Read Me First by Andy Created 20 years ago2004-11-18 18:38:09 UTC by cabezahueca

I haven't built a map since the Duke Nukem 3d days, and I intend to start again with the new Source engine. The "Read Me First" article by Andy was very good and I get the point, but could you update it on what is possible with the new Source engine?

I do realize that while the Source engine may be more capable, performance will still be a major issue.

Thanks,
Since I really don't know the limitations of the new engine... 'except what I have read', I am reluctant to rewrite that article.
The reasoning behing this is that when I first became interested in helping people with Hammer mapping a few years ago, I was surprised how many sites continued to publish incorrect information....
In most cases, the info was leached from 'expert' sites and perpetuated itself.

A few things I do know about the HL2 engine, and that is you are still required to keep within limits...
What those limits are exactley, I am not sure... But keep an eye on Tommy14's site... Hopefully he will set everyone straight.

Experiment?

I appriciate that tutorial very much, but there is one thing that I do not agree with:

You used the gladiator scene as an example for what you cannot do.  It is very possible, if you are talented at working with the HL engine.  There are ways of working around the engine, like the end scene in HL were there are millions of grunts.  I cheated once and shot them all down with the blue swirly thing, they really died.  Of course with the time you have to stay in that scene, I could only do one line of them.

The thing is, the engine may have limitations, but they can be worked around.  It is a computer program.

Think of "The Matrix", a movie.  They could bend the rules while they were inside the matrix.  While you map, think of that, and try to bend the rules.  It is possible, but takes exteme mapping skills that I myself don't even have much of.  I've been trying to make a swinging rope like in the hit origional game Donkey Kong Country for some time now, and am making some progress finally, but now with HL2 coming out, all these things will be easy (Supposedly).

a Hammer is a tool. Use it right, and you can build a house.

My memory might be running low capacity but from what I can recall there were just 8 alien_grunts in the Half-Life ending scene..?

As for the gladiator thing: You can indeed make an arena - but it can't be that big.
And you can indeed make a crowd - but it'll look ugly as shit.
And you can indeed spawn 40 monsters - but the fps will run about 10.

there were about 2 rows of grunts, then the further back ones were sprites.

or monster_furnitures....

I like cheating things. Like the HL engine..... and the government.

No, they were sprites.

Monster_Furniture would still spawn a model and thus render that many polys as a normal grunt monster.

oh, ok.

how do you make a monster sprite thingy?

Env_sprite perhaps?

i kinda thought that, but then again... :

They probably had/have custom sprites that looks just like monster_alien_grunt.

Bad expierences = strange older life.

Why i post this, i do not know.

Ello cap-ee-tan P.

but... but... I shot them all down???

the hell you did. get back to your cupboard.

lol, i had to laugh when i read that.

Too bad, i already took the cupboard. Man, it smells in here.

thats your avatar.

about that....

OBEY IT!!! ITS TEH CHEESE!

the cheese will haunt you in your sleep.

When seventh wakes up tommorow, he will find a peice of shit smelling cheese under his sheets.

Seventh!

I thought we were in love, but you slept with... with... teh cheese!

erm, another gay moment?

Nooo....

everyone know that IM not gay, remember?

just a joke mista CHow.

Sounds pretty serious to me...

/me backs away from brattylord...

mista chow, just joking. Let it go. Let it go.

but the chips?