[MasterMind420]

L4D2 DownloadsTable Black Screen Fix - ENJOY!

INITIAL SETUP - Requires Sourcemod & MMSource to be installed.

1. Download and install SM File and Folder Precacher.

2. Setup the files or folders you want to be downloaded by clients.

3. Files must be on your Left 4 Dead 2 Dedicated/Local server to work, as well as your webserver.

FAST DOWNLOAD SERVER - Required for servers to send files to clients properly without black screen.

1. Download and install DropBox or use any other webserver.

2. Copy all files into your DropBox Public folder or onto your webserver.

3. Setup file structure just like game directory (Example - left4dead2\scripts\melee) and place files in appropriate folders.

4. YOU MUST ADD THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR server.cfg.

sv_hosting_lobby "1" //Must be set for Direct Connect into server.
sv_allow_lobby_connect_only "1" //Or comment this out completely. Without this it will not work properly.

sv_downloadurl "" //Your DropBox or webserver link goes here.
sm_cvar sv_allowdownload "1" //Must be set, or remove it completely from your server.cfg.

5. If using DropBox goto any file, not folder, in your Public folder and right click it, goto DropBox and select, copy public link.

Now copy the link into sv_downloadurl in your server.cfg

Should look like this.
sv_downloadurl "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/133773/left4dead2/scripts/melee/riotshield.txt"

Now remove the last parts of the link until it looks like this.
sv_downloadurl "http://dl.dropbox.com/u/133773/left4dead2/"

6. You are ready to go! No more black screen on clients downloading files from your server.

7. If you try to connect to LAN or non Lobby Reserved servers, the loading screen defaults, and you will get a black screen, however you should see in console what files are being downloaded, if console is enabled.
So you must see the actual campaign loading screen when connecting in order for this to work, however if you do get black screen,
It will no longer lock up on first file being downloaded, and clients will still connect, they just won't see progress bar.

[trollhater]

Does this work if your server is set up unreserved?

[BrianGriffin]

Tried it out on my dedicated and it seemed to work.

What files can you actually make a client download for a l4d2 server? At the moment I just use a few sounds.

[disawar1]

INITIAL SETUP - Requires Sourcemod/MMSource/SDKHooks to be installed.

SM File and Folder Precacher plugin do not require a sdkhooks extension. with this cvar "sv_allow_lobby_connect_only" players may only join this server from matchmaking lobby. I do not know why you wrote about this.

sm_cvar sv_allowupload 1 sm_cvar sv_allowdownload 1 sm_cvar sv_downloadurl "http://my ftp/"

blah

[ajr1234]

Sorry for bumping this old thread. I added this into the server, but now the the client is stuck on a never-ending loading screen. Is there a fix for this?

Edit: black screen is still there...

[SyNiK4L]

this was happening on my server. And i realized that what was causing it was sm_hats.smx. For whatever reason people that have never downloaded the hats models(IE: New installs). Cant seem to join because i guess the server never downloads the hats correctly. So i removed that plugin and it fixed it no problem. So i'm going to post in the hats thread and see if anyone else has had this problem, or if there is a way to fix it.

[MasterMind420]

not really sure if i understand what your saying...possibly to get the hats plugin to work with this u would need to setup the webserver to upload the hat models to all players, although the plugin works on its own, it could be trying to upload the files and not finding them, causing a black screen. I've done lots of custom work on the knife, riotshield, mace, fubar and gotten them all to upload to clients properly with no black screen or anything, this only works on reserved servers however, not on unreserved. Let me know if i'm understanding u...maybe i can help get it working right...

[MasterMind420]

ajr1234 - Your having that issue because that is the default behavior of the downloadstable trying to upload the custom files to clients connecting, they just get stuck in a neverending black loading screen. U must have made a mistake somewhere, just double check all your settings. And if all else falls start the setup over again...If u follow my instructions to the T it will work...if u need help PM me.

[bl4nk]

That post was from back in April. I doubt he's still having the same problem as he hasn't posted back again.

[ChickenFighter]

Sorry for bumping this thread but i have a question: Is there a way to upload a .vpk to the server (or a fast download server) so the players can download it in-game? I have tryed this out for myself but it seems not working well for me.