Entities & Tools

Understand Garry's Mod entities and tools. Master the Toolgun, NPCs, and props to build, interact, and create within the physics sandbox.

Entities & Tools in Garry's Mod

Entities and tools are the fundamental building blocks and interactive elements that define gameplay and creativity in Garry's Mod. From static props that populate maps to dynamic NPCs and the versatile Toolgun, understanding these components is key to mastering the sandbox and developing custom content.

Entities are the objects that exist within the Garry's Mod environment. They can be anything from a simple chair prop to a complex AI-controlled character or a functional vehicle. Tools, primarily accessed through the Toolgun, are the mechanisms players use to manipulate, create, and interact with these entities.

Types of Entities:

• Props: These are the most common entities, ranging from static decorative objects to physics-enabled items that can be moved and interacted with. Examples include furniture, barrels, vehicles, and environmental details.
• NPCs (Non-Player Characters): AI-driven characters that can be spawned and programmed to perform various actions, such as fighting, following, or interacting with the environment. This includes characters from Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source, and custom NPCs from the Workshop.
• Weapons: Entities that You can pick up and use, from the iconic Gravity Gun to custom firearms and melee weapons.
• Vehicles: Entities that You can pilot, offering transportation and often combat capabilities.
• Logic Entities: Special entities used for map scripting and creating interactive elements, such as triggers, timers, and inputs/outputs.
• Player: The entity representing You character itself, with its own properties like health, armor, and inventory.

The Toolgun and its Tools:

The Toolgun is the primary interface for interacting with and manipulating entities in Sandbox mode. It features several tools, each with a specific function:

• Physgun: The core tool for grabbing, moving, rotating, and freezing physics-enabled entities. Essential for building contraptions.
• Weld Tool: Connects two entities together, creating rigid structures. Crucial for building complex machines and structures.
• Color Tool: Changes the color and material of props, allowing for visual customization.
• Material Tool: Applies different textures to entities, altering their appearance significantly.
• NPC Tool: Spawns and manipulates NPCs, allowing for combat scenarios or custom AI setups.
• Constraint Tools (Hinge, Pulley, Spring, etc.): Create more advanced physical connections between entities, enabling the creation of moving parts and complex machinery.
• Duplicator: Saves and loads structures or contraptions, allowing for easy replication and sharing of creations.

Addons and Expanded Functionality:

The Garry's Mod Workshop greatly expands the range of entities and tools available. You can find custom props, unique NPCs, advanced building tools, and entirely new toolguns that offer functionalities beyond the base game. Addons like Wiremod, for instance, introduce a vast array of logic entities that, when combined with tools, allow for incredibly complex interactive systems and contraptions.

Whether you're building a simple structure, staging a combat scenario, or developing an intricate machine, a solid understanding of entities and the tools available to manipulate them is fundamental to your Garry's Mod experience.