Left 4 Dead 2 Level Creation

This page contains articles relating to Level Design for Left 4 Dead 2. 
For level creation articles, see Left 4 Dead Level Creation.
==Getting Started==
* Download and Install the Left 4 Dead 2 Authoring Tools
* L4D Level Design Basics Tutorial
* L4D2 Level Design Basics Tutorial
* Level Optimization
* Your First Map (General Hammer Tutorial)
* General Level Design documentation
* Common Mapping Problems
* L4D Mapping Notes
==Design Theory==
* The Left 4 Dictionary
* Left 4 Dead Design Theory
==Tutorials and Constructing Elements==
* Ladders | Infected-only Ladders
* Checkpoints and Safe Rooms
* Elevators | Elevators and Nav Mesh
* Panic Events
* Breakable Walls | Visible Cue for Breakable Walls
* Finales
: Standard Finale | Gauntlet Finale | Scavenge Finale | Custom Finale | Sacrifice Finale 
* Rescue Closets
* Cinematic Effects
: Post Processing (Film Grain, Vignette, Local Contrast) | Color Correction
* Legacy Assets
* VMF Instances
* Weapon, Item, and Melee spawns | Mounted Minigun | Mounted Machinegun
* Director Queries
* Wandering Witch | Witch Bride
* Instructor Hints
* Tank & Witch Prohibition
* Hard Rain Storm
* Foot Lockers
* Choreographed Scenes | Character Remarks (Dialogue)
* L4D1 Survivor Bots | L4D1 Survivor Players (survivor_set - Missionfile) | Forcing Survivor Positions
* Scripting (vscripts)| Example vscripts
: Entity Manipulation | Custom Panic Events | Custom Finales | Scavenge Finale | Director Scripts | Onslaughts | Official vscripts | Scripting API
*Extended Mutation System
* Revisitable maps, as seen in Hard Rain.
=== Gamemodes ===
* Versus
* Survival
* Scavenge
* Mutations
* Multi-Gamemode Support
===Custom Assets===
* Custom Materials and Textures | Wall Writings and Graffiti | Water Flow
* Custom Models and Animation
:Breakable Props | Cinematic Physics | Weapons (Via addoninfo) | Melee Weapons | Intro/Outro Camera
* Custom Sound and Music
:Soundscripts | Soundscapes
* Custom Particle Effects | Editing Particle Effects
* Detail Props
* Management and Organization
===Shipping===
* Creating Add-ons (.VPK Files)
** addoninfo.txt | Example addoninfo.txt (Deadline 1 & 2)
** Add-on Art Assets
::addonimage.jpg | Campaign Poster | Map Thumbnail Previews | Outtro Background
:* Mission File
:: Official Map Mission Files | Example Mission Files (Deadline 1 & 2)
:* Packing (into a VPK)
:* Compressing
* Uploading / Distributing
* Add-on Notes (L4D2)
==Reference Information==
* Authoring Tool Changes
* List of L4D2 Campaign Music
* List of L4D2 Cvars
* List of L4D2 Entities
* List of L4D2 Instructor Messages
* List of L4D2 Missions Files
* List of L4D2 Nav Mesh Attributes
* List of L4D2 Particles
* List of L4D2 Script Functions
* List of L4D2 Game Events
* List of L4D2 Skyboxes
* List of L4D2 Soundscapes
* List of L4D2 Fog Settings
* Dissection of Official L4D2 Campaigns
* Dimensions in L4D2
* L4D2 Gamemodes File
* Expert Compile Mode
: VBSP | VVIS | VRAD
==Navigation Meshes==
===General===
* Navigation Meshes
* Navigation Mesh Commands
===Left 4 Dead Series===
* Basic Nav Editing
** Generating
** Selecting
** Key Binds / Shortcut Keys | nav_mode.cfg
** Splitting
** Adding Attributes
** Deleting
** Analyzing
** Ladders | Infected-only Ladders
** Connecting
** Drawing Your Own Nav Areas
** Grid Snapping
** Nav Blockers
** Panic Events
** Rescue Closets
** Breakable Walls
** Nav Flow
** Finale and Escape Vehicle
* Advanced Nav Editing
** OBSCURED Attribute | L4D Nav Mesh Attributes
** Displacements
** Splicing
** Merging
** Raising and Lowering Areas
** Raising and Lowering Corners
** Nav GUI
** Fog
** Trouble Report
** Left 4 Dead Infected Populations
** Sorting out navigation flow
* References
** List of L4D2 Navigation Mesh Attributes
==Other Resources==
* SketchUp Source Tools
* GCFScape
* VTFEdit
* Creating Server Plugins
* AI Systems of L4D
* Heat Maps
* User projects
==Sites==
* Official Left 4 Dead 2 Website
* L4D mappers mailing list | Archives (log-in required)
* L4D2 Custom Campaigns/Maps Forums
* Deadline Example Campaign - L4D1 example add-on campaign by Valve
* Deadline 2 Example Campaign - L4D2, a dramatic sequel to Deadline 1
* The Left 4 Dead Wiki - Part of the Valve Wiki Network
* World Of Level Design - Contains several Left 4 Dead 1/2 mapping guides
* Level Design Video Tutorials - Various video tutorials about mapping. 
__NOTOC__
Category:Left 4 Dead 2
Category:Level Design
Category:Tutorials