env_instructor_hint

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Code classes:

env_instructor_hint is a point entity present in all games since Left 4 Dead 2. It is used to instruct the player to do some things, such as not shoot teammates. Refer to text files ending with _textures.txt inside the scripts/ folder for all icon options.

Note: Only one hint can be shown at a time, except in .

Keyvalues[edit | edit source]

Replace Key (hint_replace_key) <string>
No effect.
Target Entity (hint_target) <target_destination>
The entity to show this hint on top of. The entity used must be one that is replicated on the client, or the hint will never show up. Use info_target to show the hint in empty space or at a specific location on another entity, and set its Always transmit to client flag. If not desired, see Positioning.
Timeout (hint_timeout) <integer>
How long the hint stays. 0 will persist until stopped with EndHint.
Display Limit (hint_display_limit) <integer> (only available in )
Maximum number of times the hint can be displayed. 0 = infinite.
Onscreen Icon (hint_icon_onscreen) <choices>
The icon to use when the hint is within the player's view.
Offscreen Icon (hint_icon_offscreen) <choices>
The icon to use when the hint is outside the player's view.
Caption (hint_caption) <string>
The text of your hint. 100 character limit. This should match a # string in resource/valve_english.txt or a similar file if possible.
Caption Color (hint_color) <color255>
The color of the caption text.
Activator Caption (hint_activator_caption) <color255> (available in all games since )
The color of the caption text, as seen by the !activator.
Icon Height Offset (hint_icon_offset) <float>
A height offset from the Target Entity's origin to display the hint.
Display Range (hint_range) <float>
The visible range of the hint. 0 will show it at any distance.
Size Pulsing (hint_pulseoption) <choices>
Speed for which the icon should grow and shrink, as a way to nag the player about the object.
  • 0: No Pulse
  • 1: Slow Pulse
  • 2: Fast Pulse
  • 3: Urgent Pulse
Alpha Pulsing (hint_alphaoption) <choices>
Speed for which icon will become more or less transparent.
  • 0: No Pulse
  • 1: Slow Pulse
  • 2: Fast Pulse
  • 3: Urgent Pulse
Shaking (hint_shakeoption) <choices>
How to make the icon shake.
  • 0: No Shaking
  • 1: Narrow Shake
  • 2: Wide Shake
Positioning (hint_static) <choices>
Either show at the position of the Target Entity, or show the hint directly on the HUD at a fixed position.
  • 0: Follow the Target Entity.
  • 1: Show on the HUD.
Show offscreen (hint_nooffscreen) <choices>
Shows an icon and arrow when the object is off-screen.
  • 0: Show
  • 1: Don't show
Force caption (hint_forcecaption) <choices>
Do we show the caption text even if the hint is occluded by (hidden behind) a wall?
  • 0: No
  • 1: Show when occluded
Lesson Name (hint_name) <string> (only available in )
Hints with the same lesson name use a common base and are treated as instances the same "lesson type". (See Instance Type.)
Instance Type (hint_instance_type) <choices> (only available in )
How many instances of a single lesson type can be open or active at the same time.
  • 0: Multiple
  • 1: Single Open (Prevents new hints from opening.)
  • 2: Fixed Replace (Ends other hints when a new one is shown.)
  • 3: Single Active (Hides other hints when a new one is shown. Clarify: Difference?)
Suppress rest before moving (hint_suppress_rest) <boolean> (only available in )
"Suppress the initial icon display in center of screen?"[Clarify]
Bound Command (hint_binding) <string>
If using show key bindings for Onscreen Icon or Offscreen Icon, specify which command to show the key for e.g. jump will show space for the icon.
Allow invisible target (hint_allow_nodraw_target) <choices>
Do we allow the hint to follow entities with nodraw set? To do: Not referring to EF_NODRAW, so what is it talking about? Also, why would you want to disallow this when you could consciously make the decision of where the hint points yourself?
  • 0: End immediately on nodraw
  • 1: Yes
Show on First Sight (hint_auto_start) <boolean> (only available in )
Once the player has LOS to the target, it will automatically show for them.
Only Local Player (hint_local_player_only) <boolean> (available in all games since )
Shows the hint only to the first player to join/create the server.
Gamepad Bound Command (hint_gamepad_binding) <string> (available in all games since )
If using show key bindings setting for the Onscreen Icon or Offscreen Icon, this field should be the command we want to show bindings for, when the user is using a console/non-keyboard controller of some kind. To do: Example?

Inputs[edit | edit source]

ShowHint <target_destination>
Start showing this hint. If an entity targetname is passed as the parameter, the hint is shown only to that entity.
Important:  hints triggered by this input are only visible to the !activator.
EndHint
Stop showing the hint if it hasn't already timed out.

See Also[edit | edit source]