Map Last edited 5 months ago2024-06-20 05:08:59 UTC

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Map is the general term used to refer to game levels in User posted image GoldSrc or User posted image Source. They are composed of brushes and entities. Map transitions are done seamlessly with a "Loading..." screen.

Mapping is the act of creating these levels, using level editors such as Valve Hammer Editor (VHE), J.A.C.K., or TrenchBroom.

In GoldSrc, the .map file format is the most widely compatible file format for the different editors, and most crucially, the only file format that are accepted by the map compilers in order to convert them into BSP format, the format the game engines actually recognize and runs. However, it's recommended to use the editor's proprietary file formats (RMF for VHE and JMF for J.A.C.K.) for normal use and exchange as it supports more features such as visgroups. (TrenchBroom uses only the .map format though.)
☝ Reminder that .map files need to be compiled into .bsp files and placed in a game/mod's maps/ folder to run it in game.
ℹ️ Source instead uses the VMF file format for both the editors (VHE4.x) and compilers. These also need to be compiled into a [different and incompatible to GoldSrc's] BSP file.
For you nerds, here's the MAP File Format Specification page.

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