Network Addon Mod Lite (NAM Lite) is a transportation mod for SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition (or SimCity 4 with the Rush Hour Expansion Pack). A much more compact version of the flagship Network Addon Mod (NAM), NAM Lite features just the most essential of NAM features, including the NAM's renowned Traffic Simulator Plugins, refining SimCity 4's pathfinding engine to work as it was originally intended, along with Automata Controller options, updated textures (including a Euro/International texture option), Roundabouts, Diagonal Streets, additional interchanges for the game's base Highway system (the "Maxis Highways"), and (optional) Hole Diggers/Ground Raisers, allowing for precise terrain alteration.

The minimum requirements for running the Network Addon Mod are as follows:

• A compatible retail copy of SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition OR SimCity 4 with the Rush Hour Expansion Pack
  • Windows/Linux (via WINE): Any digital retail edition EXCEPT the EA App/Origin Retail Edition (see here), or any disc copy updated to at least Version 1.1.638.
  • macOS: Any recent digital edition of the Aspyr port for macOS (installation on the App Store version is more difficult, and the NAM Team is limited in our capacity to provide installation help to App Store users).
  • The now-rare non-Deluxe/non-Rush Hour copies of SimCity 4 are not supported. Attempting to run NAM Lite on a non-Deluxe/non-Rush Hour copy of SimCity 4 will cause the game to immediately crash to desktop (CTD).
• A system with the following specs:
  • Any system which can run SimCity 4, with 40MB available disk space.
• Java Runtime Environment (JRE), in order to run the installer. (The Java Development Kit, or JDK, will also work, but contains extra files not needed unless you're a Java developer.)
  • Adoptium's open-source edition is recommended, though JRE and JDK can also be acquired in proprietary/commercial (but free to download) form from Oracle at https://www.java.com.
• Additional Requirement on Mac (optional for Windows/Linux): JDatPacker by memo.
  • JDatPacker is a tool for consolidating folders of SimCity 4 plugins. This can speed up the game's performance, and on macOS, this helps alleviate issues with the Aspyr port's known "number of files limit", wherein exceeding a certain number of files/folders within the game's Plugins directory can cause the game to crash.

To install Network Addon Mod Lite:

1. Install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) (if already installed, skip to Step 2).
2. Remove any existing NAM installations, if present (simply deleting the "a_Network Addon Mod Lite" and/or "Network Addon Mod" folder from the Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins directory is the easiest way).
3. Run the NAM Lite Installer.
• On Windows:
  • Run NetworkAddonMod_Lite_Setup_Version3.jar, or, if that fails, run NetworkAddonMod_Lite_Setup_Version3.bat.
• On macOS:
  • Run NetworkAddonMod_Lite_Setup_Version3.jar.
  • If on the App Store version, the installer cannot directly install into the Plugins location the App Store version utilizes, which is inside the .app file (~/Library/Containers/com.aspyr.simcity4.appstore/Data/Documents/SimCity 4). Install to an alternate location first, then copy the resultant "Plugins" folder into that location. Note that the NAM Team is currently very limited in our ability to provide installation assistance to App Store users.
• On Linux:
  • Run NetworkAddonMod_Lite_Setup_Version3.jar, or, if that fails, run NetworkAddonMod_Lite_Setup_Version3.sh.
4. Follow the installer's instructions, clicking on each tab on the top bar in order.
   1. Agree to the mod's terms on the initial "welcome" tab to proceed with the installation.
   2. select the options you would like to install under the "files" tab.
   3. Select the install location under the "location" tab. Unless you have set up an alternate location for your Plugins folder, or happen to be on the Mac App Store version of the game, this should
   4. Finally, move to the "install" tab. Click the "Start installation" button to begin the installation process. When the installation is complete, the progress screen will display a message, "All selected components installed!".
   5. Close the installer, using the "X" button or, on macOS, the red circular button, in the upper right corner of the window. You're all done installing the mod.
5. Additional step for Mac users (optional on Windows/Linux): run JDatPacker to consolidate the mod's files.
   • If on the App Store version, run JDatPacker over the resultant Plugins directory, then move the "a_Network Addon Mod Lite.dat" file into the container.
   • On the Steam version (or if optionally using JDatPacker on Windows), run JDatPacker on the Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins directory (this will also consolidate your other plugins as well). Make sure you remove the original directories that were consolidated, and, if upgrading or reinstalling your NAM package at any point, ensure you delete the "a_Network Addon Mod Lite.dat" from your Plugins before running the new installation. It is recommended that you use a new subfolder (i.e. "Plugins\Compressed Files") instead of installing to the root of the Plugins directory, as this can help prevent mod conflicts.
6. Load the game and enjoy the NAM!

For further details on NAM Lite and its features, visit our new website at https://www.sc4nam.com.

• The Maxis RUL2 code has been restored.
• The FLEX Road Overpasses have been added to the Additional Network Features. These overpasses allow one to easily cross over railways and other surface streets with their Roads, One-Way Roads, and Avenues.

Aside from a brief period in 2014-2015, Origin and the EA App, the digital retail platforms run by Electronic Arts (EA), have been selling copies of SimCity 4 Deluxe featuring an unpatched and unpatchable version of the game's executable file to retail customers. As of the release of NAM 47 and NAM Lite 3, this is still the case. Unlike the retail versions sold by GOG.com and Steam (and previously Amazon's "Thin Game Download" version), which come prepatched to Version 1.1.641, the edition sold on the Origin Store and the EA App (also used by the EA Play subscription service), features a Version 1.1.610 executable, mixed with Version 1.1.641 versions of the SimCity_1-5.dat files. By virtue of switching out the original SafeDisc copy protection for their own DRM, EA/Origin altered the checksum of the game's executable, thereby preventing EA's own EP1 Update 1 (Version 1.1.638) and BAT Nightlighting/EP1 Update 2 (Version 1.1.640) patchers from properly updating the executable. It also appears to be more difficult to apply the 4GB Patch with the EA App version, which is needed in order to run a full NAM installation.

This not only fails to meet the NAM's minimum requirements, but leaves EA App/Origin retail copies with many stability issues developers fixed in 2003, and without working nightlighting on any custom buildings. It also prevents first-party content creation tools like the Building Architect Tool (BAT) from being installed, which look for a properly-patched executable. Note that this is in spite of the curious fact that EA uses images of the NAM and other pieces of custom content to advertise SimCity 4, both on EA.com and in the EA App.

Furthermore, the EA App and Origin client are capable of actually unpatching other versions of SimCity 4 Deluxe that a user may have installed on their system, including the Steam and GOG versions, via the "Repair" process. Even if you are not playing an EA App/Origin version of the game, be aware that the EA App and Origin client can still unpatch your game.

For those who have purchased the game via EA.com, the EA App, or the Origin Store, the NAM Team recommends you contact EA/Origin Support about obtaining a refund, even after the return period has expired, as users have had success in this case. If you are among the users who are saddled with the unpatched and unpatchable EA App/Origin retail version. The team would also appreciate hearing from you, as we have a strong desire to see EA give their customers a properly-patched copy of the game, and are trying to document just how many users are affected. Those playing via EA Play/Xbox Game Pass should also let EA Play know that they are serving up an outdated executable for the game, missing key stability fixes.

Strangely, copies that were formerly obtainable by redeeming an existing CD key at no cost with Origin Customer Support are properly patched, despite what the same support team routinely tells those who bought copies and received the unpatched Version 1.1.610 digital copies.

In short:

• Free copy from EA/Origin Support for CD Key Redemption: Properly patched executable (1.1.641)
• Purchased copy from EA.com, the EA App, the Origin Store, or playing via EA Play/Xbox Game Pass: Unpatched and unpatchable executable (permanently locked to Version 1.1.610)

For a more detailed assessment of the Origin situation, NAM developer Tarkus has written extensively on the subject at his blog, SimTarkus.

Aspyr issued an update to their port of SimCity 4 Deluxe for macOS, updating it from a 32-bit app to a 64-bit one on both Steam and the App Store, allowing it to be compatible with macOS Catalina (10.15) and later. This change has introduced a number of quirks, however.

Most notably, it has changed the key combination for cycling through TAB Loops under the NAM's various buttons. Instead of using TAB to move forward, and Shift-TAB to move in reverse, Mac users must now use Ctrl-TAB to move forward, and Ctrl-Shift-TAB to move in reverse. While TAB and Shift-TAB will allow one to move through the TAB Loop, these keys/combinations will cause some pieces under the buttons to be skipped.

Furthermore, the changes have also broken simmaster07's SC4MacInjector, which allowed DLL plugins--including SC4Fix.dll (which addressed the puzzle piece/TE Lot CTDs)--to run on macOS. As such, these fixes no longer work on Mac, and users should exercise caution when placing stations in the vicinity of static puzzle pieces.

Additionally, the installation procedure for the NAM varies depending on if one is using the Steam version or the App Store version.

With the Steam version, the NAM will install into the correct location by default: /Users/{username}/Documents/SimCity 4/Plugins/. For the App Store version, install the mod into a temporary location (the one suggested for the Steam version should suffice), then move the "Plugins" folder inside the .app file's container (~/Library/Containers/com.aspyr.simcity4.appstore/Data/Documents/SimCity 4). Any additional mods, buildings, or other plugins you wish to install can go inside this Plugins folder as well.

The NAM Team is not familiar enough with the App Store version at present to give reliable installation instructions, and we would instead refer users to the SC4 Mac Users board at Simtropolis for assistance.

The Mac port also has a "number of files" limit, wherein if a certain number of files/folders exist within the Plugins directory, the game will crash. In order to prevent this, you will need to run the JDatPacker utility mentioned in the installation instructions to consolidate the files (see Step 5).

If you are upgrading from a previous version of the NAM, MANUALLY MOVE YOUR OLD NAM INSTALLATION OUT FROM YOUR PLUGINS FOLDER, INTO A SAFE LOCATION (note that this has changed from previous NAM releases).. The current version of the NAM installer cannot detect your previous installation options by reading the existing folder structure. It is recommended that you check your existing installation, to determine which features you presently have installed.

Generally speaking, the NAM Team makes every effort to ensure that new versions at least retain some form of "legacy support", such that cities built with any previous NAM version will continue to function well with the latest version.

If you have consolidated your NAM files using a tool such as SC4DatPacker or JDatPacker, please read here.

Programs to consolidate folders worth of SimCity 4 .DAT files, such as SC4DatPacker (Windows) and JDatPacker (cross-platform), are popular options known to improve game performance, given SimCity 4's preference to read a smaller number of larger files, instead of a larger number of small files--a fact determined by the BSC Team's "Miramba Experiment" of 2006. The use of "DatPacking" programs on one's NAM installation, however, is a controversial topic. The NAM Team's general advice is for Windows users to avoid DatPacking (unless one is extremely careful, while for Mac users, the use of JDatPacker is virtually required.

In general, if one plans to DatPack one's NAM installation, they should also save the pre-DatPacked NAM folder in a safe place, outside the Plugins folder beforehand. The reason for this is to avoid potential conflicts and issues, such as the "dual icon bug" and Controller file conflicts between new and old installations, as well as to make it such that one knows which options they have installed when upgrading to a new version, or re-installing the same version with different options.

In the case of the Aspyr port for the Mac platform (both App Store and Steam versions), it possesses a strange quirk in which exceeding a certain number of files or folders (regardless of size) in the Plugins folder can cause game slowdowns or even crashing-to-desktop (CTD). To this end, using JDatPacker after installing the NAM on a Mac is a necessity, in order to ensure proper game performance. Again, however, one should save their pre-DatPacked NAM installation in a safe place, outside the Plugins folder, to make for easy upgrades.

To uninstall the files, simply bulldoze every NAM item from this download in your cities and remove the files from the Plugins folder afterwards, which will be contained in Plugins\Network Addon Mod by default.

The NAM is a very expansive mod, with a substantial number of features, which may initially prove overwhelming to those not well-versed in its workings. The NAM Team anticipates that users, particularly those new to the NAM, may want to change the feature set they have installed, as they learn more about the mod's contents and capabilities.

To that end, we encourage users to keep the installer for the current version handy after initial installation. If you plan to change your particular set of options, you will need to remove your current installation. Moving it out of Plugins to a safe location is recommended, in case you want to keep your existing settings as a backup.

Users who are unable or unwilling to install Java can perform a manual installation of the NAM, something which the new file architecture introduced in 2020 makes far more possible than the previous "Monolithic" releases.

This method requires a file decompression tool capable of opening .jar files, such as 7-zip (Windows) or Keka (macOS). To begin, open NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Lite_Version3.jar using your file decompression tool.

The NAM's contents are located in the "installation" subfolder. The current installer uses a series of character flags at the start of directory names, in order to instruct the installer how to order the options, whether they're mandatory or optional, etc.

Numbers preceded by the at sign ("@"), i.e. "@1", "@2", etc., are merely being ordered with this flag.

Any directory with the caret ("^") in front of the name (or behind a "@" ordering flag) is mandatory.

Any directory with the exclamation mark ("!") in front of the name (or behind a "@" ordering flag) is not installed by default.

Any options where the equal sign ("=") and the dash ("-") are present are mutually exclusive--only one should be installed (the "=" option is the default).

The "@11 Traffic Simulator#" directory is required. All other folders have options within them. At least one of the folders starting with "0 NAM Controller" must be installed. With "@22 Automata Controller#",, simply select one of the options inside and discard the rest, as these are straight up mutually exclusive one another. Within "@44 Texture and Drive Side Support", keep "z_Common Files", then select either "-EU" (for EU textures) or "=US" (for US textures), and within "-EU" or "=US", get rid of the "_RightSide" or "_LeftSide" (whichever does not coincide with the side the vehicles in your game drive), and decide if you want any (or none) of the other subfolder options (i.e. Cul-De-Sacs).

The Automata Controller basically affects the display of the visual traffic in-game--Standard is going to be the lightest, while Radical is going to be the heaviest, Persistent makes the automata visuals last longer, and the 24-Hour modifiers handle whether the display is constant, or follows the data for the 24-Hour clock in-game.

The Texture and Drive Side Support includes four options, depending on whether you want to use US/North American textures or Euro/International Textures, and the drive side of your game (RHD or LHD, which should match your selection for the NAM Controller).

With the Traffic Simulator, these are ordered by the "@1" and the like in order of lowest capacity option to highest. Medium is the default.

@3!3 Additional Network Features is by far the biggest area of the installer. This contains all the actual network feature addons in the mod.

The NAM Team only provides support and allows distribution of the most recent NAM version. The same is true of NAM Lite, particularly as NAM Lite 3 fixes bugs with NAM Lite 2. With the exception of older non-English language versions (which are supported by their respective sites, not the NAM Team), no technical support will be provided to users of prior versions of the NAM, nor will any past versions of the NAM be made available for download, by request or otherwise. The team does not keep an official archive of past releases, and does not have the resources to answer questions regarding them. Each release includes improvements across the board to features new and old, is designed to be as compatible with cities built with previous versions as is humanly possible, and is also intended to improve the end user experience. Old releases are inherently inferior, and not "simpler" or "easier" to use.

If you find the array of options available in NAM Lite too limiting, consider installing the full Network Addon Mod instead. We may consider bringing additional features from the full NAM over to NAM Lite, depending on their scale (i.e. no RealHighway system to NAM Lite) and their popularity.

Users wishing to hold onto old versions should back them up in their personal archives. Note again that no technical support will be provided for this, nor may any user or site redistribute any old versions.

The following named members of Simtropolis, SC4 Devotion, SimCityPlaza, and the SC4 Devotion Discord have, for whatever particular reason, been specifically included here for their special contributions during the NAM's history. Very special thanks goes towards them in the making, supplying, &/or supporting of this mod &/or its contents possible in one way shape or another:

The NAM Team and Associates (Active Members as of NAM 47/NAM Lite 3)

• Bipin
• bladeberkman
• b22rian
• CaptCity
• compdude787
• DebussyMan
• Durfsurn
• eggman121
• Eric Blair
• EstGuy/Cheese
• Flann
• Girafe
• Haljackey
• IDS2
• Indiana Joe
• Junspud
• KaenOkami
• Kitsune
• Lucario Boricua
• matias93
• McDuell
• memo
• metarvo
• mgb204
• MushyMushy
• Naomi57
• noahclem
• pierreh
• Ramona Brie
• ReLynx/RemRinka
• rivit
• Ryan B.
• saus tartar
• Shadow Assassin
• Simizen
• Tarkus
• TheCouncill0r/dicko6
• TheMurderousCricket
• Tyberius06
• Ulisse Wolf
• z

NAM Founders

• Redlotus
• the7trumpets
• Tropod

NAM Team Lead

• Tarkus

NAM Technology Evangelist

• Haljackey

NAM Logo

• MadSim (original design)
• Ramona Brie (updated design)

Tool Programmers

• cjmarshall
• CorinaMarie
• DarkMatter
• daeley
• fafalone
• GoaSkin
• Ilive
• jondor
• memo
• null45
• rivit
• simrolle
• Stefan79
• Tropod
• wouanagaine

NAM Installer

• Andreas Roth
• daeley
• frimi2
• Tarkus
• wouanagaine
• z

NAM Controller Compiler

• memo

NAM Partner Program Members

• FoxieHikari
• robmtl (Rob's Red Hot Spot)
• saus tartar

Contributors & Testers

• 3ddz
• Alidonkey
• Andreas Roth
• andreharv
• Andy80586
• AngryMozart
• Anthracite
• APSMS
• ardecila
• ArkenbergeJoe
• BigSlark
• blahdy
• Blue Lightning
• brenda_xne
• buddybud
• CasperVg
• choco
• Chrisim
• Chrno
• Ciuu96
• Colyn
• CorinaMarie
• CryinG.FreeM4n
• daeley
• deathtopumpkins
• DebussyMan
• DuskTrooper
• dedgren
• Dexter
• Diggis
• DJPTiger
• Dragonshardz
• Droric
• ebina
• elgoalio_29
• Filasimo
• frimi2
• fukuda
• Ganaram Inukshuk
• Generalcamo
• gizmo28
• Glenni
• GoaSkin
• Ill Tonkso
• isii94
• J-dub
• jdenm8
• jeronij
• Jiwoahn
• jmvl
• joelyboy911
• Jonathan
• jondor
• jplumbley
• Karybdis
• kes5219
• Khiyana
• manchou
• MandelSoft
• Mero90
• michi_cc
• MIncroabl
• moonlinght
• morifari
• mott
• mtg
• Murakumon
• Nardo69
• nooneatall
• north country dude
• paulvmontfort
• plunderer
• praiodan
• Olasz
• qurlix
• rickmastfan67
• riiga
• Ripptide
• RogerRon91
• royal
• Sabretooth78
• samerton
• Schleicher68
• Seaman
• Simmer2
• sithlrd98
• smoncrie
• Spocky
• squidi
• Stefan79
• superhands
• swamp_ig
• Swamper77
• Swordmaster
• Teirusu
• The_Great_Chozo
• Thorvin
• threestooges
• titanicbuff
• toja
• Tropod
• vester
• vil
• vortext
• woodb3kmaster
• wouanagaine
• xannepan
• xxdita
• Xyloxadoria

Special Thanks

Webmaster & administration staff at Simtropolis, SC4Devotion, ModDB, and SimCityPlaza.

All (other) members of original Simtropolis Modd Squad, especially the Modd Squad founders.

And possibly others who may not have been mentioned. If your name has been forgotten or you're not on the list, then drop us a line, as it has been difficult to keep track of anyone/everyone that may of helped somewhere along the lines.

And to the community itself, we would also like to thank you for your support, making mods such as this possible too. We're still at it after almost 19 years thanks to you!

And last but not least, a thanks for the Maxis individuals too, for the [paid] work that they did and released 20 years ago. Here's to 20 more. ;-)