There are already many well-written posts describing the problems that are faced when modding for the Source engine in the news thread, so I'll simply attempt to summarise and collate them here.
This is not the first time these criticisms have been levelled against the Source SDK, but is AFAIK the first effort to get something done about them.
Your participation is essential in gaining critical mass and recognition, here's what you can do:
- Join the steam group!
- Invite your friends, link to this thread
- Help us draft a public letter to Valve outlining our issues with the SDK and proposing rational solutions
Please note that this is not a list of bugs to be fixed, (post those at VDC Category:Feedback), neither is it a list of demands; these are all suggestions, some more feasible than others.Dear Valve/Gabe Newell
Outline:We suggest:
- Valve's SDK tools have fallen behind standards expected from the userbase; specifically in ease of use as compared to those of Crytek, Epic Games, etc.
- There is a lack of prior information regarding the SDK updates and subsequent potential to cause significant issues with mods or the SDK tools with engine/SDK updates.
- Despite SDK's popularity - due to the massive Steam userbase for Source games - it remains outdated and inefficient compared to other toolsets.
on behalf of
- The individual or cabal tasked with the SDK maintenance interact with community actively.
- An improvement of the SDK workflow, and the usability of the SDK tools, namely:
- A simplification of the texture & model import processes for Source
- The release of the source code required to create new engine tools
- Extending Hammer to allow the writing of plugins for it
The Modding Community
We need descriptions of specific workflow, content creation and usability problems - problems that are generally not present among the Source SDK's competitors.
Please comment here or on the SDKIG group with suggestions or amendments, and I will modify this accordingly.
I can be PM'd on this forum, or contacted via my Steam profile.
- Added release of in-game tools code suggested by Varsity
- Added OS'ing SDK tools based on suggestions by saxon, & .eXeC!, coder for the newly released Nightmare House 2 [Removed]
- Altered wording from "We request" to "We suggest", removed more documentation suggestion for reasons mentioned here
- Corrected spelling mistake, added sub-bulletpoints for workflow improvement suggestions and Hammer plugin ability, thanks vcool
- Changed "Unreal" to "Epic Games", removed open-sourcing of SDK tools suggestion, thanks MáØ
- Incorporated changes made by Major Banter to wording and structure