CAM - Welcome and Manual + Download

[rpadgett41]

Try to run the game with an empty plugins folder to start with. Just Rush Hour, and no custom content at all.
If that won't help, then you would first have to reinstall the game itself.

I did this and everything was fine. By process of elimination, I tracked the problem to a specific  .dat file. The name of the file is CP_Diagonalfix_Standard.dat. I am not sure which package it came with, but since deleting it, SC4 is back to normal...including CAM files.

My computer has plenty of resources; however, I will test run in between major installations in the future.

My apologies...THIS PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CAM...that's for anyone who read this. I also apologize for my grumbling. My diagnostic mind was not running well when I posted for help.

Thanks for your assistance.

[xxdita]

I wish I had a suggestion as to how to control this and make it clear to the end user when to do what and how to avoid running something again later, thinking it is "right" but instead undoing what you had already made correct. If I had some clever idea, I'd offer it.. even offer to help if I could..

I think that it is necessary for a cheat sheet of some sort. My best advice for installing CAM, and all the available CAMelots (or at least the ones you like), would be to do the following, in this order.

Preparing for CAM:
1) Move all other downloads out of your PlugIns folder, with the exception of NAM, and possibly any Civic buildings.
2) Download and thoroughly READ the CAM Manual.
3) Download and install CAM.
4) Play the game. It is best to start a new region.

Now that you have played CAM, it should be safe to re-insert your other PlugIns back into the folder. This should be done carefully, a little at a time, testing to make sure everything still works the way it did. Run Cleanitol periodically to check for InCAMpatible Mods. It is inadvisible to reinsert ANY skyscrapers or other Stage 8 buildings you have have downloaded in the past, as using these will throw off the CAM's process. If you insist on keeping these, it is best to keep them out of your PlugIns folder until the XTool is released, and you are able to make them CAMelots.

Installing All Available CAMelots, or at least the ones you like:
1) Download the CAM Megapacks.
2) Thoroughly read the README's for each one and gather the necessary dependencies.
3) Install Dependencies. Remember that sometimes even dependencies have dependencies, so again, READ the README's.
4) Run BSC Cleanitol to remove all of the original lots. (It should be safe to keep the Landmark versions if you'd like, but the original Stage 8 lots have to go.)
5) Install the CAMelots.

*It is best to play the game periodically, to make sure that everything is installing correctly, and that you aren't encountering any problems along the way.

*If possible, keep all of the Install Zips on your hard drive, or backed up to cd/dvd, for the inevitable re-install.

*It may be necessary to re-install the NAM, and any add-ons for it, upping the capacities and/or speeds to avoid overly clogged transit networks. 

*If game start-up is slowing down too much, you should download and use DatPacker.

Also, from here on out, avoid downloading ANY stage 8 skyscrapers until the XTool arrives. (Or at least avoid installing them, as it will mess up your game.)

Hope this helps.

[RippleJet]

Thank you, xxdita!
Well written and to the point!

[xxdita]

Thanks RippleJet, hopefully at least someone will be able to learn from my mistakes.
I think what confuses people a lot is that the ReadMe files pops up at the end of the installation process, even though it also generally available in the zip file, as is the Cleanitol file. But that's looking at the instruction manual wondering where all the extra screws go after you've put your brand new entertainment center together. And using the Cleanitol AFTER installing the new lots could very well undo the entire installation, if by chance the same file name has been used for the lots. Though I've found that most CAMelots are named with the new Growth Stage, I did run into this problem with the new SG Education pack. So, better safe than sorry.

[Ennedi]

I did this and everything was fine. By process of elimination, I tracked the problem to a specific  .dat file. The name of the file is CP_Diagonalfix_Standard.dat. I am not sure which package it came with, but since deleting it, SC4 is back to normal...including CAM files.

CP_Diagonalfix_Standard.dat is a plugin from the Diagonal Jagged Edges Mod (there are two of them, the player choose only one).
If you will remove them, you will have to make higher slopes (more than 28 m) to make good looking diagonal walls.
This mod causes some other side effects and needs a bit researching

[Lilojame]

Hi!

I didnt yet had a chance to see the CAM in action since I was busy with dl-ing all the contents available for it but I wanted to say "Thank you" for this mod. 

(Now I only hope, that I didnt messed anything up in a "hurry", lol)

Best regards
                 Lilojame

[RippleJet]

I hope you'll get many joyful moments with the CAM, Lilojame!
Enjoy the game and just ask if you need to know something you haven't found in this board!

[oka02]

salute to all CAM developers!

I just want to say this: 

thank you and keep up this great work!

[RippleJet]

Dank y, oka02!

[Rady]

Hi all, sorry for a possibly stupid question: After browsing tons of threads I still cannot figure out the sole purpose of CAM. Is "only" to append further growth stages (behind the normal maxis one) with bigger buildings? Or is there another important function that I missed to recognize?

[RippleJet]

That is the most importance addition provided by the CAM, especially for residentials and commercials,
which now can grow more naturally and above all can keep developing after the region has surpassed the old final thresholds as set in Rush Hour:

• 19,846   for R§, CS§, I-R and I-D
• 125,267 for R§§, R§§§, CS§§, CS§§§, CO§§, CO§§§, I-M and I-HT

With CAM, the region will continue to develop (change shape and not just grow) well up into the millions in occupancy.

These changes are far from the only ones though...



For industrials it was much a case of having the growth stages make sense...
The ingame lots wouldn't really upgrade the way they were set in Rush Hour.
Let's take a look at the ingame IM anchor lots to show this...

The table below shows the occupancy density for the ingame IM Anchor lots as set by Maxis:

Growth Stage:	1	2	3
Smallest Density:	2.78	2.00	2.13
Highest Density:	5.75	4.17	3.56

In order for lots to upgrade, they need to upgrade to a higher stage and to a higher density.
If most higher stage lots have a lower density, they lots simply won't upgrade though...

Now, one might think this was a single mistake by Maxis.
In addition to Anchor Lots, there are also so called Filler Lots, "Mechanical" and "Out".

The table below shows the occupancy density for the ingame IM Mechanical lots as set by Maxis:

Growth Stage:	1	2	3
Smallest Density:	6.00	7.00	6.00
Highest Density:	24.00	12.00	12.00

The next table shows the occupancy density for the ingame IM Out lots as set by Maxis:

Growth Stage:	1	2	3
Smallest Density:	2.78	2.65	2.40
Highest Density:	5.25	4.17	5.80

Finally, the last table shows the average density for all ingame IM lots as set by Maxis:

Growth Stage:	1	2	3
Average Density:	5.50	4.01	4.24

As you can see, most ingame stage 1 IM lots simply have too high a density to ever upgrade into stage 2 or 3.

This same anomality appears also with ingame IHT lots, especially from Growth Stage 2 to 3:

Growth Stage:	1	2	3
Average Density:	5.30	6.63	5.99

Only ingame ID lots appear to grow normally from stage 1 to 2 and further to stage 3.

CAM fixes the growth stages and occupancies of all ingame industrial lots, so that they can expand from growth stage 1 up, all the way to stage 10.



Farming is enhanced quite a lot in CAM.
Each additional Growth Stage in Farming is given a special purpose.
For more details, please read the CAM manual.



CAM also addresses some other fixes, that were not very well modded by Maxis:

• CAM takes into use two additional Stage CAPs that Maxis had left unused; the Park CAP and the Fire Station CAP
• CAM increases the desireability thresholds for §§ and §§§ lots, which won't grow as easy in CAM, and thus won't dilapidate immediately after they have grown
• CAM increases the Crime Attenuation vs. Police Protection, which helps to reduce crime in especially mega lots
• CAM fixes the Grand Railroad Station's reward requirements, so that it can be rewarded in the first place

[Rady]

RippleJet,

thanks for this comprehensive information . Judging the facts it looks like I now need to go through the manual in order to get CAM up and running asap    ... it was just that in my first attempt of reading the manual I discovered tons of restrictions, Do's and Dont's which than would result in "only" the city growing a bit larger.

[Kleindanger]

Hey,

first of all my english is bad so.^^

k now to my problem when i download the manual i cant open it it say's always i need to download it again.

well thx for the help and about the CAM mod i cant say now anything about it bc i dont used it(need to wait for the manual to do everything right).

[RippleJet]

The manual that is attached to the first post here does open up correctly.
Thus, if you didn't get it downloaded completely, you might want to reset your internet cache (remove all temporary files) before trying to download it again.
Otherwise you probably get the same incomplete file every time.

first of all my english is bad so.^^

Überhaupt nicht!

Wenn das Obene für Sie noch nicht funktioniert, würde ich jedoch Andreas um genauer Anweisungen auf Deutsch bitten...

[Kleindanger]

still dont work.

Hmmmm maybe i just ask here.

can i use the datpacker when i installed CAM and all the buildings?

[Korot]

You can, though it is not recommended. If you do so, be sure to have a backup of all files, in case any of them gets updated.

Regards,
Korot

[Kleindanger]

k thx ^^

[Andreas]

k now to my problem when i download the manual i cant open it it say's always i need to download it again.

Möglicherweise ist in Deinem Browsercache noch die alte, unvollständige/defekte Version des Handbuchs gespeichert. Probier's entweder mal mit einem anderen Browser, oder lösche den Cache (temporäre Internetdateien), danach sollte der Download eigentlich klappen.

P. S.: Wenn's mit dem Englisch allzusehr hapert, kannst Du Deine Fragen auch auf Deutsch im SimForum stellen, in der Regel bekommst Du da schnell eine kompetente Antwort.

[Kleindanger]

Danke, habe beides versucht ging aber nicht. von daher teste ich jetzt einfach die dinge^^

und wegen dem englischen, wollte nur vorsorge treffen, dass man ruhig nachfragt, wenn man mich nicht verstanden hat.

Ich hoffe es klappt alles, denn ich habe jetzt 9 stunden damit verbracht alles zu downloaden was ich haben möchte etc.^^

Auf jeden fall danke schonmal.

[RippleJet]

Danke, habe beides versucht ging aber nicht.

The CAM Manual is also copied onto your hard disk when you install CAM itself.

However, I have also sent you the manual in an e-mail.
Let me know if you are able to open it from there.