Valve has recently communicated that Half-Life: Alyx has been updated to include support for the Steam Workshop and a beta version of the community development tools, as well as support for Linux and the rendering API Volcano, along with other minor improvements. Half-Life Alyx's level editing tools will allow users to create new levels, models, textures and animations, and through the Steam Workshop they will have the opportunity to discover and try out all of the community's creations. The first update will include new, or updated, versions of:
- Hammer, the latest version of the Source 2 level editor.
- Material Editor, the tool for creating and refining materials in Source 2.
- ModelDoc, a tool for viewing, editing, and compiling models with animations, collisions, and other gameplay attributes.
- AnimGraph, our animation tool used to create complex animations with gradients and transitions.
- Particle Editor, for the creation of new particle effects.
- Subrect Editor, for the creation of texture smart sheets called "hotspots".
- Source Filmmaker, Source 2's cinematic rendering and animation tool.
In addition to these tools, the update will include several test maps, in order to demonstrate and explain to users how the developers have planned the fights with the enemies and show some new features of the pipeline of the artistic side of the Half-Life levels: Alyx, including lattice meshes, dynamic and static cables, and texture hotspotting. The source code for the entire Half-Life: Alyx map set is included and editable, including a large number of interactive and prefab objects. Future updates will introduce new features and additional tools.
But that's not all, as the new release of the Half-Life: Alyx also adds a native version of the game for Linux, through the Vulkan rendering API and optional support for using Vulkan on Windows. Depending on your operating system, especially if it's closer to the minimum requirements, gaming performance may be better using Vulkan. To try Vulkan on Windows, just open the Half-Life: Alyx main menu and select:
- options, then Performances , Advanced (the gear icon) and finally Rendering API. You will need to restart the game for the render API change to take effect.
Finally, for best results on Linux, an AMD graphics card and the Mesa RADV driver are recommended, and if you previously installed the title via Proton, you will need to follow these steps to successfully download the update:
- Open the Half-Life Alyx Properties window by right clicking on the game in the Steam Library
- Check the box "Force the use of a specific compatibility tool for Steam Play"
- Uncheck the box: the download will complete successfully.
