Difference between revisions of "Vehicle Mod Installation"

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(Major edits detailing mod installation for GTA 3 - can be applied to most other games as well. Also removed opinionated statement.)
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Though MS Notepad is sufficient for editing the [[Vehicle Formats]], you can also use any other simple text editing program. Several can be found simply [http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=text+editor searching Google]. However, you can also find tools specifically designed for editing a particular file, such as [http://projectcerbera.com/apps/cfgstudio.html CFG Studio] for the [[Handling.cfg]].
 
Though MS Notepad is sufficient for editing the [[Vehicle Formats]], you can also use any other simple text editing program. Several can be found simply [http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=text+editor searching Google]. However, you can also find tools specifically designed for editing a particular file, such as [http://projectcerbera.com/apps/cfgstudio.html CFG Studio] for the [[Handling.cfg]].
  
Also, the special mod-installer tools exist, that make the process of installing mods way easier:
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Also, the special mod-installer tools exist, that make the process of installing mods easier for beginners:
 
* [[GGMM|GTAGarage Mod Manager]]
 
* [[GGMM|GTAGarage Mod Manager]]
 
* [[SAMI|San Andreas Mod Installer]]
 
* [[SAMI|San Andreas Mod Installer]]
  
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The standard operating procedure is to first back up any and all files being edited.
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 +
==GTA 3==
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===DFF and TXD===
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Navigate to the "models" folder of your GTA install and open "gta3.img" with your IMG editor. If an error comes up saying "failure to set data for", simply click and the program will start. To avoid this problem in the future, run the program as an administrator.
 +
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Hit "F2" to bring up the search bar. Search for the model name of the vehicle you are replacing by typing the first few letters. If you are replacing the Linerunner type "linerun", etc. Look in your [[default.ide]] file for more information regarding specific model names. We will be replacing the Linerunner. Once you find "linerun.dff", right click it and choose "delete". Do the same for the "linerun.txd" file.
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Choose "add" and add the dff and txd that came with the mod. Make sure they are named correctly, in this case "linerun.dff" not "linerunner.dff". Next, on the drop down menu, choose "rebuild archive" and wait until it is finished.
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Finally, open "txd.img" with your IMG editor. Navigate to "linerun.txd" and delete it. Add the file that came with the mod and rebuild the archive.
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*Make sure that "read-only" is unchecked for your entire installation folder, or other errors may occur.
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*If an error that looks like this - "DIR file error! The file might be in use... exiting..." - pops up, your image files have been corrupted. It is unknown how this happens, but for now the only way to remedy the problem is to use a backed up dir file and corresponding img file.
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===Carcols.dat===
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If the readme file does not specify any changes to the [[carcols.dat]] file, skip this step. Not all models have new car colors.Open [[carcols.dat]] in your data folder with NotePad.
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Change the car's colors by pasting new lines next to its entry towards the bottom of the file. The first number is the primary color and the second is the secondary color - see [[Carcols.dat#CAR|here]] for more info.
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* If you need to add new colors, paste them underneath the last entry on the top of the file. Make sure their number does not match a previous color - see [[Carcols.dat#Adding_new_colours|here]] for more info on this.
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===Default.ide===
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You may need to change the default.ide line for a car. Find the car's [[default.ide]] entry and paste the information specified in the readme file. You may simply receive instructions to change the wheel size to a certain number - change the last number in the entry. The number before this is the wheel ID, which some mods may require to be changed to 089.
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 +
===Handling.cfg===
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This entry dictates how your car will handle when you drive it. Most mods will have a readme with a handling entry - simply paste this entry over the old one. Customization is possible but difficult - see [[handling.cfg|here]] for more info.
  
 
{{SA-navi}}
 
{{SA-navi}}
 
[[Category:GTA_VC]][[Category:GTA_3]][[Category:Mod_Installation]]
 
[[Category:GTA_VC]][[Category:GTA_3]][[Category:Mod_Installation]]

Revision as of 02:11, 8 September 2011

Two main tools are required for a typical vehicle mod for any of the 3D GTA trilogy.

  • An IMG editing tool.
  • A text editing tool (eg. Notepad, packaged with MS Windows).

Note that not all released IMG editing tools work with every GTA. It is recommended you find the very latest release of a program in order for it to work with the latest games. Always read the readme.

Some common IMG editing programs are:

You can find them in the Tools section of GTAGarage.

These IMG editing tools are used to edit the IMG archives specifically.

Though MS Notepad is sufficient for editing the Vehicle Formats, you can also use any other simple text editing program. Several can be found simply searching Google. However, you can also find tools specifically designed for editing a particular file, such as CFG Studio for the Handling.cfg.

Also, the special mod-installer tools exist, that make the process of installing mods easier for beginners:

The standard operating procedure is to first back up any and all files being edited.

GTA 3

DFF and TXD

Navigate to the "models" folder of your GTA install and open "gta3.img" with your IMG editor. If an error comes up saying "failure to set data for", simply click and the program will start. To avoid this problem in the future, run the program as an administrator.

Hit "F2" to bring up the search bar. Search for the model name of the vehicle you are replacing by typing the first few letters. If you are replacing the Linerunner type "linerun", etc. Look in your default.ide file for more information regarding specific model names. We will be replacing the Linerunner. Once you find "linerun.dff", right click it and choose "delete". Do the same for the "linerun.txd" file.

Choose "add" and add the dff and txd that came with the mod. Make sure they are named correctly, in this case "linerun.dff" not "linerunner.dff". Next, on the drop down menu, choose "rebuild archive" and wait until it is finished.

Finally, open "txd.img" with your IMG editor. Navigate to "linerun.txd" and delete it. Add the file that came with the mod and rebuild the archive.

  • Make sure that "read-only" is unchecked for your entire installation folder, or other errors may occur.
  • If an error that looks like this - "DIR file error! The file might be in use... exiting..." - pops up, your image files have been corrupted. It is unknown how this happens, but for now the only way to remedy the problem is to use a backed up dir file and corresponding img file.

Carcols.dat

If the readme file does not specify any changes to the carcols.dat file, skip this step. Not all models have new car colors.Open carcols.dat in your data folder with NotePad.

Change the car's colors by pasting new lines next to its entry towards the bottom of the file. The first number is the primary color and the second is the secondary color - see here for more info.

  • If you need to add new colors, paste them underneath the last entry on the top of the file. Make sure their number does not match a previous color - see here for more info on this.

Default.ide

You may need to change the default.ide line for a car. Find the car's default.ide entry and paste the information specified in the readme file. You may simply receive instructions to change the wheel size to a certain number - change the last number in the entry. The number before this is the wheel ID, which some mods may require to be changed to 089.

Handling.cfg

This entry dictates how your car will handle when you drive it. Most mods will have a readme with a handling entry - simply paste this entry over the old one. Customization is possible but difficult - see here for more info.