🛡️

Work on a copy: never edit the game's own files. You always copy a map into your mod first, edit the copy, and load the copy. Your real game stays untouched.

🐯

Ember says: one tile today, a whole world later. The skill is the same at every size: copy, open, change, save, load. Let's prove it works.

🛠️

Try it in the browser: paint a map and test walking it in the Stardew Mod Studio map editor.

📄

Copy the Farm Map

Make your own copy before changing anything

Active

🎯

Goal for this step

Get a copy of the farm map into your mod's assets folder.

1In your Stardew Valley folder, open Content / Maps and find the farm map, Farm.tmx.
2Copy Farm.tmx and paste it into your mod at assets/maps/Farm.tmx.
3The map uses tilesheet images. Copy those image files into the same assets/maps folder so the paths still match.
4You now have your own copy. The game's original is still safe.

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

Maps live in the game's Content/ folder. You always edit a , never the original.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Why do you copy the map before editing it?

ABecause Tiled refuses to open originals

BSo the game's own files stay safe and your change can be removed cleanly

CTo make the file smaller

🗺️

Open It in Tiled

Say hello to the map editor

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Open your copied map in Tiled and orient yourself.

1Open Tiled, then File > Open and choose your assets/maps/Farm.tmx.
2On the right you see the Layers panel (Back, Buildings, Front and more). On the bottom left are the Tilesets.
3In the middle is the map. Click the stamp brush icon to paint tiles.
4Click a tile in the Tileset panel to select it. That is the tile you will paint.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Where do you pick the tile you want to paint?

AThe Layers panel on the right

BThe Tilesets panel, then paint on the map

CThe console window

🖌️

Paint One Tile

Change a bit of grass into something new

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Make a small, obvious change to the map.

1Select the Back layer so you paint on the ground layer.
2Pick a grass or path tile in the Tileset panel.
3Click on the map to paint your tile over a small patch. Start with just a few tiles, easy to spot.
4Made a mistake? Ctrl+Z undoes it. Nothing here is permanent until you save.

💡

Paint a little smiley or your initial in the grass. It is easy to spot when you load the game, and it feels great when it shows up.

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

Ground tiles usually go on the layer. Press Ctrl+ to undo a mistake.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

You made a mistake while painting. What is the quickest fix?

ADelete the map and start again

BCtrl+Z to undo

CReinstall Tiled

💾

Save the Map

Keep the change on disk

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Save your edited map back to your mod.

1Press Ctrl+S (or File > Save) and save as assets/maps/Farm.tmx.
2Tiled saves in the same .tmx format Stardew uses, so no conversion is needed.
3If Tiled asks about image paths, keep them in the same folder so the map can find its tilesheets.
4The change is saved but the game does not know about it yet. Step 5 fixes that.

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

Save your edit with Ctrl+ . Tiled keeps the format Stardew reads.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

After saving, does the game already show your change?

AYes, saving is enough

BNo, you still have to tell Content Patcher to load your map

COnly if you restart Tiled

🗂️

Tell the Game to Load It

One Load action in content.json

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Point Content Patcher at your map.

1Open content.json and add a Load change.
2Target is the game's map, Maps/Farm. FromFile is your copy, assets/maps/Farm.tmx.
3Save content.json.
4Now the game will use your map instead of its own, without overwriting anything.

content.json

{
  "Format": "2.9.0",
  "LogName": "My First Farm",
  "Changes": [
    {
      "Action": "Load",
      "Target": "Maps/Farm",
      "FromFile": "assets/maps/Farm.tmx"
    }
  ]
}

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

The change action is . The game file you replace is the , Maps/Farm.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

What does the Load action do here?

ADeletes the game's Farm map forever

BCopies your map over the game's during loading, leaving the original alone

COpens the map in Tiled

🚀

See It in the Game

Launch, walk over, and celebrate

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Load a save and find your change on the farm.

1Launch Stardew through SMAPI and load any farm save.
2Walk to the spot you painted. Your new tiles should be there.
3Not showing? Check the console for red lines, and check your FromFile path matches the real file name exactly.
4It is there? You just modded Stardew Valley. The rest of the series is bigger versions of this.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Your change is not showing in-game. First thing to check?

ARebuy Stardew Valley

BThe console for red errors, and whether your FromFile path matches the file exactly

CPaint the tile brighter

🎉🧱🌱✨🎉

You Changed the World!

You copied a map, edited it in Tiled, loaded it with Content Patcher and saw it in-game. Episode 4 goes deeper into layers, so you always paint on the right one.

Total XP

Level

Best Streak

Accuracy

🗂️ Episode 4: Layers Explained →
⭐ View My Progress & Certificates

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Change the WorldEpisode 3: Your First Tile

Change the World
Episode 3: Your First Tile