Table of contents:

1. Description
2. History
3. Installation
 3.1 Method 1
 3.1 Method 2
4. Bugs
5. Credits
6. Plans
7. Recommendations
8. Thank you


1. Description

This is a simple mod which changes the normal 128x128-pixels sniper scope, to a 512x512-pixels, high resolution one. It does not alter the appearance of the scope beyond bettering its quality. See the screenshots for examples.


2. History

I was unable to find anything that improved the sniper scope, except mods which made it look all sorts of awesome. That was not what I was looking for though; I just wanted an improved version of the default scope, with no improvements beside the quality.
I could not find such a mod, so I made one.


3. Installation

There are two ways to go about it.
One is you use if you already have mods which modify the Sniper Rifle.
The other is for the scenario that this is your only mod that modifies your Sniper Rifle.


 3.1 Method 1

For the method that assumes that you already have mods changing your game’s Sniper Rifle, you will need an .IMG-editor and a .TDX-editor (examples and links for each can be found in section 7: Recommendations).

Step 1: Backup the your ‘gta3.img’-file located inside the ‘\\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas\models’-folder (I.E. your installation folder). Or live on the edge and skip this step. YOLO, or whatever.
Step 2: Open the ‘gta3.img’-file in whatever .IMG-editor you prefer.
Step 3: Export the ‘Sniper.txd’-file from the ‘gta3.img’-file.
Step 4: Open the ‘Sniper.txd’-file in your preferred .TXD-editor.
Step 5: Determine which picture inside the ‘Sniper.txd’ controls the crosshair. It should be very easy. One picture is the HUD icon of the Sniper Rifle, another is a shooting flame, the third is the Sniper Rifles texture, and the last is the crosshair.
Step 6: When located, this texture should be switched with/replaced by the ‘SNIPERcrosshair.tga’-file, which is a special file that has a colour and alpha channel (the different purposes of which are completely irrelevant to any casual user of this mod - Just know that it works) which will act as the new, high resolution scope.
Step 7: Save the altered ‘Sniper.txd’-file.
Step 8: Use your .img-editor to add the altered ‘Sniper.txd’-file back into the original ‘gta3.img’-file, replacing the original.
Step 9: Make sure to properly save the ‘gta3.img’-file, so that the game will be reading the new data properly the next time it is booted.
Step 10: Play the game and enjoy your new high resolution sniper scope.*

*If you are not seeing the new scope seen in the screenshots in-game, but still the old and pixelated one, see section 4: Bugs for help on the issue.


 3.2 Method 2

For the method that assumes that you do not have mods that changes your game’s Sniper Rifle, you will only need an .IMG-editor (example and link can be found in section 7: Recommendations).

Step 1: Backup the your ‘gta3.img’-file located inside the ‘\\Rockstar Games\GTA San Andreas\models’-folder (I.E. your installation folder). Or don’t and simply run the risk.
Step 2: Use your preferred .IMG-editor to add the ‘Sniper.txd’-file into the ‘gta3.img’-file, replacing the original. The ‘Sniper.txd’-file provided by this mod is an altered version of the original that changes nothing but the scope texture to one of higher resolution.
Step 3: Make sure to properly save the ‘gta3.img’-file, so that the game will be reading the new data appropriately the next time it is booted.
Step 4: Play the game and enjoy your new high resolution sniper scope.*

*If you are not seeing the new scope seen in the screenshots in-game, but still the old and pixelated one, see section 4: Bugs for help on the issue.


4. Bugs

Bug:
I have encountered one bug with this mod, and I am not quite sure why it occurs (as it makes no feasible theoretical sense).
All in all the bug entails that the game chooses to use the old and pixelated scope instead of its new, high resolution one (even after the new has been installed correctly, overwriting the old).

Solution:
The only solution I have found for this bug is reinstalling the game (or starting from a previously stored and unmodded San Andreas folder (always backup before modding)), and reinstalling your mods one by one in appropriate order.
Afterwards, the mod should function as desired.

In case of game crashes/data loss/other side effects:
(Theoretically this is not possible, unthinkable to say the least (as the way the files of this mod affects the game is completely unrelated to anything but textures), though I still find it necessary to be said. Simply in the case that someone should get the bright idea to blame me for destroying their game.)
I will NOT be held responsible for destroying anybody’s game, especially not with a mod that has no potential to do so. As I have included a backup step in both methods for installation, I will by NO means be accountable for any problems anyone may encounter. If you neglect to backup, that cannot be my problem. If you encounter game crashes with this mod, I suggest trying the solution to the bug above. If the crashes have been encountered specifically after installing this mod, I suggest the above, while downloading this mod anew.


5. Credits

Programs used in the process:
 - Paint [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint_(software)]:
A standard program that comes with all versions of windows, used to manage screenshots and as a bridge to work between the other programs involved.
 - Expression 3 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creature_House_Expression]:
An incredible tool developed by Microsoft for drawing and working with vectors, used in this instance for upscaling the image of the old sniper scope, effectively.
 - Photoshop [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop]:
Developed by Adobe, Photoshop is a powerful piece of picture editing software. In this case, it has been used for creating the .tga-file that was needed for the .TXD-editor to read its alpha channel properly.

Thanks:
Microsoft: For making amazing software time and time again.
Adobe: For developing the best creative software there is.
Rockstar Games: For making an amazing game that people still play 8 years after its release.
GTAgarage.com: and every modder and user on the site, for being an awesome community with a lot of amazing ideas.

Rights:
Okay, so if you want to use this mod for anything then… You know what? Just go right ahead.
I mean; all I did was repaint the sniper scope and tweak it a few times to get it to look pretty much exactly like the original, but in higher resolution. I do not regard this as an impressive feat, but however unimpressive, I was the one who did it.
If you want to credit me, that’s nice of you.
If you don’t want to credit me, don’t.
I do not even know in which relation you would re-upload this mod, unless of course you have made changes to it, which is also alright.*

*Please note that while you are allowed to neglect giving me credit, you are NOT allowed to openly take any credit for the work I did. Either give the appropriate credit to me, or don’t give credit at all. That’s the deal.


6. Plans

Future plans for this mod are at this point non-existent.
For all intents and purposes this mod is as done as it is ever going to be.
The simple reason for this is that it fully lives up to its initial ambition: It improves the sniper scope's texture as well as hoped with minimal loss to its default shapes and colours.

Neither am I now and [presumably] never in any intellectual position to do any kind of bug fixes, as I have only scratched the bare surface of game modification in order to make this simple mod.

This mod will [very probably] never be updated.


7. Recommendations

As promised, here are the .IMG- and .TXD- editors I personally prefer:
 - IMG Manager (Author: xmen) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=4052]:
A great tool which allows the editing of .IMG-files; an inevitable stage of the installation process of many mods.
 - TXD Workshop (Author: JernejL) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=8320]:
A fantastic, easy-to-use instalment, which can edit the .TXD-files that contains much of the game’s data.

In addition, I would like to recommend to anyone reading this a few mods that have enhanced my personal game experience greatly.

Here are a few which only improve the graphics an HUD of the game to high definition, much in the same way as this, my own mod, does. These are recommended for anyone playing the game ever:
 - 4x Draw Distance Mod (Author: Sunrie) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=3225]:
A simple mod that expands one’s viewing distance in-game by 4 time the original. This has no toll on newer machines, and does an excellent job of keeping that blurry, unrealistic fog at bay.
 - HQ San Andreas Radar (Author: yojo2) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=9182]:
Changes the radar map into a high resolution version. Very well made.
 - HQ San Andreas Radar Icons (Author: yojo2) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=8715]:
High resolution radar icons, which greatly accents a high resolution map.
 - HQ Weapon Icons (Author: Zera) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=21062]:
Changes all the HUD weapon icons into high resolution ones.
 - HQ Fonts (For HDTV's) (Author: Emillister) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=16428]:
Replaces all fonts in-game with high resolution fonts.

Now, here are some mods which ads a few aspects to gameplay (all four require CLEO to be installed):
 - Regeneration (Author: oksa8)[link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=17224]:
If you go unhurt for 15 seconds, your health will very slowly replenish. This is awesome, as it is neither soon nor fast enough to be any advantage in a firefight, but still ample to be a great asset when under fire while escaping and hijacking cars.
 - Digital Speedometer (Author: oksa8) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=20598]:
A cool little addition which displays your current gear and speed in the bottom right corner. Perfect for setting and competing against one’s own speeding records.
 - New HUD (Author: oksa8) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=18308]:
Instead of telling you which zone or car you are in when entering them, this mod positions your current zone, town and car in the, otherwise unused, upper left corner of the screen.
 - Jetpack Height Hack (Author: Deji) [link: http://gtag.gtagaming.com/mods/49-jetpack-height-hack/]:
Simple script that removes the height restriction of the jetpack. Some people say that you, with this mod, can fly far enough upward to discover the games interior cells. Whether or not this is true, I cannot say; I just like to fly free.

Now, here are a few that alters different objects in the game cosmetically:
 - HQ Chrome Katana (Author: lutenet99) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=1237]:
A mod that greatly improves upon the default and low polygon katana of the game.
 - Jetpack (Author: Puma06111991) [link: http://www.gtagarage.com/mods/show.php?id=6253]:
I was never really impressed with the default appearance of the jetpack so I downloaded this one instead. Take a look; it’s awesome.

8. Thank you

Thank you.

From your's and everyone's
Graesholt