fs25-map-mod

FS25 Map Modding

Overview

Guide for creating and configuring FS25 map mods — terrain, placeables, farmlands, and environment setup.

When to Use

• Creating a new map mod
• Configuring terrain layers and ground types
• Setting up farmlands, placeables, or selling points
• Modifying environment settings (weather, seasons, growth)

Map Structure

FS25_MapName/
  modDesc.xml
  map/
    map.xml                    # Main map configuration
    map.i3d                    # Scene graph (3D world)
    map01.i3d                  # Terrain
    map01_dem.png              # Height map (16-bit)
    map01_densityMap_fruits.gdm
    map01_densityMap_ground.gdm
    map01_densityMap_stones.gdm
    config/
      environment.xml          # Weather, daylight
      farmlands.xml            # Farmland parcels
      items.xml               # Savegame items
      placementCollisionMap.grle
      vehicles.xml             # Starting vehicles
    data/
      fruitTypes.xml           # Custom fruit types
      groundTypes.xml          # Terrain layers

map.xml Key Sections

<map>
    <terrain rootNode="terrain"
             heightMapFilename="map01_dem.png"
             mapSize="2048"
             heightScale="255"
             unitsPerPixel="2" />

    <farmlands filename="config/farmlands.xml" />

    <vehicles filename="config/vehicles.xml" />
    <items filename="config/items.xml" />

    <placeables>
        <placeable filename="placeables/sellingStation.xml"
                   position="100 0 200" rotation="0 90 0" />
    </placeables>

    <environment filename="config/environment.xml" />
</map>

Terrain

• Height map: 16-bit PNG, dimensions determine map size
• Map size formula: pixels × unitsPerPixel = meters
• Common sizes: 1024 (1km), 2048 (2km), 4096 (4km)
• heightScale: Max terrain height in meters

Ground Types / Terrain Layers

Defined in groundTypes.xml or the map's custom fruitTypes.xml:

• Each layer has a diffuse, normal, and specular texture
• Layers are painted in the GIANTS Editor
• Maximum layers varies by map settings

Farmlands

<farmlands>
    <farmland id="1" pricePerHa="50000" areaInHa="12.5"
              defaultFarmProperty="true" showOnMap="true" />
    <farmland id="2" pricePerHa="40000" areaInHa="8.0" />
</farmlands>

• Each farmland has a colored region on the farmland.grle info layer
• defaultFarmProperty="true" — owned at game start
• npc="true" — NPC-owned, cannot be purchased

Placeables

Placeables are objects the player can build/place:

• Defined as separate XMLs with their own specializations
• Positioned in map.xml or placed by player in-game
• Base game placeables in dataS/data/placeables/
• Placeable specializations in dataS/scripts/placeables/specializations/

XSD Schemas

The game ships XML Schema files (in the game's shared/xml/schema/ directory) that define every valid element and attribute. Use these as the authoritative reference:

Schema	Covers
shared/xml/schema/mission00.xsd	Map XML (map.xml) structure
shared/xml/schema/farmlands.xsd	Farmland definitions
shared/xml/schema/fruitTypes.xsd	Fruit type configuration
shared/xml/schema/fields.xsd	Field definitions
shared/xml/schema/foliageType.xsd	Foliage types
shared/xml/schema/densityMapHeightTypes.xsd	Density map height types
shared/xml/schema/stones.xsd	Stone system
shared/xml/schema/aiSystem.xsd	AI system paths
shared/xml/schema/trafficSystem.xsd	Traffic configuration
shared/xml/schema/placeable.xsd	Placeable XML structure

When unsure about valid attributes or value ranges, read the XSD — it's more reliable than guessing from examples.

Common Workflow

1. Check the XSD schema for valid attributes and structure
2. Start from a base game map as reference (dataS/data/maps/)
3. Export from GIANTS Editor with terrain and scene graph
4. Configure map.xml with terrain settings
5. Set up farmlands, selling points, and spawn points
6. Add custom ground types if needed
7. Test in-game, check log.txt for missing references