How to use Map Editor (MEd) to edit maps of GTA III, Vice City & San Andreas

Using MEd

This tutorial provides a beginner's guide to getting started with the Map Editor by Tonywob. It covers setting up your GTA installations, how to display parts of the GTA landscape and how to add generic objects.

Preparation

You will need the following before you can begin using MEd:

• A working install of GTA3, GTAVC or GTASA.
• A copy of MEd installed on your computer. (Download from here.)

You also have to turn off the read-only flag on the SA files:

1. Click right on the SA-map.
2. Click propperties.
3. Turn off the read-only flag.
4. Click Apply.

Introduction

Note: This is a tutorial from the GTAForums Tutorial Forum

Tutorial: Using the map editor
Author: Eclipse_nl
About: A tutorial showing the use of the map editor
Date: 2nd December 2005

Tutorial

Map Editor (MEd) is a great tool with lots of abilities. It allows you to make your own maps for III/VC or SA in a short time.
I'll explain you now only the basics. It the future I want to extend this tutorial.

Step 1

First of all, you've to install your MEd. When you've launched it, you got this:

• Click on Browse and select you gta directory.
• Click on Next to load the files.

Step 2

When loading is done, you got a screen with lots of abilities. I'll explain you more about these functions in this tutorial. First we have to load some parts of the land into the editor. It isn't recommended to load more than two IPLs at the same time.

So go to the tab "Visible Files" and select an IPL to load.

When you can see something of the map, you can move around. You can see the controls in the left-bottom of the screen.
There's also an option to change your view mode. You can choose between Player view and Topdown.
When you view is f*cked up you can hit the "Reset view" button.
If you want to zoom in/out, click on the buttons with the magnify glass. You can also do this with W and S or the scrollwheel on your mouse.

When you've moved around a little, you can go to the next step.

Step 3

Now we have to select the IPL where we go store our new object. You can make a new IPL, or you can add them to a existing IPL. I choosed for the last option.

Go to the tab "Item Placement" and select an IPL' to store your object into.

You can see now all the object that are already stored in this IPL.

To add you own object, click "New"

Step 4

When you've clicked on "New", you see the itembrowser. Here you can select the object that you want to place into your map.

You can see a preview on the display right. When you've selected a object, Click "OK".

Step 5

I've selected a tree and it's now in the map. You've also seen that there appeared a new window.

First click on "Center on Object". Now you can see your object.
Decide a place where you want to place your object. You can move your object around with your mouse or with the+/- buttons.
You can rotate your object with the movement bars.
If you do something wrong, click on the "Undo" button.
When your object is on the right place, click "Apply".

Step 6

The only thing what you've to do now is save the IPL. Select your IPL (if the IPL isn't select anymore) and hit "Save File".

Result

Now close MEd and start your GTA. If you did nothing wrong, you got something like this:

I hope you liked this tutorial. More tutorials about this tool will appear soon. See you next time!