Source SDK Base: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:15, 16 January 2011

Source SDK Base is a game/tool, shared between all owners of Valve Source games and locked to a particular engine branch, on which modders can base their projects. Both singleplayer and multiplayer mods can use it. Use of SDK Base widens the audience for your mod and prevents engine updates from breaking it.

The games that include SDK Base are listed here. Free copies available through hardware promotions do not provide access.

Content

The stock gamecode is a duplicate of Episode One's or Episode Two's, depending on which version (see below) you are using. But the only content available is that of Half-Life 2 and Half-Life 2: Lost Coast: while Zombines and Hunters exist in the code and can be spawned, they appear as errors because their models are not available. If you want to use episodic things, you will need to mount the appropriate game.
SDK Base might provide mods with Lost Coast's content, but dedicated servers do not. Multiplayer mods should either not use anything from Lost Coast, or include what they do use in their dedicated server download.
Tip:In Source 2007 or later you can remove the sourcetest SearchPath from gameinfo.txt and Lost Coast will disappear. Unfortunately, doing this under Source 2006 (Episode One) will make the game crash immediately!

Versions

There are currently two versions of SDK Base: the original Source 2006 version (AppID 215) and the superior Source 2007 version (AppID 218).

There are separate builds because of the occasional break in Source's backwards compatibility. Unless you have a good reason for sticking with the an older version of the SDK Base, you should always use the most recent one available.

Fixes

There are two small glitches:

The main menu has a "Visual Stress Test" option instead of anything useful. Copy resource\GameMenu.res from another suitable game into your mod.

Episode Two's flashlight and weapon pickup icons do not appear. Open resource\ClientScheme.res and add this to the Fonts section:

		WeaponIconsSmall
		{
			1
			{
				name		HalfLife2
				tall		32
				weight	0
				antialias 1
				additive	1
				custom	1
			}
		}

Content (2007)

Source SDK Base 2007 (sourcetest)
Source SDK Base + Half-Life 2: Lost Coast (sourcetest)
Source 2007 shared (hl2)
Source shared (hl2)
Source 2007 engine branch

Content (2006)

Source SDK Base + Half-Life 2: Lost Coast (sourcetest)
Source shared (hl2)
Episode One engine branch

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 }} __NOTOC__
-'''Source SDK Base''' is a game/tool, shared between all owners of Valve Source games and locked to a particular [[:Category:Engine branches|engine branch]], on which modders can base their projects. Both singleplayer and multiplayer mods can use it.
+'''Source SDK Base''' is a game/tool, shared between all owners of Valve Source games and locked to a particular [[:Category:Engine branches|engine branch]], on which modders can base their projects. Both singleplayer and multiplayer mods can use it. ''Use of SDK Base widens the audience for your mod and prevents engine updates from breaking it.''
 [http://store.steampowered.com/search/?category2=16 The games that include SDK Base are listed here]. Free copies available through hardware promotions ''do not'' provide access.
-== Contents ==
+== Content ==
 * The stock gamecode is a duplicate of [[Episode One]]'s or [[Episode Two]]'s, depending on which version (see below) you are using. '''But the only ''content'' available is that of [[Half-Life 2]] and [[Half-Life 2: Lost Coast]]''': while [[npc_zombine|Zombines]] and [[npc_hunter|Hunters]] exist in the code and can be spawned, they appear as errors because their [[model]]s are not available. If you want to use episodic things, you will need to [[Gameinfo.txt#Mounting content|mount the appropriate game]].
@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 There are separate builds because of the occasional break in Source's backwards compatibility. Unless you have a good reason for sticking with the an older version of the SDK Base, you should always use the most recent one available.
+== Fixes ==
+There are two small glitches:
+<ol>
+<li>The main menu has a "Visual Stress Test" option instead of anything useful. Copy <code>resource\GameMenu.res</code> from another suitable game into your mod.
+</li>
+<li>Episode Two's flashlight and weapon pickup icons do not appear. Open <code>resource\ClientScheme.res</code> and add this to the <code>Fonts</code> section:
+<source lang=php>
+		WeaponIconsSmall
+		{
+			{
+				name		HalfLife2
+				tall		32
+				weight	0
+				antialias 1
+				additive	1
+				custom	1
+			}
+		}
+</source>
+</li>
+</ol>
 == Content (2007) ==
@@ Line 31: / Line 57: @@
 * Source shared (<code>hl2</code>)
 * [[Episode One (engine branch)|Episode One]] engine branch
-==FAQ==
-; Where can I find Source SDK Base?
-: In Steam's ''Tools'' tab. You will be prompted to install it when first running a mod, or you can [steam://install/215 install it yourself]. There is no need to run it directly.
-; Do I have to base my mod on Source SDK Base?
-: No, you can base on any game. But bear in mind that:
-:# You are restricting the size of your audience if you require a specific purchase.
-:# The game you rely on might be updated to an incompatible engine version and break your mod. This has happened several times over the years.
-; How can I use additional Steam content?
-: See [[Gameinfo.txt#Mounting content]].
 [[Category:Tools]]