Source Engine's Entity I/O moves gameplay logic into map data via a string-based async event bus. Covers C++ declaration model, Hammer authoring, runtime dispatch, and debugging tools for typos, coercion bugs, and circular loops.
Players rubber-band but ping looks fine? Learn to read net_graph choke, loss, sv, and var on a Source engine server to isolate whether the cause is client rates, server tick instability, or the network path.
Explore how the Source Engine uses client-side prediction and server reconciliation to eliminate input lag while maintaining an authoritative server state.
Stop relying on expensive full table refreshes. Learn how to implement Change Data Capture (CDC) in Source Engine to reduce database load and achieve near real-time data synchronization.
An architecture note on Source Engine's authoritative-server networking: how lag compensation rewinds entity positions for hitscan validation and why the interpolation buffer is a deliberate tradeoff.
Source Engine light bleeding at brush seams comes from mismatched lightmap resolution or UV alignment, not shader faults. Learn how to diagnose and fix it with consistent _lightmapscale and proper UVs.
A decision guide for Source Engine projects: when the bundled rigid-body physics solver is enough, when a full Havok license earns its cost, and how to validate the performance impact on real hardware.
Learn how a simple case‑sensitivity mismatch in a .vmt file causes missing textures in Source Engine mods and how to fix it with mat_reloadallmaterials.