That Retro Guy

Since I'm in the middle of applying fixes to my game before starting my first official region, I thought that I would take @CorinaMarie's advice, and start a practice (sandlot) Region so I could figure out how to do things. Sometimes I just want to play instead of worrying about fixes. Firstly, the Region: The name of the Region (as you can see) is l' entraînement which is French for 'training' or 'practice'. Since my surname is of French origin, it made sense to honor my family name in this way. ----- As you can see, the Region is made up of 4 x 4 Medium cities. I think 16 cities should be enough. If it isn't, I'll just make another Region. ----- The first city is called Intersections. The first challenge that I set for myself was to create an Intersection where two Avenues meet with left-turn lanes and a slip-lane in every direction. I just about pulled my hair out! It took me over an hour and a half to realize that there is a TuLep piece that had dual slip-lanes on an Avenue! I sat here for a total of 2+ (count 'em) hours trying to figure out why, when I tried to place any TuLep piece, it kept plopping the wrong direction. UNTIL I realized that when you place a piece that is bigger than one tile, you want the cursor to be pointing at the right (as opposed to the left) square. Once my daft old brain grasped that, well, take a look for yourself. I know that there's an Intersection TuLep piece with direction arrows on it, but after 2+ hours cursing out loud at the screen (and myself), I'm afraid to plop it. Actually, now that I think about it, the game is saved, so if I do ruin this thing, I can just reload the save. The piece that I'm talking about has arrows on the lanes. On one of them, the arrows at the Intersection have 'going straight' arrows on both lanes. Questions: If I manage to plop that piece without destroying everything, does that mean that the peeps (or Sims) will drive straight through the Intersection in both lanes, or will the peeps still turn right at the intersection ignoring the slip-lanes? Is there a way to take an in-game pic without the Control Panel at the bottom? I tried minimizing the CP and then use the 'Ctrl'-'Shift'-S shortcut, but my Radeon CP appeared with the words 'Instant Replay: Off'. Weird. I realize that the Radeon CP must have the same keyboard shortcut, but can I change shortcuts in SimCity 4? Is there a way when I'm listing my questions like this that the question numbers also appear Red? Inquiring minds want to know! As always, any comments and/or advice is greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but real life has been an absolute bear recently. I'll try to post more when real life eases up a bit. Thanks for your patience.

When I returned to SimTropolis, @Cyclone Boom welcomed me back with this: Well, now that I (finally) have a map, I figured now is as good as time as any to start the "Building my First Region" thread. Firstly, here's the Region map: Secondly, for those of you that haven't been following my journey to start my first Region, allow me to explain the Region name: Limistéar According to Google Translate, Limistéar is the Irish word for Region (or Area). As you can see, there are only 3 cities in my first Region. I was a bit intimidated looking at the size of the Regions included with the game so I created a (much) smaller Region. The cities of Limerick and Killarney will be Farming Communities whilst Dublin will (hopefully) be a Metropolis with an Airport, Seaport, etc. with some farms on the outskirts. Limerick and Killarney might have a Landing Strip each . . . I haven't decided yet. So with the help of my beloved Paint Shop Pro 5 (PSP5), I started planning my Region: The purple trapezium is the planned route for the Passenger Train with the small rectangles with the P in it will be the Station. The red triangle is the planned route for the Freight Train with the small rectangles with the F in it will be the Station. The yellow circles are the proposed City Centers (or is it City Centres) with the Commercial Business District (CBD). It's getting really late here (about 2AM), so I'll finish up by showing you the plan for Limerick (Killarney will be the same but I haven't made the image yet). Anyways, here's the proposed Limerick: The green circles with the Vs are the Farming Villages that (obviously) will be connected by streets. I'm going for a good old-fashioned quaint Farming Community feel here. There might be too many green circles. It all depends on how big I make the Villages. Any and all comments and suggestions are (as always) greatly appreciated.

Sorry that I haven't posted in a bit, but (once again) real life has gotten a bit hectic. Let's recap: Here is my Region, Limistéar: Here's the proposed layout for Limerick. Killarney will be somewhat similar. Here's the legend: 1. The Farming Villages are represented by the green circles with the V in them. 2. The Commercial Business District is represented by the big yellow circle with the CBD in it. 3. The Landing Strip is easily identifiable by the gray rectangle with the words Landing Strip in it. 4. The Freight Train Line is in red. The Station is the square with the F in it; the Tracks are indicated by the red lines. 5. The Passenger Train Line is in purple. The Station is the square with the P in it (Eww!); the Tracks are indicated by the purple lines. Each Farming Village will consist of 3 - 4 Farms (known as a Co-op) and be self-sufficient in terms of power and water. I haven't decided yet on whether or not Limerick and Killarney will have Landing Strips. The Freight Station may have to be moved a bit south to allow the track to curve (safely) easterly towards Dublin before crossing the river. After much consideration, I have decided to keep the Passenger Line. I'll be starting near where the red 'F' box (currently) is. Question: How much of the land should I zone to start with?

OMG! It worked! It never even occurred to me to place the FlexRamps first and then 'draw' the highway. Thanks, man! Thanks for the respect you're showing me, but it's just Retro.

OK. Here we go again . . . I'm working on the 'intersection' that will allow the Sims to get onto (and off of) the US-OC. (Not the Cloverleaf itself, you understand.) Here's the situation: Ramp A1 Before placing the Ramp: And after placing the Ramp: Ramp B1 And after placing the Ramp: Ramps A1 and B1 look great, don't they? Everything is as it should be. Now look what happens when I try Ramps D1 and E1: Ramp D1 Before placing the Ramp: And after placing the Ramp: I tried to fix it with the RHW-2 piece: No luck. Ramp E1 Before placing the Ramp: And after placing the Ramp: Once again, I tried to fix it with the RHW-2 piece: And, once again, no luck. Am I doing something wrong (again), or am I just cursed?

Oh, good! People are still talking to me. I was beginning to wonder. I noticed that none of the questions that I asked in my video have been answered. I thought that maybe hearing the sound of my voice (such as it is) on my video had caused me to be ostracized or something. It's late, and I'm in a silly mood. Bedtime.

My OCD is going to be the death of me someday. I am currently revamping my US-OC. Yes, sports fans, US-OC Version3 is coming soon. I must be nuts! Here's my US-OC Version2 pic. The proposed lake was going to be in the center square. Everyone who's old enough knows that Paul Lynde belongs in the center square. I have abandoned the idea of having a lake in the middle of my US-OC for one very important reason: Since this huge thing needs to be centered in the middle of the city, that's going to be some primo Commercial real estate in the CBD. I thought and thought until my brain started smoking (nasty habit ). I decided to have FLUP OWR ramps run under the Ground Highway into the CBD. (I can just run the OWRs under the Elevated Highway . . . obviously). I'll try to post a pic of the CBD within the next couple of days if/when I figure out the FLUPs connector pieces. It also dawned on me that even if I do manage (somehow) to build my US-OC, the Sims that live in that city would need a way to get on and off of it. I tried (once again) to figure out FLUPs. I read @CorinaMarie's Tutorial Cori's First FLUP - With Pics but since it was written almost 5 years ago, I'm wondering if things have been updated and changed. Here's a pic of my FLUPs attempt (Note: This isn't the center of the Cloverleaf . . . I did this at the South end of the map trying to make it work): As you can see, I'd like to have 2 OWRs running under the RHW-6S. The problem is that every single piece in the FLUPs menu that I tried to connect the OWRs underground fails to work. . . . which raises a few questions. Questions: 1. What am I doing wrong this time? 2. Which piece is the correct one that will connect the FLUP ramps in this picture? 3. Since I'm spreading out the Cloverleaf, the North-bound RHW 6-S lanes in this picture will be separated from the South-bound RHW 6-S lanes leaving only half of the RHW-6S for the OWR FLUP ramps to go under. Does a FLUP connector piece even exist in the game to connect an OWR FLUP ramp under only half of a RHW 6-S (be it the 3 North-bound or the 3 South-bound lanes)?

When I started fiddling around with my US-OC (I made the image that you see in Post #45 of this thread in late February), I found a piece that would indeed lower the off-ramp from L2 to L1 and then from L1 to L0 for the on-ramp. The problem is that I can't remember which piece it is and where to find it. Help!

I laughed when someone gave me a 'Like' on that 31+ minute Monster of a video of mine. Are you ready for the latest? Someone actually subscribed to my Channel. Once again, whomever you are, and wherever you are . . . You just made my day! Thanks! It looks like that, once again, I screwed up embedding my video into my post. I Copy+Pasted the YouTube link into this box that I''m typing in right now. Evidently, I'm still doing something wrong. The question is: What?

I made a (much) shorter video this time . . . about 7 1/2 minutes showing my US-OC The original 31+ minute monster will be taken down at Midnight tonight so I don't get nailed by the Copyright hammer. I didn't realize that the in-game music is copyright protected. Oops!

I worked on the USOC a little tonight after work. Things are progressing nicely. I guess that you can't use Curves on RHW and expect them to connect so I just deleted the Curve and used RHW-2 as a Diagonal to connect where I need it to connect. It's looking nice thus far. If there is a way to use the Curve in the default Curves tab and be able to connect it, please let me know how. I even got the lake in the middle looking spiffy (if I do say so myself). Thus: It's not perfect. Has anybody ever seen a square lake in real-life? Maybe there's a way to make it more natural looking (ie: rounder). Now the newest problem: Because the Cloverleaf themselves are L0 - L2 or L2 - L0, I need to figure this out: I have to figure out how to make the L2 off-ramp for the Elevated Highway become the L0 on-ramp for the Ground Highway. I tried using one of those Raiser things. Question: 1. What Height is L2? I thought it was 15 ft but when I tried using the 15 ft Raiser thing, the off-ramp actually went up in height. I was trying to make a gentle slope like @CorinaMarie did when she showed me how to make a bridge over a river and use the gentle slope to get to ground level. Suffice it to say, it didn't work. Then again, @CorinaMarie's gentle slope was straight. Mine needs to be Diagonal. Maybe that has something to do with it. One thing that I did figure out is I have to be absolutely happy with the shape of the lake before I really start building this thing. The Leveling tool loves to destroy anything in it's path. More tomorrow, I'm sure . . .

Never say die! I'm taking another crack at building my Ultimate Spread-Out Cloverleaf, Firstly, I found the center of the city tile and lowered the terrain until I hit water. I then used the leveling tool to create the lake that the cloverleaf surrounds. Thus: It looks OK, but my OCD is yelling at me to make all 4 corners look like the upper-left one. Oh! Just to save everybody from counting, there are 20 cells between both sets of parallel roads. (Road - 20 cells - Road). I know that the roads will be replaced by the proper RHW pieces. So I went to the southern part of the cell, and began the RHW-6S Highway when I ran into a bit of a problem. Thus: Let me walk you through this: (I did the following for both sides of the RHW-6S). Point A: I plopped the RHW-6S Starter Piece, dragged the RHW-2 through it, demolished the Starter Pieces, and filled it in with the RHW-2. Point B: I plopped the FlexRamp E1 to create the North-bound off-ramp. Point C: I plopped the proper curve from the original Curve Tab. I placed another such curve at Point E. Problem: i can't connect Point D to Point E. No matter what I tried. I realize that I'm probably forgetting something basic but I've only had 1 day off of work in the past month, and my brain is really fuzzy at this point. I actually thought about making a video about this (I still might do that tomorrow if I feel up to it . . . I have to work tomorrow night, so we'll see). So far, so good (except the problem, of course). 3 lanes heading North (Point A), the right lane becomes the off-ramp (Point B) while the left and middle lanes continue on. Huzzah! I'm going to bed now . . . if I can make it that far before falling asleep.

Which means . . . ?

I started to post this in my Retro's Practice Makes Perfect thread when I realized that I should start a new Topic here in the Off-Topic sub-forum. In the Retro's Practice Makes Perfect thread, I mentioned setting up a YouTube Channel. I'd love to share the video with you, but That Retro Guy is already taken as a YouTube Channel name. I thought that I was so clever when I thought up that name. I tried That Retro Guy . . . That Retro Guy Plays . . . That Retro Guy Plays Retro Games, etc. I even tried using just Retro and Retro Guy. No luck. Hold it! I just had a thought . . . brb Dang! The Retro Guy is also taken. One YouTube video suggested that I use my real-life name as my Channel name . . . No way that's gonna happen! You see, my real-life name is one letter off from a famous actor's name. He passed away in the 1970s, I believe, but when I had my last COVID-19 test and then at my Endoscopy the next day, both nurses mentioned him in reference to my name. Also in my Retro's Practice Makes Perfect thread, I realized that I already had a YouTube Channel (so to speak), but I don't like the name on it. (Embarrassment prevents me from sharing with you what it is). So I decided to start a new thread here in hopes that the Video makers on this Forum would be able to talk me through on how to properly set up my channel. One Video that I watched suggested that I create a brand-new g-mail address just for the Channel. That actually sounds like a good idea. My YouTube Channel will just be me playing old PC games through GoG as well as videos about SimCity4 so I can show everyone what's going on in my Region when I'm having problems. I'm not looking to get monetized or establish a brand or anything like that. I just want to be able to upload videos for you good people to watch. As always, I will be open to honest, constructive criticism in response to my videos. I have already decided to Turn Off Comments on my videos to avoid the Trolls. Everybody can just post their thoughts about the videos here on the SimTropolis forums once I get started. Any thoughts are (as always) greatly appreciated.

I'll post the pic again so no one has to keep scrolling up and down to look at it. I'm thinking of starting near the river inside the circle near the Freight Station. I'm also thinking that all Industry (not counting the farms, of course) will be placed along the Rail. I also realized earlier today that the Passenger Train isn't what I think it is. In-game, all Passenger Trains do is help the SIms commute to their jobs while in Real Life, they also let people travel from city to city. Think AmTrak. (I thought AmTrak went out of business a while ago but evidently, they're still in business). So Limerick and Killarney will not have a Passenger Train set-up. Dublin will, of course, with multiple Stations around the City for commuting goodness. In regards to the size of the circle representing the CBD, is that about the right size for a Medium-sized city or is it too big?

I'm laughing while I type this. Someone actually gave my video a Like. Whomever you are, where-ever you are . . . Thanks! You just made my day!

Wait a minute! Is that a Graveyard behind Mal's Practice?!! It is kinda cool that all of the parking lots connect with one another. I wonder if there are any filler pieces that connect the parking lot to the road?

I can still use Public Domain music, right? Like Classical Music? (I Love Classical Music)

Let me know when you get done watching the whole thing, and I'll take the video down myself. No sense in tempting fate, is there?

Now that my YouTube channel is set up and I've released the 31+ minutes Monster into the wild, it's time to get back to my Villages. Here's the latest attempt at a Village with the School Radius: And here's the Fire Radius: And the Medical Radius: And finally, the Police Radius: As you can see, everything is within the Radii so I should be good-to-go in that respect. The Farms are 9 x 9, and there is a Cori's Farm House on each one. Cori must have a huge family! In an earlier attempt, I saw this: Creepy! Looking at the Elementary School is driving my OCD right up the wall. Please help. Like the top caption asks, which face of the school is the front? It's easy to tell which face of the Police Station, Fire Station and the Medical Clinic is the front and should be facing the road, but the Elementary School? I can't make heads-or-tails about which side is the front. And finally, down on (one of) the farms is this: Not sure about the Nationality of the MacDonald name, so my apologies for this. I'm pretty sure that centuries ago if you called an Irishman a Scotsman (and vice versa), it was an big enough insult to start a blood feud. Not that I'm trying to start one, you understand . . .

Oh! Gotcha! So I just copy and paste the link where I'm typing right now, and then the Embedded box will appear shortly thereafter, right?

So when I go to insert my video link, I click the 'Link' icon and paste the YT link in the top box, type the name of the video in the Link Text box, and I'll be all set, right? Will do. I realize that Ignorance of the law is no excuse, but I didn't know. So no more music of any kind in my videos . . . promise Absolutely. After watching the entire monstrosity, I realized that it could have (and should have) been like a 5 - 6 minute video. I kept repeating my actions over and over again. What's that saying?: The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. If it had been a 5 - 6 minute video, I wouldn't have embarrassed the bejeezus out of myself at about the 23:30 mark. I still can't believe that I did that. I'll be waiting with baited breath. Why anybody would want their breath to smell like worms though is beyond me.

It's cool, @CorinaMarie . . . No worries! I'm sure that I'll have problems with my Farming Communities once I get started. That's why I created the YouTube Channel. I can post (hopefully short) videos showing everyone what's going wrong with my cities and get advice from you and everybody else here. How about the other people that have watched my video? (All 2 of you . . .As of this posting, my video has 4 views. I watched it to make sure that it was all there, and @CorinaMarie watched a part of it . . . that leaves 2 other people that watched it). Any feedback at all? Like I said, I know that it's hysterically (maybe historically) bad. You won't hurt my feelings (as long as the comments are constructive, of course). Questions for the Video posters on this forum: 1. When I uploaded my video, I placed it a newly-created SimCity4 Playlist on my Channel Homepage to keep things nice and tidy, but the Video doesn't appear on the Video tab on my Channel Homepage at all now. Did I forget to do something? 2. I've noticed that when others post videos in these threads, the video is 'embedded' (if that's the word) in their post showing a thumbnail and everything. When I posted the link to my video, all I got was the link. How do I 'embed' my video in a post?

In the immortal words of Frank Sinatra: "And now, the time is near . . . " Actually, the time is now. Here's the video link: < This video was taken down on at 12:01AM on April 14, 2021 because I didn't know that the in-game music is copyrighted > And away we go!