Level Design

It shows how to make a lift that will visit anyone of five floors, by pressing the appropriate button

A basic application of the ai_relationship entity

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.

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

Making a Camera

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

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

It is the Battery Puzzle in HalfLife 2 where you have to get the batteries all hooked up.

This is our first PORTAL tutorial. It shows how to make the Pits that appear throughout the game.

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.

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

In several paces in the game, metropolice throw ignited explosive barrels down onto Freeman, in water.

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.

A short story on a 1.6 to source conversion

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.

Learn how to use the npc_maker entity to create attack waves of enemies

Leaks, Pointfiles, and You

This tutorial will describe how to set a sky different than the default one. At the end of the tutorial there is also a list of all the available skies as well as a link to a picture of them for reference.

It makes a Rope Bridge that spans a gap of 256 and is 64 units wide. There are two examples one is breakable.

We'll show everyone who wants to do a Map for HL2 or a different Mod

This is a revision (April 2009) of the original tutorial which turned out inaccurate either because I'm dumb, or because of a change in the SDK. It's an addition to the tutorial (53) on the Point_viewcontrol entity.

Make players start out with certain weapons.

Part 1 - This tutorial shows how to make a single drawbridge.

Add manhacks to your level that are hostile towards the player

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

This is a tutorial showing how to make swing doors.

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.

Illustrates the use of func_tracktrain, path_track and the phys_ragdoll_constraint.

How To make a ladder

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

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.

Counter-Strike Source and R_speeds

In this tutorial I will show you how to use lightmapscale to help make good, realistic looking shadows.(#1Duck)

Triggering a Sound

A short tutorial illustrating how to get an npc_metropolice to shoot a flare into the air.

Quick and Easy Working Ladders

How to make stuff respawn if the conventional ways fail.

Making a Ladder

Following on from the bomb target tutorial - how to set Bomb advance in your CSS map with fire and sound. This is a VIDEO tutorial.

Let you map have light! A tutorial that will give you a better idea of how simple lights are implemented into your maps and also the effects that they will have on the compiled product.

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

A tutorial on how to get an npc_cscanner to equip itself with Combine Mines and drop them. The scanner uses Path Corners to guide it's movement.

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.

Blow up a wall with an airstrike

Making Maps Realistic

This is a simple tutorial; how to make it snow. The standard brush env_precipitation does not really work, everything in it looks like rain. However env_embers is a good substitute.

This is a basic tutorial on displacement mapping

The basic principles to Game_UI and Logic_Compare entity control.

This tutorial is about Teleports. The map shows four teleports, A to B then B to A.

Using the Nodraw Texture

Sun, rain, dust and fog

In this tutorial I will try to describe how to make a 3d skybox. See tutorial 100, here for the theory. The map I am making here is a bit like the SDK_3dskybox map, simple enough, but the principles apply to more complicated maps

Part one of an In-depth tutorial covering the ins and outs of lighting in the Source Engine

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

This tutorial was written by Boomstick123 (with hints from Bornstein) and creates a fully operational keypad for unlocking a door.

In this tutorial I have tried to show how to set up scripted_sequences.

Ambient_Generic

Making the Gman into a 'Model Citizen'

This tutorial will explore how to use the env_screenoverlay entity. This is used in the intro to HL2 with G-Man musing about calling on Gordon again. The tutorial covers just the basic stuff about how to make it work.

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

High Dynamic Range can help you add that warm glow to your creation.

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

Adding that touch of ambience to your Source maps

The following tutorial shows how to spawn antlions that attack you.

This shows how to make a npc_c scanner on the same path patrol endlessly.

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

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).

The tutorial is one way of making a zipline.

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

Want to make it look like your map is enormous without it actually being large? Read on!

A teleporter that goes to a random location

Control NPC actions

Make a door that can only be opened with a key card

Want some realistic terrain? Read on!

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.

Draws a basic outside area with trees and fog, and suggests a couple of good sky and light environment combinations to get a good effect.

Displaying something, and plugged into the wall

An introduction to Source physics

This shows how to put the Episode 2 car in your map. It also shows how to set up the radar unit, and an example of using it.

and why yours might not work

Hanging Entitys from a rope in CS:Source

little how-to on the new way to link entities

This tutorial shows how to place and link, ai_goal_assault, assault_assaultpoint and assault_rallypoint.

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

This was my first tutorial, for a pop up ground turret as seen in d3_c17_10b

This is a basic tutorial about how to get the Strider to fire the minigun and the cannon. The set up is straightforward, just a bit specialised for the demonstration VMF

Env_Beam

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.

Portal: Changing Textures/Signs

Making a Breakable Window

Making a Bomb Site in CS:Source

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

This Tutorial covers some very basic stuff about env_global specifically the effect of the Gordon Pre-criminal setting in relation to NPC_Citizens following or not following the player.

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.

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

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

This tutorial shows how to make an npc_combinedropship carry and drop off an npc_vehicle_apc.

This tutorial shows how to get citizens to jump down, as in the d3_c17_04 level HL2.

This tutorial will teach you how to make a func_breakable_surf start out broken when the map loads without the player doing anything to it.

Alot of people have problems with opening their console.

You are able to examine a VMF and pull out the bits you are interested in looking at, and learn how Valve used entities and how they relate to each other, to achieve certain effects.

Using displacement maps to preserve texture alignment around arches.

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

Ever wanted to give areas in your map a name that'll show up under the radar, next to teamchat and that bots will refer to?

Making Props Show Up

Using Math_Counters To Trigger Single Events From Multiple Triggers

Reducing Vis Times

a way for setting off events (explosions in this case) randomly

This tutorial by Terrenteller shows how to spawn an npc_stalker by a button. The stalker walks across the room then disappears.

This tutorial follows a request on the Halfwit-2 forum about respawning items.

This Tutorial assumes you have completed 'Part-1', of making the corridor.

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

Using the 'Clipping' tool to cut holes

Doing Buildings and Models the Combine way of life.

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

This is a follow to Simple Lasers. It demonstrates how to link lasers to entities which move. Two ways are illustrated here and in 137 - a laser that goes up and down and one that revolves and moves to and fro at the same time.

CSS Bomb target

This is a short tutorial on the new func_reflective_glass and texture,

A tutorial covering how to make plugs that can be unplugged and plugged in over and over again, as well as learning how to use the combine power generator prefab.

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

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

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

A tutorial on how to create a tire swing with physics and constraints

Tutorial showing how to get citizens (NPC's) to come through a door.

Introduction to, and use of, a logic_case

Making a Rope/Cable

Practical Displacements

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.

An easy to use tool that makes life easier in many ways.

It shows how to get npc_metropolice to jump down off walls. (Level d1_canals_01a for example).

Real Constructive: Hammer Geometry for Unreal Mappers

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 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.

How to blend two existing textures

Need to make some good old fashioned glass in Source? Read on.

Using the displacement feature

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

This is part two of the dangly wire/electrified water tutorial. It uses the set up in the last tutorial and only adds a water brush and a trigger_hurt brush, and a couple of adjustments to outputs.

One way of using trigger_look. In the VMF - you see a screen of the adjacent room, then a shelf falls down in the room enabling you to get a gun and ammo. Zombies Optional !

This tutorial shows how to hang something from a rope/cable. In this case it's a citizen - but the same principle applies to other models/entities.

Make a button turn a light on and off

Create a simple setup with a door that rotates

This is a tutorial is the first on the logic_choreographed_scene.

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.

This tutorial shows the basic steps to change from one map to another (level change)in the game.

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).

Looks at both way of putting a sun (env_sun) into your map.

Making a freight elevator with props

Moving water layer

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

This is a tutorial for creating an initial block map for an outdoor real world location.

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.

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

This tutorial is a continuation of the fourth tutorial, we will take the rooms made there and join them with a corridor.

This tutorial demonstrates some of the action in the Coast levels in the game.

a tutorial on how buildings that are not accessible to the player, but form an essential part of maps, were made, and were able to look so realistic.

This tutorial is a basic guide to the ai_goal_actbusy entity.

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

Create a simple corridor in hammer

Cycling between cameras, chase cameras, etc.

Hidden and Dangerous: npc_sniper

This is a small tutorial demo, which has an npc_combinegunship flying around for a while and then exploding.

Design realistically-breaking glass doors

List of Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike Source skynames

Based on a VMF supplied by Bud Doug Lee this shows how to set up an active Energy Ball launcher and trap for PORTAL.

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.

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

An introduction to scripted_sequences in Source.

This is a basic tutorial about the ai_goal_police . This is basically an entity that when triggered forces a named npc_metropolice to guard a particular area in your map.

Create a TV with Breen talking on it

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

This tutorial covers the env_steam entity , and includes a valve to turn it on and off.

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

This is an illustration of some of the things you can do with Trigger_push. Most of what you need to know is in the VMF as you can experience the effects there.