SFBT Creations @ SC4D LEX

[Andreas]

I guess it's about time to show some presence here, now that I've made myself a bit more comfortable with this place (it's been about time, really )...

We had some discussions within the SFBT about bringing our creations to the English-speaking community, and SC4Devotion seems to attract quite a few "devoted" players of our favorite game lately. The SC4D LEX is up and running again, hopefully with a bright future - and this future will include the latest SFBT BATs, lots and mods as well! We learned quite some new things over the last few months, including the possibility to make our work truly bilingual.

As of now, all SFBT creations will feature a bilingual installer where you can select an English or a German version, and the lots contain both English and German language strings, which will be shown depending on what language you have selected when installing your game. Unfortunately, we can't provide other translations as well, but other language installations will show the English language strings by default.

All older SFBT creations will be updated gradually and uploaded to the SC4D LEX, starting with the SFBT Essentials, which will be needed for virtually any SFBT download. If possible, the readme files will link to external dependencies that have been uploaded to the SC4D LEX, the remaining ones might point to other fansites, such as Simtropolis or Pegasus Productions.

As you might now, one of the SFBT policies is to keep the dependencies on a minimum level, mainly using the resources the SFBT Essentials provide. Therefore, it's necessary to update the Essentials download now and then, usually about every six months or so. For our regular followers, we're also planning a special updater that will update the files in your SFBT folder, so there's no need to download every BAT and lot once again. If you used the file paths that were suggested by the installers, you will be able to update your entire collection with a few clicks.

We're still sorting out a few things at the moment, but you can expect the first uploads soon. Those will include the well-known BATs and lots, a batch of "classics" from our beginnings (some of them never released before) that have been brushed up to the current standards, and also a few brand new items, fresh from the SFBT labs. I'll try to showcase them as good as possible, but remember that making "pretty pictures" for the showcase also means less time to develop, so one or another goodie might slip into the LEX unannounced.

[spa]

Welcome! Nice to see SFBT making a presence here on this growing site. Looking forward to the updated early creations and these unknown classics.

[Gaston]

This is great news.    SFBT has some wonderful stuff out there.


---Gaston

[rooker1]

Thi is great news indeed.  Welcome here and I can't wait to see what comes first.

Robin   

[M4346]

Yep, great news it is, and a warm welcome from me! (For what it's worth. )

Good luck!

[jeronij]

Welcome at your English home 

I feel really proud with your presence here 

Impatiently waiting to see these unreleased items...  

[Andreas]

Thanks, guys! I've just uploaded the April 2007 version of the SFBT Essentials, which have been updated with the latest props and textures. They contain both English and German language strings now, so if you have a German version installed, all texts should show up in German, otherwise the English text will be displayed. I'd be glad if someone could actually test this and report back. There are text strings for the SFBT RCI queries (the statistics portion in the bottom part), and most props feature a hover query. In addition, you should find three Mayor Mode tree buttons (birch tree, poplar and spruce), which should show up in English as well.

Please note that this is the only installer that is not Mac compatible, since I used the Nullsoft installer (the same that has been used for the NAM) due to its ability to actually check if a file is newer and stuff like this. The description shows a link to the German ZIP download, which includes an English readme file as well. Get the new Windows version here: http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=750 And finally, some pics that show the props that are contained in the SFBT Essentials:

 

 

[sebes]

Wunderbar!  I am glad you decided to show up here more often. The SFBT team has made many of favourite additions to the game.  The proposed updating method soudns like music in my ears. Danke mein Freund! 

[Shadow Assassin]

It's good to see the SFBT stuff on the LEX.

Unfortunately, we can't provide other translations as well, but other language installations will show the English language strings by default.

As long as LTEXT files are used to provide the language strings rather than the exemplar files themselves, it should be an easy process to just switch in and out whatever language we use - the SC4 dat files use the same method. Useful for localization purposes, wouldn't you say?

[Andreas]

It's good to see the SFBT stuff on the LEX.

As long as LTEXT files are used to provide the language strings rather than the exemplar files themselves, it should be an easy process to just switch in and out whatever language we use - the SC4 dat files use the same method. Useful for localization purposes, wouldn't you say?

Of course I know how to do it (and as I already mentioned, the SFBT downloads here are already bilingual - both English and German in the same file), but what I meant is that I don't have the resources (both time and abilities) to add other languages was well.

[Shadow Assassin]

Oh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up.

[SC4BOY]

Hi!!! Great to see the GREAT SFBT logo here as well as all over elsewhere in SC4 land..

I notice a LARGE number of fine SFBT buildings that are on the LEX. I have a question that applies to all of them. Have you reviewed them against the CAM/ X Tool standards for numbers such as occupancy/stages? You don't mention this on the DL's so I thought I'd ask..

Nice to see you here as always.

I guess that I mean do they conform to the Colossus ID's Thread and the X-tool criteria (sorry I can't add much.. I'm no expert by far )

[royal]

M4346 has reviewed some buildings and towers of the SFBT for the CAM :
http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1315

I think that are the towers made by ChP and AJ

[SC4BOY]

Hehe.. thanks a lot for the reply.. Yes I noted that those were marked as "CAMeLOTs" .. I already dl'd those.. These are quite unusual for a western city, but I think they can be a great "variety" addition, or to model certain locations or "style".. Thanks to the creators!

[SC4BOY]

I am not sure where to ask about this. I realize this item is not an SFBT creation. I have the HerbST pipeline (english) set. It has worked fine before, but I have added a number of added items to my SUM profile. I have not used the pipeline set in quite some time, but I started to use it (I know it is documented as having no dependencies) today and it crashes my SC4 to desktop everytime I place any piece (well I assume it is any piece.. I tried a few and each caused the CTD) Do you have any ideas about how I might best approach this? It crashes even on a city with nothing else in it.. ie it is the only item being placed. None of my other things (and there are hundreds) cause the crash. If you have any ideas about this situation, I'd love to hear about it. Sorry for posting here, but I have no connections to the german sites other than you folk..

[Khiyana]

I had the same problem, and herbst re-uploaded a revised pipline-set, these causes no crashes anymore.
Here is the link --> Pipeline-Set

[SC4BOY]

I had the same problem, and herbst re-uploaded a revised pipline-set, these causes no crashes anymore.
Here is the link --> Pipeline-Set

Hmm.. well that did stop the crashes by itself, but I still get crashes when I have my full plugins loaded. I guess I'll start a binary search to try to find out what the conflict is. Thanks for the note..

edit: .. .well after a bit of testing it DID FIX the "basis set" which is what you gave me the link to. It seems to be the parts from the "extras" part that now is crashing it.. I'll go back and see if that part has an update too. OK I found the "extras" link  HerbST Extras .. now to see if that fixes this last part..   YAY!! At least it doesn't crash with a full plugin folder and nothing else placed, but that is a step forward!! WOOT!

I will say though that only the GERMAN set seems to have been fixed.. I got the english version and it still crashes.. an evil plot to force me to learn german!!!

[SC4BOY]

The following menu for a Construction Lot causes my SC4 to crash to desktop 100% of the time. Any thoughts on this?


CTD Icon

[Andreas]

This issue was reported in a thread at PEG's forum as well (http://simpeg.com/forum/index.php?topic=4643.0), but apparently, the SFBT Construction lot itself works fine, because the person who reported a crash first said it wouldn't crash the game anymore after sorting out some things. So I can only guess that it's indeed another file that conflicts with this one, causing the game to crash once you're trying to use it.

[DFire870]

I've been having the CTD problem with the SFBT construction set and highway bridge construction set. This happens with the MMLs and the individual lots, and I dunno what the problem is. I have all of the dependencies, so it's not that.