Difference between revisions of "Instance"

Revision as of 17:18, 31 October 2015

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An instance is a map (.vmf) file referenced inside another map through a func_instance, possibly aided by a func_instance_parms and/or func_instance_io_proxy.

Note: While working inside Hammer for all Source games, instances are currently only supported by the map compilers for Left 4 Dead 2, Alien Swarm, Portal 2, Team Fortress 2, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and will therefore not work for any other games. To use them in unsupported games, see below.

Instances are helpful in many ways:

They provide a more dynamic alternative to prefabs, as any changes to the instanced map will be reflected in all instances of it.
They provide an alternative to visgroups, as they can be used to divide a large, unwieldy map into several smaller, manageable ones (that can even be worked on by multiple authors simultaneously).
They provide a simple way to edit portions of a map that needs to be at a non-orthogonal angle. (Build the map on-grid inside a separate map, and then instance it into another map through a func_instance rotated at the correct angle.
They provide a way for maps to work on multiple platforms, such as Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 versions of the same map.

In Portal 2 to give input to an entity within a instance use this:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	<Output>	<Instance>	instance:<entity>;<input>	<none>	0.00	No

Or, alternatively, you can do this:

	My Output	Target Entity	Target Input	Parameter	Delay	Only Once
	<Output>	<Instance>-<entity>	<input>	<none>	0.00	No

To do

To use instances in unsupported Engine versions, Metapyziks wrote a program that merges used instances with the main VMF.

L4D2 Level Design/VMF Instances - A Valve tutorial on how to use instances in Left 4 Dead 2.
Working with instances - A tutorial on how to use instances in Portal 2.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==How to==
-In portal 2 to give input to an entity within a instance use this:
+In Portal 2 to give input to an entity within a instance use this:
 ::{| class=standard-table
 !   || My Output || Target Entity || Target Input || Parameter || Delay || Only Once