How to add custom maps to your server ?!

[Sebastian]

What am I going to explain you ??
Well, VC:MP has now the ability of creating whole new static maps that cannot be edited using scripts.
These static maps are like ".ipl" files, but with different format, that will be permanently created on map, not like objects created by CreateObject function. (<- them are removed when you are far away, and recreated when you are near them)
So if you want to add an island, better to create it using the way I will present you today, because if the island is (for e.g.) at docks (on water), and you are at North Point Mall and want to teleport to it, you will not fall in water, but you will be teleported in the right place. If you would use CreateObject to create that map, you would fall in water because the object would not be created as fast as your teleportation.
1st step: Find (or create) the static map you want to import in your server.
(I will use "Akina Hill 2.0" as example, created by SanyaSpy   )
VC:MP Static Maps can use Vice City's default objects too, but I will use a custom map to can show you that we can add much more files in one ".7z" archive, then just add them in "objects.xml".
VC:MP opens all archives located in "...server/store/...here" and just choose the respective files you write in "objects.xml".
You can set, for an object from archive "a", the texture from an object from archive "b", and the colision from an object from archive "c".
2nd step: Make sure the static map has ".ipl" files. (the ".ide" file is "optional")
If it has the ".ide" file too, then you can take from there the render distance, and flags value.
Look, I set the distance and flags value that I found in the ".ide" file.
This is what you can find in the "optional" .ide file:
ID, ModelName, TextureName, ObjectCount, DrawDist, Flags
Example:
4802, akina01, akina, 1, 299, 0
3rd step: Convert the ".ipl" file to the ".xml" file you need.
http://thijn.minelord.com/vcmp/iplConvert/
^ this is a converter made by Thijn.
You just add the code there, then save it in a file ".xml".
I will leave the link in the description. (like everytime)
Atention (only if you create a static map using custom objects): After you convert the ".ipl" file to ".xml", you should check all object IDs from there. Why ? Because developers of that map used another object IDs than you do. They made the map for single player, but you want it for multiplayer.
So you should change the object IDs with the respective IDs written in "objects.xml".
4th step: Name your map file.
There is no name format, so you are free to name it as you wish.
5th step: Now all are ready to be moved in your server's directory !
The ".xml" file should be located in: "...server/store/maps/...here"
6th step: Open your server, and take a look at your new static map !

That's all, I hope you will success ! Good luck !
Credits: Seby (me)


Also, here is a video of how to deal with custom objects in Map Editor (MEd)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eusjiCnCjv0

[InFIdeL]

If i create its own objects in single player by med, the would it work converting the.ipl to .xml in or what?

[Sebastian]

Maps* yes.

[Kenneth Law]

Seby, do you know what flags value refers to?

[Sebastian]

Seby, do you know what flags value refers to?

They affect the behavior of an object, when put under certain conditions like.
Here is a list, and their meaning:
https://gtamods.com/wiki/Item_Definition#IDE_Flags

In VC's files, flags are declared in the .ide file.
In Map Editor MEd, flags are known as "parameters".


Just make sure you follow the wiki values, as they are per game. I'm not sure about MEd, but it may share the same with all 3 games (gta3, vc, sa), so you may check the "Breakable Window 1" and get a value, which will actually apply the "Breakable Window 2" flag

PS: Just in case you didn't know, you can also edit the physics of an object.
So you can turn a custom object into a beach ball like, for e.g.