Hammer Editor

[Levi Animator™]

Im looking forward to learn Hammer and make maps...however i have no idea where to find it...or where to start!

[Blue]

this site is the documentation of everything you'll need to know about entities and stuff: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Main_Page

and i would recommend installing hammer++ instead of the original hammer editor:
https://ficool2.github.io/HammerPlusPlus-Website/download.html

the youtuber named "Tophattwaffle" has some great basic hammer tutorials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF3er5lsaeg&list=PL-454Fe3dQH1L38FnKkz_O1CqYx6sKaXk

And one last piece of advice I'd give you myself: don't listen to people who criticize your maps for no reason, especially as a new mapper. because they probably will. Starting out as a map-maker, just be yourself. modding for a decades-old game should be a fun hobby, not a stressful exercise in perfectionism. :)

the general rule-of-thumb is to only consider something a problem if either the engine actually has an issue with it, or you don't like the way it is personally. Everything else is up to you.

i hope all that was helpful!

[Levi Animator™]

Originally posted by Blue:

this site is the documentation of everything you'll need to know about entities and stuff: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Main_Page

and i would recommend installing hammer++ instead of the original hammer editor:
https://ficool2.github.io/HammerPlusPlus-Website/download.html

the youtuber named "Tophattwaffle" has some great basic hammer tutorials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF3er5lsaeg&list=PL-454Fe3dQH1L38FnKkz_O1CqYx6sKaXk

And one last piece of advice I'd give you myself: don't listen to people who criticize your maps for no reason, especially as a new mapper. because they probably will. Starting out as a map-maker, just be yourself. modding for a decades-old game should be a fun hobby, not a stressful exercise in perfectionism. :)

the general rule-of-thumb is to only consider something a problem if either the engine actually has an issue with it, or you don't like the way it is personally. Everything else is up to you.

i hope all that was helpful!

Thanks bro!

[raizenxd]

Tophattwaffle + Valve Wiki is the best go like the guy above said. Hammer++ is optional and I would recommend you first getting familiar with vanilla Hammer.

Also IMPORTANT PRO TIP use nodraw texture on faces that aren't visible to the players, it saves draw calls on the engine which means more FPS. Additionaly define detail (small brush objects like lamp posts, boxes, etc.) stuff as func_detail so the visrad wont compile your map for years.

[Blue]

Originally posted by raizenxd:

Tophattwaffle + Valve Wiki is the best go like the guy above said. Hammer++ is optional and I would recommend you first getting familiar with vanilla Hammer.

Also IMPORTANT PRO TIP use nodraw texture on faces that aren't visible to the players, it saves draw calls on the engine which means more FPS. Additionaly define detail (small brush objects like lamp posts, boxes, etc.) stuff as func_detail so the visrad wont compile your map for years.

the no draw thing, while true in most cases, has 2 scenarios where its actually not necessary and you can save a bunch of un-needed work, as the engine removes the faces automatically:
1. faces outside of the map touching the void (when the map is sealed properly)
2. faces that are inside of a shape (such as when you make an arch)

in all other scenarios, yeah, apply the no draw texture.


as for hammer++ being optional, again thats technically true but the 2 different hammers arent actually different enough to warrant using vanilla first imo, especially since its likely your gonna end up just using hammer++ anyway.

i figured that he'd learn those lessons later on anyway though, my reply was just to get him started.

[Blue]

Originally posted by Levi Animator:

Thanks bro!

no problem! :)