This document explains how to create SZF maps by using entities and logic plugin uses, this assumes you know how to use Hammer Editor at a basic level. This is last updated for 4.4.0.476

Weapon pickups in SZF come in 5 rarities:

• Common: Weapons that can be found anywhere, both inside and outside spawn rooms
• Uncommon: Weapons that can be found outside of spawn rooms
• Rare: Weapons that are rare to find
• Static: Weapons that can't be found randomly, but maps could force set it
• Pickup: Non-weapon pickups, e.g. health kit, ammo packs, temporary buff

In order to make a weapon grabbable for the mode, you have to place a prop_dynamic entity and set any model, but models/weapons/c_models/c_shotgun/c_shotgun.mdl is commonly used. Then, you need to give it an specific name to make them work. These are:

• szf_weapon: These weapons can be anything.
• szf_weapon_common: These weapons will always be common.
• szf_weapon_uncommon: These weapons will always be uncommon.
• szf_weapon_rare: These weapons will always be rare as long as the rare weapon cap per round (as of writing this, 15) has not been reached.
• szf_weapon_nopickup: Acts like szf_weapon, but pickups will never spawn.
• szf_weapon_spawn: These weapons won't go away after being picked up or being replaced. Will always be common.
• szf_weapon_uncommon_spawn Acts like szf_weapon_spawn and szf_weapon_uncommon combined, non-expiring uncommon weapon.
• szf_weapon_rare_spawn: Acts like szf_weapon_spawn and szf_weapon_rare combined, non-expiring rare weapon. Unlike szf_weapon_rare, it does not affect rare weapon cap, so it will always be a rare weapon no matter what.
• szf_weapon_static: Can force set almost any TF2 weapon spawn as long as you assign it the appropriate model.
• szf_weapon_static_spawn: Acts like szf_weapon_spawn and szf_weapon_static combined, non-expiring of almost any weapons you want.

Weapon pickups can also be forced to roll for a specific class, by having it's name anywhere in pickup entity name. For example szf_weapon_rare_demoman would be the same as szf_weapon_rare, but it will only roll for Demoman's rare weapons.

List of possible weapons with model path for szf_weapon_static and szf_weapon_static_spawn can be found in this config. Note that skin may need to be set aswell if config listed it.

It doesn't matter that the same name is used for multiple prop_dynamic entities. The mode will assign them different weapons to pick up for survivors, and their orientation in the world will also be mimicked.

If you want to control multiple weapons while having different names, you can use szf_weapon_spawn_example and it will still act like a szf_weapon_spawn.

Another neat thing with the weapons, whenever a survivor picks up a weapon it will trigger OnUser1 output (only once per entity), and OnUser2 if the weapon entity is about to be removed/killed, along with survivor as a activator of the output.

It's recommended to make all CPs cannot be blocked by zombies, but not required. Plugin is not required to make this work, but still useful to know how.

How to make the CP unblockable by Zombies:

1. Make a filter filter_activator_tfteam for the RED team. The filter mode should be Allow entities that match criteria, and you should give it a descriptive name, for example redfilter. You can also make it the other way around: make a filter for the BLU team, and make its filter mode Disallow entities that match criteria.

2. Open the properties of the trigger_capture_area of your CP, disable SmartEdit (click on it), then click Add. The key will be filtername and the value will be the name of our filter (in this case, redfilter) Don't forget to apply these changes and save your map.

3. The CP will filter out BLUs from this point onward in all cases.

Another neat addition in SZF is the ability to pickup certain items similar to HL2/L4D. This means you can grab certain items that may aid you during gameplay, or necessary items for a scavenge map. These entities need to be either prop_physics or prop_physics_override, and should have a name szf_carry, szf_pick or gascan. Names like szf_carry1 will still work.

Similar to weapons, OnUser1 will be triggered whenever someone picks up a carry item, and OnUser2 if dropped.

One obvious use for these items are scavenge maps: basically, survivors look for key items and place an specific number of them in a certain spot in order to win. There's multiple uses for these items, make a keyblade to slice zombies, etcetera. It's up to you on what kind of item you want to make with this system.

There can be some cases where plugin can annoy or screw over something you don't want for your map. With this, there several options you can enable/disable by placing down info_target anywhere in map with specific names. This includes:

• szf_survivalmode: Enables survival mode, this changes slightly on balances to be more accurate for survival maps, changes include:
  • Only one health regen per second.
  • Higher zombie damage scale based on amount of survivors and zombies.
  • No Frenzy and Tank from director.
• szf_nomusic: Disable all SZF musics, use this if you want to use your own musics for map.
• szf_director_notank: Disables tank from plugin's decision.
• szf_director_norage: Disables frenzy from plugin's decision.
• szf_director_spawnteleport: Force all zombies to use frenzy's teleport to nearby players on spawn, This does not include instant respawn. Director may not always be able to find a spot to teleport, which you would still need to place some spawnpoints as normal.
• szf_rarecap Sets max rare weapon to appear in map, for example szf_rarecap_20 would set to 20.

There also relays with specific name you can use to trigger events, this include:

• szf_zombietank: Force a tank, this also bypasses info_target named szf_director_notank.
• szf_zombierage: Force a frenzy, this also bypasses info_target named szf_director_norage. szf_zombierage_15 can be used to set frenzy duration to 15 seconds.
• szf_laststand: Plays "laststand" music.

Relays with specific name and output can also be used to listen events triggered from plugin, this include:

• szf_zombierage: FireUser1 fires when frenzy starts, FireUser2 fires when frenzy ends.
• szf_zombietank: FireUser1 fires when tank spawns, FireUser2 fires when tank dies, both with activator as tank spawned/died.
• szf_laststand: FireUser1 fires when there a last survivor with activator as last survivor, FireUser2 fires when last control point is being captured.

One relay name can be used for both firing events and listening to events.

Plugin use CP capture progress to calculate and scale how many zombies and survivor there should be. However there may be some maps where CP captures may not be a good solution for it.

If that happens, you can use entity math_counter named szf_cp_scale to tell plugin what value to use while ignoring current CP progress, scaling between 0.0 to 1.0.

For example if you set value 0.0, plugin expects the round has started. 0.5 when round is half-way there, 1.0 when at last area, etc.

There is a lot of things you can do with it, but you don't have to use all of it. Ideally you only need to place some szf_weapon and prevent zombies from capturing, which that should be enough to make your SZF map playable.