Half-Life 2 Mods for Dummies [With CDROM]

I got this book over a year ago, I learned how to map and I still refer to it some times. This a great place to start if you wish to be a mapper. It only covers mapping, not lua coding, modeling, and very little with materials. However, anyone looking to get a start mapping, I strongly reccomend this book. It out lines the basics and it serves as a great reference. It even comes with a "cheat sheet" that explains some useful things about the source engine. The CD also has videos which is extremly helpful if you're confused at any point. But if you already know how to map and know how to use hammer, don't buy this, it's more for newbies.

I recommend this book for any one that is new to making game mods, period! I was a n00b to modding, I didn't know how to properly put together a map. Now I consider my self a some what competent mapper! It pretty much spells it out for you, guides you step by step. Teaching you the absolute raw basics that is extremely important to know when level building with the Hammer Level Editor. like the proper map construction, optimization for getting the most out the Source(TM)Game Engine. Also it teaches you how to pack up your map and share it with the world, and how to make your own textures with photoshop. This book will give you a strong foundation to start out on. However I do not recommend this for the intermediate and the advanced. It really doesn't have much pass the basics. It doesn't go really deep into entities, no information on how to edit terrain, NPCs, ETC.

I just love this book. It explained things clearly and was just what I needed to start modding. I never made any mod before, so I was a complete noob to this subject. And if you want to benefit from this book, you better be a noob too. The book explains the very basics of modding, you will not learn modelling, programing nor you will work with 3rd party (yours) models and props. You will learn simple map creation and texturing (using half life 2 native textures). So, if you need to know how to start modding - this book will deliver. If you can make your own basic rooms but need to optimize them, this book is for you too. However, if you can make your own basic optimized room, there's not much for you in this book.

Half Life 2 Mods for Dummies is a great beginners guide for modding the Half Life 2 game. While the book focuses mainly on mapping, you learn how to create maps, make custom textures for your map and how to finish and pack up your map to show the world. I bought this book to expand my knowledge of Half Life 2 modding and I did learn some new stuff. Half Life 2's Source is a very powerful engine: you can get started modding it using this book.