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I've been using NAM (Network Add-on Mod) 37 for a week, and I'm happy to report I've had no crashes or problems of any kind. This is contrary to NAM 36, which worked intermittently but then started to crash. I removed plug ins and tinkered with it. Then I couldn't even get it to load. NAM 37 is the first version to allow me to play SimCity 4 reliably on the Mac. I was never much of a gamer, but I have returned after a long absence because SimCity 4 at Steam for 4.99 was too hard to resist. I have played the game a lot during recent weeks. I'm still learning, but at least the game works now. I have many years of experience with the Mac, so I might be able to answer questions. You must have Java installed before you install NAM 37. After starting, the game takes a couple minutes to load all the plug ins. I highly recommend @rob_mtl's helpful videos at Rob's Guide to SimCity 4 at YouTube. He does an excellent and thorough job, especially on the NAM. I wouldn't know about it if not for him. I'm playing SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition (with Rush Hour Expansion Pack) version 1.2.1, bought from Steam. The following settings worked for me. I might playing around with them. This is on a mid 2011 iMac: i7 at 2.8 Ghz 32 GB RAM AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB macOs Sierra 10.12.6. Game settings: Auto go to disaster - check Edge scrolling - check Auto edge reconciliation - uncheck Urgent advice dialogs - uncheck Expanded tooltips - check Graphic options: Visual effects - medium #Cars/Sims - low Shadows - low Bulding draw speed - medium Texture quality - medium City detail - medium Cloulds/fog - uncheck Waves - uncheck UI transparency - check Color cursor - check Variable speed - check Resolution - 1600x1900 Renderer - hardware Music - off Sound - on
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Since the Omnibus links don't work anymore, I thought I'd post a document with all the things I wish I could have easily found in one place (& simple explanations for things that people often don't give explanations for because it's so basic/"everyone knows it already") when I first started playing & modding SC4 on the Mac. ********** 1)EDIT 02/23/2020: Aspyr has updated the App Store version (Steam version still pending) to 64 bit/Catalina-compatible, but it's introduced some new bugs related to the Transit Compatibility bug. Aspyr is ACTUALLY updating SC4 (& SC2013) to 64 bit/to be Catalina-compatible. Don’t know WHEN, so for right now, don’t install Catalina yet if you wanna play SC4. (Will update when this changes.) 2) Few people here use the Mac, and those who do, some of them play the Windows version either in an emulator, or dual booted. There’s not much support here for Mac users. But people try. I’ll pop in from time to time and look at stuff. @CorinaMarie doesn’t use the Mac but is helpful. 3) Here’s the Mac forums. https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/forum/20-SC4-mac-users/ (You’ve probably discovered them already, as you’re reading this file.) 4) There’s 2 versions. One is from the App Store/Aspyr. The other is from Steam. The App Store version puts Plugins in a different place from the Steam version. (I run Aspyr/App Store.) Steam: /Users/USERNAME/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins App Store: /Users/USERNAME/Library/Containers/com.aspyr.simcity4.appstore/Data/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins Update 2021: It appears the AppStore version now uses a different location, at least this is confirmed under Big Sur, if the previous location isn't there, you should look for the UserData here instead: /Users/USERNAME/Library/Containers/SimCity™4 Deluxe Edition/Data/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins Thanks to ArduousCynic (SC4D) for this information. To install Plugins, you literally just put the extracted files in the proper Plugins folder. That's it. It's that simple. (Note: you have to unzip zip files & get the files out of exe files. More on that at 5.) (Note that sometimes ppl who have the App Store version will also have a "/Users/USERNAME/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins" folder. Putting Plugins in there WILL NOT WORK. It won't crash or anything; it simply won't see them & won't load them.) 5) If you want Plugins that are in .exe’s, there’s a couple of ways of getting at them: extracting the file using FileJuicer (but you need to know what files you need, which to throw out, and it’s a paid program), creating a WineSkin using Wineskin Winery and running the EXEs through that (you have to tell it where to put the stuff EVERY TIME, and sometimes it still puts stuff in the default folders/incorrect place). Using Keka to extract used to work, but I haven’t seen it work in years. FAQ on FileJuicer: Using WineSkin: 6)There’s a special version of the NAM: Network Addon Mod (MAJOR & extremely popular mod that deals with transit/roads) for the Mac. But word around is that most people find a lot of success installing it in Windows with the Windows version & then just literally copying & pasting the files over to their Mac. (Link to that later) (Note: I don't run the NAM, so any issues with that, you'll have to ask someone else. EDIT 11/12/2019: HOO BOY, does the Mac NAM installer not like Mojave (MacOS 10.14). Me and so many other folk just simply can NOT get the installer to run. THAT being said, if you have a Wineskin Wrapper set up for extracting other EXE plugins, it seems to work just fine with the Windows NAM installer. Make sure you select that you're installing it to port to a Mac.) 7) Plugin BATs won’t glow from within at night, unless they’re specially coded to glow on the Mac (and few are). DarkNite, a popular mod to make Plugin BATs glow, does NOT work on the Mac. Sorry. Here’s some BATs that are specially coded to glow at night on the Mac: https://community.simtropolis.com/tags/mac compatible/ EDIT 11/15/2019: @rsc204 figured out how to do it on a per-file basis!!! Due to limitations, it can't be done for all the files, but you can request a favorite file or 2 and maybe someone will do it for you. (Also, of course, the tools required to do it (Reader 0.9.3 and Model Tweaker) are Windows only. Unsure if they work in Wine.) The thread on how to do it starts here: 8) If you have too many files and/or folders in your Plugins directory, you may have problems with SC4 and/or it may crash. (Don't worry about the exact number, just know if you have a LOT (we're talking hundreds or thousands of files + folders), and you're having issues, give this a shot.) There’s a number of work-arounds for it, including making your directory structure more shallow (every folder counts as a file for these purposes), deleting crap (the ReadMes & image files aren't necessary for a BAT to work properly), using XML to change your system’s file limit, or using jDatPacker to turn a bunch of files into 1 big file. (FWIW, I use jDatPacker.) XML workaround: jDatPacker: https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=16500.0 9) There’s a bug with some transit BATs only showing 1/100th (or 1/1000th) of its capacity. It’s related to having a 1 in a spot where there should be a 0. @CorinaMarie can fix the files for you or show you how to do it yourself, because she’s a sweetheart. Here’s a thread with fixes requested (and a few fixes): Here’s how to do it yourself: 10) @mmprog has gotten iLiveReader to work under Wine. This is a program that lets you edit the properties of a BAT, so you can make it do what you want it to do. (And fix things like the Transit Bug.) A How-to is forthcoming. 11) There’s a thing called Prop Pox where your props disappear in certain big city tiles if you install a small handful of certain files. IDK if you can get it on the Mac, and I’m not sure there’s a Mac fix. But here’s the main Prop Pox fix (for Windows) thread and the Mac thread about it. 12) There’s something called SC4MacInjector which lets you use a few of the Windows DLL plugins, but only the ones that have already been converted. (Buggi’s Cheats (inc. additional money cheats from what’s already in the game) & Real Upgradeable City Halls included) 13) Sometimes when I load it up or Command+Tab between SC4 & other programs, the Auto Scroll (with arrow on edge of screen)/Edge Scrolling turns itself off. You can easily turn it back on again in the Options menu at whatever level you're in (City or Region). 14) Additional Landmarks, Buildings As Props, and other Maxis files can be found here: https://community.simtropolis.com/SC4-maxis-files/ (Make sure if you’re patching the game itself you only use Mac-specific patches.) 15) If you decide you'd rather run the Windows version in Wine, here's a fantastically detailed file on doing so. (Note: I haven't tried it myself so I don't know how well it works.) 16) To rotate buildings on a keyboard w/o the PgUp & PgDn keys (Mac laptops, etc.) Fn key + up or down arrow. (If you have DoubleCommand installed, it won’t work with “PC style Home & End keys” enabled.) Other helpful keyboard commands Fn + left or right arrow - changes the direction the ploppable faces Control while zoning - zones whatever size you want as a single lot Alt/Option while zoning - direction of those zones Shift while zoning - removes auto roads 1-6 = Zoom levels. 1 is all the way out, 6 is all the way in. (I usually play between 3 & 5.) ctrl+` = pause ctrl + 1-3 = play at those speeds Ctrl+R = avenues Option+R = streets R = roads T = Trains Shift + T = subway i = pipes L = power Lines QWE = low, mid, high density residential ASD = low, mid, high density commercial ZXC = ag, mid, high density industrial V = dezone B = Bulldoze ? = Query option+? = Route Query Ctrl+S=Save Any other questions? Don't hesitate to ask. (I might do a general document next.)- 18 Replies
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