Command line options

Steam (steam.exe, Windows)

• -applaunch %id %c - This launches an Game or Application through Steam. Replace the %id with the Game/Application ID number that you want to open up, replace %c with the command line options for the Application/Game.
• -login %u %p - This logs into Steam with the specified Username and Password combination. Replace %u with the username, and %p with the password you want to login with. (Steam must be off for this to work.)
• -nocache - This starts steam with no cache. (Steam must be off for this to work properly.)
• -script %s - This runs a Steam script. Replace %s with the script filename. All scripts must be in a subdirectory of the Steam folder called test scripts. (Steam must be off for this to work.)
• -shutdown - This shutsdown Steam.
• -silent - This suppresses the dialog box that opens when you start steam. It is used when you have Steam set to auto-start when your computer turns on. (Steam must be off for this to work.)

hldsupdatetool (Windows), steam (Unix)

Use: hldsupdatetool -command <command> [parameters] [flags]

• -command update - Install or update HLDS
• -command version - View installed versions
• -command list - View available games

parameters:

• -game <game> - Mod name
• -dir <installdir> - HLDS Install dir (if dir not specified, will use value from last run of tool)

flags:

• -verify_all - Verify all HLDS files are up to date
• -retry - Automatically retry every 30 seconds if the Steam Network is busy
• -remember_password - Remember password (if a username is supplied)

optional parameters: (only needed to access limited content)

• -username <username> - Steam account username
• -password <password> - Steam account password

HLDS (hlds.exe)

• -autoupdate - The server is searching for updates on startup
• -console - HLDS will run in console mode (Windows only)
• -game <game> - Specifies which game/mod to run
• -insecure - Disables VAC
• -sport <port> - Specifies the VAC2 port the server should use

• +<CVAR> <setting> - Sets CVAR to specified setting
  • +hostname "Server Name" - Specifies the name of the server
  • +ip - Specifies the IP when multiple network cards are installed
  • +map <map> - Specifies which map to start
  • +maxplayers <number> - Specifies how many player slots the server can contain
  • +port <port> - Specifies which port to use
  • +sv_lan <0|1> - If set to 1, server is only available in Local Area Network (LAN)

Source DS (srcds.exe, srcds_run)

• -autoupdate - The server is searching for updates on startup
• -console - SrcDS will run in console mode (Windows only)
• -game <game> - Specifies which game/mod to run
• -insecure - Will start the server without VAC
• -nobots - Disable bots
• -tickrate <number> - Specifies Server-Tickrate (for more info see Source Multiplayer Networking)
• -verify_all - Will check that each file in the install matches the latest Steam version

• +<CVAR> <setting> - Sets CVAR to specified setting
  • +hostname "Server Name" - Specifies the name of the server
  • +ip - Specifies the IP when multiple network cards are installed
  • +map <map> - Specifies which map to start
  • +maxplayers <number> - Specifies how many player slots the server can contain
  • +port <port> - Specifies which port to use
  • +sv_lan <0|1> - If set to 1, server is only available in Local Area Network (LAN)

Source Games

• -condebug - Will also log all console output in a text file
• -console - Starts the game with the console
• -dxlevel <level> - Tells the Source engine which code path to use. This is useful if your graphics card is DirectX 9 capable, but a lot faster using only DirectX 8 (e.g. NVidia GeForce 5200). Multiply the desired DirectX version to use with ten. E.g. for DirectX 8.0 you would use 80.
• -fullscreen - Force fullscreen mode
• -heapsize <kilobytes> - Specifies the heapsize (in kilobyte) the game will use
• -nocrashdialog - Supresses some 'memory could not be read' unhandled errors
• -novid or -novideo - When loading a game with this parameter, the intro Valve video will not play.
• -refresh <rate> - Force a specific refresh rate
• -w <width> -h <height> - This makes the desired game start up at resolution <width> by <height>
• -windowed - This puts the desired game in windowed mode.

Console Commands

Console commands can included into the launch options with a plus sign.

• +map_background <map name> - Changes the background used. Use none if you don't want to load a map as menu background. This speeds up the loading process.