How can I convert a car from Vice City to SA?

[MehLuvzSanAndreas]

There are a few awesome cars I've found but they are for VC. How would I make 'em work with SA?

[foxunitone]

Hey there. Converting cars from VC to SA is actually really easy as long as you have the right tools.

 

Here's what you need:

 

3DS Max (trail version will work fine)

 

Kam's max scripts to import and export .DFF files.

 

Anos script for the easy conversion technique.

 

Get kam's scripts and Anos script HERE.

 

Read the readme's to learn where to put the files.

 

------The Conversion-----

 

You need to export the .dff and .txd from a SA car from the GTA3.IMG file.

 

Find a car with a similar shape (as close a possible) in SA.

 

Find a car with a wheel base as close as possible in SA as well. If ONE car from SA has the same wheel base and similar shape, AWESOME!

 

Open your 3DS Max and use Kam's script to import the .DFF of the SA car with the similar wheelbase.

 

Press H to bring up the "select from scene" options.

 

Find the one called "wheel".

 

Delete EVERYTHING except for WHEEL.

 

Make sure you do not move the car or the wheel AT ALL.

 

Now use Kam's scripts to import the VC car that you want to convert.

 

If it has a V_lo chassis file (low res distance shell), click on it, then right click and select the option "HIDE SELECTED" to get it out of the way.

 

Make sure that the WHEEL you kept is where it should be.

 

Now click on the wheel to select it.

 

In the upper left corner of 3DS, you should see a clickable icon that says "UNLINK SELECTION" when you hover your mouse over it.

 

Click it once.

 

Just to the left of it (on max 2011) is a similar one for linking to a selection.

 

Click it once.

 

Now a few option to the right of that should be a clickable option called "SELECT BY NAME".

 

Click it and the select from scene box should open again.

 

Find the item "rf_dummy".

 

Click it and then click LINK in the bottom right corner of the select from scene box.

 

Now back at the top of max, where the linking and unlinking etc. it, click the "select object" tool and then click the "select by name" option again.

 

Make sure you select EVERYTHING in the list.

 

You should now notice that the car model has a bunch of boxes showing from all the various parts being selected.

 

Go to the ANOS script now. It should have opened with Max. If not, go to Maxscript on the top, then click run script and select Anos.

 

In the Anos box, click "APPLICA ALLA SELEZIONE" under the area that says "NAME REFLECTION".

 

Some info should appear in the box just above where you clicked.

 

Now skip down a couple and click "APPLICA ALLA SELEZIONE" again under "SPECULARE SA DEFAULT".

 

Now scroll down the Anos script until you see the options under "ESPORTA"

 

There will be 5 checkable boxes. Check them ALL and then click "APPLICA ALLA SELEZIONE".

 

Now you can minimize Anos.

 

If the car had a V_lo and you 'hid' it, its now time to right click and select the option "UNHIDE ALL"

 

Make sure to select the ENTIRE car again.

 

Go back to Kam's scripts now and under DFF I/O, expand your EXPORT options.

 

Under the "SA COLLISION BASE" section, you will see a clickable bar that says "SELECT COL3/COLL"

 

Click on it.

 

when the search box comes up, find the .DFF of the SA car with a similar shape. This will set its shape as the collision file to use for your new car so make sure it similar size/length/hight/width.

 

Now make sure that EVERY part of the car model is selected and click "EXPORT DFF".

 

Give your car a name and save it. DO NOT OVER WRITE ANOTHER DFF EVEN IF ITS THE CAR YOUR REPLACING!!!! This messes it up sometimes for some reason.

 

If your car is replacing say, the CHEETAH, for example, save it as NEWCHEETAH, if your saving it where the origional CHEETAH.DFF is. If not, just save it as cheetah.dff got it?

 

Congrats! You have just converted the car! We are not done yet though. Now for the last part.

 

-----TEXTURE CONVERSION------

 

For this example, use TXD workshop.

 

Open the TXD of the SA car whose WHEEL you used in your conversion. There should be at least 2 texture files in it.

 

Export them as BMP's.

 

Close the file and open the TXD of the VC car.

 

Click on IMAGE and then ADD.

 

Under the option box that pops up click 32bit.

 

Do this for each of the texture you exported from the SA txd file. Lets just say there was 2 for this example.

 

So now you have 2 new slots in the VC cars txd that simply say 32bit with no images.

 

Click the first one to select it.

 

Now click on PROPERTIES.

 

Look at one of the texture you extracted from the SA car.

 

Under the name option, delete whatever TXD workshop put there and change the name to EXACTLY what the bmp you extracted says. Example: interior_stuff.

 

Next click the box that says COMPRESS.

 

Now click ok.

 

Make sure you still have the new texture slot selected, and click IMPORT.

 

When the window opens, select the bmp whose name you just changed that slot too.

 

It should import and replace the little icon that just says 32bit.

 

Click SAVE IMAGE.

 

Repeat for as many textures as needed to get all of the ones from the SA car into the VC car.

 

Now in the bottom right of TXD workshop, switch the setting from VC to SA and SAVE.

 

Now you can replace a car in SA with the one you just converted!

 

If you need anymore help just let me know. Converting cars with custom wheels can be a little hard the first time because some things must be done a little different.

If this is your case just post a pic or something and ask more questions.

 

-Fox