[Up to v2.2 ONLY] PVKII Mapping Tutorial : Updated - Read before asking questions! Options

[YeeHaa]

Ok, so you are one of those eager people who want to start mapping for PVKII, but has no clue on how to set it up or put in different gamemodes?
Then you've come to the right place This tutorial will explain the setting up basics and will also guide you trough the basics of PVKII.
Let's get started then shall we?

1 Adding PVKII to your SourceSDK
------------------------------------------------

In Steam you'll see 4 sections - Store , My Games, My Media and Tools
- Now open up tools, you will see a thing called Hammer Editor, this is what we'll be mapping with.
- Open up Hammer Editor and click on Tools -> Options

You'll see something coming up like this:



Now click on Edit - Next to Configuration



Now click on ADD



Typ in the GameName (PVKII) and click OK, then Close.

Now we'll configure everything step by step.



- Game Data Files
---------------------

Select your PVKII.fgd in "Valve/Steam/SteamApps/SourceMods/pvkii"
Click ADD and ADD the pvkii.fgd.

- Game Excecutable Directory
----------------------------

This is where the .exe is, this can be either "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/half-life2" or "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/source sdk base"
Starting the game when your map is compiled never worked for me, so this part doesn't really matter.

- Game Directory
----------------

This is the 'mod-folder' , in this case: PVKII, search for "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Sourcemods/pvkii".

- Hammer VMF Directory
---------------------------

This is where your maps will be saved, choose any folder you want, I chose my Harddrive "D:"





Build Programs
--------------
Click on Build Programs when in Tools-> Options

Note:Your vbsp, vvis, vrad are in "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin, if you don't have custom ones

- Game Excecutable
-----------------------

This should be "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and then hl2.exe

- BSP Excecutable
--------------------

Go to "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and choose vbsp.exe

VIS Excecutable
-------------------

Go to "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and choose vvis.exe

RAD Excecutable
-------------------

Go to "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and choose vrad.exe

Place compiled maps in this directory before running the game
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is where Hammer Editor will search for your .vmf and compile the map into a .bsp.
This has to be the maps folder of the mod:
"Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Sourcemods/pvkii/maps"

Now click "Apply" and "OK"



1.1 Starting a map
----------------------

Choose File -> New
There's an error in Hammer Editor so your camera view won't show up until you placed a camera inside your map.
To solve this Click the "Camera" icon on the left and choose one of the 3 Grids (Upper right , or the 2 on bottom) and Click and Drag your mouse and let go.



The Camera should now show up.

To create a basic map, please read up on this Tutorial: http://forum.interlopers.net/viewtopic.php?t=1783

[YeeHaa]

2 PVKII Basics
-----------------

PVKII has a few things you should know off, i'm going to explain them.

2.1 Spawns
-------------

There are 3 spawns which you can find by clicking on this icon , search for "info_player_pirates", "info_player_vikings" or "info_player_knights" in the drop down list.



Place them by clicking on one of the grids and pressing Enter.

2.2 Gamemodes
-------------------

There are 3 gamemodes, which you specify by placing the entity "info_pvk" (Same way as placing spawns).

P Timer Add, V Timer Add and K Timer Add, is meant to add time to a teams counter for the gamemode "Booty" (See pvk_Island time).

2.2.1 Deathmatch
----------------
For "info_pvk", Right click on the Entity -> Properties, and choose Deathmatch of the Game modes in the drop down list.

2.2.2 Booty
-----------

For "info_pvk", Right click on the Entity -> Properties, and choose Booty of the Game modes in the drop down list.

You will need to place a "Chestzone", this is a place where the chests need to be dropped so time counts down.
To do this , create a block with the "Block Creation" Tool on the left , then Click Browse on the right and search for "Trigger", select the Trigger Texture




Now apply the texture to the block with the Apply texture to selection icon on the left .
Now right click the block and choose Tie to Entity (Ctrl+T) and search for func_chestzone in the dropdown list and click Apply.

You will also need to place the chests which will trigger the timer once dropped in the zone (The block u created)
Take the entity tool on the left toolbar and search for "weapon_chest" , place it by clicking on one of the grids and pressing Enter.
U can have as many chests as u like , the more chests , the faster the counter will count down.

2.2.3 Holy Grail
-----------------

For "info_pvk", Right click on the Entity -> Properties, and choose Holy Grail of the Game modes in the drop down list.

Take the entity tool on the left toolbar and search for "item_holygrail" , place it by clicking on one of the grids and pressing Enter.

2.2.4 Territory
----------------

For "info_pvk", Right click on the Entity -> Properties, and choose Territory of the Game modes in the drop down list.

You will need to make a Territory Zone which will trigger the timer when people are in it.
To do so, you will need to follow the same method to make a "func_chestzone" only you'll need to choose "func_territory" from the drop down list , instead of "func_chestzone"

2.2.5 Last Team Standing
----------------

For "info_pvk", Right click on the Entity -> Properties, and choose Last Team Standing of the Game modes in the drop down list.

There is also an entity named "info_point_vulture" which spawns vultures automatically when Sudden Death is reached. If you wish to have this type of sudden death then place one or more of these entities. This is the sudden death used in pvk_arena
Otherwise you are free to do whatever you please for your Sudden Death part of your map. Whatever you want to happen should just be triggered by info_pvk->OnSuddenDeath. For example, in pvk_cathedral a large portion of the roof caves in.

2.2.6 Objective Push
----------------
See this thread for details: http://forums.pvkii.com/index.php?showtopic=7801

2.2.7 Time
-----------
The time for each map can be set in the server, for now the times are set by default, but you can add minutes in the info_pvk for Booty (see Gamemodes section).

2.3 Flag (In Territory mode)
--------------------------------
!This part is for more advanced users!

Place an entity called "flag"

Now in "func_territory" make a new Output:
My output named: OnUser1
Target entities named: flag (This is the name of the Flag Entity)
Via this input: ChangeFlag
Leave rest as it was.



In "info_pvk" create 6 new outputs:

My output named: OnRoundRestart
Target entities named: flag
Via this input: ChangeFlag
Leave rest as it was.

My output named: OnTerritoryContested
Target entities named: flag
Via this input: ChangeFlag
Leave rest as it was.

My output named: OnTerritoryUnoccupied
Target entities named: flag
Via this input: ChangeFlag
Leave rest as it was.

My output named: OnTerritoryPirates
Target entities named: flag
Via this input: ChangeFlag
With a parameter override of: 1

My output named: OnTerritoryVikings
Target entities named: flag
Via this input: ChangeFlag
With a parameter override of: 2

My output named: OnTerritoryKnights
Target entities named: flag
Via this input: ChangeFlag
With a parameter override of: 3

[YeeHaa]

2.4 Adding respawnable props - making them explode
--------------------------------------------------------------

Create a entity called "prop_physics_respawnable"
-"World Model" : Choose a model to respawn.
-"Respawn Time" : set this to set the amount of time before the object respawns.
-"Spawn on Break" : Choose an item to be spawned when the respawnable prop breaks.
-"Explosion damage and radius" : Set the amount of damage to be done (Explosion) and the radius in units.


2.5 Adding Health and armor, ammo for crossbow, flintlock
-----------------------------------

To add health and armor, click the entity icon and search for:

- item_ammo_pirates
- item_ammo_vikings
- item_ammo_knights
- item_armor_knights, item_armor_vikings , item_armor_pirates
- item_food

in the dropdownlist, place them in your map.

Note: Ammo is backwards compatible, which means the item_ammo_flintlock used in old maps will still work and will be seen as item_ammo_pirates and so on.

2.6 Traps and Custom Death Notices
-----------------------------------

Since PVK2 2.1 there is now support for traps to award kills to a player and for custom death notices for any map object that can kill a player.

To add custom death notices to any map hazards or traps you need to select the object that will be killing the players, be it a phyics prop, or a trigger_hurt. In its properties you will see a new option call Death Notice. All of the currently available death notice types are found in 'pvkii/scripts/mod_textures.txt'. Find one you like and copy its name sans the 'death_' and paste it into the Death Notice field. Now whenever this entity kills a player it will show that death notice instead of skull and crossbones.

Since PVK2 2.2 you can now even create your own custom death notices by doing the following:

Add a new text document (.txt) to the maps folder with the name mod_textures_mapname.txt. Using pvk_cathedral as an example it would have a script maps/mod_textures_pvk_cathedral.txt. In this script you will add additional custom death notices for your map. The file must be structured like the vanilla mod_textures.txt script in the scripts/ folder. You also MUST use death_ before all your entry names. So death_seamonster, death_ghost. Then do the same as the previous section and put seamonster or ghost into the death notice property of your entities. If you name a death notice the same as one already defined in our base mod_textures.txt it will not load so be sure to pick original names. Names from different maps should not conflict.

Finally to make a trap that will award players who activate it you will need to go to the properties of the entity that a player will use to activate the trap. It may be a trigger, a button, or whatever you chose it to be. Under its outputs you will need to chose the output that corresponds to the player activating it, such as OnTrigger or OnPressed. This output chain will need to then target the entity that will be damaging players for this trap. It may be a trigger_hurt, or a physics prop or whatever you wish. On the entity you will need to chose the input SetCauser. Now when the trigger or button is pressed to activate the trap it will tell the killing entity of the trap to set the killer to the player who pressed or triggered it. After the trap is finished its good to reset the killer by calling SetCauser on an I/O chain that was not triggered by a player, such as if using a button, an output that fires as the button returns to pressable state. This will ensure that the trap doesn't somehow award the old player who pressed it from some fluke. It is not necessary though especially if your trap can't kill without being triggered again.

2.7 Custom Loading Screen
-----------------------------------

This requires knowledge of the creation of .vtf files!

Start by creating a 1024x768 Image. This image should then be saved as a .tga file. You may then import the image into VTFEdit or some other similar program, being sure to resize the image to 1024x1024 to be compatible with HL2 (It will be displayed in-game as 1024x768 so it'll unstretch itself.)

Now, save the .vtf as your maps name (ex: pvk_temple.vtf) in the folder: pvkii\materials\VGUI\loading\ With flags 'No Mipmap' and 'Nice Filter'

There you have it! Load up your map and you should see your new loading screen!


3 Mapping Basics
-----------------------

3.1 3D Skybox : First Method
---------------------------------

In Half-Life 1, you could only create 2D Skyboxes. However in Source you got the possibility to extend your map with a so called "3D Skybox".
This 3D Skybox is at 1/16 of the scale of your main map and will be enlarged 16 times when you compile the map.

The 3D Skybox can best be added when you finished the map, as it revolves around the main geometry.
When you've finished the main map, place a entity called "sky_camera" at the center of your map (X 0 , Y 0 , Z 0)



To make things more easier, create a VIS Group.
You create a VIS Group by clicking on Edit, then you click New Group in the screen and call it "3D Skybox".





VIS Groups can be used to hide stuff that can bother you while mapping, they can be quiet usefull on times.

Now you add the "sky_camera" entity to that VIS Group, you do that by doing a right click on it , and choosing "Properties".
You'll see "VisGroup" in one of the boxes, click it and tick your VIS Group , in this example I used "3DSkybox".



Now go to "Auto" in the VIS Groups box



Uncheck everything until you only have World Geometry: Nodraw, Displacements and Water left and World Details: Func Detail

Now go back to "User" in the VIS Group box and tick "3DSkybox" (The one we made)

Select your entire map, hold down shift, and drag it away from your main map, now press CTRL+M and tick "Scale" and typ 0.0625 in every box (This means scale it by a scale of 1/16th)

You'll have a small version of your main geometrys map now (Together with the "sky_camera" entity)
Put a box around the small map you have (tools/skybox texture) and you have your 3DSkybox!



Now delete the "sky_camera" entity from your main map.

Now, we don't want all these small pieces we copied over and scaled, we'll use them as reference. Select the miniture map (ALL the small pieces except the sky_camera and the skybox we created around the miniture map) and right click it -> properties -> VIS Group and tick "3DSkybox".
Right click the sky_camera entity -> properties -> VIS Group and untick "3DSkybox".

Now in User in our VIS Group box in Hammer , you can Untick or Tick "3DSkybox" anytime u want , to use it as a reference!.

3.2 3D Skybox : Second Method
-------------------------------------

There's a second method to do this and that's by going to VIS Group Auto in Hammer and unticking "Sky", and make sure only World Geometry: Nodraw, Displacements and Water and World Detail: Func Details is left.

Then create all the stuff you want in the 3DSkybox (in the actual map), select the entire map and scale it down 1/16th.
Then resume the 1st method , but only add the miniture map to the "3D Skybox" VIS Group and not the 3DSkybox things you made, then untick "3D Skybox" and you'll only have the things you've created visible.
This will result in more alligned textures/objects.

Note :Never move the 3dSkybox (with the miniture map) without selecting the sky_camera, this will result in an offset 3DSkybox and will mess up in-game!

Thank you for your attention!!
Have fun ,
YeeHaa

[Schatzmeister]

The vbsp.exe and so on might alternativly be in the directory sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin .

[YeeHaa]

Forgot to change that, thx for noticing.
Fixed.

[echuchee]

So I really want to try making a few maps but I can't get Hammer configured right or something. So when I configured it I noticed a file that wasn't in the folder you said....

- Game Excecutable
-----------------------

This should be "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and then hl2.exe

I don't have an hl2.exe in that folder. I have also tried a different hl2.exe in any of my folders and tried copying and pasting one in but no luck. Every time I can load up Hammer but then when i try to make an object it crashes... please help

[BlazingTiger]

So I really want to try making a few maps but I can't get Hammer configured right or something. So when I configured it I noticed a file that wasn't in the folder you said....

- Game Excecutable
-----------------------

This should be "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and then hl2.exe

I don't have an hl2.exe in that folder. I have also tried a different hl2.exe in any of my folders and tried copying and pasting one in but no luck. Every time I can load up Hammer but then when i try to make an object it crashes... please help

Wright this down. Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin/hl2.exe
Thats what I did and it worked.

[echuchee]

So I did that and it worked except when i still try to create an object it won't work. I tried making a square but it didn't draw anything and then it crashes.

[Sir Tremilio]

I have the same problem too, I hope someone can help us with this. I cant find any way to avoid this error.

[-AOD- Bruce Camp...]

I for the life of me can't get the 'info_pvk" entity to work. I set it to 'Booty', then I make brushes at the three team spawns with the texture 'Trigger'. Then I tie them to the entity 'func_chestzone'. Now I don't know what to do, the instructions are pretty vague, how do I tell the brush it's the "Pirate chest zone" etc...?

[-AOD- Bruce Camp...]

Never mind, I figured it out, turns out you need at least 2 people to activate the game mode.

[Sifor]

hi all

i have a problem during the configuration... i cant find the hl2.exe in this folder...

- Game Excecutable
-----------------------

This should be "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and then hl2.exe

when i redirect the hl2.exe to an other, when i create a box or anything else my Hammer crash...

(when i took a look on the hl2.exe in others folders 1 have 96 ko and the other one got 104 ko) <- if may help you to help me

someone have an idea to solve this !?

thx !

This post has been edited by Sifor: Mar 2 2008, 06:45 PM

[iain555]

hi all

i have a problem during the configuration... i cant find the hl2.exe in this folder...

- Game Excecutable
-----------------------

This should be "Valve/Steam/Steamapps/Account-Name/sourcesdk/bin/ep1/bin" and then hl2.exe

when i redirect the hl2.exe to an other, when i create a box or anything else my Hammer crash...

(when i took a look on the hl2.exe in others folders 1 have 96 ko and the other one got 104 ko) <- if may help you to help me

someone have an idea to solve this !?

thx !

I used the one in steam\steamapps\username\hl2 and it works fine

[Thingy]

Edit: Nevermind... restarting steam fixed it.

This post has been edited by Thingy: Apr 6 2008, 08:57 AM

[maseraki]

what is the new game mode objectiv push? or how do i set up the proper entitys for this gm ?

[LordTrilobite]

Yeah, the first post needs some updating for Holy Grail, LTS and push mode.

[maseraki]

http://forums.pvkii.com/index.php?showtopic=7801
a description or the objectivs mode

[CrackaPolly]

Updated the thread.

Updated again making note about Setting up Traps for new 2.1 features and about Custom Death Notices for map hazards.

[macsaredecent]

How do I disallow certain teams?

[Banjo Boy]

How do I disallow certain teams?

Edit it in the info_pvk settings.