Some questions regarding the Rendering Kit

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

Hi; I've been wanting to make some custom content for this game (I dig the 90s aesthetic), right now I've been using the Rendering Kit for some of that, but I've been running into a few issues.

1. Whenever I try to extract .bmp files from .bld, the app crashes. No error message or anything. Not sure why this happens.

2. Is there a way to get anything you render in this application into the Building Architect? It would help a lot with adding props and stuff.

3. Absent that, is there a way to at least get ground textures under your building? Putting it in the game without any makes it look weird lol

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

It'll prolly also be good to mention what OS (Operating System) you are using. (Back when I was actually creating stuff for the game, I had the GOG version of SC3000 and it was on a dedicated XP system.)

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

Oh yeah x3 I'm using Windows 11, and the Steam version.

The GoG version works about the same for me.

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

2 hours ago, Tyrannodokuro said:

1. Whenever I try to extract .bmp files from .bld, the app crashes. No error message or anything. Not sure why this happens.

Let's start with this.

From the SC3URKreadme.txt, did you do this?

Unzip the self-extracting file to the \\SimCity 3000 Unlimited\Apps
directory.  If you have already unzipped to a different directory, then
move the file SC3U_RK.exe to the \Apps directory.

I've just installed the GOG version of the game and then the SimCity 3000 Unlimited Rendering Kit. I had no trouble on Win 10 getting some .bmps to extract. (I put all the extracted files in the Apps folder.)

And after the extraction, look in: C:\GOG Games\SimCity 3000 Unlimited\Buildings for the image files.

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

Ah it works! Thank you

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

1 minute ago, Tyrannodokuro said:

Ah it works! Thank you

Woot!

/me does a victory dance.

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

The only thing now is to ask is there an easy way to get props/ground textures on buildings made in the RK? Whether it's through BAT or some other method.

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

I always assumed peeps with natural artistic abilities made those.

I do recall that long, long ago I extracted all the Maxis trees from SC4 and modified about 70% of them for use in 3000. RL then interfered and I never finished the project, but I'm pretty sure I posted all my work files in case someone ever wanted to pick up where I left off.

Ah. I found the linky, but it was on WeTranfer.com so that's long gone. CB will likely have the file tho so I'm sure we could re-find it.

This was the original topic: Cori's Custom Prop Excursion

And the last progress update pic:

^ The dark green are the SC4 converted trees and the pale, brighter green are 3000 trees I hadn't yet updated.

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

Is there a limit to how big props can get? I'm messing around with the .met file and I'm not exactly sure what measurements (i.e. "5,5,11") to use and the sprites keep cutting off. I'm not great with math and stuff

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

Yeah, there is a limit which I've long since forgotten. I seem to recall I'd created wire frame template boxes to help with that. I believe it was from trial and error where if it clipped it was simply too tall or wide, but also I believe it's relative to the bottom origin point.

I've got errands coming up, but I did notice I salvaged some of my 3000 prop project so I might be able to find some of the experiments later today or tomorrow.

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

Sure thing, appreciate it in any case

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

Ok. Stuff didn't take as long as it might have.

Here're the templates: Cori Prop Templates.zip

The ones with the words "Tree Center" are ones I created. I believe the white dot showed where the base of the trunk had to be for it to automatically show up in the middle of a cell. And that allowed the maximum size without clipping.

The others are dated April, 2000 so they prolly came with the game or the renewal kit or someone else's upload.

I don't really recall how to use these, but as you tinker with them you might find out. Also, if you want the SC4 converted trees, I can zip those up and send them along too. There are about 15 finished and maybe as many more that I did the preliminary screenshots of.

[Gernot66 186]

On 4.2.2025 at 7:37 PM, Tyrannodokuro said:

Sure thing, appreciate it in any case

looks like your little issue is solved.

[Gernot66 186]

In general, BAT and SC3 URK aren't compatible, you can extract a BAT building to BMP's work on them and pack them using SC3_URK that's all.

But i suggest to switch to SC3 URK, the BAT is clumsy compared to i.e. Blender, creating buildings and textures isn't really hard, in the time you creaed a prop you will create a building (once you are a little experienced). Shading (i.e. ambient occlusion) and bumpmapping is a your hand and not left up to a standard.

If one takes him some patience he can create in this manner buildings which look as good as the originals (except animated stuff like smoke).

Not only for sc3k i did this tediuos work even for a sc2000 building set just to reflect the buildings of streets in sc2k to build better scenario cities - knowing in advance how they will look like.

I already posted an example, but i guess i better open a thread for my buildings and it might be useful to create a tutorial how to use blender to render for sc3k and how to make in a simple manner quite good looking textures (old skool).

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

1 hour ago, Gernot Schrader said:

a thread for my buildings

Said thread is now created: Buildings made using SC3_URK

[Tyrannodokuro 26]

How hard is SC3 URK compared to BAT? One of the big reasons I still play SimCity 3000 is because I (more or less) know how to make stuff for it, while I can't 3D model to save my life

oh i think i misread their post lol

What program do you use to make your buildings prior to rendering them in SC3_URK?

  Edited February 20, 2025 by Tyrannodokuro  

[Gernot66 186]

Was this pointed at me? You can still use the SC3_URK to add somethuing to an existing builing it's just a bit tedious but usual image creating.

I made an example for this,

The trees are good old cutouts from Streets of SimCity, in the zip you find the rendered images without any trees and a couple of trees use. I guess it's obvious how to use it, it needs some imagination to find the right positions. Just as an example how to use the SCU_RK if you don't use models to render, while honestly it isn't that hard, it's a learning by doing and buildings are a rather easy stuff since you can create all from a cube, no advanced geometry and just to render them for SC3K you won't need to respect a lot of things you else have to.

hospital_naked.zip

(i can't add the originals since this exceeds the filesize and meanwhile i changed the floor to "lawn").

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

32 minutes ago, Gernot66 said:

(i can't add the originals since this exceeds the filesize and meanwhile i changed the floor to "lawn").

How big are we talking? Maybe CB can allow an exception for you.

[Gernot66 186]

On 25.2.2025 at 6:55 PM, CorinaMarie said:

How big are we talking? Maybe CB can allow an exception for you.

Not much more as the 2.5, maybe 5 it depends on how large the rendered images are ("originals"). But it's not really needed. I made another example how to use the images of/for SC3_URK, i liked to make this one smaller, i could have changed the model but there is an easier way to stack up or cut buildings if the building allows it.

It's even for SC3K a bit to tall

I simply cut-ou away the upper 384 (i guess it was) pixels and moved it down until they fitted with the lower part which resulted in this,

 

(one should crop the images unlike this which has even as .bmp this left empty height, i noticed that the routine for the heli calculates the collision upon the visible part but the transparency is still there even if not to see and the heli vanishes in it even when he quasi gains height to fly over the top of the building).

it's still very tall for a residential (30 floors of former 40 floors).  Vice versa one van also stack up a building in this manner. In this case i was lucky and i culd cut a rectangualr section out, if you stack up you probably will have to cut out a rhomb, it's similar as if you would work with SCURK from sc2000 just larger and more detailed, unfortunately you can't select or floodfill a rhomb, but i guess it woul be possible to write scripts for a program like gimp (?), because the angle is given and it's still the two to one stepping. Up to 128x128 pixels in other terms a 1x1 tiles sized building one could still use SCURK, or create sections with it and later join them in a paint program, the toolset is still of use (except for the patterns which are far to small, which would be to solve in a paint prog. create your own, you just need a rhombic selection and that really should be to solve). If you set the resolution for scurk to 640x480 you can use it without a magnifying glass. The palette is limited but also ideal for buildings.

Personally i prefere to build and render, it takes me far less time and i'm an impatient one, still that same old problem i like to finish before i started.

Of course i used the scurk a lot in the past few years, mainly to create the Streets building set.

 

Is there still a place to up/download BAT props? I won't promise but i guess it could be of use to make some aircondition-elements (joinable tubes and such) or other rooftop stuff (?) or as first approach some original cars from Streets.

What is still sad is that the buildings only are half of the resolution as the images for them. The cars, sims, trees, streets, bridges all this is double in resolution compared to the buildings. Yes of course limitations in respect to machine power back in the day, but now?

I'm pretty sure the game re-renders the images stored in the building files resp. building set because even in a .bld the full image is stored else you couldn't extract it in this resolution. It really worried me already back then especially with BAT+ and the props, you put a lot of effort in details and it gets sized down to an idea of it.

"What for store it in this resolution if it won't be used at all?"

What i guess right now, it's a simple way to protect from stealing artwork via screenshots, they will have the wrong resolution and an upscaling will make them look ugly.

[CorinaMarie 29,884]

2 hours ago, Gernot66 said:

Is there still a place to up/download BAT props?

If we have any, they'd be in the SimCity 3000 Files section of the STEX. And if there would be enough to merit their own subcategory, I'm sure we could ask CB to add that.