- Intro
- Textures
- Texture Connections
- Texture Connections With Transparent
- Texture Connections Other Notes
- Box Collider
- Backgrounds
- Thumbnails
- Music
- Game Mods Support
- Additional Notes
Intro
To begin with, let’s cover the basics of modding maps for the game Brawlhalla. The game allows you to edit maps with ease because, unlike other files, they are not packed into a .swf file
The required paths where the map files will be located are here:
Backgrounds [Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\Backgrounds\
Thumbnails [Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\images\thumbnails\
Plains of Passage Files
[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\BattleHill\BG_Tree.png[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\BattleHill\FG_Tree.png
[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\BattleHill\SK_Large_Plat.png
[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\BattleHill\SK_Log.png
[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\BattleHill\SK_Small_Plat.png
[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\mapArt\Backgrounds\BG_SKCross.jpg
[Path to Steam]\steamapps\common\Brawlhalla\images\thumbnails\battlehill.jpg
Textures
Texture resolutions can vary, and the file extension is only png
The png format allows you to designate areas that will have transparency (alpha channel). In this case, the transparent area is indicated in a checkerboard pattern
If the original texture has a lot of space from the platform itself and a lot of transparent areas, it means you have more room for creativity to fill this space with whatever you find original or interesting
| There is a lot of grass and transparent areas around the platform, which will allow you to fill it as you wish | I didn’t use all the space, but I still ended up with a lot |
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Texture Connections
Sometimes it may seem that this texture consists of two halves, and if you stack these halves, you will have a platform that is easy to edit—but it’s not that simple.
Here’s the platform from Shipwreck Falls as an example
| The left half Platform_Lagoon1A.png has a resolution of 836x709 | The right half Platform_Lagoon1B.png has a resolution of 806x655 |
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To see the halves actually overlaid on top of each other, some of them need to be stretched or reduced in height and/or width
| PlatformLagoon1A.png should have a resolution of 836x793, as you can see the texture has been stretched in height | PlatformLagoon1B.png should have a resolution of 922x793, and here both height and width have been stretched |
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After overlaying 1B onto 1A with a slight overlap, you will get a texture like this. I outlined each frame of the texture to clarify how much 1B overlaps with 1A. In this case, it turned out to be ideal where the height matches, but there are maps where the sizes will not match. For example, here is a tree from Twilight Grove, one of the most complex maps. There were issues with the tree for all mod authors who worked on it. The overlay of the tree textures looks like this:
But you shouldn't change the texture resolutions every time. By changing their resolution, you are rasterizing the image, which results in a significant loss of quality. This is especially true if you do this multiple times with the same image. To change the size while preserving the original quality, Adobe developers introduced "Smart Object" and "Free Transform" for Photoshop (similar functions later appeared in other programs). To help you understand what this is, imagine a game editor where you are building a wall. Once you’ve built it, you need to fill it with a texture from edge to edge. After filling it with the texture, you can change the size of the wall, increase or compress it, but your texture file will remain at the same resolution it was. The wall will simply reference the texture, which will be stretched programmatically for visual display, rather than literally changing size through rasterization. In this case, the "Smart Object" is the wall, and "Free Transform" is the stretching of the wall. If this is still unclear, you can draw an analogy with a file and a shortcut to it. By changing the name of the shortcut and moving it anywhere, the original file remains unchanged =)
I have already created texture connections for some maps, and I will continue to do so as needed. These texture connections will help you in the graphic editor Photopea or Photoshop to view the overlay exactly as it will appear in the game, and you can edit it on the fly, tracking the results visually. The accuracy and similarity to how it will look in the game is close to 99%, even the order of overlaying has been taken into account. You can download the Texture Connections PSD Files in the Tools section
It is also important to understand that you do not have to make your texture files for your mod at the same resolution as the original file. You can create textures with a higher resolution; just make sure they are in the same height-to-width ratio. For example, the author of the Twilight Grove - Summer mod created textures in a higher resolution. As a result, the mod weighs a whopping 12 MB. However, the quality of the high resolution is very noticeable in the game
For some older maps, you can download the Original High Resolution Textures. The list of maps is also available via the link
Practical Tips
And now let’s move on to a practical way of working with texture connectionsIf you are using the same texture resolution in your mod as in the original:
1. Copy the texture from your editor using ctrl+c.
3. Open the necessary texture connection in the form of a Texture Connections PSD Files from the Tools section
If you decide to make a texture with a higher resolution:
The steps are the same, except for step 5; instead, drag the file from your desktop into the layers area. This way, you will create a smart object inside the first smart object. Next, you will need to stretch your new smart object across the entire width and height (make sure to carefully check each pixel when scaling up) to fill all the space of the previous object. This is done through Free Transform or with the keyboard shortcut ctrl+alt+t
Then, when you open your smart object by double-clicking it, you will see that your texture will be at the size of your higher resolution
Next, regardless of what resolution you chose, edit as needed, save, and then save the previous smart object, and the data will visually update in the very first image
Texture Connections With Transparent
In areas that are connections of multiple textures, I do not recommend using semi-transparent textures because when they overlap, it results in a bug that looks like this
However, if you have opaque areas, you won’t see thisHow to avoid this?
There are a couple of options:
1. Tediously and painstakingly make the semi-transparency in a certain area slightly more transparent so that when layered on top of each other, they reach the desired level of transparency, but do this without affecting the opaque area. This sounds complicated, and in practice, it is even harder
2. Try to trim the excess to create a clean seam between the two textures without overlapping. However, I would not recommend doing this because within the game, all texture connections shift slightly by one pixel due to the rendering based on the window or screen resolution, and this may rarely result in you seeing everything fine when the camera is far away, but if you zoom in, you’ll see a pixel-sized hole that will disappear and reappear as the character moves
3. Or you can try to make only opaque textures at the connection points to keep the seam inconspicuous (this is the less troublesome option)
Texture Connections Other Notes
Sometimes you can use your imagination and make some connection blocks visually appear as if they are one part. I did this with the Miami Dome, where the lower pillar and the upper platform are one texture cut into pieces. This will give you more room for creativity| Upper Platform | Lower Pillar |
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Box Collider
The Box Collider is the area with which the character interacts. The interaction with the character changes from each side:- On top, he stands
- From the side, he rolls with the ability to jump
- Below, he bumps and falls
- There are platforms from which he can jump down
To ensure that your mod is correct and truly playable, you should stick to a relatively simple rule: a texture that is not meant for interaction with the character should not be placed out of its designated position
| Here is an unsuccessful choice | Here is the correct way |
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The exception is pixel maps that lack the oblique projection of the upper part of the platform. Therefore, it won't be entirely accurate to make the player and objects aligned, as they will not be at the same level one way or another
To understand in advance where the character will run and not make mistakes in positioning, you can find helper Box Collider Markers in the Tools section. It will be enough to overlay this layer onto your texture and see where the character will be. Without using markers, you will have to manually check in-game to see exactly where the character steps and test manually (although this will need to be done anyway, using markers will simplify the initial stage)
If you use PSD files for texture connections, you can directly overlay markers on top of the texture map to see where the character will stand. The markers are not made with 100% accuracy, but they will help you save time while adjusting the texture according to the player's position
Backgrounds
Always in resolution 2048x1151, file extension only jpgThere’s not much to say here; always follow these conditions, and there should be no problems. At least the developers have adhered to this format for many years
Thumbnails
Always in resolution 290x164, file extension only jpgTo ensure they look the same and are generated automatically, you can use the ready-made preview generators from the Tools section. If you want to do it manually, it is recommended to stick to a somewhat common appearance of the thumbnail cards that are shown in the map selection menu
| Here is an unsuccessful choice | Here is the correct way |
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Music
Still in progress
Game Mods Support
Sometimes it may turn out that a background or even some textures from the main maps belong to other maps, almost in all cases for other game modes. Here is the complete list of reused maps, with thumbnails shown in the menu
| Map Name | Game Mode Name | Thumbnail Display |
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| Apocalype | Horde | Yes |
| Demon Island | Horde | Yes |
| Demon Island | Capture the Flag | No |
| Fortress of Lions | Temple Climb | Yes |
| Lost Labyrinth | Dodgebomb | No |
| Shipwreck Falls | Beachbrawl | No |
| Spirit Realm | Showdown | Yes |
| Sun Drive City | Kung Foot | Yes |
| Suzaku Castle | Street Brawl | Yes |
| Tree Fort | Buddy | Yes |
| Temple Ruins | Temple Climb | Yes |
For some modes, thumbnails are not currently required (marked as No in the table). However, if you decide to support the mod, it is better to make thumbnails since they have been created by the developers for all maps. This is likely done for the future when there may be two or more maps for this game mode, and both maps will appear in the menu for selection, and accordingly, thumbnails will be displayed. Therefore, you should also support them, as you have decided to support the game mode in your mod
Some backgrounds may also be reused for other mods. For example, the background BG_VolleyBattle.jpg from the Volleybrawl mode is used for Bombsketball
When you describe your mod, it is advisable to specify which maps you support, whether they are large or small, and whether the corresponding game mode is supported. Or you can take the opposite approach; for example, if you made a mod for Shipwrecks Falls but did not create one for other modes, you can simply state "Beachbrawl is not supported"
Additional Notes
1. Working with files directly in the game folder is fraught with consequences. My experience has repeatedly shown that developing and testing files right in the game folder leads to the necessity of copying unfinished works as a complete mapArts folder, resulting in a large number of such folders, complicating the process of remembering what each folder contains. Therefore, it is better to install an application that will quickly copy files for testing into the game. It requires a bit more effort, but if the game happens to update and overwrite data, your intermediate work will be safe, and there will also be no confusion with a large number of mapArts
2. Also, try to document any intermediate stage (for example, if you started developing but did not finish) in a text file, noting where you left off. If you abandon the mod for a month or even longer, it will be hard to remember where to continue your work and what you have already accomplished
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