Mapping Tips and Useful Links
There is an useful tip I'm using recently a lot. Many of you will already know, but some others won't.
You can fire one single output to a bunch of entities named so they share words in their respective names by the use of the asterisk * (the same wildcard use than in Ms-Dos).
For example, if you've got several arms models and the panels parented to them (apart from the corresponding func_clip_physics brushes or placement_helpers), it's possible to name them so they all receive 1 single input. Given the following entities:
Arm entities' names:
- chamber1_90_deg_arm01
- chamber1_90_deg_arm02
- chamber1_90_deg_arm03
Parented brushes on top names:
- top_brush_panel01
- top_brush_panel02
- top_brush_panel03
Well, to parent them properly, only one single output fired from the logic_auto is enough:
- OnMapSpawn > top_brush_panel* > SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset > panel_attach / delay 0.25
Also, to move the arms at the same time will be super easy with the use of just one output... If you need to set them "closed" (folded) at startup via a logic_auto, only 1 output is enough:
- OnMapSpawn > chamber1_90_deg_arm* > SetPlaybackRate > -1 / delay: 0.10
(it is important to set enough time between the complete folding of the arms at startup and the panel_attach parenting in order not to parent the panels to the arms at some intermediary point between the arms' complete folding and their complete extention, since we have to set as default animation '90deg' in this example in order to use the output 'SetPlayBackRate' later; which means that the arms will be spawned as opened or extended)
For a later movement (animation) setting, for example via a couple of logic_relays, the single output would be this one:
"arms_move_rl_on"
- OnTrigger > chamber1_90_deg_arm* > SetPlaybackRate > 1
"arms_move_rl_off"
- OnTrigger > chamber1_90_deg_arm* > SetPlaybackRate > -1
I hope this is useful to someone 
Above is just an example, you can take the essence of it and apply the concept elsewhere 
useful tools and stuff here on TWP 
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Is there any new updates for mapping and help links so far guys?...im looking forward for better change~!
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To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
Anatole's fantasy knife
very helpful information.
CGTextures is a fantastic site for textures. They have limitations on what non-subscribers can download -- free users have a 15MB/day download limit and can't get the larger versions of texture files -- but they've got a bunch of textures, both tiled and not. Transparent textures for overlays? No problem. More materials to build your maps out of? Sure.
You'll need VTFEdit (naturally) to turn their images into materials for your map, and PakRat to include them for people to see when they're playing, but it's a great way to add a little flavor to your map.
This exterior view uses a combination of textures from their site and existing textures -- a tileable asphalt texture for the street itself, a non-tileable storefront, and a few different tileable building textures. (It's also my first experiment with a 3D Skybox.)
Also, be on the lookout for materials in the real world to use in your map design. Most phone cameras have a high enough resolution nowadays to get a good enough image, but a good digital camera would be better.
I've made my own tiling textures before from real things. It's great fun!
If you have a good resolution digital camera then go out and take pictures of your own textures.
Just in case anyone hasn't found this yet, when working in hammer try using the Go To Coordinates dialog to checkout the co-ordinates 200 -4096 1154
http://css.gamebanana.com/textures/cats/28 for nice skybox textures. Just remove the "ignorez" keyvalue and replace "sky" with "UnlitGeneric if needed.
http://www.redsorceress.com/skybox.html For some intresting skybox textures. You need to VTF and VMT them yourself.
Not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere but I recently found out about it by accident.
The length of a light bridge is limited to 4096 units. If it is projected over a distance longer than that, it stops at 4096. If aimed at a portal in this condition, it will create a new bridge part at the other end of the portal, but that part is also subject to the same limit.
So if you have a big-ass room, make sure players can't portal a bridge all the way across
In other light bridge news: you know how there is a brief "stutter" the first time a bridge is activated? It turns out that's because one of the particle systems for it is not preloaded into memory. The classic workarounds are to make it start active and turn it off by logic_auto, or have a bridge permanently active in a closed box outside your map. But there is a cheap, universal solution: put an info_particle_system in your map and set its particle system to "projected_wall_impact". (No need to name it or do anything with it, it just needs to be there.) That will preload the missing particle system and prevent the problem.
Other Portal 2 maps: Medusa Glare
Portal 1 maps: Try Anything Twice | Manic Mechanic
Ouh didnt know about that, well thanks 