View source for Mapbase

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{{infotable
|tico=mapbase
|state=1
|ownwiki=https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013/wiki
|type=m1
|dev={{u|Blixibon}},<br>[[Mapbase#Credits|Assorted open-source contributors]]</span>
|engine=2
|base={{src13|4}}
|released=September 30, 2019
|lastver=7.3 (Jan 17th, 2025)
|moddb=mods/mapbase
|github=mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013
|discord=https://discord.gg/nd8tXNg
|notion=https://mapbase-source.notion.site/mapbase-source/Mapbase-Development-34e27a9892864c96b1e0021ea780d880
}}

{{mapbase|4}} is a base [[modification|mod]] for {{src13|4}} which expands and improves the toolset available to modders, augmenting other maps and mods for development purposes. It's designed to be used as a platform for mappers to build their maps on and for larger mods to draw code from. Mapbase is generally used as a large package of utility features and general-purpose fixes.

Mapbase is '''NOT''' an improved version of {{hammer|4}} or an improved version of the engine itself. It is a fork of the {{src13|4|addtext={{nbsp}}SDK}} which acts as a regular sourcemod. Maps using it must be played in Mapbase or a mod running its code in order to function correctly. Mappers would create their maps based on this mod and larger mods with their own unique changes would draw from Mapbase's code and assets. Mapbase does not use any content that originates from leaked or unauthorized sources.

Mapbase is currently only built around {{hl2|4}} and {{hl2ep2|4}} via {{src13sp|4}}. Other games are not yet supported, although a {{tf2branch|4}} (formerly {{src13mp|4}}) version of Mapbase is currently in development, which will extend Mapbase to sourcemods of {{hl2dm|4}} and {{tf2|4}}.

Most of Mapbase's changes are quality-of-life improvements that could largely only be noticed in the editor. The original goal of this project is to improve the mapping experience without changing too much of the game itself.

==Features==
* 80+ new [[:Category:Mapbase entities|entities]] (mostly logic-related), including new filters and entities ported or replicated from newer engine branches.
* Hundreds of new inputs, outputs, and keyvalues added to existing entities.
* Custom implementation of [[VScript]].
* Heavily revised and reworked [[FGD]]s.
* Custom [[shader]]s which focus on fixes and "objective" improvements.
**[[$treeSway|Swaying trees]]
**[[Parallax obb|Parallax corrected cubemaps]]
**[[$phong|Phong shading]] on [[LightmappedGeneric| brushes and displacements]]
**[[Radial fog]]
*[[env_projectedtexture|Projected texture]] fixes
*[[Dynamic RTT shadow angles in Source 2007|Dynamic RTT shadow angles]], enabled through {{ent|shadow_control}}.
* More map-specific file capabilities ([[Actbusy|actbusy files]], [[Response System|talker files]], etc.)
* Countless miscellaneous fixes and improvements.

=== Half-Life 2 ===
Mapbase also has a few new features mostly specific to {{hl2|4.1}} mapping:

* Player-usable {{ent|weapon_stunstick}} and {{ent|weapon_slam}} ported from Half-Life 2: Deathmatch.
** {{ent|weapon_stunstick}} can only be picked up as weapon if "Stunstick Pickup Behavior" is set in {{ent|hl2_gamerules}}.
* NPC animation fixes and expansions, allowing any humanoid NPC to use effectively any weapon
* Other optional gameplay features (e.g. more NPCs capable of using {{ent|func_tank}}, throwing grenades, etc.)

=== Source Code ===
Mapbase's source code is capable of being compiled with modern versions of [[Visual Studio]] (from VS 2015 up to VS 2022), toggled through {{path|\vpc_scripts\newer_vs_toolsets|vpc}}. It also supports modern versions of GCC on Linux.

==History==
Mapbase technically started in February 2018 as a prototype, but the project as it exists now began in August-September 2018.

Mapbase was created by [[User:Blixibon|Blixibon]] from a set of [[FGD]] improvements and various code changes previously brought from project to project. Mapbase's original goal was to use {{src13|4}} code modifications to allow mappers to do more things with their maps. The February 2018 prototype mostly contained a few basic code changes and an early version of the map-specific file system.

The project was revisited several months later at the end of 2018. At this point, Mapbase started to gain traction, forming a wider scope as well as its own following. Mapbase started to become a heavily augmented (yet relatively vanilla-looking) version of Source 2013 as a whole, introducing custom shaders, additional [[NPC]] animations, and more.

Mapbase was released at the end of September 2019. Mapbase has continued to receive large periodic updates with new features since its release.

In May 2020, a custom implementation of [[VScript]] running in Source 2013 was created as a contribution, being introduced in the v4.0 update.

The most recent release, Mapbase v7.3, was released in January 2025 with minor bug fixes, some quality-of-life features, and notably a [https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013/pull/260 major rewrite of CScriptNetPropManager] which elevates the abilities of entity manipulation in VScript.

Mapbase is still being maintained as of May 2025. A port to the {{tf2branch|4}} is [https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013/pull/409 currently in early development] on a separate branch, but is still missing some features compared to the stable version of Mapbase, and is partially blocked for singleplayer mods due to saves being [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/source-sdk-2013/issues/629 broken on the new SDK].

==Release Information==
Mapbase's [https://www.moddb.com/mods/mapbase/downloads/mapbase-release-build release build] and [https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013 source code] were first released on September 30th 2019. Other kinds of files can be found [https://www.moddb.com/mods/mapbase/downloads here].

==Documentation==
Mapbase uses [https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013/wiki its own wiki] to hold most of its information and documentation, although some changes may be put on the VDC for reference purposes. For example, Mapbase [[:Category:Mapbase Entities|documents some of its entities on the VDC]] and may be mentioned in other articles.

Relevant fixes and features originally created for Mapbase have occasionally been added to the VDC for general-purpose use as well.

== Mods using Mapbase ==
* {{code|2014}} {{tf2c|2}} (added since patch 2.2.0)
* {{code|2017}} {{ez|2}}
* {{code|2018}} [[Map Labs]]
** Originally released before Mapbase. It was later based on Mapbase after updates.
* {{code|2022}} {{ez2|2}}
* {{Code|TBA}} {{hl2rtx|2}} (Demo released on March 18, 2025.)

==Credits==
Mapbase was started and mainly created by Blixibon, but it couldn't have been done without contributors, community repositories, and the VDC itself. The full credits page can be found [https://github.com/mapbase-source/source-sdk-2013/wiki/Mapbase-Credits here].

==See also==
* [[:Category:Mapbase Mods|Mapbase Mods]]
* [[:Category:Engine branches|Engine branches]]

==External links==
* A [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fiqEGcD5RA&t=1261s video] on how to use [[Parallax obb|Parallax cubemaps]]
* [https://www.moddb.com/mods/mapbase/videos/mapbase-trailer Mapbase's original trailer]
* Images of Mapbase on the [https://www.moddb.com/mods/mapbase/images ModDB gallery]
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk9hKtE60v0zZKlv-BA0kkCpDXxehzggD Mapbase Videos Playlist on YouTube]
* [https://mapbase-source.notion.site/Mapbase-v7-0-Content-Article-7754d9ba6c2847afa62650c806db5122 Mapbase 7.0 Content Article]

[[Category:Open source mods and games]]