Rendering map causes all water region

[jlmiksch 0]

I just downloaded requestpack1US1.zip and wanted to use some of the maps. When I placed the Des Moines map in my region folder and went to render, it did nothing. So I tried another map (Rome) and after the 15 minutes it took to render, all I got was a region of water. Am I doing something wrong or is this a new way to play the game?

System info:

Gateway M675xl laptop (desktop replacement)
Intel Pentium 2.8ghz with hyperthreading
2048mb memory PC3200
Toshiba 80Gb hdd 5400rpm
Toshiba 80Gb hdd 5400rpm (in place of the left bay floppy drive)
DVD/CDRW right bay drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 128MB
17" Active Matrix Screen (1440 by 900 resolution)

Nevermind...it is late and I am tired. I forgot to produce a region.ini file in the folder. You wouldn't think that I have been playing this game since it came out with some of the dumb questions I have been asking without checking my own work before hand.

[MallowTheCloud 41]

LOL, no problem. The issue is probably that you didn't include the import.dat plugin in your plugins folder.

[jlmiksch 0]

No I had that included in my Simcity4 folder, I just didn't have my region.ini included to tell it what the water and ground level should be so it just assumed it should be all sea level.

[MallowTheCloud 41]

Hmm... well, from what I've observed, the region.ini file makes very little difference... and is created automatically. I wouldn't think that would be the problem If you have Cycledogg's Terrain Mod, that may be an issue. Also, if the import.dat file wasn't in your plugins folder, that would cause this similar issue.

[twinsen 0]

I have the opposite problem, my regions are rendered, but waayy to heigh in altutude. I have to lower every city about 20x times to get to sea level. any ideas? I'm using a clean install, with only the import.dat file in the plugins folder.. been trying for hours now..

[CocaTertoka 7]

If anyone ends up reading this....i have the same problem...and i DID INCLUDE the import.dat file. and it doesn't seem to fix the problem. and i was curiouse mallow. (sorry if this is a dumb question) but what do the .dat files do. Ajust height? becuase if they do then wouldn't putting in one of the higher ones solve the problem......?....i dont know. i would just like an answer, becuase i cant terraform maps worth crap*

[tungston 19]

revenant71:

CocaTertoka:

The import.dat is for certain maps, if you use it on a map that it is not intended for, it changes the elevation as you describe. For maps it is not intended for, remove it from the plugins folder. You only need the elevation dat files [there are several] in the plugins folder while you render the region.

[CocaTertoka 7]

well. i used the import.dat on one map, and it turnned out all water...

so, i put in the 2500.dat, and rendered it, and guess what. it worked, i had all land but what was suppose to be river

so im not sure how it all worked, but if i just leave that plugin in, all the maps come out correct.

so problem fixed........

[tungston 19]

That is until you do a map that doesn't need a elevation dat file. Elevation dat files are specific to the way the grayscale is colored.

Here is how the colors relate to the elevation:

RGB= 0: 252 meters (827 feet) below sea level

RGB= 84: Sea level

RGB= 255: 513 meters (1683 feet) above sea level

RGB= 50: 102 meters (335 feet) below sea level

RGB=100: 48 meters (157 feet) above sea level

RGB= 150: 198 meters (650 feet) above sea level

RGB= 200: 348 meters (1142 feet) above sea level

with import.dat

    RGB=10 very deep water

    RGB=25 about sea level

    RGB=35 about one god mode level above sea level