Every new Garry’s Mod dedicated server boots into the same place: gm_construct, the gray sandbox playground that ships with the game. It’s a fine starting point, but if you’re running a DarkRP city, a Trouble in Terrorist Town round-based server, or just want to greet players on gm_flatgrass instead, you’ll want to change which map loads. This guide covers every way to do it — live in the console, remotely over RCON, and permanently through your server’s launch parameters — plus how the map you pick interacts with your gamemode. Each command and convar below comes straight from the Facepunch dedicated-server documentation.
What the default map actually is
Out of the box, the standard Garry’s Mod default (and the example used in Facepunch’s own dedicated-server walkthrough) is the map gm_construct paired with the sandbox gamemode. The other classic built-in map is gm_flatgrass — a flat, empty plane that’s popular for building contraptions without scenery getting in the way. Both ship with the base game, so they’re always available with no Workshop downloads required.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Default example map | gm_construct |
| Default gamemode | sandbox |
| Other classic built-in map | gm_flatgrass |
| Server config file (auto-run on start) | garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg |
| Dedicated Server tool app ID | 4020 |
There are two fundamentally different moments you can set the map: at launch (the map the server boots into) and at runtime (changing maps on a server that’s already running). Both are covered below, and most admins end up using both.
Change the map at runtime with the map command
If your server is already up, the fastest way to switch is the map command. Run it from the server console (the SRCDS window or your host’s web console):
map gm_flatgrassThis immediately changes the level and reloads it. Everyone connected is pulled onto the new map, so expect a short loading screen for all players. The argument is the map’s filename without the .bsp extension — so maps/gm_construct.bsp on disk is loaded with map gm_construct.
Use the map command whenever you want an instant change — testing a new Workshop map, rotating to a fresh level after a round, or moving players off a broken map. Because it triggers a full level reload, it’s the clean, supported way to swap maps without restarting the whole server process.
Change the map remotely over RCON
You don’t need direct console access to change maps. If you’ve set an RCON password, you can drive the server from any connected client’s console. First authenticate, then issue the command remotely:
rcon_password yourpasswordhere
rcon changelevel gm_flatgrassThe RCON password is set with the rcon_password " convar inside garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg, which is auto-executed every time the server starts. A blank or empty rcon_password disables RCON entirely, so you must set one before remote commands work. Once authenticated, rcon runs any server console command remotely — rcon status, rcon map gm_construct, and so on. External admin tools use the Source RCON Protocol over TCP (default port 27015), authenticating with the password before any command is accepted.
Because the RCON protocol authenticates in plaintext and is brute-forceable, use a long random password (12+ characters, mixed letters, numbers, and symbols), and restrict the RCON port to trusted IPs at the firewall where you can. For the full walkthrough, see our guide on how to modify the RCON feature on your Garry’s Mod server.
Set the startup map with launch parameters
The map command only lasts until the next restart. To control which map your server boots into permanently, you set it in the server’s launch parameters (also called the startup command line). The relevant parameters are:
+map— the map the server loads on startup, e.g.+map gm_construct.+gamemode— the gamemode to run, e.g.+gamemode sandbox,+gamemode terrortown, or+gamemode darkrp.+maxplayers— the player slot count.-console— runs the dedicated server in console mode.+host_workshop_collection— loads a Workshop collection of maps/addons.
Here’s the full example launch line, taken directly from the Facepunch wiki:
srcds -console -game garrysmod +gamemode sandbox +map gm_construct +maxplayers 20 +host_workshop_collection To make your server start on gm_flatgrass in sandbox instead, you’d change two values:
srcds -console -game garrysmod +gamemode sandbox +map gm_flatgrass +maxplayers 20If you’re hosting with a managed control panel, you won’t type srcds directly — instead you’ll find Map and Gamemode fields (or a startup-parameters box) in your panel’s startup configuration. Setting those is exactly equivalent to passing +map and +gamemode on the command line. Our managed Garry’s Mod server hosting exposes these as simple dropdowns so you can switch maps without editing a command line at all.
Map and gamemode go together
The map and gamemode are two separate settings, and they have to make sense together. A map alone doesn’t determine how the game plays — the gamemode does. The same gm_construct map behaves completely differently under sandbox versus terrortown.
Gamemode (+gamemode) | Typical map prefix | What it is |
|---|---|---|
sandbox | gm_ | Free-build sandbox — the default GMod experience |
terrortown | ttt_ | Trouble in Terrorist Town — round-based social deduction |
darkrp | rp_ | DarkRP roleplay — jobs, money, and a persistent city |
Two practical rules follow from this:
- Match the map to the gamemode. Running
+gamemode terrortownwith+map gm_constructtechnically works, but TTT maps (ttt_prefix) have the spawn points, weapon placements, and traitor-tester rooms the mode expects. The same goes for DarkRP and itsrp_maps. - Custom gamemodes and maps usually live on the Workshop. DarkRP, TTT map packs, and most popular roleplay maps aren’t built in — you load them through a Workshop collection with
+host_workshop_collection, then reference the downloaded map name with+mapor themapcommand.
When you change a map at runtime with map , the active gamemode stays the same — you’re only swapping the level. To change the gamemode, you change the +gamemode launch parameter and restart the server (or use your gamemode/admin addon’s own map-vote system, which many TTT and sandbox servers run).
Common built-in maps
The base game’s go-to maps — always available, no downloads needed — are:
gm_construct— the default. A varied playground with rooms, a pool, an open field, and a small town section. Best general-purpose sandbox map.gm_flatgrass— a flat, mostly empty grass plane. Ideal for building large contraptions or Wiremod creations with nothing in the way.
If you’ve installed the Counter-Strike: Source or Half-Life 2 content that many servers mount, you’ll also have access to their de_, cs_, and HL2 campaign maps. Beyond that, the vast library of custom GMod maps comes from the Steam Workshop. Once a Workshop map is downloaded to your server, you load it by its filename just like a built-in one — for example map rp_downtown_v4c_v2.
Making the change stick across restarts
It’s worth being clear about which methods are temporary and which are permanent, because this trips up a lot of new admins:
- Temporary (this session only): the
mapconsole command andrcon changelevel. The next time the server restarts, it returns to whatever+mapsays. - Permanent (boots into it every time): the
+maplaunch parameter, or the Map field in your host’s startup configuration.
So the typical workflow is: set +map in your launch parameters to the map you want as your “home” map, and use the live map command (or RCON) to rotate or test maps on the fly during a session. Note that server.cfg is for convars (like rcon_password, maxplayers settings, and gameplay tuning) — the startup map is controlled by the launch line, not by server.cfg.
Quick reference: every way to change the map
| Method | Command / parameter | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Live, from server console | map gm_flatgrass | Immediately, until next restart |
| Remote, over RCON | rcon changelevel gm_flatgrass | Immediately, until next restart |
| At server startup | +map gm_construct | Permanently, every boot |
| Set the gamemode | +gamemode sandbox | At startup (restart to change) |
For the full panel-by-panel walkthrough with screenshots of where these fields live in your control panel, see our Garry’s Mod hosting documentation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the default Garry’s Mod map?
The standard default and example map is gm_construct, paired with the sandbox gamemode. That’s the combination Facepunch uses in its own dedicated-server example. The other classic built-in map is gm_flatgrass.
How do I change the map without restarting the server?
Run map in the server console — for example map gm_flatgrass. This changes and reloads the level immediately for everyone connected. To do it remotely, authenticate with rcon_password from a client console and run rcon changelevel .
Why does my server reset to gm_construct after every restart?
Because the map console command is temporary — it only lasts for the current session. To make a map permanent, set +map in your launch parameters (or the Map field in your host’s startup config). The server boots into whatever +map specifies, not the last map you switched to live.
How do I change both the map and the gamemode?
Set both launch parameters together and restart, for example +gamemode darkrp +map rp_downtown_v4c_v2 or +gamemode terrortown +map ttt_minecraft_b5. The map command alone only swaps the level; it doesn’t change the active gamemode. Make sure the map matches the gamemode (TTT maps for terrortown, rp_ maps for DarkRP).
Can I load custom Workshop maps?
Yes. Load a Workshop collection at startup with +host_workshop_collection , then reference any downloaded map by its filename (without .bsp) using +map or the live map command. Once a Workshop map is on the server, it works exactly like a built-in map.
Where do I find the RCON password to change maps remotely?
You set it yourself with rcon_password " in garrysmod/cfg/server.cfg, which runs automatically every time the server starts. A blank password disables RCON, so you must set one. Once you do, the same password is what you authenticate with for remote admin tasks like enabling cheats and other console commands. If you also run vanilla moderation, our guide on how to ban players from your Garry’s Mod server covers the related RCON ban commands.
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