Using Portal assets in CSS (Hammer)

[Neil Squibb]

Hey guys, just a quick one here. This is either stupidly easy to do or not possible. Either way, I can't find any viable method to do this (even after extensive searching on the web).

What I want to do is use Portal assets (models, textures and the like) in Hammer, but for use in Counter Strike: Source level creation (-engine ep1). There are some useful textures and models I wish to use in a map for CSS that I am currently creating but, as they are in Portal, they are not currently availible for use in non-Orange Box games. I'm guessing this will involve moving WADs and archive files around, it's just I am not sure which files to move or whether this is possible.

If you have an idea how to do this I would love to hear your suggestions. Thanks.

[e-freak]

First off: Source does not work with WADs anymore!

Second: As you mentioned your self is Counter-Strike Source within the Engine-Ranking of Episode 1 while Portal is in the Source07 Engine-Version and whereby uses the VTF-5 (or 6 i'm not sure) Format while Episode 1 uses VTF-4 - so basically: not compatible, even if you would link the Portalcontent via the gameinfo.txt.

Soooo: There's still a way: Get yourself via Google or Forumsearch the VTF-to-ep1-tool and extract with GCF-Scape all the textures you need and change them to old version with above told tool. Buuuuut: you know this is not legal (to share content of one game to the other) but Valve tolerates in most cases.

My tip: Get yourself a decent 2D-App and have a look why these textures are so awesome. Then you create them yourself. Or for the lazyhalf: Wait another ~6 months until Valve patched the old Sourcegames to the new Engine Version and link the content then via gameinfo.txt - that way you would make sure no one without portal can play the level (which means you didn't do anything illegal)

[Neil Squibb]

Thanks for the suggestions. Ha, I did not realise WADs were not used now (I haven't used them but have read about them).

Most of the textures I want from Portal I have found substitues for or created my own simular texture, but there are one or two that have properties that I can't (with my limited texture creation skills) copy. I will try and find the actual name of these textures but the one I really want is the shiny metal texture used on the pistons during the last part of Portal.

It suprised me that the other main Portal asset I wish to use is not already availible in mdl or prefab form (due to it's mass popularity). I have been looking for a weighted cube mdl or prefab that I can use is CSS for a while now but to no avail. I tried creating a prefab myself but I didn't like the outcome (mostly due to it having too many brush faces).

Thanks for your help though. I am trying to think of ways I could make substitutes for these assets. I would disclose more information but it would give away the nature of my new CSS map that I wish to keep a semi-suprise till launch. :wink: