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Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 3:45 pm
by HomicidalApe
Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping

Extremely Important links:
Valve Developer Wiki - Always look for answers here first. This wiki has boatloads of information on every entity for every official source game. Lots of tutorials and information on every other aspect of mapping like the material system and modeling.
Half-Life 2 World wiki - An alternative resource to the official valve wiki. Has a lot of the same info but lots of tutorials you might not find on the valve wiki.



If you are a beginner...
For an absolute beginner, head over here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Your_First_Map
This tutorial shows you how to make a very basic level in half-life 2. This strongly recommended even if you want to start cs: source mapping. Follow this tutorial first!
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When you're done with that tutorial and you want to move on to cs:source mapping, you should head over here: http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... l_Creation
This tutorial assumes you've learned how entities work from the previous tutorial. All that is different now is using the counter-strike source entities, and loading Hammer in Counter-Strike source config mode (to do this, load source sdk, and select Counter-Strike: Source for the "Current Game" drop down selection box).
Or, if you want to start mapping for Left4Dead, check out this:
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... 4_Dead_Map
It also assumes you know the basics of Hammer.


When you're done with your baby steps...
Essential tools:
Batch Compiler - Let's you compile outside the Hammer Editor. TONS of compiling options in an easy interface. Supports stuff like setting the compiling tools on low priority so you can still use your computer.
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VTF Lib/Edit - Essential material editing program. Let's you copy and paste into the editor and save VTFs easily. Let's you set options and junk very easily. Still doesn't support making the VMT files, so you'll have to do that on your own.
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*VTF thumb viewer - Let's you view thumbnails of VTF files in windows.
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PakRat - Absolute essential BSP zipping program for embedding your custom content into your BSP files. Note: bsp zipping sounds has an odd effect. It DOES work, but apparently it doesn't work if a Linux Server runs the map. This is still vague and unconfirmed but some people don't bspzip their custom sounds because of this odd glitch. EDIT: Seems to be a fixed issue
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GCFScape - Let's you browse and extract files from those GCF files that store all your steam games.



Extended Information
There are a great deal of other good resources for hl2/css mapping in the "HL2 / CS:S mapping links" Sticky (link) and a bunch of tutorials (some with missing pictures now) in the HL2 and CS:Source Tutorials thread.


Go ahead and use this forum to post your questions that you honestly can't find the answer to on your own with the provided information. Tag your topic with [HL2], [CSS], [L4D] or whatever when making a new topic because there are still people that post questions regarding old cs.

When you start mapping, check out these huge bunch of tutorials
Interlopers.net has plenty of good tutorials ranging from absolut beginner's tutorials to advanced mapping. It has categories such as Architecture, Scripting, Sound, Texturing, etc.
For general Hammer tutorials and mapping techniques for any Source game (including Left4Dead), check out the General Half-Life 2 category

Specific Tutorials

-how to make a skybox:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AItEQ8m5FEw

-Level overview tutorial:
http://www.fpsbanana.com/tuts/1948

-Create a good looking cloud/sunny morning/sunset/night atmosphere with light_environment and env_fog_controller
http://synergymod.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=811

-A bunch of prefabs and props/models for free
http://www.snarkpit.net

-Skies that can be used in Left4Dead, Half Life 2 or CS:S
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Sky_List

-How to create a 3D skybox
http://forum.interlopers.net/viewtopic.php?t=1839

-Packaging L4D custom maps into a VPK
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki ... n_Tutorial

-Make a Panic Event car alarm in Left4Dead
http://forums.l4dmaps.net/showthread.php?t=384

-Make a realistic terrain with DispGen which generates displacements
http://www.editlife.net/tutorial.php?tutid=59

* New since 3/23/08
Last update on 01/14/2009

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:09 pm
by Sizzler

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:18 am
by Dr.Boo
Create a good looking cloud/sunny morning/sunset/night atmosphere with light_environment and env_fog_controller
http://synergymod.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=811

A bunch of prefabs and props/models for free
http://www.snarkpit.net

Skies that can be used in Left4Dead, Half Life 2 or CS:S
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Sky_List

How to create a 3D skybox
http://forum.interlopers.net/viewtopic.php?t=1839

Make a Panic Event car alarm in Left4Dead
http://forums.l4dmaps.net/showthread.php?t=384

Since I guess there's gonna be a lot of new mappers once the real L4D SDK comes out, I suggest we update the thread topic by adding "Left4Dead" to it as well as Ape's first sentence in the thread body.

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:40 pm
by HomicidalApe
Sure, those changes sound good. I say someone should give Boo admin access to this forum since he's a pretty avid mapper. Then you can change what you like. I'm lazy.

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 12:07 am
by joe
homo ask hellboy to do it :D

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:54 am
by Hellboy
Hope I did that right.

You should be a standard mod now, Boo.

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:52 am
by HomicidalApe
Now, BAN JOE!

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 2:56 am
by Hellboy
GODDAMMIT, APE- YOU FUCKING SING LIKE A CANARY AT THE SIGN OF ANYTHING.

We had a plan, goddammit, and the plan was supposed to be drawn-out over the course of 9 years! NOW IT'S ALL GONE TO ASHES!

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:43 am
by Dr.Boo
My plot has worked, now I will conquer this subforum, the the whole forums and then I will control the world!
After that, I will BAN YOUR ASS!

On a serious note: thx, I'll edit the thread's title.

Re: Half-Life 2 & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 6:37 am
by Gr|m
Hellboy wrote:the plan was supposed to be drawn-out over the course of 9 years! NOW IT'S ALL GONE TO ASHES!
:lol:

Re: Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 8:52 am
by joe
i think hellboy actually has the power to ban me already

Re: Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 1:06 pm
by Hellboy
I do, but I was going to lull you into a false sense of security.

Re: Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:48 am
by joe
everyone's sense of security is completely false from the moment we are born until the moment of our deaths. each of us is but a cosmic hair's breadth from instant destruction, yet we live as if we were immortal.

Re: Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:41 am
by Hellboy
Look, the point is there was a plan and Ape fucked it all up.

Re: Half-Life 2, Left4Dead & CS:source mapping - START HERE

Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:06 am
by Majin
Wtf hellboy has power?