NAM 31.1 Technical Support and Bug Report Thread

[k808j]

I did some fiddling around with my plugins since my CTD issues (post #94) and figured out that something in NAM 31.x is causing texture conflicts which maybe causing save and quit CTD's. I loaded all my plugins except NAM and noticed my MAPP textures disappeared completely and was able to save my game. Ran my game again with the NAM plugin and replopped some of the MAPP and was able to save and save then quit. I am curious, did the textures for Simgoober or Diggs canals get updated in NAM 31.x?

[Tarkus]

No, we haven't touched CAN-AM since its initial inclusion in the NAM.  If you're on a system with more than 4GB of RAM, try running the NT Core 4GB Patch over your SimCity 4.exe.

-Alex

[k808j]

I do not have more than 4GB but I did the patch anyway. I will keep researching but I think the monster is hiding in the Z_Nam folder.

[mgarcia]

Hi Alex,

I've been using the new PS Symphony highways but I found the following glitches:

I cannot place the L2 to L2 T intersection/interchange when the T connection faces towards the north in the map (seems to be disable and does not appear when you use the end or page up/down buttons to change directions.)

I also cannot place the entrance ramps on one of the sides of the highway when it is placed in an East to West direction or vice versa.

The highway on slope up appears with the checked look when you tab through the options but not when placed.

I haven't used other options.

Merari

[APSMS]

I do not have more than 4GB but I did the patch anyway. I will keep researching but I think the monster is hiding in the Z_Nam folder.

The patch is useful even if you have only around ~1.5 GB of plugins, as the 4gb patch allows the 32-bit game to use more than 2gb worth of ram w/o unloading files halfway through gameplay. Older 32-bit Windows OSes would reserve at least 1GB w/headroom for the OS, limiting other programs to the remainder, which was usually 2gb or less. The game is programmed to automatically dump currently unused files once it reaches that limit, resulting in slower load times and instability. It's unlikely that may players approach 4GB of plugins (I've got loads and usually only hit around 2.3GB in a large city), but the 2GB limit set by the 32-bit program is much more common, hence the promotion of the fix.

EDIT: IIRC, the file probably allows the game to use up to the 4GB limit set by 32bit programs, rather than allow it to use more. But I think you get the idea.

[mySimCities]

Just heads up, I installed NAM 31.1 and gave a test and played for hour or two, the game crashed then I decide to re play then it does it again.

Any idea why? Since I am on Win7, 4GB RAM and 500GB HDD and 512MB ATIO Videocard.

Any ideas?

[Tarkus]

Hi Alex,

I've been using the new PS Symphony highways but I found the following glitches:

I cannot place the L2 to L2 T intersection/interchange when the T connection faces towards the north in the map (seems to be disable and does not appear when you use the end or page up/down buttons to change directions.)

I also cannot place the entrance ramps on one of the sides of the highway when it is placed in an East to West direction or vice versa.

The highway on slope up appears with the checked look when you tab through the options but not when placed.

I haven't used other options.

Merari

There was a bit of a HID glitch in the RUL0 file (which handles the puzzle pieces and their TAB Loops).  We've fixed it on our end now.

For those curious, HIDs are Highway Intersection IDs--they're basically identifiers used to reference puzzle pieces and their rotations.  A couple times recently (the first before NAM 30, the second between NAM 31 and 31.1) were re-indexed, in order to compress the assignments and make more room for expansion and increase consistency.  However, the re-index before NAM 30 broke some AutoPlace functionality with the EMHW x Road intersection, preventing one of the ramps in one orientation from being built.  The solution for that issue was to revert those particular pieces back to their original HIDs.  In the meanwhile, the Project Symphony took HIDs that had been freed by the re-indexing, which originally belonged to those base items, and we had to move Project Symphony's stuff to a new range . . . but the last HID on each PS piece didn't get changed over, busting up the rotations.

The second re-indexing, before 31.1, is the reason why the non-PS Custom MHW Interchanges gives off a red arrow.  And before anyone asks again about that one, we've fixed it, too.

Just heads up, I installed NAM 31.1 and gave a test and played for hour or two, the game crashed then I decide to re play then it does it again.

Any idea why? Since I am on Win7, 4GB RAM and 500GB HDD and 512MB ATIO Videocard.

Any ideas?

There's lots of reasons the game could be crashing.  It can depend on your other Plugins, but it might also be that you're experiencing the same issue that the other 4GB+ people are running into with the controller file.  Try running the 4GB patch over it--the directions are quoted below:

No, we haven't touched CAN-AM since its initial inclusion in the NAM.  If you're on a system with more than 4GB of RAM, try running the NT Core 4GB Patch over your SimCity 4.exe.

I do not have more than 4GB but I did the patch anyway. I will keep researching but I think the monster is hiding in the Z_Nam folder.

The "monster", from all the reports we've gotten, is the controller file, and in particular, the RUL2 file within it.  People have reported that if the NAM 31/31.1 controller file is swapped out for the NAM 30 controller file, the crashing stops (though this, of course, breaks the NAM because it's a mixing-and-matching of incompatible components).

-Alex

[k808j]

We  await NAM 31.2 

[bernds]

Edit: I just noticed that orthogonal elevated rail x normal railroad intersections (and elevated rail x Maxis ground highway) appear to have a missing texture (that's how I interpret the four black/red/blue/green squares).

I cannot replicate this one, either.

I've discovered that the file Network Addon Mod/Cosmetic Addons/NetworkAddonMod_OverpassUpdate_Maxis_Components_Plugin.dat is causing it. I've tried to find out whether any of my other plugins are causing some kind of conflict, but the problem remains even after removing all of them.

So, some followup questions: is it safe to play without this file? Alternatively, would it be safe to retain just the stations found in z___NAM and delete the rest of the NAM? How about the files NetworkAddonMod_Traffic_Plugin_Z_Medium.dat, NetworkAddonMod_Volume_Data_View_Z_Medium.dat and NetworkAddonMod_Zone_Data_View.dat, will these function alone without the other files?

[art128]

Has anyone a fix for Moonlight's SAM10 streets? I can't play if it is not working correctly.

[Tarkus]

Whatever you did to get it working with the original NAM 31 will work for NAM 31.1.

-Alex

[art128]

Whatever you did to get it working with the original NAM 31 will work for NAM 31.1.

-Alex

Memo's gave me a link to a file that was used during the development phase that worked well, just the textures were RHD and not LHD as I want.

Guess I'll have to use it again, really thought this 31.1 would fix it..

Kinda feel frustrated by this new NAM....

[itsacoaster]

I can't rotate the L2 RHW-4 filler piece.

[TEG24601]

Excellent work guys.  I'm still getting the occasional whitening of my MIS curves.  It isn't consistent.

[memo]

Memo's gave me a link to a file that was used during the development phase that worked well, just the textures were RHD and not LHD as I want.

Guess I'll have to use it again, really thought this 31.1 would fix it..

Kinda feel frustrated by this new NAM....

Since Moonlinght's T21 files still have the same list of dependencies, nothing's going to change.

[art128]

Memo's gave me a link to a file that was used during the development phase that worked well, just the textures were RHD and not LHD as I want.

Guess I'll have to use it again, really thought this 31.1 would fix it..

Kinda feel frustrated by this new NAM....

Since Moonlinght's T21 files still have the same list of dependencies, nothing's going to change.

What do you mean by that? I don't get the whole issue...

[memo]

Moonlinght's original T21 files require lots of dependencies like cherry trees and various other props. There's no chance that these prop packs will ever be included in the NAM. Moreover, since the NAM is not supposed to have dependencies, it is unlikely those T21 files get included. They were actually causing the appearance of lots of brown boxes which is not desired either. The best we can do is to replace those T21 files by ones that do not require external dependencies, and exactly this was done before the release of NAM 31.

[art128]

Hmmm I see.

But then, why include the mod as a part of the NAM if it is not complete?
I mean, sure it's nice to have it as an option to the NAM, making more people know about it. But as it is now, without the original T21, I think it's a bit stupid to give it too people while it's not finalized.
In my opinion there are no reason to use the mod without Moonlinght's original T21. These T21 added to the textures gives the feeling of a Japanese street. Taking them away will not make the final product the same impression it had.


Don't want to be rude or anything, just my two cents, I'm curious about this..

[Tarkus]

Hmmm I see.

But then, why include the mod as a part of the NAM if it is not complete?
I mean, sure it's nice to have it as an option to the NAM, making more people know about it. But as it is now, without the original T21, I think it's a bit stupid to give it too people while it's not finalized.
In my opinion there are no reason to use the mod without Moonlinght's original T21. These T21 added to the textures gives the feeling of a Japanese street. Taking them away will not make the final product the same impression it had.


Don't want to be rude or anything, just my two cents, I'm curious about this..

There's a couple reasons.  One, they're another street texture, and they still have utility even if you're not using them in a Japanese context.  Secondly, by integrating them, they no longer have to replace an existing set, allowing for co-existence.  And as evidenced by memo's file, it's possible to add those T21s onto them still.  We just can't, as a matter of policy, include things that have dependencies in the NAM.

If you were really inclined to have it go back to being a replacement, you could, quite possibly, stick the files in a folder beginning with a tilde ("~").  This should override any intervening files.  But as I've not tested that particular configuration with that mod, I can't guarantee it.

-Alex

[APSMS]

Would it be possible to use Moonlight's original SAM mod override and simply have it replace the current NAM iteration instead of say, SAM 1 or 7 to retain the T21 functionality? (or, more precisely, how would we go about doing this?)