[TUTORIAL] Adding Map to EXISTING Save / Reload after UPDATE

New map comming out? Update of map you already visited? - you don't have to start new game!
You can add or reload any part of map to your current saved game.

Few words for the beggining

So this "was' kinda forbidden knowledge, but as a father of 2 months daughter, i don't have time to start new game over and over and over again, after any kind of updates / new fixes of map mods.

Disclaimer #MYENGLISHISNOTVERYGOODLOOKING

Being myself a bit of a modder, but for personal use and i found (red about it, improved) method to add map to existing save or reload any "chunk" of map you wish for your save.

This works for:
- adding new part of map
- reloading after update's
- wiping out chunk of map (so you can AGAIN enter town like never before to loot again / or kill 3000 zombies)

TUTORIAL "ADD MAP" PART:

1. You need to start a new game (save) with all mods you have now + with new maps you wish to have - lets call it MAPSAVE
2. Once it loads, exit game, you are done here
3. Go to your save folder (i think for most is C:/USER/Zomboid/Saves/)
(your save is within one of the folder, i always play Sandbox so it is Sandbox for me)
4. BACKUP YOUR SAVE FOLDER - kinda usefull you know.
--------- Now the fun part ----------
5. Copy and overwrite file "map_ver.bin" from that MAPSAVE folder to your save

IF you didn't visit that part of map you are adding YOU ARE DONE, GOOD, FINISHED -> GO PLAY

TUTORIAL "WIPE PART OF MAP":

Warning: That part of map will be removed, cleansed, wiped out, nothing, nada. No bases, no loot, no vehicles and no zombies if you wish
It will LOAD again like you never visited it before.

1. Go to your save folder (you might backup it)
2. Remove map_XXX_YYYY.bin files that are dedicated to that part of map you want to remove
But how do I find which? There are several ways:
- Ask developer
- Spawn in that location and then check what are names in MAPSAVE folder
- Use minimap (there is GPS track at the bottom f.e. 8066-10662 which means it is in map_806_1066.bin file)

for example BLACKWOOD mod those are files:
map_780_1050.bin to map_780_1080.bin (30 files)
map_781_1050.bin to map_781_1080.bin (30 files)
... etc etc
map_810_1050.bin to map_810_1080.bin

Total of 900 files.
3. DELETE THEM. ALL 900. (This will reload building)
4. DELETE chunk file for that part of map: chunkdata_26_35.bin (This will reload loot)
5. DELETE file zpop_26_35.bin (This will remove zombie info, so new spawn)

I know there are some who knew that.
But for others - I hope it will be helpfull.

EPD

Multiplayer

My guide works for MP as well. Adding comment from DreezyMoto as he made it:
DreezyMoto 10.10.25
Got this method to work on an existing multiplayer server's save. For multiplayer follow all these steps except for the map_ver.bin part. if you have a dedicated server with a server provider it will take a few hours to do through FTP/FileZilla because of PZ's ridiculously sh*tty map data saving system. On my server (fairly new) theres a total of 167,879 individual files within the servertest folder, each no greater then 5-10mbs in size. So patience is key here

[Kreppelklaus]

I originally came here for the guide how to add RV interior to an existing game and i have not found an answer tbh. ;)

Anyways..

Not sure if u are aware, there is already a tool for this from the TiS communty for the vanilla part of the game.
https://hdrcade-tylerfreeman.github.io/pz-b42-map-cleaner/
Looks really promissing. Not tried on our server but already used the tool to visualize our map progress.


For reducing download times from hosted environments:

At most hosting sites, you can create a compressed file out of single folders. Do that with your maps folder an the download is done in seconds.

We had 450k files to copy

[ThomasdotNuke]

Congratulations on having a child! I hope you've had more since. The greatest gift in life is children.

[IkaRus]

Not everyone here understands how it works and why we gotta add or remove chunks.

Can you please in simple steps how to add this to an existing save? Treat us like we are 80 year olds and 5 year olds simulatneously please.

[Menace312]

Hmm, for MP it says to do the steps except don't copy the map_ver.bin file.
But that is the only listed change you do?
So for MP I start a new server, and than what? Now I have the old server, and a new one... How is this helpful I wonder?

[therath97]

great mod however im lazy and this seems like alot of work so no thanks but again great mod and good directions

[Seitsuke]

1. Back up your save

Copy your whole save folder first:
User/Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/"YourSaveName"/

2. Identify the chunks you want to reset

If you don’t know which chunks correspond to the area you want: Create a test save or use a copy of your save. Enable admin (/setaccesslevel Username admin) Travel through the whole zone you want to reset so the game generates the matching xxxx.bin files.

3.Find the generated chunk folders

Go to: User/Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/"YourTestSaveName"/map/ Note which folders appeared after visiting the area (Ex: folders 1200 → 1335).

4.Delete the same chunks from your real save

Go to your main save: User/Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/"YourMainSaveName"/map/
Delete the matching folders you identified in the test save.

(4. optional)Remove/disable the mod if that’s the goal
Remove it from the server’s Mods list, Workshop list and map

5.Start the server and load in.

[Seitsuke]

I had a conflict between the Raccoon City map mod and Extensive Power Rework. Raccoon City was overwriting the facilities needed to restore water/power.

To remove it, I deleted the generated map chunk folders containing xxxx.bin files in:
User/Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/"YourSaveName"/map/

On a fresh save, the map/ folder is empty. The game creates these chunk files only when you explore new areas.

To identify which chunks belonged to Raccoon City, I created a test save, enabled admin, and travelled through the whole area I wanted to reset. This generated the missing chunk folders. In my case, folders 1200 to 1335 were created.

Then I deleted the same folders in my main multiplayer save, removed the mod from the server Mods + Workshop lists, restarted the server, and everything was fixed: Raccoon City was gone, the area was reset, and the Extensive Power Rework facility reappeared.

[iamGabby]

So many stupid comments here.

[nadesammich]

Very wack. Definitely not worth this struggle. Great work making the mod usable, but this tutorial is not the answer. Hope someone comes along with the time and drive to actually fix this mod up proper, rv interiors are awesome

[真快乐否]

I can't make any sense of this tutorial. The mod description says you must follow this tutorial to load the mod with a saved game, but the tutorial never explains how to actually handle the save file. Instead, it vaguely talks about things like "ADD MAP" and "WIPE PART OF MAP"—what does that even have to do with loading the mod with a saved game?