Source SDK top 10 common mistakes

There seems to be a recurring theme in the maps I've seen being made. I'll just rectify some issues and make everybody watch this video, feel secretly guilty and try to convince themselves that they haven't done any of these before ;)

1) Aligning levels
2) Overlapping blocks
3) Realistic widths of blocks
4) Spawn points
5) SKYBOXES!
6) SKYBOX TEXTURES!
7) Lighting
8) CARVING
9) Water
10) Object types for different situations

Ignore at your peril. Having problem lining up your maps when you're copy and pasting rooms in a hotel? Number 1's your problem!

THE LIST OF AVAILABLE SKYBOXES CAN BE FOUND HERE www.fpsbanana.com/tuts/254 , as suggested by Mikejaxer.

For more tutorials, visit
http://www.3kliksphilip.com

Category:

Howto & Style

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[ThomasXp]

Crtl h doesnt work nymore

[3kliksphilip]

@ThomasXp You now have to do it manually through the menus at the top

[Speed1Killer1]

at 8#: dont change the size of 2 blocks at same time, thats all

[3kliksphilip]

@Speed1Killer1 Yes! Well said.

[clownbabydiode1]

For all those who are beginner's learning. I recommend you start by decompiling one of valve's maps and making a remake, that is how i learned

[3kliksphilip]

@clownbabydiode1 I think that it's a good idea when you're trying to learn to do a specific thing in Hammer, but I think that most people will end up being overly confused with all of the brushes, models, hints and triggers everywhere. Especially if they're new to Hammer. Best to get them used to the basics, then they will at least have a good idea of what they're looking at / for when they decompile a valve map. I get confused when I'm looking at some of Valve's maps.

[3kliksphilip]

@Hal0K1LLER117 Aw no I love everybody really!

[deckstore]

Realistic wall widths should be 8 for exterior and 4 interior. (excluding foundation walls etc)

[MikeTVogel]

@stevieRay3211

I was just going to post something to the same effect, that Valve themselves recommend against using huge boxes for the skybox.

This following link explains why:

developer-dot-valvesoftware-do­t-com/wiki/Skybox_Optimization

(replace the -dot- with actual periods)

It makes a lot of sense with how they illustrate it.

Some very good tips in this video otherwise.

[takispap100]

@stevieRay3211 In some video he said that it's not the best way to make a skybox

[PriditProductions]

@3kliksphilip Valve maps are a complete mind fuck and bring Hammer to a crawl, I stay away from them.

[rockoman100]

Actually u used carve pretty properly. Carve is a good tool for carving rectangular holes, and the results are usually the same if you were using the clipping tool. You should NOT carve with anything but rectangles.

[reNINTENDO]

Here's one so may people do that it just annoys the crap outta me: MAKE YOUR STAIRS REALISTIC HEIGHTS. Seriously, I've seen fantastic mappers ruin their levels by having huge, goofy looking stairs.

[stevieRay3211]

Making a huge box around the whole level for a skybox is bad form as is hollowing - the later since hollowing creates overlapping brushes at the corners.

[kingjulianhird123]

For #10 to see what type of prop your model is, select your model in the browser then go to the info tab below the model view window and then the prop types it can be are ticked.

[TheHalfshot]

Binary numbers :P

[Aidan303]

also if you have too many overlapping blocks sometimes blocks you didn't place come up that dont do anything but look ugly :/