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How to Add Mods to Your Left 4 Dead Server ​

There are two kinds of extensions for a Left 4 Dead server: plugins through Metamod:Source and SourceMod, which run purely server-side, and custom campaigns as VPK add-ons, which every player has to install as well.

Important

Your server runs on Linux. Always download the Linux package (.tar.gz) of Metamod:Source and SourceMod — the .zip package is the Windows build and will not work.

Install Metamod:Source ​

Metamod:Source hooks into the Source Engine and is the foundation for SourceMod.

  1. Download Metamod:Source
    Download the current stable version of Metamod:Source for Left 4 Dead as a Linux package (.tar.gz).

  2. Stop the server
    Stop your server via the dashboard.

  3. Connect via SFTP
    Connect to your server via SFTP.

  4. Upload the files
    Extract the archive and upload the addons folder it contains to the following directory:

    /left4dead/

    Afterwards the folder /left4dead/addons/metamod/ exists.

  5. Replace metamod.vdf
    Open the file /left4dead/addons/metamod.vdf and replace its content completely with this:

    "Plugin"
{
	"file"	"../left4dead/addons/metamod/bin/server"
}

  6. Start the server
    Start your server and check in the server console with meta version whether Metamod:Source was loaded.

Important

Step 5 is mandatory for Left 4 Dead. The package ships a metamod.vdf pointing at addons/metamod/bin/server — that path does not work for Left 4 Dead. Without the leading ../left4dead/ the engine will not load Metamod:Source and meta version answers with Unknown command.

Tip

You can also have the matching file generated by the VDF generator of Metamod:Source. Select Left 4 Dead as the game there.

Install SourceMod ​

SourceMod builds on top of Metamod:Source and provides the plugin environment as well as the admin features.

  1. Download SourceMod
    Download the current stable version of SourceMod (currently the 1.12 branch) as a Linux package (.tar.gz).

  2. Stop the server
    Stop your server via the dashboard.

  3. Upload the files
    Extract the archive and upload the addons and cfg folders it contains via SFTP to the following directory:

    /left4dead/

    Existing folders are merged, not replaced. Afterwards the folder /left4dead/addons/sourcemod/ exists.

  4. Start the server
    Start your server and check in the server console with sm version whether SourceMod was loaded.

Note

When uploading, make sure not to overwrite the metamod.vdf from step 5 of the Metamod installation again. The SourceMod package does not contain a VDF file, but some FTP clients replace whole folders instead of merging them.

Install plugins ​

  1. Download the plugin
    Download the plugin you want. Ready-to-use plugins come as a .smx file.

  2. Stop the server
    Stop your server via the dashboard.

  3. Upload the plugin
    Upload the .smx file via SFTP to the following directory:

    /left4dead/addons/sourcemod/plugins/

  4. Start the server
    Start your server and check with sm plugins list whether the plugin was loaded.

Note

Plugins are executed server-side only. Your players do not have to install anything for them.

Install custom campaigns ​

Custom campaigns come as a .vpk file and are installed on the server exactly the way players install them.

  1. Download the campaign
    Download the campaign you want as a .vpk file.

  2. Connect via SFTP
    Connect to your server via SFTP.

  3. Upload the VPK
    Upload the .vpk file to the following directory:

    /left4dead/addons/

  4. Activate the campaign
    Enter the following command in the server console:

    update_addon_paths;mission_reload

    This applies the campaign without a restart. Alternatively restart your server.

Important

Custom campaigns have to be installed locally by all of your players as well. Anyone who does not have the campaign cannot play it on your server.

Warning

There is no Steam Workshop for Left 4 Dead. Custom campaigns are therefore only available from third-party sites. Only download .vpk files from sources you trust.

Folder structure at a glance ​

/left4dead/addons/                        <- .vpk files for custom campaigns
/left4dead/addons/metamod.vdf             <- loader file for Metamod:Source
/left4dead/addons/metamod/
/left4dead/addons/sourcemod/
/left4dead/addons/sourcemod/plugins/      <- .smx plugin files
/left4dead/addons/sourcemod/configs/      <- configurations, e.g. admin lists
/left4dead/cfg/                           <- server.cfg and other configurations

Verify the installation ​

Enter the following commands in the server console:

CommandDescription
meta versionShow the Metamod:Source version
meta listShow the extensions loaded by Metamod
sm versionShow the SourceMod version
sm plugins listShow the loaded SourceMod plugins

Warning

If the server answers one of these commands with Unknown command, that component was not loaded. In that case first check the content of metamod.vdf, then whether you used the Linux package and whether the folders really are located under /left4dead/addons/.

Warning

Always stop your server before uploading files. After a game update Metamod:Source, SourceMod and individual plugins can become incompatible — check whether updates are available in that case.

Tip

To learn how to give yourself admin rights with SourceMod afterwards, see Add Admin.

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