Left 4 Dead 2 Level Creation

This page contains articles relating to Level Design for Left 4 Dead 2.

For Left 4 Dead level creation articles, see Left 4 Dead Level Creation.

Getting Started Downloading and Installing the Left 4 Dead 2 Authoring Tools L4D Level Design Basics Tutorial L4D2 Level Design Basics Tutorial Level Optimization Your First Map (General Hammer Tutorial) General Level Design documentation Common Mapping Problems L4D Mapping Notes Design Theory The Left 4 Dictionary Left 4 Dead Design Theory Tutorials and Constructing Elements Ladders | Infected-only Ladders Checkpoints and Safe Rooms Elevators | Elevators and Nav Mesh Panic Events Breakable Walls | Visible Cue for Breakable Walls Finales Standard Finale | Gauntlet Finale | Scavenge Finale | Custom Finale | Sacrifice Finale Rescue Closets Cinematic Effects Post Processing (Film Grain, Vignette, Local Contrast) | Color Correction Legacy Assets VMF Instances Weapon, Item, and Melee spawns Director Queries Wandering Witch | Witch Bride Instructor Hints Tank & Witch Prohibition Hard Rain Storm Foot Lockers Choreographed Scenes L4D1 Survivor Bots | L4D1 Survivor Players Scripting (vscripts)| Example vscripts Entity Manipulation | Custom Panic Events | Custom Finales | Scavenge Finale | Director Scripts | Onslaughts | Official vscripts | Script Classes and Functions Extended Mutation System Gamemodes Versus Survival Scavenge Mutations Multi-Gamemode Support Custom Assets Custom Materials and Textures | Wall Writings and Graffiti | Water Flow Custom Models and Animation Breakable Props | Cinematic Physics | Weapons | Melee Weapons | Intro/Outro Camera | Procedurally Deforming Foliage Custom Sound and Music Soundscripts | Soundscapes Custom Particle Effects | Editing Particle Effects Detail Props Management and Organization Shipping Creating Add-ons (.VPK Files) addoninfo.txt | Example addoninfo.txt (Deadline 1 & 2) Add-on Art Assets addonimage.jpg | Campaign Poster | Map Thumbnail Previews | Outtro Background Mission File Official Map Mission Files | Example Mission Files (Deadline 1 & 2) Packing (into a VPK) Compressing Uploading / Distributing Add-on Notes (L4D2)

Reference Information Authoring Tool Changes List of L4D2 Campaign Music List of L4D2 Cvars List of L4D2 Entities List of L4D2 Instructor Messages List of L4D2 Missions Files List of L4D2 Nav Mesh Attributes List of L4D2 Particles List of L4D2 Script Functions List of L4D2 Skyboxes List of L4D2 Soundscapes Dissection of Official L4D2 Campaigns Dimensions in L4D2 L4D2 Gamemodes File Expert Compile Mode VBSP | VVIS | VRAD

Navigation Meshes

General

• Navigation Meshes
• Navigation Mesh Commands

Left 4 Dead Series

• Basic Nav Editing
  • Generating
  • Selecting
  • Key Binds / Shortcut Keys | nav_mode.cfg
  • Splitting
  • Adding Attributes
  • Deleting
  • Analyzing
  • Ladders | Infected-only Ladders
  • Connecting
  • Drawing Your Own Nav Areas
  • Grid Snapping
  • Nav Blockers
  • Panic Events
  • Rescue Closets
  • Breakable Walls
  • Nav Flow
  • Finale and Escape Vehicle
• Advanced Nav Editing
  • OBSCURED Attribute | L4D Nav Mesh Attributes
  • Displacements
  • Splicing
  • Merging
  • Raising and Lowering Areas
  • Raising and Lowering Corners
  • Nav GUI
  • Fog
  • Trouble Report
  • Left 4 Dead Infected Populations
  • Sorting out navigation flow

Other Resources

• SketchUp Source Tools
• GCFScape
• VTFEdit
• Creating Server Plugins
• AI Systems of L4D
• Heat Maps
• User projects

Sites

• Official Left 4 Dead 2 Website
• L4D mappers mailing list | Archives (log-in required)
• L4D2 Custom Campaigns/Maps Forums
• Deadline Example Campaign - L4D1 example add-on campaign by Valve
• Deadline 2 Example Campaign - L4D2, a dramatic sequel to Deadline 1

• The Left 4 Dead Wiki - Part of the Valve Wiki Network

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