Talk:Game text

The list of Channels contained Channel 0 and Channel 5. Are these channels that just aren't mentioned with SmartEdit on, or was that just a mistype? --Andreasen 18:27, 3 Sep 2006 (PDT)

These are the channels allowed by the code—ts2do 19:36, 3 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Sarmatia Project

You can't be serious. Would you reccomend that all single maps using text should be turned into stand alone mods, just in case somebody wanted to play them in french? That's absurd. Localization isn't something preferable to everyone. Just see "Beverly Hills Cop" in german, and you'll understand what I mean. ...so "it is recommended" shouldn't be there. It's just an option. --Andreasen 14:24, 10 Sep 2006 (PDT)

As far as my opinion goes, all singleplayer content should be distributed as a mod. I can't see any reasons not to, beyond the mild quantity of effort required on the part of the map maker.

It's great for modmakers, because the installation instructions are so damn simple (put this folder into the SourceMods directory and restart Steam) and the play instructions are even simpler (teaching people to typing blah-blah into the console limits your audience by the extent of their technical competence). It's great for players, because they can keep their installations nice and tidy. --Giles 15:00, 10 Sep 2006 (PDT)

The downside to single-map mods is that Steam has to be restarted for them to be installed, they take up space in the already too long Steam game list, to cheat the console has to be manually enabled through opening of config.gfc on some computers (often meaning you'll have to save your game, quit the game, locate the file, alter the file, restart the game, enable the console in settings, and load the game) the controls and settings has to be readjusted prior to playing, and the biggest reason is that mods take up more space on the harddrive. In comparison, teaching people, with todays automated map locating feature, to type "map blah-blah" in the console, is a relief to me. It might be a matter of taste though, so let it be a matter of taste in that case. That's why the game_text command exists to begin with: As an option for single-map developers. Personally I'd refuse to play Half-Life 2 itself, if it came localized in swedish only. --Andreasen 15:21, 10 Sep 2006 (PDT)

Text Size

Is there any way to alter the text size for this entity?

Repeating an output

For some reason I am unable to get this entity to fire off more than once. Any tips?

Solved. Just needed to untick the "Fire Once Only" flag.

Conflict in this article

This article's description states that the "message" keyvalue does not accept "\", as this would break the VMF. However, the description of the "message" keyvalue states you have to use "\n" to start a new line. This works in the GoldSource engine, so it's probably functionality carried over but no longer working properly. Since this method wouldn't work, does it still have to be listed here? The only alternative, which i believe should be listed here, is using a second game_text entity. Solokiller 18:32, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

It says that \" won't work: that's someone trying to escape the " character. The slash itself is acceptable. --TomEdwards 20:28, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Alright, my bad. Solokiller 20:39, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

New Line Glitch

When trying to create a New Line using \n, Hammer will convert the \n character into /n. This will then display on screen rather than creating a new line. It can be worked around by editing the *.vmf (map file) with Notepad and changing it back. Obviously changing the file via this method is dangerous. Use with CAUTION. I also noticed some serious hang time while editing the file with notepad.

For clarity. Save your VMF in Hammer. Open it with Notepad. Correct /n to \n as required. Save in Notepad. Compile the map back in Hammer or where ever.

NOTE: If you save later in Hammer, either manually, or auto-save you will have to re-apply the fix in notepad. --iii 00:46, 13 August 2009 (UTC)

Doesn't work for L4D

I can't seem to get the text to display at all in L4D, what gives?

Does this now work with CSS since the engine upgrade?

As the title asks.

No, I tried and I have not seen it in any CSS map

Can't make the text long enough!

I tried to make a "short" text but it seems to be too long cause the text cuts off in-game.

Is there any way to make the text longer, so it is still visible?

Speed up "Scan Out"

Hey, I've been trying to make a map using a game_text entity with "Scan Out" set to it. The problem is that the text goes too slowly, how do I fix this? Can you fix it at all?

Localization possible?

It seems you can place a localization string in the 'Message Text' field, thus allowing for the text to be edited without a .bsp recompilation. Tested on a Source SDK Base 2013 mod with the default binaries. ThatoneJeff (talk) 11:06, 8 May 2016 (UTC)

Hammer's KV Names vs ent_ Commands' KV Names

Ever since this revision in 2011 this article has used Hammer's names for the key-values rather than the slightly more esoteric names required by the "ent_" commands(IE: "fxtime" instead of "Scan Time"). This means anyone who may need to work with game_text entities via the console cannot use this article as a reference. Should we consider having both names in the article?

Hammer Name	ent_ Name
Message Text	message
X	x
Y	y
Color1	color
Color2	color2
Text Effect	effect
Fade In Time	fadein
Fade Out Time	fadeout
Hold Time	holdtime
Scan Time	fxtime
Text Channel	channel
Master	master

2k resolution game_text fix

In HudLayout.res, change the wide and tall values of "HudMessage" to "1280" and "720." It should look as such:

HudMessage
    {
        "fieldName" "HudMessage"
        "visible" "1"
        "enabled" "1"
        "wide"     "1280"
        "tall"     "720"
    }