Compiler choices

The SDK is set up to be compiled with Microsoft Visual C++ .NET 2003 v7.1.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/howtobuy/visualc/default.aspx.

This solution is, however, commercial and requires you to shell up money to develop a modification for the Source-engine. You can usually get it secondhand for around the price of two or three games.

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The SDK can also be compiled under the older Microsoft Visual Studio 2002 product. Most HL1 mods were made using this older version of C++, so if you're a modder, you may already have it installed. If not, VS2002 may be cheaper to buy than VS2003.NET. VS2002 users see Compiling under VS2002.

There is an Academic version of VS2003.NET available to students or faculty enrolled in college, which has an MSRP of $99. It IS legal to distribute content created with this version, however if Microsoft find out that you're not a student, they will most likely try to put an end to it.

(The thought occurs that if the SDK can be tweaked to compile on an older version of VS, maybe it could also be tweaked to compile using Dev-C++ or another free compiler. Has anyone ever tried this? How can I do it? Or is it impossible?)