For easy resolve on crash, you need a launcher. It even do auto-save if configure it. You can get the launcher here[community.simtropolis.com] or here[community.simtropolis.com]. Both of them are nealy identical in functions, and works perfectly.


Have you download one of it? Good, open it, and go to Graphic tab.

Modern game run the graphic on OpenGL (or RTX or whatever jargon they use in 2022, i don't remember...), but sometime many time, it will crash in minutes, or few hours into game. Even touching some NAM piece can CTD. If it happened to you, then you need to switch the game to DirectX, it means that now Windows processing the graphic.

Still crashing or glitching? Change it to Software. Your hardware should powerful enough to run the rendering on DirectX or Software.


Put a screen resolution you want, HD1080 is ok, but sometimes you need t lower it to 768p or 720p, window mode. Leave color on "Full Color" and you're basically good to go.

Now, switch to Processor tab. When Simcity 4 launched on 2003, the world was still mostly run on 32 bit, single core processor. So, the game was optimized to run on single core. The game might will crash more often if more core are used, because it can't utilise multicore and newer instruction set. Go to "Core" on CPU, it may varies on each launcher. You need to tie your core to ONE core only, with HIGH priority.


If you want to config anything else, like turning off intros, or else you can do it too.

Now, you think you don't want a launcher, and going to use the CLI method.

Did you know how to insert additional parameter when running a Steam game? If you don't know yet read here.

• Right-click on the game title under the Library in Steam and select Properties.
  
• Under the General tab click the Set launch options... button.
  
• Enter the launch options you wish to apply (be sure to separate each code with a space) and click OK.
  
• Close the game's Properties window.

This part are taken from Widescreen Gaming Forum[www.widescreengamingforum.com]

-CustomResolution:enabled
Enables Custom Resolutions

-rWWWWxHHHxBB
Edit to match the resolution you want; where WWWW is screen width, HHH is screen height, and BB is color depth (16 or 32)

-f or -w
Enables full screen or windowed mode

-intro:off
turns off the intro video. Apparently necessary if you have a widescreen monitor since the intro is streched and eww.

Here's an example you would add to the launch options:
-CustomResolution:enabled -r1680x1050x32 -f -intro:off


-CPUCount:1
Use only 1 CPU Core

-d:Software or -d:DirectX
Rendering Mode - Use if launching in hardware mode fails

-CPUPriority:high
CPUPriority lets other processes (programs) use the processor more when the game isnt in use.

And this is what i put on the switches:
-CustomResolution:enabled -r1366x768x32 -f -d:DirectX -Cursors:fullcolor -Intro:off -UserDir:"D:\Data\SimCity 4" -CPUPriority:high -CPUCount:1

If you want to make this process easier, you can use launcher, then copy the "Parameter" part to your options


Of course, if you're using the launcher you can have Autosave turned on, while not recording your gametime. :)

This part of guide was taken from SIMTROPOLIS. If you need pictures, they provide it there[community.simtropolis.com]

If you are running Windows NT6 (Vista through 8.1) and NT10 (Windows 10/11/12/13 and on and on...), then follow this step:

1. Go to your games directory (eg. C:\Program Files\Maxis\Sim City 4 (deluxe)\, or wherever you put the game when installing it)

2. Copy Graphics Rules.sgr and Video Cards.sgr to your desktop or anywhere accessible directory in which you have full read/write permission

3. On desktop, press WIN+S or go to Settings or Control Panel, search for Device Manager, expand Display Adapters, right click on your graphic card then properties, then details.

4. Take notes of TWO things:

• The FULL Device Description
  
• The 4 digit Strings after DEV on Hardware IDs

Once you have done that, open up Graphics Rules.sgr (with notepad) and drill down until you find this:


and add your card, like this:


different video cards mean different strings, Save twice. We know you should save twice.

Done? Then, open Video Cards.sgr. You will be met with a long list of video cards.

Most usually you will be looking for either "vendor "ATI" 0x1002" or "vendor "NVidia" 0x10b4 0x12d2 0x10de" (without the outermost quotes). Other brands are in there too.

In the appropriate list add your video card. Example is as follows:


Save twice, and exit.

Put back both files onto game directory, replacing the original one. Done.

Does applying all this stuff makes my game won't crash? Unfortunately, NO. This is just reducing your downtime only. Without this switches, especially Cores setting, my game would crash in 20-30 minutes. But, when it's tied it to one core, I can play on 4 hours without crashing (typical single session for me).

Simcity 4 is a classic. This game requires planning right from the start. If you succeed, you'll feel rewarded with hours of fun, toying with your cities. In the end you'll achieve the ultimate goal of a simulation, simulate your game, perfectly, your way.

If you want a more modern city builder, buy Cities: Skylines. It has many many many many DLC (Paradox, duh), bu if you want pretty 3D city builder, that's the only good things right now.

https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/255710/Cities_Skylines/

Also, remember that Transport Tycoon opensource clone OpenTTD are available on Steam.

https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/1536610/OpenTTD/