Category:Level Design FAQ

This is a directory of Frequently Asked Questions about level editing and using the Hammer editor.

Hammer Configuration

• How do I manually configure the Hammer Editor?
• I accidentally closed one of the Hammer toolbars, how do I get it back?
• Is there a way to restore Hammer settings to the defaults?
• After launching Hammer, the application takes a huge amount of RAM/system resources!
• After launching Hammer, an error pops up and says it can't load filesystemopendialog.dll!

Compiling maps and running the game

• Hammer reports "leaked!" when I compile. How do I fix it?
• When I compile my map, it freezes on vvis or vrad.
• I added some prop models in Hammer, but they don't appear in the game!
• When I compile, I get "Error! static_prop using model (modelname), which must be used on a dynamic entity."
• I get a message "Memory leak: mempool blocks left in memory: (number)" when I compile.
• When I compile the map, the Process Window says "System cannot find file specified", and the map does not load.
• How do I copy the contents of the compile Process Window?
• Where is the Hammer "error log"?
• What is the "Additional game parameters" field for?
• How do I launch the game without loading the 3D background maps?
• After compiling, I receive an error stating "Failed to load the launcher DLL: The specified module could not be found."
• When I compile, I get "Error: Skybox vtf files for skybox weren't compiled with the same size texture and/or same flags! Can't load skybox file skybox to build the default cubemap!".

Multiplayer issues

• My multiplayer map isn't appearing in the multiplayer map list.
• When I run my multiplayer map in the game, people join my server!
• When I load my Counter-Strike: Source map, it says "Both Teams are Full".
• How do I use a Counter-Strike: Source model or texture in a Half-Life 2: Deathmatch map?
• When I load my map, my game crashes with "Engine Hunk Overflow" error!

Hammer 2D and 3D views

• How do I get back to having 4 views - the 3D, top, front, and side views?
• How do I make it so textures show up in the 3D view? Mine is only wireframe.
• When I'm using the Texture Application (Face Edit) window, I have to close it to move the 3D camera.
• When I use camera shortcuts with the Texture Application window, the window gets "stuck".
• When I click in the 3d window, Hammer "crashes."
• What are the measurements for a block in hammer?

Level editing features and problems

• Models I place in Hammer are rendered with a black and purple checkerboard in-game.
• How do I correctly make a skybox?
• How do I add fog to my level?
• Can I make a custom soundscape for my level?
• I'm trying to set the lightmap scale on my displacements, but it won't let me set the value I want.
• When I use the Carve tool, I get errors, or Hammer simply freezes for a long time.
• Error reading weapon data file for: weapon_cubemap
• When I try to run buildcubemaps, the game crashes!
• The lightmaps on some of my brush surfaces do not work. They appear black in-game or flicker as the camera moves past them.
• Why do props and weapons fall through the displacements in my map?
• When I try to make a level for my new mod, Hammer won't display the grid and I can't make edits.

Decompiling Maps

• How do I decompile a map?

Porting Maps

• Porting maps from one mod to another (GoldSrc)
• Porting maps without decompilation (GoldSrc)
• Porting GoldSrc content (maps, models, etc.) to Source