How to create a mod map (tutorial page)

Here is a good tutorial page to help anyone who is stuck with map modding and needs some help.

Don't really want hate from anyone just cause i was up til 4 in the morning making this guide.

Spintires: Mudrunner
Modding Guide
1 of 1
Maps

Table of Contents (pages are not labeled)
1…………………………………….Part 1: Setting Up the editor
2……………………………Part 2: Starting (creating the map)
3…………………………….Part 3: Learning the basic functions
3a…………………………………………………...Mini Q&A
4………………………………………….Part 4: Adding Models
5………………………………………….Part 5: Adding Terrain

Part 1: Setting up the editor

Open the Spintires Editor. Next, hit “Settings” at the top. Next, hit “Paths” Enter in your directory (where mudrunner.exe is located). It should be c:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Spintires: Mudrunner After that is done, click ok, and when it is done loading RESTART THE EDITOR!!!

Part 2: Starting the map
When you have closed and opened the editor, right click “prebuild” on the left. 2 options appear. Hit “Create New Terrain”. There should be a pop-up in the middle of your screen. Enter the name level_yourmapname. Every map should start with level_. For now, I am using level_hi. When you have entered a name, hit ok and let the editor load. Important!!! Do not click or move your mouse!! This can cause the spintires editor to crash.
Part 3: Learning the basic functions
Once the map is “created” now it is time to start building. Well, we need to learn the basic functions of this program.
Here is a list of the basic functions:

Left click and move your mouse around in the center screen.
This pans, or orbits the camera around the map.

Scroll in the center screen.
This will zoom in or out, depending on which direction you are scrolling.

Part 4: Adding Models
To add models onto the .stg level, right click on the center screen. You will get a little box with options. Hit “add model”. Your output box will be showing things it is loading. This is normal. When you have a prompt with all the different models, click on a model… now hit ok. There should be a yellow-ish outline. This is your model. You can move it around via arrows. When the model is in the right spot, hit anywhere else than the model!! Now there is yout selected model; right on your map.

Part 5: Adding Terrain
So congrats!! You have added your first model to the map. By the way everything else is going to be a lot harder than what you just did. And you will need a lot of patients. Anyway, to add terrain, on the right side hit “Geometry.” There should be a circle on your map. This is normal. To add the terrain, move the slider (on the box with 2 sliders and 2 checkboxes) move the top one to about 90.00. Now right click on the flat ground of your terrain and drag your mouse. You will notice red dirt. This is normal. When done, left click on the terrain (only 1 click). Now your terrain is there.

Part 6: Adding Overlays (roads)
To add a road, simply left click on your terrain. Click on “add overlay”. Just like adding models, there will be a variety of overlays to choose from. Click on the overlay (road) you want to add to your map. Hit ok. Now, a thick blue-ish line should pop up; this is normal. You may notice on the end of the line, there is 2 red dots (1 on each side) Click on one, and just like the models, there will be 2 arrows. You can move the overlay accordingly to how you want it. To add curves to your overlay, simply right click. It should have either “0 add before” “0 add after” “1 add before” or “1 after”. Hit one. now , there is a new dot in the middle.

Part 7: Adding Distributions (trees)
Adding trees is different than adding plants. If you were to add every individual tree, we would still be playing the stock maps. So, to add trees, right click on the map and hit “Add Distributions”. Now, hit the tiny 3 dots in the bottom right corner. An open file will pop up. Type in the following “dstr_test.tga” When typed, hit ok. Now, hit “press”. There will be a list with 2 sides. This may look like the in-game mod manager. To add trees, just double click on the tree to enable it. (only trees on the left). To remove added trees, do the same, yet on the right side.

Part 8: Adding Textures
The map’s textures should be (unless you have changed it) a dirt texture. If you even have little experience playing any map, you may notice there are more than this one texture. Textures in the editor are called “Materials”. To add a material, on the right side, there should be a drop down saying “Materials”. There will be a plus sign next to it. Click on the plus side, then hit on the first material (on the right side). The similar thing will pop up for distributions and terrain. To change the map’s texture, simply hit the “press” button. Hit the top one. Just like overlays, you need to select your preferred texture. I suggest either “grass” or “soil”. I use grass for my normal texture, and soil for most of my trails.

Part 9: Reminder
Keep in mind that your map needs to be:
Realistic
Fun
Appealing
Good-looking
You want your map to look as professional as it should be.

Part 10: Adding Water “rivers”
In the editor, water is called rivers. This does not mean that the water will have a flow. To add water (rivers), simply right click on your map (terrain) and hit “Add River”. Just like with the overlays, an orange line will appear. You can move the river via the blue dots. THE RIVER WILL NOT APPEAR IF YOU DO NOT MOVE THE SLIDERS!!!! The same goes if you were doing an overlay. To add water flow and foam, hit the plus right next to the geometry (right side top). A drop down will appear. Click “water” (with the raindrop picture next to it). A similar screen will appear (just like materials, (texturing), distributions, (trees), and terrain (geometry).

Part 11: Adding Mud
This is everyone's favorite. Adding mud. I suggest to make a mud bog, combine mud and water (put water where there is mud). To add mud, click the plus sign next to the “geometry” tab. Next, hit “mud”. A similar prompt will appear. To add mud, click on the drop-down button that says “automatic”. Automatic is good, but to use it you need to put extrudes down. When you have clicked on the dropdown, hit “extrudes”. Right click (and drag) the mouse where you want your mud to appear. When done, left click on the map. Now, (again) hit the mud tab. Now, hit the dropdown that says “extrude”. Change it to “automatic”. Where you want mud, place it down. The only way it will work is if the automatic mud is on the extruded ground.

What is an extrude?
An extrude is a type of mud used at all times when making mud. If you only have extrudes, your ground will be softer. Sometimes this is good.

Part 12: “Beautifying” Your Map
You may notice that the mini-map on the left is still the same as when you have started. This is completely normal. To update your map, first save. Then, simply right click on your terrain. Click “rebuild terrain”. Do not be afraid to click on this. A prompt pulls up. Warning: Do not click or move your mouse!!! Until this prompt goes away, you do not click. This can mess up your hard work you have put into your map. When the prompt goes away, you may notice some slight changes; some including:
Your trees have shades
Your mini-map has been updated
There are many other things that changed… these are all normal.

What happens when I am “rebuilding the terrain”?
What happens? Well, in the editor, the map loads by the current .xml, not the in-game .dds or stg. So, what it does is it deletes the .stg and .dds and essentially “rebuilds” them.

My editor crashed.
Try again. Most of your stuff will be saved, but some of it will not be. (for instance your geometry will be saved, but your overlays will not be.)

What do you do if your ground is black?
Restart the editor, then do Part (step) 1. This happens when mudrunner’s path is set incorrectly.

Why is it lagging? How can I fix it?
You do not have enough RAM. To fix it, upgrade your RAM.

Why is my grass floating?!? How can it be fixed?
Your grass is floating because of a loading error (editors fault). To fix this, delete the .stg and .dds in (what it should be) c:\programfiles(x86)\steam\steamapps\common\Spintires: Mudrunner Editor Beta\media\levels. That is where your .stg and .dds is saved.

What do I do if there are major slits in my ground?
Do the same if your grass was floating.

Congrats!!! You have now created your first spintires mod.

Hope this helps.

_Risky

last edited by RiskyWisky