Source SDK 2013

Part 3: Running Hammer

Pre-Requisites

Navigate to the SDK Base

Navigate to steamapps\common. You will need to navigate to either Source SDK Base Singleplayer, or Source SDK Base Multiplayer, depending on your game type.

You can also get to these folders by right clicking on the tool in Steam, clicking Properties, navigating to the Local Files tab and clicking Browse local files.

Running Hammer

Run bin/hammer.exe.

Running Hammer

When you run it, Hammer will ask which game configuration you'd like to use.

For now, select Half-Life: 2.

Hammer should run! ↓

Configuring Hammer

Hit Tools, and click Options.

Next to Configuration, click Edit and add your mod's name to the list. Make sure it's selected in the dropdown box, ready to configure.

Adding an FGD File

FGD, or Forge Game Data, is the file format read by hammer to describe all of the things you can create.

Open the text editor of your choice, and paste the following into a new document:

@include "base.fgd"
@include "halflife2.fgd"

Save the file as sourcemods\<your mod>\mymod.fgd:

Game Configuration

Back on Hammer's options screen, add your FGD to the configuration you just created by hitting Add under Game Data files and browsing for it.

Next, under Game Executable Directory, select the Source SDK Base 2013 folder in steamapps\common.

For the Game Directory, select your mod's folder in steamapps\sourcemods.

Build Configuration

For the Game Executable, select hl2.exe from the Source SDK Base 2013 folder in steamapps\common.

The BSP executable (vbsp.exe), VIS executable (vvis.exe), and RAD executable (vrad.exe) can be found in the SDK Base 2013 bin folder.

Set your compiled maps folder to sourcemods\<your mod>\maps.

My First Map

To test everything out, create your first map.

Happy modding!