Level Design

In HL2 City 17 - there's a scene where you and some rebels are trying to get through a combine gate.

In this tutorial i will show you how to create a basic room with a nice light and how to use the HDR effect in your maps.

How to make the inside and outside of a dome using displacement surfaces

Shows how to make an angled pipe using displacements.

A quick guide on how to make that really fantastic looking water from Half Life 2/Counter Strike.

The actbusy system is used to make NPCs appear busy. NPCs do so on placed nodes and will act busy until certain conditions are met (such as hearing an explosion).

Alot of people have problems with opening their console.

a way for setting off events (explosions in this case) randomly

This is a basic tutorial about npc_helicopter

In several paces in the game, metropolice throw ignited explosive barrels down onto Freeman, in water.

Displaying something, and plugged into the wall

How to make stuff respawn if the conventional ways fail.

Tutorial showing how to get citizens (NPC's) to come through a door.

Elapsed Time by Bud Doug Lee

Placing a BuyZone in a CSS map.

This tutorial illustrates how to recreate the effect of Gordon Freeman waking, then getting up.

Create a remote control mechanism that applies to a vehicle.

Creating doors

An intermediate tutorial, it will try to give as much step by step as possible, but assumes you have Basic knowledge like making a room, using an info_player_start, and putting in a light entity.

How to place weapons with ammo in CS:S

In this short tutorial we'll get a citizen to run from one side of the map to the other screaming.

Getting it done despite the bugs

Making it Rain or Snow

A teleporter that goes to a random location

Import Custom Textures

Shows how to place water so it looks natural in a displacement area.

Making Respawnable Entities

This tutorial demonstrates the use of the logic_case and logic_timer entities.

Doors in HL2: The prop_door_rotating Entity

Need to make a dropship fly in and drop off some combine soldiers?

Add manhacks to your level that are hostile towards the player

This is a tutorial on the 2-D skybox, which is the simpler of the two types of skybox in Hammer.

create a CCTV style monitor that will display two different camera locations on one monitor toggled by a button.

Texture variation within a terrain surface

This tutorial on an alternative multi choice lift using func_movlinear instead of func_tracktrain.

Making a Camera

Want some realistic terrain? Read on!

In this Tutorial we'll explain you how to navigate the Hammer Editor. You'll learn more about the functions of the Tools and the handling of the Editor.

Make a button turn a light on and off

Create a simple corridor in hammer

This is a short tutorial on the new func_reflective_glass and texture,

This is a tutorial about rappeling. Cops and combines dropping out of the air to make life difficult for the player.

This is another PORTAL tutorial. This one is the basic circular door model with the button that you put the box on to open it.

You are able to examine a VMF and pull out the bits you are interested in looking at, and learn how Valve used entities and how they relate to each other, to achieve certain effects.

Learn how to use the npc_maker entity to create attack waves of enemies

Second Video tutorial showing how to get your creations into Half-Life2 by means of a logic_choreograpphed_scene.

Create a simple room with a light

This is a simple tutorial; how to make it snow. The standard brush env_precipitation does not really work, everything in it looks like rain. However env_embers is a good substitute.

The most common reason for props not showing up in the game

This tutorial by Terrenteller shows how to spawn an npc_stalker by a button. The stalker walks across the room then disappears.

In this Tutorial we will explain you how to create your first room. You will learn to place one light and a player start and something more. So you got a basic knowledge of building a map.

Make combine NPCs hurl barrels at the player and fire at them

a tutorial on how buildings that are not accessible to the player, but form an essential part of maps, were made, and were able to look so realistic.

The tutorial is one way of making a zipline.

Based on a VMF supplied by Bud Doug Lee this shows how to set up an active Energy Ball launcher and trap for PORTAL.

How to set up a zombie breaking through a wall, out of a cupboard and through metal panels (a bit like in the early coast level). I have tried to show a few ways of doing it using, and in the process illustrate a couple of ways of blowing up walls.

This tutorial shows how to 'fuel' an energy source.

This tutorial shows a way of getting two Combine soldiers to Rappel from a helicopter.

Leaks, Pointfiles, and You

this is how you make the camera drop to the ground like in the singleplayer game.

Making a Breakable Window

This tutorial will teach you how to make a func_breakable_surf start out broken when the map loads without the player doing anything to it.

This is a short simple tutorial outlining the steps you need to take to get an NPC to lead the player to a particular place.

Practical Displacements

A trick for improving player movement through your single or multiplayer level. Touches on the proper use of prop_physics, player clips, and layout techniques.

This tutorial attempts to show how to make them come up through the floors.

This tutorial shows how to hang something from a rope/cable. In this case it's a citizen - but the same principle applies to other models/entities.

Quick and Easy Working Ladders

This is how to recreate the dog/ball interchange that appears in Eli's lab in the game.

This is a basic tutorial on lighting which I discovered on thread at Facepunch Forums. I liked it's simple straighforward four step approach to getting good basic lighting effects.

In this tutorial I will show you how to use lightmapscale to help make good, realistic looking shadows.(#1Duck)

Triggered door with button

This is an example using the undocumented info_lighting_relative entity. Its primary use seems to be to light a prop_dynamic or prop_physics in a situation where a normal lighting source will not fit, or where a special lighting effect is desired.

Design realistically-breaking glass doors

Learn how to install the Source SDK correctly and how to use Valve’s Hammer Editor

Cycling between cameras, chase cameras, etc.

This is part two of the dangly wire/electrified water tutorial. It uses the set up in the last tutorial and only adds a water brush and a trigger_hurt brush, and a couple of adjustments to outputs.

Introduction to, and use of, a logic_case

The tutorial shows how you can respawn the func_physbox (which puts the map back to the start) by means of func_buttons.

High Dynamic Range can help you add that warm glow to your creation.

Hidden and Dangerous: npc_sniper

Sun, rain, dust and fog

Making a Camera Part 2

AI path Finding in Half-Life 2

Creating different glass types

and why yours might not work

It shows how to get npc_metropolice to jump down off walls. (Level d1_canals_01a for example).

Configure advanced compile to run with extra parameters etc.

An easy little tutorial that teaches the user to create hinged objects. In this example, we'll be making shutters.

This one looks at how you get a dropship to take troops to a particular location on a map.

How to make a hanging/swinging light fixture.

Following on from the bomb target tutorial - how to set Bomb advance in your CSS map with fire and sound. This is a VIDEO tutorial.

A tutorial on how to get an npc_cscanner to equip itself with Combine Mines and drop them. The scanner uses Path Corners to guide it's movement.

Creating the unpluggable TV, as seen in Half-Life 2.

This is a tutorial for how to spawn objects with a press of a button.

Part two of an In-depth tutorial covering the ins and outs of lighting in the Source Engine

This tutorial shows how to make an npc_combinedropship carry and drop off an npc_vehicle_apc.

The Tangled Web We Weave: Ropes in HL2

Making Props Show Up

Make a door open when shot

This is a tutorial about stairs.

In this tutorial I will try to describe how to make a 3d skybox. See tutorial 100, here for the theory. The map I am making here is a bit like the SDK_3dskybox map, simple enough, but the principles apply to more complicated maps

Cutting holes in things: which tool and why

This tutorial follows a request on the Halfwit-2 forum about respawning items.

little how-to on the new way to link entities

how to make a mirror

How to use XSI to detail your world geometry

This tutorial covers the basics of gameflow, why it is important and how to achieve it.

These cameras are working monitors that turn on when a button is pushed.

How to blend two existing textures

This shows how to put the Episode 2 car in your map. It also shows how to set up the radar unit, and an example of using it.

In this tutorial we will learn how to use the sew command with displacement mapping, as well as a few tips for easier dispacement mapping.

This is a list of soundscapes for some Source Games

Part 3 - This tutorial shows how to make a double drawbridge.

This is fairly basic and does not require an extensive knowledge of Hammer.

We'll show everyone who wants to do a Map for HL2 or a different Mod

A short story on a 1.6 to source conversion

List of Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike Source skynames

Hang 'Em High: phys_ballsocket

A short tutorial on how to add decals to brush entities.

Weapon entity

How to add custom sounds to Source maps

Making Maps Realistic

Create a simple setup with a door that rotates

A tutorial on how to create a tire swing with physics and constraints

This is a tutorial is the first on the logic_choreographed_scene.

Using Math_Counters To Trigger Single Events From Multiple Triggers

This is a tutorial illustrating a use of the info_node_link. An entity that has a link to another info_nodethat can be turned on and off.

This tutorial is another train oriented one. It shows how to make a couple of trains go from one tunnel to another, and after a short while they do it again endlessly.

This tutorial is about the Clip tool.

This is a timer put together by Bud Doug Lee for PORTAL. It is set up so that as soon as the map starts the timer counts down from 30 seconds to zero.

This tutorial was put together by Raidenator and shows how to make flares the player can pick up.

This is a tutorial on how to make a 'real' lift/elevator. This is the prop_dynamic model lift seen throughout the HL2 game, primarily in Eli's Lab.

This is an illustration of some of the things you can do with Trigger_push. Most of what you need to know is in the VMF as you can experience the effects there.

how to set up the exploding Gaspumps found in one of the coast levels.

This is a tutorial on the ai_relationship entity. It will emerge in parts as I experiment with what works and what doesn't. In this tutorial we will look at how to get the npc_combine_s to ignore the player.

CSS Bomb target

Making a Bomb Site in CS:Source

This shows how to make a npc_c scanner on the same path patrol endlessly.

Adding that touch of ambience to your Source maps

Env_Beam

Part 2 - In this Tutorial I have included two fake mechanisms.

In this tutorial we will build a room and divide it with a wall.

DON'T LOOK AWAY

Create a basic water setup for your source level

how to make water rise and fall in a map

This tutorial shows the very simple way to make cylinders and spheres using displacements.

You have an nice interior area of your map. You have a few opaque windows and you want to have them cast light into your map.

Finding leaks in the new Hammer

In this and the last tutorial, I have tried to show how to set up a zombie breaking through walls: out of a cupboard and through metal panels

Triggers, Inputs and Outputs are an intricate part of adding interactivity to your levels

This is a basic tutorial about how to get the Strider to fire the minigun and the cannon. The set up is straightforward, just a bit specialised for the demonstration VMF

Using the displacement feature

Creating curved geometry using arches

This tutorial explains how to make a picture of your choice load up as the background picture on the ingame menu page.

This is a tutorial showing two ways how to make a door that stays locked until the player has a 'key' to unlock it. Can be used with any sort of door. This tutorial will use a func_door , a func_rotating_door .

This is a set of stairs that slide out from a wall.

This tutorial shows how to build a garage door that opens up and over.

Using the 'Clipping' tool to cut holes

This tutorial is a continuation of the fourth tutorial, we will take the rooms made there and join them with a corridor.

An introduction to Source physics

This is a basic tutorial on displacement mapping

A keypad tutorial with a difference

It is the Battery Puzzle in HalfLife 2 where you have to get the batteries all hooked up.

How to create a rotating door using models.

how to make a func_physbox explode upwards, and basically how to fling heavy objects into the air.

I put a vmf in the 'Workshop' covering a few ways of making a cop kick down a door, but they were hacks really, so this is the real thing.

It makes a Rope Bridge that spans a gap of 256 and is 64 units wide. There are two examples one is breakable.

how I made the tunnels in my map

A guide on the three diffrent types of glass the source engine is capable of

Making distant scenery

Making a Spawn and func_buyzone in CS:S

This is another tutorial about ncp_strider. It will cover crouching and crouch/walking under things. This was difficult to get to work, but the important issue seems to be make sure there is enough space all around the strider.

This tutorial is about Teleports. The map shows four teleports, A to B then B to A.