How to easily mount all your source engine content without having to copy paste a million unpacked f

[wazanator]

If the following sounds confusing to you try out my [url=http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1327883]Multi-Tool[/url]. It does all of this for you and more!

There's a handy new folder in Source SDK 2013 called "custom". What the custom folder does is take all VPK files dropped in there and mount them for you in hammer and in game. So instead of having a ton of space wasted by unpacked css and DoD assets you can just use their compressed versions.

[b]Note:[/b] I have no idea what happens if filenames conflict, I suspect bad things though.

So here's how you set it all up, first download and install Source SDK 2013 Multiplayer. You might need to run it once so go ahead and do that.

Next navigate to"Steam\steamapps\common\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer", inside you should see a folder called hl2mp. Now if you don't mind using the hl2mp game name when you launch hammer you can skip to after the dashed line otherwise read it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copy/paste the hl2mp folder and rename it gmodSDK. Open it up and inside find the gameinfo.txt, open it and look for the line

game+mod			hl2mp/custom/*

change it to

game+mod			gmodSDK/custom/*

Launch hammer.exe from "Steam\steamapps\common\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\bin", choose hl2mp. Once hammer loads up go to tools->options and click edit next to configuration. Click add and type in gmod, click okay, close the Edit Game Configurations window. Choose gmod from the drop down list now in configuration. Add the .fgd files you want (if you don't know what these are just choose halflife2.fgd and hl2mp.fgd). Change the game directory and hammer vmf to our gmodsdk folder. Go to build programs tab after that's all done and make sure they are all pointing to these:

game executable:
$SteamUserDir\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\hl2.exe
BSP:
$SteamUserDir\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\bin\vbsp.exe
VIS:
$SteamUserDir\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\bin\vvis.exe
RAD:
$SteamUserDir\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\bin\vrad.exe
last one is your choosing

Click apply then ok. Now exit hammer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open your hl2mp/gmodSDK folder. Inside you will find a folder called "custom" open it. Take a minute or two to read the readme and understand how cool of a feature that is. Now comes the easy part, just go to all your source games and start copy pasting those vpks* into it and they will load up in hammer next time you launch it from the Source SDK 2013 multiplayer bin folder.

*Be sure to copy all of the vpks including the directory one or else it won't work.

[b]WARNING:[/b] Last I checked L4D2, Portal 2, ASW and DoTA2 still need to be converted before use in Gmod and other earlier source engine games.

This method of course can be used with other Source Engine games that run on the same branch as 2013 such as TF2 and CSS.

If you have any questions let me know :)

Some handy file size info for those that are short on space as well as list of known working content:

CSS: 1.29 GB
DoD: 798 MB
TF2_textures: 3.38 GB
TF2_misc (models and more textures it looks like): .97 GB
TF2_sound: 800 MB

Games that don't work:
L4D
L4D2
Portal 2
DoTA 2
Alien Swarm
The Ship
Vampire the Masquerade

Now if only the workshop downloaded to this folder...

[iostream]

If you don't want to waste all your precious disk space, you can (use a symlink, or) add VPKs directly into your gameinfo.txt, for example:

[quote]game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Half-Life 2\ep2\ep2_pak_dir.vpk"[/quote]

[Géza!]

So, Source SDK Multiplayer ans Singleplayer 2013 is pretty much replacin' the previous SDK, or what?

Also this sounds simply perfect for mapping for Gmod. Thanks!

[hexpunK]

What exactly is going on with the SDK right now? There's copies of it in each Source game folder, along with the full SDK 2013 being released. They all seem to contain the same tools and stuff, are Valve just trying to work out how to organise this after SteamPipe or what?

[wazanator]

[QUOTE=hexpunK;41736141]What exactly is going on with the SDK right now? There's copies of it in each Source game folder, along with the full SDK 2013 being released. They all seem to contain the same tools and stuff, are Valve just trying to work out how to organise this after SteamPipe or what?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Géza!;41731480]So, Source SDK Multiplayer ans Singleplayer 2013 is pretty much replacin' the previous SDK, or what?
[/QUOTE]

Valves moving away from using the Source SDK launcher, if the game doesn't have it's own authoring tools you now find it's already preconfigured hammer setup in the games bin folder.

SDK 2013 is for mods but I like to use it for everything since with the right setup you don't have to switch between hammer profiles.

[NoobiCake]

I'm getting an error, "Could not load library client".
I followed this guide exactly as it said.
[URL="http://puu.sh/3Xzz6.png"]http://puu.sh/3Xzz6.png[/URL]

[Grenade Man]

[QUOTE=wazanator;41738525]Valves moving away from using the Source SDK launcher, if the game doesn't have it's own authoring tools you now find it's already preconfigured hammer setup in the games bin folder.

SDK 2013 is for mods but I like to use it for everything since with the right setup you don't have to switch between hammer profiles.[/QUOTE]

The old "Source SDK" still has a purpose tho. It can be used to make maps for orangebox and episode one engine mods (SDK base 2007 and 2006).

[Rammelslakje]

I don't understand a thing anymore either. I have now 10 copies of hammer or something? And I fresh reinstalled steam, half life 2, source sdk and gmod on my new ssd a little over a month ago.

Now whenever I try to compile it says missing gameinfo.txt and missing gameconfig.txt

Whenever I try to launch hammer from the source sdk tool it doesn't even load up.

Which hammer, or folder, do I use so everything works correct?

Maybe that's why my rad.exe crashes too, but vvis.exe works fine so that's also odd

[veDemaG]

[QUOTE=Rammelslakje;41771084]I don't understand a thing anymore either. I have now 10 copies of hammer or something? And I fresh reinstalled steam, half life 2, source sdk and gmod on my new ssd a little over a month ago.

Now whenever I try to compile it says missing gameinfo.txt and missing gameconfig.txt

Whenever I try to launch hammer from the source sdk tool it doesn't even load up.

Which hammer, or folder, do I use so everything works correct?

Maybe that's why my rad.exe crashes too, but vvis.exe works fine so that's also odd[/QUOTE]

You don't use launcher anymore. Launch hammer from common/game/bin

[Rammelslakje]

[QUOTE=GameDev;41774194]You don't use launcher anymore. Launch hammer from common/game/bin[/QUOTE]

I have it there. Still doesn't recognize it. :(

[wazanator]

[QUOTE=Rammelslakje;41774568]I have it there. Still doesn't recognize it. :([/QUOTE]

What error are you getting exactly?

[QUOTE=Grenade Man;41770971]The old "Source SDK" still has a purpose tho. It can be used to make maps for orangebox and episode one engine mods (SDK base 2007 and 2006).[/QUOTE]

Correct

[QUOTE=NoobiCake;41770755]I'm getting an error, "Could not load library client".
I followed this guide exactly as it said.
[URL="http://puu.sh/3Xzz6.png"]http://puu.sh/3Xzz6.png[/URL][/QUOTE]

Can you copy paste your entire compile process?

[NoobiCake]

[QUOTE]Can you copy paste your entire compile process?[/QUOTE]
[url]http://pastebin.com/HcSRjjCK[/url]

Not really much too see in the compile log.

Are you sure this is the right settings for launching gmod after compiling the map? :downs:

[wazanator]

[QUOTE=NoobiCake;41774809][url]http://pastebin.com/HcSRjjCK[/url]

Not really much too see in the compile log.

Are you sure this is the right settings for launching gmod after compiling the map? :downs:[/QUOTE]

Check in "e:\steam\steamapps\common\source sdk base 2013 multiplayer\gmodsdk\maps\" and see if your BSP is in there. I forgot to mention in the tutorial when you go to compile you need to make sure it's set not to run the game when done.

[NoobiCake]

[QUOTE=wazanator;41777060]Check in "e:\steam\steamapps\common\source sdk base 2013 multiplayer\gmodsdk\maps\" and see if your BSP is in there. I forgot to mention in the tutorial when you go to compile you need to make sure it's set not to run the game when done.[/QUOTE]

Oh, I read somewhere else that you should not run game after compile, I totally forgot that :v:
But thanks for the guide anyway.

[EvacX]

It's not working, I'm trying to mount CS:S and TF2 using the method in OP, this is what it tells me when I start Hammer:

[t]http://puu.sh/3ZmuJ.png[/t]

Here are the 2 folders:
[t]http://puu.sh/3Zmwd.png[/t]
[t]http://puu.sh/3Zmw2.png[/t]

GameInfo.txt

"GameInfo"
{
	game	"Garry's Mod"
	title	"HALF+LIFE'"
	title2	"deathmatch"
	type multiplayer_only
	nomodels 0
	nohimodel 1
	nocrosshair 1
	hidden_maps
	{
		"test_speakers"		1
		"test_hardware"		1
	}


	FileSystem
	{
		SteamAppId				320
		
		//
		// Setup engine search paths.
		//
		// If a search path contains "_english", and the current language is not english, then
		// another search path will be inserted above the english one by replacing "_english" with
		// the appropriate language.
		//
		// To debug how the engine has parsed this file, type "path" at the console.
		//
		// Search paths are relative to the base directory, which is where hl2.exe is found.
		//
		// |gameinfo_path| points at the directory where gameinfo.txt is.
		// |all_source_engine_paths| points at the directory cintaining HL2 shared content.
		//
		SearchPaths
		{

			// First, mount all user customizations.  This will search for VPKs and subfolders
			// and mount them in alphabetical order.  The easiest way to distribute a mod is to
			// pack up the custom content into a VPK.  To "install" a mod, just drop it in this
			// folder.
			//
			// Note that this folder is scanned only when the game is booted.
			game+mod			gmodSDK/custom/*

			// We search VPK files before ordinary folders, because most files will be found in
			// VPK and we can avoid making thousands of file system calls to attempt to open files
			// in folders where they don't exist.  (Searching a VPK is much faster than making an operating
			// system call.)
			game+mod			gmodSDK/gmodSDK_english.vpk
			game+mod			gmodSDK/gmodSDK_pak.vpk

			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_textures.vpk
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_sound_vo_english.vpk
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_sound_misc.vpk
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_misc.vpk

			platform			|all_source_engine_paths|platform/platform_misc.vpk

			// Now search loose files.  We'll set the directory containing the gameinfo.txt file
			// as the first "mod" search path (after any user customizations).  This is also the one
			// that's used when writing to the "mod" path.
			mod+mod_write+default_write_path		|gameinfo_path|.

			// Add the gmodSDK directory as a game search path.  This is also where where writes
			// to the "game" path go.
			game+game_write		gmodSDK

			// Where the game's binaries are
			gamebin				gmodSDK/bin

			// Last, mount in shared HL2 loose files
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2
			platform			|all_source_engine_paths|platform

			// Random files downloaded from gameservers go into a seperate directory, so
			// that it's easy to keep those files segregated from the official game files
			// or customizations intentially installed by the user.
			//
			// This directory is searched LAST.  If you visit a server and download
			// a custom model, etc, we don't want that file to override the default
			// game file indefinitely (after you have left the server).  Servers CAN have
			// custom content that overrides the default game files, it just needs to be
			// packed up in the .bsp file so that it will be mounted as a map search pack.
			// The map search pack is mounted at the top of the search path list,
			// but only while you are connected that server and on that map.
			game+download	gmodSDK/download
		}
	}
}

[EvacX]

Anyone?

[wazanator]

Your problem is that you created a folder inside your custom folder, you just need to put the vpks in the custom folder not make them individual folders.

This is what my gameinfo.txt looks like:

"GameInfo"
{
	game	"gmodsdk"
	title	"HALF+LIFE'"
	title2	"deathmatch"
	type multiplayer_only
	nomodels 0
	nohimodel 1
	nocrosshair 1
	hidden_maps
	{
		"test_speakers"		1
		"test_hardware"		1
	}


	FileSystem
	{
		SteamAppId				320
		
		//
		// Setup engine search paths.
		//
		// If a search path contains "_english", and the current language is not english, then
		// another search path will be inserted above the english one by replacing "_english" with
		// the appropriate language.
		//
		// To debug how the engine has parsed this file, type "path" at the console.
		//
		// Search paths are relative to the base directory, which is where hl2.exe is found.
		//
		// |gameinfo_path| points at the directory where gameinfo.txt is.
		// |all_source_engine_paths| points at the directory cintaining HL2 shared content.
		//
		SearchPaths
		{

			// First, mount all user customizations.  This will search for VPKs and subfolders
			// and mount them in alphabetical order.  The easiest way to distribute a mod is to
			// pack up the custom content into a VPK.  To "install" a mod, just drop it in this
			// folder.
			//
			// Note that this folder is scanned only when the game is booted.
			game+mod			gmodSDK/custom/*

			// We search VPK files before ordinary folders, because most files will be found in
			// VPK and we can avoid making thousands of file system calls to attempt to open files
			// in folders where they don't exist.  (Searching a VPK is much faster than making an operating
			// system call.)
			game+mod			hl2mp/hl2mp_english.vpk
			game+mod			hl2mp/hl2mp_pak.vpk

			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_textures.vpk
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_sound_vo_english.vpk
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_sound_misc.vpk
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2/hl2_misc.vpk

			platform			|all_source_engine_paths|platform/platform_misc.vpk

			// Now search loose files.  We'll set the directory containing the gameinfo.txt file
			// as the first "mod" search path (after any user customizations).  This is also the one
			// that's used when writing to the "mod" path.
			mod+mod_write+default_write_path		|gameinfo_path|.

			// Add the hl2mp directory as a game search path.  This is also where where writes
			// to the "game" path go.
			game+game_write		hl2mp

			// Where the game's binaries are
			gamebin				hl2mp/bin

			// Last, mount in shared HL2 loose files
			game				|all_source_engine_paths|hl2
			platform			|all_source_engine_paths|platform

			// Random files downloaded from gameservers go into a seperate directory, so
			// that it's easy to keep those files segregated from the official game files
			// or customizations intentially installed by the user.
			//
			// This directory is searched LAST.  If you visit a server and download
			// a custom model, etc, we don't want that file to override the default
			// game file indefinitely (after you have left the server).  Servers CAN have
			// custom content that overrides the default game files, it just needs to be
			// packed up in the .bsp file so that it will be mounted as a map search pack.
			// The map search pack is mounted at the top of the search path list,
			// but only while you are connected that server and on that map.
			game+download	hl2mp/download
		}
	}
}

[EvacX]

That's what the "readme.txt" in the custom folder told me to though, and AFAIK I already tried putting the VPK's into the custom folder and it yielded no results again. I'll try to use your gameinfo.txt when I get home, thanks.

[EvacX]

That worked, thank you!

[Oda]

Whats more popular, 1940's Nazi Berlin Roleplay Types or Detailed Modern RP types?

[CarrotMist]

I hope someone responds to this but,
When I launch hammer it says "C:\Users\CarrotMist\Desktop\Steam\SteamApps\common\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\gameinfo.txt is missing."
Please help.
Its been happening for a long time. I've tryed on 2 computers one in the normal defalt steam directory not the desktop. :suicide:

[wazanator]

[QUOTE=CarrotMist;43351799]I hope someone responds to this but,
When I launch hammer it says "C:\Users\CarrotMist\Desktop\Steam\SteamApps\common\Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer\gameinfo.txt is missing."
Please help.
Its been happening for a long time. I've tryed on 2 computers one in the normal defalt steam directory not the desktop. :suicide:[/QUOTE]

Try using my Multi-Tool and follow this [url=http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=198444877]guide[/url]

[Papkee]

Now this is all fine and dandy, and all the content has been added in hammer for me.

Now, that being said, I want to use my custom textures in my map. I added them to garrysmod/materials/<mapname>/, but I suppose since hammer isn't told to look there it can't find them.

What do? The readme in the custom folder didn't really explain much other than "use vpks and nothing else."

[B]EDIT: Figured it out on my own. Now I feel stupid.[/B]

[Nitronik]

[QUOTE=papkee;43414425]Now this is all fine and dandy, and all the content has been added in hammer for me.

Now, that being said, I want to use my custom textures in my map. I added them to garrysmod/materials/<mapname>/, but I suppose since hammer isn't told to look there it can't find them.

What do? The readme in the custom folder didn't really explain much other than "use vpks and nothing else."

[B]EDIT: Figured it out on my own. Now I feel stupid.[/B][/QUOTE]

Do you mind posting the solution for everyone else, [B]please[/B]

[wazanator]

[QUOTE=NitronikALT;43417935]Do you mind posting the solution for everyone else, [B]please[/B][/QUOTE]

So in older branches of Source (TF2/CSS/DoD/SDK 2013) there's a folder called [B]Custom[/B]. This folder is a special folder as any content put into it is mounted.

To properly set it up open the custom folder, create another folder (it can be called whatever you want), in this folder create a materials and a models folder (assuming you are putting both in this folder) from there it is like adding custom content to any Source engine game.

This folder can also mount [B]VPK[/B] files. Which are even more handy then loose files as they are all packaged up for you and makes it easy to figure out what content came from where. If you have no idea how to make a vpk the Multi-Tool has a VPK creator built into it.

[Cache monet]

I'm a complete idiot, disregard.

[FunnyStarRunner]

Is there a way to prevent the "Setup Custom Config" menu from deleting my config every time I open it?

[B]EDIT:[/B] And NMRiH doesn't really mount properly since there's no models.