I need help with maps.

I have the heightmap, metalmap, and texturemap compressed, and I am trying to figure how to upload it to springfiles. I know you can email the map in, but what is their email?

I tried to access the page but it says I do not have permission to view it. Do I have to make an account for their website? I have already tried but could not get the email for the password.

OK, I got the password and got my map uploaded, however it is a .7z and not .sd7 does this make a difference?

quote: What to do with this file? First you need to download the Spring engine to play on this map. Maps are ".sd7" or ".sdz" files. To install this files move them into (Unix) ~/.spring/maps or (Windows) "My Documents\My Games\Spring\Maps". Use the "Reload maps/games" option from the "Tools" menu in SpringLobby.

Rename it as .sd7 if it's 7zipped so the spring engine can load it. Otherwise you'll get an error of unknown format.

7zip should work. Test it if it works by putting it in maps folder then running engine instance and loading it or downloading via site and running single player in lobby. If it works don't worry about it.

For testing purposes you don't have to compress it. Just put the folder with contents in maps directory and rename it to have ".sdd" as an "extension". It's important that if you make an archive, you do not compress a directory containing all subdirectories and mapinfo.lua, but all contents of the directory. In the root of the archive there should be mapinfo.lua

What you have is not a valid map file. The images need to be compiled. I recommend looking at some popular maps to see what their structure of files is. Map coded files have .smt or .smf format, more here: https://springrts.com/wiki/Mapdev:Tutorial_Finalizing

Basic tutorial about map making you can find here: https://springrts.com/wiki/Mapdev:Tutorial_Simple

Also regarding map testing: it's more comfortable to test it with raw engine instance instead via lobby. You can find downloaded engine instances in your steam folder (browse zero-k preferences, browse local files). Lobby can have more safety measures to restrict from displaying unfeatured maps (someone correct me on that)

I hope this helps,
zenfur

I'm assuming windows. It's helpful to use console but not necessary:

Go to steam -> Library -> find Zero-K -> right click -> Properties -> Local Files -> Browse Local Files, it opens Zero-K directory.

Go to engine -> *your architecture and os, presumably win64* -> *latest engine version, probably 104+* -> run spring.exe

Then select game mod (scroll to the bottom for latest Zero-K 1.6+

Then search for your map - it should list as "*mapname + version*" specified in mapinfo.lua you should provide with the map files in map directory. If you didn't specify it, it should be your smf file *name*. If it does not list, make sure you've put it in the right place or search wiki where to put it. I am not certain whether steam directory is the right place to put it or there's some external place like in %APPDATA% - someone more knowledgeable could clarify that. I'm sure it searches in many places if that's the case so it shouldn't be a problem.

Then you are left to select scenario for testing - Null AI exists for this purpose.

Then all you've got to do is press "Test the game". Your choices should save when you shut down engine, so it's not very meticulous to set this up every time to test, but I recommend in the future when it gets tiresome to use command console - then you can prepare one-liner which will run all settings properly and start the game right away without clicking. The most important use of console is extra feedback that it gives on standard output about some warnings and errors you might have made in your map (especially scripts).

Seems like my fears that it can't find game files by default are correct. You can probably override it manually copying the files into engine folder but I would recommend against it. At this point I think we need some developer to come and say how to change places engine is looking for stuff. At linux it's ~/.spring/Maps etc.

I recommend against it as Steam manages its files and keeps them up to date with checksums - so making changes there could mess up your game. You could try downloading a separate, portable copy: https://zerok.itch.io/zero-k and messing there. All you need to do is say for engine where to look for things or copy them directly to engine directory (Mod - zero-k, and your Map to their folders respectively). I'm sure it can be done from console, but I didn't learn how. You can try yourself going into spring directory and typing "spring.exe --help" in console... That's probably not very helpful for you.

At this point it would be faster to ask around at Discord #zkmap, #zkmod and #zkdev channels - some developers or mapmakers directly - try summoning Anarchid, Deinfreund, inkinz, The Moose Is Loose, raaar, GoogleFrog or others you can find. When you find out that answer, post it here as it would help me as well.

Use SpringData in springsettings.cfg to tell engine where to look for files

Add a line to the springsettings.cfg file in the engine folder (make one if it's not present). Example:

SpringData = C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Zero-K

You can use specify multiple directories, although you shouldn't need to in this case.
[Spoiler]

On the other hand it may be faster to simply uncheck Settings -> Lobby -> Only featured maps