I do not know how to save my custom map so that it can be uploaded as a mod. I essentially want to package everything into a .zip file. At the moment, I have the level (named Runway) all stored in Documents\BeamNG.drive\mods\Runway.zip\, which works fine, however the problem is in the terrain. The terrain files are stored elsewhere, in Documents\BeamNG.drive\levels, which was where the map was saved in originally. Moving the files into the .zip of the level does not work, and no matter what, the terrain2.ter and terrain2.terrain.json must be stored in this location. Deleting these files or moving them from the levels folder results in the map having no terrain, but all other objects stay, plants, buildings, etc.
I had the same problem. Yesterday I found out a solution. Registered on this forum just to give an answer. For you and for everyone who have this problem. You need to copy terrain2.ter and terrain2.terrain.json from Documents\BeamNG.drive\levels to your mod .zip file. Put it into levels near your_map folder. If you made new changes - do it one more time. Also, if you have an your_map folder in Documents\BeamNG.drive\levels put it to your levels folder in a .zip file. It will update some files. Unyxium, please write here if it works good for you. Sorry for bad English.
So what alfroll817 writes might indeed work. Also technically correct way to fix would be to move .ter files to yourmapfolder, then edit files that point to that .ter file to reflect this new location. In your map folder, there is probably XXXXX.terrain.json open that and change path of .ter file there. (XXXXXX is name of your map, usually, but it can be different) Also there probably is XXXXXX\main\MissionGroup\items.level.json where also you can find reference to .ter file and that path needs to be corrected too. It is worth to open all .json files in map and search for .ter and see if you can find some more that needs to be changed, but those two usually are there, can be more, it is bit of gray area at least to me. That way it should work. But also, what alfroll817 writes might work as essentially you have /levels/ folder in your zip and if you place .ter files there it might work. It's been a while so now I don't remember if there was also XXXXX.terrain.json in levels folder, but make sure you examine that and if there is no such in your map folder copy that there too if going via changing paths in files route (recommended as if using place .ter to levels in zip route it can cause conflict in case some other map uses same names and /levels/ folder).
Thanks to both of you, I have managed to fix it. What I did was to move both of the .ter files into the Runway folder in documents, and open the map editor with them there. I could change the file path in the editor. Additionally, I edited the .json files to reflect the new file path, and the map loaded up completely fine afterwards. (I also tested it after it was converted to a .zip, placed it in the mods folder, and it worked!)
