Workshop Upload Process

Intermediate40-60 minutesWindowsUnturnedUnity Editor

A map that passes every loading validation test, runs cleanly through -ValidateAssets with zero errors, and plays correctly in both single-player and dedicated server environments is ready for publication to the Steam Workshop. The Workshop upload process is the bridge between a local map project and a publicly accessible content entry that subscribers can find, download, and play. The process is simple in principle -- the game editor packages the map folder and uploads it to Valve's content delivery network -- but the details of file selection, tag application, preview image preparation, and visibility management determine whether the upload succeeds on the first attempt and whether the map is discoverable by its target audience after publication.

This article documents the map-specific Workshop upload workflow used by 57 Studios™ across every published map. The article covers the required file structure, file size limits and constraints, tag selection and categorization, preview image requirements, the upload procedure through the Unturned™ Workshop tool, visibility settings for staged and public releases, version notes and changelog authoring, and the post-upload verification steps that confirm the map is accessible and functional through the Workshop distribution path. The article also documents every common upload failure mode with its resolution.

Prerequisites

• A map that passes all loading validation tests documented in Map Loading Failures. The map must load without errors in both single-player and dedicated server environments.
• -ValidateAssets must produce zero errors. The map will not be accepted for the curated program if it has validation errors, and publishing a map with validation errors creates a poor subscriber experience.
• A Steam account that owns Unturned™ on Steam. The Workshop publish endpoint is gated by ownership of the host game.
• A prepared map folder containing the level .asset file, Config.json, and all asset bundles. The folder must be organized according to the structure documented below.
• A 1024x1024 PNG preview image prepared to the specification in this article.
• A BBCode-formatted description drafted in a text editor (Notepad++ recommended).
• A backup of the map folder before beginning the upload procedure.

What you will learn

• How to prepare the map folder for Workshop upload with the correct file structure and required files.
• How to stay within file size limits and constraints for maps on the Workshop.
• How to select tags from the Unturned™ tag taxonomy for maximum discoverability.
• How to prepare a preview image that meets the Workshop specification and a landscape preview image for the in-game level selection menu.
• How to execute the upload procedure through Unturned's built-in Workshop tool.
• How to set map visibility for staged and public releases.
• How to write effective version notes and changelog entries.
• How to verify a published map by subscribing from a separate Steam account.
• How to diagnose and resolve every common upload failure mode.

Background: how the Workshop distributes a map

The Steam Workshop is Valve's content distribution platform. When a map author publishes a map through the Workshop, the Unturned™ game editor packages the map folder into a content payload, uploads the payload to Valve's content delivery network, creates a Workshop entry that points at the payload, and applies the author's metadata (title, description, preview image, tags, visibility) to the entry.

When a subscriber clicks Subscribe on the Workshop entry, the Steam client downloads the payload from Valve's CDN and places it in the subscriber's Workshop content cache. When the subscriber launches Unturned™, the game discovers the map in the Workshop cache and presents it in the level selection menu alongside all other installed maps.

A map that is published through the Workshop is identified by a Workshop ID (a numeric identifier) that is returned by the publishing tool when the entry is created. This ID is used to reference the map in server configuration (WorkshopDownloadConfig.json), in update submissions, and in external links to the Workshop entry.

Required file structure for a map Workshop entry

The map folder that the Workshop upload tool packages must be a directory containing the map's top-level files. The folder structure must match the structure that the Unturned™ engine expects when loading the map from the Workshop cache.

Standard folder structure

MyMap/
├── Bundles/
│   ├── MasterBundle.dat
│   └── <bundle_name>.unity3d (or .masterbundle)
├── Level/
│   └── <levelname>.asset
├── Config.json
├── English.dat (recommended)
├── WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png (recommended)
└── published_file_id.txt (created by the upload tool after first publish)

File-by-file requirements

File	Purpose	Required
Level/<levelname>.asset	The level asset definition. References the map's master bundle name and terrain configuration.	Yes. The map will not appear in the level list without this file.
Config.json	Version number, map name, and metadata. The engine reads this file to determine version compatibility.	Yes. The map will not load without this file.
Bundles/ directory	Contains the master bundle .dat file and all built asset bundles. The engine loads all bundles in this directory at map startup.	Yes if the map uses any custom assets.
Bundles/MasterBundle.dat	Defines the master bundle name and asset prefix. Required when using master bundles.	Yes if using master bundles.
Bundles/<name>.unity3d or .masterbundle	The built asset bundle files containing all custom prefabs, textures, materials, and audio.	Yes if the map uses custom assets.
English.dat	Localization entries for the map's custom items, objects, and UI text.	Recommended. Without this file, custom item names may display as internal ID strings.
WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png	16:9 landscape preview image displayed in the in-game level selection menu when the player hovers over the map entry.	Recommended. The level selection menu uses a default placeholder if this file is absent.
published_file_id.txt	Created automatically by the Workshop upload tool after the first publish. Contains the Workshop ID.	Required for updates. Without this file, the upload tool will create a new entry instead of updating the existing one.

What must be excluded from the upload folder

The upload folder must not contain source files (.blend, .psd, .tga, .fbx, .obj), Unity project files (.unity, .prefab, .asset), editor configuration files, or any other file that is not required for the map to load and run. The 57 Studios™ cohort recommendation is to maintain a separate Sources/ directory outside the Workshop upload folder and to include only the built asset bundles and the level asset file in the upload folder.

Including source files in the upload payload increases the upload size, increases subscriber download time, and exposes the map's editable assets to any subscriber who inspects the Workshop cache contents. The Workshop cache is not secured against subscriber access.

File size limits and constraints

Constraint	Workshop limit	Cohort recommendation
Maximum upload size	No hard public limit. Maps over 1 GB have been uploaded successfully.	Keep under 500 MB. Larger uploads take proportionally longer to upload and download.
Maximum preview image file size	1 MB	1024x1024 PNG under 500 KB.
Maximum preview image dimensions	No hard limit; 512x512 minimum	1024x1024 square PNG.
Maximum landscape preview image file size	Not enforced by the Workshop, but used by the game client	1920x1080 PNG under 1 MB.
Asset bundle format	.unity3d or .masterbundle	Master bundles for maps with many custom prefabs; individual .unity3d for iteration.
Folder depth limit	No hard limit	Keep folder structure flat within Bundles/. Deep nesting may cause path resolution issues on some operating systems.
File name characters	Alphanumeric, hyphens, underscores only	Avoid spaces and special characters. The Workshop upload tool may reject folder paths with spaces.

Tags and categories for map entries

Tag selection determines whether a map appears in filtered Workshop search results. A subscriber browsing the Workshop by tag filter will see only entries that carry the selected tags. A map with incorrect or absent tags is invisible to subscribers who use tag filters.

Available tags for maps

The Unturned™ Workshop tag taxonomy includes the following tags that are relevant to map entries. The authoritative tag list is defined by Smartly Dressed Games and is rendered in the Workshop upload interface. See Workshop Tag Taxonomy and Governance for the full governance framework.

Tag category	Available tags for maps	Cohort recommendation
Content type	Map	Always select Map. This is the mandatory Tier 1 tag for map entries.
Map size	Insane, Large, Medium, Small	Select the size that matches the map's terrain dimensions and playable area.
Gameplay style	Survival, Roleplay, Singleplayer, Multiplayer	Select one or two that match the map's intended play mode. Do not select both Singleplayer and Multiplayer unless the map is explicitly designed for both.
Theme	Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Modern, Historical, Winter, Desert, Tropical, Urban, Rural, Horror	Select one or two that match the map's dominant aesthetic. A map that includes both a desert biome and a snow biome should select the theme that represents the majority of the playable area.

Tag selection strategy

The cohort recommendation is to select 4 to 6 tags total. Include the mandatory Map tag, one size tag, one gameplay style tag, and one or two theme tags. A map tagged with every available tag is diluted in the Workshop's discovery algorithm and performs worse in search results than a map tagged with a precise set of 4 to 6 tags.

Map type	Recommended tag set
Large survival map, temperate forest biome	Map, Large, Survival, Rural
Medium roleplay city map	Map, Medium, Roleplay, Urban, Multiplayer
Small arena combat map	Map, Small, Multiplayer
Insane desert survival map	Map, Insane, Survival, Desert
Winter horror map	Map, Medium, Survival, Winter, Horror, Singleplayer
Tropical adventure map	Map, Large, Multiplayer, Tropical, Adventure

Preview image requirements

The preview image for a Workshop map entry serves two purposes: it is displayed in the Workshop browse interface, and it is displayed in the Unturned™ level selection menu when the player selects the map. The landscape preview image (WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png) is an additional image that the level selection menu displays when the player hovers over the map entry.

Workshop preview image specification

Property	Requirement	Notes
Format	PNG or JPG	PNG preferred. No GIF, WebP, or other formats.
Dimensions	1024x1024 recommended; 512x512 minimum	The Workshop upscales images below 1024px on the entry page, causing visible blur.
Aspect ratio	1:1 (square)	Non-square images are cropped or letterboxed on Workshop UI surfaces.
File size	Under 1 MB	Under 500 KB recommended.
Color space	sRGB	Non-sRGB images appear washed out.
Transparency	Allowed (PNG alpha)	Alpha is composited over the Workshop dark background.
Content	Aerial render, landmark shot, or environment panorama	No HUD, no editor UI, no text overlays, no watermarks across the center of the frame.

Landscape preview image specification

The landscape preview image is stored in the map folder root as WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png. It is displayed by the game client in the level selection menu when the player hovers over the map entry.

Property	Requirement
Format	PNG
Dimensions	1920x1080 recommended
Aspect ratio	16:9 (landscape)
File size	Under 1 MB
Content	A wide establishing shot of the map, preferably from an elevated camera angle that shows the terrain layout and a prominent landmark.

Content recommendations for map preview images

The cohort recommendation for map preview image composition is to capture a high-altitude aerial shot that shows the map's terrain layout, a ground-level shot of the map's most visually distinctive landmark, or a composite image that combines both perspectives. The preview image should communicate the map's scale and aesthetic at a glance.

Avoid the following content patterns:

• Close-up shots of individual objects (a preview image that shows a single tree conveys no information about the map).
• Images taken from the editor viewport with editor tools visible.
• Images with player HUD elements overlaid.
• Text-heavy images that explain what the map is about. Subscribers scan preview images; they do not read them.
• Heavily filtered or stylized images that do not represent the map's in-game appearance.

Technical workflow for capturing a preview image

1. Open the map in the Unturned™ Level Editor.
2. Navigate the free-fly camera to an elevated position that captures the map's most visually representative area. The recommended altitude is high enough to show terrain layout but low enough that individual buildings and landmarks are distinguishable.
3. Disable the editor overlay by pressing the menu toggle key (typically F2). The editor UI elements must not be visible in the captured image.
4. Use the Steam overlay screenshot key (F12) or Windows Game Bar (Win+Alt+PrtScn) to capture the viewport. The capture tool must save in PNG format at the monitor's native resolution.
5. Open the saved screenshot in a raster image editor (Paint.NET, Photoshop, GIMP, or equivalent).
6. Crop the image to a 1:1 square aspect ratio, centering the crop on the map's primary landmark or the most visually dense area of the terrain.
7. Resize the cropped image to 1024x1024 pixels.
8. Export as PNG with sRGB color profile. Confirm the file size is under 500 KB.
9. For the landscape preview image, crop to 16:9 aspect ratio (1920x1080 recommended), resize, and export as PNG under 1 MB.
10. Save the square image as the Workshop preview image. Save the landscape image as WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png in the map folder root.

Upload procedure

The upload procedure below is executed through the Unturned™ game client's built-in Workshop tool. This is the recommended method for the first publication of a map because the in-menu wizard validates inputs and prevents common errors. For subsequent updates, the same tool is used with the existing map folder that contains the published_file_id.txt linkage file.

Step-by-step upload procedure

1. Launch Unturned™ and navigate to the Workshop tab in the main menu.
2. Click Submit.
3. In the Collection Path field, click the file picker and navigate to the prepared map folder (the folder containing Config.json and the Level/ directory). Select the folder, not its parent directory.
4. In the Preview Image field, click the file picker and select the 1024x1024 PNG prepared for the Workshop listing.
5. Enter the map's display name in the Name field. This becomes the Workshop entry's title. The name should match the map's branding and be consistent with the name used in the level selection menu.
6. Paste the BBCode-formatted description in the Description field. The description must use only the BBCode tags that the Workshop renders.
7. Select the tags from the available tag categories. Include at minimum the Map tag as the content type, plus one size tag and one gameplay style tag.
8. In the Asset Type field, select Map.
9. Set Visibility to Friends-only or Unlisted for the initial upload. This allows the entry to be verified before public exposure.
10. In the Change Note field, enter a brief description of the initial release. The standard entry is "Initial release" or a short description of what the first version includes.
11. Confirm all fields for accuracy.
12. Click Create. The tool packages the map folder and uploads it to the Workshop. The tool reports progress during the upload and returns a Workshop URL upon completion.
13. Copy the Workshop URL and open it in a browser. Confirm that every metadata field (title, description, preview image, tags, visibility) renders correctly.
14. On a separate Steam account (or a freshly installed Unturned™), subscribe to the map through the Workshop URL. Launch Unturned™ and confirm the map appears in the level list and loads without errors.

What the upload tool packages

The Workshop tool packages the contents of the selected folder into a single content payload. The tool does not follow symbolic links, does not include hidden files, and does not package files outside the selected folder. The tool reports the payload size during the upload progress. The payload includes:

• All files and subdirectories inside the selected folder.
• The preview image file (uploaded separately from the payload).
• The metadata fields entered in the submission wizard (title, description, tags, visibility).
• The change note text.

Upload progress and completion

The upload progress is reported by the tool in the status area. The upload speed depends on the payload size and the author's internet connection upload bandwidth. A 200 MB map upload on a 50 Mbps connection takes approximately 30 to 60 seconds. A 500 MB map upload on a 10 Mbps connection may take 7 to 10 minutes.

If the upload fails partway through, the Workshop entry is not created or updated. The tool reports the failure with an error message. The most common upload failure causes are network interruptions, file size limits, and Steam session expiration. The resolution for each failure mode is documented in the failure modes section below.

Map visibility settings

The Workshop entry's visibility controls who can find and subscribe to the entry. The 57 Studios™ cohort recommendation is to stage the initial upload at Friends-only or Unlisted visibility, perform the post-upload verification steps, and then transition to Public visibility.

Visibility	Who can find	Who can subscribe	Cohort use case
Public	Anyone browsing the Workshop	Anyone	Standard publishing after verification
Friends-only	Steam friends of the map author	Steam friends of the map author	Soft launch to a small group of invited testers
Unlisted	Anyone with the Workshop URL	Anyone with the URL	Private distribution to a specific testing group
Private	Only the map author	Only the map author	Staging the entry before any testing

The visibility can be changed at any time after the entry is published. The cohort-validated visibility workflow is:

1. Publish as Friends-only or Unlisted.
2. Share the Workshop URL with a small group of testers.
3. Gather feedback and identify any remaining loading or gameplay issues.
4. Fix issues and publish an update at Friends-only or Unlisted visibility.
5. After the map passes testing, transition the visibility to Public.

A map that is published directly to Public visibility without a staging phase exposes any undetected loading or gameplay issues to the entire subscriber base. Negative ratings and comments accumulated during the first hours of Public visibility can permanently depress the entry's Workshop ranking.

Version notes and changelog

The change note field in the Workshop upload tool accepts a short text description of the changes in the current upload. For the initial release, the change note is typically "Initial release" or a brief description of the map's key features. For subsequent updates, the change note should describe what changed and why.

Change note conventions

Upload type	Change note format	Example
Initial release	"Initial release" plus brief feature summary	"Initial release. Large survival map with four towns, custom tree pack, and full loot table configuration."
Bug fix	"Fixed [specific issue]"	"Fixed missing zombie spawns in Northwood sector. Updated navmesh to cover industrial zone."
Content update	"Added [specific content]"	"Added two new points of interest: abandoned mine and fishing village. Updated loot distribution."
Balance update	"Adjusted [specific balance parameter]"	"Rebalanced item spawn rates across all tiers. Reduced high-tier weapon frequency in coastal zones."
Major revision	"Version X.Y.Z. [summary of changes]"	"Version 2.0.0. Complete navmesh rebake. New custom assets for all major buildings. Expanded playable area by 40 percent."

The change note is visible to subscribers in the Workshop entry's Change Notes tab. For curated maps, the change note is also displayed in the Unturned™ main menu when the map receives an update. The cohort recommendation is to write change notes in complete sentences that describe both the change and the reason for the change, so that subscribers can evaluate whether the update affects their play experience.

Post-upload verification

After the upload completes, the author must verify that the map installs and runs correctly through the Workshop distribution path. The steps below are the cohort-validated verification workflow.

Verification procedure

1. Open the Workshop URL in a browser. Confirm the title, description, preview image, tags, and visibility state render correctly.
2. On a separate Steam account (or a fresh Unturned™ install on a separate machine), subscribe to the map through the Workshop URL.
3. Launch Unturned™ on the verification account.
4. Confirm the map appears in the level selection menu. Verify that the level selection menu displays the correct map name, preview image, and landscape preview image.
5. Select the map and start a single-player session. Confirm the map loads without errors.
6. Test the map's principal gameplay features: spawn points, item spawns, zombie behavior, and custom asset rendering.
7. Unsubscribe from the map and confirm the map is removed from the level selection menu.
8. If the map passes every verification step, transition the Workshop visibility from Friends-only or Unlisted to Public.

Dedicated server verification

After the client-side verification passes, install the map on a dedicated server by adding the map's Workshop ID to the server's WorkshopDownloadConfig.json. Confirm the server downloads the map from the Workshop and loads it without errors. Connect to the server through the game client and verify that the map plays correctly in a multiplayer environment.

Common upload failure modes

Failure mode	Cause	Resolution
Upload tool reports "Failed to package folder"	The selected folder does not contain a valid map structure. The tool expects a folder with Config.json or a recognized map file at the top level.	Confirm the selected folder contains Config.json and the Level/ directory. Select the map folder itself, not its parent directory.
Upload tool reports "Preview image rejected"	The preview image exceeds the 1 MB file size limit, has dimensions below 512x512, or uses an unsupported format.	Re-export the preview image at 1024x1024 PNG under 1 MB.
Upload tool reports "Network error during upload"	The internet connection was interrupted during the upload. The Workshop entry is not created or updated.	Retry the upload. If the failure persists, test the internet connection and try again. The upload tool resumes from the beginning, not from the point of failure.
Upload tool reports "Steam session expired"	The Steam authentication session timed out. This is common when the upload preparation takes longer than the session timeout window.	Close the upload tool, restart Unturned™, and retry the upload.
Upload creates a new Workshop entry instead of updating the existing one	The published_file_id.txt file is missing from the map folder, or the folder was renamed since the original publish.	Restore the original folder name. Confirm published_file_id.txt is present in the folder. If the file is lost, contact Steam Workshop support to recover the linkage.
Published map does not appear in the level selection menu	The map folder structure is incorrect. The Workshop download process places the folder in the Workshop cache, and the game client reads the folder structure from the cache.	Verify the map folder contains the Level/ directory with the level .asset file. Download the map from the Workshop on a test account and inspect the cached folder structure.
Published map loads but custom assets have white textures	The asset bundles were not included in the upload, or the bundle references in the level .asset point to the wrong bundle name.	Rebuild the asset bundles. Confirm the bundle files are in the Bundles/ directory of the upload folder. Verify the Bundle field in the level .asset. Re-upload.
Published map is visible to the author but not to testers	Visibility is set to Friends-only and the tester is not a Steam friend of the author, or visibility is set to Private.	Set visibility to Unlisted for tester access, or add the testers as Steam friends for Friends-only visibility.
Workshop entry URL returns a 404 error after upload	The upload did not complete successfully, or the entry was created but immediately flagged by Valve's automated content checks.	Check the upload tool for error messages. If no errors were reported, wait 1-2 hours for Valve's CDN propagation and try the URL again. If the URL still returns 404, re-upload.
Subscriber reports that the map is missing assets that exist in the author's local copy	The upload folder did not include all required files. The author's local copy has assets in the Unity project that were not exported to the bundle or not copied to the upload folder.	Compare the upload folder contents against the map's file manifest. Add any missing files. Rebuild the bundle. Re-upload.
Subscriber on Linux reports the map fails to load	Case sensitivity mismatch. Linux file systems are case-sensitive. A file path that works on Windows may fail on Linux if the case does not match the reference in the level .asset or bundle.	Standardize all file paths to lowercase. Verify the level .asset bundle reference matches the bundle file name exactly, including case.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Workshop upload take?

The upload time depends on the payload size and the author's internet connection upload bandwidth. A 200 MB map upload on a typical home internet connection (20-50 Mbps upload) takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes. A 500 MB map upload on a slower connection (5-10 Mbps) may take 7 to 10 minutes. The upload tool reports progress in the status area.

Can I cancel an upload after it has started?

Yes. Closing the upload tool or interrupting the network connection cancels the upload. A cancelled upload does not create or update the Workshop entry. The author can restart the upload from the beginning after cancelling.

Can I change the preview image after the map is published?

Yes. The preview image can be changed from the Workshop entry's edit page in a browser without re-uploading the map payload. Navigate to the entry, click Edit, select a new preview image, and save. The cohort recommendation is to update the preview image through the browser edit page rather than through the upload tool, because re-uploading the map payload is unnecessary for a preview image change.

Can I edit the description after the map is published?

Yes. The description, title, tags, and visibility can all be edited from the Workshop entry's edit page in a browser without re-uploading the map payload. Use the browser edit page for metadata-only changes. Use the upload tool only when the map payload itself is changing.

What happens if I rename the map folder after the first upload?

The published_file_id.txt file contains the Workshop ID that links the folder to the Workshop entry. If the folder is renamed, the upload tool may not find the linkage file and will offer to create a new Workshop entry instead of updating the existing one. This creates a duplicate entry and fragments the subscriber base. The folder name must remain stable across the map's entire lifecycle.

Does the Workshop compress my map files?

The Workshop stores uploaded payloads as-is. Valve's CDN may apply compression for transit, but the stored payload is the author's uploaded file set. Subscribers' clients receive the decompressed payload. The Workshop does not re-encode textures, re-compress audio, or otherwise modify the uploaded assets.

Can I upload a map larger than 1 GB?

There is no hard public limit on Workshop upload size, and maps over 1 GB have been uploaded successfully. However, maps over 1 GB take proportionally longer to upload and download, and they consume more subscriber disk space. The cohort recommendation is to keep the upload under 500 MB where possible to reduce upload time, download time, and subscriber friction.

Why does my map's Workshop ID change between uploads?

The Workshop ID should not change between uploads. If the ID changes, the upload tool created a new entry instead of updating the existing one. The most common cause is a missing published_file_id.txt file or a renamed map folder. Confirm the published_file_id.txt file is present in the folder before each update.

How do I find my map's Workshop ID after publishing?

The Workshop ID is visible in the Workshop entry URL: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1234567890. The numeric value after id= is the Workshop ID. The Workshop ID is also stored in the published_file_id.txt file in the map folder.

Can I transfer a Workshop entry to a different Steam account?

Valve does not offer a Workshop entry transfer mechanism. The entry is permanently associated with the Steam account that created it. If the map needs to be published under a different account, the author must create a new entry from the new account and set the old entry to Private or delete it. The subscriber base cannot be transferred.

My map passed all validation tests locally, but the Workshop upload failed. Why?

The most common Workshop upload failure causes are unrelated to map quality: network interruptions, Steam session expiration, and file size limits. Check the upload tool's error message and resolve the indicated issue. If the error message does not identify the cause, try the upload again after restarting Unturned™.

Best practices

• Maintain a separate Sources/ directory outside the Workshop upload folder. Include only built assets in the upload.
• Keep the map folder name stable across the map's entire lifecycle. Never rename the folder after the first upload.
• Save the published_file_id.txt file in a backup location separate from the map folder.
• Stage the initial upload at Friends-only or Unlisted visibility. Transition to Public only after verification.
• Subscribe to the map from a test account before making it Public. This is the only way to confirm the subscriber experience.
• Write change notes that describe both the change and the reason for the change.
• Update the Workshop landscape preview image whenever the map's visual appearance changes significantly.
• Archive the upload folder for each published version. This allows rollback if an update introduces issues.
• Test the Workshop download path on a dedicated server before announcing the map publicly.
• Document all Workshop dependencies in the map description so that subscribers and server operators know which mods to install.

Advanced considerations

Uploading maps with Workshop dependencies

A map that depends on other Workshop items (custom item packs, vehicle packs, NPC packs) must not include those items in its own upload folder. The Workshop upload must contain only the map's own assets. The dependency must be documented in the map description with the dependency's Workshop ID, and the subscriber must subscribe to each dependency independently.

The 57 Studios™ cohort recommendation is to test the map on a clean Unturned™ install with only the dependencies subscribed. If the map fails to load or missing assets appear, the dependency documentation in the description is incomplete or incorrect.

Uploading a map that uses custom shaders

Custom shaders require the subscriber to install the shader files separately, because shader bundles are specific to the Unity version and graphics API that the subscriber's client uses. The cohort recommendation is to avoid custom shaders in Workshop-published maps unless the shaders are packaged in a separate Workshop dependency that the subscriber installs alongside the map.

Uploading a map that is part of a series

If a map is part of a named series (e.g., an archipelago series with multiple island maps), the series identity should be communicated through the map name and description rather than through the folder name or Workshop ID. Each map in the series has its own Workshop entry and its own independent subscriber base. The cohort recommendation is to include the series name in each map's title and to cross-link the series entries in the descriptions.

Geography of the Workshop entry: what subscribers see

Understanding how the Workshop entry appears to a subscriber helps the author craft metadata that maximizes discoverability and engagement. The entry has several visible sections, each of which is documented below.

Entry page structure

Section	Position on page	What subscribers see
Preview image	Top left (hero position)	The 1024x1024 preview image rendered at approximately 800x800 pixels on the entry page
Title	Below preview image	The entry name as entered in the Title field
Rating	Next to title	Up/down vote counts and the aggregate rating (shown as percentage positive)
Author	Below rating	The Steam account name that published the entry
Tags	Below author	All selected tags displayed as clickable filter links
Description	Main content area	The BBCode-rendered description
Change notes tab	Below description	The list of all published versions with their timestamps and change notes
Comments section	Below change notes	Subscriber comments sorted by most recent
Related items	Right sidebar	Other Workshop entries that share tags with this map

How subscribers find the map

Subscribers typically find a map through one of four discovery channels:

1. Workshop search: The subscriber enters keywords in the Workshop search bar. The search algorithm matches the title, description text, and tags.
2. Tag filter browsing: The subscriber selects one or more tags (Map, Large, Survival) and browses the filtered result set.
3. Curated maps menu: The subscriber browses the curated maps section from the Unturned™ main menu. Only curated maps appear here.
4. External link or recommendation: The subscriber follows a Workshop URL shared on social media, Discord, or community forums.

How Workshop search ranking works

The Workshop search algorithm evaluates several factors when ranking entries in search results. The cohort has documented the following factors based on observation and community research:

Factor	Impact on ranking	What the author can control
Title relevance	High	Use descriptive keywords in the title
Tag accuracy	High	Select 4-6 accurate tags
Rating (up/down ratio)	High	Maintain map quality and fix issues promptly
Subscriber count	Medium	No direct control; grows with discoverability
Update frequency	Medium	Publish regular updates with meaningful changes
Description quality	Low-Medium	Write a structured, keyword-rich description
Preview image quality	Low	Use a high-quality image that represents the map

The cohort recommendation is not to optimize for search ranking at the expense of accuracy. An inaccurate title or misleading tags will produce negative ratings when subscribers receive content that does not match their expectations, and negative ratings reduce ranking more than any other factor.

Cross-references

• Map Loading Failures - the previous article, covering the loading validation that must pass before the map is uploaded.
• Map Curation and Submission - the next article, covering the curated map program and what happens after the map is published.
• Steam Workshop Submission - the general Workshop submission workflow for all Unturned™ mod types.
• Workshop Tag Taxonomy and Governance - the full tag governance framework for Workshop entries.
• How to Write a Workshop Description That Sounds Authoritative - the description authoring standard for Workshop entries.
• How to Take a Preview Image That Implies Production Value - the preview image production standard.
• Workshop Content on Dedicated Servers - how to install the map on a dedicated server after Workshop publication.

Common upload mistakes and how to avoid them

The 57 Studios™ cohort has documented the following recurring mistakes that map authors make during the Workshop upload process. Each entry describes the mistake, its consequence, and how to avoid it.

Mistake	Consequence	How to avoid
Selecting the parent folder instead of the map folder	The Workshop entry contains unrelated files or has an incorrect folder structure that prevents the map from loading	Before clicking Create, expand the selected folder and confirm it contains Config.json and the Level/ directory at the top level
Publishing with Public visibility before testing	Subscribers immediately see any loading or gameplay issues; negative ratings accumulate quickly	Always publish as Friends-only or Unlisted first, test from a separate account, then transition to Public
Including source files in the upload folder	The upload is larger than necessary; subscribers can inspect the source assets in the Workshop cache	Maintain a separate Sources/ directory and include only built assets in the upload folder
Forgetting to include the Bundles/ directory	Custom assets render as white or pink placeholders because the asset bundles were not uploaded	Verify the Bundles/ directory contains all required .unity3d or .masterbundle files before selecting the folder
Typographical error in the description BBcode	The description renders with visible [h2] or [list] tags instead of formatted headings and lists	Preview the rendered description in the Workshop entry page before announcing the map publicly
Tag selection does not include the Map tag	The map does not appear in any tag-filtered search result for maps	Always select the Map tag as the minimum required tag; add size, style, and theme tags after
Publishing with a preview image that contains editor UI	The preview image signals low production value; subscribers perceive the map as unfinished	Disable all editor overlay elements before capturing the preview image; use the in-game screenshot key
Not including WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png	The level selection menu displays a placeholder image for the map	Create a 1920x1080 landscape preview image and save it as WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png in the map folder root
Publishing without incrementing the version number	The Config.json version field shows the old version, which may confuse subscribers and server operators	Always increment the version number in Config.json before selecting the folder for upload

Workshop entry analytics after publication

After the map is published, the Workshop entry's edit page provides analytics that the author can use to track the map's performance. The analytics are visible only to the author and include the following metrics.

Metric	What it measures	What to look for
Unique visitors	Distinct Steam accounts that viewed the entry page	A spike in visitors correlates with external promotion or community attention
Current subscribers	Active subscriber count at the current time	Growth over time indicates sustained discoverability
Lifetime subscribers	Total subscriptions including unsubscribes	The gap between lifetime and current subscribers indicates churn rate
Favourites	Subscribers who favourited the entry	A high favourite-to-subscriber ratio indicates strong engagement
Comments	Total comment count	Track whether comments are mostly positive (questions, thanks) or negative (bug reports, complaints)
Ratings	Up and down vote counts	A low up-to-down ratio indicates quality or expectation issues that should be addressed

The cohort recommendation is to review the analytics page weekly during the first month after publication and monthly thereafter. A sudden drop in new subscribers or a spike in downvotes should trigger a review of the map's recent changes, tag selection, and community feedback.

Appendix A: Upload folder checklist

Before clicking Create in the Workshop upload tool, verify each item on this checklist.

• [ ] Map folder name contains only alphanumeric characters and hyphens (no spaces or special characters)
• [ ] Level/ directory exists with the level .asset file inside
• [ ] Config.json exists and contains a valid version number
• [ ] Bundles/ directory exists with all asset bundle files
• [ ] Master bundle .dat file is present if using master bundles
• [ ] No source files (.blend, .psd, .fbx, .obj) are in the upload folder
• [ ] Preview image is 1024x1024 PNG under 1 MB
• [ ] WorkshopLandscapePreviewImage.png is present in the folder root (1920x1080 PNG recommended)
• [ ] English.dat is present for custom item and object names
• [ ] Description is drafted in BBCode with only supported tags
• [ ] Tags are selected: Map + size + gameplay style + theme (4-6 total)
• [ ] Visibility is set to Friends-only or Unlisted for the initial upload
• [ ] Change note is drafted
• [ ] Backup of the map folder exists

Document history

Version	Date	Author	Notes
1.0	2026-07-26	57 Studios	Initial publication. Complete Workshop upload workflow for maps with required files, tags, preview images, and upload procedure.