Forum posts
Search the VERC's utitilies page, it links to some sprite creators. Just search a bit for the necessary info but I think most is self-explanatory.
Mhh... you could try ticking off the CSG, BSP and VIS lines, perhaps the compilers will used the files generated during the last compile. I doubt if it'll work, though.
What I do know is that you can use cordon compiling, e.g. you use the cordon tool to select a part of the map, and compile that part only. This is especially handy fur test purposes or for fixing lights or entities in a part of a large map.
What I do know is that you can use cordon compiling, e.g. you use the cordon tool to select a part of the map, and compile that part only. This is especially handy fur test purposes or for fixing lights or entities in a part of a large map.
The DM barney is not the same as the SP barney, so that wouldn't work out right... instead, it would cause a lot more confusion...
No, just animating the barney model would be just fine. Might take a while to learn how to do that, so I think it's best to leave it for now, try a bit with modelling and such and perhaps you can pull this off later.
No, just animating the barney model would be just fine. Might take a while to learn how to do that, so I think it's best to leave it for now, try a bit with modelling and such and perhaps you can pull this off later.
I must have understood you wrong. Taken to heart looks like the Dutch 'ter harte nemen', wich means use it, take it seriously and do something with it (e.g. improve your map). That's what it is for.
And some people feel attacked by constructive critisizm? So what? The person that gave his feedback has done so with best intentions. It's up to the mapper what to do with it.
Sure, I could sit down and cry: "They don't like my map!" I could also decide to improve and deliver a better piece of work next time. That's totally my choice and my responsability.
I think it always hurts a bit when people critisize you. You need to learn not to take it personal and put it to good use instead of feeling hurt.
And some people feel attacked by constructive critisizm? So what? The person that gave his feedback has done so with best intentions. It's up to the mapper what to do with it.
Sure, I could sit down and cry: "They don't like my map!" I could also decide to improve and deliver a better piece of work next time. That's totally my choice and my responsability.
I think it always hurts a bit when people critisize you. You need to learn not to take it personal and put it to good use instead of feeling hurt.
For Spirit questions, visit the Spirit forums, they can provide much more specific information.
Changing the game code? You'll need the HL SDK, this can be found at the VERC. However, when you don't have experience with C or C++, you're going to have a very tough time changing it... I don't think you should start there, unless coding has your specific attention. You'd best just stick with Half-Life or Spirit and get some experience first.
Changing the game code? You'll need the HL SDK, this can be found at the VERC. However, when you don't have experience with C or C++, you're going to have a very tough time changing it... I don't think you should start there, unless coding has your specific attention. You'd best just stick with Half-Life or Spirit and get some experience first.
Because they are both grunts... 
Ah, right. Grunts sounds like, well, grunts to me, you know. That's what I usually call them, just grunts, since they're used much more than alien grunts.
Search the Snarkpit. It features a large deal of maps, including a bunch of single-player ones. Ten Four could also be interesting, it previews Half-Life mods. And has quite an extensive database... it also recommends certain mods over others so it's easier to choose.
Good luck and have fun!
Good luck and have fun!
So you want to become a good mapper? Then start by learning from others. I've collected a few articles here. Most of them I've read long ago and I'd say, they're helpfull and provide insight on the subject of level-design. So, why not take a look? 
What is level design?
Common sense vs. level design
Half-Life Editing Tips
Design Inspiration
Detail vs. Design, part 1
Detail vs. Design, part 2
Feel free to add more articles, I'm sure it would help others. And of course, I'm interested too...
What is level design?
Common sense vs. level design
Half-Life Editing Tips
Design Inspiration
Detail vs. Design, part 1
Detail vs. Design, part 2
Feel free to add more articles, I'm sure it would help others. And of course, I'm interested too...
Still I think, or maybe even hope, that ZL is not serious about what he wrote. It was supposed to cheer us up with some nice satire and didn't you at least smile as you read it?Yeah... perhaps he was just entertaining us...
Did you set up Hammer and your compile process correctly? E.g. do HLVIS and HLRAD run on the map?
Please post your compile log, could be helpfull to us here.
Please post your compile log, could be helpfull to us here.
As for the cgshaders, I don't know. Remove them to another place outside the Half-Life directories and see what happens when you run Spirit. If it runs fine, you'll probably not need it, if it doesn't then you need to include these files in your mod.
Every dll inside the Spirit folder would be necessary. The ones outside the Spirit folder are probably not necessary but you could try to move them to another folder and see what happens. Just try out a bit... that way you'll learn a lot.
You'll want to change the name of the folder to something other than Spirit, as it's going to be your map. Then also change the liblist.gam file. There are some tutorials on that one but most is self-explanatory.
Basically, all a mod needs is a folder of its own, a liblist.gam and further content. For a Spirit-based mod, this would mean any .dll that came within the Spirit folder.
You'll want to change the name of the folder to something other than Spirit, as it's going to be your map. Then also change the liblist.gam file. There are some tutorials on that one but most is self-explanatory.
Basically, all a mod needs is a folder of its own, a liblist.gam and further content. For a Spirit-based mod, this would mean any .dll that came within the Spirit folder.
Depends on what you're aiming for, off course...
the sort of people to whom (gramar) ZL is referring are unlikely to frequent this section of the forums - or any other section.That's not a reason to flame them.
Thats why I followed the golden rule: NEVER EVER EVER release your first maps EVERTrue. Most first maps are just test maps, like 95 % if not 99 % of your maps.
There are people on these forums who don't actually use the forums or the sites content before asking stupid questions that have already been answered FFSTrue, but why treat them harsh? Just post a link to tutorials and leave them on their own. They should understand the message... or leave...
Even constructive critisism can be taken to heart by someone who has worked long and hard on a mapThat's exactly what constructive critisizm is for...
I understand some people are just lazy and expect us to solve their problems, but that's not a reason to flame them. It's not that hard to stay polite. Just give them a link to the tutorials page, no further worries. They'll either read the tutorials or think they don't get helped and leave. After all, it's not always obvious who's lazy and who's not...
Heh... now that you mention it... I've been trying to create computer games ever since I was 12, that's 6 years ago... later I found out about a Starcraft editor, so you could call that my real start. I've been mapping for Half-Life for about 3 years now and indeed, that's what best fits me so far.
UT2k4? Bah, remove that from my eyes! I only like that voice, not that game actually...
Strange things? He just read my latest Journal entry... Hmm, yeah, maybe that's strange...
So, how long have you guys been mapping now? I'm into level-design for about 3 years now...
Strange things? He just read my latest Journal entry... Hmm, yeah, maybe that's strange...
So, how long have you guys been mapping now? I'm into level-design for about 3 years now...
A question: did you run Half-Life with the startup parameters -console and -dev? Otherwise you can't bring up the console. And it's probably the ~ key, not specifically the key next to the 1 key... Don't know where that is on Italian keyboards though...
Ah, thanks! 
[UT2k3voice] RAMPAGE! [/utk3voice]
[UT2k3voice] RAMPAGE! [/utk3voice]
Info_nodes are used to let monsters know where they can go. When placed correctly, these entities can really improve the smartness of your enemies. Usually, after a map is started for the first time, it has to build a nodegraph, this is a mapname.nod file, created in mapsgraphs. This takes a little time, but should have nothing to do with precaching resources.
So tell us, after you added what entities did this error occur?
Oh, Svencoop I see... perhaps their own forums can give you more specific answers, as SC entities can react different than HL ones, plus they have a lot more entities added...
So tell us, after you added what entities did this error occur?
Oh, Svencoop I see... perhaps their own forums can give you more specific answers, as SC entities can react different than HL ones, plus they have a lot more entities added...
Grunts were just sent in to silence the facility. No connection with the aliens. After all, they fought the aliens themselves pretty hard too... never played OpFor?
As for those flying transport aliens, they were made from brushes, they're not models, toonton. They appear in several locations, especially a lot in Xen.
As for those flying transport aliens, they were made from brushes, they're not models, toonton. They appear in several locations, especially a lot in Xen.
Search for a program called Half-Life Model Viewer and look at the animations yourself, perhaps you can find a usefull one.
And again a person that could've become a great mapper stopped...
Is being kind and helpfull really so difficult?
Is being kind and helpfull really so difficult?
Some people tend to forget they were n00bs once...
Some people tend to forget their quality lacks at some points too...
Some people... need I say more? Don't flame the n00bs in this way. You've been helped too, would you like your maps to be critisized to shredders?
Some comments are really meant to be constructive. Would be good for all of us if that happened more...
Some people tend to forget their quality lacks at some points too...
Some people... need I say more? Don't flame the n00bs in this way. You've been helped too, would you like your maps to be critisized to shredders?
Some comments are really meant to be constructive. Would be good for all of us if that happened more...
Go back to your MP hole, you SP-n00b!
Ah, ok!
Guess what I play most: MP or SP...
Guess what I play most: MP or SP...
Any room or space that has no connection to the void is being compiled. Every face that touches a skybrush is being compiled (although often not rendered in-game). Two things that could help you speed up the compile process a bit...
So it's not the fact that it's a skybrush, it's the fact that it's a box surrounding the level that makes the compile process slower. I hope you understand by now how that happens...
So it's not the fact that it's a skybrush, it's the fact that it's a box surrounding the level that makes the compile process slower. I hope you understand by now how that happens...
p.s. why is captain p always right its not natural maybe he be a mapping god from the clouds above3 Years of experience, that's really all. And maybe a bit of talent...
grr... curse the cpcp and its non-englishness... i mean, is it me or does learning another language suck?We are Dutch by birth. Although we had an American coder a while ago that used a translator...
And habboi, I think you'll need patience. I know my Dutch fellows for about a year now, so I've been mapping for 2 years without real friends. Oh, well, some, but not really close ones. Yeah, some things just don't come immediatly. Live with it, and eventually you'll get a change...
Tommy14...
Oh, and... we already have quite a bunch of tutorials, and there's a whole load of them out there on the net. So... when people would search a bit more (and those that are serious will do), they'll eventually find out.
My conclusion: why all the work while most is already covered or can be found out by people themselves? But yeah, if you like it, go ahead. Heh, you'll eventually learn a thing or two while doing it.
Oh, and... we already have quite a bunch of tutorials, and there's a whole load of them out there on the net. So... when people would search a bit more (and those that are serious will do), they'll eventually find out.
My conclusion: why all the work while most is already covered or can be found out by people themselves? But yeah, if you like it, go ahead. Heh, you'll eventually learn a thing or two while doing it.
You can place virtually any monster in a deathmatch map but these will standard be filtered out. You need to set sv_allowmonsters or something like that to 1 to let monsters show up. Beware though as other players will probably not do so, and therefore you may be the only one that will ever know there are monsters in your map...
Yes, I'm busy with other things, but perhaps I can help you a bit with this comment:
Make friends in the communities. Strangers will most likely not bother to work together with you. Once you know some people, it's usually easier to find a cooperator. A good friend of mine asked me to join his mod team as a modeller. Should he not have known me, he wouldn't have asked me. So, just have some patience, improve your skills, make some contacts and eventually you and some other people may decide to do a map together.
Good luck!
Make friends in the communities. Strangers will most likely not bother to work together with you. Once you know some people, it's usually easier to find a cooperator. A good friend of mine asked me to join his mod team as a modeller. Should he not have known me, he wouldn't have asked me. So, just have some patience, improve your skills, make some contacts and eventually you and some other people may decide to do a map together.
Good luck!
I'd say, take a look at already existing mods and where they store their .dlls... It's really easy to find out when you take a little time for it...
Yes, really easy. I never read any tutorial about it, I found out myself. Just a bit of searching does the trick most of the times.
Yes, really easy. I never read any tutorial about it, I found out myself. Just a bit of searching does the trick most of the times.
The skybox method causes (unnecessary) longer compile times and often a worse performance. Just place individual skybrushes so, that the inside of the level is sealed off from the outside. Just stick with simple cubic brushes for now, to avoid invalid brushes. Treat them just like you treat other brushes, after all, it's just sealing off your level...
This will need a multisource. You would set the multisource as the master for the door, and control the multisource's state with env_globals, that can trigger it's state or set it to on or off. When you break the lock, you'd trigger an env_global, that sets the state of the multisource to on. The door's master is then on and it'll be useable again.
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?ent=multisource
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?ent=env_global
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?ent=multisource
http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?ent=env_global
Problem solved now?
Oh, copying something from another dll into another one? And how would you do that? You need the source code as dll's can't be decompiled, and as far as I know, we only have acces to Half-Life's source code, and perhaps some other mods that have gone open-source. Even then, it wouldn't be simply copy'n'paste... it requires some programming knowledge to get it right.
But after all, a lot of things are possible once you know how to do it.
But after all, a lot of things are possible once you know how to do it.
You could start by briefly telling us what you did... Did you actually place any lights in your map? Or did you accidentally have a leak? Since that causes the map to be full-bright...
Oh, and maybe it'd be good to read some of the beginners tutorials on this site. Most problems like these are already covered there...
Oh, and maybe it'd be good to read some of the beginners tutorials on this site. Most problems like these are already covered there...
Wow, that's a lot of errors you got there!
You see, each error names an Entity number and a Brush number. The entity numbers are 0 so you need to look at the brush numbers. 43, 44, 50 and 51 are the problem brushes.
First, hit Alt + P in Hammer to bring up the Problems box. Select any problems and hit the Fix button. Now check again. No problems? Then compile the map.
In case you still get errors, hit Ctrl + Shift + G (Go to brush number) in Hammer. Then fill in the number of one of the brushes and that brush will be selected. Remove it and remake it, be sure to create a correct brush this time (not two faces may be on the same plane).
Hope that helps. Good luck!
You see, each error names an Entity number and a Brush number. The entity numbers are 0 so you need to look at the brush numbers. 43, 44, 50 and 51 are the problem brushes.
First, hit Alt + P in Hammer to bring up the Problems box. Select any problems and hit the Fix button. Now check again. No problems? Then compile the map.
In case you still get errors, hit Ctrl + Shift + G (Go to brush number) in Hammer. Then fill in the number of one of the brushes and that brush will be selected. Remove it and remake it, be sure to create a correct brush this time (not two faces may be on the same plane).
Hope that helps. Good luck!
Oh, like some sort of alien village on a far-away planet? Seaside? Two suns at the horizon? Tall rocks with tribal signs of a long-forgotten alien race?
Nah, not so original... a spaceship number 19682 would be much cooler...
Nah, not so original... a spaceship number 19682 would be much cooler...
Just put your map into mod-form and include the Spirit .dll's in the mod folder. Then players won't need Spirit as Spirit's code comes with your little mod. How to do that? There's a good tutorial on that on this site...
You need to modify the game-code in order to achieve this effect. Somewhere there's a table that determines the relationship between the monsters... Without coding, this can not be achieved in Half-Life.
Am I then really the only one that uses the Hive Hand on them?
I don't believe that...
Also, I don't think Snarks are baby gargantua's. They look more like voltigore's then, but I think they aren't related besides the fact that they are all Xen fauna. They do have some similarities, yeah, you can't always think up for totally different enemies, right?
I don't believe that...
Also, I don't think Snarks are baby gargantua's. They look more like voltigore's then, but I think they aren't related besides the fact that they are all Xen fauna. They do have some similarities, yeah, you can't always think up for totally different enemies, right?
Heh, I know of a person that uses lots of monster_barney's to get a good proportion feeling...
There was a method of using a door, these things seem to reset each round. What you need to do, is find an entity that automatically resets each round and use that to trigger your lasers. You could do some Googling for it, there are several articles describing the door trick.
It's a common problem though. It seems these things were never really adressed in the gamecode...
It's a common problem though. It seems these things were never really adressed in the gamecode...
Game code does not go into the .fgd. The .fgd only refers to entities defined in the game code. Changing the .fgd does not affect the game in any way, only the way you create a map. When CS does not support nightvision starting up at the beginning of a round, then there's no way to change that. Unless you want to recode CS. Wich makes it another mod instead of CS...
Oh, and to see a textured view in-editor, click the little text in the 3D-view. You'll get a list, choose 3D Textured.
http://www.steampowered.com/
Steam is the new distribution system from Valve. You can download their games trough it and activate them with your CD-key. Or you can convert your old Half-Life installation to the Steam version.
A difference between the old way and Steam is that Steam stores it's game files in .gcf files. These can be unpacked with a program called GCFScape. Most is still the same for mapping, though.
Steam is the new distribution system from Valve. You can download their games trough it and activate them with your CD-key. Or you can convert your old Half-Life installation to the Steam version.
A difference between the old way and Steam is that Steam stores it's game files in .gcf files. These can be unpacked with a program called GCFScape. Most is still the same for mapping, though.
Some sort of over-grown headcrab. Personally, I don't like his look. A bit too... weird for some reason. But yeah, could be pretty scary when used right.
It has been used in at least one mod, I believe "Todesangst: Der echte Feind".
It has been used in at least one mod, I believe "Todesangst: Der echte Feind".
In don't think so. I've never seen a "Send this user a Private Message" button, nor have I ever seen a "You received a Private Message" notification. Probably something that was planned for TWHL but never got implemented...