SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

At BarbyW's request I am re-posting an old tutorial about making seasonal/timed props. The tutorial is attached to this message.

The tutorial was made for a novice ilive reader user.  I created it after I discovered how to make these props – my first discovery as a modder!  :)

Thank you, Smoncrie for posting it! :thumbsup:
It remember it being a very interesting and good tutorial the first time I read it... ages ago! ::)

I would like to read this tutorial, but the link is broken.  &mmm
Can somebody repost the tutorial please.

Thanks in advance,

ehbk2006

I have just downloaded the tutorial without any problems. It isn't a link to read but to download and read once you have it on your computer.

Quote from: ehbk2006 on June 25, 2008, 01:16:50 PM
I would like to read this tutorial, but the link is broken.  &mmm
Can somebody repost the tutorial please.

Thanks in advance,

ehbk2006

Pls try again. There was an issue with that attachment  ::)  ;)

Thanks for the fast reply, link is fixed.

The tutorial is great but, I have one question.

Is it possible to add more than one 'Time of Day Changes' a day. For example i'm creating an roadside Variable-Message Sign that will lit during rushhour (7:00,9:00 and 17:00,19:00). I have made several attempts to make it lit 2 times a day. But only the first period works (7:00,9:00) for the second period it remains black till 7:00 the next day.

()what()

No, I think you can only add the one swap into a timed prop.  What you would need to do is do 4, 2 on and 2 off and have no prop as the second time, then add them all onto the lot in the same place. More work, but how seasonal trees are done.

Okay to bad  &mmm , well then they will be active between 5:00 and 23:00 for now.

But I will try this method in the near future.  :thumbsup:

Thanks for the help  :)

you can make two version of the model, one which shows from 7-->9 and the other from 17-->19, and place them in the exactly same position in the lot. This way the same lot will show the lights at the desired moment. I hope this helps.

EDIT: After re-reading Diggis post, perhaps I am repeating the same ::)

Another questions rose up the last night in my mind.


Can you add more than 2 props in the Resource Key Type 4 (more than 16 reps), if so how do you number them?For example now you have this: 1,0,0,0,x,x,x,x,0,0,0,0,x,x,x,x . Can you extend that chain?


Thanks in advance,

ehbk2006

Quote from: ehbk2006 on June 27, 2008, 02:59:17 AM
Can you add more than 2 props in the Resource Key Type 4 (more than 16 reps), if so how do you number them?For example now you have this: 1,0,0,0,x,x,x,x,0,0,0,0,x,x,x,x . Can you extend that chain?

Yes, you can! :thumbsup:
That's how Maxis made their streetlights, which contain 3 or 4 props in one RKT4.

E.g, Streetlight1x1x11_$$$StreetlightBanner1_2A5A (TGI 0x6534204A 0xC977C536 0x2A5A0000):

0x00000001,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x27812821,0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x2A5A0000,
0x00000001,0xFFFE6667,0x00078000,0x00000000,0x27812820,0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x29DA0000,
0x00000001,0x00019999,0x00078000,0x00000000,0x27812820,0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x29DA0000,
0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x27812821,0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x2A5A0000

The 1st line points to the lightpole (TGI 0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x2A5A0000) which is visible at night (0x01)
The 2nd line points to the lightbulb (TGI 0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x29DA0000) which is visible at night (0x01)
The 3nd line points to the lightbulb (TGI 0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x29DA0000) which is visible at night (0x01)
The 4th line points to the lightpole (TGI 0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x2A5A0000) which is visible at day (0x00)

Note also that the lightbulbs are offset in X (± 2.0 m) and Y (7.5 m) directions.

I don't know what the limit would be on how many reps you can add to a RKT4.
However, they can all only be either on (0x01) or off (0x00).
Thus, you cannot add props that would appear at different time intervals this way.

So a prop can only have 2 statuses? A defaulth state and a special state.

Quote from: ehbk2006 on June 27, 2008, 05:44:18 AM
So a prop can only have 2 statuses? A defaulth state and a special state.

Yes, the first rep can only be either 1 or 0.
You might also want to take a quick look at this thread: Timed props ... (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2873.0)

The complete structure of the RKT4 is:

Rep 1: 0x0000000S
Rep 2: 0xXXXXXXXX
Rep 3: 0xYYYYYYYY
Rep 4: 0xZZZZZZZZ
Rep 5: 0xRRRRRRRR
Rep 6: 0xTTTTTTTT
Rep 7: 0xGGGGGGGG
Rep 8: 0xIIIIIIII

These 8 reps can be repeated several times.

0x0000000S
is 0 for the normal state, 1 for the special state (if timed, see smoncrie's post below for simple animations).
If one of the states is missing, the prop will be invisible at that state.
The special state is given by one of the following properties:
- Nighttime State Change
- Prop Time of Day
- Simulator Start Date, Simulator Date Duration, Simulator Date Interval

0xXXXXXXXX
is the offset in the model's X direction. Divide this number by 0x10000 to get metres.

0xYYYYYYYY
is the offset in the model's Y direction (vertical). Divide this number by 0x10000 to get metres.

0xZZZZZZZZ
is the offset in the model's Z direction. Divide this number by 0x10000 to get metres.

0xRRRRRRRR
is the Resource Key Type of the prop, one of the following:
- 0x27812820 for RKT0 (one single model used for all rotations and zooms)
- 0x27812821 for RKT1 (separate models for each rotation and zoom)
(see what the original prop you're converting used).

0xTTTTTTTT
0xGGGGGGGG
0xIIIIIIII
is the TGI address of the prop model.

Cool thanks  :thumbsup:.

Just to add a little more information:

I don't know the maximum number of reps for RKT4, but it is more than 152.

As far as I know there can be only two states for any of the timed props, but there can be more than two states in other props that change.   An example is the animated rail crossing gate (0x2ad50000) where there are 4 states.

Another property that can be used to make props that change is:

Requires Power to Appear

@smoncrie: I think the maximum number of reps is 256.

Good tutorial. See if I can use it.

Quote from: smoncrie on June 27, 2008, 10:15:38 AM
As far as I know there can be only two states for any of the timed props, but there can be more than two states in other props that change.   An example is the animated rail crossing gate (0x2ad50000) where there are 4 states.

Thanks for that info, Smoncrie! :thumbsup:

One question: Is it possible to have a special state twice? For example a speedcontrol matrix sign that only goes on between 8 to10 AM and 5 to 8 PM.

D'oh! I didn't read the thread good enough!

mrtnrln: if you read this thread thoroughly you will see that your question has already been answered. You need to make two props - one for each state and stack them on the lot.

I'm wondering, before I would spend a bunch of time bashing away at this, if it's possible to have a "time of day" effects prop.  I'm specifically thinking about one of the game fountain props, and having it on a lot where it would appear and then "turn off" as the day progressed.  If anyone has has ever explored this, any info you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

If I wind up checking this out myself, I will post what I find out here.


David

Yeah, there are 3 different options:

Day and Night
Time of Day
Time of year (which is actually not tied to the year, but to an assigned number of days before it repeats.  365 days, makes it repeat each year)

I'll say this to you David, as I'd say it to anyone else... Did you read the tutorial Smoncrie posted?  It's in the first section.  :D

Quote from: Diggis on August 18, 2008, 12:02:48 AM
I'll say this to you David, as I'd say it to anyone else... Did you read the tutorial Smoncrie posted?  It's in the first section.  :D

I'm pretty sure David read the tutorial before asking his question... ::)

He was asking about effects, and unfortunately my take on it is that they cannot be timed.
Effects are referred to by their Visual Effect Name, not by a Resource Key Type.
Thus you cannot use a RKT4 to time them...

I'll say this to you Shaun, as I'd say it to anyone else... Did you read what David posted?  :D

Some effects can be made as timed props. I did it with a fountain effect for the Maison de Maitre so it was on in the summer and off in the winter. I'm not sure how many others can be modded though.

Quote from: BarbyW on August 18, 2008, 05:38:40 AM
Some effects can be made as timed props. I did it with a fountain effect for the Maison de Maitre so it was on in the summer and off in the winter. I'm not sure how many others can be modded though.

I guess David needs to do some testing then... :)

Maybe the Time of Day property can be used with any props, regardless of them being RKT4 or not...

All I did was to take a copy of the Small Fountain A from the simcity_1.dat file and add the appropriate timings to it. This is the exemplar information - the exemplar is in BSC MEGA Props swi21 vol01.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi5.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy171%2Fbarbyw%2Ffountainmod.jpg&hash=18d7b61b3a1e5a2c237eb480f02c8df9d70fba3d)

Shaun, my great friend- LOL!  Actually, I had not read smoncrie's tutorial (and thank you for pointing me at it), but as was subsequently noted, I was particularly wondering about "effects" props, as I have gotten pretty good at fiddling with the normal kind.  I had this nagging thought that I had read somewhere that effects props have additional limitations, such as not being able to be made ploppable.  Anyway, don't ever hesitate to apply the mallet to me- chances are that I have probably overlooked the obvious.

Tage and Barby:  You folks are the greatest.  Over the weekend, I'll spend some time with what you've come up with and let everyone know what I've found.


David

I'm looking forward to what you find out, David! :)

Quote from: dedgren on August 21, 2008, 08:33:40 AM
Shaun, my great friend- LOL!  Actually, I had not read smoncrie's tutorial (and thank you for pointing me at it)

Lucky you, Shaun! :D $%Grinno$%

If folks have been watching over at 3RR, you've seen these.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg294.imageshack.us%2Fimg294%2F7463%2Fgeyserteaser08082101lq8.jpg&hash=a3dee619ad157c339365621162843a12a4b38d75)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg165.imageshack.us%2Fimg165%2F727%2Fgeyserteaser08082103lw8.jpg&hash=1285e47f573b55031f5b4132913f14f55e3cdd07)

The first pic is the normal state.  The game's "SmallFountainC" effect prop makes a nice ground hugging steam plume.  The second pic shows the eruption state.  "SmallFountainA" makes for a nice small geyser- I'd guess with a max eruption height of about 25 or 30 feet/7.5 to 9 meters, which is a pretty nicely scaled RL size.  Here's a Yellowstone geyser of comparable eruption scale for comparison.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg392.imageshack.us%2Fimg392%2F7944%2Fgreatfountaingeysercd3.jpg&hash=a4aefcb69b15b44127c2e6c38af61f2323b38797)
Great Fountain Geyser, YNP  1997
Used under Creative Commons License [linkie] (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.freefoto.com/images/1222/02/1222_02_97---Great-Fountain-Geyser--Yellowstone-National-Park--USA_web.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.freefoto.com/preview/1222-02-97%3Fffid%3D1222-02-97&h=600&w=400&sz=41&hl=en&start=32&sig2=SI_s5BfyBft6lU3CJ7jr_A&um=1&usg=__qlitzN9wDMp59gJOgYC1yvSrU7Q=&tbnid=u0snqDZpZZ7OFM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=90&ei=XtWuSKmrBqGqsAPnnoGKAQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgeyser%26start%3D21%26ndsp%3D21%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN)

I plan to do a short tutorial over the weekend, but will note that Barby (BarbyW) nailed it.  Of course, what else would we have expected?


David

Quote from: dedgren on August 22, 2008, 08:14:16 AM
I plan to do a short tutorial over the weekend, but will note that Barby (BarbyW) nailed it.  Of course, what else would we have expected?

I think she's tried most you can accomplish by now... :) ...and even most things you cannot accomplish! ::)

 ::) ::) ::)

(This topic hasn't been posted in in a long time, but as my question relates to the tutorial posted by smoncrie at the beginning of this thread it seemed the most appropriate place, please move it if it's not :))

I have been following smoncrie's tutorial on making seasonal props but have hit a wall. I am making a seasonal vineyard, I went though the steps for step C (For Time of Year Changes Only...) put it in game, nothing happened and then I thought, "I haven't told it what to do at that time". There doesn't seem to be the info that I'm after in there. I'm guessing it's just an 0 somewhere for off or something; or equally likely I'm missing something else entirely, but in game the vines are present all year round.

One thing I did find confusing in the tutorial was the first step in each part of section C:
      "Right-click on the left side of reader's main window (the part that
      is displaying the exemplar) and select "add property".  Another
      property window will pop up."

For me it's the right side of reader's main window that gives me the option of "add property", the left side displays a long list of other commands? Also when you go through the process on the right side (which is how I did it), does it matter which item in the list is highlighted when you click? (because you can't right click in the window without selecting something, it seems).

Also ripplejet indicates in the second post that the (at that time) upcoming "X Tool" may be better for the job. Is this the SC4Tool? Is there a guide to using it for this process?

thanks.

Creating seasonal props with SC4PIM works pretty well indeed, but you still have to apply some manual steps. Ideally, you should have prepared a regular prop exemplar file for the prop that you want to make seasonal, and an existing seasonal prop from where you can copy the needed properties. Put both in a folder and start SC4PIM with this folder only, so you don't get loads of unneeded files in the list, and open both files in a new tab (press CTRL while clicking on the list entries).

Assuming you already have created a prop exemplar file for your new seasonal prop, the first step is changing the Resource Key Type 1 property into a Resource Key Type 4 property. This is as simple as right-clicking and selecting "Convert to RKT4". Now you need to copy the properties for seasonal props from the existing seasonal prop exemplar file: "Simulator Date Interval", which usually has the value 16D (365 days), "Simulator Date Duration" (if you choose equal time ranges for all four seasons, this would be 91 or 92 days), and "Simulator Date Start" with the month and day when the prop should show up the first time. You can enter the values both in decimal and hexadecimal format, SC4PIM will convert them automatically to hexadecimal values.

Save the prop exemplar file, and you're basically done already. If SC4PIM doesn't let you copy properties, you can also use the Reader, where you can apply the same steps, with the minor inconvenience to convert the hex values manually, and creating the Resource Key Type 4 property manually as well (as described in one of the postings of this thread). SC4Tool isn't really designed for this kind of modding, though, but you should be able to copy and edit properties with it as well, if you like.

Thanks for that Andreas :thumbsup:

I don't completely follow you though, this is my first time playing around with any of this stuff (not to mention windows itself), and there's many terms and so forth that I'm still struggling to get my head around. What I edited previously was the .desc file with reader, but in PIMX/SC4PIM (that's another confusing thing, it seems to be called different things by different people), I can't see where I access the .desc.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimgur.com%2FfEYRt.jpg&hash=4dbc97d32890318cabe256f52ab53d820a9814af)

If I right click on the model file nothing happens. I know this is simple stuff but at this point the term exemplar being thrown around so freely is making my head hurt. ()what() :)

What I have are vines (gmax>PIM) in three states, spring/summer (green), autumn (yellow), and winter (bare). I know this can't be achieved with one prop but my understanding is I just have to place another prop on top and adjust them accordingly. But in this case I have three props, do I put all three on top of each other and adjust them? Sorry for the confusion, once I get my head around the basic flow I'll be fine.

(I also apologise if these answers are already here somewhere, I really just need some direct guidance here)

Well, if you never used SC4PIM before, you should read BarbyW's excellent user guide first. It has loads of screenshots and explains every single step how to make a prop out of a model file and do some basic modding. Sure, it's quite a lot to learn, so take your time - but I assume most of your questions will be answered after going through the process.

Take a look at my Spirulina Farms pack (LEX and STEX). It contains some props (the tubs) that change over yearly cycles. There are two kinds of tubs, the small ones which display two models each (and switch them) and the large ones which display more than two models; this actually requires making multiple prop exemplars, each one visible during certain periods of the year (of course you need to stack them in LE)

Thanks guys, :thumbsup:

I'm still not getting much of this. I loaded your spirulina farms into the SC4PIM cogeo but didn't really know how to learn from it. ()what()

I've followed the relevant sections (I think) in Barby's user guide:

"To make a basic growable lot" and "Making changes to the exemplar properties (otherwise known as Modding a lot). "

But I'm still not seeing how this helps make it seasonal, please excuse my denseness. I've turned the model file into a growable LOT, Then I have recomputed it as an agricultural field, (leaving the filling degree and lot size alone for now) and saved it. Now what? Is there another section in the guide relating to making things seasonal?

I also tried following your earlier advice Andreas (convert to RKT4 etc) but couldn't work out how to copy the properties from the previous exemplar. Also in Barby's guide it said that I could right-click and choose the tileset but I was presented with that command.

thanks.

There are no seasonal farm-fields actually, there are just farm-fields with seasonal props.

To make seasonal props there are some properties in the prop exemplar which you have to set. The tutorial explains things very well. The properties you have to set for props that change yearly are: (I have also added my own explanation)

- Simulator Date Interval: the duration of the cycle in days. Set it to 0x0000016E (=366).
- Simulator Date Duration: how long the model is displayed (or the alternative model is displayed).
- Simulator Date Start: month and day to start displaying the model, eg for 1st of March set it to 0x03, 0x01.

Then you have to set the Resource Key Type 4 property (RippleJet describes it in detail in the previous page in this thread). If you reference one model (8 bytes), it will be turned on and off periodically, if you reference two models (16 bytes), the models will be alternated. So if you only have two models to display, the 2nd method is preferable, as you need to make only one prop exemplar. If you have more than two models, you have to use the first method, make as many prop exemplars as the number of models, and set the Simulator Date Duration properties so that when the 1st model disappears, the 2nd one is displayed and so on (of course you have to stack them in LE).

okay, thanks a lot for that rundown cogeo, with repetition comes learning ;)

(in regards to learning this stuff I am my own worst enemy: I excelled in english & art at school not maths and science, and as a result I'm unduly intimidated by numbers. But with a little patience I will get it, thanks again for your help)

Still not home though. I'll list step by step what I'm doing.

1. I've rendered the vines in gmax and turned them into props with the PIM.

2. I've opened them in reader and with the aid of the tutorial and your previous comments cogeo, I have set the simulator start, duration & interval properties.

[At this point I'm just using two of the three versions, Autumn & Spring/Summer - hereby A & S/S. They both have interval set to 366 days. Currently they are set to the Southern Hemisphere seasons but I know that will have to be changed to whatever it is in SC. So the S/S one has it's simulator start set to 09,1 (then automatically changed to hex) for September the 1st) The A one has a start date of 03,1 for the 1st of March. S/S has a duration of 183 days and A has a duration of 92 days.]

3. Then I have opened them in the SC4PIM and dragged the model files (one at a time) onto the Ordinary Prop/ Other Ordinary Prop bit. Then I right clicked and selected "convert to RKT4"

4. I've opened them up in the LE and placed the two modified props on top of each other on a grass LOT.

The result...

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimgur.com%2FzkkPt.jpg&hash=4e03315a1eb0caed0f99fbf880136696cb3500f8)

They are not yet changing at all and for some reason appear as they do above. What am I missing?

If the Simulator Date etc properties and RKT4 are set correctly, it should work.

Don't know. Maybe send me the propfiles and the lot along with the (exported) models, to take a look.

(guess some mod will have to move these last few posts to another thread, it's going beyond the scope of this tutorial thread)