[OBSELETE] playing on Workshop Maps with Friends in current state of CS2 (1/4/2024)

Really fast and simple guide to playing workshop maps with friends in the current state of CS2 (last release note at writing: 1/4/2024)

Introduction

With the current state of the game, many experiences issues playing with friends. In this guide we will cover 2 of these problems which are playing on workshop maps and inviting more than 5 Friends.

In the future we may expect these features to be fully operational, but considering the recent update on source 2 and the overly bugged state of the game, it's fair to assume that this guide will come in handy for a while. This guide will be short and hopefully easy to understand.


The solution for these problems came by trial and errors. In my friend group, we witness that I was the only one able to launch workshop maps. Also, yesterday we tried playing on workshop maps but because we were 6 we had issues creating the room. Those two issues are addressed here.

Keep in mind that I'm not a network specialist nor a game programmer, this guide might not be the optimal solution.

Playing with workshop map in multiplayer

TL; DR;

- To play multiplayer maps in CS2, you need to open the port 27015 in your router and directing it to your computer.
- Make sure to no alt+tab during gameplay when in full-screen, this will cause lag issues to the other players
- The sv_cheats true command is not available during gameplay
- You can also host a dedicated server, but this guide will not cover it. Links are provided if needed

DISCLAIMER

Opening port is not safe and can lead to security breach. Leaving a server listening on an open port will create an open door to your local network. Be aware that intruders might use a 0-day or known security breach in the CS2 server program or any other server to infiltrate your network. Open your ports wisely and/or disable them if not used for optimal security.

The lore

As said previously, it was really unbelievable that i was the only one able to create a working multiplayer room in CS2. But an answer to this issue was emerging. Maybe it was a firewall issue or port related thing. This is when I tried making a room when I was at my grandparent's place that the solution came.

10+ years from now, I made a Garry's mod server for me and my friends and opened the source engine port in my router's network. I was not using my current computer, but the port was routed toward my desktop computer, which I did not use since 5 years or so. The local address of this computer was randomly assigned to my laptop which was entirely rebuilt after a crash this summer, hence changing the mac address of my network card. By chance, it all came together to open the source port on my laptop which CS2 is using to create a dedicated server inside the game itself.

Because I was the only one with this port open, i was the only person able to correctly host a workshop map as well as any other maps for multiplayer gameplay.

The solution

The solution is quite simple to this problem.

First log into your command line. Depending on your system, you might execute different commands.
The goal here is to get your local IP address, which is only visible by your computer and your local network.

The command to execute on a Windows system is the following one:

ipconfig

Then search for the ipv4 value located somewhere in the result.

Your local IP address might resemble something like

192.168.x.x

x being your local address for your computer

Now head to your router settings in the port section. This will heavily deffer between internet providers, refer to your router manual to locate the setting.

Add two new entry with the following settings:

first entry:
Protocol: TCP
WAN (wide area network) port: 27015
LAN (local area network) port: 27015
destination: insert your local network address located previously or select your computer if your router give you the oportunity to do so

Second entry:
Protocol: UDP
WAN (wide area network) port: 27015
LAN (local area network) port: 27015
destination: insert your local network address located previously or select your computer if your router give you the oportunity to do so

Usually, game servers utilize the TCP protocol, hence making the UDP optional. But this might not be the case for CS2. If this guide end up working without the UPD entry, do not add it, if it does not insert this entry.
After looking at the dedicated server console log, I've witnessed that CS2 utilizes the UDP protocol, so add the two entries they are Mandatory!

Here is an online tutorial on how to do it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfSLxs40sIw
just replace the shown port by 27015

The documentation on hosting a dedicated server is found here:
https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Counter-Strike_2/Dedicated_Servers

Normally this should be it. You now just have to log into the game and invite 4 friends to play with you!

Did I say 4 friends?.....

Playing with more than 4 friends (5+ cs2 rooms)

TL; DR;

-the rooms are currently limited to 5 players. This can be ignored if more than 5 players are invited prior to filling the room.
-invite all your friends
-once everybody is invited, let everyone accept your invite so more than 5 players are able to join.
-another solution, once again, is hosting a dedicated server. Refer to previous section to access the official documentation

The lore v2

This problem is actually going to be fixed soon - I wish - because it requires highly trained team of friends that listens to you.

The problem of the current version is that rooms are limited to 5 players and won't let you invite more if the room is full... or is it?

Actually there is a workaround which can potentially lead to bugs so valve please fix.

We found this work around thanks to one of my friend (s/o juju <3) that actually found the solution.

The Solution

The solution of this problem is really simple and fast. But you will need to contain your friends from accepting your invite.

See the rooms are limited to 5 players. But before the room is full, you can invite more players.

All the invites are valid as long as it is not accepted or if your friend does not see the invite.

Follow the following steps:

- Create the room by inviting all your friends
- once everyone is invited, ask them kindly and with compassion to join your room
- wait until everyone is here
- Optional: if you need to add more people afterward you will need to recreate a room or kick players until you are only 4 in the room, and repeat from step one
- now that you have opened your ports (previous chapter) you will be able to host your death match on Lego map

We did not try searching for official servers, so yeah sorryyy uwu

Conclusion

Valve please fix. It should not require opening ports to play with friends, considering that before you were able to tunnel the local server.

Also fix the rooms.

And I'll add my personal complaints. The hammer 5 is not compatible with non RTX cards by default. Thankfully, I will change my computer soon for school and internships, but this is a major wall in making maps. I also have troubles with my own map, but I think it's related to the compiling outside hammer thing.

The game was released unfinished in my opinion.

Also, it's missing the credits, it's not cool for your team, artists, programmers, game designers, writers etc. should be credited.

Thanks for reading this guide.

Wishing you a nice day

xoxoxoxo

[Loé]

Happy to learn that i've Helped you!

[Biscuit]

thank you dude

[Loé]

Hope I helped you!

[Loé]

After a while I've decided to host a dedicated server that I start on demand with friends as well as creating a magic link that connects the game to it.

To host the server I use CS2Server-Creator, you can find it on GitHub, and I created multiple configurations for each map, because the dedicated server is broken, and I'm unable to create a proper map pool.

And to host a workshop map I just add

+host_workshop_map 3135476478

in the additional parameters, the 3135476478 refers to the map ID, change it by the one you want to host.

I haven't found a proper way to host a pool, but if I find it I'll say it here in the comments