Hello, mappers!

I think we can all agree that TrackMania's map editor is awesome. It's simple, yet powerful. I've used it for multiple years now, and learned much about mapping as well as the tools the editor gives. I might not be a mapping legend, nor would I say that I know everything about the tools, but I feel like I have enough experience to properly teach others its functions.

Over the past few months, I've been working on a mapmaking guide. It's primarily tool-based; I mostly talk about what the tools do, not so much how to use them effectively. It's a long and fairly comprehensive guide of TrackMania's map editor, and it's finally done.

While it's aimed at new users, it also touches on some advanced topics such as blockmixing and the mediatracker. Give it a read; you might learn something new. These are Steam guides as well; since TM2 is divided into separate games on Steam, there's a different version for each environment. While each is essentially the same, certain environment specific topics might not appear in all versions. Likewise, the pictures shown are of the guide's environment. Each links to the example map shown in the guide, if you want to try them out yourself.

Canyon: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=863977545
Stadium: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=884329970
Valley: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=884330729

Good job m8.. i just finished reading through the Stadium guide and can clearly see how much effort you put into this. Everything is explained well and with illustrations, and it will be very useful for new players wanting to make tracks.
I did not know about the keyboard shortcuts, and will try them out myself when next building something.

Wow really nice stuff well done

I would like to see a more advanced tutorial for making a certain type (Fullspeed Tech Dirt etc.)
And stuff on flow and block change and keeping the timing neat

But this is still amazing

If I ever do make guides for advanced topics, I definitely won't write it alone. I can't trust that I have enough experience to give proper guidance (especially regarding specific styles). For example: I've never made an RPG map. I can't say what makes an RPG map good or compelling, what elements I should focus on, or where I should begin with building one. I can theorize all I want, but I don't have the experience to back up any of my claims.

I'm not planning on writing any more guides anytime soon, but it might be cool to start a guide project that people can contribute to. Experts of all environments and styles can give their advice and knowledge, which can be compiled into one big guide (or multiple, smaller ones).

Arkive I sent you a PM on something I've been working on that should fit well with that. ^^