Hey, I'm sorry but I have no idea in which category this would fit into.

I created a new map in SC4. I think I won't need to go back in SC to further edit it, all the fine-tuning can be done in game..such as 'Hood deco, adding flora, lots etc.
So I copied my SC4 file into my SC4Terrains folder.
In game, I created a new Neighborhood, then choose my map. I used Modifyterrain on to make sure all roads bits are flat, so lots be easy to place.
I am wondering though...once I am done decorating my 'Hood, placing lots etc...how do I turn this newer version into a template?
is this a stupid question? lol
My template is still the same empty donut with roads after I am done decorating my new Neighborhood..since I am just fine-tuning a copy of my template.
No intentions to share this now, but it is in the title because I'd have the same wonderings. Once all fine-tuned, I will want to use it more than once..without having to redo everything.

I don’t think it’s possible to turn a decorated hood into a template, templates are .sc4 files, while lots and deco are saved in the Neighborhoods folder, for example in N004 if it’s the first custom hood.

Terrain replacement with the Hood Replacer.

This is what everyone is using/doing?
Because in tutorial, it is advised to not put down trees while in SC4..So I guess, using Hood replacer is the only way.
Or..is it possible to finish it in game, then loading it in SC4 and re save it so it becomes a new template??

No. As far as I know there's no way to bring a template from the game back to SC4, or re-make it into a SC4-file. But like Peni said, in theory it could be shared as a hood that people used hood replace program to put in whatever hood they want to use it in.

Actually, it seems like it is possible..
http://www.modthesims.info/showpost...389&postcount=4
And i am sorry, i do not see how Hood replacer by itself, can do what i want. I just finish reading and downloading it. I do not want to replace a hood in game with another hood in game. I want to pick a fully edited template, in game.
Your reply confuses me.
the link i posted seems to be telling me how to do it.

Pick the SC4 terrain. Make a neighborhood with it. Don't do anything else at this time.
Use the Hood Replacer to replace the terrain, including the deco, with the terrain of the neighborhood you edited the terrain in. Decorations and changes to the elevation can be transferred in this way.

What do you mean, by make a neighborhood with it and nothing else?
because i already have. I clicked on creating new hood, then picked my sc4 terrain. Only thing I did was use modifyterrain to flatten bits of roads.
if I understand well, when people share their Hoods..they do not share a SC4 file..they share a neighborhood?
So basically, everytime I will want to play my custom map..I'll have to use hood replacer to edit the undone and empty template? Which would mean....creating a hood with it, decorating it and get it all ready to play, but without never playing it. So then it can be used to copy over, every time i want to play that template..ouch?

People share SC4 terrains all the time, but it's just the terrain - elevations and roads. If they want to share deco, they have to share it as a neighborhood.

I think I am begining to get it..lol Thank you, Peni.

I think you either misunderstood me or I was unclear. You can take SC4-files from the game and edit it with Simscity 4, but you can't extract the terrain from a hood and remake that terrain in to a SC4-file that could be edited with Simcity 4. That post by Mootilda is explaining how to take a SC4-file from the game and edit it with SC4. EA included the SC4s for most premade hoods, and a bunch of additional ones for custom hoods. I interpreted your post as though you made a SC4-file, made a hood with it, decorated the hood in game and now want to make a SC4 from the hood with the deco you added in game. That can't be done, or at least that's what I've read.

To clarify further on why one would use Hood replacer. Hoods have to be made in a special way to be safe to share, but extracting it's appearance with Hood replacer only copies the appearance, not any Sims or other kinds of links from that hood. By using Hood replacer to copy the appearance to the intended hood you are avoiding the need to make a safe to use hood when decorating the terrain. Though if one intends to share with the community I would think the best thing would be to make a safe to share hood, since people tend to suck at reading instructions and lots of people can't or aren't willing to use custom programs.

The advice to not place trees in SC4 is only a guideline. When you make a new neighbourhood in Sims 2, the game uses a random tree wherever there is an SC4 tree. So that means that you could end up with a desert full of pine trees. Or a neighbourhood covered in thousands of ponds. The other day I discovered that Criquette's hedges are classed as trees too:


It's not really a problem as you can manually delete the unwanted items, but I find that's it's easier to have the player add their own trees than to have them remove hundreds of unwanted trees. So I always leave my SC4 terrains for Sims 2 tree-free.

Yes. this is how I understood it. And I would not want to end up with just any random trees..But. I also read the creator's guideline about either sc4 terrain or Hoods.
and it is clearly something they want to see on your map. Trees..or at least some, or at least something. Like I said, I am not thinking of even sharing it. Unless it becomes so amazing that I, myself have trouble breathing from amazingness..ya know.
My bad Gummi. I thought I read it was possible, but this is not what was possible. So you understood me right, I was just wrong.

I think those are referring to decorated empty neighbourhoods:

That makes no sense in the context of SC4 files, as you cannot place flowers or pyramids in SC4! So it must be talking about his type of upload:
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=592290
Instead of this type:
http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=309626

Yeah, but this is also what is posted when you click on Neighborhood - Maps only, as well as when you click on Full Neighborhoods.
So i got confused.
Funny though, I had prepared a reply earlier, with links to some downloads on here? and you picked the exact same ones I did. ahah!
Though I had more examples.(links)
Then i decide not, because I think I understood..a bit more anyway.