Custom Model Notes GTAIV

These are tips on how to fix up issues regarding custom models that I've noticed while modding.

Replacing characters - its easier if you just make a player model replacement for Niko then just convert to ped. This way you can very easily make a cutscene model for the replacement without having to rerig. There might be a way to modify skeleton files so that they work for cutscenes but I haven't been successful in figuring this out.

PedModels - Too large of a WDD and WTD may cause issues on lower end computers. Reduce texture size to 1k or even lower and below on ped models and make sure to remove any embedded textures on the WDD - I've made a script that will resize and duplicate your textures.

You need different textures with _000, _001, _002, etc, no matter what the odr itself says. If you run into an invisible upper body for example, make a series of 001, 002, and 003 textures. One way of possibly avoiding this is to take the original ped's wtd and manually replace each texture with the respective textures of your replacement. However, you still might get the invisible model issue this way if the ped doesn't use a certain body part. For example, if you're replacing Elizabeta, she has no shoe model or shoe texture (her feet are combined with the lower body mesh). This means that you have to additionally add a shoe texture if the model you are replacing Elizabeta with has a separate shoe model.

Model Conversion Notes:
For everything but head (maybe hair)
Use the gta_ped shader in the dropdown box
Head:
Use gta_ped_skin_blendshape shader
Hair:
gta_hair_alpha_expensive (Allows for double sided materials and transparency) - however, this may have the side effect of making the hair invisible in mirrors/reflections. -using a different shader for the hair mesh seems to make it disappear entirely. Another option is to flat out attach hair to head mesh, but you might have to adjust UVs after this.

Model is extremely shiny issue:
This is either due to missing normal or specular maps. Additionally, specular mask color must be set to BLACK (In the GIMSIV material editor) otherwise GTAIV acts as if it cannot find the specular maps and the mesh ends up shiny.

Basic steps in 3ds max:
Export the model you want to mod in as an obj in pieces.
Use GIMS to import an odr (the body part you want to replace) into 3ds max
Import the obj of your replacement model. Resize/Scale/Translate if needed.
Click on the original model, (should say something with x_000_x), Click Editable mesh on the side column. Say yes when the prompt comes up.
All vertices should already be highlighted red, if not , drag and select all vertices.
Right click on your model and click attach. Then click your replacement model. Accept the prompt defaults, then, making sure that your replacement model has blue vertices and the original model has red vertices, use the delete button to delete the original model.
Make any rigging edits you need to make with the Skin/Envelope thing on the side column.
Under Editable mesh, select Polygons.
Select all the polygons (your mesh should be entirely highlighted red), scroll down in the options on the side bar and find Material Id. Set the material ID to 1. (If you don't do this GTAIV will crash upon loading your model)
(not sure if this is needed) set all the smoothing groups to 1.
When opening up GIMSIV mat editor, delete all other materials besides the one with ID 1. Put in the textures/shader according to the above guidelines.