Text formatting
Text labels displayed in the game UI can be formatted using classical Rockstar North-style ~ formatting tags, which are
detailed below.
Rockstar formatting codes
Rockstar formatting codes are typically found between two tildes (~), such as in the following examples:
[MY_LABEL]
Demolish the ~r~enemy.
[MY_HELP_LABEL]
Press ~INPUT_CONTEXT~ when near the ~r~enemies.
Color codes
| Special | Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
~HUD_COLOUR_...~ |
References an existing HUD color. | Find the ~HUD_COLOUR_FREEMODE~freemode ped! |
|
~HC_...~ |
An alias for ~HUD_COLOUR | Find the ~HC_FREEMODE~freemode ped! |
|
~HC_[number]~ |
Specifies a HUD color by index. | Get to ~HC_13~Davis. |
|
~s~ |
Resets the color to the default for the current context. | After killing the ~r~enemies~s~, you win! |
|
~v~ |
HUD_COLOUR_SCRIPT_VARIABLE This is a placeholder for the color set with SET_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_HUD_COLOUR. |
Wait for your ~v~team~s~ to lose the Cops. |
|
~u~ |
HUD_COLOUR_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_2 This is a placeholder for the color set with _SET_SCRIPT_VARIABLE_2_HUD_COLOUR. |
Take out ~v~~a~~s~ & defend ~u~~a~~s~. |
|
~w~ |
HUD_COLOUR_WHITE Used together with ~s~ to reset text color. |
Swoop on over to ~b~foreclosures.maze-bank.com~w~~s~ today |
|
| Color | Label | Description | Example |
~r~ |
HUD_COLOUR_RED Used for enemy characters or vehicles. |
Kill all the ~r~Vagos. |
|
~g~ |
HUD_COLOUR_GREEN Used for pickup-type objectives. |
Pick up the ~g~flash drive. |
|
~b~ |
HUD_COLOUR_BLUE Used for friendly characters or vehicles. |
Defend ~b~Lamar. |
|
~f~ |
HUD_COLOUR_FRIENDLY An alternate (rare) version for friendly objectives. |
Vehicle health can be restored by waiting in the ~f~pit stop area~s~. |
|
~y~ |
HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW Destination names. |
Deliver the Special Cargo to the ~y~restricted area. |
|
~c~ |
HUD_COLOUR_MENU_GREY De-emphasized text used in subtitles, to indicate a character out of view. |
~z~He's a bum! ~c~~n~Oh my God! |
|
~t~ |
HUD_COLOUR_MENU_GREY De-emphasized text used in subtitles, to indicate text spoken in a different language. |
~z~those ~t~idiots. |
|
~o~ |
HUD_COLOUR_ORANGE A team color indicator. |
~o~The Cocks~s~ are mad. |
|
~p~ |
HUD_COLOUR_PURPLE A team color indicator. |
~p~The Boars~s~ are off the radar. |
|
~q~ |
HUD_COLOUR_PINK Used for Arena War. |
You are the active contender on your ~q~team~s~. |
|
~m~ |
HUD_COLOUR_MID_GREY_MP Medium gray to de-emphasize or use for 'Silver'. |
~m~Display Mini Map. |
|
~l~ |
HUD_COLOUR_BLACK Used when unable to set a color any other way to specify black. |
~l~PLAYERS |
|
~d~ |
HUD_COLOUR_BLUEDARK Used to specify a team objective occupied by a player. |
Help your team deliver a ~d~vehicle ~s~to your ~b~base. |
Visual formatting codes
| Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
~n~ |
A line break, similar to <br> in HTML. | This text is~n~on two lines. |
~h~ |
Bold text. Use a second time to unbold. |
This is ~h~quite bold~h~ of you. |
~bold~ |
An alias of ~h~. |
This is also pretty ~bold~bold~h~. |
~italic~ |
Italic text. Use a second time to remove italics. |
Text can be ~italic~written~italic~ in italics. |
~ws~ |
A wanted star. | The ~ws~~ws~ on the top right indicates |
~wanted_star~ |
A wanted star, equal to ~ws~. |
~wanted_star~~wanted_star~~wanted_star~ |
<C>...</C> |
Condensed. Usually used for gamer tags. | <C>~a~</C> is dominating you. |
~nrt~ |
Unknown. | |
~EX_R*~ |
A Rockstar logo, in fonts that support this character. | The ~EX_R*~ logo is a registered trademark |
~BLIP_...~ |
In help messages and other supported contexts, shows the blip with the specified name. | Benny's Original Motor Works is now available at ~HUD_COLOUR_YELLOW~~BLIP_BENNYS~~s~. |
Content formatting codes
| Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
~a~ |
A placeholder for a substring 'text component', such as ADD_TEXT_COMPONENT_SUBSTRING_TEXT_LABEL. | Fight the ~a~. |
~1~ |
A placeholder for a numeric 'text component', such as ADD_TEXT_COMPONENT_INTEGER. | There are ~1~ enemies left. |
~a_X~ |
For translations, refers to ~a~ placeholders out of the usual order. | Get the ~a_1~ from the ~a_0~. |
~1_X~ |
For translations, refers to ~1~ placeholders out of the usual order. | There's ~1_1~ enemies left out of ~1_0~. |
~x~ |
Unknown. Related to subtitles. | |
~z~ |
At the start of a string, makes the string hidden if subtitles are turned off. | ~z~Fucking terrorists. There's been a big scare |
Input codes
| Label | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
~INPUT_...~ |
In help messages and other supported contexts, shows the current key for a specified control. | Press ~INPUT_CONTEXT~ to stand up. |
~INPUTGROUP_...~ |
In help messages and other supported contexts, shows a specified input group's hint. | If your car is upside down, try rocking ~INPUTGROUP_VEH_MOVE_ALL~ to flip it over. |
~ACCEPT~ |
Shows the button to accept a prompt. | |
~CANCEL~ |
Shows the button to cancel a prompt. | |
~PAD_UP~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LEFT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_A~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_B~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_X~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_Y~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_START~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_BACK~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LB~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RB~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_UP~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_DOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_LEFT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_RIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_NONE~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_ALL~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_UPDOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_DPAD_LEFTRIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_UP~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_DOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_LEFT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_RIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_NONE~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_ALL~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_UPDOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_LEFTRIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_LSTICK_ROTATE~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_UP~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_DOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_LEFT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_RIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_NONE~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_ALL~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_UPDOWN~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_LEFTRIGHT~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. | |
~PAD_RSTICK_ROTATE~ |
In supported contexts, shows a gamepad button or other control. |
Last modified January 2, 2022: fix links from 'text formatting' page (e8b3432)