The scale of Half-Life 2 Created 20 years ago2005-01-16 07:52:20 UTC by Ichthyosaur

Hey guys, was just wondering if any of you know how to set up units of measure other than, well? units. The start location is 32 x 32 x 72 units big, is there a way to change the scale to metric or imperial units. It would be most helpful in creating actual buildings.

48 half-life units are 1 meter in real life

No they're not. There are no proper real-life equivalent units in HL.

I've heard that one unit = one inch in HL?. Not at all sure how they did that considering I've also read that the grid scale in Hammer 4 is the same as that in Hammer 3. Maybe they scale differently during compiling.

I meant 40 units, and this time I know I'm right

There are no proper scaling rules in HL1. Read the Dimensions tutorial.

I use hammer in my university proyects and as such I have needed to build my maps using the correct scale. The height of Barney, scientists and other models are not arbitrary in any way. So if you want a table to appear to be 1 meter tall, you have to make it 40 units high.
While the player dimensions are useful, I dont agree with that comment on the tutorial "1 unit doesn't really equal anything" If it didnt equal anything, it would be pointless to have it there in the first place

I'm just answering Ichtyosaur's question. I've recreated actual buildings using 40 units as a meter, and it works fine.

You can set the grid to measure inches and inches + feet. Map - Units - then select your preferred measurement size. This will change your unit measurement to what you select. It doesn't resize the grid though.

Unfortunately, no metric D:

For most HL2 applications, refer to the standard measurements VALVe used:

A basic interior wall should be 128 units high.

Doors should be 56x112 with frame and 48x108 for the door itself. The knob should be 44 units off the ground and 8 units in from the side.

Railings should be 32 units high.

Buttons should be 52 units off the ground.

Valves should usually be 44 units off the ground.

Ladders should be 24 units wide.

Barrels are 32 units high.

Thanks guys. I remember posting a similar question about HL1. I'll Test out the 40 units as a meter and keep the guidlines in mind. Thanks again.

Hey rabid, you know all that "railing should be such n such" is that the same dimensions that the creators of hl2 used to make hl2 maps? Because I can never seem to get mine right

Yes, it is the HL2/VALVe standard.

Some of those look the same as the HL1 ones.

I think they are all the same... I posted it because (A) it's from Valve and (B) it's very comprehensive. The more exotic numbers for HL1 were hard to find but every number you could need is right in that list.

My point was that even though one can now map in inches, the dimensions don't appear to change. Very confusing.

If you pay attention to the scale of your player, who is 72 inches tall, then 1 unit=1 inch. Take your grid down to 1 and count it yourself.

Or, if you want to get all math-ish.... Proportions. to find an aproximate height.. Probly correct. Find an average sized person, measure his height (im gonna say hes 5,6). 72 5,6

X      5.5 feet high

72x66 (5.5 in inches) then that divided by 66 (5,6 in inches), so therefore 72 is about 66 inches.... and 72 divided by 66 is 1.09, so therefore, rounded, 1 unit is about one inch.......... Correct me if I messed up my math................... ---Deep $h!t huh..

Nobody uses math anymore

ack, it diddnt show my proportion setup, so when you see the lines near the top that dont make since, they do... 72 over X -- 5,5 over 66

I think 64 units is approximatley 4 feet, based on my experience.

64 units / 12 inches = 5.3333333333333333333333333333333333333

It's around 5 feet I'd think ;x - Not sure if it's a perfectly true hammer -> inches conversion though.