Third Party Tools

This is a sorted list of third party tools with brief descriptions. See also: Category:Third Party Tools.

BSP related

• AutoBSPpackingTool - a tool that detects and packs almost every possible custom asset that can be used in a BSP map
• BSP Viewer - view and export GoldSrc maps
• BrushForge - view GoldSrc and Source BSP maps & WADs
• BSP2MAP - convert GoldSrc BSP maps to .map files
• bspguy - a tool for modifying and merging Sven Co-op GoldSrc maps without decompiling
• BSPSource - improved Source BSP decompiler based on VMEX
• BspZipGui - allows you to embed a folder with your files into BSP file, repack (compress and decompress) and can save different map configurations; it uses BSPZIP for the actual packing
• Crafty - an updated BSP Viewer with more features and Source support
• EntEd - view and edit entity properties of a BSP
• Entspy - view and edit entity properties of a BSP
• Map Analyst - alternative to BSPZIP - embed custom content such as materials, models, textures into a BSP
• newbspguy - view and edit GoldSrc BSP maps. An updated bspguy with new features
• Packbsp - embed custom content such as materials, models, textures into a BSP
• Pakrat - GUI replacement for BSPZIP
• VBSP_h4xed - greatly increase maximum size of visleaves
• VIDE - multi-purpose development suite with BSP packing and asset editing capabilities
• VMEX - Source BSP decompiler
• WinBSPC - GoldSrc BSP decompiler
• WinBSPZip - GUI frontend for BSPZIP

Compiling

• Batch Compile Tool - compile Source .vmf maps outside of Hammer
• CSTBSP - custom BSP compiler
• CSTRAD - custom RAD compiler
• CSTVIS - custom VIS compiler
• Compile Pal - compile Source maps with presets and utilities to streamline the process of releasing maps
• Hazard Team Compile Tool - similar to Batch Compile Tool, but geared toward sequential compiles and quick compile presets
• Source Compile Analyzer - detects errors in compile logs

Level editing

• Hammer++ - a community-made modification of Valve Hammer Editor for the Source engine that provides an updated, feature-rich version of the editor
• Microbrush - a brush editor
• Quark - level editor
• Radiant - level editor
• Sledge - an open-source Level Editor that supports GoldSource Level Editing, it's also having work put in to fully support Source Level Editing as well
• Twister - generates displacements that would usually take an extremely long time, or just be impossible to do in Hammer
• Vgroup - group the map into VisGroups based on a grid
• Wall Worm - tools to use 3ds Max as Source Level Editor

Models

• Crowbar - decompile models, and a GUI front-end for compiling new ones
• FireSoft Half-Life MDL Converter - convert Source models to GoldSrc models
• FireSoft MS3D to SMD converter - convert the MS3D model used by the program MilkShape 3D into the format used by the SMD models compiler Studiomdl
• GUIStudioMDL - GUI for the command-line model compiler in the SDK
• Mdldecompiler - decompile models
• Propper - map compiler to export a model instead of a BSP
• Source Model Compiler - web-based model compiling service
• Source model skin editor - modify skins on a model without decompiling/recompiling
• Studiocompiler - model compiler
• VMF to SMD - convert VMFs to SMDs for use with Studiomdl

Texture/Image tools

See also: Image Manipulation Programs

• 360g - convert BMP or TGA into VTF, generate VMTs and normal maps
• Fixvtf - convert Episode 2 format materials to Episode 1 format
• HL2Tex - convert TGA into VTF, and create VMTs
• no_vtf - batch convert VTFs into standard image formats
• TGAtoDUDV - convert TGAs to DUDVs without needing Steam to be running
• VMT Editor - open-source editor for VMT files
• VTF Creator - convert batches of images to textures
• VTF Explorer - viewing, converting, extracting VTFs and VMTs
• VTF Shell Extensions - extend Windows shell to support VTFs
• VTFCmd - convert images to textures and VTFs to TGAs
• VTFEdit - frontend for VTFLib
• VTFLib - open-source programming library for opening and saving VTFs
• VTFTool - outdated, replaced by VTFEdit
• VectorLib - library to draw vector images directly to memory

Video

• AVIKit - Windows library for accessing raw video and sound from AVI
• VirtualDub - free video capture/processing program

Misc

• CtxConverter - GUI "wrapper" which removes the default based DOS commands into decompiling and compiling CTX & TXT files
• DispGen - generate a Displacement map from a heightmap image
• DuctTape - a development integration and project building tool
• GCFScape - open and extract GCF and VPK files
• HLLib - open source programming library which abstracts several Half-Life and Half-Life 2 package formats
• JERC - highly customisable radar/overview generator
• Map Obfuscator - renames all entities with non-descriptive names to discourage decompiling
• Map Resource Extractor - copies only used content from a VMF to a directory
• Notepad++ VDF languages - VDF highlighting profiles for Notepad++
• Object Viewer - 3D object, material, model, and file browsing
• OGLE the OpenGLExtractor - extract 3D shapes from a 3D scene
• P2 Multichunk Tool - offers an easy way for a Portal 2 mod to pack the assets onto multi-chunked vpk files
• Source SDK Windows Gadget - a replacement for most functions of the Source SDK Launcher and Left 4 Dead 1 & 2 Authoring Tools
• VGUI Localization Tool - a tool for easy localization of VGUI text files
• VMF Optimizer - a tool for reducing the file size of VMF files

See also

• 3D Modeling Programs