Game Development GTA5 Content Creation Proximity Chat

Wanted Director Menu for GTA5

by Actuator Digital Team · March 4, 2023

Actuator Digital partnered with WantedHQ to take their Director Menu tool, a custom GTA5 FiveM tool built to craft engaging custom content and games, and reinvent it to greatly expand its features and capabilities. This tool empowers content creators—including well-known creators Marcus, Lazarbeam, Crayator, and BazzaGazza—to craft engaging custom content and games. Marcus, acting as the Product Owner, led the project throughout its development, ensuring the menu catered to the unique needs of the creative community. The project was executed in multiple phases, focusing on functionality upgrades, bug fixes, and innovative features. The project utilized FiveM, a modding framework for GTA5, to implement the custom functionalities. Since the project’s completion, FiveM has been acquired by Rockstar, showcasing its critical role in the GTA5 modding ecosystem.


Project Goals: Our mission was to create a Director Menu that streamlined in-game control for creators, offering an intuitive and powerful interface. This involved building a robust menu structure, integrating proximity chat for immersive communication, and tackling technical debt to ensure the system’s scalability.


What We Delivered:

Actuator Digital worked collaboratively to:

  1. Rebuild the Director Menu:

    • Enhanced features for managing vehicles and weapons, customizable presets, and dynamic HUD elements like God Mode.
    • Revamped Spectate Mode to resolve bugs and integrate it seamlessly with other menu functionalities.
  2. Implement Proximity Chat:

    • Developed a custom system for distance-based audio scaling, adding realism to in-game interactions.
    • Resolved network stability issues, ensuring smooth communication for creators.
  3. Establish a Reusable Components Library:

    • Created a React-based component library, including buttons, modals, and tables, to accelerate development.
    • Ensured consistency and ease of updates across all menu components.
  4. Address Technical Debt:

    • Refactored legacy code to simplify future maintenance and expansion.
    • Optimized database architecture to support new and existing features efficiently.
  5. Introduce Advanced Features:

    • Added functionality for assigning unique blip icons and adjusting player “wanted levels” in real-time.
    • Enhanced the integration of Discord bot features, streamlining team coordination.

Overcoming Challenges:

  • Legacy Integration: Transitioned older functionalities while preserving backward compatibility.
  • Stability: Addressed persistent technical issues, especially in proximity chat and Discord integration.
  • Complexity: Delivered an extensive suite of features that worked cohesively, meeting the high expectations of prominent creators.

Results:

The revamped Director Menu became a game-changing tool for GTA5 content creators. Its intuitive interface and innovative features allowed creators like Lazarbeam, Crayator, and BazzaGazza to craft immersive experiences with unprecedented ease. Marcus’ leadership ensured the project met the needs of this creative audience, culminating in a product that simplifies content creation while opening doors for future enhancements.

Key Metrics:

  • Over 600 development hours.
  • Integrated 30+ features.
  • Positive feedback from creators and end-users.
  • Tool enabled the creation of 15 videos to date, totalling 27M views, 500K subs, and counting.

Conclusion: Through close collaboration with WantedHQ and its leading content creators, Actuator Digital delivered a Director Menu that stands out as a cornerstone for creative gameplay in GTA5. Leveraging the FiveM framework, we ensured the delivery of a robust and scalable solution. This project not only highlights our technical expertise but also our ability to adapt to the unique needs of our clients, delivering solutions that inspire and empower.