I installed the Source SDK on one computer and created some portal map files as .bsp s. But then I installed it on another computer and tried to open my files from the first computer.
But now it will only let me open or save files as .vmf and gives me no option to open the .bsp files. I can't access my own saved map files.I am really confused!

VictoryIncandescence wrote:
I installed the Source SDK on one computer and created some portal map files as .bsp s. But then I installed it on another computer and tried to open my files from the first computer.
But now it will only let me open or save files as .vmf and gives me no option to open the .bsp files. I can't access my own saved map files.I am really confused!

VMF is uncompiled and a BSP is compiled, have you tried decompiling them?

So normally, you work with vmf files in the editor, but when you click Run Map, it makes a copy that is a bsp file?

New to mapping? Never used Hammer before? LOOK HERE!

VictoryIncandescence wrote:
I installed the Source SDK on one computer and created some portal map files as .bsp s. But then I installed it on another computer and tried to open my files from the first computer.
But now it will only let me open or save files as .vmf and gives me no option to open the .bsp files. I can't access my own saved map files.I am really confused!

-A VMF consists of the "bare bones" of your map. They contain all data on brushes, entities, nodes and all settings set for them. You can easily edit this, but it is unplayable.

-A BSP is all data of the VMF, combined with calculations. The architecture has been calculated, turning brushes into walls and entities into something that works, the visibility has been calculated, trying to determine what is visible from where, and finally radation has been calculated, adding the necesarry lightning to your map. This version is ready to play, but due to all the additional calculations in the file it is uneditable.

-It is possible to derive a .VMF from a .BSP, a process called decompilation. However this is not flawless, and generally frowned upon as it enables you to 'steal' another author's work. However, in the occasion you would lose all your .VMF's but still have your .BSP's, decompilation may save you. For personal use, there's nothing wrong with it.