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Simtropolis Returns! 05/26/2026
See here for details about our site recovery efforts.
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A read-only topic to view FAQs, latest information, and key progress updates for the Simtropolis Recovery Project. Quick Links Simtropolis Returns! Initial topic commemorating the return of our beloved home. Calling All Volunteers! Interested in helping out with the project? If so, we invite you to post and join the SRT! Delete My File Message Banner! Have you updated a file and need the banner removing. Post here and we'll take care of it. Project Updates A list of posts noting important milestones about ST's road to recovery. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Q: What measures are you taking to ensure such data loss never happens again? A: This is of utmost importance. Dirk has already setup a full daily SQL database dump which is copied externally. We will be implementing full backups of all site content, which is synced to an offsite cloud location I've purchased. Additionally, Cori and I will be making regular local copies of this, which we'll keep updated. We can assure you there are harsh lessons learned from this ordeal. We will not let this happen again. Q: So what data is missing, and what do we have preserved? A: To understand what's safe and what needs recovering, there are three time periods: All Lost: After 28 February 2026 to 26 May 2026: Unfortunately, because 28 Feb corresponds to our most recent database backup, any new member accounts, posts, or files created during these final three months are lost entirely. At best we'll be able to re-post files, and possibly some other site content. Text Only: 17 June 2024 to 28 February 2026: The text-based details of the site are safe. This means all forum posts, member accounts, and the actual STEX description pages are intact. However, the physical download files (e.g. zip) along with image attachments were lost, meaning we will need to restore them manually or programmatically. All Safe: Before 17 June 2024: Everything is completely intact. This includes all forum posts, member accounts, PMs, images, and STEX files. Q: How are we going to rebuild all the missing files? A: This is already in progress, but there's much more to do. Some authors have been diligently working to re-upload their own files, and we estimate ~20% of the files lost have been restored. Then for additional missing files, I'm currently working on a dynamic list known as the Restoration Tracker, which will help us view what still needs doing. This will be revealed soon, and we'll have a dedicated discussion topic where you can ask questions and post feedback. Q: If I see one of my own uploads missing from the STEX, should I just re-upload it myself? A: You're most welcome to re-upload your own content yourself, but please feel under no obligation to. The Recovery Team will be working to go through files and restore as much as we can. Other harder to find items we might need to make a community appeal for. If you do restore your own content, that all helps as part of the process. If you'd like any assistance or unsure what to do, please let us know! Q: I have backups of files but I'm not the original author. Can I still share them? A: Given these unprecedented times, yes. But best hold off for right now, as the Restoration Tracker will have a way to notify us of any files you have. Then as the volunteers begin the restoration, they will contact you if they need your copy. (We have big zips already offered which may or may not cover everything.) Q: Can you tell me about the new host? A: We've since acquired a new server from Hetzner (in Germany), which is at least 10 times more capable than our old one, with twice the RAM and a much more powerful processor. All this too for no more than our old host cost per month, which makes it excellent value for money. Additionally, Hetzner's tech support have been outstanding. When Dirk reported the instability issues, they presented a range of options. When we asked for the hardware replacement, the technicians completed the process within mere minutes (and free of charge). This gives us confidence we're on a much more robust platform. Q: How can we support Simtropolis financially to help cover costs of the new server? A: We want to emphasise how this isn't a crisis, but if you wish to help Dirk fund the hosting, there are 2 options: Donate via Gumroad which gives you access to download the STEX Collections. Donate via PayPal either as a one-off or recurring monthly amount. All donations are appreciated! They each help keep Simtropolis open and freely available.
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Old newbie... new oldie? I'm back to the game and need some help
ROB EIS posted a topic in SimCity 4 General Discussion
PLEASE forgive me if I didn't post this in the appropriate forum. I'm lost. HELP!! I played SC4 up until about 6 years ago, then suddenly quit because...well, I can't remember why. But I kinda remember how to do certain things, and other things I need reminders. For instance: When I download custom content, what folder does it go in? What keyboard combination do I use for cheats? (I should be embarrassed to say I cheat ) I downloaded NAM 36 - do I need any special addons to use it? Have there been any MAXIS updates or patches for the game? Do I need any new DLLs? If I download new content, does it come with a ReadMe file that tells me which dependencies I need, and where to find them? Basically I knew how to do everything 6 years ago, and I had all the patches and files and dependencies needed to play the game. I just need to get caught up on how to get back into the swing of things. Thanks so much for allowing me to join the website. As for me, well...there's not really a whole lot to tell. I'm a humble soul who generally isn't good at talking about himself. But a little bit...I'm a Christian introvert (yes, we exist) - an INFJ. I love structural & landscape/nature photography. I'm a mid-lifer, unemployed due to medical issues. My interests are photography (did I mention ), reading, nature, antiques, flea markets, festivals, traveling/road trips, hiking, video games, board games. I generally like a number of different things I'm sure I'm forgetting. -
Adding mods to the Origin version of SimCity 4 Deluxe
Excentrik posted a topic in SimCity 4 General Discussion
Hello, I am new to the modding community, and am having issues downloading and adding mods to SimCity 4. I have the digital Origin version of the game, and when I download and extract the Zip file for the Mods I want, there is no plugin folder under the Origins-SimCity folder in my documents. Therefore, I am not sure what I am doing wrong, or how to get the mods to show up in the game. I have spent hours looking at previous posts regarding this issue, and watching youtube videos, but none of them show how to deal with my particular issue. For example, I am trying to download user created regions with bigger maps. Any help would be appreciated, thanks -
Hi guys, Did you miss me? I know it's been awhile since I had any problems that forced me to ask you experts what to do as once those previous issues were resolved I've been happily playing the game.........until! I wanted a larger monitor (my poor old eyes aren't what they used to be), and due to other PC related hobbies I required multiple monitors (4 minimum). That's neither here nor there .....except..... I upgraded my video card, installing a gigabyte Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. Lo and behold, there are no video drivers compatible for Windows 2003 (AKA XP). I've been forced to revert to getting the game to run under Windows 7 which I dreaded due to the problems that forced me to XP in the first place. (Did I say I was lazy and tend to take the easiest way out?) So before installing SC4 back onto the E:\ drive under Win 7 I did some more searching and ran across a note explaining the game handled most new windows problems if one used a digital downloaded copy (i.e., stream, GOG, etc.). I jumped on the suggestion and downloaded a copy from GOG. Imagine my surprise and delight when the game opened without any problems whatsoever. Good to go, right? Not so fast Kemosahbee. The obvious next step would be to install the latest NAM and move the plugins folder to the new drive. Reading the included "read-me" from NAM 3.5 (35?) downloaded games came pre-patched so there was no need to EA's patch files. The NAM installed without a hitch. I then created an identical My Documents folder on the E:\ drive and moved the plugins. However, the game won't point to the My Documents\plugins folder. I can load the plugins in the plugins folder under the game's installed directory (E:\program files (x86)\SimCity 4 deluxe edition (created when I installed to GOG game)\plugins and the game will recognize the files. Well, gee, I told myself.....self, you need the launcher program you used before, SC4 Launcher! Installed same. Now, I don't know if this is the problem or it has something to do with the main game exe file but... 1.) I can't seem to get SC4L to save the plugins path. I manually changed the path in the LauncherPaths.dat file and SC4L will point to the proper path in the paths tab but no mods show in the mods path and the mods do not appear in the game. 2.) If I try to change the path under the path tab, SC4L will not save the path and keeps reverting back to the C:\ drive. My C:\ drive is a SSD and is for the operating system only. Where do I go from here? Please, please don't tell me I need to reinstall all the plugins. They do work if I place them in the directory explained above but I always heard your external plugins belong in a "documents" folder, not the root SC4 folder. Gracious gurus, do have a very Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc., and a great and happy New Year. Thanks so very much for your assistance you've given all these years. John P.S. Operating System Windows 7 with all updates. PC 6 core AMD with 16GB RAM. Video card is described above and has 4GB memory. 250 GB SSD for the operating system. 2ea 1 TB hard drives internal and a 2 TB external drive. There is also a 250G internal hard drive running XP as the operating system with SC4 installed. That will come out, hopefully.
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Hello club-owners and club-members, I will dedicate this Club to keep you updated on new club features that have rolled out that you might not know about. Feel free to also use this space to ask questions, offer suggestions and make requests. We'll do our best to accommodate. ------ Change log Below is a change log. Do note that some features are for club-owners and some features are for Admins that you might want to be aware of. August 18 Mass PM: added ability to send a private message to all members of the club (leaders, moderators and members) Bug fixes August 31 Option to reorder tabs Option to disable features September 26 Bug fixes Add ability to convert a club feature into a forum/category (Admin) Add ability to ban/unban members from the whole clubs. (Admin) A banned member won't be able to access any club page, including its content (topics, files, images, etc.). IMPORTANT: Club items will continue to appear in Activity Streams, profiles, searchs, etc. The restriction will happen only when the member tries to read them.
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Hey guys ! This topic is made just for you. (!)Posts are going to be edited a lot so make sure to come often. I will mark new edits with a "!" Here we are going to talk about : - News about the SimCity Revive project - Screenshots of the mods - Comments about SCRevive - Q&A allowed! - Requests for the project
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I tried the updates for version 1.1.640 but the last one seems to fail every time (OS advises me) leaving me with version 1.1.638.0. I'm attempting to execute the IH-missing $$$ jobs fix 1.11 which hopefully will fix my stagnant cities. Any suggestions or help with this would be appreciated. System Details: SimCity 4-Deluxe (config for 2-cores), Win7 64-bit , AMD FX3850, 16Gb RAM, Radeon R290-4Gb GDDR5 Updates: EP1 & Update for BAT (incl. Gmax)
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Hey guys, Work on setting up the town's utilities continues to progress at a slow rate. The water plant has occupied my time for almost the entire week. I keep not being satisfied with the design I come up with, so end up restarting it all from the beginning, but now finally, I have a layout that blends well with the region, and has the appearance of a realistic water plant. The catch however, is that the water plant is only half of the work, now it is off to creating the wastewater detention basins and facilities. In addition the the water plant, I've also been working on some preliminary road layouts throughout the map. Small county roads that wind through the region and access the utility areas. The main interchange to the town is also partially completed. Below are a few preview pics of the work in progress. Hopefully sometime this weekend or early next week, the pics of the water plant will be ready. Teaser pic of a small portion of the the water plant above. Not particularly revealing, but you can see from the wide-spaced layout of everything that this is only a small part of a very large plant, and the construction equipment also provides a better sense of the place being under construction. Main Street/ Freeway 25 intersection in the works. Still not complete, fair amount of landscaping and fine-tuning left. The final design will likely change after I start laying out Frontier City's inner-town street network. This intersection will be the primary exit off of the freeway leading directly into town.
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Where can I find the new stadiums?
Fearlessmayor posted a topic in Cities: Skylines General Discussion
hi all! So apparently CSL developers released new items this past week....I've updated my game twice already, seems like everyday they have new updates, I've used the new dog park and basketball court but I can't find my stadiums anywhere. Has anyone been able to find these on the User interface (UI)? -
This read-only thread will be used by site staff for posting updates relating to Simtropolis, such as new features or notable changes. Please post any requests or ideas in the Suggestions Box. Or if you'd like to report a bug or other issue, please use the Bugs Thread. Thanks all!
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I was just wondering if there are any updates for the digital version of SC4 that I downloaded from Amazon? I have the 638 and the 640 updates but they won't install.
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So I just recently built a new computer and I had my Simcity 4 installed. The problem is I don't know how many updates and patches have been released since 2003. In the properties, my Simcity 4 was "modified" or made on August 27, 2003 and the version is 1.1.610.0 . Please help me out here! Thanks, Brian
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Cover photo: A cute Swedish-inspired small town in my region. Attachment: There are no tapas bars in my city? I don't believe you; either you need to work on your disguise or I've encountered the SimCity 4 edition of Schrödinger's Cat. Second attachment: You like the angles? I had a bit of fun trying to put a new "perspective" on one of my screenshots.
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I haven't heard news with SimCity for the longest time. I feel like I've been abandoned not exactly the best feeling. I just want offline mode. And update 10. If anyone gets any news, let me know
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Hello, SimCity players and welcome to: Upcoming Updates/Patches: What Do You Want To See? About: I came up with the idea a couple hours ago, so I decided to create this thread. I noticed that on the official SimCity forums, they have something like this, but no one really uses it, so I decided to create something like it here. *****Note: Please tell me if someone has done this already. I checked the forum but I just want to be sure. So right now, I'm asking you: What do you want to see in Update/Patch 8.0? Just vote in the poll! You can only vote once, but you're allowed to have multiple choices. Didn't see anything you liked up there or want to have another idea in mind? Vote "Other" and then tell me what you want in a reply/post. This thread will be updated regularly or new threads may be created. It will be updated when everyone gets information on what's to come for Update 8.0. Enjoy! -
Thanks for putting up with the sporadic activity here recently! RL has been hitting me hard the past few months. School has been crazy busy and other things have been falling on me like a bag of bricks. Things have let up enough though that Holt District full updates will finally be returning - and I'm not talking just teasers. Full updates are finally on their way back! Finals these past 2 weeks and the midterms saga at school have limited my time in SimCity to 0 hours, so I have a few things to do before getting an update out. But they're coming, and this is your notice that they are. So thanks to all of you for being patient with me, but RL has been a tad crazy. I'm super excited to get back to updating and to showing of Holt District to all of you again!
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For the Eager, Yet Overwhelmed Newcomer New to SimCity, Simtropolis, or been out of touch for a few years? Wondering what the heck a NAM or a BAT is? And just what the heck is up with those brown boxes?! This article will take you through the basics of registering your game, whether from a hard copy of the disc or from Steam, the essentials of Simtropolis, and a jumpstart into the world of Custom Content, to bring your game to a level beyond what you could imagine is possible. I would like to thank A Nonny Moose for his contributions and influences on the creation of this article. Rush Hours, Deluxe Editions, SimCity Boxes, Oh my! Before starting on registration information, we should make a clarification on just what the differences in these versions are. The short answer is nothing. When Maxis released Rush Hour, the expansion pack to the original SimCity 4 game, they released two versions: one simply the expansion (SimCity 4: Rush Hour); the other, a version that included both the original game and the expansion pack (SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition). It makes absolutely no difference to the game whether you own the Deluxe Edition, or Rush Hour. Now, just what is the SimCity Box? After the release of SimCity Societies in 2008, EA released this version which contains SimCity 4, SimCity 4: Rush Hour, SimCity Societies, SimCity Societies: Destinations, and The Sims Carnival: SnapCity. The story here is the same with Rush Hour and the Deluxe Edition: it makes absolutely no difference. In the event that you happen to be a long time player who does not own Rush Hour or the Deluxe Edition, it should be noted that the expansion pack is required to make use of 99% of the custom content available on this site. I will explain that further later on. Registering and Updating the Game Before playing, you need to pick up the two (2) necessary EA-released patches to your game for it to work correctly. In recent months, it has been noted that the official EA SimCity 4 Deluxe site has been taken down. So as not to leave these players hanging, some mirrors have been set up containing the assorted official updates. Important note: If you purchased your game from an authorized download source, you may not need any further updates. Check the properties of the game's .exe file. If it indicates you have version 1.1.641.0 or if you already have version 1.1.640.0, you will not need further updates. For the standard, PC version updates, check out here: SC4Devotion Own the Mac edition and can't open .exe's? Check out this thread: Bought your copy off Steam? Steam comes pre-patched! Yay! You should apply the two updates to the game in this order: EP1 to fix bugs, and the BATupdate to allow nightlights. When you are finished, you should check to see that the version number of the .exe file for the game in Program files/Maxis/Apps has been updated to 1,1,640,0. This is proof that your updates worked. Optional Upgrades and Tools You may notice on the mirror sites, a number of other downloads available. Among these are new landmarks, new rewards, the Lot Editor, and Building Architect Tool (BAT). These are all optional, and are not necessary for the games function or the addition of but do add content, and functionality. So, just what do these BAT and Lot Editor things do? The Lot Editor allows you to construct new lots, using the buildings, textures, and assorted prop pieces included within the game. The Building Architect Tool (BAT) allows you to construct new 3D models, and is what is used to create new buildings, trees, seawalls, spaceships, and everything inbetween. Using the Lot Editor and the BAT in tandem, the world is yours to create. It should be noted that both these tools have a sizeable learning curve. We do have a number of tutorials here to get you started, the most notable of these being the BAT Essentials Tutorial in the Omnibus. Unleashing the Game At this point, your game is ready to go! The appropriate patches are in place, and the game is as optimized as Maxis and EA could make it. So where to now? Many players are happy to play the game without any custom content, relying simply on what Maxis has provided. It is indeed very possible to create beautiful cities using only what content Maxis provided. But, many would also point out that the game can be so much more. In the 8 years since the release of the game, the amount of custom content available brings the game to an entirely new level. Players can recreate their hometowns with stunning accuracy, watching roads twist and curve, with even the correct corner market in place. Players can build in the desert, in futuristic settings, or on Mars. The custom content community has taken a finite game and given it infinite possibilities. And the question I'm sure you're asking by this point is, where do I begin? There are a number of exchanges available for you to browse. Here on Simtropolis, the STEX is perhaps the largest, and one of the oldest exchanges devoted to SimCity 4. The other primary English exchanges are SC4Devotion LEX and the PLEX (now on the STEX). You could say that SC4Devotiion is the high-tech site, and that Pegasus is the theme site, and you wouldn't be far wrong. Most community exchanges both require free registration in order to download, as Simtropolis does. The SimCity community expands far beyond English speakers, however - other communities include German and Japanese sites. Growable? Ploppable? What? As you browse the exchanges, you'll notice these phrases on assorted files throughout. The answer to this could not be simpler. A growable lot means that it will grow on its own with the appropriate zoning, as if it were any building created by Maxis. Ploppable lots allow you to plop the building as if it were a landmark. Some ploppables retain their commercial/industrial nature and provide jobs as though they were grown. It should be noted that at early points in the exchange, you may run across residential ploppables. These do not work, and will abandon some time after plopping. So, I've Downloaded Some Stuff. Now what? Installation of downloads really is simple. This article by our fearless Dirktator outlines the process of installation. Some downloads now come with .exe installers, which simplifies the process even more - the installer does all the work for you. The next question you may have is where the heck do I find my ploppable items in the game? Some items will be pretty intuitive as to where they are located - Educational facilities are located in the Schools menu, policing facilities in the Police menu, etc. But what about that great skyscraper advertised as a ploppable? Those will generally be located in the Landmarks menu. Nearly everything else (parks, churches, etc.) will be located in either Parks or Rewards. And if you just can't find it anywhere, consult the ReadMe that should have been included with the download. It should state where it is located in the menu system in game. Brown Boxes, Everywhere! Uh oh! This may look tragic, but it doesn't mean your game is wrecked. You just missed downloading some dependencies. Wait, what? Dependewho? Dependencies are separate files that a lot uses to complete itself. If Download A cannot find the appropriate dependency, it reverts to the lovely boxes you can see in the picture above. It may not look like it, but each lot is actually filled with bits and pieces of other files to make the bigger picture. The trees, the benches, the garbage cans, the swimming pools you see on assorted lots are all individual pieces, that come together to create a house, a park, or a shopping complex. All downloads on the SimTropolis EXchange are required to list all dependencies needed to work properly. If you've looked everywhere and just can't find that dependency, or if the dependency package is locked, please make a post here, and one of our friendly members will help you out. You may have further questions in regards to dependencies. As with installation, I would like to refer you to another article that goes into much further detail. The Dependency Debate by north_country_dude goes into great detail about the pros and cons of dependencies, and answers a few of the common questions you may have about them. So what should I download? Building tastes vary from person to person. Personally, I prefer the drab, 1970's concrete buildings, while many prefer the sleek, glass modern skyscrapers. Because of this, I'm not going to recommend any particular buildings - but I can recommend some mods that are considered the best and the greatest. Network Addon Mod, or the NAM. This mod was first conceived with the discovery of an unfinished road network Maxis left in the game. The talented modding community has taken this and turned it into entirely new road networks, gave us roundabouts, and allows us to create true metropolitan cities with roads to match. This can be found here on the STEX, or at SC4Devotion. If you're interested, here is the "official" NAM FAQ Thread with links to the different parts used with NAM & answers to common queries. If any issues come up while using NAM, there's also a support thread here. Various NAM Team members including Tarkus frequent the thread and gladly help out. A terrain and water mod. When you first launch the game, the grass and water seems realistic enough. A bit off perhaps, but hey nothing can be perfect. Not true - modders have been able to create new textures for the terrain and the water, which makes the Maxis textures look like off-coloured drawings. Cycledogg has made a number of varying terrain mods, and there are assorted water textures on the STEX, each varying for the kind of water your city needs. SimMars. Certainly this mod is not for everyone, but this article would be deficient if it weren't mentioned. SimMars transforms SimCity to Mars, complete with textures, buildings, road networks and music to match. The work done on this is exceptional, and it sits with the NAM as the greatest projects to improve the game that SimCity has seen. Everything else listed here. Livin in Sim has created this top ten list of great mod's that should be essential. A few other members have listed their contributions as well, and I would highly recommend them all! From there you could look through the CJ section to get ideas or run through the STEX and other exchanges to see if anything "jumps" out at you. As I mentioned before, if you can't seem to find something, make a post here and someone is bound to help you out. How do I win? SimCity is different from most games, as there is no set end point. Your success is based on goals you set. For many, a balanced budget and proper governance of a successful city without "godly" intervention (ie. cheats) makes a successful game. For many, the accurate recreation of a real life city is the goal, generally with the assistance of assorted budget cheats. For others still, it's simply to create the best city they can. Set your own goals and adjust as you achieve them. For all flavours of player, however, we do have an assortment of tutorials here on Simtropolis to help you on the Omnibus. The sections that will interest you most are SimCity 4 Reference and SimCity 4 Tutorials. Check back from time to time, as we do continue to add articles! Hopefully, this article has helped you get started. If you have any further questions that this article didn't answer, the folk in the forums and the chatroom are always eager to help, and any member of the Simtropolis Help Squad would be more than happy to give you some tips to the right direction.
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In an effort to reduce the amount of stickies in this forum, we've combined several of the threads that served as "Guidelines and Friendly Reminders". You can find the site rules in their entirety here. Friendly Reminder about PMs If you feel you are receiving inappropriate PMs requesting personal information, please forward them straight to an administrator. Anyone found to be harassing others for any such information will be subjected to a permanent vacation from the community. Signatures and Avatars Reminder a. Signatures may have a maximum of 10 lines of text which includes blank lines and images. b. Signature images are permitted and are to be a maximum of 300 x 50 pixels. Multiple images are acceptable, provided the total combined dimensions of all images do not exceed 300 x 50 pixels. c. The size of text in signatures must not exceed the default font size. Text may be smaller. d. Formatting tools and color should be used appropriately. No one appreciates an eyesore. e. Avatars and signatures may not display copyrighted content, or contain offensive material. f. Animations are allowed but the staff reserves the right to remove animations that are causing problems.
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