Thread: Help is NEEDED: L4D2 pak vpk files

Link to old topic in L4d2 section of the Steam forums: L4D2 pak vpk files - Steam Users' Forums

It was posted today, but over a few hours it is now on the 5th page with a bunch of other topics with no new replies, so there's no way I'm getting any info out of there... EDIT: And now this topic I took from the steam forum is now on the 2nd page after a day with no replies.

Hi, I'm new here... obviously rofl

I would do an intro, but this isn't the topic for it. So basically I've got an issue with l4d2's pak files/vpk files. I have Notepad++ and I used it previously to edit some lines in a testing folder of l4d2 stuff to make changes. But for some reason now I can't do that anymore. Anymore as in I can't edit the vpk files in my left4dead2 folder. I can open the files just fine, but all I see are NULL and weird symbols now. No more text.

So I was wondering if anyone could possibly help. If I have posted this in the wrong forum, please tell me so

EDIT: Also, while I was adding in some addons to test them out, my L4D2 is now messed up. This has happened before, but I didn't solve it in a smart way. The sounds won't load now, something like this appears in the console for MANY sound files(Which exist in the right directory and every):


S_StartSound: Failed to load sound 'player\survivor\voice\mechanic\lookhere05.wav', file probably missing from disk/repository

I'm trying to edit the lines within the PAK01 files to add in some custom addons. Some of those addons I really want, so I wanted to edit the lines to meet those needs, and well it's not readable, even with the "right" program. Other than that, I'm not doing any heavy modifying. I'm sorta trying to stick with vpk files for addons but some stuff require a pak01 edit.

I've downloaed the addon support tool via tools tab in steam, I've tried validating my files, etc. I even tried snb_updateautocache or whatever the line is. But that only works until I exit L4D2 and then restart it. Now I'm forced to uninstall the entire thing... and reinstall it.

It's not okay yet, since this happens everytime something goes wrong with installing addons or trying to edit vpk/pak files. Quite frustrating really, since I don't know anyone else who has this issue, and I've searched every possible section of the forums and other forums as well with NO solution to this mess.

EDIT: This loss of sound issue doesn't usually happen to me unless it's installing L4D1 custom maps. But the addon support is supposed to allow one to play even L4D1 custom maps/campaigns right?

I was playing City 17 L4D1 add on campaign, and all the sounds worked strangely, but common infected are neon, BUT after I posted about the neon zombies, I deleted the infected addon according to what the creator said, then went to play l4d2, and the sounds went missing.

So is my issue with me installing L4D1 custom addon maps/campaigns? And I should stick with just L4D2 ones instead? And I don't understand why I can't edit my pak files, they're all filled with NULL and weird symbols when I use Notepad++. But I've opened them before...

I'd honestly send a help ticket to Valve support, seeing it's more of a technical issue it will most likely get you an answer.

And about the Notepad++ thing; that's supposed to be like that. Unless the file's like... empty but that's very unlikely, if you search text in it, you'll find it.
The weird symbols and stuff in the .vpk files are usually the pictures and the models (they don't exist out of text, but usually out of hexidecimal characters), but also the scripts and other things, which is the thing you change.

Originally Posted by Alphasoldier

I'd honestly send a help ticket to Valve support, seeing it's more of a technical issue it will most likely get you an answer.

And about the Notepad++ thing; that's supposed to be like that. Unless the file's like... empty but that's very unlikely, if you search text in it, you'll find it.
The weird symbols and stuff in the .vpk files are usually the pictures and the models (they don't exist out of text, but usually out of hexidecimal characters), but also the scripts and other things, which is the thing you change.

Hmmm, I probably should send a help ticket.

Thanks.

hey can anyone send me our tell me where to get pak001 and 001_dir because i screwed those files and y need original ones.