Custom maps

Custom maps are user-created terrain files for Timberborn that let players design, share, and play custom scenarios. The game includes a built-in Map Editor with terrain tools to raise and lower land, paint soil types, place water sources, sculpt rivers, lakes and seasonal water flows, add vegetation and resource spawns, define starting positions for beaver settlements, and configure map size and drought settings. Saved maps appear in the game as map files and can be played immediately by starting a new game on the chosen map.

Custom maps are commonly distributed through the Steam Workshop and mod.io, with many community maps also available on Thunderstore and other community hubs. When you subscribe to a Workshop map it downloads automatically and becomes available in Timberborn’s New Game screen under the Custom maps tab. Maps downloaded manually typically come as .timber files; placing a .timber file into your Maps folder makes it visible in the in-game browser with a “[Custom]” prefix.

The Map Editor supports playtesting and reworking during creation. Uploading to Steam Workshop requires you to be online and logged into Steam; the editor provides an Upload map function where you can set visibility (Public, Unlisted) and update existing entries or submit a new item. Uploading to mod.io is done by locating your saved map file in your Maps folder and following the mod.io submission process for the Timberborn group.

Practical notes and common procedures:

• Creating: Open the Map Editor from the main menu, choose map dimensions, sculpt terrain, place water sources and vegetation, add at least one starting location marker, configure drought and other map settings, and playtest the map until water flows and starting resources behave as intended.
• Saving and file format: Maps save as .timber files in your Maps folder. If you download a map in a ZIP archive, extract the .timber file and move it to the Maps folder.
• Where the Maps folder is located: Custom map files live in the Timberborn Maps folder inside your Documents/My Documents for the platform you use. Platform-specific locations apply for some setups (for example Proton/Wine Steam installations on Linux use the Steam compatibility prefix paths).
• Downloading from Steam Workshop: Subscribe to a map on the Timberborn Workshop page; Steam will download it. Open New Game, choose a faction, open the Custom maps tab, and select the subscribed map to play it.
• Editing Workshop maps: Subscribe/download the Workshop map, open it in the Map Editor to make edits, and re-upload via the editor if you want to publish changes.
• Sharing via mod.io: Save or locate the .timber file in your Maps folder and follow the mod.io submission workflow for the official Timberborn hub.
• Finding community maps: Browse the Timberborn Steam Workshop (use the Map category filter), the Mod.io Timberborn group under the Map tag, Thunderstore, and community channels such as the Timberborn Discord maps channel for curated or themed map packs.

If a map does not appear after downloading, verify the .timber file is in the correct Maps folder and that the game was restarted if necessary. When uploading, choose appropriate visibility and add a clear description or changelog so players know what to expect.