This is an initial v0.003 guide for anyone intrested to start creating & testing new parts in the game.
The guide and the workflow will be improved later on.

The Workshop upload tool is not finished yet, but custom parts can be created and tested locally in the game and the upload tool should also become available soon.

The game supports OBJ and legacy DirectX .X format for 3D models which it then converts to a proprietary format (.x3).

For 3DS Max 2012 and older you can find an X exporter here: http://www.andytather.co.uk/Panda/directxmax_downloads.aspx

For later 3DS Max versions there is this (just tested it for MAX2010 and it worked ok after installing the VC2015 redist package as mentioned on the page, the plugin failed to initialized before that):
http://www.cgdev.net/axe/download.php

For other modelers such exporters most likely exist too.

If you need to rescale your OBJ model, create an ini file with the model name, i.e. mymodel.ini, and have it contain scale=0.5 or whatever value you need in to it. If the scale was wrong, delete the generated x3 file and try again.
(NOTE: OBJ support is new and needs more testing)

The easiest way to start may be to subscribe to "Static Tuning 2by4" from the Workshop and see how it looks like.
The mod is downloaded to {steamapps}\workshop\content\658490\1173598788

Under this folder there is a folder structure that follows the normal data structure of the game.
So the actual model content is found under data\customparts\spoiler\static_tuning\2by4

The folder contains following files:

[fittings] - folder where fittings for vehicles are specified
24by.x3 - the model in the game engine's proprietary format
part.ini - contains information about the part
preview.png - the image that is shown at Lost Harbor Customs for the part
TexturesCom_WoodPlanksOld0151_18_seamless_S.jpg - texture that the model uses

part.ini looks like this:

name=Static Tuning 2by4
id=static_tuning/2by4
price=30
mesh=2by4.x
(note: if your model is OBJ just give the filename wtih that extension, i.e. mesh=24by4.obj)
modelauthor=Static Roller
modelsource=Roadfactory

the id is important as it must be the same as the folder name the part resides in and is used for loading installed part for a vehicle
in addition to the part type (which is determined by the folder the part is under, such as spoiler).

It is not a must to use an additional subfolder as in this example (static_tuning), the id could be just 2by4 or static_2by4, and the
folder by same name directly under the spoiler folder. But the id should be unique enough to not mix up with other mods.
If you look in to {steamapps}\common\Roadfactory\Drive Isle\data\customparts\spoiler you will see that the few parts that are there
are not in a subfolder, and their id's are just tg2, tg7 etc. (although you cannot access the ini files in the actual game folder).

modelauthor and modelsource are informative and not needed by the game and can be leaved out.


todo: Info on fittings



To start creating your own mod, create a new mod folder under workshop\mods, for example:
{steamapps}\roadfactory\Drive Isle\Workshop\MODS\MyMod

Replace the MyMod with your own mod name. Under this folder, create a data folder, and under that create a customparts folder.
Under this folder, create a folder which type of mod you are going to create. At this time it is mostly feasible to create an visual part, so create a folder from one of the following:

Front Bumper
Rear Bumper
Side Skirts
Spoiler
Exhaust
Scoop


You may also use the Accessories or Other folder if you are creating some additional part to the vehicle.

The final folder could look something like this:
{steamapps}\roadfactory\Drive Isle\Workshop\MODS\XC252Y_Wing\data\customparts\spoiler\XC252Y_Wing

Create part.ini file in this folder, something like:

name=XC252Y Wing
id=XC252Y_Wing
price=900
mesh=XC252Y_Wing.x

Under this folder, create a fittings folder.

Under the fittings folder, you may create an all.ini file, if you want the part to be manually fittable to any car.
Otherwise create separate file(s) for vehicle(s) you want to fit your part in to:

(ids incomplete for now, will fill rest later)

Compact FT2 - 103_1.ini
GT B-65L - 110_2.ini
GT MS-G - 118_1.ini
Hyper CXK - 120_1.ini
Hyper Grand GT - 108_1.ini
Hyper TF1 - 113_2.ini
Muscle C69 - 115_3.ini
Muscle FB
Pickup HXL - 119_5.ini
SUV HG2 - 102_1.ini
SUV HQ
Sedan 47AQ - 109_2.ini
Sedan C24 - 119_6.ini
Sedan CB35
Sedan PRH - 119_3.ini
Sport GT - 119_4.ini
Sport LRE - 113_1.ini
Sport R-GT26 - 117_3.ini
Sport R-S41X - 117_1.ini
Sport Rally 9 - 114_1.ini
Sport Rally Blue - 101_1.ini
Sport Super GT - 119_2.ini
Super F GT - 123_1.ini
Super PC9 Turbo - 116_1.ini
Super R-GT38 - 117_2.ini
Super RB-G50 - 111_1.ini
Super RF-34
Super RF-35
Super RF-43
Super RF-E6
Super ZC6 - 115_1.ini
Van SVan

In the future it should be possible to create fitting files directly from the game.

Export your .x to the folder. In Max, 10 generic units is one meter for Drive Isle.

Once everything is in place, launch the game normally and head to Lost Harbor Customs. You should be able to find your part. If your model is not visible when you choose the part, check that an x3 file as appeared to the folder (game restart shouldn't be needed anymore), sometimes converting the .x fails, in Max this often requires exporting the model to OBJ or FBX, reimporting from that and then exporting the .X again. Same business if the conversion works ok, but the model looks messed up in the game. In this case you will need to delete the messed up x3 file to try the conversion in game again.