Olympia - the 4th edition...(Celebrating the 10th anniversary in 2008)

[SAC]

After reading about your project, I think this guide will be really useful for you 

Making growable lots larger than 6x6 - Megalots 

I hope this helps 

Thanks Jeronij.  Interesting link - again!     I actually thought of this during the 3rd edition, but never went further as the biggest issue back then was - and still will be - my choice of a hidiously unfriendly terrain!    But for some stuff I might consider using the guide!  Thanks again for providing the link! 

Welcome SAC, hope you enjoy your time here.  If you are just starting out on your downloading, I can suggest the following:

The marvel that is Wouanagaine made a tool for the LEX here, it's a downloader.      

http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=841

When you are browsing the LEX, look for a link that says "Add to Download List" and this will add, as it describes, the file into your download list.  Once you have selected all the files for download, launch the LEX Downloader and enter your LEX username and password.  The software will then get your download list from the site and start to download automatically all the files you've added.  This saves an incredible amount of time and can be left unattended.

Hope this helps

Lee

Thanks for the welcoming Lee!    And thanks for the info of what seems to be a very useful tool.  I haven't reached SC4Dev as far as my "download-new-stuff-process" concerns, but once there I'll definately make use of it!  One thing though; I tend to download and sort in categories, (subfolders), depending on the type of buildings I grab.  This tool you're referring to, will it download to a specified folder of my choice, (all downloads going into one folder), leaving me to "sort" afterwards?  If so it might not be an alternative as I'm saving a lot of time sorting at the same time I'm downloading! 

[RippleJet]

SAC, I would be honoured if you'd want to try out the CAM in Olympia!

If this intention is easier to reach with the use of CAM, I might consider it!  Another issue I may have right now, only by learning a little from what I've read so far, is that I might not be able to use every B.A.T I want outthere - unless they are CAMified.  If that's a correct assumption I'm not sure I'll bring CAM into Olympia.  However, if I can solve some of those needs myself by simply re-lot those B.A.T's using CAMified empty lots, (if available), it'll bring the CAM into another light for me!   

All existing stage 1-6 residential and commercial bats are CAMpatible. The lower the growth stage, the more CAMpatible they are.
The bigger the old building is, especially existing stage 8 towers, the less CAMpatible are they.

In other words, for a European city/town you would, except maybe for a few selected lots, only zone low and medium density, and not bother about getting stage 8-15 buildings. With the CAM that would be easier than without it, since the city is allowed to sprawl out a lot more before the simulator starts demanding high-rise towers.

The main improvements that have been seen in smaller buildings when they have been "CAMified" is that they have been modded with Wouanagaine's new "X Tool" (yet another by him) and have appropriate property values, not just for occupancies, but for pollution, consumption, building value, etc.

[callagrafx]

Thanks for the welcoming Lee!    And thanks for the info of what seems to be a very useful tool.  I haven't reached SC4Dev as far as my "download-new-stuff-process" concerns, but once there I'll definately make use of it!  One thing though; I tend to download and sort in categories, (subfolders), depending on the type of buildings I grab.  This tool you're referring to, will it download to a specified folder of my choice, (all downloads going into one folder), leaving me to "sort" afterwards?  If so it might not be an alternative as I'm saving a lot of time sorting at the same time I'm downloading! 

No problem...Yes indeed it does, but most of the BSC stuff that you'll find here makes use of installers, putting the downloads into specific locations grouped by author under a "BSC" folder.  For example, my stuff will install to MyDocuments/Simcity 4/Plugins/BSC/CAL/<downloadname>

[SAC]

 

I've always hated these "installers" as they bring more work into my own personal sorting.  I prefer my own way of sorting buildings. I'm not too keen about sorting files in groups of creators, but rather in terms of building types.  It gives me a better overview of what I have, and above all - where to find stuff quickly.  I'm sure others prefer the creator group sorting, but that's not my cup of tea!     Yes, I use the installers since I have to, but afterwards I re-arrange everything!

[Ennedi]

Personally I reorganize plugins after installing too
I have two main folders for plugins outside of SC4 folder (on another hard drive, in my case it's disc E, 60 GB, almost only SC4 there  ):
- The first one for zips, it has subfolders for various stuff (buildings - Japan, buildings - w2w, Utilities - power, utilities - water, Tansport - roads, Transport - railways and so on; it is quite difficult to make an useful subfolders system). In every subfolder I have another one - "Unzipped", to know what is unzipped yet, sometimes I download something and don't unzip it immediately.
- The second one - for unzipped files. It has (almost ) the same structure as the first one, unzipping files I make folders for every plugin (there is such option in WinZip). So, if the plugin consists of a few .dat files, they have a separate place after unzipping. Of course such folder includes readme, images etc., and after copying to the Plugins folder I remove these unnecessary files. If the unzipped plugin has a form of an installer, I open the Plugins folder, install this plugin, and then move it back to the folder when I have an installer. Some plugins can have various options (for example Road Top Mass Transit Pack - bus, subway and GLR stops to place directly on the road. In this case I make sometimes a few versions and change their names to know what is what . I keep all versions of this plugin in it's folder on disc E too, together with the basic version or with the installer.
This way I can put all plugins where I want.

But there are some plugins which have an installer and I find it useful: The good example is NAM. There are a few NAM plugins, all of them have an installer, and the folder structure of these plugins is important. In this case I installed all NAM plugins in the order suggested in their readmes, and leaved them in the place choosen by installers. This way I know averything is well-ordered in NAM folder.

Also, installing various BSC, CSX and other props I usually leave the folder structure choosen by installers. It is maybe more uncomfortable for me (because - for example - I haven't all flora stuff in the same place), but knowing the folders structure designed by the particular creator (some creators do it very good) I can check if I have everything. But of course it damages my own order in Plugins, and maybe I will change this method in future.

Keeping your own order in Plugins you must remember that the game reads plugins in the alphabetical order. A few plugins can work on the same property values, and in this case the game overwrites the earlier one by the last one.

These are my own methods and they are far from ideal. If somebody see any mistakes (or something to improve) here, please inform about it.

I hope it can help a bit, SAC, at least with thinking about this problem - you can choose different methods

[SAC]

Personally I use just about the same way of organizing my files, although I think I use waay more subfolders when it comes down to it.  I have the same structure for in-game files as I have for downloaded stuff, (unzipped), and this works good for me.  It's very convinient when I want to redo a lot and need to find proper files.    The same goes for updated files.  I know immediately where to search for a previous version, both unzipped and in-game, despite various installers and other annoying programs! 

[vester]

The german team, SFBT (Simforum Batting Team) exchange is called: SimCityKurier

They developed a few tools too:
SC4 Startup Manager 3.0 (english) by JeanLucPicard2
SC4Tool (english) by simrolle and Andreas
and Images for SC4Tool

Startup Manager allows you to make different set of plug-ins, that you can choice from.
SC4Tools is packages of tools like: Dependencies Scanner, Texture Scanner ect.

[SAC]

Sounds interesting. Shall have a closer look at that one as well!  Thanks for the info Vester!   

[kwakelaar]

Welcome, from another fan of Olympia. I very much look forward to see what you will be making for this 4th edition.
And if you have any problems don't hesitate to ask, there are so many things possible for this game.

[SAC]

Thank you Kwakelaar, I will! 

[Zaphod]

sweet!

I hope you don't get overwhelemed by all the stuff you can use now

[SAC]

sweet!

I hope you don't get overwhelemed by all the stuff you can use now

I think it's a matter of getting the hang of everything.  It's funny, and I'm sure most of you recognize this yourselfs, but being away from a game for a couple of years that you've known everything - and a bit more - about, almost means you need to learn everything from scratch.  Despite the fact there are new tools and programs available, the actual game-play, where to put stuff, well, just about everything, have to be "re-installed" in your mind as well!     Perhaps that's why it's always exciting to "return" to an "old" game again.  I've seen this happen with other games I sort of "returned" to as well.  Or perhaps I'm just getting older!?   

[Badsim]

Let's bring back the discussion here .

As you intend to work on "unbelievably heavily moutains "  , your first work should concern the landscape . You have to choose a rock Mod from Pegasus  at simtropolis ( or from Jeronij on the LEX )  , then a terrain texture from Cycledogg ( I invit you to follow the priceless Ennedi's work on that subject Here ) , then I suggest you the "Olympic tree controller" from Cycledogg ( at Pegasus site  , Here , see the PLEX ) , then all Jeronij's stuff about trees and forests for Mayor Mod and his last transparent ploppable water ( on the LEX) .

Concerning the urban landscape my suggestions are , a sidewalk Mod ( I'm personally using the "EuroAsphalt Mod" from sap23 , Simtropolis , but you can check as well Andreas or Jeronij's ones ( on the LEX) , then go on Mikeseith's site , Here , to download all his car automatas which will replace one by one and finally all Maxis'ones ( more generally I suggest you to upload all his work ... ) .

That's not an exhaustive list , alas for you !  , but already a good base .

[simrolle]

Welcome back SAC from another fan of Olympia!

[SAC]

Thank you Simrolle!     Yet another name I recognize! 

And most certainly Cedric, my first task will be to terraform.  I have the landscape in mind for the entire Olympia region almost figured out already.  All there's to do is to actually do the terraforming part, although from experience I know that I usually tend to continue terraforming while developing the city itself...

Thanks for pointing me to some useful mods.  I'll be looking into them closer once I'm near the terraforming part.  I still have a lot of downloading to do, and some sortings of course... , but all in good time!  Can't wait to start though.  I've seen soo many incredible creations made for use in European cities, so this 4th celebrating edition of mine will most certainly be a very fun one!     

[Andreas]

I think I haven't said "Welcome back!" yet, so I'll do it now. It's nice to see you back in the community, and needless to say, Olympia was a great source of inspiration for all of us. I'm absolutely sure that with all the BATs, lots and mods around, the 4th edition will be even more breathtaking, and I'm looking forward to your unique and creative approaches.

[SAC]

Thank you Andreas!     I'm pretty sure I recognize you as well.  German BATters have always been one of my favourites as bringing typically European stuff to the game!  Looking forward to learn more about your latest achievements, that is; since my last appearance on the scene...

Edit to add///

On another note, anyone in here brilliant with PaintShopPro or PhotoShop?  I'd like a magnificiant Olympia City Symbol to use - both for this thread and for the upcoming city celebration in 2008.   

[vester]

Andreas is also known as Andreas Roth. He is one of the key members, if not the key member of the team SFBT, SimForum Batting Team.

[SAC]

Andreas is also known as Andreas Roth. He is one of the key members, if not the key member of the team SFBT, SimForum Batting Team.

Of course!  I should most certainly have known better!  Shame on me!!! 

Thanks for reminding me, Vester! 

[dsrwhat316]

wow so many responses without a single picture... you're stirring up quite a bit of anticipation!

but that's okay, I was always inspired by your work over on ST. i'm very eagerly awaiting your first set of pics!

~ Dan