Vice City Paths IO Script v. 2.7f [MAXScript]

Vice City Paths IO Script v.2.7e

Script for working with paths.ipl (and more).

Requires: 3dsMax 2008 and higher.

Features:

- Import GTA VC, GTA3, GTA SA paths (including support for Fastman92 format paths, FLA4 format only);

- Export GTA VC paths (export all line types supported by the game (from 3 to 12 points inclusive));

- Importing GTA SA paths in Vice City/3 format (see below);

- Ability to assign path type (peds, cars, boats) to each line. If the path type is not assigned, the script will automatically assign the type based on the Default Path Type value;

- Ability to create and export intersections (T-shaped and cross-shaped). See "Creating intersections.docx" or .avi files for details;

- Ability to change the parameters of each line/point. To change the parameters, just select the line. All changes will be automatically saved;

No need to enter everything yourself — if the line settings are not assigned, the script will automatically generate them;

- Ability to import/export .dat path files from the data/paths folder;

- Buttons to select paths by their type (select all traffic/ped/boat paths);

- Ability to convert VC Paths.ipl to GTA 3 path format;

- Conversion of GTA 3 paths to GTA VC format;

- Displaying the vertex numbers of the edited line in the viewport;

- Displaying path flags, number of lanes, coordinates, and path width in the viewport;

- Function to change the direction of path movement;

- Function to assign the direction of path movement (one-way/two-way);

- Function to split lines with more than 12 points (for selected lines);

- Function to reset line parameters (for selected lines);

- Function to enable/disable car traffic.

- Function to automatically configure intersections based on the lines adjacent to them (the function is not yet properly written).

- Function to delete "incorrect" lines with less than 2 points.

Changes in version 2.7f (updated 12/31/2024)

- Added a function to convert GTA3 paths to Vice City format. To do this, you need to select the folder where GTA3 is installed, then specify where Paths.ipl will be saved, and then click the Convert button.

- Fixed a bug that caused a .COL file weighing 0 bytes to be created when converting paths to GTA3 format on newer versions of 3dsmax (older than 2012).

- Added an auxiliary progress bar to inform about the process of converting paths to GTA3 format and also for converting paths to GTA Vice City format.

- For faster loading of GTA3 paths, the information about the found paths in MaxScript Listener has been removed — this slowed down the process of loading path data.

Supported line type Splines — Line. Initial Type — Corner. Drag Type — Bezier.

Do not apply modifiers to lines! This may make it impossible to properly export paths and create intersections.

For more convenient path writing, use constraints in 3dsMax (see .docx files for more details).

An example of creating paths for GTAVC is described in paths_tutorial[RU].pdf

The script supports importing GTA VC paths. If something is imported incorrectly (for example, intersections), I recommend fixing it manually.

It is not recommended to use this script to edit the standard path map, because when importing the standard path map, more lines are created compared to the original paths.ipl, thereby violating the original structure of the paths and the Paths.ipl file; after exporting, the paths file weighs more than the original and this leads to the absence of traffic or pedestrians in some areas.

It is advisable to use the script to create new paths.

The script supports importing GTA3 paths — import only, for export it is necessary to export the paths in Vice City format, and then convert them to GTA3 format.

The script supports the ability to convert paths.ipl to GTA 3 path format.

To do this, you need to specify the starting path ID, the prefix for path models, the name for IPL IDE COL, the coordinate multiplier of the paths with which paths.ipl was exported (for the standard .exe is 16)

Then select the directory where the GTA 3 path files will be exported and the last step is to select paths.ipl.

The script will notify you when the conversion process is complete. IPL IDE COL files are fully ready to be added to the game.

It is not recommended to use this function to edit standard paths!

It is advisable to use the function to create paths for a new map or add new paths to the original paths.

Please note that when adding paths in GTA 3, if there are original ones, it is necessary to increase the limit with the adjuster Dynamic Limits: Buildings, PtrNodes, EntryInfoNodes, Treadables; [Pool Limits]: Objects Models; limit by DFF files [ID LIMITS].

To do this, use Limit Adjuster by Vitlgt. You should also set the parameter "Enable path limits patch=1" and increase the maximum ID in the PATH LIMITS block.

To increase the path limit in Vice City, you need to use Maxorator's Path hack.

The script supports the ability to convert GTA3 paths to Vice City format.

To do this, you need to set the GTA3 and Vice City path multipliers, then specify the GTA3 directory and the path to save Paths.ipl.

Then click the Convert button.

It should be noted that the resulting path file size is larger than the original, thereby, for the paths to work, Maxorator's Path Hack (vcpathlimit.flt) will be required.

The script supports importing GTA SA paths, including importing Fastman92 format paths.

To import, you need to click the Import GTASA Paths button and specify the folder where the 64 path files NodesXX.dat are located.

The path import process can take from a few tens of seconds to 10 minutes.

Paths are imported as splines that can be edited or configured using SA Path Tool by Deniska.

The author does not guarantee 100% operability of GTASA paths after their import/export.

It is strongly recommended to check the settings of all lines, including the correctness of traffic light settings!

It is possible to load paths in GTAVC format. After importing, it is highly recommended to check and correct the path settings, as well as the created path splines and intersections! The author does not guarantee that the imported paths in Vice City format will be fully functional! If incorrect path splines and intersections are found, it is recommended to rebuild the incorrect path(s) manually!

The script by default processes GTASA paths during the import process, namely, it removes identical segments and welds points in order to further edit the path lines for GTASA or for GTAVC/GTA3.

You can disable these functions in the GTASA Import Settings graph, but in this case, the path lines are completely unsuitable for editing for GTASA or for GTAVC/GTA3. This may be useful if you need to visually familiarize yourself with the path map (importing the standard path map without processing takes about 2 minutes).

It is described in detail in "Importing GTA SA paths.docx".

When creating a new path line, the script automatically assigns settings to it based on the parameters in the Default Parameters block!

Please note that the Lanes parameters for internal points are always 1 1! To assign the direction of movement and the number of lanes, it is enough to edit only the end (external) points.

Or use the set one-way/set two-way traffic buttons to assign one-way or two-way traffic and use the Change the direction of traffic button to change the direction of movement.

To display line parameters in the viewport, use the Display helper tab. The following are available for display — point numbers, number of lanes, flags, path width, point coordinates.

To reset the default parameters for the selected lines, use the Reset User Properties function.

In case of the error "The script does not support splines with a number of points greater than 12 and less than 3!Please edit the spline" apply the Split Lines to VC Format function.

This function divides the line into n-number of lines if the number of its points is strictly greater than 12 or breaks the line down to three points if the desired line has two of them (Vice City does not support lines with two points).

To export traffic, it is enough to select the lines and click the Export Paths button. Ready-made lines for Paths.ipl will be displayed in the MAXScript Listener window (in the lower left corner of 3Ds max or press F11 to call MAXScript Listener).

The script has the ability to create intersections in two ways:

1) — For each line, you need to select one point in vertex editing mode

— Select the lines and click the Create Crossroad button

2) — Click the Create Dummys at line end button

— Select the dummys and click the Create Crossroad button

Brief description of the buttons:

Set Ped — assign pedestrian traffic to the line.

Select all Ped Paths — select all pedestrian paths.

Set Car — assign car traffic to the line.

Select all Car Paths — select all car paths.

Set Boat- assign boat traffic to the line.

Select all BoatPaths — select all boat paths.

Select All Paths — select all paths.

Import GTAVC Paths — import GTAVC paths.

Import GTA3 Paths — import GTA3 paths.

Import GTASA Paths — import GTASA paths.

Import GTASA Paths (Fastman92 FLA4 format only!) — import GTASA Fastman92 format paths.

Delete Double Segments — delete identical segments when importing GTASA paths. This check box must be checked for the paths to be editable!

ViceCity/III format (beta) — convert GTASA paths to GTAVC/GTAIII format. You must check this box if the paths will only be configured for GTAVC/GTAIII in the future!

Weld paths knots and split paths — weld path points and split lines when importing GTASA paths. This check box must be checked for the paths to be editable!

Create CrossRoad — create an intersection (based on auxiliary dummys or based on selected spline points)

Set CrossroadPath name — Mark the path as an intersection. If the intersection is set up incorrectly, the script will ignore this line.

Create dummy at line ends — create dummys at the ends of the lines. Useful for creating intersections.

Delete all dummy — delete all auxiliary dummys.

Display vertex number — display path point numbers in the viewport (provided that the number of points in the line is in the range from 2 to 12 inclusive).

Display Lanes — display the number of line lanes in the viewport.

Display width — display the path width in the viewport.

Display flags — display path flags in the viewport.

Display XYZ coordinate — display the point coordinates in the viewport.

Import .dat — import .dat path file flightX.dat/tracksX.dat/spathX.dat.

Export .dat — export .dat path file.

Split lines — convert the selected lines to GTAVC/III path format.

Reset user properties — reset all settings for the selected line.

Enable Traffic — enable traffic (sets flag 0)

Disable Traffic — disable traffic (sets flag 1)

Delete zero shapes — deletes incorrect lines with less than 2 points.

Reverse knot order — changes the priority of points.

set one way traffic — make one-way traffic.

set two way traffic — make two-way traffic.

Change direction traffic — change the direction of traffic.

Assign Line Parameter for Crossroad by lines — configure the number of lanes at intersections based on the lines adjacent to them. Does not work in the case of intersections adjacent to each other!

Select Directory — select the directory for exporting GTA3 path files.

Select ViceCity paths.ipl — select Vice City paths.ipl to convert it to GTAIII path format.

Select GTA3 Dicrectory — select the folder where GTA3 is installed.

Select save path for Paths.ipl — select the path to save Paths.ipl

The script supports importing and exporting .dat files of GTA 3 or GTA Vice City paths from the data/paths folder, namely flightX.dat, tracksX.dat, spathX.dat, where X is the file number.

To export, you need to select ONE path line and click export. The script will offer to select a file to save.

Acknowledgments: Shagg_E; Starenat — for support in writing the script.

Special thanks to: Ilufir — for help with the GTASA path structure, ZZPuma — for information about GTASA path traffic lights.

Uses the SA Path Tool script code by Deniska.

12/31/2024