[REspawn]

If you look in the .ide (like data\maps\comse\comse.ide) files you will find path information that goes with an object as placed on the map (like a road segment or a building)
 
You will find things like
 
ped, 1440, scraperkb3_nit

            2, 6, 0, -499, -109, -1, 160, 1, 1

            2, 2, 0, 43, 682, -1, 160, 1, 1

            2, 3, 0, -380, 686, -1, 160, 1, 1

            2, 4, 0, -510, 551, -1, 160, 1, 1

            2, 0, 0, -518, 258, -1, 160, 1, 1

            1, 1, 0, 504, 696, -2, 160, 1, 1

            1, -1, 0, -515, -450, -1, 160, 1, 1

            0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, -78, 17

            0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 120, -48

            0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, -25, 18

            0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 52

            0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 88, 17

This is a bit of node information that belongs to the scraperkb3_nit object (ObjectID: 1440). This is pedestrian node information but you will find similar blocks for car nodes.

Each line represents a node. The first number represents the type of node (2 = internal node, 1 = external node, 0 = empty).

The 2nd number is the node it is connected to. (Node number 0 is connected to node number 6). The number after that is always 0 and the two nodes after that represent the coordinates relative to the origin of the object. These numbers are compressed and each unit represents 1/16th of a meter (if I?m not mistaken)

There are some flags in there as well (like whether the node is crossing the road etc)

There is a maximum of 12 nodes per object,
 
When the maps get loaded in the external nodes get matched up. If an external node of an object ends up on the same coordinates as the external node of another object the nodes on these objects are connected and a link is formed.
------------------------------------------------------
The above is straight from rockstar, i dunno if i can say who sent it to me as it may get them in trouble.

Also the chase.dat files do nothing for paths and are only related to the intro movie.
--------------------------------------------------------

VICE CITY PATH POINTS.
HOW THEY WORK.

In Vice City (will be out in a fortnight or so) the nodes don?t have to be connected to an object and can be defined in ?world space?. This should make things a lot easier for you. The system with 12 nodes that ?link up? is still the same.

 -Dave

Start original post
Ok,
So this path thing is really starting to bother me, so I sat down yesterday and went trough the paths twisting and tweaking as I went.
I have decide to put up what I have found so that other people can see and maybe it will help us finally figure out what is going on.

So far i have only been dealing with car paths, since car and ped paths are nearly the same, once we get one we should get the other.

The path info i have put together.


Previous topics......
http://www.gtaforums.com/ib/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=48;t=46353
http://www.gtaforums.com/ib....60;st=0
http://www.gtaforums.com/ib/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=48;t=48912



I hope all info is right but if you know that?s it not that I have made a mistake then please PM / e-mail / post reply and let me know.

After doing some probing into the gta files it would seem that nearly every road has a ped and car paths, but even though they are turned on some of them don?t work.
E.g.: out side the SSV hideout are some roads that connect to a car park.
For these roads are both ped and car paths, but only peds use the roads, why?
I tried changing all the numbers and such concerned with the roads and the junction that connects them but with no luck.

The only thing I can see is that the chase.dat files control what gets used and not.
But of course they are compiled files  

Think that?s all I think....

If anyone can add to this or explain more then please do.
Of if anyone at Rockstar would care to explain or give us the max scripts they used it would be nice  

-Dave

[.:R2D2:.]

kool, it'd be great to have an editor for paths, keep it up


-r2d2

[Opius]

The roads that have paths but arn't 'turned on' can still be used to spawn emergency vehicles on. You know that dirt path near the SSV hideout? Normally there isn't traffic, but if you have a wanted level, police/FBI/whatever are spawned on the path.

Good luck with the paths, maybe you should Redkillers bro to help you with some stuff.

[Hollower]

Quote

After doing some probing into the gta files it would seem that nearly every road has a ped and car paths, but even though they are turned on some of them don?t work. E.g.: out side the SSV hideout are some roads that connect to a car park. For these roads are both ped and car paths, but only peds use the roads, why?

In the mission script (main.scm) there are "forbidden for cars cube" and "forbidden for peds cube" which can be added and removed. For example the destroyed bridge gets one of these cubes placed over it which is removed at the point in the game when the bridge is repaired.

[jcab42]

good thread here guys, I've been behind on the issue but now it's coming into focus a bit.

Here's an example of how some paths are layed out in the game.  Keep in mind CrossRoadn1 is turned 180 degrees around in the ipl.

Two joining road models that form a T intersection:

1. from indroads.ide

car, 686, ind_customroad088
 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, -1, 160, 1, 1
 1, 0, 0, 0, 240, -1, 160, 1, 1
 1, -1, 0, 0, -240, -1, 160, 1, 1
 1, 0, 0, 160, 0, -1, 160, 2, 2
 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1...

when x,y,z is divided by 16 and rounded off =
1.  2, 2, 0, 0, 0, -1, 160, 1, 1
2.  1, 0, 0, 0, 15, -1, 160, 1, 1
3.  1, -1, 0, 0, -15, -1, 160, 1, 1
4.  1, 0, 0, 10, 0, -1, 160, 2, 2


2. from industnw.ide

car, 271, CrossRoadn1
 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 160, 1, 1
 1, 0, 0, 0, 239, 0, 160, 1, 1
 1, -1, 0, 0, -240, 0, 160, 1, 1
 1, 0, 0, -159, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2
 1, 0, 0, 160, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2
 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 17...

=
1.  2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 160, 1, 1
2.  1, 0, 0, 0, 15, 0, 160, 1, 1
3.  1, -1, 0, 0, -15, 0, 160, 1, 1
4.  1, 0, 0, -10, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2
5.  1, 0, 0, 10, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2

Now you can associate the line numbers with the numbers in this pic here and we'll see if that helps anyone.

I don't know if the game uses the points from the dff's, but I put them in red just in case.

[T2k2]

Quote (opius @ April 25 2003,11:45)

The roads that have paths but arn't 'turned on' can still be used to spawn emergency vehicles on. You know that dirt path near the SSV hideout? Normally there isn't traffic, but if you have a wanted level, police/FBI/whatever are spawned on the path. Good luck with the paths, maybe you should Redkillers bro to help you with some stuff.

I'd like to mention about how San Angeles has some odd problems with paths, as cars are running around the internals of the airport when they shouldnt be, and when they come to a solid airplane, they JUMP and begin floating, I followed one of these floating cars, and it kept floating out of the airport and maintained its height, then it a lamp-pole and instantly was on the ground.

[REspawn]

Quote

The roads that have paths but arn't 'turned on' can still be used to spawn emergency vehicles on. You know that dirt path near the SSV hideout? Normally there isn't traffic, but if you have a wanted level, police/FBI/whatever are spawned on the path.

But is that the only reason they have paths or are they turned off becuase there is a limit to the ammount of paths the game can take?

Something else i noticed is that the t-junction outside your hideout in SSV is used more than once.

car, 2696, t_junction_4x4
2, 2, 0, 0, -80, -1, 60, 1, 1
1, 0, 0, 239, -79, -1, 60, 1, 1
1, -1, 0, -240, -79, -1, 60, 1, 1
1, 0, 0, 0, 80, -1, 60, 2, 2
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 52
0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 127, 117

Im gonna go and see what can be done with those car blocking cubes in main.scm
 -Dave

[ghost_master2000]

if you simply compile a blank main.scm file it will have no forbiddon for anything cubes, and there will be cars driving around at the portland docks.  The car paths are very important for mission scriptin, because the cars in the mission script that drive to a certain point follow the pats, so they don't run into walls and sh*t.

[T2k2]

Quote (ghost_master2000 @ April 26 2003,13:10)

if you simply compile a blank main.scm file it will have no forbiddon for anything cubes, and there will be cars driving around at the portland docks.  The car paths are very important for mission scriptin, because the cars in the mission script that drive to a certain point follow the pats, so they don't run into walls and sh*t.

CORRECT!

And thats why i dont like redkillers way of doing car paths, because he just removes the forbiddens, the same way San Angeles currently has cars driving around at the airport.  It's piss annoying.

[Shrew]

I've just read through the posts and I'm still not 100% sure what the state is: have people only been able to edit currently existing paths to their own satisfaction (I get the impression there are still connection between paths issues) or can they be added at will?

Personally I can well believe there is a hardcoded max limit on paths...

Im thinking I might l have a look at the paths soon and see if I can at least render them in my level viewer - even if I havent currently got cars or a collision mesh.

[T2k2]

I was thinking about it, and there was some mod where it restarted the game, and the bridge, although it was complete, had those warning blocks that wouldnt let you on the bridge.  People were driving on it though and hurting themselves on the brickades.

I was thinking also about the two cops who drive up the bridge as you drive down, how they wont fire back or get out no matter what you do.  Funny stuff.

[kman2003ko]

Quote (jcab42 @ April 25 2003,18:24)

good thread here guys, I've been behind on the issue but now it's coming into focus a bit. Here's an example of how some paths are layed out in the game.  Keep in mind CrossRoadn1 is turned 180 degrees around in the ipl. Two joining road models that form a T intersection: 1. from indroads.ide car, 686, ind_customroad088  2, 2, 0, 0, 0, -1, 160, 1, 1  1, 0, 0, 0, 240, -1, 160, 1, 1  1, -1, 0, 0, -240, -1, 160, 1, 1  1, 0, 0, 160, 0, -1, 160, 2, 2  0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1  0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1... when x,y,z is divided by 16 and rounded off = 1.  2, 2, 0, 0, 0, -1, 160, 1, 1 2.  1, 0, 0, 0, 15, -1, 160, 1, 1 3.  1, -1, 0, 0, -15, -1, 160, 1, 1 4.  1, 0, 0, 10, 0, -1, 160, 2, 2 2. from industnw.ide car, 271, CrossRoadn1  2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 160, 1, 1  1, 0, 0, 0, 239, 0, 160, 1, 1  1, -1, 0, 0, -240, 0, 160, 1, 1  1, 0, 0, -159, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2  1, 0, 0, 160, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2  0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1  0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 17... = 1.  2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 0, 160, 1, 1 2.  1, 0, 0, 0, 15, 0, 160, 1, 1 3.  1, -1, 0, 0, -15, 0, 160, 1, 1 4.  1, 0, 0, -10, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2 5.  1, 0, 0, 10, 0, 0, 160, 2, 2 Now you can associate the line numbers with the numbers in this pic here and we'll see if that helps anyone. I don't know if the game uses the points from the dff's, but I put them in red just in case.

yep exactly lke the image you just show let where the 4 is @ to be the middle where the z is @ from there you have your Exterior nodes "2" and interior nodes "1"  The gta3 game read all path nodes from the IDE file.  now here is how it goes car, 2696,

Code Sample

t_junction_4x4 2, 2, 0, 0, -80, -1, 60, 1, 1 1, 0, 0, 239, -79, -1, 60, 1, 1 1, -1, 0, -240, -79, -1, 60, 1, 1 1, 0, 0, 0, 80, -1, 60, 2, 2 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 52 0, -1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 127, 117

And here is the part

Code Sample

2, 2, 0, 0, -80, -1, 60, 1, 1 2=node type 2=node connect if they both are the same the game cpu will gen. cars on the  nodes and during the lines like this  [B] O---------O [/B] the First O would be Called A and the second O would be called B . While if the number would remind the same the game would draw a line bettween the two nodes and connect them what ever way it is and the Game would GEN it.  The dummy file don't really do nothing as you can see like from ODIE mod he place paths on his made object and it don't have any path dummys.

O----O
\     /
 \   /
  \ /
   o
Remind that for all the objects with the same second number
I hope this help

[sleeper777]

I have read extensively all the collected posts at gta forums and still
alot of it makes little sense i have even looked into the exe to see what
i could find and it seems the models themselves have path nodes attached to them for a reason and also seems
that on first build of this engine the games makes the paths from a paths.dat file


ok removed all the BS am doing more tests with nodes now will reply later with some findings or breakthroughs

[REspawn]

moved this to the top of the page so you dont have to search the replys looking for it.

 -Dave

[sleeper777]

ok iunderstand what your saying somewhat

is there any truth to the maximum paths theory

and has anyone made the highway have true paths on it yet

mainly for cars as there is no place for peds on the intercity

[REspawn]

Quote

is there any truth to the maximum paths theory

Dont know about that.. probably not though.

Quote

has anyone made the highway have true paths on it yet

Theres a release topic in the mod showroom under maps for this. I havent tried it myself but thats what it says it does.
-----------------------------------
Thanks to uzer_erros for pinning this.
 -Dave

[sleeper777]

Quote

Theres a release topic in the mod showroom under maps for this. I havent tried it myself but thats what it says it does.

i read that post and he has not released anything yet.... just some screenies and a bunch of talk

[sleeper777]

ok i have one question where do the x,y, and z coordinates come from thesize of the dff or distance from center of object not understanding this one piece of info i am not familiar with the dff format at all except for importing them into game.. please if i could understand this i might get something new working...  

[BhaaL]

Hm...
Your Link doesn't work, REspawn...
Error 404, /paths/paths.html not found.

Plz tell me, where your path-explanations for VC are now, I'd need them.

[PineCreek-Skidz]

yes, plez repost them, I need them as well.