First thing you will need is the ThunderShop application. This application is distributed with the game and it can also be added to your Steam library for convenience.

ThunderShop is our track editor + can be used for creating, uploading and/or updating workshop items.

2a) Open ThunderShop application usually found here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ThunderWheels\GBEditor.exe
2b) Choose [Create New Track]
2c) Change unnamed0 with your prefered track name. We recommend leave Size and max height (in meters) as default.

This will create all the needed files for a track to work properly for example.
Suppose you have created a new track named: "tierra del fuego", you will have these 4 files:

tierra_del_fuego_terrain.jpg
tierra_del_fuego_hm.png
tierra_del_fuego_friction.png
tierra_del_fuego.track

*_terrain.jpg file: is the texture of your track that you can edit with your favorite Image Manipulation Program (gimp, PS, etc)

*_hm.png file: is a grayscale heightmap data of the track. white is high, black is deep and all de grey levels in between (256 total). You can edit this with (gimp, PS, etc)

*_friction.png file: is the friction data of the track, by default is a middle grey (rgb128) ideal for dirt terrain. Other common recommended values are: asphalt (rgb154) and for snow (rgb95) You can edit this with (gimp, PS, etc)

*.track file: is the file where are stored a lot of vital information of the track like: settings, objects placements, checkpoints, ai paths and camera position.
you edit this with ThunderShop application.

After you created the 4 files of you new track you can start editing!

3a) Edit the *_terrain.jpg and *_hm.png with your favorite Image Manipulation Program (gimp, PS, etc)
3b) To preview your work you can click in [reload textures] button in the ThunderShop application
3c) go back and forward between 3a to 3b until you are done.

You also can preview the game camera by hitting [Preview Top-Down] button in the Top-Down Camera window

Once you finish the terrain you can start adding objects with the ThunderShop application.

4a) Add Objects
In the object window choose the type and then click in the create button.
Then move to the track surface and click where you want to put the object, first click set x and y position, then you can move the mouse to choose the height (z position) and set it with a second click, then you move the mouse and the object rotate and set it with a third click.

4b) Edit or Remove Objects
In the object window choose [edit dynamic], [edit manual] or [remove] button object and then click in the object you want to edit or remove.

Work in the same way than objects. In the AI path & Checkpoint window choose the category and then click in the create, edit or remove button.
take in account than the last checkpoint is the finish line ;)

There is a small window located in the top-right in the Thundershop called "top-down camera", just press "preview top-down" and move the look at position and FOV to your liking.
Then press again the button "Bird eye view" to go back to normal camera and save.

6a) Go to File>Save to save your work and test it in the game and come
6b) Go back and forward between 4. to 6. until you are done.

To create a thumbnail for your track, you can use the [Preview Top-Down] button to see it like in game and take a screenshoot.
Then you can paste it in gimp, or PS, etc and shrink it to a 256x256 pixels file size.
Then save it in the same folder than the others track files are located, in this example it should be named: tierra_del_fuego_thumbnail.jpg

*_thumbnail.jpg file: is the picture you see to select the track in the selection menu in game.

Now you have your new awesome track!! share it with the community using the How to upload & update items in the Workshop guide.
Have fun!!

Heightmap Creation:

1. Create a new image with 2048 x 2048 pixels.

2. you need to add guides to know what part of this 2048 x 2048 is visible from the main view in the game, to do that go to: image > guides > new guides.

3. Add 2 horizontal guides at positions 298 and 1650.

4. Then add two vertical guides at positions 298 and 1750 and u have the four guides needed

5. Now, you need to sketch the track layout… you can do it with the “paths tool”. Choose the path tool and draw the track line you planed. Path tutorial in gimp.org

6. Then go to the path dialog box, right click in the unnamed path you just draw and choose Stroke path.

7. In the Box use the parameters shown above and a Line width of 250px approximately. Then press the Stroke button below.

8. Now let's work in the elevations of the tracks. Elevations are done with a grey scale when white (255) is the maximum high, black (0) is the lowest you can go, and medium gray (128) is the middle. So let's do a medium elevation background to start choose a background color of 50% gray (128)

9. And create a new layer with the grey 128 background color

10. Move the grey layer to the bottom. Change the name of the stroke layer to Track and change the blending mode of the track layer to multiply and set the opacity around 6%. (higher value make the track deeper in height)

11. Apply a Gaussian Blur of 80px to the track layer to soften the borders

12. Create a new layer group called ramps

13. Create a transparent layer inside the ramp folder and call it ramp1. Then with the rectangle selection tool create a box in the part of the track you want to have a ramp

14. Choose a foreground color a pure white. Then choose the blend tool (gradient in PS) with the shortcut “L” and choose the gradient “FG to transparent”. Then choose the shape “bi-linear”. With this setting you can draw gradients from transparent to pure white to transparent.
Draw a little line inside the selection box you did before “in 13.” from the center to close the outside and now you have your first ramp!

15. Duplicate the layer ramp1 and rename to ramp2. Then rotate the layer 90 degrees with the rotate tool and place it in a vertical part of the track.

16. Adjust the layer group “ramps”opacity to around 18%... the higher the number the higher the ramps height.

17. Create a new transparent layer and call it water crossing. Then with the rectangle selection tool create a box in the part of the track you want to have a water crossing.

18. Choose a pure black as foreground. Then choose the blend tool (gradient in PS) with the shortcut “L” and choose the gradient “FG to transparent”. Then choose the shape “bi-linear”.
Draw a little line inside the selection box you did before “in 17.” from the center to close the outside and now you have your first water crossing! Then adjust the layer opacity to around 33% (the higher the deep)

We are close!! Save your track!
We are ready with the elevation!! the hardest part of this tutorial!!
Save the file with .XFC extension for future edition, lightmap creation and tuning

Export the HM file
With your *.XFC file opened, execute the copy visible command.
Select all (ctrl A) > Copy visible (shift+ctrl C) > Paste as... New image.
Then in the new image, execute image > canvas size
and set the canvas size to 257x257 pixels
*_hm.png (replace * with your track name)

Rename the layer to “high map final”.


LightMap creation and Export the FINAL texture file
1. With your *.XFC file opened, execute the copy visible command.
Select all (ctrl A) > Copy visible (shift+ctrl C) > Paste as... New Layer.
Rename the layer to “high map final”.

2. Select the new “high map final” layer and go to filters > map > bump map

3. Use the settings above.

4. Now add Gaussian blur (25 or 30) and you have the LightMap!!

5. Choose a color for the base in the background color and Create a new layer with it called base color. Put that layer below the LightMap… and change the light map mode to grain merge.

6. Export the result executing Export as
the choose .jpg extension and your track name
*_terrain.jpg (replace * with your track name)

LightMap creation and Export the FINAL texture file
1. With your *.XFC file opened, execute the copy visible command.
Select all (ctrl A) > Copy visible (shift+ctrl C) > Paste as... New Layer.
Rename the layer to “high map final”.

2. Select the new “high map final” layer and go to filters > map > bump map

3. Use the settings above.

4. Now add Gaussian blur (25 or 30) and you have the LightMap!!

5. Choose a color for the base in the background color and Create a new layer with it called base color. Put that layer below the LightMap… and change the light map mode to grain merge.

6. Export the result executing Export as
the choose .jpg extension and your track name
*_terrain.jpg (replace * with your track name)