SnowRunner News

Hello SnowRunners,

Give a warm welcome to modder Fredswayne, who may have the top first line of any interview we've done so far. Read on to discover more about one of the many modders creating incredible things for SnowRunner.



How did you get into gaming?
One day, when I was probably only 4 or 5 years old, Pops came home with a bag of random electronics. In that bag was 2 Sega Master Systems with a copy of Hang-On and a couple others I don’t remember the names of. I played more hours than I can remember of Hang-On, But once I found Snail Maze hidden in the bios of the master system, I was hooked, electronics were awesome to me.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background?
Sure can, I was raised in a rural community, I went from retrieving wrenches for the ole’ man as a kid to spinning my own through my teenage and adult years. I also have a bit of an artistic side.

[h3]What got you into modding?[/h3]
1000’s of hours playing with other people’s mods in MudRunner. They just got better and better with each released mod, and I always thought, “That’s gotta be a really good feeling seeing a 4x4 of your own design go tear up the digital trails”, so when SnowRunner came out and I saw a very active community on Discord with people who were helping people learn, I figured there’s no time like the present and here we are, and it is a really good feeling. Games get boring after a while, but games that encourage an active modding community have an infinite replay value.

[h3]Have you modded for any other games?[/h3]
I have not. Before now the most I had done was a few custom “Conky’s” on a Debian install. And a simple script to run folders of pics through an instance of deepdream and then save the results in a new folder named with sequential numbers.

[h3]What's your favourite SnowRunner mod?[/h3]
Oh now that's a tough one. There’s so many good mods out there. I can’t pick but one. But for 4x4’s I would say it’s a toss up between Dubz's 82 luxington truggy or red's slay five blazer. And when I am in a working mood, its a 3-way tie between the IX 3880, Pog’s tenno-21, and the kraz 255rsk -260rsk pack by KOT. Those are the ones I find myself attracted to the most.



[h3]If someone could only download one of your mods, which would you suggest?[/h3]
I would have to say the International Scout 800 I did. It was the first mod I made that made me feel like I really knew what I was doing finally. Tuning wise it just feels good to drive and Texture wise, I feel like I am always trying to get them as good as those ones again.

[h3]What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?[/h3]
Skidsteer mechanics. Not necessarily tracked vehicles, but I feel proper skidsteer mechanics could add a new element to the types of vehicles developed.

[h3]What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?[/h3]
The scenery and immersion. If you don’t have a 4-wheel drive of your own to go beat in the woods. This game is the next best thing.



[h3]What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?[/h3]
Well I would have to say the best approach would be to start small. There is so much work that goes into these things that you aren’t aware of until you try it yourself. Starting big is a sure-fire way to get frustrated in my opinion. Also don’t be shy about asking for help, we all started somewhere, and we all probably had a lot of help during that time. I know I did. Do some tweaks to get to know how the xml’s work. Then maybe make some simple add-ons for the base game trucks i.e. fire extinguishers, small toolbox, cap for a bed? Anything really. Or make some tires and rims. Just something to get familiar with both 3D-modeling and texturing but also the importing of the meshes and textures and how their xml’s work. Use the templates to your advantage.

Once you can get an addon in, then maybe try a car. Either find a free model that is legal to use or, if you're feeling brave, try to build something simple from scratch (it doesn’t have to be pretty, it can be a box with 2 cylinders) and use that to learn about the rigging and weighting the model. Once you can do that and somewhat understand what you are doing, I am a firm believer in repetition being the absolute best way to gain experience.

[h3]Working on any exciting mod at the moment?[/h3]
Well at the time writing I am in between mods. I have a few things started but all of my builds are usually the results of me being excited about building them and I just don’t have any that are doing that to me at this moment. I’m sure I will have something grab my attention soon enough though.



[h3]What’s your all-time favourite real life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?[/h3]
71 Plymouth Satellite, I just love everything about that car. SnowRunner vehicle? The Tuz 166. as far as base game vehicles go I have the most fun just cruising around exploring in a built up Tuz 166.

[h3]Wildcard Question: You’ve just won an entire cruise ship (not really, but imagine). What do you name it?[/h3]
That's Easy. The Larry 7 after the best PC game ever made (next to SnowRunner of course).

[h3]You're not the first modder to mention ol' Larry. Starting to doubt it's a coincidence![/h3]



[h3]Thank you so much for joining us![/h3]
[h2]Check out and play Fredswayne's mods on mod.io.[/h2]
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!

In this week's chat with one of the many talented SnowRunner modders out there, we're excited to welcome Yansors.

[h3]Could you tell us a little bit about your background?[/h3]
My name is Yan, I live in Minsk, not far from the automobile plant, most likely known to the entire post-Soviet space, and in my free time from study and work I sit down to draw 3D models to let off steam after work and to relax mentally. For me, 3D models are more art and recreation than some kind of work. In general, I started doing 3D modeling after I stopped collecting die-cast models. I decided that I grew out of them and needed to do something more "mature". One day I thought, why not replace physical models with virtual ones and then put them on a "virtual shelf", because the quality and detail will depend only on you. And when I started modding, these models were able to "come to life" and became more like their real prototypes.

[h3]How did you get into gaming?[/h3]
Since I'm a little over 20 now, I think this question doesn't make much sense. It all started at the age of 10 when I found racing games that got me involved, a little later I switched to the simulation genre, which made a big contribution to start modding.



[h3]What got you into modding?[/h3]
I wondered if I could do what I want, and not what others are doing, I saw that there are paid and free modifications, some are engaged in the creation of specific cars for money. After a couple of nights of studying modding software, I decided to try creating my first mod. It was a correction of textures and XML-tweaks of a mod from the general access. That's how it started, then I moved on to more in-depth study of programs for 3D modeling and texture creation, and now I am at this level, and still improving.

[h3]Have you modded for any other games?[/h3]
No. In my opinion, the modding requirements requirements in the (Mudrunner) Snowrunner game series are quite simple. However, this does not mean at all that the possibilities are completely limited, on the contrary: the more experience and guides you read, the more you look at the mods of other modders, watch reviews and lessons on YouTube, the more experience and new ideas you discover.

[h3]What's your favourite SnowRunner mod?[/h3]
If you take mine, then it's most likely these two, because I spent on them most of the time, and probably achieved the detail and elaboration that I wanted. However, this does not mean at all that I will stop at this option, because with each update we have more and more opportunities.



From the mods that are on mod.io, I choose this MP500 Unipog scout. It's not big in size and stylish enough to be loved by the player.



[h3]If someone could only download one of your mods, which would you suggest?[/h3]
If the player wants really new sensations and he is ready to sacrifice the graphic component, I would suggest one of my older mods: the BAZ-6944.



[h3]What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?[/h3]
I think SnowRunner has a pretty good base and I am rather missing some "small leaves on the branches of this tree". However, probably, as a modder, I'd like to develop a trailer theme, where I can paint trailers, change wheels, and change the suspension and superstructures.

[h3]What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?[/h3]
Atmosphere, graphics, variety of cargo and, of course, modding support. The maps have become colourful, and provide a variety of plot and routes, within the genre of course.

[h3]What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?[/h3]
It will probably sound trite, but try and not wait for the experience to come by itself. A person initially requires desire, perseverance, and a desire to self-study. To begin with, you should study how the code works, try to change it, and even experiment without laying out, then create, roughly speaking, a "box on wheels", and then when you've realized that you like it, to start what you want or to a more complex one stage of "learning".

Perhaps it is also worth giving more advice, listening to constructive feedback from the audience.

[h3]Working on any exciting mod at the moment?[/h3]
Yes, now I'm working on textures and addons for the GAZ-3301 (TUZ-101 for the console version).



[h3]What’s your all-time favourite real life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?[/h3]
In real life, I'm a big fan of old German cars, my favourite is the VW Scirocco mk 2.
In SnowRunner, I would most likely choose International Paystar 5070 from the American segment and Azov 5319 from the Russian segment.

[h3]Wildcard Question: Favourite cheese? GO! No thinking, only cheese.[/h3]
Parmesan. I don't know why, I just love very hard cheeses.
[h3]Praise Cheeses for parmesan. With it, life is gouda.[/h3]

[h3]Thank you so much for joining us![/h3]
[h3]Check out and play Yansor'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!

Another week, another modder to discuss with!

This time we’re welcoming CanuckRunner in Meet The Modder! *round of applause*

[h3]How did you get into gaming?[/h3]
I first began gaming on an original Nintendo playing Blades of Steel and Super Mario Bros, eventually upgrading to a Super Nintendo when it was first released, and my love grew even more. My first foray into PC gaming was with Warcraft 2 and I was forever hooked.

[h3]Could you tell us a little bit about your background?[/h3]
As my name implies, I’m from Canada where we are very used to cold and snowy conditions. I always joke that our igloos melt each summer from the heat 😜 I’m a very humble person in my 30s with simple dreams and ambitions while normally keeping to myself. I work in Building Automation and Controls where I enjoy creating solutions for things that don’t communicate/work together with custom graphical user interfaces.

[h3]What got you into modding?[/h3]
I’ve been part of the iX Modding Hub since its inception helping refine wonderful creations for the community to enjoy. As a result, I began to dream about different vehicles for the game and thanks to a conversation with PuppyMaster, I was really intrigued to get my feet wet. I began browsing different 3D model sites and came across a beautiful old ramp truck and immediately fell in love. The thought of introducing a vehicle into the game that didn’t exist really inspired me. Never did I imagine that something I did would end up available on gaming consoles and PCs for everyone to use. Even more was impressing the developers who awarded the Ramp Truck as July 2021’s most unique vehicle. Thank you!

[h3]Have you modded for any other games?[/h3]
SnowRunner is the first video game I have ever modded for.

[h3]What's your favorite SnowRunner mod?[/h3]
This will be a two-part answer.

1. My favorite public mod would be the iX 3880 as it offers a unique experience for role playing or tackling any challenge in the game. Honorable mentions to Poghrim’s C-series Volvo’s as well as DeathCoreBoy’s Mack Defense.
   
2. My favorite personal mod is the SnowRunner Cup! It was my first fully scratch built attempt and implementation into the game before the Ramp Truck.

Mod: SnowRunner Cup

[h3]If someone could only download one of your mods, which would you suggest?[/h3]
It would have to be my Ramp Truck. It’s truly a unique, niche vehicle that I’m sure no one would expect to find in SnowRunner. Just keep it away from deep mud and extreme obstacles.


Mod: Heritage 54 Ramp Truck

[h3]What would be your dream change or addition to SnowRunner?[/h3]
Dynamic weather conditions – Where white out blizzards reduce visibility and make surfaces more slippery to rain making the various terrain softer to traverse.

[h3]What’s your favorite thing about SnowRunner?[/h3]
Everything. There really is no other off-road game like it out there to my knowledge that offers as much content and fun as SnowRunner does. I had no prior knowledge of past titles in the franchise, so I learned about SnowRunner on its release day when I watched someone stream the game and immediately bought it (on two platforms) and sunk hundreds of hours into it. You can use your imagination to create almost any role-play scenario or kick back with a few friends and help launch a rocket to outer space.

[h3]What advice would you give to people who would like to get into modding?[/h3]
First - Understand that modding is not easy and requires great patience when starting out. I suggest tweaking current vehicles in the game to learn how the XML structure works while applying changes to see different results. Getting familiar with 3D language and software is essential. There are several wonderful tutorials to help learn different 3D software available based on your individual preference. Once comfortable, begin with small objects, such as add-ons, allowing yourself to become comfortable and learn the process from creation to export for in-game use. Examining the template vehicle Saber provides to learn aspects of the 3D model for game use, including the bone skeleton, while studying the provided guides will only help you understand the processes further.

Second – Ask questions! There are several modders and community discords that are available to help you out.

Third – Have fun! Modding is an adventure, not a race.

[h3]Working on any exciting mod at the moment?[/h3]
Yes. I’m currently working on two upcoming mods.
The first is a scout that will be released later this month – TRK Cargo Van



The second has been kept top secret until now. Based on the Oshkosh FMTV, here is a sneak peek at MEAN GENE.



[h3]What’s your all-time favourite real-life vehicle? What about SnowRunner vehicle?[/h3]
I remember watching the movie Corvette Summer when I was young and always had a love for all generations of Corvette in general. It’s a dream to not only drive but own one someday.

As for SnowRunner, the International Fleetstar has my heart. It’s a delicious classic truck! The Derry Longhorn 3194 gets an honorable mention.

[h3]Wildcard Question: If you could compare yourself with any animal which would it be and why?[/h3]
A bear. I’m a soft, gentle giant. But poke the bear and look out!
[h3]A bear? Well that's a paw-erful animal![/h3]

[h3]Thanks so much for joining us![/h3]
[h3]Check out and play CanuckRunner’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]Greetings Runners![/h2]

We are very excited to release the Jeep Dual Pack, bringing the iconic Wrangler-Rubicon and the CJ-7 “Renegade”!

Please keep in mind that this is an exclusive DLC and not included in the Season Pass.

Check out today’s thrilling trailer to see the Wrangler-Rubicon and the CJ-7 “Renegade” in action!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Get two legendary trucks with the Jeep Dual Pack.[/h2]

These new trucks are part of the renowned CJ class, for "Civilian Jeep", that came into service as open-bodied, compact pickup trucks and keeps its place in history for being the first mass-produced four-wheel-drive civilian car in the world.

The CJ-7 "Renegade" and the Wrangler-Rubicon are lightweight scouts like no other with powerful modern engines, easily capable of clearing shallow to medium-depth mud. Jeep's signature custom suspension system also has an excellent performance in rock-crawling and other rugged terrains.



The Jeep Dual Pack is available now for purchase on Steam as a standalone DLC. The ultimate off-roading experience, SnowRunner, its Year 1 and Year 2 Passes are available now on Steam.


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1465360/SnowRunner/

[h3]Greetings Runners![/h3]

We are thrilled to announce that Season 5: Build & Dispatch is now available to all Year 2 Pass owners! Time to brave the new lands of Rostov Oblast to restore an old TATRA factory near a lake-side village!

The accompanying free update also has fresh content for all players, bringing Crossplay to all PC platforms and much more.

Watch today's Overview Trailer for a full breakdown of the new content, available now on Steam!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Rebuild a TATRA factory, and challenge your new vehicles in the proving grounds![/h2]

Build & Dispatch brings you to Rostov Oblast, Russia. Two brand new maps, including a heavy industrial zone and the Antonovsky Nature Reservation, will be completely open to explore and uncover. Your objective is to restore the old TATRA factory, and to help you, you'll be behind the wheel of two mighty TATRA 8-wheelers: the TATRA FORCE and the TATRA PHOENIX, both boasting the brand's signature adaptable axles.

The Phase 5 update includes new addons, including the community-requested dynamic ramp, facilitating the vehicle loading for long-haul missions and a brand new skin for the DON 71 scout for all SnowRunner players.



There are also two major updates for all players, coming completely free. The first is a new code-based invite and matchmaking system that allows Crossplay for all PC users. A brand new, toggleable, Immersive Mode is also coming in the update, letting you enjoy the game with a minimalist UI so you can take in the fresh air or explore new challenges.



[h3]Season 5: Build & Dispatch is available now on Steam as part of the Year 2 Pass. Get SnowRunner and all the content of Year 1 Pass with SnowRunner Premium Edition.
[/h3] Check out our official store page for more info!

Follow us on our social media: Twitter, Facebook, Discord, Instagram

[h2]Season 5 Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]General additions[/h3]
⚈ [DLC] Two new maps in the Don region:

• Factory Grounds
  
• Antonovsky Nature Reserve

⚈ [DLC] Two new trucks:

• Tatra Force T815-7
  
• Tatra Phoenix

⚈ Unique skin for Don 71
⚈ New exterior stickers
⚈ Fully playable “immersive mode”

• HUD elements such as gearbox and functions menu are hidden in this mode and only shown when a player uses them

[h3]Mods[/h3]

• Fixed a bug where players got missing mods message each time when they tried to load a game save in which some of the mods were deactivated
  
• Improved errors handling for the mod browser
  
• Fixed a bug in the game editor where the borders of the zone for crafting were not displayed
  
• Fixed a bug where the numbers were shown instead of the name of the mod map on the first load
  
• The approximate amount of memory that mod will take is now displayed at the dev panel on the polygon
  
• Added a hotkey for dev panel hide function on polygon
  
• Supported custom pictures for custom cargo
  
• Improved mod browser behavior on the console in order to better display estimated RAM for each mod
  
• Added ability to set up separate addons as “able to pack truck”

[h3]Hard Mode [/h3]

• Fixed a bug where fuel canisters were instantly replenished after purchasing another addon in the garage
  
• Fixed a bug where the player was unable to change 'Metric System' in the Settings menu during the normal game right after exiting a 'Hard Mode' game

[h3]Trucks[/h3]

• Fixed a bug where the legs of some heavy semi-trailers could get stuck in the ground after purchasing it for the Tatra 813 truck
  
• Fixed a bug where players were unable to attach a trailer that required a saddle when the saddle was not equipped on the Tatra T813
  
• Tweaked driver position for Tatra 805
  
• Fixed a bug where rear wheels of trucks with articulated frames were displayed as not attached to frame after the save load
  
• Fixed a bug where Heavy Crane was incorrectly mounted to Western Star 4964 in some cases
  
• Fixed a bug where the 'Cat CT681' truck could not move if the suspension was completely broken and the suspension axle was lowered
  
• Fixed a bug where fuel tank addon collided with fuel tank trailer on ZiKZ 5368
  
• Improved back winch placement on Tatra 813
  
• Improved gauge lights on GMC Brigadier
  
• Fixed a bug where the hook of a heavy-duty bumper on ANK38 was floating in the air
  
• Fixed a bug where cab reverse lights did not work for Derry 4520
  
• Tweaked wheel offsets for Khan Sentinel

[h3]Steam[/h3]

• Proper support for native Steam invites

[h3]General fixes[/h3]

• Fixed a bug where players were not able to load cement from Quarry for the task "Cement for the Region"
  
• Fixed a bug where the "Turn on the engine on winched truck" option disappeared if the "C" button was bound to another button
  
• Fixed a bug where in some cases sell of a medium log trailer did not give any money
  
• Fixed a bug where cargo did not appear on the map if the client activated the task while the host was on another map
  
• Fixed a bug where the “Turn on/off engine” prompt displayed on the screen after entering and exiting the garage
  
• Fixed a bug where garage sounds were played before loading was complete when player recovered to the garage from another level
  
• Fixed a bug where in some cases items to deliver could be duplicated when the player restarted Orbital Velocity objective
  
• Fixed a bug where too many cargos were listed in the task description of For Hard-to-reach Places objective
  
• Fixed a bug where location marker was not displayed for BA-20 armored car during “The Price of Victory” contract
  
• Fixed a bug where All-terrain tires got "mud-terrain" written and mud-terrain tires had "all-terrain" written on them.
  
• Fixed a bug where the number of the flattened tires on the mini-map was incorrect when all 4 wheels were fully damaged
  
• Fixed a bug where players were unable to buy trailers if a car was packed on the platform of the truck
  
• Fixed a bug where cargo could disappear during packing/unpacking of cargo at a certain position of the trailer
  
• Fixed a bug where «Model collector» achievement was no unlocked for some players
  
• Fixed a bug where it was possible to equip seismic vibrator and metal detector at the same time on some vehicles
  
• Fixed a bug where control scheme “B” didn’t have a keybind for toggling the camera
  
• Improved sounds playback from nearby trucks
  
• Fixed a bug where the final cutscene of "Liftoff'" contrast did not work properly on the Playstation platform