SLE 3.129 (Jul 2 2026)

Source Level Editor 3.129. Updated beta release.

Changelog:

New:

• SLE now uses .INI file to store settings instead of Windows registry. If you want to keep using registry and not re-configure the editor, you can use -useregistry command line option.
• Displacement vertices can now be frozen to keep them from moving while scuplting, subdividing or sewing disps. This works as a new mode of the Paint Geo brush, LMB to freeze verts (they get painted blue) and RMB to unfreeze. See #15 (comment)
• Splash screens are now loaded from an external folder (bin\level_editor\gfx) and support BMP/JPEG/PNG/GIF formats (GIFs don't animate). While users can't add more splash screens without code edits, they can replace existing ones, and override the displayed splash screen with -splashscreen [name with exteinsion] command line option (e. g. -splashscreen mysplash.png, the file needs to be in the aforementioned gfx\ folder).
• SLE now supports drag-and-drop loading of maps (thanks to @SanyaSho).
• Face Edit tool now renders axii helpers on selected faces in all modes (Hammer 4.1 only shows them in Wireframe mode).
• The Arch tool now updates the sides count spinner on the main UI so that the max sides is remembered when closing/reopening the dialogue.
• Brushes can be cloned while scaling or shearing them by holding Shift.
• Overlays allow dragging their handles outside their assigned faces in 2D and 3D to make them easier to work with.
• Direction visualiser now uses the func_movelinear's movedist param as the length of the arrow.
• Changed subdivision type on free-standing disps to allow smoothing them (e. g. smoothing individual sides while keeping hard edges on the neighbours, or smoothing isolated disps).
• The Messages window can be disabled in Window->Show Messages on Startup. Useful for those used to cycling between open maps with Ctrl+Tab/Ctrl+Shift+Tab.
• Model Browser now displays the selected model's Surfaceproperty in the Info tab.
• Object Properties window now shows if the entity's model is a staticprop or not, in the Model tab.
• Both move_rope and keyframe_rope can now be used to create visible ropes in the editor (previously a rope had to start with a move_rope).
• Added Block Tool 'Cancel' option to its context menu.

Fixes:

• Fixed first-run import from GameConfig.txt not working and not saving new configs made on the first run;
• Fixed ropes being drawn with 2x the width they should be;
• Fixed ladder hull previews not being tinted when selected;
• Fixed models being rendered twice per render call;
• Fixed high number of Arch sides crashing the editor, by limiting the max sides;
• Fixed the Arch dialogue not letting the user create an arch after typing in 1 or 2 (however, you still shouldn't try making 1 or 2-sided arches, they can't exist)
• Fixed using Carve with a group or a multi-brush entity which caused either editor freezing or a crash. Now it properly carves the objects, however manual cleanup is needed to remove leftover brushes;

Changes:

• 3D Flat view now uses unshaded outlined style instead of flat unshaded.

• Hardcoded 'C' hotkey for displaying objects cullboxes was removed and replaced with a new option, View->Debug view->Show cullboxes.
• Object Paint tool now places objects more reliably and consistently when Align to surface is enabled.
• Cylinders are now limited to max 256 sides.

Experimental:
I've enabled the menu options for BSP Lighting Preview (Map->Light Preview). This is a very, very old lighting method that existed in Hammer at least since 2003, but never worked. It requires the map being compiled with VBSP (it's okay if it leaks - it just needs the brushes), then the editor creates draft-quality lightmaps and overlays them onto the brushes.

Despite long hours fixing it, it's still subject to many bugs, crashes, and limitations. It works best in small rooms/cordons with low number of world textures. It cannot light models or decals. it cannot render displacements, and brush entities like physboxes are rendered at the center of the world. In bigger maps it usually messes up lightmaps on surfaces, though it goes away by placing a light near those surfaces.
This preview requires vrad_editor.dll which is now included in the release files. The source code for it may be released later, unless it's replaced with something else.

The light changes can be previewed dynamically when changing light position, angles, colour and intensity.
Changing geometry requires re-compiling the BSP and restarting the lighting preview. Crashes usually happen when moving lights or using the preview on large maps.

Overall, I suggest only those interested in experimental, unstable tech to check it out. I rarely use it myself, I've enabled it just for those curious about it. Otherwise you're better off sticking to whatever you were using already.