Those buildings that over take everything...

[BigSlark]

I have a question that I hope someone has an answer for. Occasionally, I will install a custom building that absolutely takes over all growth within its density and wealth level.

Why does that happen?

Also, is it possible to delete a file so that a building will no longer grow, but the lot and props will still be in game, so that I don't have to delete every instance of it?

Thanks,
Kevin

[jplumbley]

These buildings are called unbalanced lots.  They dont fit into the stage levels they were put in.  This is actually a type of faulty modding.

The easiest way to deal with these lots is to either re-mod them and lower their occupancies or make their stage level higher.

OR

Download more custom content that has similar stats to add variety.

OR

You can delete the lot file that comes with the building.  But then you may be leaving a Model file with no lot and you might need to make one yourself.  Deleting any file though, you should remove any instance of this building in-game before you delete it from your plugins.  You never know what issues you could cause.

A solution to the unbalanced issue was being discussed but theres no telling how soon it will come if a solution does present itself.  Everyone has ideas about how the game should work and as long as people are creating custom content the only thing you can do is try to regulate what is provided to the public.  You cant stop someone from badly modding something but you can try to help them in some shape or form and maybe one day we will have some way of regulating the stats for custom content.

[BigSlark]

Thanks for the quick reply, jplumbly. Is there a tutorial on how to re-mod them using the reader?

Cheers,
Kevin

[jmyers2043]

Even Maxis made weeds. There seems to be various points where the game will choose one building/lot over others. I usually deal with weeds by downloading or creating other weeds. Lots and buildings with similar number of jobs and lot size so that the game has other lots/bats to choose from.

Speaking from the view point of a content producer. . . I had a Maxis building that grew a lot in my cities. The industrial MPR Metals would grow frequently in the early development of my cities. So I made two other factories of about the same size and gave them the exact same properties as MPR. The first time I tested them I had 2 of one, 2 of the other, and 2 of the MPR Metals grow. I was very pleased. SimGoober made a building that grew a lot.... the Waffle House ... I made some similar sized buildings, downloaded some buildings by Deadwoods ... and now my early game has more variety.

What building is it that you are having problems with? Perhaps I or someone else can make some suggestions.

[BigSlark]

jmyers,

Sydney Town Home Circa 1820 by mattb325 and Winsbys by Spa.

I expected some sort of a Sydney Town Home issue since I no longer use any Maxis residential buildings. However, Winsbys has completely taken over my Low Density CS$$$ zones in a couple of different cities.

I appreciate the help and keep up the great BAT's, I really like your small factories. I recently installed them as MPR Metals was getting on my nerves and was installing what ever that might get rid of the monotonous industrial zones.

Cheers,
Kevin

[jmyers2043]

Good Morning BigSlark:

I had a look at the numbers.

Maxis determined the number of jobs for a building by calculating the buildings volume and stage growth. Winsby's is very close to the Maxis 'Stratton Spa' as as such should have jobs in the range of CS$$$ 36, $$ 75, and $ 331. The Winsby building offers 50,75, and 203. That's pretty close.

Maxis CS$$$ boutiques with similar numbers of $$$ jobs  e.g. 40,56, & 57 grow at stage 3 and so does the Spa Winsby building. So that is ok as well.

I would conclude that you should probably not mod the building but simply try to find other buildings of similar statistics and cure this weed by downloading other buildings so the game has alternatives to choose from.

I have some buildings in mind by Deadwoods and GasCooker that may help. I don't have time to do too much snooping around as I am about 5 minutes from going to work.

[spa]

Kevin,

Jmyers sent me a PIM advising me about this thread. I have to say I'm surprised. Winsbys, on my computer, is actually one of the most difficult buildings to grow. I have yet to see it grow except when I have zoned a 2x2 and sat there with the bulldozer knocking down anything that wasn't it until it finally appeared. So I'm kind of surprised to hear that it's a weed for you. I modded it based off of maxis commercial with a few more jobs than Maxis gave, but I don't think enough to throw things off. What the game decides to grow is often a mystery to me.

As others have said, I wouldn't advise modding the building because it's not out of balance, at least as far as I'm concerned. You would be better off hunting up some other CS$$$ 2x2s to compete with Winsbys (which might be the problem as I don't think there are many of those). But if you want to mod the building so that it doesn't appear as often I think the simplest thing to do would be to make a new desc file and a new lot, but make it CS$$. If Winsbys is CS$$ it won't be able to replace other CS$$ buildings as easily. Good luck and I'm sorry if my creation has caused you grief.

[BigSlark]

Spa,

Its okay. What I usually do is zone 2x1 C to get JBSimio's Small Town Collection to grow with some of SG and Deadwoods stuff. Then, when the old downtown matures and gets a high-wealth stage, Winsbys starts to take over.

Jim,

I'd appreciate some suggestions as to more C$$$ 2xX buildings for the game. I'm slowly attempting to get rid of ALL Maxis growable buildings.

Thanks,
Kevin

[jmyers2043]

Good evening BigSlark

I am afraid that I will not be much help. The buildings I thought were CS$$$ turned out to be CS$$.

CSX did a number of CS$$$ buildings that are early growers (stage 1 and 2) but I have only a handful of CS$$$ that are stage three and above. Spa maybe right when he said that there are very few CS$$$ buildings.

Hmmm - I see an opportunity here.

[BigSlark]

Jim,

I, for one, like all for your BATs, and if you're needing a new project it sounds like you hit the spot.

PM me if you need some inspiration...

Have a good evening.

Cheers,
Kevin

[mattb325]

Ahhh, my name's in lights for all of the wrong reasons (again  )

With the Sydney town home, I did an updated version on ST ages ago...at the request of some people there at the time I did 1x3 lots.

That's when it became a bit weedy for me, so I deleted the 1x3 lots and only have the 1x2 on my machine.

As a 1x2 only on my machine, (and this is going along the lines of what jmyers suggests) this competes merrily with Sim Goobers' RLS stuff, so in the early stages of regional development it isn't too bad...it is still a healthy grower, but it tapers off once the region population gets higher.

If you delete the 1x3 lots, you won't have brown boxes or anything as you still have the model files.

[spa]

Indeed I think there is an opportunity Jim! Maybe because they're small most of the CS buildings that have been created, in my observation, are CS$$. CS$$$ in the lower stages is rare. I made Winsbys CS$$$ based on the actual real life store, even though the bat itself would probably fit better as CS$$, because I didn't have many CS$$$ to choose from and I was so tired of seeing Chalmers grow constantly. If you're looking for a project there is a real void here.

Kevin, If you're blocking Maxis' buildings then I could see Winsbys becoming a really big weed because the buildings that I designed it to compete with are absent. If you don't want to mod it and it's taking over your small town areas one thing you could do is zone your 1x2s in alternating high and low density. That will prevent it from replacing JB's small town buildings. Just like the trick to get rowhouses it works with commercials....  of course if you're using my Foreign Affair it would probably then take over as top weed as I don't think there are many 1x2 CS$$$ either! (although I have two more 1x2 CS$$$ in the works right now).

[BigSlark]

Matt,

Thanks for the heads-up on the update. The version of the Miller St. houses were the monochrome ones on the old lots. I like them in colors, that was my main complaint when they would take over.

Spa,

I don't have Maxis commercial blocked yet, but I'm trying to get there. I'll be looking for your new Low Density C$$$ releases!

Have a good night.

Cheers,
Kevin

[apostate]

I like JBsimio's pack too. Now those dont look that bad when they start "clumping"

anyways, I wish brown records would grow more often. Its a maxis building, but I dunno I think its cool...Maybe I'll make a landmark lot for it so I can play with it more.