Livery Creator Guide

A step-by-step walkthrough to successfully export and install your custom skins.

Based on tutorials by BNGF Plus & Top Tier Studios

1. Directory Structure

To ensure BeamNG recognizes your mod, you must create a specific folder hierarchy inside your Unpacked Mods folder.

/mods/unpacked/[mod_name]/
└── vehicles/
    └── [vehicle_internal_name]/
        ├── [skin_name].pc (Optional config)
        └── [skin_name]/
            ├── materials.json
            ├── [vehicle].jbeam
            └── [skin_name].dds (Your Texture)

CRUCIAL STEP

Place your exported .dds file into the [skin_name] folder. If a placeholder file already exists, delete/replace it. Ensure the filename matches your code references exactly.

2. Required Code Files

Create these two text files inside your [skin_name] folder using a text editor like Notepad++.

A. materials.json

This file tells the engine how to apply your texture to the car's 3D model.

{
  "[VEHICLE].skin.SKINNAME": {
    "name": "[VEHICLE].skin.SKINNAME",
    "mapTo": "[VEHICLE].skin.SKINNAME",
    "class": "Material",
    "Stages": [
      {
        "ambientOcclusionMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_main_ao.data.png",
        "baseColorMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_main_b.color.png",
        "metallicMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_main_m.data.png",
        "metallicFactor": 1,
        "normalMap": "vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_n.dds",
        "roughnessMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_main_r.data.png",
        "useAnisotropic": true
      },
      {
        "ambientOcclusionMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_main_ao.data.png",
        "useAnisotropic": true,
        "diffuseMapUseUV": 1,
        "clearCoatFactor": 1,
        "clearCoatRoughnessFactor": 0.05,
        "metallicFactor": 0.5,
        "clearCoatMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_main_cc.data.png",
        "normalMap": "/vehicles/common/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_n.dds",
        "opacityMap": "/vehicles/[VEHICLE]/[VEHICLE]_skin_o.data.png",
        "baseColorMap": "vehicles/[VEHICLE]/SKINNAME/[VEHICLE]_skin_SKINNAME.dds"
      },
      {},
      {}
    ],
    "activeLayers": 2,
    "dynamicCubemap": true,
    "materialTag0": "beamng",
    "materialTag1": "vehicle",
    "version": 1.5
  }
}

B. [vehicle_name].jbeam

This registers your skin in the Part Selector menu.

{
  "[VEHICLE]_skin_SKINNAME": {
    "information": {
      "authors": "Your Name",
      "name": "My Custom Skin",
      "value": 200
    },
    "slotType": "paint_design",
    "globalSkin": "SKINNAME"
  }
}

Advanced Editor: Photopea

For complex masking or advanced layer effects, we recommend using Photopea. It is a professional-grade editor that runs directly in your browser.

⚡ Quick & Cloud-Based

No install required. Full Photoshop UI in your browser. Perfect for rapid masking.

🎨 Pro Tools

Advanced brushes, full layer support, and industry-standard DDS export settings.

Launch Photopea Editor

Troubleshooting: Format Errors

If you see an error saying a Template or Skin is unsupported, it's likely using BC7 (DX10) compression.

Common "Unsupported Format" system alert.

Why BC7 is Blocked

Modern vehicles use BC7 compression to save space, but it's too complex for browser-based tool decoding. Use these supported formats instead:

DXT5 (BC3) Livery standard (Color + Alpha)

DXT1 (BC1) Opaque maps (No Transparency)

BC4 / BC5 Grayscale & Normal Maps

RGBA Uncompressed Lossless (Master)

How to Fix: Convert to DXT5

Convert your BC7 templates before loading them into this tool:

Method 1: Photopea

Open BC7 file in Photopea.
Go to File > Export As > More > DDS.
Select DXT5 and click Save.

Method 2: Standalone

Use ddsconverter.com for batching.

Or the Intel Texture Works plugin for Photoshop.

✅ Pro Tip: Converting to DXT5 (BC3) restores visual fidelity in the editor and ensures perfect game compatibility.

Affected Vehicles

The following vehicles use BC7 templates and require conversion:

Gavril MD-Series

Autobello Stambecco (Ambulance)

Ibishu Miramar

Bruckell Nine

Gavril D-Series (Ambulance)

SP Dunekicker

SP Rock Bouncer

Hirochi Sunburst

Gavril T-Series

Hirochi Aurata

Gavril H-Series (Ambulance)

Soliad Wendover

Ibishu Wigeon