Help Desk

From Valve Developer Community
Revision as of 22:53, 10 February 2008 by Dr0ski (talk | contribs) (Hammer crashes when I attempt to create my first brush)
Jump to: navigation, search


Got a question that is not answered in the Source SDK FAQ? Ask it here! Any sort of SDK question should be posted here. After they get answered, move them to the "Answered" portion of the page.

Suggestions before asking a question

Check to see if your question has been asked before:

Asking a question

  • Be specific and clear as possible.
  • Please sign your question (end it with ~~~~). This will help us direct follow-ups to you directly.
  • Check back for answers. We will not put answers in your talk page unless it is specific to you.
  • Use common sense. Hopefully, this won't require much more explanation.
  • Edit questions for follow-ups. Do not post a new question.
  • Use second-level headlines. Surround your question title with three equal signs (===) so they create a table of contents, split between pending and answered questions.
  • Only move your own question. An answer may not fully answer a question. When the question is fully answered, then move it to Answered Questions.
  • Where did my question go? Questions which have not had any activity for 2 months are moved to Dormant Help Desk Questions.


  • Ask your question at:

English Sites:
The Official Steam SDK Forum
Interlopers Forums

French Sites:
Half-Life Design
Game Lab

List of Mapping Sites
List of Modeling Sites

In Order to Better answer your Question along with optimization towards the page and for length needs, sections have now been added. If you have a certain problem under a topic then place in under the correct category. Not only Will this help with page length but also organization.

Level Design Issues

Model scaling?

Hey, I'm currently working on a map for CS source. I would prefer to use a model over a brush for a large fan, but the only fan available is the small, 6-blade vent fan. I would be more than happy to use it if it were bigger. My question is, is it possible to scale it? Is it easy (Can I do it without a big software package like XSI)? and, furthermore, would it be illegal considering it's not moving in-between game packages (it will stay in CS:S)? I used the big, 8-blade portal fan for a bit, but for a few reasons, it's not quite what I'd like.. Thanks, Eaglebird 13:17, 6 Feb 2008 (PST)

Also on that note, would anyone know why phys_motor and func_rotate create a somewhat spastic rotation in CS:S? It seems to be rotating, but it also jerks at a pretty definite interval. Eaglebird 13:30, 6 Feb 2008 (PST)

Error in sdk_faceposer.vmf map

When I test run the map, there are no scripts or speech for any of the NPCs. For example, when I move to a place on the map where a script starts, I receive a 'Scene 'scenes\ChoreoExamples\sdk_barney1.vcd' missing!' or another vcd. I know I put in the missing files in the correct folder as directed. Yet the program does not acknowledge this.

need help: Spawn point issue

I started about 2 days ago and I got a lot of the stuff down but when i try to play using run map under file it takes me there and everything is black so I went to the console and it said spawn point not clear and no matter where i put the entity info_player_start it always messes up and says spawn point not clear. Unsigned comment added by Moonkow (talkcontribs). Please use four tildes (~~~~) to sign your username.

Could you check to see if the compiling process is done correctly and without errors? (See this article) If there are errors while compiling your map and you don't know how to fix them, try posting here that section of the compile log (the part where the errors are declared), so that the nice people here can have a look at it. --Etset 10:48, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

tools, tools tools?

When I am creating a map and use brushes such as triggers or fog, I compile and it shows up like in hammer Unsigned comment added by Octoplasma (talkcontribs). Please use four tildes (~~~~) to sign your username.

What exactly is the problem? --Etset 04:15, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

If you are simply setting a brush's texture to tools/toolstrigger or similar and just compiling, then you are forgetting to do ctrl+t to turn a brush into an entity and from there selecting trigger_<whatever> Mikecodes 21:51, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

tf2 with portal models

I was making a portal themed map for TF2 when I noticed that no portal models showed up in the list in the model viewer. How do I add portal models to TF2

You don't. They're separate products. Not everyone who has TF2 owns Portal, so the files are disconnected from each other. Also, it would be illegal to import the models in. Sorry.--Katana314 18:25, 19 Jan 2008 (PST)
For more information, see this article. This question is answered and should be moved by it's author to the Answered Questions section of the Help Desk. --Etset 04:27, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

Hammer crashes when I attempt to create my first brush

When I open hammer, select a texture and attempt to create my first box, hammer appears to not register my actions, then seconds later it crashes. I noticed this problem after i tried to copy paste my work from a .rmf file from vhe 3.4 into source sdk hammer editor. --User:Dr0ski--

Any chances the .rmf file might be corrupted or not being correctly interpreted by Hammer? Try loading the file and moving around some brushes. If it crashes just by doing that, it could be either one of those two problems, I guess. --Etset 04:30, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)
Well I'm positive its not the .rmf NOW, because like i said i will start a completely new map and make my first brush, but right when i click:>freeze>crash. --Dr0ski 1:53, 27 Jan 2008 (CST)
Did you make sure hammer is configured correctly (read this page)? Also, in the Source SDK Launcher, is the Current Game selected to the game you want to build a map for? Have you also tried verifying the integrity of the Source SDK cache file (right-click on "Source SDK" launcher in Steam > Verify integrity of cache file)? --Etset 02:57, 27 Jan 2008 (PST)
I had a problem where my config crashed the editor, but this was due to the fact that I was running under the orange box configuration, and creating my own CS:S configuration while in hammer; it just didn't work.
I eventually figured out to run under the episode 1 configuration. :P Eaglebird 13:38, 6 Feb 2008 (PST)
Thank you for the input, I just tried verifying the integrity of the Source SDK and still no luck. Source SDK only gives me 3 options: Half-Life episode 2, Portal, and TF2...But then I opened Hammer and setup for Counter-Strike like the first time user guide tells me and then I find counter-strike in Source SDK.... I select 'couter-strike' and open hammer, and still when I attempt to create my first brush hammer crashes. If i run under the episode 2 configuration like Eaglebird suggested (yes i do have the orangebox), wont this make it not possible to map for CS:S? Dr0ski 17:08, 8 Feb 2008 (PST)
Oh you're trying to make a CS:Source map? Try reading this page: Using the Source SDK with Episode 1-Engine Games. It might help your problem. The thing is, the current (non-beta) version of the SDK needs to know if you want to edit Episode 1 engine games, or Episode 2 engine games. The link I gave you explains how to set the Source SDK to edit Episode 1 engine games (one of which is Counter-Strike:Source). It also explains how to revert back to editing Episode 2 engine games (HL2: Episode 2, TF2 and Portal) (it's the last sentence on the article). See if it helps!
Sidenote: when the current beta version of the SDK is "released" (in non-beta status), you will be able to choose directly on the SDK Launcher list what Engine & Game you want to edit. --Etset 03:19, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)
Cleaned up paragraphs, were a bit difficult to discern at first. Eaglebird 01:24, 10 Feb 2008 (PST)
Heeeeyyyy thank you for that information etset appreciate it. My problems solved. thanks for making my day :D:DDr0ski 21:53, 10 Feb 2008 (PST)

Hammer crashes when I attempt to apply the texture tools/toolstrigger

If I select a large, solid brush, a single, grouped box, and attempt to apply this texture, I get an error and crash. I'm attempting to make a spawn zone, but I can't apply the texture to brush. Is the brush wrongly designed? Unsigned comment added by Askiba (talkcontribs). Please use four tildes (~~~~) to sign your username.

You may need to reset your SDK configurations to get this to work, you may have messed up a setting somewhere Mikecodes 21:53, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

Hammer closes when i am done setting it up!

I don't know what is wrong with hammer, but it keeps crashing when i am done configuring it! --Gmodisawesome879 14:04, 30 Dec 2007 (PST)

You shouldn't have to set configurations unless you're making your own mod. If you can't find the right configuration, chances are you aren't running the SDK in the EP1 engine (for cs, hl2dm, etc) or orange box (tf2, portal, ep2) Eaglebird 19:33, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)

WARNING: msg overflowed for player

I am completely baffled as to why this message appears in my game console. I have come to a few assumptions but I'm not entirely positive whats happening. From what I've tried, it seems that having too many func_door's in your level makes this message appear. I have 24 of them spread across a 3 round map. It would be fine if it were just one warning, its not, it floods my console and eventually kicks me out of the level with the error message of "Disconnect: ERROR! Reliable snaphsot overflow..".(<- copied directly from my console) One might suggest removing doors but as far as my level design goes, I'm hard pressed to do so because of how I want players to flow through the level. I'm not sure if its having too many doors or not but a more detailed explanation as to why this happens will help me and others in the future ever receive it again. Thanks.

Update: I made the warning message disappear by removing some Prop_dynamics as well. This doesn't always work however, thats the source of my confusion. It seems to be a combination of things that cause this error to occur.

Can you post a log of what message is 'overflowing'? Along with that, could you post a compile log? Eaglebird 19:35, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)

TF2 Capture Rounds

Has anyone found out how to create multiple capture point rounds in TF2. I can get it working with just 1 round, however when I create 2 or more, the game will freeze at the end of the first capture round. I assume I am missing something regarding the transition, however I don't know what and I'm tired of watching the game crash.

Anyone got any input to this situation? Unsigned comment added by Meld (talkcontribs). Please use four tildes (~~~~) to sign your username.

Try reading this article: Creating a Linear Gameplay Map (TF2). I think it might help! If you feel your question has been fully answered, please move it to the Answered Questions section of this Help Desk. --Etset 04:42, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

Post-compile drawing bug?

After I test my TF2 map, Hammer can't refresh its display windows. In other words, I can modify things in my map, but I can't see them being changed. I can refresh each window by changing their perspective, but it only shows things BEFORE I tested the map. The only way around this is to close hammer and re-open it, rather inconvenient. Has anyone seen this before? Xiphos 20:38, 25 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Odd, i test out my map with Hammer open, but usually minimized. try that, or even not having Tf2 open when the compile has finished.--Gear 22:23, 25 Oct 2007 (PDT)
I usually have no trouble testing my maps with hammer running. I suspect there's some sort of conflict in the renderers. That, or your OS is having trouble with it. Eaglebird 19:36, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)

CS:S Locks up when I try to run my map

When I try to run my map from Hammer (or in-game as well), the console will pop up until the point where it says "execing valve.rc" then the screen goes black and I get the message "hl2.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close." Blah. This happened only very recently... I tried deleting all of the models I just put in the map, but that didn't fix it. The only other thing I can think of is that I used Alt-P to fix my func_breakablesurf glass surfaces, which had an undefined limit at "lowerleft". Anyone got any ideas?

Run your map from the game. Open the console and type map <mapname> --Mrhappy 23:16, 14 Oct 2007 (PDT)

(Different User to Question)I tried that but it didn't work still, it kept coming up with same error, if you have any more ideas that may work, please let me know, THE ERROR'S ANNOYING. Fl4M3Z

VRAD.EXE Error! Please Help!

OK. This error is getting me crazy. I will get straight to the point. Every time I compile my map everything goes perfectly well and fine. But when it reaches the vrad.exe section, An an ERROR window pop-up saying the file encountered an error and needs to close. My map runs perfectly but because no vrad file was detected, my map is all bright.

NOTE: I already Re-Installed Source SDK. I already tried clicking on the "Reset Game Configurations" I Already tried clicking on "Refesh SDK content" And everything works! But the vrad.exe is still not responding.

Here is the Compile Log + Error Message.

    • Executing...
    • Command: "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk\bin\vbsp.exe"
    • Parameters: -game "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\cstrike" "D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2"

Valve Software - vbsp.exe (Aug 4 2006) 1 threads materialPath: d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\cstrike\materials Loading D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.vmf Can't find surfaceprop stone for material DE_TIDES/TIDES_BRICK_WALL_D, using default fixing up env_cubemap materials on brush sides... ProcessBlock_Thread: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (0) ProcessBlock_Thread: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (1) Processing areas...done (0) Building Faces...done (0) FixTjuncs... PruneNodes... WriteBSP... done (2) writing D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.prt...done (0) Creating default cubemaps for env_cubemap using skybox materials: skybox/sky_borealis01*.vmt Run buildcubemaps in the engine to get the correct cube maps.

No such variable "$hdrbasetexture" for material "skybox/sky_borealis01rt" Can't load skybox file skybox/sky_borealis01 to build the default cubemap! Finding displacement neighbors... Finding lightmap sample positions... Displacement Alpha : 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 Building Physics collision data... done (1) (193295 bytes) Error! prop_static using model "models/props_c17/furnituretable002a.mdl", which must be used on a dynamic entity (i.e. prop_physics). Deleted. Error loading studio model "models/props_c17/furnituretable002a.mdl"! Error! prop_static using model "models/props_c17/furniturechair001a.mdl", which must be used on a dynamic entity (i.e. prop_physics). Deleted. Error loading studio model "models/props_c17/furniturechair001a.mdl"! Placing detail props : 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 Compacting texture/material tables... Reduced 274 texinfos to 186 Reduced 19 texdatas to 18 (479 bytes to 461) Writing D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.bsp 4 seconds elapsed

    • Executing...
    • Command: "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk\bin\vvis.exe"
    • Parameters: -game "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\cstrike" -fast "D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2"

Valve Software - vvis.exe (May 22 2006) fastvis = true 1 threads reading d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.bsp reading d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.prt

937 portalclusters

2659 numportals BasePortalVis: 0...1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...9...10 (5) Optimized: 26874 visible clusters (0.00%) Total clusters visible: 489131 Average clusters visible: 522 Building PAS... Average clusters audible: 928 visdatasize:223779 compressed from 224880 writing d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.bsp 5 seconds elapsed

    • Executing...
    • Command: "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk\bin\vrad.exe"
    • Parameters: -game "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\cstrike" -noextra "D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2"

Valve Software - vrad.exe SSE (May 22 2006)

Radiosity Simulator ----

1 threads [Reading texlights from 'lights.rad'] [1 texlights parsed from 'lights.rad']

Loading d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.bsp 46347 faces 2435518 square feet [350714720.00 square inches] 1 displacements 61793 square feet [8898308.00 square inches] 46347 patches before subdivision


    • Executing...
    • Command: Copy File
    • Parameters: "D:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\enrique_rueda\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc\dm_overlordMOD2.bsp" "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\cstrike\maps\dm_overlordMOD2.bsp"

    • Executing...
    • Command: "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\hl2.exe"
    • Parameters: -game "d:\program files\steam\steamapps\enrique_rueda\counter-strike source\cstrike" +map "dm_overlordMOD2"


Well my friend i am in the same boat as you truly i do not know how to fix this and on top of that my maps take about 3 Hours to compile so just imagine having to re-freackin-compile the same map due to that error. I don't know what causes it but if I'm correct its the update that was released. I guess for now all we can do is wait for the new update but hey good luck with your maps and yes its really driving me crazy too.--Gear 01:27, 17 Jan 2007 (PST)
First, you have these errors:
Error loading studio model "models/props_c17/furnituretable002a.mdl"!
Error loading studio model "models/props_c17/furniturechair001a.mdl"!
so, to start, just try to properly fix them.
Then, to be sure that the problem is with rad.exe and not your map, just try to make a simple map and compile it. If it works, then try to cordon-compile your map and check if and where you get errors. It's a long process, but generally not a worthless one. Good luck. ----uoz 04:18, 17 Jan 2007 (PST)

Thats true but as it turns out those errors really don't cause that kind of crash because its not vrad that turns itself off but it crashes and thats a bit of a problem with larger maps however in a recent forum i cant remember which one but its due to some certain material or one another and thats quite odd however yes im sorry i should of looked at his log more carefully to see for any errors though i know this error and or crash is somewhat caused by Ts2do FGD update. Every since i applied that FGD i have been having a problem. There might be an error in the code. Therefore effecting a certain model or material which if in your map can cause the crash.--Gear 13:57, 17 Jan 2007 (PST)

I also hat the problem that vrad crashed immediately without any debug info. It also crashed when just double-clicking the binary in explorer. I think that the problem is that vrad uses the SSE extended instruction set of your CPU and will crash if you have a CPU without SSE. I have an AMD Athlon 1400, meaning that my CPU lacks SSE. I think that you need at least an Athlon XP or some newer Duron in order to have SSE. --Oxygene 03:32, 24 Sep 2007 (PDT)

If you think this then why put it up on the VRAD page? needs to be solid information. As for your cpu, you need a new one, and that shall solve all problems. I am moving this question later to the help desk rather than the talk page. Thats really where it belongs.--Gear 03:36, 24 Sep 2007 (PDT)

I cant get my maps to run

No matter what I try..I just cant get CS: S To run my maps..when I choose the map..and click run, Nothing happens.

I don't use cs:s but are you sure your Maps are in the proper folders and are you sure that you didn't place them anywhere else?--Gear 19:21, 29 Oct 2006 (PST)
Not only that, but "nothing" shouldn't happen. If something's wrong, you should get a crash or an error message or something. If literally nothing is happening, I'd say it could be a game problem. Eaglebird 19:40, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)

Can't run rad or vvis, and ground doesn't block objects.

Cant run vrad: it says"planes+fakeplanes=max planes" How i can run rad? --Oskutin (Question moved here.)

My ground doesn't block objects. I cant run vvis. It says there are too much portals... --Oskutin (Question moved here.)

Could you post a compile log of vbsp.exe? Eaglebird 19:41, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)

Detail Sprites Gone Screwy

While testing my map on a couple different computers, I noticed that sometimes the detailsprites get stretched and tilted down. So far, this only happens on two computers, one is running an 8800GTX and the other (a laptop) a radeon mobility x1400. You can see an image here: bums/q192/MrHappy_photos/help.jpg

--Mrhappy 18:23, 12 Sep 2007 (PDT)

I think the command is cl_detail_sway or something like that. Have it set at 0. --Frostbite 12:21, 15 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Tried that tonight, didn't work. Also tried changing the detailOrientation from 0 to 2. Here is the entry from my detail.vbsp:

bsg_algea { "density" "450.0"

Group1 { "alpha" "1" }

Group3 { "alpha" "0.5" }

Group4 { "alpha" "0.3" Model1 { "sprite" "144 288 128 128 512" "spritesize" "0.5 0.0 38 38" "spriterandomscale" "0.2" "amount" "0.4" "detailOrientation" "2" }


Group5 { "alpha" "0.0" Model1 { "sprite_shape" "tri" "sprite" "144 144 128 128 512" "spritesize" "0.5 0.0 40 60" "spriterandomscale" "0.2" "amount" "0.6" "detailOrientation" "0" "shape_angle" "25" //degrees of tip/flare "shape_size" "0.025" "sway" "0.4"

} Model2 { "sprite_shape" "tri" "sprite" "280 140 128 128 512" "spritesize" "0.5 0.0 50 60" "spriterandomscale" "0.2" "amount" "0.2" "detailOrientation" "" "shape_angle" "10" //degrees of tip/flare "shape_size" "0.025" "sway" "0.6"

} Model3 { "sprite_shape" "tri" "sprite" "290 280 128 128 512" "spritesize" "0.5 0.0 90 90" "spriterandomscale" "0.2" "amount" "0.3" "detailOrientation" "2" "shape_angle" "25" //degrees of tip/flare "shape_size" "0.025" "sway" "0.6"


} }

Also, they only convert to that position when you walk over them it seems. --Mrhappy 23:20, 14 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Can't load bsppack.dll

Sometimes after I build cube maps in a map I get this error in the console. It means that although the cubemaps have been built and are in-memory they aren't written to the BSP, and that my mouse won't work until I restart the game! I get the error often, but not all the time. --TomEdwards 11:20, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Sometimes the game just crashes too. --TomEdwards 11:40, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Thats quite odd perhaps are there any cubemaps that are within a special volume? Mainly I have noticed this error when a cubemap is placed within a env_fire entity or a trigger_transition which causes the cubemap to become unreadable. An odd error to at that.--Gear 11:58, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Host_EndGame: Map coordinate extents are too large!!

I'm starting off trying to learn to map with Source. I compiled my test map in Hammer, then tried to run it and got this error message. A quick search told me that this meant I had an entity outside the hammer grid, and to use the hammer error check (alt-P) and fix any problems shown. The only error it gave me was a missing player start, so I created one saved again, and tried to play, and got the same error. My map is small, in the dead center of the grid, and the error check isn't reporting any problems at all.... What is wrong? Jetsetlemmingq 17:06, 15 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Well, I've had that problem once before also, except the problem showed up in the "check for problems" box. It seemed that there was an invisible, useless and undeletable brush in the middle of the map that had an error. Try checking for problems again. If that doesn't work, the simplest solution would be to load the last working autosave file. --Darthkillyou 10:50, 28 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Hmm dky is right however one of the main reasons that cause this is a super huge brush either that nor the map may be way too large.--Gear 16:46, 28 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Oh, right... I remember that I fixed the problem simply by restarting Hammer. It, for my "Information, Hammer didn't load 1 solid(s) due to errors in the file." --Darthkillyou 07:04, 14 Aug 2007 (PDT)

Response Contexts

It's my understanding that specific response contexts do not need to be pre-defined per NPC unless you want more specific control, and that without any work the set of HL2 response contexts will be fired in response to AI requests simply when your play and certain events occur. A friend of mine is having a problem where the contexts never fire, even when the player +USE's an NPC. The original question/thread on interlopers is here: I have noticed this at times in my own maps, however the problem seems to come and go. I haven't found much information on specifically using the system except in the pages here, however, as another user stated, that is more of an information dump than anything useful for trouble shooting or tutorial wise. Thanks for your time. Mrhappy 16:13, 30 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Odd yet it might not be able to find the choro files. You might want to try adding in a speech filter entity that will allow you to control when and how much the npc will talk or idle respond. Sometimes NPCs tend to have "locked" behavior. Mainly due to when they are used by scripted sequences.--Gear 05:48, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

entity help needed

in hammer i want to make a end to my level to do that 6 things has to be uses before it ends but how do i do that? if i use one thing the level ends right away without pushing the other 5 buttons! what entity do i have to use, and how to install it? --Killermans 04:40, 24 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Make a math_counter entity. Set it's "Maximum Legal Value" keyvalue to 6. On each of the event's use an output that targets the math_counter with the "Add" input and a parameter override of 1. Set an output on the math_counter with "My Output Named" set to "OnHitMax" that targets and triggers your level change. Mrhappy 16:07, 30 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Vrad has an error

Everytime I compile a medium sized map in Hammer (to run it, not as a final compile), an error appears saying that Vrad "had a problem" and had to disabled. The map runs, but then there is no HDR ligting. ace14790 14:33, 5 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Currently some people have been experiencing this crash as well. VRAD randomly closes out and causes the HDR compile part of the process to stop. The odd thing is even after windows reports the error the compile process still keeps going sometimes yet even though does not compile correctly. There really is no fix for this at all until the next engine update. For now just simply re-compile your map and hope it doesn't crash again. However certain things do cause this crash to happen and that is mainly compiling havng Vrad set to fast.--Gear 13:23, 8 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Problem with HDR lighting in custom maps

I cannot use HDR lighting when running custom maps made in Hammer. I have to uncheck HDR when running a map or there are problems with lighting on the map. When I start a map with HDR enabled I receive the following message: "custom hdr cubemap "materials/environment maps/borealis_003.hdr.vtf": can't be found on disk.This really should have an HDR version but I will tryfalling back to the non-hdr one. Signon traffic "CLIENT": incoming 32.417 Kb, outgoing 715 bytes"

What can I do to resolve this issue with HDR lighting?

Tom11235 16:01, 27 May 2007 (PDT)

That warning appears when you compile HDR lightmaps for a map that doesn't use a proper HDR skybox. HDR is not an option you can simply set in the video panel. Read the article above for further explanation. --uoz 12:29, 8 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Yeah uoz is right, however the skybox material won't really cause any problems if still used. Mainly the compile process just reports that because the selected sky base material does not have any HDR parameters, So don't worry about it as long as you build cubemaps you will be fine.--Gear 13:52, 8 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Compile error: "Error trying to allocate X bytes."

I'm in the process of creating a map but I run into an error when compiling it. "Error trying to allocate 18840 bytes." comes up during the BuildVisLeafs process, after the "3" to be exact. When I run the map, there are no lightmaps, despite the fact that the BuildFacelights portion went without a hitch. Save for a number of "WARNING: Too many light styles on *Coordinates*." I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the previous error, as I've been getting those warnings since before I encountered the "Error trying to allocate 18840 bytes." Still, help would be appreciated, for both errors. I'm not sure if it's worth mentioning that if I choose not to have neither VIS or RAD when I compile, the filesize is nearly half that of when I compile with RAD and VIS, yet I get, apparently, the same results. I compile it using a fast VIS calculation and a normal RAD. I doubt it's a problem with my memory, as I've got 1532 MB's. Again, help would be appreciated.

Squadila 18:40, 15 May 2007 (PDT)

Seems to be using up too much memory. Even a gig and a half won't work if you have too many lights on one face. The errors are probably related, so I would cut down on the number of named lights.

Named Lights has nothing to do with it its just simply lights on directed on towards one single face or other words brush. Names really don't cause errors although you shouldn't have to name all of your lights just the ones that require naming for the use of reference to other entity's or even simple outputs and inputs, triggers, etc,. Even if its two lights casted upon one face that can still cause an error namely also if the lights have adjusted appearances like strobe or flicker or even pulse. Try cutting down on that especially if they are light_dynamic.--Gear 17:06, 23 May 2007 (PDT)

Error: "The command failed. Windows reported the error: "the system cannot find the file specified" while compiling.

When i want to compile the map, Hammer gives me an error. the error is: "The command failed. Windows reported the error: "the system cannot find the file specified".

i don't know why it is, i checked if the file is there, i tried to disable the VIS and RAD compiling but it gives me the error all the time. Also did i tried to refresh SDK Content and Reset the Game Configs, but it didn't work someone knows what the problem can be?


I have the same problem, as i see no one has an answer but some help would be nice:)

i had the same problem but it was an error in my map u probably saved under another name and got that error. how did i fixed it? easy i used the last compiled file of my level and decompiled it whit vmex. and the level was ready to edit. this is maybe your problem. --Killermans 04:51, 24 Jun 2007 (PDT)

This error is mainly caused when the compile program can not locate the BSP file which is truly strange. I have gathered some information about it in the sdk faqs and this is what has turned up:




I know not really to helpful but thats about it so hopefully this will help you out and good luck!--Gear 13:40, 8 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Light errors

Ok, so I've made a small map and added lights to it, but each time the freeze time runs out the lights die and i can only see a red glow on myself but not on any objects. If this doesn't happen its normally when i leave the spawning room that the lights die. Do i need a skybox for the lights to work? (i don't know, I'm new to SDK) Any help would be appreciated User:sabre05


ok so when I make a sky box and texture it the Maps textured become transparent and show only the textures on the box.... HELP MEH

Maybe a little more specific.--Gear 05:51, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

Wait... What??? From what I can read, you tried to make a skybox, and then you textured it, and then something became transparent, and then you could only see the skybox??? --Darthkillyou 14:41, 16 Dec 2007 (PST)

Level Transition Freeze-Up

I've built two levels and set up my level transitions from what I gather, properly. The landmark entities both have corresponding names, and are in the same place, and the trigger is set up right and seems to activate the transition fine. However, once it starts the load, it never finishes and the game hangs up. Any ideas? ElecHeadMatt 15:18, 28 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Could be perhaps a problem with the map thats trying to be loaded. Consult that map first and see if it freezes on normal loading of that single map.--Gear 16:45, 28 Jul 2007 (PDT)

No dice, both levels load just fine, and don't seem to have any bugs or errors when loading. ElecHeadMatt 10:11, 29 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Funny thing is that happened to me yesterday. A level change occurred and well the game took a really long time to load. Sat there for ten minutes. Apparently the cause is when you place your mod or edit it over an existing version of your mod. Try to restart steam. That fixed it for me.--Gear 14:59, 29 Jul 2007 (PDT)

- I had a similar problem not long ago. You said "trigger," as in just one. Do both of your maps have a trigger_changemap set to get to the other one? If not, this is your problem. You can see what error the game gave you by going to the command console (~) and looking at the last error reported before the engine dumped you out, and that should give you a pretty big hint on what the real problem is (that is, if this doesn't fix it).

Hammer Closes Without Warning

I'm trying to make a map with several different planets. Every time I make a spherical brush and try to make it hollow hammer closes without warning. This doesn't do this with any other brush and I've attempted to make the brush different sizes. I've even completely uninstalled and reinstalled Hammer but it does the same thing only faster.

Help would be greatly appreciated, Justible 11:44, 6 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Considering it is a planet it might be taking up way to much memory, therefore causing windows to close Hammer. Try avoiding this for right now.--Gear 21:51, 6 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Dynamic light spreads through opaque objects

I guess this is source engine issue. But fixing of it is important for my mod, because I use a dynamically allocated fire with light (by flame thrower). It looks ugly, when light spreads through the walls, especially in dark places, but if I remove the light at all, it looks even worse (fire without light). --M0RTARI0N 03:23, 19 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Is it possible to have ragdolls clip against movable brush entities?

Hi there - I want, if it's possible, to have rocket-silo-style flat doors that open in my level. However, while living NPCs can happily stand on these, ragdolls just fall straight through. I read somewhere that ragdolls can't clip on brush entities, but I've also seen ragdolls working just fine in lifts etc. in the official Half Life levels.

Help would be much appreciated!

Undermind-Mike 19:12, 25 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Did you think that maybe it affects only doors? And what game is the map for?

--Esa94 05:30, 11 Nov 2007 (PST)

Opening Model Browser crashes Hammer instantly

So, I was making a map for GMod with CS:S configuration (though same thing with DoD:S config) and when trying to make a ladder prop as a prop_static, opening model browser crashed hammer, sometimes with Windows error and sometimes with the "Memory can't be 'read'"-error. Does anybody know how to fix this? I'm currently reinstalling sdk. And I ran SDK with -engine ep1.

--Esa94 03:18, 10 Nov 2007 (PST)

I have the same problem, even with HL2 configuration. Not pretty. Reinstall doesn't work for me. --Darthkillyou 20:41, 17 Nov 2007 (

I Have that problem with only EP1 Engine games, Orange box games prop menus don't crash --Toxic118 13:38 Cst. 27 Dec. 2007

Strange, I'm only having the issue with Half-Life 2, everything else works fine including ep2 engine. I don't even receive an error though. Hammer just closes by itself. Unsigned comment added by Epyonxl (talkcontribs). Please use four tildes (~~~~) to sign your username.

No 'func_ ' entities!!!

I am having some trouble with the SourceSDK. After installing, I was attempting to create a map using the Hammers editor, but all of the 'func_' entities are missing. As a matter of fact I only have 3 'func_' entities. I was trying to locate the func_respawnroom, but the only func entities I have are 'func_fish_pool', 'func_ladderendpoint' and 'func_useableladder'.

Does anyone have any idea why I do not have all the appropriate entities? Or why this might be happening? Thank you. --PhantomDevlpr 07:13, 17 Nov 2007 (PST)

Most "func" entities are brush entities. Create a normal brush, select it and press CTRL-T. Then choose the appropriate "func" entity from the drop-down box. --Darthkillyou 14:24, 17 Nov 2007 (PST)

brushes are correct but don't light up

i made the brushes in my mod correctly but when i play the map the lightmap only lights up models and not the brushes but the flashlight does light it up. how can i fix it? if anyone can help then i would be able to finish the mod but if i can't get the lightmap to work then the entire mod will be areas with no light but the flashlight.(by the way this is the very first mod I've ever made and also the first map) (new to hammer editor and have no idea of how to record my voice for the mod)--Saleskital

Working with Google SketchUp?

Is there any way to integrate the Valve SDK level designer (I think it's called Hammer?) and Google SketchUp? I've already designed a building in SketchUp and I'd like to bring it into the Valve SDK and put it into a skybox, sitting on the ground. Is this possible? Does any other 3D modeling software work with the Valve SDK? I can export SketchUp into an AutoCad format, would that help? Banaticus -- BAH 01:44, 9 Jan 2008 (PST)

The usual map file formats that Hammer recognizes are text files that have a specific structure (try opening up a .VMF/ .MAP/ .RMF file with wordpad, for example). That is, for Hammer to recognize a map file, the file has to be written in one of those "formats". I highly doubt either SketchUp and/or AutoCad files have the same "architecture", so probably the best bet would be to create a program that transforms one file format (SketchUp or AutoCad) into the other (.VMF file). I have no idea if such a tool exists, but it might not be hard to code it, I guess. Writing the output .VMF file would be easy (a simple text file, and you would have only world brushes, no entitites nor materials), so one would simply have to look at the structure of the input file (SketchUp/AutoCad/other) to know how to interpret it and read its information. --Etset 10:48, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

Face Poser System

Making NPCs completely still during a scene

Whenever I have tried to implement a scene, NPCs seem to display a lot of "idle" behavior that I would expect to be cancelled out. They will glance around at nearby things and often will turn to the player even when their flags mark them to ignore him. What I basically want to know is, how can I make the player COMPLETELY non-noticed by the NPCs? (for a scene in which he's not supposed to be there) --Katana314 20:29, 30 Dec 2007 (PST)

Face Poser and Model Viewer crash on launch in widescreen resolutions

Having tried to load Faceposer several times it will crash having opened and laid out all the panels, the model viewer just crashes on load. I tested this on a none widescreen monitor (or using 1024 by 768) and the faceposer application opens. A small bug i know but did not see a road map for fixing this (or it registered as a bug) i have reinstalled and looked at this thread but no joy. My default resolution is 1280 by 720 and fails every time. --Packetburner 10:20, 7 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Performance warning: Mark bone

I've been banging my head trying to fox this console error problem for ages now. All the answers i have found says to use $bonemerge to fix it. But this only fixed my problems for the firstperson stuff. The thirdperson errors are still there. The developer console is totally spammed with this error.Drakir 15:29, 22 Apr 2007 (PDT)

Mainly this tends to happen a lot when certain things are used on incorrect attachments on an npc. Mainly theres truly not a fix to it unless you really re-edit the code for the npc or even player attachments toward the bone points. Mainly its not a serious error but just that the engine has no existing attachment points where the weapon currently is attached towards. In other words in an arm there is about 3 points. Shoulder, Hand, and Wrist therefore if the weapon or model is just pasted toward another area not recognized or where no attachment point exist then the error is caused. Mainly you might need to rework some attachments on the model that is currently being used.--Gear 13:30, 8 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Musically Controlled Facial Animation?

I need to develop an application that displays a 3D facial model whose expression is controlled by and reflects the "feel" of music currently playing. Is it possible to do this using FacePoser? Basically, is it possible to change/trigger facial expressions through the use of sound or music? Thanks, Lobrien9Lobrien9 11:18, 17 Sep 2007 (PDT)

XSI, studiomdl and Modeling

Error: Missing frame start<61> - Any solutions??

I'm trying to compile a custom character model in Half-Life 2 and I keep getting this error message:

ERROR: Missing frame start<61> : 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 1.570796 (etc .)

Screenshot: Screenshot_1_edit.jpg

The confusing part is that there shouldn't even be a frame 61 because the timeline was only 40 frames long. I've looked around for a solution but have not yet been able to find one. Any ideas, suggestions, or fixes would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks. --User benmears

You could simply edit Skeleton_idle.smd and remove the offending frames or's a text file—ts2do 20:48, 4 Oct 2007 (PDT)
It's been established elsewhere that 61 is an error code, not frame number. --TomEdwards 08:45, 25 Nov 2007 (PST)
Fixed! XSI 6 starts animations at frame -2, which is causing this issue. You can fix it by editing box to the left of the animation timeline to read 0. :-) --TomEdwards 11:34, 25 Nov 2007 (PST)

I'm getting exactly the same error with a completely different model:


The QC is simply:

$modelname Police_animations.mdl

$includemodel "player\male_anims.mdl"
$cd "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\SourceMods\testmod\modelsrc\Police_XSI"

$sequence hipswave "handships.smd" frame 0 80 fps 30

It's to do with the custom SMD, as there are no errors if I compile with that line commented out. And since the numbers are all exactly the same as benmear's, I'd say it was something specific to ValveBiped. --TomEdwards 08:37, 25 Nov 2007 (PST)


Source -> blender units ratio?

So,I just wanted to ask, how much source units make one unit in blender? I need this knowledge to start modeling in Blender, as this is not told in anywhere. I also would want to know, how to export the textures from blender with the plugin, should I UV map them and make the texturing mode get the UV's? I'll make it more clear if asked. --Esa94 05:21, 28 Jan 2008 (PST)

C++ And Scripting

Portal Bullets

I apologize if this is in the wrong spot, but it looked the best place to put it. I noticed in Portal that it has all of the hl2 models and everything. While playing portal, using the console, you can spawn the metro police for example wielding a pistol. The problem is that they cannot shoot you. They aim at you, the gun flashes like it's shooting but no bullets come out. Every hl2 gun will work in your hands though.

In portal, how can I (or anyone else) make the enemies actually shoot?

Evillordnikon 22:45, 17 Jan 2008 (PST)

CThread Usage

I am working on a University project using a motion controller as a means to control a prototype game using the Source engine... please see this question as an act of my desperation!

I am looking for a way to continuously grab some data for use in my mod from a socket (the motion controller data is already being sent via a socket). I thought that running my own thread would be a way to achieve this... I have created my own class CThreadTest which extends CThread (in threadtools.h).

Here is my code:



The call is on line 21 - within C_BasePlayer::Spawn() - here: c_baseplayer.cpp

My thread starts, runs and within the overridden Run() function enters a while loop which completes a simple 'test' (printing out to the console every second for X times) and finishes. My thread class is a singleton and I am starting the thread in the CBasePlayer::Spawn() function. However, when I load a map, my thread starts but the game world does not load until the thread has completed, suggesting to me that the thread is not running in parallel / concurrently with the game code.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as I haven't had much luck searching the web, forums or asking experienced (HL2) coders. Perhaps another method to achieve my aim is a possibility? Please bare in mind I'm a fairly novice programmer =)

Kind regards,

Obli 09:42, 3 Dec 2007 (PST)


EDIT: My thread was running all along (!). I was incorrect to instantiate and run my thread in C_BasePlayer::Spawn().

As a test to determine if my thread was working I created it 10 seconds in to the game using:

  if(gpGlobals->curtime > 10.0) 

...and it runs fine!

If any official word regarding the use of CThread surfaces, I would still be interested to hear =) Now, on to using sockets...!

--Obli 15:50, 6 Dec 2007 (PST)

Weapon editing

Is there any way that I can increase the explosive radius of grenades in a hl2:deathmatch custom map?


All this is within scripting, you might need to do that.--Gear 21:09, 16 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Changing Ammo used

I want to change the shotgun to shoot pistol ammo. How do i do this?


Exactly same for you as well. its all within scripting.--Gear 21:10, 16 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Could you explain how i do that? -ferreboy54-

You might have to look at a few things yet I'm not to sure, might want to get more help, ill see if anyone else knows for you.--Gear 08:38, 17 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Well, if you are talking about singleplayer, you have to go to C:\%your_directory%\Steam\steamapps\%your_account%\half-life 2\hl2\scripts\weapon_buckshot.txt (if directory doesn't exists, extract it from gcf archive) and there change type of ammo. Don't forget to change the ammo in weapon_pistol.txt to shotgun's ammo or it wouldn't work properly.--1BloodYDoG1 11:08, 14 Nov 2007 (PST)


Two scripting problems

First, the MOTD simply does not show up on my server. Also having a similar problem with an MP mod I'm working on, in which only the first character shows up.

Second, as usual the death notices are not working properly in my MP mod. Since there are custom weapon icons (which I do have working) I figured I'd just set up a new entry in clientscheme.res for them. So, under the HL2MPDeathType entry I have:

				"name"  "bsgcficons" // csd.ttf
				"tall"  "32"
				"weight" "0"
				"additive" "1"
				"antialias" "1"

and of course in the custom font declarations I have

 "3"		"resource/bsgcficons.ttf"

Then I went to mod_textures.txt and set the appropriate weapons to BSGCFTypeDeath, like this:

				"font"		"BSGCFTypeDeath"
				"character"	"/"

Well, I'm still getting the error where the icon shows up as the character it is assigned to. There is nothing wrong with my font file, the icon shows up properly in the buckets and loadouts.

Thanks in advance! -Mrhappy 19:42, 10 Apr 2007 (PDT)

I figured out the problem with the death notices, the HL2MP.ttf file which stores the icons for the notices is formatted differently than the halflife2.ttf file which stores the icons for buckets and loadouts, and which I used as a template for bsgcficons.ttf. I'm still having problems with my motd files tho :/ -Mrhappy 11:57, 11 Apr 2007 (PDT)

Physics Gun compile problem

I followed the tutorial on another forum site, and it adds fine, until i try to compile when i get the error:


I have tried to fix this myself, following this:

But i am a very big Noobie to c++ hoping to pick some up on the way through half-life 2 modding.

Cheers, Hope i get a quick answer :P

Trleighton 13:32, 16 Apr 2007 (PDT)

How do vehicle sounds and sound loops work?

Ive tried to do some sound modding for empires mod (it uses the hl2 single player buggy sounds and soundscripts), but the source sound system drives me crazy. I would like to hear some official information about how it handles sound loops, because i experienced the following problems:

  • We have a separate sound loop for idle engine sounds, like v8_idle_loop1.wav. The default official single player buggy loop wav file doesn't contain any cue points. I made two different loop sounds to replace this. They are both identical in format, in length, in volume. One works the same way as the default v8_idle_loop1.wav, it loops when the engine is idle. The other one only does this when a cue point is present. How is this possible?
  • There is an engine start sound in hl2 single player: v8_start_loop1.wav. It doesn't have cue points. Ive tried to replace it with two different sounds, both same format. One is played when the engine starts, the other is not. The are 100% identical in length, format, volume level. Cue point doesn't help here.

So my questions: Does source really need cue points for vehicle loops? If it does where do they need to be placed? What may cause two identical formatted sounds to differ in playing? How does the default vehicle sound system build up, how do different sound effects loop themselves or follow each other based on the speed of the vehicle?

Petko 22:56, 13 May 2007 (CET)


My issue is I just level design and texture "stuff" so it's fairly difficult for me to just drive into this all on my own...blind. I know how to use C++, or at least edit code and compile it, and and my modeling skills are decent enough to have already made my "test subject mobile". I'd like to make a flying vehicle for Source Engine. It doesn't need complex physics.. besides acceleration, movement, and has to fly like a jet, spacecraft or helicopter. There are plenty of "how to do"'s here but I haven't found a "simple enough" walk-through. LoL I can't help to say but I'm a 1-2-3 step with A,B,C figures kinda of person >;) Any thoughts or references I could take a 10lb maul too would be helpful.

Reading Sensor Data

With my team I'm currently building a mod for HL2 in which we use VR Goggles and a custom 3DOF Sensor. I have it linked to my gameport, but I have no idea how to read its data from the code. What I want to do is use the angle data from the sensor (3 axes) and map these to the angle of a custom weapon model. Since it could take me forever to find out how to read the data, thought I'd ask here. Any help is appreciated.

Update: I've managed to find one axis of my desired input device, through the following code:


This apparently represents the "roll" value (ranging from 0-65536), however I have been as of yet unable to locate the "pitch" and "yaw".


Shikin 06:06, 16 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Adding DMG_ types

Was just wondering why I find this comment


in the Shareddefs.h. I want to add my own types of damage (three of them to be precise) since I think that is the way to go in my mod. Why can I not do that? It seems that my own first type

#define DMG_ANTIGRAV (1<<30)

is completely ignored.

Another option would be to check with what weapon and what firemode was used when hit, so if anyone has a tutorial or reference link to that kind of thing I would be grateful. --Aglet 02:59, 24 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Changing appearance of standard panels

Hi there!

After reading this tutorial ( I wonder, how I can change the color and add own images etc. to the standard panels like the console panel (look at bottom of article). Would be great if someone could give me a hint how to achieve that.

Thanks in advance, Archer 02:34, 27 Nov 2007 (PST)

Changing player direction while jumping

Hello, I'm working on a 3d side scroller in the source engine and want the player to be able to change direction while they are in the air instead of carrying the momentum they had when they hit jump. I've checked the whole gamemovement file and more and i just can't find that code. Maybe somebody knows where this code is? Angrycrow 05:29, 25 Dec 2007 (PST)

If you can't find it, perhaps it's "under the hood" (i.e. in the game engine itself) which would mean that it cannot be changed directly. It's probably part of the physics engine of the game, but perhaps there could be a work-around to "inhibit" that through custom code... I wouldn't have a clue. --Etset 14:42, 25 Jan 2008 (PST)

Material System

Assign a custom material for the env_steam entity

How do you specify a custom material for the env_steam entity? At this time, the default material (particle_smokegrenade) has been hardcoded. I need a different material for my current projects. The Mighty Atom 19:01, 23 Jul 2007 (PDT)

You might need to create one yet adding t might need reference to the FGD. file, yet im not to positive on where it can be edited. However you might want to give that a try.--Gear 05:44, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

Render Target Texture Translucent

I setup this render target texture using the following code:

s_pCombatCharsTex0.InitRenderTarget( 256, 256, RT_SIZE_FULL_FRAME_BUFFER, IMAGE_FORMAT_RGBA8888, MATERIAL_RT_DEPTH_SEPARATE, false );

I then clear it by setting it as the current render target and using a clear color of float4(0,0,0,0). When I render it using my frontbuffer material, it displays completely black, which is correct, but it's not transparent. I have "$translucent" 1 in the .vmt file, but it doesn't work. Using "$alphatest" 1 works, but I want an opacity map, not a rejection of alpha less than 178. I'm pretty much stumped as to why this is happening. It's probably something really simple I'm missing. ScHiZo 21:46, 26 Aug 2007 (PDT)

materials don't show up in 3d view

When I make a Brush, it is a baby blue color and it doesn't show up

Mod Files

Could datacache.dll crashes be linked with missing resources?

My mod is currently plagued with frequent datacache.dll crashes. I've followed all the standard suggestions, but it still happens often on several different machines. It's a team deathmatch mod but with NPCs activated and I can't help feeling like the crashes may be due to a few resources not being found. While it runs the NPCs work and everything looks right apart from other players aren't animated. I get a few messages about animations or sounds being missing, but sounds play anyway and it doesn't stop the game immediately. I created the mod based on HL2MP but the map shows slightly differently when run in HL2MP and my mod (I get dandelions rather than brown grass). I'm using AppId 215, is there a way I can say use HL2SP resources as well? Would copying them into my mod directory be enough? Unfortunately I get no useful debug from the crash. Any help greatly appreciated. Gurtak 07:36, 31 Jul 2007 (PDT)

I have gotten this error due to many reasons yet its something terribly wrong with your map which is mainly what causes it.--Gear 05:43, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

Thanks Gear. You are right, there was something wrong with the map, but we never tracked down what it was. Strange that it would work for a while and crash for no apparent reason. We started again from scratch and all works well now. I'm just glad it wasn't my code :) Gurtak 14:08, 2 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Scary isn't it?--Gear 01:11, 3 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Updating Client Files for your MOD?

After releasing the 12th version of my MOD, I must say I'm tired of creating an installer and patcher each time. It takes a while to do both, which means a delay each time I do it. Does anyone know of a freeware (read: not bullcrap shareware which is all I could find in searches) file update manager? Something similar to Steam's content update system would be perfect, where it periodically checks for updates to their files. Thanks.--Tj9991 18:54, 6 Nov 2007 (PST)

Umm, maybe try using SVN? That might help you release patches and small updates easily, but for the major versions I'd still suggest putting it BOTH into the SVN as the full game file pack (no need for installers :D) and to where you usually put them as an installer. I suggest you find out more about SVN here: Then if you need a free SVN host, try google code's svn: That would require you to make it open source, though.

A mod that only modifies client.dll/server.dll ?

I have the Source SDK and I'm working at a modification that involves C++ code. The thing is that Valve's philosophy of distributing mods basically means distributing new maps along with game mods while I want to have the same content as HL2/HL2MP/HL2EP1 only with different functionalities in the client/server dlls and wouldn't want someone that's playing my mod to also download the HL2MP maps for example.

Another odd thing is that I'm currently working on the HL2MP and every time I start the game outside Visual Studio 2005, Steam overwrites my DLLs with the original ones which is weird since I've disabled the automatic updates.

Is there a way to make a mod for HL2MP and keep the same maps in it?--Cippyboy 18:30, 9 Feb 2008 (PST)

Video Editing/In-Game

Problems recording in Episode 1

Recently I've tried to make an .avi file out of a .DEM file using the "startmovie" method. I also changed host_framerate to 30. Problem is, Once I compressed it with VirtualDub into .avi, the video was out of sync with the audio. The only video codec that gave best results was Xvid and I used many of the codecs in MPEG-LAYER 3 for the audio compression, but it was still out of sync. After a lot of coffee and futile attempts I gave up on VirtualDub and started using the "startmovie [videoname] avi" method. That worked great, except that this time the audio was a bit ahead of the video at the start but as the video progressed the video eventually overtook the audio. Basically, I'm sick of virtualDub. I'm just gonna use the source recorder to compress it straight to.avi, but the video and audio is waaay out of sync.


  • The audio speed is fine it just starts before the actual video.
  • The video is too quick, eventually it overtakes the audio. Even though the audio started first.

Is the host_framerate not 30 for Ep1? Or is there another way of shortening the video speed without affecting audio, so they fit perfectly? Please help :( Tsmike92 08:38, 7 May 2007 (PDT)

Strangely even using regular demos recorded through the HL2 system creates problems when viewed upon other mods or systems its quite odd but I'm not sure what causes the problem if it would be any help though I'll look into it for you. I've been in the needs for creating a demo video for my mod as well so I'll see if i get the same problem.--Gear 17:12, 23 May 2007 (PDT)

This has happened many times, and I believe it's because you didn't use sv_cheats 1 for host_framerate (host_framerate is a cheat) I can't remember whether this is in the tutorial, but if not, I'll add it in.--Katana314 19:52, 19 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Netchannel errors when recoding a demo or impulse 101

When attempting to record a demo in a mod I'm working on, I get the following being spewed in to the console:

Client forced immediate full update.
Fragment transmission aborted at 13/13.
Netchannel: failed processing message svc_UpdateStringTable.

What could cause this? I also get this sometimes when I do impulse 101. The mod I'm working on has somewhere between 35-40 weapons (don't know the exact count). I can't seem to figure out exactly what this error means or what it refers to. I searched the entire wiki and the forums the wiki mentions to search and came up with nothing. --Mazor 02:53, 23 Sep 2007 (PDT)


Networking: Opening TCP Socket on Port 27015

I am trying to establish a TCP connection to port 27015 on a standard TF2 server using PHP's fsockopen, but the connection attempt keeps timing out. Doing a port scan through the range 27000 - 27020 shows no open ports, but how can this be possible? Does anyone know which port to connect to in order to establish a TCP connection with the game server so I can implement a web-based RCON panel? --TGAcid 16:42, 17 Jan 2008 (PST)

Can you restrict Team Fortress 2 classes?

Is there a way to restrict classes on a Team Fortress 2 map? I'm developing a map for snipers; I want to make it so that all the players spawn as snipers. They will still have all weapons. Can I somehow force this in Hammer, or do I have to simply set it with an admin option on a server? I've seen this done before (where, for example, everyone goes pyro and you have a melee only round). --Askiba 16:38, 11 Jan 2008 (PST)

The only way to restrict classes that I know of is through a server admin mod such as Mani or Beetlemod, which was most likely what you saw on the server you visited. I know we experimented with limiting classes/buildable objects during sudden death with Beetlemod. --TGAcid 17:49, 17 Jan 2008 (PST)

SDK not working correctly

Hammer crashes if I do anything - try to make brush, for example. Faceposer can't extract the phonems, writing "extraction successful but full recognization failed" or "Extraction complete", but it isn't! Re-installing SDK doesn't help. Earlier, I've used SDK, and it worked properly, and this problems came just after Orange Box SDK updates. But I don't have it! Please, help if you can.--1BloodYDoG1 06:55, 14 Nov 2007 (PST)

Have you tried the suggestion given here? If you don't own the Orange Box and run the SDK as is, it will be loaded for the orange box games. You should add "-engine ep1" to the Source SDK Launch options, like Woody suggests. Try that and see if it works! It seems to be causing a a headache to lot of people... --Etset 17:51, 19 Jan 2008 (PST)

Third Person

Is there in any way to change the current player camera to a third person angle? I believe that there was a mod called Iris that did this. Also they replaced the normal Gordon Freeman model with a young girl, I've been trying to do the same but instead replace the normal player model with a Rebel instead. Also if possible is there a way to edit the angles of the camera that way its a bit of an "over the shoulder" angle much like per say Gears Of War or even Ghost Recon advanced Warfighter as an example. Thank you for your time.--Gear 15:29, 8 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Problems importing concave collision model from Lightwave into Source

Hi guys, I've got a concave object I'm trying to import a collision model for, but I'm not having much luck with it. The object is a large wooden workstation, which should have such a collision model that objects can be placed on the tabletop. I've tried several .smd's for the collision model geometry but they always end up like this. Among the .smds was just a simple shape composed of three cubes, so the geometry should be anything but too complicated. I have tried both with and without the $concave command in the .QC, neither worked. With $concave, I get "WARNING: Bad collision model, check your smoothing groups!!!", and without it, the collision model just looks like the one in the aforementioned picture, with no warnings. I have a hunch where the problem might lie, though: I understand that if the collision model is composed of multiple parts, they're supposed to have different smoothing groups? I am not quite certain how this is done in Lightwave. Can anyone help me? Thanks, Jupix 13:40, 11 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Your server needs to be restarted in order to receive the latest update.

When starting a non-lan server of a MOD I am working on, I get the following message in the console after it tries to add itself to the master server list:


I find this odd because there are no updates to my game, as Valve does not have any copies of it. I checked my HL2:DM install and it is up to date. I can't understand why I would get this whenever it contacts the master servers (each heartbeat results in the same message). This problem shows up on games created through the client app and through the source dedicated server. This is preventing my game from having public servers listed, so any help would be greatly appreciated :) --Tj9991 19:06, 21 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Mainly try re-installing most of everything you have that has to do with the server. This may be a long process but it can help.--Gear 21:51, 21 Oct 2007 (PDT)
I'm getting this issue too. A fresh install on a new machine hasn't helped. Worse still even though the server has sv_lan set to 0 it's still acting as a LAN server so my international team and I cannot test over the internet. This mod used to work as an internet server fine, so it looks like something must have changed at the master server end.--ChromeAngel 11:20, 16 Nov 2007 (PST)
Even when only using the connect command in the console? Whenever we play a game, we just use the host's IP and directly connect through the console. Also, does anyone know of a decent third party server browser which could be incorporated into the MOD to automatically ping? Organizing in a chat room works, but I'd really like a normal browser :( --Tj9991 13:36, 17 Nov 2007 (PST)
My mistake, the console was just lying to me about the server status. sv_lan saying it was a LAN server even when it was not. Now if we can just get our servers listed... ChromeAngel 12:55, 21 Nov 2007 (PST)
I fixed this issue with my MOD, however I had to make a sacrifice as well. It appears the problem is with the game which you choose to have your MOD run from. My MOD is multiplayer, and previously it was running on the Source SDK Base. However, after changing the appid to 320 to have it run on HL2:DM, servers work perfectly and this issue is completely removed. So, if you are able to make that change, just change your gameinfo.txt and enjoy. I'm going to leave this question open because it is still an issue that Source SDK Base does not properly validate with Valve's servers. --Tj9991 15:04, 21 Nov 2007 (PST)
We have the same problem with old-time LAN-servers for CS 1.5 - Regardless of sv_lan, using Master-Server or not, this message pops up regularly, but not constantly: It seems to appear in waves ... many messages in a short time and then nothing again. Searching for a function that is responsible for them was not effective so far :-/

Any idea?

Cant use SDK suddenly

Only recently in the sdk main part with the different tools and stuff, down the bottom where it lets you choose which game to start the valve hammer editor or whatever with, it doesn't give me Cs Hl2dm or DOD, it only gives me choice of portal, TF2 and Hl2 EP2 which i don't have any of.

Go to tools > Source SDK > Properties > Launch Options Enter in -engine ep1, I don't know your exact problem but that will allow you to select the ones you want.

--Woody 15:54, 9 Nov 2007 (PST)

Mod making help

Hello all I've just started a MOD (using start from scratch since i don't have HL2, Only hl2episode 1 and therefore cant use first 2) But I've made a single player level but when i go to test it i loaded up the game but the Menu was a Multiplayer Menu, With Create Server and Find Server!? Why is it like this?! So then i went to back to my Mod and looked through the entities and there was only Info_player_start! why is it ding this (and yes i do have HL2 DM)

It's happening because you didn't use the first menu item, the Single Player mod. Half-Life 2 isn't too expensive these days, I'd recommend buying it if you want to map for it. --Daedalus 04:20, 13 Feb 2007 (PST)

Answered Questions


More than 32 chapters in the chapter menu in a HL2 mod?

If you add more than 32 chapters to your mod, chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 vanish from the menu and any chapters over 32 are left out. Is there any way to increase the 32 chapter limit?

Here is a some more information, following tests to explore the problem:

  • For every chapter over 32, 1 chapter between 4 and 9 is removed.
  • The remaining chapters are shifted down, and anything that's still left over after 32 is dropped.
  • Therefore if you have 40 chapters, you lose six chapters (4 to 9 inclusive), as well as the left over 39 and 40.
  • If you have 36 chapters, you lose 4 chapters (6 to 9 inclusive) but nothing is left over.
  • If you have 33 chapters, you just lose chapter 9.

The system is entirely governed by the contents of the cfg folder. The presence of the chapter1.cfg, chapter2.cfg etc. files in the cfg folder is what tells the new game menu to add chapters. The modname_english.txt file in the resources folder only gives those chapters a name, and the textures in the vgui folder only give them a picture. The chapter#.cfg's can be numbered in any way, using any combination of letters and numbers (such as valve's use of 9a for Entanglement), but it all makes no difference, as long as there are not more than 32 in total.

Can this limit of 32 be fixed or worked around?--Fitzroy doll 12:17, 15 May 2007 (PDT)

Sadly no, 32 is really the limit or at least as high as it will go so truly the only work around is really decreasing the number of Chapters your mod contains. Besides there is really no reason to have more than 32 chapters unless of course if your mod has over 100 maps or is really, really long. Either way just try to work out more maps in one chapter and decrease the number of chapters in total.--Gear 13:35, 8 Jul 2007 (PDT)

I understand. I am using the chapter menu in a somewhat unusual fashion, which is as a map browser similar to CS:S, but with images and titles. This is for the mod CSS SCI FI which features 27 scripted maps for use with SMOD. Each of those 27 is a unique game, and the maps are not linked, so the only way to access each map is through an individual chapter, as shown here. My solution has been to include an option in the SMOD Configuration Utility which I made that allows the user to switch chapter menus. This works, but of course it would be much better if all the chapters could be displayed together, without having to switch. --Fitzroy doll 07:51, 9 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Ah yes okay hahahaha you should've mentioned that earlier! It is okay though. Well hmmmm...... perhaps you can create a menu rather than a simple new game chapter start. Perhaps a menu that contains each map and the chapter name without the image. More or less a bit like Garry's Mod 10. Yet I'm a bit rusty on doing that. I do know though, that there is a guide to creating vgui menus on the main screen through certain key pressing and whatnot, so maybe that might work better.--Gear 13:56, 9 Jul 2007 (PDT)

VMF files not appearing correctly in Hammer

I have a problem with my vmf files appearing incorrectly in the Hammer Editor. This problem began after Valve updated the SDK to include the Orange Box games. When I opened the SDK for the first time after the update, I noticed that the "Current Game" was Half-Life 2: Episode 2. I originally had it set to Half-Life 2 Deathmatch. Then I noticed all of my Hammer configuration settings for Half-Life 2 Deathmatch were gone & replaced with Half-Life 2: Episode 2 settings (thank you very much Valve Software). This didn't set well with me as I knew I then had to reconfigure Hammer for Half-Life 2 Deathmatch once again. So I followed the tutorial HERE & reconfigured my Hammer Editor. I can now view my .vmf files, but they look corrupted. Here's a SCREENSHOT of it. I also noticed after reconfiguring it, the SDK doesn't "copy the files" when opened like it did before. Maybe I did something wrong, not sure. Here are my CURRENT HAMMER CONFIGURATIONS. I also tried creating a new brush in a new map & that just crashes the Hammer Editor. I was well on my way to making a decent looking map as you can see HERE. I'm hoping at this point that it's my configuration of Hammer. At least that can be fixed. I spent many hours on what I have created & it makes me sad & angry that this is happening. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. --YPE 19:50, 12 Nov 2007 (PST)

Update: I took another look at where files are located in the sourcesdk folder & discovered that there are two hl2mp.fgd files, two vbsp.exe files, two vrad.exe files & two vvis.exe files. One of each in the "sourcesdk\bin\ep1\bin" directory & one of each in the "sourcesdk\bin\orangebox\bin" directory. So I reconfigured my Hammer again to use the "ep1" directory instead of the "orangebox" directory & applied the changes. However, the messages screen within hammer are still pointing to the "orangebox" directory as you can see HERE with no changes in how my Hammer Editor is behaving. What's going on here? Did Valve Software goof on the SDK update? --YPE 15:27, 13 Nov 2007 (PST)
Update 2: PROBLEM SOLVED. Take a look here: Cant_use_SDK_suddenly. Sorry, didn't see that until now. Thank you Woody! I don't know how you knew do to that, but it works great! Everything is back to normal & I can continue with my HL2DM map. :) I would like to leave this here for maybe a week or so, so others may be helped. Peace... --YPE 17:28, 13 Nov 2007 (PST)

Hammer loads map in bad server

When I try to test a simple map by hitting F9 in hammer, it compiles fine, opens cs source fine (it's set up to the defaults for cstrike) and begins my map. The console shows no significant errors.. it can't download the dynamic pricing list or something and it can't find jingle.wav but those are the only errors. Then after about a second, the server shuts down saying "Server shutting down..." My map works perfectly if I just open counter strike through steam and manually do Create Server for it, but when hammer loads CS the server immediately shuts down. If I try to do Create Server for my map in a CS that's been opened by the hammer compiler, it takes 2 or 3 tries before it works. This is all very weird and quite inconvenient for testing. Can anyone help? --Froth 20:32, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Sometimes that tends to happen even with normal games. Hammer places the bsp file within the map folder in css. Simply click the "don't run game after compiling" button, Once the hammer is finished compiling then open up css yourself and type map "your map name here" and thats all to it.

Thats just mainly a work around yet i don't know if any others exist.--Gear 20:37, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Well when I discovered CS:S about two and a half years ago I didn't actually own it.. I played with bots on the default maps for more than 4 months before I got bored and actually bought the game (and of course I'm very glad that I did- I've been playing heavily ever since). This inexplicable server shutting down message has never happened to me before even in that whole time of hosting my own games, yet it happens every single time when launching from hammer. Is there any way of actually fixing it rather than launching it separately? --Froth 21:51, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Like i said no there is no other way unless you are too lazy to open it yourself i mean its really not that hard to be honest.--Gear 12:33, 26 Jul 2007 (PDT)

3d Skybox probs in Portal

Ok - for starters, sorry if this is in the wrong place, as I'm new to this forum.

My 3d Skybox looks fantastic in my level, so long as you don't look at it through a portal. If you do, the skybox contents take precedence over the map's main contents and it looks really odd. Here are a couple examples: This first image is taken of the portal (I'm looking through the portal): Strange 1a

This image is of the same location, but I stepped through the portal so you aren't looking through the portal: Strange 1b

The below series of images shows me getting slowly closer to a portal, then stepping through:

Strange 2a Strange 2b Strange 2c Strange 2d

I'm not sure if this is something I did wrong or if it's a problem with the game engine. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! ---RigorMortis 16:57, 1 Jan 2008 (PST)

I got my answer from the steampowered forums: it's just the engine. It doesn't properly render a 3d skybox through portals. I definitely hope a Valve employee reads this and makes it their mission to fix this problem, as 3d skyboxes are awesome. --RigorMortis 17:15, 3 Jan 2008 (PST)
Looks like we're just going to have to wait for a fix! --Etset 10:48, 22 Jan 2008 (PST)

Problem fixing leak...

I have a func_useableladder entity that is leaking out of my skybox. The simple fix would seem to be-adjust the skybox to close the leak. The problem is when I adjust the skybox to fix the leak the map doesn't seem to want to compile. It gets about halfway through to BasePortalVis and then Hammer stops responding (according to windows). When my map compiles with the leak it doesn't run any "portal" anything. If I leave the skybox how it is the map will compile fine. This leads me to another question. Is there a limit to the size of the skybox brush? If I cut up the skybox will this help the compiling process? Also this is a deathmatch map. I'm new to map design so this maybe something simple. Thanks. 08:40, 14 Jan 2008 (PST)~SkiBo08:40, 14 Jan 2008 (PST)

Not experienced with the tools but here goes some help (hopefully):
  • If you need to find out where your map is leaking, try following the suggestion given in this part of the Leak article. Remember that the whole map must be sealed off by brushes, whether they be part of the skybox or not.
  • When you compile "with the leak" only vbsp.exe is run, and the compile process stops there (vvis.exe and vrad.exe are not run, see: Leak), and I believe BasePortalVis has to do with vvis.exe, so that's why it's mentioned only when the leak is fixed.
  • I can't be sure about this, since I'm not too familiar with the tools, but what's probably happening is the compile process simply taking a long time (Windows might think the process has become "stuck", but it still might be working). Is it a fairly big map? Does it have many details? That might be the reason why it is taking so long. Be sure to skim through the Optimization_(level_design) for help on optimizing your map (it can help in drastically reducing compile times!). There's a lot of useful information in there. One other page that is definitely worth reading is this one (external link).
  • Side note: you placed your question in the Answered Questions section. Next time look more carefully, you might not get a reply! ;) --Etset 16:26, 14 Jan 2008 (PST)
Thank you for the in depth reply. I will try these suggestions and hopefully solve my problem. Oh and thank you for moving my question to the proper area. :)SkiBo 18:47, 14 Jan 2008 (PST)

Trying to create a regenerating wall

I'm trying to make a wall with lots of health that resets its health every second. This is so that it can only be destroyed by a demoman using all 8 pipe bombs at once. I created a func breakable with 1000 health, and then a logic timer. Every 1 second, the logic timer sends the output 'sethealth <1000>' to the func breakable. However, when I run the map, the wall breaks as soon as the map loads. I've tried making the sethealth parameter higher or lower but it always has the same effect. Can anyone help? Chutup 20:05, 5 Jan 2008 (PST)

Don't worry, I worked it out on my own, I think. Once I took the <> symbols out of the parameter box, it works fine. Chutup 05:39, 6 Jan 2008 (PST)

How can I use the "City 17 from above" skybox?

Hi - I want to use the skybox from the very end of HL2, where City 17 can be seen from the top of the citadel. But using skybox names "d3_breen_01", "d3_citadel_05" etc. just causes the skybox not to be drawn at all, leading to that horrible "trails" effect. Help would be appreciated!


Figured it out - it's not a skybox texture, it's a 3D skybox containing the city and cloud as geometry. Extracting and decompiling the final levels of Half Life 2 will show how it is done.

TF2 Capture point setup

I would like to know how to place two capture points in the map while leaving them both unlocked for capturing. To be more specific, I am interested in making a similar capture point layout as the official TF2 map "gravelpit". In gravelpit, point A and B are unlocked so that players can capture either one. So far in my exploration of the TF2 specific Hammer content, I have only discovered how to make the point layout linear; similar to the map "well" and "granary", where there is no optional capture order.

Could anyone please tell me how I would go about creating 2 or more capture points that can be captured in either order (i.e. not linear)?


Well sorry had to keep this to format about the italics, but for now theres no way to that yet, we might just need to wait for the SDK update.--Gear 16:59, 23 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Check Team_control_point about team_previouspoint, . If empty, the team must own all points preceding this one. and if you want to set a specific position of each cap point on the hud check Team_control_point_master --Gectou4 00:04, 24 Oct 2007 (PDT)

I just want to say that I have found a way to create a set of control points similar to that of the map gravelpit. To create the following:

  • a set of 3 capture points (A, B, C)
  • where point A and B can be captured in either order
  • where C can only be capture after A & B

The map actually requires 4-6 capture points to get the main 3 functioning as required. I will explain this in terms of A, B, C, D, E.

  • A, B, C are the main 3 capture points and should be set up that point C is only available once A & B are held
  • A & B should be set up so that they are available to the Red team after point D is held
  • A & B should be set up so that they are available to the Blue team after point E is held (skip if not required)
  • Point D should default to the Red team
  • Point E should default to the Blue team (skip if not required)
  • Points A, B, C should be part of the same groupIndex (e.g. 0), and points D, E should be part of another group (e.g. 1)
  • Points D, E should be placed outside of the map (they are control points)


  • Point D & E provide a way to satisfy the required conditions of point A & B
  • Point D & E are in a separate group so that the game ends when points A, B, C are captured

Brush Face Resizing

Is it possible to resize a single face on a brush proportionally? For example, if I want to create a cylinder with one end smaller than the other. Xiphos 16:47, 23 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Try using the Hammer Vertex Tool.--Gear 16:57, 23 Oct 2007 (PDT)

A good way is to shift-clone the brush, scale the copy to whatever size you want using Ctrl-M. Then use the Hammer Vertex Tool to match the vertices of the face you want to the resized brush's faces. So yeah, just use the tool like gear said. Sounds complicated mainly because I'm not too great at explaining things. --Darthkillyou 19:05, 23 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Wow, I wasn't aware the vertex tool could do that. Thank you.Xiphos 11:57, 24 Oct 2007 (PDT)

Custom .wav files?

I'm trying to use a custom wave file in an ambient_generic; it's a simple rainfall loop. Problem is, in the game it plays exactly once and then stops. The flag "Is NOT looped" is cleared, so it's not that; also, when I replace it with a .wav file from another mod (to test), it loops fine. The format is stereo 32-bit float, 22050Hz (identical to the wave file that works). My file is about 2.5 seconds long. Is there some other constraint I have to follow? I couldn't find anything in the wiki about what format(s) Source understands. Thanks.

Plasmadyne 11:59, 15 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Probably you have to add "_loop" at the end of the .wav file. (i.e. myrainfallsound_loop.wav). For more information about the Sound System in Source I'll refer you to the Sound page, especially to the first external link. --Jurgen Knops 12:12, 15 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Thanks for the quick response! Unfortunately this didn't help; interestingly, the test .wav file (the one that worked) is named rumble_rain.wav, and it loops OK. I've tried changing the sample rate, precision, and even lower-casing the file name, to no avail. I've read all the links off the Sound page; what I meant about formats is that I couldn't find an entry that says "here is a list of sample rates, bit depths and file sizes that will work with Source." Possibly this doesn't exist. :) Plasmadyne 12:45, 15 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Well, after a quick search I had found something for you. Your looping sound needs "cue-points". More information about these points can be found on VERC (unfortunatly this info is for the GoldSrc Engine, but give it a try...), otherwise you can take a look at the VERC Forums (Old Source SDK forums). --Jurgen Knops 13:13, 15 Sep 2007 (PDT)

Ah, this solved it. Thanks! I would never have thought to look for that.

Assigning team points based on triggers without team member activator

We want to give team points when entities pass through a goal trigger, however I can't get the right combination of triggers to do the job. Entities could be anything, including monsters and players, but since they don't have team status they don't trigger the team score via the filter_activator_team and game_score. At present only a player walking through the trigger adds points. In short, if anything goes through goal A, team A scores, and the same for goal B and team B. Thanks. Gurtak 10:04, 23 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Well turns it wasn't that difficult to create a custom team point entity for the goals. I was just hesitant about jumping straight into changing code. If anyone else wants this entity let me know, otherwise I'll move this to answered in the near future. Gurtak 07:08, 31 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Will not compile

FIXED:Did not know about user32.lib. That should really be put in a more obvious place. Elspin 19:44, 6 Jun 2007 (PST)

Weapon handoff?

I'm trying to have an NPC hand a weapon to the player. The goal is to have an armed npc_citizen (for example) who meets the player, goes through a short sequence, and holds out the weapon for the player to take. I know this is possible because Odessa does it in HL2 with the rocket launcher. I can muddle through the rest of the choreography but this bit has me stumped. What's the general procedure for scripting weapon pickups/handoffs? There are inputs listed in npc_citizen for e.g. GiveWeapon but no obvious way to get rid of weapons... At this point I've been through all the SDK docs and can't even find a way to convince an NPC to drop their weapon on the ground.

Plasmadyne 01:20, 18 May 2007 (PDT)

I think they used a weapon_rpg with the "Player only" flag checked, and built animations around it. See the commentary in Ep1 when Barney gives you the crowbar. --Gman003 08:38, 21 May 2007 (PDT)

OK, thanks... I think I have an outline now.

Plasmadyne 14:00, 27 May 2007 (PDT)

Exporting from XSI Foundation 6.0

I'm pretty new to modeling and trying to learn. I have a copy of XSI Foundation 6.0 (yes its legal if that matters). The Valve plugin doesn't seem to work (the ValveSource menu wasn't added to the toolbar). I put the file directly into the /addons folder. I suppose I could get a copy of the mod tool and move my files over when I'm ready to export, but I was wondering if there were any other options. Maybe I'm installing the addon wrong? Maybe it shows up somewhere else in the full versions of XSI? Pre-emptive thank you! -Mrhappy 01:20, 26 Mar 2007 (PDT)

As noted here, the addon included with the SDK does not work in XSI 5. I'm guessing, and hoping, that the addon on the page there also works for XSI 6. Worth a shot anyway. --Daedalus 19:13, 26 Mar 2007 (PDT)
Thanks a lot, I'm pretty sure it's working properly now. Moving to answered -Mrhappy 19:30, 10 Apr 2007 (PDT)

Problems with Engine / Map

I'm not sure if this is an error in the engine or a map, but every time I try to run a certain map, I get the following error:

13/ - func_brush: UTIL_SetModel: not precached: *3

hl2.exe then crashes to desktop. This only affects one map. I can provide the .vmf if needed.

--Gman003 15:39, 12 May 2007 (PDT)

Fixed, it was the skybox. Accidentally tied it to a func_brush.

--Gman003 17:48, 12 May 2007 (PDT)

Half-Life 2 Episode 1 "tree_pine" models

I'm fairly new to SDK's Hammer Editor & am currently trying my hand at mapping for Half-Life 2 Deathmatch. My particular map is of the outside variety in a mountain setting. I need evergreen trees to make it believable (no evergreen models available in Half-Life 2). I did notice just before the end of Episode 1 (in "ep1_c17_06.bsp"), there are evergreen trees. So with my GCF Scape I searched the "episode 1 shared.gcf" file & found them (six models altogether). I extracted the models to "hl2mp\models\episode1pines" & extracted the materials to "hl2mp\materials\models\episode1pines". However, the models don't appear in my map. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the fact that there were only two ".vmt" (material) & two ".vtf" (texture) files, but none with the same names as the models. Don't I need six ".vmt" & six ".vtf" files with the same names of the models? These models are awesome & are exactly what I'm looking for. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

P.S. I have also used bspzip.exe to extract embedded files within "ep1_c17_06.bsp" thinking the files I need may be there. No luck with that either. How can the game render these models if the necessary files aren't in "episode 1 shared.gcf" or "ep1_c17_06.bsp"? Is there another place I can look for these material & texture files?--YPE 19:18, 26 Mar 2007 (PDT)

There's nothing wrong with your models. You placed them in the wrong folder.
E.g. If they came from: episodic/models/prop_foliage/ in the episodic folder, THEY HAVE TO BE IN hl2mp/models/props_foliage, and the same goes for the materials. It's just how the .mdl system works.--Sortie 00:07, 30 Mar 2007 (PDT)
Thank you Sortie! I didn't realize the importance of keeping the directory intact. I moved the models to the "hl2mp\models\props_foliage" & the materials/textures to "hl2mp\materials\models\props_foliage". The models became visible when placed in my map. Now the only problem I have is feeling like a dork for putting them into the folder I created. I will give you due credit for helping me with the evergreen trees if I ever release my map. It's looking much better already! --YPE 16:58, 30 Mar 2007 (PDT)

Wait one minute i think he is wrong, you're creating the maps in hammer and want to include the props in your map correct, but you need to first extract the files to the Sourcesdk folder in the models and materials path for instance like this: c\programfiles\steam\steamies\username\sourcesdk_content\materials. Same goes for the the models but instead into the models folder. Sorry but the information he gave you is wrong once you place the props in that folder and materials you can then use them in Hammer. The game you design for also depends on the available content! However it being a mp map you can pack the textures and models so servers can have the players download them. Ive made sourceforts map and I've use ep 1 content on them so i think i would know pretty well on that one so its not bad or anything but thats what you need to do. It needs to be placed within hammmer so when compiled it will show up in the map.--Gear 17:06, 30 Mar 2007 (PDT)

Also on one last note I cant wait to see your map sounds great is it gonna look like this maybe a bit?:

City 17 040013.jpg
Gear, I can totally understand what you're saying. However, the information Sortie has given worked 100%. There is no need for duplicating the tree models into the "sourcesdk_content" directory. I did a compilation & the evergreen trees did show in-game. Thank you too, Gear, for bringing to my attention the "sourcesdk_content" directory. It may very well come in handy. As for what my map will look like, I'm not sure exactly, for I am not finished yet. But I can say that it will look completely different from the screenshot you posted. Hopefully, with luck, it will look a bit more like the opening scenes in the original "Half-Life 2: Episode 2 Trailer". That's my goal anyway. It may not look as good as what Valve has created, But I'm going to give it a shot. I am paying a lot of attention to detail. Who knows!

P.S. I will move this to the "Answered Questions" section in a few days (so Sortie & Gear know that it has been answered).--YPE 17:51, 30 Mar 2007 (PDT)

Sounds fantastic cant wait send me a copy when you're done I'll beta test it you hahah if thats okay i was just wondering with he hammer thing due to you need to place the props first in the map before its compiled but I'm glad it worked good luck!--Gear 17:54, 4 Apr 2007 (PDT)

Well, Gear's idea might work, but I guess it'll only work inside hammer. By putting it into the game/mods own folder, it's 100% secure it works, and simpler to release the map.
Thank you once again guys, I really appreciate the help you've given me. I certainly know where to go if i need help in the future! Peace... --YPE 15:42, 7 Apr 2007 (PDT)

Programming error

Every time I launch my mod, it works fine until I load a map. About 2/3 of the way through, I get "First-chance exception at 0x22b6d476 (server.dll) in hl2.exe: 0xC0000005: Access violation reading location 0x0000002c. Unhandled exception at 0x22b6d476 (server.dll) in hl2.exe: 0xC0000005: Access violation reading location 0x0000002c." Anyone know what that is? --Gman003 18:28, 19 Mar 2007 (PDT)

Full Log

Hope you don't mind, but I moved that log to a different page since it was so long.
As to your question, it looks as though you've built the game in the Debug release, have you? If so, clean your solution (it's in the Build menu), set your configuration to Release (it should be on the toolbar somewhere, a dropdown list that currently shows Debug), and then build your solution again. --Daedalus 20:26, 19 Mar 2007 (PDT)
No problem. And yes, it is a debug release, but that shouldn't affect it. I'll try rebuilding as release --Gman003 08:05, 20 Mar 2007 (PDT).
You'd think it wouldn't effect it, but I've been unable to use the SDK at all in Debug release, usually end up with errors I can't see. Release has been working fine for a long time for me though. Let me know how it goes. --Daedalus 14:08, 20 Mar 2007 (PDT)
That seems to fix it. --Gman003 07:54, 23 Mar 2007 (PDT)

Wacked animations

For some reason my animations are all lagged out (on default weapons in a ep1: sp mod code base), this has happened between compiles, and I changed no code. - Links to videos - NORMAL WACKED --Amckern 16:13, 2 Nov 2006 (PST)

Hammer: %1 is not a valid Win32 Application

Whenever I try to load Hammer to edit either a mod I created or HL2, I get the above error. I tried resetting the game configuration and also deleting/reinstalling the SDK. No dice. I'll keep trying other stuff to get it working. If I do, then I'll answer my own question I guess :D Daemon Jax 15:46, 15 Mar 2007 (PDT)

A: Using a direct shortcut to hammer solves this problem. I found out how to do this at Daemon Jax 16:14, 15 Mar 2007 (PDT)

HudMsg Error

When ever I run my level, I receive DLL_MessageEnd: Refusing to send user message HudMsg of 335 bytes to client, user message size limit is 255 byte. What can i do to get rid of it? Is it because i have to many ents initializing at map load, or is it something more low level? --Amckern 16:09, 23 Nov 2006 (PST)

Steamappid's, engine updates, and .dll's

I used to think I understood the way the engine updates and how mods access new code, but the more I read, the less I do. Also, I am not a programmer.

Using steamappid 215 is supposed to allow your mod to update in 'lockstep' with source engine updates. I am unclear if this means

  1. when you use the create a mod function the source code provided is the latest source code. this source code is updated when the source engine updates? Or client and server dll's are updated whenever steam updates, which would make no sense it would destroy custom code.
  2. I noticed there are many .dll's in the base source engine 2.gcf but that client.dll and server.dll are missing. As far as I can tell they only show up (besides in actual games) in base source engine.gcf/sourcetest/bin What confuses me is that this is the directory for the video stress test, and that the client.dll and server.dll weren't updated. I'm guessing that these other dll's are what update when the engine updates, and that the source code for them is unavailable without a license.
  3. I assumed that the engine only updated when a new episode/game is released, meaning that there has only been two updates (source base and source base 2), but this kinda doesn't make sense for two reasons:
    1. When compiling under Episode 1 (actually I haven't done this only read it) you do not need the -novirtualmesh parameter for displacements to collide with physics objects. However, under steamappid 215 you do which is either the same or a later code base, the later of which means (to me) that either the bug cropped up then, although I read it was present pre-ep1 and fixed (didn't get back into mapping till hl2:ep1) or that the bug only came up with a later code base, and once again, I thought the latest code base was the ep1, one.
    2. Steamappid 212 exists, which is the steamappid for base source engine 2. Now, as I understand it the code base only updates with a new episode/SP game. This implies that 213 will be for ep2 and 214 for ep3. Now, since they are released so far apart it doesn't make sense for steamappid to exist unless the codebase is updated between games using the non client and server dll's, which would retroactively effect steamappid 215 games, which may actually be bad (for example HDR on certain specular shaders is bad) This only makes sense if the codebase updates routinely, between games, but is not applied retroactively even when steamappid 215 is used. But, as far as I know it, the .gcf's are never modified, new ones created yes, but not modified, and the latest one is source sdk base 2.

I probably overthought/overtyped this. I'm sure its really simple, but I haven't seen a simple explanation anywhere. Anyone got one for me? Exactly how are standard-valve-made code updates applied to mods dynamically and when? --Mrhappy 00:38, 2 Feb 2007 (PST)

  1. There are two levels of code: engine code and game code. Engine code is updated in lock step for the SDK Base, that is, all engine updates immediately apply to mods; game code is updated when the game it's derived from changed, which isn't as often (look at the last HL2DM update!). Game code updates come as source code that must be merged into the mod's source (if the mod wants to use them).
  2. Engine code is in base source engine 2.gcf. Game code (client.dll and server.dll) is in the game's cache. The two DLLs are in the sdk base cache not because it's a stress test, but because they are the default, pre-compiled files that will be used if you are making a mod without custom code (like MINERVA). Source will see that you don't have code of your own and fall back to whatever's in the SDK Base cache. The same applies to all files.
  3. Valve update Source all the time.
    1. -novirtualmesh is for backwards-compatibility with older maps, AFAIK. Without it you'd need to recompile every map with a displacement in it.
    2. The only reason there is a separate "source engine 2" GCF is because of content issues between HL2 and Ep1. If it weren't for that, there would just be the one source engine.gcf. I would be very surprised if a third instance of Source were to crop up when Ep2 is released.
--TomEdwards 03:17, 2 Feb 2007 (PST)

Ok that makes sense, thank you! (I need to stop tying my brain in knots on stupid things like this.) Mrhappy 20:13, 2 Feb 2007 (PST)

HL2 in Outer Space?

Hello, I have been tearing at HL2 SDK for a while now trying to get a MOD to go into outer space as well as normal mode. I've done many things just short of completely breaking steam :P "sv_gravity 0" gives the no gravity effect, but you cant move. My guess is it's extremely simple or extremely hard. either way I desire to see HL2 in space! Anyone out there have a strategy or tutorial for making a space age level?

--Sir_BigOne 07:28, 25 Mar 2007 (PDT)

You can try creating a new class (cpp file) in the src/dlls directory:

Put this code in a cpp file in src/dlls (i.e. setPlayerPosition.cpp)

#include "cbase.h"
#include "convar.h"

void SetUserPosition( void ){
	CBasePlayer *pPlayer = ToBasePlayer( UTIL_GetCommandClient() );
	if(pPlayer != NULL && (engine->Cmd_Argc() == 3)){
		float x = atof(engine->Cmd_Argv(1));  //Get x coord
		float y = atof(engine->Cmd_Argv(2));  //Get y coord
		float z = atof(engine->Cmd_Argv(3));  //Get z coord

		Vector pos;
		pos = pPlayer->GetAbsOrigin();  //Get player position
		pos.x = x;
		pos.y = y;
		pos.z = z;
		pPlayer->SetAbsOrigin(pos);  //Set player position

static ConCommand set_user_position( "set_user_position", SetUserPosition, "Set the user's position (x,y,z)", 0 );

Compile it.

Now you can use the console command set_user_position(0,0,0) to move the player

To do the outer space jetpack, modify this code to increment x,y, or z everytime the command is called. Then bind a keyboard key to the command (using config.cfg)

You can also hack around in in_main.cpp in the src/cl_dll directory. This is where many of the input controls are handled. BE CAREFUL AND BACK UP FILES SO YOU DON'T BREAK YOUR MOD.

Good Luck.

--Steve Henderson 14:41, 27 Mar 2007 (PDT)

MY hammer crashes when I load a blank map NOT COMPILE I have tried reinstalling sdk base and source twice and I am stumped on what to do so can someone please help me Its says this is the error report (C:\DOCUME~1\SEANRA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\9e03_appcompat.txt) and I cannot find that file

--Sean 14:41, 16 Apr 2007 (PDT)

My take on it

It's really going to depend on what you are trying to accomplish. From the sound of it variable-gravity is one thing you want. You could use Trigger_gravity (IRCC) in your maps, which would allow you to make sections of the map have different levels of gravity. This has the benefit of being a mapping-only solution, which means that no further re-coding needs to be done.
The thing to remember (whether you hard-code,use sv_gravity, or trigger_gravity) is that gravity is what helps people walk, but putting some friction between them and the floor. As a result, the player will probably still need some form of propulsion to move around in the null-gravity sections (such as the jetpack mod above). Oh, and I'm aware that I'm answering a very old question, but I just wanted to make sure that people know what options they have. Hectate 06:11, 22 Oct 2007 (PDT)

"func_buyzone" does not exist in entities.

What might be the reason of this? Should I put a buyzone from somewhere else than from the entities menu? Because of this, there is no buyzone in my map, and that's the real problem. --Esa94 06:46, 18 Jun 2007 (PDT)

The func_buyzone entity is a brushbased entity, make sure you're doing "Tie to entity" while having the brush selected. Also make sure the configuration is CS: Source, and that the fgd is properly set. Solokiller 06:51, 18 Jun 2007 (PDT)

Okay, so I make a brush... There. Editing its size... Done too. Now it's tied to buyzone. Now just texturize it... There. Adding team value, cloning, changing team value... All done. Saving, and now (finally) testing. Works perfectly! Thanks a lot.--Esa94 11:35, 18 Jun 2007 (PDT)


There are four brushes in my map that simply REFUSE to be:

  • Re-textured
  • Deleted


  • If I try to move them, the brushes simply make copies of themselves and make the copies move instead.
  • Resizing gives me the same effect as the above. (Except the brush copy is resized, and not moved)
  • If I Shift-clone them, the copies work just fine!

They have no properties, because they are simply world brushes. Please Help!!!!! --Darthkillyou 20:22, 25 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Oops... It seems that I made many different copies of the same brushes over and over again... right on top of each other. NEVER DO THIS IF YOU CAN HELP IT. I guess I need to be more careful next time. :D --Darthkillyou 16:27, 31 Jul 2007 (PDT)

No func_buyzone

Guys, help please! I can't find func_buyzone in my entities menu! SDK is set to CS:S, my CS:S and SDK are valid and licensed. What the heck?

You have to make a brush first then convert it to an entity with CTRL + T

Or you can press the 'To Entity' button if you would like and next please place the questions in the help desk to get them answered faster thats where everybody looks really more rather than the talk page.--Gear 18:07, 4 Apr 2007 (PDT)

How to edit maps that come with the game

how do you edit the maps that come with team fort 2?

octoplasma: Simple! (I've done it) get VMEX. it is a BSP decompiler. select the BSP in VMEX and it converts it to the Hammer file type.

How do you add old games like half life 2 back into the sdk games list

I want to mod for half life 2 but only orange box shows up.

19:27, 26 Nov 2007 (PST)~

You need the Half Life 2 Game Itself.--Gear 23:35, 26 Nov 2007 (PST)

I'm pretty sure you have to set -ep1 (EDIT: Not Correct, read below!) in the Launch Options of Source SDK. --volt 23:50, 26 Nov 2007 (PST)
Yeah true, but you still require Half Life 2, for the original GCF, and hi volt.--Gear 23:56, 26 Nov 2007 (PST)

Hi gear. If he has the orange box, he has HL2. It's in the package. And the command you are looking to add into the command line is -engine ep1, excerpt from the Source SDK Release Notes.--volt 23:59, 26 Nov 2007 (PST)

Oh yeah Durrrh @ me, sorry about that, lol feel like an idiot now.--Gear 05:59, 27 Nov 2007 (PST)

why doesn't the .mdl compiler work

I tried compiling mdls with the compiler in the orangebox/bin folder but nothing happens.

cannot find textures for capture points

I am trying to texture with the tfc2 tutorial but there are no texture that they said should be there...why is this????

Are you referring to the prop_dynamic? --wisemx 06:48, 28 Dec 2007 (PST)

Fixed rather irritating title. --Baliame (talk) 07:44, 28 Dec 2007 (PST)

general portals

Is there a way to create "prey"-like portals in sdk? for example a door that leads into another part of an existing, or whole new level. Unsigned comment added by Spamos (talkcontribs). Please use four tildes (~~~~) to sign your username.

I think the answer would be: yes and no. To some extent I believe you could be able to use the new engine capabilities (introduced by Portal, specifically) to create the portals themselves, and that would allow you to interconnect two parts of the same map. As for using a portal to connect two maps, that might not possible, since when you change maps you must load the new map, and that not only takes a bit of time (i.e., it's not instantaneous like in "prey", but then again, in "prey" it probably was instantaneous because the portal lead to another part of the same map...I don't know), it will spoil the momentum the player might have had.
Plus, if a portal were to lead to another level, you would have to create the illusion that the player, who is looking at the portal, is actually seeing the other level. This can be easily accomplished if the "other level" starts in a relatively small area (you can actually create that same area in the "first level", and put a changelevel entity right after the portal, so the player is taken to the "other level").
In any case, the source code available in the SDK is not the most recent ("Orange Box") version so you probably can't do anything that is related to portals (unless you were to code it in by yourself), for the time being at least. --Etset 02:46, 17 Jan 2008 (PST)