From what I understand since the dlc update using vpks is useless so there are three alternatives that I know of to include custom content into your distribution.

1) Pack everything into a .zip and have the player drop all of it into the correct folders.
(This kills my custom light board script as it would need to overwrite a gamefile, and it's tough for the player to install)

2) Create a mod.
(This seems like overkill for just one map)

3) Pack everything extra into your .bsp using pakrat
(I love this option it keeps everything down to one file and keeps all of my custom content working)

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The problem, and the reason I am posting is, I have no idea what paths to give the files inside of pakrat to have them work in game.

I am trying to include a .bik video, a .nut screen splitter script, and a light board .txt script.
Their names respectively are:

"pneumatic_diversity.bik", "optics_and_pneumatics_video_splitter.nut", and "sp_lightboard_icons.txt"

At this point I have included these files into my bsp manually with pakrat and set their paths to the standard file structure of the "portal 2" folder. Their current respective paths are:

"media", "scripts/vscripts/videos", and "scripts/vscripts/transitions"

The path for the "optics_and_pneumatics_video_splitter.nut" script is set correctly in my map and the master vgui_movie_display's are set with no movie file name (this seems to make no difference when the files are in the correct place and I assume that the "optics_and_pneumatics_video_splitter.nut" decides what video to play overall anyway). Additionally all of the scripts and video have been tested when not packed in the .bsp and worked perfectly.

What to do? Do the files have incorrect paths? If so does anyone know the correct ones?

The way I do it, is I create a new portal2 folder for my custom content, inside this new folder everything has its correct filepaths, this makes it easy for me.
now open your file in pakrat and drag the files on... it will ask you if it can change the file path... say yes, the program is smarter than you.
if you don't want to make a separate folder for your custom content... if you've placed these files in the portal2 file architecture just drag them straight from there over to your bsp, again pak rat will ask to change the file path.. let it

all content filepaths are all in relation to your \Steam\steamapps\common\portal 2\portal2 folder

so yes those filepaths seem fine

quick note: sp_lightboard_icons.txt (actually all .txt files) don't work with pakrat, see this topic:

mapping-help/custom-sp-lightboard-icons-txt-in-a-map-t5726.html

Well if it worked packed I think Valve would have made all their files packed into their main vpk instead of including some of the files inside physical folders. (All of their media is in actual folders too).

Didn't someone mention what order the vpk's are used? DLC, Update, then the normal portal folder?

If that is the case, create a portal2_dlc2/3/... folder and dump your .vpk there (with all the appropriate folders). Very sure that Valve will not release their second DLC anytime soon, but I would make it portal2_dlc3 just in case.

chickenmobile wrote:
Well if it worked packed I think Valve would have made all their files packed into their main vpk instead of including some of the files inside physical folders. (All of their media is in actual folders too).

Didn't someone mention what order the vpk's are used? DLC, Update, then the normal portal folder?

If that is the case, create a portal2_dlc2/3/... folder and dump your .vpk there (with all the appropriate folders). Very sure that Valve will not release their second DLC anytime soon, but I would make it portal2_dlc3 just in case.

I don't know about that since there are already people in the beta. But yea; I've also been in the CS:GO beta since november and the game is also planned for a Q2 release.

So I'd go for portal2_dlc_3 or portal2_dlc_4 so you're sure it won't give a problem any time soon.

Alright cool so I'll just put the vpk into a folder named "portal2_dlc4" and zip it up. I know for a fact that the .bik also wont pack... I wonder if the .nut will. I never tested it with only the .nut packed. This could still work out with a clean distribution after all. Also Thank you BenVlodgi for the extremely helpful hints about pakrat they are sure to be useful in the future.

EDIT: Tested the .nut... no cigar.

Double check that you've set the (internal) path for the .nut file correctly. I know for a fact that .nut scripts do work from inside a bsp.

HMW Thanks for that. I spelled it wrong in hammer... cringe.

I've made my own DLC_03 before, and it takes a long time to install even the smallest update. I reccomend you just use Omnicoders lightboard maker, doesn't require scripts..... you should never have to make a DLC_... for 1 map, and if you are going to do that, you might as well just make a mod base