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 theCEnvInstructorHintclass, defined in theenv_instructor_hint.cppfile.

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> (in all games since )

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> (in all games since )

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> (in all games since )

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:

Name (targetname) <string>

The name that other entities use to refer to this entity.

Parent (parentname) <targetname>

Maintain the same initial offset to this entity. An attachment point can also be used if separated by a comma at the end. (parentname [targetname],[attachment])

 Tip: Entities transition to the next map with their parents

 Tip: phys_constraintcan be used as a workaround if parenting fails.

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

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

 Note: Hammer does not move the entities accordingly only in the editor.

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.

Classname (classname) <string> !FGD

Determines the characteristics of the entity before it spawns.

 Tip: Changing this on runtime still has use, like making matching an entry in S_PreserveEnts will persist the entity on new rounds!

Flags (spawnflags) <integer> !FGD

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

Effects (effects) <integer> !FGD

Combination of effect flags to use.

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.

Thinker function (thinkfunction) <string> (in all games since )

Name of the function within this entity's script that'll be called automatically every 100 milliseconds, or a user-defined interval if the function returns a number. Avoid expensive operations in this function, as it may cause performance problems.

Lag Compensation (LagCompensate) <boolean> (in all games since ) !FGD

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

Is Automatic-Aim Target (is_autoaim_target) <boolean> (in all games since ) !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. As a workaround, a point_template may be used to spawn in the desired env_instructor_hint entity; if Show On First Sight is enabled, this will cause the hint to immediately be shown to players who have line of sight to it.

 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:

AddContext <string>

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

AddOutput <string>

Assigns a new keyvalue/output on this entity. For keyvalues, some rely on extra necessary code to be ran and won't work if its simply just changed through this input. There is a strict format that must be followed:

Syntax: 

// Format of changing KeyValues: "AddOutput [key] [value]"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,targetname new_name"

// Format of adding an Output: "AddOutput {targetname}:{inputname}:{parameter}:{delay}:{max times to fire, -1 means infinite}"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self:SetParent:!activator:0.0:-1"
// Arguments can be left blank, but the empty blank should still be contained.
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self:ClearParent::0.0:-1"

ClearContext

Removes all contexts from this entity's list.

ClearParent

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

FireUser1 to FireUser4

Fires the respectiveOnUseroutputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.

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 thanKillinput.

RemoveContext <string>

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

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.

Use  !FGD

Same as a player invoking +use; no effect in most cases.

DispatchResponse <string> !FGD

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

DispatchEffect <string> (removed since ) !FGD

Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin; see also List of Client Effects. Replaced by the particle system since .

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 Hammer, using string arguments will corrupt the VMF file's structure, making the file unviewable for the next Hammer session.

Fix: Remove the string argument 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

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