Env instructor hint

 env_instructor_hint is a point entity available in Left 4 Dead 2. It is also available in Portal 2. It allows creation and control of instructor lessons by map logic.

 Note: env_instructor_hint currently cannot display more than one hint at the same time.

Keyvalues

Target Entity <targetname>

The entity to show this hint on top of. The entity used must exist on the client, info_target_instructor_hint can be parented to server only entities for this purpose.

Positioning <choices>

Either show at the position of the Target Entity. Or show the hint directly on the hud at a fixed position.

• 0 : Follow the Target Entity
• 1 : Show on the hud

Allow invisible target <choices>

Do we allow the hint to follow entites with nodraw set?

• 0 : End immediately on nodraw
• 1 : Yes

Caption <string>

The text of your hint. (Note: It seems that this text cannot exceed 100 characters - if it does, it appears that the hint won't display.)

Caption Color <color255>

The color of the caption text

Force caption <choices>

Do we show the caption text even if the hint is occluded by a wall?

• 0 : No
• 1 : Show when occluded

Onscreen Icon <choices>

The icon to use when the hint is within the player's view.

Offscreen Icon <choices>

The icon to use when the hint is outside the player's view.

Show offscreen <choices>

When the hint is offscreen, do we show an icon and arrow?

• 0 : Show
• 1 : Don't show

Bound Command <string>

If using 'show key bindings' for the onscreen icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for

Icon Height Offset <float>

A height offset from the target entity's origin to display the hint

Size Pulsing <choices>

The icon size can pulsate

• 0 : No Pulse
• 1 : Slow Pulse
• 2 : Fast Pulse
• 3 : Urgent Pulse

Alpha Pulsing <choices>

The icon alpha can pulsate

• 0 : No Pulse
• 1 : Slow Pulse
• 2 : Fast Pulse
• 3 : Urgent Pulse

Shaking <choices>

The icon can shake

• 0 : No Shaking
• 1 : Narrow Shake
• 2 : Wide Shake

Timeout <integer>

The automatic timeout for the hint. 0 will persist until stopped with EndHint.

Display Range <float>

The visible range of the hint. 0 will show it at any distance.

Show on First Sight <boolean>

When the player first sees it, it will automatically show for them.

Gamepad Bound Command <string> (in all games since )

If using 'show key bindings' for the onscreen icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for when gamepad is enabled (and PS3/X360)

Lesson Name <string> (in all games since )

Hints with the same lesson name use a common base and are treated as instances the same lesson type.

Display Limit <integer> (in all games since )

The number of times a hint can be seen. 0 means unlimited.

Instance Type <choices> (in all games since )

How many instances of a single lesson type can be open or active at the same time.

• 0 : Multiple
• 1 : Single Open (Prevents new hints from opening.)
• 2 : Fixed Replace (Ends other hints when a new one is shown.)
• 3 : Single Active (Hides other hints when a new one is shown.)

Suppress rest before moving <choices> (in all games since )

Suppress the initial icon display in center of screen?

• 0 : No
• 1 : Yes

Targetname:

Name (targetname) <string>

The targetname that other entities refer to this entity by.

Entity Scripts (vscripts) <scriptlist> (in all games since )

Space delimited list of VScript files (without file extension) that are executed after all entities have spawned. The scripts are all executed in the same script scope, later ones overwriting any identical variables and functions.

Script think function (thinkfunction) <string> (in all games since )

Name of a function in this entity's script which will be called automatically every 100 milliseconds (ten times a second) for the duration of the script. It can be used to create timers or to simulate autonomous behavior. The return value (if present) will set the time until the next call.

 Note: Try to avoid expensive operations in this function, as it may cause performance problems.

Inputs

ShowHint

Start showing the hint. If an entity name is passed as a parameter, the hint is shown only to that entity.

EndHint

Stop showing the hint if it hasn't already timed out.

Targetname:

Kill

Removes this entity from the world.

KillHierarchy

Removes this entity and its children from the world.

 Note: Entities already remove orphaned children upon being removed, but this input removes all children on the same frame, being marginally faster than Kill.

AddOutput <string>

Adds a keyvalue/output to this entity. It can be potentially very dangerous, use with care.
KV Format: <key> <value>
I/O Format: <output name> <targetname>:<inputname>:<parameter>:<delay>:<max times to fire, -1 means infinite>

FireUser1 to FireUser4

Fire the OnUser outputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.

Use  !FGD

Same as a player invoking +use; may not do anything depending on the entity. Can also be invoked by firing an output that does not specify an input.

RunScriptFile <script> (in all games since )

Execute a VScript file from disk, without file extension. The script contents are merged with the script scope of the receiving entity.

RunScriptCode <string> (in all games since )

Execute a string of VScript source code in the scope of the entity receiving the input. String quotation may be needed when fired via console.

 Bug: In , the code is executed in the script scope of the entity that fires the output, not the one receiving the input.

 Warning: Never try to pass string parameters to a script function with this input. It will corrupt the VMF structure because of the nested quotation marks, which then must be removed manually with a text editor.

CallScriptFunction <string> (in all games since ) !FGD

Execute a VScript function in the scope of the receiving entity.

SetLocalOrigin <coordinates> (in all games since ) !FGD

Send this entity to a spot in the map. If the entity is parented to something, it will be offset from the parent by this amount.

SetLocalAngles <angles> (in all games since ) !FGD

Set this entity's angles.

Outputs

Targetname:

OnUser1 to OnUser4

These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered FireUser1 to FireUser4 Input; see User Inputs and Outputs.

OnKilled  (only in )

This output fires when the entity is killed and removed from the game.

Icons

Icon Name	Icon
icon_tip
icon_info
icon_shield
icon_alert
icon_alert_red
icon_tip (again)
icon_skull
icon_no

Icon Name	Icon
icon_interact
icon_button
icon_door
icon_arrow_plain
icon_arrow_plain_white_dn
icon_arrow_plain_white_up
icon_arrow_up
icon_arrow_right

 Note: env_instructor_hint is not limited to icons listed above, please refer to scripts/mod_textures.txt located in the main pak01_dir.vpk for more icon options.

show key bindings

This is a special icon that requires setting entity property Bound Command. The following example sets Bound Command to "jump" (without quotations) with Caption set to "Bet you can't jump over me!" (without quotations).

In this case, "+jump" is bound to "SPACE", the space bar on the keyboard. More commands can be found in the Left 4 Dead 2 cfg folder. Open config.cfg in a text editor to review which commands are currently bound to the client.

See also

• L4D2 Level Design/Instructor Hints