In short, listing all the big mods like this doesn't really help, I suspect if you are starting out, you need the basics first: – SimFox's Day and Night mod requires that buildings are made/rendered specially to work with that.
(Caution – Requires special install method to work, see link) – The I-HT fix, which fixes a bug left in the game, allowing I-HT to provide R$$$ jobs. – A number of other "Maxis Fixes" which resolve bugs left in the game.Īfter that, the #1 mod is probably the NAM (Network Addon Mod).
This fixes the very broken traffic simulator and gives you the option to add a ton of new networks and pieces to use for transit networks. RTMT (Road Top Mass Transit) is a mod that allows placement of Bus and Subway stops directly on the Roads/Streets in-game.
A great space-saver, but also means you can keep gridded blocks from being messed whilst retaining transport for the buildings in them. I-RM (Industrial Revolution Mod) is a favourite of mine. Look at the sad Industrial Lots that come with the game, devoid of any real detail and looking very repetitive. I-RM fixes that, breathing a new sense of life into the Industrial side of the game. SPAM does for Farms what I-RM does for Industry. But it's not for everyone.ĬAM really isn't for everyone. It adds new growth stages to the game, but you need to ensure all your installed content supports it. Long and short, if you don't intend to mod anything and don't want to be limited to the buildings that come with SC4, you may want to give it a miss.įrankly I'd take it slow and start with the NAM, maybe RTMT if that grabs you too. However, the biggest single change you can make is to install one of each of the following mod types: For the bigger mods like IRM, SPAM and CAM, I'd do some research into them (Google is your friend) and see if they really fit with your play style. – Terrain Mod, alters the look of the ground/grass in-game. – Water Mod, changes the look of the sea. – Beach Mod, changes the textures used for beaches. – Rock Mod, alters the look of rocky areas/hills/mountains. – Custom Tree Controller, changes the trees used by the God Mode Brush.
These 5 combined will make a dramatic change to the entire look of the landscape in-game. Allowing themes to be mixed/matched in thousands of potential combinations. This can really help to give a region a specific geographical feel.
Links to the "Shoppe's" will allow you to browse through all the options for each mod type, with reference pictures and links to download the mods shown.
Note that Terrain Mods and Tree Controllers can be difficult to change with existing regions, it's VERY important you read the instructions that come with them. Lastly, I'd highly recommend a Slope Mod if realism is something you value.