Map Editor - Manual

Map Editor Manual for testers and early backers who are interested in editing playable areas in Infection Free Zone.

0. Intro

Map Editor allows you to edit maps and save your changes to play in updated areas. With Map Editor, you can easily add missing buildings and adjust the starting area to your liking. This guide is being updated on a regular basis, especially when new features are added to this tool.

Launching Map Editor

Some players have reported problems finding Infection Free Zone - Map Editor in their Steam Library. You can easily find this tool using two methods.

1. Simply write "Infection Free Zone" in your Steam library search bar and the Map Editor will be visible in the Tools section.


2. Adjust your Steam Library search categories and select the Tool checkbox on your list. There's a chance that the Tools are hidden by default on your list.

1. Load Map

After the application launches, you have to select the map that you want to edit:

You can load a map from panels:
CITY
All the Cities downloaded from the “Infection Free Zone” are listed in this panel. Each city is in “game format” whose size is 3 x 3.

ALL TILES
All “single tiles” available from the game “Infection Free Zone” are in format 1 x 1. This is useful when there is no need to edit the full city map, but only a part of it.

WORKSHOP
Maps downloaded from Steam Workshop. (Available in the future)

2. Add a Map Object

To add a Map Object you need to use the “Add Map Object” button.

After that, you are allowed to add points from which the Map Object will be created:

To define features of a Map Object there is a need to define tags. As default, in each Map Object, you can add tags manually, or by using special tools. The manual way is possible, by default, in a field called “Other tags”:

Use an Open Street Maps Wikipedia to check tags available for adding:
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tags#Keys_and_values

To add tags using tools you need to select Map Object Type. The type of the Map Object you want to create has to be selected from the list:

ADD A BUILDING

To add a Building, you need to set the Map Object type to: “Building”. After setting the points on selected positions, you can use building tools to define “tags” (“osm tags”) to declare special features.

• Height (Osm Tag key: "height"): defines the height of the building
  
• Color (Osm Tag key: "building:colour"): the color of the building (notice that you will not see color changes in the edited building, the color will be visible after map reload)
  
• Roof type (Osm Tag key: "roof:shape"): the type of roof (available values are: "flat", "pyramidal", "gabled", "dome", "hipped", "half-hipped", "onion", "round", "saltbox", "gambrel", "skillion", "mansard")
  
• Special POI (key: “IFZ”) - the usability of the building (such as “Hospital”, “Police”, etc.)

This field defines the role of building in the game. First dropbox defines general usability and the second specific one. The key and value of the tag are not connected to the OSM system, they are custom for the Infection Free Zone.

ADD A POINT

Includes any Map Object defined by a single position on the map. Currently, there are 3 options available:

• Tree (OSM tag key: "natural", value: "tree"): adds a single tree to the selected position
  
• Entrance (OSM tag key: "entrance", value: "yes"): adds an entrance to the nearby building
  
• Point Object: all other single objects (currently available are: “Adverts”, “Antenna”, “Bench”, “Waste Basket”, “Wreck”)
  
• Poi Data: usability in a selected position (not only Buildings). You can use one of the available positions such as: “Parking”, “Police”, “Prison”, “Hospital”, “Pharmacy”, etc. These options create a tag related to the OSM system.

ADD A LAND
To define the area's usability you need to use this option. Notice that this will not create any physical objects. This is information that could be used later in the game for object generation or other features.

List of available landusage types for selection:

• "Park" (OSM tag key: "leisure", value: "park"),
  
• "Wood" (OSM tag key: "natural", value: "wood")
  
• "Water" (OSM tag key: "natural", value: "water")
  
• "Parking" (OSM tag key: "parking", value: "surface")
  
• "Railway" (OSM tag key: "landuse", value: "railway")
  
• "Grass" (OSM tag key: "landuse", value: "grass")
  
• "Residential" (OSM tag key: "landuse", value: "residential")
  
• "Industrial" (OSM tag key: "landuse", value: "industrial")
  
• "Construction" (OSM tag key: "landuse", value: "construction")
  
• "Pitch" (OSM tag key: "leisure", value: "pitch")

ADD A WAY
You can also add Map Objects, declared by a line of points. Currently, Map Editor has two "Way" types:

• Barriers - physical objects used to split a space. Currently, it is possible to declare types of “barriers” such as: "fence", "gate", "wall", "hedge", "kerb", "bollard", "lift_gate"
  
• Road - a road object. Paths that are used in the game. You can declare roads of types: "footwalk", “footway", "path", "cycleway", "primary", "secondary", "tertiary", "residential", "service". Each type of road can be set as a “Bridge”. To see the road objects there is a need to enable the road layer.
  Notice: Roads data are divided into logical and graphical data (this will probably change in the future). The editor currently changes logical data mostly (the vehicle paths will change). So you will not see changes on map textures after editions.

Example - how to add a Bridge:

• 1. Set the points on the map (you can attach lines to points of other road objects)
  
• 2. Use “Road” tools to add special features: select road type and set “Bridge” toggle
  
• 3. Click on “Create” button (or use “Enter”)
  
• 4. A new “bridge" should be visible in the Map Editor.
  
• 5. Remember to save the changes.

3. Edit a Map Object

To edit a Map Object you need to select one for edit (1) first - then you should notice the “edit” panel.

Edit by “Edit Panel”

Inside this panel, you can use the following tools:

• Clone - to clone selected Map Object (cloned Map Object will be in the same position as base one, so keep the focus on it)
  
• Delete - to remove selected Map Object
  
• Edit Tags - opens “edit tag” panel. This panel is the same as in the “Add Map Object” process for the current object type (Building, Way, Point, Land). E.g.: for Building Object you will see the panel below after clicking “EDIT”:

You can edit the tags from this panel. To apply changes and regenerate the object click on the “APPLY” button (or use “ENTER“). If you click “CANCEL” the panel returns to a static information state, without any changes to tags.

Edit Points (panel)

From this panel, you can delete some points of the Map Object. You can also use the “select” button to check the point to “edit”. The points are movable if you properly set “Edit Mode”.

Edit using the “Edit Mode” options

Edit mode options allow you to modify a Map Object by mouse interaction (move, rotate). You can also modify points of selected Map Objects.

There are currently 3 options available:

• Select - in this mode you can only select objects (if you click SHIFT + next object you can select more than one)
  
• Move - allows to move the Selected objects (you can also select objects in this mode)
  
• Rotate - allows to rotate the Selected objects (selecting objects is also allowed)

4. Split Map Object

In Edit Mode, you are allowed to use the "Split" functionality to divide an object into 2.

• Split a 'Way' - to split an object of type "way" ("barriers", "walls", "roads") you need to select the object, select the point which will be the base for the dividing process and then to use "split" option on "points" panel.
  
  
  
• Split a 'Building' - for buildings, there is a need to select 2 points of the object to create a "virtual line" which will be the base for the divide.
  So first there is a need to select the first "point":
  
  Then the "point" on the panel will be highlighted in green color. Next, you need to select a second point and then the building will be automatically divided.
  

5. Remove Map Object

To remove a Map Object you need to select the object (1) and click on the “Delete” button (2) inside the “EDIT” panel or use the “Delete” button from the main panel. You can also use the “Delete” button on the keyboard.

6. Edit Biome

"Biomes" define sets of parameters that are the base for the generated map inside the Infection Free Zone. They allow you to define the characteristics and style of Map Objects inside the dedicated areas. The idea was to introduce differences to the maps in different parts of the world (e.g.: buildings in Europe and Asia are different and should be generated in different ways).
To edit "biome" you need to generate a map you want to edit and click a "biome" button in the upper menu.

After that, the text file will be displayed. To edit that file, you need to know the parameters and how they work to understand the changes that can be made.

The most common parameters for the edition are:

• biomeName - the name of the biome (only useful for tests and debugging)
  
• geoCoordinates - defines the set of points of the area borders (should be at least 5: first should be the same as last point)
  
• countryCode - could be used instead of "geoCoordinates" parameter to define the area (if "geoCoordinates" are defined you can skip this parameter or write "N/A")
  
• treeTypesDistribution - the probability of occurrence of deciduous trees, coniferous trees and shrubs in a defined biome
  
• treesDensity - tree spawning density (value 1 means default value)
  
• gabledToFlatRoofsRatio - defines the ratio of pitched roofs to flat roofs (if the value is closer to 1, more sloping roofs will appear, note: do not use the value 0)
  
• facesDistribution - the probability of different groups of squad members' avatars appearing within the biome
  
• grassDensityModifier - grass density modifier ("1" is a neutral value)
  
• monthlySeasons - defines the correlated season for each month of the year
  
• animalsDistribution - the probability of occurrence of individual groups of animals
  
• buildingFacadeDistribution - probabilities of assigning to a building the material from which building facades are made (possible values ​​are: "wood", "bricks", "plaster" and "cementBlocks")
  
  Note: mistakes inside the biome file will cause "errors" and prevent the biomes from working in the Infection Free Zone.

7. Save Map

To save your work use the “save” button (1) or keys combination on the keyboard “ctrl + s”.

Then you are allowed to test an edited map inside the game, using the “Test in game” button (2). The changes should be visible inside the game.

Added Object in Map Editor:

Added Object in Infection Free Zone:

8. Save to Workshop

You are also allowed to send your work to Steam Workshop. To do this use the “send to workshop” button (1).

Then you can set the content type (2) add a description, change the title (optional), and use the “save” button (3). After a few moments, your work should be saved to the game's Steam Workshop.

9. Load Workshop Map

To load a Workshop Map into the game you need to:
1. Subscribe to an item (in the Steam workshop panel).
2. Use the Map Editor tool and load the subscribed item.
3. The Workshop Map will appear in the game with a Steam mark.

10. Keyboard Shortcuts

• ESC - quit the “Edit Mode”
  
• Enter - apply edited object/ create new object
  
• Delete - remove selected Map Object
  
• CTRL + S - save
  
• CTRL + Z - undo step
  
• CTRL + Y - redo step
  
• CTRL + C - copy
  
• CTRL + V - paste

[The Atomic Shit]

No Maps appear in my map editor

[54131409]

How can I customize the doors of a building instead of having them randomly generated？？？？？？

[Sebastian]

Can't get the map editor to work correctly. Keeps failing to save edits in roads or deletion of roads. It also doesn't re-render the roads in game if you remove them. New roads seem to get added, but doesn't seem to affect graphics.

[Ray Animus]

Loading a workshop map and saving it doesnt change the buildings and POI for me, trying to load the "white house is back!" workshop map but saving the file doesnt add the proper buildings in game. What am i doing wrong?

[The Mountain_MAN]

My map editor is running off of v0.08. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I want to edit a map just to fix the roads but because its a playable map I can't take it directly to the map editor. Like if I wanted to have my HQ at the Pentagon there are not enough buildings in the playable area so the game gives you the option to take that map directly to the Map Editor. I don't how to do it for a playable map.
This guide is using images from versions 04, 08, and 11.

[b0rr31n00tj3]

Nice guide, thanks!

[Mike Bogler]

Its so good i unfortunately had to report it to valve for abuse

[Master Sheesh]

map editor just dosent work for me none of the buildings spawn ingame,either workshop map or self edits

[chronosphaenon]

Made a guide to get the Editor working with Linux/Proton: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3255745650

[merkavro]

how to I define the HQ for a map such as the recommended maps do?