Env instructor hint

env_instructor_hint is a point entity available in all Source games since Left 4 Dead 2. (also in )

Class hierarchy
CEnvInstructorHint ↳CPointEntity ↳CBaseEntity
env_instructor_hint.cpp

It is used to instruct the player to do some things, such as not shoot teammates.

Example from Portal 2.

This example sets Bound Command to "jump" (without quotations) with Caption set to "Bet you can't jump over me!" (without quotations).

Icons

Icon Name	Icon	Icon Name	Icon
icon_tip		icon_interact
icon_info		icon_button
icon_shield		icon_door
icon_alert		icon_arrow_plain
icon_alert_red		icon_arrow_plain_white_dn
icon_tip (again)		icon_arrow_plain_white_up
icon_skull		icon_arrow_up
icon_no		icon_arrow_right

Note:This entity is not limited to the icons listed above, refer to scripts/mod_textures.txt located in the main pak01_dir.vpk for more icon options.

Keyvalues

Name (targetname) <string>[ Edit ]

The name that other entities refer to this entity by, via Inputs/Outputs or other keyvalues (e.g. parentname or target).
Also displayed in Hammer's 2D views and Entity Report.

See also:  Generic Keyvalues, Inputs and Outputs available to all entities

Target Entity (hint_target) <targetname>

The entity to show this hint on top of. The entity used must be one that is replicated on the client, or the hint will never show up. The info_target_instructor_hint entity is designed for this purpose, allowing the hint to be placed in empty space or parented to a specific location on another entity.

Note:If an info_target entity is used, the spawnflag to always transmit to the client must be checked.

Positioning (hint_static) <choices>

Either show at the position of the Target Entity, or show the hint directly on the HUD at a fixed position.

• 0: Follow the Target Entity.
• 1: Show on the HUD.

Allow invisible target (hint_allow_nodraw_target) <choices>

Do we allow the hint to follow entities with nodraw set?

Confirm:EF_NODRAW?

• 0: End immediately on nodraw
• 1: Yes

Caption (hint_caption) <string>

The text of your hint. 100 character limit.

Caption Color (hint_color) <color255>

The color of the caption text.

Activator Caption (hint_activator_caption) <color255> (in all games since )

The color of the caption text, as seen by the !activator.

Force caption (hint_forcecaption) <choices>

Do we show the caption text even if the hint is occluded by (hidden behind) a wall?

• 0: No
• 1: Show when occluded

Onscreen Icon (hint_icon_onscreen) <choices>

The icon to use when the hint is within the player's view.

Offscreen Icon (hint_icon_offscreen) <choices>

The icon to use when the hint is outside the player's view.

Show offscreen (hint_nooffscreen) <choices>

When the hint is offscreen, do we show an icon and arrow?

• 0: Show
• 1: Don't show

Bound Command (hint_binding) <string>

If using the use_binding setting for the Onscreen Icon or Offscreen Icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for. Use key_listboundkeys to see all bound keys.

Icon Height Offset (hint_icon_offset) <float>

A height offset from the Target Entity's origin to display the hint.

Size Pulsing (hint_pulseoption) <choices>

Speed for which the icon should grow and shrink, as a way to nag the player about the object.

• 0: No Pulse
• 1: Slow Pulse
• 2: Fast Pulse
• 3: Urgent Pulse

Alpha Pulsing (hint_alphaoption) <choices>

Speed for which icon will become more or less transparent.

• 0: No Pulse
• 1: Slow Pulse
• 2: Fast Pulse
• 3: Urgent Pulse

Shaking (hint_shakeoption) <choices>

The icon can shake.

• 0: No Shaking
• 1: Narrow Shake
• 2: Wide Shake

Timeout (hint_timeout) <integer>

The automatic timeout for the hint. 0 will persist until stopped with EndHint.

Display Range (hint_range) <float>

The visible range of the hint. 0 will show it at any distance.

Show on First Sight (hint_auto_start) <boolean>

When the player first has LOS to the target, it will automatically show for them. only.

Lesson Name (hint_name) <string>

Hints with the same lesson name use a common base and are treated as instances the same lesson type. only.

Display Limit (hint_display_limit) <integer>

The number of times a hint can be seen. 0 means unlimited. only.

Instance Type (hint_instance_type) <choices>

How many instances of a single lesson type can be open or active at the same time. only.

• 0: Multiple
• 1: Single Open (Prevents new hints from opening.)
• 2: Fixed Replace (Ends other hints when a new one is shown.)
• 3: Single Active (Hides other hints when a new one is shown.)

Suppress rest before moving (hint_suppress_rest) <choices>

Suppress the initial icon display in center of screen? only.

• 0: No
• 1: Yes

Only Local Player (hint_local_player_only) <boolean> (in all games since )

Shows the hint only to the first player to join/create the server.

Note:This keyvalue appears to have not been coded into the FGD correctly. You must put 0 for "No" and 1 for "Yes".

Gamepad Bound Command (hint_gamepad_binding) <string> (in all games since )

If using the show key bindings setting for the Onscreen Icon or Offscreen Icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for, when the user is using a console/non-keyboard controller of some kind (or PS3/X360).

Inputs

ShowHint <targetnameRedirectInput/string>

Start showing this hint. If an entity targetname is passed as the parameter, the hint is shown only to that entity.

Warning:In , hints triggered by this input are only visible to the !activator.

Workaround:A point_template may be used to spawn in the desired env_instructor_hint entity; if Show On First Sight is enabled, this will cause the hint to immediately be shown to players who have line of sight to it.

Note:In , you cannot display more than one hint at the same time.

EndHint

Stop showing the hint if it hasn't already timed out.

See also

• L4D2 Level Design/Instructor Hints
• env_hudhint - Similar entity used in previous Source games.