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Confusion about what properties are needed in Prop Exemplars

Started by jmelvin, December 01, 2018, 07:29:04 PM

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jmelvin

I am very confused about just which properties should be used in Prop Exemplars. I've used SC4PIM and ileve reader to look at props that have been released over the years and see a real mixed bag. The following shows an example of what I think is a basic set for a timed prop:

ParentCohort         0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000   
Exemplar Type         0x00000010   Uint32   0   Prop   
Exemplar Name         0x00000020   String   1   jam SG_field_Corn01   
Ignore lot state effects   0x09F00E59   Bool   0   True
   Set to True if the prop should ignore lot state effects (distressed, abandoned, traffic stress, etc.)
Simulator Date Interval   0x0A751675   Uint32   0   0x0000016D   
AppearanceZoomsFlag   0x0ABFC024   Uint32   0   0x0000001F   
Occupant Size         0x27812810   Float32   3   15.15450001,4,15.5   
Resource Key Type 4      0x27812824   Uint32   8   0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000,0x27812821,0x5AD0E817,0xB1963B04,0x00030000
Used in conjunction with Simulator Date Interval, Simulater Date Duration, and Simulator Date Start for props that will appear only at certain times of the year; Used in conjunction with Prop Time of Day for props that will appear only for selected hours of the day   
Simulator Date Duration   0x4A764564   Uint32   0   0x00000038   
Previewable         0x4A89FCF3   Bool   0   True
   Set to True if prop is to be used on a ploppable lot and the prop should appear in the building plop preview   
Orient To Slope      0x69F14D33   Bool   0   True
   Set to true if the prop has some width and depth and you want it to tilt based on the slope it's on   
Query as main building   0x6A95E503   Bool   0   True
   Quote from: Names and Descriptions of Buildings and Props by RippleJet
"Query as main building = True
(User Visible Name Key = 0,0,0 or any other address)
Hovering above the prop, you will see the hover query for the building on the lot (the same as you would see hovering over the building)."   
User Visible Name Key   0x8A416A99   Uint32   3   0x00000000,0x00000000,0x00000000   
Is Ground Model      0x8A5E5DB8   Bool   0   True
set to True so the prop will cast shadows on terrain and buildings/props with an LOD < .3m hgt
Simulator Date Start   0xCA7515CC   Uint8   2   0x05,0x14   

mgb204

The reason why they are such a mixed bag is because the properties you need will depend on what you want the Prop to do. Many of the properties you listed if simply left out, will be set to a default value, so only need inclusion when you need to specify a non-default setting.

For example, I don't think I've ever used Ignore lot state effects, I'm not certain this would do anything unless your Prop had special distressed models etc in the first place. Occupant Size is a big deal if you want an MMP friendly lot, then often using something like 1,1,1 is a good idea, to minimise the reserved space of that Prop on the lot.

User Visible Name Key could be substituted for Item Name, if you don't plan on making LTexts, but still want a label for the when hovering over the Prop. Alternately, you could add the Property Query as main building, then when the Prop is queried, instead the lot's name will appear.

There is a fairly complete list of SC4 Properties on the SC4DWiki, but Reader does a good job of explaining most properties too. The property that comes to mind as missing here is MaxFireStage / Flammability, but then you only need those if you want your Prop to be a potential fire hazard.

jmelvin

Quote from: mgb204 on December 02, 2018, 02:56:43 AM
For example, I don't think I've ever used Ignore lot state effects, I'm not certain this would do anything unless your Prop had special distressed models etc in the first place.

I included that property in my example because it is for a prop that will be used as a crop on farm fields. I've noticed that almost all farm fields out there for the game show deteriation (in the form of some discoloring) next to roads that have some traffic on them. That doesn't seem to happen with the props that Pegasus uses for the SPAM fields and his props have this property that the fields that deteriate/discolor don't. I never looked to see whether there were models for the distressed state but I think this is just a discoloring the game engine does as an effect of traffic. I'll be doing some experimenting with adding this property to some of the existing crop props to see if that changes how they react to traffic.

I know there is the Farm Desireability Mod that alleviates the traffic issue somewhat but am thinking that the use of this property would be a better fix.

And, yes, the Wiki article at http://www.wiki.sc4devotion.com/index.php?title=Exemplar_properties is very useful. That is where I picked up the useful description for this property, "If set to true, specifies that the prop should ignore lot state effects (distressed, abandoned, etc.)." I think the distress being referred to is the discoloring I'm seeing for fields next to roads/streets//highways. I probably should not have included this in what is termed as a basic set because it is for a rather specialized use.

mgb204

That said, I'm glad you did, because that's an interesting observation that I certainly wasn't aware of until now. Like you say, specialised, but I would like to add some new farm crops one day, so that may come in handy :).