Question: When I click on the link to download Building Architect, I receive an error saying "The page cannot be displayed" or "... unable to find the file."

Answer: The FTP site may be overcrowded. Keep trying or attempt to download the file during off-peak hours.

Question: What do I get when I download Building Architect?

Answer: The Building Architect download is comprised of three different components, which are all installed when the BATPATCH*.EXE is launched:
* The SimCity 3000 1.1 Patch - Installed First. This patch allows you to use the buildings that you create with the Building Architect within SimCity 3000.
* The SimCity 3000 Building Architect - Installed Second.
* The SimCity 3000 Building Architect User's Guide. Installed Last. The BAT User's guide is installed in the BAT directory.

Question: What Version do I download?

Answer: The SimCity 3000 Patch will only work with the language version for which it was created. For example, the English version of the Patch will not update the German version of SimCity 3000. In addition, English is available in several countries, the US version of the Patch will not update the UK or Australian version of SimCity 3000. If you do attempt to install a version of the Patch that differs from your installed version of SimCity 3000 an error message will be received and the installation will fail. We are working feverishly to make all language versions available as soon as possible. Please keep checking back to the website to see when your language version will be available.

Question: Where is the Patch?

Answer: There has been some confusion on this. The 1.1 Patch is part of the BATPATCH.EXE. When you launch this .EXE, both the BAT and the Patch are installed.

Question: Where is the User's Guide?

Answer: The SimCity 3000 Building Architect User's Guide is copied to the Building Architect Directory. The default directory is C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 3000 Building Architect.

Receiving Error 36

Answer: If you receive the Error 36 message, the Patch can't find the original SimCity 3000 executable file (.exe) - this can occur for a variety of reasons. The easiest solution is to re-install SimCity 3000 and then relaunch the BATPATCH. This should correct the problem.

Receiving Error 15

Answer: This error occurs if you are attempting to run the Patch on a non-US version of SimCity 3000 (this includes UK, Australia, or other English-language versions). Unfortunately, the Patch is specific to each individual version of SimCity 3000. The other versions of the Patch will be available within the next few days. Once they are available, you should be able download and install the Patch without incident. Please keep checking SimCity.com to see when your language version is available. The download forum will have explicit instructions for each language.

I’m Still Receiving Error 36 or Error 15 even after following the steps above.

Answer: We have created an alternate version of the Patch which should work for you regardless of what English version of SimCity 3000 you have. This patch is considerably larger than the version that comes with the Building Architect download, so we only recommend that you download it after you have tried the other solutions.

You can download this patch from the English download page.

What Resolutions are supported and how do I change resolutions?

Answer: The most appropriate resolution for your system speed will be auto-detected. The default resolution is 800x600. The Building Architect will also support1024x768, which can be triggered through the command line.

You can download this patch from the English download page.

DirectX Errors

Answer: DirectX 6.0 or higher is required for the BAT. It is not provided as part of the download. However, it is provided on the SimCity 3000 CD. From the CD, select \DirectX\DirectX\Dxsetup.exe and then choose Reinstall Direct X. DirectX is also available from the Microsoft website at http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/.

Loading Building Architect Takes A Long Time

Answer: Yes, loading the Building Architect can take a long time. Every time it loads, it searches its data directory for the existing decals and paints. The loading time will increase as custom textures are added to the data set. The larger the custom texture, the more time it will take to load. Please be patient. The wait will be worth it to see the end result of your creativity in your city!

Question: How Do I Scroll the Building?

Answer: To scroll the building in Construct mode, you can use the colored slide tabs located on the center display grid. In addition, you can use the PageUp and PageDown keys for vertical scrolling. In Paint Mode and Detail Mode, use the arrow keys on the number key pad. Be sure to have your Num-Lock on.

Question: What Is the Maximum Building Height ?

Answer: The maximum height of a building is dependent on the base size. For a 1x1, 28 blocks; 2x2, 64 blocks; 3x3, 108 blocks; 4x4, 144 blocks.

Question: How Do I Load Buildings into SimCity 3000?

Answer: Please refer to the “SimCity 3000 Building Architect User’s Guide” for detailed instructions with illustrations. The user’s guide can be found in your Building Architect directory. Look for the building manager section of the tutorial.