.VMF File Extension
Valve Map File
| Developer | Valve |
| Popularity |
4.1 | 53 Votes |
What is a VMF file?
A VMF file is a game level created by Valve Hammer Editor (version 4 or later), a level editor for GoldSrc and Source engine games, such as Half-Life, Counter-Strike, and Team Fortress 2. It stores plain-text XML-like details about a level, including object placement, textures, lighting, and entity configurations. Game modders edit VMF files before converting them as .BSP game maps to be playable in a game.
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Valve Corporation develops Hammer Editor to allow users to design 3D environments by placing objects, applying textures, configuring lighting, and defining interactive elements using an entity-based system. Earlier versions of Valve Hammer Editor saved maps in the .MAP format, which is still used in some cases for interoperability. However, the VMF format is a more structured format that allows modders to easily edit, share, and troubleshoot maps before compiling them into the playable BPS format used by the game engine.
How to open a VMF file
You can open VMF files with Valve Hammer Editor in Windows. To open a VMF file with the program, select File → Open.
QuArK is another Windows utility that modders can use to open and edit VMF files.
Programs that open VMF files
Covox Speech Thing Sample
| Developer | Covox |
| Popularity |
1.6 | 15 Votes |
A VMF file may also be an audio sample used by Covox Speech Thing (the Covox Plug) and Voice Master audio devices used in the 1980s and 90s. It stores uncompressed 8-bit PCM audio data, which made them efficient for early speech synthesis applications, educational software, and games, but resulted in lower audio quality compared to modern formats.
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The Covox Speech Thing and Voice Master external audio adapters connected to a parallel port on an early computer and played low-resolution digital sound. For example, the Covox Speech Thing, released in the late 1980s, was a simple and affordable way to add speech and audio playback to computers without dedicated sound hardware.
How to open a VMF file
You can open VMF files with Covoxer in Windows. However, the program is discontinued.
Programs that open VMF files
Vocaltec Media File
| Developer | VocalTec Communications |
| Popularity |
1.3 | 16 Votes |
A VMF file may also be an audio file saved in the Vocaltec Media Format (VMF) and is used primarily for transferring audio over the Internet. It stores compressed audio data encoded with the Internet Wave encoder, which helps reduce the file size for efficient transmission over the Internet while maintaining acceptable audio quality. VMF files were commonly used in early Internet phone applications, enabling voice communication through online platforms.
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VocalTec Communications is an Israeli company that was one of the first pioneers of VoIP technology in the 1990s. It developed the VMF format to allow compressed audio streaming, making it suitable for low-bandwidth connections. The format was mainly used in the 1990s for Internet telephony, though it is now largely outdated and replaced by more modern audio and video communication technologies.
How to open a VMF file
You can open VMF files with Internet Wave Player in Windows. However, the program is discontinued.