Item Definition

IDE Sections:

2DFX •

AMAT •

ANIM •

CARS •

HIER •

MLO •

OBJS

PATH •

PEDS •

TANM •

TOBJ •

TREE •

TXDP •

WEAP

Item definition files, usually identified by the file extension .ide, are used to declare many different aspects for the map system or to specify special behavior rules for one of the aspects. They are stored in plain text format, so that they can be opened by any text editing program (like Notepad), but there are also some tools to simplify editing.

Overview

The item definition files are split up into several sections. There is no order on how you arrange the sections and sections do not need to appear in the file.

Format and syntax description

Line comments are indicated by the character # (number sign) and empty lines are allowed. They can be placed anywhere in the file. The game reads up to a maximum of 256 characters for each line and ignores the rest if the line is longer. Each section starts with a section identifier (usually four characters long, e.g. objs, tobj, etc.) indicating how the content of the section gets interpreted by the game. The identifier is followed by the definition entries. Each entry takes one line and every line follows a specific format which are described in the articles handling the sections in detail (see below). The end of any section is indicated by the terminating string end. Both the section identifier and terminating string are case sensitive. Lines within sections are always formatted in the same way differing only in the number of parameters describing the semantical content of the line. Data are usually separated by the character , (comma) but can be separated by (space). Tabs and spaces anywhere in the beginning of the line, between data, or after the data are omitted by the game and can be used to improve readability for human eyes. The games' parser uses an invariant culture to parse numerical values and strings, which means strings are ASCII encrypted and the decimal separator is . (period).

Example

# line comment
objs
# default style in objs section
200, ind_land101, pjs, 1, 127, 0
# valid style
	    200 ind_land101 pjs 1 127 0
end

Format

The following table contains all known sections in the item definition. The supported games column lists games that support the sections but it doesn't necessarily means they're functional in the games.

Section	Supported games	Description
`objs`		Defines simple objects. They can be placed into the world through the `inst` section of the item placement files.
`tobj`		Defines time objects. The section functions similarly to `objs` but has two additional parameters defining the in-game time range the object can get rendered. These objects can be placed into the world through the `inst` section of the item placement files.
`hier`		Defines clump objects for use in cutscenes.
`cars`		Defines vehicle objects.
`peds`		Defines pedestrian objects (random NPC's).
`path`		Adds path nodes to defined objects. This section is unstable in Vice City.
`2dfx`		Adds particle effects and simple ped behaviors to defined objects.
`weap`		Defines weapon objects.
`anim`		Defines animated objects. The section functions similarly to `objs` but has one additional parameter indicating an IFP or WAD animation file to assign an animation to the object. These objects can be placed into the world through the `inst` section of the item placement files.
`txdp`		Used to virtually extend texture dictionaries.
`tanm`		Used to combine `tobj` and `anim` sections. Those objects get placed inside the `inst` section of the WPL.
`tree`		This section is read in GTA IV but is not functional.
`vnod`		–
`link`		–
`mlo`		Used to create interiors. This section does also contain information about portals (previous `enex` connections) and dimensions of the interior which influences certain aspects, like the weather, for example. All objects are placed relative to an offset placed using `mlo+` inside the IPL or WPL file.
`amat`		This is Audio Materials. Possible Used to make a sound effect at the model. Usually used for dynamic objects.
`lodm`		This is read in GTA IV but section is not functional.
`agrps`		–
`hand`	VC Xbox/Mobile	–

IDE Flags

Flags are used in order to specify the behaviour of objects. They are interpreted as signed 32-bit integer values where each bit describes a boolean value of a different aspect.

GTA III

Bits	Dec	Hex	Name	Description	Examples
0	1	0x1	-	Cull model if player doesn't look at it? Read, but ignored.	Fences
1	2^[1]	0x2	DO_NOT_FADE	Do not fade the object when it is being loaded into or out of view.	Some lampposts
2	4^[1]	0x4	DRAW_LAST	Model is transparent. Render this object after all opaque objects, allowing transparencies of other objects to be visible through this object.	Trees
3	8	0x8	ADDITIVE	Render with additive blending. Previous flag must be enabled too.
4	16^[1]	0x10	IS_SUBWAY	Model is a tunnel, i.e. set the object as invisible unless the player enters cull zone flag 128. This flag works only with static models.	Tunnels, some dynamic objects
5	32	0x20	IGNORE_LIGHTING	Don't use static lighting, we want dynamic if it's possible.	Some lampposts and trafficlights
6	64^[1]	0x40	NO_ZBUFFER_WRITE	Model is a shadow. Disable writing to z-buffer when rendering it, allowing transparencies of other objects, shadows, and lights to be visible through this object. Not implemented in the PS2 version.	Shadow

GTA Vice City

Bits	Dec	Hex	Name	Description	Examples
0	1	0x1	IS_ROAD	Identifies objects to draw "wet reflections" on them.	Roads
1	2	0x2	DO_NOT_FADE	Do not fade the object when it is being loaded into or out of view.	Some night objects, North Point Mall
2	4	0x4	DRAW_LAST	Model is transparent. Render this object after all opaque objects, allowing transparencies of other objects to be visible through this object.	Fencse, trees
3	8	0x8	ADDITIVE	Render with additive blending. Previous flag will be enabled automatically.	Night windows
4	16	0x10	-	Read, but not used.	_dy, _dt objects
5	32	0x20	IGNORE_LIGHTING	Don't use static lighting, we want dynamic if it's possible.	Interior objects
6	64	0x40	NO_ZBUFFER_WRITE	Model is a shadow. Disable writing to z-buffer when rendering it, allowing transparencies of other objects, shadows, and lights to be visible through this object.	Tree shadows
7	128	0x80	DONT_RECEIVE_SHADOWS	Do not draw dynamic shadows on this object.	Small objects, pickups, lamps, trees
8	256	0x100	IGNORE_DRAW_DISTANCE	Ignore draw distance for this object (sets its "level" (island id) to 0).	LOD models, North Bridge
9	512	0x200	IS_GLASS_TYPE_1	Breakable glass type 1: glass object changes its textures when breaking.	Small windows
10	1024	0x400	IS_GLASS_TYPE_2	Breakable glass type 2: glass object doesn't change its textures when breaking.	Large windows

Reference table


if (CModelInfo::GetModelInfo(entity->m_nModelIndex)->m_nFlags & IS_ROAD)
    entity->Render();
if (model->m_nFlags & DO_NOT_FADE) {
    if (distance >= model->GetLargestLodDistance() + 30.0f)
        return true;
}
else if ( distance >= model->GetLargestLodDistance() + 50.0f)
    return true;
if (model->m_nFlags & DRAW_LAST) {
    model->m_nFlags &= ~DRAW_LAST;
    dbgprint("%s was draw last\n", model->m_szName);
}
if (model->m_nFlags & ADDITIVE)
    RwRenderStateSet(rwRENDERSTATEDESTBLEND, rwBLENDONE);

if (model->m_nFlags & IGNORE_LIGHTING)
    atomic->geometry->flags &= ~rpGEOMETRYLIGHT;
if (model->m_nType == MODEL_INFO_SIMPLE && model->m_nFlags & NO_ZBUFFER_WRITE)
    RwRenderStateSet(rwRENDERSTATEZWRITEENABLE, FALSE);
if (model->m_nFlags & DONT_RECEIVE_SHADOWS)
    entity->m_nFlags.bDontCastShadowsOn = true;
if (model->m_afLodDistances[0] > 2500.0f || model->m_nFlags & IGNORE_DRAW_DISTANCE)
    entity->m_nLevel = 0;
bool CModelInfo::IsGlassModel(int modelId) {
    CBaseModelInfo *model = CModelInfo::GetModelInfo(modelId);
    if (model->m_nType == MODEL_INFO_SIMPLE || model->m_nType == MODEL_INFO_TIME) {
        CSimpleModelInfo *simpleModel = reinterpret_cast<CSimpleModelInfo *>(model);
        return simpleModel->m_nFlags & IS_GLASS_TYPE_1 || simpleModel->m_nFlags & IS_GLASS_TYPE_2;
    }
    return false;
}
if (CModelInfo::IsGlassModel(modelId)) {
    if (!(CModelInfo::GetModelInfo(modelId)->m_nFlags & IS_GLASS_TYPE_2) ) {
        CGlass::AskForObjectToBeRenderedInGlass(entity);
        entity->m_nFlags.bIsVisible = false;
    }
}

Difference between GTA III and GTA IV engines

Grand Theft Auto IV not only uses different formats to the previous games, it also does not use IDs to identify objects anymore. While Grand Theft Auto III era games use an ID as an index inside an array of definitions, GTA IV uses the hashes of the model name as a key inside a hash table. For more information about this see Map System.

Tools

KEd – By JernejL
MEd – By Tonywob
IDEditor – By Xmen
IDE-IV in GTA-IV script centre – by Gforce
FlagValue Calculator – By Aschratt - Calculates all flagvalues (even those unknown).

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Screenshots of flags in GTA III, by User:spaceeinstein

External links

GTAVC IDE Definitions - topic by ODIE covering specific details of IDE files in GTA VC
GTA3/VC Map File Documentation and Troubleshooting - topic by Opius covering general features of IDE files in GTA3 and GTA VC
ID Flagvalue Decoding Project - project to decode all missing flag values

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[III-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Screenshots of flags in GTA III, by User:spaceeinstein

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