Windows dedicated server

This is a setup guide that allows you to install a basic Team Fortress 2 Windows dedicated server. In the below example the server is installed onto the C drive in a folder called 'hlserver'.

Download and install the SteamCMD Tool

It is recommended you create a separate user to install and run game servers. It is also recommended you use the non-beta version of the steam client, otherwise it won't locate steam libraries

• Download steamcmd_win32.zip Returns a 404 since Nov 21 2013. Unofficial mirror links: Internet Archive, Nefarius, Powerlord
• Unzip steamcmd_win32.zip to a directory, for example 'c:\hlserver'

Create a steamcmd script

• Create a file called tf2_ds.txt in the folder where you install the tool, i.e. 'c:\hlserver'
• Edit the file with this text:

@ShutdownOnFailedCommand 1
@NoPromptForPassword 1
login anonymous
force_install_dir c:\hlserver\tf2
app_update 232250
quit

If you want to opt in to the prerelease version of the TF2 dedicated server, add this line before the app_update line:

beta prerelease

Create an updating batch file

• Create a file called update.bat in the folder where you installed the tool, i.e. 'c:\hlserver'
• Edit the file with this text:

steamcmd +runscript tf2_ds.txt
pause

Start the download/update

• Run the update.bat to start the download, may take several hours as dedicated server content is currently 4.4GB
• You may need to run the file *multiple* times until the message "Success! App '232250' fully installed." displays.

Create/Update server files

• Create a file called server.cfg in 'C:\hlserver\tf2\tf\cfg'
• Edit the file with these details:

hostname "Your_Servers_Name"		//The Name of your Server that players will see
sv_password ""				//Leave empty if you do not want a password
rcon_password "Your_Rcon_Password"	//Password to enable rcon access from the console
mp_timelimit 30 			//Round Timelimit
mp_maxrounds 10				//Maximum Rounds Playable before map change
sv_allowupload 1			// Allow clients to upload customization files (Optional Line, Used for Sprays)
sv_allowdownload 1			// Allow clients to download files (Optional Line, Used for Sprays)
net_maxfilesize 15			// Maximum allowed file size for uploading in MB (Optional)

^{An example with more cvars (console variables) can be found in Example Server.cfg for TF2 dedicated server.}

• Create the files motd.txt and mapcycle.txt in 'C:\hlserver\tf2\tf\cfg'

You may want to use the motd_default.txt and mapcycle_default.txt as references

• Create a file called pure_server_whitelist.txt in 'C:\hlserver\tf2\tf\cfg'

It is advised that you copy and paste the contents of the pure_server_whitelist_example.txt file into your file first, and then apply any modifications you may want

Create a batch file to run the server

• Create a file in 'C:\hlserver\' called tf.bat
• Edit the file with this text:

tf2\srcds.exe -console -game tf +sv_pure 1 +map ctf_2fort +maxplayers 24

• Run the file tf.bat to start your server

Other command line options

Some other common command-line options for TF2 are:

• +ip 1.2.3.4 - Bind to a specific IP. By default, listens on all network interfaces
• -port 27015 - Bind to a different port (27015 is the default)
• -strictportbind - If a server is already running on the specified port, stop the server from running
• +randommap - Use instead of +map to select a map at random
• +servercfgfile - Which tf\cfg\ file to execute on map change, defaults to server.cfg
• +mapcyclefile - Which tf\cfg\ file contains this server's mapcycle, defaults to mapcycle.txt. Will also look in tf\
• -replay - Executes replay.cfg and adds an additonal slot for the replay bot, but removes it from the player count.

External links

• srcds.com

See also

• Linux dedicated server
• Dedicated server configuration