Transcript

Hello! This is the tutorial for how to install mods from Mlptf2mods.com for Ubuntu Linux. Should you be running Windows or OS X, please refer to their appropriate video. In this demonstration, you will see the basic process used to install all mods available on the site in addition to various scenarios you may encounter. Should a mod require additional information to be installed, there will be a "Read Me" with the necessary information included in the ".zip" file. While many aspects of the Linux platform already requires that users have a more advanced understanding of how to use their operating system and its applications, this tutorial is designed so that even those with a basic understanding of computers may achieve the goal of installing mods for Team Fortress 2 on Ubuntu. That said, should you use an alternative file manager or program to extract compressed files other than the system default, you are responsible for resolving the differences you may encounter. It is also worth noting that while this tutorial is designed for Mlptf2mods.com, it can used as a general reference for installing all Team Fortress 2 mods that are distributed in ".vpk" format. With that said, let's get started.

The first thing to do is download some mods. For this demonstration, I have downloaded Spike's Spade, a reskin for Soldier's shovel, the team coloured Wonderbolt Wind Guards for the Scout with various replacement options, and the Pony Books mod that replaces the intel briefcases. Take note that the numbers following the names of the mods denotes the date that file was last updated in year/month/day format. It can also be observed as a version number. These mods will demonstrate the variety of different situations you may encounter when installing mods from the site.

Next, we open up a new Nautilus window to navigate to our "custom" folder. For those unaware, Nautilus is the name of the default file explorer included with Ubuntu. Depending on what file system and install path you chose to have both Steam and Team Fortress 2 installed to, your file path may vary slightly. For this demonstration, we will assume Steam and TF2 were installed to the default file system using the default file path.

Before we can continue navigating to the "custom" folder, we must decide how we want to get past the hidden folder. There are multiple ways to do so and it is up to you to decide what is most convenient for you. First, you can go up to the menu bar, select "View", then "Show Hidden Files". This enables you to temporarily view hidden files. Though should you exit out of the window, the files will have reverted back to being hidden the next time you open up a window.

The second way produces a similar result to the first method only quicker. With the window active, press the "Ctrl" and the "H" key simultaneously. Once again, the files are unhidden, but only temporarily.

If you desire to unhide all the files permanently, the third method is for you. From the menu bar, select "Edit", then "Preferences". From the new window that pops up, select the box, "Show hidden and backup files". You may now close the window. All files will now be visible each time you open a new Nautilus window.

Finally, should you wish to only unhide the folder related to accessing your "custom" and other Steam related files, there is a solution. With the hidden files visible, right click on the ".steam" file and select "Rename..." Simply remove the period in front of "steam" then hit the "return" key. When you revert your settings back to hide hidden files, the "steam" folder will remain unhidden.

Now with the folder unhidden by whichever method you chose, your "custom" folder can be found by following:
Home/steam/steam/SteamApps/common/Team Fortress 2/tf/custom

On a technical note, the "steam" folder from your home directory only provides shortcuts to your Steam files. The actual folder structure to the Steam folder is as follows:
Home/.local/share/Steam

The "custom" folder is where all of your mods are hosted. For this demonstration there are currently no mods installed. If you ever wish to restart Team Fortress 2 clean of all modifications, simply delete the folder titled "custom" and create a new folder titled "custom" in its place.

Now that we have both the mods downloaded and "custom" folder open, we are ready to start installing the mods. First, I am going to install Spike's Spade. Start by opening the ".zip" file by double clicking on it. A new window will open displaying the contents of the ".zip" file. In this window, you can see the mod's ".vpk" file. For those not familiar, a ".vpk" file is package of multiple files to allow for easy storage, distribution and installation of mods and other add on content for Valve games. Whenever this tutorial references ".vpk" files, these are the files it is referring to. Continuing with the installation, simply click and drag the file over to the window open to your "custom" folder where you may release the mouse button to copy over the file. Now that the ".vpk" file resides in your "custom" folder, it is what we refer to as being "installed". It is that simple.

Next up is the Wonderbolt Wind Guards. This particular mod gives you the option to replace multiple items. Upon opening the ".zip" file, you will see a list of folders with matching names of hats and miscellaneous items and a "Read Me" text file containing basic installation instructions. Simply navigate into the folder with the title that matches the item you wish to be replaced and copy the ".vpk" file over into your "custom" folder. You may choose as few or as many replacement options as you please. In the case of this mod, if I choose to replace an all class item like the Summer Shades, they will only be replaced on the Scout.

The final mod we will be looking at in this tutorial is the Pony Books intel replacement. While there is only one download, there are various options to be considered within. Like the Wonderbolt Wind Guards, this ".zip" file also contains a "Read Me" file with basic installation instructions. The first thing to do is open up the folder titled "Book Materials". You have the option of choosing either the default or the team coloured design. I will install the team coloured option by opening its folder and copying over the ".vpk" file. Making our way back up to the root folder, we must now open up the "Book Models" folder. Once again, you are given two choices to decide from. Soon as you know what you want, enter its folder and extract the contained ".vpk" to its new home in your "custom" folder. As you can see, there is also an optional mod for changing the paper trail. While not required, you can install it by following the same process as the other mods.

So as you can see, installing mods on Ubuntu is a relatively simple task with a few divergences here and there. Before you start installing all the mods you can get your hands on however, here are a few tips and reminders.

First off, all mods downloaded from the site are client side and legal for use. Only you can see the mods when playing and you can not be VAC banned for possessing them.

When you install new mods, test them to make sure they are working properly. Mods are guaranteed to always work on servers running "sv_pure 0". To check if the server is running "sv_pure 0", you can open up the console (required to be enabled under "Advanced Keyboard Settings"), and enter the command "sv_pure" to which it will state the value for that server. By default, when you launch a map from the console or start offline practice, "sv_pure" will be set to 0 making it the best options to test new mods.

When first installing mods, install and test them in small batches of ten to fifteen at a time. By doing so, you can see how each group of mods affects your computer's performance and easily identify which mods might be causing you issues.

With regards to VPK files, they are scanned by the game in alphabetical order. Meaning, if you have happened to have already installed a previous skin or model replacement for an item, it is often required to uninstall the previous mod instead of relying on the new mod to take priority over the previous files. Additionally, since not all mods for a particular item will contain the same files, adverse effects could occur should you not remove the old ".vpk" files first. For information on how to uninstall mods, you can view the related tutorial.

If you intend to be downloading new mods frequently, it would be a useful idea to add your "custom" folder to your Bookmarks in Nautilus for quicker access in the future. From your "custom" folder, select "Bookmarks" from the menu bar then click "Add Bookmark". Now you can easily navigate to your "custom" folder from anywhere within Nautilus.

Should you still have any remaining questions, be sure to check out the site's FAQ related to installing mods. Links to the FAQ and other resources such as our email can be found in the video information below. Thank you very much and enjoy!