Is there an "easy" way to port tfc maps?
 

It looks like ctrl+c + ctrl+v isn't going to cut it. And rebuilding maps seems to be out of the question. So, what's the secret? Is there a way to just load up all the brushes in the modern Hammer and then retexture and re-entitize everything myself?

I got the original map files (vmf/rmf) of all my previously made maps and it's still a bitch and a half to port. Some folks are faster and more experienced but you have to retexture and reentity... make an LUA... load/splash screen... and i think that maybe it besides testing (assuming you have the original files). If you're using a decompiler then you can tag brush work onto the list which basically means remaking the map from scratch... with one advantage of knowing the maps original scale.

If it were easy I'd port all my old maps.

Getting the original rmf would be ideal. Otherwise, it's off to redoing every last brush for you.

And, to be honest, it's really not as bad as it seems remaking a map brush by brush. The hardest part is getting a good amount of textures together to make it spiffy.

if you're not willing to put a decent amount of work into it, don't bother porting maps from TFC. imo.

I think a lot of people expect the process to be like converting a movie file, but the realities are you're remaking the film...

This is true, but when you've seen the film and just want to recreate it... it isn't so bad.

So it looks like he has the rmf what is the process after this.

He can open the rmf file in Hammer, even if its setup for a Source map.
Remove all lights and other entities except the teleporter entities, they can be reused with a little change.

When thats done I would
1. Copy a jump
2. Paste to a new map
3. Select the entire brush work for that jump
4. Add the nodraw texture to everything.
5. Retexture (its quickly done)
6. Add FF ents

Compile and test

If that looks ok he can copy bigger parts of the original map and do step 2-6 for the whole map, but I would do it jump for jump.

Reusing the textures from the original wad file is doable but they look like crap in Source.

I tried reusing the func_walls but it was easier to just remove the ents and add func_brush to those world entities. Same with water. As it needs lods it was easier to just add new ents to water to.