[GTARandom]

GTA IV Object Import Tutorial

Video




Step-by-step textual explanation

1. WDR
1. Import a model from a GTA game to base scales on (San Andreas or IV recommended) - I use sweet.dff from SA.
2. Scale it until it fits the correct size!
3. Center the pivot to the object (Select Pivot icon -> Affect Pivot Only -> Center to Object).
Also make sure to reset its scales and rotation (found at bottom of the menu).
4. Convert it to Editable Poly and texture it with a minimum of 2 UVMaps (textures).
5. Center the object to 0!
6. Run Shadow's Script and Export WDR! - It is recommended to have your object under 2000 polys.
2.a) WBN - Static Collision
1. Clear all object mapping (Tools icon -> More -> UVW Remove).
2. In Modifier menu add these mofifiers : Vertex Weld - set to 0,1 if it's not and Tesselate - Center to Box if your object mesh doesn't have more 4 vertices!
3. Convert it to Editable Poly again!
4. Open GIMS Suite menu and enable Map helper to help you place your collision in GTA IV world.
NOTE: Because WBN are coordinated collisions you will be forced to have the col and WPL placement of WDR at same coordinate or Collision will be in the incorrect spot.
5. Create 2 dummies and center them to 0 throughout all axes and set hierarchy in the Schematic View like in the picture below:

6. Set Collision to BVH type in GIMS or leave it as it is!
7. Export as OBN!
2.b) WBD- Dynamic collision
1. Do everything as you would do with WBN just in the object name set it the same as filename and WDR name! Also important to center it to 0 in Max Scene!
2. Export OBD!
3.a) WTD-OpenIV
1. When you make an archive for your new map you can choose to create a WTD by going to New->Windows Texture Dictionary (WTD) and edit the file using OpenIV's interface. Most common image types work (ie. png , jpg etc.)
3.b) WTD-G-Texture
1. This way to create a new WTD is more complex and less comfortable than making it with OpenIV, but because some people can't get OpenIV to work G-Texture is their alternative.
Open G-Texture!
2. Press New , and name your WTD and save it somewhere!
3. Get your textures in DDS (DirectDraw Surface) if you havent already (use Photoshop with Nvidia Plugin or iMage!) and make them in DXT1 if it is not an alpha or a opacity based texture.
4.Add textures and save the changed!
4. WPL and IDE
1. Back in 3ds Max make 3 dummies and center them!
2. In schematic mode set their names and hierarchy like this:

3. Prepare your object in GIMS /Map Object Set WPL and IDE , also make sure to enter the WTD name , note to make the WTD which you created in G-Texture/Open-IV with same name.
4. Export IDE!
5. Go back to Schematic mode and just rename "dev_ide" to "dev_wpl"!
6. Export WPL!
7. Close 3ds Max!
5. IMG creation and setup for gta.dat and images.txt
1. Run OpenIV and press Create>New IMG archive!
2. Make your new folder inside GTA IV's pc/data/maps and put wpl ide and img made inside it!
3. Import WDR(s) and WTD(s) if made with G-Texture in it.
4. Press New->OpenFormats->Collision bound->select your OBN/OBD!
5. If you made WTD with G-Texture , skip this step! If not press New-> WTD file!
6. Rebuild and save the archive!
7. Go to common/data and open gta.dat!
In it add the path line to your wpl /identified as IPL in gta.dat) and ide!
Example IDE:

CODE

# map files    IDE platform:/DATA/MAPS/BOXEXAMPLE/BOXEXAMPLE.IDE

Example IPL:

CODE

# map files    IPL platform:/DATA/MAPS/BOXEXAMPLE/BOXEXAMPLE.IPL

8. Exit and save gta.dat , than open up images.txt!
In it add line for img path!
Example IMG:

CODE

platformimg:/data/maps/boxexample/boxexample 0

9. Save images.txt and enjoy new model ingame!


Changes (GIMS 1.42 and onwards):

•WBN main dummy has been renamed from "dev_openbounds" to "dev_col". So if you are using the newer versions of GIMS make sure to call it "dev_col" instead of old "dev_openbounds" - quotation marks aren't meant to be included in the name.

•IDE and WPL don't require naming of "dev_ide" and "dev_wpl" , instead name it "dev_map"!

New updated tutorial coming soon!

[iZinith]

Nice Tut! Will try it out soon

[hristobg]

Thank you for the tutorial. I have ~200 objects, for which I want to use one archive of textures (wtd). Can I select them all and set up the WPL and IDE at one time? It's annoying to select every object and press SET for IDE and WPL..

[Secretagents1]

I couldn't do any of this, as this uses old tools, and the one i use are the new ones (because the old ones are unavailable) everything in this tut is impossible for me, it all starts on the map viewer bit, i'm sorry. But this is useless to me.

[hristobg]

If you use GIMS 1,42, you should rename the dummys to:

- For IDE and WPL - just 'dev_map'.
- For COL (WBN) - 'dev_col'

The hiearachy must be like that:

for map:

[-] dev_map
|-- [-] IDE and WPL name
-----|-- [-] map
----------|-- [-] objs
---------------|-- model1
---------------|-- model2
---------------|-- model3
---------------|-- etc..

for col:

[-] dev_col
|-- [-] wbn filename
-----|-- [-] unnamed
----------|-- 0
----------|-- 1
----------|-- 2
----------|-- 3..

[kevv]

QUOTE (hristobg @ Apr 9 2011, 08:09)

If you use GIMS 1,42, you should rename the dummys to: - For IDE and WPL - just 'dev_map'. - For COL (WBN) - 'dev_col' The hiearachy must be like that: for map: [-] dev_map |-- [-] IDE and WPL name -----|-- [-] map ----------|-- [-] objs ---------------|-- model1 ---------------|-- model2 ---------------|-- model3 ---------------|-- etc.. for col: [-] dev_col |-- [-] wbn filename -----|-- [-] unnamed ----------|-- 0 ----------|-- 1 ----------|-- 2 ----------|-- 3..

is it possible to make a little video to show how to make dummy hierarchy for v 1.42 ????
pls thx to all

[GTARandom]

Tutorial footer updated with latest collision, IDE and WPL (Map) names! I will try to update as new changes become known to me in future releases.

This post has been edited by GTARandom on Monday, Apr 11 2011, 22:26

[StunterDan]

Yey finaly did it got my first SanAndreas object in IV everything working but col isnt but
Thanks great tut!

[nanito13]

help when i export it says :

=====Scene check=====
ERROR::Empty "dev_col" dummy! No files exported. huh??

[lazlow555]

QUOTE (nanito13 @ Wednesday, Jun 1 2011, 13:12)

help when i export it says : =====Scene check===== ERROR::Empty "dev_col" dummy! No files exported. huh??

your hierarchy is wrong

[nanito13]

hey can you make a video of the latest version please

[PanosD]

a whole f*cking process for a damn single model.....

[nanito13]

when will the new tutorial come out ?

[nanito13]

uhhh hello ?

[Blaster_nl]

QUOTE (PanosD @ Monday, Sep 5 2011, 20:49)

a whole f*cking process for a damn single model.....

You can also do 100 objects at once, doesn't really slow down the process. It can all be mass processed with gims and openiv.

@nanito13, I will talk to Random, maybe we will write a new tutorial together, what is what you want to know?

[anthony312]

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[GTARandom]

I updated the tutorial for this. It is already up and posted , just need mods/admins to approve

[Limiter]

Great to hear, but now I crave for more.

I want to know how to do stuff like SLOD and MLO properly. Those are the only two that I have trouble on.

Or maybe how to export swimming pool water. Sorry, getting ahead of myself already.

Anyhow, thank you for this update. Also thank you for helping me come this far in map modding.

[ratalucas]

convercion explain, as is done when more than one object

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z6M4ERAX

[SaharVi]

Thank you!
But where is the video?