Mapping

Mapping is the process of building and creating maps, the basis of DDNet's (and other modes') gameplay. Maps can be created by anyone, given they have the will and creativity to do so.

Mapping also allows users to add their own design, sound, and aesthetic to maps, and can also be used for entities backgrounds, main menu themes, and more.

DDNet allows players to submit their own race maps on the DDNet Discord, where respective rules and guidelines can also be found.

Players can access the map editor interface by clicking on the editor in the main menu.

From any in-game screen, pressing ctrl+⇧ Shift+E will also take you directly to the map editor screen.

Overview of the Editor Interface

TODO: Update the interface section with visuals and instructions for the new editor visuals

Each labeled button in the editor interface has the following functionalities:

[1] File

File drop-down menu content

Opens a drop-down menu to create, load and save map files.

• New ctrl+N: new map file.
• Load ctrl+L: loads a map file.
• Load Current Map ctrl+alt+L: loads the current map, given the player is currently in-game or viewing a demo.
• Append ctrl+A: adds all the design elements from a selected map file to the current map.
• Save ctrl+S: saves the current map under its current name.
• Save As ctrl+⇧ Shift+S: saves the current map under another file name, while continuing to edit the map under that file name.
• Save Copy ctrl+⇧ Shift+alt+S: saves the current map under another file name, but continues to edit the map under the original file name. When the map name used when saving a copy duplicates an existing file, the map will continue to be edited with that file name after completing the save.
• Map details: Shows information about the map author, credits, version and a licence.
• Test map locally: Runs a local server with the current map and connects you to it. Automatically auths you into RCON.
• Exit ctrl+⇧ Shift+E: Exit the editor interface.

[2] Tools

Opens a drop-down menu with various tools.

• Remove unused envelopes: Removes all unused envelopes from the map that are marked green in the envelopes tab.
• Place Border: Adds a two-tile wide border to the current layer, using the texture of the selected layer's No. 2 map.
• Goto XY: Immediately focuses the view to a specific coordinate of the map. Clicking this button sets the coordinate in its drop-down menu, and then clicking the Go button focuses the view to that coordinate.
• Add tileart: Makes tileart.

[3] Settings

Opens a drop-down menu with settings.

TODO: List all the settings and explain what they do.

[4] File name

Displays the name of the map file currently being edited as well as its file save path.

[5] Editor state info

Displays the attributes of the current map editor.

• X, Y: indicates the current tile position of the map editor where the mouse cursor is located, with (0, 0) being the top left corner.
• Z: indicates the scale value of the current map, which defaults to 200 on first load.
• A: indicates the playback speed of the current map animation, default is 1.
• G: indicates the size of the current map grid lines, default is 1.
• 22:50: local time.

[6] Help

Opens this page. F1

[7] Exit

Exit the editor interface. ctrl+⇧ Shift+E

[8] Layers/Images/Sounds management

In this area you can manage different groups of layers including the physics layer. By clicking on the three buttons, you can add images and sound resources to the map. Layer management area, here is responsible for managing the map's layer groups and layers, as well as the invocation of the mapping material, picture material, and sound material. Pressing → will also switch to the image management interface, or pressing ← will switch to the sound management interface

Layers

• Layers (left click) →: Switch to Image management
• Layers (right click) ←: Switch to Sound management
• Click "Add group" at the bottom to add a new group.
• Right-click a group to set the parameters of that group
• Right-click a layer to set the parameters of that layer

TODO: Explain right click menu in group and layer with images

You can create and select your own automapping rules.

Images

• Images (left click) →: Switch to Sound management
• Images (right click) ←: Switch to Layer management
• Click the Add button to add image clips from the default clip folder to the map file.
• Embedded area means the clips of this series have been embedded in the map file, when downloading the map, this kind of file will be included in the map file volume.
• External area means that the material of this series is located outside the map, it is the default material in the game, when downloading the map, this kind of file will not be counted in the map file volume. When the map needs to call the image material of this area, it will directly call the file with the same name from the player's local default material library.
  • Regardless of the location of the clip, when the clip file is white or red (selected), it means the clip is being used by the map; when the clip file is blue or purple (selected), it means the clip is not yet used by the map.
• Left-click on a file that has been added to preview the image in the right workspace, and right-click on the file to perform the following actions.
  • Read: Overwrite the clip by calling a file with the same name directly from the default clip library.
  • Replace: select a clip file to overwrite the clip.
  • Remove: removes the clip file.
  • When right-clicking on a file in the External area, an additional Embed option will appear to move the file into the Embedded area.

Sounds

• Sounds (left click) →: Switch to Layer management
• Sounds (right click) ←: Switch to Image management
• Click the Add button to add sound clips from the default clip folder to the map file. Currently DDNet game editor only accepts opus format audio files.
• Right-click on a file to perform the following actions.
  • Read: Overwrite a clip by calling a file with the same name directly from the default clip library.
  • Replace: select a clip file to overwrite the clip.
  • Remove: Remove the clip file.

[9] Display functions

Changes how the map is displayed.

• HD (Show High Details) ctrl+H: preview the appearance of the current map in high quality mode.
• ▶ (Show animation) ctrl+M: previews the animation effect set by the current map.
• Proof (Show field of view boundary) ctrl+P: previews the maximum field of view of the player in the default zoom level.
  • blue circle: indicates the player's actual position
  • the red box line and green box line indicate the maximum range that can be observed at different resolutions
  • the white box line indicates the maximum range that can be observed with dynamic view turned on.
• Zoom: preview what the player sees in the actual game.
• Grid ctrl+G: turns on grid lines.
• Info ctrl+I: previews the details of the entity or texture, including but not limited to the ID of the entity or texture, the texture animation track, and the texture deformation.
• (Unused) ctrl+U: allows placement of unused mappings in the map, a feature not commonly used in modern maps anymore.
• Color: previews the color set by the current brush, after closing the brush will show the original color match, but does not affect the color set by the placed mapping.
• Entities: select the category of entity layer that needs to be used for the current map. Depending on the game mode applied to the map, the entity layer selected in the editor should also be different.

TODO: Some settings were changed around, instead of being here they're now in [3] Settings.

[10] Context dependent actions

Additional buttons that will change depending on the selected layer.

On all layers

When any layer is selected, the following buttons appear:

• Refocus home: immediately focuses the view to the upper left corner of the map.
• Destructive mode ctrl+D: When Destructive mode is enabled, the area the brush passes over will be completely covered and the texture of this area will be replaced; when Destructive mode is disabled, the area the brush passes over will only be filled with the location that is not filled with the texture.

On specific layers

• When Switch layer is selected: Switch ctrl+T: Set the number of the next placed switch layer entity. In the drop-down menu: Number is used to set the number, Delay is used to set the number of additional information, and F (shortcut: ctrl+F) is used to automatically set the unused number.
• When Speedup layer is selected: Speedup ctrl+T: Set the parameters for the next placement of the speedup entity. In the drop-down menu, Force is used to set how much speed the belt can provide, Max Speed is used to set the maximum speed you can have at the belt, and Angle is used to set the direction of the belt.
• When the Tele layer is selected: Tele ctrl+T: Sets the number of the next entity to be placed in the transmission area. The drop-down menu: Number is used to set the number, and F (shortcut: ctrl+F) is used to automatically set the unused number.
• When Tune layer is selected: Tune ctrl+T: Set the number of the next placed adjustment zone entity. In its drop-down menu, Zone is used to set the number.
• When the Quads layer is selected: Add Quad ctrl+Q: Adds a picture set by the current layer to the workspace. If no picture is set for that layer, a plain white square of 2*2 grid size is added by default.
• When the Sounds layer is selected. Add Sound ctrl+Q: Adds a sound set by the current layer to the workspace.

[11] Zoom

Field of view adjustment functionality.

Expanding or scaling the field of view by clicking buttons or pressing shortcut keys has no maximum and minimum scale value, and the scale value can even reach negative values. When the scale value is negative, the map as a whole is upside down.

• - (Zoom out) numpad-: expands the field of view of the operation area by 50 points of scale value each time.
  • Scrolling the mouse wheel down also expands the field of view by 20 scale points per scroll, expanding the field of view in this way up to a maximum of 2000 scale points.
• Zoom numpad*: restores the field of view to the default scale value.
• + (Zoom in) numpad+: reduces the field of view of the operation area by 50 points of scale value at a time.
  • Roll the mouse wheel upward to also reduce the field of view by 20 scale points per scroll frame, and reduce the field of view in this way up to 10 scale points.

[12] Undo/Redo

Undos or redos your actions. Also check history.

• ← (Undo) ctrl+z: Undo last action.
• → (Redo) ctrl+y: Redo last action.

[13] Brush functionality

• ↔ (Horizontal flip) N: flips the contents of the brush horizontally.
• ↓ (Vertical flip) M: flips the contents of the brush vertically.
• ← (Counterclockwise rotation) R: rotates the contents of the brush counterclockwise at an angle.
• 90° (Rotation angle): the angle at which the content in the brush is turned each time it is rotated, which can be modified by holding down this button and sliding the mouse left and right, holding down ⇧ Shift during the modification process for more precise modification.
  • When a tile layer is selected, you can only choose from 90°, 180° and 270° angles.
• → (Clockwise rotation) T: rotates the content in the brush clockwise at a certain angle.

[14] Color picker

Temporarily saves colors, which can be accessed later.

• Color pipette ctrl+⇧ Shift+c: Picks a color from the screen by clicking on it and saves it to the color picker.
• Color picker: Click to edit the color.
  • Copy color to clipboard ⇧ Shift+right click
  • Paste color from clipboard⇧ Shift+left click

[15] Mapping area

Workspace, where all the components needed for the map are placed.

TODO: Explain in more detail

[16] Hint area

When the mouse hovers over a button, the hint area will appear with the function of the button and a keyboard shortcut for the button function.

[17] History

Opens a resizable window that displays previous actions. Also check undo/redo.

• Editor: Displays changes made in the mapping area.
• Envelope: Displays changes made in the envelope window.
• Settings: Displays changes to the server settings.

Clicking on an action in the list will undo all actions above it.

[18] Server settings

Opens a resizable window that can be used to change server and map behavior.

The resizable window along with examples.

The text field accepts both map settings and tunings, which will for example set the map to a solo one, or invert the gravity in an area with a specific tune. Settings and their values will be highlighted the text field and their meanings revealed in the hint area. Current settings will be shown in a list below the text field. Comments can also be added at the end of a command or as a separate line using the # symbol.

[19] Envelopes

Example animation of a basic color change

Opens a resizable window that can be used to animate various things in your map.

TODO: Explain how to use the env. editor

The animation ingame

To make an envelope, click on either the Pos+, Color+ or Sound+ buttons. On any envelope, going from left to right, you have:

• Envelope selection - Click either the - or + symbols to go back and forth. The left value shows you which envelope you're on and the right value shows you how many envelopes there are in total.
  • The field is green or red, depending on if the envelope is in use or not.
• Name field - Use this to give a name to your envelope for better organization.
  • The name is optional, and can be left blank.
• Envelope values - These values change depending on the envelope type (position, color, sound)
• Sync - Optionally synchronize this envelope to the server time, instead of the client time.
• Zoom - Zooms out the envelope editor. Holding ⇧ Shift zooms out vertically.
  • You can also use the scroll wheel to zoom, or simply click the middle magnifying glass to automatically fit the entire curve in the editor.
• Envelope repositioning - Use either button to move the envelope in the list of envelopes, as seen in the envelope selection.
• X - Delete the current envelope
• Pos+ - Will create a position envelope
  • Position envelopes have 3 values: The X-axis (X), the Y-axis (Y) and the rotation (R).
  • Position envelopes can only be applied to quads, by right clicking their pivot, the green square, and selecting a Pos. Env.
• Color+ - Will create a color envelope
  • Color envelopes have 4 values: Red (R), green (G), blue (B) and opacity or alpha (A).
  • Color envelopes can be applied to tile layers and quads, but not quad layers. Either right click a tile layer in the layer section or the pivot of a quad.
  • By right clicking a point in the editor, you're able to use a color picker, instead of manually editing the individual values.
• Sound+ - Will create a sound envelope
  • Sound envelopes have only one value: Volume (V)
  • Sound envelopes can only be applied to individual sounds and not the layer, similar to quads.
• Undo/redo - Will undo or redo the last change in the envelope editor. Also see history

The Basics of Mapping

Moving around in the editor can be done with either wasd or middle click. Maps typically consist of quads and tiles, which separate into game tiles and visual tiles.

Explanations of the game tiles can be seen on this site. As their names imply, game tiles are what your tee interacts with, while visual tiles serve as decoration, or as a way to mark game tiles in design.

To place tiles, first select a tile layer from the layer section and hold down space Pick a tile to place by left clicking it and making a brush. Place tiles by releasing space and holding down left click and moving your mouse. Brushes can be cleared with right click.

Quads can be placed on the map by selecting a quad layer, then clicking on Add quad at the top. Quads can be changed in multiple ways.

• Resizing the quad is done by holding down left click on one of the red dots at the corners and dragging them around

• Recoloring the quad is done either trough color envelopes or trough right clicking the red dots at the corners and using the color picker

• Moving the quad is done by holding down left click on the green dot at the middle of the quad and dragging it around
  • Holding ⇧ Shift while doing so will move around the pivot point of the quad, which is useful for:

• Rotating the quad, which is done either trough position envelopes or by tapping r after clicking the green pivot once.

Generally, quads should only be used when using tiles isn't viable, since quads are worse on performance and the map's file size than normal tiles. For example: the map background, the logo and credits of the map or decorations that can't be made with tiles.

See LAN Server or Trashmap for info about hosting and testing your map in game.

TODO:

Explain in detail what is marked "to be explained in detail" above. Full explanation of the features in the editor. Discuss the similarities and differences between modern maps and traditional and classical maps, or discuss their backstories.

Write a short tutorial on mapping.

External Resources

• Mapping ABC by Index
• Link list including lots of mapping resources by Index
• DDRaceNetwork - How to Use the Map Editor by Nick Joy
• Teeworlds - How to map a DDRACE map. - Part 1 by Aoe
• Teeworlds - How to map a DDRACE map. - Part 2 by Aoe
• Maps Envelope Tutorial by 2gethR