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GTA V Source Code Build Tutorial with an extra additions!

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📜 GTA V Source Code Build Guide

⚠️ If you having any problem, let us know in the "Issues" section of this repository!
💬 You can check out "Discussions" for talking and discuss.

📩 You can contact me from discord: yungdoomofficial

Contents

  1. Prerequisites
    1. Base
    2. Dependencies
    3. Miscellaneous
    4. Prebuilt File
  2. Prerequisites Setup
  3. Patching The Source Code
  4. Building Process
    1. Building The Game Binary/Executable
    2. Building Shaders
    3. Building Game Scripts
  5. Patching Game Assets
    1. Main
    2. Modifying the RPF Files
  6. Running The Game
  7. BankRelease & Debug Controls
  8. Known Bugs and Errors
    1. Known Issues
  9. Working Status
    1. Compiling
    2. Main / Base
  10. Final Thoughts

Prerequisites

Base

  • Windows 10/11
    • LTSC 2021 Recommended, but you can use Normal Windows 10/11 too.
  • Latest Grand Theft Auto V Files from Steam, Epic Games or maybe Rockstar Games Launcher.
  • Minimum 65GB Free Space, 140GB+ is Recommended because of the game files and programs.
  • GTAVSP.7z - Source Code
    • Download Link: All Available Download Links
    • Archive Password: Mi76#b>9mRed
    • You can verify the authenticity of the file by its SHA1 hash: ca39323730ed644fa534a2946506d4287f92a799
      • To verify with 7-Zip, right click the file and select 7-Zip > CRC SHA > SHA1
  • update.rpf and update2.rpf from GTA V build 2699
  • Some Patience and Technical Competence

Dependencies

Miscellaneous

Prebuilt File


[!NOTE] It is recommended to create a virtual machine for this build process, Although the build process can be done on your Real PC too!
in Windows, VMWare/Hyper-V or VirtualBox are recommended to run the Virtual Machine due to their performance.
in Linux, virt-manager are recommended to run the Virtual Machine.

Prerequisites Setup

  1. Install DirectX SDK June 2010
    • If you get error S1023, Uninstall Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable & Reinstall DirectX SDK - (June 2010).
  2. Install 7-Zip
  3. Install Visual Studio 2012
    • Uncheck all optional components in the installer except "Microsoft Foundation Classes for C++" to save space, none of them are needed for the build.
  4. Install Update 4 for Visual Studio 2012
  5. Install Incredibuild 4.0
    • If you encounter the error that the installer is "Blocked by your administrator", follow these steps:
      1. Hold Shift and right click the incredibuild4_0.exe file, select "Copy as path"
      2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
      3. Paste the path and press Enter
    • Select to install "Incredibuild Agent", "Incredibuild Coordinator", and the extension for Visual Studio
  6. Install OpenIV
  7. Install DLL Patches and Rush Patches
  8. (OPTIONAL) Install 3D Studio Max 2010 SDK
  9. Create X:\ Drive by following the steps at the bottom:
    1. Open Command Prompt
    2. Create a new folder called "GTA" to the Desktop or anywhere that you want
    3. Run net use X: \\localhost\c$\<Path to working folder for build> /persistent:yes
      • Example: net use X: \\localhost\c$\Users\<username>\Desktop\GTA /persistent:yes
  10. Create the folder X:\gta5 and copy all folders from GTAVSP.7z\GTA V Source into it
  11. Right click the folder X:\gta5, select "Properties", uncheck "Read-only", click Apply then OK
  12. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following commands, then close:
setx /m RS_TOOLSROOT X:\gta5\tools_ng
setx /m DXSDK_DIR "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft DirectX SDK (June 2010)"
setx /m RS_CODEBRANCH X:\gta5\src\dev_ng
setx /m RS_PROJECT gta5
  1. Put all the game files to the X:\gta5\titleupdate\dev_ng directory
  2. To ensure changes are finalized, restart build machine/computer.

Patching The Source Code

  1. Open rush_patches-master.zip
  2. Copy game and rage folders to X:\gta5\src\dev_ng, make sure to overwrite when copying
  3. (OPTIONAL) To skip launcher requirement for running the game, copy game and rage folders from rush_patches-master.zip\OPTIONAL_FIXES to the same folder
  4. Copy all folders in dll_patches_x.zip to X:\gta5\tools_ng\bin, make sure to overwrite when copying
  5. (OPTIONAL) Install 3rdParty Folder, Extract and Put the folder to X:\gta5\.

By far, Your Folder Structure should look like this:

🖥️ X:
 ┗ 📂 gta5
    ┣ 📂 3rdParty - (OPTIONAL)
    ┣ 📂 src
    ┃ ┣ 📂 dev_ng
    ┣ 📂 script
    ┃ ┣ 📂 dev_ng 
    ┗ 📂 tools_ng

Building Process

Building The Game Binary/Executable

  1. Run X:\gta5\src\dev_ng\game\VS_Project\load_sln_unity_2012.bat
    • If prompted with "How do you want to open this file?", check "Always use this app to open .sln files" and Select Visual Studio 2012 then click OK
  2. Once the solution loads, open the dropdown menu that says "Debug" at the top, select "Configuration Manager"
  3. Change "Active Solution Platform" to "x64" and close the configuration window
  4. Hold Ctrl key and click all projects under "GameLibs" and "Rage" folder, right-click and select "Properties"
  5. In the "Configuration" dropdown, select "All Configurations"
  6. Select C/C++ > All options, under "Look for options or switches", search "err" and set "Treat Warnings as Errors" to "No (/WX-)", then click "Apply" and "OK"
    • For faster compiles, search "mul" and set "Multiprocessor Compilation" to "Yes (/MP)"
      • If you get the error C1060: Compiler is out of heap space during build, come back to the above setting and turn it off
  7. Right-click the "game" project and select "Properties" and do step 5,6 again
  8. Change build the type at the top of the window from "Debug" to "BankRelease"
  9. At the top of the window, select Build > Build Solution and wait for build to finish
  10. Copy output binary to game folder.
  • If you confused, Watch this video:

https://github.com/P0L3NARUBA/gtav-sourcecode-build-guide/assets/146978592/a07cfd2e-a350-419e-ad9e-db6fc7a1ccff

[!WARNING] Building shaders can be skipped using the prebuilt file above
Extract common.zip and just put the common folder to the Game Directory
These steps are here to allow modding or for those who prefer to build from source as much as possible.

Building Shaders

  1. Under "Shaders", right click the "shaders_rc" project and click "Build"
  2. (OPTIONAL) Build low quality shaders
    1. Right click the "shaders_rc" project and click "Properties"
    2. Select Configuration Properties > NMake
    3. Under "General", change all command lines from ending with win32_40.bat to ending with win32_40_lq.bat, then click "Apply" and "OK"
    4. Rebuild shaders and wait it to finish
  3. Copy X:\gta5\titleupdate\dev_ng\common to game directory.

Building Game Scripts

  1. Open Command Prompt and Run the following commands:
X:
cd X:\gta5\src\dev_ng
setenv
cd ..\..\tools_ng\bin\RageScriptEditor
ragScriptEditor
  1. In the editor, select File > Open Project and open X:\gta5\script\dev_ng\singleplayer\GTA5_SP.scproj
  2. Select Compiling > Intellibuild > Build Project and wait until the compiling process finishes
  3. Run OpenIV, select "Windows" under "Grand Theft Auto V"
  4. Select the game folder and click "Continue"
  5. Open <Game Directory>\update\update2.rpf\x64\levels\gta5\script
  6. Delete script.rpf
  7. Click the "Edit mode" button, and copy X:\gta5\titleupdate\dev_ng\x64\levels\gta5\script\script.rpf to the OpenIV window.

Patching Game Assets

Main

  1. Install update.rpf and update2.rpf from GTA V build 2699 from Prerequisites List
  2. Put update.rpf and update2.rpf files to <Game Directory>\update\ folder
    • Dont forget to backup your old files from update folder.

Modifying the RPF Files

If you ever modify the RPF files, dont forget to encrpyt them.
Here you can see how to do it:

  1. From rush_patches-master.zip, copy all files in the ARCHIVEFIX folder to a separate location
  2. Drag RPF file(s) onto ArchiveFix.exe
    • Don't drag the both files at the same time, just drag one by one.

Running The Game

  1. In the game directory, create a file named launch.bat and add these contents:
cd %~dp0
game_win64_bankrelease.exe -noSocialClub -nokeyboardhook -nonetlogs
  1. (OPTIONAL) Add additional arguments:
  • -kbgame - Start game with game keyboard enabled
  • -output - Show console log of game, the game opens a little bit slow.
  • -rag - Enable support for RAG, the internal game debugging tool
    • -ragUseOwnWindow - Use it with -rag parameter to make game run outside of RAG Render Window
    • DO NOT Forget to Launch RAG Before launching the game if u using any RAG parameters
  • -DoReleaseStartup - Start real Story Mode on launch, Ignore if it says unknown parameter/command
    • If you dont type this parameter, you will spawned in a random location as a random character with a random clothes
  • Additional standard game arguments can be added as well.
    • Here is the almost all the arguments list
  1. (OPTIONAL) Launch RAG with the following commands in Command Prompt:
X:
cd X:\gta5\src\dev_ng
setenv
cd ..\..\tools_ng\bin\rag
rag
  1. Run launch.bat

BankRelease & Debug Controls

Almost Every Controls & Keys

Working Status

Compiling

  • [x] Can Compile Game
  • [x] Can Compile Tools
  • [x] Can Compile Game Scripts
  • [x] Can Compile Shaders

Main / Base

  • [x] Game
    • [ ] Script Hook V and ASI Loaders
      • It doesn't work because memory offsets and certificate problems.
  • [x] Tools
    • [x] RagScriptEditor
      • Works perfect in a Single Core Virtual Machine.
    • [x] Rag
      • [x] Rag UI
      • [x] Rag Interface
    • [x] Map Viewer
    • [x] Shortcut Menu
    • [x] Other Tools
      • Note that Some Perforce login required tools will not work, they need some modifications and Perforce.
        • Perforce Download Links:
          1. Helix Core: https://www.perforce.com/downloads/helix-core-free-small-teams
          2. Helix Visual Client: https://www.perforce.com/downloads/helix-visual-client-p4v

Known Bugs and Errors

When I create "Vehicles" Widgets, the game crashes.

Before Opening The Save Game, just enter the game normally and dont load the save, create vehicle widgets then load the game.

Fatal Error: Unable to create default effect 'common:/shaders/im', cannot continue.

If u didn't put the shaders to the game directory or you dont have the low quality shaders, then this error may appear.
Just try these solutions in order to make the game work:

Solution 1:

Just Simply Put the shaders to the game directory and compile the low quality shaders by following tutorial.

Solution 2:

Just make your shaders quality "High" and dont lower that.
To do this, Follow this steps:

  1. Go To \Documents\Rockstar Games\GTA V
  2. Open settings.xml
  3. Change <ShaderQuality value="0" /> To <ShaderQuality value="1" />
  4. Save the file and Done!

Couldn't connect to RAG.exe. Keep trying?

Just Simply Open the RAG Manually, then start launch.bat.

Known Issues

  • Game crashes if you open "Keybinds" Menu in BankRelease or Debug Builds
    • It's because the game tries to load a missing debug keyboard layout file
      • This can probably be fixed by just editing some lines in the source code.

Final Thoughts

Thanks for reading my precious tutorial, if u liked it please consider starring or forking the repository.
Feel free to contribute the repository, you'll be welcomed if you dont make stupid thingies.