Building Town FAQ: questions and answers
Here are quick answers to the questions players and grown-ups ask most about Building Town. Each answer links to the page with all the details.
What kind of game is Building Town?
It is a 3D construction game. You drive building machines in a small town: you dig, load, tip, lift, roll and pour to finish ten building jobs, and you can build real streets too. It is a calm game with no timer. See the guide's front page.
Is Building Town free?
You can try it in the demo, right in your browser. The full game is part of the Contenta Games membership, which opens every game on the portal; see what a membership gives you. Your town is saved, so you can carry on after you join.
Are there ads in the game?
No. There are no ads in Building Town. The coins are game money: you earn them by finishing jobs, you spend them on new machines, and you can't buy them with real money.
Do I need to download or install anything?
No. The game runs in your web browser on a computer, a phone or a tablet. Just open the page and play.
Does it work on an iPad, an Android tablet or a phone?
Yes. Buttons appear on the screen for driving and for the tools. Turn your phone or tablet sideways, because the game is played in landscape. See touch controls on a phone or tablet.
Can I play with a controller?
Yes. Use an Xbox-style controller or any controller your browser reads as a standard gamepad. RT and LT drive, the sticks move the tools, and the hints show controller buttons. All the buttons are on the controls page.
How do I save my game?
You don't need to. The game saves by itself every few seconds and when you pause, in the browser on the device you play on. Next time, pick your save slot and choose Continue.
Can my brother or sister have their own town?
Yes. There are three save slots, and each one is a separate town with its own coins, machines and streets. You can switch slots from the pause menu with Save slots.
How many jobs and machines are there?
There are ten jobs and nine machines: backhoe, excavator, wheel loader, dumper, crane, road roller, bulldozer, concrete mixer and telehandler. See all ten jobs and all nine machines.
Why can't I start the next job?
You must buy the machine you borrowed in the last job first. The Jobs board then says Unlock this job by buying the and the machine's name. Press the Buy button for it. Each job pays enough coins for that.
Why won't my machine move?
It is probably in Work mode. Press F (X on a controller, or the Drive button). If the hint says Release the parking brake., press E (A, or Parking brake). If another machine is in the way, your machine just stops. Back up or steer round it.
How do I get the roof onto the workshop?
Use the crane in Work mode. Hook the roof with E, hoist it above the beams, swing it over the frame and lower it to 6.6 m. Wait until it stops swinging, then release. The steps are on all ten jobs.
Can I lose the game?
No. There is no game over and no timer. Machines don't break, and a job waits until you finish it.
Can I build my own street?
Yes, as a member. Choose Build your own street on the Jobs board, type your town and country, and pick a block of a real street. It needs the internet to search. See Build your own street.
Why can't I find my street?
The game can only build named town streets between 20 and 340 metres long, near the place you searched, where cars can drive another way round. A dead-end street often can't be chosen. Try a street nearby. The rules are on Build your own street.
What age is Building Town for?
It is made for kids from about 8 to 12, and for the grown-ups who play along. You read short job notes and hints, and lesson cards teach the controls. More on the page for grown-ups.
Which languages can I play in?
Nine: English, Swedish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. You can change the language in Settings, and your game goes on.
The game won't start or runs slowly. What can I do?
Building Town needs WebGL, the part of the browser that draws 3D games. Try a recent Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, and check that hardware acceleration is turned on. If it runs slowly, set Graphics to Low in Settings.
See also
- Your first job, step by step
- Tips for new builders
- Glossary
- Still curious? Play Building Town.
