Vandy

Downloading the Application IMPORTANT NOTE: It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you completely read the ReadMe for the application and ensure you have the correct version of DirectX and any other supporting files. 1) Both SC4Terraformer and SC4Mapper are both available from the SC4Devotion LEX. (Note that you must register in order access the LEX.) 2) Create a folder on your computer's hard drive and name it SC4Terraformer. 3) Download the application (it is a zipped archive) and save it to the SC4Terraformer folder you created. Installing the Application 1) Unzip the archive ensuring that you use the "Use Folder Names" option in order to reconstruct the necessary folder structure for the application. 2) The application is installed -- there is no installer file that needs to be run. 3) No other zipped archives need to be unzipped. DO NOT unzip the library.zip file. Opening A Region 1) To run the application, navigate to the sub-folder in which you unzipped the application and double-click on the file named SC4Terraformer.exe.\ 2) The application's ReadMe file is displayed and can be closed, if desired. 3) In the Browse for Folder dialog box, highlight the region folder you wish to open and click the OK button. 4) A Loading Region dialog box is displayed as cities are being loaded. 5) In the Report dialog box, click the OK button to open the region. 6) The SC4Terraformer Main Window, SC4Trraformer toolbar, Overview and Slider Window open and display the Fairview region. Creating A New Region 1) In the SC4Terraformer Main Window, click on File - Create a region (or, press Ctrl+N). 2) In the Region creation dialog box, in the Region Name field, type in the a name for your new region. 3) In the Width and Height fields, type in the desired dimensions for your new region. 4) Leave the SC4M file field blank. 5) Click on the OK button. 6) A blank, flat region is created and is ready to be terraformed. IMPORTANT NOTE The default configuration bit map created by SC4TF when creating a new region is 4 x 4 pixels and consists of all small (red) city tiles. If you wish to use either medium, large or a mix of city tile sizes or, a specific tutorial calls for a specifically sized config.bmp file, you must create the appropriate config.bmp file yourself using a graphics editor application. Once you've created a new region, overwrite the config.bmp file created by SC4TF with the one you just created. The next time you run SC4TF and open the region you created, it will be configured to use the config.bmp file you created. The config.bmp file created by SC4TF can be found in the following path: \Documents\SimCity 4 \ Regions \ [REGION_NAME] \ config.bmp (Where [REGION_NAME] is the name given to the region in Step 2 above.)

Hello, All. Have you been looking for "that mapping or terraforming thread that you just know use to be here"? Or, spent time searching through the forum for "that mapping or terraforming tutorial that you just know use to be here"? Well, it is entirely possible that the thread(s) or tutorial(s) you been looking for have been moved to the Mapping & Terraforming section of the Simtropolis Omnibus. This new Omnibus section has become the repository for Simtropolis' mapping and terraforming information. As I search through the forum and find a worthwhile addition to OmniMaps, I will take the information and create an article containing the information found. The original information will be archived (removed from public view) and a notice will be placed in this thread detailing what the old information (thread or tutorial) was as well as a link to the new OmniMaps article containing the information. If you have any questions concerning this, please feel free to PM a site staff member. Regards, Vandy

Installing a map created by SC4Mapper is quite different than creating a grayscale map image and installing it in SimCity 4. The following information details the necessary steps to install a map in SC4 that was created by SC4Mapper. NOTE: File Format for SC4Mapper-Created Maps The typical file type for SC4Mapper-created maps is a zip archive ( .ZIP ). These instructions assume that the map files are contained in a zipped archive. Occasionally, a SC4Mapper -created map may only contain a .SC4M file (which is the file used by SC4Mapper). If a zipped archive is not the file type to download, ensure you download whatever files are available for the map and place them in the folder you designated for the map files (as shown in the below instructions). 1) On your computer, determine a folder location to which the map file will be downloaded. 2) Find a SC4Mapper created map to be downloaded by searching the STEX. Note the name of the map. 3) Click on the Download link of the map. 4) Click on the "Save" button. 5) Navigate to the folder location identified in Step 1), above then click the "Save" button. 6) In the folder location identified in Step 1), above open the zipped archive. 7) If the zipped archive contains folders, extract the files using the “Use folder names” option. Otherwise, just extract the files. Navigate to your \My Documents\SimCity4\Regions folder and create a folder named the same as the downloaded map. 9) Copy the downloaded map’s config.bmp file into the newly named region folder. NOTE: Concerning config.bmp Files. If the map being dowloaded does not have a config.bmp file included, one must be created before installing the map. Please consult the Config.bmp: HowTo Make It Yours article for instructions on creating a config.bmp file. 10) Launch the SC4Mapper application. 11) From the Toolbar, click on the Create Region button. 12) From the "Do you want to create a region from?" prompt, click on the SC4M button. 13) From the "Choose a SC4M file" dialog box, navigate to the folder in Step 1), above. 14) Highlight the .SC4M file and either double-click on it or click on the Open button. 15) The .SC4M file will be imported into SC4Mapper and display on-screen in a 2D overview with city borders. 16) Click on the Save Region button. 17) In the "Region Name" dialog box, enter the name of the region you've downloaded and click the OK button. 18) Once the save is completed, click on the Quit button. 19) In the "SC4Mapper" dialog box, click on the Yes button to quit the application. 20) Open the newly created region. 21) The new region is displayed and colored as it was seen in SC4Mapper. 22) Open a city but DO NOT reconcile the edges. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT reconcile the edges. 23) The city will be displayed in SimCity 4 colors and terrains. The city is now ready for development. 24) Make sure to save the city before exiting it. 25) Repeat Steps 22) through Step 24) for each city in the map. Note that the process explained in Step 22) through Step 24), above, can be done on each city during the same SimCity 4 session or be done on an “as you go / when ready” basis. Once all the cities have been rendered in SimCity4, the entire region will be displayed in SimCity colors and terrains and be ready for development.

Installing a map created by SC4Terraformer is quite different than creating a grayscale map image and installing it in SimCity 4. The following information details the necessary steps to install a map in SC4 that was created by SC4Terraformer. NOTE: File Format for SC4Terraformer-Created Maps The typical file type for SC4Terraformer-created maps is a zip archive ( .ZIP ). These instructions assume that the map files are contained in a zipped archive. Occasionally, a SC4Terraformer -created map may only contain a .SC4M file (which is the file used by SC4Terraformer). If a zipped archive is not the file type to download, ensure you download whatever files are available for the map and place them in the folder you designated for the map files (as shown in the below instructions). 1) On your computer, determine a folder location to which the map file will be downloaded. 2) Find a SC4Terraformer created map to be downloaded by searching the STEX. Note the name of the map. 3) Click on the Download link of the map. 4) Click on the "Save" button. 5) Navigate to the folder location identified in Step 1), above then click the "Save" button. 6) In the folder location identified in Step 1), above open the zipped archive. 7) If the zipped archive contains folders, extract the files using the “Use folder names” option. Otherwise, just extract the files. Navigate to your \My Documents\SimCity4\Regions folder and create a folder named the same as the downloaded map. 9) Copy the downloaded map’s config.bmp file into the newly named region folder. NOTE: Concerning config.bmp Files. If the map being dowloaded does not have a config.bmp file included, one must be created before installing the map. Please consult the Config.bmp: HowTo Make It Yours article for instructions on creating a config.bmp file. 10) Launch the SC4Terraformer application and open the newly named region folder. 11) In the SC4Terraformer Toolbar, click on the Global Tools drop down arrow. 12) Click on Import image then click on the Browse button (shown as … in a button). 13) From the “Choose an image” dialog box, navigate to the folder in Step 1), above and select the .SC4M file. 14) Double-click the .SC4M file to enter it into the “Import image” dialog box. 15) Click the OK button to import the .SC4M file into the SC4Terraformer application. 11) In the SC4Terraformer window, click on File – Save (or Ctrl+S). 16) At the “Warning” dialog box, click the Yes button. 17) The SC4Terraformer application creates and saves city information in your newly created region sub-folder. 18) Close the SC4Terraformer application and launch the SimCity 4 application. 19) Open the newly created region. 20) The new region is displayed and colored as it was seen in SC4Terraformer. 22) Open a city but DO NOT reconcile the edges. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT reconcile the edges. 23) The city will be displayed in SimCity 4 colors and terrains. The city is now ready for development. 24) Make sure to save the city before exiting it. 25) Repeat Steps 22) through Step 24) for each city in the map. Note that the process explained in Step 22) through Step 24) above can be done on each city during the same SimCity 4 session or be done on an “as you go / when ready” basis. Once all the cities have been rendered in SimCity4, the entire region will be displayed in SimCity colors and terrains and be ready for development.

Hello, All. I am not a newcomer to Simtrpolis but I haven't been active for a number of years. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Gary Vanderbur (I go by Vandy), a 70 year old retired male living in Clayton, North Carolina. USA. I've been married for almost 47 years to the most wonderful woman in the world. I have been playing SimCity 4 since December, 2004. I should mentioned that I rarely played the simulator, rather I was a avid map maker and posted under my mapping service, "Map This! - Cartography Services." (My maps are still on the STEX.) I plan on installing the simulator again and see if I can get wougaine's SC4 Terraformer working on my Windows 10 laptop. If I can, I plan on making maps again.

The file used by SC4terraformer that "contain" all of the terrain information have an extension of .SC4M. This is the file used by SC4Terraformer to save the parameters and terraforming information of the region created (Export) as well as to read in the parameters and terraforming information of a region that was exported (Import). This article will detail four functions within SC4Terraformer: 1) Exporting a .SC4M File from a Region Created in SC4Terraformer 2) Exporting a .SC4M File from a Region Created in SimCity 4 3) Importing a .SC4M File into SC4Terraformer 4) Saving a Region from SC4Terraformer Exporting a .SC4M File from a Region Created in SC4Terraformer There are two ways in which a .SC4M file can be exported: -- After creating a region in SC4Terraformer, the region can be exported as a .SC4M file. -- A region already rendered in SimCity 4 and saved to the Regions folder, it can be exported as a .SC4M file. First, let's discuss how to export a .SC4M file from a region created in SC4Terraformer. The assumption is that you've already created a region in SC4Terraformer, the SC4Terraformer application is still running and you are ready to export the .SC4M file. 1) From the SC4Terrafomer Toolbar, click on the Global Tools drop down arrow. 2) From the Global Tools, click on the Export (SC4M/16bit png) button. 3) From the Export region as ... dialog box, navigate to where you wish to save the .SC4M file. (For example: C:\TEMP\NEW_REGION.) 4) From the Export region as ... dialog box, in the File name: field, type in a name for your .SC4M file. 5) From the Export region as ... dialog box, make sure the Files of type: field has SC4 Terrain files (*.SC4M) selected. 6) Click on the Open button. 7) From the Enter a html file that will be displayed on import, click on the Canel button. (This file is not needed to create a region.) An Export done dialog box will be displayed. Click the OK button. 9) The .SC4M file has been created and saved on your computer in the folder stated in Step 3), above. Exporting a .SC4M File from a Region Created in SimCity 4 Next, let's discuss how to export a .SC4M file from a region already created and rendered in SimCity 4. The assumption is that you already created and rendered the region in SimCity 4 and that the region exists in the following path: \My Documents\SimCity 4\Regions\<NAME_OF_YOUR_REGION where NAME_OF_YOUR_REGION is whatever you've named the region you're going to export as a .SC4M file. 1) Launch the SC4Terraformer application. 2) From the Browse for Folder dialog box, navigate to the where you saved your region (for example: \My Documents\SimCity 4\Regions\NAME_OF_YOUR_REGION. 3) Highlight the name of your region folder and click the OK button. (SC4Terraformer will read in your cities.) 4) From the Report dialog box, click on the OK button. Your SimCity 4 rendered region will now be displayed in the Main SC4Terraformer window. 5) From the SC4Terrafomer Toolbar, click on the Global Tools drop down arrow. 6) From the Global Tools, click on the Export (SC4M/16bit png) button. 7) From the Export region as ... dialog box, navigate to where you wish to save the .SC4M file. (For example: C:\TEMP\NEW_REGION.) From the Export region as ... dialog box, in the File name: field, type in a name for your .SC4M file. From the Export region as ... dialog box, make sure the Files of type: field has SC4 Terrain files (*.SC4M) selected. 9) Click on the Open button. 10) From the Enter a html file that will be displayed on import, click on the Canel button. (This file is not needed to create a region.) 11) An Export done dialog box will be displayed. Click the OK button. 12) The .SC4M file has been created and saved on your computer in the folder stated in Step 7, above. Importing a .SC4M File into SC4Terrafomer IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure you have placed both your .SC4M file and your config.bmp file in a folder BEFORE performing these steps. 1) Launch the SC4Terrafomer application. 2) From the Browse for Folder dialog box, navigate to the where you saved your .SC4M file. (For example: C:\TEMP\NEW_REGION.) 3) Highlight the name of your region folder and click the OK button. (SC4Terraformer will read in your .SC4M file.) 4) From the Report dialog box, click on the OK button. A blank, flat region is now be displayed in the Main SC4Terraformer window. 5) From the SC4Terrafomer Toolbar, click on the Global Tools drop down arrow. 6) Click on the Import Image button. 7) From the Import Image dialog box, in the Image field click on the Browse button (shown as three (3) periods ( ... )). In the Chose an image dialog box, navigate to the folder in which you saved your .SC4M file. 9) Highlight the .SC4M file and click on the Open button. 10) From the Import Image dialog box, click on the OK button. Your SimCity 4 rendered image will now be shown (in SC4Terraformer colors) in the main SC4Terraformer window. 11) You have successfully imported your .SC4M image into SC4Terraformer and are ready to continue terraforming it and / or save it. Saving an Imported Region in SC4Terraformer Now that you've imported your .SC4M file and are finished terraforming it or are ready to save it as a new region, follow the below instructions: 1) From the main Terraformer window, in the menu at the top, click on File. 2) Click on the Save button. 3) From the Warning dialog box, click on the Yes button. 4) A Saving Region dialog box will be displayed with a progress bar. 5) Once the Saving Region dialog box closes, the new region has been saved. 6) Close the SC4Terraformer application. 7) Your region has been saved. IMPORTANT NOTE: When you create a region in SimCity 4, there is only one (1) file saved per city in the region. However, when you create a region in SC4Terraformer, there are three (3) file created for EACH city. These files are used by both SC4Terraformer and by SimCity 4. DO NOT delete any of these files or your region will either ono render properly or won't be displayed at all. Note that these city files ARE NOT NEEDED when you are creating a zip archive to upload to the STEX. The minimum files needed for the zip archive are the .SC4M file, the config.bmp file and a Read Me file. Once you have saved the region onto your computer, DO NOT DELETE any of the files in the appropriate region folder under \My Documents\SimCity 4\ Regions\NAME_OF_YOUR_REGION.

Mapping Applications and Mapping Tools Author: Vandy If you are interested in contributing to the OmniMaps section of the Simtropolis Omnibus, please PM OmniMaps. This article serves as a location index for all current mapping applications and mapping tools. A list of these applications and tools is maintained along with the location(s) from which they can be downloaded. If anyone finds either a dead link or becomes aware of any mapping applications and mapping tools which are not listed, please PM OmniMaps at Simtropolis in order to have the list updated. New Horizons Productions Applications and Tools Location Index Application / Tool LocationSC4Terraformer, Version 1.0c (BEING UPDATED)SimtropolisSC4Terraformer, Version 1.1 SC4Devotion Additional Files Needed for SC4TF (requires DirectX, Version 9.0c) (may require MSVCP71.DLL) (may require GDIPLUS.DLL) Microsoft DLL-FIlesSC4Mapper, v2.0 (12/18/07 Update)SC4Devotion SC4Mapper (requires MSVCP71.DLL)DLL-FilesClip2Pic SC4Devotion Clip2Pic (requires MSVCP71.DLL)DLL-Files Sawtooth's Region Census Application / ToolLocationRegion Census, Version 0.8SC4DevotionRegion Census, Version 0.8inGame Filebase greyveil's Landscape Designer Application / ToolLocationLandscape Designer, 0973 BetaSimptropolis Ordio's SimCity 4 Region and Config Creator Application / ToolLocationScracc, Version 0.98.7Scracc Planetside's Terragen Application / ToolLocationTerragen Classic (Version 0.9.43)PlanetsideTerragen 2Planetside World Machine Application / ToolLocationWorld Machine 2, Basic VersionWorld Machine DEM (Digital Elevation Model) Sources and Related Software Data Sources DEM Data SourceLocationDEM Data SourcesPPgisSTRM 90m DEMsCGIAR-CSINASA Shuttle Radar Topography MissionNASACandian DEMGeoBaseUS Geological SurveyUSGSDEM, Satellite and Topo Data LinksTerrainmapBaythmetric DataLocation2 minute bathymetric dataNOAAGlobal TopographySatellite GeodesyCleanTOPO2Shaded ReliefGLOBE dataNGDCTsunami Inundation Gridded ProjectNGDC DEM-Related and Other Software Software ApplicationsLocation3DEMFree Geography ToolsMicroDEMMicroDEMGlobal MapperGlobal MapperWorld WindNASAGoogle EarthGoogle

Map This!- Cartography Services Hello, Everyone! Welcome to the Map This! - Cartography Services (MTCS) thread. I do have a number of projects I'm currently working on such as a new fantasy map in production (Okeanides) as well as a region map commissioned by Schulmantor for use in his Schulmania City Journal. As soon as I have a chance to get some "teaser" screen shot uploaded, I will do so. If you are looking for a fantasy map (at this time -- other types of map offerings will come available as I learn more), please feel free to request them in this thread. I certainly am more than willing and able to chat with you about your requests. Take good care and I do look forward to chatting with you. Regards, Vandy

SimCity 4 Terraformer (SC4TF) is a regional terraforming application developed and written by woanagaine of Simtropolis. This application allows you to create, manipulate and general terraform a complete region without SimCity 4 (SC4) running. You are no longer required to terraform only one city tile at a time – rather, SC4TF allows you to terraform across the entire region! I own multiple computers but don’t want to have SimCity 4 installed on each of them. I would still like the ability to create new maps and SC4 regions on these other computers. Since SC4TF functions as a stand-alone application, I can install and use it on any computer I wish and create region maps to my heart’s content. So can you by following the steps in this tutorial. Downloading SC4TF and saving it to a Computer 1) Log into Simtropolis. 2) From the home page, in the blue bar at the top of the page, click on the Modds & Downloads link. 3) In the Programs list, find SC4TerraFormer. NOTE ON APPLICATION VERSION This is version 1.0c of SC4Terraformer. A new version (version 1.1) is available by clicking on the SC4Terraformer, Version 1.1 link. Ensure that this post is read completely in order to ensure that all requirements for the application have been met. 4) In the lower right-hand corner of the application description, click on the Download link. 5) Save the file to a temporary folder on your computer. 6) Copy the saved zip file to a removable media device, burn it to a CD or copy it across a network connection to a different computer. 7) On the computer on which SC4TF will be installed, create a folder and name it SC4TF. Copy the zip file to the SC4TF folder you just created in Step 7), above and extract the files from the zip archive using the “Use folder names” option. Creating the Required Folder Structure and Files Creating the Required Folder Structure 1) On the computer where you extracted the SC4TF files, open your desired file management software (I use Windows Explorer) then navigate to and open the My Documents folder. NOTE: The My Documents folder can be found in a variety of placed on your computer. The three most common are as follows: Example #1 On your desktop is an icon of an open folder with a piece of paper sticking out of it. The text below the icon typically will be labeled My Documents. If this icon is not on your Desktop, it has been removed. Use one of the other below examples. EXample #2 From an open Windows Explorer window, find the My Documents folder. This folder should be directly below the Desktop icon. Example #3 a) From an open Windows Explorer window, find and open the Documents and Settings folder. b) Find and open the sub-folder which is named the same as your computer account name (your local profile sub-folder). c) Find the My Documents sub-folder. 2) In the My Documents folder, create a new sub-folder called SimCity 4. Open this sub-folder. 3) In the SimCity 4 sub-folder, create a folder called Regions. Open this sub-folder. 4) In the Regions sub-folder, create a folder with the name of the region you will be creating. For example: SC4TF_TEST_REGION. Open this sub-folder. Creating the config.bmp File Before discussing creation of a configuration bit map, I’d like to briefly discuss how SC4 handles config.bmp and grayscale map image files. A grayscale map image must have pixel dimensions that are divisible by 64. For example: 256 x 256 pixels, 512 x 512 pixels, 1024 x 768 pixels, etc. are all valid sizes for a grayscale map image. A grayscale map image whose dimensions are 524 x 312 pixels is invalid. SC4 requires a grayscale map image dimension to be (grayscale map image width +1) x (grayscale map image height + 1) pixels in size. Therefore, the above valid examples would be 257 x 257 pixels, 513 x 513 pixels and 1025 x 769 pixels in size. In order to determine the correct size of a region grayscale image map or size of a config.bmp file valid for use in SC4, one of the following two formulas are used: Formula One – config.bmp size is known – calculate the size of the region. (64W+1) by (64L+1) where W is the width of the config.bmp and L is the length of the config.bmp. For example: config.bmp is 4 x 9 pixels (64 x 4) + 1) = 257 (64 x 9) + 1) = 577 Therefore, the Region dimensions are 257 by 577 pixels. Formula Two – Region size is known – calculate the size of the config.bmp. ((W-1)/64) by ((L-1)/64) where W is the width of the Region image and L is the length of the Region image. For example: Region size is 257 by 577 pixels ((257-1) / 64) = 4 ((577-1) / 64) = 9 Therefore, the config.bmp dimensions are 4 by 9 pixels. For more information on creating config.bmp files for use in SC4, read the Simtropolis Ominbus article entitled Config.bmp: How To Make It Yours

Uploading a SC4Terraformer-created map to the Simtropolis STEX is different than uploading a grayscale map image and config.bmp file. This article will cover how to upload a SC4Terraformer-created map to the Simtropolis STEX and detail the minimum amount of files required for the upload. How to Create a Zip Archive Containing the Map Files The file extension .ZIP is the only allowable file extension to use when uploading a SC4Terraformer-created map. This section of the article will explain how to create a zip archive containing the necessary map files. It is assumed you have the Winzip application installed on your computer and you know how to use it. There are a minimum of three (3) files that should be included in the zip archive when uploading a SC4Terraformer-created map. Those files are as follows: 1) The .SC4M file for the region 2) The config.bmp for the region 3) A Read Me file for the region For more information on creating a .SC4M region file, please read the Working with .SC4M Files in SC4Terraformer article. For more information on creating a config.bmp file, please read the Config.bmp: How to Make it Yours article. Optionally, I would suggest including some pictures (in .JPG format) of the region as seen in SC4Terrafomer and at least one SC4 rendered region view picture. It is not necessary to create large-sized, high quality pictures for inclusion in your zip archive. As a rule, ensure that any additional pictures are no larger than 640 x 480 pixels. IMPORTANT NOTE The primary screenshot uploaded MUST NOT be a SC4Terraformer picture of your map. Instead, it MUST BE a SC4 rendered picture of your map. The secondary screenshot can be a SC4Terraformer picture of your map. Typically, I use the 2D SC4Terraformer view with city boundaries turned on for my secondary picture. Below are the steps necessary to build the zip archive: 1) If you have not already done so, create a Read Me file for the region. NOTE Creating a Read Me file is beyond the scope of this article. Read me files can be as simple as an ASCII text file containing information concerning the map or as detailed as a detailed HTML document with graphics and informational text. 2) Copy the Read Me File to the same folder where you saved the .SC4M file. NOTE: If you have created a HTML Read me file, be sure you also copy the file folder created when the HTML file was created. 3) Copy the config.bmp file for the region into the same folder where you saved the .SC4M file. 4) Copy any additional pictures of the region you wish to include in the zip archive. 5) Highlight all the files (and folder if one exists) in the folder and create a zip archive of them using the Winzip application. Typically, you will name the zip archive the same as the region name. Do no use spaces in the filename. Rather, use the underscore key ( _ ). 6) The zip archive of your SC4Terraformer-created map has been created. Uploading the Region Files to the Simtropolis STEX When uploading your completed region files to the STEX, there is a set series of steps you must perform. Below are the necessary steps to upload your zip archive to the Simtropolis STEX: 1) Log into Simtropolis. 2) Click on the ST-Exchange link. 3) On the left-hand side of the STEX page, click on the Upload to the STEX link. 4) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 1, in the What type of file is this drop down box, select Prop. 5) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Category drop down box, select the appropriate map type. 5) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Title field, type in a title for your map (typically, the name of your region). Do not use spaces or any form of punctuation. 6) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Version field, enter a version number (if it a version other than 1.) 7) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Description field, type in a detailed description about the region as well as any additional information you would like to be seen in the map's description. From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, leave the Ploppable? radio button set to Not applicable. 9) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, leave the Rush Hour compatible? radio button set to Yes. 10) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Primary Screenshot field, navigate to where you have a saved SimCity 4 Rendered region view of your map and select it. (Don't be concerned about the size of the image. The STEX will automatically resize it.) 11) If desired, from the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Secondary Screenshot field, navigate to a second picture of your region. (Typically, I will use a picture of the region saved from SC4Terraformer with city boundaries turned on.) 12) From the Upload a file to the Exchange portion of the page, in File Upload - Step 2, in the Main File field, navigate to where you have the zip archive saved, select it and upload it. 13) Once you have completed File Upload - Step 2, click on the Proceed button. 14) A message will appear stating it may take up to 10 minutes for the file to appear on the STEX. Press the OK button. 15) The file has been uploaded to the STEX.

If you are interested in contributing to the OmniMaps section of the Simtropolis Omnibus, please PM OmniMaps. CAUTION!! This is a very detailed, strongly graphics editor-oriented tutorial in which exisiting maps are used to create another map and the required config.bmp file is create by hand using a graphics editor. I do understand that there are programs that allow some of what I’m going to be detailing to be done more automatically and much easier than completing this tutorial (Landscape Designer, SimCity 4 Region and Config Creator, etc). Nonetheless, I offer this tutorial as an alternative way (albeit more manually involved) to create regions and config bit maps. The people who will enjoy completing this tutorial are typically people who enjoy more control over what they are doing -- that is, making maps and config.bmp files more "manually" than a more automated (and easier) method used by some the applications listed above. It is for those adventurous people (myself included) that I've written this tutorial. I guess I just enjoy getting my “hands dirty” when it comes to creativity. After doing some experimentation, I’ve found a method of creating small image map files and config bit maps which has been working quite well for me. As an outgrowth of this method, I’ve further found a way to create multiple regions “outside” of SC4 that make use of these small image map files. Using these smaller regions offer a great deal of flexibility in detailing the regions quite extensively without sacrificing speed and performance (given their small size). Also, the introduction of the SC4 Startup Manager created by JeanLucPicard2 and Andreas Roth has opened up vast new possibilities and scenarios that richly add to the overall ambiance of the region. Creating Area Strip Maps and Multiple SC4 Regions General Information This tutorial is divided into four parts as follows: General Information (the part you are reading now) Part I: Setting the Strip Map Image File and Config Bit Map Dimensions Part II: Creating Area Strip Map Images and Config Bit Maps Part III: Creating Multiple SC4 Regions Using Area Strip Maps There is a concept I would like to introduce – that of Area Strip Maps. I define an Area Strip Map as a small area selected from a larger grayscale Region Map image. For example, if a given Region Map image is 1025 x 1025 pixels, selecting a 257 x 577 pixel area from it would result in a selected area that, once saved as a new grayscale image, becomes an Area Strip Map. Why “strip” maps? I use this term because the area selected is a “strip” out of the original Region Map image. Further, the Strip Map Image file and config bit map created are dimensioned such that they will appear as a longish rectangle or, strip. The dimensions of the Area Strip Map image file and corresponding config bit map can be whatever is desired, however; I find that using a roughly 1:2 ratio works rather well. That is, if Side A is x in pixels, then Side B should be 2x in pixels. Note that this is a rough estimation. This concludes the General Information section of the tutorial. More precise dimensioning will be discussed in the next part of the tutorial. Part I: Setting the Strip Map Image File and Config Bit Map Dimension The information I offer in this section is nothing excitingly innovative or new. Rather, it reiterates and reviews the basic steps and methods used to calculate the size of a region image map file and corresponding config bit map file. There are two basic formulas used to calculate dimensions – one for calculating the size of a region in pixels and one for calculating the size of a config bit map in pixels. These formulas are as follows: 1) config.bmp size is known – calculate the size of the region. (64W+1) by (64L+1) where W is the width of the config.bmp and L is the length of the config.bmp. For example: config.bmp is 4 x 9 pixels (64 x 4) + 1) = 257 (64 x 9) + 1) = 577 Therefore, the Region dimensions are 257 by 577 pixels. 2) Region size is known – calculate the size of the config.bmp. ((W-1)/64) by ((L-1)/64) where W is the width of the Region image and L is the length of the Region image. For example: Region size is 257 by 577 pixels ((257-1) / 64) = 4 ((577-1) / 64) = 9 Therefore, the config.bmp dimensions are 4 by 9 pixels. The Area Strip Maps I most commonly use are the dimensions stated above – Region Image Map (or, what I call an Area Strip Map image) dimensions are 257 by 577 pixels and config.bmp dimensions are 4 by 9 pixels. These dimensions allow the Area Strip Maps to be used in either of the two available configurations resulting in a map narrow and long (width is 257 pixels, length is 577 pixels for the image file and width is 4 pixels, length is 9 pixels for the config.bmp) or long and narrow (width is 577 pixels, length is 257 for the image file and width is 9 pixels, length is 4 pixels for the config.bmp). Since the dimensions of the image file and config bit map can be whatever is desired, I will be using a special notation in this tutorial when referring to dimensions. That notation is as follows: When discussing dimensions for the Area Strip Map/Region Map image, the width dimension is shown using the notation IW for Image Width. the length dimension is shown using the notation IL for Image Length. When discussing dimensions for the config.bmp file, the width dimension is shown using the notation CW for config.bmp Width. the length dimension is shown using the notation CL for config.bmp Length. This concludes the Setting the Strip Map Image File and Config Bit Map Dimensions portion of the tutorial. Part II: Creating Area Strip Map Images and Config Bit Maps In order to create an Area Strip Map and config.bmp, you will need to use your favorite graphics editor. I use Paint Shop Pro (PSP) for mine, however; the instructions in this part of the tutorial will be as generic as possible in order to avoid PSP specific tools and instructions. Creating an Area Strip Map Image Follow the below steps to create an Area Strip Map image: 1) Launch your graphics editor. 2) Open a grayscale Region image file of your choice. 3) Make a copy of the open Region image file and minimize the original image. (Always work with a copy in order to ensure you don’t inadvertently save over the original.) 4) Using your graphics editor’s cropping tool, set a crop box using one of the two following dimensions: Top: 0, Left: 0, Right: IW, Bottom: IL for narrow and long or, Top: 0, Left: 0, Right: IL, Bottom: IW for long and narrow 5) Grab the crop box and move it around the Region image until you find a “strip” that you believe will make a good region. 6) Crop the Region image to that area selected in the crop box. 7) Save the Area Strip Map image as a grayscale .JPG file using whatever descriptive name you desire. I typically create a folder using the name of the original region in which I create sub-folders and store the individual Area Strip Map image files. For example: C:\SimCity_4\Regions\Wilmington_NC\WNC_01\WNC_01.jpg is the path I used in which I saved my example. (Note that this assumes you are using the Microsoft Windows operating system. 8 ) If desired, repeat Steps 2) through 7) either on the same Region image or on a different Region image to create and save multiple Area Strip Map images. Review the below examples (my example is 257 by 577 pixels for the Area Strip Map image. I am using the Wilmington NC ver. 0 map created by screwball on Simtropolis. Example 01: Wilmington NC ver. 0 Region image with a 257 by 577 pixel crop box set within it. Example 02: The resultant Area Strip Map image. Creating a config.bmp Follow the below steps to create a config.bmp for the Area Strip Map image created above: 1) Using your graphics editor, create a new image using the following parameters: a. Width: CW pixels b. Length: LW pixels For example, if the Area Strip Map image file created above is 257 by 577 pixels, the new image dimensions should be 4 by 9 pixels. c. Raster Background d. Color Depth: 256 colors (8 bit) e. Background Color: White (Red – 0, Green = 0, Blue = 0 or, HTML = #FFFFFF) 2) Using the graphics editor zoom tool, zoom in to the maximum. (For PSP, that would be 5000 %.) 3) Position the zoomed in new image so that you can see all of it and the entire Area Strip Map image. 4) Using the graphics editor selection tool, “build” a series of city tiles as desired to “populate” the zoomed in new image using the appropriate color combinations for each city type. This is where you can use your creativity in “placing” cities for the created Area Strip Map. This step requires a bit more detailed explanation. I’ll “break down” each part of Step 4 separately below: First, let’s review the appropriate color combinations for each city type. Small Cities – Red Medium Cities – Green Large Cities – Blue In order to better differentiate between each city, other colors can be used as long as the primary city color stays at its primary color value. For example, if you wish to place three medium cities side-by-side and would like to differentiate between them, you can use the following color combination: Medium City #1 Red ® = 0 Green (G) = 255 Blue (B) = 0 or, HTML = #00FF00 Primary Color Medium City #2 Red ® = 204 Green (G) = 255 Blue (B) = 0 or, HTML = #CCFF00 Secondary Color Medium City #3 Red ® = 204 Green (G) = 255 Blue (B) = 204 or, HTML = #CCFF0CC Tertiary Color The above concept can be used with small and large cities. Just remember to keep the primary city color at its primary color value. Second, create your desired city mix by “eyeballing” the Area Strip Map image and determining where on the new zoomed in image to select a “city area” using the graphic editor’s selection tool. For example, using the Area Strip Map created above, I “eyeballed’ where I want to place medium sized cities and, using PSP’s selection tool, selected the following areas for my first primary colored medium cities: Next, I flood-filled (colored) those cities using my Medium City Primary Color. Then, I deselected the first set of cities, selected my Medium City Secondary Color, selected my second set of medium cities and flood-filled the selections with my Medium City Secondary Color. Next, I wanted one more medium city. I selected my Medium City Tertiary Color, selected my final medium city and flood-filled the selection with my Medium City Tertiary Color. Finally, I created a Small City Primary Color and a Small City Secondary Color, selected the appropriate small cities and flood-filled them. (Yes, believe it or not, the color orange does qualify for a small city color. It is Red = 255, Green = 204, Blue = 0 or, HTML = #FFCC000.) 5) Step 5) is completely optional and is only done to ensure that the placement of the cities in Step 4) look okay on the Area Strip Map image. This step will overlay the new image with the cities onto the Area Strip Map image in order to be able to view where the cities actually will appear on the Area Strip Map. The following explanation details how this is done: First, make a duplicate of the zoomed in new image. Next, resize the duplicate to the same dimensions as the Area Strip Map (IW by IL). In my example, I resized my duplicate image to 577 by 257 pixels. (You may need to uncheck your “Lock aspect ratio” checkbox in order to resize the duplicate to exactly 577 by 257 pixels.) Then, copy the resized duplicate image to the Clipboard. Next, highlight the Area Strip Map and paste the contents of the Clipboard as a new layer in the Area Strip Map. You’ll notice that a grayscale image corresponding to the cities placed in the original zoomed in new image now appears on the Area Strip Map as shown below: Using your graphic editor’s Layer control, turn down the opacity of this grayscale “cities” layer to about 50 %. You should get an image similar to the one shown below: Notice that you can visually “see” the placement of the cities on the Area Strip Map. If you don’t like the placement, you can delete the zoomed in new image and create a new one as previously explained. Finally, close the Area Strip Map image but DO NOT save it. (If you save it, you’ll save the “Cities” layer as well.) 6) The duplicate and resized Cities image should now be highlighted. 7) Undo the resizing of this image. This should return the duplicate to its original size of CW by LW pixels. 8 ) Save this image as a Microsoft Windows Bit Map using an appropriately descriptive name. I save my config bit maps using the same naming format as my Area Strip Map images and place a Config_XX at the end of the filename (where XX equals the number of the file). For example, In this tutorial’s I named my Area Strip Map image WNC_01.jpg. I named my config bit map WNC_Config_01.bmp. Finally, I save the config bit map into the same sub-folder in which I saved the associated Area Strip Map image. This concludes the Creating Area Strip Map Images and Config Bit Maps section of the tutorial. Part III: Creating Multiple SC4 Regions Using Area Strip Maps Now that you’ve created some nice Area Strip Map images and their corresponding config.bmp files, it’s now time to create some SimCity 4 Regions using them. I will introduce the steps in this part of the tutorial by first explaining a fundamental change to creating SC4 Regions (at least, it was fundamental for me when I discovered it) based on the following assumptions: 1) A region image and corresponding config.bmp files have been created BEFORE launching SC4. 2) A new region subfolder is manually created BEFORE launching SC4. 3) The new config.bmp file for the new region file is copied into the new region subfolder BEFORE launching SC4. 4) A Region.ini file is manually created and placed in the new region subfolder BEFORE launching SC4. The following steps will detail how to create these regions both “outside” the SimCity 4 application and from within the application: Creating Region Information from Microsoft Windows NOTE: The following information is written for use with Microsoft Windows using default paths. NOTE: This section is optional as SC4 will create the region.ini file when the region is first loaded. 1) Using a text editor (I use Windows Notepad), create a generic region.ini file as shown below: 2) Save the text file to a sub-folder of your choice (you’ll need this file later) with the name region.ini. 3) Using some type of file navigation software (I use Windows Explorer) navigate to the following path: C:\My Documents\SimCity 4\Regions 4) Create a new region sub-folder using you own descriptive naming convention. In my example, In my example, I’ve named the new region sub-folder WNC_01. 5) Copy the region.ini file just created into the newly created region subfolder. 6) Using a text editor, open the region.ini file and change the name to the same name as the new region sub-folder as shown below and save the region.ini file: As can be seen, I changed the Name = field to WNC_01 which is the same name as my newly created region sub-folder. 7) Navigate to the sub-folder where you have stored the config bit map created earlier in this tutorial and is named the same as the Area Strip Map it is associated with as well as the new region folder created above. In my example, I navigated to the folder I named WNC_01 and found the config bit map I named WNC_Config_01.bmp. 8 ) Copy the config bit map to the newly created region folder in C:\My Documents\SimCity 4\Regions. In my example, that would be C:\My Documents\SimCity 4\ Regions\WNC_01 (as shown Below): 9) Now, rename the config bit map just copied to config.bmp (as shown below): 10) Repeat Steps 3) through 9) above for every Area Strip Map/config bit map combination you’ve created. Typically, I’ll create five or six such combinations and then create the appropriate sub-folder structures for them copying over the appropriate files mentioned in this part of the tutorial. Creating Multiple Regions using SimCity 4 Now, we’re ready to launch SimCity 4 and actually create the SC4 regions using the Area Strip Map images and config bit maps we’ve created. Follow the below steps to create multiple SC4 regions: NOTE: This section will not have any screen shots. Consequently, I will be somewhat overly descriptive in my steps. 1) Launch the SimCity 4 application. 2) Once the Main Menu screen appears, Click on the first icon at the top of the screen and load any region OTHER than one of the newly created regions. In other words, open an already established region. 3) Once the already established region appears, click on the first icon at the top of the screen and load one of the NEW regions. 4) What will appear is a plain region configured for the cities you created in the config bit map. Below is the example plain region for my WNC_01 Area Strip Map Region: 5) Press and hold the following key combination – Ctrl-Alt-Shift-R. This will open a dialog box from which you will select an image file. 6) Navigate to where you saved the Area Strip Map image file that is associated with the NEW region you just loaded then highlight the Area Strip Map image file and click OK. In my example, I navigated to the following path: C:\SimCity_4\Regions\Wilmington_NC\WNC_01\WNC_01.jpg 7) SimCity 4 will now start rendering each city against the imported Area Strip Map image. This will take some amount of time based on the configuration of your computer. On my computer it only takes about five minutes. 8 ) Once SimCity 4 is finished rendering the region, it will display a new region ready for you to do any further terraforming, God Mode or Mayor Mode planting and to start building your cities. In my example, my WNC_01 region looks like the below picture: Here are two more examples of regions rendered using Area Strip Map images and config bit maps I created: WNC_02 WNC_03 I hope that you’ll find this tutorial interesting and helpful. Again if you have any questions concerning the tutorial’s content or need further information, please feel free to contact OmniMaps.