The RTSL Mod Template

Making the Mapping Challenges even better!

The RTSL Mod Template consists of new code and content.

It MUST be used to submit entries to RTSL Mapping Challenges (the Lambda Cup and EMCs).

It will be updated regularly.

Please note, this is an on-going project and updates will be made available at various times.

THIS MUST BE USED WHEN ENTERING THE LAMBDA CUP 2018.

Download Version 1.3.4 to your HDD [14MB]

The template is packaged as a mod and allows entrants to easily test their work as well as submit it.

It will contain any new content, as well as fixes, for example the antlion worker flash bug, but must be used with the "Upcoming" branch of the Source SDK Base 2013 singleplayer engine and users MUST use the SDK Base 2013 Hammer.

Please CAREFULLY follow the instructions in RTSL-Setting-up-the-dev-mod.pdf located in root folder after downloading the mod template.

We DO NOT guarantee that each challenge will have new content, so please don't expect it.

Mazur has made miscellaneous changes to the codebase, for which I would like to thank him.

Introduced for the second challenge of the series, the Stasis Crystal allows player to freeze and unfreeze objects that can be used with the gravity gun.
It is a special item that is attached to the Gravity Gun once the player picks it up. Once obtained, the Gravity Gun can then freeze any (inorganic) object in space in addition to its usual functions. Players use the tertiary attack key to freeze or unfreeze objects (this key must be bound in the Options menu).
The Stasis Crystal can be attached to either the standard Gravity Gun or the Super Gravity Gun. The Stasis Crystal can freeze any number of inorganic objects (that is, not NPCs or enemies). We hope this opens up new opportunities for clever uses of the Gravity Gun and we can't wait to see what mappers can come up with!

This ingenious addition to the Gravity Gun, the Stasis Crystal AKA "Mertz Module", is named after its original creator, combines the properties of a pink xenian crystal with the Gravity Gun's orange crystal.
By injecting energy from the pink crystal into the beam, the resulting energy coats its target with a thin white coloured layer of gravity-defying particles capable of withstanding any disturbance.
It was later discovered this coat could be disrupted by hitting it with the same particles.
The pink crystal, actual code: Sample PC-3113, was discovered on Xen quite early in the expeditions, but since it was unique, more research was conducted on the orange and green crystals. Fortunately, and we don't exactly know how, the sample managed to escape the Black Mesa blast and found its way to Dr. Mertz's lab. He had managed to escape but was running a smaller lab than Dr. Kleiner.
The resistance had decided to split what was left of the Black Mesa scientists into small groups to avoid them being captured together.
Somehow, and again the circumstances are not clear, Dr. Mertz managed to discover its special properties and suggested it be combined with the newly created Gravity Gun.

To give the player access to the new gravity gun module, place an item_physcannon_freeze in your level. It's an item that acts like any other collectable and can be constrained.

Entities of type prop_physics and func_physbox are the only that can be frozen and unfrozen by the new gravity gun module. Both have a new flag that can be checked to make entities, that are motion disabled in the editor, be unfreezable by the new gravity gun module.

Both entities can also be frozen and unfrozen by the new Inputs GGFreeze and GGUnFreeze (no parameters). Entities that are frozen by GGFreeze can be unfrozen by the new module, unlike the DisableMotion input.

With great power comes great responsibility. The limits are those you will set as level designer, consider the amount of props you will provide the player with, place clips or traps (such as combine snipers, environmental hazards) for people who would be tempted (Looking at YOU, Phillip!) to go "off road" and find a way out of the map.

A huge thanks to Niker107 for creating and polishing the Stasis Crystal model and the newly enhanced Gravity Gun model, especially on such short notice!

I am very pleased to announce that in this challenge, and all future Lambda Cup 2018 challenges, entrants have the MechaCrab available for use. It is not mandatory to use the MechaCrab in any mapping challenges, but at the very least we hope mappers take the time to experiment with them and offer feedback and possible improvements.

The Combine have a history of taking species and adapting them to their own needs. It was only a matter of time before they did that with headcrabs. Of course, the Combine have been using headcrabs for a long time via canisters, but they have finally upgraded them. Now, they are faster, can jump further and higher, and are harder to kill.

They now fight on the Combine side, meaning they attack all non-Combine enemies, i.e. humans, zombies and other animals including other types of headcrabs.

A PDF document is included in the mod template, explaining how to use the MechaCrab.

Phillip created the concept as part of the promotion of Models for the Masses, back in 2011.
Black_Stormy created the model.
Mazur wrote the code and scripts.
ihonnyboy provided assistance with the animations
Mathias H. Pedersen created the sound effects

The RTSL Graffiti is included in the mod template. Use of the textures is not compulsory but it would be pretty cool if you used them. Please see the post linked above for full details, but if you didn’t know, you can use them in any non-commercial mod with a credit link to the author.

This year, each mod will be created from a new codebase template.

The template is packaged as a mod and allows entrants to easily test their work as well as submit it.
It will contain any new content, as well as fixes, for example the antlion worker flash bug, but must be used with the "Upcoming" branch of the Source SBK Base 2013 singleplayer engine.
We DO NOT guarantee that each challenge will have new content, so please don't expect it.
Mazur has made miscellaneous changes to the codebase, for which I would like to thank him.

If you have any questions, feeedback, suggestions or comments regarding the RTSL Mod Template, the Lambda Cup, mapping challenges or ANYTHING related to the site, please don't hesitate to contact me: [email protected].