Snarkpit Articles
for Half-Life » Beginner Guides
updated Tue May 31st 2005 at 1:27pm
0 faves
0 ratings
8467 views
Creating a basic room
by Renegatus (view all articles)
unrated
unrated
Get to grips with creating a basic room


Introduction


One thing this site lacked was a basic room creation tutorial. For all the newbies visiting (including me!), I have created this quick tutorial to get you started.

Get Started


1. Open Worldcraft/Hammer, and click File>New.



2. Click the Block Creation Tool button, and draw a box in the front window.



3. Adjust the settings to make it 640w 384l 64h. These details can be found in a status box at the bottom.



4. Change the current texture to anything you want.



5. Right-click the block in any window and click "Create Object".





You now have a floor. You have learnt how to create brushes with textures. If you want, add a ceiling and four walls.

Creating a spawn point


A spawn point is the place where the player will appear at the start of the level. To create one:

1. Click the Entity Creation Tool (above the Block Creation Tool).
2. In the Objects drop-down box, select info_player_start (to the right of the Textures drop-down box).
3. Left-click any where inside your room. Now use the left mouse button to move the start point.
4. When happy with your start point, right-click it and select "Create Object".

Compiling and Saving


Saving your map basically writes all the information needed to create your map into a VMF file, or Valve Map File. This is what the Hammer editor uses to load your previous creations. When you compile a map a BSP file is created which Half-Life 2 reads. You should really save your map before each compile and release the compiled file as your finished map. Saving is easy, you just click File > Save and give the map a name. Compiling is similarly easy. Click the Run button and a dialog box should appear.



Put the settings as above. You can check or uncheck the "Don't run the game after compiling" box to meet your needs. If left unchecked the game you are making a map for (i.e. Half-Life 2) will be launched and your map will load for you to test play. It's quite useful as it skips all the menus and intro vids. The additional parameters is for you to use how you wish. If you put "-console" without the quotation marks in and the game will load with the console enbaled. Then you can run commands in the game to load buggies, NPCs, cheats, all sorts!


1
2 next page »
Post ReplyView Topic
Discussion
0 starsPosted by Le Chief on Thu Oct 12th 2006 at 12:05am

From a nebies point of veiw (i'm not a newb), this tut was the greatest thing that ever happed to half-life. Ask my brother lol and my freind lol there newbs. My freing dosent know how to change the textutre of brushers so all his-1 roomed maps are coverd in 8 ball teaxtures.

I realise there is probley alot os speling mistakes but I cant help that (i probley could)

But dude really its great for the noobs. Good one, for the noobs, not me though smiley


Noob score by the way
0 starsPosted by G.Ballblue on Sun Dec 25th 2005 at 12:26am

0 starsPosted by tovlakas on Mon Nov 28th 2005 at 12:13am

This is a good start, and I commend the effort to help out the new mappers. However, I think this tutorial needs to be updated with a lot more information. Your goal should be to have the tutorial's reader be able to create a playable room from scratch by following your tutorial, with no outside or previous knowledge. Go over the differences between creating a room from "hollowing" out a block versus creating each brush seperately. Go over the different things that the mapper needs to check for before trying to play the map (leaks, etc). I think if you add a bit more content, this could be a very helpful addition to the website!
0 starsPosted by satchmo on Sun Oct 30th 2005 at 11:17pm

I agree with the negative aspect of hollowing, but for a beginner, it's the easiest way to make a room.

I guess you can argue that starting someone with a bad habit isn't the best thing, and I agree with that.
0 starsPosted by DrGlass on Fri Oct 28th 2005 at 10:26pm

This isn't a finished tutorial, you need to explain lights. One of the worst things new mappers can do is release a map that is full bright, and like everyone else said... you NEED walls and ceiling.

also, satch, I second omegaslayer. Hollowing out anything is just asking for trouble
0 starsPosted by omegaslayer on Fri Oct 28th 2005 at 3:06am

This tutorial was NEEDED!!! I have gotten sick of "Started mapping, need help" threads, in the end we just refer people to these tutorials. But it does need a quick explanation of what a leak is, which will go into an explantion of why you need walls and a ceiling.
PS: about the hollowing out of a box: Best NOT TO START POOR HABITS WHILE WE CAN!!!!!!!!
0 starsPosted by parakeet on Thu Oct 27th 2005 at 12:53am

You now have a floor. You have learnt how to create brushes with textures. If you want, add a ceiling and four walls.

IF YOU WANT? .. dont you HAVE to...

i hardly read the whole thing , but when i was a newb , this tutorial would have shot my brains
0 starsPosted by Underdog on Wed Oct 26th 2005 at 8:15pm

This tutorial is quite low grade. Not horribly so or I figure that the Admin would never have authorized its inclusion into the site. I do however feel that anyone who would even say the words "The easiest way to make the first room is to hollow out a box." should be dragged through the streets until dead.

Well not dead but until they have a serious case of asphalt rash at least.
People whom give poor advice like this, should not comment on mapping tutorials.
0 starsPosted by Guessmyname on Tue Oct 25th 2005 at 12:49am

Why is this in the half-life tutorials section?

P.S. Ministry of Love eh? Sounds interesting...
0 starsPosted by Foxpup on Mon Oct 24th 2005 at 10:34pm

There a few problems with this tutorial:

"If you want, add a ceiling and four walls." You do not want a ceiling and four walls. You need it.

"God said, 'I command light to shine!' And light started shining. God looked at the light and saw that it was good." - Genesis 1:3 When creating your universe, it helps to have a light entity.
1
2 next page »
Post ReplyView Topic