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Install Murder on a Garry’s Mod dedicated server by updating the server with SteamCMD, putting the Murder gamemode and its maps in a public or unlisted Steam Workshop collection, and starting the server with +gamemode murder and a map name without .bsp. Counter-Strike: Source must also be owned, installed, and available to both the server and players; otherwise maps, textures, or models commonly appear missing.
What the Murder gamemode is
Murder is a deception gamemode for Garry’s Mod. One player is secretly the murderer, while the remaining players are bystanders. The murderer hunts the group; bystanders investigate clues, use limited weapons, identify the murderer, and try to stop them. A working installation therefore needs more than the gamemode folder: it needs a compatible map, the required Workshop content, and Counter-Strike: Source assets.
Requirements before you begin
- A dedicated Garry’s Mod server installation. SteamCMD installs and updates the dedicated-server files with application ID
4020. - SteamCMD. You will use an anonymous login for the public Garry’s Mod server files.
- A Steam Workshop collection. The collection should contain the Murder gamemode and every map or addon you intend to use. It must be public or unlisted so a dedicated server can access it.
- Counter-Strike: Source. The Murder repository and Workshop description state that you must own and install CS:S. Its content must be mounted and available on the server and on connecting clients.
- A Steam Game Server Login Token (GSLT). The dedicated-server documentation identifies a valid token as mandatory for normal server operation and ranking.
- A map name. Use the map’s filename, but leave off the
.bspextension when starting the server.
Choose Workshop delivery or manual files
Workshop delivery is the normal operational choice because the server can download the collection at startup and advertise the content to clients. Manual source deployment is useful when you need source-level control or are developing a modified version.
| Deployment method | How content arrives | Update behavior | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop collection | The dedicated server downloads the collection named by +host_workshop_collection. |
Workshop content updates on restart by default. Set host_workshop_autoupdate 0 to disable automatic updates, understanding that maps and addons can then become stale. |
Most public or private servers that want managed distribution and client downloads. |
| Manual source deployment | Copy the gamemode source into the server’s gamemodes/murder path and manage maps and addons yourself. |
You decide when files change; there is no Workshop-managed refresh. | Development, testing, or tightly controlled source deployments. |
Both methods still require the correct gamemode name, a map that exists on the server, and the Counter-Strike: Source content required by Murder.
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1. Install or update the dedicated server with SteamCMD
Run SteamCMD from the directory where you want the server files managed. The following command logs in anonymously, installs into a sibling directory named gmodds, validates the files, and exits:
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ../gmodds +app_update 4020 validate +quitapp_update 4020 is the Garry’s Mod Dedicated Server application update command. The validate argument checks the downloaded files and repairs files that do not match the expected installation. Use it after an interrupted update or whenever you suspect corruption; it is not a substitute for installing the required Workshop content.
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On Windows, run the equivalent command with steamcmd.exe and a Windows path. For example, from a directory beside the server folder:
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir ..gmodds +app_update 4020 validate +quitAdjust the path to the location you actually selected. Keep the server directory separate from SteamCMD so updates are easy to identify and back up.
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Linux command
On Linux, the same SteamCMD arguments apply. Once the files are installed, the server is started with srcds_run -game garrysmod, described below.
What a successful update gives you
- The Garry’s Mod dedicated-server files are present in the chosen directory.
- Running the update again is safe when you need to check for a newer server build.
- A validation pass can restore missing or damaged base files, but it does not install Murder’s Workshop collection for you.
2. Build the Workshop collection
- Open Steam Workshop and create a collection for this server.
- Add the Murder gamemode and the maps and addons you plan to use.
- Set the collection to Public or Unlisted. A private collection cannot be fetched by the dedicated server.
- Copy the collection’s numeric ID. You will place that value in
+host_workshop_collection.
The Workshop listing identifies Murder as a gamemode by Mechanical Mind with item ID 187073946. Treat that ID as the gamemode item, not as your server collection ID: the startup parameter needs the ID of the collection you created.
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The listing names these supported maps: cs_office, de_chateau, cs_italy, clue, mu_nightmare_church, de_prodigy, dm_lockdown, housewithgardenv2, and de_forest. Workshop availability can change, so confirm that the map item still exists and add each map you expect to run to the collection.
Choose one map for the initial test. clue is used in the example command below, but you can substitute any map that is present on the server.
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3. Start the server with Murder
Use the gamemode’s folder name, murder, rather than the Workshop item title. Use the map filename without .bsp.
Windows example
srcds.exe -console +maxplayers 16 +host_workshop_collection <COLLECTION_ID> +gamemode murder +map clue +sv_setsteamaccount <GSLT>Linux example
srcds_run -game garrysmod -console +maxplayers 16 +host_workshop_collection <COLLECTION_ID> +gamemode murder +map clue +sv_setsteamaccount <GSLT>Replace <COLLECTION_ID> with the numeric ID of your public or unlisted collection and <GSLT> with a valid Steam Game Server Login Token. The angle-bracket text is a placeholder; do not type the brackets as part of the value.
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| Argument | Purpose | What to check |
|---|---|---|
-console |
Runs the dedicated server with its console visible. | Use the console output to watch Workshop mounting and map loading. |
+maxplayers 16 |
Sets the example maximum player count to 16. | Change the number to suit your server; it is independent of the Workshop collection. |
+host_workshop_collection <COLLECTION_ID> |
Tells the server which Workshop collection to download and mount. | Use the collection ID, not the Murder gamemode item ID. |
+gamemode murder |
Selects the Murder gamemode by its folder name. | The value is murder, not a display title or a map name. |
+map clue |
Loads the initial map. | Use a map filename without .bsp, and ensure that map is in the collection or otherwise installed. |
+sv_setsteamaccount <GSLT> |
Associates the server with a Steam Game Server Login Token. | Use a valid token; the dedicated-server guide lists it as mandatory for normal operation and ranking. |
For another supported map, change only the map value. For example, use +map cs_office, not +map cs_office.bsp.
4. Confirm Workshop downloads and client delivery
When the server starts, it should download and mount the collection before or during map initialization. Facepunch documentation notes that a gamemode with a Workshop ID can be marked for client download; the console may print:
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Making workshop gamemode available for client downloadMaps in the collection are similarly advertised to clients. A player who does not already have the required Workshop items should be prompted to download them when joining.
Startup checks
- Confirm the console references the collection ID you supplied.
- Confirm the Murder gamemode is mounted and the selected map finishes loading.
- Check that the console reports the Workshop gamemode as available for client download.
- Join from a client that has Counter-Strike: Source installed and watch for missing-content errors.
- Test at least one round: the server should assign a murderer and bystanders rather than falling back to another gamemode.
5. Install and mount Counter-Strike: Source content
Murder requires Counter-Strike: Source. The upstream Murder repository README states, “Requires Counter Strike: Source, you must own it and have it installed.” The Workshop description makes the same dependency explicit.
This requirement applies to both sides of the connection:
- Server: CS:S content must be installed and mounted where the dedicated server can read it.
- Client: Each player needs to own and install CS:S so the game can resolve the assets delivered by the map and gamemode.
If CS:S is absent or unavailable, the usual symptoms are pink-and-black missing textures, invisible or error models, missing sounds, or a map that refuses to load. Installing the Murder Workshop item alone does not supply those proprietary CS:S assets.
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6. Troubleshoot missing maps, textures, and models
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| The server says the map cannot be found. | The map is not in the collection or the startup name is wrong. | Add the map Workshop item to the collection, verify the collection is public or unlisted, and use the filename without .bsp. |
| Players see pink-and-black textures or error models. | Counter-Strike: Source is not owned, installed, or mounted on the server or client. | Verify CS:S ownership and installation on both sides, then restart the server and reconnect. |
| The gamemode does not start. | The startup value does not match the folder name, or the gamemode was not downloaded. | Use +gamemode murder, confirm the collection ID, and look for the Workshop client-download message in the console. |
| Clients are not prompted for Workshop downloads. | The collection is private, the collection parameter is missing, or the server has not mounted the collection. | Make the collection public or unlisted, check +host_workshop_collection, and restart to trigger a fresh mount. |
| The server loads old maps or addons. | Automatic Workshop updates were disabled with host_workshop_autoupdate 0. |
Remove that setting or set it back to 1, then restart. If you intentionally keep autoupdate disabled, update the content through your own controlled process. |
| Validation reports files changed or missing. | The base dedicated-server installation is incomplete or corrupted. | Run the SteamCMD command again with validate. Recheck Workshop and CS:S dependencies separately afterward. |
7. Updating without breaking the server
Workshop content updates on restart by default. This means a routine restart can pull newer versions of Murder, maps, or addons from the collection. Plan restarts when players are not in a round, and read the console after each restart to ensure the collection mounted successfully.
If you set host_workshop_autoupdate 0, the server stops automatically refreshing Workshop content. That can provide tighter change control, but it also leaves the server on stale versions until you update them yourself. Keep the setting consistent with your maintenance process; do not assume a collection edit has reached a running server while automatic updates are disabled.
Update the base server separately with SteamCMD:
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir ../gmodds +app_update 4020 validate +quitAfter a base-file update, restart the dedicated server and repeat the startup checks. A successful SteamCMD update cannot correct an invalid Workshop collection or missing CS:S installation.
8. Manual deployment for development or controlled source changes
The upstream Murder repository contains a gamemodes/murder directory. A manual deployment places that source at the corresponding gamemodes/murder path inside the Garry’s Mod server installation, then supplies maps and addons through your own file-management process.
- Obtain the Murder source from the upstream repository.
- Copy the repository’s
gamemodes/murderdirectory into the server’sgarrysmod/gamemodes/murderlocation. - Install each required map and addon through your controlled deployment method.
- Start the server with
+gamemode murderand a map filename without.bsp. - Test the server with a client that owns and has installed Counter-Strike: Source.
Manual files provide source-level control, but you must maintain version consistency and client distribution yourself. For a normal server, the Workshop collection is simpler because the dedicated server can obtain and advertise the content automatically.
Recommended first-run checklist
- SteamCMD completed
app_update 4020 validatewithout an installation error. - The Workshop collection is public or unlisted and contains Murder, the selected map, and required addons.
- The startup line includes the collection ID,
+gamemode murder, a map name without.bsp, and a valid GSLT. - The console shows the Workshop gamemode becoming available for client download.
- Counter-Strike: Source is owned and installed on the server and on the test client.
- The selected map loads and a test round assigns the Murder roles correctly.
Why the installation can look correct but still fail
There are three separate content paths: the base Garry’s Mod dedicated-server files, Workshop items in your collection, and Counter-Strike: Source assets. SteamCMD validates only the first path. The collection parameter controls the second. CS:S ownership, installation, and mounting control the third. Treating them as one download is the most common reason an apparently successful installation still produces a missing map or broken textures.
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Keep those checks separate when diagnosing a failure: first validate application 4020, then verify collection visibility and Workshop mounting, and finally verify CS:S availability. Once all three paths are present, the murder gamemode and a valid map name are enough to select the mode at startup.
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