Map Creation
Maps are 7z archives which, at their most basic, consist of three image files packaged in a particular way. They can be found in Zero-K/Maps and be zipped or unzipped with 7zip. Maps can contain more than their three image files, including:
- Metal spot layout.
- Start area configuration.
- Tree, rock or any other models to be placed as map features.
- Arbitrary code and units changes that can arbitrarily modify the game. See Mod Creation.
Contents
Creating maps
<Removed some links to the old Spring wiki since you would probably get malware if you go there.>
Ask for help in #zkmap in on the Zero-K Discord server.
Startboxes
- Further information: Startbox API
Startboxes are loaded from /mapconfig/map_startboxes.lua and can be generated ingame with the Startbox Editor widget included with the game. Alt + F11 to toggle.
Metal Configuration and Spot Graphics
Metal spots on maps are done via Lua configs. They can be generated ingame with the dbg_mouse_to_mex_portable.lua widget, available at TheMooseIsLoose's github.
Download that repo as a zip and extract into your map folder. Load the map in ZK, enable cheats, and then enable Mouse to Mexes in your Alt + F11 widget menu. Click to create new metal spots, the values and positions will be automatically saved to your game data directory. Copy and paste the content from MexSpots_YourMap to your /mapconfig/map_metal_layout.lua.
Running maps
Local testing
To run a map locally put it in Zero-K/Maps then start the game. Untick 'Only featured maps' in Settings → Lobby and start a singleplayer skirmish game. Select 'Advanced', click 'Change Map' and select your map from the list.
Multiplayer
Upload your map to https://springfiles.springrts.com/upload/ to make it downloadable and playable by others. Some admin action to feature/support the map may also be required.
See also
- ZK Map Making Guide
- Advanced guide using WorldMachine, by Beherith
- Some subjective comments on design of sea maps, by Aquanim
| Basics | |
|---|---|
| Units | |
| Unit abilities and features | |
| Other features | |
| Other information | |
| Strategy | |
| Development/Modding | |
Debug data:
[SQLBagOStuff] MainObjectStash using store ReplicatedBagOStuff[objectcache] MainWANObjectCache using store EmptyBagOStuffIP: 3.129.250.250Start request GET /mediawiki/Map_Creation
HTTP HEADERS:
CONTENT-TYPE:
CONTENT-LENGTH: 0
X-ORIGINAL-URL: /mediawiki/Map_Creation
USER-AGENT: Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)
HOST: zero-k.info
ACCEPT-ENCODING: gzip, br, zstd, deflate
ACCEPT: */*
CONNECTION: close[localisation] LocalisationCache: using store LCStoreDB[session] SessionManager using store SqlBagOStuff[DBReplication] Cannot use ChronologyProtector with EmptyBagOStuff[DBReplication] Wikimedia\Rdbms\LBFactory::getChronologyProtector: request info {
"IPAddress": "3.129.250.250",
"UserAgent": "Mozilla\/5.0 AppleWebKit\/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot\/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"ChronologyProtection": false,
"ChronologyPositionIndex": 0,
"ChronologyClientId": false
}[DBConnection] Wikimedia\Rdbms\LoadBalancer::lazyLoadReplicationPositions: executed chronology callback.[DBConnection] Wikimedia\Rdbms\LoadBalancer::getLocalConnection: connected to database 0 at 'localhost'.[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[session] SessionBackend "g03v8l1kn8i3daoou1k0erh4boq4aoqh" is unsaved, marking dirty in constructor[session] SessionBackend "g03v8l1kn8i3daoou1k0erh4boq4aoqh" save: dataDirty=1 metaDirty=1 forcePersist=0[cookie] already deleted setcookie: "wikidb229_mw__session", "", "1711314579", "/", "", "", "1"[cookie] already deleted setcookie: "wikidb229_mw_UserID", "", "1711314579", "/", "", "", "1"[cookie] already deleted setcookie: "wikidb229_mw_Token", "", "1711314579", "/", "", "", "1"[cookie] already deleted setcookie: "forceHTTPS", "", "1711314579", "/", "", "", "1"[DBConnection] Wikimedia\Rdbms\LoadBalancer::getLocalConnection: connected to database 0 at 'localhost'.Title::getRestrictionTypes: applicable restrictions to [[Map Creation]] are {edit,move}[ContentHandler] Created handler for wikitext: WikitextContentHandler[MessageCache] MessageCache using store SqlBagOStuff[localisation] LocalisationCache::isExpired(en): cache for en expired due to GlobalDependency[localisation] LocalisationCache::recache: got localisation for en from source[DBQuery] startAtomic: entering level 0 (LCStoreDB::finishWrite)[DBQuery] endAtomic: leaving level 0 (LCStoreDB::finishWrite)[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] SqlBagOStuff::lock failed due to timeout for wikidb229-mw_:messages:en.[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[MessageCache] MessageCache::load: Loading en... local cache is empty, global cache is expired/volatile, loading from databaseParserFactory: using preprocessor: Preprocessor_HashUnstubbing $wgLang on call of $wgLang::_unstub from ParserOptions->__construct[caches] parser: SqlBagOStuffArticle::view using parser cache: yes[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuffParser cache options found.[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuff[SQLBagOStuff] Connection mysql object #127 (handle id #121) will be used for SqlBagOStuffParserOutput cache found.Article::view: showing parser cache contentsMediaWiki::preOutputCommit: primary transaction round committedMediaWiki::preOutputCommit: pre-send deferred updates completedMediaWiki::preOutputCommit: session changes committedMediaWiki::preOutputCommit: LBFactory shutdown completedTitle::getRestrictionTypes: applicable restrictions to [[Map Creation]] are {edit,move}
