Installation
So you've chosen to prove your worth in the world of Team Fortress 2 Classic. Great!
It is important to note a few things before downloading:
- By downloading TF2 Classic, you accept that the software is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind. Eminoma (the TF2 Classic development team), Valve Corporation, Steam, and any other affiliated parties are not responsible for any damages (direct or indirect) caused by installation or usage of the supplied software.
- TF2 Classic runs separate from your Team Fortress 2 installation. This means that usage of this software cannot directly impact your Team Fortress 2 game.
Step 1: Installing the Engine Base
To run TF2 Classic, you must have Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer installed. Skip this step if you've already already installed it.
Download:
If the link doesn't work, you can go into your Steam library and type "Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer" in the search bar. Then, install it from the listing whenever it appears.
Importantly, the SDK must be installed on the same drive that your Steam client is installed on (almost always C:\). Your game will fail to start if it's located on an external Steam library.
Note: Source SDK Base 2013 has two versions - one for singleplayer and one for multiplayer. Ensure you have the multiplayer version installed, or the game will not work.
Step 2: Downloading TF2CDownloader
To get an archive of the game and extract it, the fastest and easiest option is to use our dedicated utility, TF2CDownloader.
Download:
Note: Downloading and running this program may trigger a false-positive with some antivirus software. If this happens, add an exemption for the file. This program is free and open-source.
Step 3: Installing TF2 Classic
Before running TF2CDownloader, ensure that you have at least 15GB of free space on the drive that you're running it on, otherwise the process may fail.
On Windows, you can run it by simply double-clicking the file after it finishes downloading. It should open up a small window where you can type answers to its questions.
On Linux, you must run it from the terminal. Right-click in your sourcemods folder after moving it, click "Open in Terminal", then run chmod +x ./TF2CDownloaderLinux followed by ./TF2CDownloaderLinux and let it run.
When you first launch it, it'll attempt to autodetect your sourcemods folder. You should accept this. If you absolutely need to put it on a different drive, create a symlink!
After it begins downloading, you must wait until it says "The installation has successfully completed" for your game to be playable. Closing the window or cancelling it early will leave your game in an inconsistent state. If this happens accidentally, you can simply run the application again and it should resume its progress.
When it finishes, you should have a "tf2classic" folder inside of your sourcemods folder containing the game files.
Step 4. Running the game
First, restart the Steam client completely. In the main Steam window, click the "Steam" button at the top-left, then "Exit" from the dropdown. Then you can start Steam again.
Windows: Open the tf2classic folder that was extracted. Inside the folder, locate and run TF2ClassicLauncher.exe for a game launcher. This will also check for and apply new updates.
Linux: Restart your Steam client. Team Fortress 2 Classic should have appeared as a new item in your library. Right-click on it, click "Properties", and type -steam -steam in the launch options field, and then close the window. You can now launch the game through your Steam library.
Installing without using TF2CDownloader
If you cannot or do not want to use TF2CDownloader, it's also possible to install the game manually.
Download an archive containing the game by clicking here, which will redirect you to a random trusted mirror.
After it finishes downloading, extract the downloaded archive into your sourcemods folder using an archive program like 7-Zip.
Additional Help And Support
Have problems you can't figure out? Check the Troubleshooting page first or join our Discord and ask in the #technical-issues channel for personal support.