Item Definition

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Item Definition
IDE Sections:
2DFX AMAT ANIM CARS HIER HAND 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 behaviour rules for one of the aspects.

Format

The files are plain text, so they can be opened with text editors such as Notepad. They resemble CSV files, but with some extra features.

Comments

Comments are prefixed with the # symbol. Anything after that symbol is ignored, which means that comments can appear on their own lines as well as at the end of other lines:

# This comment has its own line.
data1, 183, 2.2 # This comment is at the end of a line.

Sections

Files are separated into sections with section...end directives:

section_name
# ...
end

Sections are global – multiple files can contribute to them

Data

Data values can be comma- or space-delimited: commas are replaced with spaces when the game reads a line from the file.

# Both are valid:
123, mystring, 22.4
123 mystring 22.4

Additionally, because the game uses sscanf() to parse these files, any number of spaces is read whenever a single space is encountered in the format string in the game code. As such, values can be aligned into columns:

# Identifier     Some value     Another value
  1              a_value        12345
  2              another        67890

Rockstar developers used this alignment ability a lot.

Rules and details

  • The game only reads 256 characters per line. Anything longer will be truncated.
  • Section identifiers and the end string are case-sensitive.
  • The files are ASCII-encoded. The game does not expect non-ASCII characters to appear, so they will likely cause issues.
  • Decimal places in floating-point values must use . as the decimal point character. , would be replaced with a space when read.
  • Any ASCII control characters – anything less than the space character, 0x20 – is replaced with a space when the game reads the character. The same is done for commas.
  • After reading a line, the game re-reads it to find the first character that is not a space or control character. The final line string starts from this character. This is equivalent to trimming the start of the string.
  • In 3D era games, the section identifiers are always 4 characters long. GTA IV largely adheres to this convention, but not always.

Sections

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 GTA III Vice City San Andreas GTA IV Defines simple objects. They can be placed into the world through the inst section of the item placement files.
tobj GTA III Vice City San Andreas GTA IV 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 GTA III Vice City San Andreas GTA IV Defines clump objects for use in cutscenes.
cars GTA III Vice City San Andreas GTA IV Defines vehicle objects.
peds GTA III Vice City San Andreas GTA IV Defines pedestrian objects (random NPC's).
path GTA III Vice City (unstable) San Andreas Adds path nodes to defined objects. This section is unstable in Vice City.
2dfx GTA III Vice City San Andreas GTA IV Adds particle effects and simple ped behaviors to defined objects.
weap Vice City San Andreas GTA IV Defines weapon objects.
anim San Andreas GTA IV 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 San Andreas GTA IV Used to virtually extend texture dictionaries.
tanm GTA IV Used to combine tobj and anim sections.
Those objects get placed inside the inst section of the WPL.
tree GTA IV (not functional) This section is not functional.
vnod GTA IV
link GTA IV
mlo GTA IV 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 GTA IV This is Audio Materials. Possible Used to make a sound effect at the model. Usually used for dynamic objects.
lodm GTA IV (not functional) This section is not functional.
agrps GTA IV
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 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

Vice City 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. Fences, 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

Bits Dec Hex Name Model info flag Ref address Ref description
0 1 0x1 IS_ROAD 0x04 0x4CA1D7 CRenderer::RenderRoads()
if (CModelInfo::GetModelInfo(entity->m_nModelIndex)->m_nFlags & IS_ROAD)
    entity->Render();
1 2 0x2 DO_NOT_FADE 0x20 0x4C7E03 CRenderer::ShouldModelBeStreamed(CEntity *,CVector const&)
if (model->m_nFlags & DO_NOT_FADE) {
    if (distance >= model->GetLargestLodDistance() + 30.0f)
        return true;
}
else if ( distance >= model->GetLargestLodDistance() + 50.0f)
    return true;
2 4 0x4 DRAW_LAST 0x40 0x56F4F3 CSimpleModelInfo::SetupBigBuilding(int,int)
if (model->m_nFlags & DRAW_LAST) {
    model->m_nFlags &= ~DRAW_LAST;
    dbgprint("%s was draw last\n", model->m_szName);
}
3 8 0x8 ADDITIVE 0x80 0x582590 CVisibilityPlugins::RenderFadingAtomic(RpAtomic *,float)
if (model->m_nFlags & ADDITIVE)
    RwRenderStateSet(rwRENDERSTATEDESTBLEND, rwBLENDONE);
4 16 0x10 - 0x100 - -
5 32 0x20 IGNORE_LIGHTING 0x200 0x56F7C4 CSimpleModelInfo::SetAtomic(int,RpAtomic *)
if (model->m_nFlags & IGNORE_LIGHTING)
    atomic->geometry->flags &= ~rpGEOMETRYLIGHT;
6 64 0x40 NO_ZBUFFER_WRITE 0x400 0x581390 CVisibilityPlugins::RenderFadingEntities(CLinkList<CVisibilityPlugins::AlphaObjectInfo> &)
if (model->m_nType == MODEL_INFO_SIMPLE && model->m_nFlags & NO_ZBUFFER_WRITE)
    RwRenderStateSet(rwRENDERSTATEZWRITEENABLE, FALSE);
7 128 0x80 DONT_RECEIVE_SHADOWS 0x800 0x48AF21 CFileLoader::LoadObjectInstance(char const*)
if (model->m_nFlags & DONT_RECEIVE_SHADOWS)
    entity->m_nFlags.bDontCastShadowsOn = true;
8 256 0x100 IGNORE_DRAW_DISTANCE 0x1000 0x487CDE CEntity::SetupBigBuilding()
if (model->m_afLodDistances[0] > 2500.0f || model->m_nFlags & IGNORE_DRAW_DISTANCE)
    entity->m_nLevel = 0;
9 512 0x200 IS_GLASS_TYPE_1 0x2000 0x488CCD CEntity::PreRender(), probably in-lined CModelInfo::IsGlassModel(int) @0x488CAA
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;
}
10 1024 0x400 IS_GLASS_TYPE_2 0x4000 0x488CE7 CEntity::PreRender()
if (CModelInfo::IsGlassModel(modelId)) {
    if (!(CModelInfo::GetModelInfo(modelId)->m_nFlags & IS_GLASS_TYPE_2) ) {
        CGlass::AskForObjectToBeRenderedInGlass(entity);
        entity->m_nFlags.bIsVisible = false;
    }
}

San Andreas GTA San Andreas

Bits Dec Hex Name Description Examples
0 1 0x1 IS_ROAD This model is a road. Roads
1 2 0x2 - Not read, but present in IDE files.
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. Fences, trees
3 8 0x8 ADDITIVE Render with additive blending. Previous flag will be enabled automatically. Night windows
4 16 0x10 - Not read, not present in IDE files. -
5 32 0x20 Works only with animated objects ('anim' section in IDE). Doors
6 64 0x40 NO_ZBUFFER_WRITE Disable writing to z-buffer when rendering this model, allowing transparencies of other objects, shadows, and lights to be visible through this object. Shadows, lights
7 128 0x80 DONT_RECEIVE_SHADOWS Do not draw shadows on this object. Small objects, pickups, lamps, trees
8 256 0x100 - Not read, not present in IDE files. -
9 512 0x200 IS_GLASS_TYPE_1 Breakable glass type 1 (additional parameters defined inside the object.dat file, otherwise there is no effect) Small windows
10 1024 0x400 IS_GLASS_TYPE_2 Breakable glass type 2: object first cracks on a strong collision, then it breaks (does also require object.dat registration). Large windows
11 2048 0x800 IS_GARAGE_DOOR Indicates an object as an garage door (for more information see GRGE – requires object.dat registration). Garage doors
12 4096 0x1000 IS_DAMAGABLE Model with ok/dam states. Vehicle upgrades, barriers
13 8192 0x2000 IS_TREE Trees and some plants. These objects move on wind. Trees, some plants
14 16384 0x4000 IS_PALM Palms. These objects move on wind. Palms
15 32768 0x8000 DOES_NOT_COLLIDE_WITH_FLYER Does not collide with flyer (plane or heli). Trees, street lights, traffic lights, road signs, telegraph pole
16 65536 0x10000 - Not read, but present in IDE files. Explosive things
17 131072 0x20000 - Not read, but present in IDE files. chopcop_ models
18 262144 0x40000 - Not read, but present in IDE files. pleasure-DL.dff
19 524288 0x80000 - Unused special object type. Read, but not present in IDE files. -
20 1048576 0x100000 IS_TAG This model is a tag. Object will switch from mesh 2 to mesh 1 after getting sprayed by the player. Tags
21 2097152 0x200000 DISABLE_BACKFACE_CULLING Disables backface culling – as an result the texture will be drawed on both sides of the model. Roads, houses, trees, vehicle parts
22 4194304 0x400000 IS_BREAKABLE_STATUE Object with this model can't be used as cover, i.e. peds won't try to cover behind this object. Statue parts in atrium

GTA IV GTA IV

This section is incomplete. You can help by fixing and expanding it.

Difference between GTA III and GTA IV engines

GTA IV not only uses different formats to the previous games, it also does not use IDs to identify objects anymore. While GTA 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

See also

References

External links