¶ Editing Levels
The Deadside Modkit allows you to create your own maps, or to make your own versions of existing vanilla maps. This guide will cover setup for creating your own map, though each of the steps could be used to edit existing ones
¶ Step 1: Build your Level
The first part of level design is very fun, create your level geometry using the landscape mode (found under modes, or shift+2), and with props. These can be found in Content/Geometry/Meshes. Foliage can be placed with the foliage mode (found under modes, or shift+3). Once you have a level you are happy with, we can begin to configure it with events, and get it ready to upload
¶ Step 2: Nav Mesh Bounds
A critical function of Deadside maps are its Nav Mesh. This is a low poly mesh generated by the level geometry, which AI use to pathfind. To generate a Nav Mesh, we need to first define the area that the engine will build the mesh. This can be done with a simple volume called Nav Mesh Bounds Volume, found in the place actors tab
Once placed into the level, make it larger so that in encompasses the entire area which you would like the nav mesh to be generated. Hitting R on the keyboard brings up the scaling tools, or you can use the brush tools in the details tab
¶ Step 3: Blocking Volumes
Blocking volumes can be used for many purposed in your map, but two of the most important are to function as invisible walls, and as base blockers. You can find them in the place actors window
Once placed and sized in the level, you can configure the collision in the details tab. By setting it to base blocker, players will not be able to build bases while inside of this volume
¶ Step 4: Setup Gameplay Events
For guides on how to setup gameplay events, see these pages:
¶ Step 5: Spawners
Next we need to setup our loot spawners, and player spawners
Starting with player spawners, we go to the Blueprints > Gameplay folder, and find SP_Base. These are player spawn points that we can drag into the level
For loot spawners, we need to first make sure we are editing the loot level. The easiest way to do this is the box on the bottom right of the viewport, click on it and select the loot level. This can also be done in the level window if you have it open
Next, we can find all the loot spawners in Blueprints > Loot Spawners. From here we can select which spawner we would like, and drag it into the level. Each spawner can be configured in the details menu
¶ Uploading your Map
One you have finished editing your map, you can upload it to your server, and select your map in the ServerSettings.ini file. If you are editing a vanilla version of the map, you will create your own version to replace the vanilla one on the server.
For more tips and pointers on how to build a Deadside map, its helpful to reference existing vanilla maps to see what the team at Bad Pixel has done. There is a bit more to map creation that we haven't covered here, which you can observe in their examples