Anyone know any good archiving software?Is there a way to archive the content of the links? Just so they don´t die slowly?
SDK Resource:
- Improved FGD - Fixes to SDK, great for mappers. By A Boojum Snark
Gametype Library - MUST for anyone! By A Boojum Snark
General Level Editing Links
---------------
TF2Mappers Chat Log
- - In the the TF2maps Steam chat many questions are asked and answered. http://caffeinesystems.com/TF2Mappers/
----------------
Architecture, Environment & Level Design
- Mapping for TF2 by Snipergen, Great read
- 3D Terrain Generator - Interesting..
- TF2 Skybox Textures Texture names and Setting for Lighting
- A Discussion On Lighting - Whats a Spot light?
- Lightmaps - What they do and How to use them
- What Makes A Good Map - CS:S however still a very good read.
Displacements
- [GUIDE] Youme's guide to displacement cliffs
- Valve Wiki Displacements
- Interlopers.net
- Displacement Performance Hit - a Great need-to-know
Errors, Help with
FAQs
- Interlopers.net - Error Finding Page
- TF2maps.net Mapping Forum - Link to Mappers Community
- Source SDK Help Forum - Source Mapping community, not TF2 specific
- Valve Hammer FAQs
- Compiling Theory - What it all means, vrad, vvis, etc.
- Level Design - Organized list of mapping resources on the wiki
- Team Fortress 2 Mapper's Reference - References such as player sizes, jump distances, 2fort's room dimensions
- Team Fortress 2 Level Creation - A list of some useful TF2-specific pages in the wiki
File Hosting
General Help
- Readme 1st: Common TF2 mapping mistakes and how to fix them
- Building Cubemaps (get rid of the purple checkers)
- (More info on cubemaps)
Lighting
- Wiki Lighting - Links to lighting guides and explanations of the lighting entities
- Lighting Tutorial - Covers entities & variables with examples
- Removing ugly Shadows - Great write-up by Youme again.
Mapping Communities and General Sites
- Steam Forums - Mapping Community
- FPS Banana - Map hosting / General Gaming Community
Map files
- The original VALVe maps - Great Resource
- TF2Maps.net Maps - Link to the Download Section
- FPS Banana Map Database
Optimization Guides / Techniques - All these are a MUST to read
- [TIP] Leaks, Hints and Areaportals - By Spaceweasels
- Useful console commands for mappers - Mappers .CMD list by Bandished
- [GUIDE] Learning to Use the Command Line, the Console, and .CFG Scripts - Great write up By fartron
- [TIP] Props on top - a Must Know from Spaceweasels
- Basic visibility control - Great read with Examples from Shmitz
- Half-Life 2 Map Editing Optimization Guide - If there is an ultimate guide.. this is it
Prop Library:
- Prop Library - Contains 850 props across 19 categories. Amazing. By A Boojum Snark
SDK Resource:
- Improved FGD - Fixes to SDK, great for mappers. By A Boojum Snark
Screenshot | Image Hosting
Sky's and Skybox's
- Sky list for TF2 - The skies available and suggested lighting settings
- TF2 Skybox Textures - List off all TF2 skys and light settings
Sound Effects
Tools
Map Packing / Distributing
Map Decompiling / Extraction Tools
- Pakrat - Used to embed custom textures, Sounds, and Models in the .bsp file
- 7-zip - Used to compress your .bsp's into .bsp.bz2's saving a TON of file size
- Winrar - Great zipping utility
Model / 3D Editors
Texture Editors/Resources
- Blender - 3d modelling and animation
- Gmax
- Milkshape 3D
- Rhino
- XSI Mod Tool - Three tutorials on modeling with XSI and many links
- XSI - 3d software
- The Gimp (Texture tool)
- Artweaver **broken link**
- DeviantArt - Great selection of brushes/texture tutorials
- Brusheezy - great selection of brushes
- Paint Shop Pro
- Photo Referencing (on figures, but gets the point across and the method VERY well)
- Photoshop
- TexSynth (Creation of tileable textures)
- VTFEdit -VTF and VTM editor / batch texture compiler
- CGtextures - AWESOME collection of texture stock
Photo Referencing:
industrial photography, history and architecture