Talk:Source SDK Base

Who needs to install this?

I'm confused. If I make my mod based around this, like I'm supposed to, will players need to install this as well? Or will the change be transparent to players? --Giles 15:28, 4 Aug 2006 (PDT)

Players will need to install it. It should be fixed. --DogGunn 01:02, 7 Aug 2006 (PDT)

Pre-release banter

What exactly is in this? I'm curious and don't wanna wait for the download :P Wraiyth 19:12, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

There's not much in it - I'll get a list of the .GCF files later. BTW, the download is about 40MB so it's not that big. --DogGunn 19:16, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

It looks to be to be the Lost Coast Stress Test. And that is all...--Gameexpertmaster 19:13, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

Steam told me it was 116, but if its the LC Stress Test it could be because I don't actually have LC downloaded. Wraiyth 19:20, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

No, even if you have LC installed it's that big. The map files are duplicated in the SDK Base GCF, not crossreferenced from LC. ATimson 22:26, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

Might have to do with nothing at all, but file size of Source SDK Base server.dll is 6.95 mb while file size of lost coast's server.dll is 6.5 mb. noob cannon lol 19:32, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

In your mod's, if you change the appid to 215 (same as Source Base SDK) when you run your mod, in the top right corner you get Source Engine 7 Build 2768, which was never there before.--Gameexpertmaster 19:47, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

There was talk about mods using a completely different appID so we were decoupled from engine changes and from what I can tell basically a static engine version so our mods wont get killed when Valve make a change to the "real" engine like has happened in the past. The question has to be asked, if this download is a sizable download 100MB+ do our users also have to download this? ^Ben 19:55, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

Yes, your users would have to download it. Hopefully by trimming out the stress test—or at least changing it to be pulled from the LC cache instead of downloaded again—they can cut that down quite a bit. That said, I thought the point wasn't to have a static engine version for mods; rather, because the single player games have a static engine version, having the separate appID would allow single player games to take advantage of the newest engine version which they won't get if they stay as HL2/LC/Ep1 mods. ATimson 22:32, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

That makes no sense. You don't have to download the Source SDK to play current mods. Also, the two engine versions are compatible in regards to everything but HL2 character assets, which doesn't seem worth splitting AppIDs for to me. --TomEdwards 23:49, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

No, you don't have to download the SDK—but you do have to download the appropriate Source engine game. If this is the standalone app, which would be used instead of a game, it should have to be downloaded too. As for splitting, there's also another benefit: allowing anybody with one Valve Source game to play all mods, regardless of what they own. [At least, if I'm remembering the hlcoders post right. :)] ATimson 04:52, 29 Jul 2006 (PDT)

There's no way this was meant to be publicly released—the reslists are broken. You aren't forced to download all the files required to load even the menu background before it loads. Not that their reslists are normally not broken... but they normally require too much, not nothing. ATimson 23:21, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

I'm sure it was meant to be released - no accidtal. Let's just find out what VALVe say. --DogGunn 23:27, 28 Jul 2006 (PDT)

You'd think that they've had said something before its release, though... especially since it showed up on a Friday, not their normal release day? ATimson 04:53, 29 Jul 2006 (PDT)

I was confused about this thinking I was the only one, but it is nice to know I'm not. It doesn't look deliberate, but because of all this mod stuff, I'm thinking it probably was. Although why it was the lost coast stuff in it, no-one knows. Heck, this is the only place I know with a mention of it. Google gives nothing, but I have yet to check the Steam forums. Prehaps I should? --RabidZombie 05:53, 29 Jul 2006 (PDT)

"Good guess, mods currently using 220 should switch to 215 if they wish to use the new engine features (and some using 320 should consider switching to 215). Mike will provide all the details when the SDK is ready :) - Alfred" noob cannon lol 16:08, 29 Jul 2006 (PDT)

SearchPaths

What SearchPaths should we use with SDK base? This seems to work for now:

Game		|gameinfo_path|.
Game		sourcetest
Game		hl2

But it doesn't seem right to me somehow. Some clarification would be appreciated. --TomEdwards 03:46, 5 Aug 2006 (PDT)

You don't really need to use sourcetest...it's probably something to make sure Steam doesn't complain—ts2do 11:48, 5 Aug 2006 (PDT)

It isn't supposed to be launched as a game in its own right, just be a base for mods to work off. That's why the reslists are broken. You don't need any of the Sourcetest content if you're going to be launching a mod, and including it in the reslist will force users to download it when they launch a mod. The sourcetest content just exists so it doesn't crash straight away if you do happen to launch it standalone, I reckon. --AiusEpsi 05:13, 6 Aug 2006 (PDT)

There seems to be a great deal of confusion on the way the new SDK stuff slots into modding. Some clarification (i.e., a how to page) would be appreciated.

That's the theory ts2do, but there is an immediate CTD if you don't include it. It has to be mounted, today at least. --TomEdwards 14:57, 6 Aug 2006 (PDT)

Help for a newb

Hi, I don't understand what Source SDK Base really dose. I looked all over google and got nothing. I heard that you use it to test maps or mods you've created. I read that it allows you to create maps or mods or helps in creating them by allowing you to use the most recent stuff or what ever it is that valve or who ever have out. So for example what I read or believe is that with Source SDK Base I can make maps with the graphic quality of Half Life 2 Episode 1 or Half Life 2 Lost Coast.

I'm not sure what to believe. But what I need is for some one to help me understand how to use Source SDK Base, and explain exactly what it is.

This is my first time posting on a Wiki like this so please don't get mad if I'm doing something wrong, Thanks.

No problem at all really. The base is more or less as a Dev tester game. Meaning that this game has all the new entity's, updates, and effects that the current engine has. This is simply made for test reasons and checks along certain things within the engine as well as HDR and fps checks through triggers and many based entity. Yeah so not much but as to the ep 1 and Lost Coast content, mainly this does allow you to make mods with the new engine. however only if you don't have ep1 or HL2DM. In fact this was released way afterward the main ep1 update for the engine. The engine has always now had the ability to run maps and compile them in HDR. Also think of SDK base as a toolbox. Mainly its to really show things, console commands and the previous explained in the current new engine.--Gear 22:45, 23 Jul 2007 (PDT)

Sorry I'm still a little confused, so the source SDK base allows me to create mods? Not levels like Hammer editor? So you mean I can create a map with hammer editor, compile it in HDR and open the map in source SDK base? And then using source SDK base i can add entities? Or?

And so if I have HL2 ep. 1 and HL2DM which I do, I wont be able to? I call shenanigans on that lol. So if I didn't have those 2 games, would I be able to use source SDK base to create some cool HDR maps for CSS or would it have to be for a multiplayer mod I have made myself. And in order to create mods using source SDK source, would I need to use a third party program for creating mods, or is source SDK base like its own mod creator?

Sorry I'm new to all of these things. I just started creating maps with hammer a couple of weeks ago and still don't understand everything. I'm only 17 but video games are my passion. I have played a game called Second Life which I loved because you can create almost anything, your own world or game within the game even. So I really want to learn more about all this stuff.

No you need to have ep1 or css to use THEIR content. Source sdk base just allows you to use and make MODS under the new source sdk engine build. Simple as that. And no the source sdk base DOES NOT allow you to make maps just mods. You must own hl2, hl2ep1, hl2dm, DOD, or SINep to use the sdk. The sdk requires content in order to be used the sdk base is just a test of the new engine. Also source sdk does not allow you to put entity's in a map because in can not re-write the final bsp. Yeah don't worry about it is a bit complicated at first.--Gear 16:04, 26 Jul 2007 (PDT)