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Making a new district in gta2

Posted: 13 Aug 2019, 12:13
by Mikemax
Hi everyone. So i want to make a new single player map from scratch, but looking at others threads seems pretty hard to work on it.
So i have a few questions:
- What program i must use? Also I saw that there are some compatibility issues, do you suggest me to use a virtual machine?
- Is there any tutorial for beginners? I didn't managed to find any
- How much i can customize the map? Can I add new textures and stuff?
Any help is really appreciated, thanks in advance
(also sorry if my english is not perfect)

Re: Making a new district in gta2

Posted: 13 Aug 2019, 14:24
by Sektor
The only complete map editor is the official one. It has some tile display bugs on anything newer than Windows 98. Most people just live with the bugs or use a different tile viewer but you could use a VM.

You can change all textures but there hasn’t been any patch to increase resolution, so high resolution texture packs never happened. There are some mods that changed all the textures to GTA1 versions and some added lots of snow textures.

Most things can be changed but there some limits. For example, you can’t make the maps larger than the current ones, so no giant district with all 3 levels.

Re: Making a new district in gta2

Posted: 13 Aug 2019, 16:04
by Mikemax
Perfect, thanks for the help. I will setup the VM, just to be sure that i will not have any compatibility issues.
Talking about tutorials, there's any that explains the basics?

Re: Making a new district in gta2

Posted: 13 Aug 2019, 17:28
by Logofero
Hi, Mikemax.

I’ll write briefly what will come in handy for creating the first map. Perhaps you will not succeed right away, but if you show great interest in studying, an analytical approach and endurance, you can create a fully working map and even write your missions. To start creating a map, you will need the following programs; you can install them in any directory convenient for you (for example, on your desktop):

1. To create a 3D level/landscape, cover textures, assign properties of landscape collisions, assign directions to roads, field types, bus statin, lights, etc, you will need GTA2 Map Editor

Download: https://gtamp.com/GTA2/gta2_map_editor.7z

* When you save the output level, you will receive a file with the *.GMP extension; this file will not be compressed. To optimize and reduce weight, you can use a special utility (the utility removes walls that are not visible to the player’s camera).


2. For the convenience of finding the necessary ID tiles, use the Tile Selektor utility

Download: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=380

3. To create a script for your map that will contain important information: the coordinates of the spawns of players/chars/cars/objects/lights/cranes/destroyers/doors, as the mission for passing you will need the GTA2 Mispad/Script editor

Download (this editor has changes added by vike's author for the game patch v11.44): https://gtamp.com/GTA2/gta2mispad-vike.rar

Download (original script editor from DMA for game v9.6): https://gtamp.com/GTA2/gta2script.7z

* Script sources have the extension *.MIS, they can be opened and edited in any text editor. After compiling the script in GTA2 Mispad/Script, at the output you will receive a file with the *.SCR extension; this file will contain a ready-made script that will be launched on your map.


4. To create and edit the properties of zones, zone name, bus station, train station, spawn points, you will need the GTA2 Zone Editor

Download: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=380

5. To create a screenshot of the top level plan, as the level preview, etc you can use the Epic GTA2 Map Editor

Download: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=83

6. To edit the graphic package of the map (adding/editing texture tiles, palettes, sprites) with the extension *.STY, you will need the utility GTA2 STY Tool

Download: https://gtamp.com/GTA2/gta2stytool.7z

7. To edit text dialogs, you need the GXT Editor

* All game dialogs are stored in a file with *.GXT extension, each language localization has its own abbreviated name. For example, English localization will be located in e.GXT.

Download: viewtopic.php?p=2041#p1812

For start a single map, you need 3 files:

1. name.GMP
2. name.SCR
3. name.STY
4. name.MMP - (this file is necessary for multiplayer maps; it contains information on the map: name, version, mode, etc.)

* name - the name of your map.

Last update: add info about GXT Editor and fixed.

Re: Making a new district in gta2

Posted: 13 Aug 2019, 18:06
by Mikemax
Thanks logofero, i will try something this days, and if i get stuck somewhere i will ask infos here
Really appreciated guys

Re: Making a new district in gta2

Posted: 15 Aug 2019, 11:35
by elypter
the Epic GTA2 Map Editor is also very useful to move the position and change the sizes of scripting items. afaik it requires an mmp file though. also, working on a multiplayer map is over all more streamlined and faster to work with because the .mmp file can contain more information and you dont have to mess with default maps. you can also share it more easily on gamehunter. so it could make sense for you to start the project as a multiplayer map that happens to just have one player and then convert it for the final release. it would be nice if it supported coop but thats also more work.

i also have a pack(JED Pakx) of all the editing tools. the mayor ones are listed above already but it also contains a few more obscure ones and a folder with all of them already extracted and a stripped down gta2 folder. i cannot guarantee that everything is up to date but it is a good starting point.