Car Conversion Basic's

[Harper 1,375]

Note: Although I haven't produced amazing models as seen by people like EVI, KevinDV, Cj24 and Corleone (To name a few). I still know my way around the hierarchy and conversion of models to IV.

CAR CONVERSION - THE BASIC'S

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This small guide will teach you all the basic knowledge required for converting a car to Grand Theft Auto IV from other games such as San Andreas.

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Chapter #1 - LOD's and Collision Files

For those that have worked with San Andreas car models, you may notice some things may be similar when it comes to the hierarchy of an IV model;

Almost every single object found on the model must have two LOD models. L0 and L1.

LOD models are the Level Of Detail that the game engine uses to spawn the correct quality of the model depending on the distance from the player. An example of this is below;

LOD 0

This is the base model with the highest amount of polygons, all amount of detail is shown to the player up to a distance of 10-12 meters.

LOD 1 (L1)

A lesser-quality model that switches with the L0 when the player reaches further than the set distance for the L0 model (15-20 Meters)

LOD 2 (L2)

The last level of detail a model will use until it is despawned. A player rarely able to see these models unless they are driving extremely fast through the game world.

Part two - Collision Files [COL]

Without these files, the vehicle would simply fall through the game world. They are used so that the game engine can determine the lengths and width of the model. For example, if a car only has the [COL] file for the front bumper and nowhere else, the car will sink through the ground and be held up by the bumper. In order to avoid this, every single individual part of the vehicle must have its own [COL] file. To avoid any RC20 errors, its advised that when converting a vehicle to IV that you simply use the [COL] files from the car you are intending to replace and modify them to fit. Below is a picture of all the Vapid Cruiser's collision files. Notice how the wheels differ from the rest of the body, this tells the game where the remaining three wheels should spawn;

When placing objects in a vehicles hierarchy, the list for objects should follow the same pattern as IV's default cars to avoid any issues that could arise from misplacement;

+ Bonnet

bonnet_L0

bonnet_L1

bonnet [COL]

Doors are a tad different, inside each door there are the following:

+ door_dside_f (Driver's side door at the front of the model)

door_dside_f_L0

door_dside_f_L1

+window_lf

window_lf_L0

window_lf_L1

window_lf [COL]

door_dside_f [COL]

Wheels are also different to other parts on the model, in San Andreas, in order for the wheels to actually spawn properly, you needed wheel_rf to contain all the important parts. However in IV, it differs:

Wheel_lf

[wheelmesh_lf] << This is the actual polygon model of the wheel

[wheelmesh_lf_L1] << This is the LOD model of the wheel usually found placed a the back of the model for some reason

wheel_lf [COL] << The collision file that tells the game where the wheel should spawn on the model

End of Chapter One

Edited August 26, 2012 by Harper

[Harper 1,375]

Chapter #2 - Parts and Dummies

Parts of the Model

Below is a small list I've compiled to explain each part of a model for IV:

chassis - This is the main frame of the model

bonnet - Self Explanatory.

boot - Self Explanatory

door_dside_f - The front door on the left side of the model

door_dside_r - The rear door on the left side of the model

door_pside_f - The front door on the right side of the model

door_pside_r - The rear door on the right side of the model

bumper_f - The front bumper

bumper_r - The rear bumper

wing_lf - left front fender

wing_rf - right front fender

windscreen - windshield

windscreen_r - Rear windsheild

hub_lf - left front brake pads disc (Usually not required for a car convert)

hub_rf - The right front brake pads disc (Usually not required for a car convert)

hub_lr - brake pads left rear drive (Usually not required for a car convert)

hub_rr - brake pads right rear drive (Usually not required for a car convert)

suspension_lf - left front suspension (Usually not required for a car convert)

suspension_rf - right front suspension (Usually not required for a car convert)

suspension_lr - left rear suspension (Usually not required for a car convert)

suspension_rr - right rear suspension (Usually not required for a car convert)

transmission_f - front axle

transmission_m - Medium bridge

transmission_r - rear axle

bodyshell - bodywork

wheel_lf - left front wheel

wheel_rf - right front wheel

wheel_lr - the left rear wheel

wheel_rr - right rear wheel

extra1-9 - Extra's found on the model that aren't physically attached to the main body, like lightbars and rambars

misc_a, b, c, d, e - Small details again not attached to the model, most commonly the small window on the rear doors

headlight_l, r - headlights

taillight_l, r - rear lights

indicator_lf, rf - the front turn signals

indicator_lr, rr - rear turn signals

brakelight_l, r - stop signals

reverselight_l, r - rear lights

Dummies

One of the most important parts of ANY model. The dummies further help the game engine when the model interacts with the Environment, be it the player stepping into it or where to display the smoke for a damaged engine. They are as follows;

engine - The location of the engine in the car. This affects damage to the engine when force is applied to that area

exhaust, exhaust_2 - The location of where the exhaust fumes exit the vehicle

overheat, overheat_2 - When a vehicle is damaged enough, this is where the smoke can spawn

interiorlight - The light that activates when a door on the model is opened

petroltank - Not so dominant in IV as its only seen on the main trucks

The following dummies are extremely important. They must be placed as accurately as possible in order for the model to work correctly.

seat_dside_f, pside_f - The location of where the player model will sit when entering a drivers seat / passengers seat

seat_dside_r, pside_r - The location of where the player model will sit when entering a drivers seat / passengers seat

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This ends the conversion basic's for IV Models. I hope you've found this guide helpful.

If you find any errors or mishaps with the guide, please feel free to contact me in a personal message and I'll do my best to correct them

Edited August 26, 2012 by Harper

[corleone 190]

Good work, Harper! :happy:

[sonic the hedgehog 0]

wt*

[Taxi 530]

niiice

[Sheriff Van Dyck 217]

Those are the parts the model needs to have when converting, so i must delete the others?

How to put the collision you explain above on the parts?

This guide is very helpful. Thanks!

[Harper 1,375]

You don't need to delete anything, you just need to rename them

[TranceLikeState 0]

Indeed this info is useful and less confusing than other guides I've seen around. However unfortunatly you did not seem to cover materials/textures at all. Could you perhaps?

[cj1123 1]

Looks good this dose

[cp702 1,931]

This should be tutorialized.

Edited October 3, 2012 by cp702

[Guest VooDoobie_Studios]

Indeed this info is useful and less confusing than other guides I've seen around. However unfortunatly you did not seem to cover materials/textures at all. Could you perhaps?

I Agree...a texturing add would be awesome harper! but awesome tut!