Another beginner question regarding CAM lots and growable lots

[cbrown8]

I'm in the process of downloading the CAM lot starter packs right now, yet I'm slightly confused. When I download the packs and install them, the files which look like this (CO$$15_5x5_BuildingName_randomlettersandnumbers.SC4Lot) are put into the CAM folder in the Plugins folder. So when I download the dependencies for this starter pack I need to download the actual building data from wherever (typically Simtropolis). Most of these downloads (for example: http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/4218-ndex-juneau-bank-tower-ii-by-dusktrooper/ offer growable and ploppable versions. Do I need to include either of these for the lot to show up in the game? Do I only need the CAM lot for that building? Can I have both the growable and the CAM lot in my Plugins folder with no conflict, and the growable will just appear earlier?

[Tarkus]

You'd want to get rid of original growable lots, as they conflict with the CAM versions, and will cause issues with game balance.

-Alex

[FrankU]

You'd want to get rid of original growable lots, as they conflict with the CAM versions, and will cause issues with game balance.

-Alex

Hi Alex,
That is maybe a bit too short an answer for those who are not familiar with the meaning of lots, bats, models etc....

So, Cbrown8. This is for you:
If you want to use CAM, you better not install the original lot files from the upload. Only us the CAM lots. From the original upload you need the model files as dependencies only.
The growable lot files of the original upload are not CAMpatible, so they will conflict. Meaning: the original lot will grow earlier than the CAM thinks appropriate. So then you have the building twice. Also the properties of the old lot are not correct in relation to the CAM properties. So do not install that.
You may install the ploppable lot. If this is only a landmark you can use it as that. If the plop lot contains jobs you better not plop it, because ploppable CO and CS lots screw up the game in a way I myself do not really understand, but it seems to be terrible....

Greets,
FrankU

[cbrown8]

Thanks a lot the answers. I had already went ahead and included both lots into my plugins folder (I passed over most ploppable lots) but it shouldn't be too hard to find them out and delete them. 

[cbrown8]

A quick follow-up question: a building comes with SC4Lot and SC4MODEL files, and sometimes SC4DESC files as well. Should I remove the SC4DESC files or are they needed for the CAMelots to work?

[Swordmaster]

A quick follow-up question: a building comes with SC4Lot and SC4MODEL files, and sometimes SC4DESC files as well. Should I remove the SC4DESC files or are they needed for the CAMelots to work?

The Desc file more often than not contains the building exemplar - pretty essential for your lot to work. Don't remove it!

Cheers
Willy

[cbrown8]

thanks! I had went through and deleted all the growable lot files but had a feeling I needed the SC4DESC files in addition to the model files so I left them.

[jmyers2043]

... so I left them...

That will not hurt. The lot references the building descriptor. So the CAMeLOT will point to the CAM version. But any future lot editing you do could be confusing because there will be two DESC files pointing to a model. I think that I'd would remove the old DESC files. It will make for fewer files during the load process. But I would not worry if I missed one or two in the process.

- Jim

[FrankU]

A CAMified lot contains a building exemplar that has properties according to CAM. This exemplar is in the CAM download you installed already.  The desc file in the original download contains a building exemplar that is used by the original lotter for the lot you just decided to delete. So delete the desc file too. It has no use. Only install the model. The rest is not used.

[cbrown8]

Ok that makes sense, thank you.