Entities in Depth

Introduction

Entities provide the level of interaction found in all levels, from the car that explodes to the Antlion Guard throwing you across the room it all originates with entities. Entities provide all the interaction a level designer can create and also provide a lot of functionality. Entities are essential to level design period.

What they are

An entity is a collection of special information that informs the game how to behave and how this object will behave. All the information that defines what entities can do is hidden away within the game's code; therefore, for Hammer to know and use the possibilities that exist a reference file is written. The reference file is know as an FGD, its important to note because it lists all the information about entities as far as Hammer is concerned. Its key to understand the FGD does not create the entities it just tells Hammer how to use the code. As far as a level designer is concerned there are two types of entities, point and brush. Each categorizes a different set of properties and effects which are then created and used in different manners; however, they both work exactly the same.

Point Entities: A point entity is usually the first type of entity you will come across. It has no physical size it merely occupies an infinitely small point in space, occasionally the point itself does not even matter. Point entities are used to position an effect or model (env_sprite, prop_static), or to keep track of information (math_counter, logic_branch). Point entities are placed via the entity tool.

Note: When trying to resize or reshape point entities as they have no physical shape; therefore, they will not be altered but their relative positions will be, this with other factors means models cannot be resized

Brush Entities: Brush entities differ from point entities in the fact that they occupy physical spaces, brushes are taken and then turned into a brush entity. As brush entities occupy physical space they can block the player (func_door) or monitor an area (trigger_multiple). As they rely on brushes they aren't created with the entity tool, select any brush and press Ctrl+T or the "toEntity" button in the lower right.

Note: Brush entities can span multiple brushes so all selected brushes will be turned into one single entity

Note: Use Ctrl+W or the toWorld button to remove the entity information from the brushes

Further information on making entities can be found here. An entity consists of several different groups of information, Properties, Flags, and I/O. All go together to make one entity and often work in conjunction, for example inputs can change properties, flags can alter a properties effect and properties can define what triggers an output. Looking through all sections will reveal exactly what an entity can do. Below the three set of information are detailed.

Properties

Properties are the variables of an entity, they can contain any value or a set range of values. The properties detail information such as name, color, or rendering effects. There is a property and a key value. The key value stores the information about the property, whether the Color property is blue, red or green. Hammer will put detailed names and descriptions of the effects up on the screen with the feature "Smart Edit", turning it off removes the user friendly names and help and reveals the properties and values as seen in game.

Flags

Flags represent simple boolean conditions of an entity. They often change the fundamental behavior of an entity. Often overlooked, useful conditions are often found in here such as "Motion disable" for a prop_physics to stop it moving at all. Flags often set default states or dis/allow a certain behavior. Flags themselves cannot be changed in game, but sometimes the properties they affect can be.

Inputs and Outputs

Inputs and outputs are how information is passed between entities. Outputs and Inputs are directly linked to each other, when an output condition is met its triggered and that information is then passed into an input. That input will then cause certain changes within the entity. When a player walks into a trigger_once the OnStartTouch output is fired this can then trigger any Input on another entity making a light go on or an alarm sound. Simple at first glance the I/O system is incredibly powerful and can even go so far as reproducing simpler games such as breakout. Looking at an entities available inputs can tell you what you can change, but often a bit of experimentation is need to figure out when each output is fired.

Using Entities

Proper use of entities is one of the topics that goes far beyond the scope of any one article, but as a simple introduction to entities here’s a few of the common tasks explained in depth in their own tutorials.

• Simple button controlled door tutorial - Door creation
• Intermediate physic light tutorial - Hanging lamps
• Intermediate car explosion tutorial - Car Explosions
• Advanced tutorial on controlling Antlions - Antlions: Random Spawn

There are a lot of examples to be found in the <e-mail>/sdkcontent/... folder that demonstrate how to use several of the simpler and even more complex entities and plenty more tutorials on the site; however, your own ingenuity and understanding are the true keys to unlocking their power.

Conclusion

Entities are the core of interesting level design and allow great flexibility and power, time should be spent familiarizing yourself with them and their effects. Often creating small maps for the single purpose of playing with an entity’s effects is a great way to spend some time, as understanding what entities can and can't do can save hours of grief when trying to implement effects in full blown levels.