My Unlimited Rendering Kit won't render replacement .bld files

[Mayor Torres 45]

Hi,

So, I got the SC3URK (Unlimited Rendering Kit) and, for the longest time before, it worked just fine.

But since I downloaded it again recently, it just won't render replacement buildings. It renders landmarks just fine (.DAT), but not .bld files.

The message says it was rendered successfully, but it won't show up in the buildings folder, and I can't find it in the game either.

Does anyone know what could be causing this? Or had the same problem? I have several buildings I'd like to share that may work as replacement buildings (if people like it), like my previous "1910s inspired high-rise" I posted last Sunday. But I had to post it as a landmark (.DAT). :((

Thanks in advance for any response!

ps.: I've already uninstalled it, downloaded it again, reinstalled it, and the problem persists. Also, I have the application in the "Apps" folder, as recommended, and all my .bmp files are stored there too. 

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

I see I have the SC3_URK.exe installed and it does run. I've downloaded your Free Culture Building.DAT.

I don't see any way to get the .BMP images from that. The extractor is for .BLD only.

I'm not sure how I can help. It's been a hundred years since I last tinkered with anything SC3000 related, but if you can tell me what to do I can at least test it on my comp and maybe we can figure out something from the results which I might (or might not) achieve.  

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

I found a tool on GitHub and extracted your BMPs:

 

Then I loaded the SC3URK and I did the creation exactly like you showed. That then created a file named BAT.DAT (or such). I renamed it and did other tests and then sort of forgot all that I did, but my final naming was Test1.dat with an internal name of Test.

With it located in: C:\GOG Games\SimCity 3000 Unlimited\Apps\BARender it is then available as growable replacement in the game.

 

The trouble I'm having now is that having done that once, it errors every subsequent time saying it can't create the Building List or some such.

Separately, I suspect the .BLD is only for the ones made in the Building Architect Tool and that's where you stack blocks and paint on decals and such.

[Mayor Torres 45]

Oh, Cori!! Your thoughtfulness and dedication really know no boundaries! You didn't have to go through all this trouble! But thank you SO MUCH!!

I see, maybe the way I like to make them (using custom bitmaps and the URK) it really can't generate .bld files, only the Building Architect can.

I guess my next buildings will just have to be landmarks then. But now, thanks to you, I know why.  

Thank you again, OMG, you're the absolute best. 

p.s.: I called you Cori because that's what you say you prefer in your "about me"

[CorinaMarie 29,771]

2 hours ago, Mayor Torres said:

I guess my next buildings will just have to be landmarks then.

My conclusion is we can create the equivalent of .bld files. At least from the player's standpoint.

If I'm remembering correctly (from all those years ago when I knew these things) the .bld ones are used to replace growable buildings in the game. I achieved the same thing with yours, but I think it gets added to one ongoing .DAT file (and my renaming messed that up during my testing).

Ofc, once we figure this out, we could write a little tutorial explaining how peeps can do it themselves.

I'm wondering if it would be good for you to include a Suitcase .sjs version which would allow others to do the same import as I did?

 

3 hours ago, Mayor Torres said:

p.s.: I called you Cori because that's what you say you prefer in your "about me"

Yep! Please do. It is what I go by IRL.  

The way my UserName came about was long before I joined ST, I was creating an account on a different gaming site. Both Cori and Corina were taken so I added my middle name. That site ran on old custom written software which didn't allow spaces in a user name. I don't really care for how underscores look_in_a_name so I just smooshed mine together, but with a capital M for easier reading.

Then, later, I've maintained that exact user name on other sites for consistency and did the same here on ST.