Valve Hammer Editor

Valve Hammer Editor, known previously as Worldcraft, is a map editor published by Valve. This tool is useful for creating custom maps and game modes for GoldSrc and Source engine games such as Half-Life, Counter-Strike and Left 4 Dead 2. The tool works by building levels from blocks called brushes and allows for a recreation of almost anything a designer can think of. Using the tools of the editor the designer can shape the level geometry, and place objects anywhere they would like. This tool uses the binary space partitioning method to compile playable and fully customizable levels. Hammer was originally created by Ben Morris and is distributed as a part of the Source SDK and the Authoring Tools of Valve games on Steam.

Hammer uses four windows to build levels: three 2D grids and a 3D view. The user starts by creating the main level world out of blocks. These can easily be edited to look different through the use of textures applied to each face. These blocks can then be edited to match the shape desired by the designer. Smaller more dynamic pieces of levels can also be inserted through the Hammer tool. These props and entities give levels life and functionality. In Source games the entities can be linked through the input and output system to build doors, triggers and other interactive elements. While the engine is dated, it still works well.

Allows for fully customized editing and creating of maps for some classic Valve games

Features:

• 3D viewing and rendering.
• Customizable 2D and 3D views.
• Point and brush entities for lights, doors, triggers and spawn points.
• Allows for custom texture application
• Prefab Factory for storing and reusing groups of objects.
• Game configurations for different games and mods.

While this software has not been significantly updated in some time, the Valve Hammer Editor allows for hours of editing and content creation. It saves maps in RMF, MAP or VMF format and uses the compile tools of the game to turn them into playable BSP files. This level design approach is accessible for non-programmers. As a free tool in part of the Source SDK and the Authoring Tools, it runs on Windows and needs the game you are making maps for.