Difference between revisions of "Colossus Addon Mod"

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Mod that adds a number of development "stages" to the RCI zones so there is a more even spread of development
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The '''Colossus Addon Mod (CAM)''' is a plugin for [[SimCity 4]] that changes the game by adding additional growth stages to all of the development types found in the game.
  
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{{expand}}{{Inappropriate_tone}}{{wikify}}
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==CAM Developers==
 +
People credited with aiding the development of CAM include (in the order acknowledged in the Manual):
 +
*[[People:Indisguise|Indisguise]]
 +
*[[People:BarbyW|BarbyW]]
 +
*[[People:Wouanagaine|Wouanagaine]]
 +
*[[People:JMyers2043|JMyers2043]]
 +
*[[People:Shoreman905|Shoreman905]]
 +
*[[People:Rayden|Rayden]]
 +
*[[People:MAS71|MAS71]]
 +
*[[People:Jplumbley|Jplumbley]]
 +
*[[People:Andreas|Andreas]]
 +
*[[People:Callagrafx|Callagrafx]]
 +
*[[People:Tropod|Tropod]]
 +
*[[People:RippleJet|RippleJet]]
 +
*[[People:Tag one|Tag one]]
  
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[[category:CAM]]
 
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==What is the CAM?==
 
 
==Early Development==
 
==Early Development==
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Inspired by a post from [[Tropod]] at [[Simtropolis]] in 2005, [[RippleJet]] began testing what would become CAM, first posting his findings at BSC's private site before making them public.  
+
Inspired by [http://community.simtropolis.com/topic/3930-stage8-buildings-possible/ this post] from Tropod at [[Simtropolis]] in 2005, RippleJet began testing what would become CAM, first posting his findings at [[BSC]]'s private site before making them public. These posts can be found [[CAM/posts|here]].
−
===RippleJet's Post===
 
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I finally got to test the idea for additional stages. My interest for this started when Tropod posted this in August 2005:
 
  
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[http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=40&threadid=66957&messageid=28942 Tropod'ss Post]
+
==How CAM Affects the Game==
 +
Development of [[growable]] (RCI) lots in SimCity 4 is based on a property called growth stage.  In SimCity 4 (Vanilla and Rush Hour) residential and commercial lots are available in growth stages 1 through 8, while industrial (including agricultural) lots grow in stages 1 through 3.
  
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For this first test I modded the Residential R$ RCI Exemplar (IID=0x00001010) accordingly:
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The Colossus Addon Mod extends these growth stages to:
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<pre>Stage Count = 0xF
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*Residential:        1 through 15        (9 through 15 are exclusive to CAM)
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Stage 1 vs. Size = 0,100,1000,50,2000,33,3000,25,4000,20,5000,16,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
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*Commercial:         1 through 15       (9 through 15 are exclusive to CAM)
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Stage 2 vs. Size = 999,0,1000,50,2000,33,3000,25,4000,20,5000,16,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
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*Industrial:        1 through 10       (4 through 10 are exclusive to CAM)
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Stage 3 vs. Size = 1999,0,2000,34,3000,25,4000,20,5000,17,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
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*Agricultural:      1 through 7         (4 through 7 are exclusive to CAM)
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Stage 4 vs. Size = 2999,0,3000,25,4000,20,5000,17,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
 
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Stage 5 vs. Size = 3999,0,4000,20,5000,17,6000,14,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 6 vs. Size = 4999,0,5000,17,6000,15,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 7 vs. Size = 5999,0,6000,15,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 8 vs. Size = 6999,0,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 9 vs. Size = 7999,0,8000,12,9000,10,10000,9,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 10 vs. Size = 8999,0,9000,10,10000,9,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 11 vs. Size = 9999,0,10000,10,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 12 vs. Size = 10999,0,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
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Stage 13 vs. Size = 11999,0,12000,8,13000,8,14000,7
 
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Stage 14 vs. Size = 12999,0,13000,8,14000,7
 
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Stage 15 vs. Size = 13999,0,14000,7</pre>
 
  
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I also created 15 R$ lots, all sized 2x2 tiles, and each with a population of 100.
 
−
Each of these lots had no building (RKT# is missing), but flower props arranged in order to show the stage of the lot (1-15).
 
  
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I set up the following basic layout for R$, CS$ and I-D in a virgin city in an empty region:
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Summarized in a table:
 +
{|
 +
|-
 +
!Type!!Residential!!Commercial!!Industrial!!Agricultural
 +
|-
 +
! !!(R$, R$$, R$$$)!!(C$, C$$, C$$$)!!(I-D, I-M, I-HT)!!(I-R)
 +
|-
 +
!''SC4'':||1-8||1-8||1-3||1-3
 +
|-
 +
!''SC4+CAM'':||1-15||1-15||1-10||1-7
 +
|}
  
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http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/2553/stages915layout800x300fn8.jpg
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This might sound like CAM merely allows for additional buildings in the game - which it does. However, CAM does not simply append to the relevant exemplars the ability to use higher growth stages, it completely replaces the growth tables. What this means is that CAM completely rewrites how cities and regions grow.  The effect this has on the game is commonly referred to as being more realistic, in that cities are  required to build out before building up more so than in the unmodified version of the game.  Additionally, CAM has the effect of creating a more even distribution of growth stages present at any given time.
  
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R$$ and R$$$ were blocked by taxation and in-game R$ buildings were blocked by [[DuskTrooper]]'s mod TSB_BlockAll_R$.dat
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CAM also revises the RCI Demand Ranges. Because CAM allows for much higher growth stages, and thus much higher populations, the game default of +/- 6,000 is insufficient.
  
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Starting the simulation I could gradually see each stage being built and without any hesitation stage 8 was surpassed and all stages up to and including stage 15 appeared:
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Another impact of CAM is to revise what wealth levels of [[sims]] work in what wealth levels of jobs, particularly allowing for some portion of R$$ sims to be employed in CS$, I-D, and I-R jobs.
  
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http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/6568/stages915pic2800x600se1.jpg
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CAM also changes Workforce Drives, [[CAM/posts/5|Development CAPs]], [[Desirability]], [[Crime]] Attenuation, and a fix for the Grand Railroad Station. More information about these can be found in the CAM Manual.
  
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http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/2817/stages915pic1800x600hn4.jpg
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==CAMeLots and CAMpatibile Lots==
 +
Because CAM adds several new growth stages to the game, it is necessary to create [[lot]]s for these growth stages.  Lots that only grow at stages exclusive to CAM (9-15 for residential and commercial, 4-10 for industrial, 4-7 for agricultural) are called '''CAMeLots'''.  A list of all available CAMeLots can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2039.0 here].  Many CAMeLots are large lots that were designed prior to the release of CAM and placed in Stage 8 (or Stage 3 for industrial), but contain far more residents or workers than would be appropriate for buildings of those stages.  Relotting these buildings into higher stage lots allows them to grow at a time that would be more appropriate for their development based on city and region size.  ''CAMeLots can only be used with CAM''.
  
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After 10 years all lots were fully built up and the city had a population of about 28,000. Since all lots of different stages had the same population, no upgrading took place. The number of lots of different stages at the end of the simulation was:
+
'''CAMpatible''' lots are those that grow at stages available in the unmodified game, but have had their occupants (residents or workers, depending on type) set so that they match the growth curves used by CAM. These lots can be used ''with or without'' CAM.
  
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*56 lots of Stage 1
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Additional Notes:
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*42 lots of Stage 2
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*Because of the widespread changes that CAM makes to the game, a number of high stage buildings that come with the game are revised by CAM into the appropriate growth stage for use in CAM.  This change is reversible with the uninstallation of CAM.
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*45 lots of Stage 3
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**A comprehensive list of the Maxis Growable lots that have been rebalanced can be found at [[:Category:Buildings Rebalanced in the CAM]].
−
*41 lots of Stage 4
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*Civic buildings are not affected by CAM.  You may find yourself suddenly needing much larger schools, hospitals, etc. when playing with the higher populations easily reached with CAM.
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*38 lots of Stage 5
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*CAM has some interesting effects on farms (I-R lots), especially at higher stages.  This allows for what are effectively high-stage farms, while maintaining some realism as to what you might find in a larger metropolis - including nature preserves, historic sites, and so on.
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*36 lots of Stage 6
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*CAMeLots can be counted using the CAMeLot Counter, a plugin that allows you to get detailed information about the CAMeLots present in a city.
−
*20 lots of Stage 7
 
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*17 lots of Stage 8
 
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*18 lots of Stage 9
 
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*10 lots of Stage 10
 
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*11 lots of Stage 11
 
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*3 lots of Stage 12
 
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*3 lots of Stage 13
 
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*3 lots of Stage 14
 
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*8 lots of Stage 15
 
  
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Next phase of testing will be to include all kinds of [[RCI]] types (3 residential, 5 commercial and 4 industrial), all set up for 15 stages, also with increasing population numbers in each stage to see if the lots upgrade all the way up to stage 15. The modding is already done, I only need to get the lots made...
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==InCAMpatible Mods==
−
Look forward to a follow-up! Comments/suggestions appreciated ;)
+
Because of the widespread impact on growth that CAM has on the game, a number of mods developed throughout the years are incompatible with CAM, and can cause problems when used in conjunction with CAM.  For the most part, these are mods related to altering growth stages, jobs, abandonment, and Maxis lot blocking or replacement.  A list of mods known to conflict with CAM can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1925.0 here], as well as in the Manual.
  
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===RippleJet's Post===
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==Impact on Transportation==
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Phew, finally... it takes as long to write the report as it takes to make the testing... (and I haven't even said anything about today's tests on farming yet) :buck2:
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CAM allows much higher densities than would normally be encountered in the game, and consequently many more commuters. All this extra density has a large impact on traffic, and the unprepared mayor can quickly find themselves in quite the jam. To resolve this, CAM includes an optional pathfinding mod that improves traffic flow in CAM cities and regions.
  
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First of all, I would like to remind you that there are a number of potential conflicts with existing mods; eg. Steph's Tileset mod under development, but also all existing mods that change the RCI development exemplars, such as any anti-dilapidation mod.
+
''Note: The pathfinding addon included in CAM is deprecated and should only be used if you are not using NAM.''
  
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'''Second round of testing'''
+
===NAM + CAM===
 +
As of 2008, all new versions of the [[Network Addon Mod]] (NAM) include and supersede the pathfinding included with CAM.  What this means is that if you are installing CAM today, you should select the "no traffic simulator" option during installation.  If you already have CAM installed, you should delete the z_CAM folder from your plugins.  In place of this, you should install the latest version of NAM to handle your pathfinding needs.  More information and discussion on this topic can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4859.0 here].
  
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This testing was done yesterday on the same map as before:
+
===Eternal Commuters===
 +
'''Eternal Commuters''' is a situation caused by sims thinking that the nearest job is always in a neighboring city, and consequently getting trapped in an endless loop.  The easiest visualization of this is to imagine four cities sharing a common corner.  If each city is connected to each of its neighbors near that corner, residents in that part of a city (City A) may find that the edge of the city is closer than any job within the city.  Because sims always assume that the neighboring city's jobs are always at the edge, they will cross to the neighboring city in search of work, commuting to the neighbor (City B).  The sims get to City B, and find that in fact, the jobs are not at the edge, and the edge of a third city (City C) is closer than any of the jobs in City B.  These sims make the decision then to commute to City C, along with all of City B's sims that are also headed there for work.  The sims get to City C, find the same situation as before, and along with City C's unemployed, commute en masse to City D.  City D is no better than Cities B & C, and so the entire horde commutes into City A from City D.  Upon arrival in City A, they see that City B is closer than any of the jobs in City A, and the cycle repeats.  In each one of these cities, the commuting horde picks up new commuters, but never loses any, including when it passes back through the same cities again.  The end result is a stream of sims, eternally commuting around the corners of a city, never finding work - and creating tremendous traffic jams in the process.
  
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http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/2286/stages915test2qw7.jpg
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Eternal commuters is not unique to or caused by CAM, but the higher densities allowed by CAM are known to amplify the effect.  Several solutions to this exist, such as:
 +
*Carefully planning your neighbor connections near corners, to avoid creating a loop.
 +
*Creating high capacity loops in your corners, so the eternal commuters can drive around forever without disrupting traffic flow on the "real" traffic network.
 +
*Placing lots of industry at the borders of your cities.
  
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Three developer types were tested, ID, CS$ and R$, all including stages 1-15.
+
==Installation and Use==
 +
CAM can be downloaded from the SC4D LEX in English versions for both Windows and Mac, and versions in other languages are available from several other sites.  Full downloading and installation information can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1877.0 here].  Installation instructions can also be found in the CAM Manual, available at the page linked above.
  
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'''Dirty Industrial'''
+
Because of the complex nature of CAM, it is ''strongly'' advised that people read the installation information before installing the mod to avoid errors, inCAMpatibilities, [[Brown Box]]es, and other problems.
  
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I made the following changes to the ID RCI Exemplar (IID=0x00004100):
+
As described above, CAM uses CAMeLots, which generally come as separate plugins to be installed in addition to the main CAM installation.  CAM modifies some of the default Maxis buildings to function as CAMeLots so that you can start playing with CAM without additional downloads, however this provides a very limited selection.  To help with this, there are '''CAM Starter Packs''' available that provide CAM users with an assortment of CAMeLots in a relatively easy to use package.  Note, however, that these starter packs can each have several dependencies, and attempting to install them all at once is recommended only for those with a lot of time and patience to spare.  A number of additional CAMeLots are available as individual downloads.  More information can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2039.0 here].
  
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<pre>Stage Count = 0x0F
 
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Stage 1 vs. Size = 0,100,500,50,1000,33,1500,25,2000,20,2500,16,3000,14,3500,12,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,7,6500,7,7000,6
 
−
Stage 2 vs. Size = 499,0,500,50,1000,33,1500,25,2000,20,2500,16,3000,14,3500,12,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,7,6500,7,7000,6
 
−
Stage 3 vs. Size = 999,0,1000,34,1500,25,2000,20,2500,17,3000,14,3500,12,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,7,6500,7,7000,6
 
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Stage 4 vs. Size = 1499,0,1500,25,2000,20,2500,17,3000,14,3500,12,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,7,6500,7,7000,6
 
−
Stage 5 vs. Size = 1999,0,2000,20,2500,17,3000,14,3500,13,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 6 vs. Size = 2499,0,2500,17,3000,15,3500,13,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 7 vs. Size = 2999,0,3000,15,3500,13,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 8 vs. Size = 3499,0,3500,13,4000,11,4500,10,5000,9,5500,8,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 9 vs. Size = 3999,0,4000,12,4500,10,5000,9,5500,9,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 10 vs. Size = 4499,0,4500,10,5000,9,5500,9,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 11 vs. Size = 4999,0,5000,10,5500,9,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
−
Stage 12 vs. Size = 5499,0,5500,9,6000,8,6500,7,7000,7
 
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Stage 13 vs. Size = 5999,0,6000,8,6500,8,7000,7
 
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Stage 14 vs. Size = 6499,0,6500,8,7000,7
 
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Stage 15 vs. Size = 6999,0,7000,7
 
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Fire Coverage Cap = 0x0A</pre>
 
  
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I made 15 ID lots, all sized 2x2 tiles, with the job count (through the stages) being:
+
'''Note Regarding CAM as a Torrent:'''
−
40,50,60,70,80,90,100,110,120,130,140,150,160,170,180
+
There are versions of CAM that have been packaged into torrents or alternate downloads that are often advertised as including extra CAMeLots or other bonuses.  These are unofficial and illegal downloads and are not supported by the developers of CAM.  Using these downloads is known to cause technical problems.
  
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The two pics below show the industrial district. Al might be interested in knowing that all these ID lots have OG [b]Industrial: Anchor[/b] (thus, they won't develop next to each other).
+
''"The only official source to download the CAM and most CAMeLots is the BSC LEX and the official support is given on [SC4 Devotion]." - RippleJet, 9 December 2007''
  
−
The development has been going on for some time, so that all lots have redeveloped (upgraded) several times.
+
More information can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=3178.0 here].
  
−
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5097/stages915id1bj4.jpg
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==Old Region Integration==
 +
{{expand}}
  
−
The influence of the property Fire Coverage Cap = 10 can also be seen. Outside of the fire station (seen on the far right) coverage area, no lots develop past stage 10.
+
==CAM Workforce Bug==
 +
There is a known bug in CAM that can cause distortions to the workforce.  Information about this bug and the fix for it can be found [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=14574.0 here].
  
−
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9716/stages915id2qq0.jpg
+
==FAQs==
−
 
+
{{expand}}
−
'''Commercial Service CS$'''
 
−
 
 
−
I made the following changes to the CS$ RCI Exemplar (IID=0x00003110):
 
−
 
 
−
<pre>Stage Count = 0x0F
 
−
Stage 1 vs. Size = 0,100,100,50,200,33,300,25,400,20,500,16,600,14,700,12,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,7,1300,7,1400,6
 
−
Stage 2 vs. Size = 99,0,100,50,200,33,300,25,400,20,500,16,600,14,700,12,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,7,1300,7,1400,6
 
−
Stage 3 vs. Size = 199,0,200,34,300,25,400,20,500,17,600,14,700,12,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,7,1300,7,1400,6
 
−
Stage 4 vs. Size = 299,0,300,25,400,20,500,17,600,14,700,12,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,7,1300,7,1400,6
 
−
Stage 5 vs. Size = 399,0,400,20,500,17,600,14,700,13,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 6 vs. Size = 499,0,500,17,600,15,700,13,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 7 vs. Size = 599,0,600,15,700,13,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 8 vs. Size = 699,0,700,13,800,11,900,10,1000,9,1100,8,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 9 vs. Size = 799,0,800,12,900,10,1000,9,1100,9,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 10 vs. Size = 899,0,900,10,1000,9,1100,9,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 11 vs. Size = 999,0,1000,10,1100,9,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 12 vs. Size = 1999,0,1100,9,1200,8,1300,7,1400,7
 
−
Stage 13 vs. Size = 1199,0,1200,8,1300,8,1400,7
 
−
Stage 14 vs. Size = 1299,0,1300,8,1400,7
 
−
Stage 15 vs. Size = 1399,0,1400,7</pre>
 
−
 
 
−
I made the 15 CS$ lots, all sized 2x2 tiles, with the job count (through the stages) being:
 
−
20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100,110,120,130,140,150,160
 
−
 
 
−
The picture below shows the result after all lots have been developed. Several lots have also redeveloped into higher stages:
 
−
 
 
−
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3867/stages915csdy2.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
The distribution of CS$ lots at this stage was:
 
−
 
 
−
*4 lots of Stage 1
 
−
*1 lot  of Stage 2
 
−
*7 lots of Stage 3
 
−
*5 lots of Stage 4
 
−
*3 lots of Stage 5
 
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*28 lots of Stage 6
 
−
*17 lots of Stage 7
 
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*15 lots of Stage 8
 
−
*14 lots of Stage 9
 
−
*6 lots of Stage 10
 
−
*4 lots of Stage 11
 
−
*3 lots of Stage 12
 
−
*5 lots of Stage 13
 
−
*2 lots of Stage 14
 
−
*1 lot  of Stage 15
 
−
 
 
−
'''Residential R$'''
 
−
 
 
−
The Residential R$ RCI Exemplar (IID=0x00001010) is similar to the one in the first post above, with only one exception, the Park Cap:
 
−
 
 
−
<pre>Stage Count = 0x0F
 
−
Stage 1 vs. Size = 0,100,1000,50,2000,33,3000,25,4000,20,5000,16,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
 
−
Stage 2 vs. Size = 999,0,1000,50,2000,33,3000,25,4000,20,5000,16,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
 
−
Stage 3 vs. Size = 1999,0,2000,34,3000,25,4000,20,5000,17,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
 
−
Stage 4 vs. Size = 2999,0,3000,25,4000,20,5000,17,6000,14,7000,12,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,7,13000,7,14000,6
 
−
Stage 5 vs. Size = 3999,0,4000,20,5000,17,6000,14,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 6 vs. Size = 4999,0,5000,17,6000,15,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 7 vs. Size = 5999,0,6000,15,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 8 vs. Size = 6999,0,7000,13,8000,11,9000,10,10000,9,11000,8,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 9 vs. Size = 7999,0,8000,12,9000,10,10000,9,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 10 vs. Size = 8999,0,9000,10,10000,9,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 11 vs. Size = 9999,0,10000,10,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 12 vs. Size = 10999,0,11000,9,12000,8,13000,7,14000,7
 
−
Stage 13 vs. Size = 11999,0,12000,8,13000,8,14000,7
 
−
Stage 14 vs. Size = 12999,0,13000,8,14000,7
 
−
Stage 15 vs. Size = 13999,0,14000,7
 
−
Park Cap = 0x0A</pre>
 
−
 
 
−
The 15 R$ 2x2 lots were now set up with a population increasing through the stages:
 
−
60,70,80,90,100,110,120,130,140,150,160,170,180,190,200
 
−
 
 
−
The two pictures below show the residential area after years of development and redevelopment (some lots to the far right are still being redeveloped):
 
−
 
 
−
http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9352/stages915r1wa9.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3071/stages915r2sn8.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
In those pictures you can also see the effect of the Park Cap = 10. The lot furthest away from the parks, being above stage 10, is the Stage 12 lot to the upper left from the hospital. That one is about 20 tiles away from the nearest park. Further to the left of that one only lots of Stage 10 or lower have developed. A separate test I made also showed that any "park" will do (plazas and sports fields as well).
 
−
 
 
−
===RippleJet's Post===
 
−
Maybe I'd better try to explain the basics with the property "Stage # vs. Size" before I continue. :crazy2:
 
−
 
 
−
I'll use the CS$ as an example. The figures I'm using below are those applicable for Rush Hour.
 
−
 
 
−
In a newly founded city (empty region) every CS$ building will of course be of Stage 1. This is true all the way up till you reach a regional CS$ job count of 300. At that stage a few CS$ buildings of Stage 2 will start to appear. Furthermore, when the regional CS$ job count reaches 432, the first CS$ buildings of Stage 3 will start to appear, and so on...
 
−
 
 
−
The properties that set these limits are called "Stage # vs. Size" and determine in what percentage different stage buildings will appear (on an average) once a certain threshold (job count or population level) has been reached.
 
  
−
In order to visualize it further, I'm listing the first few thresholds of the CS$ stage limits in the table below:
+
==Sources==
 +
*CAM Board at SC4D [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?board=185.0]
 +
*CAM Manual 1.0 [http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1877.0;attach=1106]
 +
*[[CAM/posts|Posts donated by ]][[People:Xxdita|xxdita]]
  
−
[table][tr][td]'''Regional Jobs'''[/td][td]'''Stage 1'''[/td][td]'''Stage 2'''[/td][td]'''Stage 3'''[/td][td]'''Stage 4'''[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]0 - 299 jobs[/td][td]100%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]300 - 359 jobs[/td][td]95%[/td][td]5%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]360 - 431 jobs[/td][td]92%[/td][td]8%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]432 - 517 jobs[/td][td]89%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]1%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]518 - 621 jobs[/td][td]86%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]2%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]622 - 745 jobs[/td][td]83%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]3%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]746 - 894 jobs[/td][td]80%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]3%[/td][td]1%[/td][/tr][/table]
 
  
−
...and so on.
+
[[Category:Mods and Modding]]
−
 
 
−
The sum of each line in the table above has to be 100% (naturally), and the game balances the development so that the distribution between buildings of different stages moves into the direction set up by the values above.
 
−
 
 
−
For my experiments I have changed the table above accordingly:
 
−
 
 
−
[table][tr][td]'''Regional Jobs'''[/td][td]'''Stage 1'''[/td][td]'''Stage 2'''[/td][td]'''Stage 3'''[/td][td]'''Stage 4 '''[/td][td]'''Stage 5'''[/td][td]'''Stage 6'''[/td][td]'''Stage 7'''[/td][td]'''Stage 8'''[/td][td]'''Stage 9'''[/td][td]'''Stage 10'''[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]    0 -  99 jobs[/td][td]100%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]100 - 199 jobs[/td][td]  50%[/td][td]50%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]200 - 299 jobs[/td][td]  33%[/td][td]33%[/td][td]34%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]300 - 399 jobs[/td][td]  25%[/td][td]25%[/td][td]25%[/td][td]25%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]400 - 499 jobs[/td][td]  20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]500 - 599 jobs[/td][td]  16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]17%[/td][td]17%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]600 - 699 jobs[/td][td]  14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]15%[/td][td]15%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]700 - 799 jobs[/td][td]  12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]800 - 899 jobs[/td][td]  11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]12%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]900 - 999 jobs[/td][td]  10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][/tr][/table]
 
−
 
−
...and so on.
 
−
 
 
−
These are the numbers presented in the properties "Stage # vs. Size" quoted earlier in my posts.
 
−
 
 
−
The reason for making these changes, is to enable higher stages earlier in game and to get a larger percentage of them growing. And then, of course, I have also extended them to include all stages up to 15.
 
−
 
 
−
With the additional stages in play, we need to extrapolate those existing stage limits, so that we still get a balanced distribution between existing and additional stages. Once the testing phase is over I'll get into looking at them. ;)
 
−
 
 
−
Finally, I am enclosing an Excel sheet to this post, so that everyone interested can take a closer look at all those stage limits as they apply for Rush Hour.
 
−
===RippleJet's Post===
 
−
Now, this test is dedicated to you, Barby:
 
−
 
 
−
'''Farming Industry'''
 
−
 
 
−
Still using the same city, I replaced the medium density industry zones with agricultural zones:
 
−
 
 
−
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/7740/stages915test3dr1.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
For this experiment I changed the "Stage # vs. Size" in the Industrial Resource Developer Exemplar to get the following table:
 
−
 
 
−
[table][tr][td]'''Regional Jobs'''[/td][td]'''Stage 1'''[/td][td]'''Stage 2'''[/td][td]'''Stage 3'''[/td][td]'''Stage 4'''[/td][td]'''Stage 5'''[/td][td]'''Stage 6 '''[/td][td]'''Stage 7'''[/td][td]'''Stage 8'''[/td][td]'''Stage 9'''[/td][td]'''Stage 10'''[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]    0 -  99 jobs[/td][td]100%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]100 - 199 jobs[/td][td]  50%[/td][td]50%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]200 - 299 jobs[/td][td]  33%[/td][td]33%[/td][td]34%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]300 - 399 jobs[/td][td]  25%[/td][td]25%[/td][td]25%[/td][td]25%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]400 - 499 jobs[/td][td]  20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]500 - 599 jobs[/td][td]  16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]17%[/td][td]17%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]600 - 699 jobs[/td][td]  14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]15%[/td][td]15%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]700 - 799 jobs[/td][td]  12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]800 - 899 jobs[/td][td]  11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]12%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]900 - 999 jobs[/td][td]  10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][/tr][/table]
 
−
 
−
...and so on.
 
−
 
 
−
The 15 farms I set up for stages 1-15 were all 2x2 in size and offered jobs accordingly:
 
−
32,36,40,44,48,52,56,60,64,68,72,76,80,84,88
 
−
 
 
−
Everything started out normally, a few farms, commercial services and residential houses appearing. However, I didn't get any farms higher than Stage 1 to develop. Even when reaching the build-up as seen above, with a farming population exceeding 1000, every single farm was still at Stage 1 (although Stage 10 should have been surpassed already)...
 
−
 
 
−
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/3038/stages915farms1qe6.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
At that stage I had to check all my modds and farming lots/buildings to track down the error, but didn't find anything.
 
−
Instead I replayed with a slightly different configuration, leaving the medium density industry lots, allowing ID to grow too:
 
−
 
 
−
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9822/stages915test4ko2.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
This changed everything. ID developed first, but soon after that the first farms appeared, this time starting at Stage 2!
 
−
The stages were rapidly traversed and when the ID job count had reached 1,500, the first Stage 15 farms developed:
 
−
 
 
−
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2844/stages915farms2hc6.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
I quickly realized that the farming stages become effective, not based on the number of agricultural jobs in your region, but rather on the number of dirty industrial jobs :o
 
−
 
 
−
After this I changed the "Stage # vs. Size" in the Industrial Resource Developer Exemplar to be identical to the one I had for dirty industry:
 
−
 
 
−
[table][tr][td][b]Regional Jobs      [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 1  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 2  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 3  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 4  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 5  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 6  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 7  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 8  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 9  [/b] [/td][td][b]Stage 10 [/b] [/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]      0 -  499 jobs[/td][td]100%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]  500 -  999 jobs[/td][td]  50%[/td][td]50%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]1000 - 1499 jobs[/td][td]  33%[/td][td]33%[/td][td]34%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]1500 - 1999 jobs[/td][td]  25%[/td][td]25%[/td][td]25%[/td][td]25%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]2000 - 2499 jobs[/td][td]  20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][td]20%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]2500 - 2999 jobs[/td][td]  16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]16%[/td][td]17%[/td][td]17%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]3000 - 3499 jobs[/td][td]  14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]14%[/td][td]15%[/td][td]15%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]3500 - 3999 jobs[/td][td]  12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]12%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][td]13%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]4000 - 4499 jobs[/td][td]  11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]11%[/td][td]12%[/td][/tr]
 
−
[tr][td]4500 - 4999 jobs[/td][td]  10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][td]10%[/td][/tr][/table]
 
−
 
−
...and so on.
 
−
 
 
−
After this the stages in ID and IR developed simultaneously, starting from Stage 1 and going all the way up to Stage 15:
 
−
 
 
−
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/2640/stages915farms3xc1.jpg
 
−
 
 
−
When all farming lots had developed we had the following distribution:
 
−
 
 
−
31 farms of Stage 1
 
−
12 farms of Stage 2
 
−
13 farms of Stage 3
 
−
  5 farms of Stage 4
 
−
  1 farm  of Stage 5
 
−
  8 farms of Stage 6
 
−
  9 farms of Stage 7
 
−
  8 farms of Stage 8
 
−
29 farms of Stage 9
 
−
15 farms of Stage 10
 
−
  6 farms of Stage 11
 
−
  2 farms of Stage 12
 
−
  0 farms of Stage 13
 
−
  0 farms of Stage 14
 
−
22 farms of Stage 15
 
−
 
 
−
The development was less evenly spread out compared to what I've experienced with the other developer types. One reason to this is probably that farms don't develop (upgrade). Thus, the Stage 1 farms that developed early in the game didn't go away and in the end lots of Stage 15 farms developed, since the demand was always there (stupid Sims without schools want to become farmers). I cannot however say why Stage 9 developed more than the others.
 
−
 
 
−
This gives some feedback to the way SC4 functions today too... in order to get the stage 3 farms (Pedriana) to develop, you need to have a regional ID job count of at least 2,447. This might, at least for me, explain why I never had problems with the repetitive appearance of Pedrianas. I always tax out my ID from my region ;D
 
−
 
 
−
I'll leave it to others to consider whether this is as intended or whether Maxis made a programming error...
 
−
===RippleJet's Post===
 
−
There are four developer CAPs available for all developer types, telling which stage is the highest one allowed to develop without supplying what is capped:
 
−
 
 
−
'''1. Power Supply Cap'''
 
−
This is set at 0 for all types (nothing will develop without power)
 
−
 
 
−
[b]2. Water Supply Cap[/b]
 
−
This is set at 0 for R$$$, CS$$$, CO$$$ and I-HT
 
−
This is set at 1 for I-D and I-M
 
−
This is set at 3 for all other types (unused for IR, in other words)
 
−
 
 
−
[b]3. Fire Coverage Cap[/b]
 
−
This is set at 9 for all type (unused, in other words)
 
−
 
 
−
[b]4. Park Cap[/b]
 
−
This is set at 3 for R$$$
 
−
This is set at 9 for all other types
 
−
 
 
−
While testing the farming stages above, I left the water supply cap at 3. Thus, I had to supply water for the farms to develop above stage 3. I also tested to leave an area of farms without water and didn't get anything higher than stage 3 to develop there.
 
−
 
 
−
For the final Stages 9-15 mod we need to decide how to set these caps.
 
−
[/quote]
 
−
 
 
−
==How does it affect the game?==
 
−
==CAMpatibility==
 
−
==Installation and use==
 
−
==FAQs==
 

Latest revision as of 17:17, 8 August 2019

The Colossus Addon Mod (CAM) is a plugin for SimCity 4 that changes the game by adding additional growth stages to all of the development types found in the game.

CAM Developers

People credited with aiding the development of CAM include (in the order acknowledged in the Manual):

Early Development

Inspired by this post from Tropod at Simtropolis in 2005, RippleJet began testing what would become CAM, first posting his findings at BSC's private site before making them public. These posts can be found here.

How CAM Affects the Game

Development of growable (RCI) lots in SimCity 4 is based on a property called growth stage. In SimCity 4 (Vanilla and Rush Hour) residential and commercial lots are available in growth stages 1 through 8, while industrial (including agricultural) lots grow in stages 1 through 3.

The Colossus Addon Mod extends these growth stages to:

  • Residential: 1 through 15 (9 through 15 are exclusive to CAM)
  • Commercial: 1 through 15 (9 through 15 are exclusive to CAM)
  • Industrial: 1 through 10 (4 through 10 are exclusive to CAM)
  • Agricultural: 1 through 7 (4 through 7 are exclusive to CAM)


Summarized in a table:

Type Residential Commercial Industrial Agricultural
(R$, R$$, R$$$) (C$, C$$, C$$$) (I-D, I-M, I-HT) (I-R)
SC4: 1-8 1-8 1-3 1-3
SC4+CAM: 1-15 1-15 1-10 1-7

This might sound like CAM merely allows for additional buildings in the game - which it does. However, CAM does not simply append to the relevant exemplars the ability to use higher growth stages, it completely replaces the growth tables. What this means is that CAM completely rewrites how cities and regions grow. The effect this has on the game is commonly referred to as being more realistic, in that cities are required to build out before building up more so than in the unmodified version of the game. Additionally, CAM has the effect of creating a more even distribution of growth stages present at any given time.

CAM also revises the RCI Demand Ranges. Because CAM allows for much higher growth stages, and thus much higher populations, the game default of +/- 6,000 is insufficient.

Another impact of CAM is to revise what wealth levels of sims work in what wealth levels of jobs, particularly allowing for some portion of R$$ sims to be employed in CS$, I-D, and I-R jobs.

CAM also changes Workforce Drives, Development CAPs, Desirability, Crime Attenuation, and a fix for the Grand Railroad Station. More information about these can be found in the CAM Manual.

CAMeLots and CAMpatibile Lots

Because CAM adds several new growth stages to the game, it is necessary to create lots for these growth stages. Lots that only grow at stages exclusive to CAM (9-15 for residential and commercial, 4-10 for industrial, 4-7 for agricultural) are called CAMeLots. A list of all available CAMeLots can be found here. Many CAMeLots are large lots that were designed prior to the release of CAM and placed in Stage 8 (or Stage 3 for industrial), but contain far more residents or workers than would be appropriate for buildings of those stages. Relotting these buildings into higher stage lots allows them to grow at a time that would be more appropriate for their development based on city and region size. CAMeLots can only be used with CAM.

CAMpatible lots are those that grow at stages available in the unmodified game, but have had their occupants (residents or workers, depending on type) set so that they match the growth curves used by CAM. These lots can be used with or without CAM.

Additional Notes:

  • Because of the widespread changes that CAM makes to the game, a number of high stage buildings that come with the game are revised by CAM into the appropriate growth stage for use in CAM. This change is reversible with the uninstallation of CAM.
  • Civic buildings are not affected by CAM. You may find yourself suddenly needing much larger schools, hospitals, etc. when playing with the higher populations easily reached with CAM.
  • CAM has some interesting effects on farms (I-R lots), especially at higher stages. This allows for what are effectively high-stage farms, while maintaining some realism as to what you might find in a larger metropolis - including nature preserves, historic sites, and so on.
  • CAMeLots can be counted using the CAMeLot Counter, a plugin that allows you to get detailed information about the CAMeLots present in a city.

InCAMpatible Mods

Because of the widespread impact on growth that CAM has on the game, a number of mods developed throughout the years are incompatible with CAM, and can cause problems when used in conjunction with CAM. For the most part, these are mods related to altering growth stages, jobs, abandonment, and Maxis lot blocking or replacement. A list of mods known to conflict with CAM can be found here, as well as in the Manual.

Impact on Transportation

CAM allows much higher densities than would normally be encountered in the game, and consequently many more commuters. All this extra density has a large impact on traffic, and the unprepared mayor can quickly find themselves in quite the jam. To resolve this, CAM includes an optional pathfinding mod that improves traffic flow in CAM cities and regions.

Note: The pathfinding addon included in CAM is deprecated and should only be used if you are not using NAM.

NAM + CAM

As of 2008, all new versions of the Network Addon Mod (NAM) include and supersede the pathfinding included with CAM. What this means is that if you are installing CAM today, you should select the "no traffic simulator" option during installation. If you already have CAM installed, you should delete the z_CAM folder from your plugins. In place of this, you should install the latest version of NAM to handle your pathfinding needs. More information and discussion on this topic can be found here.

Eternal Commuters

Eternal Commuters is a situation caused by sims thinking that the nearest job is always in a neighboring city, and consequently getting trapped in an endless loop. The easiest visualization of this is to imagine four cities sharing a common corner. If each city is connected to each of its neighbors near that corner, residents in that part of a city (City A) may find that the edge of the city is closer than any job within the city. Because sims always assume that the neighboring city's jobs are always at the edge, they will cross to the neighboring city in search of work, commuting to the neighbor (City B). The sims get to City B, and find that in fact, the jobs are not at the edge, and the edge of a third city (City C) is closer than any of the jobs in City B. These sims make the decision then to commute to City C, along with all of City B's sims that are also headed there for work. The sims get to City C, find the same situation as before, and along with City C's unemployed, commute en masse to City D. City D is no better than Cities B & C, and so the entire horde commutes into City A from City D. Upon arrival in City A, they see that City B is closer than any of the jobs in City A, and the cycle repeats. In each one of these cities, the commuting horde picks up new commuters, but never loses any, including when it passes back through the same cities again. The end result is a stream of sims, eternally commuting around the corners of a city, never finding work - and creating tremendous traffic jams in the process.

Eternal commuters is not unique to or caused by CAM, but the higher densities allowed by CAM are known to amplify the effect. Several solutions to this exist, such as:

  • Carefully planning your neighbor connections near corners, to avoid creating a loop.
  • Creating high capacity loops in your corners, so the eternal commuters can drive around forever without disrupting traffic flow on the "real" traffic network.
  • Placing lots of industry at the borders of your cities.

Installation and Use

CAM can be downloaded from the SC4D LEX in English versions for both Windows and Mac, and versions in other languages are available from several other sites. Full downloading and installation information can be found here. Installation instructions can also be found in the CAM Manual, available at the page linked above.

Because of the complex nature of CAM, it is strongly advised that people read the installation information before installing the mod to avoid errors, inCAMpatibilities, Brown Boxes, and other problems.

As described above, CAM uses CAMeLots, which generally come as separate plugins to be installed in addition to the main CAM installation. CAM modifies some of the default Maxis buildings to function as CAMeLots so that you can start playing with CAM without additional downloads, however this provides a very limited selection. To help with this, there are CAM Starter Packs available that provide CAM users with an assortment of CAMeLots in a relatively easy to use package. Note, however, that these starter packs can each have several dependencies, and attempting to install them all at once is recommended only for those with a lot of time and patience to spare. A number of additional CAMeLots are available as individual downloads. More information can be found here.


Note Regarding CAM as a Torrent: There are versions of CAM that have been packaged into torrents or alternate downloads that are often advertised as including extra CAMeLots or other bonuses. These are unofficial and illegal downloads and are not supported by the developers of CAM. Using these downloads is known to cause technical problems.

"The only official source to download the CAM and most CAMeLots is the BSC LEX and the official support is given on [SC4 Devotion]." - RippleJet, 9 December 2007

More information can be found here.

Old Region Integration

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CAM Workforce Bug

There is a known bug in CAM that can cause distortions to the workforce. Information about this bug and the fix for it can be found here.

FAQs

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If you have knowledge on this subject, please help out by editing this page. Further information may be found on the discussion page.

Sources

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