First Time Installation #

1. Verify your Sim City 4 version compatibility and minimum system specifications from the tables below.

2. Download the NAM Installer and unzip the file.

3. Install the pre-packaged Java Runtime Environment if Java is not already installed. This is found under a file named OpenJDKxxxx.

4. Run the NetworkAddonMod_Setup_Version49.jar file.

5. Follow the installer’s instructions, clicking on each tab on the top bar – in order!

   1. Read and agree to the mod’s terms on the initial “welcome” tab.
   2. Select the options you would like to install under the “files” tab.
   3. Select the install location under the “location” tab. This is typically left unchanged from the default Plugins folder.
   4. Finally, move to the “install” tab. Click the “Start installation” button to begin the installation process. When the installation is complete, the progress screen will display a message, “All selected components installed!”.
   5. Close the installer. You’re all done installing.

6. Additional step for Windows/Linux users (not required on macOS): apply the 4GB Patch.

   1. Failure to apply this patch will highly probably result in the game crashing.
   2. Open the enclosed 4gb_patch.exe file in the NAM download (or download it from NTCore). A window will appear asking you to choose a file. Navigate to your game’s installation location and select SimCity 4.exe. The location of this executable will vary. The default locations for common versions are:
      • Steam: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps
      • GOG: C:\GOG Games\SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition\Apps
      • EA App: C:\Program Files\EA Games\SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition\Apps
      • Original Disc Copy: C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps
   3. Upon completion, a message will pop up indicating whether or not the patch successfully applied.
      • Note that attempting to run the 4GB Patch file while still inside the download .zip may cause it to fail.
      • See this segment of Haljackey’s NAM installation video for a demonstration of the process. While this video was filed with NAM 46, the process of installing the 4GB Patch has not changed.
      • The batch file that was previously included in past recent NAM releases to assist with the 4GB Patch process is no longer included as of NAM 49, after the late 2024 incident where a hacker modified the NAM 48 download on ModDB to insert malware.
      • It is also possible to launch the 4GB Patch from a command line. Simply drop the 4gb_patch.exe file into the same folder as your game’s executable, and from the command line, type 4gb_patch.exe SimCity 4.exe.

7. Additional step required for Mac users (optional on Windows/Linux): run JDatPacker to consolidate the mod’s files.

   • If on the App Store version, run JDatPacker over the resultant Plugins directory, then move the “Network Addon Mod_###.dat” files (where “###” is a three-digit number) into the container.
   • On the Steam version (or if optionally using JDatPacker on Windows), run JDatPacker on the Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins directory (this will also consolidate your other plugins as well). Make sure you remove the original directories that were consolidated, and, if upgrading or reinstalling your NAM package at any point, ensure you delete any the “Network Addon Mod_###.dat” files from your Plugins before running the new installation. It is recommended that you use a new subfolder (i.e. “Plugins\Compressed Files”) instead of installing to the root of the Plugins directory, as this can help prevent mod conflicts.

8. Load the game and enjoy the NAM!