Counter-Strike: Source mode presets
Switch your CS:Source server to Deathmatch, Surf, Gun Game or Zombie in one click: what each preset changes, the plugin it needs, and which are best-effort.
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Counter-Strike: Source has no built-in deathmatch, surf or zombie mode: communities build them from plugins and server settings. The Modes panel does that setup for you. Pick a preset, click Apply mode, and SLASHPLAY loads the right SourceMod plugins, sets the server variables the mode needs, and restarts the game.
Open your server’s page, then Game-specific → Modes.
Before you start
- The server must be Live, and you need Control servers on the team.
- For Deathmatch, install the CSS:DM plugin first from Game-specific → Plugins. The preset turns CSS:DM on; it can’t do it if the plugin isn’t there. See Plugins and mods.
Steps
- Open Game-specific → Modes.
- Under Mode preset, pick Deathmatch, Surf, Gun Game or Zombie.
- Click Apply mode, then Apply mode again in the confirmation. Applying restarts the game, so bots and players may be affected.
- Active mode now shows the preset with (last applied here).
Active mode only remembers what was applied from this page while you have it open. Before you apply anything it says Not reported yet.
What every preset does first
Each preset starts by clearing the previous one: it unloads the CSS:DM plugins, Gun Game and Zombie:Reloaded, so switching from one mode to another doesn’t leave the old one half running. It ends with mp_restartgame 1, so the new settings start fresh.
Deathmatch
Instant-respawn team deathmatch, powered by the CSS:DM plugin from AlliedModders.
| Setting | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| CSS:DM plugins | loaded | Basics, bot quotas, equipment (weapon menus), preset spawns, spawn protection. |
cssdm_enabled | 1 | Deathmatch on. |
cssdm_respawn_wait | 0 | Respawn immediately. |
cssdm_spawn_method | preset | Spawn at CSS:DM’s spawn points spread over the map. |
cssdm_remove_drops | 1 | Clean up dropped weapons. |
cssdm_ffa_enabled | 0 | Team deathmatch, not free-for-all. |
mp_freezetime | 0 | No freeze at round start. |
mp_roundtime (and defuse, hostage) | 60 | Rounds as long as the game allows, so play runs continuously. |
mp_timelimit | 30 | Change map every 30 minutes. |
Players get a weapon menu when they spawn. Play on standard maps like de_dust2, de_inferno or cs_office, which CSS:DM has spawn points for.
Want free-for-all or a different respawn delay? Change them in the console after applying, for example cssdm_ffa_enabled 1, or edit CSS:DM’s config file (cstrike/cfg/cssdm/cssdm.cfg) in the file manager for a permanent change. See Plugins and mods.
Surf
Movement settings for surf maps:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
cssdm_enabled | 0 |
sv_airaccelerate | 1000 |
sv_accelerate | 5 |
sv_friction | 4 |
sv_gravity | 800 |
mp_freezetime | 0 |
mp_roundtime | 60 |
mp_timelimit | 30 |
mp_autoteambalance | 0 |
mp_limitteams | 0 |
The high sv_airaccelerate is what makes surfing possible. You also need a surf map: the server doesn’t include any. Upload a surf_….bsp into cstrike/maps with the file manager, then load it with changelevel surf_mapname in the console.
Gun Game
Tries to load a SourceMod plugin called gungame and sets gg_enabled 1, gg_dm 1 (deathmatch-style respawns) and gg_friendlyfire 0, plus mp_freezetime 0, mp_roundtime 60 and mp_timelimit 20.
The Gun Game plugin isn’t included. Upload a Gun Game build for SourceMod 1.13 yourself (see Plugins and mods); without it, this preset only changes the round settings.
Zombie
Tries to load a SourceMod plugin called zombiereloaded and sets zr_enabled 1, plus mp_freezetime 0, mp_roundtime 60 and mp_timelimit 30.
Like Gun Game, the Zombie:Reloaded plugin isn’t included. You need to install it yourself, together with the models and sounds it depends on.
How long a mode lasts
A preset changes the running server. It is not re-applied when the server restarts: after Restart server, a stop or a restore, the server starts in its normal settings again, and you apply the mode again with one click.
For a server that should always boot into deathmatch, set cssdm_enabled "1" in cstrike/cfg/cssdm/cssdm.cfg (CSS:DM loads its own config at start) and your round settings in cstrike/cfg/server.cfg.
Troubleshooting
Deathmatch applied, but nobody respawns.
CSS:DM isn’t installed. Install it from Game-specific → Plugins, wait for the restart, then apply Deathmatch again. You can check with sm plugins list in the console: you should see five CS:S DM plugins.
The preset failed with an error about the server not being ready. Wait until the server shows Live and try again.
Players spawn on top of each other in deathmatch.
The map has no CSS:DM spawn points. Use a standard map, or set cssdm_spawn_method "none" for custom maps.
The mode is gone after a restart. That’s expected. Apply it again, or make it permanent in the config files as described above.