to pull up a old revision of the page somehow and run a webpage comparison or something.

Yep. That just makes the edit time (and by who) visible to the public. There is a change history that only CB and I can access, but for any of your posts there's never any reason for us to peek. Ofc, if you ever needed a past version (like if accidentally deleting a bunch and saving), you can ask us to fetch it.)

[Haljackey 17,291]

8 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

There is a change history that only CB and I can access, but for any of your posts there's never any reason for us to peek. Ofc, if you ever needed a past version (like if accidentally deleting a bunch and saving), you can ask us to fetch it.)

 

There's probably a couple hundred edits to the post now as I've added more items and context and fixed things up. If you want you could maybe pull up an earlier post- maybe the first one- and run a compare with the current one to see what's been added. 

A program I use often for work is diffchecker- where you can compare two different webpage revisions. https://www.diffchecker.com/text-compare/ 

I'm also curious if you can see the total count of edits on that post thus far  

[CorinaMarie 29,593]

2 hours ago, Haljackey said:

I'm also curious

Here's what I see: SimCity 4 Lore - SimCity 4 General Discussion - Simtropolis (8_11_2025 12：37：52 PM).7z

Scroll down past the grayed out part and then you'll see your edit history. I'll let you count or compare or whatever. 

[Zeratai 83]

15 hours ago, Haljackey said:

So you're saying SC4 basically got a renaissance in 2020 around the pandemic? I do have an entry for that spike in activity. Things were slow post-Skylines release for sure, but I think we found our niche after some players 'came back' to SC4.

 

---

 

 

 

Does Classic Adam have a Simtropolis account? I can @ him in the honourable mentions area if he does. I haven't seen his stuff but I don't really watch SC4 stuff on Twitch so I can take your word for it.

The simtrop account for is0padre is @Moonraker0. I can add him

You did remind me to mention Saus Tatar- he has made some good shorts and things. His simtrop account is @bhmantan.

I asked classic Adam yesterday if he had an account on the site and he replied no  maybe he can be in the honorable mentions

[Haljackey 17,291]

3 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Here's what I see: SimCity 4 Lore - SimCity 4 General Discussion - Simtropolis (8_11_2025 12：37：52 PM).7z

Scroll down past the grayed out part and then you'll see your edit history. I'll let you count or compare or whatever. 

Oh neat! Here's a random compare between a edit I made on July 22 vs today (Aug 11)

https://www.diffchecker.com/IyQvNoCa/

A few screenshots showing additions/expansions

 

2 hours ago, Zeratai said:

I asked classic Adam yesterday if he had an account on the site and he replied no  maybe he can be in the honorable mentions

Sure- can you write me up a blurb about him and I can add- perhaps as an item if it is SC4-related.

[simmering 2,629]

I noticed that a number of BAT listings on the old LEX where labelled as "...PIM-X'd". I wonder if there is a story behind that worth recording.