[IV|3DSMax] From 3Ds Max to GTA IV

[ThePrince]

From 3Ds Max to GTA IV

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

In the few past days, i had the idea of starting a mod in GTA IV. It's the very first time i tried to make something in the HD Era. So, As i was looking for a proper way to import models from 3Ds Max to the game, i found that most tutorials has either lost the Tutorial Images, or the tools has been updated a lot that the tutorial is Useless. I tried many times, until i found the right way that worked for me yesterday.

 

This tutorial have two chapters:

- Importing a Model from 3Ds Max to GTA IV

- Placing a Model Correctly in the Map (Mapping)

 

So Let's get Started

 

THE TOOLS:

- GTA IV (I didn't try with EFLC, but it may work for it too)

- 3Ds Max

- GIMS IV

- OpenIV

- NotePad

 

- Importing a Model from 3Ds Max to GTA IV -

 

PART I: 3Ds Max & GIMS IV

(Name your Model before starting, and Always make sure your Model is selected!)

 

 

1- Start 3Ds Max, prepare & texture your Model. Then Import a Ped to Scale it better

 

2- In Utilities Tab, Start GIMS IV.

3- In Tools rollout, choose Map,

4- Position your model where you want in the Game Map.

 

5- Back to GIMS IV, Click Material Editor in the Tool Rollout, Then Click on the first Material, a Message box will popup asking you if you want to convert your Materials to GTA IV: Click Yes

 

6- In Model Material, choose "Bump" in Shader, then turn Specularity to 0, and click on 1st Diffuse to choose the texture assigned to that Material ID. Repeat the same steps to all your Material IDs. if you have many.

 

7- Next, Go to "Hierarchy" Tab, and Click "Reset Pivot", then "Affect Pivot Only", and "Center to Object".

Then "Transform", and "Scale"

 

 

8- Back to the Utilities Tab, Click "Reset Xform", then "Reset Selected"

 

 

9- Go to "Modify" Tab, you'll find "XForm". Right click and choose "Collapse All"

 

10- Now Back to GIMS IV, we gonna make our IDE and WPL.

Open "IDE OBJS Editor" rollup, in "WTD Texture Dictionary", type your model name

In "Draw Distance", type "2000"

Then click on "Set"

 

11- Go to WPL Editor Rollup, Select your Model and click "Set"

(Always make sure your Model is always selected!)

 

 

12- Go to "Hierarchy Manager" in "Tools" rollup,

Type your model name in "File name", Then "Assign"

 

 

13- Create a folder in your Desktop, and Export Both IDE and WPL in it.

 

14- Back to "Hierarchy Manager", in "Openformats" section, select "Node" and "Model"

then type again the name of your model, And click "Assign"

 

 

15- Open "Openformats" rollup, in "ODR/ODD", uncheck "Split smooth groups", then click "Export", and choose the same folder as your IDE and WPL

 

 

16- Now for The Collision:

Back to "Hierarchy Manager" again, Choose "Collision" and "Composite collision"

and click "Assign"

 

 

17- Click "OBN/OBD" in Export in "Openformats" rollup to export your collision in the same folder

 

 

And that's It for 3Ds Max!

 

PART II: OpenIV & Notepad

 

18- Open Up OpenIV, and go to "PC/Data/Maps"

 

19- Click "Edit Mode" and Create a folder (name whatever you want), and Add the IDE and WPL you made in it

 

 

20- Now Click New -> GTA IMG Archive, and give it the same name as your IDE and WPL

21- In your IMG, import your ODR & OBN, they will be converted into WBN and WDR

 

 

22- Click New -> Texture Dictionary, and give it the same name again

23- Double click your WTD file, click Import, and import all your models Textures, Then OK & Save

 

 

 

24- Rebuild your Archive, and that's it for OpenIV

 

 

25- Now go to your GTA IV directory, and go to "common/data". Open gta.DAT with Notepad

under "map files" in IPL section, type your IPL directory, Wich gonna be:

"IPL platform:/DATA/MAPS/(your file name)/(name you chose).IPL"

 

 

26- Do the same in the IDE section, but replace IPL with IDE

"IDE platform:/DATA/MAPS/(your file name)/(name you chose).IDE"

then save and close Notepad

 

 

27- Open image.txt, and go to the end and add this line:

"platformimg:/data/maps/(your folder name)/(name of chose without the .IMG extension) 0"

 

Save and Close.

 

PART III: Enjoy your Model

 

 

- Placing a Model Correctly in the Map (Mapping) -

The map option in GIMSIV let you place your model in the game's map. But, you can only place it "CORRECTLY" along the X & Y axis, but not Z Axis. Another thing, you need "Certainly" gonna need a reference to correctly place your model. This is easy to do in the III Era, as there was two tools, MED and Moo Mapper. In IV Era, There are none

But you can use 3Ds Max and GIMS to do that.

 

Before starting, prepare the Reference Model (WPL, IDE, OBN, ODR & the Textures), Better have all the files in the same folder,

 

1. After you Click "Map" in GIMS to Position your Model, (before you position your Model), Open the "GTA IV" Rollout.

And Check All the Options in WPL Options (Import Section)

 

 

2. Now Click "WPL" in Import Section. 4 Boxes will open, asking you to choose the folder where you put your reference files: WPL & IDE, ODR, OBN & The Textures ! Choose the folder for each one,

 

 

3. Now you have your Reference model in the Map, don't modify it or change it's coordinates. Now you can position your model based on the reference one you just imported.

 

 

4. After you finish positioning, just select the reference model, and delete it. Then continue from "Step 5" in the 1st Tutorial.

 

 

Edited January 31, 2016 by ThePrince

[Blue]

Thank you, man!

Really helps a lot

[ThePrince]

Glad to help ^^

___________________

 

Tutorial Updated ^^

Edited January 31, 2016 by ThePrince

[LudovicoDev]

Great job, I take care to create maps for GTA SA, except for some differences the process is similar

[t40p1k]

veeery helpful. thanks.

 

i'm wondering if you could show how to make a garage?

[ThePrince]

well, you can look for a 3ds max tutorial on that, and then follow this one to get what you made into the game

[t40p1k]

i already made some garage. i just need the detailed steps to export them: which one to check or uncheck on the GIMS, things like that

[t40p1k]

to set up the opening door...things like that

[suttki2d]

@ThePrince thank you very much for tutorial.

i have a problem with texture.

1. i use "unwrap UVW" to organize texture

2. i use "poly select than add texture one by one"

i really need to use unwrap UVW does any one has other technique?

[walern31]

Hello

 

Sorry no speak good english

I am french

 

I have a problem with gims 4 when I want to import a map to OBN I remain blocked with infinite loading

 

Here is the message :

 

"Checking materials - dev_col/malhelper/*composite/mesh22/4500/4744 faces|fix materials IDs"

 

And Blocket loaded infinite