displacementzero

I'll be darned, option 2 (reducing the custom resolution) did the trick. I was able to get into the game, open my region, open a city, save, etc. with no problems. I'm fine with playing on the laptop screen for now as long as it's working. I'll be back here if further issues pop up. Thank you so much for your help!

I've been playing SC4 Deluxe (download from Amazon) on my laptop (HP G62, old but I only use it for SC4) for years now with no issues other than the occasional CTD from quick zooming. I typically hook up a monitor and play on there, except recently my kid came in and unplugged the monitor while the game was going on, forcing a weird shift of the game window back to my laptop screen, with the graphics flashing on and off until I did CTRL-ALT-DELETE to escape and end the program. Tried reopening SC4 the next day and I'm not getting anywhere before an immediate CTD right after the "SimCity 4" intro screen. Tried plugging monitor back in, same deal. Uninstalled and re-installed the game, same deal. Moved the city I was working on to another folder thinking maybe just the city was corrupted, same deal. Cleared my plugins folder, you guessed it. Did the "-d:software" prompt and that didn't work either. DirectX Diagnostic Tool came back clean. What I'm assuming is that I fried the graphics card when it went from the monitor to the laptop screen, but I'm having no problems with any other programs. I don't know what else it could be, but would appreciate any help or workarounds that I haven't tried yet! Some technical specs: PC: HP G62 laptop Disk Drive: Hitachi HTS545032B9A300 OS: Windows 10 Graphics Card: Mobile Intel 4 Series Express

Most of my friends are conservative, and have been beating the "Palin has more experience than Obama" drum for the past few days. I think it's absolutely ridiculous...having executive experience is not a qualification for anything, much less vice-president. Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit has "executive experience" but I don't think anyone is going to say he's more qualified than Obama. I negated the entire argument right there, if I must say :-). However, she has serious conservative credentials, which will help the Republicans who weren't all that sold on McCain

I've been playing the game for a while, but I'm just getting used to the nuances. And specifically, on the STEX, buildings can be considered in "stage 4" of the Chicago set or "stage 7" of the Houston set, etc. etc. I was wondering what the stages meant, how you can quickly move up the stages, what determines buildings being in certain stages, etc. etc?

While almost any NYC highway can make this list, the Schuykill Expressway (I-76) in Philadelphia gets the hometown vote from me. For one, there are no shoulders to speak of anywhere. And traveling westbound (actually northbound through Philadelphia proper but called westbound thanks to those tricky even-numbered Interstates) is one nightmare after another. 1. Upon entering Philadelphia, the tollbooths leave you out near the interchange with I-95. Problem is that the interchange has portions at street level, which means traffic lights. Traveling from westbound 76 to southbound 95 is not a direct link. More on this later. 2. The Sports Complex exits are narrow, windy, and woefully undersized to handle 20,000 Sixer/Flyer fans, let alone 70,000 Eagles fans. 3. After the Sports Complex, ramps guide you to a connection with 95 South but alas, you will be stuck at traffic lights again! That's right, there is not a complete, non-stop interchange between 76 and 95 in south Philadelphia. 4. Usually interstates are designed so that local roads merge into the existing interstate lanes. Well, Penndot took that logic and flushed it down the toilet because immediately following that other phantom 95 interchange, you will have to merge FROM THE RIGHT into 3 lanes of at-grade, local traffic. Unfortunately, the traffic from these local lanes dictates the traffic flow, so be prepared to slow down to speeds of 30 mph, as you will need to merge into the left-hand lanes to continue on 76 West. 5. As you fly over the River, approaching University City and Downtown, keep that wheel aligned, as there are no shoulders and the Jersey median barrier is mere inches from the left lane. The billboards during this stretch of roadway also add to the claustrophobic feel. 6. Exiting at South Street? Get in the left-hand lane, as it is a left-hand exit. The traffic light at South Street is mere feet away and the ramp is terribly short, so you could be stuck on the expressway waiting for a red light to change. 7. As you approach Center City, you will drive under the post office and 30th Street Station. This is a terrible, poorly-lit, narrow roadway, where the exit signs are obscured by support pillars and ramps are terribly short again. Also, if you're driving in the right lane, you are mere inches away from dropping into the River below, as of course there is no shoulder. 8. From this point on, the road gets marginally better. But watch out for the confusing interchanges with Northbound U.S. 1 (Roosevelt Expressway) and Southbound U.S. 1 (City Avenue). Also, the Conshohocken Curve can be tough to handle as well. Unfortunately, you need to drive on this road to truly understand the horror of it. I would recommend you do it at least once, but be warned that you're playing Russian Roulette with your car.

While almost any NYC highway can make this list, the Schuykill Expressway (I-76) in Philadelphia gets the hometown vote from me. For one, there are no shoulders to speak of anywhere. And traveling westbound (actually northbound through Philadelphia proper but called westbound thanks to those tricky even-numbered Interstates) is one nightmare after another. 1. Upon entering Philadelphia, the tollbooths leave you out near the interchange with I-95. Problem is that the interchange has portions at street level, which means traffic lights. Traveling from westbound 76 to southbound 95 is not a direct link. More on this later. 2. The Sports Complex exits are narrow, windy, and woefully undersized to handle 20,000 Sixer/Flyer fans, let alone 70,000 Eagles fans. 3. After the Sports Complex, ramps guide you to a connection with 95 South but alas, you will be stuck at traffic lights again! That's right, there is not a complete, non-stop interchange between 76 and 95 in south Philadelphia. 4. Usually interstates are designed so that local roads merge into the existing interstate lanes. Well, Penndot took that logic and flushed it down the toilet because immediately following that other phantom 95 interchange, you will have to merge FROM THE RIGHT into 3 lanes of at-grade, local traffic. Unfortunately, the traffic from these local lanes dictates the traffic flow, so be prepared to slow down to speeds of 30 mph, as you will need to merge into the left-hand lanes to continue on 76 West. 5. As you fly over the River, approaching University City and Downtown, keep that wheel aligned, as there are no shoulders and the Jersey median barrier is mere inches from the left lane. The billboards during this stretch of roadway also add to the claustrophobic feel. 6. Exiting at South Street? Get in the left-hand lane, as it is a left-hand exit. The traffic light at South Street is mere feet away and the ramp is terribly short, so you could be stuck on the expressway waiting for a red light to change. 7. As you approach Center City, you will drive under the post office and 30th Street Station. This is a terrible, poorly-lit, narrow roadway, where the exit signs are obscured by support pillars and ramps are terribly short again. Also, if you're driving in the right lane, you are mere inches away from dropping into the River below, as of course there is no shoulder. 8. From this point on, the road gets marginally better. But watch out for the confusing interchanges with Northbound U.S. 1 (Roosevelt Expressway) and Southbound U.S. 1 (City Avenue). Also, the Conshohocken Curve can be tough to handle as well. Unfortunately, you need to drive on this road to truly understand the horror of it. I would recommend you do it at least once, but be warned that you're playing Russian Roulette with your car.