Level Design

This is another PORTAL tutorial. This one is the basic circular door model this time with two buttons needed to open the doors.

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

An introduction to scripted_sequences in Source.

Making a freight elevator with props

A Physics Collapsing Ceiling

Making Props Show Up

make antlions or other npc's assault / move to a place on the map

A list of them, and solutions

Illustrates how to make fast zombies climb. Also in here is a way of starting the map in cheat mode on map spawn.

How to create a rotating door using models.

This is a tutorial from Nero that shows you how to make a carryable blowtorch that you can use to cut open a door.

Practical Displacements

This is a revision (April 2009) of the original tutorial which turned out inaccurate either because I'm dumb, or because of a change in the SDK. It's an addition to the tutorial (53) on the Point_viewcontrol entity.

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

How to place weapons with ammo in CS:S

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

Ambient_Generic

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

Wanted to make something like in Unreal tournament a bounce pad,

A basic application of the ai_relationship entity

Illustrates the use of func_tracktrain, path_track and the phys_ragdoll_constraint.

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

how to make a mirror

This camera is good for when you join a map, it gives you a view of the map before you join a team

Create a simple room with a light

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

You want to make a ceiling collapse, whether to let in combine soldiers or headcrabs, or just to block a route. In this tutorial, I'll be showing you the basics.

Shows you how to make a tunnel through the use of displacements

Have you ever noticed that some 'grass' textures also have tall grass and weeds that show up in game?

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

It shows how to make a lift that will visit anyone of five floors, by pressing the appropriate button

Moving water layer

An introduction to terrain creation

shows how the oncoming train in d2_coast-07 was put together.

Import Custom Textures

How to make a hanging/swinging light fixture.

This tutorial shows how to insert your own .wav file and get a model (GMan in this case) to mouth what you have recorded.

Real Constructive: Hammer Geometry for Unreal Mappers

Shows how to make an escalator using the func_tracktrain.

This tutorial shows how to electrify something so that touching it hurts the player.

Create a remote control mechanism that applies to a vehicle.

This tutorial demonstrates some of the action in the Coast levels in the game.

A different way of doing it

This is a basic tutorial about the ai_goal_police . This is basically an entity that when triggered forces a named npc_metropolice to guard a particular area in your map.

This is a tutorial about stairs.

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

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

This tutorial is about the Clip tool.

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

How to make breakable glass

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

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

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

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

The PVC is a camera that you can have static or moving. It changes the players view from the player, to anywhere you like.

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.

This is another PORTAL tutorial. This shows how to make the 'Emancipation Grill' or Portal Cleanser, that removes the useful boxes, when you walk through.

I have taken the Hotel building from Trainstation and constructed it from scratch.

This tutorial shows how to make an 'Iris' door.

and why yours might not work

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

Set the mood of a scene easily using Source's in-game GUI colour correction editor.

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

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

A short tutorial illustrating how to get an npc_metropolice to shoot a flare into the air.

This is a tutorial for creating an initial block map for an outdoor real world location.

How to blend two existing textures

Creating a Skybox

Need to make some good old fashioned glass in Source? Read on.

An introduction to Source physics

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

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

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

Draws a basic outside area with trees and fog, and suggests a couple of good sky and light environment combinations to get a good effect.

Triggered door with button

Finding leaks in the new Hammer

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

CSS hostage resuce

Control NPC actions

Getting it done despite the bugs

AI path Finding in Half-Life 2

An intermediate tutorial, it will try to give as much step by step as possible, but assumes you have Basic knowledge like making a room, placing entities and texturing.

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

Sun, rain, dust and fog

Making a Spawn and func_buyzone in CS:S

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

illustrating a dangling electric wire

How to get physics objects into your Source engine maps

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

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

This tutorial is on the Vertex edit tool. It attempts to show how to use this tool to manipulate brushes into different shapes.

Using the Nodraw Texture

Create a simple corridor in hammer

Making the Gman into a 'Model Citizen'

Creating different glass types

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

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

Making a Rotating Door

Part 1 - This tutorial shows how to make a single drawbridge.

This tutorial shows how to get citizens to jump down, as in the d3_c17_04 level HL2.

This is a follow to Simple Lasers. It demonstrates how to link lasers to entities which move. Two ways are illustrated here and in 137 - a laser that goes up and down and one that revolves and moves to and fro at the same time.

This tutorial shows how to place and link, ai_goal_assault, assault_assaultpoint and assault_rallypoint.

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

Hang 'Em High: phys_ballsocket

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

how I made the tunnels in my map

This is a basic tutorial by Raidenator on how to create a displacement brush. These are the brushes that are used mainly for creating terrain.

Make a door that can only be opened with a key card

It shows a good way of using a math_counter and triggers, to set off a number of events.

Want some realistic terrain? Read on!

Displaying something, and plugged into the wall

Creating curved geometry using arches

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

How to create destroyed holes realistically via the Clipping and Vertex Edit tools

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

This is the second tutorial on moving lasers. In this one the laser is in a round tunnel, it moves back and forward through the tunnel and revolves at the same time.

A tutorial covering how to make plugs that can be unplugged and plugged in over and over again, as well as learning how to use the combine power generator prefab.

A short and sweet tutorial that shows a simple way to blend fog seamlessly into the horizon.

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

Making a Ladder

This article can help bring your older mods back to life on Steam pipe

Configure advanced compile to run with extra parameters etc.

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

Making Water

In this series of tutorials we will take the room made in the first tutorial, duplicate it, and make a two level room.

Simple tute showing how to do this. Be aware that when they get shot a headcrab appears from nowhere !!

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

How to construct one from scratch - though there is a prefab in Hammer.

Portal: Changing Textures/Signs

This tutorial shows how to make a simple camera and project a scene onto a monitor.

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

This is an extension of the tutorial on cameras.

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

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

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

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

Using displacement maps to preserve texture alignment around arches.

This example demonstrates how to build a 21 floor spiral staircase using the Paste Special function.

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

Ever wanted to know how VALVe did the blinding light tunnel trick in Half-Life 2? Found out here.

In this second tutorial on the Arch tool. In it we will look at how to make curved corners and coving in rooms.

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

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

This shows one way of using the aiscripted_schedule entity. We will create a group of combine, who will seek out and come after the player.

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

this shows how to make the headcrab canisters that crash in from the sky and disgorge a number of headcrabs.

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

how to make the Magnusson Device spawner from Episode 2.

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

Resembling the automatic stairs in Portal, this was made for Ep 2. It will work in both Half-life 2 and Portal, just be selective with your textures.

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

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

Making Maps Realistic

This tutorial shows how to make the plug that features a lot in the game.

Making a Bomb Site in CS:Source

This tutorial by Maloof?/Superbacon of the Facepunch Forums, covers the placement and basic animation of the Citadel Core from Halflife-2: Episode 1.

This tutorial shows how to make a conveyor that transports the player - so a moving floor I guess. I will put up a tutorial on how to make one for transporting objects later.

In this first tutorial on the Arch tool, we will make a tunnel, like those seen in HL2.

Design realistically-breaking glass doors

CSS Bomb target

This tutorial will explore how to use the env_screenoverlay entity. This is used in the intro to HL2 with G-Man musing about calling on Gordon again. The tutorial covers just the basic stuff about how to make it work.

little how-to on the new way to link entities

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

This is a tutorial on simple lasers using env_beam ). It looks at 'Trip' Lasers, that when you walk through make something happen and harmful lasers that hurt or kill the player.

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

Placing a BuyZone in a CSS map.

Made in Episode 1 config. Tutorial shows how to blow up doors with combine lock on.

This tutorial was written in response to a query on the Chatbear forum. Shadowofamn wanted to know how to make a ladder, like a fire escape, that slides down to ground level so you can use it.

This shows how to build a Revolving Door. The tutorial will cover making a plain door; a door with glass in, and a door with breakable glass in.

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

This tutorial shows how to place a Thumper (The combine machine that scares the antlions) This is the version you can climb and switch on and off.

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

This tutorial shows how to make a breakable padlock, enabling access to a locked/padlocked area. This is the promised extension to the env_steam tutorial ( No: 51) and uses that VMF.

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