To avoid tons of questions..?!

[HandsOn]

This maybe a lot to ask, but would it be possible for one of the aces populating this site to create a reference tutorial for all us newbies? What I have in mind - it may even exist already - is a document that lists, i.e., the contents of a sample exemplar file and explains each line item: which exemplar types do what; occupant groups in hex & real terms; how to place an item into a particular menu & group it; that sort of stuff. Paying particular attention to the fact that imbeciles like myself can do considerable damage using the "click & try & fail miserably" method.

Or am I asking for too much..? 

[xxdita]

Even better, one of those aces (who I see reading the thread now) has created a program to make it so much simpler. It's only a matter of time.

[wouanagaine]

Even better, one of those aces (who I see reading the thread now) has created a program to make it so much simpler. It's only a matter of time.

lol

[HandsOn]

Even better, one of those aces (who I see reading the thread now) has created a program to make it so much simpler. It's only a matter of time.

I should have known Wou  would be up to something like that - and obviously this boche is looking forward to trying it out. But what is a poor, lost soul to do in the meantime? I've read various tutorials, but these tend to be either simplistic (and much needed) or way out there where fallen angels do not dare to thread..

[xxdita]

Hmmm ok then, let me fire up Reader and take a look. Perhaps RippleJet can fill in some of the blanks I leave.
We'll start with a Building Desc file for a Residential building.
Note that desc's will be different for Plops as opposed to Growables, though only slightly.

>Top line, Parent Cohort. This determines any fundamental properties that the building will include. In most cases, this should be set to 0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000.
>Exemplar Type: Buildings. The hex is 0x00000002. There are other Exemplar Types as well, Tuning (0x01), RCI(0x03), Developer (0x04), Simulator(0x05), Road(0x06), Bridge(0x07), MiscNetwork(0x08), NetworkIntersection(0x09), Rail(0x0A), Highway(0x0B), Powerline(0x0C), Terrain(0x0D), Ordinances(0x0E), and Flora(0x0F). If you're only tweaking the file, leave this one alone.
>Exemplar Name - Should include RCI Type, Wealth and Stage, as well as the name of the building.
>Bulldoze Cost - How much to make it go blooey.
>SFX Query Sound Abandoned - does what it says, not sure about the hexes here.
>Occupant Size - This is the actual physical dimensions of the building itself.
>Unknown - If a relatively small value is present, then this file has probably been modded using PIMX. This is the filling degree.
>ResourceKeyType1 - yeah, I dunno.
>Wealth - None 0x00, Low 0x01, Medium 0x02, High 0x03.
>Purpose - Residential 0x01, CS 0x02, CO 0x03, Tourism 0x04 (Though I don't recall ever seeing this used), IR 0x05, ID 0x06, IM 0x07, IHT 0x08.
>Capacity Satisfied - How many Residents/Jobs will this building hold? And what kind? This needs to be in sets of two values, the first is the RCI class. R$ 0x1010, R$$ 0x1020, R$$$ 0x1030. CS$ 0x3110, CS$$ 0x3120, CS$$$ 0x3130. CO$$ 0x3320, CO$$$ 0x3330. IR 0x4100. ID 0x4200, IM 0x4300, IHT 0x4400. The second hex is the actual capacity in hex. I use the standard Windows Calculator to convert hex to dec & back.
>Pollution at Center - 4 values in hex. Air, Water, Garbage, and Radioactive Pollution.
>Power Consumed
>Flammability -
>Query Exemplar GUID - Determines which query shows up when the lot is queried ingame. This can be any of the standard Maxis queries, or a custom query.
>Exemplar category -
>Construction time - how fast the building is built.
>MaxFireStage -
>Pollution Radius - Air, Water, Garbage, Radioactive
>Worth -
>Occupant Types - Very important!!! The values set here MUST match what is in the Capacity Satisfied, in order for the lot to actually function. The values are the same as Capacity Satisfied, though you only need the RCI class for any Wealth levels used.
>Occupant Groups - Also vital for the lot to function properly. RippleJet has a list of them all here
>SFX:Query Sound - Wreak havoc on the world and make custom sounds!!!
>Crane Hints - How the building is constructed. No Crane 0x00, Outer 0x01, Inner 0x02, Outer then Inner 0x03.
>SFX:Query sound decayed -
>Water consumed -
>Building value

[RippleJet]

Perhaps RippleJet can fill in some of the blanks I leave.

Hmmm, ok then!


Parent Cohort
A cohort file serves basically as a template for several lots. It is linked to by the TGI (Type ID, Group ID and Instance ID address).
The structure is the same as the building exemplar file (where you find the Parent Cohort). Maxis used cohorts to define the general properties for a set of lots (eg. all small homes, or stage 8 skyscrapers on 3x4 lots), and the exemplar files only hold the values that are different for each building - everything else, such as pollution values etc. is read from the cohort file that is linked via the Parent Cohort. Now when you make custom buildings, the Plugin Manager generates a full set of properties in the exemplar file, so a cohort file isn't necessary (that's why it should be 0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000... unless a modder makes one especially for this purpose).

SFX: Query Sound Abandoned
SFX: Query Sound
SFX: Query Sound Decayed
All these hex numbers are Instance ID addresses linking to TRK files (sound files).
In-game sound files are available in Maxis' file Sounds.DAT.
When querying a building the sound played depends on the state of the building:
Normally SFX: Query Sound is played. If the building has dilapidated, SFX: Query Sound Decayed is played (e.g. for a dilapidated R§§§ building, a knocking sound is heard instead of the door bell). It the building has abandoned, guess which sound is played!

Query Exemplar GUID
Another hex number that is an Instance ID address linking to a UI file (query).

Resource Key Type 0
Resource Key Type 1
One of these is usually present and links to the bat model file (SC4Model).
The address is given as the full TGI (Type, Group, Instance) pointing to the S3D file representing Zoom 1, South Directional view of the model. There are other Resource Key Type properties available as well, but these are the only ones used for building exemplars.
Empty buildings either have an address of 0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000 or 0x5AD0E817,0xBADB57F1,0x0E110000 which is an empty building used by Maxis in parks.

Flammability
The higher, the easier the building will catch fire. The highest value in the game, 100, is that for the power plants (Coal, Gas and Oil). A value of 0 means the building cannot catch fire (e.g. the ingame statues).

MaxFireStage
Tells how long a building will have to burn before being destroyed. Values between 1 and 5 are used. The taller the building, the higher the value is.

Construction time
Given in days. Cannot be larger than 255.

Exemplar category
Isn't used in game at all.
It can be used by custom tools to categorize exemplars.

Worth
This is the cost that will incur if the building gets destroyed due to fire or a natural disaster. Can be seen as "insurance value".

Building value
This is the value that is used in taxation. The occupancy plays no role in the taxation.
The taxes generated are = Building Value × Tax Rate × Difficulty.
Difficulty is depending on the level you're playing at. In RH it is set at 1.2/1.1/1.0 for Easy/Medium/Hard. CAM 1.1 reduces these somewhat.

[HandsOn]

You two are absolutely priceless: this should be put together and transferred to the tutorial section - right? I've already copied it out and added both messages to my growing book on SC4 custom content. A few more weeks of questions and I should have a nifty little bible..

Thanks, Xxdita, and (if I spell it right) Kiittää Te, RippleJet

[dragonshardz]

There is a SC4D wiki being constructed, this will likely be a article in it.

[HandsOn]

There is a SC4D wiki being constructed, this will likely be a article in it.

Now there's a great idea..I wonder what else will be covered (he says after to CTD's today..)