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How to use the new playlist system
By Arc and 1 collaborators
This guide will introduce you to the new playlist system in update 1.7.8.2
   
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Created by
Mikee
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Arc
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Category: Modding or Configuration, Multiplayer, Workshop
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
15 Jun, 2015 @ 9:52am
8 Jul, 2017 @ 2:07pm
4,171 Unique Visitors
56 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
1.) What is new in this playlist system and how is it different from the old one? 
1.1) NWI vs custom created Playlists 
2.) Matchmaking/Rankings with default playlists 
3.) How to create your own playlist 
3.1) Custom playlist, part one 
3.2) Custom playlist, part two 
4.) Publishing your playlist 
5.) Updates 
Comments
1.) What is new in this playlist system and how is it different from the old one?
A playlist is a set of restrictions and options for a server which is then findable via Matchmaking (the Play button).

The old system contained only official playlists, but the new system allows you to create your own and share it with others to be used alongside official ones. Your custom playlists show up under the official playlists in the Play menu.

Playlists are now in separate "*.playlist" files instead of "mm_playlists.txt" as before.
It is still a text file, but with a renamed file extension.

This is meant to help modders with complex mods such as the SOCOM mod to allow their mods to be in Matchmaking, but it will of course work for any server.
1.1) NWI vs custom created Playlists
NWI Playlists are meant to unify server settings so they are restricting certain CVARs to certain value and they restricts map pool to only contain certain NWI maps/modes combinations.

You won't be able to change forced CVARs as well as NWI Playlists themself. You can change almost anything what is not forced by playlist and you can further restrict map/mode pool, for example exclude night maps (this is done via mapcycle file).

If you want or need to modify values that are forced by NWI playlist and still want to be in Matchmaking mode, you have no choice but to create your own custom one and distribute it to players.

If you want to know which CVARs and map/mode combo are being forced by NWI playlists, use Secton 3 as a guideline, extract NWI playlist and take a look into it.
2.) Matchmaking/Rankings with default playlists
The new playlist system uses the same method as the previous one with one exception: now you must include a folder name along with the playlist type, further explained below.

These are official playlists shipped with game:
nwi/coop nwi/coop_elite nwi/coop_hardcore nwi/pvp_sustained nwi/pvp_tactical nwi/comp nwi/conquer nwi/training (note: this is used for the Tutorial map only) custom example

CVAR for server.cfg, example:
sv_playlist nwi/coop

If you want to have a custom server with enabled rankings, but do not want to build your own playlist, you can use the “custom” playlist. This will, however, not be in the Matchmaking (as in, it’ll be only findable via the server browser or direct connect)!

The string for the official custom playlist is the same as before (as it is not inside NWI folder)
3.) How to create your own playlist
Now we will take a look into default files, cvar format and example playlist
3.1) Custom playlist, part one
You can use the example file or you can create empty one, as you wish. The example playlist in this guide is copied from the official one, so you can copy and paste it in if you want to.

Here you can see where to find the official playlists, just in case.

Official playlists are located in:
insurgency_misc_dir.vpk/scripts/playlists/nwi
Example and official custom playlists are located in:
insurgency_misc_dir.vpk/scripts/playlists
VPK files can be opened via GCFScape:
http://nemesis.thewavelength.net/index.php?p=26

All custom playlists belong to their respective folder, for example:
insurgency\scripts\playlists\arc\test_1.playlist insurgency\scripts\playlists\arc\test_2.playlist etc.

then in server.cfg (or startup file), CVAR will look like this:
sv_playlist arc/test_1 or sv_playlist arc/test_2 etc.
3.2) Custom playlist, part two
Now let’s take a look at the example playlist:
"playlist" { "name" "Example Playlist" "description" "An example of an Insurgency playlist file." "category" "pvp" // Required: Menu category, should be "pvp", "coop", "solo" or "hidden" // Optional: Maxplayer requirements. // Servers running this playlist must have a maxplayers value between // require_maxplayers_min and require_maxplayers_max to operate. "require_maxplayers_min" "1" "require_maxplayers_max" "49" // Optional: sv_pure settings "sv_pure" { // This value will be used for sv_pure unless it has been defined serverside in a config or launch parameter. "default" "1" } // A list of maps that this playlist must be played on. // If no maps are included, this playlist will have no map restrictions. "allowed_maps" { // "mapname" "gamemode" // eg: "station" "push" } // Localization files, loaded before anything in this file is referenced by UI, ideal // for strings like map and gamemode names that will be displayed in the menu "localization" { //"file" "<localization path>" } // Recommended convars, will be applied but are not enforced and // can be changed by server operators. "cvars" { // "CVAR" "VALUE" "ambush" // Gamemode specific cvars { // "CVAR" "VALUE" } } // Enforced convars, these will be unchangable. "forced_cvars" { // "CVAR" "VALUE" "ambush" // Gamemode specific cvars { // "CVAR" "VALUE" } } // Defines the filters available to players searching for a game. "filters" { // Passworded server handling, by default this is 0 and hides _all_ passworded servers from the server results. // Setting this to 1 will allow passworded servers to appear in the list and will prompt for a password on connection, // this may be desired behaviour for playlists with a small server count or players who expect passworded servers. "show_passworded_servers" "0" // Minimum player count filter, removing this key will remove this filter. "players" { "min" "0" // Minimum slider value, defaults to 0 "max" "64" // Maximum slider value, defaults to require_maxplayers_max value } // Mod support, if enabled a filter is added allowing people to include/exclude servers which have sv_pure -1 or 0 // and support workshop items "mod_support" "1" // Per-tag filtering, each filter is given a 3-state button to require/exclude specific tags // Example tags: no3dvoip, notargetindicator, deathmsgs, nofriendlyfire, deadchat, deadvoice, teamtalk (alltalk disabled), fullscoreboard (kd on scoreboard) // Values: 0 = Exclude, 1 = Include, 2 = Ignore "tags" { // "tag name" // { // "default" "value" // Value (0-2): Default state of this button // "ignorable" "1" // Boolean, can this filter opt out of tag filtering. Default 1 // "invert" "0" // Boolean, an inverted filter will REQUIRE a tag when crossed out and EXCLUDE a tag when ticked. Default 0 // } } } // // Solo menu specific info // // Solo mode specific recommended convars, applied but not enforced "solo_cvars" { // "CVAR" "VALUE" "ambush" // Gamemode specific cvars { // "CVAR" "VALUE" } } // Recommended mapcycle, this is the default cycle if they haven't loaded it before and resetting the mapcycle will use this. "solo_mapcycle" { // "mapname" "gamemode" // eg: "station" "push" } }
This is a basic (bone) structure of a playlist file (copied directly from "example.playlist" file). It MUST be in the exact same format (so don’t forget {} and "" characters).

Explanation:

"allowed_maps" - this is a restriction for maps and their respective modes, this will override mapcycle file (if the mapcycle file or initial map are not specified or if it contains more maps/modes than this, it will use "allowed_maps" to cycle between them)

"cvars" - this section will be used if there is no specified settings in CFG files, otherwise you can leave it blank

"forced_cvars" - this section forces specific rules and will override any CFG settings, it can be set per gamemode (for example "ambush" will have different settings than "strike" and so on), this section should have preferably your desired server settings.

It will accept same CVARs as server.cfg and server_gamemode.cfg, including "mp_theater_override" and stuff like that.
4.) Publishing your playlist
After you finish your playlist, you need to publish it on Steam Workshop so players can download it and be able to find your server (or servers) in Matchmaking.

You will need VPK.exe, it’s located in here:
"..\SteamApps\common\insurgency2\bin"

Create a new empty folder wherever you want, and give it an appropriate name (a name which describes your mod), and replicate the server’s directory structure for custom playlists.

Example:
arcs_test_playlist\scripts\playlists\arc

Now copy your custom playlist there.

Example:
arcs_test_playlist\scripts\playlists\arc\test_1.playlist

Now drag this new folder and drop it over VPK.exe. It will create a VPK which you can upload to the Steam Workshop.

Uploading is done via an in-game tool. To upload, start Insurgency, click on Workshop, then click on "Upload", and continue from there (you will also need a *.jpg picture, smaller than 1MB !! ), add tag "playlist". If you have a more complex mod, add more tags which correspond to what the mod should be.
5.) Updates
2015:
28.10.
Updated list of Playlist files

30.10.
Updated example file

10.11.
Updated example file to include "Solo" related values
Added new section 1.1

2016:
27.1.
Updated Playlist example to reflect latest update
63 Comments
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Levitating 20 Apr, 2022 @ 10:08am 
I have gotten it to work with the instructions provided by Bot Chris in the thread you mentioned.
Arc  [author] 20 Apr, 2022 @ 9:12am 
If it is customized, people will find it via the Source server browser, like they always did.

I can't help as I do not know how this is done, nor do I care, nor do I think you should even bother given the MM is less populated than people using basic server browser.
Levitating 20 Apr, 2022 @ 8:41am 
Thanks for your rapid response Arc.

It's not as much about matchmaking as it is about showing up in the sustained/tactical category of the server browser. Nobody looks at the custom section, that's why all big custom servers are in sustained. I don't think people trust custom servers, I've never seen one played.People also know what game rules to expect when joining either tactical or sustained.

So for me it's either running the nwi/pvp_tactical playlist with no customizations, or finding a way to get custom maps working with the tactical playlist anyway.
Arc  [author] 20 Apr, 2022 @ 7:50am 
Haaaaaaax !

Also, don't bother with MatchMaking at this point, it was never a thing it should have been and most players still use server browser.

Which is entirely point of this thread:
https://test-steamproxy.haloskins.io/app/222880/discussions/1/4543572243343545347/
And this one for that matter:
https://test-steamproxy.haloskins.io/app/222880/discussions/2/5706632550010329319/

For Day of Infamy, exploiting the heck out of this system makes sense as MatchMaking was tied to Progression and people wanted that.
Levitating 20 Apr, 2022 @ 7:41am 
I've seen various servers on the official playlists running custom mods (like maps and equipment). Do you know how they've achieved this?

I tried extracting, modifying and re-creating the VPK, I modified the allowed_maps adding my custom maps. This successfully allowed me to run the server on nwi/pvp_tactical while still using custom maps, without the server complaining. However I was removed from all server listings.
Arc  [author] 21 Jul, 2018 @ 7:06am 
>i extracted the playlists to \doi\s...

I'm confused now, this section is specifically meant for Insurgency as per "
Insurgency > Guides > Arc's Guides" section headline.

Regardless, you have to be more specific when describing an issue. I can't really help you if you won't post any error messages, logs or your full settings.
DizzyDwarf 21 Jul, 2018 @ 6:32am 
So i extractred it from the VPK file, because my console was not finding it (saying check file path)

i extracted the playlists to \doi\scripts\playlists\nwi , and ran the server again.

but now it looks like the console just closes when going to sv_playlist nwi/mp_battles and nothing happens afterwards
Arc  [author] 21 Jul, 2018 @ 6:11am 
God dam Steam is parsing it like an URL for some reason... xD
Arc  [author] 21 Jul, 2018 @ 6:10am 
As per the guide:
"Official playlists are located in:
insurgency_misc_dir.vpk/scripts/playlists/nwi"

Default content and config files for the game can mostly be found inside of VPK files and not regular directories.

Is your setup not recognizing the playlist or ?
DizzyDwarf 21 Jul, 2018 @ 6:04am 
I want to host a Official Server, But my Playlist/NWI folder is empty so i can't use this in my server.cfg

sv_playlist nwi/coop

Where can i get the Official playlists