Design: How do I

This is your quick reference guide for all those tasks you know are possible, but just can't quite remember how to do...

The commands listed below assume default key shortcuts.

Views

• Move the 2D view - drag with the RMB in a 2D view
• Zoom the 2D view - use mouse wheel in a 2D view
• Change the grid size - use the ] and [ keys, numbers 1 to 9 on the keyboard, or the 'Grid' menu
• Place camera at cursor in 2D view - ctrlLMB on new camera position
• Aim camera at cursor in 2D view - MMB at new camera target

General Editing

• Create a brush - LMB-drag in a 2D view
• Create an entity - RMB-click in a 2D view
• Select an object - use shiftLMB or altshiftLMB
• Select several objects (box-selection) - altLMB-drag a box around the objects to select.
• Move an object - select it, then click LMB inside the object to drag around
• Rotate an object - select it, then press ctrlR followed by ctrlX, ctrlY or ctrlZ (depending on axis)
• Rotate an object arbitrarily - select it, then press R for rotation mode
• Duplicate the selected object - press space
• Delete the selected object - press backspace
• Deselect an object - use shiftLMB
• Deselect all - press Escape
• Stretch a brush - select it, then LMB-click outside the brush to drag the nearest face
• Shear a brush - select it, then use ctrlLMB outside the brush to drag the nearest face.
• Vertex manipulate a brush or patch - select it, then press E or V
• Clip/Slice a brush - select it, then use ctrlRMB to place clipping points (up to 3), and enter/shiftenter/ctrlenter to finish
• Select a face - in the 3D view, use ctrlshiftRMB
• Copy texture from a face - in the 3D view, with a target face selected, MMB-click on the face with the texture to copy
• Copy texture to a face - in the 3D view, with a source face selected, ctrlMMB-click on the face with the texture to overwrite
• Shift or rotate a texture - select the brush(es) or face(s) to modify, and press S for the surface inspector
• Edit an entity's properties - select the entity and press N for the entity inspector
• Export selected brushes as .obj - press ctrlE
• Snap selected objects to grid - press ctrlG

Map Features

• Spawn a player - place a player spawn entity, for example info_team_gdf_spawn
• Spawn a vehicle - place a deployable entity, for example deployable_spawn_icarus

Map Technicalities

• Create a LOD Group - go to the Groups Inspector (L), press the LOD Groups button and press the green plus sign.
• Assign objects to a LOD Group - select the objects, then RMB on the LOD Group and choose 'Add Selection
• Change the fade in/out distances of a LOD Group - select the LOD Group, then alter its MinVisDist and MaxVisDist settings

Map Organisation

• Hide unselected objects - press ctrlshifth
• Hide selected objects - press h
• Show hidden objects - press shifth
• Show/Hide Caulk - toggle with Alt6
• Show/Hide Clips - toggle with Alt7
• Show/Hide Entities - toggle with Alt2
• Show/Hide Patches - toggle with ctrlp
• Show/Hide References - toggle with altr

Testing

• Toggle the real-time renderer - press F3
• Load the game window - press F2
• Load my map - get the game window up, go to the console, and use the devmap command (e.g. devmap mymap)

In-game console commands

The console can be accessed by pressing the tilde button (above the TAB key). Also see Developer cheats

• Fly around - noclip toggles no clipping mode
• Be invincible - god
• Spawn a vehicle - spawn, e.g. spawn vehicle_husky
• Render portal outlines - r_showPortals
• Render face outline/wireframe - t_showTris
• Render coloured batch groups - r_showBatches
• Render occlusion tested objects - r_showOcclusions
• Test vis distances - r_visDistOfs e.g. r_visDistOfs 16384 to be 16k units further away.