[Gforce]

Information for map cleaning GTA-IV v1 (1.0.1.0)

today i started working on cleaning out the GTA IV map.

i am running a genuine install of the game that was updated etc online as it was installed and requires the genuine disc in the drive.

i am uing Alexander Blade's "ASI" method of modding the game, using his filecheck bypass ASI. Topic with Download and instructions here

i have also tested using listener's xlive method Topic with download and instructions

i found that if i edited out certain IMG entries in the images.txt i started to get a map cleaned IV install, i also found that i could delete the targetted img,ide,wpl and xpl files from the PC\data\maps folders.

here is what my current images.txt looks like, remember that while originally testing that i wasn't using a modified water.dat file so Niko will fall through the game map and REspawn and fall again etc, what is needed is a mission script similar to steve-m's old SA map cleaner script spawning the player in the air in a heli.

CODE

# NOTE: The names and paths in this file are CASESENSITIVE on PS3 so don't f*ck 'em up. #this has been ordered to reflect the order on the disk commonimg:/data/cdimages/navgen_script commonimg:/data/cdimages/script_network 1 platformimg:/anim/cutsprops  1 platformimg:/anim/cuts   1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Int_Props/props_ss 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Int_Props/props_ab 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Int_Props/props_km 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Int_Props/props_mp 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Int_Props/props_ld 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Int_Props/props_ah 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Mission/level_2 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Mission/level_5 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Mission/level_4 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Mission/level_6 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Mission/level_1 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Mission/level_3 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/commercial/7_11  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/commercial/clothes  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/commercial/office  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/commercial/bar  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/commercial/beauty  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/commercial/fastfood 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/lev_des/minigame  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/lev_des/mission_int 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/lev_des/icons  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/details 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/kitchen 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/lights  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/electrical 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/bedroom 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/bathroom 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/soft  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/residential/dining  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/doors/int_door  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/vegetation/int_veg  1 #the following #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_05 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_liberty 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_04w 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_04e 0 #to here   platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_xref 1 #the following #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_03 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_docks 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_02 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_01 0 #to here   platformimg:/models/cdimages/radar 0 platformimg:/anim/anim   0 platformimg:/models/cdimages/pedprops 1 platformimg:/models/cdimages/weapons 0 platformimg:/models/cdimages/vehicles 0 platformimg:/data/cdimages/scripttxds 1 commonimg:/data/cdimages/script  1 commonimg:/data/cdimages/carrec  1 platformimg:/data/maps/generic/procobj 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/blocks  1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/public_2 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/homes_2 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/homes_3 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/brownstones 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/indust_1 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/bars_2  1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/retail_2 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/bars_1  1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/public_3 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/public_1 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/retail_3 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/retail_1 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/retail_4 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/bars_3  1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/blocks_3 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/blocks_2 1 platformimg:/data/maps/interiors/Generic/homes_1 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/doors/ext_door  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/rubbish  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/fences 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/works 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/traffic  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/st_vend 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/lamppost  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/sign  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/bllbrd  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/bins 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/roadside/crates 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/street/amenitie 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/street/rooftop 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/street/misc 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/street/elecbox 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/vegetation/ext_veg  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/windows/gen_win 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/industrial/industrial 1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/industrial/skips  1 platformimg:/data/maps/props/industrial/drums  1 platformimg:/data/cdimages/navmeshes 0 platformimg:/data/cdimages/gtxd  0 platformimg:/data/cdimages/paths 0 #the following #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat12 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat05 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhatxr 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat08 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat06 0 #to here platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/subwayxr 0 platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhatsw 0 platformimg:/data/maps/props/industrial/railway  1 #the following #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat04 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat07 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat09 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat03 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat11 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat02 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat01 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/manhat/manhat10 0 #to here platformimg:/models/cdimages/componentpeds 1 #the following #platformimg:/data/maps/east/brook_s2 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/brook_s 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/brook_s3 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/brook_n 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/brook_n2 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/east_xr 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/queens_m 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/queens_w2 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/queens_w 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/queens_e 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/bronx_e 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/bronx_e2 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/bronx_w 0 #platformimg:/data/maps/east/bronx_w2 0 #to here #map xref #map instance

i have seperated and #'d out all map entries that can be removed safely.

some crappy screens ...............





this is actually a little bit more than just commenting out lines, masses of files can be deleted completely

here is a quick explanation of how this all works, i think

as you know, the images.txt is the first file to be called from the gta.dat, this is a list of assorted img files used by the game for various img sections of the map or img's that store dynamic/generic objects.

for each (map\img) entry within the images.txt there are 4 target files at each location, each entry also has a flag at the end of each line: 1 or 0.

0 = img contains exterior map (model) files
1 = img contains interior or dynamic/generic/mission/cutscene/breakable (model) files

here's an example:

CODE

platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_01 0

translates to :-

CODE

Grand Theft Auto IV\PC\data\maps\jersey\nj_01                                           nj_01.ide                                           nj_01.wpl                                           nj_01.xpl (Xbox 360 file, unused by PC version afaik)                                           nj_01.img

the "nj_01.img" contains several further mapping files:

CODE

nj_01.wad nj_01.wbn through to nj_01_29.wbn (collision files) nj_01_strbig0.wpl through to nj_01_strbig2.wpl nj_01_stream0.wpl through to nj_01_stream26.wpl (streaming binary wpl's)

when you delete an entry from the images.txt file, you can also delete the 4 target files also,

example:

# out or delete :-

CODE

platformimg:/data/maps/jersey/nj_01 0

means you can also delete the following target files

CODE

Grand Theft Auto IV\PC\data\maps\jersey\nj_01                                          nj_01.ide                                          nj_01.wpl                                          nj_01.xpl                                          nj_01.img

and yes, miraculously the game runs without crashes.

here's a working water.dat Download



Updated Information for map cleaning the Update 5 (1.0.0.4) release

Rockstar sort of changed things a little with the 1.0.0.4 update slightly.

i tried my usual method of cleaning with the V5 update, i #'d out the map ipl lines in the gta.dat, i #'d out the img lines in the images.txt, but neither method would work, i even deleted the gta.dat and the images.txt and the map still stayed ingame.

however, after deleting the filelist.pak and putting the gta.dat and images.txt back, i found that i could do a simple # out of the 'img' folder lines in the images.txt and the map would disappear, if you only # out the ipl lines in the gta.dat, the game WILL crash.

here is the list of instructions on how to map clean the GTA-IV v5 (1.0.0.4) and GTA-IV v6 (1.0.6.0) Updates.

1. make a backup copy of your GTA-IV (with the v5 (1.0.0.4) update applied) folder.
2. download and install Xliveless - 0.99b1 from this topic to your backup folder of GTA-IV
3. delete the 'filelist.pak' from the 'Grand Theft Auto IV\pc\data' folder.
4. edit your images.txt file as in the method above, alternatively use the mapcleaned files in the link below and put them into your '\Grand Theft Auto IV\common\data' folder, also includes a full map water.dat.
5. run game
6. This Instruction is Optional - delete the "East, Jersey and Manhat" folders from the 'Grand Theft Auto IV\pc\data\maps' folder and save yourself 4.33GB of hdd space

this method should also work for update verson 1.0.4.0.

IV Mapcleaner files
Empty Path Nodes IMG

thanks to all for your kind support

This post has been edited by Gforce on Monday, Jan 10 2011, 22:21

[goin-god]

Interesting stuff. When we get a way to open and decompile the game script this will be very useful.

[Johnline]

i say good work, some poor persons gotta do it. i don't know what else. i mainly talk here to pick up chicks

[The GTA Guy]

Good work, keep it up. But you already planned the replacing it? I mean, which city or country will you replace it? What will be the new map?

[Gforce]

Edited into first post

This post has been edited by Gforce on Monday, Dec 29 2008, 01:27

[locO G]

Top hole!

The canvas is primed.

[goin-god]

Good work, maybe now someone will create an automatic program for this, like Steve-m's map cleaner.

So it also removes the unused files.

[ceedj]

Simply an encouragement post. Good going, keep it up!

[Picolini]

QUOTE (ceedj @ Dec 21 2008, 21:56)

Simply an encouragement post. Good going, keep it up!

Throwing mine in as well GForce! Glad to see you're still around, and active in the beginning of IV modding!
With out people like you, we won't make it anywhere
Keep it up!

[Jost_Vice]

Nice work, GForce.

Images.txt is the file in wich the various IMGs are listed, no? then, if game doesn't find models, they don't spawn? No crash?

[Cursed]

Good to see that someone is already working on cleaning the map, hopefully there will be some new stuff to fill it soon.

[ParoXum]

Ofcourse that's the easy first step to comment lines. One step more important will be to script the removing of useless files.

[Intosia]

Nice! Good job man

[Gforce]

thanks to all for your kind support

This post has been edited by Gforce on Monday, Dec 29 2008, 01:28

[-TRASE-]

OH NOES! what have you done!!!!?????


ps. Nice work i see some custom maps soon

[FunGt]

I tried it and it works good. Unfortunately in my sh*tty pc the game runs always at 12fps lol.

[uNi]

Great progress Gforce.

[kbps]

Great work!

[Gforce]

edited my follow up posts into the first post as a complete method

[BlOoDStReAm101]

Great work so far. Keep it up!