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To change the map on a FREAKHOSTING Counter-Strike: Source server, set Start map in Game settings (used at every start), or type changelevel cs_office in the console to switch now. For a rotation, create /cstrike/cfg/mapcycle.txt with one map name per line. Custom maps go in /cstrike/maps/ as .bsp files, and players download them through FastDL.

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How to set the start map

1

Open Game settings

Click Game settings under GAME SETTINGS.
2

Set Start map

Under Start-up, enter the map name without .bsp, for example de_inferno. The default is de_dust2. This is the same value as the Map variable in Startup.
3

Save and restart

Save and restart the server.

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How to change the map right now

In the console, type:
All players move to the new map. To see which maps are on the server, type maps *. A map change from the console doesn’t change Start map, so the server goes back to the start map after a restart.

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How to set up a map rotation (mapcycle.txt)

When a map ends (by Time limit per map or Rounds per map), the server loads the next map from the map cycle file. A new server has no cfg/mapcycle.txt, so the console shows Using map cycle file 'cfg/mapcycle_default.txt' and uses the game’s default list.
1

Create the file

Open Files, go to /cstrike/cfg/ and create mapcycle.txt. See the File Manager.
2

Add one map per line

Use names without .bsp:
3

Check the file name in Game settings

Map cycle file under Server must match the file name. The default is mapcycle.txt.
4

Set when the map changes

Under Rounds and rules, set Time limit per map (minutes) or Rounds per map. With both at 0 the map never changes by itself.
5

Restart

Restart the server. The console now shows the new map cycle file.

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How to add custom maps

1

Get the .bsp file

Download the map, for example from GameBanana. Unpack it on your PC. You need the .bsp file; some maps also ship materials, models or sound folders.
2

Upload the map

Upload the .bsp to /cstrike/maps/ with Files or SFTP. Upload any extra folders into /cstrike/ so they merge with the existing ones.
3

Change to the map

Type changelevel and the file name without .bsp. Names are case-sensitive on our Linux servers: surf_Ski and surf_ski are different maps.
Players who don’t have the map download it from your server’s FastDL address automatically. See FastDL. If a player gets “Missing map”, see missing map errors.

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Map prefixes

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Frequently asked questions

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Why does the server go back to de_dust2 after a restart?

The server always starts on Start map. Change Start map in Game settings to keep a different map after restarts.

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Why does changelevel say the map isn’t found?

The .bsp isn’t in /cstrike/maps/, or the name or capital letters don’t match. Type maps * to see the exact names on the server.

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Can I vote for maps?

Not with the base game alone. Install SourceMod, which includes map vote plugins. See install SourceMod.

CS:S server guide

Every CS:S page in one place.

Missing map errors

Fix map download problems.

FastDL

Fast map downloads.

Surf server

Surf maps and settings.

File Manager

Upload and edit files.
Tested by the FREAKHOSTING team on our Game Panel on 31 October 2026 (Counter-Strike: Source dedicated server). Steps may differ slightly if the game changes.

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Need Extra Help?

If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

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Last Updated: October 2026