Source SDK

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The Source SDK (or Source software development kit) is a collection of tools compiled by Valve Software that is used to create levels or full-on Half-Life 2 modifications (or mods). It can also be used by developers to create a new game using the source game engine.

1 Documentation
2 Utilities
- 2.1 FacePoser
- 2.2 Model Viewer
3 Obtaining the Source SDK
4 Full List of SDK Applications

[edit] Documentation

Release Notes
SDK Reference Notes

[edit] Utilities

Create a Mod
Refresh SDK Content
Reset Game Configurations

There are also a number of smaller "hidden" applications. Most of these are command-line based and are used to process elements such as textures and models. These include Vtex (a compiler to turn TGA images into usable materials) and bspzip (a program to collect all items used in a level into a single file). Information on these is available at the Valve Developer Community.

[edit] FacePoser

Faceposer workspace

FacePoser is the tool used to access Valve Source Engine facial animations and choreography systems.

This tool allows to :

edit facial expressions, gestures and movements for characters (which are called actors), allowing to mix or blend several expressions on the fly.
lip synch speech with the speech the characters (and blending the speech with other facial expressions). The phonemes used for lip-synching can be extracted from existing spoken .wav files, the tool taking care of the real-time association between the spoken phonemes and the movements of the lips.
sequencing expressions and other acting cues and previewing what the scene will look like in the Game engine. A scene can refer to multiple actors and thus can be used to block out fairly complicated interactions and dialogue between game characters.

[edit] Model Viewer

The Model Viewer is a program that allows users to view models used in Valve Software's Source games, including those from Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, Day of Defeat: Source, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast, and Counter-Strike: Source.

The Model Viewer can be used for a variety of different purposes, including developing. Developers may use the program to view models and their corresponding animations, attachment points, bones, and so on. It can also be used to view props, weapons, buildings, and just about any other 3D object found except something which is a brush (an object created in Hammer that makes up the actual world - something like a floor, wall, room, skybox or terrain), the Model Viewer can't view game textures either (Hammer is used for that purpose instead).

[edit] Obtaining the Source SDK

The Source SDK is available to all owners of Half-Life 2 (or other games run using the Source engine, such as Counter Strike: Source or Day of Defeat: Source) through Steam. It is selectable under "Tools" in the "Play Games" menu, and once selected, all the necessary files will be downloaded if they are not already on the user's computer.