Dark Souls Modders Have Finally Figured Out Custom Maps

Dark Souls came out for PC in 2012, but it wasn't until very recently that modders figured out how to make and import custom maps into the game. That's seven years of trying and failing, but finally, all that effort has paid off and history has been made. 

Behold: Half-Life's Crossfire map can now be imported into the game, thanks to the work of two modders by the names of Meowmaritus and Horkrux. Apparently, Meowmaritus made the tools necessary to import maps, while Horkrux developed a way to make collision maps (that is, solid maps that your character doesn't fall through). Prior to the work of these two modders, the best anyone could do was import maps from Demon Souls.

Why has it taken so long for this big breakthrough? Dark Souls modding is just a hobby for many, and modders have pointed out that they don't have any real, official support of their work. On Reddit, modder Katalash explained how, because of FromSoftware's proprietary (read: secret) file format and custom way of storing information, it has been incredibly difficult for modders to do their thing. Fortunately, this major development in the world of Dark Souls modding has opened the door for all sorts of new creations to come through. Players can import custom maps now, and while they aren't yet able to add NPCs or enemies to these areas, there's a chance we could see that capability arrive sometime soon. 

It will be a while before we still full-fledged Dark Souls gameplay in a whole new world. Right now, however, it is pretty enjoyable just to watch Dark Souls characters clank around in an oddly modern maps. Modder Dropoff was the first to import Half-Life's Crossfire map and post it for the world to see. Maybe one day we'll see some custom Dark Souls DLC take place here.