TF2 and other game content

[Half-Life_Maniac]

Does anyone know exactly what content you can use in your TF2 maps?

I'm talking about textures, models, sprites, sounds- everything. Becuase actually, TF2 does not have all that much of its own stuff. Plenty of models and textures, but hardly any general sort of sounds for example.

So obviously since I own Half-Life 2 and every other game, I'll have all the content that goes with it. But what about someone who bought TF2, but not HL2? Does the HL2 content get included in the TF2 download? I know that TF2 uses various sounds from HL2 such as footsteps, physics sounds and so on.

I suppose the best way to ask this is- If someone who does not own a single VALVe game went and bought TF2 on its own off steam, exactly what content would they get?

 

[drp]

Does anyone know exactly what content you can use in your TF2 maps?

I'm talking about textures, models, sprites, sounds- everything. Becuase actually, TF2 does not have all that much of its own stuff. Plenty of models and textures, but hardly any general sort of sounds for example.

So obviously since I own Half-Life 2 and every other game, I'll have all the content that goes with it. But what about someone who bought TF2, but not HL2? Does the HL2 content get included in the TF2 download? I know that TF2 uses various sounds from HL2 such as footsteps, physics sounds and so on.

I suppose the best way to ask this is- If someone who does not own a single VALVe game went and bought TF2 on its own off steam, exactly what content would they get?

you would have to include the content along with your map.

so you would have some folders name sounds/models and the map.

 

[Hawk]

With props it's easy... you see a "tf" or a "hl2" or other initials next to them. Just never use a prop unless it has a "tf" next to it.

Textures aren't so obvious. I just learned this today from Ziggurat, but you have to type "tf" in the keywords section of the texture browser to make sure that only Team Fortress textures come up.

 

[Shmitz]

Assets are available (and used in Valve maps) that aren't specifically TF2-specific.

Anything in the following files I believe can be considered fair game:
base source engine 2.gcf
half-life 2 content.gcf
half-life 2 game dialog.gcf
source 2007 binaries.gcf
source 2007 shared materials.gcf
source 2007 shared models.gcf
source 2007 shared sounds.gcf
source engine.gcf
source materials.gcf
source models.gcf
source sounds.gcf


Obviously though, a lot of the assets in those files aren't going to be appropriate stylistically for TF2. However, if you do find something that's in those files and isn't tagged as "tf", and you think it works, you're safe using it. You don't have to worry about some poor guy who only has TF2 getting purple checkers or a big red ERROR model.

 

[Intraman]

I know that some of the HL2 props (probably most of them) don't work in TF2, yet they would fit style-wise. Specificly the coffee mug and newspaper.

 

[Half-Life_Maniac]

Ok, that sheds a bit of light on things, Shmitz (as long as you're sure you're 100% correct!)

However, does anyone know exactly what .GCFs you will have with a fresh installation of TF2, with no prior games installed? I can't imagine Half-Life2-content.gcf for example being part of the download.

 

[Shmitz]

Ok, that sheds a bit of light on things, Shmitz (as long as you're sure you're 100% correct!)

However, does anyone know exactly what .GCFs you will have with a fresh installation of TF2, with no prior games installed? I can't imagine Half-Life2-content.gcf for example being part of the download.

To be fair, I'm basing that list off of Portal, as I know someone who has no HL2 or Orange Box, just Portal. The half-life 2 content file is exactly the same size as mine though, so I'm assuming it's part of the shared (or base) content for Valve's source engine games.

So to qualify my statement, that's the list of .GCFs with a fresh installation of Portal, with no prior games installed. However, I'd be rather surprised if it were different for TF2.

 

[Buster Charlie]

With props it's easy... you see a "tf" or a "hl2" or other initials next to them. Just never use a prop unless it has a "tf" next to it.

Textures aren't so obvious. I just learned this today from Ziggurat, but you have to type "tf" in the keywords section of the texture browser to make sure that only Team Fortress textures come up.

Yes if you install TF2 by itself it loads other valve assets.

I generally use the TF filter in my texture browser so not to load my map with UGLY STUPID HL2 TEXTURES like everyone else seems to be using because they don't have the imagination or discipline to do a map without filling it with UGLY STUPID HL2 TEXTURES.


HAHAHA

Anyway I have had to make a few changes to my map to accommodate the TF style, it just seems lazy to say 'ah fuck it, this HL2 texture is easier.'

 

[Buster Charlie]

He's right, I only installed TF2 (and TFC) (and SDK) on this machine for mapping and here is what I got..

base source engine 2.gcf
half-life 2 content.gcf
half-life 2 game dialog.gcf
source 2007 binaries.gcf
source 2007 shared materials.gcf
source 2007 shared models.gcf
source 2007 shared sounds.gcf
source engine.gcf
source materials.gcf
source models.gcf
source sounds.gcf

plus some TFC and HL content because of TFC but the above HL2/source stuff also loaded.
Can anyone give us a list of non TF2 resources used in the offical maps?

I did it myself for textures..

2Fort:

decals/decalindustrialnumber02b

and by that logic I can assume any of the industrialnumber decal family are fair game.

decals/wood/shot1

Not sure where this is used but I guess it's no big surprised that damage decals are not TF2 specific.

metal/metalstair001a
This is used extensivly in 2fort, almost all the main stairways are made of this.

metal/metalwall003a
This is used as the 'skirt' along the 'skybox' wall of the ramp room.

metal/metalrail003a
This is used as the floor grating above the main fort entrance. (The area where soldiers can rocket jump up through the floor/ceiling and go right around the corner to the main respawn area).

That's it for 2Fort, as you can see they made very limited use of HL2 textures.

Dustbowl

No non-TF2 textures used.

Granary

metal/metalrail003a
This is used again, and this time as a railing. HOWEVER it's only used a a out of bounds prop for a far away object.

metal/metalstair001a
Also used again.


Gravelpit

metal/metalstair001a
Also used again.

Well

metal/metalfence004a
Used on 3 brushes on a decorative entrance to a off limits area. (beer conveyor belt)

Hydro

metal/metalstair001a
Also used again.


THAT'S IT FOLKS!

4 metal detail textures and 2 decals used.

So happy mapping with your 4 Valve approved HL2 textures.

 

[Ziggurat]

Legally, you are able to use any content you want, as long as you are not redistributing them. In terms of compatibility, you *should* only use content that is available to players when they have TF2 installed, which means all the above gcfs are fine, but not content from ep2, portal, etc. If you were to use ep2 content, it wouldn't load for someone without ep2, because they wouldn't have the proper .gcf. People get around this by extracting the file and then redistributing it with their map, and THIS is what is against the end user license agreement.