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Valve Hammer Editor, formerly known as '''Worldcraft''' and now commonly called '''Hammer''', is Valve Software 's Map Creation program for their First-person Shooter Computer Game '' Half-Life '' and for all of its Mods , sequels, and Expansions . Old versions of Worldcraft also supported '' Quake '' and '' Quake II ''. There are currently two versions- version 3.5, a beta version, supports only ''Half-Life'' and its mods, but can be run without Steam . The current version, version 4.0, supports '' Half-Life 2 '' for the '' Source Engine '' as well as ''Half-Life'', but requires Steam to be operating. It is accessed via a download of the '' Source SDK ''.


LEVEL DESIGN WITH HAMMER

Prior to the release of the '' Source Engine '', the Editor used only brushes (blocks) called primitives to create architecture. These primitives were in the shape of blocks, cylinders, arches, wedges, and spikes, though through the process of Vertex manipulation much more complex brushes could be created. Prefabricated items were also provided to allow frequently used structures to be placed easily into a level. Version 4.0 includes Displacement Map s for making realistic and smooth terrain and geography. There has also been the addition of prefabs specific to '' Half-Life 2 '' and new primitives such as a sphere or a Torus . Since the new primitives are simply pre-grouped sets of simpler primitives, they can be used in older games that are not based on the ''Source engine''. However, some features of version 4.0, such as Displacement Map s, are not compatible with older games. Many level designers who work with both pre and post-''Source engine'' games usually keep an install of 3.5 to avoid using unsupported features in earlier games.

In addition to brushes, entities are used in creating a level. There are three major types of entity:
  • A logical entity controls engine functions, and can be lights, counters, or data managers.

  • A brush entity is built from converting a brush into an entity, and usually function depending on their size and location. These include Triggers , water (in older versions; the ''Source engine'' handles water automatically,) and brushes desired to produce certain visual effects.

  • A model entity is a logical entity with an attached Model , intended to have interaction with the player. These largely consist of detailed "props" such as chairs and radios, or NPCs .



FILES AND COMPILING

Valve Hammer Editor version 4.0 saves a level file in ''.vmf'' format by default. Before this, it saved a level file in the binary, proprietary ''.rmf'' or text-based, human-readable ''.map format.'' The .vmf format is a simple file that contains all the information about a level in a format vaguely similar to an XML file. It originated because of Half-Life 's reliance on the Quake Engine , and has remained as a result. Valve includes compiling tools with the '' Source SDK '' - ''vbsp'', ''vvis'', and ''vrad''. The following list is largely true for both formats, but is intended as a reference for '' Source Engine '' levels.

  • First, a level is passed through the ''bsp'' program. This program uses the brushes to create the architecture of the level. It also places all entities where they should go based on the level design. This program writes the initial .bsp ( Binary Space Partition ing) file.

  • Second, the level passes through the ''vis'' program. This program controls the VISibility of a level (hence the name), determining what the player can and cannot see. Since '' Half-Life 2 '' uses portal based rendering to determine what is visible at any given time, this program creates the portals by dividing the map into convex regions with visibility data, like Quake -based engines do at a per-polygon level.

  • Finally, the level passes through the ''rad'' program. This program controls the RADiosity of the lighting in the level, resulting in more natural-looking lighting; if there is a Leak in the level, or the mapper doesn't run the ''rad'' application, the level will appear as full-bright (without shadows). It is possible to re-create this effect on all maps, even if the vrad program has been run or if there is not a leak on the map, by typing ''sv_cheats 1'' at the Console screen and ''mat_fullbright 1'' after that. (These are Source-specific CVAR s, and the whole procedure is considered Cheating on multiplayer games.)



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