I'm making a map and i BADLY need the model rendering feature since all the bones in the map models in 1.0 are all weird. My question is if I should stop relying on 3.4 and port my map which ive been working on for like 4 months into 3.5 or shoud i just wait. My concern is if 3.5 will screw up or corrupt my map if i do anything it doesnt want to.

make a backup, then try it.

You might want to look at the user feedback for using the Hammer3.5 beta at the VERC Collective ( http://collective.valve-erc.com/index.php?go=hammer_beta ). Just make sure if you do decide to switch editors, you make a backup of you map first ( don't want to loose 4 months work :) ) just in case. GL.

3.5 is most definately worth it, you will catch several over/ under size clipping areas for models you will thank jeebus for it.

totally worth it, i recoment just installing 3.4 to a second place, not the same as your original copy, and then just copying over the new 3.4 with the new 3.5, BUT REMEMBER TO BACK UP YOUR MAP, at least 2 tiems, in 2 places, and make a change to it, cuz ive heard that if you just hit save w/o making a change it doenst actually save it again

Also having the pointfile in 3d view is such an amazing feature I cannot thank the coders enough for adding it.

Bah! It's true! But how do you get that 3d view pointfile working!? I searched around and didnt find anything on it, only 'rumors' (or i considered them to be since i couldnt find it). Thanks to anyone that responds in advance

3.5 is so stable they shouldnt even call it an alpha... there are a few things that are not activated but can still be used through other methods

Tool bar -> Map -> Load pointfile

I prefer the .lin file because its easier to follow. It may ask you to load default .pts, say no and click map.lin. In the 3dview, it will teleport you to the start of the line. Basically follow it until you spot the leak.

It seems to be a bit of a resource hog on my machine, but the model rendering alone makes it worth it. It will save you so much time orienting the models, and add clips. Plus its damn cool to see the soldiers spawns standing around and breathing. :)

One of the biggest rules of mapping is to backup early and often.

wait, i want animations too, please explain

3.5 is definitely not ready to leave beta. I almost gave up on my NS map because 3.5 broke it. If you add a hive in 3.5 for some reason it kills your map.

I recall that 3.5 doesn't support NS...that's why that happened. It works with DoD and a few others...not sure exactly which others though but I know not NS.