Creating Your First Map

Start With A Simple Goal

For your first map, aim for something small and readable:

• A clear main landmass
• A fair starting area for each side
• A few buildings worth fighting over
• Enough open ground that units can move easily

You can always make a larger or stranger map later.

1. Create A New Map

1. Open the Map Editor
2. Enter a map name
3. Choose a width and height
4. Decide whether to begin from a blank map or use the Random Generator

Blank maps are good if you want full control. The generator is good if you want a layout to edit instead of starting from deep water.

2. Paint The Battlefield

Switch to Terrain mode and start shaping the battlefield.

A simple first pass works well:

1. Paint the main land area with Grass
2. Add Forest near routes you want infantry to use
3. Add a few Mountains to break line of movement and create landmarks
4. Use Shallow Water for crossable rivers and Deep Water for hard barriers

Try not to overcomplicate the first version. A clean map is easier to test than a cluttered one.

3. Place Starting Buildings

Switch to Build mode and place the structures players will fight over.

For a beginner map, start with:

• One starting production building for each side
• A few neutral buildings in the middle
• Space around key buildings so battles are not too cramped

When placing buildings:

• Use the owner selector to assign a starting owner or leave a building neutral
• Keep the opening positions roughly fair
• Put contested buildings where both sides can reach them

4. Add Spawn Points

Switch to Spawns mode and place starting units.

1. Choose Player 1
2. Place one or more spawn points near that player’s starting buildings
3. Repeat for Player 2
4. Add more players if the map is meant for larger matches

For your first map, the default infantry spawns are fine. You can come back later and customize role and tier if you want more control.

5. Add Roads Last

Switch to Overlay mode to place roads.

Roads are best used to connect important parts of the map:

• Starting bases to the center
• Side routes that create flanking options
• Key buildings that should be reachable quickly

Avoid covering the whole map with roads. A few strong connections are usually better than turning every route into a highway.

6. Save A Draft

Click Save as soon as the map is recognizable, even if it is not finished.

Draft saving is useful because it lets you:

• Stop working and come back later
• Experiment without worrying about validation
• Compare different versions over time

If this is a brand new map, saving it will add it to My Maps.

7. Publish When It Plays Cleanly

Click Publish when the map is ready for games.

If publishing fails, the editor will tell you what needs attention. Common problems include:

• Missing spawn points for one side
• Not enough playable land
• Buildings placed on terrain they are not allowed to use

Fix the issues, then try publishing again.

A Quick Beginner Checklist

Before you publish, ask yourself:

• Can at least two players start properly?
• Do both sides have fair access to important buildings?
• Are there multiple ways to move across the map?
• Is the map readable at a glance?

If the answer is mostly yes, the map is ready for a real test game.

Next Steps

• Map Editor: Return to the overview
• Map Editor Tools: Learn the editor controls in more detail
• Import, Export, and Generation: Use JSON files and random generation workflows
• Terrain Guide: Understand how terrain changes gameplay