Common traditional naming conventions for maps for some Half-Life and Source games use a small prefix (often two or three letters) followed by an underscore at the beginning of the map name. For example "de_dust", where "de_" is the prefix and "dust" is the map name. In addition, some custom maps can be marked with unofficial prefixes, either to denote its nature or to brand it.
To do: Add descriptions and prefix names for those who do not have any.
Official games
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
Official (general)
|
cs
|
Hostage Rescue
|
|
de
|
Bomb Defusal & Arsenal: Demolition
|
|
Official (Counter-Strike, Counter-Strike: Condition Zero and Counter-Strike: Source)
|
as
|
Assasination
|
Counter-Strike and VIP Mod only
|
es
|
Terrorist Escape
|
Now defunct, originally official
|
tr
|
Training Maps
|
Only official appearance in Counter-Strike 1.5 retail.
|
Official (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive)
|
ar
|
Arsenal: Arms Race
|
|
dz
|
Danger Zone
|
|
gd
|
Guardian Scenario
|
|
coop
|
Co-op Strike Scenario
|
|
Unofficial
|
aim
|
Aim Arena
|
Has teams that are restricted to one class of weapon and have no objectives except to eliminate the opposing team. Emphasis is placed on player's aim.
|
awp
|
AWP Arena
|
Restricts players to AWPs only
|
bhop
|
Bunny Hop Maps
|
|
cp
|
Control Points
|
|
dm
|
Deathmatch Arena
|
Used by deathmatch mods for CS and CS:S. These maps are usually small and simple like "fy" maps but adapted in order to have multiple spawn points.
|
dr
|
Dead Run
|
Race mod (unofficial gamemode)
|
fy
|
Frag Yard / Fight Yard
|
Map with an assortment of weapons spawning on the ground versus player inventory.
|
fun
|
Fun Map
|
Map with some strange objectives, contraptions or other mysterious things.
|
mg
|
Minigames
|
Mostly obstacle courses and maps that feature a wide selection of smaller games.
|
gg
|
Gun Game (Original Arms Race)
|
The only objective on this map is to kill the other team. You can level up to get better guns.
|
he
|
Heavy Explosive Grenade Arena
|
Restricts players to Heavy Explosive grenades.
|
nade
|
hg
|
Hunger Games
|
Usually big maps with weapons scattered around the arena. Last man standing wins the round.
|
ka
|
Knife Arena
|
Restricts players to knives only.
|
kz
|
Kreedz Climbing
|
|
pa
|
Prepared Assault
|
|
jb
|
Jailbreak
|
|
surf
|
Surf Maps
|
Surf Maps (unofficial gamemode).
|
texture
|
Secondary prefix
|
Denotes a map that only uses dev textures.
|
ze
|
Zombie Escape
|
Zombie mod escape maps (unofficial gamemode)
|
zm
|
Zombie Mod
|
Zombie mod barricade maps (unofficial gamemode)
|
Note: Condition Zero uses enhanced versions of the original Counter-Strike maps denoted with a "_cz" suffix.
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
dod
|
Default Prefix
|
|
para
|
Para Maptype
|
Last seen in Day of Defeat beta 3.1
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
asi
|
Default Prefix
|
|
jac#
|
?
|
Second prefix assigned to the above, used in missions, where the octothorpe define a number, usage currently unknown.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
dmc
|
Default Prefix
|
This is the default prefix for all maps in Deathmatch Classic.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
c0
|
Chapter 0
|
Train Ride
|
c1
|
Chapter 1
|
Black Mesa Sectors
|
c2
|
Chapter 2
|
Black Mesa Trainride
|
c3
|
Chapter 3
|
Black Mesa Outside
|
c4
|
Chapter 4
|
Xen
|
c5
|
Chapter 5
|
Ending
|
t0
|
Training
|
Training Maps
|
hldemo
|
Demo Maps
|
Originally found in Half-Life: Uplink
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ba
|
Default Prefix
|
This is the default prefix for all of the game's maps.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
of
|
Default Prefix
|
|
op4cp
|
Capture Point
|
|
op4ctf
|
Capture The Flag
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ht
|
Default Prefix
|
dy
|
Default Prefix
|
Prefix for maps on the PC ported version.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
d1
|
Day One
|
Used in Half-Life 2's singleplayer campaign for Day One of the story, "Point Insertion" to "We don't go to Ravenholm".
|
d2
|
Day Two
|
Used in Half-Life 2's singleplayer campaign for Day Two of the story, "Highway 17" to "Entanglement".
|
d3
|
Day Three
|
Used in Half-Life 2's singleplayer campaign for Day Three of the story, "Entanglement (continued)" to "Dark Energy".
|
ep1
|
Episode 1
|
Used in Half-Life 2: Episode 1's singleplayer campaign maps.
|
ep2
|
Episode 2
|
Used in Half-Life 2: Episode 2's singleplayer campaign maps.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
Official
|
dm
|
Deathmatch
|
Default Prefix
|
Unofficial
|
js
|
Coop
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
l4d
|
Co-op
|
Storyline based gameplay
|
l4d_sv
|
Survival
|
|
l4d_vs
|
Versus
|
|
c#m#
|
Campaign #, Mission #
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
testchmb
|
Test Chambers
|
Early levels (Test chambers 1-19)
|
escape
|
Facility Escape
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
sp_a1
|
Single Player Maps (Act 1)
|
|
sp_a2
|
Single Player Maps (Act 2)
|
|
sp_a3
|
Single Player Maps (Act 3)
|
|
sp_a4
|
Single Player Maps (Act 4)
|
|
mp_coop
|
Coop Maps
|
|
Note: The player will spawn with a portal gun dependent on the map prefix - for example, starting with sp_a1 will start you with a single portal gun.
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
rc
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
Unofficial
|
conc
|
Concussion
|
Using concussion grenades to do a climb/jump sort of map.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
Official
|
arena
|
Arena Maps
|
Added with the August 19, 2008 update.
|
cp
|
Control Point
|
Original Shipping Map Type
|
ctf
|
Capture the Flag
|
Original Shipping Map Type
|
pl
|
Payload
|
Added with the April 29, 2008 update.
|
tc
|
Territorial Control
|
Original Shipping Map Type
|
plr
|
Payload Race
|
Added with the May 21, 2009 update.
|
koth
|
King of the Hill
|
Added with the August 13, 2009 update.
|
tr
|
Training
|
|
sd
|
Special Delivery
|
Added with the pyromania update
|
mvm
|
Mann vs Machine
|
Added with the MVM update
|
rd
|
Robot Destruction
|
|
pd
|
Player Destruction
|
|
pass
|
PASS Time
|
Used by maps utilising the PASS time gamemode.
|
Unofficial
|
ccp
|
Cyclic Capture Points
|
|
db
|
Dodgeball
|
|
dm
|
Deathmatch
|
|
duel
|
dom
|
Domination
|
|
es
|
Escort
|
|
jump
|
Rocket Jumping
|
Jump maps (rocket or sticky jumping). Fun skill maps that have little or no competitive fighting, but rather are for players to practice using Soldier or Demoman classes, using their explosive weaponry to propel themselves to difficult heights, or through difficult obstacles. (Examples include: rj_rocketeer, JUMP_HOBO)
|
rj
|
kotf
|
King of the Flag
|
The intel must be held for an allotted amount of time for a successful capture. Only one flag.
|
ktf
|
melee
|
-
|
Melee only map
|
sniper
|
-
|
Sniper only/preferred map
|
toy
|
-
|
Players are small compared to the level scale
|
rats
|
rc
|
Random Capturepoints
|
Capture Point match where the points are randomly assigned
|
vip
|
Hunted map
|
Hunted map, to be used with the Hunted mod
|
core
|
Core Destruction
|
Must destroy the primary core to win the round.
|
surf
|
Surfing map
|
Players strafe into angled surfaces, exploiting the game's physics to reach high speeds. Servers require an increased "sv_airaccelerate" value, ususally 100 or 150. Maps may be played as cp, ctf, dm, arena, or skill. (skill-surf simply being a challenging map that involves no deathmatch).
|
ph
|
Prophunt
|
Red team is turned into various props, and given an amount of time to hide around the map. Blue team must find them all before the round ends. Usually when there is one prop left alive, they are given their weapons back and Blue team is coated with Jarate. To be used with the Prophunt (Hide and Seek) mod.
|
vsh
|
VS Saxton Hale
|
VS Saxton Hale, used with the Versus Saxton Hale mod and the Freak Fortress mod.
|
pf
|
Parkour Fortress
|
Used with the Slag Gaming Parkour Fortress mod.
|
dr
|
Deathrun
|
Red team must survive a course of map-based traps activated by a player on Blue team. Used with either VSH or a similar mod.
|
mge
|
My Gaming Edge
|
One-on-one deathmatch with the "My Gaming Edge" mod
|
td
|
Tower Defense
|
|
achievement
|
Achievement Idle
|
|
fw
|
Fort Wars
|
|
ba
|
Jail Break
|
|
jail
|
slender
|
Slender Fortress
|
|
sb
|
Smash Fortress
|
|
zf
|
Zombie Fortress
|
|
szf
|
Super Zombie Fortress
|
|
zom
|
Zombie Mod
|
|
tf2ware
|
Team Fortress 2 Ware
|
|
tfkart
|
Team Fortress 2 Kart
|
|
tf2kart
|
kr
|
trade
|
Trade maps
|
|
Third-party mods
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
se1
|
Default Prefix
|
Used by all of the singleplayer campaign maps in the game.
|
arena
|
Arena Maps
|
Arena maps are where the player has to survive for as long as possible against infinite spawning enemies.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
Official
|
gm
|
Default Prefix
|
|
gmdm
|
Garry's Mod Deathmatch
|
|
mr
|
Melon Racer
|
|
ifn
|
Infection
|
Unreleased test gamemode
|
ttt
|
Trouble in Terrorist Town
|
|
ph
|
Prophunt
|
|
Unofficial
|
rp
|
Roleplay
|
|
sb
|
Space Build
|
|
gms
|
Stranded
|
|
zs
|
Zombie Survival
|
|
fw
|
Fort Wars
|
|
cinema
|
Cinema
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ch
|
Chinatown
|
Singleplayer Chinatown based maps
|
hw
|
Hollywood
|
Singleplayer Hollywood based maps
|
la
|
Los Angeles
|
Singleplayer Los Angeles based maps
|
sm
|
Santa Monica
|
Singleplayer Santa Monica based maps
|
sp
|
?
|
Singleplayer ? based maps
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
bb
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ddd
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
diprip
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
dys
|
Default Prefix
|
|
pb
|
Phistball
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
emp
|
Empires
|
Fully featured empires map. Has FPS and RTS gameplay with commander role.
|
con
|
Conquest
|
FPS only gameplay. Does not have a commander. Sometimes has vehicles.
|
fun
|
Fun
|
Fun map generally not meant to be taken seriously.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
es
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ff
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
demo
|
Gunman Chronicles demo
|
|
cinematic
|
Cutscene
|
|
city
|
?
|
|
mayan
|
?
|
|
rust
|
?
|
|
west
|
?
|
|
rebar
|
?
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ctf
|
Capture the Flag
|
|
dom
|
Domination
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
hdn
|
Hidden
|
|
ovr
|
Overrun
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ins
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ig
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
jb
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
bm
|
Default prefix
|
Used for all singleplayer missions
|
dm
|
Deathmatch
|
A multiplayer PvP match.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ns
|
Default Prefix
|
|
co
|
Combat
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
oc
|
Default Prefix
|
|
oc_vs
|
PvP
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
3mm
|
3-Month Mod
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
sf
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
ts
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
sc
|
Default Prefix
|
Older Sven Co-op maps tend not to have prefixes, but, to stop confusion with third-party single player levels and original Half-Life multiplayer add-ons, this prefix has come into use.
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
syn
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
zm
|
Default Prefix
|
|
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
zps
|
Survival
|
|
zpo
|
Objective Mode
|
|
zph
|
Hardcore
|
|
zpa
|
Arena
|
|
Unclassified prefixes
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
jp
|
?
|
|
kz
|
Climbing/jumping
|
|
nrp
|
?
|
|
proto
|
Prototype map
|
|
rwp
|
?
|
|
sa
|
Snipers Alley
|
|
sdk
|
SourceSDK example map
|
|
test
|
Test map
|
|
perftest
|
Performance Test map
|
|
zoo
|
Object Gallery
|
|
Thematic
Prefix
|
Map Type
|
Description
|
killbox
|
Killbox (DM)
|
Map consisting of at least one box-shaped arena.
|