L4D AddonInfo Authoring

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In <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2>, add-ons require metadata setup to appear in the add-ons menu with the proper descriptions, be categorizable by the tags sorting system, or load assets at only the appropiate moment. This is all done with theaddoninfo.txtfile. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, add-ons attained from workshop subscription uses the Steam Workshop to build metadata, soaddoninfo.txtfile is either only for locally installed add-ons, or workshop add-ons converted into a local add-on.

Warning.png Warning: Add-ons withoutaddoninfo.txtwill not be accessible in the menu when installed locally! Even in <Left 4 Dead 2>, you should build aaddoninfo.txtfile for add-ons submitted to the Steam Workshop, since users do convert the add-ons locally.
Note.png Note: In <Left 4 Dead>, add-ons don't reload until you relaunch the game, whereas in <Left 4 Dead 2>, add-ons reload everytime you enter and exit the add-ons menu, but are locked from being replaced while its active.

Keys

Some of the keys present are for the add-ons menu's tag system only.'..' will be appended if the add-on has 4+ tags for <Left 4 Dead>'s default menu UI, while for <Left 4 Dead 2>'s default menu UI, its a 30 character limited. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, add-ons will be filtered to appear for the respective tag filter settings.

Key Description
addonSteamAppID Steam App ID the add-on is for. Put 500 for <Left 4 Dead> and 550 for <Left 4 Dead 2>.
addonTitle Title of the add-on. Mind that the default add-on menu can't show long titles in full.
addonVersion Version number of the add-on. Used to determine if an user's add-on is mismatched to the lobby hoster's.
Confirm:It is best to keep the number as an integer, so no decimals.
addonTagline Tagline/wrap-up short description; for custom map add-ons only. In <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2>, it appears only when selecting a custom map in the game setup menu.
Confirm:In <Left 4 Dead>, it is present when viewing the scoreboard in the custom map; right below the map's title.
addonAuthor Name of the author.
addonAuthorSteamID (Optional) Steam ID of author, which will be used to construct an URL to the author's page. To do: How does this look like?
addonSteamGroupName (Optional) Steam group related to the add-on, which will be used to construct an URL to the group page. To do: How does this look like?
addonURL0 Home page of addon with a download link. Appears only in the menu when trying to join games, or joining a lobby eith a content you don't have downloaded. (e.g. Mutations)
Note.png Note: Some websites allow you to create a page for your addon before you publish it. Copy that "Unpublished" addon link into this field.
addonContent_Campaign <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2> Modifies add-on assets to only load when the maps set in the mission file are loaded.
Also marks add-on withCampaigntag in <Left 4 Dead>, while theCampaignstag in <Left 4 Dead 2>.
Confirm:Is the first sentence's statement true for <Left 4 Dead>?
addonContent_Survival To do: Exact function unknown.
addonContent_Scavenge (only in <Left 4 Dead 2>) To do: Exact function unknown.
addonContent_Versus To do: Exact function unknown.
addonContent_Map In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withMapstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withCampaignstag. <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2> Doesn't get used ifaddonContent_Campaignis already used.
addonContent_Survivor In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withSurvivor Modelstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withSurvivorstag. Use a single string in quotes if replaces specific single character, i.e. "Coach".
To do: Clarify the latter
addonContent_Skin In <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withSkinstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, use a single string for single skin possible. To do: How is the single string set up, and what would happen if we do this?
addonContent_BossInfected In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withBoss Modelstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withInfectedtag. Doesn't conflict withaddonContent_BossInfectedtag.
addonContent_CommonInfected In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withCommon Modelstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withInfectedtag. Doesn't conflict withaddonContent_CommonInfectedtag.
addonContent_Music In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withMusictag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withSoundstag.
addonContent_Sound In <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withSoundstag.
addonContent_Prop In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withProp Modelstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withItemstag.
addonContent_Weapon In <Left 4 Dead>, marks add-on withWeapon Modelstag. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withWeaponstag.
addonContent_Script In <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2>, marks add-on withScriptstag.
<Obsolete> addonContent_Prefab Deprecated. Prefabs refer to Hammer VMF prefabs. This doesn't alter the menu tags in anyway.
<Obsolete> addonContent_Spray Deprecated. This doesn't alter the menu tags in anyway.
<Obsolete> addonContent_BackgroundMovie Deprecated. This doesn't alter the menu tags in anyway.
<Obsolete> Content_Weapon Deprecated. Meant to be used when the addon "provides a new weapon, i.e. guns, explosives, booby traps, hot tar, etc.". This might not be technically feasible in <Left 4 Dead>, while too much effort required in <Left 4 Dead 2>. This doesn't alter the menu tags in anyway.
<Obsolete> Content_WeaponModel Deprecated. Meant to be used when the addon overrides a weapon skin (for existing weapons). This doesn't alter the menu tags in anyway.
addonDescription Description of addon. In <Left 4 Dead 2>, Add-ons from subscription of Steam Workshop have a 499 characters limit for descriptions.
This tag has extra localization key variants (e.g.addonDescription_DA) meant to be accessed by appending certain characters at the right of this key; all of them being:
  • _DA - Danish
  • _NL - Dutch
  • _FI - Finnish
  • _FR - French
  • _DE - German
  • _IT - Italian
  • _JA - Japanese
  • _KO - Korean
  • _NO - Norwegian
  • _PL - Polish
  • _PT - Portugal
  • _RU - Russian
  • _ZH - Chinese
  • _ES - Spanish
  • _SV - Sweden
Confirm:Are these localization tags defunct? In <Left 4 Dead 2>, reports of the workshop localization working only on the webpage, but don't transfer to the in-game menu, exists.

File Samples

These are the addoninfo metadata files from the sample Deadline campaign in in both <Left 4 Dead> <Left 4 Dead 2>, which is meant to provide example material for custom add-ons.
The full add-on and source files can be downloaded off a website hosted by Steam:

Dead Line <Left 4 Dead>



Dead Line 2 <Left 4 Dead 2>



See also

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