The Cycledogg Tree Controllers package includes all of the Tree Controllers by c.p. (AKA Cycledogg). In many ways, it's two mods in one.
First, it adds 34 types of forest to your Mayor Mode tree menu (yes, that's 34 menu items!). Second, it changes your god-mode flora brush to plop a variety of custom trees from shoreline to timberline.
The controllers are interchangeable with each other, which means you can play a city with one tree controller in your plugins folder (CPT_No7a_ItaliaRiver_TreeController.dat for example), and plant whatever god-mode or mayor-mode trees you want, then before you start the game the next time, you can replace with another controller, like CPT_No7a_MeadowshireCoast_TreeController.dat), then run the same city with no problems or conflicts. The trees that you planted using the CPT_No7a_ItaliaRiver_TreeController will be just as they were when you last saved the game, but the new trees you plant using the god-mode flora brush will be in the pattern defined by the new brush.
What makes one tree controller different from another one is the pattern of trees that gets planted on the landscape when you use the god-mode flora brush tool. The mayor mode tools are the same for all controllers. If you never use the god-mode flora brush, then it doesn't matter which controller you install.
Default Maxis Tree Controller
This tree controller adds 34 types of forest to your mayor-mode tree menu, but does not change your god-mode tree brush. If you want your god-mode tree brush to plant the default Maxis trees, or if you want to use someone else's god-mode tree mod (PEG's god-mode pine mod for example), this is the tree controller for you. This tree controller is unique in the CPT_No7a_ series in that it is the only one that will allow god-mode tree mods other than those in the "CPT" series to work properly with it.
Generic Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plop a variety of custom trees from shore line to timberline. The trees planted with this god-mode brush are the same as those planted by CPT_No7_Generic_Requires No8andNo9.dat (the previous version of this controller), which means this god-mode flora brush only plants Cycledogg and Maxis trees. This version of the "Generic" tree controller is uploaded to provide compatibility with other tree controllers in the CPT_No7a_ series. If you plan to use any of the tree controllers in the CPT_No7a series, you won't be able to use your old file any more. So you should throw it away and replace it with this file if you want to continue using the "generic" god-mode flora brush.
Painted Desert Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plant forests that have a Southwestern U.S. desert look at low elevations, and the look of denser mountain forests at higher elevations. This god-mode flora brush is designed to work best in combination with the Painted Desert Terrain Mod, but no terrain mods are required.
Italia River Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plant forests with a Mediterranean look. This god-mode flora brush is designed to work best in combination with the Italia Terrain Mod, but no terrain mods are required.
Meadowshire Coast Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plant forests suitable for a Western European/Eastern North American region. The god-mode flora brush plants conifers and deciduous trees, but fewer really tall ones than some of the other tree controllers in the series. Along the water, Maritime forests are planted. This god-mode flora brush is designed to work best in combination with the Meadowshire Terrain Mod, but no terrain mods are required.
Meadowshire River Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plant forests suitable for a Western European/Eastern North American region. The god-mode brush plants conifers and deciduous trees, but fewer really tall ones than some of the other tree controllers in the series. At lower elevations, the emphasis is on leafy green deciduous trees. Along the water, Riparian forests are planted. This god-mode flora brush is designed to work best in combination with the Meadowshire Terrain Mod, but no terrain mods are required.
Missouri Breaks Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plant forests in a pattern similar to what you might find in Southern Alberta, Eastern Montana, Eastern Wyoming or Colorado. (some of the trees are the actual species you will find in these areas). At low elevations, the god-mode flora brush will leave large areas free of trees, to create the type of wide open spaces the above-mentioned areas are famous for. This god-mode flora brush might work well for people with a not-so-up-to-date computer, since it limits the number of trees planted on the terrain. It is designed to work best in combination with the Missouri Breaks Terrain Mod, but no terrain mods are required.
Olympic Coast Tree Controller
This tree controller changes your god-mode flora brush to plant forests that have a Pacific Northwest look (many of the trees are the actual species you will find along the Washington, Oregon or British Columbian coast). This god-mode flora brush is designed to work best in combination with the Olympic Terrain Mod, but no terrain mods are required.
Dependecies
- CPT Terrain Essentials No8 and No9 Tree Models.dat
The files listed below are dependencies that you need to have in your plugins in order to make this mod work properly:
- SC4D LEX Legacy - BSC Common Dependencies Pack v8 (and above)
The below listed dependencies are all can be found in the hereby linked dependency pack compilation. - BSC MEGA Props - CP Vol01.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - JRJ Vol04 v2.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - JRJ Vol05 v2.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - MJB Vol01 v3.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - SG Vol01 v3.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - D66 Vol01 v3.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - SWI21 Vol01 v4.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - SWI21 Vol02 v2.dat
- BSC MEGA Props - RT Vol01 v4.dat
The following file is available at the STEX:
- JohnB Deser Flora Mod - you only need the JohnB-Cactus.dat (on STEX, if using Painted Desert Tree Controller option)
If the above list of dependencies is just too much for you, use one of the old CPT_No7_AssortedTreeControllers*, instead of this file. You will get a lot less variety, but there will be no dependencies.
*This cross-platform installer contains the very ancient Cycledogg/Columbus/Generic Tree Controller too (CPT_No7_AssortedTreeControllers) as a legacy feature. They are the last two options below the SEPARATOR in the installer. Bear in mind that the Generic Tree Controller has 16 further options. You can only choose ONE of those.
For full description and details please visit the ~Documents/BSC_Readmes/CP folder for the readme_cycledog_tree_mod (old one).htm.
Compatibility
This download is only compatible with SimCity 4 "Rush Hour" or SimCity 4 Deluxe. It is compatible with all other mayor-mode tree mods, but incompatible with all other god-mode tree mods. Only one file beginning with "CPT_No7a_" should be in your plugins folders at a time. If you are upgrading from a previous tree controller, you will need to remove any files from your plugins folders that match the following search patterns:
- CPL_*flora*
- CPT_No7_*
- CPT_Temporary*
You may need to check your "Program Files" plugins folder as well as your "My Documents" plugins folder, since the earliest version of the tree controllers was installed to the "Program Files" folder.
This cross-platform installer contains the very ancient Cycledogg/Columbus/Generic Tree Controller too as a legacy feature. It is very important to note that you can upgrade from CPT_No7_ tree controllers to CPT_No7a_ tree controllers and still play existing cities with no problems, but you can NOT downgrade from CPT_No7a_ tree controllers to CPT_No7_ tree controllers without bulldozing the CPT_No7a_ trees first.
You should have ONLY ONE CPT_No7a or CPT_No7 file in your plugins at a time.
Installation
This package utilizes a Java-based installer (similar to the one used with the Network Addon Mod), and can also be opened and installed manually using 7-Zip or Keka.
To install it, you'll either need the Java Runtime Environment to run the installer--Adoptium's open-source edition is recommended--or a zip tool capable of opening the installer to allow manual installation. For Windows/Linux, use 7-zip, and for macOS, use Keka.
Once into the installer, after agreeing to the terms for the package, click to the Files tab to select which files you wish to install (making no changes here will install everything). To expand options, click the small "+" next to the name of the section.
Once into the installer, after agreeing to the terms for the package, click to the Files tab to select which dependencies you wish to install (making no changes here will install everything). Then, click to the Location tab to set up an installation location (this should be the root of your My DocumentsSimCity 4Plugins folder). On the Cleanup tab, click "Start scan" to find any outdated files that currently reside in your Plugins folder that may conflict with this package. Clicking "Backup" will remove these old files to a safe location. (The option to "Delete" them also exists, but is not recommended.)** After this, click over to the Install tab, and click "Start installation" to begin the installation procedure. When installation is complete, the tab pop up a message indicating it, after which you are safe to close the installer.
Bear in mind that the previously offered default folder-structure has been changed, so installing this mod is requiring to find and remove the old files and folders. The new default folder structure for CP's mods (only major mods, not for BATs and LOTs) is z___CP Mods. This folder will contain the Terrain Mods, God Mode Tree Controller Mods, the Sidewalk Mods and the SCILT.
** Though there is an inbuilt cleanitol function in the installer, at this point it is not working entirely properly so it is highly recommended to run the individual cleanitol files or the master cleanitol for the compilation with one of the following 3rd party cleanitol tools:
nos.17 Cleanitol (new tool)
BSC Cleanitol (old tool)
Please note the information under "Compatibility" as well!
Uninstalling
To uninstall this mod, remove the mod's files from your Plugins folder. You will still be able to open any cities that previously used this mod, but any custom trees planted with the mod will show up as brown boxes (which you will probably want to bulldoze).
Troubleshooting
"Yuck, those don't look like trees. They look like brown boxes!" - You are missing one or more of the dependencies listed above.
"All of the 34 new menu items in the mayor mode tree menu are doubled up (or tripled or quadrupled, etc)." - You have installed more than one CPT_No7a file to your plugins folder. Remove all but one of them. You can only have one CPT_No7a file in your plugins at a time.
"Some of the 34 new menu items in the mayor mode tree menu are doubled up, but not others" - You have an old, incompatible tree controller file in one of your plugins folders. The "Compatibility" section above lists files to search for and remove from your plugins. You may want to check your Program Files plugins folders in addition to your My Documents plugins folders.
"OK, I installed the mod but where are the trees? My region looks the same as it did before" - Sorry, the trees won't magically appear in the game. You have to plant them using the mayor-mode tree tool.
"I uninstalled the mod. The trees disappeared like I wanted them to, but now my city crashes when I try to do anything in areas where the forest used to be." - As with most BATs, you need to bulldoze the trees before uninstalling. So, to solve this problem, reinstall the mod, bulldoze the trees, then uninstall again.
Credits
Special thanks to the following BATters for their wonderful tree/flower/shrub models: Jeronij, Couchpotato, Simgoober, JohnB, Dolphin66, Swi21, and Ripptide, and to Andreas Roth for his help with the readme and the installer. Also, thanks to the BSC team for their testing and feedback. Thanks also to Jeronij, and Colyn for hosting my files at SC4Devotion and to BarbyW for compiling the BSC LEX DVD.