Three Rivers Region

[PhilsCafe]

Well, David, awesome work as always my friend!

[Bishop Hawke]

Hi David and 3rr group

I know I have not posted very much to this forum but I do read it daily. With Simcity I am having right now just one major problem and would like to get some info from all of 3RR on this.
                                     
                                          "File organization"
With so many different lots and ect.. what do you find if the best way for the management of these files so that Simcity does not keep crashing?

Thank for in retruns on this  and David and the FRR group I hope to see those great road and track pieces soon.. Nice work.

EDIT:  I've thrown in my two cents worth as to what works for me a few posts up [linkie].  Anybody else have a methodology that she or he would like to share? -DE

[bat]

Nice new pictures there of your stuff, David!
And looking forward (like always) to more....

[deathtopumpkins]

I know not everyone is up for using seasonal tree lots.  These don't change around the year, but you can create whatever season you want with ploppable mayor mode trees.  Whaddaya think about that?

Wait, so does that seasonal tree post imply that ploppable ones that change throughout the year are not possible!? 

And I like that steel version of the windmill!

EDIT:  No, dtp- true seasonal ploppable stuff remains possible- it's still under heavy guard in a far corner of the 3RR research lab, though.  I work on it when I feel inspired. -DE

[Sciurus]

It's very nice, congratulations for your creations!

[un1]

Very nice David.  I will be here waiting for more, Eye teasing... 


-un1

[dedgren]

I know I promised Allan (allan_kuan1992) a response to the points he made here [linkie] as my next post, but I'm still thinking, and want to be as comprehensive and complete as possible.  Thanks in advance for letting me slide a bit.  I can address Bishop_Hawke's request right away, as the following is "off the shelf" way back from page 1 of 3RR-ST.

[tabular type=1]
[row][data]Organizing the Plugins Folder

I have a carefully organized plugins folder that, as of today (UPDATE: March 12, 2006, when this was written- six months later it's somewhat larger)(UPDATE2: As of November, 2008, my plugins folder runs just under 1.6 gig), has a gig of files (1,084,963,388 bytes to be exact) in it.  I've put a lot of thought into organizing my plugins folder (both of them, actually, but I'm referring here to the one in the "My Documents" directory) over the years.  I attribute the smooth running of my game, which I can get to crash, but usually only through flat-out stupidity (D^#m transit-enabled lot hover bug) to this effort.



Here's the folder itself on the desktop (naked for all to see, as it were).  Since the SC4 engine reads files in a linear ASCII order on startup all the way to the end of a nest of folders before beginning on the next (or so I am told), I have four subfolders at this level:

   001, which is basically props, textures and most modds;

   100, which contains most BATs and lots;

   900, which contains the NAM (oh, sacred chalice...); and

   999, which is anything that requires "load last" treatment.

Thus, the SC4 engine loads props, textures and modds, then lots and BATs, then the NAM, then stuff that has to load after everything else.

I organize the subfolders in those four folders by the name of the author/creator, unless I don't (Ha-ha...but you'll see why in a minute).  I also really try to adhere to the defaults set forth in the increasingly used self-installers in downloads.  Thus, citynut and deadwoods have nothing in their BAT/lot subfolder but dust, as that stuff is all in a BSC folder.

I think, by the way, the eternal gratitude of this community would go to the Simtropian who would be able to impose uniform three letter IDs for each author/creator (pegasus = PEG, deadwoods = DWD, bobbo662 = B62, simgoober = GOD and so on), put that code in a uniform place in each download file name and then establish some further uniformit as to where stuff goes once it extracts.  To BSC in the BLS subfile?  Fine, but all the frickin' time, please.

As an aside, when I download a file, I always code it with a six-digit year/month/date (YYMMDD) as the first six characters that are followed by a [space]-[space], and then it always goes in the author/creator's download file, which is under the name that appears in the STEX.  That way, I can figure out updates really quickly, as I know when I downloaded the file.  You folks who update the same day you upload...well...thanks for being speedy, if nothing else.

So, here's the top of the 001 (props, textures and MODs) subfolder.



Trust me, if I want to find a prop in there, I can find it.

The top of the BAT/lot subfolder.



More subfolders, but still really pretty easy to navigate around in.

The top of the NAM subfolder.



I'll be darned, I put the NAM in there.

And last but not least...



The stuff that goes last, by author/creator.  The number in front of each subfolder is (you guessed it) the order of loading (I'll add a leading zero to each subfolder name when I get to 10 of them).  In other words, some last things are laster than others.

All these, I note take about two minutes to get from double-clicking the SC4 icon on the desktop through the (Zzzzzzzzzzzz) movie (hint- hit the escape key) to the "region" screen, and then about four more minutes (a lifetime in cyberspace, but in cyberspace no one can hear you scream) from the city (heh, quad- things do change -DE 0811) selection button to the up-and-running quad itself.[/data][/row]
[/tabular]

Worked for me then.  Works for me now.  The only time I have crashed SC4 in the past year or so is when some MODding experiment goes awry.

Let me add what I believe to be the benefit of choosing what is in your plugins folder carefully and wisely.  Those other six gas stations you never use- why are they there?  I read posts about 10 gig of files in threads like "How Big is Your Plugins Folder" [linkie] with a sense of bewilderment.  There's no way all that stuff gets used, and the downside- interminable loading times, instability, and so on- is so huge.

Later.


David

172448

[Bishop Hawke]

Thanks David  that is going to help me out a lot. Was really getting lost in what and how to file all the  err files.

Thanks again

[Pat]

David I know I too would love to know what Rock mod Craig is using as I agree with you 100% that it sooo does have the northwoods feel to it!!! Being in the northwoods I can certify that one lol...  Anyways David what you are doing with seasonal mayor mode ploppable wow!!! I am stunned, Do I understand right that they will or will not change with the season?

Also I know I love to post in that one thread about the size of the plugin's well Ive been coming to be reformed and shrinking my plugins as you said that there is no way in the dark side of my behind could you use everything lol.... I do however have a great setup that is working, but I will save it for that thread when I fine tune it for now... Till then David I cant wait to see what you do to wow me next!!!!


Pat

[dedgren]

My second pass of the day.  I'm still thinking, folks [linkie].

* * *

It's our great friend Dustin's (thundercrack83) birthday.  Many of you know, I'm sure, that in addition to doing an incredible job running SC4D's Mayors' Diary forums, Dustin is a major "behind the scenes" guy at 3RR (one of several, I might add- and recognition for all is coming, I promise).  He's helped keep the Table of Contents [linkie] afloat, is doing the lions share of the work on the 3RR-ST Archives project [linkie], and does a myriad of other things here that I would have to find five people to do otherwise.  I may have to, because he's started an excellent MD now himself over at Commonwealth of Marathon [linkie].

Now, I would have baked a cake, but I found something infinitely tastier as I was moving Page 53 of 3RR-ST into the archives.  My first 3RR interaction with him.

Dustin:  Saw that you're getting ready to begin again over at SC4Devotion. Two questions:

1. Are you getting some kind of commission from SC4Devotion for all the traffic your move has to be bringing? I can't be the only one who signed up over there after you decided to move 3RR!
2. In an earlier post, I'm not exactly sure where (page 52, I believe), asked a question about how you change the perspective of your maps to vertical and you responded that you have a mini-tutorial and that you would post it. I'm just curious if you've gotten around to that or not.

Reasonable enough.  My response, however...

Me:  I've promised a few folks a tutorial on creating "square" region maps, as my friend thundercrack83...

...can we call you thunder for short?  how 'bout 83?  tc83?  that'll do, that'll do...

...just reminded me.

...well, let's just say I'm probably lucky he hung in there until we got the name thing sorted out.  And that didn't happen right away...

About a month after we started here, Dustin asked a question about "game" scale.  It happened to also be 3RR's 200th post, so honors were in order.

I responded promptly...

...that's a first...

...calling him "Justin" about nine times in the space of a ten line post [linkie].

...okay, okay, it was just three, but you get the point...

He wrote back

Dustin:  Thunder Bay! And I didn't even realize that I was the 200th reply! Thank you very much, this is such an honor. And, thank you for answering my question about the scale of the tiles.

Also, I should point out that my name is "Dustin," not "Justin." Very common mistake, but at least you didn't call me "Joanne" like my grandmother did once...

Yeah, I bet, looking back, he said that just to soften the blow.  Man- did I feel like a complete boob!  I wrote back, mortified

Me:  OhmaGod, Justin Dustin...

...checking, checking...yeah, got it right...'hem...

...I am so unbelievably sorry.  I have corrected the erroneous info on the offending post and fired...

...hey, wait a minute, you can't do that...

...those responsible.

Obviously Thunder Bay will have to play some huge role in 3RR's subsequent history.  I owe you one, man!

Well, Thunder Bay's been pretty huge [linkie].  There's Thunder Crack, way down in Curtiss Township's Shadow Canyon, too [linkie].

But biggest and best of all has been the friendship I have today with Justin Dustin...

...had to do that one more time...

...Happy Birthday, and may your day today be only the first of many great ones in the year ahead.


David

172622

[TheTeaCat]

Very nicely done David


TTC

[thundercrack83]

David,

I'm touched, my friend, I really am.

With all that happens in and behind the scenes of 3RR on any given day, for you to take the time out to wish me a happy birthday is such a great way, it's just amazing.

As I just said over in the "Happy Birthday" thread, with friends like I have around here, it's made this deal all the more special, and you're at the top of the list, my friend.

Thank you so very much, David.

Dustin

[metarvo]

You have done a wonderful job of remembering and honoring our friend Dustin's birthday, David.   This is yet another reason why 3RR is so special.

[frdrcklim]

How would you...



like to be able...



to select a ploppable seasonal tree...



with a click or two of your mouse?



Well, now you can.



I know not everyone is up for using seasonal tree lots.  These don't change around the year, but you can create whatever season you want with ploppable mayor mode trees.  Whaddaya think about that?


David

172070

OMG  I always thought of asking this in the request thread but I kind'a thought someone was working on it. I'm glad I saw it here. I really want it! It's just weird for seasonal tree lots since they carry power. And though it's helpful, it kind'a gives you this weird feeling and I don't wanna be plopping the entire map with tree lots. Nice job on those trees David. Someone should make a statue of you in SC4.

[nerdly_dood]

What do I think? WHAT DO I THINK? Are you kidding me?!

I love it! I would need to use a different terrain mod for winter and maybe for fall, but I'd love to have ploppable pseudo-seasonals!

I might suggest that you mod them so they only show up during certain months so that we can have a truly seasonal forest, sans lots?

[abcvs]

What rock mod are you using?- I think I'd like to try it.  It has that "north woodsy" look. -DE

The rock mod my northern woodsy friend would be PEG Dark Granite.  It is available in the PEG ROCK MOD 2 pack.

Now to business.

FARR FOR DUMMIES

Yes I have finally found some 'quality' time to try out the FARR stuff.

As always I decided that building on the flat is for sissys so I launched directly into my Raurimu Spiral tile...  the one that has to climb 500 feet in the space of just over one mile.   My original discussion about this Central North Island, New Zealand railway is here. 

I have now removed the PEG Alternative Railway Mod (even though I really like it, and have replaced it with the SWAMPER-PEG No rail dirt mod.

Before:






Good candidate to try out the FARR curves?  What could possibly go wrong?

Construction...  they can be quite tricky to use on a slope.


Hmm...


This shows the 10 x 10 square that I need to get the 90° curve into.


Such are the sacrifices of progress.


Heh...  industrial demand is high - the Sims tried to rebuild even before the dust had settled.  Nevermind plenty of time to rebuild later.


Yes David...  I know... save the progress (Though saving does kind of take you past the point of no return..)


Hmm... I don't think that is going to work somehow...  actually, did I mention that these things are tricky to place on a slope?


OK - drastic action...  out with the soften tool...  but size one OK?  Busting FARR curves that you have already placed is not pretty.


Just be careful of the rail curve above...  don't cause a landslide... 


And finally with a bit of faffing and farring about...  and a quick reconstruction of the village that I busted...


Now...  that is looking pretty nice and I would love to say that the trains are chugging happily up the hill...  (cos of course I want them to go up the hill and not take the 2 tile short cut at the bottom edge, so I cut the neighbour connection...  the only way out is to go right to the top.)

But...  I have a problem.
With the neighbour connection broken at the bottom of the tile, the trains will not use the FARR network.   


The trackcheckers will go as far as the first FARR piece and then they disappear.


Any idea what the problem is David?   

[Pat]

first off Craig thank you for pointing that out to pegs rock mod 2!!! Second David that is just so not right to call Dustin Justin ooh wait Ive done worse so who am I to complain lol.... What a fitting tribute to Alex errr Dustin on his birthday and now if you excuse me I got an update to do in my MD...

[ben_meissner]

While searching for a new region name at the Internet Anagram Server, I typed in Three Rivers Region, just to see what came up. Among the almost 60,000 anagrams, I found these:

Irreverent Ergo His
Overseer Their Grin
Treeing River Shore
Reserving Either Or

and thought they fit your corner of the internet.

The trees look great, I for one wouldn't mind a mix of colors all year long.

Ben

EDIT:  Ben, "severe herring riot" and "his irreverent ogre" aren't too shabby, either.  I haven't played with the anagram server for years- thanks for reminding me about it. -DE

[abcvs]

FARR Sandbox Test.

Thanks for the PM David.
I have made the following test in my sandbox on a completely flat tile.

This is the control shot - standard straight rail, freight travels in both directions.


Does it make a difference if you overlap the FARR piece when placing?
Img 1


This will still join up with the existing track...
Img 2


For this test I overlapped the track as in Img 1.



This is with the left hand neighbour connection intact.


Break the connection and the freight stops.  There is a rail neighbour connection at the right hand side.


Restore the connection and the freight immediately moves.


Tried a second test with the s-curve.


Same problem as with the 90°...  so my problem seems to be a pathing issue and not specific to a certain piece.

[Swamper77]

Abcvs,

There aren't paths for Left-Hand users yet. Judging by your Route Query arrows, your vehicles drive on the left. This will most likely be fixed before the public release.

-Swamper