When you only need to know file paths and the steps one by one, head to the end of the post to “5.0 Conclusion”. As the title suggests this is still a work in progress, but hopefully it helps at least 1 person who reads this wall of text (or just the conlcusion 
). And it says Guide because I dont consider it a Tutorial until it has pictures.
1.1 Basic Knowledge Requirements
1.2 Explanation of whats going to happen
2.0 Creating Files (Asset Manager)
3.0 Map Editor
4.0 Personal Riftgate and Multiple portals per Region/Zone
5.0 Conclusion
This is NOT supposed to be a detailed tutorial, this is just for setting up Riftgates in a Custom Map and being able to use the town portal, because thats what made me look into the whole thing in the first place, I figured who needs Riftgates if I can achieve the same with dungeon entrances… But using your personal riftgate to get back to town is HUGE.
Surprisingly making a Riftgate is more effort than I thought it would be.
1.1: Basic Knowledge Requirements
- Navigating directories in your OS (probably windows 7|8|10)
- Have your mod ready and the core files extracted
- Add/Edit String variables with the Asset Manager (tagX)
- Have a Map/Region ready where you want your RiftGate
1.2 Explanation of whats going to happen
You need a file reference for the Map Editor to know where the information is stored and create new riftgate .dbr with the wanted data. After this is done you set the Map Editor up to link the rift to a region, place a rift and connect the rift with the others (as mentioned in the official Guide).
I am going to use the Devil’s Crossing Riftgate and change it in this “guide”.
2.0: Creating Files (Asset Manager)
Keep in mind through all of this my asset manager is using the default path settings for working/build/tools, paths may be different for you.
Go to “\Grim Dawn\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations”, yes thats right we are inside the directory where the extraced files are, not you mod files. Copy/Clone “riftgatemap1a_devilscrossing.dbr” rename it to something you want, in this example its “riftgatemap_home.dbr”. Copy the new File and paste it into your mod dir “\Grim Dawn\mods[insert fancy mod name]\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations”. Now this is important: it has to be in there and it has to be the same name as the one inside the core dir and you cannot import it via the asset manager… . Information inside “riftgatemap_home.dbr” is everything for the map ui, button position and name. Change both String variables to your liking (they are the ones showing up on the map window) and add the String to the *.txt you want your map/riftgate Strings to be in. The button position is defined by… you guessed it “WindowLocationX” and “WindowLocationY”.
The next file can be imported or again copied, we need the rifgate dbr to create a new Riftgate inside our region we can actually click and port to, import “\Grim Dawn\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations\riftgatea_devilscrossing.dbr” and rename it to whatever in my case its going to be “riftgate_home.dbr” this dbr holds information about the Riftgate youll see in your world, so the String used is the name youll see playing the game and again change it and add it to your *.txt.
Lastly import “\Grim Dawn\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\riftgate_mastertable.dbr” the next part is up to you, I simply added my RiftGate to the list (“Region001ZoneList” using the UI file: “\Grim Dawn\mods[insert fancy mod name]\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations\riftgatemap_home.dbr”), you can also remove all the main Campaign gates and only show yours and you can change the map graphics. For now Im using the same map the campaign is using and I wont go into detail on how to change it at this point, but if you do want to change it you probably have to look into “mapSections”.
3.0 Map Editor
Build your mod and start the Map Editor. Once you have your map (.wrl) loaded click on the region and use the menu “Region/Add To Zone” youll open a new window with all the riftgates in your core dir, this is why we had to put the very first file there, otherwise it wont show up in that editor window. And this is why I hopefully made clear to keep the path and file name the same. Your game will still only use the compiled files (only the files in your mod foler will be compiled) to load mod contents. With that said the file you are looking for is “records/ui/riftgatemap/locations/riftgatemap_home.dbr”.
Now that the zones know what area is using the map button you want to click on, you can place a Riftgate. To do that, change to “Editor Mode” and place “records/ui/riftgatemap/locations/riftgate_home.dbr” somewhere. You can place multiple Riftgates per Region, they will all show up on the map and take you to their location.
The Last step is to link it as it was mentioned in the official guide. Do the “Rebuild Path” and “Rebuild Map” thing in “Layout Mode” “Build” context menu and save the map. Exit the editor and Build your mod with “Asset Manager”
4.0 Personal Riftgate
Let’s say you entered a dungeon you created and that dungeon is in a different region, you can use your “Personal Riftgate (T)” to get back to “Home” but once there your can’t go back to your “Personal Riftgate”, because there is no button to click. You need to add the Region to “riftgatemap_home.dbr”, the same way you added the home region to it (Layout Mode => Click Region with Dungeon => Menu: “Region/Add To Zone”).
Every Region linked to “riftgatemap_home.dbr” will from now on place your “Personal Riftgate” button on the map next to your “Home” Riftgate button. This way you can get back to your “Personal Riftgate”.
5.0 Conclusion
you need the following files
\Grim Dawn\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations\riftgatemap_home.dbr
=> for Map Editor (otherwise useless)
\Grim Dawn\mods[fancy mod]\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations\riftgatemap_home.dbr
=> Change UI name and position on the map
\Grim Dawn\mods[fancy mod]\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\locations\riftgate_home.dbr
=> Change Name and other settings for quests and stuff
\Grim Dawn\mods[fancy mod]\database\records\ui\riftgatemap\riftgate_mastertable.dbr
=> add your “riftgatemap_home.dbr” to Region001ZoneList
Build Mod (F7)
Inside Map Editor
- Menu: Region/Add To Zone (while in Editor Mode and after you clicked the Region)
- Change to Layout Mode and add your Riftgate to the map
- Link your Riftgate
- Back to “Layout Mode” Rebuild Paths and Rebuild Maps, Save All and close Map Editor
- Build Mod (F7) with Asset Manager
Zones without a Gate File linked (Menu: Region/Add To Zone) wont show your personal riftgate on the map, you can leave but you cannot get back there.
Let me know if something doesnt work, I didnt actually create a Riftgate while writing this. I may have missed a step.
EDIT: rewrote section 4
and not enough to begin with.