Converting FiveM Scripts to SP
I recently read a topic on GTA V forums with a request for someone to create a mod that will seamlessly convert any FiveM Lua script to a GTA V Single Player script.
These posts always make me shake my head because they are incredibly naive: the poster grossly underestimates the complexity of such an endeavour. The thread replies had the usual misinformation as well, or at the very least the replies weren't complete. Let's start with some facts.
FiveM, while developed as a multiplayer RP client server platform, still works great in Single Player as well. In passing the M stands for Modifications, not Multiplayer. So yes, you can play SP in FiveM. That's how we do it here.
Scripting in FiveM
The official documentation for FiveM describes 3 principal scripting languages: Lua (the most common), C# (C sharp) and Javascript. Lua is also the scripting language of choice in the popular client server platform called Gary's Mod (GMOD). FiveM scripts can be written for the Client, the Server, or both.
While not as common, FiveM does support C# dll scripts, LemonUI menus, and our favourite Trainer Menyoo, which is a C++ asi mod, is supported as a plugin. When a C# dll is installed in FiveM it is given the extension .net.dll. For example myscript.net.dll.
Of course the server side scripts, particularly if databases are involved, are not designed for Single Player (client side) play.
Scripting in GTA V Single Player
Similarly GTA V SP scripts can be written in different languages. The most popular is C# dot net but there is also VB (dot net), and Lua. The ASI mods however are written in C++.
FiveM vs SP
Aside from the major MP RP vs SP game play and predominant scripting language differences (Lua vs C#), the two platforms share something very important in common. They both use the native functions of the GTA V RAGE Engine. Unfortunately, that's where the similarities end.
Some significant differences: Lua scripts are in plain text files. Easy to read and to modify for anyone with an understanding of programming. On the other hand C# scripts are almost always compiled so the code isn't visible and requires it to be decompiled to be viewed or modified. FiveM scripts are accompanied by resource.lua or fxmanifest.lua files.
Summary
