Does idling on your own work anymore?

[MrCasual]

I've never tried it until now. I know you can get achievements doing this, but is it possible to set up a local server and get items that way?

I followed the instructions I've found on some Bing searches for making my own TF2 idling servers, however, does it HAVE to be an actual online server, or will local work?

My idle server is pretty actiony, I'm using achievement_idle_noglass with nothing but soldiers, and I alt-tabbed out of the game for a few hours...but got nothing.

I made sure to Vav-secure the server and enable sv_pure, and disable sv_cheats. I turned the respawn down to instant, that won't screw with anything other than stats, since the Soldiers are constantly blowing each other up anyway.

[Shugo]

It does, but DF reported that drop rates go down A LOT if the server has less than four people in it. So idling alone will barely get you anything.

[Orkel]

[QUOTE=Shugo;20830445]It does, but DF reported that drop rates go down A LOT if the server has less than four people in it. So idling alone will barely get you anything.[/QUOTE]

Wow, had no idea. Good to know.

[HyperTails]

[QUOTE=Shugo;20830445]It does, but DF reported that drop rates go down A LOT if the server has less than four people in it. So idling alone will barely get you anything.[/QUOTE]

Rated tool.

[Clint Cavanagh]

can you idle with bots? will the drop rates be normal if there are bots in the serveR?

[MaxOfS2D]

If you're alt-tabbing with a localhost server, doesn't that effectively ''pause'' it, hence not receiving anything?

[BeefMcGraw]

[QUOTE=Clint Cavanagh;20831715]can you idle with bots? will the drop rates be normal if there are bots in the serveR?[/QUOTE]

Nope, bots dont count.

[QUOTE=Max of S2D;20831997]If you're alt-tabbing with a localhost server, doesn't that effectively ''pause'' it, hence not receiving anything?[/QUOTE]

Yes, it pauses the game, thus receiving even less than "almost nothing".

If you idling on your own because you don't want to get disconnected, then use [b]Source Tools[/b].

[b]The new version is pretty Plug-n-Play.[/b]

1 - [url=http://www.sourceop.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=36012]Download[/url]
2 - Extract in any folder
3 - Run "EZ-SPECTATE.bat"
4 - Spectate all day

It comes with a premade list of 4 idling servers
you can change/add servers in your list: userfiles\serverlist\1-servers.txt
[b]And you should![/b] Those 4 servers are always full [everyone's too lazy to change the defaults :p ]

You can play with the settings later as you can tweak your idle "experience".

Yes, it's just as safe as idling without it. It launches TF2 with "-textmode" [b]without[/b] hooking into anything, and monitors the console.log text file for any disconnect messages.

You're connected to real TF2 servers using the real TF2 client [unlike Steamstats]
You're just running a cmd.exe batch script in the background that sends connect commands to TF2 when you get disconnected. The commands are sent through CFG files [user editable configuration files]
So, it's all kosher.

[b]BONUS:[/b] It launches [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=982685]Steam Item Manager[/url] to monitor your item drops and report any new drops.
Steam Item Manager and any other backpack Manager App is [url=http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3273/emailapp.png]allowed by Valve.[/url]

[Jojje]

yeah source tools never worked for me
I just made my own little idling thing, far far less advanced but it works just fine

[BeefMcGraw]

[QUOTE=Jojje;20832304]yeah source tools never worked for me
I just made my own little idling thing, far far less advanced but it works just fine[/QUOTE]

Versions before 0.94k4 were plagued with compatibility issues.

Now there's no "it doesnt work!" issues.

Give it another shot, there's no setup required anymore anyway.

Download
Run EZ-Specate.bat

If it doesnt work, delete, none of your settings will be messed up.

[piranhamatt2]

thank god im on a 30 player full idle server then

[Leaf Runner]

[QUOTE=BeefMcGraw;20832261]
If you idling on your own because you don't want to get disconnected, then use [b]Source Tools[/b][/QUOTE]
I'll stick with regular textmode. Who knows what Valve considers as "Third Party Cheating".

[Afnopo]

It depends on what server you are on, I don't think achievement_idle map works anymore.

I was idling on achievement_idle for 19 hours and go 0 drops.

I was idling on achievement_idle_4_craft and got 7 items in 7 hours.

[Xeloo]

[QUOTE=BeefMcGraw;20832454]Versions before 0.94k4 were plagued with compatibility issues.

Now there's no "it doesnt work!" issues.

Give it another shot, there's no setup required anymore anyway.

Download
Run EZ-Specate.bat

If it doesnt work, delete, none of your settings will be messed up.[/QUOTE]

This looks awesome, only problem I have is the EZ-spectate thing tries to start the Item Manager but it keeps crashing and restarting (SteamItemManager.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close... generic error)

[Sgt. Napalm]

[QUOTE=BeefMcGraw;20832454]Versions before 0.94k4 were plagued with compatibility issues.

Now there's no "it doesnt work!" issues.

Give it another shot, there's no setup required anymore anyway.

Download
Run EZ-Specate.bat

If it doesnt work, delete, none of your settings will be messed up.[/QUOTE]

You know how you have the Server Hunter and the custom Blacklist generator? Maybe you could add a functionality as an option that will automatically find servers with the map achievement_idle and connect to those instead of entering your own servers.

[Spiderface]

[QUOTE=BeefMcGraw;20832261]Nope, bots dont count.

Yes, it pauses the game, thus receiving even less than "almost nothing".

If you idling on your own because you don't want to get disconnected, then use [b]Source Tools[/b].

[b]The new version is pretty Plug-n-Play.[/b]

1 - [url=http://www.sourceop.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=36012]Download[/url]
2 - Extract in any folder
3 - Run "EZ-SPECTATE.bat"
4 - Spectate all day

It comes with a premade list of 4 idling servers
you can change/add servers in your list: userfiles\serverlist\1-servers.txt
[b]And you should![/b] Those 4 servers are always full [everyone's too lazy to change the defaults :p ]

You can play with the settings later as you can tweak your idle "experience".

Yes, it's just as safe as idling without it. It launches TF2 with "-textmode" [b]without[/b] hooking into anything, and monitors the console.log text file for any disconnect messages.

You're connected to real TF2 servers using the real TF2 client [unlike Steamstats]
You're just running a cmd.exe batch script in the background that sends connect commands to TF2 when you get disconnected. The commands are sent through CFG files [user editable configuration files]
So, it's all kosher.

[b]BONUS:[/b] It launches [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=982685]Steam Item Manager[/url] to monitor your item drops and report any new drops.
Steam Item Manager and any other backpack Manager App is [url=http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3273/emailapp.png]allowed by Valve.[/url][/QUOTE]

This doesn't work. The Item Manager is crashing on startup.

[Sgt. Napalm]

I think eventually I'm gonna rent out a 32 slot server from a host that I know is stable and reliable and make it the "Facepunch Idle Server" that requires a password to join.

[editline]01:36PM[/editline]

[QUOTE=Shugo;20830445]It does, but DF reported that drop rates go down A LOT if the server has less than four people in it. So idling alone will barely get you anything.[/QUOTE]

Also note that if you make a server at this time, because idle servers are so rare, people WILL join.

[Sgt. Napalm]

[QUOTE=BeefMcGraw;20832261]Nope, bots dont count.

Yes, it pauses the game, thus receiving even less than "almost nothing".

If you idling on your own because you don't want to get disconnected, then use [b]Source Tools[/b].

[b]The new version is pretty Plug-n-Play.[/b]

1 - [url=http://www.sourceop.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=36012]Download[/url]
2 - Extract in any folder
3 - Run "EZ-SPECTATE.bat"
4 - Spectate all day

It comes with a premade list of 4 idling servers
you can change/add servers in your list: userfiles\serverlist\1-servers.txt
[b]And you should![/b] Those 4 servers are always full [everyone's too lazy to change the defaults :p ]

You can play with the settings later as you can tweak your idle "experience".

Yes, it's just as safe as idling without it. It launches TF2 with "-textmode" [b]without[/b] hooking into anything, and monitors the console.log text file for any disconnect messages.

You're connected to real TF2 servers using the real TF2 client [unlike Steamstats]
You're just running a cmd.exe batch script in the background that sends connect commands to TF2 when you get disconnected. The commands are sent through CFG files [user editable configuration files]
So, it's all kosher.

[b]BONUS:[/b] It launches [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=982685]Steam Item Manager[/url] to monitor your item drops and report any new drops.
Steam Item Manager and any other backpack Manager App is [url=http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3273/emailapp.png]allowed by Valve.[/url][/QUOTE]

So I've been trying to get this to work for a bit now. When I start up EZ-SPECTATE.bat, it opens Steam Item Manager. Good.
Then TF2 Launches in text mode. Good.
Then it says attempting a server. However, this happens before the TF2 window is fully booted up, so it just kind of sits there on what would be the "main menu" and does nothing.
[img_thumb]http://i42.tinypic.com/2ev7q6t.jpg[/img_thumb]
Here is what the full console looks like: Note that everything below the line is where my Autoexec.cfg starts working, and all of those are custom scripts that I wrote or found.
[img_thumb]http://i44.tinypic.com/2ntzgx3.jpg[/img_thumb]
Then, while I was typing this and taking pictures, TF2 randomly closed and opened again. Once again it tried to connect to the server before the TF2 window even ever appeared.
[img_thumb]http://i42.tinypic.com/2cor0yf.jpg[/img_thumb]
And it just keeps doing the same thing, which is sitting there and doing nothing.
What am I doing wrong?

[BeefMcGraw]

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;20867503]wall of stuff[/QUOTE]

Type in the source tools console: sendcmd echo hello there!
if "hello there!" appears in TF2, means everything is being sent, but for some fuck up, it skipped executing the CFG that connects you to a server.

So you can add to your launch options +connect serverip:port.
To do this for Source Tools idle only, open with notepad: userfiles\config\example_idle.txt
then add this line

launch=+connect serverip:port [duh pick a real address]

The rest will work. Some other guy had a similar problem.

[b]If it does not echo "hello there!" in TF2:[/b]

It's possible that one of the many "loaded" things which are CFGs conflict with Source Tools. I'd turn them off for testing purposes [put your autoexec.cfg somewhere else]

Yet the srctcfg-assistant is being executed, which is why it's odd that nothing else happens.

I hope you have nothing in your CFGs that say "sv_allow_wait_command 0"

[QUOTE=MAspiderface;20853674]This doesn't work. The Item Manager is crashing on startup.[/QUOTE]

Yeah the item manager is bugged since Friday's update, I'm not the developer of it, so I can only wait on Didrole to fix it.
Some people get it to work, some others don't.

[Sgt. Napalm]

I disabled my autoexec and it's working as it should. Why the hell didn't I think of that?
Thanks for the help!
If you care to see, this is my full autoexec:
[url]http://filesmelt.com/dl/autoexec11.cfg[/url]

[YoYoYoDude]

[QUOTE=BeefMcGraw;20832261]Nope, bots dont count.

Yes, it pauses the game, thus receiving even less than "almost nothing".

If you idling on your own because you don't want to get disconnected, then use [b]Source Tools[/b].

[b]The new version is pretty Plug-n-Play.[/b]

1 - [url=http://www.sourceop.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=36012]Download[/url]
2 - Extract in any folder
3 - Run "EZ-SPECTATE.bat"
4 - Spectate all day

It comes with a premade list of 4 idling servers
you can change/add servers in your list: userfiles\serverlist\1-servers.txt
[b]And you should![/b] Those 4 servers are always full [everyone's too lazy to change the defaults :p ]

You can play with the settings later as you can tweak your idle "experience".

Yes, it's just as safe as idling without it. It launches TF2 with "-textmode" [b]without[/b] hooking into anything, and monitors the console.log text file for any disconnect messages.

You're connected to real TF2 servers using the real TF2 client [unlike Steamstats]
You're just running a cmd.exe batch script in the background that sends connect commands to TF2 when you get disconnected. The commands are sent through CFG files [user editable configuration files]
So, it's all kosher.

[b]BONUS:[/b] It launches [url=http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=982685]Steam Item Manager[/url] to monitor your item drops and report any new drops.
Steam Item Manager and any other backpack Manager App is [url=http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3273/emailapp.png]allowed by Valve.[/url][/QUOTE]

Works great, but is there a way to stop it from wanting to add itself to the startup every time it launches?

[BeefMcGraw]

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;20868582]I disabled my autoexec and it's working as it should. Why the hell didn't I think of that?
Thanks for the help!
If you care to see, this is my full autoexec:
[url]http://filesmelt.com/dl/autoexec11.cfg[/url][/QUOTE]

Im glad to know it worked.

The source engine is a nasty woman when it comes to executing a bunch of CFG at the same time.
Im still working on the reliability of executing all the CFGs for SourceTools at launch.

I'll contact you during the week to test out some scripts to see if they get executed along with your CFG files,if you're willing.

[b]Until I find a fix[/b] rename autoexec.cfg to uhhh... autoexec2.cfg then add "+exec autoexec2.cfg" to your steam launch options so you dont need to change the file name every time you switch between idling and playing.

[QUOTE=YoYoYoDude;20869262]Works great, but is there a way to stop it from wanting to add itself to the startup every time it launches?[/QUOTE]

It will remove itself from the startup if you exit Source Tools by typing "exit" in Source Tools [it will send a command to TF2 to exit, then SourceTools will also exit]

But to prevent it completely:

1 - Open configure.bat
2 - Select TF2
3 - Select "Add-on Manager" [last option]
4 - Select "Connection Manager"
5 - Towards the bottom, there will be an option that says something like "Start SourceTools on reboot", look for [reboot] [b]not at my computer right now so I cant check[/b]
6 - Select that option number and press enter,this will set it to [0] and thus turned off.

[Sgt. Napalm]

Yeah, I'd be willing to help you out.
Also, I never knew you could add configs like that in the launch options. That's good to know.

[Machete]

I thought it never worked at all by yourself.

[Sgt. Napalm]

For those interested, I made a list of about 40 or so idle servers that have wait enabled. (Servers with wait disabled make the system stop working.)
[url]http://filesmelt.com/dl/1-servers.txt[/url]
I put the servers that I frequent and I know work well up towards the top.
Be advised that not all of these servers run achievement_idle.

[editline]08:56PM[/editline]

Also why the hell didn't we figure this out before September 2009?

[BeefMcGraw]

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;20886999]For those interested, I made a list of about 40 or so idle servers that have wait enabled. (Servers with wait disabled make the idler stop working.)
[url]http://filesmelt.com/dl/1-servers.txt[/url]
I put the servers that I frequent and I know work well up towards the top.
Be advised that not all of these servers run achievement_idle.

[editline]08:56PM[/editline]

Also why the hell didn't we figure this out before September 2009?[/QUOTE]

Please dont call Source Tools "idler" :p While the extra functions of Source Tools are limited, I worked hard to get those functions off the ground so that Source Tools wouldn't just be an "idler". It serves many purposes without having to idle ;) ;)

Now as for why we didnt figure this out before September 2009? Because SteamStats came out very quickly and nobody thought it should be made differently.

Source Tools' ancestor [[url=http://www.sourceop.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2086&highlight=]Dispenser GUM's Mode Switcher[/url]] came out a week after SteamStats swipe.
Then the [url=http://www.sourceop.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=2086&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15]auto-reconnect function was added on October 5th[/url]

So my response to SteamStats downfall was pretty quick.

I even brought it up on [url=http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=829395]FacePunch on October 14th[/url] but everyone thought this was another SteamStats catastrophy.

Boy were they wrong ;)

I'll probably make a dedicated thread for Source Tools on FP next week, as the current version is now pretty god damn rock stable [I'll update it once more for some minor tweaks just before posting it on FP]

[Sgt. Napalm]

Fixed.
And it is certainly a nice program. It's easy to use and simple to set up. Thanks for making it.
I tried to get it to work before for the blacklist functionality but I could never get it to work. But now I use your blacklist updater. (I used it to filter out the sv_allow_wait 0 servers for that list I made.)
I don't know much else about what it can do. Looking forward to the thread.

[Leaf Runner]

[QUOTE=Afnopo;20853538]It depends on what server you are on, I don't think achievement_idle map works anymore.

I was idling on achievement_idle for 19 hours and go 0 drops.

I was idling on achievement_idle_4_craft and got 7 items in 7 hours.[/QUOTE]

Very interesting theory. Thus far, I have been (-textmode) idling in strictly achievement_idle only servers, and I have been having shit luck with it. Idled for 7 hours, got [b]nothing[/b].

Sure, your theory could be based on luck, but it's certainly plausible that Valve would try to decrease drop rates on maps called "Achievement_idle". And such a large gap on luck would be extremely uncommon.

I'll try out other achivement_idle maps. Thanks for sharing, and I'd appreciate it if anybody else reading this post would post their tips and theories.

[Sgt. Napalm]

Gum, I tried your suggestion of adding "+exec autoexec2.cfg" into the launch options (no quotes).
For some reason when I did that, the EZ-Spectate and the example_idle method stop working altogether. Steam Item Manager would open for a second then close, and TF2 wouldn't launch, it would just be the Steam window saying "Launching TF2" indefinitely. I found that odd.

[hypershadsy]

I can't find the server list.

[editline]10:58AM[/editline]

oh I'm retarded. Nevermind

[BeefMcGraw]

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;20890799]Gum, I tried your suggestion of adding "+exec autoexec2.cfg" into the launch options (no quotes).
For some reason when I did that, the EZ-Spectate and the example_idle method stop working altogether. Steam Item Manager would open for a second then close, and TF2 wouldn't launch, it would just be the Steam window saying "Launching TF2" indefinitely. I found that odd.[/QUOTE]

Upgrade to 0.95b4
I fixed some stuff about using Steam Item Manager.