A console can mean one of the following:

• The in-game console, where you can input text commands which sets up and controls the game.
• The operating system's text-based command line interface (CLI) windows. The map compilers are an example of CLI programs.

Enabling and accessing the in-game console

Enabling the in-game console

In WON
The game must be run with the -console argument. One way to do it is by appending the argument to a shortcut to the game executable.

In Steam
Steam GoldSource has the console enabled by default.

Accessing the in-game console

Once enabled, press the tilde key [~] located near the top left corner of the keyboard to bring out the console. In WON GoldSrc it is a drop-down panel that covers the top half of the screen. In Steam GoldSrc it is a GUI window.

To enter a or set a cvar, type it while the console in open, and press [Enter].

To dismiss the console, press the tilde key again.

Types of commands

• Executable commands or arguments are arguments passed to the game engine, such as the -console argument mentioned earlier. Another common argument is -game <modname>.
• Game commands are commands that control the game engine as it is running. This can also be passed via executable arguments with the + prefix e.g. +load quick is the same as typing load quick in the game console.

Game commands in turn has two types:

• commands that executes some action, such as loading a map.
• console variables (cvars) that holds a value such as the lighting's gamma value, volume, mouse sensitivity, and the skill values.