Plugin SDK manual/tutoriais/guide for beginners

[Anjinho green_eyes]

I downloaded and I installed code blocks, plugin sdk and some others required softwares except direct x and Microsoft visual studio, I spent some days learning c++ basics, I watched tutorias from code nulls's channel in YouTube, but he doesn't explaining it like explaining beginners, he explain some stuffs but a lot of commands he just type without explaining anything. Someone can help me with some very basic tutorials of plugin sdk well explained? Help!!!!!!

Edited September 30, 2019 by Anjinho green_eyes

[Sloth-]

Unfortunately, there isn't a full documentation or tutorial, nor a Plugin SDK tutorial 'for dummies' but this is how i learned asi scripting (i still don't fully know, besides, i have months without touching c++ and plugin SDK and possibly certain stuff has changed):

 

First of all: if you are struggling even to understand the most basic tutorials, maybe is because you don't even know the programming basics.

If that's the case, you should begin reading about OOP (Object-Oriented Programming). Classes, instantiating objects, static methods and all that. That's the basis, once you understand that, you shouln't have problems understanding tutorials. Plugin SDK isn't other thing than just a c++ library to mod the GTA III/VC/SA games.

 

Also, i recommend using Visual Studio instead of Code::Blocks. Even if last one is useful and pretty, it can have problems compiling certain programs, and Visual Studio will make your life easier showing you while you type all the classes available, or all the methods and properties the class you are typing has.

 

After that:

 

1. Read examples provided by the plugin sdk itself:

https://github.com/DK22Pac/plugin-sdk/tree/master/examples

 

2. Learn from other asi creators:

These guys left their mods with source code, study them and see how they got their stuff working:

https://gtaforums.com/topic/936612-rainbomizer-san-andreas-randomizer/

https://github.com/DK22Pac/mobile-hud/tree/master/source

https://github.com/gennariarmando/classic-hud

Check the Scripts & Plugins section, and see if there is another asi mod with source code available:

https://gtaforums.com/forum/326-scripts-plugins/

 

3. Join plugin-SDK discord, and get in contact with other modders:

https://discord.gg/zaVqFQv

Just don ask them to do everything for you. Try to put some effort to solve your own problems and just ask if you really feel totally stuck.

 

4. Practice A LOT!

Take sample codes and compile them by parts. Experiment, see what happens when you remove certain parts of code, or simply take isolated parts of a code and check if it can run on their own.

These codes

https://github.com/DK22Pac/mobile-hud/tree/master/source

https://github.com/gennariarmando/classic-hud

can be very beginner-friendly, i think.

Or at least they're excellent when you want to learn how to modify the HUD.

 

5. ADVANCED: You best learn the basics on Reverse-Engineering!

You don't need this for doing asi mods, but knowing it will give you more possibilities.

You really don't need to become an expert at reverse engineering (that stuff is only for gods of modding), but you need to learn how to read the GTA_SA.idb, at least at a basic level, because there are tricks that are A LOT used on asi plugins for GTA III/VC/SA.

This is the GTA_SA.idb: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nmi3e9eylqnra8o/gta_sa1.0us-extended-v8.idb?dl=1 (you can find all .idb files on the pluginSDK discord - the previous link).

What is this exactly? Is the gta_sa.exe decompiled on high level language. With this you can learn A LOT on how the GTASA works, and therefore, you could figure out how to change the game on many ways. Of course, this requires sort of advanced skills, but while you learn from other modders scripts, you can check the GTA_SA.idb memory addresses and compare, and then many things that you didn't understand will make sense!

You need this program to open the GTA_SA.idb:

IDA 7.0: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=IDA+7.0

Search tutorials in order to know the basics on this program.

 

Good luck!

Edited October 2, 2019 by Sloth-