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Export RAW and PNG

When your terrain is ready, export it for the next step in your map-making workflow. Crucible writes a true 16-bit grayscale heightmap, which is what RustEdit needs for smooth, detailed elevation with no banding or loss of precision. Your export resolution is automatically set by the map size you chose when generating.

The Crucible Heightmap export dialog, with a filename field and PNG, RAW and Both format options for a 16-bit RustEdit-ready heightmap

RAW or PNG?

Section titled “RAW or PNG?”
  • RAW: the format you import into RustEdit to build your map. It is a binary file containing a true 16-bit grayscale heightmap with full elevation precision. This is the only format RustEdit accepts. Always export RAW when you are ready to build in RustEdit.
  • PNG: a 16-bit grayscale image format for previews, sharing, showcasing, and backups. PNG is good for showing your map off to friends or storing in your archive, but it is not for importing into RustEdit. PNG files are also easier to upload to social media or Discord without needing a special viewer.

What resolution does it export?

Section titled “What resolution does it export?”

The export resolution is set by your map size: 513, 1025, 2049 or 4097. These match RustEdit’s heightmap resolutions exactly. See map sizes and resolutions.

Pro tip: export both

Section titled “Pro tip: export both”

The dialog offers a “Both” option that exports RAW and PNG together in one click. Use this when you have a final heightmap you want to keep, archive, and build with. The RAW goes straight to RustEdit, and the PNG stays in your archives and is easy to share.

Next step

Section titled “Next step”

Take the RAW into RustEdit: import a heightmap into RustEdit.