Sam

Well for a start it probably takes more water to produce the bottle and transport the finished product than the bottle actually holds. Then there's the time for it to degrade in landfill when it is discarded after a single use. Wasteful.

Originally posted by: TekindusT Some moderator should move this topic...quote> Agreed. Moving from Sims Mods to SC4 Exchange forum.

I don't think that is the same fix. That one is for game texture files corrupting your model textures because of a conflict, not for them disappearing altogether. The problem still occurs with that fix in place. But like I said its not really a major problem.

Sorry for lack of reply. I tend to use DarkMatter's FiSHman program for that kind of thing. I know SC4Tool can do it, but I've never used it for that. DarkMatter used to have a tutorial on how to use the program. You can use Ilive's Reader to extract the fsh files from the SimCity_2.dat file. Each texture comes in sets of 5 with sequential iids, one for each zoom. You can extract the biggest one (128x128) as Fishman can create the sequences from the largest zoom when you re-import. To extract from Ilive's Reader do the usual right click and save decoded file thing. You will get a fsh file and a tgi file for each. For your own textures you will need a texture iid range from Geoffhaw in the BSC Texture Index thread. Make sure you read the post on the first page so you know how the iids work. You can open the fsh files in FiSHman and convert them to bmp files. Edit in your graphics editor. You only need to do the 128x128 image, FiSHman can create the other zooms for you. Use fishman's batch processor to create the fsh sequences,if you have a lot of images, and setting the initial TGI to the appropriate number in your range (I can't remember I think you start at the _s4 zoom). Fishman creates a fsh and tgi file for each zoom per texture. Import each of the fsh files into into a dat file. I'm sure SC4 tool has a simpler way of doing it and probably has a tutorial, I've always used FiSHman. When you make your graphics you will need to make your new textures seamless with the Maxis ones yourself with your graphics editor (take out the textures you want it seamless with, enlarge your graphic so you can fit 3x3 base textures. Put yours in the centre, and the maxis one at each edge and make seamless). Also some maxis fsh files have multiple image files and one is picked at random from the selection by the game. You can do the same thing, you just need a selection of suitable textures as bmp files and make them all into one fsh. You may have to do that manually by opening up the first fsh, and importing each aditional texture using FiSHman.

There were some tutorials written by MaxisBrian in the omnibus when the BAT was first released or just prior. Many of us were practising with gmax for a long time before the BAT itself was released and the Maxis people were quite active in the community. But the models they did release were uploaded to the official SC4 site, not here. And of course they have not been sighted in the community since the early days.

Gmax does sometimes "forget" its textures, I've had it happen to me lots of times (it has nothing to do with moving the files, I always set up my texture folders at the start of the model and nothing gets moved after that). All you have to do is go into the materials navigator and re-load each texture's image file. It's a bit of a pain but not that big a deal.

What do you mean "the rendering is messed up"? I don't see what you are referring to, but then I don't know what state it was in before you rendered it. Perhaps a better description of the problem might get you some suggestion of how to resolve it.

I like the one on the left. The one on the right doesn't have enough detail. Rooves don't tend to sit that flat with the building, there are overhangs and gutters and things.

Of course it comes with a readme. It pops up at the end of the install process (you have to actually run the exe installer file, not just drop it in your plugins folder). It is also installed to the ...\My Documents\SimCity 4\LEX_Downloads\CPT\ directory as part of the install process.

I suggest photoshopping your textures, even though you seem to have an aversion to it. You don't have to use photoshop itself, there are other graphics programs. With photoshop or paintshop pro (I don't know much about other graphics programs) you can take an image and add more layers to it. So you can start with an image of a clean texture and add "dirt" layers to it (you can adjust the opacity of the dirt layers to get just the right effect you want). I find clouds work well for general dirt. "Photoshopping" however is very much a part of batting, as you are unlikely to find the perfect texture anywhere. For Textures like your grill doors you can also use alpha maps to specify transparency on some parts of your texture (like the rounded parts of the arch and between the bars). Also for w2w there are set standards for things like size, distance from footpath etc that people adhere to so that their buildings work together to make a believable w2w style. I don't know exactly what those dimensions are as I don't use the style myself, but they'll be listed somewhere. Don't forget to add to your BATs little details like downpipes, window sills etc. And there's nothing wrong with gmax. People make some fantastic creations with it, and not just in the SC4 community. There is nothing to be ashamed of in having only gmax. Another tip that might be helpful - I look at magazines like Model Railroader that have sections on how to make buildings for model railroad sets (ie cut out of plastic, timber etc). They usually have dimensions, elements and steps that are easily converted to 3D computer modelling. If you run through a few of those it will give you some practice, especially as the objects are already broken down to basic shapes. For example, my BAT on the STEX is from a 1970's issue of Model Railroader (I think).

Its the updates that set it to low (and some custom mods). That's why you need to check it after you install the updates.

You don't put the update exe files in your plugin folders. You have to run the exe files to apply the update. Once you have done that check your game settings and make sure your city detail settings are on high.

Yes you will need to use Ilive's Reader to do this. The Lot Editor has never been able to edit building properties. If the item is a custom BAT and you have the descriptor file you may be able to use the Plug In Manager to change the numbers. However remember to keep the radius a multiple of four or there can be problems occur in your game.

There are a lot of other mass transit options. You just need an integrated system rather than relying entirely on ferries.

I'm pretty sure that in the early days of transit modding RedLotus (I think) found the ferry limit was hard coded and nothing could be done to change it.

There is nothing special about the BSC installers. They work just like you unzipping any other lot or BAT file and putting it in your plugins, except the installer does all the finding of folders and putting files in the right place for you. Other than that you will have exactly the same kinds of files as you would if it had been a manual install. BSC installers always have a readme. Usually it is triggered at the end of the install, but there should be a loose copy in the zip too. The readme's are also filed under a parallel folder in your LEX_downloads or STEX_downloads folder in your My Documents/Simcity 4 folder when you run the installer. Dependencies are always listed in the readme. If all else fails just reinstall it again and the readme should pop up. You will only ever get BSC files on the STEX or SC4 Devotion. They are not legally available in any other place, so that should cut down to two sites the possibilities of where you got it from.

I don't know exactly what you mean. I got a bit confused with the over under thing. I just use tunnels if I want to have a road or highway go under an area I want to build on. I usually hand terraform the land for the tunnel entrance, but you can use smoncrie's hole digger lots to help you if you want. For underwater tunnels, you create a straight berm with teh terraforming tools along the path you want the tunnel to take (it must be straight). Then put your tunnel in. Then sink the underwater part of the berm with the terraforming tools. As long as you don't touch the tunnel entrance or the immediate tiles around it, the tunnel won't collapse. I don't have any really good pictures but these ones have some such tunnels: rail tunnel top left side. Avenue tunnel mid right side. highway tunnel top left edge. Avenue tunnel centre left.

Most of these were the BSC, Simgoober and CSX farms. The bright green field top center is Simgoobers corn field. The coloured blocks are BLS flowers I think, and a selection of others are there as well. If you go over to the SC4 Devotion LEX (www.sc4devotion.com) you should find these packs. Go to the Category Search and select Farming. Also try Farming SF. Don't forget to get any dependencies. You will need Simgoober's fields at least. Wow, Nightfall. That must have been an old city of mine.

For the Lot names and descriptions (as well as other useful things) I suggest you try LEProp which you can find on the STEX here: https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=21350. It isn't very difficult to use and makes changing these things quick and easy.