Small Disclaimer before you continue

TWHL is a site that focuses on GoldSrc (GoldSource / Half-Life Engine), the best place to look for Source Tools will always be the VDC ( Valve Developer Community), so this page will be kept simple, as there is no way that we can add as much (or more) Info than the VDC has. This page is mostly a compilation, of the best and most useful Tools that mappers / modders use.

General Modding / Mapping for the Source Engine

Map Editors

• Valve Hammer Editor (Hammer 4.x) - Included with every Source game install, along with the corresponding compilation tools.

• Hammer++ - Provides a Hammer style Workflow, while adding new features such as a lighting preview, gizmos, prefab support, 3D skybox previews, instances and more.
• Slammin' Source Map Tools - A modified version of the Valve Hammer Editor, also including new features.

Game Data Files (FGDs)

In order to use the point- and brush-Entities, you'll need an FGD File.
Most (if not all) Source games, provide their own FGD file, so you'll have to find them under a specific path.
This path in most cases is: steamapps\common\<game>\bin\<game>.fgd

Compilation Tools

• VCT (Valve Compilation Tools) - These are provided with every Install of a Source Game, along with the VHE
• Slammin' Source Map Tools - These tools come with Compilation Tools already provided to take advantage of newer Hardware and Editor Feautures.

GUI Based Compile Tools

• Valve Batch Compile Tool - This tool is a GUI Based Tool which uses the VCT to compile Maps without using the Hammer Interface, this allows the Tool to use more of your Computers Resources.

• Compile Pal - Compile Pal is a Compiling Tool Frontend (GUI-Based aswell), which means its also able to run outside of Hammer, while also allowing to use more of the Computers Resources as there is no Editor running. The Features of Compile Pal include multiple Compiling Presets, batch compiling, and auto Detection of the last SDK that was run.

Decompilation Tools

Don't steal maps from people using these decompilation tools!

• BSPSource - BSPSource is a GUI-based map decompiler for Source games (some people consider it an unofficial continuation of VMEX). Some of its signature features include, being able to decompile multiple maps at once, extracting embedded assets, and various other features. BSPSource is based on VMEX for its decompilation process. BSPSource supports all Source games.

• Valve Map Extractor - Valve Map Extractor (or more commonly referred to as VMEX), is another decompiler, for Source Engine maps, being able to convert BSP files into .vmf Files for any compatible editor to load. VMEX supports all games up to Left 4 Dead.

Additional Map Tools

• Map Analyst - Small Tool for embedding Materials, Texture, Sounds, and other stuff into a .bsp File.

• Map Obfuscator - This is an obfuscation Tool, used to deter theft of Maps, this Tool works by renaming Entities and making the following of the Logical Flow difficult. Be aware that this Tool may break your map, so always back up your map and make sure you understand the changes and the resulting Consequences.

• VPKEdit - This is a tool for viewing, extracting, and packing VPKs. Some people consider this a better version of GCFScape.

Model Tools (Non-GUI based)

• NekoMDL - NekoMDL is a fork of StudioMDL, adding some new Features, along with a 64-Bit application, faster Compilation using a new algorithm, etc..

Model Tools (GUI based)

• Crowbar - Crowbar is by far the most popular of the MDL compilers and decompilers. This tool is used for every source Game. This tool can decompile VPKs, GMAs, and FPX Packages, individually or as an entire Folder. You can even publish the files as an Addon onto the Steam Workshop.