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map_edit methods
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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by reaper47 on Fri Feb 16th at 3:50pm 2007

I heard vague rumors of this method before but never knew how unusual and strange it was. There's a console command called "map_edit". You can use it to load maps while Hammer is running in the background and "synchronize" changes in game with Hammer(!). It can be used for moving AI nodes in realtime or place physics_props where you need them with the gravity gun and then write the new positions in the Hammer VMF file(!?!).

What interests me the most so far is the ability to settle physics props on a stable ground position to avoid a short lag at the map-load. But the existence of this feature alone is quite amazing. And I never heard of it in all the years.

Here's the full description:

http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Map_edit#Using_map_edit_to_settle_physics_props


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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by fishy on Fri Feb 16th at 5:17pm 2007

having props start asleep is a huge physics saving throughout the game, even though it's more noticable at startup. i can see me using this for small breakable stuff, that wouldn't be expected to last very long after being bumped awake, so there's no buildup of collision calculations.




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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by Flynn on Fri Feb 16th at 8:17pm 2007

Meh, I knew about this but it seems merely nothing more than a gimmick 8= (Forgive me if I'm wrong ofcourse).


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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by reaper47 on Fri Feb 16th at 8:40pm 2007

I just found this to come out of nowhere for me. HL2 interlinked with Hammer to edit entity positions in the VMF? If I heard of that earlier without any proof I wouldn't have believed it. <img src=" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">


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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by fishy on Fri Feb 16th at 10:08pm 2007

? quote:
Meh, I knew about this but it seems merely nothing more than a gimmick

a gimmick that places physics props perfectly on the ground, so that they can start asleep, is the gimmick for me.

even doing stuff like blocking off corridors with big piles of furniture is so much easier to do with something like this. the last time i done that, it took forever to get a wardrobe and two chairs to fit together, without bits of one sticking through one of the others. this would probably have saved me half an hour with that one barricade alone.




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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by Flynn on Fri Feb 16th at 11:28pm 2007

I must admit to the fact that the post I made was rather hastily. I really just wanted to state that I new about the feature before. I guess the reason it never caught on for me was because of the fiddly quicksaving/quick loading that must take place in order for this feature to be of any use.




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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by reaper47 on Fri Feb 16th at 11:46pm 2007

It's not really something that speeds up mapping, it's more for situations that would make pretty much every other method impossible. Like stacking phys props in a complicate way. I'm sure it could come in handy for SP AI controls, too.


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 Re: map_edit methods
Posted by Stadric on Sat Feb 17th at 2:14am 2007

Hmm, me wants to try this.
I'm going to have to make some barricades in the next map I'm going to make, and this looks like the perfect thing for it.


Also change the texture of the dock. Docks are rarely tile. -Facepunch
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