In ModNation Racers, there are limitations on creations. The limitations are called budgets. This is an overview on the limits in Track Studio in ModNation Racers and ModNation Racers: Road Trip.
Track Budget[]
This is the main Track Budget. It is shown by a green bar next to the white bar on the screen. It is an indicator on how much objects you are using.
RAM Budget[]
The RAM Budget, or as the game calls it, the Unique Prop Budget is indicated by the white bar on the screen. You can fill it up quickly by using unique props. This exists because the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita only has a limited amount of "Random access memory" (the PlayStation Vita actually has more RAM than the PlayStation 3 system.), and multiple unique Props and items in a track use significantly more RAM than copies of ones already loaded or used in the same Track. Therefore, the RAM budget increases significantly when you place unique props to the track.
Prop Area Limit[]
In ModNation Racers there is a limit on the amount of props you can place in an area. Unplaced props will turn orange if it is intersecting a prop already in the track. If you have placed too many large props close together the prop will turn red instead and Track Studio will block you from moving props to or adding new props inside the area. You also cannot place multiple props in the same spot or very close to each other. This limit is presumably there to prevent lag when the camera draws multiple high polygon objects in the same spot.
The Three Theme Limit, the Two Props Pack limitations, and the Theme/Packs Limit[]
The Three Theme Limit is a limitation on the props you can use in a Track. Themes have their own set of props, and when any of the theme's props is used, the game needs to load a list of the props available for use from that theme, in the limited RAM, in order to allow proper usage of the theme's props. If you reached the limit, a message will pop up when selecting props from unused themes (warning you that you cannot place props from unused themes). If the limit is reached, you also cannot switch themes to a theme that the track does not use props from already (or at all before a certain update).
Two Props Pack Limit[]
If you use Props Packs (as in the Mini-Theme kits and the prop packs that are not full themes), there is a similar Two Props Pack Limit. You cannot use props from more than two unique packs in a single track (this Two Props Pack Limit could exist for the same reasons as the Three Theme Limit), as the same message when you select props from unused themes will appear, if you use props from unused packs.
Theme/Packs Limit[]
There is also a Four Themes/Packs limit. This will be reached with four unique themes and packs in a single track. The limitations when the limit is reached is the same as the Three Themes Limit, except for every other pack and theme instead of just new themes.
Valid Theme/Packs Combinations in the PS3 version[]
| Themes used | Packs used | Theme/Packs limit reached? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Theme | No Packs | No |
| 1 Theme | 1 Prop Pack | No |
| 1 Theme | 2 Packs | No (Props Pack Limit reached) |
| 2 Themes | No Packs | No |
| 2 Themes | 1 Props Pack | No |
| 2 Themes | 2 Packs | Yes (Props Pack Limit reached as well) |
| 3 Themes | No Packs | No (but you can't get more than three themes in a track as the Three Theme Limit is reached) |
| 3 Themes | 1 Props Pack | Yes (Three Theme Limit reached as well) |
Terrain Brush Budget[]
The message that shows when you run out of Brush Budget.
Terrain editing is limited. If you use the Terrain tools significantly on a single track, the overall brush budget will run out and a message will show that will prevent usage of any Terrain tools until you delete some useless brush sessions using the Terrain Clean Up tool, then switch into a tool not related to Terrain editing. The brush budget is very high, so you will only encounter the message if you use the tools very heavily.