Question about extending capabilities for custom vehicles

[perkinson1251]

Hello! I have several questions about extending models functionality:

1. Is it possible to load custom handling configurations for new vehicle IDs? What would be the best approach to implement this?
2. Is it possible to tuning/modification support for new vehicle models? (spoilers, bumpers etc)
3. Is there a way to load custom enginesounds for new IDs?

Any guidance or examples would be helpful. Thank you!

[Fernando-A-Rocha]

Hello! @perkinson1251

1. Yes, you do it like you would for normal vehicles.

e.g. Creation of a vehicle with new model and custom handling server side:

• import the newmodels functions
• local veh = createVehicle(yourNewId, x,y,z)
• use setVehicleHandling on the created vehicle

or

• local veh = exports["newmodels_azul"]:createVehicle(yourNewId, x,y,z)
• use setVehicleHandling on the created vehicle

What newmodels is doing is creating a vehicle with the model being the parent/base model of your custom new model
and then all clients will automatically set the new model, while keeping the properties of the parent/base

2. You can use addVehicleUpgrade serverside on your vehicles, and the upgrades won't be lost when the clients load the custom models.

3. Currently no, but there is a feature for this that should be implemented soon by @TheNormalnij - see Vehicle audio settings multitheftauto/mtasa-blue#2350

Please refer to the documentation https://github.com/Fernando-A-Rocha/mta-add-models/blob/main/.github/doc/DOCUMENTATION.md

[Fernando-A-Rocha]

https://github.com/Fernando-A-Rocha/mta-add-models/blob/main/.github/doc/DOCUMENTATION.md#2-using-the-new-models

[perkinson1251]

Thanks a lot! But wouldn't it be more convenient to assign a default handling or tunning parts for a new model at your resource level? I'm just starting to learn about MTA servers, maybe I don't understand any limitations of the game engine so I apologize right away

[Fernando-A-Rocha]

Thanks a lot! But wouldn't it be more convenient to assign a default handling or tunning parts for a new model at your resource level? I'm just starting to learn about MTA servers, maybe I don't understand any limitations of the game engine so I apologize right away

Don't worry, it's fine to ask.

Handling, tuning, etc are all inherited from the added model's parent/base model. Added models must be based on an existing default model. Meaning that if you want to add a new SUV based on the Huntley, it will have its properties (same engine sound, same handling, same vehicle upgrades) automatically.

[Fernando-A-Rocha]

@perkinson1251 This example adds a Mercedes-like sedan (Schafter) with new ID -5, based on the Elegant (model ID 507) which is the folder it is inside.

https://github.com/Fernando-A-Rocha/mta-add-models/tree/main/newmodels_azul/models/vehicle/507/Schafter

The system computes this logic automatically, so you can add models by placing the mod files in folders, and then using the scripting API.

If you tell me your general objective (what you wanna do in your server), I can maybe guide you better. Good luck!

[perkinson1251]

Thank you again. Perhaps it is better to explain what I want to do with an example:
For example, I want to install two new models (for example, with ID 700 and 701) on one basic model (let's say 477). At the same time, it is necessary that the 700 model has one handling settings, and the 701 model has another, and both settings should be independent of the original (model 476 will remain as in the original). Should I put both handling settings in a separate resource to use when spawning a vehicle via createVehicle? It would be cool if it was possible to specify handling in the new model settings file.

I have written a bit of code that implements what I am talking about in your resource. Maybe this will help too. I'm not sure is it gonna work tho.
server_logic.lua

-- Add to the beginning of the file
local function parseHandlingString(handlingStr)
    local params = split(handlingStr, " ")
    if #params < 20 then return false end

    return {
        mass = tonumber(params[2]),
        turnMass = tonumber(params[3]), 
        dragCoeff = tonumber(params[4]),
        centerOfMass = {
            x = tonumber(params[5]),
            y = tonumber(params[6]),
            z = tonumber(params[7])
        },
--       Other params are pasted here
    }
end

-- Modify the parseModelSettings function by adding:
elseif stringStartswith(settingStr, "handling=") then
    local handlingStr = settingStr:sub(10)
    local handlingData = parseHandlingString(handlingStr)
    if not handlingData then
        return false, "invalid handling string format"
    end
    customModelSettings.handling = handlingData

client_logic.lua

-- In the applyElementCustomModel function, add:
    if getElementType(element) == "vehicle" then
        -- existing code is here
        
        -- Apply custom handling if available
        local customInfo = customModels[customModel]
        if customInfo and customInfo.settings and customInfo.settings.handling then
            local handling = customInfo.settings.handling
            for k, v in pairs(handling) do
                if k == "centerOfMass" then
                    setVehicleHandling(element, k, v.x, v.y, v.z)
                else
                    setVehicleHandling(element, k, v)
                end
            end
        end
    end

Usage in config .txt file:
handling=ZR350 1280 1700 2 0 0.2 -0.1 70 0.8 0.8 0.51 5 200 15 15 r p 11.1 0.52 false 40 1.2 0.1 1.2 0.31 -0.15 0.5 0.3 0.24 0.6 45000 0 C00000 1 1 0

Is it gonna work, or is it even possible?

[Fernando-A-Rocha]

@perkinson1251 Do not alter the newmodels resource 😅 You can and should write your code entirely from a different resource. The newmodels_azul resource is meant to stay untouched except the models folder where you can add your mod files so they are "added" with new IDs and become available to use in scripts.

Make a resource called vehicle_system or similar and write server side code (no client side code needed).

But first, in newmodels_azul go inside models folder, vehicle and create a folder named 477. This is your base/parent model (ZR 350). Then place -1 and -2 .dff and .txd mod files inside. These will be your 2 new models based on the ZR 350.

Do not use IDs 700 and 701 because those are some tree object models 😅
https://dev.prineside.com/en/gtasa_samp_model_id/model/700-sm_veg_tree6/

[Fernando-A-Rocha]

For the actual server side scripts to set the handling, the handling needs to be set using setVehicleHandling MTA function when the vehicle is created. I haven't made it possible to set global handling for new models, it just works on per-vehicle element basis.

You need to understand that handling.cfg text file and write the handling setting code manually or create a function to parse it and translate it to MTA code automatically.

I understand you might not be expert at coding so feel free to ask more questions.

[perkinson1251]

Okay, thank you very much for help!