XBLAH's Modding Tool

This article is about the tool. For documentation for XBLAH's Modding Tool, see XBLAH's Modding Tool Documentation.

XBLAH's Modding Tool Details

Initial release

Jan 11, 2020

Stable release

Jan 13, 2024

Written in

Operating system

Type

Mod tool • Map compiler • Map tool • Model compiler • Model tool • Texture tool • Sound tool • VPK tool

Target engine(s)

Distribution

Commercial software

XBLAH's Modding Tool is an Integrated Development Environment written by XBLAH to improve Valve-games modders productivity and quality of life.

The IDE includes features like mod creation, map editing, compiling and decompiling, model compiling, editing and decompiling, material editing, soundscape editing, vpk packing and unpacking and general scripting and automation.

Note:As of December 2023, with version 2.0 or newer, XBLAH's Modding Tool is available in two editions: the Essentials Edition, free of charge, and the Advanced Edition, which requires a Patreon subscription.

Features

XBLAH's Modding Tool - Welcome Tab

XBLAH's Modding Tool is organized in different dashboards depending on which role you have in the mod development. There are dashboards available for mod leaders, level designers, material designers, model designers, sound designers, programmers, animators, and particle designers, each one with a specialized toolset in that field.

Note:The Essentials Edition contains only the Modding Dashboard and part of Level Design Dashboard. The Advanced Edition contains the complete toolset.

Game

Create a mod

Creating a bare-bones mod usually requires more than just creating a liblist.gam or a gameinfo.txt. Mods based on GoldSrc and Source games can be created with the XBLAH's Modding Tool using an intuitive interface, that creates all the required files and directories. Mapbase mods are also supported. (See documentation).

Refresh Mods

In case you manually added or modified any mods for the current game, you can refresh the mod listing. (See documentation)

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  Creating a mod

Modding

Run a Mod

You can run mods straight from XBLAH's Modding Tool, without having to restart Steam when you create or install a new mod. XBLAH's Modding Tool supports lots of different run modes. It contains basic presets for each game, and you can add new ones. (See documentation)

Open the Mod Folder

XBLAH's Modding Tool provides a shortcut to the selected mod folder, proving itself useful in case you need to modify any files manually. (See documentation)

File Explorer

All the files mounted into the game info can be previewed with XBLAH's Modding Tool in the File Explorer. The File Explorer replaces the GCFScape as the ultimate file browsing tool, since it will mount all the VPKs and loose files according to the game info, to show the modder a comprehensive list of files. This relieves the modder of having to browse vpks individually, and the integrated features of the tool usually dismisses the necessity of extracting the files from the vpks, since they can be accessed natively by double-clicking the file (or right-clicking for more options). (See documentation)

Deleting a Mod

You can delete the selected mod in case you don't want to work with it or have it anymore. (See documentation)

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  Running a Mod

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  File Explorer

Mod Configuration

Game Info

The mod information can be edited with XBLAH's Modding Tool through a comprehensive UI without requiring the modder to mess with text files. It includes all the major keys of GoldSrc and Source. (See documentation)

Mounting Game Assets

The mod mounted content can be edited with XBLAH's Modding Tool, pointing to directories and VPKs in the desired order, without the risk of messing the game info. (See documentation)

Managing Chapters

Chapters for single-player games can be created with XBLAH's Modding Tool through an UI. The modder can easily create new chapters, select the chapter images, chapter background images, the first map of the chapter, the background map, and the tool will do the dirty work of creating the required vtfs, vmts and scripts. It gives the option to automatically blur the background images, so the modder can just take a screenshot of the background map and the tool will apply the usual blur. This replaces the need of saving VTFs, creating chapter images with weird proportions, and so on. (See documentation)

Starting maps

For GoldSrc games, you can set the map that will be run when you start a new game and the map that will run when you start the training section. (See documentation)

Menu Items

Main menu items can be added, modified or removed with XBLAH's Modding Tool based on a provided list of options. (See documentation)

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  Game Info

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  Mounting content

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  Single-player Chapters

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  Starting Maps

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  Game Menu Editor

File Management

Packing Files Manually

Instead of distributing loose files, you can select the files you want and pack them into a VPK. The selected files will be automatically deleted after they are packed into the VPK, cleaning up your mod folder. The VPK will be saved under MOD_NAME/custom/. (See documentation)

Pack Subdirectory under MOD_NAME/custom/

Instead of manually packing files into a VPK, you can select a folder under the MOD_NAME/custom/ directory and it will convert all the Unpacked Files into a single VPK. You will have the option to delete the Unpacked Files. (See documentation)

Unpacking Files

You can quickly convert mounted VPKs into Unpacked Files, to help during the modding process. All the files in the VPK will be extracted to the mod folder, and you will have the option to delete the VPK. (See documentation)

Clean Temporary Files

Before shipping the mod, the XBLAH's Modding Tool provides the modder with a list of unnecessary files, which can be removed with the push of a button. (See documentation)

Remove Duplicates

The tool will list all the files that have the same name, relative directory and content and are mounted at least twice, and will give you the option to delete the extra Unpacked Files with a single button click. (See documentation)

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  Cleaning Files

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  Packing Files Manually

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  Pack Subdirectory under MOD_NAME/custom/

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  Unpacking Files

Animations

Scene Editor

The Source Choreography Editor will be automatically configured if ran through the XBLAH's Modding Tool, patching the missing icons. For compatible games, Scene Maker will be installed and run instead. (See documentation)

Note:Scene Maker is developed by Cvoxalury, is available for free and can be downloaded [here]. Access to XBLAH's Modding Tool is not required to download or run Scene Maker.

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  Scene Maker

Maps

Map Editor

Hammer 3.x and Hammerwill be automatically configured if ran through the XBLAH's Modding Tool. J.A.C.K. will be installed and configured for compatible GoldSrc games. Hammer++ will be installed and configured for compatible Source games. (See documentation)

Compile Maps

Maps for Source can be compiled through the tool. The tool will list and explain the most common options for compiling, making it as intuitive as possible. (See documentation)

Decompile Maps

Compiled maps for GoldSrc and Source can be decompiled through the tool. The tool will list all the mounted maps, both the loose files and the ones inside the VPKs. You will be able to decompile the maps without having to extract them beforehand. (See documentation)

Open the Prefabs Folder

XBLAH's Modding Tool provides a shortcut to the selected game's Prefabs folder, proving itself useful in case you need to modify any files manually. (See documentation)

Extract Used Assets

You can select .vmf in XBLAH's Modding Tool and it will list you all the required assets for the selected files, showing you to which pack or loose folder they belong, and giving you the option to copy what you want to a separate folder under MOD_NAME/custom/. By default, it will select all the files not located inside .vpk, but you can extract the files from the .vpk on the go, if you want to, in case you are using assets from games not everyone own. (See documentation)

Building Generator

XBLAH's Modding Tool comes with a Building Generator for Source. The tool includes some example files, and users can create their own templates. (See documentation)

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  Map Editor

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  Compiling Maps

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  Decompile Maps

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  Extract Used Assets

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  Building Generator

Materials

Material Editor

XBLAH's Modding Tool can be used to create .vtf and .vmt files. It can also be used to generate normal maps. (See documentation)

WAD Editor

XBLAH's Modding Tool can view, edit and create WAD files. (See documentation)

Details Editor

The detail props files details.vbsp can be created or edited using the XBLAH's Modding Tool. The editor shows a preview of the detail props, showing both sprites and props, and is integrated with the File Explorer to make it really easy to create new detail props. (See documentation)

Skybox Editor

Skyboxes can be created straight from image files with the XBLAH's Modding Tool using an intuitive interface, that creates all the required vtfs and vmts. All you have to do is select each cubemap face, preview it, and save. It has a built in 3D previewer to check if the skybox is seamless, and supports the regular square skyboxes and the clamped ones. It will also give you the ideal settings for light_environment, env_sun and env_fog_controller for each sky. (See documentation)

Extract Used Assets

You can select VMTs in XBLAH's Modding Tool and it will list you all the required assets for the selected files, showing you to which pack or loose folder they belong, and giving you the option to copy what you want to a separate folder under MOD_NAME/custom/. By default, it will select all the files not located inside VPKs, but you can extract the files from the VPKs on the go, if you want to, in case you are using assets from games not everyone own. (See documentation)

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  Material Editor

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  WAD Editor

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  Details Editor

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  Skybox Editor

Models

Decompile Models

Compiled models for GoldSrc and Source can be decompiled through the XBLAH's Modding Tool. The tool will list all the mounted models, both the loose files and the ones inside the VPKs. You will be able to decompile the models without having to extract them beforehand. (See documentation)

Extract Used Assets

You can select MDLs in XBLAH's Modding Tool and it will list you all the required assets for the selected files, showing you to which pack or loose folder they belong, and giving you the option to copy what you want to a separate folder under MOD_NAME/custom/. By default, it will select all the files not located inside VPKs, but you can extract the files from the VPKs on the go, if you want to, in case you are using assets from games not everyone own. (See documentation)

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  Decompiling a Model

Particles

Generate the Particle Manifest

A manifest file is required for rendering particles in-game. The Particle Manifest file can be generated automatically with XBLAH's Modding Tool, based on all the particle files mounted in the mod. (See documentation)

PCF Version Converter

Generated particle files will have different formats depending on the base game. These files can be converted to a compatible file format with XBLAH's Modding Tool. (See documentation)

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  PCF Version Converter

Scripts

Localization Editor

Localization strings can be added and edited through an intuitive UI with XBLAH's Modding Tool. (See documentation)

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  Localization Editor

Sounds

Soundscape Editor

Soundscapes can now be easily created or modified using XBLAH's Modding Tool. The UI provides an intuitive way to create new soundscapes, using the integrated file explorer. This allows the user to browse all the files mounted (.vpk and loose files), let the user preview the files individually and let the user preview how the whole soundscape is gonna play in-game. (See documentation)

Generate the Soundscape Manifest

A manifest file is required for playing soundscapes in-game. The Soundscape Manifest file can be generated automatically with XBLAH's Modding Tool, based on all the soundscape files mounted in the mod. (See documentation)

Generate the Game Sounds Manifest

A manifest file is required for precaching sounds in-game. The Game Sounds Manifest file can be generated automatically with XBLAH's Modding Tool, based on all the game sound files mounted in the mod. (See documentation)

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  Soundscape Editor

Options

Steam Libraries

The libraries used by the games and mods in the tool are automatically set if you have a legit Steam installation. Keep in mind the libraries set here are only used by the tool, and the games and mods will still use their gameinfo to mount their contents. (See documentation)

Discord Presence

By default, the tool lets your Discord friends know what you are working on. If you want privacy, you can set up what is shown on Discord. The options are to show the game and mod you are working on, only the game you currently have selected, or show nothing. (See documentation)

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  Steam Libraries

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  Discord Presence

XBLAH's Modding Tool for Teams

VIP Patrons are eligible to create a team of up to 10 members to use the XBLAH's Modding Tool. Additional members can be added by increasing the pledge by $1/member.

To create a Team, the VIP Patron must register using the same email used to pledge on Patreon. The team members must register too, although they are not required to have a Patreon account. The Team Manager then can add the members to the available slots.

External links

• XBLAH's Modding Tool page on Modding Assets.net
• ModDB - Last free version (1.13)
• Patreon page