A heads-up about the SDK

Pocket

Half a Lambert is better than one.
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Nov 14, 2009
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On Tuesday, April 23, Valve will be converting Team Fortress 2 to use the VPK file system introduced in Left 4 Dead instead of GCF. Most of you probably already heard about this, but you might not know the full implications. Not only will every current guide and tutorial telling where to find certain files be wrong forever, but you will not be able to access the TF2 configuration in Source SDK. Which means all mapping work will grind to a halt until an alternative is provided.

We've already seen this happpen to Day of Defeat: Source and Half-Life 2: Deathmatch when they were converted, and so far there is no official word as to how soon we will get the use of our tools back, and in what form. The most likely scenario is that the SDK will eventually be removed altogether and replaced with a collection of "Authoring Tools" for each game. Knowing Valve, though, it could be a long time before they get around to doing it. If they have something else up their sleeves, like a brand-new SDK, it could be an even longer wait.

So to everyone who has work they wanted to get done on their maps: You have one week to finish it. Judging by how quickly next Saturday's gameday filled up, I'm not the only one who realized this.
 

PMAvers

L6: Sharp Member
Jan 29, 2008
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flutteryay2.gif
 
Sep 7, 2012
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For those of you who would still like scratch their mapping itch during this period of darkness, I would recommend trying out the developer tools for Call of Duty 4 and entering the Raven Level Design competition to keep you fresh.

Also, I'm guessing this means that the Source Filmaker's Hammer will be broken as well.
 

fubarFX

The "raw" in "nodraw"
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Jun 1, 2009
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so what are the implications anyways?
we are still using bsp right?
so the only problem is that the tools won't be able to load assets from the game files?

I'll have to take a good look at it but I guess it can be fixed. just make sure you back up your gcfs.

Also, I'm guessing this means that the Source Filmaker's Hammer will be broken as well.

pretty sure filmmaker supports vpk
 

Phenol

L1: Registered
Jan 13, 2013
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Wait, so we won't be able to use Hammer for an indefinite period of time? Everything will just be gone like that?

There's nothing we can do about this? Disable automatic updates for Source SDK?

Should we back up our maps or something?

...Just when I was coming back from a break.
 

Fruity Snacks

Creator of blackholes & memes. Destroyer of forums
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Sep 5, 2010
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For those of you who would still like scratch their mapping itch during this period of darkness, I would recommend trying out the developer tools for Call of Duty 4 and entering the Raven Level Design competition to keep you fresh.

Also, I'm guessing this means that the Source Filmaker's Hammer will be broken as well.

I know I was!


... not entering this year, but to practice.
 
Sep 7, 2012
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I'm lost, you're all saying different things.
What will it do exactly ?

Trotim is being facetious. Valve has a record of breaking unrelated things every time they update anything, and something as large as the VPK transfer is likely to hurt someone.
 

fubarFX

The "raw" in "nodraw"
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Jun 1, 2009
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I'm not familiar with what happened in the other conversions, would extracting all content out of the GCFs not suffice?

I assume so but we'll have to see. paking will become quite problematic for sure (the grand return of bspzip?).
and god knows what else this update has in stores
 

A Boojum Snark

Toraipoddodezain Mazahabado
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Nov 2, 2007
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Packing wouldn't be too much trouble as long as you make a list for your map before The Happening gets here. If I remember, PackBSP creates such a list for you?