[Tutorial] How to Convert a 3D Model to GTA IV Vehicle

[Cosmo 290]

Introduction:

Hello everyone! Welcome to my first ever tutorial.

My goal is to run through, step by step, the basics of converting a car model from another game into a GTA IV vehicle which will be fully functioning.

I will be linking my videos below as I make them so at the moment, this tutorial is a work in progress but I am planning on completing the whole tutorial in about 5-8 parts (hopefully).

Please feel free to leave any and all comments, questions, or critique. I look forward to helping everyone and learning from some good constructive criticism.

 

Notes:

The video tutorials will start at a point at which you should already have your vehicle model by either ripping it from a game, or simply downloading it off a website.

You will need zModeler and a working copy of GTA IV.

Link to the Series Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPaLIglJWJ8MFPYS8ueJxZiUUpEffJ-u5

 

 

Part One: Preparing the Model

Useful Information:

Spoiler

• If you're importing the car file, (whether it's a .obj or other) make sure that the 'split by groups' option is chosen.
• Adding the textures to the correct material is very useful to figure out what is what.
• When adding the textures to the materials, some 'guess and check' methods are useful and it is usually fairly easy to figure out what textures go to which materials.

 

Some sites to get 3D cars and models:

• gamemodels.ru (Cars from games, mostly Russian)
• http://tf3dm.com/ (3D models of cars, buildings, furniture, people, and much more)
• https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/ (Better for parts and accessories)

Special thanks to BlackJesus for posting these sites a while back.

 

 

 

 

 

Part Two: Attaching and Detaching the Parts

Useful Information:

Spoiler

• Using the Perspective viewpoint and Seperated mode under 'Selection' is highly suggested. It will make your life much easier.
• Make sure to get all the edges of the items you are deselecting.
• Before you watch Part 3, you now should have detached all four doors, the hood, trunk, and all of the windows. Detaching the bumpers is also necessary but will be gone over in Part 3 just in case you aren't sure how.

 

 

 

 

 

Part Three: Putting the Parts into a Hierarchy

Useful Information:

Spoiler

• Do not delete any collision meshes - Things ending with [COL].
• Do not worry about the L1 and L2 for now, those will come later.
• Try to import a GTA car that is similar to the one you are converting and move your car, not the GTA car, to be roughly around the same location.

 

 

 

 

 

Part Four: Lights and Dummy Placement

Useful Information:

Spoiler

• Make sure there is a texture behind your lights, or else when they break you will see into the car.
• Make sure the wheel dummy is in the center of the wheel.
• Remember: the bonnet, boot, and door dummies are spheres and tell GTA where to pivot the part. They will open/rotate around the sphere dummy.
• Make sure you've moved all of your dummies to their correct position.

 

 

 

 

Part Five: Template Creation (Multiple Liveries)

Useful Information:

Spoiler

• Don't forget to also map the side mirrors and license plate to your blank_sign_1.
• You will have to scale the sides if your car has a lot of parts so that you can fit them all.

 

Here are some links you might find useful if you're still having trouble with mapping and shaders:

(Lots of info about materials and shader types)

 

(Great In-depth tutorial on making a template)

 

 

Shader Types Cheat Sheet:

Spoiler

• PAINT1- texture uv1, dirt uv2, spec uv1 (alloy silver spec)
• PAINT2- texture uv1, dirt uv1, spec uv1
• PAINT3- texture uv1, texture uv2, dirt uv1, spec uv1 (paint jobs)
• GENERIC- texture uv1, bump uv1, spec uv1
• LIGHTS(vehglass)- texture uv1, dirt uv2, spec uv1, reflect auto sphere
• VEHGLASS- texture uv1, dirt uv2, spec uv1, reflect auto sphere
• LIGHTSEMISSIVE- texture uv1, dirt uv2, spec uv1, reflect auto sphere
• INTERIOR- texture uv1, bump uv1, spec uv1
• INTERIOR2- texture uv1, spec uv1
• SHUTS- texture uv1, dirt uv2, bump uv1, spec uv1 -or- texture uv1, bump uv1, spec uv1
• TIRE- texture uv1, dirt uv1, bump uv1, spec uv1
• BADGES- texture uv1, bump uv1, spec uv1, reflect auto sphere
• MESH- texture uv1, dirt uv2, bump uv1, spec uv1
• CHROME- texture uv1, dirt uv1, spec uv1
• RUBBER- texture uv1, dirt uv1, spec uv1
  • [CLR:1] - Primary carcol
  • [CLR:2] - Secondary carcol
  • [CLR:3] - Third carcol
  • [CLR:4] - Fourth carcol

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part Six: Texturing and Dirt

Coming soon! (Most likely 11/25)

 

Useful Information: To Be Determined...

 

 

 

 

Part Seven: Collision Meshes

Coming soon! (Most likely 11/25 - 11/26)

 

Useful Information: To Be Determined...

 

 

 

Part Eight: Final Bug Fixing / L1 and L2's

Coming soon!

 

Useful Information: To Be Determined...

 

 

 

Again, comments, questions, and constructive criticism are very welcome. I'm here to help you and become better from your input.

Edited November 6, 2015 by Cosmo

[TheRealNoodle 627]

you should post this in the tutorial section

[Cosmo 290]

you should post this in the tutorial section

I thought this WAS the tutorial section?

Grand Theft Auto IV > Development Support & Requests > Tutorials & Questions

 

Is there another tutorial section this should be in instead?

[Will 2,178]

There's also the tutorial section of the site: http://www.lcpdfr.com/tutorials/index.action/

I think it is okay to post it both here and there. 

[Cosmo 290]

There's also the tutorial section of the site: http://www.lcpdfr.com/tutorials/index.action/

I think it is okay to post it both here and there. 

Ah thanks, In all my time I've never known about that section.

[Cosmo 290]

Uploaded Parts Two & Three. Part Four should be ready in a day or two.

 

 

Oddly the only viewing quality that I see is 360p even though it should be HD... I hope YouTube fixes that soon.

[Cosmo 290]

Uploaded Part 4 which included the new Intro and hopefully it should be higher quality.

I'm not sure if it's just me or not.. In Chrome the player says my videos are 1080 but the video is just black, but in Firefox it says it's 360.

 

 

Edit: Part 5 is up

Edited August 18, 2015 by Cosmo

[bubba120 0]

i need help with the dummy placement. can you help me out?

[Cosmo 290]

i need help with the dummy placement. can you help me out?

Yes, just private message me the details of what problems you're having.

[Raddz Modding 110]

Any chance of this being finished of :O. I really need help converting.

[riquebr 38]

On 9/26/2015 at 6:32 PM, Cosmo said:

--

no more updates on this tutorial? 

[LEGO OF MY EGGO 148]

ummm the rest plz