Unwanted tutorial messages
So I released my map but I now wanted to do an update of it. Instead of doing an ordinary compile I did a full "final" compile ready for its release. However, it now displays the tutorial messages such as "Press E to pick up". When playing the level. How do I get rid of those? Is it the compile that is causing the problem or something else?
I thought the reason it showed tutorial messages was because you had some kind of hint entity inside the map.
Try duplicating (saveas) your map and recompile without the final option and see if this is the case. Because if it is, that would be interesting.
Same happens with me: but it only happens the first time you load the map, load it a second time, and the messages should be gone.
So will people who download it experience the same problem.
No, it only happens for the makers. No one else should see the icons. However, if you ship it on the maps first load up after compile,they will see it. Close Portal 2, run it again, and the icons should be gone for you and everyone else.
I see these messages every time I play a map. Annoying it is.
Does this also include the debug overlay in the top right corner? I get the same problem. Very annyoing. Didn't happen when I was using alienswarm sdk.
If you're using the -final configuration that's automatically set in Hammer (Full Compile -both -final (slow!)), then the game will launch in developer mode. Just remove -dev from the parameters and you shouldn't have the debug overlay.
Don't know how to get rid of the hints though 
I thought it was showing the hints because its loading Portal 2 outside of Steam, and therefore not loading that you have finished the game and naturally assumes its your first time ever playing portal and give you the instructor hints.
PortalStories.com
"Oh, in case you got covered in that repulsion gel, here's some advice the lab boys gave me: DO NOT get covered in the repulsion gel."
Ahhh. That'd explain it - I just double-click the BSPs after extracting them.