GTA San Andreas Texture Modding Guide with IMG Tool

A Beginner’s Guide to Texture Replacement in GTA San Andreas PC

Hello, fellow GTA modders! Chris82 here, and I’m passionate about modding GTA games. If you’re looking to dive into the world of texture modding for GTA San Andreas and want to learn how to replace textures using IMG Tool, you’ve come to the right place. This tutorial will guide you through every step of the process, even if you’re completely new to GTA modding.

Understanding Texture Modding in GTA San Andreas

For those who are new to modding, let’s break down the basics of how texture modding works in GTA San Andreas. When you install GTA San Andreas on your PC, it’s placed in a directory containing various folders and files that constitute the game. “Texturing” refers to modifying the visual surfaces within the game – think of pictures, roads, signs, buildings, cars, and more. We’re not altering the 3D models themselves, but rather what’s displayed on their surfaces, such as rust, light colors, or the text on a building sign.

Essentially, textures are the images that wrap around the 3D models in GTA San Andreas. For example, a 3D television in CJ’s house is both a model and a texture, while clouds are purely textures in the sky. Rockstar Games created these textures by either photographing real-world objects or designing them in graphics software, or a combination of both. The accessibility of texture creation means anyone with the right tools and creativity can customize their game. Let’s get started with the tutorial!

What You Need to Get Started

To begin texture modding in GTA San Andreas, you’ll need a few things:

System Requirements:

Processor: At least a 1GHz Celeron processor (necessary to run GTA San Andreas and graphics applications smoothly)
RAM: At least 384 MB of RAM (for running GTA San Andreas and graphics applications efficiently)
Video Card: At least a 64MB Video Card (especially if your processor is below 1.8 GHz)
Hard Drive Space: At least 8 GB of free space (7 GB for GTA San Andreas installation, plus 1 GB for your mod files)

Essential Tools:

Digital Camera & Scanner (Optional): Useful if you want to create textures from real-world images or scans.
Paper & Pen (Optional): For sketching out ideas before creating digital textures.
Internet Connection: For downloading necessary tools and resources.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC Version): Obviously, you’ll need the game installed!
MS Paint: A basic image editor that comes with Windows.
Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro (Recommended): More advanced image editors that offer greater control and features (optional but highly recommended).
Creativity & Time: Essential for any modding project!
IMG Tool 2.0: This is crucial for importing and exporting texture files within GTA San Andreas.
TXD Workshop 3.5+: Used to open and edit texture files (.TXD format) used in GTA San Andreas.

Step-by-Step Guide to Texture Modding with IMG Tool

Let’s begin the process of replacing textures in GTA San Andreas using IMG Tool and TXD Workshop.

1. Finding the Texture You Want to Mod:

First, identify the texture in the game that you wish to modify. If you know the object in the game – for example, a specific TV model – you’re already halfway there. Now, you need to locate the corresponding texture file within the game’s files.

Locating TXD Files:

Navigate to your GTA San Andreas installation directory (usually found at C:/Program Files/Rockstar Games/GTA San Andreas). Locate the “models” folder, right-click on it, and select “Properties.” Uncheck the “Read Only” box and click “OK.” This step is essential to allow modifications to the game files.

alt=”Unchecking the Read Only attribute in folder properties to allow file modifications”

2. Opening IMG Tool and Locating Texture Archives:

Open IMG Tool 2.0. In IMG Tool, you need to open either gta3.img or gta_int.img located in your San Andreas “models” folder.

gta3.img: Contains most of the game’s textures, including vehicles, buildings, roads, and outdoor objects.
gta_int.img: Contains textures for interiors, such as safe houses and indoor locations.

If the texture you want to modify is inside an interior (like in CJ’s house), use gta_int.img. For most other textures (excluding character clothes – which require different tools and methods), use gta3.img. Wait for IMG Tool to load the archive; it will display a list of files.

3. Extracting the Texture File:

Finding your specific texture within these large archive files can be challenging and time-consuming. This is where knowing the texture name becomes helpful. Let’s assume you’re modifying a texture for CJ’s TV.

In IMG Tool 2.0, click “Find” (or press F2) and type in the texture name, for example, cj_tv.txd (without quotes). Once the file is highlighted in the list, right-click on it and select “Extract.” Choose a folder to extract the file to, for instance, create a new folder named “MyTXDs” for easy access.

4. Editing the Texture with TXD Workshop:

Now, open TXD Workshop (but keep IMG Tool open). In TXD Workshop, open the .TXD file you just extracted. You should see a collection of images (textures) within the TXD file. These are the individual textures that make up the object.

Browse through the textures to find the specific one you want to modify. In our TV example, you might see different variations of TV textures. Select the texture you want to edit by clicking on it once. Then, click “Export.”

Choose the export format based on your image editing software:

Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro: Export as .TGA (Targa file).
MS Paint: Export as .BMP (Bitmap file).

alt=”Export options in TXD Workshop, highlighting TGA and BMP image formats”

Export the texture to the same “MyTXDs” folder for convenience.

5. Modifying the Texture in Your Image Editor:

Open the exported image file in your chosen graphics editor (MS Paint, Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc.). Now, you can edit the texture as desired. You can change colors, add details, overlay images, and completely redesign the texture.

Important for Photoshop/Paint Shop Pro users: After you’ve finished editing and are using Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, make sure to merge all layers into a single layer before saving. In Photoshop, go to “Layers” and select “Merge Visible.”

Once your editing is complete, save the file. If you are using Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro, simply click “Save” (not “Save As”). For MS Paint users, click “File” > “Save.” Ensure you save the file with the same name and format (.TGA or .BMP) as the original exported file.

6. Importing the Modified Texture Back into the TXD File:

Return to TXD Workshop, keeping your TXD file open. Select the texture you edited in the texture list. Click “Import.” Browse to your “MyTXDs” folder, select the modified image file, and double-click it. The texture in TXD Workshop should now update to reflect your changes.

If the texture you are editing has an alpha channel (transparency), you’ll need to export, edit, and import the alpha channel image as well, following the same process.

After importing, click “Save TXD” in TXD Workshop to save the changes to the .TXD file.

7. Replacing the Original Texture in IMG Tool:

Go back to IMG Tool 2.0. The .TXD file you extracted should still be selected in the file list. Click “Replace” (or press F2). Navigate to your “MyTXDs” folder, select the modified .TXD file, and double-click it. IMG Tool will replace the original .TXD file within the gta3.img or gta_int.img archive with your modified version. You don’t need to rebuild the archive after replacing.

8. Test Your New Texture in GTA San Andreas!

Launch GTA San Andreas and find the object you’ve retextured in the game to see your changes in action!

Example: Before and After Texture Modding

Before:

alt=”Original in-game TV texture before modification”

After:

alt=”Modified in-game TV texture after replacement with IMG Tool”

Using Textures from the Internet or Your Own Photos

You can also use images from the internet or photos taken with your digital camera as textures in GTA San Andreas. Here’s how:

Open your image in MS Paint.
Check Texture Dimensions in TXD Workshop: In TXD Workshop, find the size of the texture you are replacing (e.g., 128×128, 256×256, 64×64, or combinations of these).
Resize Your Image in MS Paint: In MS Paint, click “Image,” then “Attributes.” Enter the correct width and height dimensions to match the original texture size. Be careful, resizing in Paint might crop your image from the top-left corner. To resize the entire image proportionally, use the “Select” tool (dotted box icon) to select the whole image before resizing.
Save as 24-bit BMP: Save your resized image as a 24-bit .BMP file. Make sure to name it the same as the texture file inside the TXD archive (not the .TXD file itself).
Import and Replace: Follow steps 6 and 7 from the “Modifying the Texture” section to import your image into the TXD file using TXD Workshop and replace the texture in the IMG archive using IMG Tool.

Finding Textures with Steve-m’s Map Tool (Helpful Tip)

Previously, finding the correct texture file to modify often involved guesswork. Thanks to Steve-m’s map tool, this process is now much easier!

How to use Steve-m’s Map Tool:

Download and extract Steve-m’s map tool to your desktop.
Create a Games.cfg file: Open Notepad, type the path to your GTA San Andreas directory (e.g., C:/Program Files/Rockstar Games/GTA San Andreas) on the first line. Save the file as “Games.cfg” on your desktop.
Run Map Tool: Open the map tool and press F1 to load the game data.
Navigate and Identify Textures: In the map tool, navigate to the in-game location where the texture you want to modify is located (interiors are not yet fully supported in the map tool). Zoom in close to the object and right-click on it a couple of times. The map tool will display the name of the .TXD file you need to modify at the top of the window.
Follow the Tutorial: Once you have the .TXD file name, follow the texture modding steps outlined earlier in this guide.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q: When I try to save something in TXD Workshop, I get a “stream read error.”

A: This might be due to using an older version of TXD Workshop (ensure you are using version 3.5 or higher). It can also occur if you used a .BMP file in Photoshop or saved the image in an incorrect format or size.

Q: IMG Tool doesn’t open the IMG files.

A: Make sure you are using IMG Tool 2.0, as older versions might not be compatible.

Q: The texture saves correctly in TXD Workshop, but when I close TXD Workshop, I get an error.

A: This is a known, harmless error. It usually doesn’t affect the TXD files you’ve created, and you can safely ignore it.

Q: I edited the TXD and saved everything, but the texture hasn’t changed in the game. What’s wrong?

A: You likely modified the wrong TXD file. Double-check that you are replacing the correct file. If there were saving errors during the image editing or TXD process, the game might freeze or crash.

Q: Which format should I export to?

Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro: Export as .TGA
MS Paint: Export as .BMP

We hope this tutorial has been helpful in guiding you through the process of texture modding in GTA San Andreas using IMG Tool. Happy modding!

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