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Level Design

Name / Description
Site/Author
Finding Coordinates
Many people ask how to go about reading and finding the coordinates given when certain errors occur with ZHLT. Fortunately its not too complicated.
A comprehensive guide to func_detail
A comprehensive guide to func_detail
QERadiant - My First Door
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to make a basic moving door
Env_Render A Simple Introduction
This tutorial describes a simple usage of the env_render entity
Spirit of Half-Life entities
In this tutorial I will teach you about the most important SoHL-entities.
Ladder tutorial
How to make a basic ladder
Using the Multi_Manager
Using the Multi_Manager
How to make cliffs
What this tutorial is about, is how to make cliffs in a pretty easy way.
Mirror Floor (or Wet floor)
This tutorial will explane how to make a mirror floor.
Entities: Making a train
In this tutorial, I will show you how to make a train in cs.
Water
How to make Water in HL
NPC and Item Placement Theory
Non-Player Character (NPC) and item placement can influence both the gameflow and immersion of a level.
Computer Prefabs
This tutorial gives you an overview of the official computer prefabs.
R_SPEEDS
R_SPEEDS
Easy Spiral Staircases Using the 'Arch' Tool
This tutorial will explain how to create a spiral staircase with the 'arch' tool, eliminating the need to use the vertex manipulation tool.
GAMEFLOW
A map with good flow keeps the action going and the players moving.
Mortar Madness
How to create a mortar
Counter-Strike Camera Views Tutorial
Counter-Strike Camera Views Tutorial
The Hallway
how to connect two rooms with a hallway in Half-Life
Clipping Brushes
Clipping Brushes
Making a vehicle
Everyone wants a car these days, personally I believe if your wanting to pop in a vehicle then make sure its not the centre of attention of the map
Poly reduction - Null & Bevel
This tutorial adresses what Null and Bevel textures are, and how they can greatly improve the performance of your map
How to make Usable Camera
How to make Usable Camera
QERadiant - Overview Of Ground Styles
This Overview shows some examples of realistic grounds
How to make a curve
How to make a curve
Mapping terms definitions FAQ
Collection of Mapping terms definitions FAQ
Rotating Door
Rotating Door
Creating a simple camera
Creating a simple camera
Basic Texture Lighting
It's easier and better than the light entity!
Angled textures
Wall supports and wells
Changing the sky in your map
Changing the sky in your map
How to call in an airstrike
This tutorial will lead you through the creation of an air strike table
Water - how to make it
func_water
Water, lava, acid
Water, lava, acid, raising water, waterfalls. Some useful information about complex water.
Waterfalls
I suppose all good maps featuring rivers in them have waterfalls.
Adding sky to your levels
To show a sky map around parts or all of your
level
How to Make Steam + Non-Steam HL1 Maps
A little tutorial on how to make Half-Life 1 maps by HLCRAZY
More Triggers
Some more on triggers and ideas on how to use them
One Way Glass
Make a one way glass... a glass thats opaque from one side but transperant on the other.
Making Shoot-trough-able grate
Making Shoot-trough-able grate
Fire
Making a fire is actually very simple
Advanced Compilation
ZHLT and Vluzacn's Compile Tools guide. Light, shadow and brush control. Clip types. Mirror.
In the Beginning Part 2
Walls and Halls: life after the cube. Make another one and connect them with a corridor.
Using Sprites
Describes the various uses for sprites, including halo effects and the steam trick. Also compares variousrendering modes.
Barney’s Wizard Counterstrike mapping guides: Part 2 'Covering Your Ass'
Part 2 of Barney's great tutorial in the basics (and not so basics) of Counter-Strike mapping
TFC - Hunted Tutorial
Making a 'hunted' map is no small undertaking. The hardest part of making a 'hunted' map is the design.
Making a Custom Console Background
Making a Custom Console Background
Using Valve Hammer Editor to Create Worlds for Sven Co-op
Welcome to the Valve Hammer Editor (hammer /wc) overview and tutorial.
Doors
This one tells you how to build doors
Making Sewers
how to make a sewer tunnel, step by step!
GoldSrc Map Texture Tutorial - Part 7
SCROLLING Textures
Func_rotating
Have you ever wondered how to make a rotating propel on an airplane or simply a fan in a ventilation system?
ZHLT RAD compile flag options -and the results
ZHLT RAD compile flag options -and the results
Port mapping from cs:go to cs 1.6
Port mapping from cs:go to cs 1.6
Stairs
Build stairs complete with an angled bannister.
Configuring Hammer 3.4 to use Steam
This tutorial will teach you how to use Steam with Hammer
Setting up Hammer for Half-Life mapping
A guide for setting up Hammer editor.
Videomaking with HLAE
Learn how to capture demos and export them to video using this powerful tool.
Leaks
Everyone experiences them. Everyone hates them. They're the frickin' level leak. Below are some causes and effects, and a number of ways you can deal with leaks.
How to reduce r_speeds with rafters
How to reduce r_speeds with rafters
Making NPCs do things - Scripted Sequences
Making NPCs do things - Scripted Sequences
How to create realistic looking shadows (ZERO coding!)
I don't think I've ever seen a tutorial - discussion about this before, so hopefully it will be useful
So you think Bots are stupid?
C-S Bots are stupid as hell, and that's exactly why I've written this tutorial.
VERC Enityi Guide
VERC Enityi Guide
Compiling
Basically once you have done a bit of your map you should test it, not do the whole thing then try to compile, do it after major or even slight changes.
Controllable Sentry Tutorial
how to create and customize a controllable sentry gun
Get Learned! Appendix
Read the Help inside Hammer! It's surprisingly helpful. Don't forget to use the Index and Search tabs.
Random entity triggering
Learn how to randomly trigger events in your map, without any custom code!
Setting up Worldcraft for Opposing Force editing
Setting up Worldcraft for Opposing Force is just like setting it up for any other mod, but there seems to be confusion, hence this separate article.
Making A Room
Once you have familiarised yourself with all the tools, then you can begin your map making.
TFC - Hide & Seek Maps
Hide & Seek Maps
Invisible 'Use' Trigger
Invisible 'Use' Trigger
See-through and Shoot-through Brush - the CLIP Brush
See-through and Shoot-through Brush - the CLIP Brush
Finding & fixing leaks
every known method of finding and fixing those pesky things
Tutorial 9: The new Game_xxxx Entities
Tutorial 9: The new Game_xxxx Entities
Texture and Lighting
Now that you've created a couple of rooms, it's time to think about textures.
How to reduce r_speeds
How to reduce r_speeds
The magic cargo container
This tutorial demonstrates how to make a moving cargo crate
All light entities
In this tutorial i will show you how to use advanced lighing.
water and liquids
In this tutorial I'll show you how to create all kinds of liquids
Detpackable Walls Tutorial
Detpackable walls are a very common occurance in lots of maps, especially Valve-made ones
Better looking buildings
Using angles to make better looking cities and towns
Chaincraft - Explanations - Part 1
Terms and tips for more succesfull mapping.
Creating a streetlight with light cone
Creating a streetlight with light cone
Creating a spiral staircase
This tutorial will teach you how to make a spiral staircase with Hammer
Chokepoints
In this article I'll try to layout a map from how I want the chokepoints to be.
Tutorial 2b - Func_Train Lift, Multiple Floors + Lift Doors.
Lift2 - A func_train lift with attached Doors.
Glass
How to make glass
Total Map Optimisation
This tutorial helps you understand how the engine renders your map and how to improve the performance
Creating Environment Maps With Terragen
Creating Environment Maps With Terragen
Game Text Tutorial
Game Text Tutorial
common mapping problems/questions
common mapping problems/questions
Torching a Door
Among the many new things the Half-Life: Opposing Force expansion pack introduces, one of the most interesting is the engineer NPC.
Cylindric texture alignment in Hammer 3.5
Short video tutorial explaining the process involved in texture alignmnet for cylinders
Drivable objects
Drivable objects
Complex geometry:part 2
I will now show how to use the vertex manipulation tool
Func_train Tutorial
A func_train is a brush-based entity that you can get to move around in some interesting ways.
Permanently locked doors
Permanently locked doors
Making A Curved Corridor
Making A Curved Corridor
Setting up Multiple Objectives - multisource
Setting up Multiple Objectives - multisource
ITEM BALANCE
ITEM BALANCE
TFC - Command Point System - Canal Zone Style
This tutorial will show you how to make a map like 'Canal Zone 2'
The Bendy Door
The Bendy Door
Making Your First Bomb Defusion Map With Hammer
Making Your First Bomb Defusion Map With Hammer AKA WorldCraft
SETTING UP YOUR MAP FOR CS
So you have crafted your map and now it's time to get it ready for playing in CS.
R_Speeds
What is it all about ?
creating transparent and opaque objects
This tutorial will explain to you how to create objects with total transparency or partial opacity
Using teamcheck entities (A&D map setup)
TFC has had its Team Check entities for a while now. However their usage in custom maps thus far has been extremely limited
The Origin Texture
This tutorial shows how to use the origin texture
Manipulating skies - with unendless maps without changelevels
I have invented about nice trick like you don't need to worry about changing skyboxes.
Basic Doors
Doors are a critical part in every level. That's where this tutorial comes in, so roll up your sleeves and get ready to make some simple doors.
Creating a simple camera
Ever want to have a camera in your map, so that users can scope out the enemy? Like the ones in the truck in Assault.
how to make rail in valve hammer
how to make imple train
How to make a Teleport
How to make a Teleport
Creating an Ammo Pack
This small tutorial explains how to make an ammo pack for a TFC map. It's basically an excerpt from my Respawn room tutorial.
Collapsing Walkway
I will demonstrate one of the possible ways to create a Collapsing Walkway.
WorldCraft 3.3 from the beginning
WorldCraft 3.3 from the beginning
Rope, Waterfalls and Dripping Water.
How to make Good looking Rope, and other useful stuff.
Making a destroyable active tank turret (realistic)
Making an active tank turret that can be destroyed with explosive weapons.
One Way Glass
This is actually easier to make than you may think.
Pitch Yaw Roll
How to set up object pitch - yaw - roll.
How to make glass
This tutorial will teach you how to make windows.
Entities in Quark
Entities in Quark
Introduction To HL-CS Mapping
Introduction To HL-CS Mapping
Editing Individual Brush faces in Quark
Editing Individual Brush faces in Quark
LEAKS EXPLAINED
LEAKS EXPLAINED
What is vhlt
If you are keeping up with the level design news for goldsrc, you may have heard of vhlt.
Scripted
Basic use of scripted_sequence's
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Half-Life Clip Hull Generation
How it works, what goes wrong, and how I fixed it in question and answer format
Using prop models in SC
Using prop models in SC
How to make a switch to turn lights on and off.
How to make a switch to turn lights on and off.
Mounted Weapon
Mounted weapon can shoot bullets, laser, blast or rockets.
Tutorial 11: Seamless Level Transitions
Tutorial 11: Seamless Level Transitions
HALOS ON LIGHTS
HALOS ON LIGHTS
Rope, Water and Waterfalls
Rope, Water and Waterfalls
Adding and Loading Textures and Custom Textures
Adding and Loading Textures and Custom Textures
In-Depth: Getting started in Mapping
Mapping for Half-Life
Making a Ladder
You can make anything into a ladder. even something slippery like a plastic fish.
Ladders
How to make a ladder. Clean and simple!
Door With Turning Handle
This article covers how to make a door that has a handle that turns when it opens.
Creating A Usable And Destructible Mortar
mortars that can be used by one team to bombard a part of the map with simulated mortars
Env_sprite Tutorial
The env_sprite entity is used to place, yep you guessed it, sprites in your level. It's also very easy to use.
Understanding the 'Clip Tool'
This tutorial first goes over how to use the clip tool, then goes on to describe the many uses and abilities of this powerful tool.
Rain
Rain for Half-Life
DoD Object Objectives
DoD Object Objectives
Tank busting through a wall effect
The effect I will demonstrate is, a tank smashes through a wall then starts shooting at you
In the Beginning Part 3
Basic Texture Application: Got walls and halls, now add some textures to make it all look great.
Clipping Brushes
Clipping Brushes
Using the LIGHTS.RAD file for Texture Lighting
PilPax has sent this great tutorial our way that outlines just how to use the lights.rad file for texture lighting.
Trigger_teleport Tutorial
Simple tut. for create teleportations
Rotating Objects
a quick guide to making them
Working Vending Machine with Round Corners
Working Vending Machine with Round Corners
Scalable monster health / Player amount detector
This tutorial covers how you can trigger certain events in your map according to the amount of players currently on the server.
Making One Way Glass
If you happen to be making a corporate building super map, then maybe you want some funky 1 way glass in it.
Grates
Very simple to do these are.
Set a Trap with Monster Maker
This tutorial tells you how to set a trap whereby one or more monsters erupt from a wall or the ceiling to ambush the player
How to make respawnable glass
Have you ever wondered how to make respawnable glass in half-life or tfc?
QERadiant - My First Moving Platform
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to create a simple moving platform by using the func_plat entity
Rotating Light Effect
How to make a Rotating Light Effect in HL
How to make breakable windows
How to make breakable windows
The Essentials of Mapping: Immersing the Player
This article is an important guide to improving your sense of style and should help you make your maps look a lot better
A beginners guide to mapping: Part 2
A beginners guide to mapping: Part 2
Multi_managers
Usage
Lasers for the masses
an introduction
10 most common Counter-Strike mapping pitfalls
10 most common Counter-Strike mapping pitfalls
func_doors
func_doors
Fixing Fullbright and Black Void Glitches - How to fix Leaks
Fixing Fullbright and Black Void Glitches - How to fix Leaks
Chaincraft - Explanations - Part 4
Terms and tips for more succesfull mapping.
The X-Ray Effect
This tutorial explains how the X-Ray machine effect was accomplished in Half-Life: Opposing Force.
How to make your own credits
How to make your own credits
Poor Man's Shiny Floors
A shiny floor that seems to reflect that which is above it adds an impressive touch to many Half-Life levels
Map Making Basics - Part 3
Map Making Basics - Part 3
Arches 101
Arches 101
valve hammer level transition (halflife1)
so in this video ill show you guys how to make it correctly and place the landmark and the trigger
Rotating Doors - the ORIGIN Brush
Rotating Doors - the ORIGIN Brush
How To Make Arches (The Good Way)
How To Make Arches (The Good Way)
Multi-level lift, call to any level from all levels
I had a massive headache trying to get this working, and after two days of trying various methods, I finally figured it out.
Making a Rotating door
Here you will learn how to make a door that open for real, rather than just sliding.
How VIS works
This document is more like a how it might work, than how it actually works
Trees
Four different approaches to tree-making!
Taming the Speaker Entity
The 'speaker' entity creates the effect of having a public-address system in your level. It is designed to make random announcements every 3 to 10 minutes while it is active.
How to make effective lighting
How to make effective lighting
TFC: Hunted!
The Hunted style maps seem to be quite popular.
Apache Delivering an APC
Apache Delivering an APC
Vertex Manipulation - Taming The Beast
Vertex Manipulation - Taming The Beast
WorldCraft Tutorials: Part1
This tutorial will cover the basic of getting WorldCraft started. Like how to setup your 'game configuration', 'build programs', and 'textures'. We will also recommend what programs you should use, like what compile frontend and what compile tools (build programs).
An Introduction to Triggers
This tutorial is going to be pretty basic, and is mostly aimed at those who are new to Worldcraft and making levels.
Carving responsibly
Carving is never pretty. So many new mappers rely on carving which ends up shooting their r_speeds through the roof or creating nasty errors.
Func_pendulum
I thought I'd write a little tutorial since a lot of people tend to have trouble getting this entity to work.
Setting Up Valve Hammer Editor
It took me a lot of time searching through the internet how to set up Hammer 3.5 and make it work flawlessly, and I never found a tutorial that had everything...
2-Stage Pipe
the two-stage pipe, as I like to call it, looks quite nice.
Cel-Shade Brushes
How to add a constant black-outline to brushes!
Adding and Removing stuff using .BSP only
This article will explain how to edit a .BSP file to add or remove items from the map, without needing the .VMT or .MAP file.
Creating Proximity Doors
Creating Proximity Doors
Setting Up Hammer for TFC
This will cover getting Hammer configured and ready to make TFC maps.
Tutorial 4: Door Antics...
Tutorial 4: Door Antics...
Spotlight Tutorial
A tutorial outlining how to make a nice looking light that shines to a spot, has a faint glow about it, and a fading beam of light visible.
Making { Textures Invisible
In this tutorial, you will be taught how to make the blue areas on textures e.g. fences, air-ducts and so on, and so fourth, invisible.
DoD Class Limits
DoD Class Limits
Titles.txt
How to modify the titles text to produce Messages
A Guide to better Framerates
Levels with a bad framerates are the biggest problem for mappers.A level with a poor framerate often makes such a level unplayable.
On textures and wpoly (128, 256 or 240, which is the best?)
textures and wpoly (128, 256 or 240, which is the best?)
Entities
Entities
Angular Velocity and Rotating func_trains
This article discusses the use of angular velocity to create rotating func_trains.
Controllable Vehicle - Train
Make a train, car, boat, elevator, chopper, ship, plane or even roller-coaster with powerful func_tracktrain entity.
Half-Life Teamplay
what to know when setting up a Half-Life Teamplay Map
How to configure Valve Hammer Editor for Counter-Strike 1.6 mapping
How to configure Valve Hammer Editor for Counter-Strike 1.6 mapping
Scripted Sentences
Get those monsters talking.
All about Levels and Speed
All about Levels and Speed
Stripping Ammo and Grenades
This tutorial covers how to remove ammo and grenades from spawning players.
Creating a basic room
Get to grips with creating a basic room
Compiling maps using ZHLT
Compiling maps using ZHLT
Security Cards
Here's a really quick tutorial about getting a key to open a door (there might be an easier way to do this but I found that this method works pretty well).
Netvis
Tired of long compile times?
Xen Lighting
How to 'naturally' light up Xen maps
Setting up Worldcraft
Setting up Worldcraft
Simple sequence of events
Using a multi_manager
Volumetric lighting
Volumetric lighting is fun
10 Most Common Counter-Strike Mapping Pitfalls
Zaphod lets us in on his list of top 10 most common Counter-Strike mapping pitfals.
Angular Velocity and Rotating func_trains
Angular Velocity and Rotating func_trains
How To Spawn NPCS In Multiplayer
To Add NPC In Multiplayer (Works On Android & PC) You Must Follow my Steps
Frequently asked Questions and Tips
Frequently asked Questions and Tips
Vertex manipulation - basics, tricks and common errors
Vertex manipulation - basics, tricks and common errors
Models and how to add them in your map
A map is typically composed of 2 things; brushes and entities. But there are other things which make a map. These include models, sprites, sounds, etc.
Tutorial 5: Lifts, and more lifts...
Tutorial 5: Lifts, and more lifts...
Map Overviews
Map Overviews
Basic use of the multi_manager
The multi_manager is a very powerful entity and is often used in conjunction with the multisource and env_global entities
Sky
How to make out door sky areas for Half-life
Putting monsters on paths
This article demonstrates how to make a monster follow a path until it's AI kicks in
How To Make Counter-Strike Maps
This is a complete guide that will get you started making maps for Counter-Strike.
Triggering a game_text
This is just a tutorial about how to make a text showing up when you fall down in a hole or walk trough someting!
In the Beginning
Some of the important things a SP map should include.
Resetting entities at the start of every round (Counter-Strike specific method)
Resetting entities at the start of every round (Counter-Strike specific method)
Trigger Events Between Levels
Learn how to trigger events between levels using the logic_auto and env_global entities.
Advanced Doors Tutorial
Okay, considering that you've read Brian's basic doors tutorial, you should know how a door works.
Cool Looking Dripping Water
Just a cheap trick to make cool looking dripping water. Simple, fast, and easy.
func_breakable - How to make windows with breakable glass
This tutorial is going to explain every single little step from having a wall to having a wall with a window, that looks good. I asume you know how to make a brush.
Sky Tutorial: Skies/Environment maps in Half-Life
Sky Tutorial: Skies/Environment maps in Half-Life
The BSP Process and Visibility
The BSP Process and Visibility
The Mysteries of the Pak File...
The Pak file Demystified
Sky boxes for Newbies
Creating skyboxes around your map.
How to make ambient noises
How to make ambient noises
How to use the Clipping tool
A tutorial in using the Clipping tool
Common Monster Properties
The majority of monster entities share a common set of properties
Long Compile Times and Tips to Improve Them
Does your map take too long to compile? Lacos delves into the reasons why, and what you can do to speed things up!
QERadiant - Gate And Glass
This Tutorial shows how to make gates and transparent and breakable glass
Rotating Doors
Third in the Mazymatic series, this time how to make a rotating door.
How to give Teams different names
How to give Teams different names
Leakage
Leakage
func_door_rotating
This page explains how to create a rotating door in a Counter-Strike map with Hammer.
Dead NPCs for HL1 and CS
Need some corpses for your maps? Read on.
Choose A Sky For Your HL Map (With Sky Previews)
Ever wonder how to change the background sky texture in your map? Read this easy tutorial! Includes a handy list of envmap previews to show you what the different skies look like.
Setting up WorldCraft 3.3 for Team Fortress
First of all this tutorial is how I set up WC3.3
armoury_entity Tutoria
A simple tutorial for the entity 'armoury_entity'
Polygon Reduction Methods
This is a quick and dirty guide for some common polygon reduction methods
Reflective Surfaces
This is a good method to have a reflective surface in Half-Life
Ways to Prevent Leaks
If your level doesn't compile because it has a leak, then you need to find the leak and delete. This tutorial helps define methods to find and eliminate leaks
QuArK setup tutorial for Wizard Wars (part 2)
QuArK setup tutorial for Wizard Wars (part 2)
Complex cliff faces
.. the easy way!
Make a Ladder
Believe it or not, you make ladders with the func_ladder entity
Elaborate Elevators, Part #1
Elaborate Elevators, Part #1
Simple Doors
This is a guide to simple doors in Half-Life, and how to get them working using WorldCraft or Hammer 3.4
Basic Half-Life Values
This tutorial shows some basic values and sizes of Half-Life
QERadiant - Additional Rock Styles
This tutorial shows two additional rock styles to make your rock wall more detailed.
How to plant a bomb underwater!
pilpaX sets us up the bomb - this time underwater!
How to make a de_map
In this guide I will show you how to build a small but still playable de_map (defuse map).
Finding Leaks
Well You have to start somewhere and in my opinion its best to start simple, so my first tutorial is a simple reference on how to find Leaks in your level.
Half-Life Deathmatch Mapping
What is HLDM?
Patrolling Guards
It's the nightmare scenario. You have been captured by the enemy, disarmed and left for dead in a cell.
Magic Cargo Container
This demonstrates the illusion of having a moving cargo container that has working doors and appears to be carrying a cargo of armed soldiers.
Triggers
This is a guide on how to use triggers
How to change the sky box texture
How to change the sky box texture
How to compile your map - The Basics
Compiling a map can sometimes be the biggest source of problems associated with Half-Life/TFC editing.
Advanced compile
From now on, use the advance compile menu when compiling maps.To do this, just click on the expert button in the compile menu.
Creating A Locked Door
This article describes the process used for creating door that can be locked and unlocked through the use of the func_button, trigger_relay, and multisource entities
Beam & Sprite Effects
This tutorial covers some amazing entities like env_bubble, env_funnel and env_shooter
Setting up a teams.ini
Creating a set team for you're map
Add water you can see through
Making look-through able water
Torching a Door
Torching a Door
Style Guide #2, Lab 2
Style Guide #2, Lab 2
Changing Levels
Simple guide to level changes, Including One Way.
Using the arch tool in Hammer 3.5
Video tutorial explaining how to use the Arch tool inside Hammer
Gib Item List
list of gibs available in goldsrc
QERadiant Basics
This tutorial gives you information about the basic functions of
QERadiant
Worldcraft2 / the interface
Worldcraft2 / the interface
Setting up Hammer for counter-strike mapping
A guide for setting up the Hammer editor, using the Half-life SDK
Tutorial 8: Controllable trams: The Func_tracktrain entity
Tutorial 8: Controllable trams: The Func_tracktrain entity
Bubble effect
How to create underwater bubbles in maps
Combining Brushes with a Text Editor
Ever wonder how to combine multiple brushes into 1 big brush?
QERadiant - My First Hallway
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to connect two rooms with an hallway
Entity Guides
TWHL's great collection of Entity Guides
Teleporter Tutorial
Hey I think that you needed a teleport tut, so here it is
Half-Life Map Entity Editing
there is some map data that can easily be edited in any text editor (such as Notepad) without changing the compiled map - entities
Realistic Steam
Realistic steam is really quite easy to make, its a wonder its not in more levels. 🙂
r_speed reduction methods
This tutorial will explain to you how to reduce lag caused by r_speeds (polygon counts) in a Half-Life level.
using a keycard to open a door
keycard must be picked up for door to be openable
Rotating Objects
This is a brief descriptive article on the process of setting up rotating entities.
Level Transition
Simple transition between maps.
TFC - Dustbowl Style Map
Dustbowl Style Map
valve hammer change target (half life)
back with another video in this video i will show you how change target in hammer
LADDERS
Ladders are a very essential part of any map, let alone cs maps.
Sewers
Sewers are quite easy to put together and can be explained fairly quickly.
Making Keys that unlock Doors
Have you ever wondered why Half-Life doesn´t have a key system,
Sky Positioning
Sky Positioning
Creating a streetlight with light cone
Creating a streetlight with light cone
The AAATrigger Texture
This tutorial shows how to use the aaatrigger texture
TFC Mapping Frequently Asked Questions
TFC Mapping Frequently Asked Questions
Setting up Hammer 3.4
Ok folks, this little guide is going to get you set up with Hammer 3.4 (Formerly Worldcraft).
Hunted Map Tutorial
A Hunted map is basically composed of four different parts
Detpackable Walls in Team Fortress Classic
Detpackable Walls in Team Fortress Classic
Setting up Quark
Setting up Quark for Half-Life mapping
The Hallway
It seems this is a big stumbling block many people encounter - how to connect two rooms with a hallway.
The Opposing Force Opening Sequence
The Opposing Force Opening Sequence
Proper Half-Life mapping - The Essentials, Leaks, and Beginner's Guide
What I'm going to do is ram mapping etiquette into your skulls
How to create Awesome Lamps/Lights
How to create Awesome Lamps/Lights
Adding a model into Counter-Strike maps
Adding a model into Counter-Strike maps
Read Me First
A long winded look at mapping
VHLT's 'SOLIDHINT'
VHLT's 'SOLIDHINT'
Perfect 90 Degree Curves
The cylinder method!
Lighting
Lighting
trigger_camera
How to use the trigger_camera
The 'Grunts busting through a skylight..' effect
This tutorial shows you how to create the effect of human grunts dropping through a skylight into a room.
Special Textures
There are a number of textures that come with Half-Life that apply special properties.
The Gmdm2 tutorials Part 2
Part 2: boulder basics
Rotating Weapons
This tutorial teaches you how to create the effect of weapons that hover and spin over the ground 'Quake 3' style.
QOOLE 99 Editor Introduction Tutorial
This tutorial is meant only to teach the basics of QOOLE 99
Tetrahedron Terrain
A more low-poly solution for triangle terrain
Your First Map - Basics and Controls
Your First Map - Basics and Controls
Arches simplified
Step by step quick tut for making arches or arched doorways.
How to Create a Ladder
This is basically a ground-up tutorial that will guide you through every step in creating a ladder.
Configure Worldcraft
version 3.3
Elevator with moving button
The tutorial demonstrates how to make a lift whose button (seemingly) moves along with it.
Map naming conventions.
There are a few basic rules on naming your map.
How to make a Respawning Breakable Glass Window
In this tutorial I will show you how to make a Respawning Breakable Window
Doors
Create sliding or hinged doors with this tutorial.
Compiling Errors
A list and their solutions
The fastest way to compile your maps!
A tutorial on using batch files to compile your maps.
How to reduce polys
How to reduce polys
Rotating Door
Rotating Door
How to use LeafMarker
When starting out making maps most new mappers soon experience having a LEAK
How to make a ladder
A ladder in Half-Life is a combination of two things: the physical ladder which you see, and the invisible field which you can climb.
How to use !activator
How to use !activator
How to make a door
How to make a door
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEATHMATCH MAPPING
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEATHMATCH MAPPING
Curved Walls - Rounded Walls
Curved Walls - Rounded Walls
Simple r-speed tutorial
Basic texture scaling and VIS-blocking
Origin Brush
This tutorial explains the use and creation of Origin Brushes. Origin Brushes are needed for any entity that rotates.
valve hammer audio tutoiral
guy how to make music play in hammer
func_vehicle complete tutorial
func_vehicle complete tutorial
Slippery Floors
Put slippin' slidin' action into your levels. Or don't. In any case, it wouldn't hurt to know how this is done
Worldcraft 3.3 Preview
This is a short preview of the upcoming Worldcraft version 3.3
Half Life 1.10 Entity list (Advanced)
Common FGD Entitys, and how to use them
How to make a trigger
If you are new to HL level designing and want to know how to make trigger, read this!
Making a Working Camera System
Within this tutorial, I will show how to setup the entites needed to create a working camera system for use in TFC maps.
Design Considerations for HLDM Part 1
Gamedesign theory for HLDM
xen healing pools
healing pool as encountered in xen with full effects
How to make a pop machine
A pop machine. You've all seen 'em. You've all used 'em. How do you make 'em? Lemme tell ya.
How to make ladder
How to make ladder
How to add a sky to a map
How to add a sky to a map
creating ladders
This tutorial will explain to you how to create those simple HL ladders!
Compiling Introduced
An introduction to compiling, what it is, how it works, and the different ways it can be done.
Simple Camera Tutorial
Simple Camera Tutorial
Texture Lighting
Learn how to use lights.rad to make your textures emit light.
QERadiant - My First Ladder
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to make a climbable ladder
Making domination-style maps
This 'tutorial' (more of a list of entities) shows you how to create your very own domination map (as seen in Unreal Tournament).
Getting Started
Getting Started with Worldcraft
Get Learned! Step 2 - Plug It In
Many new users of Hammer are so scared by the configuring process that they run away, never to come back.
The Bendy Door
This article discusses how to create the effect of a door bending and bulging before it finally breaks open
Earthquake
This will make an earthquake effect much like the one used in the game
Realistic Shadows
Technique to create realistic and precise looking shadows
Multi-destination teleporter
Entity heavy, recommended to experienced mappers only
Blue-Shift setup and mapping guide
The hows, what's, where's, when's, dos and don'ts of mapping for blue-shift!
Elevator #2
This tutorial covers how to make an elevator that can move between more than two floors.
valve hammer multimanager
valve hammer multimanager
TFC - Command Point System - Warpath Style
This tutorial will show you how to make a map like 'warpath'
Reference: HL Monsters
This article is here for reference purposes. With the release of HL2 its kind of defunct now, but it lists the HL monsters and how best to use them
Torching Open A Door (Half-Life)
In the Half-Life: Uplink demo, at one point you see a group of grunts cut open a steel door
trigger_changetarget
Covers usage of the trigger_changetarget.
How to group objects
How to group objects
Scripting Tutorial #2, A Specific Example
For this tutorial, I will be using a part of my uncompleted single-player map.
Security Cameras
Security Cameras
TFC - Rock2 Style map
This tutorial will show you how to create a map like rock2
In Depth: Level Transitions
Level transitions (using the trigger_changelevel) are an often misunderstood aspect of Half-Life editing.
Making Light Beams
Making Light Beams
How to make an Airstrike
How to make an Airstrike
Decals\Abziehbilder
Making decals is easy.
Creating Backpacks
Backpacks are one of the most common things you'll be putting into a TFC map
Basic Teleporter with Effects
Teleporters with sprite and sound effects are quite easy to construct.
Get Learned! Step 6 - Sprinkles
Get Learned! Step 6 - Sprinkles
trigger_teleport - Teleportation
trigger_teleport - Teleportation
How to do complex brushwork with no errors
Learn how I do dynamic brushwork with minimal errors in VHE.
How to make a Breakable lab
Lab fun, computer were always fun here's how to spice things up.
How to make a beach
How to make a beach
Tankrockets
Create your own turret-mounted weapons. In this case, a rocket-launcher.
How to Add Light to Your Level
In this short tutorial, you will learn to create a simple room and light entity that will demonstrate a normal white light.
Using Complex brushes (Realistic Cliffs)
Using more complex brushwork
Texturing Techniques
Texturing Techniques
Mappers should read:Fix the bot's bugs with ladder
Help mapper know about czbot problems with ladders
Making Prefabs
What are prefabs? pre constructed objects. in other words, objects people have made.
Env_fog with visible sky
I was testing some other stuff and suprisingly I achieved an affect I didn't know was possible
Ladder Tutorial
Ladders, like glass, are brush based, but aren't as simple.
Common Monster Properties
This article covers the properties common to most monsters, including entity properties and flags.
Embedding Textures into a Map
Embedding Textures into a Map
Advanced r_speeds Control
With this method, you can almost double your detail level and your r_speeds won't even blink
Motion Blur Effect
How to create a motion blur effect in half-life. Note: blur does not show if in software mode or if gl_clear 1 is set.
Creating an Evolution of a Map
Archie explains in detail his process for producing the popular 'Evolution of a Map' videos he's created in promotion of SnC's mod The Core.
Comparing two keyvalues
Comparing two keyvalues
Underwater Currents
Underwater Currents
Setting up Worldcraft
Setting up Worldcraft
in-game level maps
overhead plan of level, displayed in game as texture of map, chart, diagram etc
HLT's 'func_detail'
HLT's 'func_detail'
Rotating Cameras
Rotating Cameras
func_door - How to make sliding doors
func_door - How to make sliding doors
Standard Measurements (CS)
These are the standard Measurements, taken from cs_mansion which is practically older than CS
Compiling tips
Compiling tips (note the text and bg are White ^^)
TFC Class Limits
TFC Class Limits
The Gmdm2 tutorials Part 3
Part 3: building a better boulder
Scripting Tutorial #1, Overview
Actually, this tutorial goes beyond just enemies. As you will soon see, the scripting system can be interconnected with any entity you wish.
Creating Overviews
How to create those in-game overviews
r_speed tips and information
r_speeds are basically the number of wploys on screen at one time, or the amount of r_speeds drawn by the game engine if you wanna get technical.
Platforms
Platforms can move in any direction though defined paths and have rotation.
Making water
Making water
Half-Life Teamplay
Half-Life Teamplay
Using Complex brushes
Going a bit more advanced on brush/vertex manipulation
Panel Texturing
Mangling at its best
Half-Life Style Guide #1, Lab 1
This is a style guide from Dave Johnson that goes over the style and atmosphere building properties of the first lab environment.
Func_weldable
Create a button that needs to be welded before being used
Locked Doors
Locked Doors
How to use the multi_manager entity
How to use the multi_manager entity
A little Hammer FAQ
Some common FAQ based on hammer
Level Design
I will cover the process of level-making itself. In short, this tutorial will tell a beginning level editor how to make cool levels instead of levels that suck.
Making your first map
In this post I will show you hove to create your first map.
Scripting Tutorial #3
In this tutorial I will tell you how to make a zombie rip through a wall. I expect that you have read Vlad's previous two scripting tutorials.
Multi Managers explained
This is a basic tutorial on how to use and setup a Multi_Manager.
Advanced env_beam
This is an advanced tutorial showing how you can combine buttons, beams and a multi_manager for some interesting effects!
Scripted events for Stock Half Life Models
a CHM File for scripted events for Stock Half Life Models
Combining Scripted Sequences and Sentences
Combining Scripted Sequences and Sentences
Mapping Mentality
This article goes over the sort of attitude you should adopt if you want to enjoy mapping and become good at it.
How to Override Server Settings
This small tutorial explains how to override the default settings running on a game server.
Usable machine guns
Note that this is the same ways to make gun emplacements in all mods
Configuring the Editor
Configuring the Editor
Multi_manager
The multi_manager entity replaces the aging trigger_relay entity. The multi_manager can trigger up to 16 different entities at set time lengths
How to setup hammer for cs mapping
This guide is going to show you how to setup hammer for making cs 1.6 maps
QERadiant - Counter-Strike Basic Information
This tutorial gives you basic information about CS mapping and how to use the new entities
Leaks!
Everyone experiences them. Everyone hates them
Vending Machine
Create a working vending machine
Using the Clipping tool
In this tutorial, you will be taught how to clip objects, using the Clipping tool.
Making Your First Hostage Rescue Map With Hammer
Making Your First Hostage Rescue Map With Hammer AKA Worldcraft by Guy Montag
Advanced Lighting
This is a continuation of my Introduction to Lighting Tutorial
QERadiant - Counter-Strike Map Types (cs/de/as)
This tutorial gives you basic information about the 3 different types of Counter-Strike maps.
Special Effects
A lot of effects can be created, fire, smokes, fog, sparks, lasers, blood. bubbles or even model shooter
LCD Display (with custom values!)
LCD Display (with custom values!)
69th Vlatitude FAQ
long list of 69th Vlatitude FAQs
How to set up a multi_manager
How to set up a multi_manager
Multi-textured surface
Multi-textured surface
Adding your own custom textures
This tutorial will teach you how to add your textures to your map.
Making a deathrun map
Making a deathrun map
How to make pipes - Part 1
This time we will learn how to make pipes.
Introduction to R-Speeds
The expression "r_speeds" is short for "rendering speeds". Essentially, it is a measure of how much is being rendered (drawn) when you are in any given area in your map.
Doors and windows
Doors and windows
How to make a thunderstorm in cs 1.6 map
How to make a thunderstorm in cs 1.6 map
Overriding Server Settings
This small tutorial explains how to override the default settings running on a game server.
Adding Atmosphere
A dialogue about getting horror into your map
The Clip Brush Tutorial
Making and Using Clip Brushes
env_rain Tutorial
A tutorial for add rain in your maps!
The BSP Process and Visibility
This tutorial is written for Quake II and to some extent Quake 3 Arena. However, all Quake engine games work on a similar principle (though not all have hint brushes or detail brushes).
func_wall optimizations
Using the func_wall to improve framerates
Get Learned! Step 3 - Buildin' Blocks
Get Learned! Step 3 - Buildin' Blocks
Making a Useable Machine Gun
Making a Useable Machine Gun
Physical Logic – Half-Life
Physical Logic – Half-Life
Onscreen Messages
Learn how to make text appear on the screen during your levels.
env_explosion Tutorial
A tutorial for add toggled explosions!
Scaleing: Why it works.
Scaleing: Why it works.
Hint Brushes
What are they?
Custom Textures In Quark
Learn howto use custom textures
Bounce Pads
Create a floor-hugging xen push pad, as seen in 'Bounce'
R_speed Reduction Methods
High R_SPEEDS got you down? Check out Mr Deth's tutorial on how to reduce them.
How to make an elevator with a button in it.
How to make an elevator with a button in it.
Pipe-Works (part 2)
T- and X- junctions
R_speeds
What they are and how to control them
How to use detailtextures in a professional manner
How to use detailtextures in a professional manner
The Glass Tutorial
Whole texture transparency via the 'Render Mode' key
Decals: All You Need To Know
The easy way to place Decals
DoD Spawn Protection
DoD Spawn Protection
TEXTURED LIGHTS
Textured lights then, many mappers swear by them and others just hate them.
The Ambient Generic Explained
The following information / tutorial assumes you are comfortable working in WorldCraft with entities as well as have a working knowledge of where to place and how to access .wav files from HL entities
Spiral stairs tutorial
This tutorial will show you how to make a set of perfect spiral stairs faster than the lifespan of a snark. We'll be using our friend, the arch tool, to build the stairs.
Hint Brush Tutorial
Hint brushes are a powerful and often misunderstood tool.
Using ToggleFlag Properties
Some of TFC's settings are done through special fields called ToggleFlags
WorldCraft Tutorials: Part2
In this tutorial I will guide you through the layout of WorldCraft, how it is layed out and what each of the buttons do.
Dark Outdoor Maps
Put a little night in your map.
Making See-Through Glass
Making See-Through Glass
Cool Door
Well that's all the doors that I can take so that's the last door
Leaks
Finding a Leak
ambient_generic
How to put background sound into your map
Texturing your map
I will now show you how to add textures to your map.
Textured Lighting
Textured Lighting
How to get (almost) perfect texture rotations
This tutorial applies to the Hammer Editor 3.5
Making Ladders and Glass
Making Ladders and Glass
Moving and rolling barrel tutorial
This tutorial will explain how to make a rolling barrel that also moves (as seen in Blue Shift)
How to use the HINT brush
How to use the HINT brush
Putting Sound Into Your Map
Putting Sound Into Your Map
Making a cs map
I will show you how to place hostage spawn points in your map now.
Chaincraft - Explanations - Part 3
Terms and tips for more succesfull mapping.
Tutorial 6: 'I have seen the light!!'
Tutorial 6: 'I have seen the light!!'
Natural Selection - Electric Arcs
Ever wondered how I made the pulsing electric arcs in Eclipse and Odins Guard?
How to make ammo bags in TFC
How to make ammo bags in TFC
How to make a nice terrain using the triangle method
How to make a nice terrain using the triangle method
WorldCraft Tutorials: Part3
This section will cover the basics of making a room. We will also look into making a hallway joining another room, and a door in the middle of the hallway.
CHANGING LEVELS IN HALF-LIFE
CHANGING LEVELS IN HALF-LIFE
Elevator with moving button
The tutorial demonstrates how to make a lift whose button (seemingly) moves along with it
Connectivity
Connectivity can make or break a map.
Basic detail
This is a quick tutorial teaching you to create some of the basic detail and entity functions in Half-Life mapping.
Scripted Sequence's for Newbies part 2
Scripted Sequence's for Newbies part 2
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEATHMATCH MAPPING - Part 2
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEATHMATCH MAPPING
Part 2
A Texturing Tip
Holding ALT while applying texures
Creating Ambient Noises
How to put those ambient noises into your map, like drips, machines, and all those other WAV files in the game.
How To Make A Pop Machine
The pop machine - not only does it dispense cans of pop, you can also smack it around with a crowbar!
QERadiant - Ground With Triangular Brushes
This is small tutorial which should show you how to make a ground out of triangular brushes.
Creating a func_tank on valve hammer editor
in this video i will cover up how to make a func_tank for the one who you can manually controll it and the one who will be controlled by the engine.
How to fix those leaks
Have a leak in your map? Read this!
how to change weather in valve hammer editor
how to change weather in valve hammer editor
Adding a Skybox
The Skybox is the Image around your map
Save/load keyvalues between levels
Save/load keyvalues between levels
How to load a map (.bsp file) in-game
Basic tutorial on using the command line or console to run a map.
The 'Busy Scientist' effect
OK what we are going to do is, make a scientist go around a room and check computers, in an endless loop.
Basic terrain mapping in Hammer 3.5
Video Tutorial covering basic terrain mapping in hammer
Map Layout Theory for Counter Strike
How to layout your level for Counter Strike
Dimensions
How wide, high, long can I make things?
trigger_changevalue and env_render
a little 'tutorial' what trigger_changevalue can be used for
Making an as map
Just select the info_vip_start entity from the entity tool and place it next to the counter-terrorist.
Trigger_camera
This is by far one of the coolest and most difficult entities to master. With our help, you just might get a handle on it. Read on!
Worldcraft and Counterstrike
This is a comprehensive walk-through for setting up Worldcraft for Counterstrike editing.
How To Make Stairs
How To Make Stairs
Getting background sounds to loop
Getting background sounds to loop
Making Glass
Making Glass
WorldCraft 3.3 from the beginning
This is a very basic tutorial telling you how to set-up your basic WorldCraft 3.3 options
Curved Corners and Sloping Passages
Curved Corners and Sloping Passages
Another way to create rocks
how to create easy rocks...
How to make a curve - the next step!
How to make a curve
How To Use Environment Maps
So, you've got your spiffy new Environment Map....but what the hell do you do with it now???
Setting up QERadiant and the HL plug-in
This is the one and only solution i found to get the plugin to work. It may sound a little exotic but it works!
Tutorial 2: Your first room and Worldcraft basics
Tutorial 2: Your first room and Worldcraft basics
Get Learned! Step 7 - Finish Line
Get Learned! Step 7 - Finish Line
NULL Texturing and boosting performance
NULL Texturing and boosting performance
Texture Face and world alignment
Texture Face and world alignment
Tutorial 3: Adding a second room and a door
Tutorial 3: Adding a second room and a door
Using Skys in Half-Life
This article discusses the use of skys in Half-Life
Creating Atmosphere
Goes without saying this is important, it can make or break a map in some cases. How to obtain the right atmosphere for a map is very difficult.
QERadiant - Vertex Manipulation
This tutorial shows you three different ways to manipulate brushes
Terrain Generation Options
This is a simple little tutorial I've designed to help explain the terrain generation options TG offers
Adding water
Water is very easy in half life.
Making glass brushes
Making glass brushes
Changing Hammer
Change your Hammer splash screen
How to make a tip over pylon
How to make a tip over pylon
Creating a side mound
You'll notice on some maps hilly areas, in certain places, the only map using it that I can currently think of is dust, and its barely noticeable, but its there.
Making breakable glass
Making breakable glass
R_SPEEDS - PART 2
R_SPEEDS - PART 2
WC Sphere Making
How to make a sphere in worldcraft using the 'cone slicing' method.
Elevator Level Transition
The level change in this tutorial is only one way. Here is the basic setup. You walk into the elevator, push the button, the doors close and the level changes.
Creating your first map
Creating your first map
Forcing Players to Respawn
create a situation where players are forced to respawn when something happens
Creating a Streetlight with Light Cone
Creating a streetlight with light cone.
How to make a surf map
Here I'll write how to make an surf map....
Using Complex Brushes
Using Complex Brushes
Leaks
Finding and fixing them
How to add sound in your map
How to add sound in your map
The 'Healing the engineer' effect
The 'Healing the engineer' effect
Barney’s Wizard Counterstrike mapping guides: Part 1 'The Basics'
Barney covers the basics of mapping for Counter-Strike. Newbie or experienced user, this is a must-read tutorial.
How to make vehicles
How to make cars, planes, etc...
glass with func_wall
To make breakable glass, just make a block with a glass texture
Using Half-Life Skys in Worldcraft
Below are the valid sky names and their corresponding lateral textures
Xen lighting
Another problem with Xen maps is light sources.
QERadiant - My First Elevator
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to create a simple triggered elevator by using the func_door entity
Teleporter Tutorial
There are two types of teleporters that can be made in Half-Life. There's a simple version and a complex version.
Leaks and how to fix them
Leaks and how to fix them
Texture Application
What I am going to discuss is the best way to avoid the error Bad Surface Extents and weird texture placement.
The Rustmill Effect
The Rustmill Effect refers to the effect created in the Rustmill map. In it, there was a 'map board' that consisted of an overhead view of the level.
How to Make a Simple Door
How to Make a Simple Door
Chairs, Scientists and Barneys
From the title of this tutorial you will probably assume that I'm just going to tell you how get scientists to sit in a chair.
Angled textures tutorial
This is just a small tutorial explaining how to quickly and perfectly align textures at an angle.
Vertex Manipulation 3 - Creating Realistic
Vertex Manipulation 3 - Creating Realistic
Overlays & Lighting
How to create overlays, and light them
Doors
Doors are moving brushes that can move into chosen direction
Changing Levels in Half-Life
Phil Daniels tries to clarify the issue of making level changes in Half-Life.
The Hallway
how to connect two rooms with a hallway
Texture Alignment on Curves
Texture Alignment on Curves
Volumetric Fog
This tutorial assumes you are well versed in Worldcraft editing and have some basic knowledge about entities - especially func_illusionary and func_conveyor.
How to make pipes - Part 2
This is part 2 of the pipes tutorial, and in this part I'll try to teach you how to make a pipe that actually bends.
Sky Tutorial
Since we have a tutorial on the light_environment entity, which is used to make sunlight in outdoor levels, I figured it would be helpful if we had a sky tutorial.
creating siege-like cliffs
creating siege-like cliffs
Lightvalues
Lightvalues
Blocktober - From Nothing To Something (Design Process Tutorial)
In this article, see how Hard Duty evolved from a simple concept art on paper to a full fledged level.
Moving Controllable Train, Rail cart ... etc
Moving Controllable Train, Rail cart ... etc
Creating a Bounce Pad
This tutorial will illustrate how to create a 'bounce pad' similar to the Xen Bounce Pads found in the original Half-Life single player game.
Chairs, Scientists and Barneys
Getting scientist bums on seats, so to speak, is a common query among mappers new to Half-Life
Introduction to Counter-Strike mapping
Create the classic cs_map.
Rules for the Novice Mapper
Rules for the Novice Mapper
Capture The Flag Tutorial
Capture The Flag Tutorial
Mapping For TF
A general guide, with a number of points to consider when mapping for Team Fortress and its variants
Healing pools tutorial
Xen maps would just look stupid if you place health chargers around.
Location Files
A .loc file is what allows players to use %L in messages (and get a result).
Map optimization part 2
I will now show you what is vis leafs and how it will influence your map design.
Worldcraft Set up
Worldcraft 3.x only allows for the creation of Half-Life (and Half-Life mod) levels.
Properly Using Carve and Hollow in WorldCraft
Any experienced mapper will tell you that carving and hollowing are bad ideas.
Monster Health
How to modify one monster's health without coding, directly from within the map editor.
An Introduction to Lighting
This is going to be an introduction to adding lighting effects to your level.
Enemy AI
In this tutorial, I'm going to try and show you how to use these nodes to make a level more challenging without adding any more monsters.
https://web.archive.org/web/20021219134831/http://valve-erc.com/resources/?page=tut_torchcut
Teleporters with sprite and sound effects are quite easy to construct
Elevator No. 2
This tutorial describes the process of making an elevator that can move between more than two floors.
func_ladder
This page explains how to make a ladder in a Counter-Strike map with Hammer.
Worldcraft Tools I
The basics of worldcraft. This tutorial is broken up in to sections based on what tool its showing how to use.
Murderball Tutorial
This tutorial shows you how to create a Murderball style gameplay
Making proper arches
There are many ways to create arches in the goldsrc engine. But the method which saves the most polygons wins.
Creating a Working Camera System
Within this tutorial, I will show how to setup the entites needed to create a working camera system for use in TFC maps.
Environment
A tutorial that explains how to set up a sky, as well as how to light outdoor areas.
Half-Life Rain Tutorial
Half-Life Rain Tutorial
Pressure pad
This entsystem lets you have a 'pressure pad' which toggles a light ON and OFF
Teleporters
Build a simple teleporter
Render Properties
Explains the rendering properties available to many entities. Also includes a fence trick (allow bullets through but not monsters or the player).
Getting a Grunt to use a Turret
This tutorial will explain the process involved in getting a monster_human_grunt to operate a func_tank (turret).
HOW2MAP part1
HOW2MAP part1
How to make Sewers
How to make Sewers
How to Modify NAV Files
Explains how to modify the paths that bot's take to navigate your map
Counter-Strike Entity Overview
Outkast goes over the basic CS specific entities. Wahoo! We've been needing a tutorial like this for a long time!
Firebinders - The Text Chanmer Experiments Part 4
FLOORS & CEILINGS IN A ROUND ROOM, TEXTURE SCALE ON SMALL OBJECTS
Decompiling GoldSrc Maps.
Showcasing Decompilation of BSP to MAP format.
Creating Transparent and Opaque Objects
How to make those transparent things like fences, railings, etc. plus transparent brushes like windows!
In the Beginning Part 5
Furniture: Add some furniture prefabs to enhance realism.
Antigravity lift
There are 2 ways around this, one for SP maps and one for DM maps.
Changing the Game play of other maps
how to be a l33t hax0r and change the gameplay of other maps.
Preset Light Appearances
This article contains a quick reference for the light entity's preset appearances.
Cheating in Half-Life
Cheating provides the mapper with some useful tools to test and debug levels
creating ambient noises
This tutorial will explain to you how to insert and use ambient_generic entites to put ambient sounds in your level.
Sky tweak
How to keep the r_speed down? Its pretty simple... We use the same method as the weaponmodelers do. Hide the backface.
TEAM FORTRESS
TEAM FORTRESS
Enemy AI
Enemy AI
Creating a dark environment.
Creating a dark environment.
Atmosphere in your map (Part 1 - Horror)
Atmosphere in your map (Part 1 - Horror)
An Absolute Newbie Guide to CS Vehicles
Tayl0r's tutorial on how to put a vehicle in a CS map.
How to make rotating doors with glass
How to make rotating doors with glass
Firebinders - The Text Chanmer Experiments Part 2
USE OF FUNC_WALL, EPOLY
QERadiant - Overview Of Rock Styles
This Overview shows some examples of realistic rocks
Making a symmetrical map
Making a symmetrical map
Style Guide #1, Lab 1
Style Guide #1, Lab 1
One-way - two-way mirror tutorial
This is a mapping tutorial that will guide you through how to create a one way mirror in your map
General editing stuff
General editing stuff (note text and bg is white ^^)
The Texture Application
The Texture Application in Hammer
valve hammer teleport
valve hammer teleport
Projective shadows
A trick using projective shadows in trinity render to produce a good looking shadows
Spicing up your architecture
Get rid of those boring
Adding Models to action hl and other mods
Adding Models to action hl and other mods
Water Trickle
Water Trickle
Texture Application Tool
Texture Application Tool inside Hammer
Map-Making Basics - Part 1
Map-Making Basics - Part 1
Level Transitions
Seamless level transitions are something very cool and versatile.
multi_manager
You will probably use this in every map.
Setup Guide: Hammer
A pictorial look at the configuration of the editor
The Rustmill Effect
The Rustmill Effect refers to the effect created in the Rustmill map
Better Texturing Techniques
There are simple ways to make your levels look more attractive and interesting with just texturing.
Map Compiling Theory
Many people simply do not know or understand how and why a Half-Life map needs to be compiled.
Low r_speed Cliff Walls
In this tutorial, I'm going to try to show/explain a few of the tricks that some mappers use for cliff walls.
Adding Holes for Doors, Windows .... etc - Clipping Tool
Adding Holes for Doors, Windows .... etc - Clipping Tool
Dimensions
These dimensions apply to levels created with most editors, as long as the code for the player entities has not been modified.
How to make a fountain
How to make a fountain
Introduction to QERadiant
Introduction to QERadiant
Single Player
You want to make a single player map but overwhelmed by the thought of adding a plot, placing weapons and monsters and generally doing lots of hard work? Dont be.
Get Learned! - Install
I want to make CS maps but don't know where to start
QERadiant - Water
This Tutorial shows how to make basic water
Finding Coordinates
Many people ask how to go about reading and finding the coordinates given when certain errors occur with ZHLT. Fortunately its not too complicated.
Squads
How to make monsters work together as a team.
Making a ladder
Making a ladder
QuArK setup tutorial for Wizard Wars
QuArK setup tutorial for Wizard Wars
Detail textures in Half-Life
Detail textures in Half-Life
Elaborate Elevators, Part #2
Elaborate Elevators, Part #2
Map optimization part 1
Introduction to optimization.
Making a skybox
Making a skybox
Electrical Arc
In this tutorial KungFuSquirrel tells us how he created the electrical arc in his map ns_eclipse.
Trees, From Far Away....
How to make trees that line your landscape.
Using Valve Hammer Editor to Create Worlds for Counter-Strike
Welcome to the Valve Hammer Editor (Hammer /WC /VHE) overview and tutorial.
Alternative rocks/desert technique
This tutorial shows how to create terrain environments by splitting your brushes into triangles and doing safe vertex manipulation.
TFC Entity Reference
TFC Entity Reference
Fans
Build a working fan that creates wind.
R_SPEEDS - Part 1
R_SPEEDS - Part 1
Bringing Your Map To Life
This is the part of mapping that seperates the good mappers from the amazing mappers - The ability to make your map breathe.
Multi Managers Explained
This is a basic tutorial on how to use and setup a multi_manager. No advanced experience is needed to use this entity, but it is assumed you know how to place and manipulate entities.
Sliding Doors
Another Mazymatic short & sweet tutorial on making sliding doors.
Glass
Create a breakable, translucent glasshouse.
More Complex Triggers
Create a series of triggers that make an interesting scenario - an explosive elevator.
Making realistic Trees
Making realistic Trees
DoD Advancing Spawns
DoD Advancing Spawns
Map Sizes in Worldcraft
Map Sizes in Worldcraft
Pendulum
This is a tutorial to make a func_pendulum. It is similar to a func_rotating and func_rotaing_door.
Brushing a pipe curve in Hammer 3.5
In this tutorial you learn how to create a proper looking curve for a cylindric brush object
The ladder
How to make a ladder?
Mapping tips and tricks #1
101 Mapping tips and tricks #1
Grunts and Guns
Turrets controlled by grunts? How about turrets controlled by grunts and players? Find out how here!
Poly reduction - Tips & Tricks 01
This tutorial addresses the issue of polygon cutting, a dreaded issue that can greatly decrease the performance of your maps
Leaks
This article discusses what leaks are caused by and provides several methods of finding and fixing them
How to make great looking natural terrain by using gensurf
How to make great looking natural terrain by using gensurf
Car tutorial
How to make a car in CS.
WorldCraft 3.3: func_plat
WorldCraft 3.3: func_plat
INFO_TFDETECT
Every TF map that you create has to have an info_tfdetect in it
Newbie's Guide to Doors
lets take a look at how to create a door that slides across or up/down
Trigger_setorigin, with a waterfall into a rising water level.
Trigger_setorigin can be used to sync a waterfall that is flowing into a pool of water
Half-Life Style Guide #1, Lab 2
This is a style guide from Dave Johnson that goes over the style and atmosphere building properties of the first lab environment.
Rotating Lights
This tutorial demonstrates how to create the rotating light beam effect as seen in the Half-Life: Uplink
The Basic's of world craft
The Basic's of world craft
Units, here is an ACCURATE scale to use when mapping, very useful.
Units, here is an ACCURATE scale to use when mapping, very useful.
Carving
What is carving in hammer and how to do it.
Random Event Generator
This article describes the process of creating a random event generator. Idea originally by mazemaster.
Making a de map
I will now show you how to make a defusal map. This is one of the most simplest tutorials here.
FUNC_NOBUILD
The func_nobuild is a brush based entity which prevents engineers from building anywhere in the area where this brush exists.
Top Ten N00b Problems (And Solutions)
After spending over a year now in the forums, it's obvious that certain questions keep coming up over and over. Here are some I have noticed, complete with solution.
Mapping Hints
Small collection of Mapping Hints
Vertex Manipulation 4 - Realistic Cliffs
Vertex Manipulation 4 - Realistic Cliffs
How to layout a map
How to layout a map
How to make it impossible for T/CT to buy
How to make it impossible for T/CT to buy
Seamless Teleports
Seamless teleports are incredibly useful for connecting two maps that would otherwise overlap with each other
Creating a simple camera
Creating a simple camera
Sven Manor Enitity Guide
Sven Manor Enitity Guide
Putting Monsters On Paths
This article demonstrates how to make a monster follow a path until it's AI kicks in (usually when it sees a player).
Vertex Manipulation Intro
Explains how the Vertex Manipulation tool can be used to create advanced solids, and the various ways in which you can modify them using it.
Multi_manager Looping Made Easy
Looping a sequence using multi managers without the fear of a map crash. Also with an example on how to loop with multiple multi managers.
Quick Guide to Making Simulated Fog for HL
A quick and concise guide to making fog in a Half-Life level.
Hammer Editor Tutorial #2 - Navigation
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.
A Brief Look at R-Speeds
A Brief Look at R-Speeds
Team Specific Entities
These entities are composed architecture, such as doors and laser, and point entites
Make a 1 Way Window
Want to make a window where you can see through one side, but not the other? This tutorial shows you how.
Creating Custom Skins for Models
Creating Custom Skins for Models
Fun with monster_grunt_repel
This tutorial is going to explain to you how to use the monster_grunt_repel entity in your level.
How to make a static rotating crane.
I mostly made this for the transparent part.
Creating Keen Arches
Want to make arches in your map? Stuck on that pesky old vertex tool?
Understanding vhe
In this tutorial I will show you how to use vhe.
The Grate Tutorial
Partial texture transparency via the 'Render Mode' key.
Complex Door
This tutorial will show you how to do a more complex door -- a multi-polygon door with a glass pane in it.
Making New Buttons for Your MOD
Allows you to add custom buttons to your MOD
creating skies
This tutorial will explain to you how to put some outdoors into your level!
Making a res file
Res file is very important for server admins.
making glass break on touch in 5 steps
making glass break on touch in 5 steps
Rendering Properties
This lists some brief explanations of the different rendering properties available to you in most of Half-Life's visible entities.
Errors
Mapping & Compiling Errors and solutions
Advanced Triggers
In this tutorial, I will cover all trigger_ entities other than trigger_once, trigger_multiple, and those fully covered in other tutorials.
Firebinders - The Text Chanmer Experiments Part 3
MORE ON TEXTURE AND SCALE
Lives
A lives system in your maps makes it so that players can not respawn after they died.
Mapping help Tutorials for Half-Life & Mods
Mapping help Tutorials for Half-Life & Mods
How to apply decals in a map (Valve Hammer)
Applying decals in a map
Using the item_nuclearbomb
Using the item_nuclearbomb
Pretty Effects with Spirit of Half-Life
Pretty Effects with Spirit of Half-Life
Creating Proximity Doors
Creating Proximity Doors
Reference:Lab Setting
This is a very short article on creating a good lab setting. It could do with re-working but I've kept here up for reference purposes till I get round to changing it.
Hammer Beginner Tutorial 5
Lifts 'n' Stuff...
Invade and Defend Tutorial
What a Sequential Control map actually is
TFC - Hunted Map
This tutorial will show you how to make a map where there are a team of assassins trying to kill an important person
To new mappers - Tips
To new mappers - Tips
About carving
Become a lean, mean, carving machine
Stall Door Tutorial
I will step you through making various complex objects and how to create complex shapes that look real.
Adding Models to Counter Strike 1.6 map
Adding Models to Counter Strike 1.6 map
How2Map - Half-Life 1 & Sven Co-op
How2Map - Half-Life 1 & Sven Co-op
Firebinders - The Text Chanmer Experiments Part 1
TEXTURE SCALE ON LARGE OBJECTS, TEXTURE SCALE ON SMALL OBJECTS, TEXTURE ALIGNMENT, MITERED BRUSH JOINTS, BRUSH CONTACT
Team Fortress Classic Survival Guide
Team Fortress Classic Survival Guide
Creating Siege-like Cliffs
Want to have that look of the famous cliffs and outdoor rocks in Siege and Docks? Check out this tutorial from the map's author.
Keys
Making Keys, and getting them to open doors
Entity Editing Tutorial
Entity Editing Tutorial
Vis Groups
A guide to using Vis Groups
Compiling
You can't play a map without compiling. Compiling your levels is a very intricate process, and Kabaal's in-depth tutorial helps make sense of it.
Using Valve Hammer Editor to Create Worlds for Un-Life
So you want to make a map for Un-Life. Do you have the skill, and the time to make one?
Making glass brushes
Making glass brushes
How to make a swinging pendulum for use in a Grandfather clock or similar object.
How to make a swinging pendulum for use in a Grandfather clock or similar object.
valve hammer elevator update
i do this update to elevator because the first was suck
Vertex manipulation - basics, tricks and common errors
Vertex manipulation - basics, tricks and common errors
Basic Spawn Protection for Day of Defeat Maps
Basic Spawn Protection for Day of Defeat Maps
An alternative way to find map leaks easily
An alternative way to find map leaks easily
Creating Basic Doors
How to make simple sliding and rotating doors.
Camera tutorial
This is an advanced tutorial on how to use and setup a Trigger_camera entity
Shutdown-Style Map Tutorial
This tutorial shows you how to create a Shutdown style gameplay,
Advanced Terrain Creation
Advanced Terrain Creation
The Half-Life .MAP Format
The .MAP format for Half-Life is pretty simple to figure out, but for the sake of having an easily accessible resource, I've gathered the relevant information below.
Sizes in cstrike
Sizes in cstrike
Counterstrike Mapping
Counterstrike Mapping
Get Learned! Step 5 - Plumbing
Get Learned! Step 5 - Plumbing
The Retinal Scanner
One of the interesting effects from Half-Life that people want to use is that of barney opening a door by using a retinal scanner.
How to make a rotating glass door
How to make a rotating glass door
Custom skies
Custom skies
Doors with Glass
How to add Doors with Glass in Half-Life
How to make a ladder
Although confusing at first, making a ladder is actually very simple.
Some tips on styling your maps
Box rooms are boring. Spice them up!!!
How to loop sounds
How to loop sounds
Advanced Camera Tricks
Advanced Camera Tricks
Half-Life Animations
Turn those demos into avi, gif, or other movie formats
Better Sprites With Env_Beam
The env_beam entity enables you to do many cool effects with sprites, such as make them not always face flat at the screen, scrolling sprites, and fading the end
Texture alignment on curves
Vertex Manip and Align to View pointers included
valve hammer scripted sequence
i show you ho to make scripted sequence
QERadiant - Steam
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to create realistic looking steam
Elevator Doors that move
Moving elevator doors. A complex look at path_corner interaction
How to export RMFs in Jackhammer
I've always hated that problem when Jackhammer would export the RMF incorrectly. This mostly applies for porting to VHE, and maybe other things?
Counter-Strike 1.6 Mapping
Counter-Strike 1.6 Mapping Tutorial
MAKING A SLIDING DOOR
The sliding door is very complex to beginners but the more you do them the more they become amazingly simple.
How to make realistic water
How to make realistic water
Vending Machines
Of the breakable kind
Skies (2)
This tutorial is designed to give you some general information on the sky properties in Half-Life.
Bringing your maps to life
An example on how you can make your maps more interesting to look at
Understanding Leafs
Leafs are something that all mappers should understand as they are an important factor in making a map without problems
QERadiant - Cutting
This tutorial shows you how to cut the edges of a brush
Firebinders - The Text Chanmer Experiments - Conclusions
Firebinders - The Text Chanmer Experiments - Conclusions
Ladders
A quick tutorial describing ladders and their various uses.
Func_Wall, Func_Illusionary and Func_Wall_Toggle
How and when to use these three entities.
Newbie's Guide to Doors Part 1
Newbie's Guide to Doors Part 1
Hammer Beginner Tutorial 3
Adding Rooms, Hallways, and Doors
Keypad Tutorial
Keypad Tutorial
Random Prefabs
This tutorial gives you an overview of the official random object prefabs.
Triggering Things upon Player Death
How to use some more advanced game entity behaviour to trigger things upon the death of a player.
trigger_hurt
This tutorial will show you how to use the trigger_hurt entity.
The Texture Application Tool
Texture Application Tool What is it?Where is it?What's it do? Here a picture of it and it's location.
Tips For Faster Compiling
Just some stuff that I know about compiling, that will speed things up a little for you.
Compiling Terms You Should Know
Compiling Terms You Should Know
Diagnosing Problems
Covers locating and fixing many mapping mistakes.
Hollow spheres
Vertex scaling
Hammer Beginner Tutorial 2
Your First Room
'Brushed' Art: Terrain
A tutorial focusing on terrain and cliffs in GoldSRC
The Ladder Tutorial
The Func Ladder Entity
Moving doors with transparent glass
Moving doors with transparent glass
Blocktober - Hard Duty (Design Process Tutorial)
The first blocktober for Hard Duty is now arrived. See the workflow of the developers to have a better understanding how levels are designed.
Force fields
Making simple, controllable force fields
A little inspiration
Tips on good level Design for CS
Elevators using func_train
A basic elevator using a func_train and path.
Torching Open A Door (OpFor)
This Half-Life: Opposing Force tutorial demonstrates how to make an engineer automatically torch open a door.
Putting Water Into Your Maps
Water is an often overlooked part of mapping, mainly when it comes to cs maps.
Finding Leaks Using Pointfiles
Find those annoying leaks the easy way!
Making a Capture the Flag Map
This is a tutorial to make a map that the Allies or Axis need capture all four flags to win the round
Half-Life Skies
Using Half-Life Skies in Worldcraf
Capture the Flag Tutorial
the game setup entities, the flags and the capture po
Introduction to Mapping
An introduction to mapping concepts and setting up WorldCraft
Making rotating doors
This is a simple tutorial on making rotating doors.
valve hammer trigger
back again guy with another video wil be making simple triger
Compiling
If you are using Worldcraft for the first time then it is probably best until you get a feel for things just to simply stick with hitting F9 and Enter to compile your map.
Customizing the lights.rad File
Customizing the lights.rad File
Jargon
Some mapping Jargon Explained
The Rustmill Effect
This demonstrates the effect used in the Rustmill map
Resource Files
When you don't have a map, the server will check for a .res file to see what it should send to the client
Using the Vertex Tool
This is used to make blocks fit and be different shapes, all you do is click on the object you want to shape and click on the 3d wireframe style icon on the left, now lots of dots appear on the object.
How to make a ladder
How to make a ladder
Theory - Connectivity and flow
Connectivity and flow
How to make a CTF map
How to make a CTF map
Resetting Entitys At The Start Of Every Round
Resetting Entitys At The Start Of Every Round
Polygon Reduction Methods
Polygon Reduction Methods: A quick and dirty guide
How to use keyvalues
Keyvalues are little pieces of information about the entities in your map
creating basic doors
This tutorial will explain to you how to create basic doors which can slide or rotate.
Tutorial 2b - Func_Train Lift, Multiple Floors + Lift Doors
So want to make a Lift that travels over multiple floors?
Mapping Guide for HL using QEradiant
Mapping Guide for HL using QEradiant
Creating your first map
Many new mappers often come to forums just to ask how to create brushes, entities, or a whole first room. This tutorial is designed to answer those basic questions.
QERadiant Editor Manual
Manual for QERadiant
'Brushed' Art: Part 1
This is related to the Vertex Manipulation tool
Realistic Steam
How to make Realistic Steam in HL
Looping Multi_Managers
Here is an incredibly simple and often used trick to make a multi_manager fire something over and over.
Flame Effect
A quick tutorial explaining how to create a slightly more advanced sprite-based flame effect, using a multimanager.
Hammer Beginner Tutorial 1
What the heck makes up a 'level' anyway
Guide To Achieving A Perfect Single Player Review Score
Hello and welcome to my guide for achieving mapping nirvana.
Elevators, Moving Platforms and Trains - Moving Level Parts
Elevators, Moving Platforms and Trains - Moving Level Parts
Advanced Monstermaker Effect
I made my beams work, so I figure I'd share the way to make a very unique and interesting monstermaker effect.
Changing the map layout between rounds!
A very cool and advanced idea here. How to make a map be different between rounds.
Multisource
Concept of the multisource entity explained, along with two applications of it.
Invisible Usable Trigger
This demonstrates how to create an invisible non-solid field
Gensurf Explained
Gensurf is a wonderful program that can generate realistic terrains for your levels.
Team Fortress
Team Fortress offers a unique challenge to mappers. this article will go over such pointers as respawn room placement and balance.
Easy Texture Alignment
Just a short tutorial to help you line your textures up, faster than manually adjusting X and Y coordinates.
Rock2-Style Map Tutorial
Rock2-Style Map Tutorial
How to make an APC burst through wall
This tutorial shows how to make an APC (Armoured Personal Carrier) backup through a wall, the back door open, and marines rush out.
How to make Rain/Snow
How to make Rain/Snow
How to Use the env_render entity
How to Use the env_render entity
Teleports
Teleports are a fun and easy thing to make.
SKIES
SKIES
Rotating Light Effect
Rotating Light Effect
TFC - CTF map
CTF map
Map-Making Basics - Part 2
Map-Making Basics - Part 2
Climbing a wall ledge
But I dont have hands...
How To Create An Airstrike
This tutorial demonstrates how to create an interactive airstrike.
Ladders, stairs, ropes
Typical platform objects.
How to Port a Part Of a Source Map To Goldsrc
How to Port a Part Of a Source Map To Goldsrc
Xen bounce pads
Xen bounce pads
Grunts and Gun's
Grunts and Gun's
Sven Co-op: Mapping Setup
This guide will prepare you for making custom maps for Sven Co-op in the current version.
Locks and keys
Locks and keys are so boring so lets shoot the lock off!
QERadiant - My First Room
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to make a single room
How to make ladders
How to make ladders
Configuring Worldcraft 3.3
Configuring Worldcraft 3.3
The Retinal Scanner
how to add the Retinal Scanner in Half-Life
Sculpting prefabs
Learn about sculpting prefabs out of a single brush, using textures to guide you
Customizing the lights.rad File
Customizing the lights.rad File
Creating Skies
How to put a sky in your map.
Multisource and env_globals
This is my first tutorial, but don't worry, you'll get the hang of multisources and env_globals by the time you've read through this. Blue statements are the functions I want you to perform. So let's get started.
Skybox textures
This guide will show you how to make custom skybox textures for use in your map.
How to change views on join or team switch.
How to change views on join or team switch.
Get Learned! Step 4 - Learn to Fly
Get Learned! Step 4 - Learn to Fly
Fences you can shoot through
Here's how it's done
Textured lighting
There are 2 ways to add lighting to your map- via entities, or textures.
How to use the vertex editing button
How to use the vertex editing button
Problems and solutions then compiling map
Common and rare error
Condition Zero - Advanced navmesh editing guide
An illustrated tutorial about bots navigation meshes
Special Sprites
I learned recently from a fellow mapper that there are actually different kinds of sprites one can use in Half-Life.
The Osprey
How to set up an Osprey and make it fly properly.
R_speeds: speed vs. detail
This tutorial is a must-read for any serious level designer. Kabaal talks about the crucial elements of making a level run smoothly on even slower computers.
Random Event Generator
Random Event Generator
Assorted Mapping Hints
This tutorial combines a lot of little things I have learned over the years as a Half-Life mapper, but which aren't quite major enough to justify their own separate tutorials.
QERadiant - My First Rotating Door
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to create a simple rotating door
Compiling Part 1
What is compiling?
Keeping Track Of, And Changing The Global State Of Entities
Keeping Track Of, And Changing The Global State Of Entities
Counter-Strike Map Types
Yeah I know, most people know, however, up until minutes ago, I knew nothing, but I now know most!
Applying Textures
This is found in both tools on top toolbar, and its the green blue and brown icon on the left hand side of screen.
Trigger Events Between Levels
Learn how to trigger events between levels using the logic_auto and env_global entities.
Creating a Info Text File for Your Map
You know how you get that little text message at the beginning of a map?
Valve hammer scripted sentence tutorial
how to make scripted squence
That First Room
You ask any mapper and they will fondly remember their first room.
Creating Complex Brushes
This tutorial aims at showing advanced level designers how they can create complex brushes easily.
HINT BRUSHES
Hint brushes are somewhat hard to understand.
How to read a Compile Log
This is a very basic tutorial about how to read a compile log
Creating Rain.
Creating a Effect of Rainfall in GoldSrc.
Half-Life Dimensions
a list of important Half-Life dimensions
Osprey
Putting the Osprey (the aircraft that drops off rapelling grunts) in your level is more complicated than regular monsters. Read this to find out how to do this.
How to make a Retinal Scanner
this tutorial will assume you already have basic mapping skills and know what a Aiscripted_sequences entity is
Einführung in den Hammer Editor 3.5
Introduction to hammer in German.
TFC: Capture The Flag
TFC: Capture The Flag
Half-Life Teamplay
This tutorial demonstrates how to create team oriented levels without resorting to TFC. Half-Life's game entities open up a new world of possibilities.
Using The Clip Tool
Using The Clip Tool
R_Speeds
R_Speeds
QuArK setup tutorial for Wizard Wars
QuArK setup tutorial for Wizard Wars
chairs, scientists and barneys
scientists placed easily and correctly in seats, barneys rotate in swivelling chair (as seen in half-life intro)
MAKING PIPES
Making pipes is quite simple yet a very overlooked method of enhancing your level.
How to Install Valve Hammer Editor 3.5 for Counter-Strike mapping
This tutorial will explain in the even least details about how to install Valve Hammer Editor.
Rotating Objects
This article goes over the generic process of creating an entity that rotates.
The 'vent' effect.
this tutorial will demonstrate how to make a some scientist get pulled in to a vent
The Art of Ladder Making
This is a short article which describes the proccess of making a ladder in VHE, and assumes you have basic VHE knowledge.
Hint Brush Tutorial
A great hint brush utility written by a friend of Relic25's
Equipping Weapons in CS
Controlling weapon usage in Counter-Strike
How to make a waterfall
I have seen a lot of people asking for how to make a waterfall, however, it seems hard to find a tutorial on google. Thus this one.
Reference: Real World
A reference article covering a few small pointers on creating a suitably authentic real world setting. Bear in mind its a little out of date with the release of next gen games like HL2 and Farcry.
Resetting entities at the start of every round (Counter-Strike specific method)
Resetting entities at the start of every round (Counter-Strike specific method)
The Clip Texture
This tutorial shows how to use the clip texture
Atmosphere & Ambience
Two crucial elements in making highly engaging and good looking maps. In this article I will give tips on how to maximise their effect.
creating elevator(not func_door)
creating elevator(not func_door)
The Opposing Force Opening Sequence
This tutorial explains the methods and tricks used to create the opening ride sequence seen in the Opposing Force expansion pack.
Obscure R_Speed Tweaks
MaxNodeSize, NULL, etc.
Textured Lighting
Can you turn on/off textured lights?Well you can sort of.
Basic Teleporter with Effects
This shows the construction of a basic teleporter with sounds and sprites.
DoD Mapping Tutorial
A video tutorial which demonstrates how to make a map for the original Day of Defeat modification using the Valve Hammer Editor
Adjust the Respawn Delay
This small tutorial explains how to control the player respawn rate. Setting this will make the player wait X seconds after they die before they can respawn.
Complex cliff faces (faster alternative method)
Make complex rocks without the errors!
Using skys in Half-Life
Using skys in Half-Life
Entities: All types of triggers
You have already used the trigger_multiple in the previous tutorial. Now, we will try out different kinds of triggers.
Texture Application
Using the texture Application Tool
Making Optimized Stairs
How to make professional-ish stairs...
How to use Wadinclude
Basicly, it is as it says, it is to include custom wads in the bsp file
Multi_manager
The multi_manager is a point-based entity used to time-activate other entities in your map.
Laser + Multi Manager + Button
Laser + Multi Manager + Button
R_Speeds
R_Speeds
Making Glass
Making Glass
Making A Curved Corridor - Part 2
Making A Curved Corridor - Part 2
Creating A Locked Door
This article describes the process used for creating a door that can be locked and unlocked through the use of the func_button, trigger_relay, and multisource entities.
How to find leaks easily
How to find leaks easily
BSP to MAP | BSPTwoMAP
BSP to MAP | BSPTwoMAP
In the Beginning Part 4
Basic Lighting: Got a textured room, so add some lights...
How to make glass
How to make glass
Trigger at round start
Trigger things at roundstart
func_wall - how to make {blue transparrent
func_wall - how to make {blue transparrent
Making a one way window part #2 (breakable)
Sam expands on the original 'one way glass' tutorial and shows us how to make it breakable! Woot!
Terrain
Mountains, Hills, Lakes and Cliffs
How to Setup the Endround Effect
In this tutorial I'll show you how to set up a round based map as well as give you some extra info on the TFC endround keys.
QERadiant - Doors With Glass
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to create a moving door with a glass window
Creating Switchable Texture Lights
Creating switchable texture lights is now possible and very simple to do.
Tetrahedron Rock Formations
How to make realistic terrain using tetrahedron-shaped brushes
Sizes and Scaling
Keeping things to size can be a problem, for instance with counter-strike the player models were lowered so this made some maps look a big large,
valve hammer xen
i show you how make xen gravity and xen map
Making a Rotating Door
You will be taught how to use the entity; 'Func_Door_Rotating'. Pretty easy 🙂
Ground reflection tutorial
with a bit of imagination you can actually fake some effects
Spiral Staircase
Adding a Spiral Staircase for effect
Neil Manke's VIS Tutorial - Smoke and Mirrors!
Neil Manke's VIS Tutorial - Smoke and Mirrors!
NPC and Item Placement Theory
NPC and Item Placement Theory
HL Monsters
A brief overview of the HL enemies to give mappers an idea of how they should be used.
Tutorials - Theory - Inspiration
Please note that this workshop is designed for Sven coop mod or single player based theme maps
Playtesting
Playtesting is the most important part of a map's creation and typically makes or breaks it. This article gives some pointers to consider.
Entity Tutorials
A collection of short Entity Tutorials
Func_button
Func_button
The Advanced Compile Dialogue
A brief description of the commands and uses of the advanced compiling screen in Hammer.
How to Jump Over a Building In 3 Easy Steps
How to Jump Over a Building In 3 Easy Steps
Realistic Steam
When making steam, many people just pick one sprite and use that. Using the method outlined here will produce much better looking steam.
Bringing your map to life
Ideas and inspiration on how to change just another map into an awesome map.
Custom Words
Custom Words
Skewing textures in Hammer
A trick that allows you to skew textures in Hammer instead of just rotating them
QERadiant - Rotating Glass Door
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to make a rotating door with a glass window
Taking better screen shots
This guide shows you the two ways to take screen shots and how to remove the hud
Hints: How They Work
A very advanced technical tutorial explaining how hints are used in the compilation process to reduce poly counts and why they work.
Teamcheck Entities Tutorial
This tutorial will show you how to change the team value of different entities by using the teamcheck goals, info_tf_teamcheck & info_tf_teamset.
QUAKE vs HALFLIFE MAPPING
QUAKE vs HALFLIFE MAPPING
Half-Life Map Entity Editing
Half-Life Map Entity Editing
Attack and Defend Using Teamcheck Entities
This tutorial shows you how to set up the entities for an attack-defend map where the teams swap after each round.
Making Your First Map With WorldCraft 3.3
Guy Montag writes up a great intro to setting up your first map in Worldcraft 3.3. Read on ye newbie! We won't tell if you advanced people learn somethign too
Stripping the Weapons from Players
A tutorial about how to strip weapons from players at the start of a round. Useful for structured PA or KA maps.
Glass and Transparency
How do I make glass? How do I make things transparent?
Arches
Make arches and curves the correct way
Player Sizes
In this tutorial I'm going to run through the player sizes and dimensions for CS
Elevator no. 2
This tutorial covers how to make an elevator that can move between more than two floors.
R_speeds
R_speeds
Using RESGen
The relic of a program
Making a sliding door
In this tutorial you will learn how to make a sliding door.
Clip Brush Tutorial
Obtain even more control over your hapless player with this tutorial.
How to Make the Screenshot for an Overview
How to Make the Screenshot for an Overview
Getting started with worldcraft by Wills
Getting started with worldcraft by Wills
How to trigger something after using a button for a period of time.
How to trigger something after using a button for a period of time.
How to Control the Player Respawn Rate
How to Control the Player Respawn Rate
Long compile times and tips to improve them
This tutorial is made to give a starting mapper some information about compile times and ideas how to improve them.
All scripted sequences for all models.
All scripted sequences for all models.
Crate Prefabs
This tutorial gives you an overview of the official crate prefabs.
one-way glass
transparent from one side, opaque from other side
The Gmdm2 tutorials Part 1
Part 1: Doors
Map optimization Part 3
In the last part, you learned how does vis work and how it influences your map design. This tutorial is divided in three parts to quickly show you how to optimize maps.
func_ladder, func_illusionary - how to make a ladder
Making a ladder is no big deal when you've done it once. If you havn't made your first ladder yet, this tutorial is made special for you.
QERadiant - Prefabs
This Tutorial shows how to use prefabs in QERadiant
QRAD Textures and the .RAD file
This article is explains the concept of QRAD (light emitting) Textures and their relation to the lights.rad file.
How to use game_player_equip
How to use game_player_equip
Curve Tutorial
Tutorial for making curves
Difficulty levels chosen by vote and difficulty level dependant events
Implementing multiple difficulty levels in a map with a vote in your map is easier than you think.
Worldcraft 2.x for Newbies
Here's a complete installation/setup/getting started guide designed for people to new to Worldcraft and/or editing
Globals 1
An introduction to the env_global and how to use it to do cool inter-level stuff.
Tentacles!
Tentacles!
Vertex Manipulation Part 2
Once you've mastered VM, you can create pretty much every kind of solid possible. Learn some more uses for it here.
The making of good grass in WC
The making of good grass in WC
Uneven Ground and Cliffs using the Triangle Method
Uneven Ground and Cliffs using the Triangle Method
Worldcraft 2.x and TFC
This article outlines how to setup Worldcraft 2.x to allow you to make TFC maps.
Detail versus Design
Detail versus Design
Masked Textures
Masked Textures can be highly useful in many aspects for making ladders, grates and so forth
Design Considerations for HLDM Part 3
Gamedesign theory for HLDM
Lifts (aka elevators)
Between 2 floors
Tutorial 10: Func_tank - Making a Controllable Turret
Tutorial 10: Func_tank - Making a Controllable Turret
How to make scary 'ghost' monsters
How to make a level scary with 'ghosts'
first Half-Life map with Worldcraft2
first Half-Life map with Worldcraft2
Sun light
Sun light and use in maps
Making Glass
An often asked question is How do I make glass?
Triangle Terrain 3: Optimising Terrain
Adding, removing and optimising those triangles
Compiling with Beaver
It is a compile tool, you must compile a map before you can play it.
Common errors and problems in HL mapping
Common errors and problems in HL mapping
Hammer Beginner Tutorial 4
Door Antics...
Entities (old SnarkPit)
Entities (old SnarkPit)
How to make a nice looking house!
How to make a nice looking house!
Dod texture list
Full list of DOD textures. Only usefull for map makers and editors.
Lights, lighting and lighting effects
Hello! Now I want to talk about lights, lighting and lighting effects, as I think they are one of the most important components of map design.
How to make an Ammo pack
This small tutorial explains how to make an ammo pack for a TFC map.
Doors and Switches - Basics of Naming and Targetting
Doors and Switches - Basics of Naming and Targetting
Adding Glass to Doors
This tutorial shows how to add translucent glass panels that move with the doors found in the Doors tutorial.
Slippery Surfaces
Want to make your player feel uneasy on the feet?
Rotating Billboards
Create a rotating sign with a volumetric light effect.
Dropping the Flag in an Area for Points
This tutorial explains how to drop a flag only in a certain area to score points.
Multisource Tutorial
The multisource entity is very useful in map-making.
Curves
Brief tutorial on how to create proper curves
Batch Files
Compiling. The very word is enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most experienced mapper.
Lights
This article shows you how to switch lights on and off and what each type of light does.
Half-Life Compilers
Somewhat Detailed Explanation of Half-Life Compiling Tools And/Or Techniques
Making an oldskool de_aztec bridge
This tutorial will teach you how to make an old-school de_aztec bridge. (shoot through, but walk-over)
Level Transitions
An issue constantly surrounded in questions is that of level changes
Carving/Clipping
Carving/Clipping
How to create your map type
How to create your map type
Torching open a door
In the Half-Life: Uplink demo, at one point you see a group of grunts cut open a steel door, presumably with an oxygene-acetylene torch. Here's how it was done.
Vertex Manipulation 1 - The Basics and reshaping solids
This tutorial will cover the basics of vertex manipulation and what shapes can do what.
How to make freeroam maps that don't crash servers
One of the problems with freeroam maps is that they have a tendency cause strain on the server
Making a ladder
Putting a ladder in your map is actually quite easy.
Overviews für Counter-Strike (German)
Overviews für Counter-Strike (German)
TF Map Making Tutorial
The Team Fortress Map Making Tutor. v1.1
Introduction to Triggers in Entities
Introduction to Triggers in Entities
Decompiling GoldSrc Maps
Showcasing Decompilation of BSP to MAP format in GoldSrc Engine.
BSP to MAP | WinBSPC
BSP to MAP | WinBSPC
How to use the pointfile method with Valve Hammer
How to use the pointfile method with Valve Hammer
Making your first room
Ok, I was asked to make a basic tutorial for a simple room, so here goes.
How to setup Valve Hammer Editor with ZHLT
You need some compiler tools to make the mapfiles Hammer uses into bsp Halflife or Counter-Strike uses.
Using the Technique In-game: Creating Killable Fish that Respawn Every Round (Part 2)
Part two of Lacos' tutorial on resetting entities at the start of every round. Be sure you've read part 1 first!
Texturing Your Room
Texturing Your Room
Using Valve Hammer Editor to Create Worlds for Natural Selection
Welcome to the Valve Hammer Editor (hammer /wc) overview and tutorial.
Creating Environment Maps With Terragen
Creating Environment Maps With Terragen
Basic detail
Basic detail
How to make Caves
How to make Caves
About Invalid Brushes
About Invalid Brushes
How to curve,bend,arc almost everything
How to curve,bend,arc almost everything
General Level Building Tips and Suggestions
General Level Building Tips and Suggestions
Creating an Overview
Here is a really simple guide to producing professional looking overviews for your maps.
Mitered Corners: The Undying Myth
All too often, new mappers are told that mitering (or angling) the corners of brushes together will help to reduce r_speeds and is a general sign of good construction.
Room corners
An alternative to boring 90 degree corners
Cutscenes and Action Control
Camera, text and animation. Spawners, monsters, player and environment control
QERadiant - Creating A Basic Rock-Wall
This tutorials shows how to create a simple rock wall by using different kinds of vertex manipulation
Prefabs and Monsters
Prefabs and Monsters
Setting up Worldcraft for Mods
This article details the process that must be taken to configure Worldcraft to create, compile, and run maps for any Half-Life mod.
Triggering sounds and messages
This tutorial will show you how to display messages and play sounds fromwithin the TF entities
Design Considerations for HLDM Part 2
Gamedesign theory for HLDM
'Glowing' Texture Lights
'Glowing' Texture Lights
Finding & fixing leaks
Finding & fixing leaks
The 'Boulder' Method
For Cliffs and Terrain.
Scrolling Textures
First I would like to introduce scrolling textures since they haven't been addressed very well.
Day of Defeat Mapping: Part 1
The Tools
Curved Tunnel Ceilings - Pipeworks Method
Make a perfect curved tunnel ceiling using the arch, skewing, and clip tool.
Understanding TFC goal states
Hopefully this mini-tutorial will explain how goals interact with one another and with other entities.
Leafs
Understanding Leafs
Creating 2D Fog
This lets you create either low-lying fog or a steamy haze floating just below the ceiling. It is an interesting application of the special sprites discussed in the other tutorial.
Doors with Glass
How do I make a moving door with transparent glass sections?
Customising the Health Packs
A quick n' dirty guide, that shows you gow to create your own health pack models, without even knowing how to model or using Milkshape.
Rocks and Cliffs
Between a rock and a hard place: using vertical stacking to achieve realistic effects and low r_speeds in rocks and cliffs.
Rendering Properties
Most brush-based and model-based (monsters, etc) point entities allow you to set their rendering properties
Making A Cave
In this sample tutorial I will describe one of the best ways to create a cave in Terrain Generator
Introduction to Hammer Editor and Mapping
Introduction to Hammer Editor and Mapping
How to copy-paste things (grass, trees etc.)
How to copy-paste things (grass, trees etc.)
Making a proper sky for your map.
Making a proper sky for your map.
How to make a clip brush
How to make a clip brush
How to Make a Sphere in Worldcraft
Well there are several techniques to make one, but by far the easiest method in Worldcraft is called the 'cone slicing' method.
Getting Started with Hammer
Getting Started with Hammer
Making a nuke
Here, a button is pushed which triggers an alarm and eventually an air strike.
Using the Clipping Tool
The clipping tool can be found on the left hand side of the screen, its the brown wood style block with a yellow cut out bit on.
Scripted Sequence's for Newbies part 1
Scripted Sequence's for Newbies part 1
Security Scanner
Security Scanner
Waterfalls
Create your own Niagra falls, or die trying.
Big Block Method of Error Finding
What is the BBMoEF? Basically its a method of breaking your map down into different peices to determine which part is causing your problem.
Making and Dealing with Sky
Making and Dealing with Sky
The Shrinking Effect
Learn how SlayerA made the shrinking machine.
Blocking Areas
So you want an area to be visible but you dont want peeps getting there?
DOD Setting up valve hammer for mapping
This is a tutorial about setting up valve hammer so you can create maps for Day of Defeat
Rain in Half-Life
How to add Rain in Half-Life
controllable crane
crane can be moved incrementally as button is held down
Elevator With Moving Buttons
An oft-asked question is how do I make an elevator with a moving button. Here's how.
Using the func_wall to improve framerates
The func_wall entity is often used by mappers when they want to prevent polygon subdivision and encounter leaf warnings/errors
Shoot-through-able Grate
How about a grate that a player can shoot through? Same idea applies to chain link fences, bars, etc.
Security Cards
Get the card - without it the door won't open. Another look at Globals and Multisources
Team vs Team Balancing Tutorial
This is quite advanced tutorial
Advanced Lighting (info_textlights & light_surface & improved sky lights)
In this tutorial we'll explore the depths of texture lighting.
Counter-Strike Mapping
This mod offers such variety, its hard not to want to map for it. cs has many entities for its special objects as well as the normal hl ones.
Rounded Corners
another possible method, using Hammer
How to make a grate/fence that you can shoot through
How to make a grate/fence that you can shoot through
Making a Door that Slides
If your wanting to Make a slidy door then you picked the right place to come,
Map Testing Procedure
This tutorial will provide instructions on setting up Hammer to launch TFC maps correctly
The ultimate quick-guide to less clipnodes
The limits of leafs and clipnodes have always been the most annoying to all mappers.
Half-Life Editing Tips
Half-Life Editing Tips
Multiplayer Level design Treatise
Treatise on general Multiplayer map design
Tutorial 7: The Func_train possibilities
Tutorial 7: The Func_train possibilities
Shocking the Ichthys
Shocking the Ichthys
Game_player_equip tutorial
I thought I'd make a thorough tutorial for the game_player_equip entity
Three Important things/rules
Three Important things/rules
Buzzybots Mapping Tutorial
Buzzybots Mapping Tutorial
The complete teleporter effect
Hey. This tutorial will show you how to make a teleport device, using sprites, beams and sounds.
Taming the Speaker Entity
Taming the Speaker Entity
About CLIP Texture
About CLIP Texture
Setting up VHLT for mapping
Setting up VHLT for mapping
func_train - how to make a train
func_train - how to make a train
Scripted Events - Using multi_manager
Scripted Events - Using multi_manager
Creating A Retinal Scanner
This tutorial covers the procedure of creating a door that can only be opened by an NPC using a retinal scanner.
Door with turning handle
This tutorial demonstrates how to make a door with a handle that must be turned to open.
21 Golden Tips for mapping with Half-Life
21 Golden Tips for mapping with Half-Life
Visual Sprite list
A visual representation of 128 sprites.
Reference: Sci Fi Setting
This is here for reference purposes. This article is really not as good as the rest, but I've kept up because there are 1 or 2 good points to be picked up.
Compile Options
The compile tools contain a number of features that are accessible through command line parameters. Below are the available parameters for each tool
Adding decals to your map
Worldcraft make it fairly easy to add decals to your map
Advanced func_breakable
In this tutorial I will show you how to create objects with mutiple func_breakable's, which break in the way they would in real life.
How to call in an air strike
This tutorial will lead you through the creation of an air strike table. What's an air strike table? you ask? It will allow you to target a specific point in your level and send an airstrike raining down on the targetted position.
Manipulating light in GoldSRC
Lighting can be tricky sometimes, but there's usually a way out
How to Make a Rotating Door
Before you can make a rotating door, you should know how to make a rotating object. Therefore, I'll cover this first.
Pitch Yaw Roll Demystified
This article by Mr. Yuk discusses the use of the Pitch, Yaw, and Roll values (PYR) to make inverted models (and sprites) for use in mirroring a room.
How to make a road, that dont look crappy
How to make a road, that dont look crappy
Textured Lighting
Textured lighting, when used properly, is by far the best type of lighting in most situations.
func_tracktrain
func_tracktrain
Horizonal Bubbles
How to place & control horizontally flowing bubbles in a map.
From The Frame Up
A guide for new mappers on adding detail to basic designs.
Doors With Glass
Another common question is about making doors with transparent glass in them. This article explains how it's done.
Adding and Changing Sky - 2D Skybox and Global Lighting
Adding and Changing Sky - 2D Skybox and Global Lighting
Resetting Entities at the Start of Every Round (Part 1)
Learn how to reset entities at the start of every round, so those lights are off again, doors shut, etc.
Big List of Single-Player Mapping Tips
Here's a list of useful hints and tips relating to single-player mapping
Aiscripted Sequences
Completly control monsters
Tutorial 1: A basic intro. to levels
Tutorial 1: A basic intro. to levels
Hammer Editor Tutorial #3 - First Room
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
Worldcraft 3.3 FGD Format Changes
This article outlines the changes made to the FGD file format as of Worldcraft 3.3. This will be of special interest to mod developers who want to make the most of the editing support for their mod.
How to Make Rain
This tutorial will explain how to use the env_rain entity for making rain in Counter-Strike like in de_aztec and de_slap
Creating Custom Map Titles & Other Flash Things for Half-Life
Welcome to the wonderful world that is Titles.txt.
The Destructible Camera Tutorial
This tutorial describes how to create a camera that, when destroyed, will no longer work.
Player movement
Some player movement related entities.
A beginners guide to CS 1.6 mapping
So I’m now going to try to teach you how to make your first map. There are already some tutorials out there, but for those who can’t find it or don’t understand it: here’s mine. Good luck on your first map!
Creating a Simple Respawn Room
This tutorial will cover how to make a typical respawn/re-supply room.
Using Skys
There seems to be alot of confusion over how to implement skys in a level. The concept is much more simple than most people think, and perhaps this is what leads to confusion.
Complex geometry:part 1
Now I will show you how to use the clip tool and how to make doors, windows, etc.
WorldCraft v2.0 Setup
This FAQ is designed to help you get WorldCraft setup
Vertex Manipulation: Basics, Tricks and Common Errors
A great introduction to vertex manipulation, including how to not get into trouble with bad brushes.
How to make Overviews for HLTV/HDTV
How to make Overviews for HLTV/HDTV
Blur effect
Blur in Half-life? Is that possible? Yes!
Configuring func_trains - func_tracktrains
Tutorial for all those newbies out there.
PUSH YOUR MAP to the limits - FPS optimization and some other stuff.
Today I am going to talk about all ways of optimizing your goldsource(cs) map FPS wise (or probably just about most of them)
first Half-Life map with Worldcraft2 - Part 2
first Half-Life map with Worldcraft2
Doors for beginners
sliding - rotating
Sky Positioning
Sky Positioning
r_speeds
Most mappers know that the more they see from a certain angle ingame the more lag will appear. But plane is sometimes devided into smaller chunks which also causes lag.
Creating a Pond
In this tutorial I'll show you how to create an irregular depression in the ground and fill it with water to create a pond.
Lifts
Make a lift from some solids.
Realistic dynamic landscape
Having trouble with flat/blocky terrain? No more!
HLCC Setup
Half-Life Compiler Controller
Player Units
This information is here to help you create the right distances and heights in your levels when creating steps and jumps etc...
How To Make A Map With WorldPad (aka: WordPad)
How To Make A Map With WorldPad (aka: WordPad)
Rounds
I have been asked to explain how to make a map which uses rounds.
QERadiant - Basic Camera System
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to make a basic camera system, with a camera and a monitor
Making water that looks good
Making water that looks good
Adding custom content part 1
A map typically consists of the brushwork and entities.
Making .mat files
Making .mat files
69th Vlatitude Tips
long list of Mapping Tips
Compiling in Quark
Compiling in Quark
Glass
In this tutorial i will show you about glass
Climbing
Climbing: slopes & ramps, jumping, stairs, cliffs, downspouts, ladders & ropes..
Making Glass
glass is extremly easy to make when you know how
Mapping tips and tricks #1
This list shows tricks which can boost your mapping workflow.
Territorial Control Tutorial
In a Territorial Control map each team compete to control all the command points.
Level Transition
Simple transition between maps.
Detailing your architecture
As with my last instalment, this is not so much a tutorial as a series of suggestions and hints. In it I will try to suggest some ways to add detail to a level's architecture in an attempt to increase its visual appeal.
Custom Textures - Use & Including
The old-fashioned way
QERadiant - Texture Fitting
This tutorial shows you how to fit textures
Übersetzung der Modelling for Half-Life.doc aus dem HL-SDK 2.2
German translation of the Half-Life.doc from the SDK.
How to make sprites more flexible
If you ever played DOOM, you probably saw that the sprites can sort of rotate, but not lean, or look like they're on the floor.
Rising water
Rising water
Torching open a door
In the Half-Life: Uplink demo, at one point you see a group of grunts cut open a steel door. Here's how it was done.
In the Beginning
Really basic tutorial on building a cube and compiling it.
How to make breakable wall
How to make a breakable wall
Connecting Two Rooms
Connecting Two Rooms
Code Locks
Well there are several techniques to make doors with passwords, but I think this is by far the easiest method.
How to make a pop machine
How to make a pop machine
Embedding Textures into a Map
This article discusses the use of the wadinclude and nowadtextures CSG parameters which allow you to embed textures directly into the compiled map file.
Hallways
Using the Clipping tool.
Half-Life Rain
This tutorial file explains how you can easily add rain in your levels.
Working with entities - general techniques and thoughts
Entities are what makes a map alive. Without entities, a map is just a set of walls, between which the players can bore themselves to death.
valve hammer 3.5.1 tutorial 1
how to cinfigure hammer for half life 1 or opposing force and the same thing for blueshift download hammer 3.5.1 and fdg file
Windows and Transparent Objects
Windows and Transparent Objects
How to make a ladder
How to make a ladder
Reusing/duplicating complex entity systems
Reusing/duplicating complex entity systems
Making a button (lightswitch)
how to make a button
Creating Ladders
How to make your average ladder.
The X-Ray Effect
One of the things people have wondered about is how Gearbox achieved the x-ray effect in the of3a6 map.
More Doors
Well this is even more door for you to build
Arches and Curves Tutorial
This tutorial will show you how to make a Quake style archway to connect 2 rooms.
Basics of Entities - Adding and Editing Entities
Basics of Entities - Adding and Editing Entities
Level Transitions in Half-Life
An issue constantly surrounded in questions is that of level changes. They remain a mystery to many designers, and for no real reason as their concept is rather simple.
Useful Mapping Commands
Put these commands in the console
Land Mine Effect
How to simulate land mines
Train Madness
About trains and how to use them
Making an Arch
You will need the ambient_generic and the trigger_multiple entities for this tutorial.
Creating Buttons
You can create all sorts of buttons, activated by triggers, or simply by touching or using it.
Importing Models and Textures
How to import Models and Textures from other Mod's
Pipe-Works
pipes done your way...
DoD Flag Objectives
Most DoD maps use CTF or Control The Flags as the primary mission objective.
Destroyable Cameras
Destroyable Cameras
Func_ladder
Tutorial How To Make A Ladder
Weather Effects In Day of Defeat
Weather Effects In Day of Defeat
QERadiant - The Sky Box
This tutorial will give you some information about the 'sky box' and about the light_environment entity.
Detail textures
What are detail textures?
Laser and Beam Effects
Explains how to set up the moving laser trick, as well as some things that can be done with circular beams.
The 51 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Half-Life Level Editing
The 51 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Half-Life Level Editing
Detailing Maps
How to keep even the simplest architecture looking good.
In the Beginning Part 6
Monsters: Adding Barneys, grunts and aliens brings your map to life. This is a basic guide.
HLCC- view compile log
Makes it a little easier to view the compile log for winxp users.
Func_vehicle with models
This tutorial shows you how to make a func_vehicle and use a model for a car!
Creating Player Spawns in a CS Map
Where to put those pesky entities so that the Ts and CTs have a place to start in your map. Short and sweet.
Two-way Trigger
This tutorial shows how to make a trigger that will target different objects depending on which way the player walks through it.
Half-Life Unit To Real-Life Unit Conversion
Want to map something to scale and you need to know the mapping to real life unit conversion ratio?
QERadiant - Arbitrary Sided Brushes
This tutorial shows you how easy it is to create arbitrary sided brushes
How to use VisGroups
The VisGroup tools is for the convinience of mappers. When a lot of brushwork makes the work complex it can become difficult to maintain the big picture.
Remove - give - place weapons
How to remove, give and place weapons in a CS map.
Ladders
how to use them in your map
Hammer Editor Tutorial #1 - How to start the Hammer Editor
This is our first tutorial. We'll show everyone who wants to do a Map for HL2 or a different Mod, how to start the Hammer Editor.
Worldcraft 2.0 and Half-Life Texturing
This article goes over the different facets of textures and texturing as related to Worldcraft 2.0 and Half-Life
Useable Prefabs
This tutorial gives you an overview of the official useable object prefabs.
Capture The Flag
Covering many points on how to implement a successful capture the flag gamemode
Concepts: Triggers and Targets
Triggers and targeting are basic concepts of the mapping process. They are a part of almost every entity event so it is important to understand what they mean and how they work
Making Popular Maps
You may make the greatest map in the world but if nobody plays it, its not much good to anybody? Find out what is required to make sure your map gets lots of downloads.
Batch File Compiling for Beginners
Creation and use of batch files for HL compiling
Basic scripted sequences/sentences tutorial
Basic scripted sequences/sentences tutorial
Advanced R_speed Tweaks
Although VIS blockers are the most important way to keep your r_speeds under control, there are a variety of other tweaks and tricks you can do to lower your r_speeds within each area of your map.
Lighting your map
Lighting
NPC and Item Placement Theory
Some pointers on NPC and item placement
Triangle Terrain 2: Switching Direction
How to link terrain facing different directions
Glowing Sprites
In this article I will explain how to achieve a glowing sprite effect.
Reflective Flooring
Well it isn't really reflective flooring :P, its a work around of it. But never the less is can be achieved and what's more, the r_speeds can work out ok
MAP BALANCE
MAP BALANCE
Invisible 'Use' Trigger
how to setup invisible and useable triggers in Half-Life
How to make Land mines
How to make Land mines
func_teleport
func_teleport
Proper ropes/cables for lifts
Using a sprite for a rope instead.
Cropping technique...
apply images to brushes with no seams
AllocBlock crash solution
The AllocBlock section in the compile window will tell
you how many allocation blocks you have filled. “64” is
the most.
Airstrike a la Crossfire
Brian explains how to create an airstrike like the one in Crossfire or DoubleCross deathmatch maps.
Window lighting trick
Making rooms look better
INFO_TFGOAL & i_t_g
The main TF entity with which you should be familiar is INFO_TFGOAL
Mind that Fan
Looking out for the your head as you make a spiny fan
How to make a mirror floor
How to make a mirror floor
QERadiant - My First Window
This tutorial shows in easy steps how to make a glass
window
CS 1.6 Manually Displacement Tutorial
Goldsource Engine Manually Displacement Terrain Tutorial
Setup Guide: CS
This tutorial takes you through the process of setting up Worldcraft so it works with Counter-Strike.
Size in Counter-Strike
Here are some normal heights and width you should at all time be aware of.
How to use q2beaver
How to use q2beaver
Door with turning handle
This tutorial demonstrates how to make a door with a handle that must be turned to open.
How to make a Respawn room
This tutorial will cover how to make a typical respawn/re-supply room
Triangle Terrain 1: The Basics
Cover any area you wish in some complex looking yet easy to make terrain
Perfect Timing with Doors
This tutorial shows how to get any doors , how awkward they may be , to close and open at the same time as each other.
How to place a decal
A decal is like the spraypaint the players place. The difference is that we as mappers may set those when we create the map.
Using Sound
You will need the ambient_generic and the trigger_multiple entities for this tutorial.
Item/Weapon Placement
Item/Weapon Placement
The Essentials of Mapping
This article is an important guide to improving your sense of style and should help you make your maps look a lot better
Skies
This is a Visual Guide of the different sky textures included in Half-Life and how to add them to your map.
Scripted Sequence #4, the Seesaw of Death
The first thing I'd like to say is that if you haven't read our previous three scripted sequence tutorials, you should do so before attempting this one.
How to make transparant (shiny) floor in VHE
How to make transparant (shiny) floor in VHE
The X-Ray Effect
One of the things people have wondered about is how Gearbox achieved the x-ray effect in the of3a6 map
Trigger_Changetarget
The trigger_changetarget simply changes entities' targets and it is easily configured.
Glass and Moving Doors
Glass and Moving Doors
Compiling Part 2
Compiling using batch files.
Mapping Technique
Ever wonder how some mappers are able to bang out a regular stream of good quality maps, while you struggle along for months on the same thing? Its all about your technique...
Advanced Map Making - Random looking Cliffs
There are a few ways to make random looking cliffs;the three ways are listed here
How to use the env_message
this will instruct you how to make your own custom messages appear on the screen during the game
Advanced geometry:part 3
In this tutorial I will shown you how to use primitives, prefabs and trims.
Light
All you ever needed to know.
Compiling 101
Learn anything and everything about compiling, from the tools themselves, to parameters, and different methods to compile.
INFO_PLAYER_TEAMSPAWN
This entity is needed to allow the players of the map to spawn.
Monstermaker Tutorial
Even if you know nothing about the monstermaker entity, do you think you could guess what it does? What did you say? It makes monsters? Well, that's partially right.
Basic Map Readme File
Often overlooked, but essential, and nice polish
Chaincraft - Explanations - Part 2
Terms and tips for more succesfull mapping.
The magic cargo container
This tutorial demonstrates how to make a moving cargo crate (a func_train) turn into a hollow crate containing a squad of grunts. When the crate is placed on the ground, doors at one end open revealing the grunts.
Making a Rotating Door
Making a rotating door isnt as hard as you might think, its just a question of doing a little bit more than your normal door.
Light and Sky
Basic lighting tutorial. Appearance types list.
How to create exterior area with sky tutorial.
The Sky Texture
This tutorial gives you information and an overview about the different sky possibilities
Respawn Rooms
Respawn rooms are a feature of most TF maps, if not all.
Pitch Yaw Roll Demystified
Pitch Yaw Roll Demystified
Lighting
Lighting your level
Rotating Lights
This tutorial not only shows you how to make rotating lights (like in the Uplink demo), but also how to make those 'fire doors' in the game that close when you break the glass.
Glass
A quick and simple guide on how to make glass for your maps.
Forge Game Data Files (fgd)
What is an fgd?
Half Life Appearance Light Type List
Half Life Appearance Light Type List
Deathmatch
Deathmatch can be found in many games so its important to understand the issues involved with this gamestyle. In this article I cover such issues as weapon placement and gameflow.
Rotating door with glass pane
Rotating door with glass pane
General level design theory
General level design theory
Blurry shadows trick (used in cloudy maps)
How to simulate cloudy weather, that is, how to make the shadows blurry
Cycler entity submodel+light additional functions
When you work with models in your map usually you use cycler entity, having a fiew submodels or model that can be light incorecly can be a pain to work with
Making Steam
Making Steam
Ambient Generics - How They Work
Tired of not knowing why or how the ambient_generic entity works in Half-life?
Monster_generic and Monster_furniture
Let's start with the monster_generic entity. To tell you the truth, this entity is not very hard to use. However, I've only seen it being used in very advanced levels made by very proficient level designers.
Useful Console Commands
A nice tutorial showing and explaining special console commands that can help the mapper
Lighting And Compiling
Lighting And Compiling
Water Tutorial
In Half-Life, water is simply brushes tied to an entity.
Controlling Turrets Through Cameras
This article describes the simple intracacies of creating a turret which you can control through a camera.
Advanced Shadows
Advanced Shadows
INITIAL DESIGN
The initial design phase of a level is very important
Introduction to Goals and Goal States
To help you better understand the goal states
valve hammer monster
in this tutorial we gonna make monster
Glass Tutorial
Glass is another brush-based entity.
Advanced texturing
Open the texture selection tool. Noticed the different options?
A Guide to better Framerates
A Guide to better Framerates