---
title: "NPC_StartPlayback | open.mp"
description: "Starts playing a recording file for an NPC."
canonical: https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/functions/NPC_StartPlayback
language: en
---

# NPC\_StartPlayback

warning

This function was added in omp v1.5.8.3079 and will not work in earlier versions!

## Description

Starts playing a recording file for an NPC by filename.

| Name | Description |
| --- | --- |
| npcid | The ID of the NPC |
| recordName\[\] | The filename of the recording to play |
| autoUnload | Whether to unload the recording when finished |
| startX | Starting X coordinate |
| startY | Starting Y coordinate |
| startZ | Starting Z coordinate |
| rotX | Starting X rotation |
| rotY | Starting Y rotation |
| rotZ | Starting Z rotation |

## Returns

Returns `true` if the playback was started successfully, `false` otherwise.

## Examples

```c
public OnPlayerCommandText(playerid, cmdtext[])
{
    if (!strcmp(cmdtext, "/startplayback ", true, 15))
    {
        new npcid = PlayerNPC[playerid];
        if (npcid == INVALID_NPC_ID)
            return SendClientMessage(playerid, 0xFF0000FF, "You are not debugging a NPC.");

        if (!NPC_IsValid(npcid))
            return SendClientMessage(playerid, 0xFF0000FF, "Invalid NPC.");

        new recordName[64];
        new len = strlen(cmdtext);
        if (len <= 15)
            return SendClientMessage(playerid, 0xFF0000FF, "Usage: /startplayback [recordname]");

        strmid(recordName, cmdtext, 15, len);

        new Float:x, Float:y, Float:z;
        NPC_GetPos(npcid, x, y, z);

        new bool:success = NPC_StartPlayback(npcid, recordName, true, x, y, z, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);

        if (success)
            SendClientMessage(playerid, 0x00FF00FF, "NPC %d started playback: %s", npcid, recordName);
        else
            SendClientMessage(playerid, 0xFF0000FF, "Failed to start playback for NPC %d", npcid);

        return 1;
    }
    return 0;
}
```

## Notes

-   The recording file must exist in the `npcmodes\recordings` directory
-   If autoUnload is true, the recording is unloaded when playback ends
-   Use NPC\_StartPlaybackEx for better control with pre-loaded recordings

## Related Functions

-   [NPC\_StartPlaybackEx](https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/functions/NPC_StartPlaybackEx): Start playback with recording ID
-   [NPC\_StopPlayback](https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/functions/NPC_StopPlayback): Stop playback
-   [NPC\_PausePlayback](https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/functions/NPC_PausePlayback): Pause/resume playback
-   [NPC\_LoadRecord](https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/functions/NPC_LoadRecord): Pre-load a recording file

## Related Callbacks

-   [OnNPCPlaybackStart](https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/callbacks/OnNPCPlaybackStart): Called when playback starts
-   [OnNPCPlaybackEnd](https://omp.itsneufox.com/docs/scripting/callbacks/OnNPCPlaybackEnd): Called when playback ends