Mission Packs For SA?

[DeeZire]

Happened across this info by chance when digging through the exe

 

It seems there *may* be some way of triggering GTA San Andreas to use a 'mission pack' - which would be a very useful way of distributing mods whilst preserving the game state and allowing users to switch between mods without the hassle of replacing script files - from what I can gather, save games are not compatible between these 'mission packs' and the standard game, but numerous game saves can co-exist for the standard game and each mission pack and they should work.

 

What I found was references to a directory - I dont know (cant really tell) if the path is relevant to the GTASA installation directory or the GTA SA User Files directory - so far I tried both but no luck, but I think there may be some other way of invoking the function, perhaps a command line switch but I havent found it;-

 

MPACK//MPACK%d//SCR.SCM

MPACK//MPACK%d//MPACK.DAT

MPACK//MPACK%d//TEXT.GXT

 

Essentially, that means you can distribute your own SCM and GXT files with those names, plus a file called MPACK.DAT which presumably contains details of the mission pack, and SA will allow you to load it.

 

I also found numerous GXT entries that appear to suport the feature;-

 

FEN_NGS = Please select which new game you wish to start:

FEN_NGX = San Andreas (standard game)

FEN_MPX = Mission Pack

 

FESZ_MR = Are you sure you want to start a new standard game? All current game progress in this Mission Pack will be lost. Proceed?

FESZ_QM = Are you sure you want to load a San Andreas Mission Pack? All current game progress will be lost. Proceed?

 

Maybe somebody else can take this further, as whats needed is to understand the possible format of the required DAT file and how to get SA to invoke the function.

 

Anyone able to shed any more light on it?

Edited February 14, 2007 by DeeZire

[Seemann]

Yeah, I already discovered it while ago and posted on some russian forums.

 

The game actually allows to use multiple SCMs in one time and to load the saves made in the different mods easy and quick without changing the main.scm and american.gxt

 

First of all, I'll say how to use these mission packs.

DeeZire, you're right that they are placed in the GTASA User Files directory. To add new mission pack create a new folder in this directory and name it as MPACK. Then, in that folder MPACK create a new one with the name MPACK. For example, MPACK1. Then copy to that folder two files: main.scm and american.gxt and rename them to SCR.SCM and TEXT.GXT.

 

Now, the most difficult part. Create a new text file and name it as MPACK.DAT. Place them into those MPACK1 directory. Now, open it and write the following

 

 

1 #Mission Pack Name#

 

 

First number is the mission pack ID. In the most cases it has to be the same as the folder name number (MPACK1).

After the # sign goes the mission pack name, any string.

 

The file has to be ended with # sign again.

 

So, after all you have:

 

GTASAUF\mpack\mpack1\scr.scm

GTASAUF\mpack\mpack1\text.scm

GTASAUF\mpack\mpack1\mpack.dat

 

Now run the game and select what you want to play.

 

 

But. When I first discovered that I was happy and such. But later I found that the game doesn't use script.img for the mission packs. The EXE even skips the external scripts block in the main.scm's header, so these scripts don't runs. It decreases the packs usability very strong.

 

But I and guys from sannybuilder.com forums made the patch that fixes that problem and makes the game load proper script.img

(separate file for each pack).

 

The patch link: http://sannybuilder.com/files/samp_fix.rar

(note, Readme in russian, but all you have to know I write here).

 

After you patched the gta_sa.exe (only US 1.0 is supported) you can link the pack with separate script.img In order to do this, place your script.img for the pack in GTASA\data\script folder and name it as script.img where number is the mission pack ID. For example, if you have the folder mpack1 then name the IMG as script1.img. The IMGs are placed in the root directory of SA\data\script with th original script.img which is used for the original game.

 

Oooph! I think I wrote all I know If there's any questions feel free to ask them

 

The couple of the screens:

 

http://sannybuilder.com/images/forums/mpunk.gif

http://sannybuilder.com/images/forums/mpunk1.jpg

http://sannybuilder.com/images/forums/mpunk2.jpg

http://sannybuilder.com/images/forums/mpacks_final.jpg

http://sannybuilder.com/images/forums/mpacks_final2.jpg

 

And the russian forums links where I posted that:

http://www.sannybuilder.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=42

http://forums.ag.ru/?board=gta&action=disp...start=1790#1790

(use the google translator to read).

 

[sleeper777]

OK this is absolutely "AMAZING" great discovery guys and glad you figured out how to use it Seeman i think i will give this a try since i don't really don't want two installs of SA on my machine and i am itching to try out some mods but wanted to finish my legit game first ....

 

this is great ...

[Blackadder.]

Maybe R* were planning on having downloadable content or something... I don't really know...

 

Nice find Deezire, You're Alive!

 

Offtopic: When can we see a release of "Thing to do in SA until you're dead"?...

[ceedj]

Wow. Just...wow.

 

Excellent job getting this together guys. Seemann, is the patch allowed to be distributed like the Opcode patch? Is it compatible with that patch?

 

Geez. Just when you think there's not much more to find, BAM.

 

Great job!

[Freakingfreak]

Woha... fascinating find indeed,looks like R made the installment/preparations for mission packs,brilliant,i wonder

why they did'nt went and actually release some packs .

nice find DeeZire,and off course Seemann delivers the goods and doing awesome job as always

 

 

But later I found that the game doesn't use script.img for the mission packs. The EXE even skips the external scripts block in the main.scm's header, so these scripts don't runs. It decreases the packs usability very strong.

 

 

so wait, after installing a mission pack the externals not working in the original script ? or just in the mission pack ? or in both ?

 

if you need to patch the game in order for the imgs to work,i'm not sure,whats the benefit in this? why this way better ,then the old trusted way of just replacing the files like we always did ? u can still have multi saves from different mods co exist without this ,so the only benefit is that u dont need to move or rename 3 files every time u want to use different mod ?

 

nevertheless amazing find guys.

[DeeZire]

Seemann you're a genius, full credit to you

[Seemann]

 

Seemann, is the patch allowed to be distributed like the Opcode patch?

Yes, sure. And they are compatible.

 

 

after installing a mission pack the externals not working in the original script ? or just in the mission pack ? or in both ?

The external don't work only for the packs. They are used the original script.img as well as original main.scm. So, if you use modded scm as a pack with new (or) changed scripts, the using of the original ones is not a good idea, isn't it? So, the patch fixes that.

 

And I agree, that problem is the worse that R* could done. Why they did not make full separate installation for the pack, I don't know...

 

And I don't say about another problem (it's described in the patch' Readme).

If you load the pack and want to play another one, you should exit the game and run it again. Only then you can load another pack (or original game). That's because the IMG files are loaded once at the first startup and do not reloaded when you load a save. We could not fix that.

 

This rule only important if you use the SCM with modded script.img. If main.scm works fine with the original script.img you don't need to exit the game but patching it still strongly required as I said the game ignores the scripts block and do not run them in-game.

 

But still, I think using packs more handy then replacing the files each time you want to play the SCM mods. Just create a pack and run quickly.

 

 

The game allows to use up to 24 packs, but ... hell, why R* programmers so foolish... I could see only 9 in one time on the screen. Another packs just don't appeared. I really dunno how to fix that.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Seemann

[SteaVor]

Oh god, I really didn't expect anything like this being found and made working after all the time!

It's very useful (I already made some folders for the mods - it works flawlessly) and makes installing mission mods very simple - you won't even have to think about backing up anything - the famous 'Oops, I forgot! Could you please send me ...' is a thing of the past, at least for mods that only change the mission script/ text.

 

/me goes playing now (the first time I started SA in a long time)

Edited February 15, 2007 by SteaVor

[Bigun]

Wow.

 

Geez. Just when you think there's not much more to find, BAM.

x2

 

REALLY awesome find, Seemann (and DeeZire)!

When you think about it...who knows what other goodies may be lurking up in there...

 

Perhaps one of the intended uses of this was actually mod support (which R* did claim SA to have (and maybe they still do, haven't checked) on their website before SA's release), and not downloadable packs? That and stuff like the abillity to load up extra IMG files via the gta.dat... well, who knows.

[Freakingfreak]

 

Perhaps one of the intended uses of this was actually mod support

 

perhaps,but in that case,why did it stayed only as "intended" status ?

why they did not let us know about it ?

i mean, its all ready there ,just waiting to be used ,why not notify the peeps that mod or

for the matter, anyone, about this ?

sometimes R* looks like a pretty fu**** up company in when it comes to decisions making ,

this thing can only benefit them,why not make it known .

[TheDude5000]

Great find. Who knows what else is in that .exe..

[Craig Kostelecky]

After Coffeegate, Rockstar stopped supporting mods completely. They probably intended to release packs of their own mission packs, as well as enabling modders to do so as well. But after the negative publicity they got, they weren't about to release that info.

[tomworld10]

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

 

Coffeegate !!!!!!! Explains it all in one word !!!!!!!!! Modders found something in the game, mass media caught them, R* abdicate.....

 

 

Have fun

[Y_Less]

Not to steal anyone's thunder but this was known about a LONG time ago but kept quite due to the reasons Craig mentioned, but there's not alot that can be done about it now that's it's out for real.

[SteaVor]

Why should it be kept secret? We're not talking about extra content after all, but only the possiblity to do so.

[steve-m]

but only the possiblity to do so.

Yea. The possibility to easily add custom content although the game had been "locked" since v2.0, maybe even adding the HC stuff, might've got R* into more trouble.

 

I'm not sure they ever intended to use that feature in the retail version, probably just been playing with it like with multiplayer in GTA3. Well, we can be sure something like that will be enabled in GTA4, since they already announced episodic content. But after all the HC trouble they might only allow signed packages from trusted (read: commercial) sources...

[SteaVor]

Yeah, but the existance of a bare minimum of 'real mod support' couldn't be held against R*, if other companies can release whole SDKs? (Yeah, I know how many people made R* their declared arch enemy, I just don't think it's fair, but meh.)

 

Hasn't it been disabled for 2.0 then?

[ceedj]

Big bump! I'm having an odd issue with this using tomworlds/PatrickW's Mission Master Mod (link here: );http://www.gtaforums.com/index.php?showtopic=240648); when using this mod, I wind up missing a lot of the text - for example, in Vigilante, I see the number of kills, but not the text labels that are supposed to precede them. Same thing with subtitles; I get ambiance text (Phone Ringing and the like), but no script text, and no in-mission text (objectives) either. All the mission name text and area name/cars/etc work fine though. It also crashes when trying to do the dancing mini-game; I'm guessing it's because it can't find text or sumthin. I thought it might be the externals (script1.img), but the Basketball works and so do the food shops/bar scripts.

 

Here's the weird part: the mod works perfectly when I use it to replace the main.scm and script.img. Is this some kind of freak thing for this mod? I'm only 7% into a new game, so no biggie to start over, but I'm wondering what would cause this...

[Demarest]

Since VC, the GXT has been so heavy that R* decided to carve it up and only have sections of it loaded at any given time. The main section of the GXT is always loaded, then there's tables. On larger SCM's (such as that which comes with the games), the tables must be called for within missions (use GXT table). Since mission packs provide for GXT use as well, I'll bet that the reason you're not seeing the mission text is because the game is trying to pull it from a GXT in the mission pack. If you copy the original american.gxt into the mission pack folder, I'd wager you'd see text then. Don't hold it against me if I'm wrong; I've only breezed over this thread, and that was back when you first referred me to it

[ceedj]

Thanks for the assist but teh mission mod in question doesn't come with a gtx file, so I HAD to use the original (copied to my MPACK directory). Again, it's strange, because I'm only seeing some of the text elements.

 

Gonna try with my exe from the DVD, though I'm fairly sure the exe I have is a US one...

 

For now, I'll just start over. That Vigilante mission took me forever though.

[Jang01]

i got a problem:

 

i did everything to get the Mission Packs working but, i can't get the Text.gxt working for some reason. The mod i am using is Spaceeinstein's All-in-one mod v2.9.

 

can sum1 plz help me?

 

Also, DeeZire, What program did you use to look through the .exe?

Edited July 13, 2007 by Jang01

[Deji]

 

1 #Mission Pack Name#

 

 

First number is the mission pack ID. In the most cases it has to be the same as the folder name number (MPACK1).

After the # sign goes the mission pack name, any string.

 

I hope this is worth the bump. 'Tis a good topic anyway, so I'll excuse it myself, eh?

 

 

First number isn't the ID... It's a boolean that turns the mission pack on or off.

 

0 or a letter = Doesn't show when starting new game.

 

Any number besides 0 = Shows the mission pack.

 

 

Just something I discovered while messing around with the file in numerous ways. The file fully supports GXT Formatting in realtime. Meaning as soon as the file is saved, you can just press "Esc" and then "New Game" in game and the text is updated. So I used it to quickly go through every character on my keyboard surrounded by ~ and found one or two new GXT Formatting characters and discovered a load of ones that DO NOT work... Meaning ones that are rumoured to work.

 

After the first number, before the opening # or after the closing # you can add just about anything and the game won't crash.

 

This would unfortunately mean that nothing else added to this file would give us anything new. And there are probably no more GXT codes... Sorry to spread that news.

[Afro870]

hey great find,like when there was nothing else to find BAM! people find stuff out!brilliant!i have a question:if you make a TOTALLY different mission pack like with totally custom events and people and weapons,how will GTA SA figure it out?like if you added a ton of new missions and make them all loadable(like right after one is done it goes to the next as in the real game)and lets say your guy turns totally different like is in a bigfoot costume for all the missions,couldnt you take the stage data(the buildings,ground,houses,etc.,)mix it in with the custom mission data and make your own mini game.(i know that was a long sentence). and on the same hand,couldnt the game frequently crash because its having to load al these things and it doesnt know how to process it because it wasnt originally programmed into GTA SA?im going to try the mission packs out because my game only came with the first mission(i dont know why).im guessing(if these mission packs have the power)that you could create a whole island,no..GAME and characters and weapons and liquids(lava)and landforms then when the mission packs r loaded and you start your first mission that you could get teleported to the island or state and have all that seperate from the real game and do all the missions there with new cars,weapons,and characters.if this is so,couldnt you put your GTA SA game with the two parts to it on a cd and sell it?or if that is against the law,you could share it as a download or enter contests?this was a small thing that could expand into a entirly different game!im getting all excited and all so if any1 knows whats wrong with my theory or can prove something wrong in my theory,can you point it out?i mean i bet their are game creators for the pc that you could plot it all out,export it,script it,add it,then use it in the GTA game(s)!!!i may be going the wrong way with this but this is my theory.meh,if this doesnt work out like im saying how it could,ill just go to getting mods and hunting bigfoot.well if you could help me,we could talk about how to do what i was saying above,and make it true.i have a msn and yahoo and this(duh)we could code all of this.im going to try this out and get some of my friends and try to work this out.thank for bringing this up and telling how to do this.

[james227uk]

My god. You added nothing new to this topic and yet you still think it's worth bumping it with nonsense which no one needs to hear. And for the record, this was found in 2007. It's now almost 2010

[Sgt_Tricore]

can someone put a list of downloadable mission packs up?

[Rented]

After Coffeegate, Rockstar stopped supporting mods completely. They probably intended to release packs of their own mission packs, as well as enabling modders to do so as well. But after the negative publicity they got, they weren't about to release that info.

Now I don't mean to disrespect a forum admin but that perv who released hot coffee after 1 day of SA's release messed up all of this and he's the one who has the most known mod that uses the MPACK system.

[Silent]

Now I don't mean to disrespect a forum admin but that perv who released hot coffee after 1 day of SA's release messed up all of this and he's the one who has the most known mod that uses the MPACK system.

It's not Patrick's fault, it's R*s fault. If it wasn't Patrick, someone other would have unlocked it. And you'd be blaming him instead now.

 

 

That wasn't quite an useful bump.