Adding custom map mods to your FiveM Server:

Guide: How to Add a FiveM-Ready Map Mod to Your Server

When you have a FiveM-ready map mod, the process is quite similar to adding custom cars. The map mod is already structured for FiveM and typically includes an fxmanifest.lua file along with the necessary model and texture files. This makes it easy to install.

Prerequisites

• A FiveM Server: Ensure that your server is up and running.
• FiveM-Ready Map Mod: Ensure the map mod is pre-configured with an fxmanifest.lua file.
• Access to Server Files: Either via local access or through FTP if your server is hosted remotely.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Download the FiveM-Ready Map Mod

1. Download the map mod from a trusted source (like GTA5-Mods or other FiveM modding communities). Ensure the mod is labeled FiveM-ready.
2. Unzip the downloaded map mod file. Inside the unzipped folder, you will typically find:

.ymap (map files),

.ytyp (optional, defines map types),

other related files (like .ytd, .yft, etc.),

and an fxmanifest.lua file.

Step 2: Upload the Map Mod to Your Server

1. Access your server’s resources folder:
   If hosted locally, navigate to the resources folder inside your server’s directory.

If hosted remotely, use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your server and access the resources folder.

1. Choose where to place the map mod:drag and drop the map mod folder directly into the resources folder or organize it by creating a subfolder, for example, [mapmods].
   
   Example folder structure:
   /resources/[mapmods]/mymapmod/
   ├── fxmanifest.lua
   ├── mymap.ymap
   ├── mymap.ytyp (optional)
   ├── mymap.ytd

Step 3: Ensure the Map Mod in the Server Configuration

Once the map mod is uploaded to the server, you need to ensure that the server loads the map resource on startup.

1. Open your server.cfg file:
   This is located in the main directory of your server.
2. Add an ensure line for the map mod:
   If you placed the map mod directly in the resources folder:
   ensure mymapmod
   
   If you placed it inside a subfolder (e.g., [mapmods]):
   ensure [mapmods]
   
   This ensures that the map mod is loaded when the server starts.

Step 4: Restart Your Server

After ensuring the map mod in the server.cfg:

1. Restart your server either through your game panel, or manually by stopping and starting the server again.

Step 5: Verify the Map In-Game

1. Launch FiveM and join your server.
2. Explore the map to see if the new custom map has been loaded. Depending on the mod, it might replace existing areas or add new regions.

Conclusion

With FiveM-ready map mods, the installation process is easy and straightforward. By dragging and dropping the map mod folder into the resources folder, ensuring it in the server.cfg, and restarting the server, you can quickly load new maps for your players to explore.