Lots with growth stages below additions

[Ag3ntAzn]

Hi I'm new to CAM (and modding sc4 in general) and I was confused on some things. First off, I know CAM increases the growth stages for the RCI growable lots and stuff and the CAMeLots according to the manual are lots taht possess a growth stage above those currently available in the regular game, but are lots with growth stages below those not CAMeLots? I was wanting to add a few lower density buildings. Also with dependencies are there going to be conflicts if I install too many? Not duplicates persay but just irrelevant prop files and such.
Thanks for any help you can give me!

[travismking]

These lots are compatible with the CAM, but are not actually camelots, they are actually called CAMpatible lots, meaning they were modded with PIM-X and have values consistent with the other buildings in the game. If you install more than one of the same prop, it can lead to prop pox, I dont have the link to the thread where I read this. but I remember it saying that if there are two files with the same prop/texture and the file that loads last in your plugin folder has a larger size (in bytes) then it could cause prop pox. I may have completely misunderstood the thread, maybe someone more experienced will know for sure.  Other than that, there shouldnt be any problems with having "duplicate" dependencies, other than increased loading times.

[Ag3ntAzn]

Ok thank you for the clarification. What if I installed irrelevent prop/texture files? Like files that none of my mods use?

[Ag3ntAzn]

Also how would I know if a non-CAMelot is CAMpatible? Would it say in the description?

[Lowkee33]

Ok thank you for the clarification. What if I installed irrelevent prop/texture files? Like files that none of my mods use?

The larger your plugin folder, the slower SC4 will run.  It won't break your game to have unused prop/textures, but things will run more smoothly if you only have the things you need.

Also how would I know if a non-CAMelot is CAMpatible? Would it say in the description?

Everything on the LEX has been run through PIMX, and will either be CAMpatible or at least say otherwise.  Jestarr's industrial lots are like this.  Her packages usually have a cam, non-cam and a plop lot, for your choice of what you want.

Stage is dependent upon density, and I believe the function is the same whether for CAMelots or not.

If that is true, then any stage 1-7 Com or Res is CAMpatible, as well as any Stage 1-2 Industry.  Stage 8 Res/Com and Stage 3 Industry is the max stage for Non-CAM.  I would say that any lot that is the max non-cam stage should be run through PIMX, just to check.

[Ag3ntAzn]

So by running smoother you mean everything will load faster?

PIMX is the program created to make non-CAM lots to CAM lots correct? if a CAM lot is run through it would it reverse the process? Sorry for being such a noob with all this 

[Lowkee33]

Smoother=Faster 

PIMX creates CAM lots, and it will not go backwards.

Your basic download has three files, a model, a .desc, and a lot.  The model is the building and the dependency.  The .desc is the Building Exemplar, and has info like capacity (how many people live/work there) and plop cost, etc.  The lot is what we see in-game.

The stage of the lot is a function of Capacity vs Lot Size.  You can have more than one lot using a .desc, so if one lot is 1x1 and another is 3x3, then they will probably be different stages.  Non-cam stages end at 8, but the densities do not.  CAM adds more stages to keep the Capacity Vs lot size balanced.

[Ag3ntAzn]

Ok so if I'm understanding this correctly, I should get the PIMX tool and put all non CAMeLots through it to make sure they are CAMpatible?

Regarding the issue for slowing down the computer, I read about something call dat-packing. This process is to compress various mods into one file so it is quicker correct? what does this process entail and should I do it?

Thanks for all the help btw.

[Lowkee33]

Ok so if I'm understanding this correctly, I should get the PIMX tool and put all non CAMeLots through it to make sure they are CAMpatible?

Go for it 

Regarding the issue for slowing down the computer, I read about something call dat-packing. This process is to compress various mods into one file so it is quicker correct? what does this process entail and should I do it?

Datpacking will probably make the game quicker.  Having a lot of small files makes SC4 less stable, so DatPacker puts them all together.  It will also leave non-SC4 files out (like images) so things become more organized in that way.

I like to keep mods as seperate files, but that is because I switch them out and mod them a lot.  .descs, lots, prop packs, once you know you want them I would say datpack.  I generally have one file for each building type (Res, Com, Industry, Farms). 

To do this, create a folder in your root plugins and name it, say, residentials.  Anything you think belongs here can go in (though I like to keep models separate).  Open DatPacker and highlight that folder and run.  You will then have a folder named "plugins-compressed" with one (or perhaps more) files with the name Residentials.  The original folder has been left untouched, and should be removed from plugins to somewhere safe.  You will get at least one file per folder highlighted, so if you had a folder for Res and a folder for Com, they would stay separate after DatPacking.

[Ag3ntAzn]

Is SC4PIM on one of the CAM sticky threads the PIMX program in question? And could PIMX make the lot not work?

I'm assuming I should dat pack after i know everything works right? would dat-packing cause issues if I dat-pack the wrong files together?

Are plopable lots usually CAMpatible? unless they use the MTP or similar in-CAMpatible depedency?

[Lowkee33]

SC4PIM and PIMX are the same.  MaxisPIM is what we get from EA.

The PIMX support thread is found here - Link
The DatPacker Support thread is found here -Link

Are plopable lots usually CAMpatible? unless they use the MTP or similar in-CAMpatible depedency?

Yes and no.  Everything will continue to function as wanted.  However, leaning towards CAM is leaning towards non-plopped lots.  Plopped lots are less functional, so if you want the most of your city simulation, grow from demand.

I wasnt around for the plops with jobs craze... But Vanilla SC4 only creates 6000 demand for something.  Buildings can only grow if demand is the same (or a little less) than the capacity.  People made bigger models, that in order to be balanced need to be >6000 capacity, and I believe this is when plops with jobs came into play.  Not sure though.

Dependencies are not in-Campatible.  Buildings that are stage 8 when they should be stage 14 are.  CAM also modifies the demand simulation, so most ultra-demand most are inCampatible.  You are best to check out InCampatible Mods

[Ag3ntAzn]

Sorry...i guess I wasnt quite clear by what I meant by ploppable lots. I meant like civic buildings and such. unless thats what you meant and I misunderstood.

Thanks for the thread links.

And it seems I didnt quite understand the thread listing the inCAMpatible mods. I saw the MTP-* listed there and I got confused with the MTP dependencies. the MTP mods i was thinking about replaced things so they werent dependencies.

[Lowkee33]

Ah.  Civics you are okay, totally Campatible. 

For the MTP:  To make the Maxis Lots more CAM friendly, they have had some stage changes done.  The MTP replacements would undo this.  A minor incompatibility, I would say, compared to the one's that alter demand and stage caps.  The new SPAM, there are some issues there.

[Ag3ntAzn]

Ok thank you for all the help. I'll look into the PIMX and dat-packing threads you linked me to.