SnowRunner News

Hey SnowRunners!

Today, we're excited to welcome PuppyMaster, who has even brought his own puppers with him. Enjoy the interview!

[h3]How did you get into gaming?[/h3]
My first console was an Atari 2600. Back then the concept of a “Home Personal Computer” was still the fever dream of mad men, such as me. My first “PC” was a KayPro 2X. I know I dated myself a bit with those references but basically, gaming has been a part of my life for as long as I can recall. I even did the pen & paper gaming for many years. Only true OGs remember THAC0.

[h3]Could you tell us a little bit about your background?[/h3]
I was raised in a small rural town in Maine, population near 1,000, which made it quite the burgeoning metropolis compared to many of the neighbouring towns, lol. Dad ran a small OTR trucking company and bought me my first rig at the age of 10, an old Freightliner cabover. Said “if you’re gonna be doing trailer maintenance for me, you need to be able to jockey them around. And I’m not interested in having you bang up my rig.” Breezed through high school in 2 years and rolled straight into the Army at 18. I’ve done a lot of different types of work in my lifetime. Held a myriad of professional licenses such as master electrician/plumber, Class A CDL operator etc etc etc. I could do this all day, really… I’ve stayed busy.

But about 5 years ago, my back, hip, knee and the emphysema got to be a little much for me to work 14+ hours/day anymore. I decided to hang up my turnout gear from the Fire Departments, park my wrecker and call it a day. I still turn some wrenches and do auto salvage, but I refer to myself as “Semi-Retired.” Did I mention that I have 11 dogs? Because that’s kind of important. And before anyone asks: 7 Puggles (Pug/Beagle), 2 Buggs (Pug/Boston Terrier), a Pug, and an old, blind Pekingese. In fact, one of my dogs has even made an appearance in SnowRunner. Snuffles!!!



[h3]What got you into modding?[/h3]
I played MudRunner on console and loved it, but I honestly had no idea about the mods until my friend bought it for me on PC. And at that time, SnowRunner was already on pre-order. After my first vanilla playthrough, I decided I’d get in touch with some MR modders that did commission builds and see if they’d build a truck for me for SnowRunner. After much back and forth, I ultimately decided I was going to just dive in headfirst and build my own truck. And I harassed Poghrim endlessly while I worked my way through my first build. So, anyone who enjoys my builds, make sure to throw a “Thank You” in a few other directions. In the early days, we (Rng3r, Yansors, Poghrim, DeathCoreBoy etc.) were all working together to get mods into the game, and I would be remiss to not give a nod to those that held my hand in the early days.

[h3]Where do you start with your mods? What’s your process and what triggers the idea?[/h3]
When I first got into modding, I kinda went (what my friends would call it) Puppy Big Splash on a few of the 3D Model sites, so my project vault is DEEP. Plus, I can now build my own stuff from scratch, so... Honestly, picking the build I want to do next is one of the hardest parts for me. A lot of times, someone will say something or share a pic on Discord and it will light the spark. Some sparks like Ol' Red become immediate passion projects and shove all current projects onto the shelf for the moment. But after I choose my victim, the first thing I do with a pre-built model is optimization. On some models, this process is quick and straightforward. And then there are the other ones...

After optimizing, I start tuning the model for SnowRunner. A majority of pre-built models have no chassis as they are mostly to look pretty in renders, so building the chassis/suspension is usually the first hurdle. After primary modeling is done, I do my texturing. Again, sometimes this process is quick and straightforward. And then there are the ones where I'm manually adjusting my UV maps... (Which is most of them because I've found I actually enjoy it. Poghrim would probably call me a sadist, LOL!) Then it's time to throw some bones! I rig the model for animation, write my initial coding to get it to spawn in game, then take it for a ride! Then it's tweaking time and that's when I REALLY miss my buddy LoB1325 that I started the journey with. He was an XML mad man and a hard worker. He has retired from modding. For now. Next, I throw up a hidden beta so I can have a small group of people do private testing to get it just right and make sure there aren't any game breaking issues like Havoknados happening. Then it's out to the real testers: The public.

[h3]Have you modded for any other games?[/h3]
I have but it has been many years. I built/operated a Star Wars themed server for the game Neverwinter Nights circa 2004-ish. I even managed to get copyright approval from LucasArts to use licensed characters.

[h3]What's your favourite SnowRunner mod?[/h3]
I’m always amused to see the other modders’ answers to this question. As for vehicles mods, I can’t even begin to possibly choose. Not really. I mean, there was a full-scale AT-AT walker at one point. How do you begin to pick? I will single out a map or two though. Highway Haulin’ by Remoh667 obviously is a favourite of mine. I mean… Look at the trucks I build… It was obvious lol. And the RC Backyard Racetrack is amazing and nostalgic. Takes me straight back to the Micro Machines racing game on NES.



[h3]If someone could only download one of your mods, which would you suggest?[/h3]
Unfortunately, due to system limitations some of my mods ARE the only ones that people can use (I’m still fairly new to 3D modelling so I am still learning optimization practices). I guess the answer would depend on what they want to get from that one mod. A unique experience unlike any other? Then I’d recommend Ol’ Red. A wildly versatile “Medium Duty” truck? Probably the original Wrecker (which is currently almost finished with a ground up rebuild.) Or maybe you just want to go point A to B and just drive over everything in your way without breaking much of a sweat... In that instance, I would recommend the 5002M.



[h3]What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?[/h3]
Persistent deformable terrain. I have a whole folder full of awesome construction equipment models that are ultimately shelved due to frivolity. Oh, and while we’re on that topic… Proper track support would be wonderful.



[h3]What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?[/h3]
It’s a beautiful game. The trucks are beautiful, the scenery is excellent. And it’s a fun game on top of all that. And it has co-op for you and your buddies if you are the social type.

[h3]What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?[/h3]
Join the iX Discord. Seriously though. Over in the iX Modding Hub we have a family of some of the hardest working and best modders in the game. Everyone there is willing to help when they are able. And we have a set of guidelines we expect our extended family to follow, to ensure that everyone is keeping things on the up-and-up and providing high quality, free content to all users. AND we have cookies.

[h3]Working on any exciting mod at the moment?[/h3]
Every mod is exciting 😉. I seriously have more projects going than I could count. I am excited about my revamp of my first mod, the iX Wrecker. Feels good to return to an early project with a new arsenal of knowledge and creating a much better version. Other than that, I’ll just drop some teaser photos from some of my favourites and call it good.







[h3]What’s your all-time favourite real life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?[/h3]
1982 DMC-12, without question. I almost bought a used one many years ago and have always regretted passing on it. Maybe I should rig/texture one of the models of that car that I have and put it in SnowRunner and then it can be my favorite in both places… As for my favourite base game vehicle, I have to go with the Navistar. Dad drove a Navistar Eagle for many years and it has sentiment. I did almost my whole first playthrough in that truck.

[h3]Wildcard Question: What’s your favourite season and why?[/h3]
Got to go with winter. The air is crisp and dry, and it makes it much easier for me to breathe. Plus, I can dress in layers and if I get too warm, I can take some off. That’s why cold weather is better for me. I can only take off so many layers in warm weather…

[h3]Fully agree! Plus you can hear hats and hats are great.[/h3]

[h3]Check out and play PuppyMaster's mods on mod.io.[/h3]

If you have questions you'd like to see added to these interviews, feel free to suggest them and we may add them! 🙂

Hello SnowRunners!

Today we have a map maker who's won the monthly mod awards on several occasions! He's created a long list of fantastic new environments for all of us to explore and get stuck in. Please give a warm welcome to DerEggen!

[h3]How did you get into gaming?[/h3]
Born in the late 80's, my first contact with gaming probably was the GameBoy and Super Mario. The first game on PC I really played a lot was The Settlers 2 on Win 95. I learned to build my own PCs and stayed a PC kid ever since.

[h3]Could you tell us a little bit about your background?[/h3]
My name is André, I am from Germany and originally studied mechanical engineering before eventually ending up in the IT sector. I process data and information for a company that does land surveying - or to put it very simply, I also create maps in real life 😃

[h3]What got you into modding?[/h3]
Cheating. My career as a modder began early when I started modifying games via the game console with cheats and later tampering with the game files - at that time, of course, these were only single-player games. Until I came across the Runner franchise, I only ever did it for my own amusement. My first published mod for the franchise was a map in 2014. The rest is history.



[h3]Where do you start with your mods? What’s your process and what triggers the idea?[/h3]
I usually start with an idea for the main mission or the main theme of the map. Then I think about which environment would fit best. The editor makes it possible to import real elevation data, so-called 'dem' or 'gdem' data, in form of a simple .png image file. So I get such data from parts of the earth that match my idea, import the data and start to fill this terrain with roads, houses, factories and vegetation - that's how Meteor and Lake Coap were created.

Sometimes, however, I find an interesting landscape, import it into the editor and only then start thinking about suitable missions - that's what happened in the case of Kodar Desert, for example.

Either way, the layouts of my maps are very much inspired by the terrain, the terrain tells me where there is a good place for a city, where roads can be placed or where rivers flow.



[h3]How long does it generally take you to make a map?[/h3]
For very large maps with elevation data generated terrains, lots of details, custom structures, missions and localization for different languages, I had to invest hundreds of hours and it took months to build and test them.

But you don't always need that much time. The editor offers the possibility to use prefabricated 'references'. These are small parts of the original maps from the game that you can use on your own maps - e.g. the garages, factories, even whole settlements. If you have mastered the most important functions of the editor and make good use of the references, you can build a medium-sized, basic but good looking map with roads, paths, forests, a river, a few meadows, a settlement and a few factories in 50 hours or less.

In the end it's a matter of practise and how many details you want to add to your map.



[h3]What’s your favorite part about making maps?[/h3]
You can be incredibly creative and bring a landscape to life piece by piece according to your own ideas - whether you want to build an American off-road park or a mini-desert in Siberia.

I really enjoy putting on my headphones, listening to music and getting lost in the world I'm just creating. You have to put in a lot of work and sometimes a lot of hassle, but when you get the feedback from the many players who enjoy your map, it's very motivating and satisfying.



[h3]Have you modded for any other games?[/h3]
Nope, I started publishing maps in MudRunner and am currently on Snowrunner.

[h3]What's your favorite SnowRunner mod?[/h3]
When it comes to my personal favourites, it's the Unipog by Poghrim and the Mod Localization Tool by Allozorro. The tool is not a mod and very few people will know it, but without this program I would not be able to create a language selection for my maps. And the Unipog is a fantastically made expedition truck that I love to use for test drives on my maps.

But generally speaking, when someone takes the time to build a mod to the best of their ability and shares it, it's always worthy of a thumbs up and a thanks!

[h3]If someone could only download one of your mods, which would you suggest?[/h3]
Always the latest. Even though I've been making maps for quite some time, I learn something new with every project and each new map is better than the previous ones.

[h3]What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?[/h3]
Sometimes I would like to be able to get out of the vehicle, walk around the area and maybe even interact with the world in some ways.

[h3]What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?[/h3]
The game is simply the best and, thanks to the many mods, the most versatile off-road simulation currently available.
And apart from the pure content, I like the community that has formed since the beginning and that has enriched the series ever since.



[h3]Would you say the barrier of entry is harder for map making than for vehicles?[/h3]
I can't judge that too well, as I have never built vehicles myself. But I think it's easier to build a nice little map with a few simple missions than a fully functional vehicle. If you want to build high-end vehicles or maps, you certainly have to practice and learn a lot in both cases.

However, the editor is already installed with the game and you really only need to know this one program if you want to build a map. You can read through the official guide chapter by chapter and build your first small map along it. There is also a second guide, written by a user in the official Snowrunner forum, which offers a quick guide for the first map. As the guide is written from a more user's point of view, I can really recommend it for beginners: https://forums.focus-entmt.com/topic/61859/the-big-book-of-snowrunner-map-making

[h3]What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?[/h3]
It cannot be said often enough, start small and get in contact with other modders! Many who start modding have great ideas and throw themselves into the work with eagerness and enthusiasm. But unfortunately they take on too much and eventually give up in frustration because they underestimate the workload and don't get done what they had in mind.

If you want to start building maps, you should begin with a small map of no more than 1x1km². Then, with the help of the guide, get to know the various tools and functions of the editor and start designing your map.

The first successes will soon show but so will the first problems and questions. With both, you should go to the official Discord channel. There are many other modders who can help you. And you can show others your progress, which helps a lot to keep you motivated.

On YouTube there are also a few helpful videos from Remoh on the subject of map building for beginners.

[h3]Working on any exciting mod at the moment?[/h3]
Of course! I am currently working on a Russian region with three maps. Poghrim has also made some custom models and custom cargos for this map, so players can look forward to some unique and hopefully fun missions and locations. Unfortunately, the maps are still a long way from being finished.



[h3]What’s your all-time favorite real life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?[/h3]
I'm not a car nut, but the Mercedes Unimog has always fascinated me. For decades it has come in countless variants and conversions and the off-road capability of this truck is legendary.

In Snowrunner I would probably choose the Tayga. I've dug myself through many mud holes with it.

[h3]Wildcard Question: Combine two animals and name your creation.[/h3]
Obviously the world needs flying spiders, the Flyder - a very good reason to stay home and play videogames 😃

[h3]Ok the Flyder sounds horrifying, but thank you for the excuse to stay home and play games![/h3]



[h3]Check out and play DerEggen's mods on mod.io.[/h3]
If you have questions you'd like to see added to these interviews, feel free to suggest them and we may add them! 🙂

[h2]Hello, SnowRunners![/h2]
⚙️ Time to check out some cool mods! ❄️

Every month, the devs put their heads together and pick their favorite five mods. There's such a wide diversity of mods that picking only 5 of them is always a tough choice, so there's a lot of fantastic work that isn't on this list, too. Make sure to discover everything available on snowrunner.mod.io!

Here's a reminder of the rules and categories:

1. Vehicles: for this category, two vehicles created by the community are selected. The two main criteria for selection are the vehicle’s appearance and handling. (Two winners)

2. Map Design: This category awarded the most enjoyable maps, with interesting tasks and missions.

3. Map Environment: the most beautiful and impressive maps are awarded in this category.

4. Unique: the category for the most fun, strange and subversive mods. Let your imagination run wild!

[h2]Let's begin![/h2]

[h3]Vehicle #1[/h3]
Project VARV by Poghrim
Dev comment: "Very cool-looking racing scout, really fun to play with."

[h3]Vehicle #2[/h3]
Pack Tayga-257 (6x6) PC, Xbox, PS4 by ronniesonchak
Dev comment: "Fantastic soviet truck with an amazing suite of all kinds of addons (including concrete mixer)."

[h3]Map Design[/h3]
Lake Coap by DerEggen & MADMartinQc
Dev comment: "Gorgeous winter map that certainly raises the bar for modded maps' visual quality."

[h3]Map Environment[/h3]
Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP by Blood_Rage
Dev comment: "Great Russian map with lots of nice little touches that create a unique atmosphere of exploring remote Russian locations."

[h3]Unique[/h3]
Rickshaw Tuk Tuk - From Sri Lanka by FlamingYakuma
Dev comment: "We were really surprised to see a rickshaw in our game. Who is up for tuk-tuk racing?"


Congratulations to our winners, and thank you everyone for creating such amazing mods!

We are proud to have such a dedicated and passionate community, and it's a real pleasure to discover so many outstanding mods every month!

See you next month for more awesome mods!

The Saber, Focus, and mod.io Teams

Hello SnowRunners!

Today, VladSib72 joins us to answer our questions and give us a glimpse behind the modder!

[h3]How did you discover SnowRunner? What about it appealed to you?[/h3]
I’ve followed this series since 2014. The game about heavy (and small) trucks struggling through the wilderness to get the job done became my favorite. So there was no doubt I had to play SnowRunner on release.

[h3]How did you get into gaming?[/h3]
With my first PC back in 2002. One of the CDs was the Insane racing game. Free roaming, progressive physics, vehicle deformation, fun challenges - all this gave me many, many hours and I remember that spirit of freedom when playing the Runner series too.

[h3]Could you tell us a little bit about your background?[/h3]
I live in the west Siberian countryside. Celebrated my 33rd birthday a few days ago. I'm not involved in any significant job, so I just live a boring life (especially after the pandemic began) and watch the world's things going. Travelling is maybe the only thing I really like.



[h3]What got you into modding?[/h3]
First, to drive new vehicles. Lately, to bring life to forgotten trucks. I started to play custom maps in the original game of the series and at the same time learned the truck xml structure. Later I built a few mods from scratch, but only for my own use because the rumor about "MudRunner 2" had already spread, so that stuff was never released.

[h3]Have you modded for any other games?[/h3]
Yes I have a finished mod project called 'Man's Work' for an old strategy Civilization III, with a ton of machines from around the world.

[h3]What's your favourite SnowRunner mod?[/h3]
Rebalance Trees & Stumps mod. Though I was never able to get it to work. My top respect to vehicle mods that are exclusive to SnowRunner and can’t be found in any other games.

[h3]If someone could only download one of your mods, which would you suggest?[/h3]
My mod list is still short and vehicles are unusual. I'd suggest waiting for the next mod I'm going to add, that's a very common-style truck as most in the game. Speaking of published mods, start with the smallest one, the SUMB.



[h3]What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?[/h3]
Fully functional interior cabin as a potential addition. A dream is the random map generator.

[h3]What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?[/h3]
The extreme growth of game content compared to MudRunner. Also remember how I said Wow! sitting in a teammate’s truck in multiplayer. This new trick with synchronization was really unexpected to me.

[h3]What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?[/h3]
To communicate or cooperate. Gain experience from others, if possible. I’d say it’s the fastest way to make things work. I'm saying this because my folly to work solo on everything costs me a lot of time.



[h3]Working on any exciting mod at the moment?[/h3]
One project is in progress, but my summer modding activity was low, I’m sorry to admit. Support for my published mods after every game update, if needed, is my highest priority.

[h3]What’s your all-time favourite real life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?[/h3]
I’m not interested in driving in real life, I prefer to travel as a passenger. But if I decide to have a car someday, it would certainly be a pickup, perhaps the newest or unused Hilux. Should I say my favorite in-game vehicle is a Chevy CK1500?



[h3]Wildcard Question: What’s the best costume/disguise you’ve ever worn? If you don’t have one, what would it be?[/h3]
Oh God, a helicopter cosplay, that's what I want! Now it is my fantasy... Thanks for the questions!
[h3]Thank you for the answers, Vlad! I dearly hope you one day achieve your fantasy of being a helicopter.[/h3]

[h3]Check out and play VladSib72's mods on mod.io.[/h3]
If you have questions you'd like to see added to these interviews, feel free to suggest them and we may add them! 🙂

[h2]Hello SnowRunners![/h2]

As September ends, it’s time for our monthly community update to keep you posted on what’s going on in SnowRunner!

We are thrilled to see you exploring the Don region, which was released in early September as part of the Season 5: Build & Dispatch! We hope you’re enjoying the PC crossplay we brought with that update!

The Jeep Dual Pack was also released this month, and seeing you roaming free with these legendary vehicles is awesome!



Now, without any further ado, let’s get into it!

[h2]A new patch is on the way![/h2]

We’re planning to release the 15.1 patch around mid-October, which will bring various bug fixes. Make sure to stay tuned for more details.

[h2]SnowRunner at AUSA Annual Meeting![/h2]

SnowRunner will be at the AUSA Annual Meeting in the Mack Trucks space, thanks to our partners Mack Defense and Thrustmaster! From October 11 to October 13 in Washington DC, SnowRunner will be there on a special setup, on a big screen, and with a Thrustmaster wheel and pedals!

[h2]The sounds of SnowRunner, now in a 8h+ soundtrack![/h2]

Missing the ambience of SnowRunner when you’re not playing? You can now bring it anywhere with our soundtrack! Perfect for studying, driving or just chilling, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]The Meet the Modder series continues![/h2]

You all gave a warm welcome to “Meet the Modder” last month, and we’re happy to see the positive response to the series! More interviews are on their way in October, so make sure to check them out!

September interviews:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1465360/view/2989815139142738212
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1465360/view/2990942216938770012
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1465360/view/3990742060586550934
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1465360/view/3990742060597566883



[h2]What’s next?[/h2]

We’re slowly heading towards Season 6: Haul & Hustle! We can’t wait to showcase more about the new American region and the new vehicles that will come with it!



Make sure to stay tuned by following our social media: Twitter, Facebook, and join over 20000 Runners on our official Discord server!

See you in the snow, Runners!

The Saber, Focus, and mod.io teams