So, I've been thinking its about time I find a newer platform for editing. I love JK/MotS editing, but it is old and it couldn't hurt to try some newer platforms.

After seeing some of the cool physics stuff in HL2, I'm thinking that might be the most interested avenue to persue. Its also of course popular so there should be good support for it. Unfortunately, I never even edited HL1 so I'll be a total n00b.

Anyone tried it out? How powerful is the scripting? Is the level editing a ton different from JED when it comes right down to it?

Hit up Oberfeldeewell

I think most engines differ from Jed. I've played around with Hammer in Half-Life, but never did anything of any stellar quality.

I think that if you understand the fundamentals of BSP and how the world works (additive or subtractive), everything falls together. If I recall correctly, HL (dunno about HL2) is subtractive, meaning you build a floor, walls, etc.

If you're dedicated and have a good will to learn, you shouldn't fnd any problems with it.

yeah most engines nowdays are the exact opposite (well not exact, but close) of JED, save unrealED from what ive heard(it's sector, too?).

most engines do some kind of brush editing. seriously, think of it as legos. except you can make any size/shape of lego peice to make and fit together with other legos. instead of cleaving out stuff, you're creating solid objects and actually building things with them.

ive edited with JED and with brush editors enough to get the main idea of both, and i find brush editing to be much more real-life once you get the hang of it. you're gonna have to get over the fact that there isnt perfect polygons (unless hammer has it, i havent tried it enough) i just hear a lot of people who edit with JED trying to go to new games complain about that. ive never had a problem with it, though.

and really with scripting... you can do basically anything. the only limit to how much you can do is how well you know the code, and this is with any game. if i knew everything in the world there is to know about C++, i could probably make JA better looking and code the same physics in to it as HL2. but i dont... which is why im moving on as well someday soon.

I made a Combine vs Citizen AI map to see how smart the AI is. I've seen some pretty interesting things.

http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=29FTYV0SE54OR0T87K0PHZMGWC

Make sure you have god mode and notarget on at least (nolip and impulse101 are useful too) to make sure its only the the AI duking it out.

SOTD!!

Ahhh omg, marioland is being invaded by zombies.

I think its Zelda land.

You fail at 8-bit trivia!

yeah... and it's mega... what other 8-bit game is it gonna be? haha

pfft! It's obviously Final Fantasy

BALLOON FIGHT!

Gah, it could've been mario land, I mean.. .didn't you guys detect my sarcasm?

well, Cazor pretty much already covered what I was going to say.

What you might want to do is make a physics oriented level, not only does it give you a good idea of how the physics works, but its just fun to make things like a destructible level. I learned a lot from making de_highnoon, and overall it was fun to make.


I'd recommend interlopers.net but unfortunatly last I heard they're down. snarkpit has some tutorials I think.


Interlopers was a great site, too.

I should rellease the latest version I have of de_highnoon, actually. doesn't have that nasty green tint and its a bit more optimized.

I cannot stress how important it is to start small.
And keep in mind, your first level doesn't always neccicarily have to be bad. But try and learn as much as you can to keep it as clean as you can. Sloppily made levels are tedious to fix.