GTA IV - WFT Import/Export filter (update:17.Sept.2009)

[Oleg]

GTA IV - WFT Import/Export filter
Warning: Exported models might still be unstabile and can crash the game. Please, test your mods before releasing them.

Warning: Download and install GTA mods at your own risk. Always keep backup versions of any files you edit or replace!

Plaese refer to original (imported) models (or GTAIV Example Pack) for scene hierarchy, object names and materials settings. Additional explanation threads are provided:

Collision model
Scene assembly
GTA4 Materials and textures
GTA4 Lights


Exporting scene.
This filter allows to export scene into .wft format. When you specify a file to export to, filter will search for a dummy node named exactly the same as a file. Thus, you can have several models assembly loaded in zmodeler, but only necessary branch will be exported.
Note, if matching dummy node not found in scene, the whole scene will be exported. Thus, for example, if you have a root dummy node "chassis" and the rest under it, this will be exported correctly, even thought warning message appears.

Exported models can have a small comment and/or thumbnail image added to them.
You can lock exported model to prevent importing it into ZModeler.
Note: locking, comment and thumbnail are natively a violation of file format, but should not be considered as a main source of problems.

This filter was tested on vehicle and bike models only and should not be considered to support boats, helies, ped or player models. Example models in .z3d format are provided:
http://www.zmodeler2.com/?mode=dl&ID=20

Note: importing of models, opening of example .z3d files should not produce warnings or errors.

Note: exporing of model in .wft format should not produce any warnings or errors. Addinionally, any warning should be considered as a potential error in game. Any error on export is a straightforward indication of failed export - .wft file should not be used, even if it was generated.

WFT models must be imported with Sliced Model option toggled on. This will cut entire mesh onto parts and will create a hierarchy of these parts. When this option is off, a skeleton with bones is created and mesh appers as a single volume.

Reuse Materials option allow to use materials of your scene when you import several models into ZModeler. This option should only be toggled if you use textures prefix (see below).

Textures prefix can be specified in profile editor:

Value of 0 means "do not use texture prefix", value of "-1" means "used full texture prefix", other values will limit amount of characters of texture prefix.
Texture prefix is a name of main/diffuse texture and it will appear in the begining of material name. Thus, for example, you might have materials like this on import:
schafter_badges badges
vehicle_generic_detail2 mesh [CLR:2]
vehicle_generic_detail2 mesh
vehicle_generic_glasswindows2 vehglass
schafter_lights_glass lights(vehglass)

instead of:
badges
mesh [CLR:2]
mesh
vehglass
lights(vehglass)


Export option Store Textures can be used to Store textures inside WFT or WDR model file. These textures will be used even if associated (or named the same way) textures are stored in according WTD textures pack. Actually, you no longer need a WTD file for you models. Only DXT-compressed (DDS) textures are stored this way. The filter will convert/compress textures that are not DXT/DDS initially. Textures used commonly or shared among models are not stored: texture will not be stored inside of exported file if it contains any of the strings in it's name:
share
common
generic
gta_

WFT file has a limitation on texture size that could be stored. 1024x512 for DXT1 (no alpha channel) and 512x256 for DXT5 (with alpha channel) is a maximum. Consider using smaller textures of store them in WTD archieves if they don't fit.