Is it possible to add a new map into SA with Kams Script 3dmax?

[Lancerator]

Title says it all, it is possible? Any help on this one?

[ZAZ]

You can MAKE map objects with Kams Script 3dmax. I did it with 3dmax7 and 3dmax9, whats the actually version mean while? I believe newer versions have problems because i saw several posts here around, whats your version?

You can also place objects to a map inside of 3dmax, but usually we use mapediter to place and rotate objects to the map, it's easier handling.

 

I do it in this way:

 

first manually the text based files

- i write the ide file, let's say mymod.ide

- i write the ipl file, let's say mymod.ipl (the ipl can have any coords)

 

Now the models, dff, txd and col

there're several methods:

1. put files into modloader

2. put files into img file, let's say mymod.img and put img anywhere in data or models folder

3. put it into gta3.img

 

Then i make entries into gta.dat

(i put model files into img file and put img together with ide and ipl into MOD folder)

 

IDE DATA\MAPS\MOD\myMod.IDEIPL DATA\MAPS\MOD\myMod.IPLIMG DATA\MAPS\MOD\myMod.IMG

At last i run mapeditor and check if everything is ok and if yes then i make the placement

[Lancerator]

You can MAKE map objects with Kams Script 3dmax. I did it with 3dmax7 and 3dmax9, whats the actually version mean while? I believe newer versions have problems because i saw several posts here around, whats your version?

Mine is 2012 version.

 

I do it in this way:

 

first manually the text based files

- i write the ide file, let's say mymod.ide

- i write the ipl file, let's say mymod.ipl (the ipl can have any coords)

 

At last i run mapeditor and check if everything is ok and if yes then i make the placement

 

 

Where am I supposed to write those ide and ipl files? In data?

 

Then at last, what am I exactly supposed to do with mapeditor? You're saying to check if everything is ok then practically that means the map was actually placed but then you say "make the placement", how?

[ZAZ]

 

You can MAKE map objects with Kams Script 3dmax. I did it with 3dmax7 and 3dmax9, whats the actually version mean while? I believe newer versions have problems because i saw several posts here around, whats your version?

Mine is 2012 version.

 

I do it in this way:

 

first manually the text based files

- i write the ide file, let's say mymod.ide

- i write the ipl file, let's say mymod.ipl (the ipl can have any coords)

 

At last i run mapeditor and check if everything is ok and if yes then i make the placement

Where am I supposed to write those ide and ipl files? In data?

 

Then at last, what am I exactly supposed to do with mapeditor? You're saying to check if everything is ok then practically that means the map was actually placed but then you say "make the placement", how?

 

The ipl and ide files are just plain text files and editable with notepad.exe

An advanced texteditor is better and more comfortable, for example sannybuilder or notepad++ can you get for free

read Item_Definition and IPL Definitions

A "must have tool" for mapmodding is the MapEditor, this tool have also indicators to show if model have valid dff and txd and if col position fits to dff position

 

 

 

Basic informations:

Every model (actor, car, weapons, object (Buildings, Landscapes, tuningparts are also objects) must be defined and have an ID number

actors in data\peds.ide

cars in data\vehicles.ide

weapons in data\default.ide

tuningparts in data\ maps\veh_mods\veh_mods.ide

 

Buildings, Landscapes and other objects in a lot of files separated in different folders of data\ maps folder

 

data\maps\generic contains ide and ipl files for small objects for the gameplay like doors, hydrant, shark ect...

data\maps\interior contains ide and ipl files for interior rooms and their accessory

data\maps\country contains ide and ipl files for Buildings and Landscapes of the country as well of area51

data\maps\LA contains ide and ipl files for Buildings and Landscapes of Los Santos

data\maps\SF contains ide and ipl files for Buildings and Landscapes of San fierro

data\maps\Vagas contains ide and ipl files for Buildings and Landscapes of Las Venturas

data\maps\leveldes contains ide and ipl files for the seabeds and for the Liberty City interior world

 

 

GTA San Andreas Root Directory|_anim|_audio||__data |. . |__Decision. . |__Icons. . |__maps. . . |. . . |_country (country ide and ipl). . . |_generic (dynamic and gameplay objects ide). . . |_interior (interior and interior properties ide and ipl). . . |_LA (Los Santos ide and ipl). . . |_leveldes (Seabed and LC world and special objects ide and ipl). . . |_SF (San Fierro ide and ipl). . . |_vegas (Las Venturas ide and ipl). . . |_veh_mods (vehicle Tuningparts ide). .. .. .. . gta.dat ("Master file" in txt format: List to load IMG, IDE and IPL files). . default.ide (weapon ide). . peds.ide (pedestrians, charackter ide). . vehicles.ide (vehicles ide). . timecyc.dat (Weather, Game Colouring). . object.dat (dynamic, script and special object settings). . water.dat (water cube coordinates). . weapon.dat (weapon settings)....|__models... gta3.img.. gta_int.img.. cutscene.img.. player.img

The ide and ipl files need to be loaded and requires to insert their filepath (relativ to game root directory) into data\gta.dat

Same for img archivs

Exceptions:

gta3.img, gta_int.img, player.img, peds.ide, vehicles.ide, default.ide are loaded automatcal and don't need to add the path in gta.dat

 

The most important content of ide lines are

Model ID number/Model name/Texture name

these 3 entries, separeted by comma define the model and allocates the dff file with txd file to an ID number

 

the ide line contains also more entries, which can be different, each if it is a ped, weapon, vehicle or map object

 

the meaning of the entries for map objects is:

 

ID number, modelname, Texturepack, viewdistance, flag

example:

 

 

1211, fire_hydrant, dynhydrent, 40, 128

The models itself must be placed in an img archiv and each model must have a *.dff file(3d model), a *.txd file(textures) and a *.col file(collisions model)

A *.col file is an archiv which can contain one more collisions models

the name of the collisions model must be the same as the name of the *.dff file but the *.col file archiv can have any name

 

 

The ide files have sections

the normal object definitions are placed between

objs and end

example:

 

objs1211, fire_hydrant, dynhydrent, 40, 128end

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The ipl files have sections

the normal object placements are placed between

inst and end

example:

 

inst17582, stadtplaza_lae2, 0, 2739.21875, -1770.085938, 17.5546875, 0, 0, -0.999048233, 0.04361938313, -1end

there're additional sections, mostly empty or the sections for garages or enex have entries

garage entry to define garage area in grovestreet:

 

grge2502.31, -1699.36, 12.4323, 2508.61, -1699.36, 2502.31, -1691.01, 16.5666, 1, 16, cjsafeend

enex entry to place enex (yellow triangle for teleport into interior)

 

enex2309.62, -1643.63, 13.8385, 0, 1.6, 1.6, 8, 2308.12, -1643.63, 13.8385, 93, 0, 260, "BAR2", 0, 2, 0, 24end

Stream.ipl

 

The most part of the item placements are inside of the "stream.ipl" files

These files are placed in gta3.img as well in gta_int.img

These files are assigned by the filename to the ipl files of maps folder

Example:

data\maps\LA\LAe2.IPL is the base ipl

and the assigned "stream.ipl" files are:

lae2_stream0.ipl

lae2_stream1.ipl

lae2_stream2.ipl

lae2_stream3.ipl

lae2_stream4.ipl

lae2_stream5.ipl

lae2_stream6.ipl

 

the "stream.ipl" files are in binary format, not plaintext

it needs first to extract these files from gta3.img with img tool

then use Binary IPL (De)Compiler to convert the "stream.ipl" into text format as well as back into binary format

 

 

Exercise: simply add an object to the map by adding to an existing ipl file

 

Open GTA SA\data\maps\LA\LAe2.IPL with texteditor

The ipl file beginns with "inst" and as follwing the normal item placements till the list ends with "end", to close the "inst" section

 

 

 

 

inst17582, stadtplaza_lae2, 0, 2739.21875, -1770.085938, 17.5546875, 0, 0, -0.999048233, 0.04361938313, -1end

The LAe2.IPL have a lot item placements in the "inst" section,so it's a long list

scroll down to the end of "inst" section

there should you find these lines:

 

710, vgs_palm01, 0, 2730.046875, -1191.328125, 83.5859375, 0, 0, -0.9762960076, -0.2164396197, -1end

add there a line for placement of the explosive Barrel4

 

 

710, vgs_palm01, 0, 2730.046875, -1191.328125, 83.5859375, 0, 0, -0.9762960076, -0.2164396197, -11225, barrel4, 0, 2486.3, -1678.5, 12.8, 0, 0, 0, 1, -1end

add placements always to the end of the "inst" section !!!!

the explosive barrel is placed in Grovestreet, beside of CJ's house

now test it ingame

 

 

 

 

About collisions models:

The collisions files are archiv files with *.col extension that contain collisions models

You need CollEditor to open collisions files and import/export or edit collisions models

A collisions model must always have the same name as the *.dff model, but most collisions models are hidden in a col archiv that have another name.

The collmodel inside the coll file must have same name as the dff model

The coll file is an archiv and can have any name

 

Making coll model:

When your model is ready and size is ok, then make shure that only that model is available in 3dmax and nothing else

then use 3dmax-export function, export it as *.3ds

Then open CollEditor and open an existing coll file or create a new

then choose "Edit" > "ADD" and add the *.3ds

[Lancerator]

Outstanding post, thanks.