Beginners Start-up Guide for Zmodeler TutiorialThis tutorial applies to Zmodeler 2.2.1 Build 959This Program is used to edit and make SAMP/GTA SA vehicles. It can also be used to modify buildings and objects etc.
Hopefully this tutorial will teach how to extract, open, edit, and replace a 3D model. I will use NRG500 sports bike as an example.
Step 1: You need these applications…Zmodeler 2.2.1 : The main application, this must be registered to be useful.
(Edits *.dff files)IMG Tool : Used to extract and import data which is required for model editing.
(Extract *.dff and *.txd files from inside *.img files)TXD Workshop : Required to extract out of files obtained through IMG Tool 2.0
(Extract *.tga files from inside *.txd files)
Step 2: Backup…Once all the applications are installed, make a backup copy of your “…\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas\models” folder. This is the folder which contains the information needed for vehicle modeling.
It can be used when you want your old cars back or if you wreck your game accidentally.
As well as backups, GTASArecoverer can be used to extract data out of your GTA SA CD without the need for re-installation.
Step 3: Get Prepared…As with all vehicles, the NRG500 has both a model and a texture file. You need these two files if you want to modify the bike.
3D Model File: nrg500.dff
Texture File: nrg500.txd
Open IMGTool application: File > Open > “…\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas\models\gta3.img”
Once gta3.img file is open, you can use the F2 key to search for nrg500.dff as well as nrg500.txd, and then extract them into a directory.
Commands > Extract > “C:\example\”
Close IMGTool application
Step 4: Export The Real Textures (TGA)…The nrg500.txd is similar to a zip file with 4 TGA textures inside which must be exported using TXDworkshop.
Texture File: nrg500.txd
TGA Textures: nrg50092body128.tga
nrg50092brakes64.tga
nrg50092decal64.tga
nrg50092metal128.tga
Open TXDworkshop application: Open Application TXDworkshop > Open TXD > “C:\example\nrg500.txd”
Export all TGA textures into folder “C:\example\textures\”
Leave TXDworkshop application Open.
Step 5: More Textures!As well as the textures inside nrg500.txd, the motorbike uses some generic vehicle textures. These are used on almost every vehicle in GTA SA, therefore the game stores them in a separate file.
Return Focus to TXDworkshop Application: File > Open > “…\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas\models\generic\vehicle.txd”
There are about 20 TGA textures in this file and they all should be extracted due to most vehicle models will requiring them.
Export all TGA textures into folder “C:\example\textures\”
Close TXDworkshop Application.
Step 8: Even More textures!!!Alpha layers are used to make part of a TGA texture transparent and are stored within the file itself. Zmodeler will not recognizing this
sometimes and requires a separate file for both layers. So if you were to import nrg500.dff right now you would receive this error…
You are required to make a copy of the corresponding file and rename it.
Open Windows Explorer Open folder “C:\example\textures\”
It will look like this, except missing ‘vehicledashalpha32.tga’.
*(You may not have blue icons)
Make a copy of ‘vehicledash32.tga’ and rename it ‘vehicledashalpha32.tga’.
Close Windows ExplorerNow you’re done with all the preparation.
Step 6: Specify Texture Paths…So to begin with Zmodeler, setup the location of the texture files folder.
Open the Zmodeler application: Options > Settings > Services > Textures > Add
And then specify to the application where your TGA texture files are.
i.e. “C:\example\textures\”
Leave the Zmodeler application Open.Now Zmodeler knows the correct directory to look for the models TGA textures.
Step 9: Import DFF…Now you can import your 3D model (nrg500.dff) into Zmodeler.
Return Focus to Zmodeler Application: 
Use the import button above. The ‘Autodetect lights’ option MUST BE selected!
Now once the model has been imported, and all the textures have been found and applied, the status window will be clear and the model in Perspective View should look like this:
Congratulations, you have successfully imported the NRG500 without losing any of the original data contained within the DFF model file.
You can use mouse scroll to zoom in and hold left click inside the window to move the view around. Try to get it like this:
Leave the Zmodeler application Open.
Step 10: Edit model…* Zmodeler is very unfriendly to use. Be careful what you click on. It can be a very frustrating program. Also it lags, on my computer at least, so I have to be careful not to click things fast *
You will be editing one feature of the bike, so once back in game you can identify that your effort with Zmodeler has paid off. We will be making the back wheel bigger and demonstrating one of the main problems most modders come across at the same time. When the wheel drops into the ground.
So hopefully after step 9 your model is presented nicely on its side in perspective view it’s time to make the back wheel bigger.
Return Focus to Zmodeler Application: Left Click > Modify > Scale > Check Box besides Scale > Check Scale Geometry
Scale geometry is important because if it’s left unchecked then you’re not really scaling your model as far as GTA is concerned, you’re just scaling it inside the application.
Now hover the mouse over to the rear wheel in perspective mode and without pressing or clicking, wait until it turns blue and is focused upon.
Once Rear Wheel Has Focus > Hold Ctrl > Left Click > Quick Scale Window Opens
Yours will all read 100%. Change the values of Y and Z to %150 instead of %100, just like in the picture above. Press ‘OK’ to accept the changes and your wheel should now look like this.
Leave the Zmodeler application Open.
Step 11: Export DFFNow that the wheel has been scaled bigger you can export your model to a DFF file. The name of the file must be the same as that of your model name inside the program. i.e….
If you don’t call it nrg500.dff it will result in the following compile error.
Return Focus to Zmodeler Application: 
Use the export button and save into a new folder “C:\example\finished\” so you don’t overwrite your original nrg500.dff model file. Again the ‘Autodetect lights’ option MUST BE selected!
No errors should appear in the status window.
Close Zmodeler Application
Step 12: Replace DFFNow you can replace the original model file (nrg500.dff) inside gta3.img with the one you have just created. There is no need to replace the nrg500.txd file, as it was only ever used as reference for the Zmodeler application.
Open IMGTool application: File > Open > “…\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas\models\gta3.img”
Once gta3.img file is open, search for nrg500.dff and replace it with your new model.
Commands > Replace > “C:\example\finished\nrg500.dff”
Close IMGTool applicationCongratulations your NRG500 in game should now look like this:
Wheel drop is caused because there is a set distance between the wheels axel and the ground. If you made the wheel smaller it would appear as if the back of the bike is floating.
One way I have seen is making the wheel into a solid part of the vehicle on a different layer. I.e. no spin, it’s just for looks.
Another way I believe is more involved and required changing vehicle wheel model ID’s. Like giving a car a bus wheel ID. I’m not 100% about that though.
Anyway now you know a bit about Zmodeler I hope. Have a go of making the wheel width fatter next time instead (changing X to 150%), that way it will be larger and still be sitting on the ground.
Extra stuff not necessary to read
-If you were to import the 3D model at the end of step 3 you would receive this error.
Error
-The left and right mouse buttons are used for different functions. There is a button called ‘selected mode’ (bottom right) which must be clicked to modify the items together, even though they already appear selected on the screen.
-The relationship between the TGA textures and model is called texture mapping. Imagine a blanket with a picture of a motorbike on it. Texture mapping would be wrapping this blanket around your motorbike.
The application wraps your motorbike in the blanket automatically. It does this every time you open a 3D model. If the TGA textures aren’t there, they are saved over when you import your file.
-GTA tries to sit on the wheel no matter where you put it. Rear wheel was free spinning because I was resting on bike chassis and couldn’t go anywhere.
Only grips where the invisible wheel is remember! 3d model wheel really just a representation. This is back wheel placed high up suspended in air behind exhaust.
Weird
