On this page, i will explain how to setup Valve's source filmmaker tools leftover in the beta, tricks you can perform with the tool and how to fix technical problems with the program. I will also periodically post my own films (Accidental Apocalypse Studios) or other SFM related works. If you have any tips or things you'd like posted here, e-mail me.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Configuring Source Filmmaker

The Source Filmmaker was never officially released by Valve. They have stated they would release the tools (among other things) but i assumed it would never happen. After being tired of waiting, I went on a hunt. I discovered that the tools were accidentally leaked by Valve in the first week of release of the Team Fortress 2 beta between 09-17-07 and 09-26-07. It was during this period of time that the SFM tools were available to the public (or maybe, were for the public, but Valve changed their minds due to glitches or other obligations). At any rate, these tools no longer function (at their current state) with the most recent version of Team Fortress 2.

The solution? Acquire the TF2 Beta between the dates of 09-17-07 and 09-26-07, make it function as a standalone program without steam and add the tools (if needed) to the bin\tools directory. How do you know if you have the tools? Here are all of the required files to make it work;

bin\tools\

actbusy.dll
commedit.dll
foundry.dll
ifm.dll
pet.dll
sampletool.dll
vcdblock.dll
vmt.dll

bin\

p4lib.dll
enginetools.txt

If you do not have these tools, never fret! They are still able to be acquired! http://www.hl2world.com/bbs/2-vt48251.html?postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15 Scroll until you find a post by "blants" posting an external link and brief explanation, those are the files you are looking for!

Let's say you don't still have the TF2 Beta .gcf/files backed-up somewhere on your computer. Then what do you do? Sadly, if i told you, Valve would send many powerful, scary men to bust down my door and break my legs. Getting the beta is your own issue. I can, however, tell you how to make your files steam standalone, if they aren't already.

If anyone actually got this far, (you brave, brave souls!) there's one more crucial step. Find your beta's directory folder and find hl2.exe (Half-Life 2.exe for you dip-shits). Right click the exe file and click send to -> desktop (create shortcut). This will create a shortcut to TF2 Beta that we can set specific launch properties. First, right click the shortcut and look where it says "target" followed by an editable text box. After the already present text, add:

"-game tf -applaunch 440" without " and "

Now, launch the game at least one time, load up any old map, then close the beta. Right click the shortcut again. This time, add:

"-window -noborder -novid -tools" again without " and "

Once these parameters are added to the shortcut, you should end up with a screen something like this:


If a dialog box pops up with a bunch of coding and .dll gibberish when loading the beta or loading a map, just click ok, it has no effect on the program or gameplay. After that, you're done! Make some movies, takes some screenshots and pass anything new you learn onto your peers here or on facepunch.

Any other problems, e-mail me, leave a comment or go to the facepunch thread to ask or look for someone else who already (and probably has) had your problem. I plan on adding an FAQ page and pictures to this tutorial at a later date. Please DO NOT e-mail me or anyone else about how to get the beta, as it annoying and considered illegal to tell you. Thanks for reading and i hope it works for you =]

47 comments:

  1. This is hard to understand :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. If I record myself on team RED and team BLU, can I kill my recorded copies?

    ReplyDelete
  3. you can simulate dying by binding either kill or explode to a key in the console. (example: bind k kill)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Once i go to add any other commands to the shortcut besides the first set, the game will not launch.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Actually i got it to launch, but the -tools does nothing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. when i launch tf2 beta a dialog box appears " the procedure entry point GetCVarIF could not be located in the dynamic link library vstdlib.dll" please help

    ReplyDelete
  7. you can ignore that error, as it does not effect the filmmaker in any way. This usually means you did not install p4lib.dll into the right directory.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I get this error itd also in FAQ but here it is
    plz help me!

    Setup file 'gameinfo.txt' doesn't exist in subdirectory 'hl2'.
    Check your -game parameter or VCONFIG setting.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Be sure to launch it with "-game tf -applaunch 440"-

    ReplyDelete
  10. yeah i do that but then i stil get same error :(

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can start the game and everything but when i add -window -noborder -novid -tools it does not work again. Am i supose to add it at the same place as -game tf -applaunch 440" without?

    ReplyDelete
  12. ive been getting the same problem -_-

    ReplyDelete
  13. what do you do if it pops up an error message saying:

    "Platform Error: 'serverbrowser.dll', not loading"

    ReplyDelete
  14. put the files from the HOTFIXX into the the beta folder

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am getting the same error as everyone else, I feel like I am doing something wrong.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Whazaaaaa, go into the folder "Team Fortress 2/hl2/scrips", copy that gameinfo indo "Team Fortress 2/hl2" and it works.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I did everything and it dosen't luanch. I click on the shortcut and it blinks a small screens and nothing happens.

    ReplyDelete
  18. yeah after adding the -tools part, Nothing loads. I have tested this by removing it and then adding it agaibn. Its definitly that. If you have a fix for it send it to me at

    Xshawnmichaelsx@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yeah, I don't think ill ever get it to work :(

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ok. The map loads,i pick my character then i get "The procedure entry point ?TryLock@CThreadMutex##QCE_NXZ could not be located in the dynamic link library tier()_s.dll".

    ReplyDelete
  21. I cant get this to work... :/

    ReplyDelete
  22. My Tf2 just loads the game... WTf!?
    why it disnt load the SFM?

    ReplyDelete
  23. I followed this exactly, I open "RUN_TF2.exe" and it just opens up on the main menu with the console open.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Having the same problem as the other 2 guys here.. Added the parameters, but for some reason it just keeps loading up TF2, and not the SFM. I did everything exactly as in this tutorial, added the tools etc. pretty weird..

    ReplyDelete
  25. Okay I got it to work by reading a bit better.
    When you install the TF2 beta, it asks you if you want a shortcut on your desktop. I assumed that it would only save me time, instead of manually creaint one, but I was wrong xD. Don't create a shortcut to your desktop, because the installer creates a shortcut of 'RUN_TF2.exe', and not 'hl2.exe'. Delete the existing shortcut, go to your TF2 directory, create a shortcut of 'hl2.exe' and add the parameters to that ;)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Whenever I enter the code at the end it says the path is not valid. Is it just me or am I doing something wrong?

    ReplyDelete
  27. When i try to load any map, SFM just freezes. Any suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi, well be sensible, well-all described

    ReplyDelete
  29. when paste "-game tf -applaunch 440" into ''target'' it says that the name is invalid. help?

    ReplyDelete
  30. when i try to launch it, it says:''could not load library client''. any help?

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thx it works good.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Source filmmaker
    2007-2010
    Cause:
    Seeding support lost

    ReplyDelete
  33. I don't know where the tools files are. And the link is broken.

    ReplyDelete
  34. i did everything. the mouse blinks and it doesnt start up wtf. any hlp? my problem is the -tools when i add it it doesnt start but when i remove it it loads up normal tf2

    ReplyDelete
  35. "could not load library client"
    HELP!

    ReplyDelete
  36. @Dennis Nope but thats why u use bots

    ReplyDelete
  37. STUUUUUUUUPIDddddd

    ReplyDelete
  38. Waiting for you to fix that link to get the tools.

    ReplyDelete
  39. When i went to load it, it said that it faild to load launcher DLL even though I set everything up right.

    ReplyDelete
  40. It also said that the specified module could not be found.

    ReplyDelete
  41. hi, i installed the beta (with fixes), started it, loaded a map, closed it, then add the filmmaker parameters and... nothing happens when i try to start it up. Someone has a solution? (sorry for my english)

    ReplyDelete
  42. finaly it works...

    Instal your Beta.
    Go to the folder witch you installed it to.
    Make a shotcut of the HL.exe to your desktop.
    Right click it and select properties.
    the thingy that says TARGET ["c:\bla\Team Fortress 2\hl2.exe".]

    and then...
    you go to your c:\what ever you got here\Team Fortress 2 and click on Bin.
    dump the tools in there..

    done.
    should become ["c:\bla\Team Fortress 2\hl2.exe" -game tf applaunch 440].
    launch the hl2 shortcut.
    load map by creating one.
    when loaded...exit game.
    Right click again and again choose properties.
    then you need to add the -window -noborder -novid -tools
    behind the -game tf applaunch 440
    so it becomes ["C:\bla\Team Fortress 2\hl2.exe" -game tf -applaunch 440 -window -noborder -novid -tools]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. during the installation mine says to insert the 2nd disk. WTF? second disk? did i do something wrong? or is it a fact that back then tf2 was going to be such a big game that it would require 2 disks

      Delete
  43. Totally got this to work. I love you man!

    ReplyDelete
  44. i can't get it into fullscreen just small screen help!

    ReplyDelete