Install a game mode for Garry's Mod

By default, a Garry's Mod server runs in Sandbox. To offer your players something different - DarkRP, TTT (Trouble in Terrorist Town), Murder, Prop Hunt or a custom-built gamemode - you need to install the gamemode on the server, then tell the server to load it at startup. The whole operation takes a few minutes and is done entirely from your panel.

Prerequisites

• An active Garry's Mod server at Lordhosting
• Access to your game panel
• The files of the gamemode you want to install (.zip archive or folder)

Step 1: Get the gamemode files

Download the gamemode from a reliable source: the Steam Workshop, GitHub for community projects (DarkRP, for example) or GmodStore for paid gamemodes. You will usually get a .zip archive.

Extract it on your computer and check its structure: the gamemode folder must directly contain the project files (usually a .txt file named after the gamemode and a gamemode/ subfolder). Make a note of the exact folder name - you will need it in step 3.

Step 2: Transfer the gamemode to your server

Go to your game panel, log in, select your server, then follow these steps:

1. Click on the "File Manager" tab to access your server's files.
2. Go to the gamemode folder: garrysmod/gamemodes.
3. Drag your gamemode into this folder. You can also upload the .zip archive with the Upload button, then extract it directly from the File Manager.
4. Wait for the transfer to finish before closing the page, especially for large gamemodes.

Step 3: Enable the gamemode at startup

Placing the files is not enough: the server needs to know which gamemode to load.

1. In your panel, open your server's startup configuration ("Startup" tab).
2. Find the field dedicated to the gamemode, which contains the value sandbox by default.
3. Replace this value with the exact name of the folder you created earlier in garrysmod/gamemodes - matching upper and lower case.

Step 4: Restart and check

Restart your server from the panel. Watch the console during startup: it should show the new gamemode loading, without any blocking Lua errors. Then connect in-game to confirm the right mode is active.

Common issues

The server keeps starting in Sandbox. The name entered in the startup configuration does not exactly match the folder name. Be careful: the servers run on Linux, so case matters (DarkRP and darkrp are two different names). Fix it, then restart.

The gamemode does not load or the console shows Lua errors. First check the folder structure: after extraction, the gamemode sometimes ends up nested inside a folder with the same name (mygamemode/mygamemode/...). The gamemode files must sit directly at the root of the folder placed in garrysmod/gamemodes. Move them if needed.

The gamemode works but content is missing in-game. Many gamemodes depend on addons or extra content (weapons, models, suitable maps). Check the gamemode's documentation and install the required dependencies in garrysmod/addons, then restart.

Conclusion

Installing a gamemode comes down to three actions: transfer the folder into garrysmod/gamemodes, enter its exact name in the startup configuration, then restart the server. Once you have the process down, you can switch gamemodes at will and grow your server at your community's pace.

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