Still can't get Steam screenshots to work.

[Paul The Best]

I see people here posting their screenshots. I have never been able to get it to work for me here. It's an un-modded download bought via Steam last summer (2011). Anyone have any ideas on what to do to get it to work? Thanks!

[Still B0r3d]

umm, do you have screenshots enabled in the settings? have you tried to press f12? after you exit the game do you upload them to the steam cloud? we need more details, all we know is that your having a problem. but it not clear what your problem actually is.

[Rellik66]

If you use software mode, then screenshots definitely won't work.

[Sil]

It's funny, because they tell you to use the f12, but it show up the close the game option... lol

[jdenm8]

For the Screenshots, the Overlay needs to be running. SC4 is compatible with the Overlay, but only in DirectX mode (The 'Hardware' mode in the options menu), it doesn't work in Software or the incredibly buggy OpenGL renderers.
Also, change the key. I use Shift + \ myself.

[Paul The Best]

jdenm8 původně napsal:

For the Screenshots, the Overlay needs to be running. SC4 is compatible with the Overlay, but only in DirectX mode, it doesn't work in Software or the incredibly buggy OpenGL renderers.
Also, change the key. I use Shift + \ myself.

Cool jdenm8, how do I get the game to run in DirectX mode? All I'm seeing in the game is a choice between Software or Hardware in the renderer option. Thanks!

[M.I.K.E.]

Use hardware.

It works, i just tested it: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=115013375

[jdenm8]

@Paul The Best,
DirectX Mode is the one listed as 'hardware' in the options menu, OpenGL needs a command line switch to get access to. Sorry, I should have included that in my original post.

[Personal Finest Shawn]

I'm not able to get screenshots to work either. It's weird because it's in DX mode, and the shift-tab overlay works. I've tried changing the screenshot key and settings in the game to no avail.

I assumed that if the overlay worked than screenshots would work as well; never had this happen in other games before.

[Paul The Best]

Yup. All of the above ideas were good, but unfortunately none of them resulted in a solution. Steam screenshots still don't work for me for this game only, which is sad cuz I'm building an epic region I want to share.

Someday someone out there will come up with a solution and post it here or whatever. Just in case it matters, here are my relevant PC components:

OS: WIndows XP service pack 3
Video card: Nvidia GTS 450

I can't think of what else would really be relevant here, if someone asks I'll look it up and reply.

I'm running the following launch options for the game through Steam:

-f -intro:off -CPUCount:1 -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32

All relevant software is automatically updated. I've tried changing keybinding setting on the screenshot manager to no success. I've tried all combinations of launch options, including none, to see if it would resolve it, it did not. All of the above mention of in-game graphics / video settings were changed and tested, and no resolution.

The overlay otherwise works perfectly fine in SimCity 4, things like web browser, friends lists stuffs. All of my other Steam games, including non-Steam games I've linked to the service (e.g. StarCraft II) work with the screenshot service. Feel free to look at my library to see how many games this is referring to.

I opened a ticket with Steam customer service a couple of times. They suggested reinstalling the game and deleting the screenshot game files to reset it and whatnot, and unfortunately nothing we did worked. They were very nice about it, so kudos to those guys.

It would be really nice if it worked, but it's not something I'm going to freak out about if it never sees a positive resolution. Like I said, someone who wil become my hero out there has an answer. Please find your way to this thread!! :-)

[jdenm8]

The game has a built-in screenshot function, but it captures in PNG and will save to the MyDocs/SimCIty 4/Albums/[CityName]-[RandomNumber] folder. Ctrl-Shift-S if you want to use it. I've never had any problems with it but it isn't as convenient as Steam's.

[Personal Finest Shawn]

I haven't found a way to get screenshots to work, but I did find a way to add them manually. There is a program called VDF File Generator that helps with some of the legwork creating thumbnails file entries named properly. You can download that here:

http://they2t.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/vdffilegenforsteamsm/
OR
http://www.they2t.com/downloads/VDFFileGenV1.zip (Direct Link)

Now use a program like Fraps to take some screenshots or PrtScn/Paste them into your editor of choice. Put all of your screenshot files alone in their own directory and make sure they are of type .jpg.

Run the program you downloaded and:
Choose the directory your screenshots are saved
For the second field put in the number 24780 (Sim City 4 Steam ID)
For the third field I put in 920109153780602255
(I was unsure of this number because I haven't taken any screenshots with the game before. Most people do not know if it does anything, so I borrowed one from another game instead)
Put in the width/height of your images.
Press Generate VDF

Now in the directory of that program you will find some new files. First off the screenshots.vdf file. Open that up and also open the Steam one located at
%programfiles%\Steam\userdata\11854327\760

The created file should have something like:

"Screenshots"
{
	"24780"
	{
		"0"
		{
			"filename"		"24780/screenshots/2013-02-05_00001.jpg"
			"thumbnail"		"24780/screenshots/thumbnails/2013-02-05_00001.jpg"
			"width"		"1600"
			"height"		"1200"
			"gameid"		"24780"
			"creation"		"1360106921"
			"caption"		""
			"permissions"		"2"
			"hscreenshot"		"920109153780602255"
		}
		"1"
		{
			"filename"		"24780/screenshots/2013-02-05_00002.jpg"
			"thumbnail"		"24780/screenshots/thumbnails/2013-02-05_00002.jpg"
			"width"		"1600"
			"height"		"1200"
			"gameid"		"24780"
			"creation"		"1360106921"
			"caption"		""
			"permissions"		"2"
			"hscreenshot"		"920109153780602255"
		}
		}
	}
	"shortcutnames"
	{
	}
}

Copy
from "24780"
to:
}
}
ignore the end part:

	}
	"shortcutnames"
	{
	}
}

Now in the same file located in your steam directory paste this just after the first bracket:
"Screenshots"
{
PASTE HERE

If you have already taken screenshots with Sim City 4 before, find an entry in the file starting with 24780 and just add the "0","1",etc bracketed areas changing them to count up from the highest number already in there.

Now the easy part. Copy the screenshots folder from the generated program into
%programfiles%\Steam\userdata\11854327\760\remote\24780\screenshots


It's a little messy at first but quicker once you get the hang of it. The format for the file just goes

"Screenshots"
{
	"GameID" 	
	{
		"Counter" 	   
		{
		 	ScreenshotInfo
		}
	}
}

[Paul The Best]

Thanks Baldwin, I'll take a look at is this weekend.

[[007] KittyBond]

Rellik66 původně napsal:

If you use software mode, then screenshots definitely won't work.

how do you not use software mode?

[Goodiro]

jdenm8 původně napsal:

The game has a built-in screenshot function, but it captures in PNG and will save to the MyDocs/SimCIty 4/Albums/[CityName]-[RandomNumber] folder. Ctrl-Shift-S if you want to use it. I've never had any problems with it but it isn't as convenient as Steam's.

BEST ASNWER! WORKING!

[Old Marky the Wise]

2015 and still no hero to solve this problem :(