Q: Can I use my Steam copy of Modern Warfare 2 to play IW4x?

A: You certainly can! A Steam copy of MW2 is the prefered way to play IW4x. Read the Install Guide to learn how to use your Steam copy.

Q: On IW4x, can I play with players on Steam or Steam players play with me?

A: IW4x is entirely seperate from Steam MW2 services, so it is not possible to play with people playing on the Steam version of MW2. You can, however, invite your steam MW2 friends to install IW4x, and then you'll be able to play together.

Q: How do I play with bots?

A: Using the console, you can spawn test clients. These are dumb bots lacking any AI and do not move. The command to spawn these test clients is /spawnbots 17 (The number is the amount you wish to spawn). The alternative is to use a bot mod such as Bot-Warfare. This will give the bots pathing and AI making them perfect for an offline match.

Q: How do I install mods?

A: Please follow the Mod Guide.

Q: Will IW4x get me VAC banned?

A: The short answer is no. IW4x is completely external to Steam and Steam Servers (You don't play with Steam users). It's impossible to get VAC banned. IW4x players only play with fellow IW4x players as the servers are completely seperate from Steam. You are at no risk of recieving a VAC ban.

Q: Is IW4x full of cheaters?

A: Absolutely not! In-fact, IW4x has far less cheaters than Steam servers due to it's more advanced anti-cheat system, preventing .dll and process hooking exploits that plague Steam. Futhermore, server owners have full moderation control unlike Steam as explained below. If cheaters do slip through the net, they can be quickly banned.

Q: Does my Steam rank and stats carry over to IW4x?

A: No. When you start IW4x, you will be starting at level 1. As stated above, IW4x is external from Steam, so you will have a separate rank, classes, title etc. When, and if, you go back to Steam MW2 you will still have the same rank you had before. IW4x does not alter this at all. However, you can always manually set your rank back to the level you were if you wish as this is allowed, or just use the unlock all button in the barracks menu to get 10th prestige level 70 with everything unlocked.

Q: How do I set a custom prestige and level?

A: To set a custom prestige, open the console pressing the tilde key (~) and type the following: \setplayerdata prestige x. You can set your prestige to be 0 through 11. The console command for setting a custom level is: \setplayerdata experience x. A list of experience for all the levels can be found here.

Q: How do I change my sensitivity?

A: You can change your sensitivty either though the options menu in-game or for more precise values use the command /sensitivty 1 (Replace the number with your desired sensitivty).

Q: How can I change my Field of View (FOV)?

A: You can change your FOV by using the in-game menu or using the console command /cg_fov 90 (Replace the number with your desired FOV).

Q: How can I use cheat protected commands in private match such as noclip?

A: You must use the devmap command to load a map, this enables the use of cheat protected commands as it toggles sv_cheats to 1. Example /devmap mp_highrise. For more information on console commands, see our guide: Console Commands Guide.

Q: How can I improve my FPS?

A: The best way is to go into the graphic options of the game and lower all the settings. The next step you can take is to lower your game's resolution. Keep lowering it until you reach your desired FPS. If your FPS is still too low, there's a good chance your PC isn't good enough to play MW2.

Q: Why is my gaming laptop getting low FPS?

A: By default, many gaming laptops use intergrated CPU graphics to preserve battery. You may need to force IW4x to use your dedicated graphics card.

1. Go to the NVIDIA Control Panel by right clicking on your desktop and click on "NVIDIA Control Panel".
2. In the default screen that pops up (it should be "manage 3D settings", and the "Program Settings" tab should be automatically selected), under "1. Select a program to customize:" hit the "Add" button.
3. From here, navigate to the folder where IW4x is installed.
4. Select IW4x.exe and hit open.
5. Then, under "2. Select the preferred graphics processor for this program:" open the drop-down menu and select "High-performance NVIDIA processor".
6. Finally, hit apply in the far bottom right corner, and you should be good to go!

Q: How can I report cheaters?

A: IW4x has no global control over server owners or what rules they enforce / who they choose to ban. For this reason, if you encounter a cheater you must report them to the server owner you encountered the cheater on. Most good server provide contact information such as a Discord or website. Note: If a server has poor moderation and doesn't ban cheaters, it's advised you don't play on their servers.

Q: Where can I download mods?

A: There is no one central location to download mods. For this reason, Google is your best bet at locating mods.

Q: What is security level and why am I stuck on it?

A: Security level is a built in security mechanism that generates a unique ID. It's computationally intense and may take a while to complete. Please be patient.

Q: What port does MW2 multiplayer use by default?

A: The default port is 28960. This port needs to be forwarded on the correct protocols if you wish to play private matches with friends. 28960 on the protocols (UDP & TCP) needs to be forwarded.

Q: What port does MW2 singleplayer run on by default?

A: The default port is 28961. This port needs to be forwarded on the correct protocols if you wish to host a spec ops lobby with a friend. 28961 on the protocols (UDP & TCP) needs to be forwarded.