Set up VHE for Sven Co-op

Submitted by: cold_blood3d on 21 Apr 2009 02:00
Last updated by: cold_blood3d on 30 Jan 2012 05:23

Getting started

Download v3.4 or v3.5 of Valve Hammer Editor (VHE) and install it, if you haven't already.
Open VHE. (Start > Programs > Valve > Hammer > Valve Hammer Editor)

Game Configurations

Go to Tools > Options, then select the Game Configurations tab. Everything will be blank.

Click Edit. In the window that comes up, click Add and enter in a name for your configuration. You can call it anything, although something like "SC 4.6" will do just fine. Click OK.

Now you need to tell VHE where to look for important game functionality. This is found in the Sven Co-op 4.6 game data (.fgd) file. After extracting the .zip file somewhere, click Add under Game Data files then browse to sven-coop.fgd and open it. Make sure the .fgd file is saved in a safe spot where it will never be moved or deleted.

Texture Format and Map Type stay at their default settings. For Default PointEntity Class, chose info_player_start. For Default SolidEntity Class, choose func_wall.

Next, you tell Hammer what folders to look in for the game, mod, and where to save your maps:

For Game Executable Directory, browse to "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\ACCOUNTNAME\half-life".
For Mod Directory, browse to "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\ACCOUNTNAME\half-life\SvenCoop".
For Game Directory, browse to "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\ACCOUNTNAME\half-life\valve".
For RMF Directory, browse to wherever you want to to save your VHE .rmf map source files. For example: "C:\Documents and Settings\NAME\My Documents\hammermaps".

Your completed Game Configurations tab should look something like this.

Build Programs

Now select the Build Programs tab. Choose the game configuration you just created from the drop-down list if it isn't already selected.

For Game executable, browse to "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\ACCOUNTNAME\half-life\hl.exe".

The next few options tell VHE where to find the programs that convert your VHE map source into a playable HL .bsp map file. Most mappers nowadays use Zoner's Half-Life Tools (ZHLT). Unzip them to a safe spot where they'll never be moved or deleted.

For CSG executable, browse to hlcsg.exe.
For BSP executable, browse to hlbsp.exe.
For VIS executable, browse to hlvis.exe.
For RAD executable, browse to hlrad.exe.

For the last option, it's a good idea to place your compiled maps in "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\ACCOUNTNAME\half-life\SvenCoop\maps" so you can play them in Sven Co-op.

Your completed Build Programs tab should like something like this:

Textures

Almost done! Now you must tell VHE where to look for Half-Life's textures, so go to the Textures tab.

If you have the old WON edition of Half-Life installed, this is very easy. Click Add WAD and browse to "C:\sierra\half-life\valve". Add halflife.wad, liquids.wad, xeno.wad, and decals.wad.

All other users will have to download the Half-Life textures.

Extract the .zip to a safe spot on your computer that won't be moved or deleted.
Back in VHE in the Textures tab, click Add WAD and add each of the .wad files you extracted from the .zip.

It's also recommended that you add zhlt.wad, which is included with ZHLT.

Once you've added the necessary textures, click OK.

Your completed Textures tab should look something like this: