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The following "Quick Tips" series is designed for beginners and experts using Hammer Source level editor and Source SDK game engine with specific focus on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive SDK.

These quick, useful tips will help improve, refine and remind you of tools, techniques and principles you may have not known or forgotten about.

All videos are very short, between 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

Part 1 Includes Tips #1-10:

• Tip #1: How to Adjust "Back Clipping Plane" to View More/Less of the Map
• Tip #2: Adjust "Model Render Distance" to View Props and Not Yellow Bounding Boxes
• Tip #3: Auto-size 4 Viewports and Maximize/Restore Viewports
• Tip #4: Can't Join Team or Spawn in the Map Fix
• Tip #5: How to Quickly Insert a Prop Static Into Your Level
• Tip #6: How to Group/Ungroup Objects for Easier/Faster Selection and Duplication
• Tip #7: How to Free Rotate or Snap Rotate in 15 Degrees to Stay on the Grid
• Tip #8: Can't See Textures or Texture BSP Brushes in Camera/Perspective View
• Tip #9: How To Use Texture Lock And Texture Scale Lock
• Tip #10: How To Find And Use Developer Textures In Hammer Source Tutorial

CSGO Source Tip #1: Adjust "Back Clipping Plane" to View More/Less of the Map

There is a default render distance inside Hammer Source editor. Outside this distance your map isn't shown. You will see this black clipping plane:

Certain render distance is helpful for improving editor performance. Especially when your map becomes very complex and you have a lot of objects in view.

Adjusting "Back Clipping Plane" will allow you to view more or less of the map inside Perspective Viewport in Hammer editor.

This adjustment is for inside Hammer editor only, and does not apply to actual map in-game.

Tools > Options:

3D Views" tab and adjust "Back Clipping Plane", then click OK:

CSGO Source Tip #2: Adjust "Model Render Distance" to View Props and Not Yellow Bounding Boxes

At a certain distance from perspective camera's point of view, Hammer editor will begin to render your props as yellow bounding boxes:

This does help with speeding up your viewport rendering, but it can also be annoying when you want to see props at greater distances.

Tools > Options:

"3D Views" tab and increase "Model Render Distance" then click OK:

CSGO Source Tip #3: Autosize 4 Viewports and Maximize/Restore Viewports

Sometimes upon launching Hammer Editor, your 4 viewports are not centered:

Or you are unable to see all 4 viewports configuration, as the editor seems to be stuck in one viewport:

Use the following shortcuts to solve this problem:

• Ctrl + A = Autosize 4 Views
• Shift + Z = Maximize/Restore Active Viewport

CSGO Source Tip #4: Fix Can't Join Team or Spawn in the Map

If after compiling your map, you can't join or spawn in the map and are stuck at the team selection screen here:

Go back to Hammer Editor and raise each player spawn above the floor 8-16 units:

Recompile and test again. You should now be able to join CT or T teams.

CSGO Source Tip #5: Quickly Insert a Prop Static Into Your Level

Prop Statics will make up the majority of props used in your level, as they are the fastest to render and do not include physics.

Switch to Entity Tool:

Use drop down menu to select prop_static:

Left-click in perspective viewport to place the prop_static entity:

Switch to Selection Tool (Shift+S):

Double-click on the prop_static entity box to open Object Properties window.

Select "World Model" property name and then click on Browse to open Model Viewer:

• 1. Filter to look for the prop static you want to use
• 2. Select the model you want to use
• 3. Click OK

Note the prop will now be set in "World Model" property.

Click Apply to close Object Properties window:

CSGO Source Tip #6: Group/Ungroup Objects for Easier/Faster Selection and Duplication

Grouping is a way to organize multiple BSP brushes and props into one single selection.

Select all the BSP brushes and entities you want to group together and press Ctrl+G to group or Ctrl+U to ungroup.

• Ctrl + G = group selected objects
• Ctrl + U = ungroup selected objects

Use the Select menu to choose between Groups and Objects:

Groups will select the entire group:

Objects will allow you to modifying objects within an already defined group without ungrouping it:

CSGO Source Tip #7: How to Free Rotate or Snap Rotate in 15 Degrees to Stay on the Grid

Creating maps in any level editor requires you to stay on the grid. This includes moving and rotating objects.

It is best to rotate at 15 degree increments to maintain that object snaps. To enable or disable this option in Hammer Source go to Tools > Options:

"2D View" tab and enable: "Default to 15 Degree Rotation" to snap to the grid in 15 degree increments:

Also use shortcut Alt+Left Mouse Click, Hold and Drag to free rotate without snaps.

• Alt + Left Mouse Click, Hold and Drag = for free rotate without snaps

CSGO Source Tip #8: Can't See Textures or Texture BSP Brushes in Camera/Perspective View

As a beginner you may encounter seeing the perspective viewport without textures and unable to texture BSP brushes.

This is due to viewing perspective viewport in wireframe:

In perspective viewport Left-Click on Camera and hoose "3D Textures" or "3D Shaded Textured Polygons":

CSGO Source Tip #9:How to Use Texture Lock and Texture Scale Lock

Very useful tool for working with BSP brushes and making sure your textures on that BSP brush remain locked as you modify your geometry are "Texture Lock" and "Texture Scale Lock":

Texture Lock: this button toggles texture lock mode on and off. Texture lock allows you to move or rotate a brush without disturbing the texture alignments.

Without "Texture Lock", moving BSP brush will not lock the texture on that BSP brush:

With "Texture Lock" On, moving BSP brush will lock the texture on that BSP brush:

Texture Scale Lock: this button toggles texture scale lock mode on and off. Texture scale lock allows you to resize the texture with the brush. Use it in combination with Texture Lock to scale decals.

Without "Texture Scale Lock", resizing BSP brush will not lock the texture scale when you resize that brush:

With "Texture Scale Lock" On, resizing BSP brush will lock the texture scale on that BSP brush:

CSGO Source Tip #10: Find and Use Developer Textures

Always use developer textures as you start your BSP block-in process of the map. Here is how to find and use developer textures on BSP geometry.

First way is to choose a texture before creating a BSP brush. This will apply the selected texture on any newly created brush.

Click on "Browse" to open Texture window:

Filter for "dev" and double click on it to set:

Create a BSP brush and the selected texture will appear on your geometry:

Second way is to apply/change textures on already created geometry. All of the steps below require you to have "Face Edit Sheet" open.

Open "Face Edit Sheet" (Shift+A):

Click on Browse:

Filter for "dev" developer texture you want to use and Double Click on it to set:

Now with "Face Edit Sheet" still open and new texture in the preview window, Right Mouse Click on BSP brush surface to apply the texture:

To choose a texture already used inside the level: open "Face Edit Sheet" and Left Mouse Click on any texture in the map to set it:

Now Right Mouse Click to apply that texture to a BSP surface:

If you hold Shift and Right-Click on BSP surface, it will apply the selected texture on every face of that brush:

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