Useful Commands, tips and tricks for Alien Swarm.

[Cas Bitton]

Hey Hey,

With the launch of Alien Swarm this is the place to share your tips or tricks to get the most from this awesome game! Feel free to add any others you might find

Swarm TileGen
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Swarm_TileGen

TileGen is an experimental tile-based level generator. You can build a library of rooms and then specify rules describing how those rooms should be connected to build the level. You can quickly test your level or take the result into Hammer for more refinement and packaging into a campaign.

Stats
http://steamcommunity.com/id/YourSteamIDHere/stats/AlienSwarm?tab=stats

Firstperson

Code: Select all

bind k "sv_cheats 1;firstperson;asw_hide_marine;asw_controls 0;asw_debug_marine_aim 1;sv_cheats 0"

Thirdperson

Code: Select all

bind l "sv_cheats 1;thirdperson;asw_hide_marine;asw_controls 1;asw_debug_marine_aim 0;sv_cheats 0"

Using an XBox 360 Controller with Source Games
http://supportwiki.steampowered.com/wik ... urce_Games

[Wyld]

Stickied

[Bicketybam]

Oooohh First person mode is cool, though strangely (or not) it appeals more in its native format.

[Otto-matic]

Things that took some effort to find out

Quick Reload
While reloading, pressing the reload key again when the reload meter is over the highlighted area.
I believe failing on this causes a slightly longer reload time.

General stats
Hovering your mouse over most stats will give you a general description of what they do

Parasite Infection
If you have a parasite jump on you call for the medic quick or you'll die in a few seconds.

[Tastynapalm]

How can I find more then the 2 servers listed under Games On Net?

[RogerTheIncredible]

Parasite Infection
If you have a parasite jump on you call for the medic quick or you'll die in a few seconds.

On this subject, if a teammate get's a parasite on them you can't shoot or hit it off. You will just kill your teammate quicker.

[Rega]

First person sounds tempting...is it any good?

[Mythor]

Just as the Swarm can break down doors, you and your team can break them down. Either with melee hits, sustained gunfire or explosives.

But whatever you do, don't stand next to the door when it falls down. It can squash you.

[Shinanigans]

^ chainsaw demolishes the doors

[Wounded]

^ chainsaw demolishes the doors

^ this was AWESOME haha

[halfacow]

from http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/s ... ?t=1371124

The Commands

These are useful commands to enhance your alien swarm experience. You use these by entering them into the developers console. To do this, go to options, keyboard/mouse, and checkmark enable developer's console. The default key is the ~ key.

To make these commands automatic so you no longer have to enter them every time you start up the game, you must create an autoexec file in: C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\alien swarm\swarm\cfg

Create a file in notepad named "autoexec.cfg" (Include the quotation marks when you save it under saveas!) Place any console commands you want to be entered within that file. Alternatively, try placing them in the newmapsettings.cfg file in the cfg folder.

Client Side Commands

asw_realistic_death_chatter 1
asw_hear_from_marine 1

Enables the marines to chat with eachother during gameplay. For example, Wildcat and Wolfe keep track of who kills the most bugs, and they often comment on this with some friendly banter.

asw_auto_reload 0

Disables the auto reload.

mat_grain_scale_override 0

Removes the grain effect on the screen.

asw_camera_shake 0

Removes the camera shake effect when hit by an enemy.


asw_fast_reload_under_marine 1

Places a fast reload bar under your actual marine so you don't need to look in the corner to time your reload. Or rely on the poor cursor fast reload bar.

asw_flare_b
asw_flare_g
asw_flare_r

Change the flare colors.

exec 360_controller_pc.cfg

enables Xbox 360 controller support. See also WildBill's modified configuration. Courtesy shackanaw

asw_pick_stim_music

"This command allows you to pick a custom .mp3 or .wav to play during adrenaline. It even brings up a little menu to pick the file, like for when choosing sprays in other Source games." - Courtesy BobX Note: Problems have been reported. Warning: May disable your adrenaline music entirely

openserverbrowser

Opens server browser. Courtesy shackanaw

bind <key> "cl_emote 6"

"Will bind the old good Anime Smiley to the key of your choice." Courtesy NoData on the BCG forums.

cl_emote x

"Where X=
0 - Medic call
1 - Need Ammo
2 - Regular Smiley
3 - Stop
4 - Go
5 - Be careful
6 - Anime Smiley
7 - Ready?

cl_emote with anything not defined will result in an anime smiley"

Courtesy Warskull on the BCG forums.

For classic AS fans:

mp_friendlyfire 1
asw_marine_ff_absorption 0 (classic ff damage makes a return)
asw_marine_ff 0 (weapon lock/anti TK Guard mode[!!!]) or 1 (default; Guard off)
asw_marine_ff_guard_time 5.0 (Weapon lock time in seconds; default value. Set to desired duration, or make it indefinite for Moses.)
asw_sentry_friendly_fire_scale 1 (Sentries damage and kill players who get in the way)
asw_weapon_safety_hull 0 (Default; dictates how willing AI is to shoot you to get at Swarm. May or may not make Sentries decide to not kill you if you're in the way, a very valuable fix for the Flamer Sentry if so. Play with the numbers and post your results!)

Note: Some of these do not work in multiplayer.

Courtesy Stein from the blackcatgames forum.



Server Side Commands


firstperson
asw_hide_marine 1
asw_controls 0

First one enables firstperson mode, second one hides your marine so you can see, third one changes the camera controls to be more FPS like.


asw_custom_skill_points 1

If used before people connect to the game, the host is allowed to spend points on the Marines' stats. Disclaimer: Not really supported or well balances, use at own risk.

asw_ignore_need_two_player_requirement 1

Game will ignore the two player requirement. In other words, you can go rambo.

asw_horde_override 1
asw_wanderer_override 1


Enables an AI director like in L4D.

asw_horde_class asw_parasite

Enables the AI director to spawn parasites (scary!)


asw_show_all_singleplayer_maps 1

Enables mission chapter selection in singleplayer. Courtesy r_0_1_3.

asw_cam_marine_dist XXX (default 412)

Set camera distance.

asw_cam_marine_pitch XX (default 60, 0 on the floor, 90 directly above)

Set camera angle

asw_cam_marine_shift_enable X (1 for on, 0 for off, if you put your cursor toward the edge of the screen the game will let you see further that direction)

Enable/disable screen shift.

asw_cam_marine_shift_maxx XXX (default 300)
asw_cam_marine_shift_maxy XXX (default 200)

"Set screen shift distance (note, two different variable for both planes, top-bottom and left-right)" - Camera commands courtesy drunkenlobster

sv_cheats 1

asw_tilegen

Used to open the tile generation map editor. Courtesy Man of Hunts

make_game_public
make_game_friends_only

Self explanatory.

Split screen commands discussion located here.

Immense amount of commands can be found here: http://www.wyrdysm.com/arcalane/rand...mmand_list.txt

Courtesy arcalane from the BCG forums.


Regarding bots in multiplayer games

Quote:
Originally Posted by fox Unit 01
So, to add a bot to your game:
cl_selectm (marinenum) (slot)
(marinenum) being numbers 0-7 for Sarge, Wildcat, etc. through Vegas, respectively.
(slot) being 0-3, for players 1-4, respectively. Slot number -1 can also be used to add to the first available slot.

To remove a bot from your game:
cl_dselectm (marinenum)
(marinenum) again being numbers 0-7 for Sarge, Wildcat, etc. through Vegas, respectively.

These commands must be used directly from the lobby menu. Using them anywhere else will result in invalid command errors from the console.

For those suspicious of the ability to add bots to a game, let me clarify some points:
-- You do not gain any EXP from bot kills and bots simply share your level.
-- Bots can, unfortunately, be added by public game joiners. However, new players can still join, and once the lobby fills up, all bots will be automatically kicked and none will be able to be added.
-- When a player leaves (or is kicked from) a lobby, his/her bots will leave as well.

There are, of course, some issues with MP bots as well. Anyone giving a "hold" or "go" order will order all bots, regardless of rather he/she "owns" them or not - however, equipment orders and marine switching work as intended. Also, bots sometimes do not leave correctly when new players join until the lobby fills up to 4 players, as mentioned above - this is being looked into, but in the meantime, use the cl_dselectm command to remove bots if you don't have a full lobby joining.
Source: http://forums.blackcatgames.com/showthread.php?t=12996




More will be added as they are suggested.

Note: These settings are overriden by the newmapsettings.cfg file:



mat_motion_blur_enabled 0
mat_grain_enable 1
mat_grain_scale_override 1.5
mat_local_contrast_enable 1
ai_no_steer 1

crosshair 1
r_flashlight_topdown 1
r_flashlightscissor 0
fx_glass_velocity_cap 600
cam_idealyaw 0
cam_idealpitch 90
cam_idealdist 412
fov_desired 75
c_maxpitch 360
c_maxdistance 1000
cl_retire_low_priority_lights 1
cl_interp_ratio 2

[EmbraceThePing]

Had a game last night and quite a bit of success with a loadout/formation for getting through a level with little/no damage.

Lead guy: Flamer/sentry/armour
No. 2: Tesla cannon/ammo units/armour
No.3: Medic - Heal gun/heal units/armour
Last guy: Shotgun/sentry/welder

Setup in a diamond formation. Flamer, tesla/medic, shottie. Then run.

If you can maintain the formation it works a treat. The flamer just burns through anything in the way, the tesla (no FF issues, shoots through everyone and keeps the medic unharmed (hopefully), the medic keeps everyone else healthy and the shottie cleans up any stagglers.

If your tech needs to tamper with some hardware remember to set up your sentries first and then just build a fire and have a cuppa and wait for the tech to finish

The most important thing though is to just run through the level. If you stop to try and clean up every last infestation (except on levels where burning out biomass is needed) is a waste of time and health.

Burn through those levels and chalk up some xp. Good hunting!

[Agent P]

Tips:
- Move fast and keep moving. You don't have unlimited ammo and the swarm will just keep spawning.

- Don't have to kill all the bugs.

- Don't shoot at your fellow marines.

Level tips - Jacobs Landing
Cargo bay:
If you bring a sentry, don't deploy it facing the wall where the swarm climbs up. It just wastes the ammo. Similarly, don't deploy them facing each other.

Tip for killing shield bugs:
Don't shoot it when it's legs are up like a shield. this is just wasting ammo, instead, kill everything else around it.

Chainsaw + freeze grenades are your best friend. If you're missing one or the other, target the back of the bug.

[EmbraceThePing]

Flamethrower for the win.

Short puffs is all you need. Set them alight then just run past them. Don't waste ammo.

[Schwolop]

When a teammate is infected by a parasite, firing the tesla at them will slow the rate of infection. Seriously. *REALLY* useful!