Shop Meta File

Learn about GTA V's Cloth Shop Meta File

Introduction

The Shop Meta File is a component in GTA V's clothing system. These files store metadata about clothing items and their related properties, enabling the game to use certain mechanics, such as retrieving clothing names, absolute drawable ids at runtime or retrieving restriction information for some systems like cloth fitting, during gameplay. Shop Meta Files are typically named in a format like mp_f_freemode_01_fancyclothes_shop.meta.

Overview

A Shop Meta File is an XML document that contains detailed information about clothing items, including their associated DLC, character type, and component data. These files allow the game to manage and apply metadata to clothing, such as:

• Identifying specific clothing items for a character.

• Assigning clothing items to specific shops or categories.

• Defining restrictions or special mechanics for the items.

• Configuring cost, forced components, and other properties.

Here’s an example snippet from a Shop Meta File:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<ShopPedApparel>
	<pedName>mp_f_freemode_01</pedName>
	<dlcName>fancyclothes</dlcName>
	<fullDlcName>mp_f_freemode_01_fancyclothes</fullDlcName>
	<eCharacter>SCR_CHAR_MULTIPLAYER_F</eCharacter>
	<creatureMetaData>MP_CreatureMetadata_fancyclothes</creatureMetaData>
	<pedOutfits>
	</pedOutfits>
	<pedComponents>
        	<!-- Accessories: Accessories_000 -->
		<Item>
			<lockHash>CU_DCT_FANCYCLOTHES_CLOTHES</lockHash>
			<cost value="0"/>
			<textLabel />
			<uniqueNameHash>CLO_DCT_ACCESSORIES_0_0_F</uniqueNameHash>
			<eShopEnum>CLO_SHOP_NONE</eShopEnum>
			<locate value="-99" />
			<scriptSaveData value="0" />
			<restrictionTags>
			</restrictionTags>
            		<forcedComponents />
            		<variantComponents />
			<drawableIndex value="0" />
			<localDrawableIndex value="0" />
			<eCompType>PV_COMP_TEEF</eCompType>
			<textureIndex value="0" />
			<isInOutfit value="false" />
		</Item>
	</pedComponents>
	<pedProps>
	</pedProps>
</ShopPedApparel>

Key Elements of a Shop Meta File

1. Ped Name

The character model the file is associated with, e.g., mp_f_freemode_01 for female multiplayer freemode.

2. DLC Name

Specifies the DLC that the clothing belongs to, e.g., fancyclothes.

3. Components

Defines the individual clothing items and their properties. Each <Item> tag represents one piece of clothing with the following attributes:

• lockHash: A unique identifier for the clothing item, used internally by the game.

• drawableIndex: Relative drawable index of the clothing model.

• textureIndex: Index of the clothing texture variation.

• eCompType: The clothing component type (e.g., PV_COMP_TEEF for accessories). (See Drawable Types & Textures)

• restrictionTags: Tags that apply restrictions or special mechanics to the clothing item. (See this dump of restriction tags used by the game)

• eShopEnum: Target shop category for the item.

4. Creature Metadata

Specifies any associated metadata files that are required for special mechanics like high heels or alternate variations.

Durty Cloth Tool Integration

Editing Clothing Related Shop Meta information

Automatic Shop Meta File Generation

Durty Cloth Tool simplifies the process of creating and managing Shop Meta Files:

• Automatic Generation: The tool automatically generates Shop Meta Files during the build process, ensuring compatibility with in-game mechanics.

• Customization Options: Users can configure specific fields, such as "Target Shop" or "Restriction Tags," via the Shop Meta tab in the tool.

Use Cases in Game Mechanics

Shop Meta Files are used by the game for various mechanics, including:

• Clothing Names & Ids: Retrieving the proper names or drawable ids of clothing items.

• Shop Categories: Assigning items to specific shops in the game.

• Restrictions: Applying limitations based on gameplay context, such as item visibility or availability.

For example:

• A big mask might include restriction tags to ensure it can only be worn with specific outfits.

• High-heeled shoes could reference specific creature metadata for proper functionality.

Managing Shop Meta Files in Durty Cloth Tool

To work with Shop Meta Files in Durty Cloth Tool:

1. Navigate to the Shop Meta tab for any selected clothing item.

2. Edit properties like the Target Shop or Restriction Tags as needed.

3. Build the project to automatically generate the Shop Meta File, ensuring all configured settings are applied.

Summary

By leveraging the Shop Meta File system, you can ensure your clothing resources integrate seamlessly with the game’s mechanics.