Level Design

Displaying something, and plugged into the wall

This is a tutorial on the 2-D skybox, which is the simpler of the two types of skybox in Hammer.

The most common reason for props not showing up in the game

Portal: Changing Textures/Signs

Illustrates the use of func_tracktrain, path_track and the phys_ragdoll_constraint.

This tutorial shows how to make the plug that features a lot in the game.

This tutorial shows how to make npc_metropolice and npc_combine_s patrol. It's based on ai_goal_actbusy and info_node_hint entities.

Making Props Show Up

make antlions or other npc's assault / move to a place on the map

Triggering a Sound

This is a timer put together by Bud Doug Lee for PORTAL. It is set up so that as soon as the map starts the timer counts down from 30 seconds to zero.

how to make a func_physbox explode upwards, and basically how to fling heavy objects into the air.

Making a Spawn and func_buyzone in CS:S

Making a Breakable Window

This tutorial shows how to make an 'Iris' door.

Take your first steps into creating a map in Valve’s Source SDK.

This is a tutorial is the first on the logic_choreographed_scene.

This is a set of stairs that slide out from a wall.

Finding leaks in the new Hammer

Getting it done despite the bugs

This tutorial is a basic guide to the ai_goal_actbusy entity.

This tutorial illustrates how to recreate the effect of Gordon Freeman waking, then getting up.

This article can help bring your older mods back to life on Steam pipe

This tutorial explains how to make a picture of your choice load up as the background picture on the ingame menu page.

It shows a good way of using a math_counter and triggers, to set off a number of events.

In this second tutorial on the Arch tool. In it we will look at how to make curved corners and coving in rooms.

You want to make a ceiling collapse, whether to let in combine soldiers or headcrabs, or just to block a route. In this tutorial, I'll be showing you the basics.

Creating the unpluggable TV, as seen in Half-Life 2.

Cordon Tools in Hammer are useful for enclosing a map for compiling, if you don't have a skybox yet. Also useful for locating errors in a large map.

An introduction to scripted_sequences in Source.

Using the displacement feature

In this Tutorial we will explain you how to create your first room. You will learn to place one light and a player start and something more. So you got a basic knowledge of building a map.

This is a tutorial illustrating a use of the info_node_link. An entity that has a link to another info_nodethat can be turned on and off.

This one looks at how you get a dropship to take troops to a particular location on a map.

Making it Rain or Snow

This is another PORTAL tutorial. This shows how to make the 'Emancipation Grill' or Portal Cleanser, that removes the useful boxes, when you walk through.

This is how to recreate the dog/ball interchange that appears in Eli's lab in the game.

Want some realistic terrain? Read on!

This tutorial will try to explain how the phys_pulleyconstraint entity works.

AI path Finding in Half-Life 2

How to add custom sounds to Source maps

Reducing Vis Times

Create a basic water setup for your source level

The actbusy system is used to make NPCs appear busy. NPCs do so on placed nodes and will act busy until certain conditions are met (such as hearing an explosion).

How to blend two existing textures

In this first tutorial on the Arch tool, we will make a tunnel, like those seen in HL2.

Doors in HL2: The prop_door_rotating Entity

Second Video tutorial showing how to get your creations into Half-Life2 by means of a logic_choreograpphed_scene.

Shows you how to make a tunnel through the use of displacements

CSS hostage resuce

Create a simple corridor in hammer

How to get physics objects into your Source engine maps

How to set up a zombie breaking through a wall, out of a cupboard and through metal panels (a bit like in the early coast level). I have tried to show a few ways of doing it using, and in the process illustrate a couple of ways of blowing up walls.

Import Custom Textures

Making a Dynamic Light

How to make breakable glass

Triggers, Inputs and Outputs are an intricate part of adding interactivity to your levels

This tutorial shows how to make a breakable padlock, enabling access to a locked/padlocked area. This is the promised extension to the env_steam tutorial ( No: 51) and uses that VMF.

this is how you make the camera drop to the ground like in the singleplayer game.

This was put together by qwerty who was trying to find a way to make the Citizen act like a metrocop guarding an area (ai_goal_police).

This camera is good for when you join a map, it gives you a view of the map before you join a team

This is a tutorial about ncp_strider . It will cover walking.

Hidden and Dangerous: npc_sniper

This is a tutorial on how to make a 'real' lift/elevator. This is the prop_dynamic model lift seen throughout the HL2 game, primarily in Eli's Lab.

Shows how to make an escalator using the func_tracktrain.

This is a list of soundscapes for some Source Games

PORTAL tutorial illustrating how to set up the wake up scene at the beginning of the game. It is similar to the scene where Gordon Wakes Up in HL2.

Blow up a wall with an airstrike

Creating curved geometry using arches

Make players start out with certain weapons.

You saw them, you want to make them...

Resembling the automatic stairs in Portal, this was made for Ep 2. It will work in both Half-life 2 and Portal, just be selective with your textures.

create a CCTV style monitor that will display two different camera locations on one monitor toggled by a button.

Using Math_Counters To Trigger Single Events From Multiple Triggers

This is a basic tutorial by Raidenator on how to create a displacement brush. These are the brushes that are used mainly for creating terrain.

An easy little tutorial that teaches the user to create hinged objects. In this example, we'll be making shutters.

How to create destroyed holes realistically via the Clipping and Vertex Edit tools

This is just an illlustration of what can be achieved with creative brushwork, so you don't always have square or rectangular rooms in your map.

this shows how to make the headcrab canisters that crash in from the sky and disgorge a number of headcrabs.

Shows how to place water so it looks natural in a displacement area.

In this short tutorial we'll get a citizen to run from one side of the map to the other screaming.

Illustrates a use of the trigger_wind entity. The VMF has a simple set up some containers on a table and a cardboard box are blown by a gust of wind.

Make combine NPCs hurl barrels at the player and fire at them

Need to make a dropship fly in and drop off some combine soldiers?

This shows how to construct a water area that kills the player. Obvious example is from Lost Coast - where if you venture into the water you see all these white leeches and you die fairly quickly.

Hang 'Em High: phys_ballsocket

Cutting holes in things: which tool and why

Alot of people have problems with opening their console.

Wanted to make something like in Unreal tournament a bounce pad,

This tutorial shows how to make a simple rotating light. It's illustrated here as two lights on opposite sides of the fitting, but you can have one or three or more.

Set the mood of a scene easily using Source's in-game GUI colour correction editor.

This is another tutorial about ncp_strider. It will cover crouching and crouch/walking under things. This was difficult to get to work, but the important issue seems to be make sure there is enough space all around the strider.

In this Tutorial we'll explain you how to navigate the Hammer Editor. You'll learn more about the functions of the Tools and the handling of the Editor.

Placing a BuyZone in a CSS map.

Making a Camera Part 2

This is a tutorial showing how to make double sliding doors

Create a simple room with a light

Introduction to, and use of, a logic_case

You have an nice interior area of your map. You have a few opaque windows and you want to have them cast light into your map.

How to make the inside and outside of a dome using displacement surfaces

Shows you what you should use subdivide for

DON'T LOOK AWAY

This shows how to build a Revolving Door. The tutorial will cover making a plain door; a door with glass in, and a door with breakable glass in.

This is a tutorial showing two ways how to make a door that stays locked until the player has a 'key' to unlock it. Can be used with any sort of door. This tutorial will use a func_door , a func_rotating_door .

Using assault_ entities to direct Combine assaults

I have taken the Hotel building from Trainstation and constructed it from scratch.

An introduction to terrain creation

This is a tutorial about rappeling. Cops and combines dropping out of the air to make life difficult for the player.

Put together by Dylan Holcomb, this helps you find your way around the new Particle Editor.

Doing Buildings and Models the Combine way of life.

Elapsed Time by Bud Doug Lee

In this tutorial we will build a room and divide it with a wall.

A guide on the three diffrent types of glass the source engine is capable of

This shows one way of using the aiscripted_schedule entity. We will create a group of combine, who will seek out and come after the player.

This is a tutorial on the env_soundscape entity, written by Mynameisme. It shows how to put in two different soundscapes and how they work in changing from one to another.

Part 3 - This tutorial shows how to make a double drawbridge.

This tutorial shows how you get a Dropship to drop a Strider.

This tutorial shows how to insert your own .wav file and get a model (GMan in this case) to mouth what you have recorded.

This is a tutorial on Neon Signs, made by Bud Doug Lee. The VMF has three letter 'A' in red, that blink on one at a time, then all blink on and off.

Ever wondered how you can make caves like in Episode 2?

This is a basic tutorial on how the Gravity function works. Put simply, to change the gravity the player must walk through a trigger_gravity brush.

This tutorial shows how to electrify something so that touching it hurts the player.

This is a basic tutorial on lighting which I discovered on thread at Facepunch Forums. I liked it's simple straighforward four step approach to getting good basic lighting effects.

In this Tutorial we'll explain you how to navigate the Hammer Editor. You'll learn more about the functions of the Tools and the handling of the Editor.

This tutorial covers the basics of gameflow, why it is important and how to achieve it.

Using them, and stopping them from kicking up dust

A quick guide on how to make that really fantastic looking water from Half Life 2/Counter Strike.

These cameras are working monitors that turn on when a button is pushed.

shows how the oncoming train in d2_coast-07 was put together.

Making Respawnable Entities

In this tutorial i will show you how to create a basic room with a nice light and how to use the HDR effect in your maps.

A basic application of the ai_relationship entity

Part 2. Add manhacks to your level that are hostile towards the player

Add manhacks to your level that are hostile towards the player

This tutorial shows how to 'fuel' an energy source.

Made in Episode 1 config. Tutorial shows how to blow up doors with combine lock on.

This tutorial attempts to show how to make them come up through the floors.

This tutorial on an alternative multi choice lift using func_movlinear instead of func_tracktrain.

A different way of doing it

This tutorial demonstrates the use of the logic_case and logic_timer entities.

Create a simple lift/elevator system for your maps

This tutorial is another train oriented one. It shows how to make a couple of trains go from one tunnel to another, and after a short while they do it again endlessly.

A short tutorial on how to add decals to brush entities.

An intermediate tutorial, it will try to give as much step by step as possible, but assumes you have Basic knowledge like making a room, placing entities and texturing.

Covers four different ways of making Volumetric Light and in part two shows how to create fake shadows.

This is a basic tutorial on displacement mapping

Texture variation within a terrain surface

An intermediate tutorial, it will try to give as much step by step as possible, but assumes you have Basic knowledge like making a room, using an info_player_start, and putting in a light entity.

Simple tute showing how to do this. Be aware that when they get shot a headcrab appears from nowhere !!

A list of them, and solutions

Counter-Strike Source and R_speeds

This tutorial shows how to make a simple camera and project a scene onto a monitor.

Quick and Easy Working Ladders

Have you ever noticed that some 'grass' textures also have tall grass and weeds that show up in game?

This is a small tutorial demo, showing how to use the 50 percent falloff distance and 0 percent falloff distance in the light and light_spot entities.

The Tangled Web We Weave: Ropes in HL2

Part 2 - In this Tutorial I have included two fake mechanisms.

making a moving background map on the menu page of the game.

This is a basic tutorial about npc_helicopter

This tutorial was written in response to a query on the Chatbear forum. Shadowofamn wanted to know how to make a ladder, like a fire escape, that slides down to ground level so you can use it.

Introduction to the light_dynamic entity

Weapon entity

This tutorial shows how to make a conveyor that transports the player - so a moving floor I guess. I will put up a tutorial on how to make one for transporting objects later.

A trick for improving player movement through your single or multiplayer level. Touches on the proper use of prop_physics, player clips, and layout techniques.

This is an example using the undocumented info_lighting_relative entity. Its primary use seems to be to light a prop_dynamic or prop_physics in a situation where a normal lighting source will not fit, or where a special lighting effect is desired.

Creating different glass types

This is another PORTAL tutorial. This one is the basic circular door model. Next tutorial will deal with the button that you put the box on to open it.

This is a tutorial showing how to make swing doors.

Making Maps Realistic

Making Water

How to construct one from scratch - though there is a prefab in Hammer.

Add Breakable Glass to your level

how to make water rise and fall in a map

This builds a BASIC ROOM takes you through making brushes, hollowing, placing the player, adding a light source and some basic texturing operations in Hammer