Source SDK Game Development Essentials

The Source Authoring Tools are the pieces of software used to create custom content for games made with Valve s Source engine. Creating mods and maps for your games without any programming knowledge can be time consuming. These tools allow you to create your own maps and levels without the need for any coding knowledge. All the tools that you need to start creating your own levels are built-in and ready to go!

This book will teach you how to use the Authoring Tools provided with Source games and will guide you in creating your first maps and mods (modifications) using Source. You will learn how to stay organized, map efficiently, and avoid the most common mapping mistakes.

This practical guide begins by setting you up with Source SDK and a 3D development environment. Through a series of guided tutorials, you will learn what it takes to create a professional, polished map or mod.

You will learn how to create varying types of worlds, from underground labs to flowing outdoor terrains. You will also learn how to bring life into your world with advanced texturing, lighting, and decorating techniques. Towards the end of the book, we will learn how to create goal-driven A.I. sequences and scripts to choreograph epic battles and take control of your enemies and allies.

The content has been developed using the illustrations from Half Life Episode 2

Brett Bernier has been a creator since he could hold a LEGO brick, and a gamer since he was old enough to hold a controller. After his father introduced him to first-person shooters, it didn t take long for Brett to want to create his own worlds. A lunchtime discussion with Chris, Brett s childhood friend and band mate, inspired Brett to take action and download Valve s Hammer 3.4 to create a Counter-Strike map. While looking for mapping tips online, he stumbled across a small, close-knit community of Half-Life mappers at TWHL (The Whole Half-Life). Brett, A.K.A Tetsu0, quickly honed his skills with the help of the community s tutorials and forums. When the Source SDK launched with Half-Life 2, he was hesitant to make the jump from GoldSource (Half-Life) to Source (Half-Life 2), but once made, he did not look back. Brett is currently employed as a Control System Technician at ETTER Engineering in Bristol, Ct, and is pursuing his Bachelor s degree in Electronics Engineering Technology at the University of Hartford. Brett has been creating maps for the Half-Life game series since 2002.