Creating tracks (track editing) for Trackmania Nations: Forever

Making a simple track for Trackmania Nations

Trackmania Nations Forever has undergone a bit of a interface design cleanup from the point of view of the editor, but not so much that if you have created tracks and content for the previous Trackmania Nations that you'd be lost through any apparent differences, the most obvious of which is the introduction of two track editing modes - "Simple" and "Advanced".

Editing tracks in Simple mode gives track creators access to a limited amount of content from which new tracks can be built, basically, enough to build some interesting initial tracks but not so much to overwhelm new users. In Advanced track editing mode track creators have access to the full gamut of content used in the game which allows for some quite complex layouts.

Placing track elements (building) ^

As with creating tracks for Nations, Forever uses the same system so track sections can only be placed in 'valid' space, indicated by a green box around an object. As there is only a limited amount of content to select all that needs to be done to select a component to lay down it to click on it as it appears in the menu at the bottom of the screen.

Keyboard shortcut: "LMB" to place an object, "RMB" to rotate objects, "MMB" scroll raises/lowers the height of objects from the ground. Movements in Simple Editing mode is done using the four direction pointers lower right.

A "green" highlight indicates that object is good to go and can be placed where it is

A "green" highlight indicates that object is good to go and can be placed where it is.

Attempting to place objects in invalid space results in an orange box around the selected track component.

Trying to place a track section over another results in the selected item changing to an orange highlight indicating that you can't place that object there

Trying to place a track section over another results in the selected item changing to an orange highlight indicating that you can't place that object there.

Scrolling the Middle Mouse Button up/down will raise or lower an object relative to the ground surface allowing tracks and objects to have 'layers' and/or numerous 'floors', this is especially useful with multi-story buildings and track overlays.

Adding misc items using the MMB to raise/lower the height of objects

Adding misc. items using the MMB to raise/lower the height of objects

Saving the new track ^

Clicking on the little floppy disk icon lower left hand side opens up the "File Save" dialogue box, enter in the filename a click "Save".

Saving the new track - the interface has been updated in Forever

Saving the new track - the interface has been updated in Forever

Once the new track has been saved Trackmania Forever will ask you if you want to compile the light maps for use in Forever itself - light maps are a graphic effect that have to be compiled relative to the design of the track that's been built, so every time a change is made the light maps need to be recompiled and updated. Depending on how complex the track is, compiling light maps for Forever tracks may takes a few minutes.

Trackmania Forever now includes the compiling of lightmaps to 'bake' shadows onto the arena and track

Trackmania Forever now includes the compiling of light maps to 'bake' shadows onto the arena and track.

Trackmania Forever processing the new track and compiling the lightmap for it

Trackmania Forever processing the new track and compiling the light map for it

Final lightmapped version of the new Forever track

Final light mapped version of the new Forever track

Making a track usable - track validation ^

Once all the above steps have been done, the track will then need to be validated before it can be used as a normal track (by the track author or anyone else); it's necessary to do this so track times can be set, which then become part of the track itself, loading in as default statistic when the track is played by other people.

Validating the new Forever track

Validating the new Forever track

Publishing a new track ^

Once all the step above have been done the new track will then be ready for 'publishing'; this usually entails the track author uploading the track to a web host so it can then be downloaded by players and server admin's that want to try out the new Forever track.

If you got this far, well done! You created your first racing track for Trackmania Nations Forever!

Short video showing the porcess of making a simple track in the Editor

Advanced mode track editing ^

The main difference between 'Simple' and 'Advanced' track editing modes are; the amount of content available for building tracks - there are now additional track sections that cover different types of and transitions between surfaces; and the navigation system - using the 'Alt' key plus any one of the left, middle or right mouse button now navigates the scene, so gone are the navigation arrows of 'Simple' mode.

Keyboard shortcut: "Alt+LMB" to pan across the scene. "Alt+RMB" to rotate the scene and "Alt+MMB" scroll to zoom the scene. Normal mouse button functions are as above.

Dirt tracks ^

The video below shows the basics of what you need to do to create a 'dirt' style track.

Making a simple track that includes a dirt section

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