Hammer Manual Configuration

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If you launch the Hammer editor with no proper game configurations set up, the Hammer Editor has not automatically configured itself after installing the Source SDK. You can follow these steps to manually configure it. Before following these steps to repair a bad configuration, it is strongly suggested that you first attempt to fix your configuration by following the steps outlined in Incorrect Hammer configuration.

Important Note: In most cases, Hammer will configure itself and you do not need to follow this procedure. If you have problems, it is much simpler to reset the game configuration instead.

Adding a new Game Configuration

1. Run Hammer from the Source SDK Launcher.

2. When you see the First Time Setup dialog box, click the No button:

3. This Configure Hammer dialog should appear next.

If this dialog does not appear, choose Options from the Tools menu, and then select the Game Configurations tab.

4. Click on the topmost Edit button, next to the Configuration drop-down list. The Edit Game Configurations dialog appears:

5. Press the Add button. This will open the Add a game dialog:

6. Type in "Counter-Strike", "cstrike", "Half-Life 2", "HL2DM" or an equivalent to name your configuration. This is the name that will appear in the Source SDK Launcher where it says Current Game. The exact name is unimportant, what's important is that it makes sense to you. Press OK to confirm your choice and close the dialog.

7. Press the Close button in the Edit Game Configurations dialog.

Setting game directory and basic parameters

You should now be back in the Configure Hammer dialog with your entry in the Configuration drop-down list:

1. Press Add to the right of the Game Data files list. An Open dialog will appear:

2. Open the appropriate .FGD file for your configuration:

For a Counter-Strike: Source configuration, click on cstrike.fgd and then the Open button.

For a Half-Life 2 configuration, click on halflife2.fgd and then the Open button.

For a Half-Life 2 Deathmatch configuration, click on hl2mp.fgd and then the Open button.

3. Now you'll be back in the Configure Hammer dialog with these fields filled out:

4. Type 0.25 into the Default texture scale field. Type tools\toolsskybox into the Cordon texture field.

5. Under Game Executable Directory, hit Browse and go to where you have the the game installed. : For example: C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\counter-strike source

Where username should be your Steam Login name.

6. Under Game Directory, copy what you entered into Game Executable Directory, paste it into Game Directory, and add the game directory to the end. The game directory for Counter-Strike is \cstrike. For Half-Life 2, it is \hl2. For Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, it is \hl2mp.

For example, for a Counter-Strike configuration, your Game Directory might be:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\counter-strike source\cstrike

For a Half-Life 2, your Game Directory might be:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\half-life 2\hl2

For a Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, your Game Directory might be:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\half-life 2 deathmatch\hl2mp

Again, where username should be your Steam Login name.

7. Under Hammer Map Directory, you should enter in where you wish to save your .VMF map source files. Using the Source SDK Files and Directory Structure, you should enter the appropriate mapsrc directory:

Example for Counter-Strike:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\sourcesdk_content\cstrike\mapsrc

Example for Half-Life 2:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\sourcesdk_content\hl2\mapsrc

Example for Half-Life 2 Deathmatch:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\sourcesdk_content\hl2mp\mapsrc

Setting up the Build Programs

Click on the Build Programs tab:

1. Copy and paste the Game executable Directory you entered into the Game Configurations tab previously, then add \hl2.exe on the end.

For example, for a Counter-Strike configuration, your Game Executable might be:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\counter-strike source\hl2.exe

For a Half-Life 2 configuration, your Game Executable might be:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\half-life 2\hl2.exe

For a Half-Life 2 Deathmatch configuration, your Game Executable might be:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\half-life 2 deathmatch\hl2.exe

Again, where username should be your Steam Login name.

2. For BSP executable, enter the location of the vbsp.exe:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\sourcesdk\bin\vbsp.exe

3. For VIS executable, enter the location of the vvis.exe::

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\sourcesdk\bin\vvis.exe

4. For RAD executable, enter the location of the vrad.exe::

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\sourcesdk\bin\vrad.exe

5. For Place compiled maps in this directory before running the game, add \maps the end of the Game Directory:

Example for Counter-Strike:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\counter-strike source\cstrike\maps

Example for Half-Life 2:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\half-life 2\hl2\maps

Example for Half-Life 2 Deathmatch:

C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\username\half-life 2 deathmatch\hl2mp\maps

6. Press OK. Hammer is now configured for use.