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Left 4 Dead 2 > Guides > ★ Stripa18's Guides
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How to ACTUALLY play in Split-Screen with Mouse, keyboard and a Controller!
By ★ Stripa18
You follow a guide, you type in a command, It works! You can move with both of the players but... hey... why did it break?

With this guide, you will learn how to ACTUALLY play in Split-Screen with a Mouse and Keyboard, fully functional! So you can finally play with your friends at home or online, through streaming.
   
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Created by
★ Stripa18
Online
Category: Co-op, Modding or Configuration
Languages: English
Game Modes: Campaigns, Mutations, Survival, Versus
Posted
Updated
18 Sep, 2021 @ 5:49pm
10 Jul, 2022 @ 7:38am
2,668 Unique Visitors
151 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Prerequisites 
Putting together our configuration file 
Setting up the Controller 
Starting up the Split-Screen match with Keyboard, Mouse and a Controller! 
End of the Guide. Extras + Credits! 
Comments
Prerequisites
These are the things you need before you actually start the process. Of course, I am going to assume you have a mouse, a keyboard and a controller. If not, what are you doing here?!

Split-Screen in the Menu Mod
While you CAN start a game in split-screen through the developer console, It it much easier and convenient to do it through a menu mod.

Available Split-Screen modded menus

Splitscreen Support: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=571568537
Only adds Split-Screen option to the menu.

Gian's Splitscreen Menu: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1429953697
Improved menu with Rayman's mutations, has a ton of features.

What I use
Living4Lia's Mod Menu: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2588482679
It has a lot of features such as Single Player added to other modes, Improved game finder and addons selection, Order of Campaigns Fixed, Rayman mutations, a lot of useful buttons, and more!

In conclusion, Either choose between Gian's or Living4Lia's. I prefer Living4Lia's.
Urik also made a modded menu with split-screen, though I have not tried It out and It may not work at all! https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=765710843

Access to the Developer Console
This is pretty easy, skip if you already know how to open It, If not, I'll just tell you how to do It quickly.
Go into Options > Multiplayer
Enable Developer Console On
Close game
Go to the Steam Library
Right-Click Left 4 Dead 2
Click Properties
A window will pop-up with "Launch Options" in the bottom.
Type in: "-console" without the quotation marks.
Open up the game.
Console should be opened! Bind it to a key via the command:
bind "[key]" "toggleconsole"
Example: bind "f9" "toggleconsole"
Putting together our configuration file
For this process, we'll need help from our good ol' pals, the configuration files, or cfg files as many call them.
These files are stored in the cfg folder inside the left4dead2 folder, and can be executed in-game to send the game a bunch of commands at the same time!

What do we need this .cfg file for?
Once we are in the Split-Screen game, we must enable sv_cheats 1, type in a command to connect the keyboard and mouse player to the second player and then RE-BIND every key and controller button! That's way too much, So that is why we will use a .cfg file, to make this very quick.

Going to the cfg folder
For this, we must go to the game's local files, to do so, right-click the game, hover over the Manage option, and click Local Files.
Now, get into the left4dead2 folder, and now, enter the cfg folder.

Time to create our cfg file!
Here comes the exciting bit.
Right-click in an empty space in the folder, hit New > Text File.
Now name it something creative and remember to change .txt for .cfg. If you can't see the .txt extension, hit View on the top of the window and check the box where it says "File name extensions"
(don't actually name it something that long and with spaces, just name it splitscreen to make it easier)

The commands!
Time to fill our lovely cfg file with the commands we need.

What are these?
These are a combination of:
The command sv_cheats 1 to enable the next command.
in_forceuser 1, so that the Keyboard & Mouse player plays as Player 2, so that the Controller player can play.
A version of config.cfg with only the keyboard and mouse binds.
A version of 360controller.cfg containing only the part with the Player 2 binds and the joystick stuff from the beggining.
The command name2 Player 2, so that second player is called Player 2 instead of unnamed, feel free to change this to anything else!

The commands
Ellis: Large text! Incomiiiiiing!
sv_cheats 1 in_forceuser 1 bind "0" "slot10" bind "1" "slot1" bind "2" "slot2" bind "3" "slot3" bind "4" "slot4" bind "5" "slot5" bind "6" "slot6" bind "7" "slot7" bind "8" "slot8" bind "9" "slot9" bind "a" "+moveleft" bind "b" "+s2" bind "c" "+voicerecord" bind "d" "+moveright" bind "e" "+use" bind "f" "impulse 100" bind "i" "show_menu Menu" bind "m" "chooseteam" bind "n" "+s3" bind "q" "lastinv" bind "r" "+reload" bind "s" "+back" bind "t" "impulse 201" bind "u" "messagemode2" bind "v" "+s1" bind "w" "+forward" bind "x" "+mouse_menu QA" bind "y" "messagemode" bind "z" "+mouse_menu Orders" bind "`" "toggleconsole" bind "SPACE" "+jump" bind "TAB" "+showscores" bind "ESCAPE" "cancelselect" bind "SHIFT" "+speed" bind "CTRL" "+duck" bind "F1" "Vote Yes" bind "F2" "Vote No" bind "F3" "askconnect_accept" bind "F5" "jpeg" bind "F9" "toggleconsole" bind "MOUSE1" "+attack" bind "MOUSE2" "+attack2" bind "MOUSE3" "+zoom" bind "MWHEELUP" "+jump" bind "MWHEELDOWN" "+jump" joy_advaxisy 1 // y-axis controls GAME_AXIS_FORWARD (move forward and back) joy_advaxisz 0 // z-axis is treated like a button joy_advaxisr 2 // r-axis controls GAME_AXIS_PITCH (look up and down) joy_advaxisu 4 // u-axis controls GAME_AXIS_YAW (look left and right) joy_advaxisv 0 // v-axis is unused joy_forwardsensitivity -1.0 // movement sensitivity joy_sidesensitivity 1.0 joy_forwardthreshold 0.1 // movement dead zone settings joy_sidethreshold 0.1 joy_pitchsensitivity 1.0 // look sensitivity joy_yawsensitivity -1.5 joy_pitchthreshold 0.1 // look dead zone settings joy_yawthreshold 0.0 joy_variable_frametime 1 joy_autoaimdampenrange 0.85 joy_autoaimdampen 0.5 joy_lowend 0.65 joy_lowmap 0.15 joy_accelscale 3.0 joy_accelmax 4.0 joy_response_move 5 joy_response_look 1 joy_autoaimdampen 0.3 joy_autoaimdampenrange 0.85 joyadvancedupdate // advanced joystick update allows for analog control of move and look +jlook // enable joystick look cmd2 bind "A_BUTTON" "+jump;+menuAccept" // (A) button - Jump -menuAccpt allows us to make selections on hud menus cmd2 bind "B_BUTTON" "+reload" // (B) button - Reload cmd2 bind "X_BUTTON" "+use" // (X) Use cmd2 bind "Y_BUTTON" "lastinv" // (Y) button - swap pistol/rifle or z_abort -used to respawn as a ghost. cmd2 bind "R_TRIGGER" "+attack" // RT - Main weapon - Primary trigger cmd2 bind "L_TRIGGER" "+attack2" // LT - Melee cmd2 bind "R_SHOULDER" "+lookspin" // RB - Fast 180 spin cmd2 bind "L_SHOULDER" "toggle_duck" // LB - Duck - is also used to give objects to people. cmd2 bind "STICK1" "vocalize smartlook" // LS - vocalize cmd2 bind "STICK2" "+zoom" // RS click - Rifle Zoom // Fixed bindings, do not change these across joystick presets cmd2 bind "BACK" "togglescores" // (back) button - scores cmd2 bind "START" "gameui_activate" // (start) button - pause cmd2 bind "S1_UP" "+menuUp" // Hud menu Up cmd2 bind "S1_DOWN" "+menuDown" // Hud menu Down cmd2 bind "UP" "impulse 100" // DPad Up - Toggle flashlight cmd2 bind "LEFT" "slot3" // DPad Left - grenade cmd2 bind "RIGHT" "slot4" // DPad Right - health cmd2 bind "DOWN" "slot5" // DPad Down - Pills sk_autoaim_mode 2 name2 Player 2
Just paste all of this in and you're good to go pal! Remember to save your changes to the file.
Ellis: Did I ever tell you about the time my buddy Keith hacked the Macedonian goverment?
Shut up Ellis.
Setting up the Controller
Now It's time to go into the Big Picture (mode)!
In the top-right corner of your Steam window, click the Big Picture icon.


Wooah! New cool menu opened up.
Click the Settings icon.


Select Controller Settings.


Now, select the configuration for the controller you are using. I am using an Xbox One controller, so I'll select that! If you have a Playstation or Switch controller, select the corresponding settings.


Now, time to finally boot up the game and go into action with your pal!
Starting up the Split-Screen match with Keyboard, Mouse and a Controller!
Finally, It's time to play with our pal in Split-Screen mode!
Ellis: Can I play with my buddy Keith?
Yes you can Ellis, If you paid any attention that is..

Boot up a match using either the console or the modded menu gamemode.


The Final Step!!!
Open up the console with the bind you set.
Now, execute the GLORIOUS .cfg file we made through the exec file. Like this!


Enjoy your match with your buddy!

Nick: lol coach you are bald
Coach: WHAT???
End of the Guide. Extras + Credits!
Thank you for reading all of the guide! I aprecciate It. I hope It finally helped you as there are a ton of outdated guides about this.


HELP ME REACH 5 STARS SO ELLIS WILL BE HAPPY!
Also,
1 reward = 1 prayer for Keith


How to do this with custom campaigns.
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2582687782
Give a like to this awesome guide!

The sad news!
If you paid attention, we used the command "sv_cheats 1" to make the Keyboard and Mouse player be the second player. Welp, as you may or may not know, you can NOT enable this command outside of a LAN game, so that's more troubleshooting to do 4 u if you really don't have a way to play with 2 controllers and want to play online :P

How to play with a friend from anywhere on the world besides your room!
Your buddy doesn't have Left 4 Dead 2? That's absolutely fine. Do this method and start streaming him the game through a PC streaming service such as parsec.app, I recommend that one. I tried Steam Remote Play Together but If your friend is the one using the mouse and keyboard, It does not work. When using Steam Remote Pay Together the streamer has to be using the mouse and keyboard, other than that, try other alternatives like the already mentioned parsec.app. https://parsec.app/
Enjoy!

CREDITS
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=520001026
I originally got the info to do this from this guide, It is not functional though. The part where It talks about two controllers and everything else works though! Check it out and give it an epic thumbs up.

Dr. Tobias: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/profiles/76561199020551417
In the comments of that guide, he says how to do this, so I took his method and actually did It. So here It is. Now thanks Tobias! Check out his epic mods. They're really nice.

Tags
splitscreen split-screen mouse keyboard controller split screen xbox 360 xbox360 xbox360ce how to bots bot lan play

This is the end! <3 <3 <3
Ellis, say goodbye!


Ellis: GOODBYE!! HOPE U HAV FUN WITH SPLAT SCREN
17 Comments
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★ Stripa18  [author] 31 Mar, 2023 @ 6:27am 
@Shop keeper \steamapps\common\Left 4 Dead 2\left4dead2\cfg
Shop Keeper 27 Mar, 2023 @ 7:50pm 
where would i find the exec file in the files?
edo 7 Jan, 2023 @ 3:00pm 
Attempted K+M + Controller

joy_variable_frametime not recognized.

able to get both players to control a separate character but once player 1(xbox controller) fires weapon, control reverts to K + M
pros_win 12 Mar, 2022 @ 5:02pm 
could people make it so all you need to do is just install the add-on no extra
★ Stripa18  [author] 27 Dec, 2021 @ 7:46am 
If you guys are still experiencing the issue, I recommend excluding "sv_cheats 1" and
"in_forceuser 1" from the exec file, and loading it yourself. Remember that you must have Controller set to Off in the Keyboard/Controller options, and you must execute the commands before you actually give the game any input from your keyboard or controller other than opening the console.
AidsMildew 26 Nov, 2021 @ 9:53am 
Same issue as Nukem, but it's anytime any button at all is pressed on the controller.
CRUSHPALESTINE 7 Nov, 2021 @ 5:16pm 
When executing the .cfg file ingame, it says that it could not exec it.
★ Stripa18  [author] 16 Oct, 2021 @ 4:00pm 
Huh. That is very weird. It most likely has to something do with a mod you have or if you have tinkered with the binds before. In that case, If you want to use the default usage of the x key (Questions & Answers), I recommend binding the function to another key and just not pressing x then. The command is: bind "[key]" "+mouse_menu QA"
milp 16 Oct, 2021 @ 1:55pm 
When I press x, the mouse and keyboard combines with the controller, so I control the same character with them both.
★ Stripa18  [author] 10 Oct, 2021 @ 8:58am 
@RichardHafer Honestly, that doesn't sound much easier at all lol, with my method it's just pasting some text into a file and running it, with your method you are going through several files deleting 1 command in each one of them and everytime you want to play you have to reset your controls.. Seems counter-intuitive but If you are okay with that I am too!