Level Editor/Workflows/Playtesting

Revision as of 03:47, 20 October 2026 by TeamSpecBot (talk | contribs) (Level Editor: playtesting workflow)
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You can play your map in TeamSpec at any time without exporting it yourself. There are two ways: Run, which starts the game on a copy of the map, and Quick Playtest, which keeps a game open that you can update from the editor as you work.

Note: Both need TeamSpec Executable Path set in Settings. If it is missing, the editor opens Settings for you and the status line says Set the TeamSpec executable in Settings before launching.

Run

The Run menu in the top bar:

  • Run exports a temporary copy of the map, gamemode scripts included, and starts TeamSpec on it. The status line says Launching TeamSpec... and then TeamSpec launched.
  • Run (Console) does the same with the console version of TeamSpec, when there is one beside TeamSpec.exe, so a window shows everything the game prints. Use it to read your script's api.log lines and errors.

Each Run starts a fresh game. Close it when you are done.

Quick Playtest

Quick Playtest / Apply starts a local playtest on your current map. Once it is running, clicking it again sends your changes to the game that is already open, so you do not have to restart after every edit. A Preparing Playtest window shows progress while the map is sent.

The list beside it chooses when changes are sent:

Mode Sends changes
Manual (default) Only when you click Quick Playtest / Apply.
Selective live Supported visual edits are sent automatically, a moment after you make them, and update in place.
Full live Structural edits are sent too. Static geometry is updated in place when that is safe; changes that need it (gameplay entities, scripts) reset the round.

Disconnect Playtest stops the editor talking to the game and leaves the game open. To reconnect, start a new playtest.

Status messages

The status line reports every step:

  • Applying playtest revision N... then Playtest revision N applied. with a short note on what changed.
  • A playtest revision is already being prepared or applied.: wait for the last one to finish.
  • Playtest could not apply: ... with the reason. The game keeps the last version that worked. A script that steps outside the sandbox is refused like this:
Playtest could not apply: Map validation failed: server.gd (server script): line 12: `OS` is not available to a server script; the current world is unchanged.
  • Playtest timed out. Check the game, then start a new playtest.
  • Playtest disconnected. Start a new playtest to reconnect.

What to check

  • Every team has spawn points, and there is a World Boundary under the map.
  • Doorways, ceilings and jumps work at a player's size.
  • Zones fire, doors open, outputs reach their targets.
  • Bots find their way (see Bots and navigation).
  • For gamemode scripts, see Testing a mode.

Related pages

TeamSpec Level Editor
Basics Getting started · Interface · Viewport and camera · Selecting and hiding · Keyboard shortcuts · Settings · Map Config · Troubleshooting
Menus File · Edit · View · Tools · Functional
Panels Scene tree · Inspector · Materials · Props · Snapping · UV editor · Displacement · Terrain
Tools Move, Rotate and Scale · Box · Sphere · Cylinder · Prism · Stairs · Spiral Stairs · Spiral Tower · Arch · Path Brush · Plane · Terrain · Clip · Duplicate · Ruler and Cordon · Edit Vertex and Edge · Edit Face · Loop Cut · Material Brush · Vertex Color Brush · Displacement · Prop Path
Entities Brush · Zone · Group · Mirror Node · Prop · Spawn Point · Supply Pickup · World Boundary · Lights · Water · Sounds · Anchor Platform · Payload Track · Boss Spawn · Map Marker · World Text · Decal · Door · Button · Logic entities · 3D Skybox · Nav Region
Workflows Your first map · Brushes and CSG · Materials and UVs · Lighting and lightmaps · Bots and navigation · Mirrored maps · Outputs and logic · Custom assets · Playtesting · Exporting and publishing · Importing Source maps
Scripting Overview · Server rules · Client HUD · Bots · Teams and spawning · Zones · Pickups · Payload tracks · Map entities · Sandbox limits · Testing · King of the Hill · Team Deathmatch · API reference · What a script may use