How to Make a CS 1.6 Zombie Plague Server

Which Zombie Plague version to use

Zombie Plague is written by MeRcyLeZZ and published on the official AlliedModders thread. Download it only from there — copies on other sites are often modified.

You also need zp_resources.zip from the same thread — the models, sounds and sprites. Zombie Plague needs AMX Mod X 1.8.0 or newer; all the modules it uses ship with AMX Mod X.

Install Zombie Plague 5.0

1. Upload the resources. Extract zp_resources.zip into the cstrike folder, so the models, sound and sprites folders merge with the existing ones.
2. Upload the plugin files into cstrike/addons/amxmodx: the .amxx files go in plugins, the .ini and .cfg files in configs, the language files in data/lang.
3. Compile 5.0.8a first if you use it: compile the .sma files on your own computer with the AMX Mod X compiler and upload the resulting .amxx files. In our test, every 5.0.8a file compiled with the AMX Mod X 1.10 compiler.
4. Restart the server and check that the plugins are running with amxx plugins in the console.

Zombie Plague 5.0 loads its plugins from its own list, plugins-zp50_ammopacks.ini, separate from your normal plugins.ini. To use money instead of ammo packs, rename that file to disabled-zp50_ammopacks.ini and disabled-zp50_money.ini to plugins-zp50_money.ini. Version 4.3 uses plugins-zplague.ini instead.

Configure the game

Change one file at a time and restart to test. Add-ons — new zombie classes, extra items, game modes — are separate plugins listed in the same plugins-zp50_*.ini file, and must be made for the ZP version you run.

The three things that break ZP servers

1. File permissions after uploading

Folders uploaded from a zip can end up without the execute permission, and the server then cannot open what is inside. The symptom is a crash on start, often with Couldn't get DLL API in the log. Set the uploaded folders to 755 and restart.

2. The 512 precache limit

The engine can load at most 512 models, 512 sounds and 512 other files per map. Zombie Plague adds many of each, and every extra class and item adds more. Past the limit the server stops on map change with an error saying an item failed to precache. Remove unused classes and items, or use fewer custom models.

3. Players missing models and sounds

Players download custom files when they join. Without a fast download server (sv_downloadurl), that is slow and some files may be missing, so zombies show the default skins. Set up FastDL so the files come over the web.

Zombie Plague on a HytHost CS 1.6 server

• The base is ready. Every HytHost CS 1.6 server comes with ReHLDS, ReGameDLL, Metamod-R, ReAPI and AMX Mod X; check the exact builds with version, meta version and amxx version in the console.
• Upload ZP with the file manager or SFTP as above, then use Permissions in the file manager to set the uploaded folders to 755.
• FastDL is already set up: players download models and sounds from a fast download address that serves your server's own files. Only add your own sv_downloadurl to server.cfg if you want to use a different one.
• Test before you open it. Run a few rounds with friends after every change, and take a backup from the panel first.

New to running a CS 1.6 server? Start with how to make a CS 1.6 server, and see the best CS 1.6 plugins for admin and anti-cheat tools to run alongside ZP.