env_instructor_hint

Example from Portal 2.

This example sets Bound Command to "jump" (without quotations) with Caption set to "Bet you can't jump over me!" (without quotations).

env_instructor_hint is a point entity available in all Source games since Left 4 Dead 2. It it used to instruct the player to do some things, such as not shoot teammates.

In code, it is represented by class CEnvInstructorHint, defined in env_instructor_hint.cpp.

Icons

Icon Name	Icon	Icon Name	Icon
icon_tip		icon_interact
icon_info		icon_button
icon_shield		icon_door
icon_alert		icon_arrow_plain
icon_alert_red		icon_arrow_plain_white_dn
icon_tip (again)		icon_arrow_plain_white_up
icon_skull		icon_arrow_up
icon_no		icon_arrow_right

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

Keyvalues

Target Entity (hint_target) <targetname>

The entity to show this hint on top of. The entity used must be one that is replicated on the client, or the hint will never show up. The info_target_instructor_hint entity is designed for this purpose, allowing the hint to be placed in empty space or parented to a specific location on another entity.

Note:If an info_target entity is used, the spawnflag to always transmit to the client must be checked.

Positioning (hint_static) <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 (hint_allow_nodraw_target) <choices>

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

Confirm:EF_NODRAW?

• 0: End immediately on nodraw
• 1: Yes

Caption (hint_caption) <string>

The text of your hint. 100 character limit.

Caption Color (hint_color) <color255>

The color of the caption text.

Activator Caption (hint_activator_caption) <color255> (New with Alien Swarm)

The color of the caption text, as seen by the !activator.

Force caption (hint_forcecaption) <choices>

Do we show the caption text even if the hint is occluded by (hidden behind) a wall?

• 0: No
• 1: Show when occluded

Onscreen Icon (hint_icon_onscreen) <choices>

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

Offscreen Icon (hint_icon_offscreen) <choices>

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

Show offscreen (hint_nooffscreen) <choices>

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

• 0: Show
• 1: Don't show

Bound Command (hint_binding) <string>

If using the show key bindings setting for the Onscreen Icon or Offscreen Icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for. Use key_listboundkeys to see all bound keys.

Icon Height Offset (hint_icon_offset) <float>

A height offset from the Target Entity's origin to display the hint.

Size Pulsing (hint_pulseoption) <choices>

Speed for which the icon should grow and shrink, as a way to nag the player about the object.

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

Alpha Pulsing (hint_alphaoption) <choices>

Speed for which icon will become more or less transparent.

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

Shaking (hint_shakeoption) <choices>

The icon can shake.

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

Timeout (hint_timeout) <integer>

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

Display Range (hint_range) <float>

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

Show on First Sight (hint_auto_start) <boolean>

When the player first has LOS to the target, it will automatically show for them. only.

Lesson Name (hint_name) <string>

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

Display Limit (hint_display_limit) <integer>

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

Instance Type (hint_instance_type) <choices>

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

• 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 (hint_suppress_rest) <choices>

Suppress the initial icon display in center of screen? only.

• 0: No
• 1: Yes

Only Local Player (hint_local_player_only) <boolean> (New with Alien Swarm)

Shows the hint only to the first player to join/create the server.

Note:This keyvalue appears to have not been coded into the FGD correctly. You must put 0 for "No" and 1 for "Yes".

Gamepad Bound Command (hint_gamepad_binding) <string> (New with Portal 2)

If using the show key bindings setting for the Onscreen Icon or Offscreen Icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for, when the user is using a console/non-keyboard controller of some kind (or PS3/X360).

Base:

Classname (classname) <string>

The classname defines the type of entity. Classnames can be changed using AddOutput, which will influence how the engine deals with the entity in certain circumstances.

Name (targetname) <string>

The name that other entities refer to this entity by.

Global Entity Name (globalname) <string>

Name by which this entity is linked to another entity in a different map. When the player transitions to a new map, entities in the new map with globalnames matching entities in the previous map will have the previous map's state copied over their state.

Parent (parentname) <targetname>

Specifies a movement parent. An entity will maintain its initial offset from its parent. An attachment point can be added to the end of the name, separated by a comma. Every entity can be parented, even point entities. Entities which are parented will be forced to transition to the next map, such as from a trigger_transition. Some entities which aren't intended to be parented may not function correctly. phys_constraint can be used as a workaround to parenting.

Origin (X Y Z) (origin) <coordinates>

The position of this entity's center in the world. Rotating entities typically rotate around their origin.

Pitch Yaw Roll (X Y Z) (angles) <angle>

This entity's orientation in the world. Pitch is rotation around the Y axis, yaw is the rotation around the Z axis, roll is the rotation around the X axis.

Note:This works on brush entities, although Hammer doesn't show the new angles.

Flags (spawnflags) <integer>

Toggles features of an entity, its specific number is determined by the combination of flags added.

Response Contexts (ResponseContext) <string>

Pre-defined response system contexts for this entity. Format is key:value,key:value,.... Contexts may be filtered.

Effects (effects) <integer> !FGD

Combination of effect flags to use.

Local Time (ltime) <float> !FGD

The local time of the entity, independent of the global clock. Used mainly for physics calculations.

Next Think (nextthink) <float> !FGD

Amount of time before the entity thinks again.

Hammer ID (hammerid) <integer> !FGD

The entity's Hammer ID. Mainly used by plugins and debugging commands, such as ent_keyvalue. Can be manually assigned with the "hammerid" or "id" keyvalue. Entities spawned at run-time are not assigned any Hammer ID.

Disable for Xbox 360 (disableX360) <boolean> (New with Left 4 Dead 2) !FGD

If Yes, disables this entity on the Xbox 360 version of Source.

Entity Scripts (vscripts) <scriptlist> (New with Left 4 Dead 2)

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> (New with Left 4 Dead 2)

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

Lag Compensation (LagCompensate) <boolean> (New with Left 4 Dead 2) !FGD

Set to Yes to lag compensate this entity. Should be used very sparingly!

Is Automatic-Aim Target (is_autoaim_target) <boolean> (New with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive) !FGD

If set to 1, this entity will slow down aiming movement for consoles and joystick controllers when the entity is under the crosshairs.

Inputs

ShowHint  <targetname>

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

Bug: In , hints triggered by this input are only visible to the !activator.

Note:In , you cannot display more than one hint at the same time.

EndHint

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

Base:

Kill

Removes this entity and any entities parented to it from the world.

KillHierarchy

Functions the same as Kill, although this entity and any entities parented to it are killed on the same frame, being marginally faster than Kill.

SetParent  <string>

Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).

SetParentAttachment  <string>

Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.

SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset  <string>

As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.

ClearParent

Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.

AddOutput  <string>

Evaluates a keyvalue/output on this entity.
Format: <key> <value>
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. Can also be invoked by creating an output that does not specify an input.
This input is not included in Valve's FGDs.

DispatchEffect  <string> !FGD

Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin. Removed and replaced entirely by the particle system since .

DispatchResponse  <string> !FGD

Dispatches a response to the entity. See Response and Concept.

AddContext  <string>

Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. Format is <key>:<value>.

RemoveContext  <string>

Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.

ClearContext  <string>

Removes all contexts from this entity's list.

RunScriptFile  <script> (New with Left 4 Dead 2)

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

RunScriptCode  <string> (New with Left 4 Dead 2)

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> (New with Left 4 Dead 2) !FGD

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

SetLocalOrigin  <coordinates> (New with Alien Swarm) !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> (New with Alien Swarm) !FGD

Set this entity's angles.

Outputs

Base:

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.

See Also

• L4D2 Level Design/Instructor Hints