3D2D Textscreen Guide
Complete guide to 3D2D Textscreens in Garry's Mod - create floating text, signs, and displays
3D2D Textscreens
3D2D Textscreens create floating text in the world. Perfect for signs, labels, shop names, rules displays, and base identification.
Workshop Addon
Subscribe to 3D2D Textscreens on the Steam Workshop. Servers may already have this installed.
Basic Controls
| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Left-click | Place textscreen on surface |
| Right-click | Edit existing textscreen |
| Reload (R) | Place textscreen floating in air |
| Physgun | Move and rotate after placing |
Tool Settings
Text Content
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Line 1-5 | Up to 5 lines of text |
| Font | Choose font type |
| Font Size | Text size (larger = bigger) |
Appearance
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Text Color | RGB color picker |
| Background | Background color (some versions) |
| Rainbow | Animated color cycling |
| Outline | Text outline (Revamped version) |
| Shadow/Glow | Drop shadow or glow effect |
Placement Options
On Surface (Left-click)
Text appears flat against the clicked surface:
- Walls, floors, props
- Automatically aligns to surface angle
Floating (Reload)
Text spawns in mid-air in front of you:
- Useful for signs not on surfaces
- Position with Physgun afterward
Editing Textscreens
Change settings in the tool menu
Right-click an existing textscreen
Settings apply to that textscreen
Permanent Textscreens (Admins)
Server admins can make textscreens persist across map changes:
Hold C to open context menu
Right-click the textscreen
Select "Make Permanent"
Admin Only
Only server admins can make textscreens permanent. Regular players' textscreens reset on map change.
Presets
Save your textscreen configurations:
Set up text and colors how you want
Click Save Preset in tool menu
Name your preset
Load presets later for quick placement
Server Settings
Admins can configure limits:
| ConVar | Description |
|---|---|
sbox_maxtextscreens | Max per player (default: 1) |
ss_render_range | Visibility distance (default: 1500) |
ss_enable_rainbow | Allow rainbow effect |
ss_max_characters | Character limit per line |
Common Uses
| Use Case | Example |
|---|---|
| Shop signs | Store name and info |
| Base labels | "Property of..." |
| Rules display | Important server rules |
| Directions | "Exit →" arrows |
| Roleplay | Business names, NPC labels |
Tips
Solution: Increase Font Size in settings. Values of 50-100 work well for signs.
Cause: Render distance limit.
Solution: Ask admin to increase ss_render_range cvar.
Cause: Not made permanent.
Solution: Ask admin to make it permanent, or use PermaProps addon.
Cause: Server has disabled rainbow.
Solution: Check if ss_enable_rainbow is set to 1.
Quick Reference
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Place on surface | Left-click |
| Place floating | Reload (R) |
| Edit existing | Right-click |
| Move/rotate | Physgun |
| Make permanent | C + Right-click (admin) |