CODING: INTRODUCTION
New March 2002: Using Classes in C++ Programming
NEW - DEC. 28, 2001 - CODING TIPS by the Handy Vandal
See also Coding - Programming - Mods - Models - Coding Monsters -
Updated July 5, 2002 - 4:00 PM

Introduction Coding for the Half-Life SDK

Coding means re-writing the Half-Life SDK, using the C++ programming language, and an editor/compiler tool — usually Microsoft Visual C++, although you can use other tools.

You can modify both the server file HL.DLL and the client file CL_DLL.DLL. The server file controls things like game rules and entity behavior. The client file controls screen rendering, the HUD, menus, and so on. By manipulating the SDK's source files, you can compile HL.DLL and CL_DLL.DLL files to create a wide range of modified and augmented game features: new rules, new weapons and monsters, altered physics, and so on.

The SDK includes a number of .doc files with enough instructions to get you started, but not much more. You can find coding tutorials at various web sites -- see Coding.

Hacking the SDK is a huge, complex task, and requires at least some working knowledge about C++ ... but even if you don't have the working skills, I encourage you to take a look at the SDK: one learns to work with code by playing with code ... which starts by looking at code, studying code, thinking about code ... and procedes, after experimenting with code, to debugging code until it works the way you like.

See Coding Tips for a some SDK-hacking guidelines.

For more specific details about making mods and hacking the SDK, see Mods,