[tonester]

by TONESTER

Tutorial for the San Andreas

MapEditor (MEd)

© 2005-2006 Tony Wroblewski

First off big thanks to people like Tony who take the time and effort to create great programs like this.

This tutorial will teach you how to add objects to SA using the latest version of MEd
Found here http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=1053

After you download this version create a new folder and extract the files to this folder.
Read the read me and BACK UP YOUR DATA/MAPS FOLDERS

When the program is first started you will be asked to find where GTA SA is installed (usually C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas) select this folder and type the name that you want the game to be called in the program, I just call it ¡§san andreas.¡¨ Click OK

Now you will see the game data being loaded.

To your left you will see 4 tabs > IDE, IPL, SCENE and ITEM

IDE- these are the properties of an item, if it gets wet, etc
IPL- these are locations of the items that are placed in the game
SCENE- these are the IDE and IPL data in the sections of the map that you can load.(the map info)
ITEM- this tab controls the properties of the placed item, X Y and Z axis of an item etc



So now that you know what we are working with lets put some items into the game!

First we have to render a part of the map, I chose the Grove, where CJ¡¦s house is

To load the map, go to the SCENE tab and find the DATA/MAPS/LA/LAe2.IPL

And click render to render that part of San Andreas




Now what we want to do is find CJ¡¦s house use the W,A,S,D and the scroll wheel on your mouse to move around, zoom out and CJ¡¦s house is just to the left, go right over top of it.


***A helpful part of the program is the bookmark feature, it looks like a little pencil ,its right above the SCENE tab. Using this you can create a book mark to locations so you don¡¦t have to do all the scrolling around. ƒº

Now we are going to create a new IPL, for our items to be placed, it is also easier to find your custom items when you have them all grouped together in the part of the map you are in

Select the IPL TAb


Click NEW IPL and call it JUMPS and save it in the DATA/MAPS/LA directory, (since we are in the LA part of SA.)


THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
If you try to create a new item right now in the new IPL called JUMPS we just created the program >will< crash!

Now we need to close the map editor and go into the GTA San Andreas DATA folder and find the file called GTA (make sure it is not read-only) open it and what we are going to do is tell the game and the Map editor to load the objects that we placed in the IPL we created.

Now remember how we created our custom IPL called JUMPS in the LA folder in the DATA/MAPS directory

Open up the GTA file

and scroll down to the IPL DATA and add the location of the custom IPL we saved in the LA folder to the BOTTOM of the IPL data.

YOUR LINE SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS

IPL DATA\MAPS\vegas\vegasN.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\vegas\vegasS.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\vegas\vegasE.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\vegas\vegasW.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\country\countryN.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\country\countN2.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\country\countrys.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\country\countryE.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\country\countryW.IPL
IPL DATA\MAPS\LA\jumps.ipl

heres a pic


Now that we have entered that data SAVE this file and restart the map editor and go to the Grove again above CJ's house and go to the IPL tab and find the CUTOM IPL we created.

Now that we have selected our custom IPL called JUMPS its time place custom objects into the IPL we created, Make sure the JUMPS.IPL is selected!

Click the NEW button half way down in the IPL tab and this will ask you to select what new item you want in the Grove.

Now you have to find and item that you want to place in the game, use the SEARCH button to find an item in the game, I searched for LANDJUMP, which is a Kicker ramp


Now click OK and the item will be placed in the game, and the camera will center on the item.

Now zoom out and you can use the X Y and Z coordinates buttons on the left to move the object.

OR A MUCH FASTER way of doing things is that if you created a bookmark for the Grove go to that bookmark and the object (jump) will still be selected. Now look at the bottom right of the screen and you will see the coordinates for the location you are at now, your ITEM tab should still be selected, read the coordinates from the bottom right and input them into the X Y and Z of the item on the top left and then the item will go to where your current location is. Saving you item moving the item manually

[tonester]

JUST CREATED


MOVING THE JUMP


After you have placed the item where you want Click OK



Now go to the IPL TAB and you should see the jump listed as an object in the IPL you created. Like this


Make sure the IPL you created is selected and click SAVE and close the map editor.

Now if when you want to change you items go to the SCENE tab and find the IPL we created and select it and click render and all your items you have placed in the game will be rendered.

NOW START SA AND KNOCK YOUR SELF OUT WITH YOU NEW SKILLS!

GAME SCREENSHOT


I HAVE STARTED FROM SCRATCH AND READ MY TUTORIAL AND FOLLOWED IT AND IT WORKS

Any questions don¡t be afraid to ask,

cheers, tonester

PS I posted twice because i had to many images on the post.

[solo]

Nice tutorial, I'm sure it will help many people having problems adding objects

[tonywob]

Good Tutorial, thanks for doing that. Maybe you could submit this to gtamodding.com

I've noticed you mentioned the program crashes when creating a new IPL and then placing an object inside it. As always, I couldn't reproduce the problem on my machine . But I'll have another look at it. Development has been slow recently due to work commitments and the purchase of an XBOX 360 .

[Suction Testicle Man]

Moved to Tutorial Forum. Will add to Tut Archive asap.

<3D

[tonester]

yeah, it does crash if you go to add an object to the ipl if you dont add i tho the gta.dat file first , atleased it does on my friends comps too.

[Timpo]

can you add car spawns with this too? (so you don't have to start a new game for changing the MAIN.scm?)

[Timpo]

can you add car spawns with this too? (so you don't have to start a new game for changing the MAIN.scm?)

[YeTi]

QUOTE (timpo @ Mar 2 2006, 20:02)

can you add car spawns with this too? (so you don't have to start a new game for changing the MAIN.scm?)

No that can only be done through the main.scm. If you use a Darkapct code you don't have to start a new game, but they are advanced and difficult to use.

[tiedie]

well i figured that out...


i was messin around and added 3 roads heading up on top of that big round building near cj's house...at the end of the roads i added a ramp..when i went up there with a bike i couldnt ride on the roads, id just fall through....it adding roads in the sky impossible?

This post has been edited by tiedie on Monday, Mar 6 2006, 07:08

[Wobblyhead]

No its not, just some roads are not solid i think

Im having draw distance problems with spawned objects (the stay invisib;e even when im right beside them) is there anyway to counteract this?

[rjizzy]

WHEN I CLIK RENDER ON DA BOTTOM IT SEZ MAP LOADED BUT NOTHING COMES UP ON DA SCREEN ??????

[Wobblyhead]

Click in the black window and look around, its there somewhere i guarantee it

[Sweet J Lou]

Wazz up, great tutorail. Hey do you know how to add those yellow interior markers cause i need them. This tutorial really helped me with some of my personal mapping.

Hey have you ever tried to put a pedestrian into a map, really funny !!

[Timpo]

I have a problem. I followed your tutorial every step, with creating a new IPL, put it in the GTA.dat file, adding the object (a helipad on the Desert Airfield) and such, but when I try to start my game, it crashes halfway at the loading screen. I have added a LOD object for my item too, don't know if that's the problem...

[NtsRock]

I Modelled a new construction......Can I use this tool to add it into game??

[abaad]

I Modelled a new construction (my own designe,it dos't fownd in GTA files) ......Can I use this tool to add it into game (not replase) ??

[danaskill]

When I go at a high speed with my car trough the bigger ramp (called landramp2) the car goes trough without jumping if I place the smaller 1 will the same problem consist?

[Maj]

Hi all,

I dont know if people are still reading this thread, but i have just recently downloaded the Map Editor, read the tutorials and followed the procedures, it lists the ipl i made via the tutorial in the Map Editor, but when i check the maps folder via windows it doesnt list it?? it said in the tutorial you have to disable read only on the folders and i think this is my problem, i can disable read only on gta.dat file and add the neccessary lines, but on any other folder or file in my san andreas directory when i select to disable read only (Either just the file/folder or that file/folder and all subfolders) and click apply, it seems to work, if i then click properties on it again it says read only again?? for some reason it wont let me disable read only on data folder, maps folder and so on i'm not really any kind of super PC user, but know the basics, is there some windows setting that locks folders so they cant have read only disabled?? or is this something with san andres itself?? hopefully i am just being a complete noob and somebody can point me in the right direction

If anyone has the time/inclination to help me i would be extremely grateful as over the last few months i have started downloading and adding peoples mods, and having lots of fun playing SA again i then read up about this map editor and it seems pretty easy to use, so i would love to be able to get over this problem and get building!! i have a lot of time on my hands (Due to health issues) and would love building mods and stuff for SA, any help would be wonderful

Maj

[blacktitan1]

And what happen when i don't make a new ipl? (I rendered the SFs.ipl and there i put a new house)