Here's the original guide that I made for playing L4D using Hamachi on Digit:
Recipe:
4 x zombie ass kickers group
1 x Left 4 Dead rotting copy (Left 4 Dead V1.0)
1 x Hamachi (Hamchi)
1 x FRAPS camera (Don't you want to document this event?)
Version Check
-First and foremost, you all need to verify the version of Left 4 Dead copy you guys have. If you all have the "skullp...errr.thingy" then it's the best. Don't touch it and leave it as it is. For those in doubt as to what version they have. Run the game, open the console by pressing '~' key and type 'version' and hit enter.
NOTE: To enable developers console, you need to launch the game, go to Options - Keyboard/Mouse - Allow Developer Console and set it to "enabled". This should allow you access to the console.
The version screen should look like this (yes I suck at resizing):
- Once you have determined the version you guys have, make sure it's the same for everyone, failing to which the person won't connect. It's best to keep it at V1.0.0.5 which is our current game. Unless you are all able to secure yourselves the latest patch. On second thoughts, don't bother. It would just confuse you all. I'll work up a tutorial for that later.
Hamachi Configuration
Assuming everyone knows how to use Google, download Hamachi. Now here's the tricky part, people who form the group of 4, need to co-ordinate properly for this set up. I would suggest you all meet on Yahoo, discuss it and launch Hamachi together. Why? I'll let you know.
For this game, Valve relies on the same "first 2 IP octet" rule. Translation: Your Hamachi IP's first 2 octet should be same for all 4 people to be able to connect. When I say first 2 octet, I mean if 192.161.59.32 is you Hamachi IP address, then it's first 2 octet would be "192.161". In order to match these octets one must fresh install and launch Hamachi together. It will then allow you to create a Hamachi ID and thus grant you IP addresses accordingly. If you do it together, you should get the same first 2 octets.
NOTE: For People who already have Hamachi installed and have an IP assigned, use this trick to get a new IP:
- Close Hamachi (if open in system tray)
- In Windows XP: Go to C:\Documents and Settings\*USER*\Application Data and Delete the Hamachi folder in there.
- Launch Hamachi app simultaneously with others and follow tutorial in it to create new IP (just keep clicking next).
If all goes well then you all should have the same octet. It should look like this:
- Once you're done with the octet part, now one person needs to host the server and the others would join him. Once you guys are logged into your Hamachi clients, the host would need to create a new network by click on the triangle shaped icon right next to the power button and click on "Create a Network". Then pass on the network name and password to the rest of the folks. The clients would join that network by click on the same triangle like icon and hitting "Join network" and entering the server's details.
- Once you all are logged into the server, it should reflect the name of the people in the list of the network (as in the above pic).
Configuring the Game
Now that we are done with the Hamachi side of it, let's begin with the game part of it. Nothing much to do out here.
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For clients (people joining), you just have to sit back and relax.
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For servers ONLY (people hosting), you need to open notepad and add the following line (without quotation marks):
"left4dead.exe -game left4dead -console -novid +sv_allow_lobby_connect_only 0 +z_difficulty normal +map l4d_airport02_offices"
You can change the difficulty level from normal to whatever you want by editing that line.
NOTE: This game is realistic and hence friendly fire is turned ON by default on the normal and above modes. So if you shoot your partner he/she would certainly take damage. If you need friendly fire OFF, then play on Easy mode. It's the only workaround for now.
- You can even edit the map to whichever you want. To get the map list, run the game, hit the console again and type "map *" (without quotes again) and you will get the list of maps available.
To save you the trouble, I compiled the map list available:
l4d_airport01_greenhouse
l4d_airport02_offices
l4d_airport03_garage
l4d_airport04_terminal
l4d_airport05_runway
l4d_farm01_hilltop
l4d_farm02_traintunnel
l4d_farm03_bridge
l4d_farm04_barn
l4d_farm05_cornfield
l4d_hospital01_apartment
l4d_hospital02_subway
l4d_hospital03_sewers
l4d_hospital04_interior
l4d_hospital05_rooftop
l4d_smalltown01_caves
l4d_smalltown02_drainage
l4d_smalltown03_ranchhouse
l4d_smalltown04_mainstreet
l4d_smalltown05_houseboat
l4d_vs_farm01_hilltop
l4d_vs_farm02_traintunnel
l4d_vs_farm03_bridge
l4d_vs_farm04_barn
l4d_vs_farm05_cornfield
l4d_vs_hospital01_apartment
l4d_vs_hospital02_subway
l4d_vs_hospital03_sewers
l4d_vs_hospital04_interior
l4d_vs_hospital05_rooftop
- Just copy this map name and paste it after the map name line I gave above.
- Now you need to save this notepad file and rename it to "launch.bat"
- This should make it an executable bat file.
- Once this is done. Launch the game and the map will launch along with the server. Now the host needs to provide his Hamachi IP address to everyone else.
- All the rest need to do is join that IP by launching the game, launching console and typing "connect XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX" and you should connect directly to the host.
Image:
And you're all set to play this game. Hope this helps you all. If any doubts or queries, feel free to post it out here.
Game Crashing Fix
We discovered this while we were playing the game and it crashed pretty often. If you guys experience this then here's a solution:
1.) Go to Options - Video - Display Mode and set it to "Windowed (No Border)"
2.) Go to Options - Video - Advanced Settings - Muticore Rendering and set it to "Disabled"
