captivatedlady

I only pay attention to the date sometimes depends on if I planting seasonal trees, if I not planting then i usually dont even notice it.

Ok first with all maxis patches/updates and mods 805MB, was more but have weeded out a considerable amount. However loading SC4 i have a program that shows me use of cpu and mem mem is barely being used and cpu is super low sometimes topping out at 3-4%. That is in loading the game with all extra(unneeded processes) shut off or disabled. So it usually takes 20-30 minutes just to load the game, is there any way possible to speed this up beyond emptying my plugin folder? I have same problem on both computers ones a intel base the other is Amd base. Secondly, I have no traffic not even with things like bus stops and police stations with automata. If I go to Data View Traffic I can 'see' where traffic is going although in city view I dont have any traffic even at closest view. Thats only a problem with the Dell (Intel base). Thirdly, on both systems I have to use save game then switch to region w/o save. If i switch to region w/save or exit game w/save it automatically CTD's every time. Fixable? Ok Stats SC4 Deluxe (cd's) both laptops Dell Inspiron 1545 Intel Pentium Dual CPU T3400 2.16 GHz 2.17 GHz 3 gb ram Vista Home Premium 32 bit Acer Aspire 5100 AMD Turion 64 X2 (cant remember GHz'z offhand) 2 gb ram Windows 7 home premium 32bit of course being laptops besides adding memory cant do much else such as video cards so the dell uses Intel GMA 43 integrated and acer uses ATI X1100 integrated. Also have the game using one core as listed elsewhere in Simtropolis. Ok this was long-winded but I do have tendency to overtalk (even when typing)

Good deal, one quick question with Windows 7. Should i tell the compatibility to run game as win xp or does that even matter?

Can pick up a killer barebones desktop computer for cheap at tigerdirect but the one I looking at has an AMD 8 cores somehow I dont think shutting down 7 cores to play the game would be very easy lol. But on the plus side can drop in 16gigs of ram and a SSD and a nice graphics card or two. Then even if load times are still boggy at least it will look good. Hope to get enough money for Christmas to order one

Well it probably just the age of both laptops, they aren't the 15lb briefcase laptops but they are both 4 plus years old. The automata not appearing happened just within the past week or two. They quit updating some of the drivers two years before I got them. I did recheck that all my drivers were the latest and workin, but still no automata. Guess I will goto a pawnshop and pick-up someones old desktop for cheap. lol

Ok thanks for answers, as for disk maintenance, I run the enhanced version of CCleaner, Glary Utilities, Eusing cleaner and registry and Auslogics disk defrag, after I Dat Pack then i do the optimize feature of Auslogic Defrag. When game is actually playing then i get respectable numbers on cpu and mem usage. High 80's low 90's on cpu and mem rates are in-line to what the integrated graphics can handle. I was mostly hoping that someone had the Holy Grail of fast loading speeds again thanx

LMFAO TFF

Yeah the single player but also the regions, so you can build that super duper megalopolis spanning 12 tiles lol.

I keep looking hoping to see EA for sale in the classifieds. Whoever ends up with Maxis, I hope they are better listeners than EA ever was.

baertooth you are almost right however they will balk at anything less than 100 mil is my guess seeing as how in 1997 they bought 125 million in maxis stock. Under terms of the transaction, Electronic Arts will pay 0.3644 of one of its shares for each of the 11.26 million Maxis shares outstanding. Based on Electronic Arts' closing stock price of $30.375 yesterday, Electronic Arts would pay about $11.07 for each Maxis share. Since the costs of everything is higher than it was back in the 90's.....well I dont think maxis would be bought from EA for substantially more than they paid. Especially if SC2013 goes big the way they expect it too.

This is like the second 'EA Bad News' I have read in as many days yesterday popcap was downsizing owned by EA. Pogo.com is owned by EA as well, and they are always having problems, haven't heard any downsizing rumors for them as yet. I have always been against the always connected aspect for SC2013. However my sc4 discs still work and with the great custom content I get from here and sc4devotion/lex. I see no need to rush out and get the next generation of simcity. I can putz around with my cities and not worry about my 'neighbor' being able to see what I doin and possibly sabatoging my city.

I myself am against 'forced online 'play and the like, but as has already been said here and in other forums people may not like it but it is the direction most games are going. EA and Maxis 'to an extent' are not only trying to keep their older fan base, many of who prefer not to have to be connected all the time. Yet at same time there is a whole new generation of folks who don't like to be offline whether for games, (look at Facebook), or news, or whatever, they expect to be connected. Will they lose some of their fan base? Without a doubt. However if they can keep most and entice a new generation, then they will make money and that'ss the bottom line. As my dad used to say Money Talks and Bullsh*t Walks. Me personally, I wont be getting the newer SimCity not just because I hate to be forced into something, but because I wont be able to pay for all the DLC's to keep up. But I also know it's all about making money and so a petition or blackout or anything similiar will not have any effect other than to clutter a few email boxes, check all, delete... there email is all cleaned up. A few keystrokes and you are forgotten.

Whether or not they do (or will do) anything about the online play doesn't bother me too much. What I am afraid will happen is they will have pay for DLC's (downloadable content) to make the game more involving. If that happens then I will stick with SC4, I am on a fixed income which barely allows me to afford a game and still keep roof over my head. I would be unable to afford to play the new simcity if it requires DLC's that require money. Which is why I dont play WOW they not only have monthly subscription fee but also pay for DLC's. Ok I am getting off my soapbox lol

A while back I downloaded a region extracted it in region folder and am presently playing that region. no multi-steps as needed with present day maps. It was called maxisland. Has realistic mountains and so-on, didn't require any other program besides the extractor to install in regions and works awesomely. Why did it suddenly get more complicated? (Well not suddenly really but in past couple years or so). I prefer the simplicity of plug and play maps much more than having to do steps. Is it harder to do a drop-in regions map than to use programs like those that are presently used? I am just curious.

Ok cool, like I mentioned I was mostly curious as to the reasons. I personally never had no trouble with 'maxisland' i clicked download and it went to extractor on its own i just told it where to extract to and poof there it was. lol I can use the terraformer dont like it but can use it . Anyway thanks for your replies even the humorous one Mrb.