Easy Mod Management for you and players

First of all I want to explain what this tutorial is about.

This tutorial covers the steps taken to make your mods easier to manage, and easier to install for people who download it.

While I tried to make this beginner friendly, it is somewhat advanced and you must know your way around the directorys and files to follow this tutorial.

In this tutorial you will learn:

1. How to create your own .IMG file for your models, textures, and collision models.
2. How to Create a simple guide for users to install your mod!

This tutorial requires the following software:
Grand theft auto: san andreas (works on all versions of the game)
IMG TOOL 2.0

This tutorial requires the following knowledge:
How to make a proper dff model
how to make a proper txd texture
how to make a proper col collision file
how to edit ipls, ides, and dat file types.
how to use imgtool 2.0

With that said, lets get started!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first thing we will do is create a new .IMG file type and place it into a folder for easy reference.

There are a few ways to do this. but I will show you the easiest method.

1. Navigate to your San Andreas models directory. [IMAGE]
ex: Grand theft auto San Andreas\models
2. Copy the file "cutscene.img" to your maps folder. [IMAGE]
ex: Grand theft auto San Andreas\data\maps\mymap (mymap is the same directory of your ipl and ide files)
3. Open the file you just copied with IMG TOOL 2.0. [IMAGE]
4. Add your model, texture, and collision file [IMAGE]
5. Delete every file that isn't yours. [IMAGE]
6. Rebuild the IMG
7. Rename the .IMG file to whatever you like. [IMAGE]
ex: mymap.IMG

You are now done with the .IMG portion of the tutorial.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next we will add our .IMG to a file list in a data document.

1. Navigate to your San Andreas data directory. [IMAGE]
ex: Grand theft auto San Andreas\data
2. Open the file "gta.dat" [IMAGE]
3. Find the line that matches the string "IMG MODELS\CUTSCENE.IMG" [IMAGE]
4. Copy the line and paste it below the string "IMG MODELS\CUTSCENE.IMG" [IMAGE]
5. Replace "MODELS\CUTSCENE.IMG" with the path of your "mymap.IMG" path. [IMAGE]
ex: data\maps\mymap\mymap.IMG
6. Save the file and close it.

You can now use a map editor such as MEd or MooMapper to reference your models from that IMG file, just make sure your IDE and IPL files are in the same folder as your .IMG file.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally we will make a simple guide for users to install your mod.
I will be using a guide that I have made for my own mod so please try to see the differences for your own mod yourself.
Below I will mimic a directory set up of my files.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Screenshot of the directory layout][1],[2]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

supercargallery.zip
..
[-]data
[-]maps
[-]mymap
-mymap.IDE
-mymap.IPL
-mymap.IMG

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

Readme.txt

Super Car Gallery Mod
Created by Jomann
Version 1.0

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

How to install:

Extract the folder "data" to your Grand Theft Auto San Andreas directory.
Open the file "data\gta.dat" with notepad and add the line "IMG data\maps\mymap\mymap.IMG" below the line "IMG MODELS\CUTSCENE.IMG".

Add the line "IDE data\maps\mymap\mymap.IDE" Above the line "IDE DATA\MAPS\generic\vegepart.IDE".

Add the line "IPLdata\maps\mymap\mymap.IPL" Above the line "IPL DATA\MAPS\LA\LAn.IPL".

Save the file and your done.

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

Hopefully this tutorial was helpful for you. If you have any questions let me know.