Adding custom maps to a Counter Strike Source server

[NickToony]

Adding Custom Maps

Many game servers have many different maps. Whether it's because the default maps aren't good enough or you just want a massive variety in maps, this guide will help you load your own custom maps).

Note: This guide was written for Counter Strike Source, but may work for other Source games such as:

- Team Fortress 2
- Left 4 Dead

Let's get started then. First here's the requirements:

- A game server with FTP access (E-Frag are perfect!)
- Patience

Step 1 - Getting a map:

For starters, you need a map to upload. Counter Strike Source uses a filetype known as .BSP for maps, and also uses .NAV as an optional file for bots on the map. Each map will have one .BSP and one .NAV (However, some may not be distributed with a .NAV, because game servers can create one themselves). If you don't have a map ready to add, take this one:

-> FPSBANANA > Maps > CS:S > Bomb/Defuse > de_cpl_mill

Alternatively, you can find tons of maps at FPSBANANA.COM

Step 2 - Uploading the map:

For this step, I recommend you get an FTP client like FileZilla
Download -> FileZilla - The free FTP solution

Open your FTP client and connect to your game server, using the username and password provided by your game server host. (E-Frag displays all FTP details in the control panel). You must then upload the map's .BSP file to the cstrike/Maps directory on the server. You can also upload the .NAV file to the same location if you want to use bots. Make sure the .NAV and .BSP share a similar name (e.g. MyMap.BSP = MyMap.NAV).

This is where patience is important - the game server has a fast connection, but you most likely don't (Compared to the game server at least). UK upload speeds are pretty bad, so uploading larger maps for me takes a long time.

All done? Let's continue.

Step 3 - Telling the server to load the map:

Okay, so the map is uploaded and ready to use, but the server doesn't know about it. This is really easy to set up! Go to your cstrike/cfg folder on your game server and edit the file maplist.txt (Alternatively, you can use the configuration editor at E-Frag). You must type the name of your map in the list. For example, if your map file is MyMap.BSP, you must type MyMap into the maplist.txt (Don't include the file extension). Repeat this step for mapcycle.txt.

When editing configuration files through FTP, it's best to download the configuration to your hard-drive, make edits and then upload the file again. (Unless you're on E-Frag and using their configuration editor! ).

All done? Cool. Now restart your server.

Step 4 - Enjoy:

Your map should be ready to use! You should use RCON to change the map to your new one and see if it works.

If you have ManiAdmin installed, you should copy the contents of your maplist.txt and paste it into the votemaplist.txt found in the Mani Admin directory. (E-Frag makes this really easy, again.)

Thanks for reading!

I made this because I got sick of seeing 'How do I add custom maps?' on the forums. This is also made in about 10 minutes - change at will. I didn't add stuff about SVDOWNLOAD because that should be a different thread.

The moral of the story? Use E-Frag.

[Smaug]

Hmmm whats the server address is that the ip becouse it just says
Error, could not connect to serverProtocol error: Unknown protocol identifier (0x10 0x0 0x0). Most likely connected to the wrong port.
Connection to server closed.
Trying to reconnect in 5 seconds
Reconnecting to server...
what do i do wrong?

[NickToony]

Yes, use your server IP as the address. Don't include the port number though!

For example, if you had: '83.142.49.15:27020' you would use '83.142.49.15'.

I just noticed that this is wrong - also Mike just posted a reply below. All FTP details are found on E-Frag's control panel. :P I'm used to using my server's IP on another game server host.

[Mike]

Wrong

You use the IP address given in the FTP details

EDIT: Stickied also.

[Crimper]

When editing the maplist and mapcycle files, they both came up in the failed transfers box and the reason was "Could not start transfer"

Any ideas ?

EDIT : don't worry guys i found where i was failing

[NickToony]

Originally Posted by Crimper

When editing the maplist and mapcycle files, they both came up in the failed transfers box and the reason was "Could not start transfer"

Any ideas ?

EDIT : don't worry guys i found where i was failing

Haha, good. Sounded like a connection problem anyways, which you should see your game server provider about.

I also made a couple of changes because of spelling / silly mistakes (Especially when adding the map name to maplist.txt - I said to add server name rather than map name ).

Thanks for making this stickied too, Mike.

[jcl111]

Hey there, I've got custom maps on my server and they load fine... For people who have the map but guys without the map are greeted with "Couldn't find map.bsp" I've searched around, one idea was to have sv_allowdownload 1 on the server config but that didn't do anything.

Any ideas? Had to remove them from map rotation and voting till I can get it sorted.

Cheers

[daytona600]

Originally Posted by jcl111

Hey there, I've got custom maps on my server and they load fine... For people who have the map but guys without the map are greeted with "Couldn't find map.bsp" I've searched around, one idea was to have sv_allowdownload 1 on the server config but that didn't do anything.

Any ideas? Had to remove them from map rotation and voting till I can get it sorted.

Cheers

Have you got your sv download enabled and in your server.cfg file? so that its pointing to the correct place?

[NickToony]

If you have SVDownload enabled, you must repeat step 2 for the SVDownload server.

[jcl111]

Ah I see what you mean, doh!

Cheers.