How to decompile Valve Portal Maps

Introduction

In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to decompile Valve's Portal maps.

Tutorial

1. Install GCFScape (you can find out about it here).
2. After you install GCFScape, go to File>>Open. Open C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\username\portal content.gcf.

Note:64-bit users will need to use Program Files (x86) instead.

Note:Very old installations of Steam may be inside a Valve folder in Program files.

1. Go to the maps folder.
2. The Portal map .bsp files are here. Right-click on the one you want, then click Extract or drag the file from the GCF into a folder.
3. Now, open VMEX and decompile the map. You can then open it with the Hammer Editor, the file will be named originalname_d.vmf.

See also

• Decompiling Maps
• Valve Map Extractor