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Donuts

Sep 19, 2016 @ 11:49am

How to change matchmaking location?

So im trying to join USA servers instead of the Chile/Brazil/Peru servers (I live in Argentina) because I want to play there, I don't mind the lag.
Someone knows how to do this? I mean in casual mode, I want to "casually" join the US servers instead of the South America ones.

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Originally posted by brokenphilip:

since this thread is clearly going to be bumped several times in the future, i'd just like to point out that the "marked answer":

Originally posted by spongecrabs:
sv_region
This console variable is queried by the server browser to determine what part of the world the server is in.
This cvar might be deprecated, it has been removed from the HLDS (but still exists in SRCDS) and the Steam server browser doesn't have an option to select a region any more. (Though the in-game server browser might still have this option.)
Value Location
0----- US - East
1----- US - West
2----- South America
3----- Europe
4----- Asia
5----- Australia
6----- Middle East
7----- Africa
255-- World (default)

is completely incorrect. this is a "sv_" cvar, which means it is only a server configuration. it is used by both hlds (not a removed command btw) and srcds to set the region of the server so it could be found easily with the community server browser.

if you want to change your matchmaking location, your only option is to use a vpn (massive latency downgrade) or change your ping settings. other than that, there is no way to consistently play on a server region that you have more ping on than others

EDIT: i haven't tested it myself but there are plenty of videos about it on youtube, you can also give this program a shot: https://github.com/BeepIsla/valve-region-selector

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Showing 1-15 of 39 comments

Snowhusky5 has Team Fortress 2

Sep 19, 2016 @ 11:57am

you can try using a proxy in the US

there is no region selection in tf2, because valve...

Donuts

Sep 19, 2016 @ 12:03pm

Originally posted by Snowhusky5:
you can try using a proxy in the US

there is no region selection in tf2, because valve...

Isn't using proxy you know, illegal?

Snowhusky5 has Team Fortress 2

Sep 19, 2016 @ 2:31pm

Originally posted by DONUTS:
Originally posted by Snowhusky5:
you can try using a proxy in the US

there is no region selection in tf2, because valve...
Isn't using proxy you know, illegal?

no? idk where you heard that from

Red Z

Sep 19, 2016 @ 2:36pm

Well, a Proxy will severely decrease your internet speed so I won't recommend that.

In a blogpost, Valve did mention that they want to make it easier for you to find servers in your region. The question is just if the current automatic detection system will just be improved or if that means that we can choose a region. So we don't know if you will be able to join North America servers in Casual/Competitive at some point.

As of now though, there's no way to do it without a signifficantly slower internet.

Last edited by Red Z; Sep 19, 2016 @ 2:37pm

spongecrabs has Team Fortress 2

Dec 3, 2017 @ 11:12am

sv_region
This console variable is queried by the server browser to determine what part of the world the server is in.
This cvar might be deprecated, it has been removed from the HLDS (but still exists in SRCDS) and the Steam server browser doesn't have an option to select a region any more. (Though the in-game server browser might still have this option.)
Value Location
0----- US - East
1----- US - West
2----- South America
3----- Europe
4----- Asia
5----- Australia
6----- Middle East
7----- Africa
255-- World (default)

Leah

Dec 3, 2017 @ 11:12am

pretty sure there's a ping limit for casual, that should help

spongecrabs has Team Fortress 2

Dec 3, 2017 @ 11:13am

Originally posted by xASL:
sv_region
This console variable is queried by the server browser to determine what part of the world the server is in.
This cvar might be deprecated, it has been removed from the HLDS (but still exists in SRCDS) and the Steam server browser doesn't have an option to select a region any more. (Though the in-game server browser might still have this option.)
Value Location
0----- US - East
1----- US - West
2----- South America
3----- Europe
4----- Asia
5----- Australia
6----- Middle East
7----- Africa
255-- World (default)

oh, and also, matchmaking applies too (for me)

Donuts

Dec 3, 2017 @ 12:55pm

Originally posted by xASL:
Originally posted by xASL:
sv_region
This console variable is queried by the server browser to determine what part of the world the server is in.
This cvar might be deprecated, it has been removed from the HLDS (but still exists in SRCDS) and the Steam server browser doesn't have an option to select a region any more. (Though the in-game server browser might still have this option.)
Value Location
0----- US - East
1----- US - West
2----- South America
3----- Europe
4----- Asia
5----- Australia
6----- Middle East
7----- Africa
255-- World (default)

oh, and also, matchmaking applies too (for me)

Problem with this is that even if I put sv_region 1 in my config it still puts me on Brazil/Chile servers

Donuts

Dec 3, 2017 @ 12:55pm

Originally posted by Leo:
pretty sure there's a ping limit for casual, that should help

That only limits your MAX ping, not your minimum ping
as in, it stops you from entering Korean servers, but it doesn't stop you from entering Chile ones

Rampant

Jun 15, 2018 @ 8:21pm

BUMP. I'd also like to be able to join US servers because with only Brazilian servers it takes way too long to find a match. Also I would be able to communicate with my teammates.

Last edited by Rampant; Jun 15, 2018 @ 8:22pm

#10

Pastel de Papas has Team Fortress 2

Jul 1, 2018 @ 10:05pm

Anyone have a solution? It's bored to play with brazilians 'cause I don't understand what the ♥♥♥♥ are they talking about

#11

Leah

Jul 2, 2018 @ 9:52am

Until valve introduces a new system you seem to be stuck with community servers.

#12

Rampant

Jul 2, 2018 @ 10:16am

Originally posted by Leo:
Until valve introduces a new system you seem to be stuck with community servers.

That wouldn't be a problem if so many community servers didn't have such a low ping threshold. Back in the day I was able to play on US servers with pings of 200-250 ms and no one complained. Now, servers have ping thresholds of 150 ms which is ridiculously low.

#13