How To Set Up A Left 4 Dead Clan Server

[Pappy]

As posted on: http://www.orderofdeath.com/content/how-set-left-4-dead-clan-server

his can be used for L4D2. There really isn't much of a difference. I have a Left 4 Dead 2 demo server up and running and it was set up the exact same way. Everything is working perfectly using this L4D server "set up" tutorial. Although for the demo you don't need such a complex server.cfg, the default one that comes with your server rental should work fine for running a demo server. As far as setting up your custom clan L4D2 server banner and Message Of The Day (MOTD) follow these simple instructions carefully and you wont have any problems.

This page will be updated once the game is release and I'll correct any known issues associated with setting up a working Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) server.

Setting up a L4D server can be very difficult if you don't know what you're doing. It took me a full day of research to figure this out. I couldn't find a one stop source guide on how to do everything and most of the info you come across is very confusing to say the least.

So, I decided to write an article that will explain how to set up a perfect working Left 4 Dead clan server. Most of the articles I found that talk about setting up a server were way off, confusing, asking you to edit files that don't need to be edited and things like this, it's really ridiculous that no one could just make it easy. I am doing this to make it easy. I will cover one thing at a time but I'll start with a list of things you will have to do...

1. You will need to edit your server.cfg file. You'll want to at least have your server playable before doing anything else.

2. You will want to edit your L4D launch options so that you'll be able to connect to your server through a L4D lobby.

3. You'll want to make 2 banners with your clan information, one will need to be 673 X 135 and one will need to be 1000 X 700. This will be for your clan banner and MOTD (message of the day).

4. You'll need to make some HTML pages to display your Clan Banner and MOTD. Then edit and link to the web-pages in your host.txt and motd.txt on your server.

1. Setting up your server.cfg file. Copy the stuff in the quote box into your server.cfg making sure to delete what ever else may be in it. The server.cfg file should be located in your left4dead/cfg folder on your server. You will need to edit the settings listed below by reading what each setting is and deciding if you want it or not.

Anything after // end L4D cvars you can probably just leave as is, or at least that's what I do...

server.cfg
//note: 0 is disable, 1 is enable /

// this is your server name as shown in the server list
hostname "Clan Server Name"

log on

sv_password ""
// your server password. a pair of double quotes means it is not set and
anyone can join

// start rcon settings

rcon_password "your_rcon_pass_word"
// your rcon password to log into the dev rcon console or HLSW rcon console
sv_rcon_banpenalty 5
// Number of minutes to ban users who fail rcon authentication
sv_rcon_maxfailures 10
// Max number of times a user can fail rcon authentication before being
banned

// end rcon settings

// L4D cvars

motd_enabled 1
//This enables or disables the message of the day.

z_difficulty impossible
//Server difficulty set to expert, settings can be changed in lobby

sv_steamgroup 1118519
//will make your server show up on steam group servers list (you'll need your steam group number)

//sv_steamgroup_exclusive 1
//Only your steam group will have access to the server if enabled.

sv_allow_lobby_connect_only 1
//People will only be able to connect from lobby, change to 0 to allow people to join a game in progress

sv_gametypes "coop,versus"
//It's set up to allow both campaign and verses. You can decide which type of game to play in the lobby.

//sv_search_key "uniquename"
//This will allow you to connect to your server from the lobby. If you plan on having your group of people connect from the lobby you will have to use this cvars (obviously don't use uniquename, pick something unique).

// end L4D cvars

// start cvars for balancing un-even teams

mp_autoteambalance 0
// 0 is off and 1 is on. if 1 then should be used in conjunction with the
following 3 commands
mp_autoteambalance_delay 15
// Time (in seconds) after the teams become unbalanced to attempt to switch
players
mp_autoteambalance_warning_delay 10
// Time (in seconds) after the teams become unbalanced to print a balance
warning
mp_teams_unbalance_limit 1
// Teams are unbalanced when one team has this many more players than the
other (0 disables)
mp_idledealmethod 1

// end start cvars for balancing un-even teams

// start cvars for win conditions

//mp_maxrounds 0
// Max number of rounds to play before server changes maps
//mp_winlimit 0
// Max number of rounds one team can win before a server changes maps

// end cvars for win conditions

// start client specific cvars

mp_forcecamera 0
// force dead clients to first person mode disabling freelook. 0 is off 1 is
on
mp_allowspectators 0
// enable or disable spectators on the server. 0 is off 1 is on
mp_friendlyfire 1
// 0 is off and clients can do harm to team mates. 1 is on and players can
kill or injure team mates
mp_footsteps 1
// footsteps on or off. 0 is off and 1 is on
sv_cheats 0
// allow cheats to be used by the client. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_timeout 120
// the amount of time in seconds that a client is booted for no input
sv_maxspeed 320
// the maximun speed a client can move at
sv_consistency 1
// Force clients to pass a consistency check for critical files before
joining server. 0 is off 1 is on
decalfrequency 10
// the pause in seconds between a decal being sprayed

// end client specific cvars

// start cvars for communication

sv_voiceenable 1
// allow players to use a microphone. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_alltalk 0
// toggles whether both teams can hear each others voice comms or not. 0 is
off 1 is on. recommend it being off
mp_chattime 7
// players can chat for this amount of time (in seconds) after a game is
over

// end cvars for communication

// start download cvars

sv_allowupload 1
// allow custom decals to be uploaded. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_allowdownload 1
// allow files to be downloaded from the server. 0 is off 1 is on
net_maxfilesize 100
// Max download file size. Default is 15
sv_downloadurl ""
//redirect download location

// end download cvars

// start bandwidth rates/settings

// bandwidth rates/settings
sv_minrate 10000
sv_maxrate 25000
decalfrequency 10
sv_maxupdaterate 66
sv_minupdaterate 33

// end bandwidth rates/settings

// start server logging

// enable or disable server logging. on is on off is off
sv_logbans 1
// Log server bans in the server logs
sv_logecho 1
// Echo log information to the console. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_logfile 1
// Log server information in the log file. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_log_onefile 0
// log everything in one file

// end server logging

// start cvars for general operation

sv_lan 0
// is this an internet or LAN server. 0 is internet 1 is LAN
sv_region 255
// server location. is the world, 0 is USA east coast, 1 is USA west coast,
2 south america, 3 europe, 4 asia, 5 australia, 6 middle east, 7 africa
//sv_contact
// contact email for sysop
sv_pausable 0
// enables or disables whether the server can be paused. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_pure 1
// forces all clients on the server to use content that matches what is on
the server. 0 is off 1 is on
sv_pure_kick_clients 1
// kicks clients that do not have content that matches what is on the server

// end cvars for general operation

// start execute ban files

log on

sv_tags ""

// end execute ban files[-

Restart server when you're done...

2. L4D launch options Follow the instructions below and you'll be able to connect to your new working server. When you create a lobby you will be able to choose what game type you want and all other setting for the game as well. It will connect to your server as long as no one else is already playing on it. You may want to edit your config file again to make it exclusive to your steam group to keep unwanted players off your server. I normally make it public during the day when everyone is busy and change it to my steam group access only in the evening so that my clan can use the server.

1. On your server config put in :
sv_search_key "uniquename"
(obviously don't use uniquename, pick something unique).

2. Open steam, click on games tab. Right click on L4D and goto properties. Then goto launch options. Put this in the end of the launch properties:
+sv_search_key "uniquename" -novid
(the -novid makes it so the game starts without the intro movies, which is optional).

3. From now on, all you have to do is load L4D and start a friends only game. You can immediately change it to open to the public after the lobby is started.

3.Custom banner and MOTD. If you want a custom banner and MOTD for your clan you'll need to have made the banner and MOTD first. one will need to be 673 X 135 and one will need to be 1000 X 700.

Here are the first ones I made...
http://clanlcn.co...banner.png
http://orderofdeath.co...erver2.png

4. Next you'll need to create 2 webpages. I named my webpages host.html and motd.html. Then add the code below to each one. You'll need to edit the image source in the code below to point to your banner and motd. The host.html webpage is for your custom banner image, and the motd.html webpage is for your custom message of the day image (MOTD).
<html>
<head><title>Left 4 Dead 411</title></head>
<body style="margin:0px;padding:1px;background:#000000;">
<img src="www.location_of_your_image.com/image.png" style="width:100%;height:100%;" />
</body>
</html>

You will then need to edit your host.txt and your motd.txt files which can be found on your server in your left4dead folder.

All you will do is edit the link in those files to your webpages.
This is what is in my host.txt file:
http://orderofdeath.com/L4D/host.html

This is what is in my motd.txt file:
http://orderofdeath.com/L4D/motd.html

It's basically telling your server where to find your banner and MOTD images. It's also making sure everything is aligned properly. If you follow these instructions you will not have any problems setting up a perfect L4D clan server.

That is all there is to it. If something is confusing or if anyone can think of a better way to explain it, please feel free to modify this tutoral to make it better and easier for your adverage user to understand how to set up a Left 4 Dead server...