How to Set Up a Custom Map Cycle on Your CS 1.6 Server

Oct 22, 2026 3 min read

The map cycle is the list of maps your Counter-Strike 1.6 server rotates through. It is stored in a single text file called mapcycle.txt, so changing your rotation only takes a few minutes.

How the Map Cycle Works

The server reads mapcycle.txt from top to bottom, with one map name per line. When the current map ends, it loads the next map in the list, then starts over from the top once it reaches the end.

A map name is the map's file name without the .bsp ending. For example, the file de_dust2.bsp is listed as de_dust2.

Step 1: Check Which Maps Are on Your Server

Every map in your cycle must already be uploaded to your server.

Log into your MintServers panel and open your Counter-Strike 1.6 server.

Click the Files tab in the left-hand sidebar.

Open the cstrike folder, then the maps folder.

Note the names of the .bsp files you want to use, without the .bsp ending.

Step 2: Edit mapcycle.txt

    📁 cstrike
            📄 mapcycle.txt (click to edit this file)
            
                📁 maps (your .bsp map files)

Go back to the cstrike folder.

Click on mapcycle.txt to open the text editor.

Add or remove map names so there is exactly one map per line, like this:

📄 mapcycle.txt

de_dust2
de_inferno
de_nuke
cs_italy
cs_assault

Click the Save Content button at the top right of the file editor.

Step 3: Restart Your Server

Go to the Console tab and click Restart to apply your new map rotation.

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Adding Custom Maps

Want to play maps that do not come with the game? Add them to your server first, then list them in your map cycle.

Download the custom map. The main file is a .bsp file.

In the Files tab, open cstrike/maps and upload the .bsp file.

If the map came with extra files, such as textures or resource files, upload them to the folders shown in the map's download.

Add the map's name, without .bsp, to mapcycle.txt and save.

Restart your server.

ℹ️ Players May Need to Download Custom Maps
Players who do not have a custom map yet must download it when they join, so their first connection after you add it can take longer.

Controlling When the Map Changes

The map cycle decides which map comes next, but your server.cfg decides when the map changes. The two settings that matter most are mp_timelimit (minutes per map) and mp_maxrounds (rounds per map). See our Edit Config Files guide to change them.

💡 Tip
Want to switch to a map right now without waiting for the cycle? Open the Console tab and type changelevel mapname, replacing mapname with the map you want, such as changelevel de_dust2.

🛠️ Troubleshooting Map Cycle Issues

A map in my cycle does not load

Check that the name matches the file in cstrike/maps exactly, without the .bsp ending, and that the map is actually uploaded.

My changes did not apply

Make sure you clicked Save Content and restarted the server.

The server stays on one map

Check mp_timelimit and mp_maxrounds in server.cfg. If both are 0, the map has no limit and will not change on its own.

Players are stuck loading a custom map

Make sure you uploaded all of the map's extra files, not just the .bsp.

Your new map rotation is ready!

Still stuck?

Our team is happy to help. Open a ticket through the live chat button in the bottom-right corner of our website, or join our Discord and open a ticket there.

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