1. Make the project export-ready

SnowRunner export requires imported working terrain and imported vectors. Imagery is optional. Open the SnowRunner checklist and review every station you chose to use, especially terrain edits, road width, water assignment, special rasters, Paint Lock exclusions, the Gameplay Zones layer, and Starter Truck Spawn.

The selected export terrain is centered on the project and must fit inside its full region. Features and raster data outside that square crop are not included. Check the project bounds in the Editor before choosing a smaller output size.

2. Queue the SnowRunner export

Return to the project page, start an export, and choose SnowRunner. Select 480, 960, 1440, or 2016 meters. The dialog also shows the corresponding 24 m terrain-block dimensions and suggests a size based on the project area.

Open SnowRunner settings. Starter delivery contracts pairs Cargo Source and Delivery Target zones. Ensure contract cargo supply adds unlimited required cargo to a paired source when that cargo is missing. Leave both enabled for simple generated scaffolding, or disable them when you will author all missions natively.

The export captures a consistent snapshot of current working terrain, recognized raster layers, vector features and persistent settings, tree and building placements, collection bindings, and gameplay zones. The background job then builds and packages the SnowRunner Editor source kit.

3. Download and extract the source kit

Open the completed export and download its zip. Extract it to a normal working folder. The important top-level directory is Media; SnowRunnerSources contains diagnostics and export information that help you compare the generated result with the Editor.

Close SnowRunner and SnowRunner Editor before installing the source. Back up an existing level with the same generated name. If you previously opened that level, remove its generated user-Media levels cache so the editor rebuilds from the new prebuild source.

4. Merge Media into the SnowRunner user directory

Copy the contents inside the export’s Media directory into %USERPROFILE%/Documents/My Games/SnowRunner/Media and merge the folders. Do not copy the outer export folder into one level directory.

After copying, the generated prebuild XML and its source folder must be siblings under Media/prebuild, and the level settings must be under Media/levels. A nested Media/prebuild inside the generated level folder is incorrect and SnowRunner Editor will not use it.

5. Open the generated prebuild level

Launch SnowRunnerEditor.exe from the game’s Sources/BinEditor directory. In File View, expand prebuild and double-click the generated level name. Let the editor load the terrain chunks, source XML, PBR materials, Plants, distributions, buildings, Rivers, zones, and truck.

Do not run New Terrain, Copy Source Heightmap, or Separate chunks from directory on this package. The source kit already contains encoded height and the editable 4 x 4 data-folder layout. Recreating terrain at this point discards or replaces generated work.

6. Rebuild and validate native content

Compare the editor result with the PNG and GeoJSON files in SnowRunnerSources/diagnostics. Check material_preview, tree and building placements, water rivers, Mud, Quick Mud, Wetness, each enabled distribution, and gameplay-zone footprints. Diagnostics show what MapToPlay authored; the SnowRunner Editor view shows what the game systems rebuilt from it.

Confirm Rivers under Scene -> Terrain -> Rivers, zone locators under Scene -> Terrain -> Zones, and the generated starter CK1500 under Scene -> Terrain -> Trucks. Open Zone Settings to inspect fuel/service properties, cargo, generated contracts, and objective locators. Rebuild terrain and save the level.

• Terrain orientation, scale, cliffs, slopes, and road grades are believable.
• Mapped asphalt, gravel, dirt, and grass coverage matches the intended vectors.
• Water meets its banks and follows the intended direction.
• Mud, Quick Mud, Wetness, and distributions appear only where intended.
• Trees and buildings have correct height, rotation, fit, and vehicle clearance.
• The starter truck is active, unlocked, above ground, and facing a usable route.
• Gameplay zones are reachable and their typed settings are correct.

7. Finish native authoring and pack a test build

Convert important roads to native SnowRunner overlays where you need road flattening, ruts, or stronger drivability behavior. The MapToPlay road material is a terrain-surface result and does not replace advanced overlay work. Finish mission text, rewards, balance, custom flow maps, foam, water tuning, and other advanced gameplay in SnowRunner Editor as needed.

Use Pack terrain for PC only, fix errors reported by SnowRunner Editor, and launch SnowRunner to test the installed local map. Test the packed result, not only the editor preview. Drive representative routes, trigger services and objectives, load and deliver cargo, use recovery, and start from a new map state after structural changes.

Final handoff check

Keep the extracted source directory and diagnostics as the editable handoff. When you change the MapToPlay project, queue a new export and rebuild that new source instead of mixing old and new generated files blindly.

• The export Media contents were merged into the correct user Media directory.
• The generated prebuild level opens without recreating its terrain.
• Terrain was rebuilt and the level was saved in SnowRunner Editor.
• The active starter truck and required gameplay zones work after rebuild.
• Native distributions, water, mud, wetness, trees, buildings, and materials were inspected.
• The packed map was tested in SnowRunner and editor-reported errors were resolved.
• Required attribution for source DTM, imagery, and vector providers is retained.