There are a set of CVARs that control how HLDS Server Resources are managed, that is, uploading and downloading things like Map Resources and Client custom Sprays.

Some of these CVARs have Client-side controls as well.

In all below descriptions, 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled

Client side:

• cl_allowdownload 1/0 - Allow/Prevent any download from the server to the client
• cl_allowupload 1/0 - Allow/Prevent any content (including sprays) from being sent from the client to the server.

Server side:

• sv_allowupload 1/0 - Allows/Prevents clients sending custom sprays to the server

NOTE: sv_allowupload 0 will cause the message: "ignoring custom decal from xxxxxx" on the server console.

• sv_send_logos 1/0 - Enables/Prevents the server from sending custom sprays to the clients.
• sv_send_logos 1 - Requires sv_allowdownload 1 to work
• sv_allowdownload 1/0 - Enables/Prevents the server from downloading any content to the client (maps, sprays and related)
• sv_send_resources 1/0 - Enable/Disable all secure resources from being sent to the client.

If this is disabled, and sv_allowdownload is disabled then nothing will be sent to the client - this includes secure content (0:0 case)

If the server is secure no client should be able to join.

If this is enabled and sv_allowdownload is enabled, (and sv_send_logos is enabled) then everything will be sent to the client (1:1 case)

If this is enabled and sv_allowdownload is disabled and the server is not in secure mode then any clients should be able to connect but no content will get sent to them (1:0 case)

If the server is in secure mode, clients will be able to join.

If this is disabled and sv_allowdownload is enabled, then _no_ secure content will be sent but map resources will be sent to the client. (0:1 case). If the server is insecure clients will be able to join and get content. If the server is secure, I presume that no clients will be able to join.

• sv_filetransfercompression 1/0 - Enables/Disables the server from compressing & sending compressed content to the client.
• sv_downloadurl <url> - Setting this CVAR will allow Clients to download Custom Content via HTTP instead of sourcing the content from the game server, much faster.

Set this to "" (null string) to convert back to normal downloads. for more information, please refer to the: Server DownloadURL FAQ

hpk_maxsize 0/(whatever, set to 0.1 to minimize) No limit/100k limit to the size of the custom.hpk file on the server that stores all the sprays from the client.

"sv_send_logos" (default: 1) - When "sv_allowdownload" is set to 1, this cvar will control whether custom logos are propagated to clients.

"sv_send_resources" (default: 1) - When "sv_allowdownload" is set to 1, this cvar will control whether resources are propagated to clients.

If you set "sv_allowdownload 1" and "sv_send_resources 0", clients will be able to connect to your server (running in "secure" mode) and game resources will NOT be downloaded to them.

If you want to allow downloads, then you can set "sv_send_resources 1" and everything will be fine.

People who are doing that are already running fine in secure mode. This was just a work-around for the server admins who don't want to allow downloads.