Wall Worm
Wall Worm is a script and tool developer focused on 3ds Max and various Max-related pipelines. Historically, Wall Worm was devoted soley to optimizing the Source Engine asset pipeline. The Wall Worm toolset itself is a Source-only toolset. However, many new tools are generic in nature (for any game engine, VFX, VIZ, etc), such as the CorVex plugin and most other new tools.
See the official Autodesk blog feature about Wall Worm developer Shawn Olson, Wall Worm and Black Mesa: From Black Sheep to Black Mesa and Beyond.
Common Destinations
Wall Worm tools allow you to create assets for Source and Source 2 in a way that was not possible before. You can build models, textures and levels inside one environment (3ds Max) and compile them straight into Source. Wall Worm tools have been used in the pipelines of many games including Dear Esther, Black Mesa and by designers of CS:GO Operation maps and many more.
Wall Worm works in collaboration with other 3ds Max/Source developers to help enhance all the tools available to designers and mod teams.
Featured Articles
On the Grid
Information and videos on using the grid in 3ds Max for Source Engine Level Design.
Exporting Correct Smoothing on Models
Understanding Smoothing Groups and Explicit Normals
Discussion on smoothing groups and explicit normals and how they relate to Source.
Latest Articles
MDL File Loader
Geometry Plugin to load Valve's MDL files directly into 3ds Max.
Entities are Missing in Exported Scene
Solutions on missing entities in exported game level
Information on why some entities might not export into the game and how to fix that.
Setting Up Wall Worm for Goldsource
Overview of setting up Wall Worm for Goldsrc.
Wall Worm, the Angry Teapot and the Art of Xen
Latest news on Wall Worm development, the Angry Teapot Awards and some insight on the future development of Xen in Black Mesa.
Animated Textures
Instructions on creating an animated texture in 3ds Max and exporting to Source.
Rotating Textures
Instructions on creating VMTs that animate the texture rotation.
Scrolling Textures
Steps for creating scrolling textures and exporting to Source.
Porting Levels into Source
General Overview of Converting Scenes that Were Not Designed with Source in Mind
Overview on porting scenes and levels from other sources.
Bitmaps to Materials
Information on creating substance-driven material libraries and generating tri-planar projection textures without need for UV mapping.
Back to the Future with BSP
Newsletter #2 in 2016 with recent updates in Wall Worm, talk about the level design contest and random thoughts.
