Nav Mesh/Console commands

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Commands

These commands can be bound to a key in a config file for faster workflow. For example, Left 4 Dead (L4D) has nav_mode.cfg.

Source

Mesh generation

Command	Description
nav_mark_walkable	Mark the current location as a walkable position. These positions are used as seed locations when sampling the map to generate a Navigation Mesh.
nav_clear_walkable_marks	Erase any previously placed walkable positions.
nav_generate	Generate a Navigation Mesh for the current map and save it to disk. [[ nav_quicksave|#nav_quicksave]] determines the amount of information generated. Also generates ladders (not in ) and does a nav_analyze in the end.
nav_generate_incremental	Run the generation process from walkable markers instead of on the entire mesh. Newly created areas will usually connect to preexisting areas. Warning: Using it will delete all JUMP areas and also some random connections scattered around the map. Use it only in the beginning of the nav creation process.
nav_generate_incremental_range <Integer>	Generates nav mesh in range specified (units?). The center of the is defined by the walkable mark.
nav_auto_build_area	Build out high-precision areas around the edit cursor and create them.
nav_save	Saves the current Navigation Mesh to a NAV file.
nav_load	Loads navigation mesh from the current map's NAV file.
nav_analyze	Loads the Navigation Mesh for the current map. [[ nav_quicksave|#nav_quicksave]] determines the amount of information generated.

Selection commands

Command !	Description
nav_add_to_selected_set	Add current area to the selected set. Usually the area selected is the one pointed at.
nav_add_to_selected_set_by_id	Selects the nav by area number / id. This is useful for reports in the console regarding UpdateBlocked and possible flow errors.
nav_begin_deselecting	Start continuously removing from the selected set.
nav_end_deselecting	Stop continuously removing from the selected set.
nav_begin_selecting	Start continuously adding to the selected set.
nav_end_selecting	Stop continuously adding to the selected set.
nav_begin_drag_deselecting	Start dragging a selection area.
nav_end_drag_deselecting	Stop dragging a selection area.
nav_begin_drag_selecting	Start dragging a selection area.
nav_end_drag_selecting	Stop dragging a selection area.
nav_toggle_in_selected_set	Selects the nav mesh area that the gun in-game crosshair is pointing at. This command is typically bound to a key for sake of convenience. For example, nav_mode.cfg file found in the L4D config folder binds this command to the Z key.
nav_clear_selected_set	Clears selection of all selected nav mesh areas that were visually highlighted. In other words, this command de-selects the nav mesh areas selected.
nav_flood_select	Selects/highlights all nav meshes that are connected, starting with the nav mesh that the in-game gun crosshair is pointing at. This does not mean that all nav mesh areas are selected.
select_with_attribute	Selects/highlights all nav mesh areas marked with one attribute specified.

Editing commands

Command	Description
nav_delete	Deletes the currently highlighted or marked area, or selected set.
nav_delete_marked	Deletes the currently marked Area (if any).
nav_split	To split an Area into two, align the split line using your cursor and invoke the split command.
nav_subdivide	Divides a selected set or the area that the crosshair is hovering over.
nav_make_sniper_spots	Chops the marked area into disconnected sub-areas suitable for sniper spots.
nav_chop_selected	Chops all selected areas into their component 1x1 areas
nav_merge	To merge two Areas into one, mark the first Area, highlight the second by pointing your cursor at it, and invoke the merge command.
nav_mark	Marks the Area or Ladder under the cursor for manipulation by subsequent editing commands.
nav_unmark	Clears the marked Area or Ladder.
nav_begin_area	Defines a corner of a new Area or Ladder. To complete the Area or Ladder, drag the opposite corner to the desired location and issue a 'nav_end_area' command. Note:Areas created through this method will bidirectionally connect to premarked areas.
nav_end_area	Defines the second corner of a new Area or Ladder and creates it.
nav_connect	Creates a one-way connection from a marked area to the second Area. To make a two-way connection, also connect the second area to the first. Note:In a selected set nav_connect will try to bidirectionally connect the first selected area to every subsequently selected area.
nav_disconnect	Removes connections between a marked area and highlighted area. Note:In a selected set nav_disconnect will try to disconnect connections between the first selected area and every subsequently selected area.
nav_disconnect_outgoing_oneways	Disconnect all outgoing one-way connections for a highlighted area, or selected set.
nav_splice	Makes a joint area between a marked/selected area and a highlighted/marked area.
nav_corner_select	Select a corner of the currently marked Area. Use multiple times to access all four corners.
nav_corner_raise nav_corner_raise <Hammer units>	Raises the selected corner of the currently marked area or selected set.
nav_corner_lower nav_corner_lower <Hammer units>	Lowers the selected corner of the currently marked area or selected set.
nav_corner_place_on_ground	Places the selected set, selected corner of the currently marked area, or the marked area itself, on the ground.
nav_shift <x, y, z>	Shifts the selected areas by the specified amounts.
nav_begin_shift_xy	Begin shifting the Selected Set.
nav_end_shift_xy	Finish shifting the Selected Set.
nav_simplify_selected	Temporarily forces nav_split_place_on_ground to 1, keeps nav_coplanar_slope_limit_displacement and <nav_coplanar_slope_limit> to at least 0.5, and nav_snap_to_grid to 1. It then strips analyzed data and subdivides the selected areas into 1x1 area, performs nav_generate_incremental on them without generating any areas, and finally recombines them before reselecting the resulting nav areas.
nav_save_selected nav_save_selected <name>	Stores a selected set in a KeyValues file at maps/<map name or <name>>_selected_<number up to 1000>.txt. Bug:If <name> exists, the file is saved with nav_save_selected instead of <name>.  [todo tested in ?]
nav_merge_mesh <filename>	Imports nav areas from the specified KeyValues file in maps/.

Attribute Modification Commands

Attributes modify the nav area with commands that modify NPC behavior, such as a forced crouch, following a specific path, disallowing spawn, etc. Many attributes also have their own command, such as nav_crouch. The command "mark CROUCH" is the same as the command nav_crouch.
Attributes.

Command	Description
mark <Attribute> nav_mark_attribute <Attribute>	Marks the area with an attribute, such as CROUCH, PRECISE, NO_MOBS, etc.
nav_clear_attribute <Attribute>	Clears attribute specified. If clear_attribute does not work to clear an attribute specified, this command might work.
clear_attribute <Attribute>	Clears attribute specified. If nav_clear_attribute does not work to clear an attribute specified, such as PLAYER_START, this command might work.
wipe_attributes	Clears all attributes on the selected part of the nav mesh.
wipe_nav_attributes	Clears all nav attributes on the selected part of the nav mesh.
nav_crouch	Toggles the 'must crouch in this area' flag used by the AI system.
nav_fog_mark	Sets fog value for selected areas.
nav_fog_pick	Sets fog value for selected areas.
nav_fog_select_place	Selects all areas with the given fog place.
nav_gen_cliffs_approx	Mark cliff areas, post-processing approximation.
nav_precise	Toggles the 'don't avoid obstacles' flag used by the AI system.
nav_jump	Toggles the 'traverse this area by jumping' flag used by the AI system.
nav_no_jump	Toggles the 'don't jump in this area' flag used by the AI system.
nav_stop	Toggles the 'must stop when entering this area' flag used by the AI system.
nav_walk	Toggles the 'traverse this area by walking' flag used by the AI system.
nav_run	Toggles the 'traverse this area by running' flag used by the AI system.
nav_avoid	Toggles the 'avoid this area when possible' flag used by the AI system.
nav_transient	Toggles the 'area is transient and may become blocked' flag used by the AI system.
nav_dont_hide	Toggles the 'area is not suitable for hiding spots' flag used by the AI system.
nav_stand	Toggles the 'stand while hiding' flag used by the AI system.
nav_no_hostages	Toggles the 'hostages cannot use this area' flag used by the AI system.

Place name commands

Command	Description
nav_toggle_place_mode	Toggle the editor into and out of place mode. Place mode allows the labelling of nav areas with place names.
nav_set_place_mode	Sets the editor into or out of place mode. Place mode allows the labelling of nav areas with place names.
nav_use_place <place>	If used with no argument, all available places will be listed. If a place argument is given, the current place is set.
nav_place_pick	Sets the current place to the place of the area under the cursor.
nav_toggle_place_painting	Toggles place painting mode. When place painting, pointing at an area will assign the current place to it.
nav_place_floodfill	Sets the place of the area under the cursor to the current place, and 'flood-fills' the place to all adjacent areas. Flood-filling stops when it hits an area with the same place, or a different place than that of the initial area.
nav_place_replace <place1> <place2>	Assigns the second place name to all areas that currently have the first place name assigned.
nav_place_list	Lists all place names used in the map.
nav_mark_unnamed	Mark an area with no place name. Useful for finding stray areas missed when place painting.

Other commands

Command	Description
nav_check_file_consistency	Scans the maps directory and reports any missing/out-of-date navigation files.
nav_check_connectivity	Reports any areas that aren't connected to every hostage rescue zone and bomb site in the map.
nav_update_blocked	Updates the blocked/unblocked status for every nav area.
nav_check_floor	Updates the blocked/unblocked status for every nav area.
nav_check_stairs	Update the nav mesh STAIRS attribute
nav_fog_print_used	Prints out the list of fog names used in the map.
nav_fog_set	If used without arguments, all available Fog values will be listed. If a Fog argument is given, the current Fog is set.
nav_fix_playerclips	Fixup nodes marked with NAV_PLAYERCLIP.
nav_remove_unused_jump_areas	Removes jump areas with at most 1 connection to a ladder or non-jump area.
nav_strip	Strips all Hiding Spots, Approach Points, and Encounter Spots from all Areas in the mesh.
nav_warp_to_mark	Warps the player to the marked area.
nav_ladder_flip	Flips the selected ladder's direction.
nav_compress_id	Re-orders area and ladder ID's so they are continuous.
nav_show_ladder_bounds	Draws the bounding boxes of all func_ladders in the map.
nav_build_ladder	Attempts to build a nav ladder on the climbable surface under the cursor.
nav_gui	Todo: Explain
nav_trouble_report	Returns any problems with navmesh (e.g. Disconnected Ladders, Orphan Navmesh Areas (Disconnected Navmesh areas))
nav_recompute_flow	The director attempts to connect the starting area to the CHECKPOINT attribute or the FINALE attribute by command. If succeeded, this establishes the flow.
nb_delete_all nb_delete_all <Group>	Removes all NPCs in the game or, if group is specified, removes Specified group only. An example group type would be Infected in L4D.
nb_move_to_cursor	Commands all NPCs to move to the location of the 3D cursor

Additional Console Variables

Command	Description
nav_area_bgcolor <R G B A>	RGBA color to draw as the background color for nav areas while editing.
nav_area_max_size	Max area size created in nav generation. Default is set to 50.
nav_blockers_can_affect_flow	Default is set to 1
nav_create_area_at_feet	Anchor nav_begin_area Z to editing player's feet. Default is set to 0
nav_create_place_on_ground <Boolean>	If set to 1, nav areas will be placed flush with the ground when created by hand.
nav_coplanar_slope_limit <Value>	Metric to determine whether adjacent walkable samples are planar and can be used to create a single planar nav area. If the dot product of two adjacent candidate's unit normals is equal to or greater than <Value>, they are considered co-planar and can be merged. Therefore, <Value> can range from 0 to 1.
nav_coplanar_slope_limit_displacement	Default is set to 0.7
nav_corner_adjust_adjacent	Radius used to raise/lower corners in nearby areas when raising/lowering corners. Default is set to 18
nav_debug_blocked	Default is set to 0
nav_debug_finale_area	Show extents of finale area and selected finale center. Most likely designed specifically for L4D Series. Default is set to 0
nav_displacement_test	Checks for nodes embedded in displacements (useful for in-development maps). Default is set to 10000
nav_draw_limit <Count>	The maximum number of areas to draw in edit mode. Default is set to 500
nav_edit <Boolean>	Set to one to interactively edit the Navigation Mesh. Set to zero to leave edit mode.
nav_generate_fixup_jump_areas	Convert obsolete jump areas into 2-way connections. Default is set to 1
nav_flood_select_tolerance	Allowable z distance of selectable areas from the start area. Default is set to 0
nav_fog_edit	Default is set to 0
nav_generate_fencetops	Autogenerate nav areas on fence and obstacle tops. Default is set to 1.
nav_restart_after_analysis <Boolean>	If set to 1, when nav nav_restart_after_analysis finishes, restart the server. Turning this off can cause crashes, but is useful for incremental generation.
nav_show_approach_points <Boolean>	Show Approach Points in the Navigation Mesh.
nav_show_area_info <Duration>	Duration in seconds to show nav area ID and attributes while editing
nav_show_danger <Boolean>	Show current 'danger' levels.
nav_show_player_counts <Boolean>	Show current player counts in each area.
nav_slope_limit <Z>	The ground unit normal's Z component must be greater than this for nav areas to be generated.
nav_snap_to_grid <Boolean>	If set to 1, snap to the nav generation grid when creating new nav areas
nav_split_place_on_ground <Boolean>	If set to 1, nav areas will be placed flush with the ground when split.
nav_quicksave <Boolean>	Set to one to skip analyzing encounter spots and sniper spots (red lines). In , always keep this enabled.

See also

Non-Game Specific

• Nav Mesh Editing

Left 4 Dead Series

Introduction

• L4D Level Design/Nav Meshes
• L4D Level Design/Nav Flow
• L4D Level Design/Advanced Nav Editing

Resources

• Navigation Mesh Attributes (L4D)
• Left 4 Dead 2 Level Creation
• nav_mode.cfg (L4D) - Essential time-saving key binds for nav mesh editing, provided by Valve