Anybody who wants to play SimCity 4 MP - Page 2

Adagio · January 25, 2003, 15:40

Well, I guess so, haven't tried it... and since the region I created didn't end up great, I'll just overwrite...

Eli · January 25, 2003, 16:10

I'm for a pre-made region and not the blank one.

Jonny · January 25, 2003, 18:43

If were going to use a pre-made region, I'd like to use New York.

John-SJ · January 25, 2003, 23:39

Quote:

Originally posted by John-SJ
Assuming we use the current region, I woould like the medium map just north of "Mayor Jonny".

Concerning the possibility of using a pre-made region, I vote yes! Which one? Hmmm, London has nice rivers and Fairview has a lot of coastline, I think those would both be good choices, maybe new York for coastline as well.

edit: Of course, this map is fine is fine if the vote goes with the current one as well.

John-SJ

Maybe you missed it before? Could I get the medium map just north of Jonny, please?

John-SJ

vovan · January 26, 2003, 01:41

Well, I read the tutorial on creating regions with an elevation map in Photoshop by Mr. Quigley (

), and decided to try it out. The result is attached. Looks pretty, but also like a very mean terrain. Probably not good for this particular game (although I made a city grid specially for it - no large citis, only small and medium), but if any of you want to try it out, lemme know.

Adagio · January 26, 2003, 06:39

Quote:

Originally posted by vovansim
Well, I read the tutorial on creating regions with an elevation map in Photoshop by Mr. Quigley (

), and decided to try it out. The result is attached. Looks pretty, but also like a very mean terrain. Probably not good for this particular game (although I made a city grid specially for it - no large citis, only small and medium), but if any of you want to try it out, lemme know.

Looks great, though I didn't know you could change the grid... how do you do that?

If we use a pre-made world, I vote for New york and this one

John-SJ >> Sorry, missed that one, but it seems like most are for a pre-made map anyway... so everybody, cast your vote for a pre-made map (or upload a picture of yours, if you have one)

Adagio · January 26, 2003, 08:30

Btw, here's my region

General Ludd · January 26, 2003, 12:48

I found the tutorial on making regions in photoshop here. It's not exactly easy, though.

vovan · January 26, 2003, 13:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld
I found the tutorial on making regions in photoshop here. It's not exactly easy, though.

Yes, that's the one I was referring to. It's really not hard with pgotoshop. All you need to do is follow the instructions, and when you draw, you need to adjust your tools a little bit to work more like the in-game god tools. That way, it all becomes cake. In fact, I think you can see how the region I created looks an awful lot like a bunch of brush-strokes.

Adagio · January 26, 2003, 14:01

Thx for the link... though I can't get the map-part to work. When trying to load the map picture, nothing happens when pressing ok (the open file dialog box is still open, and I can still press ok)... when double clicking on the file, the dialog box closes, but nothing happens... Isn't the animations supposed to stop (to show it's working) or something?

vovan · January 26, 2003, 14:06

Quote:

Originally posted by ADG
Thx for the link... though I can't get the map-part to work. When trying to load the map picture, nothing happens when pressing ok (the open file dialog box is still open, and I can still press ok)... when double clicking on the file, the dialog box closes, but nothing happens... Isn't the animations supposed to stop (to show it's working) or something?

Yes, it is supposed to change the the same screen that pops up when you load a city - it would show the chunk of land, and say "Creating city" on top, or something like that. It also takes a horrible amount of time. On my Pentium IV 1.7GHz, it takes a little over five minutes.

I don't know what your problem might be, because if the dimensions are not right, it tells you so... Maybe you didn't convert the bitmap to grayscale before trying it?

Adagio · January 26, 2003, 14:10

It works now, I just opened the wrong file...

It took almost 5 minutes to make it (double the size of the example on that page)

Here's the map, on how it looks now: (Think I have to get to know photoshop... not that good with the elevation painting)

Adagio · January 26, 2003, 14:48

Btw, for my map, I have only used large terrain sizes... There's more land, that's not vievable on the picture

If someone would make another map (the BMP files) I could render the map (if you don't have a fast computer)... I have a 2.4 GHz

General Ludd · January 26, 2003, 15:23

Quote:

Originally posted by vovansim

Yes, that's the one I was referring to. It's really not hard with pgotoshop. All you need to do is follow the instructions, and when you draw, you need to adjust your tools a little bit to work more like the in-game god tools. That way, it all becomes cake. In fact, I think you can see how the region I created looks an awful lot like a bunch of brush-strokes.

Maybe there are better tools for it in photoshop, but using paintshop I can't even begin to imagine how I could reach the same amount of detail that the pictures in the tutorial have.

vovan · January 26, 2003, 16:46

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld
Maybe there are better tools for it in photoshop, but using paintshop I can't even begin to imagine how I could reach the same amount of detail that the pictures in the tutorial have.

Oh, you are right about that. I can't imagine making the sort of detail in the tutorial, either. But hey, I don't mind, after all I am not an artist, and my name isn't Quigley. (No offense meant, that name always cracks me up... Ocean Quigley... *snicker*). Any ways, if you are having problems with Paintshop, there is a thread on sc4ever, where the guy explains how to customize your tools in it for better results. Read it and see if it is any help (in fact, I rehauled my photoshop tools by analogy and that helped a great deal.):

Quote:

Originally posted by GP1183 in Region Editing Guide thread on sc4ever.com boards
Although they do have a Knowledge Library now on the topic, Heres an expansion. If you have Photo Shop, too bad, this only MIGHT apply to you. Paint Shop Pro Users, LISTEN UP!
I made a file called "Base" and its a .psp file. It has two layers, one for the topography (the terrain), and another for the sea level at 40% transparency (for the sea) as described in the tutorial. Now what it doesn't tell you is how to set up your tools. I configured mine to act almost just like a terrain editing tool in SC4. Theyll be labeled and described below.

Airbrush: Shape- Round; Size- 50; Hardness- 0; Opacity- 40; Step- 30; Density- 100.
Pick a high color value, something like light grey. Put it on an area of black, which should look blue if you set it up right. Now what happens when you click is a "terrain raise". Itll act like the Steep Hill tool in SC4. Itll raise the color, and eventually get to the selected value. This is helpful when making hills, Mountains (make the brush smaller or bigger), or Lakes/Rivers (pick a color with a value below 83.

Smudge: Shape- round; Size- Any; Harness- 23; Opacity- 57; Step- 1; Density- 100
Use it to make Mountains, Volcanoes, anything to do with Large, Craggy surfaces. Smoothen terrain, and anything you want.

These 2 tools can be adjusted to do anything. Mess around, and when people ask "hey, how'd you make that kickass terrain?" say "GP1183's Region Editing Guide baby, yeah!"

General Ludd · January 26, 2003, 21:12

Yeah I thought of that myself just a little while ago, I imagine that alterting the properties - especially the opacity - can make a really big difference. I'll try out those suggestions some time.

I've also discoved that taking an actual geographic map and editing it can bring good results. I haven't actualy converted it to region yet, but using the clone brush I was able to easily expand and alter mountain ranges, and then draw in rivers and such with some of the regular painting tools.

vovan · January 26, 2003, 21:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld
I've also discoved that taking an actual geographic map and editing it can bring good results. I haven't actualy converted it to region yet, but using the clone brush I was able to easily expand and alter mountain ranges, and then draw in rivers and such with some of the regular painting tools.

I actually tried to find some elevation maps of the real-world terrain to convert them into grayscale and import into the game, but couldn't find anything. Care to share where you found useful maps, Osweld?

Adagio · January 27, 2003, 06:14

Let's get back to topic (You know: SimCity 4 MP, not terrain editing

):

Let's vote for the maps. You may vote for three different maps (including your own, if you'd like). Give them a priority:

1st: 4 points
2nd: 2 points
3rd: 1 point

(My voting will come later, I haven't decided yet)

Sarxis · January 27, 2003, 08:45

1: New York
2: Berlin
3: Maxisland

Adagio · January 27, 2003, 09:09

I would have voted vovansims map as #1, but I don't like all those small terrain sizes he made, so my voting goes to:

1. San Fransisco
2. Acrotropolis (my second map... Have done some changes since my last picture)
3. New York

General Ludd · January 27, 2003, 09:53

1. San Fransisco
2. Blank Water map, with an all same-sized grid.
3. Maxisland
(Edited to change my vote)

Might be a good diea to alter the grid to just medium/small for whichever map we play... 'though that might be a bit difficult with some of the pre-made maps such as Maxisland, since it seems to of been desinged with a certain grid in mind.

Vovansim - I had to settle for a sattelite photograph, but it converted quite nicely just the same. (although perhaps not very accurately... but I wasn't looking to replicate it anyways)

Adagio · January 27, 2003, 10:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld
Might be a good diea to alter the grid to just medium/small for whichever map we play... 'though that might be a bit difficult with some of the pre-made maps such as Maxisland, since it seems to of been desinged with a certain grid in mind.

Well, that's why I'm not that much for playing pre-made maps...

Personally I hate small/medium sized maps, since they are too small, to have much difference in the maps (And I believe that in MP, the maps would be filled pretty fast)... What do you others think? Why do you (if you do) play on small maps?

vovan · January 27, 2003, 13:17

OK, I personally don't really like the map I made, and just posted it here for people to see. So, my votes go like this:

1. San Francisco
2. New York
3. Berlin

General Ludd · January 27, 2003, 13:23

Quote:

Originally posted by ADG

Well, that's why I'm not that much for playing pre-made maps...

Personally I hate small/medium sized maps, since they are too small, to have much difference in the maps (And I believe that in MP, the maps would be filled pretty fast)... What do you others think? Why do you (if you do) play on small maps?

I haven't tried playing on a large map yet, but I have a feeling my computer wouldn't like it very much.

I was going to say that it's possible to change the grid on pre-made maps, but I forgot that the landscapes are saved to the individual lots, so it wouldn't be possible to keep it intact.

vovan · January 27, 2003, 13:29

Yes, I haven't played on large maps either yet. Only on mendium ones. But I am afraid my poor laptop wouldn't be able to take on a full-fledged large city... Even though it is 1.7GHz, and has half a gig of RAM, and a good quarter of a gig of video memory, it starts to lag at the population of about 30,000 in one city, unless I zoom way out, so that I can't see cars any more, or way in, so that only one block is showing.

Adagio · January 27, 2003, 13:36

I have had a 30k city yet (keeps starting a new city). Could you please upload the city, so I can see how it will run on my machine?

Traianvs · January 27, 2003, 14:41

I'm installing it now, as I am pretty experienced in these sort of games, I should be able to join in, in a few weeks or so

Adagio · January 27, 2003, 15:46

I'll count the votes tomorow...

Trajanus >> Sounds great

vovan · January 27, 2003, 17:16

Quote:

Originally posted by ADG
I have had a 30k city yet (keeps starting a new city). Could you please upload the city, so I can see how it will run on my machine?

OK, here goes. Sorry, this city is pretty bad, since it is my second one.

So, the design and everything isn't at all great. Also, it relies heavily on neighboring cities, exporting garbage, and water, and importing electricity. It also relies on the neighbors to satisfy the industrial demand. Therefore, when you upload it into a virtual vacuum, it will probably not work at all... So any way, attached is city called Pittsbourgh, from the San Francisco region. The stats are as follows:

City: Pittsbourgh
Population: 31'928
Commercial Jobs: 6'704
Industrial jobs: 111
Cash: 6'926
Monthly profit: ~500 (but again, this might not be the case when you import it into empty environment.)

Edit: D'oh, sure enough, the forums did not like an .sc4 attachment.

vovan · January 27, 2003, 17:19

Attempt #2

EDIT:

Look at the size of that thing! 2MB. Way over the limit...

*sigh* Oh, well, try this link then:

http://vovansim.homestead.com/files/...ittsbourgh.zip