Counter Strikes Custom Folder. What's allowed, what's not?

[King Kurtis]

Hello,

There is a "custom" folder located in Counter Strike: Source’s files (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Counter-Strike Source\cstrike\custom), anyone who has taken a peak in the games directory is sure to have seen it.

Viewing the "readme.txt" entails that the "custom" folder is scanned upon the game starting up for custom .vpk files. My question is not with how to get skins and what not to work, but more so with what is allowed and what’s not. Is it just general materials/skins/models and sounds that we can add in a .vkp and that will replace textures and models that we tell it to? The files them self’s should be in a compressed in a .vpk and that's it? under no circumstances should anything else be changed at all or anything to be added such as .dlls (Not sure why one would need to add a .dll anyway)

What about custom servers, will using customs skins and what not on their servers result in a ban or will nothing in a negative sense happen? I am obviously guessing that it’s different for every server or can they not see anything that we changed, or do they not care?

I ask these questions because VAC scares the sh*t out of me. Knowing one can get banned and have it not being able to be removed at all is a horrible thought imo.

Sorry if this sounds ret***ed, but it's better to be safe then to be sorry.

Thank you for any help/replies in advance, have a good day :)

[Joheskiller |CSCλᴅᴇᴠ|]

You can place any file related to materials, models, maps, sound, particles, resource and scripts. It will override default ones used by the game. Customizing games was encouraged by Valve in the past, like many developers before paid skins systems on modern video-games. Therefore, you can customize your game safely, from the moment you only place game file types. Others will simply not be recognize, but of course, like you said, don't put executable files or DLLs.

You can place files directly in folders, but it is really not advised since it really deoptimize game loading and memory. What you is supposed to do is indeed recreated VPKs in the same structure has the game. VPKs, are really faster and safer since files are packed and therefore cannot be modified or removed by mistake by the user.

About multiplayer, servers owners can configure their servers to set how custom content is allowed. We have the choice to:

- Do not apply any rules or restrict which files the client may use which allow you to use everything you want,
- Apply special rules in configuration files manually setup,
- Force all game default content (mostly used in Wars).

If it can reassure you, I personally heavy customize all of my Source games since a decade, I'm still clear and completely relaxed!

[King Kurtis]

Thank you very much for the detailed reply, you have summed all my questions really well!

Thank you so much, Have a wonder full day :)

[Joheskiller |CSCλᴅᴇᴠ|]

My pleasure. Thank you!