Got CD version of regular SimCity 4

[Gubernaut]

Can anyone help me out? Can I get the game to run in my monitor's resolution 1920 x 1200 (SC4 with the patch only lets me go to 1600 x 1200) Is there a legal way to be able to run without the CD in the drive? Dang I was hoping my CD key would work so I could add on steam but no luck. Are there any must have mods I should get (that work with the regular version)?

Edit: I found I can choose my resolution putting " -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 " into the shortcut. And I can make an ISO but having trouble creating the file, going really slow, keeps saying bad sectors are found...

[Morkonan]

I don't know if you can mount SC4 as an iso and get around the "No CD" issue. What you should probably do is take a look on Origin's forums for a possible solution.

You might also be able to register your CD version through Origin, online, and then be able to get a download version from Origin.

See here: http://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/52394-legitimately-patch-valid-copy-of-sc4-to-11640-and-play-without-cd/

There is a poster there claiming they got EA to add it to their Origin account, enabling them to get the digital version. (Post is several years old, through. But, it may give you some direction.)


So, once you do all that, here's some tips so you can get your game running well, just in case: (I keep a text file of my standard "bug fixes" reply, but it has info that might save you some headaches, later on.)

****************

First, take a look at this guide:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=279736936&insideModal=1

I use this launcher: http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/28667-sc4launcher-with-auto-saving-for-simcity/

Configure the launcher properly. First, you want to force CPU cores to 1. Setting the CPU to "High Priority" can also help if you're experiencing choppiness or instability. Next, choose your renderer. Software mode will probably be the safest to start with, in regards to stability. Try that, first. Then, switch up to DirectX if you can, just to check. OpenGL might work, but can be difficult to deal with using certain cards.

Disable the intro video - It can cause issues in certain configurations.

If your're having mouse problems, you can adjust the mouse's display settings and that might correct your issues.

Setting the CPU to "High Priority" can also help if you're experiencing choppiness or instability.

************

Good luck!

[Gubernaut]

Thanks, I was able to make a disk image that works with the program CloneCD, the numerous other programs I tried were failing because of the copy protection I assume. I put in those other tweaks too and so far the game runs great. If you know any cool mods I should be using or stuff that adds more graphics or if there is a way to change the interface color let me know.

[Morkonan]

Congrats on getting your game running!

As far as things you should be using, I'll restate the importance of that launcher I linked! You definitely "Must Have" that. Being able to autosave and tweak how often you want it to do so is just as valuable as being able to change your configuration settings on the fly.

There are also several "Must Have" SimCity 4 mods:

1) NAM - http://www.moddb.com/mods/network-addon-mod

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?board=90.0

This mod can add a huge number of features to the game. But, the most important feature of all and the one that makes this a "Must Have" mod is the new pathfinding algorithm. The original algorithm that is included in the game is... crap. NAM's is customizable and you can opt to only install it instead of anything else in the mod. You really NEED this algorithm installed.

There are plenty of other features. Read up on the mod. Then, you can decide what sort of things you'd like to have. One thing to remember is that if, for instance, you choose a "default" install option, instead of customizing the selection of components you want, the mod installer will uninstall some of the game's default ploppable network highway pieces, since you theoretically "don't need them anymore." That's not a huge issue, but if you want to keep all of those pieces installed, you need to choose a customized installation and then check the tick-boxes next to those default items.

There is only one "bug." It will supposedly be fixed in the next version. It is caused by picking up a ploppable network piece and hovering it over a special type of ploppable network piece. This will cause an instant crash. So, save before you start doing things like that so you can learn how to avoid the problem. It's not a huge bug, just annoying. If you're using the launcher I linked, you'll be much happier, since it has autosave. :)

2) I-H Missing Jobs Fix - http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/22771-ih-missing-jobs-fix-update/

"Short summary: due to a presumable rounding/arithmetic error, almost every IH lot in the game didn't offer any high wealth ($$$) jobs so far, while still creating demand for R$$$ residents though."

This mod fixes that problem. Without it, you'll start to have Sims in high-wealth areas without jobs and that problem will skyrocket in large cities without this fix. (Some mods are incorporating this into their own distributions, but NAM has not yet done so. I think it may be incorporated into the next NAM release, not sure.)

3) SimCity Extra Cheats Plugin - http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/21118-simcity-4-extra-cheats-plugin/

This is a .dll file that you place in your SimCity4 Steam directory. (The same directory as the SimCity4.exe file is located. Rename this plugin file to .dll if it downloads as a .txt file or something.) This gives you a visual GUI to a "cheats" menu. The cheat menu is really more of a debug menu than anything else, but there is one very, very, nice utility in it that you will want to be able to use a lot - The "Showpaths" command.

When you use this command, an overlay will be drawn on the screen that shows the pathways that the sims use to travel. It will differentiate between the different types of pathways and it will show you exactly where one of them is broken or otherwise experiencing a problem that is keeping it from functioning correctly. This is invaluable when you're using, for instance, NAM, and mixing/matching several different types of transportation piece together. If you connect two dissiimlar or incompatible networks together, or break them doing something else, this "Showpaths" command will help you find it! In some cases, no other tools in the game can show you that. (Use the Hidepaths command to remove the overlay, btw.)

Note: Some of the cheat/debug commands have no known function and some of them are definitely not recommended for casual use. :)


You "Must Have" these mods. Without them, either the game is "broken", like the pathfinding algorithm or the IH Jobsfix, or you won't have the tools you'll need in order to easily figure out certain problems, should you encounter them. It's just my opinion, of course, but I think most SC4 fans would agree on these three necessary mods.

Edit-Add: One "Pro-Tip" - When you first get NAM or any other mod, create a new city in the region just to test out the various pieces and networks. When you ren out of money, delete the city and start another until you have a good handle on how the mod works or how certain buildings function/go together. Spending a bit of time learning the new additions you've added to the game, before you start mucking around with your huge metropolis and causing unforseen problems, is time very well spent! :)

Also - There are still plenty of youtube vids out there for SC4 as well as vids detailing mods like NAM. Search for these and watch them! You can pick up a lot of tips without having to waste a lot of frustration on trying to figure out something like a completely new network system, such as you find in NAM, by watching a vid for few minutes. :)

[Gubernaut]

Thanks a lot I'll check these out. But does NAM require the Rush Hour expansion or the deluxe version? Seems like that might be the case, dang I wish I had the deluxe version

[Morkonan]

Dang... Yes, it requires the Rush Hour expansion pack. And, even if you just installed the algorithm in NAM, it'd need it as well.

Though, I do not know if that bug is present in the base Simcity 4 without the Rush Hour expansion, so you might be just fine.

SimCity 4 Deluxe goes on sale quite often. So, you might want to watch for it.