Hammer++/Bugs and limitations with unsupported games

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Black Mesa

Works with Source 2013 Singleplayer version. However, there are some bugs and issues due to which you will not be able to work constantly.

New lights do not work correctly

Entities with "newLight_" and "newLights_" prefixes don't work with SmartEdit and attempting to replace an entity with one of these will cause a obsolete error.

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  A new light point placed with the Entity Tool.

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  npc_gman after being replaced by newLight_Point.

This is because new lights use capitalized letters in classname. Because of this, Hammer++ cannot read them normally. You can fix it by replacing capitalized letters with lowercase, with this fix the game will work with new lights like you are using Hammer. However, you will still not have any preview for new lights.

Note:Similar issue with npc_xortEB.

Lightmapped_4WayBlend is not loaded

You will not be able to work with Xen levels and some Earthbound outdoor levels, since this shader is used for surfaces everywhere.

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  Hammer

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  Hammer++

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  Hammer

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  Hammer++

Workaround:Use the Hammer++ version for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, as it is the only version of Hammer++ that supports Lightmapped_4WayBlend.

Note:You will need to port the game's assets because it doesn't use or support the old model format.

No surface blend preview

WorldVertexTransition was replaced by LightmappedGeneric in Black Mesa. This means that you cannot see blended surfaces in Hammer++, since this feature is not provided.

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  Hammer

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  Hammer++

GRPortal is not loaded

This shader is used for nihilanth's portals.

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  Hammer

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  Hammer++

Physics Tool doesn't work properly with new ragdoll entities

prop_ragdoll_original and misc_dead_hev are ragdoll entities, Hammer++ doesn't know about this.

Workaround:Add ragdoll() in FGD for these entities.

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  prop_ragdoll_original and misc_dead_hev simulating as general objects, but prop_ragdoll works fine.

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Strata Source

Mainly works with the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive version. Hammer++ will not provide features from Strata Hammer and the engine (mainly UI elements and how it works with content). The convenience of its usage will depend on what you plan to do.

Only supports the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive model format

Strata Source supports all model formats from any game. Hammer++ for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive only supports the model format from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, so you'll need to port models if they do not use this format.

Workaround:Use the Source 2013 Singleplayer version

No Scale Override preview

Static props support the Scale Override keyvalue (similar to Source 2). You will not see changes in Hammer++.

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  Strata Hammer

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  Hammer++

Custom folder is not supported

Strata Source supports the custom folder. Hammer++ for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive doesn't.

Workaround:Use the Source 2013 Singleplayer version

Doesn't read mounts.kv

mounts.kv is a way for Strata Source to mount content from other games without editing the gameinfo.txt. Hammer++ doesn't read this file.

Escape sequences are not supported

Only Strata Hammer supports escape sequences.

Mapbase

Works fine with Source 2013 Singleplayer version. Some custom shaders may work incorrectly, and some custom features will not work as expected.

SDK_Cable doesn't work properly

Display skybox instead of a cable texture.

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  An example.

Spotlight textures don't apply to spotlight preview

Mapbase supports customization of the beam and halo texture. Hammer++ always draws the standard textures.

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  An example. Used obsolete icon for halo and electric texture for beam.

TeamSpen's Hammer Addons

Not a game, but it has some compatibility issues as well. Some issues make it difficult to use together with Hammer++.

Sprite tries to be applied as a model for helper

TeamSpen's Hammer Addons uses model helper for sprite entities, this allows you to place them more accurately than with the white cube. Copy and paste cause the helper model to use the value from model property name, which sprites use to display sprite texture, this causes the helper model to use a nonexisting model and replace it with a placeholder. Fixes with Undo button. Doesn't happen when you place a sprite entity via Entity Tool or when you replace an entity with a sprite entity.

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  An example.

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Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2

L4D2 Hammer++ appears fine on Left 4 Dead, except when compiling the map. After compiling the map and trying to join the map, an error will appear and display: STEAM validation rejected and after pressing ok, the menu will be frozen.

Identical for Left 4 Dead 2, without the Steam rejection, only displaying multiple repeating errors on the console and unable to interact with the menu when exiting the map.

Workaround:Before compiling the map, check the box Don't run the game after compiling and then compile the map, after it has been compiled, enter Left 4 Dead/2 with console enabled and type: map <map name>.

Tip:You can enable dev by going to manage < properties, on Launch options, type: -dev 1.

Textures breaking on Displacements

The textures break/glitch on displacements when going further away from the map. This only happens with displacements when configured to Left 4 Dead 2. This does not happen when configured to Left 4 Dead.

The only way to stop the textures glitching is by unchecking the box Displacements.

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  Example taken in Hammer++

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  Example taken in Hammer

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