Need help with sc4pac

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Hey everyone!! It's been a while since I have graced this website in all its glory, I was devastated when I saw that it had been removed! I know I am not exactly a tremendous user when it comes to frequency, but I wanted to follow-up with the issue I had left off from. Life has had its ups and downs, along with issues that I did not see coming. One of the smaller ones was how I wanted to install the mods and all from the Ultimate Guide, but I was worried that changing my Java installation to the most recent version would be detrimental to the other apps and games currently on my PC. That might have been a naive frame of mind, but I have gotten past that and would like to proceed with the grand installation of the Ultimate Guide!! Like above, I am trying to run "sc4pac" and get some serious mods/custom content/etc. installed for SimCity 4 Deluxe, but after all this time, I am kinda starting over with the process.

Initially the program would not run and, that said, I would like to get the ball rolling again. I got some help from Ulisse Wolf, JustPluto99 and Memo, which I totally appreciated - you guys are the best! - my problem at the time was either a flawed version of Java or an issue with my operating system (worse case scenario). But I am back at square one. And I really, REALLY hate to ask this question, but how do I use "sc4pac"? I have been searching for an answer to this question for a little while now, but I am just not seeing it. I hope I am not frustrating anyone on this website, both admin and user, I just want to start the process that will take me to being immersed in SimCity 4 Deluxe!! Any and all help is appreciated! Again, my apologies!! (btw, if this location on the website is not the correct one, please move it a more appropriate place. Oh, and I have installed Java version 26).

[nos.17 5,247]

3 hours ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

my problem at the time was either a flawed version of Java or an issue with my operating system (worse case scenario). But I am back at square one. And I really, REALLY hate to ask this question, but how do I use "sc4pac"?

Starting at square one, what is your operating system? Let's also you make sure Java is installed correctly. Open CMD or PowerShell (or equivalent) and type in java -version and report back what it shows.

Memo has created usage instructions here: https://memo33.github.io/sc4pac/#/. Start by following those. Does the program launch? What step are you getting stuck on exactly?

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Thanks so much for getting back to me!! I am using Windows 11, and when I checked my Java version in the CMD window, it said:

java version "26.0.1" 2026-04-21
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 26.0.1+8-34)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 26.0.1+8-34, mixed mode, sharing)

I do not have time to work with the instructions from Memo tonight, I have begun reading it and will do my best to be on it tomorrow.

 

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

One thing I do want to ask before I crash for the evening - I read over Memo's instructions for installing sc4pac... where should I put  null-45:startup-performance-optimization-dll and  memo:lua-sandbox-dll? I assume they just need to be placed in the main SimCity4 Deluxe folder, but I felt I should ask about this so that, when I have a bit of down time, I know where these two files are to go. Just wondering!!

[nos.17 5,247]

7 minutes ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

One thing I do want to ask before I crash for the evening - I read over Memo's instructions for installing sc4pac... where should I put  null-45:startup-performance-optimization-dll and  memo:lua-sandbox-dll? I assume they just need to be placed in the main SimCity4 Deluxe folder, but I felt I should ask about this so that, when I have a bit of down time, I know where these two files are to go. Just wondering!!

That is the one of the main benefits of sc4pac - you don't need to worry about that! You tell sc4pac what you want, and it installs them in the correct location automatically. sc4pac will end up installing these in the \150-mods\ subfolder.

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Fantastic!! Thanks for the heads up! I will be on this tomorrow!

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

I am trying to use the sc4pac gui program, I made a profile and it is asking for the locations of my plugins and cache. I see plugins automatically, but when it comes to the cache folder, the only one I see is "webcache". Would this work? Please get back to me when you can!!!

[nos.17 5,247]

1 hour ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

I am trying to use the sc4pac gui program, I made a profile and it is asking for the locations of my plugins and cache. I see plugins automatically, but when it comes to the cache folder, the only one I see is "webcache". Would this work? Please get back to me when you can!!!

Just accept the default value that's there. It will look like C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\io.github.memo33\sc4pac\cache.

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

ok will do. Thanks!

 

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

I just finish installing and setting up sc4pac! Not as complicated as I thought it would be. With the "find packages" button, what packages do you guys recommend? I was looking at some of them, and also saw the "all packages" selection. To be honest, I am set to install them all, but two things comes to mind - first, that will probably take a long while, and second, I wanted to ask you guys on what your preferences are, and what is recommended. I am really a newbie to the game, so all of this is new to me. I also am going to set up the "personal authentication token" too. If you guys have any tips on all of this, I would be more than happy to hear about it! Thanks!

[CorinaMarie 29,877]

1 hour ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

I also am going to set up the "personal authentication token" too.

If you haven't seen it already, peek in this [Guide] How to Setup Your sc4pac STEX Token.

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

CorinaMarie, thanks for providing a link for setting up the token! My free time is very slim during the week, I just happened to have a moment of time where I could log on this forum and check for any responses. Tomorrow I will 100% utilize your link, and have that all set up ASAP. This whole process isn't as intimidating as I had previously thought! Thanks again!!

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

All set with my token! Again, CorinaMarie, thank you so much, the link/walkthrough you provided really helped me with that whole process!! I guess it's time to download some content!! Would you guys say that simply downloading everything is ill-advised? Are there files that are slight variations of other ones, and inadvertently not needed? And I wonder how much space these files of content might take up on my hard drive? (No worries, I have plenty of space). What do you guys recommend? If I am going to do some mass-downloading, I would have to wait till the weekend when my schedule is more open. But I am so excited!!

[nos.17 5,247]

On 6/30/2026 at 2:20 PM, NeveroddoreveN said:

What do you guys recommend? If I am going to do some mass-downloading, I would have to wait till the weekend when my schedule is more open. But I am so excited!!

Happy to hear you've got everything figured out! 

Definitely pace yourself. You're probably a little better off with sc4pac mods, but problems and conflicts can still arise. It's much easier to troubleshoot the last 20 things you added than the last 200!

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Thanks so much, Nos. 17! Like I said before, the whole process has been less intimidating than I had originally thought it to be!! I can imagine that even with the best downloads, problems can still show up, and figuring out which one is the culprit is much easier when there are a small number of possibilities. And you guys have been amazing!! Oh, I wanted to ask you guys a question... is there a more simplistic way to download and install all of the patches from the Ultimate Guide? I figure that the patches and downloads are there for a reason, and that I should have them all set and ready before my first SimCity 4 Deluxe excursion. Thanks again!!

[nos.17 5,247]

On 7/2/2026 at 5:39 AM, NeveroddoreveN said:

is there a more simplistic way to download and install all of the patches from the Ultimate Guide?

Unfortunately, not really. The closest thing is the Colossus Addon Mod MODPACC Zero, which despite it's confusing name, technically doesn't require CAM at all. It's a decent start but I find it doesn't include certain bug fixes that I consider important, so those would still need to be installed manually. It's possible not everything in the Ultimate Guide is available in sc4pac, so if you do find something, let me know and i can get it on the list to add.

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Thanks!! I wasn't sure if I should just open the Ultimate Guide and go down the list, downloading everything displayed, just to cover my bases. And I assume that would be a tedious process. I would absolutely love to have this game up and running soon, but I do not want to jump the gun and have some catastrophic problem occur that bricks the game. For what I said about going down the list, if that is the best way to cover my bases and get me playing, so be it. If you guys have another suggestion, I would be more than happy to hear about it!

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Hey everyone!! So, I have been looking through the different downloads on the Ultimate Guide, I see that some of them are obviously necessary - for example, performance and graphics mods and game play enhancement mods. The others don't sound particularly vital, but hey, I am not an expert by any means. I am trying to plan my next step in updating SimCity 4 Deluxe, I assume I could do what I can with what I see listed. (I am a bit apprehensive with this process.) Also - and this might broadcast my naivety - I wanted to make sure I am putting these downloads in the proper place. Should they be placed in a certain folder? I am so excited to play, but I also don't want to make any mistakes setting this up. Any thoughts on this situation? Thanks in advance!!

[nos.17 5,247]

On 7/4/2026 at 3:00 PM, NeveroddoreveN said:

Also - and this might broadcast my naivety - I wanted to make sure I am putting these downloads in the proper place. Should they be placed in a certain folder? I am so excited to play, but I also don't want to make any mistakes setting this up. Any thoughts on this situation? Thanks in advance!!

If you install the mods via sc4pac, you don't need to worry about this at all, as sc4pac handles this for you. Otherwise, for things you install outside of sc4pac the download page should specify the installation instructions. By and large, most things are fine to just put in your plugins folder. Though, if you are using sc4pac, we do recommend installing your manually installed items in certain folders.

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Got it. Thanks for your help!! When I spoke about what folders downloads should go in, I was referring to the links from the Ultimate Guide page. I do understand that sc4pac will put those mods in the appropriate folder. What I am working on now is getting the downloads/links from the Ultimate Guide squared away - downloaded in the right folder.

A question does come to mind - in the first two links on the Ultimate Guide page, there are quite a few files to download - there looks to be some text above the links, but I am not quite sure about what I am reading. I don't know a whole lot about computers (I guess you could call me a jack of all trades), so I am not quite sure where those files will need to be placed.

-- Edit: Many of the guide's links have instructions that are simple to understand, so no worries there!

The first link on the guide says to uninstall certain mods and replace them with new updated (I guess) versions. I am a bit unsure what to do there. Most of what the guide instructs me to do is fine, if anyone could help answer this situation, I would be very appreciative!! 

Also, going back to the Ultimate Guide, there are links that appear to be patches for SimCity 4, but I am not sure if they are necessary for getting the game to run at an optimal level. Can anyone please shed some light on this? Any and all help is appreciated! 

[nos.17 5,247]

Here's my opinion on the items in the first two links in the ultimate guide:

• Performance & graphics

  • 4GB Patch: Absolutely recommended.

  • SC4CPUOptions: Definitely recommended, for the CPUCount:1 property. Improves stability (fewer crashes) on most systems.

  • SC4GraphicsOptions: Only if you want to run SC4 in a resolution not supported out of the box.

  • SC4Fix: Definitely install

  • SC4AutoSave: Optional, if you like that

  • DgVoodoo 2:  (DirectX Wrapper): Only use if you otherwise have issues launching or running the game, or if you want to play at larger resolutions (2k, etc).

  • Startup Performance Optimization DLL for SimCity 4: Definitely recommended. Improves loading times, and lets sc4 read long folder paths (especially important if you use sc4pac)

  • Transparent Texture Fix DLL: Good to have, but just fixes a small visual glitch

  • SimCity 4 Disable FPS Limits: Optional, if you're into that king of thing.

  • Region Thumbnail Fix DLL: Only necessary if you're playing at a resolution above 1440p and you see glitches in the region view.

• Gameplay enhancements

  • All 100% optional.

 

I have been inspired to start work on a version of this based on the original MODPACC zero mods, as I agree, it's not always clear what is a required bug fix, what is a fix for small visual glitches, and things that are just personal preference.

  Edited Thursday at 12:05 AM by nos.17  
forgot link

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Thanks for getting back to me!! I really appreciate your taking the time for responding and also for taking the time to iron out the first two links in the Ultimate Guide!! The biggest problem I have right now is where to put some of these downloads. I worked on this a bit when I had the time, and quite a few instances the page will explain what to download and where it goes. That said, some of the terminology is a bit over my head, but I am doing the best I can. With the first link, there are a few sub-links (if that is even a word) that simply download a file but do not clearly explain where the download goes. Or at least I am just not seeing it. I feel like such a newbie with this whole process, but I am adamant on getting this game completely installed  - I had such a great time with the original SimCity and am very excited to get SimCity 4 Deluxe up and running!! My time for setting up all of this is rather limited, but then again, it's limited for most things.

[nos.17 5,247]

Alright, the best thing to do is to just take this a few at a time, and address each one specifically . What are the first 2-3 specific downloads you're confused about?

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

I appreciate your patience!! And your help is really appreciated!!

So the first three downloads that I am having a problem with are the first three in the first link (Performance and Graphics List). For the first download (4GB Patch), I assume the patch goes into the Plugins folder, but I might be mistaken.

And with the next two, the description talks about removing files from the Plugins folder and copying two other files. That sounds pretty straightforward, but where do I download those new files to place in Plugins? For first of the two - SC4CPUOptions - I need two files ( SC4CPUOptions.dll and SC4CPUOptions.ini), and the second of the two -  SC4GraphicsOptions - the two files I need are SC4GraphicsOptions.dll and SC4GraphicsOptions.ini

I really hope this is not too confusing, if you need me to explain anything a bit further, I would be more than happy to provide it. Thanks so much!!

[nos.17 5,247]

The 4GB patch an exception - it does not go into plugins at all. Follow step #6 from here: https://www.sc4nam.com/docs/getting-started/installation/.

SC4CPUOptions and SC4GraphicsOptions are both available in sc4pac. You're using sc4pac right? So use that to install them. It will prompt you with an instruction for exactly what you need to do.

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

Got it! I did not know about the 4GB patch being separate from the Plugins folder - thanks for providing the link!! And you said that both  SC4CPUOptions and SC4GraphicsOptions are available on sc4pac - thanks for that, what other downloads are on sc4pac? I will keep working on this, and when you have the time, I will review the next few download tabs in the Ultimate Guide!

[NeveroddoreveN 85]

I am entering  SC4CPUOptions.dll and  SC4CPUOptions.ini (separately) but nothing is appearing in the sc4pac search engine. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

[Propfam 2,302]

17 hours ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

I am entering  SC4CPUOptions.dll and SC4CPUOptions.ini (separately) but nothing is appearing in the sc4pac search engine. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

Your cache may haven't been built yet or your internet is a bit broken. I recommend you to search SC4CPUOptions here on STEX, visit the page, and hit that sc4pac install button.

So yeah. That's it.

[Ulisse Wolf 4,454]

21 hours ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

I am entering  SC4CPUOptions.dll and  SC4CPUOptions.ini (separately) but nothing is appearing in the sc4pac search engine. Not sure what I am doing wrong.

If you're looking for SC4CPUOptions.dll and SC4CPUOptions.ini, you won't find them. Just search for "SC4 CPU" to find the mod. 

To speed things up, the following modpack is available