[canadianjeff]

STEAM CLIENT HAS GIMPED THE GUI VERSION AND HERE IS PROOF!!!!!!!!

if you start the server with.....

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server>SET SteamGameId=222860

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server>SET SteamAppId=222860

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server>srcds.exe -console -game left4dead2 +exec server.cfg +map "c1m4_atrium survival" +sv_pure 1 +sv_lan 0

this will set some Environment Variables and will cause the "VALIDATION FAILED" message in game




if you instead start the server with some stupid random AppId like....

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server>SET SteamGameId=222860

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server>SET SteamAppId=1

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server>srcds.exe -console -game left4dead2 +exec server.cfg +map "c1m4_atrium survival" +sv_pure 1 +sv_lan 0

players can connect just fine without any errors which goes to proove my point that STEAM has infact gimped this because they dont want to support the GUI anymore inside the steam client

[canadianjeff]

if you take out "-console" the GUI will start just fine hehe

[canadianjeff]

to drive this point home I made a bat file and put this inside

SET SteamGameId=500
SET SteamAppId=500

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Half-Life\hl.exe" -steam -game cstrike

INSIDE STEAM IT SHOWED "LEFT 4 DEAD - RUNNING" and not "COUNTER-STRIKE"

[Bacardi]

similiar http://gamebanana.com/tuts/11538


Yes, to clarify...
If you run Source Dedicated Server through Steam.exe > tools > Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server, players will get kicked "STEAM validation rejected" error.
That because, some reason, application not read file called steam_appid.txt

This error also happen when you run SRCDS first time, it create file steam_appid.txt afterwards, need restart server to fix it.

But, don't run Dedicated Server via Steam.exe GUI, use batch or install SRCDS using SteamCMD.

Anyway, if people insist
...Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated Server\srcds.bat

@echo off
cls
:srcds
echo 550> steam_appid.txt
start /wait srcds.exe -steam -console -game left4dead2 -maxplayers 8 +sv_lan 0 +map c5m1_waterfront
goto srcds

[cravenge]

Originally Posted by canadianjeff to drive this point home I made a bat file and put this inside SET SteamGameId=500 SET SteamAppId=500 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Half-Life\hl.exe" -steam -game cstrike INSIDE STEAM IT SHOWED "LEFT 4 DEAD - RUNNING" and not "COUNTER-STRIKE"

That's because the IDs you used are what L4D uses. It's already clear what the problem is there.