Element/Building

The building class represents static, 3D models in the GTA world. Examples of buildings include building models, roads, and terrain. Buildings, unlike objects, can contain glass and shadows.

The element type of this class is "building".

Important info about Buildings

• There is a distinction in GTA: San Andreas between static and dynamic models (these use a separate streaming system). Examples of buildings include building models, roads, and terrain. Objects created as Buildings can contain glass and shadows, unlike those created as Objects (which are missing these features).

• Buildings cannot be created with dynamic object model IDs (like a door that opens when you push it), they are meant to be used for static objects, mainly buildings as the name suggests. For example, object ID 1502 (Gen_doorINT04) is a dynamic object model, which can only be spawned using createObject. On the other hand, object ID 3556 (compmedhos3_LAe) is a static object model, which should be created with createBuilding.

• Using buildings for mapping is more optimized than using objects. Gains in FPS can be noticed in areas where a lot of objects were replaced with buildings of this new system.

• Buildings can only be created inside regular GTA:SA Map Boundaries (X between -3000 and 3000; Y between -3000 and 3000). Use createObject to spawn objects outside these normal limits. This limitation is probably going to stop existing in the near future.

• Created buildings can have LOD models. The procedure is as follows: spawn the LOD building using createBuilding, then use setLowLODElement to associate it with the non-LOD building element you created beforehand. LOD model distance changed with engineSetModelLODDistance works for buildings.

• Buildings cannot appear in certain a dimension, and not show in others. Function setElementDimension returns false on any building. A building is created in a specific interior world (such as 0, the main world), like the default GTA:SA landscape objects. All buildings appear in EVERY DIMENSION.

Related scripting functions

ADDED/UPDATED IN VERSION 1.6.0 r22410:
createBuilding